list

Bird Brain model checklist

Roof top scene

Model-
Wood planks

Texture/color-
Stone ledge
Pipes (3)
Wood planks
Method-Z-brush, PS and Maya will be used
Color-
Water tower (already textured)
Method- Z-aplink and PS

Color maps and mattes-
Finish warehouse color map
Finish cityscape background matte
Method- PS, Maya


Street scene

Model-
Human legs, two versions
Texture/color-
Human legs, shop, sidewalk
Method- PS, Z-brush, Maya



Outside ACME building

Color texture-
Building
Method-PS, Maya

Create nighttime matte painting
Method- Maya, PS
Inside Acme building

Model-
Two more computers
Conveyor belt
Robot arm

Color/texture-
Four computers
Robot arm
Conveyer belt
Method-
PS, Maya

UFO scene

Model-
UFO
Interior UFO
Computer console
Earth

Color/texture-
All of the above
Method-
PS, Maya
Characters

Texture/color
Alien
-Inside bird head
Color-
Main bird X’s 3
Alien
Hingey
Method-
Z-brush, PS, Z-aplink

Other props

Texture/color-
2 telephone poles
2 towers
Three types of radio tube bases
Method-
PS, Maya
List of finished models (not all textured)

Acme building
2 towers
2 phone poles
2 computer modules
Water tower
3 roof pipe things
2 roof stone ledge
3 radio tube types
Rooftop
Warehouse
Shop
Alien
Hingey
Main bird

matte tests and other tidbits

Started thinking about my background matte paintings. They will be crucial in setting the tone I am going after. I've been modeling basic building shapes in MAYA and exporting the render out to P.S. where I then add details. I'm going for a non-specific city but similar to N.Y. in the 40's. I am still working on the texturing and color maps for the rooftop scene, right now I have some real roughed out stuff as a reference for my mattes. I've also been working on making the ACME birdseed building. I modified the large structure I made last quarter.

rig a diga ding dong

Spent most of my out of class time figuring out the best way to rig my birds. In doing so I realized that I would have to change the geometry of my models. I think I have a good working system but now have to redo the UVing and any work that I've done in Zbrush. While I'm working the kinks out of my rigs I plan to continue to go through the modeling to-do list and texture some of these items.

progress being made

I've been experimenting with Tileable textures made with Zbrush. I'm happy with the results. I feel these are starting to have the gritty feel I want my piece to have.


Started working on the first scene with the bird character. The watertower and base will be textuerd in Zbrush as will the building walls. The bacground building (not finished) will be a simple map painted in photo shop. I have yet to work on my background matte paintings or other roof details like pipes and ambiguous industrial things.





Going through the list, next computer modules and electronic things. Making lots-O-progress on Zbrush and starting to rig my birds.

list of activities

list of things to be modeled in no order...
2 water towers, one to be textured
various pipes for water tower and building top
top of building(simple roof and wall)
2 towers
3 dish types
modify building from other Thesis(acme bird seed)
large A logo sign
parking meter
retro computer module
2 large tv tube things
2 sci-fi electric modules
2 very low poly humans (no detail they will be Silhouettes) one in pants one in dress
ufo
inside ufo( some of the previous sci fi things will be used in ufo)
robotic arm thingy
telephone pole

It seems like a lot but most items will be easy to make. The backgrounds will be mostly silhouettes and matte paintings and effected by depth of field and atmospheric diffusion.
I spent way too much time this weekend working with Zbrush 2 on my mac at home. Still not getting the results I want with the feather alphas. Not sure if Z2 has enough divisions capability. Also frustrated with it's lack of transformation tools. Hope to resolve this issue this week. I'm finished with the animatic and ready to go full speed ahead on modeling and texturing. All of the birds have been UVed and a ready to go.

Bird is the word

Hi. It's official, I'm doing the evil robot alien bird story. I got the OK from Val and have started modeling and making a new animatic. My plan is to make 4 different character models. A low poly pigeon for far away and large group shots, and higher poly pigeon for closeups, a hinging head pigeon and the super intelligent alien bird model. Most of the Alien will be obstructed by space ship controls so I only have to make a sort of sock puppet head. Here are some roughed out models. I want to take these into Z-brush in the next week.
-d

Back to the drawing board

After making a rough animatic I realized my idea wasn't really consistent with my career goals and interests. Basically I don't really want to be a character animator and that’s what my piece was all about. So I've decided to scrap Sisyphus and go with a new idea. It has almost no dialog and is more about the art direction and environments. It is also about two minutes shorter. That’s a lifetime in the animation world. I will be posting drawings and a new animatic for the new concept soon. In addition to working on a new concept I have also been working on my new head model. I hope to take it into Z-brush soon.