The Secret of Nada

[Neo_Crisis]

This thread is for character designs and concept art for the animated feature film, I'm working on. The characters are based on a game idea I had. The title "The Secret of Nada" is a joke title that was inspired by the Gamefly commercial lol :) (Nada means "nothing")

Here's the slightly redesign "boy ninja" character now named Akemi.:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/NadaChara_Akemi.jpg

Here's the colored version, all done in photoshop, it took me three days to do :( It would have been done much faster if I did it in flash, but then I would have to trace the line art and doing that would lose some of the quality of the hand drawn image :( but at lease I will have clean lines, because the lines and color looks a bit messy in the pic. :( :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Akemi_cel2.jpg

[NOOB!]

hehe nice work!,but 3 hrs??? it shud only take like 30mins to cell shade even with photoshop lol,or maybe i'm just too damn good. :p

[Neo_Crisis]

Lol I'm not good with computer stuff lol.... :blink: ...... :(

*Edit*
But,no really it took me longer to do because I was using the soft cel shading(I love soft cel shading :D )
technique in photoshop, which you have to use mask layers which is all new to me. :o (but I still suck when it comes to using computer software lol.... :( )

[NOOB!]

what? lol u don't have to use masks at all,where'd u learn that from.

[Neo_Crisis]

Ok here's the final design of my main character :D :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/AK15.png

Base color done in flash
Shadows done in Affer Effects

[Terro]

Kill the shadows girl. I think your sketches and first coloring were very very nice, but the last attempt shows to much effects and kills the focus of the character. If you want to shadow/highlight, do it manually in Photoshop using the dodge/burn tool. Or you can always use a black brush with very low oppacity. That way you can get that real shadow feeling.

[Neo_Crisis]

Thanks :)
I will have a new pic with less shadows, some time after school sometime by the end of the day or tomorrow.

[Neo_Crisis]

Ok here it is,let me know what you think. The white background hurts my eyes. :(
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/AK25c.jpg

[Terro]

Very nice improvement. I think it was the shadow behind him that was weirding me out. He's looking much bettter now.

[elephant]

...do it manually in Photoshop using the dodge/burn tool. Or you can always use a black brush with very low oppacity. That way you can get that real shadow feeling.
No, no, no. Never use the black colour for shadows, it makes pictures look muddy (especially when painting).

And why not add the highlights and shadows in Flash, rather than Photoshop or After Effects?

edit I see, you want soft cel-shading... http://www.humbleego.com/ This guy has a piece of quality animation done with Flash and After Effects, great Disney-like shading. He wrote a tutorial about it in a book, if you're willing to spend some money... :p

[goldlion]

Any particular reason for the soft diffused look? Kind of cool actually. Has a toy feel to it.

[Neo_Crisis]

I just like it. :D

[Terro]

Any particular reason for the soft diffused look? Kind of cool actually. Has a toy feel to it.

Funny how that works, I never though about it that way , but now that you mentioned it Gold, it does look like a toy.

[Neo_Crisis]

New Characters:) The second and third main characters.
Marcus:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture332.jpg

and

Shen:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture333.jpg

[Terro]

They are very nice Neo. Marcus looks like a good charactr. Make sure to post back with their full bodies, I want to see where you going with Shen, since hes Tiger like.

[Neo_Crisis]

Thanks, I'm still working on their character designs,I will have them up soon.

[Terro]

I just had a chace to get a glance at the screenplay and it's very interesting. The story puled me right in. Take your time with this one NEO, it can be a great animation.

[Neo_Crisis]

Oh I will :D I estimate that it will take 4+ years, so I will take mine time.:D
Here's Akemi in his demon form
Demon Monkey:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/ACEL1copy2.jpg

More pics coming!:D

[Neo_Crisis]

Here's a new pic of Shen full body. Sorry for the poor pic the paper was too big for the scaner.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture338.jpg

More coming!!:)

[Terro]

Hmm something is a little off. His body,hands,and head are working together very well, but his legs are too short and feet to small.

[Neo_Crisis]

Yeah that was bothering me a bit. Let me do a quick fix.

