#Pearl And Wipples | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 4 months

Text

First peek at Pearl and Wipples

I started this project about a month ago, and finally Pearl and Wipples are together. There are definitely some issues to fix with the character models; Pearl's clothing does not follow the rig through space, so I had to manually put her dress back on. Wipples' whiskers are clipping through his face and his fur is nearly pitch black in spite of setting the material color to grey. The kitchen environment is a work in progress with further adjustments needed for color, composition, and scale. The lighting is very temporary as well.

Regardless, it feels like a huge accomplishment to have made it this far. This is the most complex thing I have ever created in Blender and I have learned so much. Given the complexity of this single frame, I have a sinking feeling that animating the full short may be beyond my capabilities. I'll still go as far as I can, but wrangling those Rigify rigs just to get a static pose was quite challenging. At minimum, I intend to get a previz animation as well as a couple gorgeous renders.

4 notes · View notes

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 5 months

Text

Character sheet for Pearl, owner of Wipples! I'm not sure her outfit will stay those colors; it depends on how the environments shake out. As per usual, the hardest parts of this were the expressions and colors. Process work below the cut!

0 notes

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 4 months

Text

Character Update

Wipples the cat was named after an IRL cat. Unfortunately, irl Wipples came to an untimely end and the owner requested I change CGI Wpples's name to something else. Henceforth, Wipples the Cat is now Gazpacho the cat (Gus for short). I have decided that as a kitten, he climbed through an open kitchen window and fell face-first into a bowl of gazpacho that Pearl was going to have for lunch.

I feel like the smart thing to do is go back and update all my posts to add Gazpacho to the tags, but that feels like a lot of work...

#Jar full of Cosmos #short update

4 notes · View notes

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 4 months

Text

Pearl WIP

I took a couple days off to assemble the new PC (henceforth known as BEEFMASTER). I needed to order some extra parts, so in the meantime I progressed with Pearl as much as I reasonably can on the laptop. As with Wipples, there was an incredible amount of new stuff in this. Her skin is a mixture of procedural and hand-painted textures, and I baked her normals from a multiresolution sculpt. Her clothes are multiple cloth simulations that all interact with one another (and hopefully the rig ; ;). She has a rigify rig, but her facial deformations aren't quite what I was hoping for. I'll have to noodle with that and see if I can get something workable, otherwise I will resort to shapekeys. The blocky hair will get replaced with particles once I get BEEFMASTER up and running. I definitely underestimated how long a character model like this would take, lol.

I did try to get some mocap data on her, but that's a whole separate skill I need to learn. HOWEVER, I am strongly considering animating Pearl with mocap (either through VR capture or Rokoko) to save myself some time.

1 note · View note

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 5 months

Text

A few minor setbacks with Jar Full of Cosmos

I'm almost done modeling Pearl. Much like Wipples, I'm hitting a real barrier with the hair particles. Blender is surprisingly stable, but unfortunately I just can't get work done when the display is running at 2 fps. Thankfully, my final PC component arrived yesterday so I'll be taking a short break from 3D modeling to assemble a new workstation. I've never done this before, so hopefully there aren't too many curve balls :')

Second, I'm running into some knowledge barriers. I haven't animated in a few years, and even then it was short/cyclical movements for game assets. I have access to some online training, and part of me feels like I will have a much better outcome if I put a pause on JoC and grind some animation coursework. Of course, the whole goal of this project is to see what I can do and always keep moving. I don't want to fall in the trap of overthinking, but 120 seconds of animation is a lot of animation for my nearly non-existent (and certainly rusty) experience level. Decisions decisions...

#jar full of cosmos #thoughts #project planning #help

0 notes

here-be-dragons-and-whatnot · 5 months

Text

Since this blog has become my unofficial documentation for Jar Full of Cosmos, I should probably include the first step of development which was the script. I looked at a couple dialog-free scripts to get an idea of how to do it. I'm sure there are lots of mistakes in terms of formatting and content, but it was enough to get me some storyboards and the animatic!

It's long so not sure if folks want to read it, but it's below the cut for the brave/bored:

JAR FULL OF COSMOS

INT. PEARL’S HOUSE, KITCHEN - NIGHT

We are in a warmly lit, retro-styled kitchen of PEARL. The cabinets are mint with wooden countertops. Jars, plants, utensils, and various kitchen items cover every possible surface and a pendant casts a conical beam of light over the center island where Pearl and her cat WIPPLES are working. The atmosphere is cluttered but cozy and warm.

