Test run cycle

here is a quick test run cycle. I did this with help from the graph editor.

yes believe it or not, this is the first time in 3 years of animating i have used it. I have been teaching myself how to use it.



I have been looking at tutorials on the internet and also using my maya 7 book.

test walk with my complete finished Joseph model

here is Joseph completely ready to animate.



i quick walk test

Camp pose

Camp pose to test newly weighted model

Testing new model weights

I have been testing my updated weighted model of Joseph.

i have done another short walk and also a camp pose. The weights, now, seem to be just fine and he is looking really good.

I will try and post these videos, plus the blockout.

Today, i may add a (can't remember what it is called) shape holding thingy. I will try to put a sphere on the boys tummy so when he bends over it maintains his chubby physique. then i may add a very very mild jiggle to it and maybe his hair also. we shall see. I will try to post any videos as soon as someone shows me how to put large files on here, all compressed etc?

Blockout

Just finished the blockout for the film.

worked solidly on it until today. Now i must find a way to put it on here!

Mike Hirsh helped a lot with cutting down shots, so thank you Mike. Also dan was always at hand to wake me at the keyboard and give me help.

I am currently waiting for a new Joseph to be rigged and weighted in a different way so i can finally begin test animating with a character we'll actually use!

I'll have the blockout on here as soon as someone shows me how (it's a large file)

Photos for blend shape reference

Here are some photos i have taken of my face.

ENJOY!

I have looked through the animatic and have taken photos of all the faces the boy pulls throughout the film.

I will choose the best ten or so and draw Joseph pulling those faces, then send them to Matt Beale to model.

Blend shape face pulling

Me pulling faces

What am i doing?

I have looked at the animatic and have taken photos of myself showing the different expressions the boy has.



i am currently drawing out facial expressions for the boy to give to Matt Beale so he can model the different heads for blend shapes.

Basic untimed animatic

Here is the animatic we will use as reference to the camera shots and scenes. Once completing the blockout, scenes will be edited down and timing will be added.

Simple (Crap) unfinished walkcycle

Here is a very quick walkcycle only testing the controls of the model and also how the weigting reacts to animating:



BLACKNESS>>>> AHHHHHH!

Arm Weighted

Here shows the extremes of the boys arms



again, excuse the black areas!?

Weighting complete

After a long journey, i have finished weighting the boy. I had to stop where i felt i couldn't improve anymore. I think the weighting could be better but this is the best i could do with the time i have.

This is showing the extremes of his legs:



Please excuse the strange black areas??! - it wont go!

In a fluster, using clusters.... ha... idiot

I have been experimenting with clusters and lattices on the sleeves. When the arm bends, the arm goes into the sleeve. I have (with the help of good old Alex) added a cluster controller to the rolled up sleeve that moves it up slightly to make it appear that the arm is deforming it itself.

Sleeve down - Sleeve up -

I will also add the same controls to the shorts after i finish weighting him completely.

Weighting, waiting and more weighting

Soooooo, weighting the boy is really hard work.

After weighting him many times, once more i have finally come to a small breakthrough!

He's not completely done but almost. I cant mirror the weights as each time they have ruined everything, each joint has been done manually.

I still need to do the right arm and all of the fingers

Too much time

After weighting Joesph using Lattices etc (Very basically) I decided that it takes too much time and i have a better chance with paint weighting (I knew more about it).

I scrapped the Lattice/Flexors approach and started on the weight painting again, now with more confidence.

Alternate weighting techniques

After struggling with the weighting of Joseph i decided to look into lattice weighting. I have complete control over each vertices, adding and removing weight numerically.

each joint only affects the one next to it.

It's much like painting the weights on except it takes longer and it can look more like stop motion, not all bendy. Each lattice controls the deformation of the area it surrounds.

Being in control

I also added more controls to the spine of Joseph. This way i can be more precise in some of his movements while animating.

We can switch between IK and FK

Losing weight

After weighting Joseph many times I realised that it would work better and would be easier if joseph lost weight.... ha ha. I made him slimmer in the body and also on his thighs, so moving his legs wouldnt cut into the body too much.

Front -

Side -

Them bones, them bones, them dry bones

To help with the weighting and general movement of Joseph, we had to move the joints in certain areas.

I moved the hip joints down and more forward:

Old placement of hip joints -

New placement of hip joints -
Also the joints in the arms have been altered. The elbow joint is closer to the front for a better fold in the skin after weighting. The shoulders have also been pushed down and forward slightly.

Front view of upper skeleton -

Hopefully this should make things easier when it comes to weight painting!