Twisty Passages

While using Q-Tips, Vin Diesel doesn’t stop when there is resistance.

…and now a random fact about Vin Diesel. The top 30 facts about Vin Diesel. Random facts about Chuck Norris.

The illustrations of Mokoto Muramatsu

Odd But Adorable Animal Combos

10mb .wmv showing the results of a fascinating experiment done by MIT student Cory Lorenz.

“As a project last summer, Lorenz collaborated with [professor of electrical engineering and computer science Markus] Zahn to explore the effects of time-varying magnetic fields on ferrofluids, materials Zahn is exploring for potential applications in nanotechnology” - from here

The ferrofluid morphs into beautiful spirals and patterns, transformed by the magnetic field. The experiments were done a few years back but the video is as astonishing as ever.

Eyes are really easy. I should be working on detailing my other models. But I am a master procrastinator, hence more eyes.

Doing some more ZBrush modeling. I have an idea for a cartoon bull and got going on the head tonight. I haven’t started to detail it yet.

Playing with eyeball detailing.

I have limited experience with computer modeling in general, other than a few experiments with Bryce and Cinema 4D so most of this is new for me. Luckily, there are some fabulous tutorials available at ZBrush Central and I decided to start with an easy one: aurick’s terrific toy plane box model tutorial. Now that I understand how the basics of box modeling work, I can see how useful it would be for certain objects. I still think it’s easier to toss a 3d object on the canvas and start pushing it around like clay (which is what I am used to working with) but I’ll definitely be exploring box modeling further.

The plane pre-texturing:

I’m still learning how to use ZBrush’s awesome Projection Master so eventually I’ll paint the little bugger and toss him up here.

I just got ZBrush and I fear that I may never leave the house. This program is the bees’ knees and completely worth every cent of the five hundred bucks it costs. OK, maybe I can say that since someone else bought it and gave it to me as a present and frankly I’d rather have the cash but still, totally worth the money! It has a rather steep learning curve but once you start to pick it up it’s incredible how easy modeling becomes. It took me literally minutes to whip up a little head model:

Of course, the model is still in its early stages since I had to go out and didn’t have time to work it further but I’m still amazed by how simple it was. It’s almost like sculpting in clay through the computer.

My main site was locked because I went over bandwidth and I am in a minor disupute with my hosting company over what exactly the charge should be, so for now I’ll be hosting my blog here. Yay for blogsome!