4th Helping of 3D! - MORE NERDLORE!

Here is another model I did in preparation for a job at Rhythm and Hues in 2001. It actually helped land me an interview, which in turn got me a gig there. Lotta fun and a great place to work. Anyhow, with this model I wanted to design something reminiscent of the famous '2001: A Space Odyssey' ship. Loved that movie as a kid so I thought I'd take a crack at it. I was never truly happy with this model. I ran outta time with it to be honest, and always felt like it was about 80% there. Not sure what else I would have done to enhance or add to it, but a model like this requires about 3 or 4 days of patience due to the amount of detail and geometry. I don't know about you, but most things I design or draw lose my attention if I don't get my initial thought or inspiration out on paper fast. A model like this simply needs more work in terms of mentally 'making' yourself be motivated to push and revisit it...so after 3 days I left it as you see it. Not one of my best...but I thought worth a peek.

Photoshop Fun - Cartoony tree test...

I woke up yesterday wanting to draw, and thought I'd sketch some tree designs. Dunno why...just felt like doing some tree design tests. Then, after drawing for about 1/2 an hour, I wanted to go more graphic, in terms of style, so I took it to photoshop. I basically treated the tree as a prop. I see Locations designs as basically ' a box with a bunch of prop designs in 'em'! I figure if you can draw props well...then how can you not be a good location designer? I dunno...just my monday morning opinion! Enjoy!

Avocado Boy One sheet Ad.

An oldie but a goodie...found this as I was going thru some old disc's of mine. Ronnie Ritlin (left) is based on Chris Farley. I had hoped that if this show ever got produced we could get him for the voice, but then he unexpectedly died!!?! Love his movies...

Third helping of 3D...

As much as I love the graphic cartoony stuff, I have a side of me that loves realistic styles too. But only within Maya. It's about slowing down and paying attention to the smallest of details. Here are a couple examples of some realistic models that I modelled and textured in Maya, for Nelvana's Miss Spider special. I painted all the texture maps in photoshop. No one knows this, but the images in the barn windows is a photo of my room! Technology rules! Copyright Nelvana Ltd.

My Influences...Ken Adams- the 007 designer!

Not many people know this about me, but I am a HUGE James Bond fan. As a kid I was heavily influenced by 007 in many ways. Now as an adult, I am beginning to recognize just how huge that influence really was. Ken Adams was the production designer on the early Bond films, and really established the look of the series. I have studied his work very closely, and really do try to follow his design methods when it comes to my animation location designs. His style was as follows : Take grandiose-larger-than-life basic shapes, add sweeping archs and angles, a main source of light, great use of shadows, then base it around an oversized animatable main object, usually centre field, within a sparsely detailed stage like setting. A prime example of his work was Blofeld's secret rocket launch base in hollowed out volcano, as seen in " You Only Live Twice". Another great set, in which he was nominated for an OSCAR, was his Liparus Tanker interior set, which was 450 feet long, and housed 3 Nuclear Submarines (The Spy Who Loved Me). Nice design, with a great atmosphere. His Moonraker sets scored him another OSCAR nod for his bigger than life shuttle launch sets ( top 2 pics). Or check out his Dr.No interrogation room (above) which I VERY basic, but very bold in terms of his use of shadow. This one set itself probably influenced me more than any. Enjoy... Check out Ken Adams... it will change the way you view Bond. Now I've just given away all my secrets!

A second helping of 3D!

Ok...guess since people liked my first 3D posting, here's another! This is the Rescue Heroes Firetruck I did for the 3D movie. This model is rigged to do everything! It can change into a 4x4 monster truck, raise off it's chasis, the doors open, the steering wheel controls the front wheels, the gas/brake pedals work, the body has shocks that work, AND the rear right panel opens to a fully extendable 300 ft. ladder with swivel controls!! Almost took as long to rig it as to build it! I get tired just lookin' at this damn thing!

My first 3D post!

Hope I don't make this blog "Jump the Shark" by posting some of my 3D work! This is a model I did in my spare time that made it's way into a Nelvana 3D promo. Took a few weeks, as it has over 200 bolts, an engine, work landing gear, and even a detailed interior! So I guess this is where I now say " all work copyright Nelvana LTD."