Sunday 25 October 2009

Working and cleaning... with some fun thrown in

The past week literally flew by. It was texturing week, which was basically messing around in photoshop with a tablet for a week. Plus having some more fun with Maya and crazybump.

We have been moved to a more game-centric view of 3D and it's been pretty cool. Including making and texturing a barrel and crate; one of the most common game assets there are. So much so that there is infact a website aimed just at them LOL

We were going for a Half Life 2 look to the assets. But I thought I would go for a slightly different avenue. So I went with one of my favourite games; Portal. Where I created what I imagined might have been the Aperture Science prototype of the companion cube



Plus I've been working on my typewriter, should be finished on Tuesday, then the fun job of UVing starts O_o should be interesting since my meshes are kinda weird >_<

Back at home I've been trying to keep the house in a relatively nice state, which is pretty difficult since the three guys I live with, lovely as they are, don't really like to tidy up. I make my fair share of mess, but I do clean up after myself even if it makes a day or two. But I'm talking weeks of mess that are still lying around. Plus we now have no glasses and hardly any plates cus they eat in their rooms and don't bring their stuff down again. There's gonna be a group meeting soon ... I can tell =P

Tuesday 20 October 2009

work work work

So I've been working away... slaveing away in front of a computer ... it's just so hard for some people

but i'm not one of them =P

I actually love my course, especially now that we are on to texturing which is something I have a little experience in compared to my none existant experience with Maya and 3D in general.

I have been spending a lot of time on my project, mostly modeling it, then undoing it again ... so I haven't porgressed as far as i should but I thought I would share what I've done so far



As you can see, it's missing all the complex mechanical stuff; the rollers, the ribbon and holders etc etc. All that fun is still to come ... I'm a little scared needless to say LOL

... wish me luck!!!

Sunday 11 October 2009

We have lift off ....

So, I’ve been in London for just over 2 weeks now (as in living here properly =P) and I gotta say, I LOVE IT!!! A nice house, a nice street, lovely housemates and the tube! I surprise myself how much I love the tube, but I guess that's cus I'm on the Piccadilly line and it’s never too busy =P

I’ve also been working hard on my course. It’s so much fun and I love the feeling of being actively encouraged to be artist and creative. Doing stuff I would usually do as recreation to train for a career. It’s utter madness but I’m so glad for it ^_^

I've also been set my first project. I have 4 weeks to create an object, from modelling, UV mapping, texturing, compositing and finally rendering. Quite a wide brief so everyone is doing a wide range of things. I’m making a typewriter, I must be mad! Oh well I’m thinking of it as a “challenge” =P So I have spent today watching Ghost Whisperer while making a mood board covered with images of a Underwood No.5 Typewriter

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Isn’t pretty … in an antique-technology kinda way

Friday 25 September 2009

Back home ... briefly

So, I've had a couple of days up at my new place, meeting my housemates and stuff

I'm gonna put up a more detailed account of that once I'm back there and we have the internet running. Which is why I'm back home for the next couple of days. It's odd but in order to sort out the internet I need access to it so I can find pricing etc lol

Anywayssss, I got an email yesterday informing me of a welcome meeting at Escape on Monday morning before tuition starts, which is pretty exciting. It kinda sunk in that I'm going off to start my 3D adventure in a couple of days and it's got me really excitable and pretty nervous.

I also now have access to the online tutorial videos for Maya from Escape. They are kinda like online notes in video form to go over stuff that is covered in the lessons. So I thought I would get ahead of myself and watch a load so I know what the tutor is talking about since I seem to have the least experience out of everyone.

All this has meant I have been doing a sudden surge in research of the different software packages I'll be using. Which really grabbed my interest was ZBrush, which my housemate Thom is very excited about. I think it's contagious because I have been looking through their gallery and am utterly stunned by what it can do.

But what clinched it for me was this little piece I found in the gallery ....


3D Mei 3

3D Mei 2

3D Mei 1

I ADOREEEE Mei from My Neighbour Totoro so I saw this and just flipped out from cuteness OD I hope one day I can make something amazing like that *fingers crossed*

Monday 21 September 2009

Moving Day

Rule 1 - Holly is always won over when you give her cookies ^_^


So, today is moving day! Really quite exciting stuff, not sure how I'm going to fit everything in the car but that should free entertainment for my neighbours. Who said I wasn't charitable =P


In my last week at home I've been seriously busy. Trying to see everyone before they go or in some cases I'm leaving them behind =( but at least I'm only in London which is easy for EVERYONE to get to =)


So a quick run down of events....

I had a three week holiday in Portugal, where I got epically tanned and had one of the worst hangovers ... ever!

... I'm on the left =P



Then Oceana in MK


And a day of acting like children which we referred to as our Regression Day (explaining the cookie photo =P)



We also stopped by to see our friends before they went on their way to uni.


Miss you Lauraaaaa <3

But I guess it's just that time, like when you left primary school, when everyone is going onto the next stage of their life and it's exciting but seriously scary at the same time >_<

.... wish me luck!