IPOD TO: Nuk if you Buck
WEB TO: Bibi's blog

Cyber-Dump Part 1.
Yes, it's been a delayed posting. I guess when SO much is going on I get overwhelmed and just pass on the whole updating thing all together! Some fun stuff ahead so grab hold!

I would like to introduce my wife's new Blog called "Last Rage". She has learned how to Blog. ( fear! ) So of course she's totally addicted. Her current topic for "Last Rage" is to photoblog about our weekends. So currently, it looks like we party like rock stars! It's not for the weak of heart, so Grandmother, if you are reading this.. you might want to skip this particular link. ;-)

Next, my mother and her partner just released a line of designer furnature called "Family". She and Linda have created some really awesome custom designer furnature. And true to the name, "Family".. There is a, you guessed it, a "Jeffrey Chair". My mother loves me! So go check out her new line. I just can't wait to get some for the Rosemont!

So if you haven't already noticed, I had been trying to keep up with my weekly illustrations. But that became impossible due to schedule, and general lack of enough hours in a week. I have been finding time to continue on with the progression of Invasion however. So I've uploaded a quick animated style test to: the Invasion Production Journal. I hope you enjoy it.

So much more, but I'm weary. Check back soon for the next installment.

IPOD TO: Los Amigos Invisibles
WEB TO: Meathaus.com

Jim Hill has a great article about the upcoming Disney project "Rapunzel Unbraided". Directed by Glen Keane who was in attendance at the "Legacy of Disney Animation" segment out at Siggraph. The technology used to make the images is likened to the "Deep Canvas" technology used on Tarzan. Really exciting stuff!

IPOD TO: Celso Pina "El rebelde del acordeon"
WEB TO: Chris Cunningham's "Rubber Johnny" ( Ultra Creepy!! )



Just got back from L.A. where Siggraph 2005 was held. I went out there for Janimation to research the latest and greatest in technologies across the board. While I was out there I managed to snap a few photo's off of the floor. See the fun here.

Spent alot of time getting to know the Softimage XSI group. It was the first time I got to put names to the faces. Really amazing stuff was announced for XSI. Most notabably: Face Robot.

Now I normally, don't geek-out on features, but this one has me pretty excited. It is a facial solver, that allows the animator to have controls for the face that behave correctly. The face keeps it's form and knows how the wrinkles should be, how the lips roll over the teeth. All automatically. So then the animator only has to animate, without fear. You can still make your blendshapes for your targets. But now, they behave organically, and don't solve lineraly. ( a problem with traditional blendshapes. ) Check out the videos to see what I mean.

Other things of note. The 32 bit display. Oh it's beautiful! HDR displays are here! ( well for $50k )

During the event, I was lucky enough to attend the Studio Ghimbli demonstration where Mitsunori Kataama, CGI Director at Studio Ghibli spoke on how they utilize the toon renderer on thier projects. These are the artists who did "Spirited Away", and "Howl's Moving Castle" to name just two. Here is a brief of what was discussed. Oh it's awesome!

Overall the conference was great. Got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in awhile. Made alot of new friends, and got inspired about new techniques and ideas. One thing I can say for Siggraph, it's nice to get out of the office, surround yourself with thousands of other like minded artists, and to generally think outside of the box. I would like to think I live outside the box, but if that's the case, then Siggraph, allows you to think outside the room the box is in. Very inspirational, forward thinking stuff.