Second year - Finished

I have finished this project - Norman animation.

Music - From Hell Sound track - Whitechapel Murders
Sound effect - soundbible.com

This project was very challenging since I always find Maya difficult (last year I struggled A LOT) and also it was very first time to animate rigged character Norman and it took me a while to get used to with using controls WITH re-capping all the Maya tutorials I had last year. There were a lot of new things to try this term and I can definitely tell second year is much harder than first year.
But on the positive side I did enjoy animating Norman and working on Maya which helped me to improve my skills, finding out my own ways to model an object and making layout with using polygon etc. The best part of this project was that I actually started to enjoy working with Maya, also learning new skills was fun every time. Animating Norman was definitely a fun task to do, it was funny how we could do pretty much anything on Norman, moving arms, Legs, face... there were so many controls on Norman and I was amazed how much you can do to him. His face control was amusing because moving his eye browse changes his expression instantly, but it was hard to get the right expression since there were so many controls.
Hardest part of this project was definitely the Norman's joints, joints as in Knee, Elbow etc... they tends to bend in the wrong way and sometimes it ruined the entire animation because of it.
Another hard moment was actually not from the project, my health issues did interrupt so many times and I often had to miss the lecture because of it. So I've decided to organise the working time so that I can rest fully while I am sick. Since my health issues kicks in a pattern I have decided to work as much as I could on the sick-free week. Also since I have busy plans during Christmas I have decided to finish all my work before Christmas so that I won't need to worry about working over Christmas. I think I have managed to successfully organise the working time since I have managed to finish my work before the original deadline.
Lastly I have enjoyed this project and I feel that I have actually 'worked' reasonably hard. In future I will probably play around on Maya and use Norman to mess around...just for fun :)

Second year - Music

For the background music I was thinking about using dark, but not too loud music such as Orchestra music.

Some Ideas I have is :

• Saint-Saens - Requiem : Agnus

• Saint-Saens - Samson et Dalila : Introduction

• Grieg - Peer Gynt suite : Abduction & Ingrid's Lament - Aase's Death

• From Hell - Compass and the Ruler 

I will need to do more research this week.

Second year - FINISHED RENDERING

I have managed to finish animating last weekend, and I have also finished rendering and ALSO putting everything into After Effects. I am really happy how I have actually managed to follow the schedule of "finishing before Christmas" since I am off to Japan this Christmas.

All I need to do is to find a good music for the background and also some sound effects, I will be concentrating on that for the rest of this week.

Second year - Sound project (take 2)

Sound project take 2. I didn't like the first one so I've edit some of the sounds and volume.

Second year - Sound project

My new sound project.

Second year - FINISHED ANIMATING

I have managed to achieve my target of 'finish animating this weekend'!!
All of the big animation is done (out of my way!) so I am going to spend the next 2 weeks editing, improving and rendering.

Also I need to work out which sounds I will be using. I will start looking into that from tomorrow.

At least the main big part is done... phew.




I am actually happy with my achievement despite the fact I was having a lot of health issues, there was a time where I thought "... no, I don't think I can finish it" I was actually really worried that I may not be able to finish it on time because of the illness, but I did forced myself to work a lot when I was feeling fine. I am actually glad that I scheduled my work time.

Second year - final push

As I am going back to my home country for Christmas I wanted to finish all of the animation before we break up for holiday.
So, the week we just had and the next 2 weeks is going to be my 'Final Push Week'!!

My schedule is to get all of the animation done by this weekend and spend the next 2 weeks to edit, adding sounds and rendering. Hopefully I can use this 2 weeks to improve my work.

Second year - more lightings

Second year - Lighting final

My tutor has helped me to improve the lighting on my layout.

Compared to the previous one I think it has improved well.

Second year - Norman's expression

Norman is worried by looking around the place he landed.

Second year - Norman Fly

Now Norman is flying into the air. Haha.

Second year - Norman sitting up

Animated Norman sitting up from the sitting position.

Second year - Walk cycle again

Second year - Norman drop

 Here are my attempt of animating the first scene of norman falling down from the sky and hitting his face.


Look at his face, haha. Making his pupil as tiny as possible makes hilarious expression.

Second year - Norman Walk Cycle practise

Second year - Norman falling

I've looked into the very first scene of Norman falling and landing on his face.

Second year - Close up

Second year - Layout with background

I have added cylindical mapping onto the cylinder around the layout (so that the layout is actually inside the cylinder) to get the sky around the layout.

Second year - Lighting test

 I've started adding lights on my layout. These are the tests that I've done.

Firstly I have added ambient light with a shade of dark red at the centre of the layout. I wanted scary, bloody and negative but strong effects so I have chosen dark red.
Then I have added spot light at the left side of the layout to give second lights. Without this it will be just a dark red weak light.

Second year - Lip sync again

Second year - Lip sync side view

Side view.

Second year - Lip sync front

Lip sync Front view.

Second year - Hell layout again

 I've taken out the trees to re-model them

Second year - Norman practise again

 The scene when he is sitting on the swing.

Second year - Norman expression

 From the top -

Angry
Happy
Confused / Thinking
Inflating cheek (?)
Silly face
Scared / Worried

Second year - Norman moving around

We have finally started to use rigged model 'Norman' on Maya.

These pictures are the practise of poses and the control of the skeleton etc...

Second year - Skull Challenge

I wanted to add skull in the layout so I've started off with sketching the ideas so that I could use it as a reference. I've decided to not model the jaw bone to show that the skull has been there for many years.

So, the images below are my attempt of modelling a skull on Maya. It was actually not as hard as I thought it would be, but the most hardest part is to get the right 'dint' at the side of the head and also the shape of eye-holes.
It will be added onto the layout.

Second year - Phonetic chart

Second year - Walk cycle

Walk cycle for my animation.
I've made his back slightly slouched to represent his upset emotions.

Second year - Sound project take 2

Second attempt

Second year - Fire again

Fire modelling take 2. Now it looks more like fire but very very thin. Almost looks like its burning from the candle or something. It's not really an 'Hell fire' as I am looking for more agressive burning.

But getting there, much better than last time.

Second year - Working on Fire

I wanted to add fluid effects of fire on the setting to represent the Hell theme... so far, not so good.
I have used fluid effects to make fire but the adjustment of the setting is so complicated.
It may look fine on the screen but when I render it doesn't look like fire...

It almost looks like liquid, not fire.  The setting must be wrong...

 

 

 

Second year - Sound Project

Here's my sound project work.

Music by Bob Acri - Sleep Away

Second year - Texturing

I've added textures onto my layout to get the brief idea of what it would look like.

... At the moment it doesn't look like Hell at all, I will need background image (such as red sky) and more props (possibly weapons?)

Also I want to model fire as well, so I will be working onto this next.