David Alvarez Blog

A little utility / Una pequeña utilidad

2011-11-24T23:35:00.003+01:00

Siempre he sido un gran fan de salvar mis archivos en sucesivas versiones, en maya echaba de menos la función por defecto que existe en 3d studio max.
En vez de ponerme a buscar algo parecido, he aprovechado un ratín para crear un pequeño script que hace mas o menos lo mismo (siempre que no superes las 999 versiones de tu archivo).
No ha sido testeado intensivamente, así que si lo usos hazlo bajo tu propia responsabilidad ;)


def savePro():
    """
    This script save progressive versions of your file
    """
    import maya.cmds as cmds
    import os
    myDirectory = cmds.file( query=True, sceneName=True)
 
    fileName = os.path.split(myDirectory)
 
    
    cleanName =os.path.splitext(fileName[1])[0]
    extension =os.path.splitext(fileName[1])[1]
    
    if "_v" in str(cleanName):
        name = cleanName.rsplit("_v")[0]
        version = cleanName.rsplit("_v")[1]
        newVersion = str(int(version) + 1)
        if len(newVersion)==1:
            newVersion = "00" + newVersion
        elif len(newVersion)==2:
            newVersion = "0" + newVersion
        elif len(newVersion)>999:
            print "Maximun number reached"
            
        cleanName = name + "_v" + newVersion
              
    else:
        cleanName= cleanName + "_v001"
    
    newName = cleanName + extension
    newDirectory = os.path.join(fileName[0],newName)
    cmds.file( rename=newDirectory)
    cmds.file( force=True, save=True)
    print newDirectory
    return newDirectory
savePro()

Una pequeña demo

2011-10-23T21:27:00.000+02:00

Bueno pues he sacado algo de tiempo y he montando un pequeño video mostrando algunas de las funcionalidades del rig en el que llevo trabajando en los huequillos que encuentro entre trabajo y demás. Aún faltan algunas funcionalidades que me gustaría implementar pero la base está ahí. Lo mejor de todo es gracias al scripting todo será aplicable a otros personajes.

Hey there!

2011-10-02T21:27:00.000+02:00

Hola chicos, (a los poquitos que pasen de vez en cuando por este foro) La verdad es que una producción como Clanners demanda tiempo y aún iría mas lejos, demanda vida...
Estamos a punto de entrar en la recta final y vamos directos a un crunch time, que promete cobrarse alguna que otra baja. Así que espero que fisico y cabeza me aguanten en este último tirón.
La verdad es que es dificil con semajante panora seguir sacando tiempo para otras cosas que no sean, centrarte un poco en tu familia e intentar no llevarte a casa toda la tensión del trabajo diario.
Aún así es mi objetivo seguir con mis temas de rigging en maya. El sistema poco a poco y algo a tirones eso sí, sigue progresando y vamos poco a poco puliendolo y añadiendole cosas. Os dejo una imagen de un personaje que hice para un proyecto muy bonito que si alguna vez prospera tendrá una apariencia menos futurista y mas steam punk. El diseño es de todo un artista llamada Pablo. El modelado fue perpetrado por un servidor y estoy aprovechandolo para sin prisa pero sin pausa ir testeando el rig que voy implementando, gracias a los últimos conocimientos que adquirí en los seminarios de Victor Vinyals, todo un crack del que aprendí un montón.

So busy these days...

2011-05-04T22:33:00.000+02:00

Hi, sorry about the lack of updates but I'm working really hard in our new project at Ink Apache, and in my spare time I'm trying to translate my character setup knowledge in max to maya, and of course take care of my little daugther.

And the Goya goes to...

2011-02-26T20:38:00.000+01:00

Jo como hemos empezado el año y es que aunque lo publique con algo de retraso Bruxa fue galardonado con el Goya al mejor corto de animación y claro semejante mención me llena de orgullo y satisfacción ( como al Rey :))) )
En fin el año ha empezado movidito y un poco roller coaster, pero vamos como la vida misma :) Mucho que contar y que espero poder ir actualizando en este blog, que sorprendentemente lee alguna gente (gracias chicos/as!!)

