Creating Characters

[Johnny]

Creating Characters:
OK, let's say you have a script or novel that you want to make into an animated film. After reading the material you start deciding if the characters are humans or animals with human traits or a combination of the two - some human some animals.
Now let's say one of the characters is the main characters Mom.
OK here's a rough of Mom:
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5742/1cvfg.jpg
OK, time spent to do a detail sketch of a human version of Mom. Then after studying the sketch come to the conclusion that what really is Mom is the expression in her face:
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/4021/aq1n.jpg

Now after coming up with human Mom how to cartoon her into a character suitable for an animation movie? Then after that how to cartoon her as a cartoon animal with human traits?

:confused:

Any ideals how to make the transitions or any books or links?

:)

[Johnny]

Let's say in the script/novel there is a Flirt.
So back to the drawing board and come up with a human sketch of a Flirt:
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9409/1fghju.jpg

Now after coming up with human Flirt come up with the same questions as with Mom - how to cartoon her into a character suitable for an animation movie? Then after that how to cartoon her as a cartoon animal with human traits?

:confused:

Any ideals how to make the transitions or any books or links?

:)

[Johnny]

Let's say in the script/novel the main character has a Grandpa. After getting a human sketch start to cartoon him.
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/2628/sgrandpa.jpg

Any help with books, bolgs, videos, DVDs, links would be appreciated.

[lavallelee]

wow man these are great, that last one looks like einstein, lol

[Johnny]

lavallelee
I can not take credit for the 3d models as they where mostly done by someone else.

:D yea Grandpa is kinda like Einstein. Elong the head and take away the mustache.:laughing:

[Lina-chan]

I can't see you characters.

[Rodney]

Perhaps only the moderators can see the images...
I can't see them either.

The text sure makes them sound interesting.

[Johnny]

Lina-chan and Rodney I can see them posted when I come here. I don't know why you aren't able to.

[Johnny]

Can you see them now?

[dentitov]

Awesom!! Is that z-brush?

[Johnny]

dentitov I'm using ZBrush but the models have been in a few different modeling programs - as I replied to lavallelee I can not take credit for most of the 3d modeling on these.

I plan on using Zbrush for character designs, posing and props to draw from (not rigging to animate)
transposing like this:

<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SB9-jNuz8zg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SB9-jNuz8zg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>


posing the model like this

<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4qRzONxPPDA?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4qRzONxPPDA?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>


then create a 360 turntable of the model and save out as a movie

<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uFXCojDQPGw?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uFXCojDQPGw?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

and for props
<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ogrYJy8RkXc?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ogrYJy8RkXc?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>


Then open the turntable movie in adobe media encoder and save it out as images (jpegs, pngs etc) that way the animator can have the turntable and the images and if the model is goood enough print out a 3d copy of it in plastic resin.

[Rodney]

I see them now.

Impressive! :)

Grandpa looks like Christopher Lloyd (Doc Hudson) from the movie 'Back to the Future'.

[Johnny]

Grandpa looks like Christopher Lloyd (Doc Hudson) from the movie 'Back to the Future'.
Kinda a cross between Einstien and Christopher Lloyd (Doc Hudson) character.
Kinda the point in staring this post. In a animation I can not use the model because it looks to much like both. I know I want the character kinda like Einstien but tall like the Christopher Lloyd (Doc Hudson) character. So how does this transition take place so that the character becomes it's own character? Which I have been asking for help on - art books, videos or other sources.

[Johnny]

Would like to think you lavallelee and Rodney (lavallelee for Einstien and Rodney for Christopher Lloyd (Doc Hudson) comments). After I replied to Rodney's post I asked what is it about the characters that I see in the character in the movie - It's the hairdo.

[SCIBOTIC]

So it wasn't just me then, because the model looked really damn close to the design that Telltale Games (http://www.telltalegames.com/bttf) developed for Doc.

[simba]

lol...love this joke!!!!!!