Creating an Animated Short in 2 Days - Blender 2D/3D Workflow

Hey everyone, it’s Kevin and I'm excited to share with you a fun project I created for the Christmas season. This was all about blending fun, whimsy, and animation. While I typically rush my holiday pieces, creating them last minute, this one was a great challenge that pushed my creative boundaries. So, sit back, and let me walk you through the process of bringing my ideas to life using Blender, and how this experience is shaping my future projects.

In this post, we'll delve into the intent behind this holiday short, the creative process, and thoughts on the project.

Intent Behind the Project

A few years ago, I started a project called "Little Maxwell," inspired by my actual dog, Maxwell. He's been the star of several animations I've created, and you can see them on Instagram at @littlemaxwellthedog. Every Christmas, I include him in my animations, and this year was no exception. This short was intended as a precursor to a larger focus I planned for 2023. The theme? Magical and extraordinary events revolving around Maxwell. I visualized a scene where he's napping by a fireplace, and a Christmas tree comes to life, presenting him with his favorite treat - Madeleine cookies. Though it's just a narrative, remember not to feed your dogs sweets!

The Creative Process

The process began with rudimentary storyboards based on the concept. This 30-second short required planning of shots and sets, boiling down to two main scenes: an exterior city view and an interior living room. Leveraging assets from previous projects, like the Christmas town and office scenes, was crucial in bringing this to life, especially under time constraints.

Animation in Blender was a mix of mesh blocking and grease pencil techniques, adding texture and depth. The Christmas tree, animated with a lattice armature rig, and Maxwell, crafted from various grease pencil poses, were central to the narrative. Keeping the entire project in one Blender scene streamlined the workflow.

Thoughts

For me, creating this animation was more than just an artistic endeavor; it was an exploration into storytelling and world-building. Looking back on the final piece, I noticed areas for improvement, quality and workflow-wise. A common question I get is about exporting Grease Pencil animations for other platforms, like game engines. Currently, this isn't feasible, which led me to rethink my approach, especially in thinking about creating more immersive worlds like a game.

Transition to 3D Modeling

This initiated my intent to transition the Maxwell character from 2D to 3D modeling. I've recently begun modeling Maxwell in 3D, which I did on a Twitch Livestream. The plan is to integrate 3D models with 2D grease pencil drawings, moving beyond the flat plane into a more dynamic, dimensional space. This evolving approach was showcased in my latest model, where Maxwell's main body parts are 3D, while his facial expressions remain in 2D, for now. I’m looking forward to seeing where I can implement this model in future animations and shorts.

Closing Thoughts

Thanks for joining me on this journey! While Little Maxwell remains a focal point, the underlying philosophy is to create story-driven content with a purpose. For those interested in exploring a similar 2D/3D workflow with Grease Pencil, check out my course "Magic Storybook" on CGBoost.com. Here, I delve into techniques for creating vibrant 2.5D scenes, blending 2D artistry with 3D elements. Stay tuned for more adventures in animation, and remember, keep creating and exploring new dimensions in your work!

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