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Training Highlights
Stylized Rendering with Brushstrokes
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Wing It!
2023
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2022
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2021
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2019
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  • Sprite Fright
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Production Logs

Follow the latest updates and progress on Sprite Fright.

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Production Log #24

  • Nov. 30th, 2020
This week on Sprite Fright

Ellie gets a haircut, an oak tree gets a canopy (via particle systems), and the entire film gets a more refined colorscript. Not only but also: Victoria and Jay practice running, plus the tricky business of rigging Rex’s eyelids.

production log preview

Simon Thommes
Simon Thommes 3D Artist

I did a quick pass on the lighting of the Rex shot to pass a render to Vivien for a paintover and started implementing those changes for the shot. I adjusted Rex's eyecolor and started unwrapping his retopologized geometry.

Relighting Forest Shot after Paintover

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Relighting Forest Shot after Paintover

Relighting Forest Shot for Paintover

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Relighting Forest Shot for Paintover

Rex - Hair UV

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Rex - Hair UV

Rex Eyecolor

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Rex Eyecolor


Julien Kaspar
Julien Kaspar 3D Artist

There were some more feedback notes and a missing expression for Ellie's Expression Sheet and I started sculpting the cut hair version of her. There were also many more small adjustments to the sculpt and cleaning up of the file to prepare for the Retopology.

Ellie Sculpt Polishing

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Ellie Sculpt Polishing

Ellie Cut Hair #1

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Ellie Cut Hair #1

Ellie Expression Sheet Update #2

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Ellie Expression Sheet Update #2


Andy Goralczyk
Andy Goralczyk Art Director

Using the branch library, I started setting up a basic oak tree canopy (combined with particle systems). A bush library was added and more plants were tested using the Phil lookdev scene.

Bush library 1

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Bush library 1

Phil log lookdev: More plants, bushes and leaves

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Phil log lookdev: More plants, bushes and leaves

Oak tree 1: Particle randomness

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Oak tree 1: Particle randomness

Oak tree 1: FIlling the volume with particles

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Oak tree 1: FIlling the volume with particles

Oak tree 1: First stage

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Oak tree 1: First stage

Oak tree 1: Adding branches from the library

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Oak tree 1: Adding branches from the library


Demeter Dzadik
Demeter Dzadik Rigger

Helped test the website you're reading this on, uploaded all this content, and wrote all these descriptions, and went back to using bendy bones on Rex's eyelids after doing some expression pose tests.

Rex Face Rigging: BBone Eyelids!

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Rex Face Rigging: BBone Eyelids!

Rex Face Poses 1

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Rex Face Poses 1


Vivien Lulkowski
Vivien Lulkowski Concept Artist

Another week of colorscripting and slowly getting the whole movie covered in paint! Also some paintovers of expressions for the sculpting department.

Colorscript 3

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Colorscript 3

Ellie mouth paintover

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Ellie mouth paintover

Elder Sprite expression tweaks

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Elder Sprite expression tweaks


Angela Guenette
Angela Guenette 3D Artist

Completed retopology of Rex's polo shirt and sweater vest, lined up to facilitate rigging. Also, since there will be no cloth simulation on this production, parts of the body mesh and polo shirt mesh hidden under clothing were deleted. This keeps the character model light as well as reduces unnecessary geometry collisions.

Rex deleted body under clothing - retopo

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Rex deleted body under clothing - retopo

Rex shirt and vest - retopo

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Rex shirt and vest - retopo

Rex shirt and vest - retopo

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Rex shirt and vest - retopo

Rex hand and arm - retopo

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Rex hand and arm - retopo


Rik Schutte
Rik Schutte Lead Animator

In addition to the run test with Rex it's time to explore various runcycles with the other characters as well. In this case Jay and Victoria. I explored different techniques that represent each a different style of movement.