P.D: que hago dandole al Python?

frontpage

2011-02-12T09:20:00.001+01:00

I take a course of advanced rigging not long ago. Glad to know the school think I was a good student ;)
Recientemente he realizado un curso de rigging avanzado. Estoy muy contento de que la escuela considere que fuí un buen alumno.;)

http://www.animum3d.com/

Blue y Malone : Lanzanos

2011-01-23T12:30:00.002+01:00

Este es un proyecto en el que también he colaborado este año. Minimamente (con un solo planito que necesitaba ser reanimado) realmente creo que hay mucho trabajo y esfuerzo detrás de el por parte de todos los que hemos colaborado en mayor o menor medida. Como todo proyecto que implica "parir" un corto, aunque no lo he vivido desde un principio ni mucho menos en este caso, se que requiere de mucho esfuerzo y también tiene un coste econonómico por que no decirlo. Uno de los medios de financiación que se han buscado es a través de esta página, es un método sencillo a través de tu cuenta de paypal puedes aportar desde un solo euro y ya es suficiente, pero es necesario llegar a un determinado número de apoyos, se está muy cerca pero aún falta o si no no se conseguirá nada (sólo faltan tres dias para que se cumpla el plazo). Como diría Alpacino en un domingo cualquiera es una cuestión de inches (pulgadas). Así que aprovecho en nonbre de todo el equipo para pedir desde aquí vuestra colaboración si estais en disposición de darla.

Gracias por adelantado.

http://www.lanzanos.com/proyectos/blue-malone-detectives-imaginarios/

Mortando Malone Animation Test from Abraham López on Vimeo.

Bruxa

2011-01-12T11:38:00.000+01:00

I was fortunate enought to be able to animate a few shots in this shortfilm by Pedro Solís. It will be one of the candidates to the Goya Awards this year ( Spanish filmmakers academy awards). Enjoy it!

LA BRUXA from lafiestapc on Vimeo.

Tuve la suerte de participar y contribuir en la animacion de unos planos en este corto de Pedro Solís. Será una de los candidatos a los Goya de este año. Disfrutadlo!

P.D: Señorita Cobos estoy actualizando :)

Happy 2011

2011-01-05T09:09:00.000+01:00

So, we start a new year and we have a lot of planes and hopes for it. One of then redesign this blog and keep it updated and with new content (sigh).
One of the things that kept me busy lately (besides work, being dad) was a rigging course I did. Professionaly I've done a lot of rigs. But rigging for games it's not a bit deal especially if you work with 3ds Max. Anyway I feel I always feel I need a boost to really get done I high end rig so I take this course, and well it was demanding and time consuming but I think it totally pay off. Here is the reel we have to create at the end of the course. It a bit rought I apologize for that but I have very little time to make it and my edition skills are a bit rusty.
The next goal will be to finish a rig with my new knowledges and animate it and why not a short film. I would love to animate my own characters and know I can provide them a proper rig (yay!)

And the winner is...

2010-11-09T14:14:00.000+01:00

ME

This was my entry for the first animation contest organized by Animun3d school and 3dpoder and I'm glad to say I was chosen as the winner by a profesional jury (what it is especially pleasant for me because of the recognition of my work by people working at maximun level in this competitive industry). It was really hard for me to "finish" in time this piece of animation. Having a new born baby at home and dealing with job, a rigging course and this contest was really hard but the result absolutely pay off.

You can find the result here Sorry folks spanish forum.
I would like to dedicate this award to my beloved Ariadna.

Trabajos finales - Convocatoria Septiembre 2010 from David Alvarez on Vimeo.

Esta fue mi animación para el primer concurso de animacion organizado por Animun3d school y El foro 3d Poder. Estoy muy contento de deciros que fui elegido ganador por un jurado profesional ( lo que es especialmente agradable para mi a causa del reconocimiento que supone de mi trabajo por parte de profesionles que trabajan al máximo nivel en esta industria). Fue bastante dificil para mi el "finalizar" esta pieza de animacion. El hecho de tener una recien nacida en casa, lidiar con el trabajo un curos de rigging y este concurso fue muy duro pero el resultado justifica el esfuerzo.

Puedes encontrar la publicación del resultado aquí
Me gustaria por ultimo dedicar el premio a mi amada Ariadna

Day 2

2010-08-26T06:59:00.002+02:00

Day 2 from David Alvarez on Vimeo.

Day 1

2010-08-24T18:33:00.001+02:00

Box Day 1 from David Alvarez on Vimeo.

More drawings

2009-11-23T01:11:00.001+01:00

No much time this days as usual, but I'm try to keep drawing some.

New scaner

2009-11-17T15:23:00.002+01:00

Well I bought a new scanner yesterday, so hopefully I will update often this unattended blog. Also is a good reason to draw more. Hopefully the next drawings will be a bit better.

