There’s not much of an update with the skin texture, though I did brighten it a bit and remove a small artifact with the normal map.  The pants texture was were most of my focus was, as well as the rigging, and a slight change in the size of the head.  I’m using Blender’s Mesh Deform modifier for a majority of the body except the toes, head, and fingers.  I am planning on modeling a second character to go into the same scene.

For those that wonder about it, I don’t post this in the Blender Artists forum because most of the work was actually done in 3DS Max.  Now and in the future, a lot of my work will still be done in proprietary applications.  For modeling I use Silo, for texturing I use 3D Coat.  I use Blender only for rigging, animation, lighting, and rendering… but ultimately it’s just a program, the art comes from the artist.

The body textures are 99% complete, it’s just needing some tweaks. The pants are mostly unchanged from before, and will be needing my attention. I want them to be ripped up with frayed edges and dirt.

I have some ideas for angry poses, which I’ll probably draw sometime soon.

This is after a little bit more work, maybe two hours, not sure.  I’d work faster on it, but lately I’ve been pretty busy trying to find a second job to pay the bills.  Almost the entire day today was spent job hunting.

I’ve begun texturing the Hulkwolf (for the second time…), I tried to use Blender for texturing but I remembered it doesn’t have a good way of keeping both sides of the texture on the model symetrical.  So here’s a screenshot of the work so far in good ol’ 3D Coat.

The second release candidate for Blender 2.49 came out, and I haven’t really taken a good look at it until today. What most impressed me about the new version of Blender is its new projection texturing feature. This new feature makes Blender more useful for texturing models of all kinds.

Not long after using Blender to texture the Cable model I had purchased 3D Coat to make this task a bit easier. 3D Coat is another very powerful program for texturing and sculpting models. I like it, but it is very demanding on the video card so I can only use it in any useful capacity at home.

Blender 2.49 solves my problem, by being able to run on all the computers I use on a daily basis - most importantly, the older system I use at work (I work at the university I also go to school at. My job is to host access grid meetings and virtual reality tours).

As you may already know in my script writing class, we were tasked with creating a storyboard and script for a real client, who would then select the one they liked the most.  The AGCF selected mine, and so I was teamed up with Rudy Aldor, a top film student here at UALR to produce the 30 second public service announcement.

Since I’m new to the Mass Communication department and its equipment, Rudy taught me how to use their professional cameras and filmed the initial shots for this PSA.  Most of the work was done near the end of the semester, and Rudy was very busy finishing up his short film promo (of which I helped by animating the bullet).  So I did most of the video editing, and used Blender extensively.  Rudy’s help has been invaluable and I wouldn’t have been able to complete this on time without him.

The inside shots were done in front of a large green screen, after which I used Blender’s powerful composting nodes to insert the actors into virtual rooms.  The logo at the end was also done in Blender.  I modeled the television in Silo.  Because I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of hunting for people willing to let me use their homes as sets, I used computer graphics in place of actual rooms.  In hindsight, this didn’t really help, and presented other problems.  Next time, when filming real people, I will use real sets.

Click here to learn more about Rudy and his film project “Mob Wars”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PClTnUTLKE
(my still encased bullet is visible at 2:40…)

For a school project to create a public service announcment, I am using Blender as both a compositor and 3d animation program.  Due to time constrants, I decided not to hunt down people willing to lend my team their livingrooms.  So I have to model the livingrooms in 3d.  The university’s greenscreen is all I need.

Last week Rudy and I shot the inside shots, next week we’ll be shooting the last shot, which is outside.  The PSA is being made (for free) for the Arkansas Governors Council on Fitness, for my script writing class.

Below is a screen shot of the work so far (the background is temporary.)  Instead of using chroma key, I’m using a method outlined by Alison/”Deep Thought”, which you can find on his website here… I recommend you read his tutorial instead of using my screen shot, as I’m doing some extra stuff specific to the project.

Well the problem with housing is resolved, and long story short I found a new place to live and moved in this week. Unlike before it’s a house and not an apartment - well it’s a duplex but still better than what I had.

The apartments I live in are about to give me the boot, after they finally discovered that I go to school.  These are reduced rent apartments, also called section-8, and along with requiring you to submit to frequent inspections, your bank records, and your prescriptions.  They also require that you are not a full time student, and that you do not have more than $2000 total in any of your bank accounts at any time.  Submitting the information is called re-certification.  I thought I completed that, but now the manager is asking for all kinds of information about my enrollment at school and being impatient about it, as though I don’t have classes and a job to attend to.

As a result I’m preparing to move. A lot of things will be given away or thrown out, so that I can fit what’s left in the space at my mother’s house.  I almost feel like I shouldn’t have left to begin with.  When I moved out there was a different manager, who was willing to look the other way (I didn’t find out about the school restriction until about my 2nd year here).  The new manager does not, and thus it is likely I will soon have to move.

To make matters more stressful, I won a Scriptwriting class competition on my PSA storyboard.  We all did a storyboard presentation for a client.  This client chose mine.  That’s great and everything, but now I have to produce the 30 second PSA.  I’m collaborating with another film student, but he can’t do anything until I find actors, shooting locations, and do another storyboard.  To help with the shooting locations I’m going to produce the inside shots in 3d, and have the actor move on a greenscreen.  All of this is fine, but I’m also constantly swamped with homework.  After class I go to work, then go home, try to pack things up and relax a little bit, then do homework, then go to bed, wake up, and repeat the process when I go to class.  The only time I seem have to work on models is at work or on weekends… and the only time I have to do the rest of the work is on weekends.  I don’t know when, but it’s possible that I’ll give the project to another student, who I’m sure will be glad to have the opportunity and a free A on the final exam.

Just when I thought I was nearing the completion of my Hulkwolf model, someone more knowledgeable than me comes along and gives a useful criticism.  The result of that criticism was bittersweet.  You see, the anatomy is all wrong.  I have to redo the topology and increase the detail to fix it.  As a result of that I also have to unwrap it again re-texture it… when the model’s repairs have been completed to satisfaction.  I guess the good news is now I know I have to buy more anatomy books, because the one I’ve been using “Dynamic Anatomy” is not good enough, according to the person giving the critique.

Specifically I need to ’seriously’ read Andrew Loomis’s “Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth”, I need to buy “Anatomy for The Artist” by Jeno Barcsay and “Strength Training Anatomy”.  Obviously that calls for some serious studying, no modeling, no texturing.  Just reading and drawing.  Perhaps taking a class or two at my school.

He also suggests I use Blender to sculpt and retopologize my model.  You know, like he does his work (and incidentally, like I did Cable).

But no, I probably won’t be doing all that.  I’ll check out the PDF file he linked to though.  I’m also using pictures of heavily muscled men.  I figure you can’t get much more real than real =P.

Anyway, here is where I was.

Here is where I am now.

I wonder if I’ll ever finish.  Oh well, I have to do homework and study for an exam, so I can’t worry about this now anyway.

My major in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is Media Production and Design.  I have a year and a half left before graduation, and I’m about to take up a second job.  I know what’s important, so my priorities are correct at least.  No one is going to criticize me on that.

(If it appears I have a slight attitude, that’s because I do.  But notice that I’m taking some of his advice… just not all of it.  I’m more irritated that I have to go back and fix this thing, but I’m greatful that someone is taking the time out of his day to give me useful critisim.)