ode to inspiration >> update

at the right, i've added a list of my top musical influences. i meant to do a "Top 5" but then realized i left out a band. since music is one of the most important things in my life, these are the bands that have essentially made me who i am (be that a good thing or bad.) some of them, i don't listen to as much these days, but at some point they altered (inspired) my life. and, yes, there are a ton of other bands i could list, but that would be a huge list.

scud contest update

lo and behold, another project goes "unfinished." the reason i write "unfinished" in quotes is because i will be missing the deadline for the scud contest but will continue to work on and finish the project in the near future. unfortunately, i just got motivated too late and am nowhere near finishing. i have finished modeling all of the characters (pictures coming soon) but they have not been textured or rigged. then, the animation itself will need to be done, which will be the longest part of the process. at least, i still have motivation and hopefully it will propel me to work on other projects in the future.

follow the Rob Schrab link (under "Artists" at the right) and take a look at the entries. My guess for winner is "Robotaphile."

scud >> animatic version 1.0

here's the version of the animatic i will be using to guide the final animation. the dialogue and music are intact but the timing, as is usual of any animatic i do, is susceptible to change. once i start blocking out the models and environment, i'll get a better sense of the pace. i'll post that next version as soon as i get to it (which should hopefully be within the next few days.)

scud >> beefcake scud, drywall

a few days ago, in an attempt to throw my own style into my Scud animation, i decided to exaggerate Scud's dimensions a bit. Scud is a skinny, normal height-proportioned character, so i thought it would be interesting to see what he would look like 'roided up.

click picture for full-size


while i do like the "beefcake" look, i ultimately have decided against it. i will stick with the original intention of keeping Schrab's overall designs. however, from the "beefcake" model, i did decide to go with the polygonal look for all of the characters. since most of the modeling i do never really makes it past this stage, i can consider THAT my style. the smooth look is cool, but it's also not true to Schrab's choppy, sketchy style in the comic books. so it's a change i think will make me happy.

the first character to get this new treatment is Scud's sidekick, Drywall. (side note: the original smooth Scud model started out polygonal, but it's actually rounder than the boxy look i'm going for, so it will be remodeled.)

click picture for full-size

scud

one of the few comics i have read over the years is "Scud: the Disposable Assassin" by Rob Schrab. the original series ended in 1997 with 20 issues. after 10 years, Schrab decided to finish the series the way he seemed appropriate. earlier this year, issues 21-24 were completed, and Scud has found its way back into the comic world spotlight. To show his appreciation to the fans that inspired his Scud revival, Schrab created a contest of sorts, asking people to submit Scud-related films. in an attempt to get my creative juices flowing again (too much computer science these past few years) i am going to submit something (pending motivation and time.) it would be cool to win; though, merely completing something would be worth enough to me. below is the start of my project: a Scud model. nothing is set in stone yet, but i do have a few ideas. so look for this model to be moving in the near future.

click picture for full-size

click here for animated turnaround

ode to inspiration

i've added a new list, on the right, that showcases the artists that inspire me. by no means is this a complete list, but rather one that represents writers, animators, and film/game makers whose works i use in my attempt to do what they do. (as an aside, i will probably leave out musicians and bands, mainly because that is the most comprehensive for me. too many bands and musicians inspire me in my musical endeavors. i would like to leave this list being individuals working in the arts mentioned above. perhaps one day i will start a separate 'music' list.)