Some notes and thoughts

2009-08-12T15:43:00.001+02:00

I don't usually post about this kind of subjects, because I really feel still a lot to learn about this crafty thing called animation, so I don't pretend to teach anyone the "right way" to animate. This post is just a selfremainder of things that works for me if you find it useful, good for you.
Planning: Some people draw, other simple acted out, record him/herself in video. What is the best? well I dunno, I find pretty useful use videoreference you usually find really interesting things happening in real life, things than won't come to your mind, but fell free to reinterpret, enhance and/or discard the information you get from this.
Drawing, well this is really usefull when you are planning a shot too cartoony or dangerous to act it out for yourself. I find this pretty useful too. Programs like Flipbook allow you to make really rough drawings and explore all the possible ideas. The bad thing is that sometime you will find your 3d character is not so flexible to allow you all the cheating you did in your drawings, well be careful with that.
Sometimes you can't use this method and you start from zero in your 3d program, well here you only have your critic and trained eye to know if it is right or wrong. In the end that trained eye is the most important thing to be a good animator, distinguish the right from wrong. How you developed a trained eye? Well for me worked really well my drawing classes, you learn a lot about shape, gesture and well, an appealing pose can sell a whole shot. So you better learn this stuff ( if you already don't own a copy of the Walt Stanchfield two books you are missing raw gold. Also I'm trying to analyze a lot of material, from classic cartoons to clips from movies or reels of great animators) Also like to read other people analisis Jonh K. stuff is a great source of information and detailed analisis about animation. But don't forget the most important thing ANIMATE and THINK. Just don't do what work for you, try new things don't become a robot just working with your bag of tricks.
What keeps me inspired?, Usually masterpieces of animation (like I said classic cartoons, reels, teaser, excerpt from movies). Try to be that good, usually help me to deliver quality material and also help me to improve my skills and my devolope further a trained eye.
Oh I almost forget, How I dare? Feedback a pair of new, trusted fresh eyes is an invaluable tool to raise your level and put you in the right track. So if you have someone around who can give you good feedback don't miss the chance.

My 2 cents

Bye Revis

2009-08-01T00:28:00.003+02:00

Well in July I spent my last days as animator at Revistronic. It was a pleasure to work with the great people, really talented artist and programmers whow work there. I'm gonna miss you guys but it's time to take my chances and start new ventures. What I'm doing now? Well I keep animating (of course) in a really great project I hope to be able to show something soon.

Finally animation!

2009-06-22T00:27:00.003+02:00

hey finally I manage to post some stuff I did a few time ago, this weekend I was fixing things here and there, I don't think it's done yet so any feedback it's more than welcome.

Quick sketches

2009-06-15T21:48:00.002+02:00

I just found the recently published Walt Stanchfield books really enlightining. Are pure GOLD for any animator. These are son quick sketches trying to put in practice some stuff discussed in these books.

P.D: By the way for some reason blogspot renamed this page to index.htm instead of blogger.html so if for any strange reason you have this direction in your bookmark you will need to update.

selfportrait? (why so serious?)

2009-06-07T13:53:00.004+02:00

Hi guys I must say I'm really busy (fortunally) and without much time too upload new things or work in my own stuff at home. This just a kind of selfportrait. Normally I don't detail to much the drawings I do, I try to focus more on gesture, weight, and that kind of things so I did this just for fun.

More drawings

2009-04-05T17:54:00.002+02:00

Hey guys just some more drawings I did in my spare time.

Finally!

2009-03-08T15:09:00.004+01:00

Hi Is anyone there? I hope so...
You know pretty busy at work, also I'm glad to say I'm taking 2d animation classes son no much time to post here. Sorry about that...

At work we almost finish our last game, and we are just starting our new project.

Also like I said I'm taking 2d animation classes and it's great to be away from a computer just with paper and pencils. I'm waiting for my lightbox, I ordered a few days ago but unfourtunally they run out of supplies so I will have to wait a few days more. Anyway I'm trying to sharpen mean while my drawing skills doing some fast sketching. You can take a look to some samples in this post.

sketching is addictive

2009-01-06T20:16:00.002+01:00

Yeah so that's why today I did another one.

More Flipbook

2009-01-06T12:16:00.003+01:00

Hey I also have some 2d animation exercise, a really siple one, just trying to fix some new concepts and workflow method I'm learning right now.

