here's the start of a larger project...
critique is nice:)
http://voltaire.nimh.net/intro_final_quicktime.htmlhttp://voltaire.nimh.net/intro\_final\_quicktime.html
-sunit
Nice! I like the model very much... a couple of things i would point out... now, this isn't critisizing, just trying to help you make him all he can be. The right eye seems just a bit off center, pointing too much to the inside. Also, on the wink, you might want a couple of more blend shapes in there, to give him more brow and upper cheek movement. The lip synch looks good, the textures are nice... are those paint effect eyebrows? I like. Anyways, I think that you have a definite showcase peice here. Good work.
the eyebrows are done with maya fur. here's my question, though: i've been aiming the eyeballs at a common locator (in this case the camera), but they always seem to look cross-eyed. In the natural world, is our focus always directed at a single point?
-sunit
to an extent. grab a friend and have them stare at your nose as you move closer. that's what's happening with the camera. i just shift the x? attr on the aim constraint by about 0.5 and -0.5 (respectively) to make the eyes look to either side of the locator/camera. the only problem occurs when looking directly sideways.
think of it in terms of film. they don't shove the cameras two inches from the actor's faces, but you don't zoom the same in the computer. so you need to find a way to do that in cg.
the most realistic way would be to make a locator parented to the camera just a little behind the camera. at long distance it would be unnoticable, and close-up would look correct.
m.koperwas
I were you: I would video tape yourself saying these lines and use it as reference it for timing. There are too many things going wrong with the animation to get into to it. i think doing this will be quite an eye opener. BTW just looking in the mirror isn't the same you need to analyze the same motion over and over.
Good luck,
Shannon