Messing Around in Maya

I am playing around with creating custom materials. This is a glass like material we came up with. Pretty fun stuff, I will post more 3D models later.

Slums WIP

Here is a snapshot of an environment I am working on.

Just messing around

Assignment 9 - Cel Animation Again

The cheesy drop shadow is to help sell the idea that its on a cel closer to the viewer than it is from the background. 

Assignment 9 - Personal Choice

I decided I wanted to do another Cel-Animation style, and the information about Cel-Animation can be found on my blog here:
http://pfsketchblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/assignment-2-cel-animation.html

Instrument WIP

Just messing around with the idea of a telepathic instrument. I was thinking that it could resonate similar to a pan pipe or horn when the user emits telepathic energies. It would be found at an archeological dig in the nation of Ionia (from League of Legends) The values are pretty rough at the moment, but I plan to post ore as I complete more work.

Assignment 8 - Cut Paper

The art of cut paper is using paper in layers to create an image. Sometimes the pictures can be more 3 dimensional, other times the only dimension is the thickness of the paper. Often times decorative paper is used, but it is not required. Cut paper can have a very elementary feel, but it can also be very sophisticated. Often times you can see the thickness of the paper, and the texture of the paper come into play.

Here are some examples:

Here are some artists:
http://www.scottefranson.com/
http://www.adamtaylorillustrator.com/
http://kateslaterillustration.com/

Morgana Update

Update: This is what it looks like atm. Still kind of wandering with the background. 

Here is another painting I am messing with. Its the character Morgana from League of Legends. The background is just me making up what I think a Noxian fortress might look like.

Assignment 7 - Lithograph Research

The technique of stone lithography involves using a stone slab, a grease pencil (or other water repellent medium),  water, and ink. Essentially stone lithography begins with a prepared flat slab of stone. The stone is then drawn/painted on using a grease pencil or greased paintbrush. Once the image has been completed, the artist then uses nitric acid to 'etch' the image onto the stone. During this process the blank areas are desensitized to not accept ink, while the image portion is sensitized and is better able to receive the ink. Once the image has been etched into the stone, it is prepped with asphaltum which adds the grease to the image. Now the portions meant to accept ink, will do so. The stone is now prepped with water. The water repels the ink, and thus will prevent the blank areas from receiving ink. The image is inked thoroughly, and printed on its desired medium. One stone will be good for around 200 prints.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/sl-443.jpg

The marks produced from this printing technique reveals a kind of 'grainy' or 'crayon like' surface. Stone Lithograph prints with a variety of colors tend to look soft, because of the multiple colors printed over one another. The process can either be as controlled, or as rough as the artist desires.

Artists who work with stone lithography:
Toby Michel
Michael Parkes
Ken Pattern

For more information:
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/stone-lithography.htm

Assignment 6 - Impasto

Assignment 6 - Impasto Research

Impasto is created using a thick, textured paint to create the illusion of dimension. Van Gough was among the first to use this technique for expression rather than to create a physically and visually dimensional painting. The next time you view an impasto painting, think about what it might look and feel like if they did not use such thick strokes. Often times, the painting will lose its sense of movement and life. While to some impasto might seem crude and childish, there is a great deal of thinking that goes into laying down the paint.  You can achieve this effect a through a variety of techniques, the most obvious being load your brush with a copious amount of paint. Another method to apply thick dimensional paint, is to use palate knives.

Here is an example of Impasto:
Link

Here are a few related artists you might enjoy:
Vincent Van Gough
Lucian Freud
Monica Fallini

Assignment 6 - Paint Thickness (Test Painting)

I have been having some fun playing with the illusion of depth and layering in my painting. I liked the idea of painting on stucco or some other rough surface. Yes there is an intentional tangent with the cone, if you haven't noticed it, you will. :)

Assignment 5 - Drybrush

Teemo in a digital dry brush technique. I want to do more with it when I have time. I thoroughly enjoyed this technique. It was a lot of fun. 

Assignment 5 - The Happy Cube

Not sure why, but this little guy followed me home. Should I keep him? All kidding aside, I was experimenting with creating a digital scumbling or drybrush effects in class. This wee little optimist was the result of that experimentation.

