For the new story I was thinking of doing it on the way that academics gate keep their work with their language and that if someone new came to it, they would be completely baffled, as I have been when learning Post Modernism with Phil last year. Because of this, I'd like to make the animation more adult but keep the same animation style of a kids show, like Mary and Max. In terms of a story I was thinking Simon(the student) decides to get ahead on his work by reading the more advanced books in the library. After bringing them to life with a potion, he is unable to understand what they are going on about because of the language they use, and because they argue or disagree with each other and sort of gang up on him for not knowing their world. Simon ends up being confused, almost overwhelmed because he is not ready for the content contained. Mary (the teacher), knows he isn't ready and already put out the books he would need, ones that he can understand, as because she is a
OGR 23/11/2017
ReplyDeleteHey Ollie,
You've got a really strong expressionist vibe going on in this image - the overall result is somehow disturbing - and very post-ww1 European! This is due to the colouring, the distortion, those Caligari-esque windows and doors, and those spidery benches. It looks very depressing in your city - this isn't a criticism - it's just a very strong feeling created by your choices. Are you aware of this impression? What would your collaborator think? Have you captured something important to her, or have you created this mood by accident? I'd be interested to know.
I don't know if you ignored/explored my previous feedback about reconsidering your approach to designing all the sundries (the doors and windows etc) and I'd still observe that I think it unlikely that your collaborator would be as wedded to squares and rectangles as you appear to be. In truth, I don't dislike the net result of your choices, but are you on brief if the challenge is to work as closely and sympathetically as possible with your artist?
In terms of your proposed matte painting - it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that you'd be matte painting the floor plane; a matte painting would never be used in this way to 'save time' - when it would likely be more efficient to model the floor plane, as opposed to giving that same time to trying to blend your digital set with the lighting and shadows of a 2D floor plane. I suggest you reconsider your to-do list and use the matte painting to extend the background of your set.
In terms of your production art and orthographs; you're lacking a level of detail as it relates to fabrication and materiality - i.e. what are your assets made from and how are they constructed? At the moment you've got a lot of nondescript shading that doesn't convey how the facades of your various buildings are built (cladding, tiles, modular elements) and this is as true of all the windows and doors etc. At the moment, I'm still looking at 'drawings made of Photoshop' as opposed to 'designs made of substances, textures and details and parts'. You need to commit to this level of thinking, because it will be these little elements that will help you make decisions in Maya and really sell your final image.
So - you've achieved something here, Ollie - but I will be asking you to help me understand how/why you and your collaborator have envisioned somewhere so dystopian and 'un-nature', and I do want you to give more thought to the design and accenting of your assets - or you risk modelling a bunch of beige featureless elements.