Animation Club for Carrara , Week #2 - Spooky Hollow. Ready To watch..

mmoir

Hey guys,

  Since the first weeks(or months) animation is now done (link to animation) we can start on the 2nd animation for Carrara's Animation club.  Like I stated in the previous animation thread the goal here is to create a simple animation as a group  and improving our skills and complexity of animations over time.  

So, what we are looking for now is the "Idea" for the second animation.  The first animation "The Final Gesture" was maybe a little too complex but was actually a great story idea.(thanks Diomede). So , if you have an idea for a short animation feel free to post your ideas in this thread.  Remember to try and keep the ideas simple and lets create another cool little animation.

 Looking forward to your ideas. I will update this page often with Carrara files and links to the models etc.

Idea settled-  Witches ride in the forest moon or Spooky Night.

 

Models needed. here is a list of models needed and who is modeling what. Links go to finished models.

Broom Model-  wgdjohn

Moon Modelr- wgdjohn

Cat model- DesertDude model,  fifth Element cat model

bats- mmoir model  and dartanback- done

Cauldraon- mdo2010 done

Trees and set - mmoir

Witches hat- mdo2010  done

Pumpkin model- wdgjohn model,  3dage model

Cauldron model -3dage model,    mdo2010  done,  

Witch model- Diomede started model

 Cape for witch- model by diomede

Skeleton model- no modeler yet ,

 

 Animation section- who is animating what objects or panels of the storyboard.Click the link below to sign up which panel you want to do.

dartanbeck- animate the witch and bats. -

Animate Panel #1,2,3,4,5,7,8 of storyboard-  nobody yet

             Panel #6-  mmoir  will do.animation.

            Panels ! & 3  Dartanbeck will do animations.

 

Sign up list for animation Storyboard panels   

Well, here is the completed animation.

 

 

wgdjohn

I'm thinking that it could be for Halloween if it can be finished in time. Below is an idea.

Scene: Spooky trees against a night sky with full moon. Perhaps a skeleton hanging from one. Maybe a black cat with arched back and pumpkins in foreground. And of course a Witch on a broom.

Action:  Witch starts out offscreen... flys over the spooky moon. Then swoops down in front of trees getting closer to camera all the while. Last thing seen is Witch's big ugly face [takes up most of the screen].  Oh... some limbs of a few trees might move as Witch passes by.

Sound FX: Scene is silent at beginning or perhaps some eerie music to set mood. As Witch starts getting closer to camera a swooshing or flapping sound, from wind and broom, can be heard. Perhaps we start hearing a cackling, eerie, laugh of Witch [growing louder and louder on approach].

Credits: Main title done in a blood dripping font. End credits done a more normal font. Might plug-on "The End" is same font as main title.

Hope this is doable in time... or perhaps put on shelf for next year. :)

mmoir

Hey wgdjohn,

  This sounds like a good animation to do and appropriate since Halloween is right around the corner. 

So, the models we will need as far as I see it . 

Pumpkin, Witch's hat and robe, Witch's broom, moon model , cat model  and witch model. I don't know if a cat model comes  with carrara anywhere, I will check .  I will post some ref images to get the modelers started.  

Witch  image 

Broom image.  

Witch image 2 

Cat image 

Cat image 2

Pumpkin   

Pumpkin  image 2  

Trees scene images 

Moon image

Bat model.

Steve K

In the spirit of Halloween, I have a favorite scary story that many will no doubt be familiar with.  Its way too complex overall for the project outlined here, but maybe a single scene (the first sentence?) ... then maybe another scene ... also, if anybody is not familiar with it, its a great scary story ... 

http://gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/mnkyspaw.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkey's_Paw

mmoir

Hey wgdjohn, 

I didn't see a cat model in carrara's content folder so someone will need to model one.  If people post what they intend to model that will be great. Also, if people can think of something else to model that will fit into this scene feel free to do so.  My ideas where a bat and cauldron.  

Dartanbeck

So cool! :)

wgdjohn

Mike,  I'll take the simple moon, a vertex sphere.  I believe a moon or pluto shader comes with Carrara as long as it's not one that I bought somewhere along the way.  I will attempt the pumkin but no promises on it yet. Perhaps I could do the broonstick, simple cylinder, and push and prod on it with soft select to deform it but then I'm too slow to model the bristles... agiain no promises on it either.

For the moon main shader it looks similar to This Moon image but full... and will be more of a yellow/organish hue similar to This Moon Color but lighter more yellow.

