March 14, 2024 : Happy Pi Day!
Who’s ready to relate a circle’s circumference to its diameter… at least more so than normal? That’s right, it’s Pi Day, which means it’s time to geek out about the world’s most needed irrational mathematical constant.
Usually at this point in the post I relay some interesting fact. Sadly, I don’t have much to offer this year. How about this: did you know that the one millionth digit after the decimal point is a “1”?
Sorry, but I told you I didn’t have much. How about Albert Einstein was born on Pi Day? That’s pretty interesting; and I’m pretty sure I’ve never mentioned it on here before, which I find odd (and disappointing).
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:04 am
Tags: PiComment
March 10, 2024 : RIP Akira Toriyama
In super sad news, Akira Toriyama passed away.
There isn’t much to say. Like many, DBZ was the gateway to my love of anime. As such, I owe a lot to Akira Toriyama. His work brought joy to countless people. He was a true original.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:41 am
Tags: Akira Toriyama , DBZComment
March 3, 2024 : Finally Some New Moana
As an unapologetic Moana fan, I was excited back in 2020 on the news of a Moana TV series. After not hearing much about it since, Disney recently announced it has been changed to a movie sequel – with a November release date and fresh teaser:
There are also plans for a live action remake, which doesn’t interest me as much… but we’ll see. It does look like John Musker and Ron Clements are not involved with the sequel, but I won’t dismiss it yet since the world and characters they created had legs. That said, I hope they are at least brought in as story consultants. Those guys know a thing or two.
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:04 am
Tags: Disney , MoanaComment
February 17, 2024 : Saiyan Armor Progressing
After another night of work, the Saiyan Armor is coming along nicely. The front and back sections are nearly complete and partially connected.
The two sections need to be joined at the sides, and the details still need to be added. When that’s complete, painting can take place – which is a whole other beast. That said, I like where things are at relative to the deadline (late April… C2E2 Babaay!).
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:52 pm
Tags: C2E2 , Vegeta CosplayComment
February 10, 2024 : Character Animation Fun
It isn’t anything super glamorous, but I started a new project at work that includes a good amount of character animation. It’s an educational piece that uses a stick figure with accompanying graphics to reinforce the script. That said, stick figures can actually be really fun to animate due to their aesthetic simplicity. I already set up the rig and did a few tests:
The work will be done in After Effects, which is still pretty powerful for character animation. I considered using a plugin (such is DUIK) but decided to keep things simple. I tend to do this type of work only a few times a year so it’s fun when I get a chance to flex these muscles – particularly since it’s been a little while since I’ve done a personal project… sigh.
I also wanted to go for a hand drawn look, which required some testing to get it how I wanted; but I think it’s in a good place. Overall it’s a fun, light-hearted project which is always something to look forward to 🙂
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:37 am
Tags: After Effects , Animation , Client WorkComment
January 21, 2024 : Vegeta Costume 2.0 Underway
With C2E2 just over three months away, the new build for the Vegeta Costume has begun in earnest. I spent some time in November and December coming up with a plan, buying supplies, and securing the undergarments:
The planning was necessary since I don’t have nearly as much free time as I did 6+ years ago with the first version. With that out of the way, the main lift of the project has kicked off – specifically, building the armor. Fortunately, there are far more resources out there these days for a more efficient (and better) build. Plus, I still have the Goku to my Vegeta working on it with me. Thus far, the front of the armor is moving along:
There is still a fair amount to go with the armor, plus there are all the accessories. These include the hair, gloves, and boots. Some will be repurposed, while others will be redone. Hopefully the end result is an even better look than last time… which will say a lot.
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:24 am
Tags: C2E2 , Vegeta CosplayComment
December 31, 2023 : Looking To 2024 With (Overly Ambitious) Goals
With the end of the year (and start of a new one) around the corner, I decided to document a list of goals I’m hoping to tackle in 2024. Here they are in no particular order:
- Update Reel/Resume
- Increase the number of posts in 2024 (goal = 24)
- Get more acquainted with new software (C4D and/or Unreal)
- Finish writing script from 2022 (Henching)
- Create updated Vegeta Cosplay (For C2E2 Baby!)
- Increase camera knowledge/skillset
Some of these goals are already underway. However, I acknowledge some others I might not be able to get around to or complete. In addition to normal professional commitments, I will be tied up with a fair amount of personal ones as well. That said, I’m fine starting off ambitiously and reeling myself in as the year progresses. Then again, perhaps I’ll add a few to the list.
If anything, these goals can provide more material to increase the frequency of posts. In fact, this post was partially done to make 18 for 2023. In case you were wondering, my ridiculous goal for 2023 was originally 26 (oops).
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:20 am
Tags: GoalsComment
December 23, 2023 : Digital Candy Cane Breakdown
I really liked how the candy canes turned out in this year’s Holiday card. It took a few steps to get to the end result so I figured I’d share the progression:
I ended up using After Effects – technically, the base shapes were done in Illustrator when I was creating the card’s general layout, but this could have easily been done in AE as well. I’m sure Photoshop would have been just as capable, but I used a fair amount of mattes, masks, and blending modes; and I am more comfortable doing that in AE.
Originally, I was planning on going with a more illustrative look so I could have easily stopped at #3 or #4; but as I kept working through things, I liked the realistic look more and more. The shadows/highlights really helped achieve the look I wanted, but I think the unsung hero that really sold it was the noise layer.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:34 am
Tags: After Effects , Candy Cane , HolidaysComment
December 15, 2023 : Tis’ the Season – For Digital Candy Canes
Another year, another Holiday Card. For those keeping track, this is the seventh year I made one with/for the family. Here’s number 7:
Every time it seems like a rush job; but by keeping things simple, I feel it was pretty manageable this year. As always, there are a few things I would have liked to tweak a little more, but overall I’m pleased with the end result.
I’m a big fan of the candy canes, which were created in After Effects. In fact, the whole card was done in AE (with a splash of Illustrator) versus using Photoshop. This was mostly due to my comfort level with the software, as I’m sure it could have been done easily in PS. I plan on writing up a quick post describing the steps. It wasn’t too complicated but there were a series of layered effects, which gave a solid look.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:04 am
Tags: After Effects , Candy Cane , HolidaysComment
November 23, 2023 : Finally, A Christmas Batman Movie
File under something I never knew I needed but glad it exists, this December will see a new Batman Christmas movie. Here’s the trailer:
For whatever reason, it will be on Amazon Prime (seriously, WTF WBD?). In either case, it has some solid names attached to its production. For starters, Luke Wilson is Batman, which for this light-hearted fare seems to work. It’s co-written by Etan Cohen, who co-wrote Idiocracy and Tropic Thunder. Also, it is directed by Mike Roth, a writer on Regular Show… and after hearing that, I totally see the visual connection. Now, if Pops makes a cameo, I might lose it.
posted by Pi Visuals at 1:06 am
Tags: BatmanComment