PA Challenge - character - Tim Leydecker

[lildragon]

Welcome http://66.70.72.50/forums/images/smilies/wavey.gif

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1766 ;)

cheers

[Leydecker]

ok. all system running.

I´ll change the order of the images
later, to have the sketch come first.

So here´s the story(onliner)

"Coming out of the cave again"

I picked a mix of 50´s and near (25+) future.
To have a nice contrast in weapons and
clothing.

Basically because pretty much all atomic
bomb shelters are stuffed with protective
clothing from the 50-70´s while the *near*
future will allow for James Bond style gadgets.

In terms of temperature, it´s cold but the
contaminated dust is what´s worse.

It has to be made sure that no dust from
falloff is inhaled. *stay clean*

I am inspired by Bond...

The character is a western world trooper,
probably a marine. He has a supporting role
in his team, covering the techs with firepower.
Surface is still visited only shortly, mainly
to get to remote bunker entrances or
location of ressources.

Yes, there are weird creatures 25 years after
the meteor hit. The weapons would be
useless otherwise. no action hit
:D

Sofar for the story.

Tim

[Jhonus]

Hi... i like the concept quite alot.

as its a WIP you might be just blocking out your character, but i think you should make it a higher definition model (Add more polys)

it would be cool if the helmet was more cylindrical. A band connecting to the googles would be good also.

I reckon some sort of logo patch on his suit also...

In general, some more detail :)

Cool work.

[sherban]

great pose. very natural. :D I like.

also, I think this is the only post which isn't over the top (and implemented Pascal's suggestion about a 50's look).

i think, tho, that if you're trying the contemporary aproach you'd do well to keep the weapon normal-like (no grenade launchers).
i mean it doesn't look like he's really expecting any action. It looks more like: "I can't wait to get out of this stinking suit ...two more hours of this and it's off to the showers."

[Leydecker]

@Krugar

the mask will be round at the front and the back but have
two creases o each side to give it extra hold.
(guess i´ll have to draw it to explain it)

the eyeprotection will be changed, it´ll be more like
oakley/swat googles.

Once all the detail pieces on strapped to the body are
finished, I´ll add the creases to the cloth.
That´s going to be the hardest part...

@sherban

I had hoped it looks more like he just emptied his magazine
on something...reloading to pump more out.
(if time allows it´s going to be a vignette with something
*misc*, burned on the floor)

Tim

Thanks for your comments folks

[sherban]

i see where you're getting at with the sketch. He does seem more heroic there.
however the 3d version seems to have a more 'settled' stance. standing a little heavy (i can't think of a better way to put it).

looking at it again, I think the proportions are all different too. the sketch has a very small head and very long legs.
the model on the other hand seems very realistically proporioned. He even has a decent pot belly.

He looks less like a Bond and more like one of those henchmen in the finale shoot-out.

I'm not trying to dis your work or anything. In fact I like it alot. I just think you should move your model more towards the sketch to get what you're after.

cheers

[Leydecker]

Hi sherban,

sorry for the delayed response, I´m still dizzy from the
weekend (it´s sort of halloween here).

You´re right, the sketch is different. A bit exaggerated in
proportions but somehow more apealing. I had a tough
time the last two days figuring out what *style* I should
follow. Either a game look with some freedom for exxageration
or scratching *realisizm*as in the layout renders.

I´m finishing the gun currently, and while beveling my back of,
I decided to at least try to go for realistic proportions.
The ultimate goal is to achieve a look that´s comparable to
Gil Elvgrens paintings (hi Michi) both in terms of color and
composition. That would be a Pin Up look then. Somehow
like the watercolorpaintings on military modelling kits from
Tamiya (Ertl ?).

If it doesn´t work out, I´ll use too much motionblur :-)

Thanks for your feedback, really welcome.

Tim

[Hmura]

Hey Tim,
excellent sketch, nice contamination suit idea, the gun is coming along nicely as well, maybe you could add one of those 'net-with-balls' launchers as well, you know like in Total Recall... :)

>>H<<

[Leydecker]

Hi Hmura,

I wanted to add a M203 grenade thrower to the
barrel, but I looks not good yet :-)
there´s also version from heckler&koch, the AG36,
but that looked even worse when I composed it
into my clippings.

After some eye on the competition I also decided
to give him some extra gear, a swat/specop vest
with ammo pouches and a better system for the mask´s
filteringsystem. Sort of a light backpack where
the filter is strapped on instead of hanging down his side.

Thanks alot for the comments, keep´em coming :-)

Tim
(responses may take a while sometimes, I don´t dial up
regularly - now I´m hungry btw)
;)

[Naz]

it is interesting the way you model this character. how you start with a rough low poly model and refine the elements more and more. the first version already looks great and you've got a sense for proportions and positioning (why I can say that? it just looks right! =).
detailing wise, cant say much yet as I am looking forward to a more complete, smoothed version. keep up the good work!

