Javascript and Unity3D

Hello Again,

Sorry I've been neglecting my blog, things are a little crazy since I've moved to Portland, OR. Never fear though, some new developments are brewing and it has to do with a video game.

Basically, I'm learning basic programming(Javascript and HTML to start) and Unity3D. Who knew Unity was just like Maya? Why did I not know this? I thought it was a completely different program which I would have no idea how to use, but its just Maya with some other game stuff added onto it, minus the rendering software.

Maybe I'll make a game soon.

Lee

Prepare to Drop

Some drop ship magic for you.

Just a fun design challenge for myself to keep me on my toes. It's an idea that I may turn into a 3D model depending on what I feel like modeling. I might make a few more things then decide which I want to model.

Lee

Super Computers, Aliens, and Audrey Hepburn

It's been too long, but I've finally built our computer! Complete with all the necessary software a growing digital artist and sustainable designer need to make cool stuff. Take a look.

Parts include:

Rosewill THOR Gaming Tower
ASROCK Z77 Extreme Intel Motherboard
Asus GTX 660 Ti 2GB 192-bit  Graphics Card
Intel Core 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
2 x 8GB Ripjaws X Series Memory

And a bunch of other aftermarket parts from power to cooling and a flash SSD to keep a Windows 7 OS running fast.

To try out the new digs and make sure my drivers are working, I made a practice speedpaint of one of me and Nayan's favorite celebrity, Audrey Hepburn.

I also threw in a quick ZBrush sketch just to test out the program and make sure everything looks good. Maya's working too along with all the Autodesk programs.

Unfortunately... still unemployed, and this stuff wasn't cheap. Looks like I'm finding some part-time work. Maybe Best Buy's looking for someone.

Until next time,

Lee

Beyond Epic Episode 2

Here is Episode 2 of "Beyond Epic"

So I think I can make these much faster if I actually sat down and worked on this. I've honestly been enjoying life too much with girlfriend, video games, food, and sleep. I guess I should enjoy it since it may never happen again once I'm employed. Lets hope that happens soon.

Comics and Computers

So, this is my attempt at a comic strip. I'm going to do a few more, see how this pans out, but maybe this'll turn into a regular thing. Tell me what you think.

Aside from that, just applying to jobs. I guess this is how I pass my time job hunting, but I'm happy with it. I cant wait to get my computer parts in the mail though, that'll open a whole new world of 2D and 3D art!

Magical

Hello Again

Sorry about the hiatus, it's been quite hectic since the end of my time at Yale. I've been moving all over the east coast, and then I drove across the country to California to visit my sister! Now I'm applying to jobs and moving around the west coast.

Because of all this movement, it's been a little difficult to sit and make art. That should change soon, at I may have some opportunity with a game company to make some concept art. Not going to say anything yet and jinx it, but I've started to practice to warm up if it does go through. Here's some magical art in a few different styles. Enjoy!

Iron Man and Lighting!

Oh hey, didn't see you there.

Just thought I'd paint every digital-artists favorite shiny subject. I just wanted an exercise to up my digital painting skills, and I think I did. Painting from reference was pretty easy and it was done in about 2 hours. Even though I'm not done with it, I'll share it with you since I'm about to go to sleep. Still gotta do some lighting and rendering passes to get to what I want, but I'll find time tomorrow.

Also, some more Maya practice today. I'll put up a render one day but it's all pretty boring looking. I was just experimenting with occlusions and lighting just to get a better understanding of rendering. Nothing to show for it yet but thought you'd like to know how I use my free time.

Anyways... ART!!!

Squeezing Out Some Art

The little free time I get when not teaching Architecture/ 3D VFX, I try to squeeze in a little artwork. I'm trying to stay sharp but every day I go without drawing I feel like I fall a step behind. At least my 3D skills are still sharp! Problem solving on 4 year old software is quite a challenge, but keeps me actively working on modeling. Once this summer job is over, I'll have enough money to get a massive computer and make some awesome renders! Until then, have some art.

3D Modeling and Architecture

Hey everyone. Its been a busy busy week, but now I've found some time to update you on whats going on.

Teaching high school students is tough, but it's definitely keeping me sharp. In two of my 3D Modeling classes I had a 15-minute demonstration showing the basics of modeling and rendering, and I managed to pull off a few renders below.

This is a crawler I made in 15 minutes demonstrating the use of Maya in creating machinery.

 This is a battle hammer I made in 15 minutes demonstrating how Maya can make video game assets.

