Of Bots and Bananas

Walking Robot Test

Robot walking test from Harvey Dixon on Vimeo.

A very quick preview of how my robot walks in an environment (all be it a very simple one).

Refined Lit Desert

My Desert Dunes Environment

In response to Peyman

Robot Sneak Peek

So... I know it's been ages since my last blog post. I am going to make an effort to keep this updated a bit more often to show off some of my work which i am quite happy with.
These are a few sneaky pictures of my robot at the moment. I'm sure the materials will change on my final piece and i will possibly add some more detail in my head but this is what i have at the moment.

Moving Image

The script me and Phil were given was ‘poor adhesion site’ I still maintain the script is very odd and confusing, when we were asked to plan the film man and Phil decided on a twist at the end which would separate our work from others. We went for a ‘Fight Club’ multiple personality feel. The idea not only made the film different and clever but also meant we only needed one main actor. We set about planning the added scene, which we decided would go at the beginning and help set the story as we didn’t have much detail in the script. We planned filming pretty much straight away but for one reason or another were unable to get the footage done. We came back after Easter and got all of our footage having to compromise on the location due to time. I think the footage we got was very good and we took it all to the editing suite and put it into Premier, we were going well and had a middle part of the film looking good, with edits cut correctly. Then the sound on the computer went and the whole computer crashed, sorry excuses I know but unfortunately true. I felt the main problem I had with the moving image pathway was that before I started I knew I didn’t want to choose it so I think that had an effect on my commitment. If I were to make the film again I would put the effort in to get the footage shot very early on so it could be imported and edited in plenty of time. Also in terms of arranging actors I would set a date they could do first and then hire the location and camera equipment and then just get it all done. Overall I think we planned for a very good film with good shots as well as location and actor, however I didn’t have the organizational ability to make it happen. This is why I am not choosing moving image next year.

Virtual environments

First of all my main influence for my 3D piece was a picture I saw of an oil rig, i was looking for influences purposely because i needed a certain design to stick with and start making, I was also looking at practitioners for my visual essay and saw how good water could look so I went with the idea and began with the details. Also I decided to look at other students lairs from previous pathways and see what worked well, I didn't like the 'cave style' that some people had used so I stuck with clean lines and realistic items and colours. For the actual superhero the lair is for I didn't think too much about it because it was more about the building than the superhero but if I was to create a character it would have to be a water based superhero who could travel quickly, as he is a long way to see because he likes being on his own. Away from the 'hectic life'’. If I was to make my superhero lair again I would add more little details in. For example I would have different guns in my cabinet and probable more cabinets to make it ore like a weapons room, also I like the sound of a glass roof, which I didn’t think of while I was doing the project only afterwards. I would also add items in the corridors such as paintings or newspaper cut outs, to make it more personal because at the moment it is very bland and has no personality to it. I would even like to draw my superhero and get a huge portrait to put on the walls. I will carry on working on my superhero lair in my own time and hopefully get my raytrace materials back into it If I have the time to render in my own time. This blog will be updated with small 3D projects I plan to work on over the summer.

My finished Superhero lair, the materials were better but rendering would have taken nearly 3 days soild. I am happy with the outcome. My first 3D animation, hopefully many more to come.

more 3D work

3D update

I'm sorry for the Lack of posting, I have been destroying work these last weeks, I have also got into a tidy swing of 3D after a dodgy start I'm getting the hang of it. More pictures to come, the work I have at the moment is actually now all on stilts on a beautiful blue ocean. Please enjoy, it took me long enough.

Moving image

So me and Phil Bircham are trying to sort out filming for our latest project. Never have I come across so many stupid and annoying problems. I don't know what it is about the DICE building but why is there never anyone in there?! No one can commit to acting and being a two man team means we only have each other to fall back on.

This is why I don't want to choose moving image for my second year pathway. Having to rely on other people, share ideas, solve silly problems, organise others, the list could go on. If anything else this project has done a very good job of putting me off moving image. Sorry Jools its not for me.

3D - Sketchup

Here are a few pictures of my room I am trying to recreate in 3D in Sketchup. I have not started the virtual environments yes so I haven't had the chance to get to know 3D studio max but Sketchup is a really simple way to have a play with 3D. This isn't finished yet but i will keep you updated.

