#Rod's Head
26 messages in this thread
The "RODLOW.ZIP" is the single best organic model I've ever seen on a computer,
any computer. It is worth the download at 2400 baud, even.
If you think you are good, download this image and get back to work…
Gavin.
I agree, it's excellent. I hope to do as well when I finally figure this
program out!:)
re:"I agree, it's excellent. I hope to do as well when I finally figure this
program out!"
Hash should mail him a C-note or something and get an illustrated How-To
article or a video from that guy. Hell, I'd buy it.
Gavin.
Ditto, I'd buy any further instruction material. I already have the Playmation
demo
tutorial and the 5 tapes they sell. Any tips would greatly help! How 'bout it,
Steve?
Are we close on a new A:M instructional video?
Kevin
We are praying for January for two new tutorial tapes… pray with us 🙂
Steve, Hash Inc.
Steve, Prayers you'll have and if the tapes are ready in January, you'll have
my
money, too! I can hardly wait. 🙂
Kevin
<G>….
Steve
Gavin! Great to hear from you! Glad you liked Rod's Head… So what's up?
E-mail me why don't you!
Steve, Hash Inc.
Thanks for the compliment!
-Rod
re:"Thanks for the compliment!"
Well deserved, I assure you.
Would you like to jot down your top 10 list of tips and techniques for doing
work like this? (tips 1-9, be incredibly talented. Tip 10, buy more RAM…)
Post it here and we'll all be grateful.
Gavin.
Dear Gavin,
It's hard to sum up a list of tips for creating a piece like this. The first
tip that comes to mind is .. get plenty of rest.
Creating an artificial actor that could talk seemed pretty straight forward
when I started.. but it took quite a bit of work to get done.
There are so many different elements that go into creating a talking head. A
good suggestion for anyone that is interested in doing lip-synch work is to
study lip-reading practices for the deaf. You learn how sounds are created,
and what visual clues to look for when reading someones lips, face, throat, and
body language.
I have to go now. Thanks again.
– Rod
Dear Gavin,
It's hard to sum up a list of tips for creating a piece like this. The first
tip that comes to mind is .. get plenty of rest.
Creating an artificial actor that could talk seemed pretty straight forward
when I started.. but it took quite a bit of work to get done.
There are so many different elements that go into creating a talking head. A
good suggestion for anyone that is interested in doing lip-synch work is to
study lip-reading practices for the deaf. You learn how sounds are created,
and what visual clues to look for when reading someones lips, face, throat, and
body language.
I have to go now. Thanks again.
– Rod
re:"It's hard to sum up a list of tips for creating a piece like this. The
first tip that comes to mind is .. get plenty of rest."
I usually sleep while rendering. I used to think of it the other way around,
but this is more accurate.
Your tip re: lip reading was quite useful. I'm also interested in anything
related to modelling and decalling techniques. It appears that your sculptures
have very well defined musculatures and skin textures that don't appear
"stretched".
Keep up the great work!
Gavin.
The main tip I can give regarding modelling is plan ahead. Figure out what
muscle groups are there, then create patches based only on their peaks and
valleys. Keep spline and patch count to a minimum. This of course can get a
little sticky when trying to stay with four point patches, but it can be done.
Regarding decalling, focus on what views the audience can see. Create decals
for those views. As you noticed, I avoid too much overflow, preventing that
"stretched" look.
Keep the number of decals to a minimum, you really don't need that many to have
a piece work well.
I hope these tips are helpful.
Take care.
-Rod
Rod, just wanted to let you know, your input is greatly appreciated!
Steve, Hash Inc.
Thank you.
– Rod
Thanks again — the suggestions re: modelling and decalling are quite useful.
Something else that I think would be tremendously helpful (if you're willing to
part with it) would be a couple of images: a screen shot of the head character
in wireframe, and a shot of the various decals you used (just toss them
together into a 640×480 GIF). It would serve as a nice illustration to
complement what you've mentioned here. Nothing need be in a resolution that
would be useable by other artists — I'm mainly interested to see the choices
you made in dividing up the decal space and planning your segments.
Of course, if you'd like to hang on to your hard-earned techniques, I'll
understand.
Gavin.
Gavin,
I'm going to have to pass on that one. Thanks for the interest though. As you
mentioned, the specific techniques were indeed "hard-earned". Alot of time,
energy and money went into developing these techniques.
I have been thinking about creating some type of manual revealing my methods
and madness. But there would have to be a large enough audience that would be
interested in purchasing such a manual for me to reveal my secrets. If there is
such an audience, I would seriously consider it.
Take care.
– Rod
re:"I have been thinking about creating some type of manual revealing my
methods and madness. But there would have to be a large enough audience that
would be interested in purchasing such a manual for me to reveal my secrets. If
there is such an audience, I would seriously consider it."
Well, I'd pay $75.00 for a videotape of no better quality than the playmation
tutorials.
I think that any determined user could eventually divine whatever techniques
they need. However, if you can show how to avoid even a single day's worth of
missteps, there's a definite value there.
Face it, you could take somebody by the hand and show them absolutely
_everything_ you know about doing humans in AM and that person would most
likely never get beyond chrome spheres.
I'll bet the Hash people would help you do a tutorial tape, and help you market
it.
Gavin.
Dear Gavin,
I'm thinking about it.
Thanks.
– Rod
Rod,
I've just finished up an article for PC Graphics&Video on ray tracers, and I
sent in a copy of your 'head'. to run with it. Steve here on the forum said
that would be no problem, provided you get full credit etc.
Just wanted to run it by you personally, while there's still time to leave it
out. Let me know.
O, and … _staggering_ job. I show that clip to every person who walks in
my house. It blows them all away, without exception. Even the ones who don't
care about computers one way or the other.
..mark
Rod,
I saw your animation on the new demo reel. AWESOME!!!
I'd be interested in purchases "Rod's Animation:Master Methods and Madness",
even if it is just a newsletter!!
Jim Jonah
Dear Jim,
Thats very kind of you to say.
I am thinking about it.
– Rod
<< Alot of time, energy and money went into developing these techniques. >>
I would be interested in a tips book on character development. Perhaps you can
also recover the money spent by licensing your character libraries. I would be
interested in that if the price were right.
Dear Richard,
Thanks for the interest and suggestion. I'm keeping track of those that are
interested.
– Rod
I too would consider any item to help implement all the powerful tools of
A:M…
Book, video or a combination…
Add my name to any list you may be keeping…
Great work!
Christopher