Completed Newt Illustration

I have completed my newt illustration. My professor had some great suggestions to improve my illustration, most of which I implemented within my illustration. One suggestion that I really liked was adding a light effect in Photoshop to the illustration. I did not know that light effects existed in Photoshop, and I really like how adding that light provides a central focus to the illustration.

Sea Squirt Animation

Since last October I have been working on my Master’s thesis project. For my project I am creating an animation in Maya that depicts Ciona intestinalis, a sea squirt, under water, and then zooms in to show aspects of its heart. This has been my first time really trying to create an animation. I am relatively done with the animation expect for a few minor things. Below are a few screen shots of my models and animation. I will upload the animation once it is fully complete.

Just to note I took artistic license to make things more pronounced and distinctive on my sea squirt models. So, some things may not be completely accurate.

Last Figure Drawing Session

Figure drawings from the last figure drawing session of the semester.

Inprogress Newt Illustration

For my last project in my independent study in Photoshop, I am drawing a red-spotted newt. This illustration incorporates the heart of the amphibian in a similar fashion to how the zebrafish illustration included its heart. Again though I actually prefer the illustration without the inset of the heart.

I am really enjoying working on this illustration. I feel like I’m done, but I meet with my professor on Thursday to see what changes may be necessary to improve the illustration.

Mouse Heart

My last project for my independent study in ZBrush was to create a mouse heart. This was my first time ever modeling a heart in a 3D program. I started by using z-spheres to get the basic shape of the heart, and from there sculpted the entire heart. Once I finished sculpting the heart I then cut the model in a slight S-shape to generate the cross-section. Once I had the cross-section I used the ZBrush tools to dig and pull on the model to create the interior of the heart. Texturing and painting the model was incredibly fun. To finish it all off I composited the layers of my texture and painting in photoshop.

I can not say that my model is entirely accurate but I did the best I could to get close, and I had fun in the process.

Zebrafish Illustration Complete

I have finally completed my zebrafish illustration. I had the most trouble trying to find a good place for my heart inset. I like the illustration a more so without the heart, but I do like the solution I was able the develop for the heart inset. That is all thanks to my classmate Caroline. I have included both illustrations. One with the heart inset, and the other without. There are still some minor tweaks that I need to do to the illustration to fully finish the illustration, but overall it is complete.

Figure Drawing Session

A few more figure drawings from our past session that was held on March 20th.