Stumbled onto tons of links

Every now and then I check the stats of this site and this time followed a link to someone called "Arien". He had a list of useful links on "Stumble!" and here they are:

Tutorials and Technical Information for 3D Modeling, Animation Setup, and Rendering
Tons of stuff about the trax editor, FK-IK Spine setup, Blendshapes, Footrolls, Gimble Lock, then links about Cloth, Rendereing, Texturing, etc.

Another was for abhimation.blogspot and the post "Dialogue Clips to Animate" has a good list of audio clips.

This next one is awesome. I thought I posted about it a while ago, but it's worth a repost. It's the Art Tutorial page of itchstudios.










Then there is this silhouette image from uxmatters by Kevin Cheng.


The next one cracked me because I'm so rarely sketching things out (because I SUCK big time), and then I see these elaborate renders for a bouncing ball assignment (courtesy of Kid-Mesh @ CGsociety)



Then you got this massive Maya Video Tutorial site. You have among others:
- Illustrator to Maya
- Blendshape controls
- Maya 3D Piston
- Mental Ray
- Suspension Rig
- Modeling Tutorials

etc. etc.

Another thing was an animation blinklist (?). Worth a look, you never know.

Next one is a classic site. I remember checking it out while I was a student. It's about walk cycles courtesy of Thinking Animation. Head over there for a cool example list of different walk attitudes.

Next one is another Maya tutorial list on 3d-tutorial.com. You got stuff like Animation Layers, Rigging examples, etc.

Next one is the "Things They Don't Teach in Art School #5" post @ Temple of the Seven Golden Camels
You should visit that site no matter what.


Next up is "Animation Critique". I haven't registered yet, but could be good. If you're unsure about your clip, the more eyes the better.


Then you have animationresourcecentre, which has tons of links to animation shorts. One of them being "Zoudov". Even though I wish the animation was more polished, I love the feel of it (the John Barry music helps a lot, classic).


Lastly, talino.org has a nice little tutorial section for Maya.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Madagascar: The Crate Escape

Oh no, that song is back... But the penguins are awesome!

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Animation Mentor Newsletter March 2008

As always, I encourage everybody to sign up for the AM newsletters. :)

This month we got:

A free eBook with all of Shawn's Tips&Tricks - a total must have!

Myths of the Animation Industry by Mark Garabedian

Chris Clyde's "Building the Pyramid" short

Mentor Randy Haycock

Geekcorner: Weight in Animation by Wayne Gilbert

and more!

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

New Wall-E Trailer kicks ass

Head over to Apple for the trailer in glorious HD
I know they call me Pixar fanboy at work but COME ON! Look at this trailer and tell me that it won't kick ass. How can you not be a fan of what they're doing when comparing their movies to what else is out there.

Could this be the first live-action appearance in a Pixar movie?

Notice how the glow fades away on her as she opens up.

This reminds me of Attack of the Clones.

That's the only weird thing. Live-action humans and those guys. Weird mix.

Looks like the little guy is leading a robo-revolution.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - Poster

This version is funny! I just wish the dino would look at the mammoth. I think "direct' eye line contact (if that's a way to describe it) could be more menacing? I know, never happy...

Isn't this more menacing? (gotta love photoshop)

found @ impawards

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Dreamworks at the AAU

I got this reminder email today:

Dreamworks @ the AAU

Wed, March 12th
7pm, 491 Post St
Morgan Auditorium

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Dog Walk by Neil Parkinson

As I was going through google in search of rigs for Animation Buffet, I stumbled across this dog animation by Neil Parkinson (see his website here).
This happens to showcase what I was talking about yesterday in class about toe animation, how they would fan out once they hit the ground and curl back when the foot gets off the ground. It's subtle in this clip, but still there.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Jonathan Paine

Head over to Jonathan Paine's site to check out his modeling and sculpting work. Really cool! Thanks Jeff for mentioning his site!

Here you get a good look at the pilot:

I like how their names are Bass and Treble, never noticed that before.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Animate on your DS

I was so looking for an animation software on your DS and Tim Sormin, on his blog, points out to a few very promising programs.

First, you got Animanatee, then Flickbook and finally, Inchworm.

Head over to Tim's blog for more details, his impressions and even test animation clips.


Inchworm has me very excited because it seems to be the most polished program (which comes at a $ price of course as opposed to free). Unfortunately it's still in beta mode but you can tell them to email you about the official release date. Head over to their tutorial site where you can watch videos demonstrating all the different features.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Space Chimps

- found @ Latinoreview

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Dreamworks' "Monsters vs. Aliens"

USA Today got an article about this 2009 movie. Could be awesome!

