Let the Penguines Walk: Setting for Animation

In this project decision was to first do the animation and only then go to detailed set building.

So I started looking at substances to prepare myself for animating. Also it really helped to go into the mindset for animating. So first of all , I want to share what I found .

Animation tips and tricks is a blog where animators answer common questions and share their own techniques of animating, whether it would be the pipeline, trickery or a "checklist". Also they've published 2 free e-books for downloading .

These resources inform my practice.

Other than that I'm now looking for video references to inform the animation scenarios.

For example,in the beginning, while the Bird is unaware of himself in his infancy stage, he walks much like a penguin. So to test animate the walk cycle I first looked at penguins walking.




and here is very first animation test. As I decided to spend some time and get acquainted with Bird's controls ( and there were some problems to solve as well...)




I spent.. well, a bout 8 hours there... I did few of the animations but didn't hesitate to start all over when it was clear that there wasn't anything substantial..

This test was one of more...something. But still.. It so clear that I need to work on animating skills... I think I'll go back to bouncing ball :D start from there perhaps. Get the weighting sorted.

Ready to Go

Finaly, after week and a half Bird's rig is solved!

I have to admit, the rig now is really comfortable to use with lots of freedom for Ivan's changing way of movement (especially concerning walk cycles)
Also, I'm happy that it was possible to have both Bird and Bird-lantern working under single rig so it is all unified and simplier for that reason. 

Ivan's rig was constructed differently from typical character's one as he has some unique constructions. For example, to make his legs work, which are much like a contracting/expanding telescope, a  piston's rig was combined withthe usual leg IK rig . In general, reach was for effective yet simple way of controlling Ivan in his animation. 

Next in the pipeline is test animating the bird to get use to controls and to solve his basic walk cycle together with getting dope sheets for animation ready.

Plan and the Block out of Ivan's World

Initially I started with rough plan of the world.

Then working in maya I made changes to scaling. Because now having story set and clear idea  it also became clear  how much of each environment is needed.

For pre-viz and animation purposes I figured to do initial environment modeling which will be developed through the entire project time simultaneously to other tasks. Again, I bothered myself enough to solve problems in concept art stage, so that when I'm building it serves as a reference.

Trees at the moment are only basic representations. To give an idea how many of them I need and what actually can be achieved with matt paintings.

As I mentioned before, I try to keep the translation from 2d to 3d as close as possible, however, particularly in Dream Island's case, there are lots of things that don't translate as successfully and fail to create the intended feel of the environment ... A Yellow sticker  there...

For now this is pretty much enough to inform animating, so apart from rigging problem there is no reason to wait with animating.

Modeling for games: Body

Dynamics: Emitting from Surfaces and Particles

This lesson showed that surface amission can bring some pretty sophisticated effects, such as the disolve of a coce can. Similarly by using particles as main emiter  other particle emisions can be controled and so interesting effects created.

Ivan's Rigging problems

No exception this time: rigging = problems.

The geometry falls of the joins as well as when bird is moved, neck moves  twice the speed of entire body.
I do suspect where those problems are coming from ( perhaps because of the constraints and negative values somewhere, also  double parenting) . But frankly, I'm not that well acquainted with rigging and can't seem to fix these problems. The system, though much clearer, is still too confusing to me :/ very sad, but true.

Hopes are these are relevantly easy problems and I wouldn't have to rework body rig, as it is all pretty much finished and would be ready for animating this week...

Model's Adaptation to the Story

Having the story set, it was time to go back to the Bird and make adjustments . Initial model looked more as a statue-figure. Relatively expressionless facial features, no "gadget" inside.


For the eye mechanizm idea was to keep what was  already built (ship wheel on top of the eye) and  add few layers on top.

I personally enjoy how the ship wheel detail is uncovered as the eye is moving around . It looks like the texture of iris or highlights.

(texturing still needs to be solved)

Lastly, the bird now has a lantern.

I think I'm in a very advantaged position,as the character was pretty much done during the summer. Now he is ready to be rigged.

The Outside World

This is a concept of the environment which Ivan first explores and where he becomes a sky-lantern.
In this picture there is a house, a stripe-like field, also woods with "bushes" and at the last layer of composition a mountain.

 Stylization:  

The colour palette is suited to compliment Ivan, make him stand out. Both blues and creamy colours play as a background colour for Ivan's bright greens and browns.

