avatar design #3 possible design route

I've done several sketches all around the big grin idea, bright eyes idea. I gained inspiration from a game on Wii I actually have, called mysims.

Here the characters are all cartoony, and I think this would work well as a premise for my avatar. Virtual Ash wouldn't be out of place in Simsville, for example, he will be brightly coloured. Cartoons have connotations associated too, they promote our childhoods when we had fun, and life wasn't worrisome. -Pretty much how I like life to be!

Each of these images use different variation on eyes, mouth and eyebrows. I worry this may all be in vain though, as I may not be able to get such accuracy, for example, the eyes, using 3D Max and needing to create 3D objects not 2D. I would hope you could, and can think of ways, but it may not make a discernible difference. In the least, these designs can provide scope for the general look of the smile and eyes i intend for.

This next thing is a little side I came up with after thinking it needed a bit more developing. I'm a real TV drama boff so tried to think of a way of reflecting this. It's quite futuristic but there are glasses that portably let you watch video etc, so I thought that I could draw the technology and TV aspect together here. It may work, it may not. Fingers crossed though, things will go well.

The light bulb idea is meant to represent my thoughts. I have included quite a few components, for example, the lightbulb is meant to show quick thinking, creativity. The word 'onomatopoeia' is to show spelling and in general, be a link to English reading and writing. The maths equation is meant to show logic in thinking, maybe intelligence too to solve it. The '1914' date represents my ability to remember things quite well. (You could have just read the notes around the outside of the drawing - went a bit over the top there! lol)

I also thought about the checkerboard idea. At first you could think it to be chess, or kitchen tiles. Random, I know. Then putting it all into perspective, we find it to be a MINI rooftop. This is a popular design choice for MINI, they have many designs used on the top, hoping to reflect a bit more character in the car. The car itself could be a toy version, but ideally, I'd like it to be a real one, as it is my favourite car. It is a car that has been in my life from the start, in the form of the older, more compact version! Also, I like what it stands for - MINI is fun, well designed, packing character.

Thinking on it though, my original intention was to include all these various bits into one avatar. That may make it all a bit too over the top, trying to portray too many of my qualities. I could carry additional ideas over to the showcase needed in part 2 of the module. As I've found out from the FAQ, selecting one of these designs will function on its own as an avatar. Looks like that'll be the way forward.

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avatar design #2 initial sketching

I've moved onto the next stage in my research... planning designing.

First up, I tried to link together all the pictures from my moodboard and see how I could fix this around a human shape - everything included.

There are two main points which I think form my identity. The cheerful, happy disposition I have and then my adoration and addiction with technology, and it playing a big part in my life. Trying to piece these two factors together were my goal.

This is my first sketch at how I possibly vision an avatar to be. I admittedly have put a lot onto this design, but it sort of stands as being a visual drawing form of a brain storm, an ensemble collection.

For the colours, I am not one who shys away from promiment or bold colours. However, maybe shiny, glossy blacks and silvers for the modern, futuristic look? I've managed to fit in quite a few traits of mine as well. The DS, iPod and phone all being the technology part, but within these, I'm singing along the music, always having my phone ring and taking part in the game competitions. For those of you keeping up, you'll be able to link this with my mood board!

The lightbulb in the thought bubble shows that I have creative spurts, but also can think logically and intelligently (i hope!) due to the maths sum. The chequered mark on the jumper is my reference to MINI, with it's own chequered roof, I'll look into this more so to advance it's message.

In all, this is an emphasised, extended version of myself, but fit and workable for the virtual world. It'd be difficult for me, what with me being a man, to juggle phone, music and games simulataneously but virtual me can! And this fits in with Rowden's view on the art an identity, in that you present yourself as you wish to be seen:

I would like to think of myself as a cool, techno savvy person. As well I'd like it to be that friends and family see me as a happy figure, with a positive outlook on life. That's how I see myself anyway, these are pretty much my core values which Rowden emphasises the importance of.

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Alongside I have also had to consider the environment that I could position my avatar in. Obviously by using somewhere complimentary, not just completely random, would mean being able to further ingrain my likes and build the bigger picture, further reflecting my identity.

Of the three, I quite like the games arcade/computer room. It has great potentional for including addition likes of mine, in quite inventive ways. An issue may arise in actually understanding these meanings, from a strangers point of view. As with all art though, it is the thinking and goings on behind the scene thats add to its overall poignancy.

Now I need to focus on things a little more closer I think.

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How Designers Think, Lawson

This in depth book takes on and considers the design process, something it admits that upon its first edition, was a realitively new concept. Now however, in its fourth iteration, the addition of computers, industries and society as a whole mean design is a quantitive subject.

Stages of design are noted, one for example, being the creative process. Consisting of 5 steps, firstly we have first insight - the formualtion of the problem, followed by preparation - a conscientious and fully involved attempt at a soloution, incubation - no conscious effort, then illumination - a sudden idea, and lastly verification - which allows committed development work. Further design processes are featured in the latter stages of the book too, for example alternatives, and individuality/team work.

We learn the design process is often fuelled by problems, and thereafter solutions are reached. Yet sometimes problems emerge in regards to the very solution you propose. Lawson indicates that the best possible way to resolve this is to assume problems and solutions evolve together, and use this idea to journey through the design process. Obviously, the holy grail we all search for is a solution that unanimously tackles current issues along with any potential ones. If this were to occur your design could, in time gone by, be considered a 'classic'. However the likelihood of this actually occuring is not always the norm, more a minority in fact.


One important comment made is that design it what you wish something to be, what it could be, you are procasinating at your view of the future. Science converseley, is all about what is it, how and why. Lawson notes that time passes throughout any design process, and so solutions provided may end up being behind the initial brief, but as a safeproof may also need to consider and tackle future troubles as well.

Primarily the client and the user are the main focus, perhaps the user even more so. He claims that in the designer position it is sometimes hard to create the perfect response (this in itself is actually not possible, with there being no infinite end to the process, but instead an arrival at a decision that further effort and work would yield minimal progress) due to lack of information, or not having direct contact with the user. Clients may be able to refer what their user groups need sorting, yet it is the user who has to utilise such new designs, and so may have more knowledgable incite than originally anticipated.


Further afield there are also legislative constraints, then symbolic, internal and external, along with practical considerations, with varying degrees of flexibility, upto and including rigidity depending upon which end of the scale you are at.


Lastly, in regards to evaluation, with this being design, and not science, it is more difficult to fulfil a successfulness criteria. Therefore, it becomes a subjective decision, weighing in the advantages and disadvantages to pervey the value of the final outcome. What somebody likes will not necessarily be the same taste for another, and so really the most evolved answer comprises of your own contentment, critical reviews, and then the market response, to truly judge your success.

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SPP1 Thoughts of the future

In our lecture today, we learnt, in summary that things of the future would probably be:

• smaller
• portable
• more energy efficient
• reality / virtual reality
• change in distribution
• change in authorship

Deb asked us to predict what we should expect to see existing in the future.

Having a think, I've come up with a few zany (put possibly not too crazy) ideas:

• In ear phone - this removes the need to have to hold a phone, scroll through menus, dial numbers, instead a miniature bluetooth type headset, small enough to fit in your ear and go unseen will be the new form of 'mobile phone'. You simply voice program in all your numbers and then when wishing to call, tap the earpiece and say the recipients name. -This idea isn't that far off from bluetooth headsets, and the way we use mobile phones is so much more advanced than just calling devices now, so the idea would need evolving further.
• 3D media - currently in 2008 we look at our photos, videos and games on screens, whether they are flat screens or traditional bulky monitors. A new invention would see us launched into the actual worlds contained within the videos or pictures,by means of a 3D projector. It could use holograms to bring pictures of friends, pets, family to life, replaying the memories you previously captured. - Although no doubt highly expensive, over time and as with all technology, the costs would come down. The only issue is that the photos and videos we currently create would create real difficulties in turning fully 3D, perhaps in fact impossible. As of which, new capturing equipment would be required.
• Advanced paper - a sheet of paper, mimicing paper in pretty much everyway (thickness, size, but perhaps slightly more substantial in quality) which has the ability to record what we write onto it in a digital form. This is like a step on from the tablet PC, but the advance is that the paper you write onto is so thin and durable that it can be rolled up, or folded, meaning is it very compact and even more portable. There are already systems which have handwriting recognition, but with more sophisticated technology, the traditional method of using ink can be replaced with digitally writing onto the paper, and from there, we can erase it, or, transport it to a computer as a Word file, or image piece. - This I think has potential for reality in the future. It meets the criteria which technology is forming itself around: it would be smaller, even more portable, would be more efficient material wise, could distribute your work into several formats, and at its utmost, is interactive for the user. Similarities could be drawn with smart boards, proving the idea is technically viable. It simply requires evolution in regards to computation and size.

