Character Design- Getting Closer

I actually did these about a week ago but I forgot to scan them! I know, I feel like I have been holding out. Okay, so I am feeling happy about the first image below (which is actually a diptych with the second image). The other boy images below were progression sketches until I got to the top two. The last image below is my first attempt at the mom- having a general idea in mind for Mica.

This week I started my storyboarding. Man... storyboarding. Half the battle for me seems to be getting over the mental hurdle of dealing with the actual animation of my idea. But, I did storyboard the first 2 scenes and am feeling good about it. I will post when I am a little further along on that project.

Gaming and my animation

In my story, Mica (the boy) is going to initially be seen playing an interactive game in his room. I have been thinking about everyones great feedback on this blog, but particularly about the fact that my story might give the impression that my thesis point is about computers and technology being evil. Obviously this is not the case (otherwise I will be getting this master's degree as an act of masachism). However, I was thinking that one thing that might be good to do was to integrate his skills that he gains from technology (for example choice making and navigation) to help him through the garden in the later part of the story. I could possibly have a "game vision" sequence where the scene looks like a video game from Mica's perspective.

Thoughts? I think this might help shorten my story as well because I could take out other parts that aren't as necessary- maybe the part when Mica learns to garden (although I personally love it) because Mica will have a similar sensory experience when he touches the pond water.

Character/Concept Art

Since I have been mainly focusing on the story and script for the past 2 weeks, the drawings that I have done are mostly sketches on the subway. I did a few with color. I do feel that I am getting somewhere with the protagonist- boy character. Here are some sketches that I did. They are mostly the boy and the mother. They are from my sketchbook so the paper is a bit see- through.

Movement Study 1

Progress Report

Update on summer * deliverables:

• story
  
• script
  
• storyboard
• character sheets
• paper

I am happy with it, but it is DEFINITELY too long!
I'm getting there though. Baby steps.

* Summer just means that all of these are first drafts

Garden/ Outdoors inspiration and research- Part II

Garden/ Outdoors inspiration and research

Progress

Yesterday I finally sat down with pen to paper and wrote the story. I don't know why it was taking me so long to get what was in my head out. But, I will say this- it really does feel better. It's certainly not perfect and I have a hunch it's too long. If anyone feels like they have some free time, please let me know so that I can send you a copy. It would be awesome to have a reader. I know I am posting a lot of things here, but I feel funny putting up my entire document online.

The basic idea is this:

Mica and his mother live in their digitally enhanced "pod" life. They are hooked in, logged on, socially networking and computing- so much to the extent that they are barely communicating with each other in the physical realm. One day Mica notices that his mother's eye is frantically twitching and slowly before his eyes-his mother begins to morph into a robotic form. In a state of panic Mica runs to his computer and searches for a remedy to the situation- but nothing came up. He runs all over his house and despite the fact that his long lost father's room is forbidden, he goes in. His father's room is a relic from time's past. There are books and smelling salts and things that Mica had never seen. Mica rummaged through various books trying to find something that could help his mother- with not much luck. Just as he is about to leave the room, he lifts up a small book which in turn breaks open a bookcase to reveal a tunnel leading to a secret garden. Mica and his mother enter the tunnel. In the garden they need to find a seed to plant in order give the mother juice from the nectar of its fruit. This leads them on a quest to find the seed and in turn themselves.

As you might have noted- I also changed the gender of the protagonist. This decision was made for a few reasons, including the fact that I have now made contact with a young boy who is going to model for me and help me out along the way. (I am actually really very EXCITED about this fact)

Deliverables Progress:

• story- draft 1 complete
• script
• storyboard
• character sheets
• paper

And now for something completely different

well sort of different.

Style comparison

Okay- here are basically the two styles that I am considering using the same sketch.

a) vector- based off of drawing but not committed to it.
b) hand drawn, scanned and inked.

a)
b)

Another vector girl

This is a more vector version of one of my sketches (see earlier entry). Any thoughts as to if this works better as a vector image? I guess I should probably try coloring her in digitally so we can have a good comparison. I'll get on that. pronto.

You spin me right round....

Today I did a ton of sketches which I will scan in tomorrow am. But the quick and dirty vector version of what I am dealing with is below. Basically I am practicing drawing frontal, 3/4, side and all the hot mess of in betweens. I also quickly colored one of my sketches- it's a colored-in version of a low res crappy scan, but I wanted to get an idea to see if I should pursue this girl any further. Any thoughts?

Character Design_ Day 2

Today I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to experiment, but I did a version of a girl completely vectorized. I am not sure what I think in terms of style- one over the other etc. but this one definitely looks "cleaner."



and... here is a version with a tad more shading:

Character Design

I have been slowly revising my concept for my thesis. Long story short - I want to do an animation that deals with the issue of losing touch with authentic experiences due to the digital world. I am coming up with a concept for a story but it's not quite clear in my head yet. I do have a character evolving in my head and I did many sketches today trying to figure out where I am taking it. I also tried digitally inking one of them. This is the first time that I did that- it could use a lot more finessing and I think that the issue I had with this one is how I scanned it in, but other than that I am optimistic about this technique. The line quality was greatly compromised here- and I can go on and on about what went wrong with the inking process, but it's definitely a "first attempt".