The whole thing was pretty fun as I gave myself a time constraint and a model requested by students.

I also am working on a quick side project which blends with my architecture class. So far, just a few digital sketches inspired by the old gothic architecture on the Yale campus.

Still trying to find some time to work, and finding work after Yale. Wish me luck.

Another Quick One

Just another quick color sketch I made.

I think I'm getting better. Still trying to develop a style and get more done in less time.

Practice Makes Perfect

So I know I've graduated, thats a big thing. Now the hard part starts, making a career out of my passion. After packing up my apartment, traveling up the east coast to New Haven and setting up to teach at Yale, I finally have some free time to practice my craft.

This is just a quick color sketch I painted in Photoshop to help develop my digital painting. I think its getting closer and closer each time to what I want, but I gotta keep going. Basically this is for the Iron Islands concept showing the island nation our hero is from. I may start again with this composition and paint it in a different style to give it a more painterly, loose feel. Ill spend more time on it too. Just some art for your faces.

Oculus - A 3D Animated Short by Lee Alailima-Rose

I present to you Oculus, a 3D animated short film I made for my senior project at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Dedicated to Mom and Dad, who made all this possible. I wanted to thank Nayan for being there when things got hard and keeping me sane. Also, to all of my professors who gave me this knowledge, including Moon, Ashwin, and Schindler.

Oculus was an interesting and unexpected experience. Having gone from the huge project of "Sputnik and Laika" down to the "Oculus" short was not fun, but had to be done. Nonetheless, I am proud of what I made in the few weeks I had. Keep an eye out for developments on "Sputnik and Laika" though as I do plan to complete it on my own time.

Enjoy

Lee

Graduation!

I know I've been gone for a while. Finals can do that to a guy, especially when you're graduating at the end of the quarter. But I have graduated! Lee Alailima-Rose is now a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation!

My Senior Film is complete! It's a big file, being in HD and all that jazz, so I'll be posting the video up soon if Youtube or Vimeo stop being crazy and rejecting my formats. As soon as it's up I'll have a nice description, journey, process and all that fun stuff in the next post.

I am now packing up my apartment and selling all my stuff, leaving little time to creating. I'll be on my way to New Haven, Connecticut, to begin teaching "Architecture" and "3D Visual Effects" classes at Yale's summer program. More on that later.

Otherwise, all is well. Sorry about not posting, but transitions like these are pretty hectic. More coming soon, I need to keep packing. But I leave you with a fun picture of me, my senior film "Oculus", my alter ego "Lilo", and "Iggy" from Explo at Yale.

Project Rush

Remember the game I'm going to make after the summer? Here's a sneak peek. Still working on it but I feel proud of what I have so far.

Aside from that, my 3D animation is almost done so keep an eye out. Just rendering rendering rendering.

The Secrets Beneath Eitolas

Here's some art for your faces!

This is a quick concept I made for the "Iron Islands" universe where our hero learns the secrets beneath the world.

This weekend at GDX was amazing! I especially was inspired by Dave Inscore and Joe Maris, but all the presenters were incredible!

Oh yeah, I've decided if I don't have a job after working at Yale, I'm making a mobile game.

MORE RENDERS!

Here you go! More renders!

P.S. Imagine a starry sky in the background. The night sky will be added in after compositing.

So quick update!

This is the look of my film so far. Animation to be posted soon.

 

Everything you need to know about Triceratops Bone Axes, Teaching at Yale, 3D Animation, Battlestar Galactica, and Being Human

Alright alright, I haven't been keeping up the blog but for good reasons!
   
     Reason #1: I am swamped with my 3D animated short! I have to make this minute and a half long animation all by myself and its proving to be tougher than anticipate, even as simple as it is. I will try to update the work on the blog as much as possible, but I'm not finished with the rendered look so you'll have to wait. The animation is done though!
   
     Reason #2: I am planning to teach two classes and four sections of it over the summer at Yale! The subjects are 3D Visual Effects (Basics of Maya) and Architecture (basically Graphics of the Building Arts with some model making). I need to make activities, lectures, and other teacher stuff to convey these subjects gradually over the course of a few weeks, and it's a lot harder than it looks! Though I know it's going to be fun!
  
     Reason #3: Me and my girlfriend like to live life and do things. I regret nothing.

     Reason #4: Video games are the bane of my existence and eat all the down time I have. And if it's not video games, it's Battlestar Galactica with the girlfriend. Again, I regret nothing. I believe to be a whole and balanced human being you need to spend your time NOT working, even if you love your work and desperately want to be successful at it. Sure you gotta sacrifice a lot to make your goals, but there are some things I love that I can't sacrifice and that includes people and things I care about. That's what being human is about.

