@Phil [ND16] 04: Showcase Images 04; All Pages

For Feedback

Water 3D Model

Water Design Development

Oxygen 3D Model

Hydrogen Twins 3D Models

Iron 3D Model Close-Up

Previously Approved

Oxygen Character Development

Hydrogen Character Development

Iron Character Development

@Phil [ND16] 03: Showcase Images 03; Oxygen, Hydrogen & Iron

Phil should I add another line of grayscale design development in Oxygen's display pic, and scale down the finalised Oxygen design to accommodate this? Also, on my previous post you mentioned putting all my characters on one page, but I'm not sure if you was referring to the information shown on my character trump cards, or something else?

@Phil [ND16] 02: Showcase Images 02; Iron Design Dev - Test Page

Below I have provided a mock up of one of my showcase images. If feedback is positive I will re-create this as a high resolution version and will do the same for my Hydrogen, Oxygen and Water characters. If given the go ahead for this, one of my last three available pages will deal with character wireframes. Another will be dedicated to the development & finalisation of the Elements Academy logo. 

The final one will either feature Oxygen's character trump card from my previous post, or alternatively show better-lit versions of my posed characters - depending on the feedback on this post. If the lone trump card proves unsuitable for the New Designers display, I will re-interpret them for placement within my Making Of. At the time of posting, I've noticed I need to adjust the spacing of the colour swatches in relation to Iron's orthographics & head thumbnails.

[Major Project] Submission Post

Rendered Iron + Tablet Scene

Character Turnarounds

Act One Pre-Vis

"Elements Academy" Making Of

This will be provided on the submission computer, because as of 5:08pm I am unable to export my Making Of pages from Photoshop, and the software is refusing to open on my home computer. I will attempt to open this within the University soon, once I have commuted there. If I have no luck I will be forced to include the Photoshop file as my Making Of, because it includes all the individual pages set out in order. If time allows, I will provide it within this blog post, if I am able to open Photoshop and turn it into a PDF document.

UPDATE:

I have managed to solve the issue at University, and have provided my Making Of below...

[Major Project] 43: Various Chemistry Equipment; Orthographic Projections

These were all created with my Hydrogen & Oxygen characters hands in mind, particularly Oxygen's humanoid hands. Once modelled and UV mapped, the relevant equipment will be duplicated and scaled up within Maya to suit Iron's massive hands. The red & blue colour scheme is only for clarity and does not represent that of the final 3D modelled objects. Not included in the orthographics are a plug socket, water tap and a sink.

Using a combination of Maya's measure tools (in centimetres), and a Photoshop canvas in which 1000 pixels represents 1m, 10px = 1cm, and 5px = 5mm, I was able to more easily figure out dimensions that would work with the characters.

Measuring the character...

Figuring out pixel dimensions...

Creating a correctly-sized shape...

I have also provided an expanded Classroom Influence Map, which now includes the images that helped me figure out the equipment's scale relative to each other & their basic shape.

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@Phil [Major Project] 41: Mini-Animation 01; Test Shots & Influence Map

My mini-animation's style takes strong inspiration from the BBC Key Stage 3 Bitesize: Chemistry - Periodic Table activity, such as the use of an overlaid paper texture, and the appearance & layout of the loading screen; the paper textures are free & royalty free from textures.com. 

I chose this as inspiration because Bitesize is a high quality online educational platform that many UK school children would be familiar with, so giving my animation this aesthetic will hopefully benefit the viewer & the animation itself. I chose KS3 because "Key Stage 3 is the first three years of secondary school education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for pupils aged 11 to 14." - BBC, my target audience is 11 - 13 year olds. 

In the animation Oxygen & Hydrogen's faces will fade out to reveal their inner structure. The dotted lines represent the left-over spaces for electrons, in Oxygen's case he has space for only two more electrons.

@Phil would my loading screen look more suitable with or without the atom symbol in the background?

Oxygen atomic structure

Oxygen atomic structure with face 50% opacity

Hydrogen atomic structure

Hydrogen atomic structure with face 50% opacity

Loading Screen V01: Without background symbol

Loading Screen V02: With background symbol

Paper Texture Tests

Oxygen face with paper texture 01

Oxygen face with paper texture 02

Oxygen face with paper texture 03 (chosen)

Initial Electron Designs

Originally I had tried designing the electrons with faces inspired by the characters they reside within, attempting this with Hydrogen made me realise that I was overcomplicating things, so I reduced my atomic structure design to simple yellow circles orbiting red protons & blue neutrons. Here are my abandoned designs... 

