New armature for buck

So this is the new silicone puppet that I've been working for Jo creating her a armature using brass tubing that I've welded to Steel plates.  I then use threadlocker glue to stick the aluminum wire to some more brass tubing.  The feet are made in two parts with brass tubing welded to steel plates and then a bolt added to the end by being welded on

Here is a link to the buck website http://joey-goodchild.wix.com/buckthemagician with making of videos to follow soon.

The head is also made out of silicone with a wooden block that has aluminum wire connected to animate the mouth and eye brows.  the eyes are buttons that will be painted on by Jo 

I wrapped electric tape round the armature so that the silicone wont react with the threadlocker

I then bulk out the body with sponge and wrap it in foam bandage before putting it into the mould

This image is both puppet together, on the left is the puppet that Jo has made the body to with my silicone head.  On the right is the naked silicone body I made for Jo with the silicone head.  All the cloths were made by Jo for both puppets

Working with the misses on her latest project

Starting to put together all the work I've be doing with Joanne Goodchild on her latest project for Uni ( http://joannegoodchild.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://joey-goodchild.wix.com/animations ).  I've been making some of the props for her set.

The top image is just a early test of how the puppet will look when with a put against a mock up set.

I made the telescope on the top shelf that seen better day. 

I made the lava lamp which was then painted by jo

I also made the laptop and microscope with were then painted again by Jo 

Quick test from computer arts tutorials

These are just some quick test from the computer art magazine tutorials using adobe Illustrator CS6.  Always nice to try new stuff and keep my skill up to date while adding to my profile/ portfolio.  I wont say that there any good but with more time and better choice of colours they would look better.    

These top two are the same tutorial only I decide to try them individually so to try the same tutorial two different ways.  I may also try to do the top again taking more time on it and finishing it off in photoshop. 

Rams dialogue

Trying to get round to posting all that I've been doing of late.  This was the rams dialogue which I used stop motion lip sync software to get the timing right for the animation.  Using stop motion lip sync as a dope/ X-sheet to make sure that the dialogue syncs with the character.

Me on location

Gathering sound in Crofton Park for my latest animation to help with some of the silence between the dialogue.  It was a productive day with some great wind and bird sound to put into the background and was even able to record a cock crowing which worked out great.  The sound aren't the best but they have worked out good and next time they will only get better.

Also I received an email from the animate Chapman Monty Python saying that the competition has been extended to the 01.01.2013.  Which will give me a little more time to add some finishing touches to the animation.   

The images at the top and left are me recording wind moving through the the tree.  The others three images are of me recording sound of me walking on sticks and snapping them for the sound effect.  It was a nice day till the the rain came down and socked me and beautiful assistant.

Animatic test

Here are the first animatic test for the the lonely sheep (life of Brian).  They are just test for both the motion and final look of the animation.  I've got to reset the ratio of the screen size but apart from that and adding some more elements, this is some way to how the final animation will look

This one below is the right ratio for the screen size and the one I'll be using.  I may blur the Ram a little more as it may look strange with the firer ball shooting up from behind the haystack.

The final film is of the ram landing which need a lot of to get right.  A lot of squash and stretch with some secondary action, like eye blink and hair moving.

Flashing light test

This is a test for the flashing light that shoot up from behind the hat stack.  I've used it in my animatic which should be up tomorrow.

 

Sheep concept for we're all individual

Here is a concept for the sheep designs.  Their like sheep Elvis who are all the same.  I created it by bring a sketch into Adobe Illustrator and inked round the sketch.  Then with one sheep completed I just copy it and made copy to show the lack of individualism.

Final storyboard

Here is my final storyboard for the Chapman’s animated competition using the the dialogue from Monty python the Life of Brian saying you're all individuals.  I've started the animatic and will see if the sound go with it.  Here to hoping.   

Draft Story board

Here is my draft story board for idea for my lonely sheep.  Probably going to change some of the camera angles making the sheep face the main character more.

Some sheep sketches

Started working on a couple of sheep designs for competition brief that I'm working on for monty python.  Still need a lot of work as some people have said that they look more like lions.  

Zombie concepts

Some concept ideas for an character design for zombie animation. There is a little too detailed for this animation though and so for this project we will not be moving forward with this design.

The top image look a little too happy for a zombie.  It should look a lot more hungry with no personality.

Now this zombie looks a lot more scarier 

Making sure I know the differences between Sheep and goats

Started doing a little research into the difference between sheep and goats so my images/ animation don't look out of place.  This was one of the website that I found to be really helpful, have a look.

http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats.html

Also a interesting fact about rams who are castrated are called wether.  

New script idea

So while I was redoing my second story board for the old idea I wasn't overly happy with and so decide to start again.  I don't usual do that as when I've got an idea that is it and I'm sicking to it.  But there was a lot of animation need for that and I want to get this finish for the competition died line.

So I've decided that a rewrite was what was needed.  So here it is the lonely sheep Brian who wants to inspire other sheep to be more individual.

A lonely sheep

There is a field of sheep heading towards a hill.  There are some lamb playing in the field.  There some more sheep to the left sitting under a tree to shading themselves.  To the right there is more sheep eating the grass

There are some lames running around playing shouting

WIDE: camera move in from a long wide angle toward a small hill

ZOOM IN: camera zoom in on the hill

Playing lamb

Ha raa ha raa

A bright light flashes as a figure jumps from behind the hill landing on top of the hill in a dramatic and spectacular form.  It is Brian who lands on top of the hill where brain then addresses the crowd.

CLOSE UP: Camera tracks Brian flying through the sky

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Camera centres on Brian the sheep standing on the hill. 

