Project Hollyweird

Ok... after months of inactivity on this blog... i finally have something that is not related to Shatranj. This is Dracula... and as much as i would want to flaunt things... this is not my design... designed by a friend (Hassani) for his final thesis (Hollyweird)... i just happened to model it. For everything awesome related to Dracula visit: http://hcmcintosh.blogspot.com/

Next up... Dracula all rigged and counting... :P

Project "Nani": Phase V

Nani's first animation test. Considering that i haven't been very regular in uploading stuff... I figured it is only fair to share this with you guys. Not to forget... Nani has been wanting to get up and walk for a while now... As far as you animation experts are concerned... which technically i should eventually become if all goes as planned... this was strictly a rig test and i agree isn't even half done. Either ways... Enjoy!!! Nani finally walks and jumps and stuff... :P

Project Human Anatomy: 101

Ok... i agree that i've been slacking off lately... but all for good reason... i've been wanting to learn more about the human muscle system and Zbrush for a while now... so rather than dishing out a few quick posts...

i decided to combine the two studies and apply all that i keep learning about the body into sculpting in Zbrush. Almost done with my first model... this guy has been modeled keeping Meb Keflezighi (2004 Olympic runner for 10,000 meters) as a reference. The ears and the final details for the whole body are up next. hopefully in a day...

Project "Nani": Phase IV

A little about "Nani": An 82 year old mother to 5, grandmother to 9 and great grandmother to 2, abandoned by everyone including the husband who took "till death do us part" quite seriously. She now lives alone in her old apartment.

Setting: A broken down apartment in an old building that frowns at the grandeur of the mosque that is visible from its rooftop.
Location: Anarkali, Lahore, Pakistan. Once a very well to do area, has developed the reputation, with no less help from the very liberal business community that resides herein, of harboring the rejects of the society.

Aaraiz

My younger brother's band - Aaraiz (pronc.- aa-raise(n): leader) has released its first video in Pakistan and is currently being aired on The Music, Aag, Play and will soon be on MTV and Channel V. The song is called Aarzoo (Wish, Desire). Catch the video online on www.aaraiz.com

Project "Nani": Phase III

Here goes... Nani... finally decent enough for public viewing. The standard Shalwar Kameez was a must. I still have to work on the accessories; bangles, earing, nose pin, slippers. Also the Dopatta (sash) still needs more work.
Am trying to decide between a standard strip one... the one that is on right now... OR a heavy one. hmmm... Don't take these renders as the final thing. This is merely the the 3rd Phase. :P

The Football

I figured i'd put this textured football up too... since "Nani" in her clothes keeps crashing on me during render. update on "Nani".... soon. In the meantime... 20 points for anyone who can figure out the biggest problem with this football pic (no... it is actually this bashed up).

Project "Nani": The Faithful Steed

No story is complete without the faithful pet... in this case the extremely intimidating, fearless, attic dwelling World War II series lightening fast steed that has kept Nani company through many lonely and at times scary adventures in the God awful basements of "The House". No one remembers its name anymore. Nani suffering from severe amnesia from her war days, does not remember it either. After reading the fading letters on the side we could make out "HotRod", based on which we (Nani and myself) have decided to call him "Shera (Punjabi for Lion)". Be Scared!!!

Project "Nani": Phase II

Ok... here goes... Nani's proposed hairstyle. Anyone who has any issues with it... speak now or hold your peace forever. Makes the system quite slow though... sad... such is life.
The hair have been modeled using Maya's Hair dynamics. Not exactly what i would call a joy ride. uggghhhh... working on a slow system with hair sux. Next phase... riggggggiinnnnngggggg!!! yay!!!

Project "Nani": Phase I

Just got done modeling my latest character "Nani". Still have to work on the clothes, hair and accessories though. The detailed character description will follow in a couple of days... as soon as i can make her decent enough for public viewing... :P

The General

General Parvez Musharraf has very quickly become a very popular political figure in the past 2 years. The self-proclaimed President of Pakistan was the target of a few suicide bombing attempts when he came to power. Mostly by jackasses who started hallucinating of lounging with 70 virgins in the afterlife even before they attempted anything (The Pakistani Police, which is saying alot, got tipped off by just watching these idiots drive while dodging these 70 virgins - on the roads). that wasn't even promised to jackasses in the first place. This video is a speech that the President made right after the attempt.

Medium: Clay

Sound: This is one of two clips done by a group of very talented yet anonymous individuals. If you guys read this... please contact me for acknowledgment. Have been waiting for you guys to come up with a new one ever since your second clip.

Self Portrait

This is who I am. "Complexly Simple". Loads of simple pieces meshed together to make a complex arrangement, both anatomically as well as psychologically. By far one of the most honest and important pieces of my work.

The model at the top center is a modular origami piece created using the Sonobe's module. The model has approx. 540 pieces. There is a bulb inside the piece that gives it the radiating effect.

The Chess Set

My first attempt at modeling in NURBS. Developed a chess set as my first assignment which i eventually ended up using in my final project for the class. All modeling, texturing and animation done in Maya v. 8.5

Theme: Terrorist vs. Anti-Terrorist (very apt for the current global political scene)

Modeling: All NURBS. Modeled out 12 different pieces, along with their accessories. The chess board and the gun rack came later on in the final animation piece.

Animation: The final clip was just a piece demonstrating the physics of falling objects. Animating all the different tiny elements took some time. Sound still has to be added (eventually).

The Bottle

Mental Ray is the stuff!!! A very simple Revolve for the bottle and bit of tweaking of the vertices to give a bit of detail for the refraction and reflections to give a nicer feel for the bottom of the bottle.

Rigged up the color and transparency of a Ramp Shader with Anisotropic shaders.