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Thursday 5 December 2013

Pre-Production: Benjamin Expression Sheets

Hello Everyone,

I'm getting closer and closer to having quite a few things wrapped up at the moment I'm juggling the 2D and 3D aspects of our project like they are proverbial tennis balls. I have finally excelled for a basic jacket design on the models so that is the hardest part so far. Never the less I have started playing with some minor facial detail at this point I'm still refining certain details. Hopefully by next week I should have something that is "3D ready" to be seen on the Polydoodle Blog so stay frosty. In the mean time I am providing you with a couple of final twists and turns which I have been finalizing here and there...

The expression sheets are something I always had penciled onto a post it note but the concern was mainly about getting it done. Should I have some more spare time I will sit down and knock out the other 2 3D characters expression sheets. In the off chance that I cant at least we have the main 2 - Benjamin and Barnabas. Expression sheets can tend to shed little details I find especially when I'm working in a variety of angles with a face pulling a variety of poses. I am still getting to grips with it but I don't think the result I got was particularly bad for Barnabas.

Check out Benjamin s expression sheets below!! Woop Woop!!


I started the first 3 expressions by doing what Justin told us not to do and what Sammy wanted me to do. I knocked up a facial expression which isn't ideal for the character (that being "Annoyed"). The kid is kind of a happy chappy so I did this mainly to appease me curiosity for "Angry Pooh Bears" (ask Sammy she will fill you in on what I mean there). I knocked up the "happy" expression trying to recreate what Sammy and Chrissie had originally decided on. Even though it went against my inner darker demon. The "shocked" face was directly from Sammy's front turnaround for reference.

I also had a print out of Sammy's original expression sheets for Benjamin when knocking out these faces so it gave me a place to go creatively. "Sniggering" was actually one of the faces I liked on the original reel - very mischievous. Of course then I had to indulge my inner dark which gave me "bored" which is actually my favorite of all of them. Last but not least I wanted the "Glancing at" face which was directly inspired from Sammy's animatic. There was a section in which Barnabas looks at Benjamin and Benjamin doesn't meet his gaze... I figured it would work the other way too.. Benjamin looking for his dad to engage with him but he doesn't...


I then decided to tough it out and try to move the head a little more and have a play with the features. This gave me "Thinking" which I kind of liked as Barnabas has one that's similar. The "Side Smile" is probably the biggest failure here, I know its not accurate, the face looks more suited to an adult. Of course there was no more time to sit and play with this face, maybe ill update this with the final turnarounds. We will have to see there. From Sammy's animatic there is also a section of Benjamin crying so a "Crying" expression test seemed warranted.


Towards the very end came "Happy Thought" which now I think could have just been "Smiling" but oh well. I guess I thought that was more or less covered by the "Subtle Grin" expression. My favorite though comes from the "Hiding Something" expression. I found this on Sammy's original sheet and looked to adapt my own version. Just in case you cannot tell what he is doing with his mouth, Benjamin is whistling! It's a kind of cartoon way of signifying mischievous activity, to anyone out there who has seen a cartoon will know what I mean (i think that covers everyone).

Again this is just a stop gap in a number of updates that will be coming very shortly I just want to make sure I have something I'm happy with before posting it. I am also trying to get past a number of little menial tasks that I let lie stupidly so I have to get those done too. Apologies to Chrissie and Sammy who are still waiting on these models, ladies don't worry I still have it in hand. I plan on working most of Christmas this year because I want these characters to really stand out when we return for our next Unit. Its going pretty good now though I am getting a flow going :)

Stay Frosty!!
xXStItChXx

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