Sunday 26 February 2017

Character: The King and the Horse

King's designs are a bit all over the place but I think n°2 might be the one who'd work the best next to  the other characters. Feel free to disagree of course, and to mix parts of them around :) 


(Some of the horses have heads as I drew them before I knew they'd have a simpler design)
Also I experimented with joining the two 'sides' together so that the characters would have something to sit on.


Tuesday 21 February 2017

Environment/Asset Design- The Clarinet District

'We can see a view of Clarinet-like chimneys puffing out clouds of musical notation. There's a real sense of 'squash and stretch' - the sort of bendiness you might see in one of those early 'Merry Melody' or 'Happy Harmony' cartoons. Indeed this cityscape makes for a rather comedic vista.'

I've begun building some clarinet factory towers. At the moment they don't resemble the rather more bendy description. This is because the drawings are the towers in an idle state, but during the animation stage will be a little more squashy like my final sketch (left being the original drawing, right being altered). Even this one seems a little conservative. I think there will be room for some really eccentric shapes morphed out of the drawings below.



Squash n Stretch Sketch

(Left- original, Right-altered chimneys) 


Sunday 19 February 2017

YPGTTO: Character / Red & Yellow

Here's just a quick update to say that Red is fully rigged.

So assuming that we don't find any random glitches or instabilities during the animation process, there is nothing left to do on Red.

I haven't had time to record another video covering the latest additions (although there's not much else to it really), but I hope to get that done fairly soon.

Now my attention shifts to Yellow.




Yellow is similar to Red, but there are still some things that need to be figured out with the model. For example, the body is completely different.

This is a rough draft of how the body is going to be recreated in 3D.


And this is what the complete note shape looks like from looking upwards, mid and downwards.



The hair is also tricky to deal with. My original attempts were simply to create some free floating curves representing hair strands. However, I'm now thinking that I may need to change that for a solid head / hair mesh with strokes overlaid.

Maybe something like this:


I know I'm getting closer to the right look, but I'm not quite there yet. That's the tricky bit - making it look correct from multiple angles.

Once I've got the model figured out, I will then be able to figure out how much of the Red Rig I can repurpose for Yellow.

That's all for now.

Ethan Shilling



Friday 17 February 2017

Modelling: The Trumpet District Assets #03

Environment/Asset Design- The Flute District

Here are some more buildings. More spire like this time around. I played a little with and without symmetry with these designs.


Below is an attempt at a top-down view of the city, as seen from Red's eyes, while fluttering down from the lift. I wanted to create the feeling of height, hence the vertigo inducing POV.

In my bid to communicate the shininess of the Flute district I've made these buildings rather more complicated in colour-scheme and design compared to the UPA art style. I may have to revisit the area with simpler forms and colourings.


Tuesday 14 February 2017

Environment/Asset Design- The Flute District- Buildings

I am adding to the existing pool of Flute designs with some buildings today. I have been trying to add lots of balcony terraces for layers using the valves and turning them on their sides. Its quite challenging trying to make these buildings appear spire like and less industrial.

I'm hoping when I complete a concept paint of these various tubular elements peeping through mist and cloud things will start to feel taller and layered- awaiting the arrival of the music note civilians as they flutter down.


Friday 10 February 2017

Environment/Asset Design- The Conductor


A few more plinth designs.


I feel I may know better what shape the plinth may take, when I design the 'The Kingdom of Sound'. environment. I think it should integrate seamlessly with the arena-like surroundings described in the script. Aligned with the basin where the various music note civilians gather around.

Here are a couple of initial sketches. I'm not entirely certain of the proportions. For example how large the Conductor is in relation to the basin. And how large the basin is in relation to the arena.



Thursday 9 February 2017

Modelling: The Trumpet District Assets #01

Environment/Asset Design- The Conductor

A few more renditions of the enigmatic Conductors form. Currently working out how and on what he should stand- Upon a flat plinth or domed plinth...



Environment/Asset Design- The Conductor and The Percussion District


Here are the latest conductors. Simplified following the latest feedback. Perhaps I should replace the plinth with a simple solitary dome for the base?


Here is a selection of the percussion background elements. Some of my background imagery feature previously seen buildings with a muted colour scheme to try and add some depth to the concept art. I need to do more of these colour- only environment pieces for the other districts.


I'm working on researching the last few instruments before I embark on visions of the miniature Kingdom of Sound that sits below our conductor friend. Next up will be more visions of the Flute District and the Clarinet District.

Wednesday 8 February 2017

Environment/Asset Design- The Percussion District and the Conductor

Red's view from the unfinished Bridge. I've featured a rather generic view of the Conductor in the background though he is still a work in progress and his shape is very vague against the horizon line.


Following the latest feedback here is further exploration into the shape of the Conductor. He's proving a complicated fellow.

I feel if Red can have arms that curl into a rounded shape, then perhaps the Conductors sleeves can also achieve the same bend? The same shaping could perhaps be applied to the leg(s). I've tried to hybridise the two original models once again and played around with a few new shapes.

I've added a few ideas for podiums for the Conductor to be placed upon as well. I can see a few of these animated to have a sort of idle cycle. Or perhaps these pedestals are a part of a larger construction involving the basin located below him in the area.



Monday 6 February 2017

Environment/ Asset Design- The Kingdom of Sound- Conductor

Following feedback. I have explored further into concepts 1 and 3 of the Conductor and tried mixing the two designs together. There are additional features including a ball and socket joint for eventual mobility of the Statue at the animation stage. I've also included little triangular hands, allowing for future fluid movement at newly added wrist joints.



Sunday 5 February 2017

Environment/Asset Design- The Percussion District and the Conductor


Below is my initial vision of the percussion district, including a view from underneath the unfinished bridge Red comes to after an epic climb. 



I have been reading into the last section of the story, 'The Kingdom of Sound.' where the musical note citizens culminate at the base of the Conductor statue. Initially uncertain as to how the Conductor statue may look, I was pointed in the direction of more abstract human forms and Futurist sculpture and created the silhouettes below.



Modelling: The Oboe District Assets #01