Camera testing

Here is the first camera animation test using all of the homes. This is just to help me be able to tell a more interesting story without just still images. I am by no means a skilled animator or director so my inspiration for these camera angles is a quite rough, but they will improve.

Research Planning

This is my updated research panning, I change it from the previews schedule because I felt that I needed more structure to help me keep moving forward with this thesis.

Videos

Here is a schedule of the videos that I need to watch in order to be able to properly and effective execute my thesis. The hours(per week) will be split between studying the videos,  then implementing the skills I learned from the videos using the models that I have already created. More videos may be added to this list as I continue to go through my process.

Camera Positions

These are the work in progress photos, these are suppose to help me determine the position and the camera angle for the renders. The next steps for the end of this week is to have the first level of detail added to all the homes. 

Powerpuff Girls

Hey Arnold

The Proud Family

Research/Inspiration

Another student linked me to a  3D artist named Sergio Raposo, the work he has uploaded onto his CG Society account really helped me visualize the style that I'm looking to achieve with my homes. He uses very complex and sophisticated textures combined with a cartoon flare to give the scene that juxtaposition of real-world imperfections and stylized character. Below are just  few pieces that I really enjoyed:

Street (Sergio Reposo)

Vintage Living Room 

Cartoon Paris

Research + The updated homes

  So, recently I was on Youtube(which is pretty often), and I found the Cartoon Network commercials that very early may have inspired me to decide this project for my thesis well before I came to RIT, in the 3D Design major. For those that do not know, Cartoon Network used to show these really fun commercial breaks of all of their animated shows interacting in one world. By doing this they basically said that all of your favorite shows were happening at the same time, in the same world, effecting one another, which was something that I loved thinking about.

  You have Dexter nerding out over some fancy new electronic(0:10), Ed Edd & Eddy drooling over candy(0:14), and the Professor buying groceries at the local Grocery Store(0:26). Cartoon Network as long since stopped doing these commercials but with my thesis I wanted to link back to that theme of the one-universe that they portrayed on a smaller scale.

  Before I had 2 Cartoon Network homes and one Nickelodeon Network home that I wanted to do, but I decided to change it so that it was on home from each network I watched as a kid,in doing this I can, in a small way,  infer that same one-universe theme that Cartoon Network had done.


Here are the clips for the Cartoon Network Commercials:
The first one is basically what one commercial looked like:One Commercial (1min)

This one is a compiled version of all the commercials Cartoon Network made with that one-universe theme( for those that want to spend almost a half hour living in 90's nostalgia with me):
Compiled Commercials (22mins)



  So the final line-up is as followed: Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network), Hey Arnold (Nickelodeon), and The Proud Family (Disney).

Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network)

Hey Arnold (Nickelodeon)

The Proud Family (Disney Channel)

My Knowledge

Korean Market (Inspiration)

Things I know:

Woodson (Korean Market,2016)

I have experience with both Maya and Mudbox, which will allow me to create the models and high-poly normal maps I need to add layers of detail. I also know what is needed to make each of the Homes stand out using their elements from some of my favorite episodes. In the past I have had experience in creating a highly dense and detailed scene. For my Project Planning and Production class I designed and created a Korean fish market, based on a photograph:

Things I Understand/ Need to Improve:

I understand how Substance Painter and Designer works in terms of how the software is meant to help me create high quality textures( Designer) and apply them to the UV's(Painter). However in order to use the Painter side of this software, I need to improve my UV's skills so I can create proper UV's for a smoother workflow when it comes to texturing.

Things I Need to Research:

Even though I really enjoyed the level of detail I was able to achieve with the Korean Market, with this assignment I want to challenge myself even more, and really push myself out of my comfort zone. In order to do that I need to research Real-World aspects (Architecture), and adding those in a way that will complement the stylized drawings of the 2D homes. I also need to focus on understanding Unreal lighting and possibly adding the 360 VR of a well-known space in the Homes that I plan on creating.