Modeling in progress
Clothes & hair
Modeling in progress
Last week modeling was started. A basemesh was developed for the main character, but kept relatively simple since the finished character is to be clothed;
It was allso discovered when rendering the face, that occlusion may prove a good toon-shading technique once the spread value is exaggerated, possibly if the occlusion layer is somewhat interpolated in post.
Normal occlusion render:
Spread = 2:
Research finished
Research has been practical and mainly in the areas of motion-capture, rigging and 2d elements, since they where the parts least explored. The research was performed on rigging and motion capture by reason of the risk-analysis mentioning both as top risks. By experience it is known that motion data often lacks sufficient quality to act as a sole animation solution. Rigging is also often complicated, with joints affecting the wrong parts of a model and knees and elbows looking unnatural when bent. Those two parts were vital to have tested, since the characters would have to move and act natural; or not at all.
The standard blueman-rigg was applied to a 9 000 poly model model and skinweighted. Some bone and joint proportions were changed since those of the blueman did not match the projects reference character. Deep anatomy studies were performed to place each joint just right on the characters body, not to have any movement look unnatural. This video displays the test-character of appr. 9 000 polygons posed and rigged:
Storyboard finished
To give each character a stronger expression and since motion capture animations was included from the beginning, I decided early on to add a cinematic touch to the characters. This week I have, in congruence with my timeschedule, designed a storyboard, providing a blueprint for the character concepts, camera-angles and expressions;
This storyboard is a subject for simplifications. I will try out what is possible to do and what there’ s no time for, but considering the harm reduction can have to imagination, I did not want to count anything out on a conceptual stage. Notice allso how few details there are in the environments. This is since they are not top priority and allso because as much as possible of them will be done in 2d.
I’ve planned for the finished filmclip to be about a minute long.
Motion Capture and concept drawings
On the 19th of november 2008, motion capture for the project was recorded. Allthough the ProjectPlan is not finished, it was an ideal moment to record. Motion actors were Magnus Jansson, Johan Pilestedt and Malin Hedström. To illustrate the desired moods and expressions, some concept drawings were rapidly produced of the characters;
There will possibly be a third character allso if there’s time for it, but right now, the ProjectPlan comes in first hand. Please click each thumbnail for an enlarged version.