Assignment 5 - Drybrush and Scumble

Dry brush is a technique used with both oil based, and water based paints. Essentially you load your 'dry' brush with a small amount of paint. You then apply the paint with a rapid movement across the paper. The effect it creates gives a cool texture, kind of a soft feathery feel. You can use a dry brush technique to add interest or texture to areas a painting.  Typically the colors are pretty solid, and sit on top of the other paint (its not meant to blend in, it is generally intended to sit on top of the rest of the paint.)

Scumbling is the art of 'painting' in layers. It is similar to glazing in the sense that the purpose is to generate complex interactions of layers. While you add more paint on top, the paint below is still visible. Similarly to the dry brush technique, it can be used to create atmosphere, and softened transitions between colors.

A few artists who use these techniques include:
El Greco
Ludek Pesek
Andrew Wyeth

Here are a few useful videos to help you visualize each process:
Dry Brush (terrible painting but it gives you the idea)
Scumbling

Silkscreen

I am feeling a bit flu-ish so it is highly likely I will not be in class today. I wanted to post my image though to ensure it was on time.

 My concept was simple, I wanted to make a screen printed design like something you would see on a t-shirt. This is a part of a series of female ninja mishaps my wife has asked me to do.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome.
Thanks,
Preston

Assignment 4 - Silk Screening Information

Silk Screening


If you have ever purchased a t-shirt with a decal or an image printed on it, it is likely you have purchased a screen printed product. Screen printing goes by many names, but one of its more popular names is silk screening. The term silk screening derived from the roots of the mesh used beneath the stencil. While in the past silk was used, today many prefer to use polyester. While explaining specifics about screen printing can be confusing, I will try to simplify the process into layman's terms.  


Common materials used in the silk screening process include:

• the screen (made of silk, polyester, etc.)
• ink blocking stencil of image to be printed
• ink
• roller/squeegee
• surface to accept the printed image (like a t shirt)

Essentially you have stencils for each color you want to screen. These stencils reside on the screen. Using a squeegee you drag the ink across the stencil, and the ink passes through the negative space of the stencil. The ink passes through the mesh screen, and adheres to the desired surface. That is about as simple a screen process as you can get. 

Here are a few screen printing artists:
Roy Lichtenstein -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein
Andy Warhol - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol
Variety of peoples - http://www.thefineartcompany.co.uk/serigraph/silks.htm



For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing


I also found these videos helpful (It makes more sense when you see it in action rather than read about it.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bIwpPGs180&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j-Ld3L9c5E&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWOXl8MTGdU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r-jhdatxg4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPbt5vy68_k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f6AJviosWU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xgFY2ozUBY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vwB0l4jevA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj8S7SjF2h8&feature=related

Assignment 3 - Relief Print

Digital Relief Printing

This is my second attempt at creating a digital relief print. I found this style enjoyable, until I had to choose what two colors would represent the second and third colors. I really would like to use more colors, but I restrained myself to maintain the criteria for the class. Depicted are three characters from a game called League of Legends. Teemo, Cho'gath, and a Minion. Poor guy got the blinding shot from an unsuspecting Teemo.Cho'gath doesn't mind, hes about to have lunch.  

-Preston

Here was my first attempt/experiment:

Assignment 3 - Relief/Woodblock Print

Before taking this class, I had seen some really cool pieces come out of this technique hanging on the third floor of the Spori building. It was a process I found intriguing as I have studied Japanese Ukiyo-e prints in other courses here at BYU-Idaho. I love the textures and line quality found in many woodblock prints. Seeing the variety of ways to transfer the image to paper, including rubbing or pressing, my eyes were opened as pertaining to the textures that would be unique to each process. I thought it was intriguing the variety of textures that could be achieved, and the broad spectrum of line qualities that can be created using this process.

Here are a few examples of prints that I believe exemplify this 'style'. 

http://www.comollo.com/Images02/woodblock4115.jpg
http://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/woodworking/Wood-Block-Printing/images/Key-Block-Of-The-Print-Shown-On-The-Frontispiece.jpg
http://colt-rane.com/wp-content/uploads/wharton_eshericks_woodblock_print_for_song_of_the_broad-axe_by_walt_whitman_1924.jpg


Here are some artists I found:
http://www.indigoarts.com/gallery_brazil_prints1.html
http://www.vagabondjourney.com/travelogue/woodblock-print-artist-justin-catania/
http://joshuaromestudio.com/

Assignment 2 - Futuristic Mercenary

This is the image I made for Digital Illustration to replicate the style of cel animation, using a scanned piece of line art and painting the colors behind those lines. I have done revisions but I was not sure if we were supposed to show our original image on our blog. In that light, I didn't want to cheat so here is the original image. Hopefully this is what was needed to fulfill the requirement of posting our image. Please let me know if you have suggestions I would love to hear from you. 