December 11 second club entry

2009-01-06T12:04:00.004+01:00

Hey I spent part of my holidays working on this. Finally I manage to participate again in this competition. Hope you like it!

Finally I'm sketching again.

2009-01-06T11:56:00.004+01:00

Have been a long time since my last exercise. It's really obvius how you get worse if you don't keep practicing.
Anyway this is what I did in about 30 minutes and more important I had a lot of fun doing it.

Update at least: "La dama en el umbral" awards

2008-12-21T13:15:00.005+01:00

Ok these last three month in my new job had been really demanding (I'm having a blast anyway I must say), so I had left my poor blog unattended. Anyway I'll try to start to make updates more often I can't promise anything but I try. This time I came again with the full palmares in a old project I had lucky to work in. Thanks to Marcos Busatori another animator who work also in this shortfilm for post the list with the awards.

Premio al mejor cortometraje y nominación al Meliés de Oro:
Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival. Italia.

Premio especial del jurado:
Festival Internacional de cine de animación de Annecy 2008, Francia.

Premio al mejor corto de animación en:
VI Certamen de cortometrajes de la Diputación de Málaga.
Primavera Cinematográfica de Lorca.
Certamen de cortos de Dos Hermanas.
Festival de Cine de Cartagena.
Concurso de Cortos Animados de Villaviciosa, Asturias.
Premios ACE. Madrid.
Festival de Cine de Sant Joan d'Alacant.
Certamen de cortometrajes Radio City. Valencia.
V Festival de Cine de Alicante.
Segundo premio en el Festival de Valls.
Tercer premio en el Festival de Navas.

Mención especial del jurado:
Festival de cine español de Toulouse. Francia.
Festival Nacional de Cortometrajes de Villajoyosa.

Mejor guión adaptado:
XIV Concurso de cortos de Laguardia.

Awesomeness

2008-09-14T22:35:00.002+02:00

I usually don't post about any other people stuff in this blog, there are already many blogs out there that compilates talent and wisdom there is around the world (you can check some of them in my links). Anyway I'll make an exception today, that way I can post something in this blog since I don't have anything new to show yet, I keep working on something I would show you soon though.

Anyway let's go to the point. A friend of mine and former co-worker use to visit a blog where the amazing talented crew of Avalanche post his drawings. Well I discover today that there is another blog where animators from Avalanche also post their personal animation test. If you have time please check out because they are great pieces of animation.
Some of this guys are already working at Disney or Dreamworks they deserve it.

http://avamation.blogspot.com/

Normalmente no escribo acerca de material de otra gente en este blog, ya hay muchos blog que recopilan el talento y la sabiduria que hay en el mundo (podeis ver algun ejemplo en mi sección de links). En cualquier caso haré una excepción hoy, de esa manera puedo escribir al en este blog, ya que no tengo nuevo para mostrar todavia, aunque estoy trabajando en algo y os lo mostrare pronto.

En cualquier caso vamos al asunto. Un amigo mio y antiguo compañero de trabajo habitualmente visita un blog donde el alucinate grupo de Avalanche sube sus dibujos. Pues bien hoy descrubrí que existe otro blog donde los animadores de Avalanceh tambien suben sus test de animación. Si teneis tiempo echarle un vistazo porque realmente hay grandes piezas de animación.
Algunos de estos chicos ya están trabajando en disney o dreamworks. Mas que merecido.

New work in progress

2008-08-25T00:11:00.003+02:00

Hey guys (and gals) this is something I'm working on right now. A friend of mine give some inputs I wanna try before to go further but I would like to show you what I have by now and I would really aprecciate all the feedback you could gave it to me before to go on. Thanks in advance.

Hola chicos ( y chicas) esto es algo en lo que estoy trabajando ahora. Un amigo me dio varios consejos que quiero probar antes de ir mas adelante pero tambien me gustaria mostraros lo que tengo hasta ahora y realmente me encantaria recibir todos los consejos y opiniones que podais darme antes de seguir adelante. Gracias por anticipado.

WOOOOTT!!!

2008-08-14T19:16:00.004+02:00

The short film "La dama en el umbral" won Jury's special award in the Annecy Festival of 2008. I was responsible of part of the animation of this shortfilm and it is a real honor to have been awarded with this prize.

El corto "La dama en el umbral" ganó el premio especial del Jurado en el festival de Annecy de 2008. Soy autor de parte de la animación de este corto y es un verdadero honor haber sido galardonado con este premio.

Dive work in progress

2008-08-05T12:55:00.003+02:00

Hi again! i don't like too much to have unattended this blog. So I'll post something I'm working on, is unfinished yet (some imbetweens in the main character and a lot in the table) anyway that give me the oportunity that if someone find things that are not working very well I will have the oportunity to fix it before to start with the 3d version. Actually I'm enjoying a lot the whole process in 2d specially because my computer is pretty slow with 3d applications hopefully I will get a new computer in a few weeks. By the way I'm on holidays so I also try to relax some before to come back work to have batteries full charged.

Pues nada ahora en español. Decía que no me gusta mucho tener este blog desatendido, así que voy a subir algo en lo que estoy trabajando, está inacabado (faltan intercalados en el personaje principal y un monton mas en la table) en cualquier caso esto me da la opotunidad de si alguien encuentra cosas que no estan funcionando muy bien, pues me dará la oportunidad de arreglarlas antes de pasar a la fase 3d.
De hecho estoy disfrutando mucho el trabajo en 2d especialmente porque mi ordenador es bastante lento con aplicaciones 3d, afortunadamente conseguiré un nuevo ordenador en unas semanas. Por cierto, esoty de vacaciones y también trataré de relajarme un poco y volver con las pilas cargadas al trabajo.

Basket Revisited

2008-07-14T22:56:00.006+02:00

Finally I found the oportunity to work a bit more on this animation. So this is the last version, with some more polish in limbs and the landing. Hope you like it.

Finalmente encontre la ocasion de trabajar un poco mas en esta animación. Así que esta es la ultima versión, con algun refinado del movimiento de las extremidades y el añadido del aterrizaje. Espero que os guste.

Agua va

2008-07-02T22:19:00.004+02:00

I usually show in this blog personal animation test. In this case I will change that today... I wanna show you something I did at work. It is only a little animation for a secondary action in one of the many scenes of the project we are working on... but also means I make my living doing what I love. Animation.

Usualmente muestro en este blog test personales de animación. Hoy voy a cambiar eso.
Se trata simplemente de una pequeña animación secundaria del proyecto en el que estamos trabajando pero tambien significa que me gano la vida haciendo lo que me gusta. Animando.

running the extra mile

2008-06-30T23:55:00.002+02:00

I would say it is pretty rough but I think is ok. Hope you like it. Anyway as always critiques and comments are more than welcome.

Bastante poco pulido pero creo que esta bien. Espero que os guste. De cualquier manera como siempre criticas y comentarios son bien recibidos.

vanilla walk cycle

2008-06-29T08:02:00.005+02:00

I have lost the count of how many walk cycle I did but they aren't enought. In this case it is only a practice trying to sharp my skills in flipbook. Also I would like to start to write my entries not only in english also in spanish, my first language.

He perdido la cuenta de cuantos ciclos de caminado he hecho pero nunca son suficientes. En este caso se trata simplemente de una practica para afinar mis habilidades con flipbook. Tambien me gustaria aprovechar para empezar a escribir mis entradas en español, mi primera lengua.

basket wip.

2008-06-23T21:43:00.002+02:00

It needs some tweaks here and there but I wanna upload something new because it had been a long time since the last update. I'm sorry but I have been quite busy lately.

I hope you enjoy, comments and critiques are more than welcome.

Himba

2008-06-06T14:49:00.001+02:00

Again experimenting with color.

This one took me a while

2008-06-02T19:24:00.003+02:00

So I spent several session of my lunch-break-sketching time to finish that one. I will try to chose something less complicate next time. Anyway I quite happy with the "final" result.

WIP

2008-05-26T21:57:00.003+02:00

Hey, Lately I couldn't find too much time to sketch during the break at work. This is something I'm doing at hope while I'm rendering some stuff for my reel.

Still pretty rough ... and way off from the original IMO

Experimenting with color

2008-05-18T20:18:00.004+02:00

I would like to keep working in grey in my sketching practices for a while but I also wanna experiment some with color. The best thing by far I'm having a lot of fun.

Philly

2008-05-18T18:00:00.003+02:00

Lunch 2

2008-05-13T20:49:00.006+02:00

Well I'm quite happy with this one. Thanks to all my coworkers for the advices, critiques, tips and bad jokes :D. This rapid sessions in lunch time are really fun.

