Class 2 - Weeks 3 + 4

So far so good.

My Mentors advice to keep our shots simple is really helping me to dig into the material and grow.

I'm very happy with the improvements in my work, and am inspired to continue this development.

The positive feedback I've been getting is so encouraging, and has nothing to do with the complexity of my shot but all to do with the quality, which is even more rewarding.

So a recap of the last 2 weeks:
Week 3: Side Step - Blocking Plus

Week 4: Side Step - Polish and Clean to Final
and
Start planning for next shot!

Here's my submitted work for Week 3.

The moment when this became something I was proud of was after I took the time to refine the timing using logic to space the keys.
Before I had been going off of my video reference timing with a few minor changes to up the appeal.
When I re-timed the whole thing, however, the shot gained a new life.

Mentor Notes:
- Pushing Poses

example from ecritique:

Here's my submitted final animation for Week 4, using my Mentor and Peer feedback.

Some weirdness still in the knees at least but overall I'm really happy with the progress that happened through out this assignment.

Preview for Next week- Week 4 Planning

Reference Video:

PS - This Choreography came from an audition I went to earlier that day for a production of Baby the Musical.

and Sketches:

     Page 1 Page 2Page 3

I wonder if this shot will be more complex then I realize. Choosing a dance is based on my past on stage as well as our lecture for the week used a dance shot to demonstrate new animation workflow, and I want to use these new techniques. Having a similar shot may help use the similar workflow and broaden my tool belt to handle different kinds of shots in different ways.

Thanks for checking in,
Talk to you soon.
--Max

PS
Also going on this week, I opened a new show. "The Pajama Game" a musical presented by the Local Jewish Federation. I'm double cast as the lead and switch to ensemble in alternate shows.

Here are a couple Pics of me as the lead, Sid Sorokin, the new superintendent of the Sleep Tite Pajama Factory. Half of a budding romance caught in the rising tension of a union war between management and workers over a 7 1/2 cent pay raise.

First Day on the job, repairing a broken machine

"Hey There"- my don't fall in love song.

The Sleep Tite Company Picnic

An intimate moment between Sid and Babe, the romantic couple

"I love you mooooooore!"

Thanks for checking these out,
Happy Animating. : D
--Max

Class 2 so far - Weeks 1 + 2

More depth into each assignment,
Applying the principals learned in Class 1,
More emphasis on workflow and planning in the lectures.

4 week shot
Pick list 1: I chose the side step to keep it simple, mastery before challenge,

Week 1:
Video reference:

Picking keys, and break downs:

Week 2:

Sketching out the poses:

And finally...

Blocking:

Mentors Main Impression: "You're heading in the right direction. Keep moving forward." 

Next week Blocking Plus.

Thanks for viewing,

--Max

Class 1 - Demo Reel

Here's my Class 1 Demo Reel.

Being where I am on my animation journey, I can see all the things I did and think "Wow, I've improved so much," and at the same time say "Wow, have I got a long way to go."

Here's to a long and beautiful road ahead.

Enjoy,
Max

P.S. See you in Class 2!

Class1 Week 10- EXHAUSTION Pose

Exhaustion Sketches:

Things not drawn:

2: Chair and foot rest.

8. Umpire/ referee outfit on the standing dude.

9. Subway arm handle

10. Head and hand resting on a chalk board in an elementary school

 Sketch Chosen to Stu-ify and used as an image plane in Maya to reference.

(The symbol on the cape stands for his Super Hero name "Super Star")

Submitted Pose:

Used this tutorial to make the hook- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eucvqSzRpTA 

Screen Cap of my Q+A Comments

Fun Tips learned:

Making a Cape: Rectangle> increasing the divisions of geometry> using soft select to warp the material into the desired shape.

Coloring Stu's Body: Did it the heard way here's the easy way...

Provided by Mariel Sanchez on Facebook AM Feedback Group:

Mariel Sanchez Incase anyone needs it too, Ace gave me these instructions so that we can select the mesh:

"the big circle control, its called stewie_etc in the outliner

do this open stewie_etc - stewie_ac_rig - stewie_ac_anim - stewie_ac_C_visibility

once u have the last one selected go to your channel box scroll down to Geo Display, it will say its referenced, click on the refence adn a drop down will appear
click on normal
now you can select the mesh!
dont forget to put it back to referenced though"

Thanks for reading,

--Max

Class1 Week 9- CONCERN Pose

Week 9 - Concern Pose

Here in Blue is my submitted assignment:

 Here are some alternates:

 

 

(Blue was actually the last one I did, Green was the first and Torch was in between. Sometimes the sketches that look best don't translate as well to 3D or to a premade model.)

The render process for the poses above used Maya lighting with backgrounds and silhouettes entirely made in Photoshop. Very fun to do. : )

Here are the sketches I submitted, Hand drawn then enhanced in Photoshop:

Number 1 is pleading with a friend.

Number 2 is on a bench (not drawn) scooting away from a creepy stranger

Number 3 is reaching out to a friend in need.

4 is turning in a doorway (not drawn) after hearing some shocking news.

5. Stagefright.

6. Beaten to the floor

7. Bashful

8. Home Secruity

9. Exploring deep dark caves.

10. Shy

11. Concerned his experiment will EXPLODE!

Number 6 reminds me of the white cat Victoria from the Musical "Cats" which is the reason for the coloring, also it evokes innocents and vulnerably like a child. If I was to make a fourth it would be that one.

Also after drawing numbers 2 and 3 I realized it looked like they were connecting. : D

Thanks for stopping by,

--Max

Class1 Week 9- First Finished Walk!

Well you've seen the planning, you've seen the blocking, now for your enjoyment I present the 

Animated Vanilla Walk!

Thank you for watching,
Max

Class 1 Week 9 - Once you've had Vanilla...

Imagine you're at the eye Dr. and he asks you

1?

or 2?

I'm very happy with the Revisions suggested by my Mentor Don Kim

The funny part is I got the EXACT same notes earlier in the week when he 

critiqued my Public Review on Tuesday. I took all his earlier notes but either didn't go far enough for some, or misunderstood what he was asking for. 

Now I'll be building on a much stronger Blocking for this new week 9!

Thanks for watching. : )

Max