Napkin Sketching and Doodles: PART VIII-More Character Designs

Sketched out a Q's Billiards in Pasadena back in 1996, some 'dude' at the bar....

"Side burn Man" was a guy with extra Looooooong lambchops that was ripe for a character design.

Dracula with a hair curl inspired by the Tim Burton 'Nightmare' look.....\

Pencil Thin Rasta guy was playin' pool at Q's that same night....Soul Glo is calling!

This design was a full character design that I was going to sculpt in clay, some kind of Gremlin.

Napkin Sketching Part VIII
More Character Designs

In this eighth installment of the Napkin Sketches, and Doodles I do during times of relaxation I have posted more character designs I did back in the mid 90's while marinating in Newcastle Nut Brown Ale in Pasadena contemplating my future. [ Ahh, I miss that!]

I base most characters in some form on someone I see or meet. I am an avid people watcher, and you get the best ideas just opening up your eyes and looking around you. Character interpolation is a great way to get you design skills honed as you must make choices fast to get the 'essence' of the design as simple and quickly as possible.

If "Joe-Six-Pack" can ID the design fast you have achieved a good design. Enjoy the designs.

You can view the other parts here:

PART I

PART II

PART III

PART IV

PART V

PART VI

PART VII

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Alias Spin off:SD-6-Logo explorations for ABC 2002

A badge of sorts, or a lapel pin type of logo I designed for SD-6 the spin off series planned from Alias for ABC in 2002.

A 3D Logo with a holding device around the edges in double layer chrome and gold, a standard look asked for.

A brass SD-6, Alias Logo done for ABC on a dark metal plate.

I put this logo on a sounded barrel like surface so the letter sit on a curved surface for lighting and shadowing smoothness.

A rough edged look to the font for this version for SD-6 the ALIAS spin off series for ABC Television.

A bold large Icon created early on in the process with brushed metals from the X2 development.

Here is the rendered 3D Logo for Alias that I matched up to the original.

ALIAS: Spin Off SD-6
3D Logo designs

Client: ABC via BLT and Associates.
Art Director: Scott Painter, Luis Sola.
Project Date: 2002

Back in 01' while running the little 3D division at BLT and Associates in Hollywood CA, I had a Home Entertainment staple of work that was brought to us by ABC, and the show Alias was planning a spin off with a show called SD_6, which according to Wikipedia states: "The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias."

I recreated the Alias Logo along with a series of looks for the spin off show. All metal like the X2 they loved that I did was the basic direction, with a military feel, so I did a bit of "brass" to match up the the look in the OG logo as well as the "brass" they wear on their uniforms.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Thales PART II-GUI-Icon and Logo designs for the 3D Alioscopy Display

Here is the main Thales Logo done as sandwiched metal over a blue glass center, Yummy!

An overall view of the GUI 3D Icon buttons I designed for use on the Alioscopy HD glasses free TV's with one blank one extra.

A fish-eye lens view as a concept to explore.

A standard Lens looking up at the Graphic User Interface G.U.I I designed.

A close up view showing the 3D Icon with pencil and 3D page turned Icon. All Icons had some color sandwich in them.

A Geometry view showing the build out for the main GUI buttons done as 3D Icons.

The Movie Poster Button with Poster and video room.

Project Review
Thales PART II
GUI[ Graphic User Interface] icon designs and Logo in 3D for the 3D Alioscopic [http://www.alioscopy.com/ ] Display

Client: Thales via Wellbrand, Inc.
Art Director: n/a.
Project Date: Summer 2009.

When I was in-house at The Cimarron Group I brought in some technology for glasses free stereoscopic viewing[ eD TV]. I was introduced to them via Wellbrand Inc., and a fellow ACCD alumni, Goutam Mitra.

In this second posting on the 3D work I did for the Thales presentation while at The Cimarron Group, I focus on type and GUI designs.

I built out these little rounded trays that represented 3D st buttons with 3D versions of Icons seen in a typical GUI design. I also did the main Title Logo for the piece as well as a modified tray to hold a Movie Poster and play a trailer clip via a touch screen stereoscopic display.

