This weekend was to mark the end of the modeling stage of the insert, but some persistent issues I was having, particularly with the fourth insert, led me to discover that they were not going to open/work in other versions of Blender that weren't 2.92 alpha.
Admittedly disappointed, I do also see the bright side: starting again in a more stable version is also an opportunity to improve on the designs. This type of thing has been happening a lot this year and I have to believe it's working in my favour - making a better product.
2020 continues to strip some and distill other qualities, and it's mostly been to my benefit. Persistence and Patience have become the name of this game.
One of my early projects in the ABW series was making 3D versions of social media icons. The intention was two-pronged: the first was to build a library of items I could tap into when I needed little bits to include in videos if the scenes needed something more than 2D objects; the other was to put in some practice and look at different ways to represent items and how to build them.
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were first on the list. Some of them were pretty straight forward, requiring a simple translation from 2D to 3D. Others were an opportunity to find different ways of representing the same idea.
The Instagram icons were probably the trickiest ones as they were the first, meaning the well of tricks to draw upon was still empty. Because the icons were being turned into 3D I wanted to take it further than just build the 3D version, I wanted that version to also be readable from multiple angles and still be understood to be the same icon whenever possible. This, of course, wasn't the case for all of them, but that was taken to be an opportunity to explore other options.
I wanted to try different approaches with each platform. Instagram was very much a near-direct translation, Facebook looked more at finding alternative representation, and Twitter...well, that was another story behind the scenes..
By the time I got to the Twitter icons, I was interested in trying something a bit more removed from the previous two. This took the form of using MECH/FY to create more sculptural pieces that were abstraction of the original icons. There were a few downsides to this approach unfortunately, namely memory. The crash was real and it lead to a reduction of the total number of the final set. The final result still came out as hoped.
I plan on making more sets and there have already been requests by viewers on my YouTube channel that I'm looking forward to exploring.
P.S. All of the icons shown in the video can be downloaded for free and used in your own projects. The links for the hosting folders can be reached using the QR codes embedded in the videos. Some clues have been given as to where in the video* if you're in a rush.
The ChickeNeck project was inspired by the classic Mercedes advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLwML2PagbY) that showcased the insane engineering of the delectable companions as well as the desire to step up my content and explore/include/learn rigging.
This was also round the time when I started introducing more structure to the how I delivered content, particularly the visual style. This takes the form of the new wireframe signature that started with the beetle mech project, as well as randomly-selected colour palettes that would help set the tone of the project.
Suffice it to say I may not have stretched enough before embarking on the reach that was the scope of this one - the rigging, for a beginner, was insane. I sought to combine two rigging systems to create what I think is how the neck of a chicken actually work (excluding the other drivers that complete the system).
Because I had little experience with rigging in general, I wasn't at the time able to overcome some of the conflicts that arose in the process of combining the two rigging setups. Funnily enough Level Pixel Level (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpxizXEIm73-GJJwayhGceA) released a video soon after the release of this one that would have helped resolve issue completely - talk about jumping the gun 😅
This project, although not a complete success, showed me the results of being persistent with the unknown path relying mostly on the "vision" and it's helped fuel that curiosity which I think benefits the channel greatly.
The beetle mech was another experiment in Blender using the MECH/FY addon. By the time I got to this project I had learned more ways of using Blender and, in turn, ne ways of working with the addon - namely the tapering of vertices which can mostly be seen in the head of the beetle.
The wireframe modifier also found its beginnings in my arsenal in this project. In this case it is used for the wings. Midge/Mantissa (https://www.youtube.com/user/T4ch1k0ma), a brilliant artist, uses modifiers as for the bulk construction of his projects to get insane results that would take you eons to accomplish using traditional/manual methods. I've since incorporated wireframed objects wherever I could in projects since then.
There's a lot to be said about reading the manual before taking any piece of tech out for a spin, but my approach has always been to jump right in, explore and channel whatever picture I have in-mind into a 3D format. This of course means that a lot of conventions known by other artists aren't employed and I often take a stranger route to achieve some results. This has since changed and ditching that bravado has benefitted both me and my work, although I try to always keep that blind exploratory element every project - getting an unexpected surprise in your own projects is always cool, I think.
See something you like? Subscribe to see even more!
Subscribe Now
The subscription gives you:
Access to Star's profile content.
Ability to support your Star by contributing – one-time or recurring.
Means to reaching out to the Star directly via Instant Messenger.
Star Stats
16 posts
Goals
0.0%
collected to reach
ALIENWARE M15 R3 GAMING LAPTOP
TL;DR - I'm working towards getting a machine from a long-time favourite brands, Dell, which I recently found out bought Alienware, a brand I first considered. Such a confluence was a something I took as a sign and has become the motivation for something I once considered out of my league.
I'm willing to put in all the hours to pay for it out-of-pocket. This is for anyone whom would like to support the cause. There's a second phase to this goal, but it will sound cheesy if I share it before even getting halfway.
No obligation, I'm doing it regardless.
🤙
0.0%
collected to reach
Completing my Formal Studies
2020 has been a difficult year for many - that cannot be denied. I was was on my way to completing my masters degree in architecture and due to circumstances (that aren't COVID-related) I made the decision to withdraw in service of protecting my mental health. I pivoted and started my journey towards becoming a Technical Artist and my YouTube channel serves to document that learning journey.
This didn't, however, completely close my chapter in academia - I just needed to regroup and re-evaluate what I wanted and what having that degree would mean for me moving forward.
I've since found an avenue I'd like to pursue with the intention of it complementing what I'm doing now. Finding funding (avoiding the loan route) isn't an easy one, but I'm exploring as many avenues that I can - This is one of them.
The listed amount covers registration and full tuition. Everything else I'll hopefully be able to cover through odd-jobs and commissions.
My goal is to raise these funds throughout 2021 and hopefully register for 2022.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through this website. Continue to use this website as normal if you agree to the use of cookies. View our Privacy Policy for the details. By choosing "I Accept", you consent to our use of cookies.