Old character... new life in Moho

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:12 am

First of let me make a correction...

... I am "new" with Moho...

... I have been doing graphic design and illustration on the computer for... uh... 12 years? 15? When did the first version of Adobe Illustrator come out? I first used v2... something of AI. I used v2.0 or 2.5 of Photoshop... I still have the dang floppies somewhere... (yes... floppies. Software use to come on floppies).

So I had a leg up on the learning curve. I also have gained some animation experience with 3D over the last 8 or so years as a hobby mostly.

I will try to come up with some kind of tutorial on my "technique"... although... it is sort of... like "painting with splines". I just sort of... stick stuff in there and fiddle till it looks good. Trial and error.

I am sure I have way to many layers... I tend to draw a ton of shapes on one layer and duplicate the layer to experiement... modifying shapes... deleting shapes... but it renders fast and looks good so who cares?
-------

I don't want to stray too far into the "other software" topic...

If you want to know more about Hash inc. Do a search on the "other software" forum here for Hash or Animation Master I am sure there will be a link... I have noticed there are quite a few of its customers using Moho. I learned about Moho from the Hash A:M forum.

Warning! You will find the entire spectrum of emotions and opinions from sucky to great. I lean strongly towards "great". It is a matter of opinion and dedication... just like any program. You learn to work around "problems" to get the job done.

To me... Moho is to 2D animation what Animation:Master is to 3D. Coming from me that means a lot. I have been using A:M for about 8-9 years. I have "owned" Moho for about 6 months and "using" it for about 3.

They are both incredibly affordable, intuitive, with more features and power than one could possibly expect for the price.

This is a tough thing to find in software. Yes there is "cheap" software... and "good" software. You don't find both of those qualities together very often.

There are also so many "odd" similarities with each company's "philosophies" and customer focus and the software itself... that Twighlight Zone tune keeps running through my head.

p.s. I tend to gush sometimes. I am accused of "cheerleading" on the Hash forum but when I find something so unexpected that I like this much you can't shut me up.

Lost Marble is my new "Hash"... for 2D only of course.

-Vern

gavi dvan · Post by **gavi dvan** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:14 am

Love that new clip with the new look, awesome.

Also thought I should mention the intro sequence to that first clip looks really good aswell, like professional style ish up in this mother

PhantomIre · Post by **PhantomIre** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:37 am

Wow. Well now that you mention it 3 months with moho is NOT a short time. You're not "new" (per say) anymore, so stop saying it, because you're are enraging me with your goodness at moho. Just call yourself an expert and stop making me mad. Now a final word on 2d vs 3d animation:

I didn't know Hash was for 3d, but now that you've mentioned it, I'm not willing to give it a try. In MY opinion, all 3d cartoons EVER MADE have SUCKED. I'm not talking about video games or 3d movies, because those are usually freakin great, I'm talkin more about made-for-tv 3d animations. Lets see here. There arn't really that many on now, most of them like to hang out on Nickelodean... and they all suck. Actually, Jimmy Neutron's not half-bad. I rather enjoy that show. I'm using moho to make webisodes - 30 seconds a show - and 2d just has so much more appeal to the masses because of it's... I guess... classic and almost nastalgic essence. 3d won't be "in" in cartooning for a long long time. Praise aqua teen, praise 12 oz mouse, praise champloo, praise all those 2d sunnama bitches.

But yeah, GET THAT TUTORIAL OUT, BOY!

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 7:23 am

I appreciate your honesty PhantomIre.

And I will see if I can whip up a tutorial soon.

And I will stop calling myself a new user! Thanks for the compliments. I guess 3 months is a pretty long time. Time flies when you're having fun.

I keep finding out stuff all the time... it makes me feel like a noobie. Like the shaded effect. I only found that like a day ago.

I only just discovered you can put bones on a switch layer! Hah! Cool.

So much to learn... so little time.

