Making of: The 10th Background

Okay, so we are skipping ahead a bit and making the 10th background now.

As always, I played around with the composition and angles.

The Making of: The 4th Background

Apparently, every few backgrounds there is one which doesn't wish to comply with a straight forward composition.

It's all in the angles: this one seemed dead set on being another jump cut. And I just wasn't having that. Although, now if I have time, I can insert a wee bit of a pan. But it really isn't needed, now that I have the composition looking okay.

And, here is the trail of trials and errors leading up to the almost-complete fourth background.

Making of: The 3rd Background

Another couple of hours go by...and another background is made.

I wasn't sure whether or not to put the path along the upper peripheral, but decided against it as it isn't really needed. At this stage, if it is not needed but means extra work, then it is being cut from the production.

I love putting in the grass. Sure, it's a brush effect, but that doesn't negate that it both looks good and fun to add in.

I didn't think too much about creating the bird's body (I haven't quite finished tidying it up yet...) but remembered to put at least the beak and eye in different layers, so that there is something to animate without cutting the bird up.

Also, I decided that the bird in the film is going be a robin. Why? Because robins are cute, adorable, and fit in this warm toned garden much better than, say, a Blue Tit.

The Second Background Take 2

Hmmm...

Roughing out some character movement lines, and then I put those and the new background together to test how it looked once rendered.

I was not certain myself, I thought there was but then as a bit of a perfectionist there was the slight possibility that I was making more work for myself.

As such, I decided to get a second opinion.

Making Background #02

This morning I finished off the second background!

To get it right, I had to strip the thought process right back. First, I drew a rough plan view of this part of the dream world, as well as the direction of movement. Once I had marked that on, I added in the camera, and the limits of it's view.

This made everything a lot easier. Once this was clearer to me, I then sketched in the blocks of the environment, as well as a rough outline of the character as it will move across the screen.

I just hope that the camera switch is okay, and not too much of a jump...either way, here is the final background, background number 2!

Graduation Film: Background Image #01

As I have been very split between the two aspects which will make up my graduation film, I am currently working on a time map of the coming week, to show when I will be doing what. I will upload this at some point tomorrow.

I have been working, as I am sure I have mentioned before, on the 2D aspect this week. I do not wish to leave my original schedule in the dust, so I am trying to work in parallel to it. This means I am trying to work on my original scheduled tasks for the week, as well as trying very hard to catch up on the things that should have been done already: the stop motion element.

I do not have any animation to show you for the 2D aspect as yet, but all will be explained if you would look at the map I am going to be posting here tomorrow.

What I do have to show you, however, is the background-in-progress for the opening scene. I hope you like it, and if you have any feedback on this please do not hesitate to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks.

Throughout my work thus far, I have had the light constantly coming in low, and from the left. I really like this look.

My worries about this background are as follows: