Dave Gallagher, founder of AnimSchool, reviews Gary Hsu’s 3D model from his Intermediate Modeling class.
AnimSchool students can learn 3D modeling. This review was done during AnimSchool’s General Reviews. General Reviews are held once a week for those students who can’t attend their class review and those wanting an extra critique.
Character Design by Brent Gordon.
AnimSchool presents: an animation by Edwin Schaap reviewed by Mark Harris, an animator from Pixar!
In part 1 of Showing Weight, AnimSchool Instructor and Blue Sky Animator, Matt Doble, draws examples showing the heavier something is, the more effect it will have on the body.
In upcoming part 2, Matt discusses anticipating the weight of an object.
Thanks a lot for having me!
Well, Blue Sky was my first real job in the animation industry, so I think I probably developed most of my technical modeling skill there. I learned a lot about how a production pipeline works, and saw films grow from ideas, to storyboards, to artwork, to animation and so on all the way to the big screen. I genuinely love the team there. On a side note, I started there as a production assistant, and the thing that immediately jumps to mind that I learned (the hard way) is to never, never use the paging system to make a page that the whole company can hear without carefully considering exactly what you’re going to say. Think of what you want to say, hit the page button, say it, hang up…. I’ll leave it at that.
Anyway, my time at EA definitely taught me about efficiency. The deadlines tended to be very tight, so time management became an essential skill. Though EA is a very big company, the team doing the project that I worked on was relatively small, which made it pretty nimble when making big decisions concerning software or pipeline. That definitely put into perspective how difficult and slow it can be to implement those same kinds of decisions at a large animation company. It was a very eye opening and humbling experience.
Dreamworks has been an amazing place to work so far, and what stands out is the level of talent of the people working around me. I constantly feel pushed to do my best work and constantly draw on the collective knowledge of my team. It reminds me a lot of my experience at Blue Sky. We use a very similar pipeline, we encounter all the same problems, and the people are very similar in temperament. I suspect that applies to most of the other animation studios. Artists leave one studio for another all the time so end up with studios that are built from the experience of many of the same people.
From your experience, what are some of the differences between working in Feature and in Games?
Apart from the tighter deadlines, I think the gaming pipeline placed many more technical limitations on artists, which forced artists to do a lot more creative problem solving. I also think that in gaming you’re able to try on more hats. In 6 months at EA I did modeling, texturing, and particle effects. While in the animation industry I’ve pretty much only done modeling. There seems to be an attitude in gaming of just doing whatever works.
Many modelers want to model characters. What advice do you have for environmental modelers who are trying to become character modelers? How did you go from modeling environments to characters at Blue Sky?
Actually any modeler who wanted to model characters at Blue Sky was usually given the opportunity. Some studios do divide departments by character vs. environmental work. I know that’s the case for Pixar, and it was at EA. Blue Sky and Dreamworks both combine character and environmental modeling into one department. I think the best advice generally if you’re looking to get into character work is to simply do a lot of it on your own and get good.
How long ago did you start using ZBrush and which studios have you worked with ZBrush as part of the production? How often do you use it in the studios?
I started fiddling with Zbrush on my own about 4.5 years ago. I did an awful portrait of another Blue Sky modeler. Both Blue Sky and EA use Zbrush in their pipelines. EA actually can use Zbrush to create models, textures, and normal maps, Blue Sky mostly tends to use it for visual development. I hear Disney and Pixar both use Zbrush, though I think Pixar may also use Mudbox.
How is ZBrush/Mudbox or traditional sculpting used as part of the pipeline in the different studios? What kind of data are you able to keep for the actual production model?
I think many studios used to rely a lot on traditional sculpting for visual development. Someone would sculpt a physical model, that model would be scanned, and then someone else would take that 3D digital information and create a separate 3D production model. That work flow seems to be going away now, and is replaced either by simply direct modeling in Maya or by using Zbrush/Mudbox to make the 3D data without having to scan anything.
I’m a big fan of using Zbrush to find the look and feel of a character without thought of the technical limitations. Once the look is found and agreed on, then the production model can be created to suit the technical requirements. It’s a fun and efficient way to work.
Most data can be kept when going from a viz dev sculpt to a production model. Some of the detail work will diminish a bit, but hopefully that can be brought back by Surfacing. Additionally when neutralizing a character for Char TDs or Rigging a modeler has to remove any expression from a character’s face, making it look little zombie-ish, however any lifelike qualities that are lost tend to be found again when the character is animated.
I made that blog as kind of a motivational tool to try out different techniques. It also nice to have a place for only personal work as a sort of compliment to a professional portfolio or demo reel. I really don’t have a favorite medium; I think all artistic mediums are totally intertwined, and if you improve your skill at any medium it will boost your skill in all of them.
You did some beautiful sketches in Europe. What inspired you the most while you were there, and how often do you fit drawing into your schedule now? Do you think it is important for modelers to draw regularly?
That’s a very kind question, thanks. It’s not hard to find inspiration when traveling. I particularly like seeing places with a lot of visible history, with monuments that took people generations to build. It’s amazing to see the kind of dedication people had to creating beautiful things four hundred years ago. It makes me wish we had more of that today.
I think drawing regularly, or painting, or sculpting, or just going to museums are all really good for modelers or any artist really. Developing a good confident aesthetic sensibility is really the goal. I think that completely trumps any technical knowledge about a specific software. As a modeler, if you’re making an object that you can envision, you’ll get there eventually even if you barley know the software.
In part 4 from AnimSchool’s live webcast with Tom Bancroft, Tom discusses Tilts, Flow and Rhythm, and the importance of having the three in poses and character designs.
For more tips from Tom Bancroft, check out his new book on character poses: Character Mentor. In stores now!
AnimSchool presents: Mark Harris, an animator working at Pixar, reviews an animation by Dapoon Rai Dewan!
In Part 2 from AnimSchool’s live Webcast with Tom Bancroft, Tom shares some visual development drawings of Mushu, from Disney’s “Mulan,” and discusses the process of 2D character development.
In upcoming Part Three, Tom goes over a portion of his reel, and discusses decisions he made when introducing Mushu.
Last Tuesday, AnimSchool hosted a live webcast with 2D Animator, Tom Bancroft. In Part One of this webcast, Tom reviews his over 25 years of experience in the animation industry, discussing his projects at Disney, and what led him to write his character design book: “Creating Characters with Personality.”
In upcoming Part Two, Tom Bancroft shares stories about working on Disney’s “Mulan,” and discusses the process of designing Mushu.
Today we have animator and artist Bobby Pontillas. (Bobby helped on AnimSchool’s Animation Principles video, making the great caricature of the Nine Old Men.) He has recently joined the Disney animation department. First of all, congratulations on joining the Disney team, and it was your birthday recently as well.
Thanks very much! Yeah, my birthday was Nov 17th, and what better gift than being given the opportunity to work on a Disney film, right? But really, I’m extremely grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had so far at Blue Sky, Arena Net, and Gas Powered Games. I’ve met so many amazing people in this industry!
Mate, you must be loving life right now! How did you end up celebrating?
Yeah, starting over again in a new city is exciting, especially one as dynamic as LA. For my birthday, I ended up going out with some friends at a local wine bar in Los Feliz, and during the day, Disney had a catered Thanksgiving lunch for the studio, so I pretended that was for me.
Where did it all begin? And how did you initially break into the industry?
I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in the winter of 2000. Technically, my major was Computer Animation, but what I really wanted to do was become a 2D animator for Disney. With my portfolio packed with drawings, I got my first industry job at a local games company called Hulabee Entertainment; they did hand-drawn PC games for children. That was a great time. It was a smaller company, and I got to wear a lot of hats: doing storyboards, character design, as well as animation.
Were there any moments in your life where you struggled as an artist/animator? And if so, how did you overcome those days?
I feel like it’s almost a daily struggle, but two major ones stand out in my mind. One was making the transition from 2D to 3D animation. The second was making the jump from animating in games to film. Both just came from throwing yourself in unfamiliar territory. Sink or swim, and in both cases I spent a lot of time sinking. I can go into the technicalities of overcoming both, but for anyone reading this, what I really want them to take away from this is that it’s all about being stubborn. Never stop. Accept that you aren’t going to get it right off the bat, and that’s alright. For me still, I only ever become proficient at anything by making every mistake in the book. Ask for help. Show your work to other artists & animators, both in school and when you break into the industry. For example, working on Rio at Blue Sky, my work would have never stood up to the quality of that film without the mentor-ship of my fellow animators.
Is there such a thing as an overnight animator? For some people they seem to pick it up easier than others, in terms of animation principles like timing and spacing. Or, do you think this is an ongoing process that requires a lot of attention, nurturing, and training?
Yes, I do think a lot of people are predisposed to certain things like a sense of rhythm, a strong graphic sense, or a natural acting ability. But, in order to apply those qualities to animation, I think it’s the artists’ responsibility to continue to develop these skills. It’s also their responsibility to recognize what they’re weaker at, and study to become more proficient in those areas.
Let’s talk about your short film: “Better Off Undead,” a clever little short film you made a few years back. How did you originally come up with the concept?
I’m a softie, and most of my favorite short films have to do with love. It’s so simple and universal! I wanted to follow in that vein and make a film that was sweet, but also morbid at the same time. I had previously drawn this little zombie boy and thought it would be funny to cast him as the lead. Zombies need love too!
Do you have any advice for artists trying to tackle their own animated short film projects? What were some of the areas you found difficult, and time consuming.
From my short experience I’d say to look at what inspires you, and use that as a jumping off point. If it’s a short film, have it revolve around one simple, central idea. I always find that the ideas that stay with people, are the ones they can relate to.
I’ll say that I think it behooves any animator to make a short film. In doing so, you really get a sense for animation’s place in the whole film-making process. Sound design, art direction, and layout are all there to help tell the story. Animation is no different.
How do your drawing and character design abilities help you with your animation?
It really helps me practice communicating an idea in one “drawing.” Whether it be a personality or a story point, in the clearest and most appealing way. When I’m posing in 3D, I’m always asking myself: “Is this how I would draw it?” And if I’m not being lazy, I’ll say: “No, of course not” and fight for a better pose.
Mate, I have to confess, I was on your blog the other day and I must’ve went back all the way to the start from 2 years ago, and I NEVER ended up finding one bad drawing. How long have you been drawing for, and is there such a thing as a bad drawing done by Bobby?
Haha, oh I’m sure there are plenty of bad ones in there, but I appreciate the compliment, thank you! It’s funny you bring that up, I was cleaning out some boxes full of art school stuff, and MAN, I never realized just how many sketchbooks I filled with terrible drawings. And not even kind-of bad, but just epic-ly awful. I really want to post some of them, you will fall over laughing. We’ll laugh together!
Appeal is often a very difficult thing to define amongst animators, and it’s even more difficult to achieve. How would you define appeal and what are some of the things you look for in your shot, or in another artist’s work?
In my mind, appeal is totally subjective. There are no rules. Simply stated, it’s what you like looking at. Which could be for a myriad of different reasons. Talking to different artists, they all find different things appealing. It’s all over the map. The most you can do, working in this industry, is find out what the majority of your audience finds entertaining. It doesn’t have to be status-quo or predictable, people like to be pleasantly surprised. Things that are visually interesting, something that they can relate to, characters they can empathize with, are all examples of why audiences are attracted to certain things. We’re all artists and want to express ourselves, but as story tellers it’s important to keep the audience in mind.
Can you tell us a little bit about your acting choices, what you look for in your video references and what your common workflow is?
When I’m happy with the reference I shoot, overall I try to look for storytelling poses, and timing cues. Then I push both aspects. On a smaller scale, I’m always on the lookout for little subtle moves like head tilts or weight adjusts, that I would have never thought to put in, had I not gotten up and acted out the scene myself.
We have a couple of questions from AnimSchool students. Peter Kasim asked “how have you divided your time into nurturing both your 3d animation and drawing skills. I tend to do one obsessively and kind of forget about the other…”
The way my career has gone, I do 3D animation all day, and draw at night. I think it’s just a matter of having a real love for this medium, in which all of these elements, design and animation, sit together. Drawing is something that’s been with me since I was little. If you love it, you can’t not do it, and you’ll always find time!
Alexander Ortner would like to know how you chose your storytelling poses and why?
Great question! There are two main components my storytelling poses have to have:
#1- Clarity- Is the attitude clear without the help of movement? Is it helping tell the story?
#2- Visual appeal- Having a strong line of action and balance. Making sure all of its parts are flowing into each other, and directing the viewer’s eye to where you want them to look.
Lastly can you tell us what’s next for you Bobby?
For the coming year I’ll be animating on Disney’s next feature: “Wreck-It Ralph.” I’m also working on an art book with one of my best friends, Joe Lee, on our time in New York! Exciting times!
If you have a favorite animator/artist you’d like us to interview, send me an email at Andrew@animschool.com
Interview by: Andrew Tran
AnimSchool Instructor and Blue Sky Animator, Matt Doble, demonstrates weight shifts and center of gravity changes.
