So i'm back on to making CG objects and putting them into images. Always a good challenge, expecially when matching shadows and reflections. Not sure when I had this idea but thought about something simple but looks good but also adding the challenege of working on glass surface. But eventually got round to thinking chocolate bar on a glass coffee table. Kinda makes sense since im a big chocoholic.

So here is my starting image:


This is the final image:


For the texture I just used an empty wrapper, opened it up and scanned it into the computer and used as a texture layer. What was ahrdest was getting the shadowing right but luckily had a reference image of a similar bar in the same position on the table to use as a basis to get this as right as possible.

Overall it's not too bad, the texture isn't 100% right and looks a bit too big/tall plus specular could be better.

Feeling hungry now.

Yup still teaching myself Nuke. Since my failure in a the last attempt at learning Nuke I decided to go simple and just start over again using a simple camera set up and CG scene. So I went back to Hollywood Camera Work and downloaded the simplest scene I could and worked from there.

Here is the final output.




For the few who follow me on twitter know that I had issues with the transparacy of the character after removing the green screen resulting in a ghost like figure.



This drove me nuts for two weeks, I had everything in place but this problem just wouldn't go away. Obviously the problem was with the alpha channel produced by the IBK nodes I had used to remove the green screen form original image. I finally got the transparacy solved in the end using Grade nodes but now had a solid white figure instead of a colour, To solve this issue I duplicated all the nodes involving the green screen and using it as a final layer and small improvment to the live action slightly.



I'm sure there is a better way to solve this but with restrictions on the Nuke PLE version can be a bit hard and with little resources available I think I am slowly getting there. Obviously this isn't perfect (shadows need redoing in the CG part better scenery ect.) but all part of the learning process I hope.

Moving onto the another Nuke project and some more modelling ideas.

Yesterday I took part in UK Creative Community Talent Tuesday on facebook and twitter and today, myself and a couple of other creative talents were featured on there blog this week.

Talents include Ashley Dodd, a talented Illustrator. Writer Darmon Richter and designer Cody Stallard all got featured this week.

They featured an old Photoshop piece of mine I did based off a cool tutorial I found. Makes a change from my Phoenix digital painting LOL.



If you fancy being featured yourself follow UK Creative Community on facebook and twitter and send them your portfolio on the next Talent Tuesday and join the community.

UK Creative Community
Talent Tuesday blao April 10th

Just finished doing this model. My compositing wasn't going anywhere so needed to clear the attic a bit and so decided to do a bit of modelling and sculpting. I went and looked at some very old files (and I mean ancient) and found an old low poly half finished model of a dee like character so I decided to finish it.





Used Maya and Sulptris. Even used the paint feature in Sculptris for bump mupping and texturing. Feel pretty good about this apart from it looking too dark.

New reel is now live on the website.

Cor blimey "cOUGH, COUGH* this place needs a good clean doesn't it? Been ages since my last update.

Last post was at Christmas while I was earning some extra cash at Harrods (That was a joke) then almost immediately I get a freelance job on an independant film (which is currently being suspended due to changes in the film) so working my ass off for weeks and now I finally have some time to write my little blog.

The work for this film will not be added to the showreel or gallery till later on in the year sadly, client things ect. But will do a model breakdown for the new showreel which I really must start now as I am looking for work again. Can be just so irritating to pull in new clients, most of them are either expecting a lot for very little money or seem to have mini heart attacks when you tell them how long it will take and how much. I swear some people just don't do the research and expect you to press a button and it's all done. Sorry folks but this is art and art takes time, you pay little you get little. Currently in talks with a guy in the US for a job that will take a couple of weeks so fingers crossed on that one as it does sound like an interesting job.

Not a lot has happned to show you anything as most of it is client work. Only thing I have bought to show and tell today is my first bit of nuke work. Now this has had some issues so going to find another file that's even simpler to do and hopefully not have the same tracking issues as I have here. Sadly not showreel ready but in the right direction.

Go ahead laugh. I know I did LOL. As you can see no where near ready for the showreel, so just need to keep plugging on.

Hmmm what else, Oh I now have DAZ Studio, Bryce and Hexagon thanks to an amazing deal by DAZ 3D, hopefully later on the year get to produce something from that. But head over there quick this offer is only available till the 29th of Febuary (not sure what time).

I am also available at CG Coach so friend me if you are over there.

CGCoach Profile

Finally! Started learning Nuke properly using Escape Studios online course.

Previously I had done some previous basic stuff in Nuke via The Foundry's website and training area of the site (Developers of Nuke) so already got an OK understanding on how it works but wanted to get in more depth and sink my teeth in properly. I already have an idea on a scene I want to do from Hollywood Camera Work but didn't want to jump in without getting a little more comfortable working in the software.

For readers of my blog who don't know what Nuke is; Nuke is a compositing program where they add multiple scenes together, normally a live action plate with CG and VFX. Nuke also has a 3D mode. For more information on Nuke follow this link.

So as I said I started the online course today. Topics covered so far have been Images and Workflows, Nuke Basics and half way through Working with Nodes. This online version of Escapes course is 10 hours (thou I will probabaly take longer as I take notes and move between Nuke and the ELearning center), the classroom courses are longer but sadly can't get funding to do them not even help with the evening courses. Big boo to the Job Center for being idiots. So far not had any files to work on I think thats a little later on down the line when learning compositing basics and rendering files from Maya, which I am also looking forward to doing.

Time to roll up the sleves and get cracking.

It has been a while since I last blogged so I have returned with a new completed project. This one is a composite of a CG and a Photo, brushing up on my lighting and photoshop techniques and has so received some good feedback and responce.

Here is the final result.



Larger image can be seen on my portfolio via Skrapbook

A couple of people have requested a breakdown/mini reel for this and can see it below.



For a while I will be teaching myself/learning Nuke. I have enjoyed making CG elements and adding them to scenes but need to move on from phototgraphs to moving images. Will be updating my progress here, twitter and facebook.

New reel for Summer 2011 is now online. Well it's been there for about a week now just only got round to blogging about it.

Lots of new pieces on it inlcuding the latest scene "Forgotten" and the breakdown. All very busy so now sending it out to the studios/houses hoping for a bite. Fingers crossed.



Bigger frame size is available on my website.

In other news I have replaced my online gallery with my Skrapbook gallery for profressional quality and easy to use.