You can view PART I with the future-jet I designed and built from earlier in the week here.

Cheers THOM

Napkin Sketching and Doodles: PART VII-Submarines

A small sketch of a submarine I did in 2000 of a small two seater with a slick body design and one big fan prop out back.

This submarine sketch is a k hammered copper with rivets for the texture, but with aerodynamic fluid shapes to the body itself.

A small one man craft with dual props since this version also fly's in the air. Based on my research for fan-powered vehicles for the Phantom 2040

A small sketch done with a interlocking speed form body[ like a car]

My favorite sketch was this "fish" with the bubble up front based on my bubble car design from ACCD. I love the tail and side fins, all would be finished in copper, and brass.

Napkin Sketching Part VII
Submarines and Underwater Craft

In this seventh installment of the Napkin Sketches, and Doodles I do during times of relaxation I have posted a set of submarines I did back in 2000 when I was working in Spokane WA for Cyan, the nice folks who made the Myst and Riven Video games.

I was creating a mini submarine design for the game, so naturally I had watercraft on the brain, and while I was relaxing at a great steak house, or sushi bar in downtown Spokane, I sketched out these designs.

You can view the other parts here:

PART I

PART II

PART III

PART IV

PART V

PART VI

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Thales PART I-Future-Jet for the 3D Alioscopy Display

A 3/4 top render of the Super Jet I designed for the Thales Presentation back in 09'

A 3/4 bottom render of the Super Jet I designed for the Thales Presentation back in 09'

A super high down view of the Plane Concept I built out for the Presentation. I designed this in 3D while I built it.

Here is the final model after a two step Turbo smooth was burned in and I modified the model a bit more.

The Phase One Quad-Sub-D model I built to block in the big parts first from underneath.

The Phase One Quad-Sub-D model I built to block in the big parts first from underneath.

A full 3DHDTV frame for the Aliscopy Display I tested out.

The plane in Black as an advanced surface continuity test.

The plane in Black as an advanced surface continuity test from the tail side[ looks like a bird!] :o).

Project Review
Thales PART I
Future Jet for the 3D Alioscopic [http://www.alioscopy.com/ ] Display

Client: Thales via Wellbrand, Inc.
Art Director: n/a.
Project Date: Summer 2009.

When I was in-house at The Cimarron Group I brought in some technology for glasses free stereoscopic viewing[ eD TV]. I was introduced to them via Wellbrand Inc., and a fellow ACCD alumni, Goutam Mitra.

In this first of two parts we can review the future plane that I did for the project in designing, and modeling, a plane for exportation to a Maya based VFX house for finishing work. You will also see the test image created for the 3DHDTV, as well as the construction images when I started out as a Subdivision Model.

They asked for a cross between a stealth fighter jet and a super sized jumbo jet so I came up with what you see above. I spent about 5 hours total designing and building the model for exportation.

I will be posting the Icon and Logo graphics I built out, as well for this soon, enjoy!

Cheers THOM

Project Review: The Phantom 2040- PART LXXI I[72]

A generic B.I.O.T. robot converted to a Security Bot for the series with helmet, lighting, and a specific gun.

Devil Dog, was Kit Walker[aka The Phantom's] trusted friend, and here he is in full armor like Sagan Cruz wore.

A Holographic Projection set of rings, with Rebecca Madison being shown.

A vapor representing Kit's Mother and Father whom passed away prior to the series.

A Pterosaur from the series The Phantom 2040

Phantom 2040-PART LXXII [72nd]

Additional Character Layouts

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

In this, my 72nd post on the Hearst Animation Productions hit, The Phantom 2040, a television animated show from 1995, I have posted up a few addition character related images.

The biological Robots , or B.I.O.T.'s were always being modified, once I designed the base Male and Female models. Here we have a security guard BIOT. I usually did a quick overlay in pencil and handed it over to inking to complete the character. I also would do various turn-arounds as needed on these, but most were seen in just one shot or so , and all that was needed was the base design differences as seen above.

