To be frank, I am not overly satisfied with the amount of work I have managed to achieve last week. I have had issues that have been stopping me from getting to college or progressing on my work, mainly snow related and home decoration (not Christmas, we're not getting near those deccies until my bedroom and the spare room are complete!) related scenarios which I need to help out with and I have been finding it hard to juggle everything. However, we are getting near completion with such things and the snow is practically melted away (although not without leaving nice trails of ice that I can happily slip on) so such things shouldn't be much of an issue in the future. It does mean I'll have to finish a lot of frames and editing over Christmas but to me this isn't a problem. I'd have been on the computer colouring/animating something anyway.
What has been kicking my proverbial rear end over and over again is Cinema 4D. We're like the two people that, no matter how hard we try to get along, are spitting feathers and shooting daggers out of our eyes at each other by the end of the night. I had downloaded the free trail to experiment with at home and I can grasp how to move a layer (or whatever its called in that thing) but that's pretty much as far as my understanding goes with the program. To be frank, I'm gonna need to be taught about it like I'm a five year old.
Or just give up on said program and use Animation Shop or Photoshop which I can't see why we can't use in the first place. No doubt its part of the module or something. Blahh.
Hopefully I can discuss said issues with Paul when we do our tutorial talk and hopefully I'll have a better idea of what to do and what I can achieve. I was supposed to show my research and drawings but since I figured all I would be doing was working on the frames, I didn't bring the sketchbooks. Thankfully I have the knowledge locked away in the ol' noggin so at least I have something to talk about!
I'll update when I have a clearer idea of what I'm going to do next. If I have the time/motivation/memory to that is.
Monday 13 December 2010
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Ok, snow? Seriously. Knock it off.
Didn't make it into college AGAIN due to shenanigans of the winter variety. I phoned Paul and he sent me links to download Garage Band and Audacity onto my computer which I am having good fun with. Making sounds for animations is most amusing!
Hopefully I'll be able to make it in tomorrow. Especially since we don't have any more snow falling... touch wood.
I also did more artwork featuring the pigeons, which also kind of relates to the weather we've been having. I've done it all in the cut out style which I suppose could be consider concept art. It's practice, no?
And this is why birds fly South for the winter!
Hopefully I'll be able to make it in tomorrow. Especially since we don't have any more snow falling... touch wood.
I also did more artwork featuring the pigeons, which also kind of relates to the weather we've been having. I've done it all in the cut out style which I suppose could be consider concept art. It's practice, no?
And this is why birds fly South for the winter!
Monday 6 December 2010
LETS MAKE SOME NOISE!
YEEEEEAH!
*ahem* Yes, this relates to our snazzy little lesson today revolving around SOUND. We watched a little of a Tom and Jerry clip, first muted and then with sound, to try and make us think what noises would probably be used. I had a vague idea and was quite surprised at how different the sounds were when I heard them from what I thought they would be. Makes you realise how little you pay attention to such things. Also makes you see how unique the sound of Tom and Jerry really is!
Anyway, our next task was to go outdoors and after stopping at a certain point, we had to walk back to the college and take note of the noises we heard along the way. This was to give us an idea of what background noises there could be and how the subtleties come together to create effective background noise. I especially found this useful as my animation takes place entirely outdoors, in a town/street/bus depo setting. It has opened my mind towards what what noises can be used to create the scene effectively.
After this, we had a nice little play about on a lovely little program called Audacity. Whats this? Emma actually APPROVES of an unknown program on the Macs? Why yes indeed! And that actually WAS a pig flying past your window. Going oink.
Anyway yes *ahem* we all had good fun on Audacity, recording noises, sounds and speech and modifying them in some way, mainly just playing with and getting used to the program. I've actually recorded random little things that I might one day animate if I ever have the free time. I also practised my pigeon coo noises which actually sound pretty decent on the program. Now that I have further knowledge of noise, sounds and programs, I can start to think what sounds can be used when and where.
So that was rather productive. While I'm here however, I might as well show you some animations that have kept me sniggering like an idiot for the past... number of days (I dread to count). If you've noticed me sniggering and snorting into my hands earlier today, its because of these. A friend of mine introduced me to a Professor Layton parody by Skaijo on deviantArt, titled Proffessor Layton and the Malignant Growth. Not a nice sounding title at all but its actually really amusing. I found parts 2, 3 and 5 the funniest though. They just have more going on in them. Or maybe I just like seeing Layton swear and scream at Luke. Your call.
"F*** has FOUR letters, Professah!"
"BAAAAAASEBALL!"
"I'm 42 years old! I live on the MOON!"
They all seem to have been done on Flash and what really adds to the humour is the overlapping dialogue between characters and sound effects. And the Professor's very inventive threats.
Just curious, does everyone actually read anyone else's blogs? And do they ever comment on them? I know that's kind of in the general knowledge of blogs but I dunno what the rules are with these professional ones.
... Professional? Mine? Yeah riiiight...
