@nnci's blog

New portfolio domain: Acorn Artwork

I have for some time now been slightly displeased by my nickname “Lillarosin”, which currently is my domain name for my CI blog, this blog and previously my portfolio. I acquired the nickname several years ago when playing World of Warcraft and was recognized by everyone as Lillarosin even though I had several characters and names in the game. Lillarosin translates as “purple raisin” in Norwegian and was actually a totally random name I came up when creating a new character I wasn’t really planning on playing. I created a purple night elf and while doing so I ate raisins. Thus Lillarosin was born and this character unexpectedly became my (first) main character in World of Warcraft. But as I quit playing World of Warcraft altogether several years ago, Lillarosin is not really “who I am” anymore. No one I come in contact these days know me from when I played World of Warcraft and Lillarosin now just strikes as a weird nick, both in Norwegian and in English. In Swedish also! I have received loads of comments from Swedes because Lillarosin means “little raisin” in Swedish.

Acorns, or oak nuts

Thus it was about time to get myself a new name to go by. I wanted a new domain for my portfolio, and needed a more professional name or label. After some doodling and thinking I arrived at “Acorn”. Acorn could simply mean the funny-looking nuts that grow of oak trees, but in my case there’s also a play on words. My first initial is A and my last name is Kern, which becomes “Akern” which is pronounced almost as “acorn”. So there it is. The domains “Acorn Design” and the like was already taken, so I decided for Acorn Artwork. I bought the domain, redesigned my portfolio, created a logo (yes, with an acorn in it) and moved it there. For now I plan to keep this blog and my CI blog at this domain, lillarosin.com.

Acorn Artwork logo (I predict it’ll be seriously
revamped in the future)

I’m also introducing web designs in my portfolio, after rediscovering website design a while ago. I have created web pages with HTML, PHP and CSS from the age of 14 or so, but lost interest a while. However in October I was asked to help design elements for Nesodden kommune (a municipality that lies south of Oslo) new web site. I gave some advice of design, and created the header image, portal buttons and digitalized the Nesodden logo. That reignited the old web design spark. With my current Photoshop skills creating web design became much more interesting. I have not done much web designs yet, especially original or noteworthy designs, but more to come when I have time.

Maybe one of you, my two blog readers, starts thinking: “hey, isn’t she supposed to finish her Master’s thesis, how come she spends time to do all this?” To answer that I do designs or draw in my breaks, inbetween writing, and little by little a little something emerges. My thesis is due February 1st 2010, but I am by no means relaxed about it or slacking. Currently I’m sitting at home with swine flu (oink oink), so spending my half-functioning brain and body on my new portfolio seemed like a good idea.

November 9th, 2009 in Artwork, Personal happenings, Web design | tags: Acorn Artwork, portfolio |  Print This Post | 2 Comments

New interest: 3D modeling and animation

Introducing my new interest, digital drawing with an added dimension; 3D. It seems like 3D is moving fastforward as a squirrel on RedBull and is seemingly used everywhere, replacing good old 2D as it goes. When the first 3D movies rolled into the movies right after year 2000 (e.g. Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Ice Age, Shrek ++), I remember I was astounded and fascinated by the technology advancement (yes, I am and always will be a geek). The idea of creating something so alive, expressive and artistically beautiful through only the computer impressed me, and the limits seemed endless. Drawing attracted me mainly because it is absolutely no limit whatsoever to what you can create, only your own imagination. The 3D movies had taken that even a step further.

I’d never tried creating anything in 3D nor tried any 3D-software until about six months ago. It was just one of these days I decided to seriously look into something, and I aquired the two most used and attractive 3D softwares at that time, Autodesk’s 3Ds Max and Maya. I threw myself onto countless online tutorials, forums and even boughts some books to learn. The softwares were more complex than anything I’ve ever encountered in a computer, and they were admittely a bit scary at first. But starting with detailed tutorials with a lot of images or even videos, really helped in learning to create my first 3D models and animations.

My very first 3D model:
“The Scientist”

After a few months I created my first full character in 3Ds Max, “the Scientist”, following a long but good video tutorial. I’m still at the pure modeling stage, so no textures (other than normal materials) are applied, and I’ve not used any other software for further detailing (e.g. Zbrush or Mudbox). I haven’t learned much about lighting either. It’s coming, it’s coming! I’ve also made some short animation movies, but they are too noobish to show to anyone. Hopefully I’ll improve my modeling and animation skills, and eventually learn to create and apply textures (UVW mapping), rigging, lighting, compositing, (properly) rendering, and creating details and texture on my models using the digital sculpting softwares Autodesk Mudbox or Pixologic ZBrush.

At the moment, I’ve decided to take some official education within 3D modeling/design after I’ve completed my Master’s degree at the university. I’m considering two schools, Noroff and Idefagskolen, whereas the first one uses 3Ds Max and is mainly focused on games, and the second uses Maya and is mainly focused on film-making. I’ve still not decided which one, but at the moment I’m more comfortable using 3Ds Max. I still have a year left to decide, and much time for practice on my own.

If you’re interested in 3D forums, I’d recommend the Norwegian forums dedicated to 3D, 3Dhue and Det Store Dyret. Unfortunately they are not as active as the larger international forums, but they cover discussions about 3D stills and animations, feedback, some 2D, educational matters and job offers. In English, CG Society and game-artist’s forum are both forums covering several art-topics such as 3D, animation, rigging, 2D, painting, some scripting, film-making etc. They run excellent and serious modeling, animation, texturing and more challenges at all times, which I’m too noobish to participate (yet), but find very interesting to follow.

Hopefully I’ll update my portfolio with 3D models and perhaps blog some of my advancements in 3 dimensions.

June 8th, 2009 in 3D modeling & animation | tags: 3D animation, 3D modeling, 3Ds Max, Maya, Mudbox, portfolio, ZBrush |  Print This Post | 3 Comments