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Digital Tutors - Tutorial Videos

Head over to Digitaltutors.com (thanks for the tip Miurika!), where you can find a lot of tutorial videos, for instance "The Parent Constraint". For those of you who are doing box lifts (or any weight assignment), this might come in handy.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Workflow of TJ Phan

Awesome! Another workflow post is online! This time it's TJ Phan's. Please take the time to read through it.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Weight Lift - by Raphael Suter

Head over to Raphael Suter's Animation page, which shows his Pixar Internship work. His clips are nice and short, a good preparation for feature work in terms of shot length. His "Bob Weight Test" is especially cool (you know me, love the detail with wheels).

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

February 11secondclub Winner - Phillip Hall

Head over to the 11secondclub and watch the February Winner clip. Really sweet! It was done by Phillip Hall, who has a blog here.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

"Horton" coverage in USA Today

USA Today got a piece about Blue Sky's "Horton Hears a Who!". The guy in red is Jimmy Hayward, who taught a Pixar class at the AAU. Those 3 hours were some of the funniest classes ever. His humor was so dark but funny.

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Dragon Hunters - Chasseurs de Dragons

Dragon Hunters is an upcoming CG feature. You can find out some @ Kotaku, watch a sequence @ dailymotion and/or visit the official site (in French) with a trailer intro. This site has a lot of 2D designs.
The style is cool and that fantasy setting intriguing. Love the two parts where the blue guy eats the sausages and where the bat creatures all stare at the big guy. :)
- found @ 3Dtotal

Dragon Hunters - Trailer www.player4ever.com
Uploaded by Player4everFR

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Critique - GI Walk

Much better! There is some stuff in the feet:
Let's start with his right one. From x1 to 3, as the foot roll happens, you should lower the toes (they are always curled up a bit over the ground - should have told you that before, sorry), just like you have it on x4. On x5 keep the toes down (straight flat boot), even x6 looks like it's a bit up. This could just be me, but in the interest of having nice arcs, what about (looking at the front view) when the foot goes up, having a little path/arc towards the other leg, so looking at the front view, going screen right a bit (not by much, but giving it a little arc, not just a straight up). The foot stomp feels weird when I step frame through it (then why do you???), only because there is big spacing from x12 to x13, but then small to x14. Well, the ground is there, the foot can't go lower... you could say, which is true. What I would do though is on x14 have the foot almost flat on the ground. If that's too much, too blocky, then for sure on x15. But you have the foot up till then and down only on x16. That makes the stomp too soft.
Same goes for the other foot. On x2 the foot is still rotated up, bring it down flat on the ground. And the same goes for his toes during the lift off the ground. On x17 keep the toes down, which you have up until x20 at least.
Now front view: I feel some stickiness as the foot goes up and reaches the top part. There's that big move up to x21, then smaller on x22, but then on x23 the foot is at the same height. So either bring up the leg a bit more or rotate the foot up, but either way, visually there should be a continuation of the upward arc. It's only for one frame, but it gives it a sticky feel.
This note is minor, maybe not necessary at all (might take the force out of the gesture), but try (haha!) this: follow the tip of the gun in the front view and draw a dot with a dry erase marker. There's a big downward move to x4, but then a little to the left and up on x5. Instead of up, can you have the tip be a bit lower than on x4 and ease more into that new upward arc? Might just be me. It works, but as go through it over and over looping, I get the feeling that it should come to such a harsh end and upwards curve.
You might also want to clench the fingers during that part, showing a firmer grip to end that downward thrust and bringing the gun up. That would be a nice little detail (maybe curl up the thumb too).
Other than it looks very cool!

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Critique - Toilet

Hmm... a few things stick out. Toilet humor and Bill Paxton from "Aliens". I would keep it a bit classier and also less overacted. Your gestures are very big. I would take out the audio, then never lower the camera. Have it all in his face. The look down realizing that the paper is gone, the look around to see if there is anything else he could use (maybe have him grab something off screen and bring into screen, like a plant leave and other "paper" like things). Then at the end he picks up the empty toilet paper roll and that's when the audience understands what's really going on. But I think bringing different objects into frame would be funny and a tease for the audience (they'd be thinking "What is he doing?!) until the payoff at the end.

Cheers
JD

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.

Animation Buffet

Sorry for the Norman Modification Tutorial delay. I thought I could just copy/paste what Nair wrote but it took a little bit longer. Again, sorry for the delay.

But now it's up and ready for you guys. Thanks again Nair for all the work! Head over to Animation Buffet, or directly to the "Norman" post.

Huh? Animation Buffet?

Well, this current version of Animation Buffet is a more stripped down one (the original idea would involve a lot more work and more manpower), but until then it will hopefully help you guys in terms of a centralized spot where you can find all the free rigs that are currently out.
I'm adding rigs on a daily basis from now on so this is not the full amount that's out there. If you find a rig online which is not on Animation Buffet, please let me know so I can add it. Same goes for Norman modifications. I'd like to have a library of wigs, clothes, props, etc. for people to use. So if you're willing to share, it will be highly appreciated.

Of course any comments and/or suggestions are always welcome.

Cheers
JD

>>Click here to read the rest of the post...

>>Minimize the post by clicking here.