     Okay, now that I've lectured you on my life and philosophy, here's a little bit of work I made to return a favor for a friend. He'll be modeling it so I'm excited to see the end product.

     It started off as an "organic" and "animal" inspired sword. I thought of conventional weaponry and traditional swords based on organic shapes and animals, then it turned into an actual "organic" and "animal" swords using bones from rhinos, sharks, platypus, and even a mole rat. You cant blame him for going for the bone weapons, they are cooler than the metal weapons. Here's some art for your faces.

The Inquisitor

More art for your faces. It was fun making this and I feel like my digital painting is slowly getting better.

The Iron Samoan Concept

So I'm being bad and siphoning work time away from my Senior Film to up my drawing skills. I regret nothing. I have installed Maya on my computer though so thats a plus. I'm going to try making rough 3D environments and assets, rendering them, then paint over them. Should be a great time for all.

This is the Iron Samoan, a concept I came up with wondering what would Samoans be like if they got their hands on iron ore back in the iron age. And so I built a whole universe around it, creating a journey this warrior goes through to prevent the end of the world, which is not a planet at all! Spoilers!

Anyways, heres some art for your faces.

New Senior Film: Short and Sweet

Hey, working on the senior film, but I cut it down a lot, like no Sputnik or Laika, just drones and a rock. Not as cool but I had to make cuts to make the time limit.

More New Storyboards

No time to talk. Throwing art at yo faces.

Sputnik and Laika Quick Sketch

Here's the first frame of my storyboard for Sputnik and Laika. It's intended to be quick and show mood, color, and composition. Because of how quickly I need to make this 3D short the rest of the storyboards are going to look the same.

Environment for Sputnik and Laika

Here's a first render for Sputnik and Laika I made today.

Quick Hitchcock Color Sketch

Because I was so upset I don't have time to make concept art, i decided to do a quick 15 min paint-over on a Hitchcock film frame, thanks to the recommendations of my professor. This is a frame from "Vertigo".

Unfortunately I've been really busy with my 3D animated short, so I can't find time to do any significant art other than my sketchbook. I might post that soon though.

This here is the drone for my film. Over the weekend I UVed, textured, and rigged this bad boy so I'm pretty happy. Next up, Sputnik!

The Iron Samoan

Spring break went by so quickly! I wish I had made more art. At least I got to have a break and chill before my last quarter of college, which is going to be insane since I have a whole 3D animated film due in 10 weeks! Oh boy.

Here's a little piece I'm working on. The background is still being worked on but the character is done. He's the "Iron Samoan", a character within a universe where Polynesians made it to the Iron Age and how their weapons and armor style would look like, but there's a huge twist that I can't even begin to describe.

Nayan's Portrait

Made a quick painted portrait to show a little process. It was fun, and a great way to get back into work after a short break. Took me about two or three hours.

Four is Complete

Lots of work done today! Four is complete and now I will rest my hand. Laters

Alien Girl

Here's a young alien princess character concept for the Transcendence concept. More to come.

Work in Progress

Here's another environment I made today. Finals have been kicking my butt so not much art to report. I am working on some simple personal stuff, and a good amount of sketchbooking, which you may see soon.

The Legend of 4

Remember that giant robot I'm designing? Well his name is "4", an ancient robot created by the god Kalindari to defend the world, Denhali, and its humanoid inhabitants, the Denhal.
4 was given phenomenal cosmic power and immortality, but lacked the knowledge of right and wrong, which led to the "Rebellion" when another god fooled 4 into joining her against Kalindari, culminating in the final battle on the Denhali planet surface.
With Kalindaris defeat within sight and the world falling apart, a brave Denhal woman stood between 4 and the weakened god. Influenced by the sheer courage and purity of her soul in the face of certain death, 4 turned against the evil god and chained himself to the four corners of the world to prevent its destruction, holding it together. Although the world was saved, Kalindari did not release 4 from his chains. 4 was too powerful and too easily fooled to be set free, so he was condemned to imprisonment until he was needed again.
Kalindari blessed the brave Denhal woman with power and wisdom, and she went on to build the capital city Kalindri and unify the planet in a golden age as Queen of the Denhal. History soon became legend, and legend became myth, until 4 was all but forgotten. It is rumored that the royal family still have the powers passed down from their brave ancestor, and that when in grave danger solely have the power to awaken "The God Machine" to defend their city.