progress on lightsaber : done

3 point lighting (basic and before edits)

We are working on getting a hold on 3 point lighting which is a filming technique that allows us to learn how to light an object and control its' shadows. The three lights used are described and shown below: 

This main light that is used is called a Key Light, this is to light the subject.

The secondary light is called a Fill Light, it is used to, you guessed it, fill the dark shaded areas created by the Key Light on the opposite side. This will make our subject brighter and more even giving us a better image. Both these lights are usually placed on either side of the camera at about 45 degrees to the subject.

 The third light we will be using is called a Rim Light. Like its' name suggests, this light is placed behind the subject and illuminated the back of the shape thus making edges that are lost and shaded become bright and defined, making the subject pop from its' background.

EDIT: This is the final image after the lighting has been adjusted to hit the table differently and the shape material has been edited .

EDIT2: Done with the entire process and will make the gif in a moment :

Lightsaber reference photos.

Theses are reference images of Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber handle in Ep. 6 to use for the lightsaber I am making in maya right now:

(This one is the lightsaber handle being pulled apart or assembled.)

Another update on the Helmet

I finished the helmet in both smoothed and low poly count.  (yay phaser time)

Update on the helmet

I figured out how to fix the problem I was running into with the helmet almost a month ago and have continued work on it. Currently I have the visor and the entire front and vents made. I just need to do a few touch ups and then mirror the model to complete it. (this should be finished today or next class)

Ideas for video game ( group )

My group decided to make a game called "Basic White Girl." (I don't know how well that name is going to go over with people but this game is intended to be a joke anyway.) The Mind Map we made is on one of their blogs since I am the one doing the character design. You can see the ideas for the main character, Basic White Girl, and the designs for two supporting characters, the Jock and the Nerd.

Video game initial ideas (individual)

I was told to just put a picture of my ideas here but I also think that this might of  been for people who did drawings while i tend to write out my ideas so in order for you to be able to tell what they say I am just going to type it out. 

• Scenic game that has a temple temple run type set up where everything is white and shades of grey (a forward runner/ path game ) where you have to run because you are being chased
• Space game where you command a ship and must destroy meteoroids and is similar to Galaga.
• possibly 8 bit as will but has more of a music base to it. 
• Parkour game that resembles mirrors edge it also a path/ forward running game
•  is puzzle like.
• mario spin off that is a side runner
• music making game that is more dubstep in feel and could run like guitarhero
•  instead uses a sytnth or launch pad for a controller
• horror- try to get through a maze type path that is dark and the sound of creepy breathing and footsteps is behind you and getting closer if you slow down or stop or go the wrong way.
• get though an area without being seen. (metal gear influence here) 
• there are cameras watchmen dogs and watchtowers
• music video game
• in time with the music (fighting?)
• Music of the game reacts to your actions and choices 
• audiosurfer feel but more elegant and has to actually do with the game 
• little robot picks up trasg and throws it away for money
• (we could go the morbid route here and say its the junk yard of robots and maybe he picks up robot parts after bigger fighting robots fight each other
• play as godzilla and destroy city
• oculus rift game
• Tetris type game where you only have limited pieces and it is like a puzzle where you have to use all the pieces to make a 2D image/shape or make a 3D object (harder)

Robot expansion

Some more work on the robot idea, I'm adding the possibility of it being more of a protector into this (even though it is making me think of the typical robots are all powerful and going to take over plot line. )

Ideas on how to use the 3D printer (hopefully not destroying anything in the process)

At the near beginning of this class I started to work with the little knowledge I had to create something for my sister who had just found out that my class had a 3D printer. She is a big fan of Doctor Who so I started to work on a Tardis, finishing it in just 3 days. It still has a lot of little things to fix so it can be printed but I have the core and idea of the box down.

Many of my friends have also requested things for me to make like things from shows they like such as Sailor Moon :

I would like to see If I could model some sort of action figure that is positionable or all the joints move. 

The Future of 3D printing

It was once thought that 3D printing was very distant in the future and that we would never be able to have access to something like it. However this technology has been out since the mid 80's but only available to factories for their products and prototyping. Now these machines are becoming more accessible to the public and are available to print almost anything a person can design in a 3D graphics program such as Maya. It is predicted that foods may even be printed in the future, things like chocolates, cakes, and peanut butter have already been printed.

The 3D printer has the ability to change the world. In labs scientists have been experimenting with the possibility that the 3D printer could help advance medicine. By using cells of patients rather than the plastic used in regular 3D printers the scientists have been able to print organs, proving to be a great discovery for those who need organ replacements  this even able to save many lives that might of been lost while waiting for the organ they needed to get to them.

Despite all the seemingly great uses for 3D printers there is still the issue of what can't be printed and what should or should not be allowed. Some copyrighted things like iPods an other electronics could be printed like anything else, causing the company to lose money. More dangerous things could be printed as well that can not be mandated by the government, falling into a "grey area". Some people are designing a gun that can be printed and the design shared to all people. This gives access to guns to people who might not otherwise not been allowed it.

3D printing has a bright future but it is up to us to decide how to use the advanced technology and improve (or possibly dismantle) our world.