All the elements are slightly off-scale and appear  2d  and illustrational. I was aiming to create a very fairy-tale-like environments.  This was inspired by fairy-tale books which have pop-up illustrations when you open the page. For example:

Also, I seem to forgot to upload the texture sheets I've drawn a while ago. I use them  for concepts and in future texturing. They are created using  water colours, pastels and water pencils

Human Modeling for Games; Week 2

The head is finished. I found the approach of softening edges instead of smoothing the mesh very interesting and useful for the near future. Especially that It gives similar effect ( especially if object is viewed from a distance) and you still have control over the level of detaill which is relatively quick and easy, just by adding normal angle values to selected edges, its crispness was controlled. For example, the lip line has a tight edge, whereas ears have mainly very soft edges.

The Workshop

This is Ivan's birth place. The workshop is a quite and a still place, where models seem to sleep or wait for their moment.

Cold, and dark but still enough cosy, from one respect, because I imagined that it is still a place where those models first got made, so it has to be "a good" place after all.

You should find  all sorts of stuff here . Tools, paper rolls, half built models, blueprints etc. 

Performance Animatic

It was en exercise in visualizing  entire performance of the bird and answering   questions what would he do  at each point.  Hopefully these 216 panels give a  clear  flavor of the animation heading for.

(I posted here the second animatic with a fix at 2:39)

Dynamics in Maya

Exploring further the possibilities with effects in maya. It is slowly getting to the point where you can think creatively in maya,  what parameters need to be combined when trying to reach the desired looks in the effect.


Sorry for the video quality, I seem to have lost it somewhere .. :/



For better viewing,  I upload stills as well.

Fireworks

Foam effect

Shock Wave

Flow effects

Animation Analysis

Recently I desicded to take Alan's and Phil's advice to analyse the story and find out exactly what each scene is about. That is  what is the feel and mood of each scene. As well as what  exactly Ivan is doing.

Before going into production I'm trying now to answer these questions.

So far this is the breakdown of animation into chunks. Judgement on time intervals was made  listening more to soundtrack's suggested pacing, not as mush as animatic's  ( and I found  animatic's pacing is  off sometimes,  so that will need to be corrected. ).

Atm I'm acting and drawing a  lot. So hhopefully  I'll have a clear  performance animatic in near time.

Animation Analysis pdf

Week 2/10 : Defining Animation in Detail

This week I took some time to revisit and define the character better. In our discussions with Alan, we agreed that bird's model needs to be revisited to make adjustments for animation. Add more expressive body parts ( eyelids, eyebrows, jaw etc.) . as well as the story asks to add other details, such as a lantern in between his hips and chest, a lock and so on.

And the next follows experiments with his jaw :

Then we go underneath the surface. I've gathered Ivan's character profile. This was a note made during this weeks tutorial with Alan. To have a clear map of personality (then go and analyse the animation itself, what is being done atm) which would then drive the animation.

Here you'll find a brief description, main characteristics progression and body language.

As written in my previous posts, story is taking it's better and more defined shape. The idea here  was to present other mish-mash models. They would be presented in the opening sequence, at Ivan's 'birth place'. Suggesting this is a workshop where models like Ivan are made.

My only note is.... maybe these models shouldn't be fully built, but only half way there. Suggesting this is now Ivan's time.
But there you go, a sheet of mish-mash model thumbnails,  meet Buckaloon, Shiball and Spyrer.

As supposed to be done in preproduction, I merged myself with concepts of the animation's world.
Here is the outer environment concept start:

But I somehow didn't feel for this drawing... There were (are) problems. SO I went back to my original drawing, pixie which I'm using as an artwork-inspiration for the environments . The work also defined the colour pallet of use. It was surprising to discover the true tonality and colours withing this work, event to me, the author

So at the moment, I'm drawing a new concept of the shore. It will build on this composition:

Currently I'm solving Ivan's performance issues, and looking in to ways to enshure the animation will be in its fullest potential.
As well as I'm thinking of ways to merge 2d and 3d techniques to make the animation an experience of illustration brought to life.

Story development: solving Act 3 problems

Few days ago I got some very constructive feedback from both Aland and Phil regarding the story and how the animated short is read by the audience. Essentially, act 3 wasn't clearly resolved and failed to convey the ideas intended. As well as soundtrack's tonality contradicted imagery. To solve it decision was made to change the ending.  Plot hasn't changed at all, and  themes remain the same only now the music is transcribed better.