Dominance War 5 - Warmup

So, its that time of year again. The main competition begins at Jan 5th, but the warmup mini comp is already going on. Real strict rules this year, as the theme is Dom War MMO character, which in turn means you have pretty strict texture and poly count restrictions. The rules are:
- No normal maps or bump maps, only diffuse, spec and glow maps allowed
- 3000 triangle poly maximum
- Texture size limit is 1024 for each map type

Hand painting textures is not something I have extensive experience with, so this will probably be the most difficult part of the whole thing for me. That and the whole reference painting. Needless to say I'm no concept artist.

I'll have plenty of time for this one though, as I don't really have a job these days. More details on this as soon as I'm properly out of that place. Lets just say that the details are proper juicy, so much so that I probably wont have the opportunity to divulge them all on the intarnets.

So expect regular updates on both Dom War and showreel junk in the coming weeks and months.

Todays post is evidence #1 to prove that I really aint no concept artist. Open your mouth baby, here it comes.

Sketch

Ok, here's just a quick doodle I did a short while ago during my lunch brake at work. Nothing special, just trying desperately to get back into shape before Dominance War V starts. Precomp starts tomorrow, the real deal Holifield some time in January. They're also doing some intro cinematic thing with help from the GA community, which I may or may not do some small jobs for.

More on why I'll have time for all that later.

L

VFX shot - shot03

I just pretty much finalized the missile scene for my VFX shot tonight, sans the slowed down heli sounds (hoping I'll be able to fix that tomorrow night). And in the progress I realized that a lot of time has passed since the last time I edited sound effects. Turns out there's a reason they pay people to do that shit. Mine aren't anywhere near perfect, but I guess the result turned out OK, all things considered. The file is somewhat large, but its TOTALLY WORTH IT. Yeah... Lets just say I hate web compression more for each time I try putting video on the internet.

Check back soon for more updates. Lets just say I'm starting to get eager to get going on this reel. I might just need it some day in the not so far flung future.

May the Lord watch over thee and thy cattle. And Mercedes. Or something.

L

Intro graphics

Just figured I'd post part of the motion graphics intro I've done for the showreel. This clip is an unfinished version of the latter half of the animation, just a quick look at the dissolve effect. Try to ignore the crappy web video compression.
Thanks to Andrew Kramer at Video Copilot for the run through of how to do stuff like this in After Effects. That dude has got some hardcore AE chops, I'll give him that.

Updates

Just figured I post this in a hurry before I log off for the night. First image is just a continuation, about an hour or so of work, on the sculpture I posted in my last entry. Second is my totally awesome storyboard for the VFX shot I mentioned in the task list for my new showreel. I know, I know, according to the plan, the VFX shot should be done already. But again, actual work and a bunch of software issues have pushed the schedule a week forward in time.

Check back soon,
L

Updates a'hoi!

I said I would post something, didn't I?
I put on some obscure electronica music (which I never fucking listen to normally, but I've seen so many awesome artists overdub their timelapse videos with it, so I figured I'd try to get in on some of that positive mojo) and sculpted away. Here's what I got after about an hour and a half.



Now I've got to listen to some Symphony X tunes before bed so I don't turn into some headband wearing, glowstick waggling pussy while I sleep. Heavy guitars fo' life fool!

Sleep tight,
L

Showreel anno 2010

So, it looks like my current main gig might be on its way down the fucking drain. The company I'm currently at (which I wont name here) has had a tough time the past year on the financial side, so the writing has been on the wall for a good while. So, just in case that should happen (God forbid) and everything goes to shit, I am going to need to freshen up on how to be a real artist, as well as get crackin on a new showreel.

I have planned on working on the reel for 8 weeks, primarily after work and on weekends. I do also have a shitload of overtime compensation leave I have to spend, so I'll be taking some time off of work between now and my 4 week summer vacation coming up in July to work on the reel.

So, what will be on this reel of which you speak?

Well, as I haven't had the time or energy to work on any personal projects outside of work, I pretty much have to drum up most of it in the aforementioned 8 week period. I have managed to dig up a few clips from work projects that might be decent enough to warrant a spot on a showreel, but they are few and far between. Here is the lineup I've been thinking of doing:

1: A new character model, short breakdown of sculpt and textures.
2: A spin of the new character model, posed and placed in an environment, with a breakdown showing the parts of the final composition (model, environment, set pieces, atmospherics etc.)
3: Creating a short VFX shot, doing some explosions, particle effects, smoke etc in a live footage.
4: A mix of work projects and some older personal stuff to show variety

Timeline

Week 1 - I just spent the first week gathering material from work projects, figuring out a concept for the new VFX shot and the new character, as well as writing a new CV.

Week 2 - Making and finalizing the new VFX shot

Week 3 - Creating the base meshes for the new character, both body and gear. Begin sculpting the main anatomical forms and begin sculpting the head.

Week 4 - Sculpting the head

Week 5 - Sculpting the body

Week 6 - Texturing body, head and gear. Setting up the environment for the spin shot.

Week 7 - I'm going away on vacation that week, so I might get that much work done. I I have some time left over I'll probably try to work on the environment some more.

Week 8 - Posing the character, placing it in the environment. Rendering the spin shot. Finalizing the full comp for the reel.


So, there you have it. There's a hell of a lot to do, so much I've in fact had to swear off porn for a while, and I'm not yet fully convinced I'll be able to pull it all off in 8 weeks. But I'll try, and now at least there will be regular updates on this here blog. I mean, it's not like I have a choice. I hear things cost money. And that the only place to get some of those moneys are from having a job. So, yay, right?

Peace
L