Off I go...

So the time has finally come, after about 6 months or so of waiting, to jet of to Munich, Germany to start my internship at BMW.

This really is an amazing opportunity that I've come across and to think it was a normal day, lunch time, sitting in my friends workshop eating lunch that someone mentioned it to me. It was pretty lucky I guess, right place at the right time and it really is weird to see what a brilliant chance to get ahead it has turned into. It just goes to show that you should go for it, no matter how small the chance, you have nothing to lose.

I think it just goes to show the talent that is on our course and how underestimated game art is. I really regard myself as lucky when I think that anyone, that's right anyone, on our course is good enough be in my shoes. I simply knuckled down on my car modelling skills and managed to impress my prospective employer, just as other people on our course have really worked hard to build their skills, and it shows. I really do believe that the people I've worked with in Game Art Design are some of the most talented and enthusiastic people I've ever been around.

I'll be leaving on Wednesday and I'm really looking forward to it. I guess it's a chance to start something fresh in a new place. I'm going to take in as much as humanly possible whilst I'm there, even if it may not realated game art. Knowledge of how other people doing things is key, and will enable you to explore different methods of getting things done.

I'm also really looking forward to settling in to Munich and learning to speak German well. I have been learning over the past few months and I have enjoyed it, but it will take time, and hopefully being in social situations will make me want to learn even more.

I plan to keep making game related models during my spare time, and hopefully find somewhere I can do life drawing. I will definitely keep posting and using the facebook, which I have found to be a great way of displaying work and critting.

Even though I will be back next year I'm sad to leave everyone in my year. I've had a great time with all of you, and I'm disappointed that I won't get to work with and along side you guys. I wish you the best of luck in your futures, and I know I'm going to be seeing your names roll down the credits screen real soon.

Aufedersein...

I like blue...

A bit more photo montaging with a max scene...maybe I should try a different colour :)

Water under the bridge...

So this is another play around with a max scene I made. I find this is a really quick way of starting a paint, ok so it may not be conventional painting, but it it cuts your time down and increases efficiency and precision then I'm all for it.

Right, next...

Layer crazy...

OK so here's another experiment with textures and over lays. I used a scene I whacked together in max using my car that I made a while back, and let loose with the textures and contast.

To get the overlays I would simply make a copy of the whole or part of the picture and distort it by squashing and using the perspective tool. Then mess around with then opacity and layer mode.

I'm quite pleased with the outcome :D

A lengthy pit stop...

This is my summer project, even though I havent worked on it in a few months.

Its my Ferrari 158, model of 1964, which also won the world championship that year.

It's close to 6,000 tris at the moment, and with only a bit of the engine to do and the wheels to dupe, it should easilly make the 9,000 budget...thats if I get round to it :)

My next little project is to make my own car, a VW Polo...lets get cracking!

Paint to the max!

Ok, another quick paint, used a max scene and messed about with textures

high contrast...

It's been a while but I've picked up the wacom pen again.

Have been playing mirrors edge and wow, what a game. Its seems to have gone fairly unoticed but its fresh look and cool game mechanics (along with the awesome tattoo designs they've got) made it a really good game for me, and only £15! pick it up if you get the chance.

So yeah this ones kinda inspired buy that, i've really like messing with the levels lately and getting a vibrant, high contrast image.


This other one is a quick paint of an industrial city


There'll be more to come soon

and into second...

ahh so I'm not about 3-4 hours into project I'd guess. I'm kind of disappointed because I'd thought I'd have more done by now, but it's true whats they say...you cant rush art :p

I've pretty much got the body work sorted. It has been more challenging than I thought, and I'm sure it'll get harder before the end. Anyway here are some view port shots, it's a smudge under 600 Tris at the moment, and I'm working to a budget of 9,000 so I've got a fair amount of lee-way.
More to come soon...

And it's go Go GOOOO!

Ok, so I'm back, after a rather rude interruption by a stomach bug, but the important thing is I'm back to do some work.

I've chosen the F1 car and driver project as I really want to improve on my car models, and it's something I really enjoy.

Ive chosen to model the 1964 Ferrari 158 (oooh yes, vintage). There are several reasons for this. Firstly modern formula one teams are HIGHLY secretive, and therefore, are near impossible to get good quality blueprints or orthographic projections for. This is quite annoying as some of the modern ones have really refined, slimline designs, full of fins and gills.

Secondly I think there's something really cool about the model I've chosen. It has a really smooth body but then at the back it's full of pipes and engine components sticking out everywhere.

I also chose this model because it's got a very unique look to it, and its true that you could model a Peugeot 106 brilliantly... but at the end of the day, it's still a Peugeot 106 ( I'm not say that it's not a good car, just that it won't have the same impact on the viewer)

So I'll be around In the labs from Wednesday since I'm heading back to London for a few days for a certain someones birthday (mine). If anyone wants to practice their car modeling I've got a great video tutorial that helped me get to grips with them. Give me a shout if you want to 'borrow' it ;)

We're getting close...

Well assessment time is closing in, and everything seems a bit weird, why... because I'm not that busy!

Come assessment time though out my life I've always bin tremendously busy in those few final days, but this time I'm quite pleased with my planning. Don't get me wrong I've been working pretty hard, I just don't seem as stressed.

Over the past week I've been working on my land sea air yacht project and the cultural walks project. I've mainly been developing my work and producing a final outcome. I like to show my development and I think it's very important when giving a presentation, but it's always good to have final polished images to show.

As far as my presentation goes, I'm going to keep it simple. I don't want to distract people from the images, In my view, as long as the images are interesting and displayed in a pleasing manner, you should need lots going on in the background with fade effects (I personally can't stand those crappy PowerPoint animations and over the top fades).

I must say that I took a peek at the summer project, and am very enticed. The main ones that have caught my eye are...

The formula 1 car and driver - since I really enjoyed doing my BMW, and an f1 car seems like a real challenge!


Rain forest crash site and survivor - I want to try and compete with the uncharted environments because they are quite simply stunning!


Harley and Hells Angels - Because Harley's are awesome and Full Throttle was a work of genius!


So we'll see, maybe I can get 3 done over the summer, I don't think that's unrealistic....