You can also see Kit Walkers Dog named, "Devil", had a set of full armor made like the enforcer outfit I designed for Sagan Cruz. I also designed out a holographic ring where Rebecca Madison would communicate to her son Maxwell, and her henchman Graft.

Now "The Gauntlet" was a character that becomes Kits mom and dad who passed away, sinc ehe lives with his aunt Heloise, and I designed them in the "eterial state of smoke for the two stages you see above.

And finally a Flying Dinosaur called a "Pterosaurs"for a quick appearance. I never knew what I needed to design next as each show presented me new design needs.

Cheers, THOM

Hot off the Press over at Cebas::An interview with Thom Schillinger

Hot off the Press
My 3D work for Theatrical Advertising
July 18th, 2011

An article went up today about the work I do by the makers of my rendering software Final Render. Enjoy the article!

You can click the title link to go over to the piece.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Fanboys Motion Graphics PART 1 2008

A full room zoom animation was done as a test for this card sitting on the big floor map. This is the final frame seated.

Here I used the wall and rounded Gothic columns for the backdrop ledge behind the text with a simple truck-in move.

Another wall idea, with a fisheye lens plug-in used in the Final Render GI rendering software.

For this idea, I used a high resolution set with arched Gothic widows with atmospheric lighting streaming though the leaded glass panes.

A box ledge with a volumetric light that animates past the golden lettering.

Here you can see the model itself built as a quick High-Rez only scene.

Here you can see I simply extruded the type with a rounded bevel, I then used a FFD[ Free-Form_Deformation] to stretch it out, and applied the filigree modeled parts to the face so the Dirt Shader would emphasize the intersections..

Project Review
FANBOYSMotion Graphics PART I
Misdirect Advertising Campaign

Client: Third Rail Releasing via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: Tom Kositchotitana, and myself.
Project Date: Summer 2006.

I did a couple dozen typical Sci-Fi Chrome cards for the motion graphic used for the trailers for the project Fanboys, which was in the studio for about 3 years or so before they finally released the film. I also designed a title for the trailers that was used on the film as well here.

What you see above on "The Holy Grail' is what is called a Misdirect Advertising Campaign. This is where they lead you the viewer, in a false direction, and later reveal at the end of the trailer the gag is on you the viewer, you were misdirected to a wrong conclusion.

So, for Fanboys with all the chrome lettering I did, we applied a Old English look to the font and cards to seem like a Robin Hood, or some "Epic Quest" type of film as the misdirection. GOld aged, in a Gothic cathedral.

I had a set of Gothic architectural elements built from the film MGFX for Blood and Chocolate, so I used the Gothic widows, wall, and columns to add a bit more backdrop detail to the scenes to add to the font itself.

I also used some filigree effect as I did for The Kingdom of Heaven here as well with a dirt shader from Cebas Final Render to get the aged look just right.

Cheers, THOM

Napkin Sketching and Doodles: PART VI

This "Little" Doodle is about 1 1/4 of an inch long, but I liked the concept with the headlight round carried all the way down the body side to the round tail-lights.

Das Boot! Well, not exactly, we are moving the studio back to Colorado at some point, and boots were on my mind...

The Muffin man is a Muffin Heed! A big round triple chinned wonder to behold!

"Skinny" here has a deep eye socket slot but no eye balls! Yikes!

A Micro Car inspired by the Peel-Trident's and Bubble Cars from the past. Mini 12" rims and a 2 seat 2 cylinder zip car. FUN!

Napkin Sketching Part VI

In this sixth installment of the Napkin Sketches, and Doodles I do during times of relaxation or a phone conversation. Most Designers I know constantly draw and doddle on whatever paper is near by, be it a Post-It, or a napkin, or a back of a coffee coaster, WE DRAW!

I encourage all designers to draw more, conceptualize more, as it is the best help in 3D you can get, to keep yourself balanced. Drawing is falling by the wayside as digital tools dominate art, but the design idea if it is to be an image, can be drawn, even just to block an idea out to see proportions. It remains a valuable tool in the toolbox.

You can view the other parts here:

PART I

PART II

PART III

PART IV

PART V

Cheers, THOM