Awww what I would give to have access to those archives!
Friday 24 February 2012
Drawing Silhouetted Creatures in Photoshop - Tutorial
Blender Cookie on Facebook just posted this video and I had to share it! Such a wonderful style of drawing and I love the generator idea! I'm definitely going to have a go at it, about time I practice with my graphics tablet any way and the generator sounds like a wonderful challenge. Although will have to wait till I've finished practising my 3D tracking.
To view the video go to - http://cgcookie.com/concept/2012/02/23/drawing-a-creature-part-1-silhouettes/
Thursday 23 February 2012
Match Moving aka Tracking
This week I have been scratching up on my skills in match moving aka tracking. This is because I haven't practised in a while and I like to keep up to date with software I've learned to use. I'm doing this with Matchmover, Maya Live and PFTrack. Even though being a Match Move Artist is tedious work and involves long and anti-social hours I would still enjoy doing it as a job, I think it is one where I could only get better at it and be very skilled in it due to my good eye-for-detail, patience and being a perfectionist.
When I have finished scratching up on my skills in it I will post some of my tracking work for you to see.
For those that don't know what a Match Move Artist does
Also known as Matchmovers or 3D Trackers, Match Move Artists translate and imitate the camera movements contained in live action shots and, using the appropriate software, match those movements in 3D.
As this involves working on previously shot live action footage, the role more often exists on special effects work, within facility houses or on projects that combine live action and computer graphics. This job can involve long and anti-social hours.
What is the job?
Match Move Artists position tracking points on live action shots and, using those tracking points, they work out the co-ordinates in the relevant 3D programme. The information they provide enables the CG geometry to fit accurately and convincingly into the live action plates when the various elements are composited.
It is vital that Match Move Artists use a high degree of accuracy; without accurate match moving, the later stages of production will not work. Depending on the production, it is likely that Match Move Artists will be working on Maya, Shake or one of several 3D tracking programmes including 3D Equalizer, Maya Live or Boujou.
They will need to train or re-train as software develops. It is worth noting that, although Match Moving is often an entry level role in the UK, in many American studios it can be regarded as a career.
Information above from www.skillset.org
When I have finished scratching up on my skills in it I will post some of my tracking work for you to see.
For those that don't know what a Match Move Artist does
Also known as Matchmovers or 3D Trackers, Match Move Artists translate and imitate the camera movements contained in live action shots and, using the appropriate software, match those movements in 3D.
As this involves working on previously shot live action footage, the role more often exists on special effects work, within facility houses or on projects that combine live action and computer graphics. This job can involve long and anti-social hours.
What is the job?
Match Move Artists position tracking points on live action shots and, using those tracking points, they work out the co-ordinates in the relevant 3D programme. The information they provide enables the CG geometry to fit accurately and convincingly into the live action plates when the various elements are composited.
It is vital that Match Move Artists use a high degree of accuracy; without accurate match moving, the later stages of production will not work. Depending on the production, it is likely that Match Move Artists will be working on Maya, Shake or one of several 3D tracking programmes including 3D Equalizer, Maya Live or Boujou.
They will need to train or re-train as software develops. It is worth noting that, although Match Moving is often an entry level role in the UK, in many American studios it can be regarded as a career.
Information above from www.skillset.org
Tuesday 14 February 2012
MPC's Cheetah Super Bowl Spot for Hyundai
It wasn't long ago that it was the Super Bowl. I only actually knew about it after when my American friends on Facebook were raving about it and when some amazing advert spots that were shown during it were appearing everywhere! For those wondering... in Britain the Super Bowl isn't at all big, hardly anyone watches. Could be because its on during the night here or because Football (yes Football not Soccer) is the game most loved here.
Any way, Cheetah is a collaborative effort between MPC, Innocean and Rattling Stick Director Daniel Kleinman and I must say, WOW! I know cats really well and this has to be one of the best example of a Cheetah I have ever seen. The run and leap are all accurately done and you can tell the animators researched the animal well.
MPC created the photoreal cheetah by photographing a real specimen on set and capturing high-dynamic-range pictures of the lighting conditions, then combining both of those elements in Furtility, the studio's in-house fur-and-hair tool. To test the efficacy of their project, the studio produced an image with three cheetahs and asked in-house artists and producers to identify the real one. On all but one case, they missed.
Any way, Cheetah is a collaborative effort between MPC, Innocean and Rattling Stick Director Daniel Kleinman and I must say, WOW! I know cats really well and this has to be one of the best example of a Cheetah I have ever seen. The run and leap are all accurately done and you can tell the animators researched the animal well.
MPC created the photoreal cheetah by photographing a real specimen on set and capturing high-dynamic-range pictures of the lighting conditions, then combining both of those elements in Furtility, the studio's in-house fur-and-hair tool. To test the efficacy of their project, the studio produced an image with three cheetahs and asked in-house artists and producers to identify the real one. On all but one case, they missed.
I wish I could see that image and see if I could tell, I have a sharp eye for detail and as my friends always point out; a canny ability to see something that doesn't belong. (For example, I'm quite often called out by my boyfriend to find a tiny nut or something that he's dropped on the gravel).
"Creature work is difficult at best, but creating an animal that really exists and is in the preceding shot is particularly demanding," noted MPC LA Managing Director Andrew Bell. "Our in-house experts had to do just that in Cheetah. Between Furtility and fur gurus such as Dominic Edwards, producing this spot was not only possible, but pleasurable."
I so want to do Creature Animation. This whole comment just adds to my reason why. It's a challenge. You have to create something that is believable and in this case already exists which I think just adds to the pleasure! You have to research the animal, study it and find its quirks and small movements that make it alive and then reproduce that but doing what you want it to do.
"Creature work is difficult at best, but creating an animal that really exists and is in the preceding shot is particularly demanding," noted MPC LA Managing Director Andrew Bell. "Our in-house experts had to do just that in Cheetah. Between Furtility and fur gurus such as Dominic Edwards, producing this spot was not only possible, but pleasurable."
I so want to do Creature Animation. This whole comment just adds to my reason why. It's a challenge. You have to create something that is believable and in this case already exists which I think just adds to the pleasure! You have to research the animal, study it and find its quirks and small movements that make it alive and then reproduce that but doing what you want it to do.
Monday 13 February 2012
My plan
I am still waiting for my 3 months to be up so I can apply for the career loan again but in the mean time I have been saving and come up with a new plan. I was going to do Animation Mentor and then a course with Animationateam.com to help me with becoming a Creature Animator but I have decided that I will do it the other way round. I have decided to do the 5 day course that should be on at the end of March. My theory is that in doing so it will teach me more about animating animals so in my spare time I can practice what I've been taught while waiting to start Animation Mentor. I think this way works better time wise as because I have to wait for the loan to go through it will mean I can't start Animation Mentor till the Summer Term, starting on the 25 June 2012 so why not in the mean time build up my animal animations and practise what I have learned :)
