Bug Model and Bookshelf update

This is my bookshelf with less saturated color, more dirt, and some particle board wood underneath where the laminate has peeled and cracked off. I also finished my model for my final project of an alien beetle. It took me a lot of time this week on Tuesday, and several hours today, but i finally finished it on schedule for my one week deadline I gave myself. Now I have another week or so to lay out my UV maps to apply the color and texture that I want, with another week and a half left after that to apply the lights, shadow, and matte painting for the background that I'm going to try out. I'm happy with how the model turned out and even added some more details that weren't part of my original drawing as I modeled it.
The last painting is the kitchen scene I did over the course of two days when the lab was closed for Thanks giving. I played around with different color schemes and decided on blue and orange since they're complimentary colors. I still have to add in a few props here and there to show that they're cooking, and to make it a little more lively, but overall I think it turned out well. I intentionally drew a few crooked lines here and there to give it an imperfect look. I have the characters just about done, and only 5 more scenes left, so hopefully within the next week, the story will be completely illustrated.

New project and stuff

These are some images of some drawings I did for my final project. I am deciding to go with the humanoid beetle warrior. I found some images of beetles and will use them to reference some color and possibly texture as well. Last night at class we presented our different ideas, and everyone liked my drawings and alien beetle warrior idea the best. His skirt design is made of all of his enemies wings that he clipped, so when he fights and wins, he doesn't kill them, but takes their wings instead.
The other idea was an exoskeleton as well, only robotic. I pictured a tiny alien inside much like in Independence day, only robotic instead of organic suits.
We learned how to put a skeleton inside of our models for the final project in case we want to build the model in a static pose, then build a skeleton and model it the way we want, so we can make a complex pose much easier and faster without having to model it that way. So in class after we learned how to do that, we were given this model of a macaroni man, built a skeleton to attach, and then pose it however we wanted to. I exaggerated his arms really long so that he uses his arms to walk since he has no legs and put him in an action pose of pulling himself across the floor. The original model was just a straight up and down gray noodle, so I colored it yellow, and posed its head and back to coordinate with his actions really easy with the tools we learned about. So now I can model my bug warrior just standing up straight, then pose him much faster with a skeleton attached later on. I am already having a lot of fun with this project, and plan on doing some concept paintings for what my composition will look like over the weekend.

Brenden sitting up

This is Brenden sitting up on the floor all by himself. It took me forever to finally get him to look over at me, and still touch the glass. He likes to tap the glass on the TV stand and likes looking at his reflection, as well as punching or stabbing your feet with his thumb. He's cute, but he's really violent.

I did some more roughing up of the bookshelf per request of my team leader for Texturing. He wanted it more dirty, weathered, and parts of the laminate cracked, peeling, and totally cracked off. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would. I did some more digital paintings for all of the UVs this afternoon at home before work all in about an hour, and after work, I went to the lab, and did everything else for the effects of the cracked and peeled off sections in about two hours. I think it turned out really well, and looks a lot more weathered.

UV Map paintings and shader BookShelf BYU Film

These are some images of a bookshelf for the BYU film Crossing that I did and the reference art we are to go off of for color. I recently joined the shading texturing team because they don't need any more concept paintings, and digital painting skills carry over into this area they said. I did UV map paintings in photoshop, and used the same images for the slightly raised surface for the wood in Maya. I was told to make it look like laminate board, so that's the look I went for. I made the edges of each shelf slightly faded and some subtle dirt smudges here and there. It matched the image from the reference art pretty close I think. With the lighting in the film, it will be more in shadow like the reference image.

TeaPot project

This is my project for my Maya class that I finally finished to turn in today. It's a flowering teaset. We had three weeks to do everything from modeling all of the objects, coloring, texturing, and lighting them all as well. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed learning a lot of new things to make it look better. I did alot of the coloring in photoshop based on what's called uv maps of each object where the 3D object is layed out flat in the computer in different pieces and you have to match pieces together like a puzzle before you paint them in photoshop so you know where the different eges connect back to. I really liked how my cloth texture came out for the place mat and if you look close at the beige areas of the tea set, especially the teapot, you can see the ceramic spotted texture I painted as well. If your wondering what the middle small bowl of pink and yellow is, it's sugar granuals colored pink and yellow. I referenced the sugar from a different teaset, but modeled it a bit differently with my imagination to make it fit better. Our final project is a sort of bug either robotic, or whatever, as long as it has an exoskeleton, and is shown in it's environment. I'm really excited for this assignment and have some great ideas about what I'm doing all ready.
The other day was great because I got complimented on my teaset by a student already in the major. He asked if I was in the program because it looked really good to him, and I said I was taking the class for non-majors and was applying in the Spring. Brent Adams, a professor who teaches the same class that I'm taking but for those in the major, overheard our conversation and looked at mine and said how good it looked and told me a few areas that I could improve on. I appreciated his insights about being too reflective, and how the inustry hates how extra shiny things are because of how easy the computer can make it; and that is what helped me acheive this composition. I made things a lot less shiny than they first were, and did a lot of work with the lighting and how it would cast shadows on the different objects.
Shortly later he complimented me again on how it was looking and used my lighting as an example for the guy in his class sitting next to me and said how my lighting was more natural and that he should make his look like that. He also said it would be great to have these sort of things in my portfolio because it shows me taking initiative to lean more, and that it would definitely help my portfolio look good. He said good work Mike, so to my surprise he even knew my name. I've never taken a class from him, but I guess with my little involvment on the film and digital paintings, and seeing me at different meetings the past year, he actually knows who I am. I am starting to feel like I actually might have a chance of getting into the program next year over the 90 who usually apply.

Brenden's new coat, clothes, and Halloween costumes