Assignment 2 - Cel Animation

Thoughts on Traditional 'Cel' Animation:
At first glance the phrase 'cel animation' may cause a state of nostalgia for different reasons. On one hand, you could be taken back to health class in high school. Watching how the HIV virus implements itself into the healthy human. On the other hand, if you are familiar with animation it will bring you back to the roots of modern animation and digital painting.


Cel animation refers to a traditional animation process using clear "cels" to separate portions of a scene (similar to using separate layers for foreground, mid-ground, and background in Photoshop).  This innovation allowed animators to make a character move through a scene without having to re-draw the background. This was important for many reasons, paramount of which was reducing the cost to produce animation. By reducing the need to reproduce backgrounds thousands of times, animation studios were able to re-use scenes.


Typically a cel animation is drawn or 'inked' on one side, and painted on the other. Here is an example:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/File-Inkandpaint.jpg


Once a cel is inked and colored, a special camera is used to photograph each picture. You will often see the use of 'cel-shading' in animations because of the inherent ability to keep the shadow shapes uniform throughout the frames. cel-shading is also found in many 'manga' and other graphic novels. The effect this workflow has made on entertainment is still around today as video games and movies take a cel-shaded approach to bring a fresh take on an older technique. Some of these titles include: The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, and A Scanner Darkly.


For more information on Cel Animation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_animation (this was also one of my primary references)
http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6692380_traditional-cell-animation.html (simple and easy to digest)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMRqyo5MJPXNBGC7hq-jUtKQlkPi5EXUTnYa8Pl2iE4cIZgfGU7miflb3FdYsHbvCO0qvKVoeW51Jh4ew64zgjEUaJZqzwo6JvMgC7G9ESNS7kcMQehHKSMvFqkFusgdHF5icsBebIHoB/s1600-h/nemo-all-layers.jpg (example from Little Nemo, courtesy of Joshua Abegglen)


A Few Traditional Animators:
http://joshabegglen.blogspot.com/ (he does other stuff too, but I liked his 2d work)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams_(animator)

A Few Animators who took it further
http://bobwilsonanimation.com/

Assignment 1 - Samsung Vibrant Technical Drawing

For this assignment, we were asked to do some research. A few of the questions we sought to answer include:  what makes a technical drawing, what tools are used in creating a technical drawing, and some examples of artists who create technical drawings for a living. 

Through my research I found several things which stayed consistent, and a few techniques that varied across a broad spectrum of artworks. I decided for my technical drawing, that I would do a drawing of my cell phone using the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator. After completing the technical drawing, I imported it all into Photoshop for the final composite. My idea stems from two areas, the first was to incorporate the idea of consistent clean lines found in a typical technical drawing. Second, I wanted to use the aesthetic found in architectural blueprints to unify many of the elements.  

I found that the pen tool was easy to use, however I recognize that the typography is in dire need of adjustment. Feel free to give any comments, I would love to hear them. Thank you for stopping by.

-Preston 

Digital Illustration 2011 - Assignment 1

For the first post in class, we were asked to research Technical Illustrations. Below I have included links to details on what tools are used with Technical Illustration, and a few examples of Technical Illustrators. 


Details on Technical Illustration Attributes:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6570934_tools-used-technical-drawings_.html


Technical Illustrators
Beau Daniels & Alan Daniels:
http://www.automotive-illustrations.com/landrover.html
http://www.beaudaniels.com/architectural-gallery-1.htm
Jim Hatch:
http://www.coroflot.com/hatch/portfolio1/8
http://www.hatchillustration.com/technical.html
Randal Burkey:
http://www.birkey.com/


A Few Observations: (mixed personal observations, and facts found on eHow as credited above.)

• Generally there is a heavier line weight on the periphery of the silhouette.
• Often times to show depth, the closer outline will be darker while the further outline will be a lighter value but it retains the same line weight. 
• From what I saw there is little value or color in many of the drawings, however color/value can be used to emphasize a particular area, especially prevalent in blow apart diagrams used in illustrated DIY walk-through.
• While in the past illustrations were hand drawn, today they are typically created using CAD (Computer Aided Drawing) which reduces production time and increases the accuracy.