Mae

2008-05-09T19:42:00.002+02:00

lunch

2008-05-07T21:36:00.002+02:00

"intrusismo"

2008-05-06T22:48:00.004+02:00

Sometimes is difficult to have time to animate after work. Hopefully sketching is something that I can do in only a few minutes.

short?

2008-04-14T00:33:00.003+02:00

I have been thinking about it for a while, working as animator leave very few time to animate at home and work in your owns project, but a feel the necessity to tell something even if is a quick funny story... So I was thinking about a few ideas and I wasn't really sure about what to do. Model and rig new character it is not something I would like to spend to much time to focus on animation that is what I really enjoy. So finaly my wife remember me about a kind of story I started and never finished. I she told me why I never finished. So I decided to start again with it. Hopefully I will be using stewie rig provided for Animation Mentor (facial animation is not my priority in this story) and this way I could do something at home to fill my storytelling needs. There would be time to start with more complex and deep stories but I think this one would be ok to be the first one after a lot of time.

I spend a whole day with my planning and right now I'm animating one shot I hope to show you something in this blog.

Fernando Alonso

2008-04-10T19:57:00.001+02:00

"It doesn't matter what equipment we give him or what circumstances he finds himself in, he extracts the most from the car.
"That determination and drive is still there."

Renault technical director Bob Bell about Fernando Alonso.

Subway

2008-04-09T23:06:00.006+02:00

I found a simply animation tool for my DS Animanatee It's cool animate while you go in the bus or the subway.

Really funny pieces of animation

2008-04-06T21:25:00.003+02:00

This weekend surfing the web I came across two specially funny pieces of animation.

The firt one is like a private joke from animators to animators. The stewie joke really cracked me up (Many animation students had had to deal with that huge head)

Please feel free to visit the website and blog of this really talented animator currently working in dreamworks.

http://www.wjacobgardner.com

The second one is a first chapter funny as hell with great characters and great animation. And I suppose incredible flexible rigs. Those faces gets deformated in a way that is really difficult to achive in cg animation.

UPDAAAATEEEE!!!

2008-03-30T19:44:00.002+02:00

A coworker mock up me these days because the lack of updates in my poor blog. So I revised the links bar, I updated some links, still some are broken though.

By the way you can check my coworker blog
here He is a very talented drawer when he is not sleeping :))) (just a joke he is a hardworker but he struggles a lot in the morning like everyone :)) )

Enjoy!

Throwing ball

2008-03-22T09:11:00.009+01:00

A little test I did in my spare time. Trying don't get too rusty in Maya now I'm animating in max at work.

LipSync Reworked

2007-12-08T09:56:00.000+01:00

Not sure if still need some work, probably but I need a pair of fresh eyes. Anyway I start to refine the body, especially the last Not sure if still need some work, probably but I need a pair of fresh eyes. Anyway I start to refine the body, especially the last part.

Lipsync Part1

2007-12-02T16:43:00.000+01:00

I really wanna get this animation done, so I keep working in my scarce free time. Now I'm completely reworking the lipsync area. B I really wanna get this animation done, so I keep working in my scarce free time. Now I'm completely reworking the lipsync area. Body still needs some love here and there but that will came later.

If there is someone outthere, please let me know what do you think! ;D

Thanks in advance.

November entry

2007-11-11T09:17:00.000+01:00

This is an updated version of my november entry for the 11secondclub is still very wip (need tons of work, lipsync, arcs, inbetweens) but I wanna show you something I'm doing in my free time.

I hate this!!

2007-11-11T08:33:00.000+01:00

Well, I was working in my new entry for 11secondclub, just starting to create the main poses for the characters, I was almost left behind the fear when you start to develope a new scene from zero and I was enjoying the proccess of pushing further the main poses triying to make then more appealing etc.. and then disaster the main character get screwed (Gods knows why) and I loose a few hours of work. I usually save often because of this but you know s*** happens.
It's really sad that our work can be destroyed by these 3d tool, in my opinion, less and less realiable and buggier in every new version.

Well I feel a bit (just a bit) better I will start again.

Halloween

2007-11-05T01:16:00.000+01:00

So is this days usally take place stories about people coming from death and that kink of stuff. Somethings similar happened to this blog. Let's see if is only a bad dream or becomes real.

Links

2006-10-01T21:14:00.000+02:00

So finally I added this section to my blog. You can find some interesting links to some friends I've got distributed all around the world. I know I'm probably forgeting some people so more links comming soon.

