Countdown, the Short Animated Film: #8, Getting it Straight
From Journal Entry: Monday, September 15, 2008
The following was written originally as a journal of the process for my master’s degree thesis film project titled, Countdown.
Loops
While adding details to the head, keeping all the edge loops consistent can be a daunting task. Making sure all the geometry winds up as quads can also be problematic. Fortunately, with so many ways that geometry may wind up, after a while I have learned to recognize some of the typical pitfalls and learned methods to correct the errors to make life easier. So far I've only been modeling starting from a box or basic shape, versus lofting, NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines), or some other modeling method. However, when I start working on some of the props (the chair, desks, and blackboard) and even the environments, I should employ some other methods due to the type of modeling they will require.
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Character Setup
Originally, I intended to use a plugin for Maya called the Setup Machine to rig the characters. Which would have potentially made the process easier. While this is an area that I am not focused on, after learning more in the character design and setup class, I understand what it could take to rig the characters. Also, my characters are very different from most and most likely will require some special rigging and controls. When I looked at the example rig that was created using the setup machine, I wasn't really satisfied with the controls. Maybe I'm just picky.
Toon Shading
The flat graphic animation style from around the 1950s has become one of my favorite references for the look of Countdown. Early on I wanted to create an animation reminiscent of the style, and attempt to achieve this in 3d. Some of the reference images I found were from the Paleo-Future Blog, specifically from the Disney Magic Highway U.S.A. Publicity Stills (1958).
After reviewing a few tutorials on Toon Shading, the look expected for this project seems much more achievable. The combination of a few different effects should result in the flat look of some 1950s animation, however, making sure this look communicates the idea is far from solved. Continued experiments and some sample renders will be the only way to know if the exact look can be achieved.