[Additional scene idea]  Add Carrara's clouds that would pass over the moon either before of after Witch passes accross it. Not sure how that would work and have the moon in bacground.

chickenman

wgdjohn said:

Mike,  I'll take the simple moon, a vertex sphere.  I believe a moon or pluto shader comes with Carrara as long as it's not one that I bought somewhere along the way.  I will attempt the pumkin but no promises on it yet. Perhaps I could do the broonstick, simple cylinder, and push and prod on it with soft select to deform it but then I'm too slow to model the bristles... agiain no promises on it either.

For the moon main shader it looks similar to This Moon image but full... and will be more of a yellow/organish hue similar to This Moon Color but lighter more yellow.

[Additional scene idea]  Add Carrara's clouds that would pass over the moon either before of after Witch passes accross it. Not sure how that would work and have the moon in bacground.

For the bristles use Carrara hair make them thicker and stiff and it should work well unless you for see animating the bristles.

DesertDude

I'll go out on a limb here and volunteer to model the cat. We have a jet black stray who adopted us last year and he is a perfect Halloween cat. I can video him and get screen grabs for reference images. I am looking forward to it (after biting my nails for a few minutes.) Here's a very recent picture of him.

mmoir

Here is a simple bat model with morph targets to make the wings flap. 

DesertDude-that is a perfect cat for this. 

wgdjohn, sounds good , you could model this in your modeling thread that you have going here at daz.

chickenman, good idea for the broom. 

Here is  a quick animation of the flying bat. 

Dartanbeck

DesertDude said:

I'll go out on a limb here and volunteer to model the cat. We have a jet black stray who adopted us last year and he is a perfect Halloween cat. I can video him and get screen grabs for reference images. I am looking forward to it (after biting my nails for a few minutes.) Here's a very recent picture of him.

Awww!!! He's Awesome!!!

Looks just like our little "Shadow"! ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

mmoir said:

Here is a simple bat model with morph targets to make the wings flap. 

Here is  a quick animation of the flying bat. 

Oh Rock On, Mike!!! Love it!!!

Dartanbeck

Looky what I just 'bought' for Free! ;)

click image will take you to Store Page

Dartanbeck

For something like this... I gotta say... I love your Bat much more!!! Truly! But I really thank Traveller for giving away so much stuff... he's being REALLY generous right now! (I think he's just that way ;) )

mmoir

Hey Dart,

 That bat is way better than mine but mine is meant for distant shots. I am sure we can work in a close up shot of some bats and use yours.

 

Dartanbeck

mmoir said:

Hey Dart,

 That bat is way better than mine but mine is meant for distant shots. I am sure we can work in a close up shot of some bats and use yours.

 

I think these are meant for distant shots as well. I really like yours!!!

I haven't even downloaded these yet. I'm not sure how Traveler's "Swarms" work... I'll check 'em out... see if I can help in some way.

MarkIsSleepy

I can knock out the cauldron and witch's hat models this afternoon if no one is working on them yet.  Do we need the witches hat to fit any particular figure?

Dartanbeck

I'm happy to assist with animation and/or some vfx/compositing post work - if needed/wanted.

Very busy though, so intense time limitation might not work well... but I should be fairly responsive for the time being ;)

Could I use Daz Figures for the witch? If so, I'd love to tackle the witch and her animation - as well as some bat swarms... basically, anything you want me to do - except modeling! LOL

Dartanbeck

Oh... and I also don't want to step on anyone's toes either. So if Dudu, Mike, or anyone else wants to do the animations, etc., I'm happy to just do visual effects and/or atmospheres or whatever you need/want me to do.

DesertDude

Dartanbeck said:

Awww!!! He's Awesome!!!

Looks just like our little "Shadow"! ;

 

Thanks Dartanbeck...we tried to name this guy here...but he ended up being "Little Kitty"...not in an insulting way...just, every other name we tried sounded pretentious...or ridiculous. I even tried naming him after one of the psionic powers from Dungeons & Dragons because he is so strong with the force (he enslaved my mind immediately).

So he remains  Little Kitty...for many reasons...

Just got some video of him after he ate breakfast and will now start combing through footage for reference images for modeling. 

Diomede

I can take a shot at modeling a toon witch.

MarkIsSleepy

Here's a witch's hat.  The hat itself came out decently, but if someone wants to redo the buckle, or create a different one I'd understand. 

And a cauldron.

I wasn't sure how big these should be.  The hat is sized to fit a base G2F and the cauldron is a little below waist height on G2F.  Textures are just very simple procedurals but the hat and the main body of the cauldron are both UV mapped if we want to add more detailed or higher quality map-based textures to them.

Also - DropBox has completely changed their interface since the last time I logged in and I cannot figure out how to create a file share link, so if those links don't work please let me know and I'll try to figure something else out.

