Last few things to take care of

Combinding the render scenes in a program I have called Vegas Movie Studio (highly recommended if you're looking into creating videos. It doesn't crash all the time unlike Microsoft Movie Maker) I've managed to create a rendered animation for your viewing pleasures. In addition, I've added two sound effects from this website(fire and some random interface sound effect) just to give the animation more atmosphere.




Now you may have some questions to ask me like how did I put up a texture? And how did I add the fire effect. Well to save you the bother from finding out yourself through confusing tutorials, I've created some steps myself:

First, here's how you add some textures of your own:

• Take a picture of the texture you want
  
• You may edit it in a picture editing software first such as photoshop if needed
  
• In Maya, click on the following menus Window -> Rendering Editors -> Hypershade
• Choose a Surface (e.g. Phong)

(the next few steps may vary depending on what version of Maya you have)

• On the surface menu on right of the screen, choose Colour (Box) -> File
• Find and open your file
• Hold down Right Click on your material
• From the material menu, choose Material -> Assign existing material -> Your surface name
• Please note that the material will only display on render

If you want to set an object on fire...

• It is recommended to convert NURBS to Polygon as it’ll affect the flame quality, especially If you want to set fire to a group of NURBS Surfaces. To do this, select the following: Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons, then choose Polygons > Combine
• Change the menu to "Dynamic", then choose Effects -> Create Fire
• Play animation to make them appear
• Render shows them properly
• You can make the flame appear on certain flames by editing the time attributes under the “particleShape1” tab

Hope that explains it and I hope you've enjoyed the animation

Render Pictures

I've tried yesterday to upload my video showng the animation. Unfortunately it failed. Probably because the file was too big. So instead, I've provide some render screenshots. They're filled with textures and fire effects. But first, I'll revel that I've added a few more models to my scene. A computer, a mouse and a bin. They're based on my own stuff. The computer is on the lamp picture from the other day but here are pictures of my mouse and bin:





Now here are 4 different render scenes taken from different frames and angles. Now the scenes are dark but Moths like dark places so it kind of works out.
Now I hope that's everything as my Maya trail license expires tomorrow...

The Final Sketch

Here's one last sketch for my modeling work that I've did recently. It's a sketch of the scene for my animation. It's set in a bedroom with the window open. I'll be sure to model the lamp. moth, desk, window and shape of room and depending on how much time I have I'll add the rest of the scenery to give it more feelings. Hoping to create as much as I can but it's more important to fulfill the task first.

That should be enough modeling and research. Should get started on the modeling tomorrow.

Back in Action

I am now back in university and yes, I have done some work and sketches over reading week. I would like to show you them.

First, here are two mood boards I've created on lamps and Moths.


These moodboards gave me ideas for the sketches for both objects.
Below is the final design for the lamp and moth in addition to the storyboard.

With great idea comes great responsibility

The power of ideas...they sometimes comes instantly to you regardless if they're good or bad. I just have one about my lamp idea.

You know how Moths are attracted to light? Well perhaps I could use this idea and each time a Moth approaches a lamp, I could add a slight twist: The lamp could spring to life and destroy the Moth by firing a beam of light to it. I personality think it sounds interesting.

Shame that ideas are sometimes easier said then done. It might be tough trying to model the action. Maya is tricky just like 3DS Max so I might have a tough time. At least finding textures would be fun...for the moth that is.

However, the Paint effect tool is fun to use, just simply pasting images like flowers and fire onto your work. Here's one I've made filled with random stuff. Apologies for the size but you can just make out flowers and fire on there.

Something About Lamps

My first in university and very first blog entry. Very fitting. I have been very tired but thankfully going to bed early seems to help.

The first week was just general stuff on what the courses will be about. Timetables are still in a bit of a hiccups though. The modeling brief mentions about modeling a lamp in Maya. I can't help but think about this guy:

However there's also a new Pokemon that is based on a lamp:

(It's a Ghost/Fire type. English name not confirmed yet).

I wonder if I should based my lamp on these guys. Not copy them obviously as I'll get sued by Pixar and Nintendo.

Maya seems very much like 3DS Max. The good thing is that the interface is familiar but to be honest, I didn't enjoy using 3DS Max back in college much. Was kind of complicated. Here's hoping Maya is less of a nightmare.