gazzamataz

Peg's Mansion is the only flick that is part of one of the stories, all the others are, as you say 'Test Renders' Me basically getting to grips learning to animate and bring my characters to life. As you can tell none of them are finished except the BBC Competition flick. Trouble is I never seem to finish anything cos I keep getting side tracked...

Thnx chaps, I am working a another scene from one of the stories at the moment snippets will follow. BTW Paul where did the link to your site go? I would like to see what you have been up to m8.

For anyone who is even the slightest bit interested, I have added new images to the 'Pics' section of my Bella Bear website. Any comments appreciated, the pictures are all new! Bella Bear

I think the first rock was best m8, the one using the displacement in AM 13 looks like it has had an acid rain attack... I assume that the peeble is textured with a decal and not a shader? When you say that you used a skydome and a single bulb you weren't using Dan Shimmyo's Skylight Rig by any chance where you? I have heard that it works with version 12 - I must give it a go.

SLIDE That's a bueatiful handle m8, what lets this image down though is the blade... It lloks like a toon render. It needs to have definition and reflection on it to see the surface contours rather than a flat plastic look. Have you modeled the balde completely flat? If so I would put some definition in it near the hilt. Then put a material on it that doesn't reflect too much so you get the result you have. If you are gonna put something like a chrome material on it then make sure you have some sort of enviroment for it to reflect back or use an enviroment map. Plonk the chrome shader on it from the library for starters, the put a dome over it all with a texture on it for it to reflect from.

Well the BAMUG, LAMUG, GLAM or whatever has had three meetings in the two years so it seems like a bi-annual sort of thing. I missed the last one at the Mac Show and was pretty pissed off about it but it would be nice to start the new year with another get to gether to see how everyone is geting on. Parlo normally hires the Chocolate Factory but I am sure another venue can be sorted out - I might even be able to sort one myself. John, Sam, Stephen, Steve, Stuart, Paul what say yee? I would love to know what is happening with 'Ninja Sticks' hint, hint...

Nice! That is one scary looking critter... The only problem I have with the animation is his toes. They don't seem to bend very well, especially those on the back feet. He/she/it looks like he has two planks attached. Personally I feel the rear toes should curl up a touch when leaving the ground and then uncurl before hitting the ground.

Paul Have you got Pop-up Blocker switched on? The movie should pop-up in a separate little window (makes it neat) and should automatically play. Try turning it off if not I will sort out something else... Errr, try this Night Flight BTW m8 did you get my recent e-mail to you? I also sent one to John Keats but didn't hear from him either. And, yeah this cold is a real bummer

Well thanks for all the tips guys and girls, I couldn't quite get the glow to work. It seemed that when I applied it and rendered the idividual model it would glow, but once in the choreography it didn't want to play... Anyway I wanted to do a bit more over the Christmas Holidays but got a stinking cold as a Christmas present and didn't get much done. But I did manage to get this very rough render done. Night Flight Good start?

Well thanks for the comments guys & girls - much appreciated! As for those anomalies on the pole they also exist on Witchy Peg's broom or should I say excercise-plunger bike-with hair??? (Where does the hair come from Nancy? Have a look at this Rocket Broomstick I must get one myself ) They are something to do with the volumetric lights and the specular highlights (I think/hope) and require a bit more work. I will be using both these scenes for my next animation so I have had to light them to let people see what is going on in them. As for Withcy Peg's eyesight… well she is slightly boss-eyed so lord knows what she see's through that telescope

Right, since I am reasonably happy with the telescope room (I will try and soften the machine gun shadows Stuart ) I have been working on the Broom Room, which is down below the telescope room... I know the brass pole ain't right but I am more concerned with those anomalies appearing like black dots at the base of the pole...

Hows this look? Still cannot get the lamp quite right and I have tried...

Well chaps, I have been spending a few hours tweeking things and I quite like the look I have now. I did look at using radiosity but since I want to animate the scene I don't want to spend days watching it render. I only want a cartoony look anyway. I have changed Peg's feet and the lights, adding some volumetric to the lantern. I tried to get it to glow but it didn't seem to work and I still haven't cracked the light shining through the table. I thought making the light volumetric would solve that but obviously not... Anyway what do ya fink?