GASOLine

2006-09-16T19:09:00.000+02:00

One of the greatest achivement for Spain in the international competition was the FIBA World Championship. The team won for the first time in our history the gold medal, leaving behind teams like USA (eliminate by Greece), Serbia, Argentina or Greece. What is the secret for this great achivement. Not only the NBA player Gasol could make this happend. The main reason because this team won the championship is because ALLWAYS wanted more ALLWAYS wasn't enought. When this team had an advantage of 20 point over their rival, they wanted to have 30 points. That's the secret.
Well this has something in common with animation, the main subject in this blog, probably not... but have a lot with wanna be a good animator. Is a lesson of how things are posible, working hard and wanting ALLWAYS more.

One month and no post in this blog.

2006-09-04T10:17:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone! I just wanna let you know this blog is still alive. The last month was busy as allways but this new month begins with new perspectives, I almosth finish some freelance working I'd been working in this months. I'll go on vacation for a few days and hopefully I'll come back with new energy and with time to materialize finally all the good things have been happpening to me in this year.

Good night and Good luck!! ;)

Why English?

2006-07-31T09:04:00.000+02:00

Some people maybe ask theirshelves why this blog is in English when:
1- It's pretty obvious not is my first language
2- It's pretty obvious I'm far to speak and write English right.

Well I do because is cool... nah just kidding.
Well I need days with 48 hours, yeah I'm a bit busy. One of my objetive is try to improve my English. And this blog was created only for my own amusement so one way I don't feel guilty when I'm spending time in this blog instead of working is because I'm practicing a bit my English.

Weird... I know ;D

The other and not less importat reason is I want to share this blog with as many people I can, I have many friends from other countries and we use english to comunicate each other and I want to use english to comunicate with you too.

www.burningsafari.com

2006-07-19T13:45:00.000+02:00

If you like animation, probably you already know this fastastic short from a few students of gobelins. But maybe you don't know they update their site with a bigger resolution version and a few making of videos. Enjoy!!

Follow the instructions as close as you can

2006-06-30T14:45:00.000+02:00

I've been teaching cgi for a while it's a tough job, but many times you get your rewards from your students. If I'll have to give an advice I'll give this "Follow the instructions as close as you can". Why? well First, if you chose to take class with someone you should trust this guy, if you don't trust this guy there is no point in take class with him.
Second, teachers don't have magic bullets, we only have methods and this methods are developed to make you a bit easier the path too follow. Some of the intructions could look meaningless but could make the differece between exit or failure. So is up to you.
One of the better things to be a teacher is that you have a wider perspective. Because a teacher is a student too.
I know is not and easy advice to follow, I forget it sometimes so is a selfremainder for me aswell.

I like rigs

2006-06-27T08:52:00.000+02:00

A rig it's the system that make posible to animate a 3d charater ( you can screw the character aswell). The rigs are like the wires in a Stop motion Character, and I really like rigs ( I hate it sometimes too). When I watch a "making of" I really like to see the controls and gui to manipulate a famose character like Scratch (Ice Age). I don't know but maybe is because I feel that the character are only liveless puppet and that only the magic provided by a great animator make the character looks alive and empathyze with you.
To me have the oportunity to manipulate the same controls that top notch animator used to make some of the greatest moments in some movies or shorts is like have the oportunity to be in the copckit of a plane. I'm sure that this probably sounds weird but I think I'm a bit weird :P.
Anyway one of the famous rigs and character in animation is Hogan. This character was created for the AAU students and you can watch great animations from students, most of then working right now in the industry, created with this rig. If you want to know a bit more about this Rig and his history take a look at the great article by P.J. Leffelman in his blog link to the article

Youtube

2006-06-22T12:55:00.000+02:00

Hey I love Youtube. I'm been able to watch great animations thanks to people that are kind enought too share with us. Just a few examples.

Laseteer school short

Richard Williams' project Thife and the cobbler.

A recent short from a student of Calarts, Steven MacLeod

Hilarious

2006-06-16T18:39:00.000+02:00

Hey guys I just found this video in the blog from Aja B www.belligerentandnumerous.com. and I think is really funny so enjoy hehehe...

Alive

2006-04-20T19:44:00.000+02:00

Believe it or not I'm still here practising a lot and planning to update my blog. So stay tuned!!

Rodney unvehiled!

2005-12-05T11:08:00.000+01:00

Ok I promise updates and you can see here one of the character of my uncomming short (someday in the future). Appeling, tell me what you think.

Busy!!!

