Are you looking forward to the new book? I know I am! This book is rapidly becoming a breathtaking example of just how much I’ve learned in the last few years since starting this series. The scenes are definitely fabulous and with the additional RAM for the computer, render quickly. In some cases, I can’t get over despite how used to the program I am, it still manages to surprise me with the renders.
An example would be a render I did just yesterday for page 6. I positioned the camera to sight along an arrow and the reflection of the mountains in the scene on the bow caught me by surprise. Well, I won’t spoil it too much, but this book is most certainly one to be proud of.
I thought it would be fun to share a small sneak peek at the upcoming action. To read more, you’ll just have to wait until it’s released later in the month! Ready? You sure? Positive you’re sure? Here it comes!
Impressive, aren’t they? Learning new techniques is indeed paying off. This looks to be a very well done book. I don’t dare spoil the action to come, but you won’t want to miss one bit of it!
I’m also happy to say the tablet I got has been paying for itself. Since it thinks it’s a computer, I managed to install GIMP on it. It’s similar to Photoshop and I’ve been putting it to good use. I figured out how to make myself custom brushes from stock character and scene renders. These brushes in turn serve to aid in planning the pages of the book when I’m not at the computer. This means work goes with me even when I’m out. These stock render plan pages are like sketches. Simplistic in nature, but most certainly get the point across as a guide for final rendering.
I’m also finding a comfortable method of script formatting rather than the mere who said what with occasional captions thrown in for good measure. Dream Angel #21 is the first to follow this formatting and it’s quite effective. Combined with the stock render plan pages, the final renders look very close to what I had in mind when I was writing the script the first time. Granted, like any writer, the script goes through a mess of revisions, but usually as I’m planning the pages. For those that don’t know, I’m a very visual person. Visual learner in particular. If I can see what I’m doing or learning, it’s easier for me to understand. Thus this new script style combined with the stock render plan pages has sped things up quite a bit.
What do I mean by speeding things up? Here’s a look at how I plan things for each day:
- wake up at 6 or 7AM (give or take a few minutes)
- walk dog/breakfast
- 8AM (again give or take a few minutes) until Noon I have set aside for rendering the day’s book page. Most of the time lately, it’s been less than 2 hours for rendering the page because of the plan pages and new script format that helps guide the scene. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy in the slightest to get a scene just right, but once it’s set, pose, expression and camera changes are all that I need to do until the next scene change.
Ask anyone who’s never looked cross-eyed at a 3D program to try rendering some of the scenes I’ve done lately and they’ll call you crazy the instant they see the program’s interface. It’s that way with people using Photoshop for the first time, too. Like a deer caught in a car’s headlights they don’t know what to do with all those gadgets, bells and whistles. It’s taken me years to do what I’m able to do now.
Anyway, I’m opening the door to your thoughts on the matter, but make sure you stick to site-wide rules! If you don’t know them, go visit the home page and read them. I love criticism, as long as it’s constructive! Learning from mistakes is very important and I do make a point of trying to learn from constructive criticism.
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