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What I do think is a likely reality is that shown in Minority Report.

Identification, over recent years, has become increasingly more important, and in accordance, more advanced too. The scenario pitched of iris scanners, linked to ID databases and identifying us and acknowledging our activites, whether it be paying for something, mapping our travel to places, or validating who you are for age or health reasons, I think will become a reality in some shape or form.

As seen in the clip, the digital assistant recognises the customer by means of scanning their iris and then highlights what is available for them to buy, offering advice specific to the customer, be it suitable sizes or colour preferences. This though, it not a truly futuristic idea. Website already use 'cookies' which remember our previous actions. Amazon for example, uses a cookie to recall the searches we have previously run, and uses these to suggest other possible items we may find of interest.

This could be expanded further though, depending on how much information people are willing to divulge. One example could be that our utility companies interlink, so our bank account, with an allotted spending allowance, is reported to the digital assistant and so on entering the store, appropriately priced objects are recommeneded. The possibilties are endless, if not worryingly invasive on our privacy!

Such iris technology implemented

throughout our world would help and hinder us in a number of ways. Not having to carry money to pay for things would be safer, and the ability to track people would be helpful for parents and their children, for example. It would make life easier too, not needing to remember codes or carry additional objects. However, on the otherhand, digital databases can he hacked into and stolen. In addition, to be constantly tracked by the Government or any invasive hackers - would that be wise, or actually safe? Definitely things which need to be questioned and thought about.

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practice makes perfect - the tree edition

Right, so back from our third seminar in 3D Max, strangely enough we made a tree! ... the very thing I'd been making last night. I decided that being as I'm a big LOST fan, I'd attempt at putting something together that is islandy/beachy.



This is what I came up with. What works well in this is the effect of the sand. I raised and lowered certain parts of the floor plane, then coupling this with an image, to me, has worked really well.

If I were to work on it some more I'd probably focus more on the actual leaves. These are just all the same colour and quite shiny. Obviously to make it more natural I'd have to use different gradients of green, alter the shapes etc. Nonetheless, I don't think its that bad for my first palm tree go.

Something I also had a go at creating after following a tutorial was some nice grass. I had a few attempts, different lengths, different coloured blades of grass. This one below I think would fit the island theme more, it is longer, more wild type grass. There's still room for even more length though, which would suit even more so a wild rural area.

However, flip to 3D Max, add in a tutor who knows what he's doing and you get something like this.

I chose the colour scheme firstly cos I thought lets make it British, or lets make it American. Then progressing with this, I decided to make the "leaves" star shaped, in kin with the American stars and stripes flag.


(youtube has downgraded the quality of the file, apologies)

Kudos must be given to the cool modifying effect in materials: diffuse and opacity. It enables you to see through the object, and then, to enhance it even more, you can select 2 sided, which shows you the back of the front... if you get what I mean!!

Before rendering, it was a last touch, but has turned out to be one I really like - I put a main spot beam directly above, and as can be seen, it makes the leaves shadow onto the ground. I really like how the star shapes mingle and merge. It reminds me of Christmas and decorated trees!

If at all I were to modify it again, I would probably opt for a thicker trunk for the tree. It does seem a tad overshadowed by the volume of 'leaves'!

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The Art of Identity

The Art of Identity, by Mark Rowden includes a number of useful points in regards to helping construct an identity.

Rowden deems identity to be how companies/clients wish to be seen, or want to be. An identity sporns from your core beliefs, as well as depicting who you are and where you're going, by means of deliberate messages. It can be in a tangible or intangible form too. Tangible, for example, being the quality goods you make, whilst intangible could be the polite and friendly business manner you adopt or your good will.

