Character Design Refinement

Like two weeks ago, so as the last week's lecture, I’ve got advice and notes on all three characters.  No radical changes needed to be done, since the designs are pretty much in their refinement stage: tweaking proportions, adding details ext. 

So for the hero, again, I had to make some adjustments with his head's structure. Change nose and eye shape, add facial hair. Hopefully it’s working for the better now.

 

 

Sidekick pretty much worked as it is, just needed to add the jaw for more comunicative  facial expressions, and cleaned up the drawing for its clarity.

 

The Villain, as thorough out the whole character design unit, took the longest time to “figure out”. After changing  the head it became “more interesting” than body, also  seemed detached from it, so the advice from Justin was to add some “complexity” to the body.  

 

  

All of the changes were really necessary. Characters can be better understood when seen in relationship to one another.

 

I started working on the texturing. I had basic ideas about it  for each of the design:  hero will be furry, sidekick has a /dry/ thin bat-like skin, but the villain.. (There’s just something with villain’s design all this unit :D ) a great great idea came from Justin, and it was perfect, as soon as he mentioned it I saw fully finished design in my head ( Eurica! ) He said that villain’s design structure suggest he could be mineral-based creature, made of a see-through mineral.. Like.. He’s an evil alien, why not.  

  

I’ve gathered some Visual reference for each character’s texturing ect. Hopefully in next week I’ll be able to work on that more.

Oh, And I discovered I haven't uploaded show's synopsis , forgot :/  But here it is.

Week's progress (!)

To summarize this week's experience... It was one of the most productive as well as the most hectic week this year. Didn't have time  to upload anything since apart from project work,  I worked  for University,  at career's  fare in Brighton (It looks like there's an expansive interest in CG Arts and Animation) and an open day at Rochester. So after all last week's fresher balls, house parties, pubs and festivals this week was all about concentration towards "the serious“

Most of the attention was given to our Narrative unit, studio experience.

 I was responsible for creating the concept art, animatic and script as well as fully resolving storyboards with additional panels and character design of the alien (this one still to be done soon).

I started with the military base concept. 

This is one of the most impactful shots in the trailer. I wanted the Military base to look cold and very inorganic as it is an institution of brutal force (at least that’s the perception we want to bring across in our trailer)   the progress of the work can be seen in the additional picture.

Second concept came for the abandoned toy scene outside the factory. It should capture the eerie and a changed atmosphere in the air as the meteorite is about to fall down and transform the silly-putty into the alien.  I tired to emphasize the “abandoned toy” theme in this concept.

Lastly, there is the concept of the city. We were researching Doctor Caligari’s cabinet  and some of the more contemporary animations (like Samurai Jack) so got some inspiration and a direction for this concept piece.  Its all covered under the eerie green sky and windows only further reflect it, one of the buildings actually reflects the monster in a very subtle way (red eyes ). Our world is stylized but still doesn’t lack of realistic details here ant there, in every corner.  

The quick video showcasing the making of:

This week after long formation of our idea, finally A script was written. (sorry for the spelling errors,  a foreign sitting late  is not the best speller :/ )

And finally,  I should be uploading the animatic, but considered not doing that, cause it's under developments, also its boring, cause there is no sound. I'll surely post it soon.

So there you go, pretty much all the secrets of The  Attack of 50 ft Alien from Toyland are uncovered :D

(In case you wan't follow our progress here are some links:

Blog address: http://voidcanvas.blogspot.com/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Void-Canvas-Studio/160833670612543 

Presenting Ivan

I wrote before that I want to present Ivan as if he is captured in animation and its not just him in bland background, but in his environment. Also the picture serves as a peace of concept art for future development.

The idea for the environment isn't new. A month or so ago I've posted some sketches, one of wich captured the proportions, composition and shapes for the environment depicted here. But what happens in the place is what really directed the design. Initially this  it is where ship models are built and  tested in the lake. So we can see shelters made out of sails, or half of the ship deck used as arbour and so on. 

Concept Art

As I mentioned previously, at the very beginning I chose Caves as one of the places where slime molds can be found. And what this gave me was a further research about this environment and , most importantly, the lighting. See-through slime molds in dark caves are lighten by glow worms, their neighbors.

So this is First 3 concept drawing of what I imagine the Animation is going to look like.
Maybe it’s going to be less textured (if it's going to destract from the slime mold transformation), so far what I notice. I'll see.

Wardrobe Story: Set Design

This is perhaps how the environment would look like and where all the performance of the Umbrella happen in the actual animation ( and this could be the moment before doors closes to leave them alone just saying to justify the lighting).

Welcome to Gypsy Circus!

I decided to change the traditional circus to a more gypsy-style circus, where such comedy's of two tightrope walkers fighting can happen :D

Circus concept drawing

This is the additional reference pictures I used while drawing and the workflow

Testing the Stage and Characters for the Story

After today's workshop I decided to capture ruff ideas of the stage and characters I have so far.
I've written the story , but I think in few days time I'll better present the thumbnail sketches instead.

The stage includes only the main objects that every circus has and those that will be participating in the story (elephant, tightrope ,basin etc.)
I design characters to "compliment" each other.

pORTFOLIO wOrks : drawings

A comics done for Euro cartoon competition which took place quit recently. For my bigest joy succeded to get some rewards :]



This is an illustration of Mogwai's - Hunted by a freak.


The idea of this character came during a walking-tour somewhere about 3 o'clock at night..

Early PORTFOLIO work : montages

"Three headed panther"

"Zebra-like behemoth"


"Flying elephant "