Abstract for visual essay

This essay looks at why I have chosen to take the virtual environments pathway in my second year, It looks at influences ranging from professionals of 3D design to students in the 2nd and third years studying multimedia. In detail the three practitioners I look at help to show how the pathway choice will lead me to a successful career in something I can enjoy whist being good at it.

It looks at how I have developed in my first year at university and why I haven’t chosen the other options, looking at my own work too see where I feel I am strongest. Examples of all three of the pathways choices is shown. It also looks at what second years have managed to produce from looking at how they have changed from the position I am in at the end of year one to what they are doing now. Third years can help give me an idea of where I could be in 2 more years, looking at work they are doing and how similar it is to the professionals. Then professionals can really show what sort of dream career I could fit into if i put my mind to it.

In my conclusion I bring together all of the reasons why I have chosen the virtual environments pathway to prove that I am good enough and committed enough to continue with it for another two years. And hopefully be able to pursue a career in it.

Awesome 3D website

http://www.cafesonique.com/launch/flash.php

Check out this cool 3D interactive flash website

Practitioners for my visual essay

I found a very good website by looking on www.thefwa.com.

Check the website out here
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/million-baby-crawl/

I have chosen the company Big Spaceship as one of of my practitioners because I am interested in interactive media as a second year pathway. They have done hundreds of projects some of which are flash websites. At the moment this is what I am interested in.

Check out the company here: http://www.bigspaceship.com/

Simple Flash game

Here is my attempt at a very simple flash game, i intend to add more levels and eventually make a scoring section and timer as well.


Simple maze game by ~HarveyDixon on deviantART

Creativity

1. What has my creativity been for in the past few years?
Mainly school and the university course however when a project really interests me I like to think it is creativity for myself. Creativity may start because of a project but it can carry on afterwards in which case its for my own pleasure.

2. Who has it been for?
Similarly to question 1 my creativity would have been to please a teacher or lecturer.

3. Why have i done it this way? Has this been my decision or someone elses?
I think that it has been my decision to not get involved heavily in creating my own works outside of my course. If I were to decide to create my own things which had no involvement in my A level or degree course then i feel my creativity would be for my self entirely.

4. What do i want the future of my creativity to be?
I would like to have a secure job eventually, however that is not to say I dont like variety. I have always said that I would like to do some freelance work as it would allow me to do some very different things and in a way create a large portfolio. However I think my end goal would to be have a safe job.

5. In what specific way(s) can research help me get to these new places?
I think it is impressive to have a good knowlege of for example 3D designers if I were to go into a company and say I wanted to create 3D characters for them. Naming others who influenced me would be a good way of proving I knew what I was talking about (and that I knew my stuff).

My practitioner development

How do i develop myself as an independent practitioner?

To further my knowledge outside of univeristy classrooms I tend to use the internet alot. Whether or not anyone else says it im sure they do too, its the best tool I can use to find out most things I want to and its free and easy. The first step would be for a simple google search which I could find some handy websites and quick definitions. To get more detail though I then read in detail what more specific websites can tell me, looking for quotes and other practitioners.

Using books I try and find interesting quotes that could help me in essays. Reading on points of interest I start to read about other things and get carried away constantly learning different things.

I am also constantly learning due to watching films and television I pick up techniques I see from films which could help me in my filming project and even using websites that include flash can help me to gain ideas.

Tetsuo The iron man

So, we have just watched 'Tetsuo the iron man' in Tuesdays lecture. We were all asked to answer 2 questions when the film had finished, they were...

What was the film about?
What other works did it remind you of?

Fairly simple questions you would think if it wasnt for the utterly wierd and confusing film.

We were allowed to discuss in our small group of Multimedia, Theatre design and Design for film and TV. We came to a rough conclusion that the film was about a man with a metal fetish who didnt know the conocequences of inserting a metal rod into his leg. The film is also about revenge as the 'metal man' gets hit by a car which for some reason makes the driver begin to turn into scrap metal.
Other than these things i dont know what to think about the film. The constant drone and machinery sound in the background makes it almost unbearable to watch and gave me a headache.

The film reminded me alot of David Lynch's Eraserhead (1977) because of the style of filming and surreal feel. I must say i did not enjoy watching either film.
Another film it rememded me of was Tim Burtons Edward scissor hands (1990) as the character Johnny Depp plays looks very similar as the 'metal fetishist'

Thanks for showing me the film Joules but i dont think i will watch it again.