He notes that being seen to be different seperates your personal identity from that of others, difference attracts people, motivates them to pay attention - 'we are drawn to difference, it attracts out attention'. Consequently, Rowden says you need to have real confidence in your beliefs, so to defend your values when questioned. These values, as a result, need to be prioritisied for communication, so to ensure maximum effectiveness of your identity.

Another point the author makes is that assuming a logo to be identity is a shallow assumption. This visual side, although creating the main impression, is in fact only part of the overall image. Written and spoken categories also form the parts of identity.

It'll be proficient to reference and use such ideas when constructing my identity. In the least, when evaluating I could try to measure how close my work mirrors such pointers, thereby helping to indicate the effectiveness of what I've made.

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practice makes perfect - the water edition

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I've downloaded and been experimenting/learning the ropes with Blogger and I'm actually enjoying using it now. It definitely has promise for the creation of my avatar.



After a tutorial or two, I'm quite comfortable using the program, I can insert shapes, assemble them to create a man, extrude surfaces to make them peak like mountains. As well as altering material properties, rendering smoother shapes and panning the camera during animation.





However, there's so much more than just that. There are a number of tutorials online: youtube and wikipedia, and these have proved quite successful, in the least, the visuals are very pleasing. Unsurprisingly, it took attempt, after attempt, after attempt to get it right.
I really like applying this glass effect known as Rayfray. This has a number of variants available- reflect more, refract more, be more opaque, have a colour tint.


In the second picture here, I used similar settings but tweaked them to be more 'mirror' fied and hence, the more metallic look.

The next attempts actually dealt with animating fluids, which again, took even more attempts to get the water to fall in the right place, not go straight through the 'obstacles', but eventually they've turned out quite good! I altered the properties from the tutorial for some variety, be it the colours, the shapes, the amount of water etc.







Lastly, another tutorial has shown me the ways of the world, and I now can make waves. Again, aesthetically pleasing and the animation is actually quite fluid despite using lower render settings - I tried the higher quality settings which looked sublime, but in reality would have taken 25 hours or something to render! So naturally, I had to compromise.



When looking at all this, it's surprising that Blender is actually free. It's a decent program with support from external pieces of kit (e.g. YaFray renderer), plenty of help/tutorials on the forum and further afield, and the stuff it can kick out is mighty fine!

I'll post more when I've made more. There's something addictive to this 3D modelling malarky!

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That's My Goal

I've recently been playing around and learning all sorts of cool stuff for the 3d program Blender.

On looking through Youtube, I have discovered what I believe to be the BEST, most AMAZING example of 3d animation. I am definitely going to try and sample this as an idea.



The way it bounces, the light effect as it turns over, the change in colour. Perfect.

If I can make anything half as good as that, I'll be a very happy boy!

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3d Max #2

The latest things we have now worked on is indeed the octopus.

We learnt the technique of making a skeleton like leg that is detached from the group of objects, yet, being inheritantly linked to them, when you move one of it's vertices, instantly, the other objects move exactly the same! This is highly useful when concerning the octopus' legs, swimming around.

In addition, the "loft" modifier, where you can turn a 2d line, circle, etc, into a fully 3d object is really cool. The potential for that is endless... in fact I'm going to experiment and look into random shapes, using this technique!

Already I can see where I can make improvements with this. The shape of the head could be more fluid, in addition, I could variate and incorporate more movements, more detailed movements into the overall animation.

Nonetheless, I'm still pleased and happy with what I've made! Onwards...

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there.com #5

More venturing into the online world. This time, I found some new places within the world, named Island Tours East, whilst also teleporting back to Karuna Place for a second visit. For reasons unknown, quite a few places were barren. Obviously not the place to be!

Here, someone had sculptured a replica to the Eiffel Tower which was quite impressive. Also, around in the area there was a teleporter type thing that lifted you up to be able to get a good view of all the surrounding land.

I was able to alter my costume as well for a trial. The choice was limited to only one pair of trousers, one top, one hair do, but I tried them nonetheless and for a while it made a difference, setting you apart from the bog standard default dressware. There were actually quite a few fashion places which users have created and run.