[Leydecker]

Hi Naz,

thanks for the kind critique. As soon as the *moonboots*
are finished I´ll start refining his suit. I allready tried one
of the legs but it didn´t quite work without all the
gear and detail in place.

I´m happy you like it.

Tim

[Leydecker]

080302_scrapped_can´t attach images when editing old posts_

---burned second provider unfortunately----------

[KOryH]

HEY Tim,
Looking good. I like the gun, It has a real world feel to and the character is comming along nicely.
Keep up the good work

[Leydecker]

Hey KOryH,

nice to hear this from you :D

can´t wait to see more.

Tim

[KOryH]

And I can't wait to see more from you!

[Leydecker]

Hi,

while my host seems down, here´s an attachment.
Hope it works. Still really wip. ughh.

Tim

[Leydecker]

Hi list,

sorry for the inconvenience but my hosts seem
to starve like flies :-) I´ll relink asap.
In the meantime, the gun. pretty much finished
yet only pre shaders...next is posing the b**stard.

Tim

[pabbloz]

In my life I haven't seen ever so avatar.... :D :D

Good work on the mask and cloths!
Great

[Leydecker]

Ho pabbloz,

thanks for the thumbs up.

I can need ´em. My character is still missing the
hands. everything else is pretty much in place.
While I´m not quite sure wether the contest is still
running I´ll at least clean up my thread and throw out
all the dead links. will result in 30 sec updates for
the next couple of minutes :-)

Tim

[psumo]

very nice cloth on that character
gun is sweet also


the yellow kinda hurts my eyes though
could you dirty it up a lot when texturing?

[Leydecker]

hi psumo,

o.k. I´ll do my best to also texture him half decently.
Admittedly, I´m not sure if I can deliver in time.
Even when, Jonas` will be pretty impossible to top :-)

Tim

P.S: I´m cheating on the hands, he gets the three finger
version - one for the trigger, two for the show...

[Leydecker]

ahh, hands on.

the thumb still seems a bit *broken*.

using a level1quadsubdivide, then a level 1 smooth is
an incredible *autodetailer*. see below. MAYA here.

Tim

[Leydecker]

probably one of the last updates before deadline.

Tim

[KOryH]

Very cool. It looks like a sculpture of youe figure. Very impressive.

[Leydecker]

thanks KOryH,

there are so many damn glitches in the model that I´m happy
it renders. I f**ked up the hands a dozen time :-)
at least.

Hope I can create a decent pose including some
rotated joints. not just another camera pov vodoo :-)

Tim

Hey, just saw your updated entry. You changed the board
pinup a bit. I love the astro fuel fog/nebula thingy.

*sizzel*

[Leydecker]

coming now are my finals. yack. *I´m outta here :-)*
Fits really well to the challenge theme, imho.
*Run for your life - megatons of worldclass artists*

It´s been a pleasure to learn something from lots
of different styles. including the *french+spanish
connection*.

So I decided to only present the back of my character,
he´s ashamed to show his face .-)

Hope I´ll find time for the next challenge. again, learned
alot.

Tim

P.S: the first three images are the last wips.
I put them in because of ...i don´t know.

[Leydecker]

wip 2 here. I left the rifle out, after endless hours working
on it - it actually felt quite easy. hmmn.

[Leydecker]

still running...

[Leydecker]

here´s my final entry. as mailed to lildragon (hopefully).
I need some sleep otherwise I may have put the
vacuum cleaner back on. forgot it. hmnn. i need sleep.

bye and good luck to all of you

Tim

[Naz]

I really like the style of this model and especially the folds on the protective suit (thought that yellow was different and "fun". ok it is not a good suit for hiding but maybe it is bullet proof ;)
even though the compo is over, hopefully we will see more of this guy in the future =)

[Leydecker]

Hey Naz,

thanks for the Review.

I have skinned him only poorly, also the textures were
only replaced through the default Maya lambert for
rendering the final submission picture.

I´ll work on him whenever I feel the urge for some
masochism coming up. the goal is to get a believable
realistic character in the end. At least for *total* shots,
e.g. little dot on large backroundplate :-)
(I´d like to try a simple MoCap file on him also)

Since my semester has just started again, I´ll have to go for
a more exagerrated (clay/toon) look for the March Competition.
If I´m lucky, it´ll be also accepted for a course, guess I´ll
do a character for a spoof TV opener/teaser that could run on
Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network. Something flashy.

But I guess I´ll end up with the lambert shaded render again.
So much about keeping deadlines. hahahha.

I´ll get a time machine.

Tim

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