Bird's Beginning

It's the second week of quarantine for us, so to keep me from spinning my wheels too badly I decided to embark on a fun 3D project :)

This is a more involved project, as I will be doing a fair bit of experimentation! But I am happy to employ my 3D modeling skills to creating a cute little bird for a video game :) The goal is to create it in parts, keep it low-poly for minimal lag, and to script some simple movements to him. Bonus if I can eventually make him chirp too!

Below are a couple screenshots of my work in progress! You can also see them on my Instagram>>

The screenshot above was taken just after I unwrapped, and had a mess of UVs to size and organize :) Below, You can better see my model in different views, and my final arrangement for my UV map, as it is currently :) As I do a test paint soon, I will see if it needs any editing- hopefully not! :D



 I forgot to take screenshots as I was modeling, but you can see the wireframe in these anyway. I will be painting him up soon, so he will look more handsome than his current grey blob-like appearance :P

That's all for now folks!

As always I wish you well, but today I send an especially sincere wish for good health to you and your loved ones. Take care until next time, when I hope to bring you a little cheer in the form of a little painted bird :)

Adventures & Appreciation

It is amazing how much a change of pace can do for your levels of energy and inspiration! A hike near the mountains gave such perspective, on many things! It has definitely been a week of nature-inspiration....while also sitting in front of a computer screen experimenting for maybe too long. :P

This week I focused my energies in two areas I've missed; 3D modeling and texture painting! There is a special kind of satisfaction when you update a texture painting onto the model and....viola!- it fits well and makes the model look that much more convincing!

First, the fun found feather (whew, alliteration!) that started my digital art obsession:

Next, you may recognize this plant from last week's post....but I used my painting in my texture mapping for this potted plant project (oh goodness, there goes the alliteration again!):

I have many, many more project ideas flying around my head, so there will be much more fun projects to come! Thanks for reading, and as always, have a great week!

<3 And Happy Valentine's Day!

"Beaver Smash" is Released!

I am over the moon with happiness now that the launch of Iron Ninja Games' pilot video game, "Beaver Smash" is officially on the iOS App Store! Our launch went as scheduled on August 13th, thanks to the hard work and tireless dedication of our founder Dave!

So if you have not seen it yet, go on over to the iOS App Store and get "Beaver Smash" for free to play! For the direct link to the App Store click: HERE! :D

I was very fortunate to travel to Iron Ninja Games headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada for "Beaver Smash"'s Launch Event! It was so nice to meet the rest of the team face-to-face, as well as the many great friends and colleagues whose support and insight were so vital to our success! It was such an honor to be able to celebrate all of our hard work with such fun, and with some of the most wonderful people from the video game industry!

Pictured below are my musings from my Instagram during my seven hour flight delay in which all I did was play Beaver Smash, doodle, have too much coffee, and listen to a lot of really good jams.

And don't forget to keep up on our work at Iron Ninja Games' Development Blog ! We will have the game released for Android devices soon! If you would like to be a Beta Tester for the Android version, please message through Beaver Smash's Facebook Page.

It is finally sinking in that our game #beaversmash is a day old! SLOWLY making my way back home after #IronNinjaGames ' #beaversmash #game #release #event in #lasvegas ! If you haven't yet, #download and #play for #Free today! :D #briannaleahyart #briannaleahy #art #artist #artwork #artofinstagram #sketch #baby #animal #beaver #pencil #drawing #sketchbook #iOS #videogame #travel #new

A photo posted by Brianna Leahy (@briannaleahyart) on Aug 14, 2015 at 6:31pm PDT

Video Game iOS Release: "Beaver Smash"!

Yay!!! I am proud to announce that on August 13th,  Iron Ninja Games​'s "Beaver Smash​" is launching for your iOS devices! I had the great opportunity to work on this game, so go on the iOS App Store and get it next week for some fun! And please, rate, review and give us your comments!

We are looking to release to Android devices in the near future too!

Click here to visit the official Facebook Page and Website
Pictures released below thanks to Iron Ninja Games
(check out that illustration work and those handsome trees!)

Video Game Work: Another Tree Model

I have been behind in posting my work for Iron Ninja Games! A wonderful indie game development team, they are at work on their pilot game, Beaver Smash! It will be released to iPhone, Android and iPad.

This is a set of two low poly trees, which will populate a number of the levels in the game. I took a concept to design, and have completed all of the modeling, UV unwrapping, texture painting, rigging and skinning too!

If you are interested in following the game's progress, you can do so here: ironninja.com and make sure to check out the Development Blog tab!

Thanks to Iron Ninja Games for the release of this image

Programs used:  Maya LT 2015 and Photoshop 

Freelance Work: Tree Game Models

A couple months ago I was invited to become part of a wonderful indie game development team, Iron Ninja Games! Since then I have been doing a variety of work for a game yet to be released to iPhone, Android and iPad.

This is a set of two low poly trees, which will populate the first level of the game. They are variations of trees I created for my short film, "Boris", and have been improved and modified to the director's vision. Keeping the style intact was most important to the game's look. I have completed all of the modeling, UV unwrapping, texture painting, rigging and skinning too!

If you are interested in following the game's progress, you can do so here: ironninja.com and make sure to check out the Development Blog tab!