There were also several billboards further out of the 'town' which I believe are user created trying to advertise their individual products which they've produced and want to sell within there.com. It really is just another extension the world we live in! lol. There was a billboard too for there.com related news. This launches a seperate browser window where you can read the happenings in and around the many places within there. For example, there were groups that you could join, the events they were holding and special places to visit.

One last thing, French Billy was online again so on finding him this time, he lent me a black stallion horse to ride around! Bizarre!

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avatar #1 identitiy mood boards

I've decided that the best possible way to begin the second self part of this module is to do a brain storm focusing mainly on... me! My likes, and then dislikes, which should hopefully contribute and lend itself towards making the overall look of my avatar.

From this brainstorm, I've made a few mood boards.

Like

Like

Dislike

Although dislike may seem pointless, when my avatar is being created, I can make sure it steers well away from these topics. Also, it's been quite prosperous to contrast my likes, as I'll now have more choice when it comes to making the decisions about my avatar.

I've also done one for strengths and weaknesses. Again, it just helps build the bigger picture of me.

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In a slight tangent, when we were told about the second self part of the project, I thought of my 'Mii' on Wii. This is your in game character, so instead of just putting your name into the game, you can add your character, who visually resembles yourself (or thats the intention anyway) and then this character then plays in the game!

This is the Mii I created. If anything, this could form the building blocks, or basic standard from which to model the look of my second self.

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Colour and Light

For SPP1, we were been asked to take a picture that screams colour and light.

Having a look through my wallpapers that I've collected from the internet over time, these pictures screamed colour and light, well to me anyway.



All these pictures were posted online by users who wished to share the images they'd captured, more particularly, putting them forward as highly aesthetic and suitable desktop wallpapers.

Of particular note is that all these images are formed by nature: grass, leaves, tulips.

I really like these photos due to the strong hues, and there tends to be one predominant colour in each respective photo. The grass has different variations of the green due to the brightness of the light differing in response to the thickness of the grass stem. The autumnal leaves feature strong colours too, red, orange, and green, but obviously it is the strength of the bright red which catches your eye in this picture, almost a fiery feel to it. Lastly the red tulips I believe make up a strong colour and light photo due to the volume of tulip heads, each of which are tipped with white. Again, the red provides the vibrancy, contrasting against the softer green and tips of white.

If I were to chose from the three which I believe fits the 'colour and light' title the most, I believe it would be the grass. It is definitely colourful, albeit that there is just one colour, the sheer quality of the green, how it changes in saturation around the photo, and then coupled with the light surrounding and even sort of permeating through the stems, it makes an altogether vibrant picture.

To find such a photo that can I could take myself, I am met with one problem. We are currently in Winter, in England, and therefore the chances of finding something colourful and light is going to be quite hard, nature wise. Nonetheless, graffiti, electric lights of all colours, or even different coloured liquids lined up with a spot light behind, would be worthy candidiates of colour and light (inspiration from my wallpaper collections, again!)





Next up, I've decided to comment on Sarah's blog in regards to her choice of a colour and light image.

"I think this is a blatant display of colour. There are the bright yellows, oranges, reds and then even some greens in there giving this a dramatic and quite punchy feel. Also, the way in which the fruit has been arranged means that we get blocks of colour, and this distinction between colours provides a contrast, drawing the eye. It has almost a mosaic quality to it.

You are right too, Sarah. The way that the actual content of the image expands further than the edges of the photo, impacts on our overall impression of all the colour. From wall to wall, it is non-stop colour.

You could say light is provided by the colour. If we were to have dull, dank objects it would draw the piece down and make it seem darker. On the contrary, this bright, colourful picture is vivid, bold and vibrant, featuring the warmer hues of the colour spectrum. The image, to me, has the feel of being sourced somewhere overshores, perhaps tropical... and sure enough, the photo was taken in Barcelona; a sunny, vibrant location.

When comparing to my own selections, all I will say is nature again, really does provide."

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3d objects

Between the last seminar introducing 3d max and the next, I've had a little play around, trying to familiarise more with the layout of the program and try my hand at modelling.

