Progress check yet again

 

This one has been on and off the chopping block for quite some time. This was created from the brief of one of my favorite books. It's a place I've always wanted to see. 

Progress check!

Here are a few shots from my demo reel in various states.



The pass. I think that this painting is just about done. I don't want to fiddle with it too much.



I feel that I'm getting close on this one. I have been painting the buildings on the right hand side, but I need to add a bit more color and architecture to them.


I really think that this is about finished. This is the orignal shot.


And the matte painting in it's current state.

Frustrating lightbulb moment

In just about every piece of software I have ever used there has been some moment where a different variation of keystrokes or hotkeys has given time saving results that I could have used earlier.

With flash it was Control + Alt + Enter. I am so used to using Control + Enter to test a movie, but Control + Alt + Enter allows you to test a movieclip. As soon as I used it, I wish I had been using it 6 years earlier. DOH!

I don't know what else to call these frustrating moments so we'll just call them "Frustrating Lightbulb Moments".

I had one today... in Photoshop none-the-less. Which is REALLY frustrating because I've been using it longer than any other software in my quiver.

Using the brush or eraser:
Shift + LMB + (pull your mouse from left to right, top to bottom, 45 degree angle) is not the same as LMB click THEN Shift + Click. Now I have to say goodbye, if only for a while, to the line tool.

Line tool: Hey buddy, You wanna get some work done?
Me: ummm. Sorry but I've got a different matte painting I'm working on where I'm not gonna need you.
Line tool: Wha? What's the painting?
Me: It's a 1700's style harbor.
Line tool: Hey, i would be very helpful for that. All those posts and beams and straight lines type stuff?!
Me: ummm... I've found another tool.
Line tool: wha? huh? eh? ... What tool?
Me: The brush.
Line tool: Huh? You've known brush for ages. He can't do what I can!
Me: uh. yeah he can. I can draw straight lines in whatever direction I want.
Line tool: %#*@!
Me: Hey, it's ok. We'll get together again sometime soon... I promise. We'll play the Xbox or the Wii sometime soon, Ok?
Line tool: *sniffles* Ok.

Post Siggraph plans

I'm getting close to finishing 4 of the shots for my demo reel. And with August 11th fast approaching I've been thinking about what I'm going to do after Siggraph. Here's a little list if anyone is interested.

• Unpack boxes. We recently moved, but because my awesome wife wants me to succeed in creating an awesome demo reel, she has given me time to work on my reel instead of unpacking and organizing.
• Work on a fan film or independent film. I have a few directors and visual effects supervisors in mind but if anyone reads this and needs some matte painting, concept, or basic compositing work done let me know, I'd be happy to send you my reel and review your project after August.
• Tutorials. I have a long list of 3d and painting tutorials that I have been saving. Some of them are REALLY basic but I want to go through all of them and try to learn something new.
• READ! I really miss reading. I have about 3 books I want to read that are already waiting on my shelf. I want to read to my daughter more as well.
• Paint! I REALLY miss my watercolors. Painting plein air ala Nathan Fowkes style is such a blast. By then my daughter might be old enough to start fingerpainting with me. It'll be so much fun.