Pearl is enraptured by a project in front of her, adding pinches of ingredients to a large wooden bowl and mixing with a wooden spoon. The countertop around her is covered in small jars of various ingredients. On the other end of the island, Wipples snoozes and purrs, his body rising and falling gently. Pearl hums absent-mindedly and her bowl bubbles.

Pearl carefully uncorks a bottle and sniffs the contents. She tentatively pours a single drop into the wooden bowl.

A billow of purple and pink sparkling smoke poofs up from the bowl, casting bright, colorful light on the environment for a moment. It reflects brightly on Pearl’s glasses. Wipples leaps from his perch with a yowl and raised fur while Pearl stands stunned with her spoon in the blast.

We are looking up from inside the bowl. The witch and cat’s faces slowly look over the brim and are lit by a colorful glow from the contents. Wipples' eyes dilate widely and Pearl cracks a smile.

We are now looking in the bowl where a gently undulating fluid contains stars and soft galaxy colors. Angelic music plays.

Pearl claps with glee, delighted at her success of creating a bowl full of cosmos. Wipples, whose eyes are still wide, reaches a paw towards the fluid but Pearl shoos it away.

to Pearl pops a cupboard open and selects a large glass jar from a collection of various bottles and jars.

Pearl carefully tips her mixing bowl over the jar, pouring the viscous space liquid into it. As the jar fills, the angelic music gets louder.

Finally, Pearl shelves her brew. We see a few jars of other environments such as a tropical beach, desert sands, and mushroom forest. The music changes accordingly with each pass. Finally, we arrive at a blank space where Pearl places her jar of cosmos, rotating it slightly to get the position correct.

Pearl stands for a moment with her hands on her hips, savoring her success while looking at her shelf of jars. Wipples sits on the counter gazing longingly with wide eyes at the jars. He trills, and Pearl turns and wags a finger in warning.

Pearl starts leaving the kitchen, pausing to give Wipples a scratch on the head.

Pearl slowly lowers herself into her easy chair in the livingroom. She raises a remote and points at an old TV set which clicks to life with the press of a button. As she settles back in her chair, we return our focus to Wipples. He was watching Pearl sit, but now turns his head and looks towards the jar. His pupils dilate once again and fill with sparkles.

Wipples leaps gracefully onto the shelf, causing the jars to clink. He steps haphazardly over and around other jars until he reaches the one containing cosmos.

We see a view of Wipples’ face through the jar. His eyes are wide with fascination and reflect the stars within.

He starts bapping the jar with his paw. With each clink of claw on glass, the jar edges closer to the edge of the shelf before tipping over and crashing on the counter below. Wipples leaps and his fur poofs momentarily.

In the livingroom, Pearl leans forward in her chair and looks towards the kitchen with a concerned “eh?”

Wipples peers over the shelf to see the counter which is now covered in a puddle of cosmos.

He tentatively dips a paw inside which makes small ripples in the reflective surface. He then steps the front half of his body through. The puddle acts as a portal and Wipples is transported into a soft, bright galaxy full of twinkling sparkles and pale yellow, cartoony stars. He meows and leaps all the way in.

EXT. COSMOS - NIGHT

Wipples swats at a few yellow stars with claws extended before focusing his eyes on one nearby. He snags it with both paws and regards it with wonder. Rearing his head back, Wipples opens his mouth wide, revealing a pink interior a white teeth. As his mouth chomps on the star, a cane appears from the portal off-screen and snags his collar. Wipples yowls as he is suddenly yanked backwards, leaving the star spinning with a bite taken out.

INT. PEARL’S HOUSE, KITCHEN - NIGHT

Pearl stands holding a rag in a hand on her hip and the cane aloft with Wipples dangling by his collar. He hangs with paws tucked in, looking guilty, but with cheeks puffed out. He smiles sheepishly around his full mouth, attempting to look contrite.

Pearl turns her attention to the mess on the counter and begins wiping it with the rag. On the counter behind her, Wipples visibly swallows.

INT. PEARL’S HOUSE, BEDROOM - NIGHT

Pearl lays in her bed asleep in a nightgown and nightcap. She is propped up on pillows, laying on her back, and snoring softly. A paned window backlights the scene with sheer curtains casting soft shadows. The bedroom is quaintly decorated, although not much detail is visible in the low lighting.

Wipples lays curled into a ball on Pearl’s belly which softly rises and falls with her breath. The scene is peaceful and quiet. Suddenly, Wipples opens his eyes wide and raises his head. His eyes are now the color of the cosmos, complete with sparkling stars, and cast a pink and purple glow around him. Angelic music fills the room once again.

0 notes