*ahem* Yes, this relates to our snazzy little lesson today revolving around SOUND. We watched a little of a Tom and Jerry clip, first muted and then with sound, to try and make us think what noises would probably be used. I had a vague idea and was quite surprised at how different the sounds were when I heard them from what I thought they would be. Makes you realise how little you pay attention to such things. Also makes you see how unique the sound of Tom and Jerry really is!
Anyway, our next task was to go outdoors and after stopping at a certain point, we had to walk back to the college and take note of the noises we heard along the way. This was to give us an idea of what background noises there could be and how the subtleties come together to create effective background noise. I especially found this useful as my animation takes place entirely outdoors, in a town/street/bus depo setting. It has opened my mind towards what what noises can be used to create the scene effectively.
After this, we had a nice little play about on a lovely little program called Audacity. Whats this? Emma actually APPROVES of an unknown program on the Macs? Why yes indeed! And that actually WAS a pig flying past your window. Going oink.
Anyway yes *ahem* we all had good fun on Audacity, recording noises, sounds and speech and modifying them in some way, mainly just playing with and getting used to the program. I've actually recorded random little things that I might one day animate if I ever have the free time. I also practised my pigeon coo noises which actually sound pretty decent on the program. Now that I have further knowledge of noise, sounds and programs, I can start to think what sounds can be used when and where.
So that was rather productive. While I'm here however, I might as well show you some animations that have kept me sniggering like an idiot for the past... number of days (I dread to count). If you've noticed me sniggering and snorting into my hands earlier today, its because of these. A friend of mine introduced me to a Professor Layton parody by Skaijo on deviantArt, titled Proffessor Layton and the Malignant Growth. Not a nice sounding title at all but its actually really amusing. I found parts 2, 3 and 5 the funniest though. They just have more going on in them. Or maybe I just like seeing Layton swear and scream at Luke. Your call.
"F*** has FOUR letters, Professah!"
"BAAAAAASEBALL!"
"I'm 42 years old! I live on the MOON!"
They all seem to have been done on Flash and what really adds to the humour is the overlapping dialogue between characters and sound effects. And the Professor's very inventive threats.
Just curious, does everyone actually read anyone else's blogs? And do they ever comment on them? I know that's kind of in the general knowledge of blogs but I dunno what the rules are with these professional ones.
... Professional? Mine? Yeah riiiight...
And the weeks go onnn...
Huh. I was on a roll last week with my updating. Tis a habit I need to get into.
Anyhow, I think I'm well on my way with my colouring and animating. Again, I have done more backgrounds and characters and I think I have completed all the scenery (although no doubt I'll remember something I've forgotten). I think what I need to focus on mainly is colouring characters and then inbetweening.
As far as inbetweening goes, I won't be doing a lot of drawings and scenes, mainly to keep the cut out look and feel of the piece constant. I imagine it to be similar to how South Park is done, with the jerky movements.
Again, thanks to the drop shadow tool, the quality of the cut out look has improved and I have actually been told the characters look a lot like they've been constructed entirely from paper, which is a look I have been hoping to achieve.
Throughout this whole week, I intend to continue colouring my characters and inbetweening where it is needed. I think every sequence needs at least one more frame between every two that I have done. No doubt I'll need to colour and animate the sequences before I can be sure. Overall though I am very happy with how my artwork is going.
One think to consider is adding in people walking around the pigeons. Paul gave me this idea to add people walking around the pigeons or even through the shot to show how insignificant pigeons generally are through people's eyes. It seems like a very good idea but its all about whether or not I'll have the time (or patience) to animate such a thing. Hopefully I will because I like the message it gives to the story.
Here's hoping I'll actually document more of my progress as the week goes on.
Anyhow, I think I'm well on my way with my colouring and animating. Again, I have done more backgrounds and characters and I think I have completed all the scenery (although no doubt I'll remember something I've forgotten). I think what I need to focus on mainly is colouring characters and then inbetweening.
As far as inbetweening goes, I won't be doing a lot of drawings and scenes, mainly to keep the cut out look and feel of the piece constant. I imagine it to be similar to how South Park is done, with the jerky movements.
Again, thanks to the drop shadow tool, the quality of the cut out look has improved and I have actually been told the characters look a lot like they've been constructed entirely from paper, which is a look I have been hoping to achieve.
Throughout this whole week, I intend to continue colouring my characters and inbetweening where it is needed. I think every sequence needs at least one more frame between every two that I have done. No doubt I'll need to colour and animate the sequences before I can be sure. Overall though I am very happy with how my artwork is going.
One think to consider is adding in people walking around the pigeons. Paul gave me this idea to add people walking around the pigeons or even through the shot to show how insignificant pigeons generally are through people's eyes. It seems like a very good idea but its all about whether or not I'll have the time (or patience) to animate such a thing. Hopefully I will because I like the message it gives to the story.
Here's hoping I'll actually document more of my progress as the week goes on.
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