Ponyo and Model Mayhem

"Ponyo, ponyo, ponyo, fishy in the sea,

tiny little fishy, who could you really be?

Ponyo, ponyo, ponyo, magic sets you free.

oh pretty little girl will you swim back to me?"

Yeah more fanart this time for Ponyo while I was taking a break from 3D modeling.

After saving the same file as an .obj like er... 3 times it finally worked. Deadline is suppose to be Friday for these models, but we don't have a place to upload them yet so I think we're going to have until Sunday. I've also discovered that I like modeling objects/ props, I like texturing whatever, AND I like animating already modeled and rigged characters; I hate modeling characters myself. I don't know why. I just have never gotten the hang of the whole thing. So unless something clicks and whatever my brain is doing that holds me back from making good 3D characters I'll just be modeling props and animating open source characters. >>

Where did July go?

Ok, well since I've updated I've worked a bit more on Gob character designs as well as animating in blender. Unfortunately my computer really hates 3d animating a lighter program such as blender. I also have been working on story boarding a few shots that are more cut scene-y unfortunately with the shape the apartment is in I misplaced a sketchbook and had to draw in a different sketch book and now I'm condensing the shots back into one sketch book. Hopefully meet up about them soon. My favorite concept for gob so far has been theses two krakens.Top one would be a total pain to model with my still basic modeling skills.

San Diego comic con also happened while I've been away and I was full of jealous the whole time between the adventure time pizza, ponies, LOONEY TOONS, and Scooby Doo Mystery Inc. people. I really hope that in the not too distant future to be able to comic con out there. It doesn't really look like a great next working place but at the same time it does so I guess you have to go to find out.

I also got back from Otakon over the weekend. It was cool stuffs. Saw the FMA movie that's still in Japaneses theaters which made me feel special. Also got to see the Trigun movie dubbed and that was really exciting 'cause doughnuts. Also bought all the pokemon... well not all the pokemon but pretty close to it. Over all between watching more things this year and hanging out with friends more I enjoyed Otakon '11 more than the past ones.


Also perhaps most importantly I got married. I also got my last name upgraded because well Mrs. Sparkes is pretty awesome sounding.

This face is possibly the best face I have ever made on camera before. Oliver is making fun of his father for being short. That's also my uncle who gave me away.

I'm hoping it won't be so long in between updates, but I like posting things that are a bit more polished art wise then what I've been working on which is super unpolished.

Vidjio Games and Hearts!

Ok so today was the most fun I've had on a day that I didn't request off of work. Not saying that I was working 'cause I was off, but I didn't request the day. I went up to Harrisburg and watched as a few super cool high school presented their video game demos as well as tested a few out. Then in the superest coolest part Harrisburg University has a Virtusphere.

You get in this over priced hamster ball with a couple senors and you can be emersed into a world that's on the computer. Not quite X Men Danger room or anything, but it was still amazing!
This Russian game that came with the system is what we experienced. Despite the fact that the textures didn't blow me away the fact that I was moving in real time and able to go any direction I wanted and that I was only looking at this area (though goggles). I was a bit unaware of reality. When it was time for me to exit I was wondering why I didn't see Tony who was talking to me. That last bit may sound a bit derp, but I was really emerced in this walking around a Russian town that and when in the Virtusphere you have all the motions and work of walking up hill with all the momentum of walking down hill.

After all the fun was over at the University. Then my video game makin' homies and I went walking around Harrisburg and found a place to eat and talk about Gob's Rebellion we mapped out deadlines that we'll have to keep to be able to to get a finished looking demo done by the end of the summer so week can look up/for game/young game competitions and get some feed back before finishing the game. It's getting exciting because things are really in motion with the programing and now with the art; modeling and rigging is starting soon, animation will be in the game.

Also I'm getting really excited about getting married in 9 days *dances and prances*.

Good days good times next time I might post some more art, but this was a really eye opening day not just for restrictions in the entertainment technology fields we are fighting still in the 21st century. I am also trying to figure out what else I need to learn with art to make me more useful to the entertainment industry. The only way to know what you need to improve on is to create more challenging work, and I'm seeing through this gaming experience that working with other people who have high expectations make self challenging easier. I don't know if any of that made sense, but it does to me.