[Neo_Crisis]

OMG....I can't draw with a wacom tablet I'm going to have to redraw this on paper later.:(
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Untitled-1.jpg

*Edited*
Hee Heee, Redone on paper, let me know what you think. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture339.jpg

[NOOB!]

nice,i'm glad u can't use a tablet,traditonally looks better anyway:p

[goldlion]

The Demon Monkey design is hot. I like the difused look on it too, again looks 2D and 3D. I also agree with Terro on the proprtions on the last one. If you're going for the stumpy look - maybe shorten the arms just a bit???

[Neo_Crisis]

nice,i'm glad u can't use a tablet,traditonally looks better anyway:p
Yeah I suck using a tablet,lol


So my redone one on paper still looks out of proprotion?:( ?

[Neo_Crisis]

Well??? :(

[Terro]

Sorry it took me so long Neo, it's looking proper now. Good job.

[Neo_Crisis]

Ok here's Shen colored:) :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/ShenCel2.png
More Coming!:D

[Neo_Crisis]

New character.:D Akishino, Akemi's older brother.:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture340.jpg

[Neo_Crisis]

Some more pics. I redesign Shen and Akishino and drew a new character.
(I used my digi cam )

Shen redesign:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture373L.jpg

Akishino redesign:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture372L.jpg


Akemi in his ninja attire:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture375L.jpg


Akemi's sword designs, I still working on it, since the sword has now become a important part of the story, I will have to design a cool looking sword (Note, the swords were free hand drawn so...):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture377.jpg


Marcus:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture374L.jpg



Takahiro, Akemi and Akishino's dad:blink: :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture376L.jpg

[Neo_Crisis]

^^ Need feedback....:( ^^ Added some new pics. (page 3)

[Neo_Crisis]

.........*sighs*:(

[NOOB!]

sorry neo,i usually on check forums whens its lit up on the main page,i haven't seen this on lit up for a while..must be sumthin to do with my setting

i think your designs are great,good clean line work,keep at it woman!! i just want to see some storyboards or sumthin :p

[Terro]

Akishino's Dad and Marcus look very nice Neo. The wepons look fairly regular at the moment. Some color would give the blades flavor :)

[Neo_Crisis]

I got a group pic of main characters of nada on my deviantArt gallery. I tried a new coloring style!!!:D Let me know what you guys think.:D

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/34849217/

Need feedback.;)

[Neo_Crisis]

Ok small update!
The Cast (well not all the characters) Characters are not to scale, just put this together in photoshop.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Characters2.jpg

From left to right: Akishino (Akemi's older brother), Kay , Demon Akemi , Akemi, Marcus , Shen , and Takahiro (Akemi and Akishino's father)


Akishino

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Akishino_Profile2.jpg

Akemi
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Akemi2c.jpg

Marcus
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Marcus2w.jpg

[bleupencil]

Looking good :)
I really, really like Akishino's design a lot.

Can't really see that top picture very well though D:
Maybe my resolution is too high. You got a bigger version lying around at all?

[Neo_Crisis]

Well, I used my digital camera, which isn't very good to take the pic, so the resolution is kinda of poor... the pics were too big for my scanner.:(
But I will have some clean up versions soon.

[NOOB!]

buy a bigger scanner

*he says as if she is rich...*

lol nice designs!

[Neo_Crisis]

Thanks, wish I could.........:(

[KOTK]

Nice.

Have you done any test anims with them yet?

[Neo_Crisis]

Not yet but, I'm getting my peg bars soon for my lightbox!:D It will be more easier for me to animate.

[Neo_Crisis]

Back with some better pics of the other pic I posted earlier. Took me forever to upload these...:Xead:
Shen:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture031.jpg

Demon monkey Akemi:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture030wm.jpg

Akishino:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture034wm.jpg

Kay:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture033mw.jpg

Takahiro:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture028wm.jpg


The villians:) I haven't finish designing the god characters but here's 2 out of 5 of the gods. Designs are not final:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture071wm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture072wm.jpg

Some raw sketches of Akemi(I don't like showing my messy sketches,lol)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture041wm.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture080mw.jpg
Misc character:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/gear3/Picture069_2mw.jpg

And a test animation: Akemi summoning his sword,not finished:
http://media.putfile.com/Sword-Summon
More to come!:D