Author: Glen

Work Title: Anger’s Reflection (3 Scenes)

Note: materials and environments will be different in final product as they are not yet ready. Also, split face model needs to be re-smoothed. The keyshot materials actually look pretty good on the makehuman models so I might just go with those if I run out of time.

Below are the concept sketches for the character (the monster/man with fuse head/transforming man) and the environment (mirror)

This is a texture-less test render of the model for scene 3. All of the main geometry is now complete and I can begin attempting to UV map in Blender

These are test renders of the middle scene of 3 scenes. UV mapped textures will be created with blender/photoshop when all geometry is finalized.

I am choosing to borrow the strategies of focusing on a dramatic pose found in comic books. I am also taking visual and philosophic inspiration from the comic book characters Two-Face (from Batman) and Venom (from Spiderman).

The visual of image of the face split down the middle with two very contrasting visages is one I will incorporate into my project. Some visual elements from Venom have also inspired my character as well.

Philosophically, Two-Face represents someone who attempts to justify evil actions that serve what he believes is a greater good, blinding himself to the evil of his own actions in the process. Venom represents the idea that an individual’s worst and most terrifying enemy is often himself, and resonates the concept of misusing newfound power.

Image 1:

Work Title: Cover, Batman Annual Vol. 1, No. 14 (1990)

Artist: Neal Adams

Image 2: Artwork for cover of Marvel Comics Thunderbolts Vol. 2 (2007)

Artist: Leinil Yu

In addition to editing the pre-made UV texture maps for makeHuman models I can now create, edit, and apply my own UV texture maps to makeHuman and other models I have modified with T-Splines. In the below image I have demonstrated this by coloring the mouth and skin independently on a custom UV map as a proof of concept. The material comes in to KeyShot as an advanced material, and an additional specular map will be made to eliminate the unwanted skin reflection, but keep wanted reflection as in the eyes. Model exports are .obj

This really looks weird, but I figured out how to edit custom UV texture maps in photoshop to paint on faces/body features onto a makehuman model. The different color head/body and weird eyes were painted as a proof of concept in photoshop

I chose the question of why “good people do bad things” and how or if they recognize themselves doing it. I chose this topic because I think it is very important to ethics in the modern world, where the line between right and wrong/good and evil is often blurred. It is also very important to my own life, as a similar idea is something that very often concerns and causes me problems.

In further explanation of the question, an example of what I am talking about is when people use extenuating circumstances as an excuse for actions they wouldn’t normally take. For example, police brutality in the name of revenge against a cop-killer is a common, real world example. Abuses of power, crimes in war, or acts of violence/”evil” in general almost have some kind of justification that could be argued for, especially a public support for revenge. Another essential idea is the notion of a “short fuse”, in which someone becomes angered and destructive without realizing it. Also important is the idea of unknown strength, in which someone does not realize they have as much power or impact on the world and people around them as they think, causing them to inflict unintentional harm or damage.

I am visually inspired by the following tangible things, some of them from fiction:

– Police Brutality

– Torture to prevent terrorism

– The character Walter White from Breaking Bad

– The character Venom from the Spider-man story

– Peer pressure induced bullying

– Literally the idea of a short fuse

– The death penalty

– Moby Dick, consumption by revenge

– The character two-face from Batman

– Gangs

Step 3:

My question/problem/paradox (it is all three) is the question of why “good people do bad things”, and how people struggle with choosing actions that are in line with their own vision or society’s vision of good and evil and recognizing the consequences of those actions introspectively.

Rendering of foliage with all custom materials

Here is a quick test of a rust texture using normal and diffuse maps created in photoshop

I am out of time for the night and have taken some screen shots of my progress.

The sketches below show the arrival of cortes on a piece of driftwood, the tlaxcalan (army ant) bowing to cortes, a swarm scene with a rusted rapier sword against a rock, a potential form of Cortes, a destroyed Aztec pyramid with thousands of bug carcasses after the battle:

I intend to recreate the legend of Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes, specifically the siege of Tenochtitlan. Although the siege historically happened, many of the events have been dramatized and exaggerated in the legend, lending larger than life characteristics on the major characters. The story goes that Cortes arrives to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in search of gold and power with a relatively small group of Conquistadors, who posses weapons, immunity to disease, armor, and mobility (horses) that are superior to that of the technology of the native Aztecs and other nations. Cortes’ force is much too small to take over the Aztec’s alone. Rather than rely on brute force he takes advantage of a native prophecy that causes Aztecs and others to believe he is a power feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Using this belief, Cortes tricks some of the natives, the Tlaxcalans, into allying with him. Cortes leads his small army and the enormous army of the Tlaxcalans to destroy the longstanding city of Tenochtitlan and soon the Aztec civilization with a brutal siege, destroying lives, crops and homes of thousands.

I chose this story because I think that the Conquistadors share many traits with the invasive, yet subtle stink bug.

Turning points:

1. Cortes arrival to Mexico and establishment with local allies using his god-persona.

2. The actual siege of Tenochtitlan, a scene of swarming, destruction, and senseless violence.

3. The aftermath of the battle, in which the once great city is destroyed and many members of all parties involved are dead. This scene is the start of centuries of corruption/an important removal of freedom in Mexico.

I intend to emphasize many parts of the story that are now considered to be historically inaccurate, such as the notion that the Tlaxcalans betrayed fellow natives and the idea that Cortes was actually believed to be a god. I intend to change these because I think that these actions lend well to the sneaky qualities of the stink bug and I also believe that they better show the brutality of Spanish conquest, which was very real.

Trying the wings opened and closed in keyshot. The closed wings are asymmetrical to be able to overlap on the back. A test material made in photoshop is applied. need higher res

Stink Bug shown without wings. Leaf model with a high res. leaf texture in keyshot

The stink bug, or pentatomidae are a family of shield bug. They are small beetles with a shield shaped body, with widely varying colors and shapes of both their adult forms and nymphs. They get their name from their ability to secrete a foul smelling, cyanide containing liquid when threatened. This response as, well as their overall resilience, long life, and resistance to pesticides makes them relatively invulnerable to humans and predators. Some stink bugs can live for multiple years even in non-tropical climates.

Culturally, stink bugs are generally hated for their foul odor, tendency to infest human structures and trees, and their tendency to feed on crops as pests. Since they are unaffected by many pesticides they can decimate domesticated crops or garden plants. A minority of cultures consider stink bugs to be beneficial because they are sometimes predators of other beetles. People in Laos eat stink bugs.

I chose stink bugs/ shield bugs because I think they would go well with a story of trickery, infiltration, and invasion because shield bug nymphs often look nothing like their adult forms and sometimes grow up to become ferocious pests or predators. They are also attracted to heat/light, as some humans are attracted to gold. They have also invaded the mid-atlantic United States in the last  decade and I have been seeing them nearly every day for years, have a very good notion of their body plan, and I hate them/would enjoy putting them into a story as an antagonist.