Bevel Level (its almost like a boss battle title)

Beveling gives segments to the edges of your shape and can vary in the way it looks depending on if you edit the segments (top row) or the offset (bottom row).

Beveling also affects how a shape will render when smooth. Without any beveling the shape will render like the first rectangle in the top left corner and look like a cigar shape. Once you bevel the shape will retain its original form better and you can decide how the shape will look smooth rendered.

 

When beveling you can bevel different parts of the shape  in order to get different outcomes when the shape is smooth rendered. You can bevel all the sides, the ends, or the sides. (left to right in above picture) And when rendered these will give you the shapes below.

Deformers (Like the reject Transformers: polygons in disguise)

There are six different deformers in maya: Bend, Flare, Sine, Squash, Twist, and Wave. 

Bend 

Bend curves the shape or bend it exactly as the name suggests. 

Flare

Flare takes the shape and will stretch it and turn / twist it also.

Sine

Sine will make your shape become squiggles. The best expression I can think of to explain this tool.  you can have loose squiggles or more drastic squi

ggles by adjusting the wavelength to a lower one.

Squash

You  would think that the squash tool would squash it but it actually pulled on the shape and pinched it in certain places.

Twist

The shape was twisted by a certain degrees and could be expanded at the top using the envelope tool.

Wave

This tool takes what ever shape is in its affected area and will push or pull it according to the set "wave lengths" below or above the shape.

Multiple deformers practice.

3D Terms and Definitions

So here Is the base color wheel that you can look back to. There are much more complex ones you can use but for now let is go with the simple for this section of the terms referring to colors.

• Analogous Colors

Analogous Colors are any group of related colors near each other on a color wheel such as red, orange and yellow.

• Complementary Colors 

Colors that are directly across from one another on the color wheel are complementary and provide its opposite the greatest chromatic contrast like purple and yellow are in this example.

• Primary Colors

These colors are the main colors that cannot be made by mixing other colors and when mixed with each other can make all other colors. These colors are Red, Blue and Yellow. (simple to find on this color wheel.)

• Secondary Colors 

These colors are made when two primary colors are mixed in equal proportions.  These include Green, Orange, and Purple. (These are conveniently place between the primary colors on the color wheel like the universe was conspiring to make my job a little easier today!)

• Tertiary Colors

Along with being a really hard word to type this means colors that are made by mixing two of the secondary colors. Do you see a pattern yet? (These are also conveniently placed between their respective secondary colors to make life easy.)

• Asymmetry 

There is a lack of balance or symmetry in things that have this. They are not even.

• Symmetry

This one should be obvious. There is balance in things that have this and are even.

Started Over on the Helmet!

Not the greatest picture I have posted but the only one I can really get that shows all the work I did in a few hours.

Inventing stuff

This project is very Tron and Daft Punk inspired. I going to create a sort of robot or automaton that is a companion or helping hand. In every futuristic movie there is the robots that help the main character so I figured lets finally make this happen. You are the main character and it time to get your mechanical side kick! Bionic butler! Computer commanded companion! ( I can go for days.)

The problem was to create a robot that could help in everyday situations. I collected ideas for what the robots should look like or be designed after and pinned them all here. 

All other companion like robots have been made to look more human like and as a result just end up looking creepy. I propose that the companions look like just what they are, robots. I am surprised that this is not more common due to how future star struck many people are. By going this route it will be easier to make these companions and not worry about how they compare to us but rather that they are their own separate and beautiful / sleek beings. I am hoping that these robots will be the size of an average adult rather than the small child  size and shape that most companies seem to be taking. I also hope for these companions to be exactly that, companions, not slaves to those who get them. They will function as a friend to younger people and assistance to the older. To all it will serve as protection, think robocop with less guns. Over time they will form a bond with the "owner" and will protect them and those they are instructed to. Should a companion see a child is in danger they will remove the child from the danger, should an adult be injured or be in danger the robot will protect the adult and call emergency services because they will sense when their "owner" is in trouble. When I say the robot will form a bond with their "owners"  it may not be in a way that the robot can tell you are not feeling well by the way you look like a mother might (though this could be possible in the future) it is done through a small device the "owner" must wear in order for the robot to recognize them as a companion. This device looks like a small series of circles that will attach to the back of the neck with the use of a medical like adhesive. This device will read the vitals of the person as well as pick up any clues as to how they might be feeling such as hormone and chemical changes. Then the device will transmit all this information to the robot. If their "owner" has a heart attack the robot will be able to call emergency services and possibly save their life. The robot will be able to tell if their "owner" is getting sick and help them be diagnosed faster. This robot will be useful to both young and old, is an advancement in safety and medicine. 

This is the wine glass after it has been filled and the Material has been changed. I hope later I can make it look more like glass and the liquid look more like liquid.

I started this Trex in Mudbox. Its a cool thing. Yeah. 

Wine glass

Since the helmet I was working on could not continued to be worked ob because of the updated Autobox website we began working on a wine glass using an imported image as reference, much like the helmet, and used  the same curve tool used in the growing boxes to create the outline of one side of the glass then rotated it to create the entire glass.