Life drawing (14-10-2011)

Life drawing (28-10-2011)

Life drawing (4-11-2011)

Life drawing (11-11-2011)

Life drawing (18-11-2011)

Life drawing (25-11-2011)

Life drawing (2-12-2011)

Layout (Initial)

I was ill and managed to miss the lecture on layouts, so I did not know where to start!! Since I was ill and in bed for most of the first 2 weeks of University I have decided to do a sketch from the view from my bedroom window. The first image is from my sketchbook, I have scanned into my laptop and slightly coloured in with photoshop. These are just an experiment of what I could do and getting some ideas by looking at places or landscape etc. After I got better and returned to Uni I have explored around the University and around my house to get more ideas into my head. At the moment my head is about to explode from all the catching up and everything!! I feel like I am making an excuse but I was very struggling to start off with this layouts.

Layout (Developed)

These are my Layout design. I think layout design is so hard... incredibly hard. Its nothing like designing a character or an object, it is more like designing a building, nature etc... which I have never done before. Although I am very excited to create a Layout, I like trying new things! So, these are my second attempt of layout design. I feel that the images are too blurly... I was spending too long on bluring the shadings and ended up like a badly blured photograph... and then the tree is too solid which makes the back building even more blured. I must work more on shadings and how to not make too blurly.

Layout (Developed 2)

This is the developed version of my previous layouts.

I had a class show & Tell and I have got very good advices of what I can improve on this layouts. Firstly the layers are not working. Over lapping too much and hard to tell whether it is a tree or a mountain behind the front tree. Secondly the shadow is too harsh, especially the shadow on the right hand side. Wrong shape, I got to think about where the lights are comming from. And lastly, I got to think about using a brush that is more solid rather than painting style.
After the advice I felt like I have A LOT of work to do... to improve my Layouts. I know what to do, but I am struggling to get on to it and do, I don't know where to start!! I may have to re-design my layouts and start again from scratch.

Layout (Developed 3)

Im going to admit, I am struggling a lot on layout design. Everything I do, it just doesn't feel right. I know there is no right or wrong, but I just didn't feel that it isn't what I wanted. I have a lot of ideas and designs going around in my head but I just couldn't put it up on one piece of work. Again, I am struggling. This time I have tryed drawing a landscape with mountains. To be honest I don't like this very much, I just don't feel like its something I wanted...  I need to work on this more, more and MORE...

Layout (Developed 4)

I am struggling with Layout design... I just cannot think of a good design!! Looking at other peoples work really made me feel bad, I kept on thinking, Why can't I do it??  Why can't I be as good as them? The answer is because I didn't understand the concept of 'Layout design' at all. I wasn't thinking about layers, colours, tone, shadings... I went to the Photoshop tutorial and got very good advice on actually 'how to use photoshop'. I was amazed how we can do so many things on Photoshop!! at the same time I felt really stupid about how I didn't know anything about them. Ive decided to re-think about my layouts, I think I want to create a dark theme layouts because I just think the night darkness is beautiful, it creates mysterious, scary, horror, lonely theme... I just thought it would be perfect for my character too. SO, I am going to re-design my layouts again, hopefully I can create a better version next time... fingers crossed.

Layout (Final)

This is my Final layout design, after the lecture on photoshop I have managed to use the layer tool better than before. I think it looks better than my previous attempts... It did take me ages to create this one. But I can say I am much happier of what I have done.

Character Design (Initial)

For my Character design I have started to sketch whatever came up on my head. I wanted to create a character that is original, which means no copy-ing other existant characters.
I quite liked the Robot Ideas (Second Image), I wanted to go for a simple shapes so that I will be able to animate him easily... I sort of sound a bit lazy but I wanted a character that does not involve time consulming details. I thought 'Simple is the best'.

The Last image is my attempt of making one of my character on Maya... Yes, Its sort of look a bit odd but I liked how simple it was to make.

Character Design (Developed)

I have decided to stick with my Robot Ideas. I will be developing him to get the final Design. Robot is obviously an artificial character, who supposed to have no emotions and moves as the human requests them to. I wanted to link Robot's miserable life to the animation, one of my idea is that Robot is all alone and wants to be loved. He supposed to not have any emotions but he is the one of special Robot that can create emotions. Again, I am going to stick with the simple designs because I think simple character would be easier to animate.

Character Design (Developed 2)

These are my developed character design, neatened up with Photoshop.

I had an advice and maybe this character is not too flexible, for example his legs are too short so it may be hard to animate the movement. Or I could leave it as they are and keep his short leg as the part of his characteristics. difficulty in walking or any movements may add new personality and could be interesting.

I personally would like to change slightly so that it will be more simple and flexible.