In Light of the Mayan Apocalypse...

I figured that since allegedly the world will end in fire or something in a couple of days, I'd post something festive for that occasion.... Kidding!

I was going through my files, trying to back up my work before we switch labs after Christmas Break, and found the first thing I ever did in Houdini about a year and a half ago: this torch flame!

Its insanely short, I can't remember why I didn't render out more frames, and maybe there is a longer one hidden somewhere, but I remember both enjoying this assignment a ton, and going crazy over the shader and other little things. I think I'll go back and try to make some really nice fire sometime and composite it into a real image someday. Only after I get the hair working in actual shots for our senior film though.

Also stay tuned: I'm modeling and grooming a lion over the next few weeks, so hopefully I'll have that to show you guys soon!

Tyler Carter is Having a contest

Sorry, Nothing from me today, but soon I'll have some sweet hair shots to show you guys from Chasm!

But today is not that day. Instead I am giving my friend Tyler Carter a plug. He is doing a giveaway on his blog. There are some REALLY cool prizes including half-tuition to AnimSchool, and a number of stunning prints. He is one of the most talented people I have ever met, and I am sure that in a few years he's going to be pretty legendary.

So check out this video:



Enter the contest. Follow his Blog. Maybe you'll win! and if not, at the very least you'll be following a really ace artist.

New Demo Reel!

Check it out! I made a new Reel. Let me know what you think!

Simulation Reel November 2012 from Meredith Moulton on Vimeo.

Houdini Hair

Hey guys! Its been a while since I posted anything new to this blog, because I've been hard at work trying to figure out how to do hair in Houdini for my class' senior film. This is Addison, the main character, and this is just a test to see how well her hair reacts using muscles/chopNet to drive it instead of DOPs. It seriously cut down simulation time which is a neccesity for the crotchety computers we have to work on.

New Drawings. Hooray!

I realized I've seriously been neglecting this blog. I'll be better I swear! Here are some drawings I've done fairly recently.

Dirty Diana: 

Would you believe I drew this before I read the Hunger Games? Drew this in November or December probably as part of an assignment where we were supposed to design a hero. I am a bit of a fan of the Roman goddess Diana (aka Artemis in the Greek legends, Goddess of the hunt, and moon) So I decided to turn her into a Superhero. I called her Dirty Diana because of the Michael Jackson song. In hindsight that's kind of a misnomer since Diana in the legends is a pure lady. Oh well. 

I happen to struggle greatly with drawing 'scary' things so I was instructed to emulate Michel Gagné's style. This is what I came up with.

Ugly sketchbook scan of another superheroine. Loosely based off of a halloween costume I sported when I was in high school. I have a thing for archery I guess. 

And Dr. House. 

Thats all for now Folks! Stay tuned. I'll be uploading more drawings soon! 

Bird Groom

Last semester for I tried to use Shave and a Haircut to do a groom for this bird I modeled and rigged. In hindsight I don't think I would have approached it this way, I definitely would have painted on his head and arm feathers, rather than grown the hairs on those smooth areas I think, but this was good practice. and I think its an ok render. Nothing amazing, and I find new mistakes everywhere, buy it was a learning experience for sure.

I'm going to upload some stuff about my rig and some test animations sometime, since that stuff turned out way better, so stay posted.