It is quite tricky taking into consideration all the viewpoints, particularly where exactly object x is, in relation to object z. In the 'front' panel, the eyes I placed looked perfectly positioned, i.e. sitting on the face. However looking at 'left' panel reveals they are miles apart, never mind perfectly alligned!

Smiley face & Funky box/shelf

I started playing around originally thinking these circles would be eyes, but then on finding all the effects I could apply, decided to just play around with their movement... yet again, I've come back to my old fav - motion graphics!

Quite looking forward now to next weeks session. Ha, I'd like to say Toy Story here we come, but I know that we're a million miles away from making something as cool and professional as that and will probably never make something as cool and professional as that.

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there.com #4

My foray into the virtual world today was short and sweet but nonetheless, I encountered new things again.



Firstly it appears that there is a customisation section somewhere in the program (or someone willing to pay), as wandering through a desert place I'd been to previously, somebody had funnily made some snowmen! Obviously this has been placed for laughs, and indeed, it worked on me.







Another new and quite honestly, unexplainable thing I encountered were these weird rainbow coloured bubble things. I saw someone was inside, and wondered why they were kicking and flapping around... I soon found out on closer inspection...









The ballon pulled me in and I was then stuck as well! In fact I don't think there is a standard way to get out. I was summoned out by a passer by, who teleported me to her side. This other person then claimed they could go in and out on their own, and showed us this to be true by means of his backpack rocket!



And what seems like a there.com tradition in reference to newbies, someone came along and laughed at us, trying to find a way out of an impossibly situation.








More to come no doubt in the not too distant future.

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3D max

First seminar back and I quite enjoyed the new stuff we're being shown.

Everybody who I've spoken to before seems to fall apart when you mentioned using 3D max, cos of how difficult it is. This first session to ease up in though was quite inciteful, although warning still stands that it will get a lot more complex!

This is what I created, fingers crossed the codec will work to play it. Everyone pretty much made the same kinda thing, and at the end, added a bomb effect to blitz the word we'd used.



Things look promising for next week. In the meantime, I'm going to go back and play around and practise with the program again, see all the various options it has.

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there.com #3

More developments in the digital world, this time being able to acquire (all be it, probably not in a truly legit way!) a buggy. And as I've not got myself some wheels, I can travel with more ease and further! Surprise surprise though, no option for me as I haven't paid for anything!

I found it just lying around in a race course arena, and after trying to get a best time on the lap a few times, I found I could add the buggy to my things and "borrow" it! I'll no doubt be coming back to try and better my time as well too.

There's an option in there.com to enable a forcefield - quite worthwhile really else people either run you over and send you spinning for miles, or come at you with paintball guns, blasting you away again!

And just like the real world, gangs sort of form, as I was victim of 'noob' attack! That sounds funny to actually put! These two random guys came up and seeing as I was wearing the uniform bog standard new person outfit, starting laughing, calling me a 'noob' and blasting me with paintballs (or trying cos clever me has already learnt a trick already and turned on the forcefield!)

I was also informed by a new pal called Madison Anne. that the more you talk, the more you drive, the more you use your hoverboard you gain points, after so long, enable you to go up a skill level and get certain items as a benefit. So not only is chatting just an activity which can pass the time, in there.com it's rewarded as well.

And as a last little bit, this is a new place I visited. It was called Scilios or something, all the names of the places are obscure! Like a few places, quite desert like but then with these odd structures (once they'd loaded). You can see in the background of the pic below that it also had these weird balloon tent things that were labelled as spas, where you can configure your character's appearance.

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my creations

I've now registered on a site called FileDen so can host some of my stuff that I've been making.

As you will find out, I'm quite a junkie on Powerpoint - it's what I've got on my computer and so I make use of it in the best way I can!

(Word of warning, I use Office XP and so anything newer than that may mean these won't work properly, or in order etc, apologies!)

Twinkle twinkle little star - motion graphics piece based around the lullaby song.

No matter where you go - motion graphics piece using a quotation I found and liked.

Flashing stars game - a 'simple' look and click game. It is basic, and could be improved, but it's my first go at a little game!

These are all just random things that I've played about with, no theme or anything like that. Enjoy!

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