My Final Update

This is my final project for the semester in Life Drawing II. The main goal when I started this project was to model a finished 3D model piece and take a snap shot of it. Though I wanted to model organic creatures and other non-human related stuff, I wanted to stay close to human anatomy so I can improve my anatomy more hence is why I took life drawing II to re-focus a little on human anatomy. I also wanted to find a composition in the model that would at least be decent to look at. In the this final piece I believe I achieved my goal. Although the piece is not perfect in anatomy, I learned a lot throughout the the process of making it and I mean alot. This includes human anatomy, digital sculpting, texturing, lighting, and rendering. Also the more I worked on the project, the more I came to realize I was putting a lot more weight in learning the software and digital sculpting then learning how the actual anatomy human is.

In the process of leading up to the final, I had to learn my way into zBrush using it's digital sculpting tools. I needed to first learn the interface and where things were at and also other things such as saving tools and documents. Then I had to explore the brushes and how you can pull and push shapes in zbrush.

One of the difficulties I had was how to start the model. I read some online forums and the best tip I got from it was to either sketch some samples and model from a backdrop picture or model from scratch without anything. I chose the method of just sculpting from scratch and see what I would get. This is where I got the idea of a man hanging onto a log. As soon as I was able to detect the shape of what I wanted to model I began from there.

Texturing was pretty fun. At first I had no clue how to texture with Zbrush, though I did have some experience texturing using maya. After I got the hang of it, I can see how powerful zbrush can be when it comes to texturing. After learning how to texture I was able to apply my own painted skin texture and add a tatoo to the arms of the man.

And finally when rendering came I explore rendering a little different from what I am used to from other 3D applications. I had to render out each pass (color map, shadow map, lighting maps, etc) and composite all the layers together in photoshop using blending tools such as multiply and overlay and such. Rendering a complete composited piece took about the same about as time duration as texturing and modeling in my case.

Over all I wanted a piece to be in my portfolio related to 3D contents and I got what I what I wanted. I believe this piece will fit well into my portfolio for a 3D digital related job. I wanted to show my strengths in modeling, texturing, and rendering. Although really in the real world I should only focus on what I am good at most, I enjoyed learning the other process of making a 3D character or model.

However, I hope to continue making more models but this time speed up the process more. I understand that in the business world, it's about balancing speed and skills. I don't want to do a good job but have the time spent on a piece to be very long.

Further Update

After modfying the texture on the body and object the man is clinging on to, this is how it looks like so far. I still have to texture the face to give it a more realistic texture but this is probably the crop I might go for. Then I'll have to do the rest of the compositing in photoshop digitally.

Update on my project

I finally started to learn how to UV map in zbrush. After UV mapping, I began texturing. Right now the object is all in one piece, especially the tree trunk and the body. Since my final composition will only show one sice, the left side, I didn't detail or texture the other side for time purposes. I'm planning to add maybe a tatto on the back shoulder and then start texturing the skin more. I plan to render more realistic skin if possible, otherwise I just keep it at the way it is.

I continued modeling my sculpture by adding more details and defining the body. Again the concept is to have a nude male lay down on a tree log. I wish to take this model and place it inside a more define composition with a background. In the mean time here are the images.

side view	back view
front side	top view
Head modeling close up	Rough idea for final composition

Let's Begin !!!!

After a few weeks now of thumbnail sketches of what I want to model into a composition, I finally picked one of my ideas and began modeling. Here you can see a figure of a naked man clinging onto something... That something, I am still not sure what I want it to be. But it will eventually turn out to have its own identity. I think I might lean towards a tree trunk. Yes that is it. A man clinging onto a tree trunk.

Since I want to make this composition a little more creative, I'll add more stuff to it later.

Project Proposal

I am interested in the digital 3D world. So I want to try and create a humanoid character and pose it in a composition and then render it out on a print sheets.