-Vern

dekka · Post by **dekka** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:41 pm

i have to agree, i find the moho drawing tool very good, the only thing that bugs me is the level of gradient wioth can use (which is fairly small)... anyway
awesome job. if it's not too much to ask could you one day post a file of the way you did the gradient AND the shading so i can understand by looking at it as well, i am a little slow after all...
thank for the great inspirationnal job man...
rock on

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:18 pm

Just a preliminary head turn. I only animated the hair mask not the hair... so it looks odd... plus no shading yet.

I am digging the face switch. Only two layers for that.

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/ISA_threeqrtr1a.mov

Question... is it just me or is there no way to use ease on switch layers? Even with interpolate layers set, all the ease key frame settings are grayed out besides step.

-Vern

13YearsOldAnimator · Post by **13YearsOldAnimator** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:02 am

omg DUDE URE GREATE! Keep the foknig awesome work and show us the results...
I'll never reach those levels (maybe coz my comp collapses when my movie's 2 mins with 20 pix)..
But i can't see the clips =[

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:02 am

I promise to get back on this soon.

I got the audio for my other Moho project which I can't show anyone yet and have been working on that one for a while.

I am under a nondisclosure agreement thingy... kind of.

Funny thing this other project is a way more simple style. Absolutely no shading at all.

-Vern

13YearsOldAnimator · Post by **13YearsOldAnimator** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:37 pm

how about a co-oparating? (correct my typos)
You're greate at char and world design, i'm pretty good at animating - we should make a common project!
I can bring us one of Yui's cool songs, you bring the char design, we both work on the animation and we'll have a greate movie!
Here's my recent project:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCzt0mkezTY
bad design, but animation's well, and with all the 3D prespective - there isn't even a single model.
here are all of my projects:
here's my profile:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Koriz

^_^

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:00 am

Sorry,

I have so many side projects going right now... it is starting to interfere with my paid work.

Thanks for the offer though.

-Vern

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:11 am

Update on this project.

I am working out the entire body for the character. Looking for something... tough... but also... with comic potential.

Still working on it...

-Vern

CartoonM!ke · Post by **CartoonM!ke** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:50 pm

Think you've nailed it, Vern! The pose and drawing is spot-on for a tuff spy, but the 'do just cracks me up!

Is he gonna have any gizmos? Ammo belt, sword, lazer pointer/ray?

Really like how this character's developing. Love this concept so far!

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:59 pm

Oh yeah... he gets "tools" and weapons.

Of course he doesn't know how to use them properly which is the comedy aspect.

The idea came from watching Matt LeBlanc assembling a complex laser gun in "Lost in Space"... the audio commentary said he had some trouble with all the props he had to handle and say his lines...

... I kept thinking...

"Joey Tribbiani wouldn't have a clue how to assemble that thing! He's going to blow himself up!"

Thus was born... The Incompetent Secret Agent.

-Vern

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:54 am

Here is just a test of the ISA zipping up his outfit.

I am not set on the location of the zipper. I need it to not be in the center due to the "plot"... the zipper must pass over that area. But it doesn't make sense not to have it end at the neck. Why have a zipper when you still have to push the head through the neck portion...

I will probably move it to side and have it end at the neck. Also... it makes more sense if he zips up with the other hand...

... oh well... that's why we do these tests right?

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/ISA_full-body-b.mov
(edit: updated this with new zipper layout and motion)

-Vern

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:30 pm

I update the above movie link.

New zipper layout... better motion... hand switches... etc.

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/ISA_full-body-b.mov

I am getting pretty good figuring out masks. The zipper section uses two "bodies"... one with the suit one with just "skin". Zipper mask "hides" the suit...

Second "mask" follows the hand and "shows" the suit... or... hides the original mask.

"third mask" is duplicate of second mask layer and hides the zipper flaps... All of this is controlled by bones so I don't have to do any "multiple layer" point animation. Just move the bones and everything works.

-vern