Minor Project - Character Development

At the end of my story, the rubber chicken is found by a young girl, Susie. Susie is alone just like the toy. She doesn't fit in with other girls who have perfect hair and play with fashion dolls. When she stumbles upon the rubber chicken, she loves him because he is as unique as she is. I want her to look odd and gawky so it would make sense that the chicken would appeal to her more than a perfect 'Barbie' type doll. For her clothing designs I researched children's clothes from the 60s.

Minor Project - Skinning

Minor Project - Finished Model and UV Layout

 

 

Minor Project - Modelling the Rubber Chicken

 

 

 

Minor Project Pitch Presentation

Minor Project Pitch

Minor Project - Script Changes

Having discussed the possibility of making alterations to my original script, I returned to the story and began exploring some changes that could be made. Whereas the story was created using the three things; an egg, a contortionist and a joke shop, I now have the opportunity to move away from those restrictions.

Original Script:

Shelf Life by MeganHowett

Script Changes:

Rather than the animation beginning with the rubber chicken being taken out of it's nest, and the journey becoming the return to the nest, he could start in a 'bargain bin'. The focus of the chicken's journey is to get a spot on the central display where all the new and popular toys are shelved. This would take place in a toy shop, rather than a joke shop as I feel this gives more opportunity for toys/characters to come alive.

Act One - The toy shop is full of children laughing and playing with toys, especially those on a large display in the centre of the shop. A rubber chicken watches from a bin in the corner, wishing someone would pick him up and play with him. The shop closes and the children go home, leaving a mess of toys on the floor.

Act Two - The rubber chicken climbs out of the bin and makes his way through the mess of toys. (Possible obstacles: jack-in-the-box, fun snaps, lego, dominoes, scalextric/train set, jacks, play doh)

Act Three - a) The chicken climbs onto the shelf just in time for the shop to open. 

b) The chicken fails to climb onto the shelf. However, a child enters the shop, finds him on the floor, picks him up and takes him home. 

In terms of style and era, I was thinking around the 1950s and I want the toys included in the animation to create a sense of nostalgia. The shop itself would appear older and dated but the display shelf that the chicken is aiming for would show toys released in the 50s, such as scalextric (released in the late 50s), play doh (first launched as a toy in 1956, however existed as a wallpaper cleaner since the 30s) and etch-a-sketch (available in the late 1950s).

Minor Project Proposal

For my minor project I would like to revisit Shelf Life, my short story from our year one Storytelling project.

I want to re-edit the animatic to better tell the story as I feel the original is hurried, due to the 1 minute time restriction of the original project. 

Potential style influences:

I would redesign the environment, focusing on making it feel huge, as though it's being seen through the chicken's eyes. I found a series of paintings by Lyndon Stokes called Ants Eye View, below is an example of one of the pieces. I think this sort of warped perspective could work well with the story, making the chicken's journey seem more monumental.

Lyndon Stokes Times Square NY

As I plan to have the animation told for the chicken's level, creating a strange perspective, I feel that the characters design could add to this as well. I like the idea of extreme proportions in the character design, for example in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Flint's body is long and skinny in comparison to his  head, whereas his dad is square with short legs. Also, because of the chicken's stretchy, rubber material the whole world could be developed to feel soft and bouncy.

Submission Post

Maya Tutorials Check List

Pipeline 2:

Games Modelling 1
Games Modelling 2
Normal & Occlusion Maps
Diffuse Maps

Dynamics 1 - Intro to Particle Dynamics:

Part 1. Sketching Particles
Part 2. Particle Grids
Part 3. Omni Emitters
Part 4. Directional Emitters
Part 7. Per Point Emission
Part 8. Surface Emission
Part 9. Curve Flow
Part 11. Collision Events
Part 12. Instancing Objects
Part 13. Instance Rotations
Part 14. Goal Weights
Part 15. Animated Instances

Lighting and Rendering 2 - Mental Ray Lighting Techniques

Part 1. Samples and Quality Control
Part 2. Final Gather
Part 3. Linear Work Flow
Part 4. Physical Sun and Sky
Part 5. Portal Lights
Part 6. Mia Material X Shader

Adaptation Part A

Making Of How To Survive A British Holiday by MeganHowett

Adaptation Part B

Adaptation Part B - Making Of

Maya Tutorials - Lighting and Rendering Part 3 - 6

Mental Ray Part 3: Linear Workflow

Mental Ray Part 4: Physical Sun and Sky

Mental Ray Part 5: Portal Lights

Mental Ray Part 6: Mia Material X Shader

Maya Tutorials - Lighting and Rendering Part 1 - 2

Mental Ray Part 1: Samples and Quality Control

Mental Ray - Part 2: Final Gather

Maya Tutorials - Dynamics Part 15 Animated Instances

Maya Tutorials - Dynamics Part 14 - Goal Weights

Maya Tutorials - Dynamics Part 11 - 13

Dynamics Part 11 - Collision Events


Dynamics Part 12 - Instancing Objects


Dynamics Part 13 - Instance Rotations

Adaptation Part A and B

Adaptation Part B - Making Of

Making Of How To Survive A British Holiday by MeganHowett

Adaptation Part B - Environment

Using my early designs and description from the book, I modelled part of the Clock family's home. I focused on the fireplace and surrounding objects.

Here are the texture maps for the environment and final renders.

Adaptation Part B - Character Turnaround

Adaptation Part B - CD Design

Adaptation Part B - Finished Character

Adaptation Part B - Updated Textures

After receiving feedback on my textures I worked in photoshop to improve the look of them. To make the clothes look less symmetrical I changed the colour and texture of the straps, using different scanned images for each and painted more detail on the dungarees. I also edited the stitches down the sides of the clothes to make them more oversized to match with the detail of the jeans.

I repainted the hair texture, playing with the scale of the photo texture to give a more consistent style throughout the different elements of the hair. Here are my final texture maps for my character.

Adaptation Part B - Texturing

Taking the textures I created using my scanned images, I applied them to my character in maya to see how they look in 3D. First I applied texture to her eyes and her skin. For her skin I used the mental ray fast skin shader and adjusted the settings until I was happy with the result. Using the different channels in the shader, I added detail around her eyes and freckles on her cheeks.

I used a wool/string texture for her hair, to create large stripes and tried different colours for the hair but I'm not sure which I prefer so feedback would be appreciated.

Adaptation Part B - Texture Experiments

I have been experimenting with scanning materials to create realistic textures. Using photoshop I have taken my textures and tried different combinations to make up her clothes, using the scale of the stitching to show her size. I want her clothes to look like they have been made out of scraps of material found around the house, so I want to use more than one texture in her outfit. I then tried painting under the textures and using different blending methods to make the textures look more cartoon like.

To help me decide which textures are most successful, I am going to experiment with them in Maya to see how they will work in 3D.

Adaptation Part B - Skinning, Rigging and Facial Rigging

I have finished skinning and rigging my character.

Adaptation Part B - Updated Model and UV Mapping

Here is my updated model. I have finished laying the UV maps for my model so I'm ready to start skinning.

Adaptation Part B - Modelling the Character

Adaptation Part B - More Clothing Development

Taking pieces from my initial costume designs, I have developed these thumbnails. In the book, Arrietty is adventurous but naive so I hope to show by giving her clothes that are both childish and girly, and rough and practical.

Adaptation Part B - Character Expressions

After deciding on Arrietty's face design, I sketched some expressions that show her character. I still want to experiment more with different textures and colours for her hair and clothing.