Insects

Insects from Ramteen on Vimeo.

Check out this amazing project "Insects" by my good friend Ramtin Ahmadi.

You can watch the making of video below.

Insects - Making of from Ramteen on Vimeo.

SHAPES Webinar with Andrew Silke Teaser "Demo" (21-9-2014)

SHAPES Webinar with Andrew Silke Teaser "Demo" (21-9-2014) from Puppeteer Lounge on Vimeo.

In this Exclusive Webinar, Andrew explains all the insides and secrets of setting up corrective shapes using the SHAPES tool by brave rabbit. Learn to setup an expressive facial rig and create anatomically correct articulation for the body!

Special thanks to Puppeteer Lounge's guest instructor Andrew Silke from Create 3d Characters for sharing such brilliant tips and trickery on using SHAPES and Ingo Clemen the master behind SHAPES who was present the whole time answering questions and sharing his insights

SHAPES 2.0 is a really powerful tool that let's an artist to focus more into the creative side or process of character setup and speed up the workflow exponentially.

More Info: puppeteerlounge.com/webinar

Get SHAPES: braverabbit.de/shapes/
Andrew Silke (Create 3d Characters): create3dcharacters.com/
Ingo Clemens (brave rabbit): braverabbit.de/

Ryse: 3Lateral face rigs in action from 3Lateral on Vimeo.

I was thinking about the possibility of integrating 3d scan for facial performance rig and today I came across this demo video using the same principle. A rig built from the overlaying 3d scan of actor's expression (serving the purpose of a corrective shape) based on FACS (different LOD of joint based facial rig) then driven through facial motion capture.

Check out the making of these facial rigs here. Great insights on LOD of the setup. The rigs are primarily joint based and the 3d scan serves as a corrective shape to enhance the realism of facial deformation. (Thanks Cesar Saez for sharing it to me): http://www.chrisevans3d.com/pub_blog/multi-resolution-facial-rigging/

Anyways, thinking of purchasing the scans here and building a facial rig out of it, let's see how it goes (For study it's a great reference).

You can purchase yours here: http://www.3dscanstore.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=90_105

P.S. I saw this technique first used in Matrix movies when Neo punches the agent in the face.

La Ritournelle - Teaser

La Ritournelle - Teaser from Reza Dolatabadi on Vimeo.

Check out the teaser for the upcoming short film "La Ritournelle" by directer Reza Dolatabadi. I was responsible for the character rigging. We (Puppeteer Lounge) also assisted with character animation and lighting/rendering for an unreleased trailer for the short.

Real Time Expression Scans

Real Time Expression Scans from Ten 24 on Vimeo.

The 3d scan system can also revolutionize the facial rigging stuff soon. Check this out.

Scans available at: http://www.3dscanstore.com/

Making of Fol'Amor by Marthe Delaporte

Making of Fol'Amor from marthe delaporte on Vimeo.

Making of Fol'Amor by Marthe Delaporte.

Semi Auto Skinning Framework demo by Hans

Semi Auto Skinning Framework from Hans Godard on Vimeo.

Guess skinning is going to be not as time-consuming as it is now with this new algorithm computing the weights automatically. But still skin painting is a very creative process more like an artist creating a masterpiece. 

I wonder why Maya doesn't have a good deformer which will relax deformations properly, such as StretchMesh or the one above. Guess Autodesk will implement these in the near future :)

Muscle setup snapshot by Andres Quezada

A snapshot of muscle setup from Puppeteer Lounge's Rigging Workshop 3 by one of my talented student Andres Quezada.

3 Days to go! SHAPES Webinar with Andrew Silke

Posted this directly from Create 3d Characters by Andrew Silke!

I'll be speaking at the Puppeteer Lounge Shapes Webinar is this Sunday! Sunday morn for some of you in the rest of the world (Europe USA).

Since I'm so excited about SHAPES 2 I've uploaded this free demo video demonstrating how simple and powerful this tool is. (see below)

The webinar is a one hour introduction to SHAPES 2 at the Puppeteer Lounge covering the facial setup of Natalie. $75 USD. This is an insight into how facial is done on some of the worlds biggest movies and games using techniques that are becoming the norm but until lately haven't been available in off the shelf tools.

SHAPES is fastest becoming the best off the shelf corrective blendshape editor/blendshape sculptor and total blendshape manager for Maya. Comes with paint masking, grab brush, one click pose space deformation or driven key setup, complete symmetry handling tools, full export import, one click topology changer and much more.

Webinar At the Puppeteer Lounge ($75)
http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/webinar

SHAPES 2.0 Video Introduction (Free)


Natalie Facial Video (free rig coming soon)


SHAPES Official Page
http://www.braverabbit.de/shapes/

Funding Dolpo School

Puppeteer Lounge co-founder/Animator Sachina Shakya donating fund to the Sir of Himalayas, Binod Shahi

It's our greatest pleasure to meet our very good friend Mr. Binod Shahi and supporting his campaign on educating the rural children of Dolpo region of Nepal. Puppeteer Lounge will be financially supporting "Dolpo School" annually for the proper education and welfare of the children of Dolpo. We are also planning a thing or two for the near future

You can also watch our short "Dolpo School" dedicated to Binod Shahi and the children of Dolpo in #Vimeo:  

Dolpo School (2014) from Puppeteer Lounge on Vimeo.


