KW Animations

Creating fast motions in Iclone 5 is a Slam Dunk!

2011-12-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

So, I've been away from the program for sometime due to some minor computer related problems and I've just started experimenting on my favorite feature in Iclone 5, making fast easy motions even without Mo-cap. This version of Iclone is animation friendly the new timeline allows you to put motions together fast and easy .In fact my only dislike about Reallusion's Iclone 5 is that the pre-made hair for characters just doesn't cut it, not even for non - real characters. I anticipate that after a few more tests that I will finally start on a long thought out project which should be fun as well as laborious. I'll keep you posted... Until the next time keep Slam Dunking!

Reallusion Iclone5 software - Could this be the one 4 me?

2011-10-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

So I've been testing out Reallusion's Iclone 5 3D animation software and I'm quite impressed at it's capabilities. For a software at an upgrade price tag of $99 it's hard to pass on it. I've enjoyed the previous 2 releases but admittedly found them to be behind the times for an animator due to a very restrictive timeline. Well in IC 5 there have been major improvements to the timeline as well as some brand new features like; Physics, human IK, kinect motion capture plug-in (which i have not used yet), Toon Shading and motion puppeteering just to name a few. The motion and animation tools are a welcome sight and are extremely easy and more fluid to use. I'm actually confident that i can now complete a project utilizing iclone5, as the stiffness and clumsiness now seem to be a thing of the past. It's not perfect and still could use a few minor additions, but it's well on the way to being a viable product and the quality of video's from its user base should dramatically improve. Here's a short clip to show some of the improvements in Reallusion's iclone5.

Urban Living

2011-02-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

Render testing continues and its producing some nice results but I haven't gotten exactly what I'm looking for. Simplfying the scene in Iclone 4 while increasing texture resolution works fine but sometimes taxes the system, so the testing goes on until the next time...

Rural Render

2011-01-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

Been doing some more test rendering with some new techniques and it's getting close to something workable. Patience has never been a strong suit of mine, but designing a set teaches me to take your time and watch out for the details. Sometimes the small things make a big difference in how the shot is viewed. This is the latest test and I was able to narrow down the number of software's used to achieve the results shown above. Until the next time...

Alley Shock render!

2011-01-26T23:08:00.000-08:00

With this latest still I'm getting better results as I continue to workout an efficient workflow. Its coming along and probably won't be too much longer before we get the look we're after. Reallusion's Iclone 4 still shows a lot of promise and will remain in the pipeline for now . Once you understand your tools you can then design your masterpiece, so this period of learning and experimentation will payoff in the end. Until the next time...

Shadows, lighting and texturing

2011-01-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2011! Been away for awhile, but I've been in deep learning mode. You see in trying out different animation and modeling softwares I find that they all require different ways of working to achieve a good render. I decided to study them each in detail and take from each one some things that will help me achieve a highly detailed render without waiting days to see the output. For this test i focused on Shadows, lighting and texturing and was able to abstract a little from Poser, Carrara and Iclone to come up with a proficient workflow and a manageable file size. Its going to take a steady workflow to achieve proper renders before starting on my upcoming film: "A Peace Discovery". Thanks to Kurzal for use of the antique dresser and corner closet. Click picture to see full rendered still.

More to come soon!

New Tool in My Pipeline!

2010-06-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Some may know that I have an idea for an animated short to be called "A Peace Discovery" and It is in the character development stage as we speak. I originally thought that I would do the entire project or at least the character models in Iclone 4, but recently I've agonized over this decision. I'm quite fond of Reallusion's software and quite frankly for its price it can't be beat. However for this particular project to get the faces and body structure and movements the way I truly need them I've decided to look at Poser 8. I know I will be giving up some things in this switch (such as realtime rendering ) but the look and feel of the short has to be done in a way that brings these characters to life in a way that demands the kind of movements and camera closeups of each character that I'm not so sure I could acheive in Iclone at the moment. I may still make use of Iclone in the process but I know for sure that the inability to do toon shading inside of Iclone makes it very difficult to make these characters stand out. RennieK is a dynamic figure who plays a major role and will need the flexibility in shading that my research on the Poser application shows it's truly capable of delivering. I will continue to post on this process after I've developed a smooth workflow in Poser and will report an update and comparison of the characters in the new application. Hopefully this will be in a week or two but I thank you for your patience. By the way anyone who has a similar experience please contact me with your thoughts.In the meantime The project continues....

Enuff with the Singing!

2010-05-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is just another test of RennieK showcasing expression and emotion animated to a short audio clip from freeaudioclips.com. This again was animated in Iclone 4 software.
Click here to view the short clip! Until the next time keep creating...

Rennie K is chosen!

2010-05-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

If you've been following this blog I've shared before that I've had a story that I've wanted to produce for about 3 years now called "A Peace Discovery". I wrote the title song about that time and its been on the shelf since. I am now ready to tell this story and have been trying out a few characters lately who will be major players in this animated short. I have only decided on 1 character so far with about 6 or 7 to go. RennieK has been modeled and is perfect for the part of a career girl who has her struggles in love. I would love to finish this movie by the end of the year but I want it done right so I will take my time. In the meantime I have been refining some animation techniques and will continue working to develop these characters in Iclone 4. 1 down and a lot of work to go. It is definitely a labor of love. Click here to view a RennieK test.

RennieK Test

2010-04-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

I've been continuing to work on additional characters for my upcoming animation short called "A Peace Discovery". For the past couple of days I have been toying with RennieK. She will be an important player in this cast if chosen. She is to have sex appeal and smarts and has a hard time learning to trust. At present I am only working on characters in iclone 4 software, we'll have to see if the rest is done in this fashion.
In the meantime meet RennieK- click here to see a short clip!

Riley's Test

2010-04-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is Riley, a candidate for my first animation short to be entitled "A Peace Discovery" . He was made in Iclone 4 and if chosen he will play the part of an urban hustler. Again, I have not decided on him yet and wanted to see him with a little movement first. Your suggestions are appreciated. I don't have a timetable for the short yet but it will run about 5 - 7 minutes long.
Here's a Short clip of Riley - Until the next time keep creating !

Alien Benny

2010-04-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends, I took a little hiatus to dig deeper into the secrets of creating better models. There comes a time when you have to realize your limitations and for me my character creation skills were not where i wanted it to be. I took a few courses and have discovered a lot of neat tricks. I am experimenting with a few 3d software packages right now like Blender, Daz 3d , Carrara, Iclone 4 and others, but haven't decided upon which I will devote the most time with yet. Here's my latest test with Iclone 4. I took one of the default models (Benny) and reshaped his face into an alien character.

Now here's Alien Benny in action!

Until the next time keep creating!

2010-04-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

This blog is under going a revamp and will be back soon with new info and a new look. Thanks for watching!