I will be using the following software: Photoshop, Zbrush

In 3D modeling and animation, I will go through the process of sketching thumbnails (Front, Side, Back, top). I will then find texture to put on the character for clothes and skin. I will have to then rig or pose the character in place, at the same time keeping in mind how I structure/model the line flow of the model.

I will then paint/color the model and light it in a simple scene using digital lighting.

Though each process may be short in description, each and every process that leads to the final product is actually very time consuming. Therefore, my goal for the first half of the semester is to get the character model. For the second part of the semester, I plan texture, color, and pose the character in a scene.

In the process of doing all of this, I hope to gain more knowledge of the digital 3D world.

Follow up

I began drawing ideas and sketching thumbnails of what I want to do for my 3D model. I think I'll plan to keep the composition simple. The model will be in the center in a posture. I also plan to color or texture the model as well.

September 15, 2010

I finally decided I will make a composition in 3D this semester. The composition will consist of a character in a pose. The environment will be lightly added to give an atmosphere. I will work with the application Zbrush and try to rig the 3d model in Maya to pose it.

In the end I hope to render a scene and make a print out. I plan to use this piece in my portfolio.

Gallery Critique

Jordanne Le Fae - This work seems to be very grungy and old. It feels like the image has a very old touch to it. The dis-saturation and the use of color scheme is very dull and pale-like. When I look at this image, I feel loneliness and like I am living in the 70's or 80's. I don't feel excited for some reason. The women's eyes looking at me is pretty engaging. It disturbs me however if I look too long at it.

Jordanne Le Fae - This work is a large scale size, the size of a person licking his guitar. The face expression is exotic. The image is a cutout piece. The figure is in a standing position with his guitar hold up. The image is a colored one. The artist seems to want to express something from this piece. The fact that the image is large, it helps engage me to the piece. However, I feel something is missing in that piece. I don’t feel as excited about the piece which I should. Maybe if the artist included something else to interact with the object it might become more interesting.

Final Art Project Proposal

The artists I am referencing are Andrew Jones and Chet Zar. Although I named two, I will be following more of works closer to Andrew Jones. My idea was to use and focus on shapes to create concepts of things I want to create. I want address this phrase, "The mind is a powerful tool in remembering shapes," therefore I want to ride with this idea to create my digital/3D concept associated with shapes regardless of complexity. Not necessarily creating final concepts in shape like objects, but more like approaching a final idea with the use of basic shapes and a little color.

My main focus is to create a character concept regarding the idea of biology in terms of Human and Machines.

My questions
• How can simple shapes be used in the process of building an interesting character concept
• How can 2D and 3D application work together in this current decade of art

Tools Used
Paper/Pencil, Zbrush, Maya(3D App), Photoshop, Painter

The Process
I started out with paper and pencil to draw some sketches. After a few concepts were drawn, I transfer the ideas into digital files using Photoshop. The file is then transfered into a 3D application, Maya. The basic shapes of cubes, cylinders, and spheres were used as the starting building blocks of the piece. After extruding, cutting, attaching, and smoothing the shapes to a form I am satisfy, I transfer the file out into another 3D application, Zbrush. This is where I refine the body and muscles more into detail. Than I transerfer the file back into Maya to fix any errors of the model and make a render into a TIFF file. The file is then brought to painter to adjust lighting, color, and texture.

Response to the Eau Claire Art Gallery

The 3 black cross - I notice a lot of curly and curve shapes. I notice a 3 black shapes forming a cross in each. The colors look very dull. There are no rainbow colors in her work. It's purely a piece that stays away from bright beautiful colors. The artist statement states that the artist's work is a visual devil's advocate. Her lace plays in well with her overall drawings. Inside her lace works, she has figures of ancient resemblances. It is no wonder her works reminds of the renaissance.

Edward Mayer - I notice a form of a fish net. I notice lines that look woven. The material looks like they are yarn-like. I notice hanging lines and dangling lines. I notice a shadow is cast behind the lines. The close up shows that the materials are plastic and phone. The form looks architecture.

Group Discussion

Today when we talked within our group, my idea kind of changed. Thanks to some of my members' idea and suggestions, I was able to feel more confident on what I am going to do. Tou Yia talked about making his art drawings in layers. Tou Lee said he will do something about the phrase "Are we alone" or on alien topic, sort of mysterious. Kalvin said he'll do something on concepts of characters in digital computer. Nou Chee said he's thinking of doing a series of not just one but more than one piece. I decided to do my topic on something that will be a biological fusion between man and machine. I will focus on the question "If the human brain is powerful at recognizing shapes, Can shapes really form interesting concepts. I want to challenge myself to use simple shapes forms, if not complex, to create concepts of biological man and machine tied together. I will be doing this digitally on computer and present it in either a printed out form or a projector.

My Research Project

What I want to do for my project is making digital art drawings base on concepts for things such as characters, machines, etc. I will be using a Wacom Drawing Tablet and a computer as my medium art tool. The computer software I will be using will be Painter X.

The artist I want to reference to show what idea I have in mind are Andrew Jones and Chet Zar. Although I named two, I will be following more of works closer to Andrew Jones. My idea is to use and focus on shapes to create concepts of things I want to create. The mind is a powerful tool in remembering shapes, therefore I want to ride with this idea to create my digital concepts associated with shapes. Not necessarily creating final concepts in shape like objects, but more like approaching a final idea with the use of shapes and color.

In the idea of incorporating science into this project, I want to create complex chaotic scenes to show and represent the complexity of science and biology. It is like merging human, machines, and the idea of science together. I will try to find ways to merge them in variety of ways.

I also want to play with color and see if I can set a mood going in each piece of my work that I will be doing. I want to challenge myself in creating life-like color tones that will be applied to the overall composition. I hope to not concentrate or focus too much on color but instead the overall shapes that create the image.

Andrew Jones’ work can be viewed at: http://youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=andrew%2C+painter%2C+tutorial&aq=8

Chet Zar's work can be viewed at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=naARsufuKHc&feature=related

What Is Drawing?

We talked today in class about our view of drawing. We compare and contrast what drawing was used for from the past and the present. Most group came up with similar ideas of what drawing was used for in the past and also in the present. As a group we all concluded that there shouldn’t be a limitation to drawing. Drawing can be fore anything, whether anyone likes or dislikes it. We talked about our each individual view on what drawing is. In the last hour of class we talked as a class together. We discussed a little on our up coming project. As a class, we suggest that cliques shouldn’t be in our drawings. We should try to find our own techniques and also at the same time learn from other people and artists. We’ll have to use resources such as books as our first primary source. Although the internet is big and wide, we can sometimes find stuff we’ll never think of from books.

Found Drawing Day

Today in class, we discussed in our groups what we thought found drawing is. It was hard to at first to come up with the definition because it almost could be anything you find. However, looking more into the definition, we decided that not all art is found drawings. Found drawings must be defined so that it only includes the particular drawings. We went to another website that had postings of their found drawings. We read their opinions in what they thought as well. In the end, we came up with the definition that found drawing is a visual presentation of shape or form that invokes an idea/concept.

Within our group, we did a compare and contrast between our 20 individual pictures. Most of our pictures turned out to be 80% similar to each others. We didn't really find pictures that were way off the hook, because again our definition of found drawing basically covers quite a wide range. There were some pictures such as a of a sky but made shapes in its clouds to mimick animals. Other pictures were just random art works on the ground which are believed to be there by accident.

This image is taken while under a window curtain with the wind blowing from below a window.

grassland

This picture here is of some grass. The sunlight and shadows help create a sense of warmness. The texture makes it interesting.

Sleeping Man

Here's my final drawing of the semester.

Bone and Rib Drawing

Here is my 3/4 and top view of the vertebra and rib.

Self Portrait