Snow Yak Foundation in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Snow-YakBlue Foundation

Snow Yak Website: http://snowyak.org/

Studio Library

Studio Library is a free python script for managing poses and animation in Maya by Kurt Rathjen.

You can get Studio Library for free here: http://www.studiolibrary.com/

AnimShader library

AnimShader library from Marco Giordano on Vimeo.

Check out "AnimShader library" by Puppeteer Lounge's instructor Marco Giordano.

Learn #Python programming with Marco Giordano at Puppeteer Lounge: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/python-workshop

A week to go for Puppeteer Lounge Exclusive Webinar on SHAPES

Just a week to go! "SHAPES Webinar with Andrew Silke"

The final countdown. Registration date closes on 20th September 2014!

Join us to get an in-depth guidance from Andrew, where he will be talking about the inside of creating corrective shapes efficiently for an expressive facial rig.

http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/webinar
http://www.braverabbit.de/shapes/

*** brave rabbit offers a special discount on the purchase of student and commercial version of SHAPES 2.0 for the participants of this Live & Exclusive Webinar.**

track&wheel Rig

track&wheel Rig from jonntd on Vimeo.

Tank track and wheel rig/tool demo. Good demonstration of tank thread and ground interaction. The UI looks pretty old school but get's the job done :)

Jimmy Gunawan now works at Luma Pictures

Congratulation!!

I would like to congratulate my multi-talented student and a good friedn Jimmy Gunawan. Jimmy recently got hired at Luma Pictures as a Rigging TD. Wish him the very best :D

Jimmy's Blender Blog: http://blendersushi.blogspot.com/
Jimmy's Maya Blog: http://mayaspiral.blogspot.com.au/
Jimmy's Houdini Blog: http://houdoodles.blogspot.com/

Graduates: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/graduates
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http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/
http://www.lumapictures.com/

10 Days to go for SHAPES Webinar with Andrew Silke

The character in the above clip has been completely set-up with the help of SHAPES by Andrew Silke.

To all the participants of Puppeteer Lounge's online event "SHAPES Webinar by Andrew Silke", please check your inbox for the Webinar invitation and SHAPES discount code email. After entering the code the price will automatically adjust.

If you would like to participate for the online event, apply here (Registration date closes on 20th September 2014 : http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/apply

More Info: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/webinar

SHAPES: http://www.braverabbit.de/shapes/
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Special thanks to Ingo Clemens and Andrew Silke :)

We look forward to meeting with you all.

Bendy Bones by Jimmy Gunawan

A snapshot of bendy bones from Puppeteer Lounge's Cartoon Character Rigging Workshop in Blender by student Jimmy Gunawan.

Our students are really happy with the whole thing. Stay posted for our upcoming student rigging reel in Blender!

If you would like to learn character rigging in Blender, apply here for the upcoming session (Group workshop starts mid October): http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/apply

Blender Rigging Workshop starts at $240 only.
http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/blender-workshop

P.S. Character model from our Modeling Workshop.
http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/modeling-workshop

Facial rigging WIP demo by student Damien VIE

Facial Rigging from VIE Damien on Vimeo.

Here is a quick WIP glimpse of what my student at Puppeteer Lounge, Damien VIE is up-to with his facial rigging from our Rigging Workshop.

http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/rigging-workshop

Bonnie & the Loricat

Bonnie & the Loricat from BonnieandtheLoricat on Vimeo.

Check out this wonderfully chilling short!

Chris Scott Rigging Reel August 2014

Chris Scott Rigging Reel August 2014 from Christopher Scott on Vimeo.

A pug with wings! How cool can that be :)

Here is one of my students at Puppeteer Lounge, Christopher Scott's latest rigging show-reel!
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http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/rigging-workshop

Gurung Eyes

Snapshot from Puppeteer Lounge's latest cover photo! Just a quick update :)

Eyes of Gurung, features in Rigging Workshop 3 at Puppeteer Lounge.

RUN (Re-Post) by David Good

Re-Post of the animated short "RUN" by Puppeteer Lounge's animation instructor David Good. Check it out! The short is about PTSD or Post-traumatic stress disorder where a soldier is confronted by his unresolved past! The portrayal of the character is very nicely done.

Learn character animation with David: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/animation-workshop

Join us for the upcoming fall session: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/apply

Animation Reel 2011 by Jeremy Davidson

Animation Reel 2011 from Jeremy Davidson on Vimeo.

Character animation reel by Puppeteer Lounge's Blender workshop instructor, Jeremy Davidson!

Learn how to setup a character rig like these in Blender with Jeremy: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/blender-workshop

Join us for the upcoming fall session: http://www.puppeteerlounge.com/apply

F.A.S.T

F.A.S.T from clovis gay on Vimeo.

Check out this cool video demo of F.A.S.T by Clovis Gay. Inspired by what Pixar showed on Presto, this tool will really speed up your animation workflow. There is no need to select and manipulate controller to pose the character, the puppet is controlled by manipulating predefined mesh zones with your mouse movements.

You can get the tool currently available for 3ds Max here: http://www.kinematiclab.com/#!fast/cokv

P.S. the head model/scan used in the demo can be purchased from: http://www.triplegangers.com/