Edit 23 Oct There were some issues with the individual links to the models so I moved them into a single folder with the models I made for a previous forum animation project and shared the whole folder.  Both are in the DropBox folder at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2twaec306rwl763/AACTqZMSl6Av_fsZbeFdkCI0a?dl=0 - you should not need a DropBox account to get to them

DesertDude

Those look great MDO2010!   You all work so fast around here.  

Dartanbeck

DesertDude said:

Dartanbeck said:

Awww!!! He's Awesome!!!

Looks just like our little "Shadow"! ;

 

Thanks Dartanbeck...we tried to name this guy here...but he ended up being "Little Kitty"...not in an insulting way...just, every other name we tried sounded pretentious...or ridiculous. I even tried naming him after one of the psionic powers from Dungeons & Dragons because he is so strong with the force (he enslaved my mind immediately).

So he remains  Little Kitty...for many reasons...

Just got some video of him after he ate breakfast and will now start combing through footage for reference images for modeling. 

What? Little Kitty is a wondeful name for him! ;)

diomede said:

I can take a shot at modeling a toon witch.

I was hoping you would say that! :)

MDO2010 said:

Here's a witch's hat.  The hat itself came out decently, but if someone wants to redo the buckle, or create a different one I'd understand. 

https://www.dropbox.com/l/scl/AACctGF5ft_0mh_lndkUOxs7WEs12JzVep4

And a cauldron.

https://www.dropbox.com/l/scl/AADdYiKDA1zNskJF8BEYmPe2WIijRHarrNY

I wasn't sure how big these should be.  The hat is sized to fit a base G2F and the cauldron is a little below waist height on G2F.  Textures are just very simple procedurals but the hat and the main body of the cauldron are both UV mapped if we want to add more detailed or higher quality map-based textures to them.

Also - DropBox has completely changed their interface since the last time I logged in and I cannot figure out how to create a file share link, so if those links don't work please let me know and I'll try to figure something else out.

Wonderful job!

Dartanbeck

DesertDude said:

Those look great MDO2010!   You all work so fast around here.  

That's my problem too. I'll finally get a chance to check back and see what's going on and stuff gets beyond my comprehension of what's going on. So I start to grab everything to wrap my head around where things are at - come back to make a comment or ask a question to find a post saying: Okay, I've got the animation done....

It's hard for me to work in these things for some reason.

Diomede

Here is a start of a witch.  Please give me a little feedback.  If it fits the overall concept, then I will rig and add a few details, such as eyes, a few teeth, uvmaps, and morphs.  If people would rather use another figure, just let me know and I will make a witch's dress for that.   

wgdjohn

Mike,  I'm putting together a zip file which will have the Moon, it's shader settings. I checked and the texture maps used are part of Carrara 8 content.  Searching for the shader I saved to My Shaders... which I've not been able to find just yet. Below is a pic of the moon. Let me know if it needs further tweaking to the shader.

Dart,  I clicked on the pic for Bats by Traveler... it is not linked and shows only the .jpeg of the promo.  Here is the link.  RDNA Scatters Vol 4 - Bats

wgdjohn

Mike,  Here is scene file and the moon_full shader, just in case. Note that there is another object in the scene... ignore it... was using it to get some shader settiings from as ref.

May give the pumkin a try if I find time. I have the stem hopefully for one I started in C6 Pro and never got back too. I have a different approach to modeling the pumpkin now... much easier.

Here is a pic with similar broomstick design I had in mind...  broomstick complete one pictured is 2nd pic on link.

I've no experience, 'cept playing, with Carrara Hair creation. If I get the broomstick itself done I'll upload it. Someone else would need to work on the bristles.

Anyone is welcome to work on a pumpkin and full broomstick... wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. :)

 

mmoir

Wow, I was working all day today and I get back and see all these awesome models .  Great stuff guys.

wgdjohn- the moon looks great You can save the carrara file with texture maps saved internally . You do this by chosing Save As then select Save after naming your file , then choose Save Tmaps internally.

Diomede - the witch looks great, figure and dress are perfect. The only thing I would add if you want is a cape and hair  that flutters in the wind.

Dart - If you want to do the Witch animation that is fine with me

MDO2010- the hat and cauldron are awesome  I downloaded the files but I had to sign up to dropbox which wasn't a big deal

I was going to model the witch but since that is being looked after I will create the scene for our animation . The trees with a little clearing for the cauldron, ground etc. .

We are making great progress here. Awesome.  

wgdjohn

Mike, Oops ... you posted while I was adding more to above post.

mmoir

Wgdjohn,
   I got the moon model., it looks great with that shader. 

FifthElement

Just a few weeks back I modeled base cat mesh, you guys can use it if you want, let me know (cuz UVs are not done yet) ...