Abandoned Hydrogen electron thumbnails 01-11

Influence Map

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[Major Project] 36: Pre-Vis 01; Real-World Heights & Classroom Modelling 01

PART 01: Figuring out the heights

Initially I had wanted Iron's maximum height to be 2 metres, but after figuring out the students heights - as inspired by the average heights of English children aged 11-13 - he looked weak & small in comparison; because of this I have made Iron 3.1 metres tall - a ridiculous height for a human (the tallest living man is "only" 2.51m tall), but a believable one for a golem-esque strong & powerful character like Iron.

PART 02: Re-designing the classroom floor plan

Having figured out my characters widths and heights, I had to re-design the classroom's floor plan to accommodate them. The floor plan does not include seats nor chemistry equipment. I have included character circles to show their maximum widths in the context of their surroundings.

Final classroom floor plan w/ measurements (thumbnail 26)

Final classroom floor plan w/o measurements

Classroom floor plan: thumbnails 22–25

PART 03: The classroom 3D model

After figuring out the real-world heights of my characters & the heights of the classroom's furniture, I have modelled the basic real-world scale classroom interior for my pre-vis. Once I have created Hydrogen's mouth shapes today, I will be bringing in my complete Hydrogen, Oxygen & Iron character rigs. Because Water is only in the animation's final scene, it allows me to plot out a large chunk of my animation while I skin & rig her. This 3D model will be developed further in a separate file.

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@Phil [Minor Project] 45: Water Character; Shoelace Tests & Favourite Design

In response to Phil's feedback on my previous post I have tested out shoelaces to more clearly connect Water's feet to trainers. At first I was torn between 94 and 98, however I realised that whilst 94 was more simple, this simplicity may lead to the X shape being confused as just being a pattern rather than representing the laces, which 98's laces present as much more clearly. As a result, 98 is my favourite thumbnail.

Favourite

Water character thumbnails 83-98

Shoelaces Influence Map

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[Minor Project] 44: Water Character; More Foot Thumbnails & Water 79-82

Feedback by Jackie on my previous Water foot designs indicated that the sole was a little too hoof-like, and that what the sole was supposed to be wasn't clear. Jackie showed me a sketch of Water's foot where the sole wasn't so obviously a separate part of the foot but rather part of the main shape; as if painted on to the foot rather than stuck on. Having a sole that is painted on would make the manufacturing of Water's feet easier when produced in the form of a merchandised toy.

Favourite

In response to Jackie's feedback I created more foot thumbnails. After selecting my favourite foot thumbnails (41, 52, 60 & 63) I tested them out with Water's body and hands, my favourite of which is 81. This will also act as Water's final non-orthographic front view.

Water foot thumbnails 41-65

Water character thumbnails 79-82

Why use a sole in the first place?
The point of the sole is to further connect Water to athleticism and energy by taking design inspiration from trainer shoes; this connection will be much clearer in Water's side view. Because of the wide usage of trainers by both sexes in reality, this may also help to suggest that Water is not a 'girly-girl'; at least via contrast to more clearly feminine footwear such as heels.

With all these extra design elements, how have you kept to your 4-colour rule?
I have kept to my rule of a maximum of 4 colours per character by using the same bluish-white for both the headband and sole. While in the design itself more than four colours/shades of blue have been used, in the case of the mouth and nose this is only for clarity. As a 3D model the only colours that will be used are: white for the eye-whites (sclera), black for the pupils & lashes, bluish-white for the headband & sole, and blue for the body's colour.

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@Phil [Minor Project] 43: Water Character; Foot Thumbnails & Water 75-78

Favourite

Water thumbnails 75-78

Water foot thumbnails 01-20

Water foot thumbnails 21-40

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@Phil [Minor Project] 42: Water Character; Hand Thumbnails & Water 70-74

I have decided to keep my favourite colour scheme presented in my previous Water post. Next up I will be designing Water's feet, meanwhile my favourite hand thumbnail is H14 and my favourite hands & body thumbnail is 74.

Favourite

Water character hand thumbnails H01-H18

Water character hand & body thumbnails (70-74)

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