2005-12-04T12:47:00.000+01:00

Wow! Too much work lately (some of them great projects), but my short go ahead, slowly for sure but go ahead. I hope to give you (if really there is someone watching this blog) some updates now that holidays are pretty near.

I love drawing

2005-10-12T22:32:00.000+02:00

Only 3 minutes and you can enjoy creating a character that's why I love drawing.

Rodney

2005-09-30T22:06:00.000+02:00

Hi, this is Rodney from my new short. Some comercial works delayed the production but I'm more concerned about the quality tahn the release date. You can see some new thumbnails in drawing section aswell.

"Weighting"

2005-09-21T07:41:00.000+02:00

I'm working in the weights for the mesh. That's a really boring task but you have to do if you want your characters deform properly. Moreover I'm working with a new program and well animate it's animate and there is "no problem" with that, but rigging are a very especifics task and each software have similarities but a lot of differences. Beacause of I'm spending more time that usually do.

Second character almost finished!

2005-09-14T19:06:00.000+02:00

Ok no new image, but the second character for short is almost completed, keep going!

News about Short production

2005-09-12T10:06:00.000+02:00

Ok this weekend has been very productive, I've finished one character modeling and I've been making some test with the setup. This part is dificult because I´m using new software for animation and some things work in a different way. But one of my goal was learn new software. I know that could be dangerous but I don't want to be limited to only one software anymore. I hope to upload some images from Rodney (thats the name from my puppet, like Rodney in "Robots") as soon as posible.

New short in production!

2005-09-08T16:42:00.000+02:00

This is the weirdest way to begin a short production. This hand belongs to a character from the short I begin. Well... the true is that I have a script, a story and character design but this hand is the firt thing I made with the computer for this short.

Now it's time to begin with a production planning because a short could a very overhelming thing and you need to have a plan if you want have sucess in this task. So I hope to get my producctión planning very soon.

Stay tuned!!

New Animation reel and resume is UP!

2005-09-05T00:26:00.000+02:00

You can acces to my animation reel in animation section, divx and quicktime.
Now in contact section you can see my Resume.

Reel and Resume is UP!

2005-09-05T00:22:00.000+02:00

You can acces to my reel in animation section, divx and quicktime.
Now in contact section you can see my Resume.

News

2005-09-03T12:04:00.000+02:00

A long time since last update, now you can see new clips in animation section, drawings and links sections also has been updated. Critiques and comments are welcome.

A very very new short

2005-05-27T17:12:00.000+02:00

enjoy

microbiology

New short

2005-05-25T17:40:00.000+02:00

These day I've been working with 2d tool and limited animation and I've already finished my firts experiment, a short chapter about a dog and his owner called Fred an Moore. Well I learn a lot in this process and I notice that there is a long journey to master this new tools and of course animation.

You can see here my short, I hope jou enjoy with it.

Fred and Moore

Novii Animator

2005-05-14T19:53:00.000+02:00

Animation needs practice, a lot of practice. I'm a Palm owner (a Zire 71) and I have a cool aplication who lend me animate little clips and practice animation when I take the bus or subway everyday. The tool I'm talking about it's Novii Animator has powerfull tools like onion skin like profesional application. You can see very simple samples I made with it trying to improve skills like timming, spacing etc...

New clip and sketch

2005-05-02T00:23:00.000+02:00

Animations section have a new very quick test and drawing section have a unfinished skecth I recently make for a commercial work.

New material

2005-04-20T07:46:00.000+02:00

One drawing and short animation walk cycle have been uploaded.

New animation

2005-04-15T13:34:00.000+02:00

Walk cycle with a flour sack.

video

Updated links section

2005-04-04T12:48:00.000+02:00

New link to Beatriz Lorenzo's website.

New format

2005-04-04T12:38:00.000+02:00

News updated to new blog format.

Previous news

2005-04-04T12:34:00.000+02:00

29-11-2004 New animations clips up!
10-10-2004 DavidAlvarez.org domain it's working and drawings section has been updated. I hope upload new animations very soon.
23-09-2004: New animation added (about bouncings balls). There are a lot of content to upload (drawings, stills etc..) coming soon I hope : )
16-09-2004: Links added
15-09-2004: Firts animation tests uploaded.
15-09-2004: Arranca la página, con absolutamente ningún contenido ; P pero con el formato terminado. En breve empezare a subir animaciones y otros contenidos.

prueba

2005-04-04T09:38:00.000+02:00

prueba