AcornArtwork blog launched

<Shameless self-promotion> … Engage:
A couple of days ago I launched a new blog on my portfolio-domain, Acorn Artwork, integrated seamlessly with its design. I did this mainly to separate content and post topics, making it clearer and easier for visitors to one place or the other. This blog remains a more personal blog including gaming topics, while all artwork, design, portfolio and related topics are posted in my AcornArtwork blog. This way Acorn Artwork becomes a centralized place for showing off my work with related blog posts that may be interesting for portfolio-visitors.

Since I’ve recently completed a long education and am currently looking for a job, I finally have time to do what I love: drawing and designing. I also plan to dive back into the world of 3D modeling and texturing, but I’m currently focusing on developing my web design skills since I’m looking for a job within that field. At the moment I have several projects going to keep my brain busy, for example creating a Griddler game using PHP, JavaScript and jQuery.

And so, if some of my few readers are more interested in artwork and design related topics, stay tuned on my AcornArtwork blog. I have a strong feeling I’ll post more frequently at AcornArtwork than I do here.
</Shameless self-promotion>

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.

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.