Oooww, all these tips! Now I am itching to do my second ever radiosity render - the first one I tried was with V8 and I stopped it rendering half way through... For the lamp to not shine through the table I guess I have to make the candle light in it volumetric n'est pas? I'll try and do an update tommorrow...

johnl3d Yup, I see what you mean I need to elevate the telescope so that she is looking at the stars not the witch over the road, and that is a good point about glow on the candle - never thought of that. Eric2575 The floor is not finished - it's crap, I want to get a good wooden beam floor texture and plonk it on. I was trying to achieve a shaft of light coming through the window to give it a bit more atomosphere, but ran out of time - not too good with lighting. Might need some pictures on the walls too. I was tempted to try a radiosity render with the new version 12, but I haven't got a clue how to do that - guess I'll have to learn Thanks for the comments guys!

Very nice model Zaryin but I have a couple of points I would like to make about this model that bug me: The teeth. I know it is a fantasy character but his teeth have always looked like they slope back to much, if you where to look at T-Rex or raptor teeth they wouldn't slant back so much. It looks as though he wouldn't be able to close his mouth properly. His waist. It looks a bit too feminine and narrow to support that big chest, arms and those large heavy looking wings. Apart from these two things he's looking good.

Hashers Just finished remodeling Witchy Peg's Tower so I can put her in it to do her star gazing. So I thought I'd share the image with you - god it's good to get back into doing something again - too long a break. Anyway, I am doing this cos I want to animate a scene from one of my stories that I have been itching to do for ages. Enjoy!

Hmmm that's one interesting spider making threats... My only comments are if he is meant to be realistic he looks as though he is doing a dance routine. Real spiders like tarantulas do this and just make you wanna jump back, there's is someting creepy about them. I don't envy you if you wanna make him walk... I did a spider walk a few years ago and it ain't easy! Keep it up up m8.

Hmmm that's much better! I like this render On a technical point this skull looks like one you would find after the animal had died and it flesh rotted away - I mean it is real bone as opposed to fossilized bone... All the bones you ever see in museums are grey or black or dark brown. I really must have a go at this radiosity rendering myself, is it hard? Does it take ages to render? Now, off to find a model to render... BTW, are you going to add the rest of the body?

Nice model m8! Although now I think it is far too brightly lit... I liked the moody dark one but it was too dark - I am looking forward to seeing what Wegg can do with it. My only criticism is the the textureing on the teeth... they look way too polished. Perhaps some faint cracks in them or just a hint of roughness...

Robcat Thank you for your comments. Yes it was a quick six weeks work - I learnt alot and there are flaws in the animation that I could go back and fix but I want to move on to the next flick which is one I want to get out before Xmas. It is (surprise) another scene from one of my stories that I have had in mind for a while. Seeing as it won't be for any competition I will be posting in the WIP. I am looking forward to this one myself

Gee fanx Modern Horse at least someone liked what I did Bella Bear is the main character in the stories that I have been working on over the past few years, she has the body of a teddy bear and the head of a human. Her side kick is a sugar plum fairy called Hannah Bannah and guardian is a well-behaved witch called Witchy Peg (if there is such a thing). Please do check out the website, it is in need of a bit of updating which I think will be my next project…

Hi Hashers Well after a two months of waiting the waiting is over, sadly I didn't make it to 'The Finalists' sob, sob... Still I did put this flick together rather quickly and I spent only six weeks of spare time on it but the other entries were very good. Here's the link: BBC New Animator BUT! Undettered I will now start work on my next project, which will hopefully have more of a story line and be more entertaining. For those of you that are interested here is my entry. It is 25mb big and you'll need quicktime to view it - enjoy! Bella Bear goes flower sniffin'

Oh BIG DOGS ****!!! Now I really feel gutted that I couldn't make it and the house is surrounded by Daleks who are frightening the Missus and the Rabbit... I will never get a Hash T-Shirt… Still maybe there will be another LAMUG before Christmas at the Chocolate factory

Sadly I couldn't make the venue, so I wonder if one of you lot, who could, would like to let us, who couldn't, know how it went Was there any earth shattering new things at the show that were awe-inspiring? I have been to the last two Mac shows and they weren't up to much...