Jay extended runcycle

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Jay extended runcycle

Jay runcycle

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Jay runcycle

Victoria run (multiples)

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Victoria run (multiples)

victoria extended run (spraying)
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victoria extended run (spraying)

Victoria running (scared) v1

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Victoria running (scared) v1


Pablo Fournier
Pablo Fournier Animator

During this week I finished up Ellie and added all the sprites as a blocking version, first with balls and later with a simple rig that represent the sprite mass

All sprites as balls

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All sprites as balls

Second pass on Ellie

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Second pass on Ellie


Production Log #23

  • Nov. 23rd, 2020
This week on Sprite Fright

An unexpected possibility is examined: the sprites running on all fours. The big task of defining the film’s colorscript continues. And the tiny but still challenging process of developing plant life for Sprite Fright’s hyper-real forest.

production log preview

Simon Thommes
Simon Thommes 3D Artist

This week I finished assembling the set for the forest run test shot and started working on the lighting to set up a different mood.

Rex Forest Run - Set assembled

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Rex Forest Run - Set assembled


Julien Kaspar
Julien Kaspar 3D Artist

This time I updated the Ellie expression sheet with some missing tests to wrap up her model for Retopology and I updated the Sprites expressions based on design discussions & for consistency with Elder Sprite.

Ellie Expression Sheet Update #1

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Ellie Expression Sheet Update #1

Sprites Expressions #3

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Sprites Expressions #3

Elder Sprite Expressions #2

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Elder Sprite Expressions #2


Andy Goralczyk
Andy Goralczyk Art Director

Among other things I started creating a branch library (from assets Julien created for Spring) which contains twigs that can be mixed and matched to create tree branches.

Branch library

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Branch library

Plant collection with added dandelions

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Plant collection with added dandelions


Demeter Dzadik
Demeter Dzadik Rigger

Addressed a lot of small feedback from animators, including a slightly different spine setup for all the characters. Improvements in the Lattice addon, added Widget Object troubleshooting to CloudRig, and implemented some cool experiments with Rex's face controls!

Rex Face Rigging: Lip Corner Experiments

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Rex Face Rigging: Lip Corner Experiments

Rex Face Rigging: Chin Resists Jaw

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Rex Face Rigging: Chin Resists Jaw

Rex Face Rigging Part 2

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Rex Face Rigging Part 2


Vivien Lulkowski
Vivien Lulkowski Concept Artist

I made progress on the colorscript after feedback from Matthew and the team. I added a few frames to cover more screentime and give us an idea of the lighting during fight scenes.

Colorscript 2

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Colorscript 2


Angela Guenette
Angela Guenette 3D Artist

Work in progress for clothing retopology of sculpt. Used "Edge->Mark Seam" on both polo shirt and sweater vest as guides to map out clothing edges, seams, and creases. This technique also works well to facilitate lining up the topology of multiple pieces of clothing in order to facilitate rigging.

Rex shirt and vest, wip  - retopo

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Rex shirt and vest, wip - retopo


Rik Schutte
Rik Schutte Lead Animator

To test the style of animation in 'Perfomance Shots' as well, we set up a shot with Rex with temporary audio. This way we can explore different expressions, head angles and compare animating on 1s or on 2s. The current state of the rig doesn't have a proper facial rig. These shots will be revisited once the facial rig is updated. WIP.

Rex acting test on 2s

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Rex acting test on 2s

Rex acting test on 1s

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Rex acting test on 1s


Pablo Fournier
Pablo Fournier Animator

During this week, I tried another version of the sprites running on 4 legs, more like a wolf will do it, and I added a bunch of sprites to have the feeling of how they will look if they are a lot of them

sprites' run03

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sprites' run03

Ellie with sprites running on 4 legs

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Ellie with sprites running on 4 legs

Ellie with sprites jumping

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Ellie with sprites jumping


Production Log #22

  • Nov. 16th, 2020
This week on Sprite Fright

Animator Rik Schutte contributes his first production log (Rik’s previous credits include Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). In other news, rigger Demeter Dzadik removes Rex’s bendy bones, and artist Angela Guenette has a clever use for “Edge-->Mark Seam.”

production log preview

Julien Kaspar
Julien Kaspar 3D Artist

In this week I adjusted the Sprites sheet to include some more tests and to address feedback. Elder Sprite also finally got some pose & expression sculpts from core moments of the film.

Elder Sprite Adjustments

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Elder Sprite Adjustments

Elder Sprite Expressions #1

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Elder Sprite Expressions #1

Sprites Expressions #2

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Sprites Expressions #2


Simon Thommes
Simon Thommes 3D Artist

Started picking up Rik's animation test with Rex and assembling a temporary forest set around the animation. That will hopefully give us a lot of insight over our pipeline and the general lighting and rendering.