Programs used:  Maya LT 2015 and Photoshop CS5

 

   

Warrior: Work in Progress 3D Model

This is a work in progress model! The screenshots of my model below show my progress so far. I have been working on this warrior 3D model in Maya for a little while, but it has been regretfully slow-going. I endeavor to pick up the pace on it so I can have a completed model soon, and move on to texturing and more detail sculpting!

Piggy! A Boar Character Model

This is a work in progress! It is a character I have modeled for a friend's animated short film "Dusters". The character concept and much of the design was done by Zack Aller. I did all the modeling including blend shapes! The model shown below is the working model I rigged and skinned for use in his film.

The boar is the first quadruped I have modeled so I got to encounter some interesting problems, like hot to best organize the flow of geometry for the legs. I found it especially difficult to find the best way to organize the hind area for the best movement of the legs. So those areas will really need more work I am sure! But I wanted to post my progress so far. Below is a video turn-around of the model, and some silly screenshots showing the blends I've got working at this point.

DreamWorks Animation DreamCrit Gallery Show!

This past Thursday I had the honor to be an exhibitor at the "DreamWorks Animation DreamCrit Gallery Show" at DreamWorks studio in Glendale!

It all started with the modeling DreamCrit in March. For those unfamiliar with this amazing cooperative between DreamWorks and the Cal State system, I have to elaborate! Cal State Fullerton University (my school!) is one of five schools in the Cal State system that have the opportunity to participate in DreamCrits throughout the school year. Each "Animation DreamCrit" has a specific focus (e.g. modeling, animation, concept design…) and two students from each school are nominated by their professors to actually have their work critiqued by DreamWorks professionals!

The modeling DreamCrit was such a great opportunity for me to learn how to better my models! It was so exciting to have my work so constructively critiqued by the professional artist! I came away from it with a mini-sketch book full of notes on how to improve, and such positive energy and excitement toward my work.

Later on, I was again honored by receiving an invitation to submit one of my updated and improved models for the gallery show! The show consisted of animation and modeling reels playing on a screen, wonderful designs and paintings hanging on the walls, and a whole bunch of happy animation and illustration students and professors. It was a fantastic opportunity and I am so glad I was able to be part of it!!! I cannot thank my professors enough.

Showing below is the reel I submitted to the "modeling DreamCrit" and under that is the turn around of my improved ranger model that is part of the gallery. I am still not done improving her, and I really want to apply the critique suggestions to Boris Bear soon as well!


My modeling reel:  Featuring Boris Bear, Ranger, and Donnan B. Goat

My improved ranger turn-around reel, shown at DreamWorks!

Learning Mudbox: Mermaid

My first time using Mudbox! Yup this past semester I decided to use my special studies class to begin using Mudbox! I chose to learn by doing a project, in this case a character model of a mermaid. I began by researching and doing my own original mermaid design shown below. Then I started the model in Maya 2013 for the basic form and transferred it over to Mudbox 2013 where I did most of my sculpting. All of the painting was done inside the program as well using PTEX. I am still learning and getting the hang of the program, so I have much more practice ahead of me! I am looking forward to using the posing tools inside Mudbox too!

Boris Bear: Ranger Character

The second main character of my short film is the Ranger! I have below an original concept sketch, along with some renders of my model in Maya 2013. She is sporting a very simple paint job right now, so she is not totally textured. I am especially looking forward to painting the textures for her face. But here she is as she appears in my short film (which will be posted soon)! Her hat appears in the film as well.

Boris Bear: He exists!

Finally Boris Bear is here! All of those trees and that cabin are for this guy's film! I have included one of my character design paintings, along with Boris himself as he lives as a model in Maya 2013. At this point I am not 100% finished painting his textures, so these are just the base colors. Both the image and textures were painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12 on a Bamboo Tablet.

Boris Bear: Ranger House Set

This environment is for my short film about Boris Bear. In it you can see the trees I have been building, which now make up the forest around a ranger's simple house. This is the first pass at the environment, so it may undergo some changes later as the rest of the space is built. The scene takes place in daytime just after a rain storm has passed, so it is somewhat gloomy.

Final Tree Lineup:

Simple Ranger House:

Stylized Trees: Trio Tree Model

This tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is the sixth of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html ) This will be the final model of the set as one of the original seven was omitted for a more cohesive look.

This tree is painted in simple color for now.

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Stylized Trees: Sprout Tree Model

This tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is the fifth of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html )

This tree is painted in simple color for now.

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Stylized Trees: Lollipop Tree Model

This tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is the fourth of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html )

This tree is painted in simple color for now.

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Stylized Trees: Tear Tree Model

This tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is the third of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html )

This tree is not yet fully painted and textured, just simple color for now.

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Stylized Trees: Big Tree Model

This tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is the second of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html )

This tree is not yet fully painted and textured, I just blocked in the colors for now.

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Stylized Trees: Pine Model

This pine tree is from my set of designs for my 3D short film starring Boris Bear. This is one of seven trees in the set (see "Original Stylized Tree Designs" for the original set of sketches:  http://briannaleahyart.blogspot.com/2012/06/original-stylized-tree-designs.html )

Modeled, lit and rendered in Maya 2012, painted in Photoshop CS5 and Corel Painter 12

Pocket watch: A Work in Progress

What is a gentleman without his pocket watch? Late! So to keep Gentleman Billy Goat from missing many important goings-on, I began this model! Ultimately it will be textured and given to Billy to keep in his vest pocket.