Sunday, August 29, 2010

Bodacious Writing

I just started writing the Bodacious Creed graphic novel today!  I didn't have a lot of time to write, but for the time I had, I got a lot done.

That's it.  There's not a lot to tell right now, but I'll let you all know as I get more done!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Fall 2010 Classes

So, not only did I pass my Midpoint Review, meaning Bodacious Creed will go forward, it looks like I'm getting all the classes I want this coming semester!

Those are Directed Study: Organic Modeling 2, 3D Modeling Group Directed Study, and Head Sculpture and Facial Expressions.  And class starts in just five days!  I'm so excited!

I went out and got a $0.75 notebook while out for a walk today, and I plan to start writing the script for the Bodacious Creed graphic novel.  Yes, the models are the highest priority, but I figure that, while I'm working on the models, I'm going to have a lot of story ideas, and I should put them together.

I now await your congratulations!

;)

Friday, August 27, 2010

Passed!

Fantastic news!  I have now, OFFICIALLY, passed my Midpoint Review!

NOW, I'm an MFA Candidate!

Time to call the university and sign up for at least one Directed Study class!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Talk about blowing my mind!

I just got this concept image from Josh.

First, let me give you a little background.  As far as the amount of models go, I've trimmed that down to just Bodacious Creed, Anna Lynn Boyd, and Coconino.

The next part of the thesis will be setting them up in poses, and those will become turntables.  I will sculpt them in zBrush, so they'll be very much like fine art sculptures as well as movie quality models.

I proposed three posed scenes.

1. Anna Lynn "activates" Bodacious Creed.  That moment when she raises him from the dead, he stumbles off the medical bed, stunned, then grabs her arm as she instinctively reaches down to see if he's all right.

2. Creed protects Anna.  He stands protectively before Anna at her saloon, guns blazing, while she is behind the bar drawing her own pistol.

3. Creed (for lack of a better term) busts in to a saloon with Coconino at his side, growling.

That third pose is the one that Josh illustrated first.  Now, he did a full scene, with not only Creed and Coconino coming into the bar, but with a matron there (not Boyd), gun behind her back.  I will simply be modeling Creed and Coconino, but I love this painting.

Since I'm receiving these after having turned in my revised thesis, I'm sending them as I get them in to my advisor.

Anyway, enjoy Josh's terrific painting, and visit his site!

Click the image for a larger version.

Though I've been working on Couch Zombies and will continue to do so, this makes me eager to focus on my thesis!  It also makes me eager to write more of the story of Bodacious Creed!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Wow, an update!

Howdy everyone!

Deepest apologies for not having posted in awhile.  I'm back with news though, and with why I haven't posted to the Bodacious Creed blog very much lately.

The news: I've sent in the updated version of Bodacious Creed to the head of my department at Academy of Art University.  I'm crossing my fingers that it will get accepted, and that I'll truly be an MFA candidate.  Yeah, I was mistaken before.  They said it was accepted, or would be, if I made certain changes.  I made those changes, and hopefully they're ones the university will like.  I'll share more as I find out!

The reasons for my absence: First, I'm more or less between the concept phase of the project and getting to creating the actual models.  The model creation, ie. the production work, will start when the new semester starts.  The summer's almost over, with classes starting September 2.  What classes I'm going to take, well, that's a bit in the air at the moment, pending acceptance of my thesis.

Second, I've been putting a lot of work into a new project.  It's putting my 3d modeling skills, my story concept skills, and my marketing skills to good use!

This project is...

Drum roll...

Couch Zombies!

Couch WHAT, you ask?

Well, click the above link and you'll learn a lot more!  Couch Zombies is a new Internet show, co-created by my buddy Steve and me, about some zombies who live in apartment building.  It's about their everyday lives and how, despite the fact that mostly they just want to stay at home, the human world keeps drawing them out... or in.

Steve and I recruited two of our good friends to the Couch Zombies team.  Gerry is a terrific illustrator.  He's doing the character design and the storyboards.  Janet is a wonderful animator, and is also an MFA student at AAU... in Animation, wouldn't you know.  She'll be animating the show in Flash, and creating the characters and setting based on Gerry's designs.

Also, check out the Couch Zombies blog!  The main blog talks about our work on the show.  There are also four related blogs (the links are in the right sidebar from that page) told from the perspective of the four main zombie characters.

There's a lot to enjoy in the blog and on the Couch Zombies channel already, so head over to both and subscribe!

And you betcha, I'll have more on Bodacious Creed soon!

Do you notice a recurring theme in these?  Could it be intelligent zombies?  Yeah baby!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Getting Closer

My due date to turn in the changes to Bodacious Creed is coming soon!  That date is August 20.

Josh has sent me some terrific new art.  I think all I need now are a few posed drawings, which will represent the poses I will put my characters in for the turntables.

I've also been working on Couch Zombies, a new Web cartoon about the lives of apartment dwelling zombies!  It's going to be very funny.  Check out the vlog and the blog!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

New Images

On the 20th, I need to show the changes to my thesis to the university before it is completely approved.  So, I've been working with Josh to improve the characters and concept.

Here are some new concept images that Josh came up with.  First, he simplified Anna Lynn Boyd's dress, so that it will be easier to model.  It's still just as sexy, and is basically the same style, but less detailed and frilly.

He's also improved Coconino, so that the steam-cybernetic coyote would be able to move as a normal coyote, something that Boyd would have wanted when fixing him.

Finally, he's made some wonderful improvements to Creed himself.  Bodacious Creed is supposed to be heroic, proud, and tough.