Rex Forest Run - Set

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Rex Forest Run - Set

Rex Forest Run - Basic Set and Atmosphere

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Rex Forest Run - Basic Set and Atmosphere


Demeter Dzadik
Demeter Dzadik Rigger

Rex's face retopology is done, so I started rigging his face yet again! And on the Friday of this week, I decided to stash everything I did until that point, because I wanted to try how things would work out without bendy bones.

Tweak Lattice: New features!

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Tweak Lattice: New features!

Camera Lattice: New features!

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Camera Lattice: New features!

Rex Face Rigging Part 1

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Rex Face Rigging Part 1


Vivien Lulkowski
Vivien Lulkowski Concept Artist

I did a first pass on the colorscript to get the broad strokes down and establishing the mood and light scenario for most scenes.

Colorscript 1

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Colorscript 1


Angela Guenette
Angela Guenette 3D Artist

Completed Rex's hair retopology of sculpt. Used "Edge->Mark Seam" as guides to help facilitate in following the hair's sculpted strokes' direction.

Rex hair, back - retopo

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Rex hair, back - retopo

Rex hair - retopo

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Rex hair - retopo


Rik Schutte
Rik Schutte Lead Animator

Excited to post my first production log here, and super happy to be part of the Blender animation team! For the last couple of weeks we have been testing the rigs extensively, exploring both the style of the animation as well as personal traits for each character in the film. A couple of variations will help us decide which route to pick. Does it blend well to have the animation on 2s with additional line-work, like they did on Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse? Or do we choose the more conventional way? What do you think?

rex animation test on 1s

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rex animation test on 1s

rex animation test with grease pencil lines

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rex animation test with grease pencil lines

Rex animation test with drawn multiples

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Rex animation test with drawn multiples


Pablo Fournier
Pablo Fournier Animator

During this week I continue working on different versions of the sprites running, also I made a transition on a run from 2 legs to 4

sprites' run02

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sprites' run02

sprite run to gallop

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sprite run to gallop


Production Log #21

  • Nov. 9th, 2020
This week on Sprite Fright

Who runs faster? A sprite or a British teenager? How do you turn sad mushrooms into happy mushrooms? How do you shade a retro boombox? And what’s the best way to make an eye pop out? These are some of the issues contemplated by Sprite Fright’s crew below.

production log preview

Julien Kaspar
Julien Kaspar 3D Artist

Worked mainly on the expression & pose scultps for the Sprites. On the side I also polished the Phil expression sheet based on feedback.

Phil Expressions #2

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Phil Expressions #2

Sprites Expressions #1

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Sprites Expressions #1

Sprites Popout Eye Test

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Sprites Popout Eye Test

Sprite Adjustments Proposal

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Sprite Adjustments Proposal


Simon Thommes
Simon Thommes 3D Artist

Addressed some changes on Victoria's shading, started working on Jay's boombox with some base shaders and set up a scene with the main lineup under uniform lighting to compare the shading between the characters.

Boombox - Base Shading - Studio

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Boombox - Base Shading - Studio

Boombox - Base Shading - Environment

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Boombox - Base Shading - Environment

Victoria - Shading Update

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Victoria - Shading Update

Lineup Rendering

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Lineup Rendering


Andy Goralczyk
Andy Goralczyk Art Director

I finished the film thumbnail and continued working on the plant assets. The bluebell and harebell flowers were made more cartoony and less droopy. Furthermore, the shaggy inkcap mushrooms were considered too sad looking so I gave them happier colors.

Shaggy inkcap mushrooms (cartoonified)

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Shaggy inkcap mushrooms (cartoonified)

Shaggy inkcap mushrooms (before)

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Shaggy inkcap mushrooms (before)

Harebell flowers

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Harebell flowers

Flowers environment test

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Flowers environment test

Bluebell flower tweaks

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Bluebell flower tweaks

Cloud thumbnail poster: final composite

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Cloud thumbnail poster: final composite

Cloud thumbnail poster: lighting adjustments

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Cloud thumbnail poster: lighting adjustments

Cloud thumbnail poster: lighting and staging tweaks

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Cloud thumbnail poster: lighting and staging tweaks

Cloud thumbnail poster: More light blocking

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Cloud thumbnail poster: More light blocking

Show

Demeter Dzadik
Demeter Dzadik Rigger

Improvements to the Lattice addon, fixes on the Pipeline addon, some huge CloudRig refactoring, and a script to keep the Sprite Fright metarigs consistent. Also tested some constraint patches and updated some Rigify patches. Lots of coding this week!