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Good morning

The crowd addresses Brian

WIDE: Camera has now moved back looking from the angle  of the tree towards the hill.

sheep Crowd                   

Ha raa HA raa, bless him bless him

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Please, please

Brian try to calm the crowd down while getting their attention.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Please listen.  I've got one or two thing to say.

The crowd respond to Brian

WIDE: camera looking toward Brian from the other side

SHEEP CROWD

Tell us, tell all of them

Brian continues to talk with the crowd.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Look you've got it all wrong

Brian briefly purses.  The sheep crowd look bewilder yet continue to eat there grass.

WIDE: look toward the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

You don't need to follow me, you don't need to follow anybody

Brian continues to talk with the crowd.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Your all individuals

The crowd respond to Brian

WIDE: Camera has now moved back looking from the angle of the tree towards the hill.

SHEEP CROWD

Yes were all individuals

Brian and the crowd continues to addresses each other.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Your all different

WIDE: camera looking toward Brian from the other side

SHEEP CROWD

Yes we are all different

A wolf disguise as a sheep responds to Brian but is shhed by another sheep unaware that he is a wolf

WIDE: camera looking toward Brian from the other side

WOLF

I'm not

SHEEP CROWD

Shh

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

You all got to work it out for yourselves

WIDE: Camera has now moved back looking from the angle  of the tree towards the hill.

SHEEP CROWD

Yes we've got to work it out for ourselves

BRIAN THE SHEEP

Exactly

WIDE: look toward the crowd

SHEEP CROWD

Tell us more

Brian start to become very frustrated with the crowd shaking his from side ti side.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: Brian facing the crowd

BRIAN THE SHEEP

NO.  That's the point don't let anyone tell you what to do

Brian shakes his head from side to side.  The crowd continues to eat away at the grass.

CUTAWAY: camera moves back as the crowd continues to eat away.

The End.

possible cool look for Brian

references for sheep crowd designs

These two lower images are what I’m thinking about a wolf in disguise try to look like sheep.  I know that it's a sheep wearing a wolf but just image it's the other way round.  The bottom image a got a cheeky look, I like that

Idea for character design

Ok just been searching the old internet for some more reference image to help towards the character design.

Seen these images of a middle eastern animation, with a simple shape for the character design.  

I do want the crowd to have a uniformed looked with the same hair, sun glasses and similar clothes .  Possible just changing the colour of the cloths to match their hear colour.  Though the hair could look very similar   in more than just shape.  

I could keep the shape of the clothes all the same for each character.  Only changing the colours and but not the design of the clothes.  The colours would be different but the overall shape of the clothes would change. 

The bottom two images are just ones that I liked when I was searching the old internet.

Monty Python contest

MONTY PYTHON ANIMATION CONTEST LAUNCHED TO HONOUR GRAHAM CHAPMAN’S ANIMATED AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I decide to have a go at the this competition to work on doing some dialogue in animation for my characters.

I've decide to have a go at the your all individual audio clip.

You will find the competition on this website.

 http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/?newsID=3378771

Just working now on a early script from a some bullet point brain storm ideas.

Scene Away with the Crowd

There is a crowd of shoppers moving like animals with a pack mentality from to shop to shop

WIDE: full screen shopping mall

Crowd

"Whoo raa Whoo raa"

A man step onto the escalator trying to grab the hungry shopping crowd attention

CLOSE UP: On individual

Individual

"Good morning"

The crowd stop to acknowledge the individual, but then continues to carry on shopping giving phrase to the shop managers

WIDE: full screen shopping mall

CROWD

"Good morning.  Bless him, bless him"

Individual ask them to listen to him

CLOSE UP: on individual

INDIVIDUAL

"Please, please, please listen.  I've got one or two things to say".

The crowd stop and look up at the individual has he begins to speak to the crowd

WIDE: full screen shopping mall, behind the crowd looking up at the individual

Crowd

"Tell us, tell us all of them"

INDIVIDUAL

"Look you've got it all wrong.  You don't need to follow me, you don't need to follow anybody.  You've got to think for yourselves.  Your all individuals"

WIDE: Camera looks toward the crowd

Crowd

"Yes were all individuals"

Still coming down the escalator

CLOSE UP: On the individual

INDIVIDUAL

"Your all different"

The crowd start to focus on the individual coming down the escalator.  They are repeating all that he says.  A shop owner looks out of his shop.

WIDE: full screen shopping mall, behind the crowd looking up at the individual

CROWD

"Yes we are all different"

SHOP OWNER

"I'm not"

CROWD

"Shh, Shh"

Individual looks down at the crowd before him.  starting to become frustrated with them.

CLOSE UP: On the individual

INDIVIDUAL

"You got to work it out for yourselves"

The crowd agrees with the individual as he continues come down the escalator.  The individual is almost at the bottom of the escalator.

WIDE: full screen shopping mall, behind the crowd looking up at the individual

CROWD

"Yes we've got to work it out for ourselves"

INDIVIDUAL

"Exactly"

CROWD

"Tell us more"

The individual comes to the bottom of the escalator and steps off.  He is now very frustrated with the crowd and in the end the individual slap his forehead. 

MEDIUM CLOSE UP: on the individual

INDIVIDUAL

"NO.  That's the point don't let anyone tell you what to do"

Reference images for characters

Individual

 Crowd and shop owner

Space suit

Here is the space monkey captain space suit designs. I've got a little carried away with the design as usual making it harder than it need to be. I wont be the easiest of design to animate. It still need a little work to refine the design but I happy with the overall look.

The suit helmet a and boots are fine the air tank could do with a little work on how air get to the helmet. 

In these lower two images I taken away the hand guard as it was becoming a pain to draw in a still image.  It would only have a bigger pain when drawing it again and again when animating the whole space suit.