One of the great things about using Malcolm 2.0, is that the model comes with some outfit and hair options, that let you choose from a few looks. The previous post is a look that I have in mind if I end up including a human model with my final project involving Ramblebot. However for my current Media Specialist Practice module I want give the character a generally benevolent feel. I chose a clean-shaven face because I want no feature hidden, as this assignment is specific to demonstrating convincing expressions. I chose longer hair because the hair is rigged and can be animated. Then I started playing with materials, reworked the eyes' iris. The default material for Malcolm 2.0 seems to be Phong, with a somewhat high reflectivity rate. It took me some experimenting to get the textures right, but I think I'm happy with where it's at now.

This semester, for my Computer Animation MA at Kingston University,  I'll be focusing on visual effects (via Nuke), as well as specializing in character animation. One of the first steps in getting a little more familiar with character animation is familiarizing myself with picker controls. I'll be using Malcolm 2.0 to this end. Malcolm is a popular, rigged character offered at no cost by Animschool. Assuming I have the time, I will also be animating Ramblebot again this semester, to show the difference between emoting a near-featureless robot and human model capable of several expressions.

   There were two assignments due for my first computer animation module: an organic model (the minion example below this post) and a hard surface model. I modelled, UV mapped, textured, rigged and animated both, but my aim was to showcase different aspects with these two assignments.
​   So with the minion I focused on character animation, while with the hard surface example below I created a virtual set and employed camera angles for a cinematic approach. The robot animation was based on a character illustration I did a few years back. The character was a creation of mine for a writing project called Dead Land, and the character's name was Ramblebot. I've included a video character description along with the 3d animation assignment, with plans to develop the latter for my final Computer Animation assignment.

3d Computer Animation assignment: Ramblebot In Jail

Original video character profile for Ramblebot

In September of last years I moved to the U.K. and began studying at Kingston University in London for a Master's degree in Computer Animation. Here is a sample of work from my first semester. More to come!