Tweak Lattice Addon

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Tweak Lattice Addon


Angela Guenette
Angela Guenette 3D Artist

Assessed and prepared Rex sculpt for retopology. Developing checklist for readiness of all upcoming characters to allow for smoother sculpt-to-retopology handover. Completed retopology on Rex's head, eyebrows, eyelashes, teeth. Fit inner mouth socket to teeth. Addressed Demeter's request to shorten inner mouth and created an updated rig helper face mesh.

Rex eye lids and eyelashes - retopo

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Rex eye lids and eyelashes - retopo

Rex teeth - retopo

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Rex teeth - retopo

Rex rig helper face mesh - retopo

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Rex rig helper face mesh - retopo

Rex inner mouth - retopo

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Rex inner mouth - retopo

Rex facial and eyebrows - retopo

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Rex facial and eyebrows - retopo


Pablo Fournier
Pablo Fournier Animator

During this week I continue having more iterations on Ellie's run and also I created the first run on the sprites, to check the distance and the speed they were having respect to Ellie. Also I put the walks of all the characters together

sprites' run01

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sprites' run01

All characters walk test

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All characters walk test


Production Log #20

  • Nov. 2nd, 2020
This week on Sprite Fright

Days of breakneck productivity, including the refinement of spider and dress designs, a first look at Ellie running, and much work on the cover of a 3D World special edition. (See this Cloud post on 3D World for more info.)

production log preview

Simon Thommes
Simon Thommes 3D Artist

Mostly finalizing shading for the 3DWorld cover and transferring it to the production rigs, making sure that everything works on the temporary topology.

Facial Support Lines - Test

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Facial Support Lines - Test

Notepad Shading for Cover Art

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Notepad Shading for Cover Art

Shading Update

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Shading Update

Shading Jacket

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Shading Jacket

Shading Fannypack/Shorts

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Shading Fannypack/Shorts

Shading Boots

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Shading Boots

Ellie Shading on Rig

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Ellie Shading on Rig

Sprite Shading on Rig

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Sprite Shading on Rig


Julien Kaspar
Julien Kaspar 3D Artist

Worked on some teeth proposals and reworked Rex to move his retopology along for Angela. At the same time I was working on the first passes of Phil's expression tests to finalize his face sculpt.

Phil Expressions #1

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Phil Expressions #1

Rex Reworked Teeth

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Rex Reworked Teeth

Rex Teeth Paintover

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Rex Teeth Paintover


Andy Goralczyk
Andy Goralczyk Art Director

This week I worked on the temporary thumbnail that is featured on the Films selection on the Cloud. This included more work on the logo with input from Matthew.

Cloud thumbnail poster: First layout and light blocking

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Cloud thumbnail poster: First layout and light blocking

Logo exploration 2

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Logo exploration 2


Demeter Dzadik
Demeter Dzadik Rigger

Mostly worked on some Lattice-based addons that the animation department requested.

Camera Lattice Addon
0:44

Camera Lattice Addon


Vivien Lulkowski
Vivien Lulkowski Concept Artist

This week I helped to define Victoria's outfit and design her accessories in detail. Also the spider design slowly emerged after another round of feedback and narrowing down the options.

Vicky Outfit Design Final

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Vicky Outfit Design Final

Vicky Outfit Design 2

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Vicky Outfit Design 2

Spider Designs 2

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Spider Designs 2

Vicky Dress Patterns

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Vicky Dress Patterns


Pablo Fournier
Pablo Fournier Animator

Starting on Ellie's running away from sprites, first I made a runcycle to define the rhythm and later I apply it to the scene

Ellie's runcycle

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Ellie's runcycle

first pass on Ellie

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first pass on Ellie


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