Grandfather Clock (WIP)
 

The other day I had the odd urge to create a grandfather clock, so I did.

I've tried animating the pendulum, but I haven't had as much success as I would like. I've tried many different ways of animating it, and so far this one looks the least intrusive.

The colours were just temporary so I could get an better idea of the shape of the clock but now I'm thinking of using them... I like the hint of red on the outside of the body... I obviously haven't really started shading yet, but if anybody has any comments or suggestions on the colours I'd be happy to hear them. Same goes with the animation. If anybody knows a better way of animating such a small pedulum without making it look funky and jaggedy please let me know.

I've attached two images. One with the image at 100%, and one with 700% zoom so you can have a closer look if you like... not that there's much detail to look at so far though. :P

Very little contrast (colors) so there's a lot of lost detail. You don't really use lighting where it could be used. And, finally, I should beat you down for animating the pendulum like that.

Nice design, you could make it better though :)

its nice, but pendulums don't move like that, i would suggect rotating the pendulum part, and making sure it all seems to come from the same point

He has'nt done that yet, and even moving it two pixels to each side would work, and to get rid of jaggedy lines, you use anti-alias techinqus on the lines, and on the inside of the lines.
Also outside of the lines.

It smooths it off alot :)

Anti-aliasing doesn't always suit the style, though.

If he's going for a Graal-like style, he'd be best leaving the lines.

Other than that, it's interesting.

The young grass hopper learns.

You'll notice I don't anti-alias in a lot of my stuff - and it's not because I'm incapable. Actuall, on second thought - you probably WON'T notice, since I rarely post my work.

In this case, anti-alias on the gold area of the clock, for the animation, line anti-alias would suit best, to remove to ugly pixelfied lines.

It would still keep the graal style, but the line will look like a normal line, just not all ugly :)
I speak wise words, never go against them in the art zone ;)

Needs tranparency. :p

Look up impressionism, and Minimalism.

pendulums dont move like that

Zero, i know exactly what your talking about, and both you and Skyld totally missed what i was trying to explain, and what i am trying to explain, (not very well, my bad), is just to make the line which goes to the angle, not look pixelfied and have a smooth appearance the same as the other swing frames.

Then he can make the pendulum move correctly, and look nice, as Warcaptain spotted.

Contrast between what parts? I haven't started detailing it yet. No real shading or lighting on the main bits... Just a bit on the pendulum weight to try and make it look like metal.

I know the animation isn't good... That's why I asked for suggestions on how to improve it.


Thanks. I was thinking of making one of those big rectangular ones at first, but I liked the idea of a pitched top a bit more... I might try to add some spirally stuff or something on the outside leg bits. What do you think?
Yeah, I know it doesn't look right... But when I tried to redraw it at an angle it just looked offensive to the eye. I thought I mentioned that.
I might try anti-aliasing... I'm usually bad at it though. I can never pick the right shades for the transitions.

I wonder if shrinking the width of the pendulum by 1 pixel would help at all... hrm.
There is transparency... If you're talking about the blackness on the top one, you have to click on it. That's a thumbnail to the 700% zoomed one. The forums give a black backround on the thumbnail for some reason.

The two extentions from the feet to the "shoulders" of it which incase the glass area for the pendulum. Make sure your light is directional or it will look wonky.

I'm not sure I follow. And yes, I know about light sources.

PS: Please return my posts to their former glory.

Quadruple posting = glory? Negative.

Saving trees = glory.

Doesn't matter.

I have to say, great design. And yea, I've assumed you haven't detailed yet.
The one problem lies in the swinging of the pendulum. While some say anti-aliasing goes against Graal's style quite a bit, rotational objects are quite the paradox. You just need to do angles for the pendulum's swing, and if you want it to look anything decent, you'll need to anti-alias a bit. It's quite simple, though, really. You don't have to go all-out anti-aliasing, trying to find a million different shades unless you're doing huge graphics. You can do it more simply than that. I say this might take 2-3 shades. It's just like doing a mini-gradient from the foreground color to the base color.

Other than that, the only thing that stands out to me is poor lighting contrast on the top of the clock on the left side.

I like it. The gold closing lids are a bit too big though, and the actual click is missing, unless you intend on adding some script to show one.

Even jake knows you need too ^_^, I think most of the time, people get the meaning of the word, "anti-alias" a bit wrong, theres loads of different forms and techniques.

Ill try and find tha tutorial of line anti-alias, or ill just create an image example showing what it does.

I posted this last night....but it didnt stick for some reason. Well, here goes try #2.

I am by no means an expert on gfx, but I noticed one part that I liked alot but nobody has really talked about. I'm a big fan of the little "glimmer" on the pendulum...ball...I suppose it would be called. I just wish it was a bit more noticeable on the smaller version. Perhaps a way to give that detail a little more life or size?

How does this look for animation? Any suggestions thus far?

Please note that I haven't started anti-aliasing the pendulum yet... I'm also in the middle of changing the light source on the clock.

I've tried to make that little sparkle more noticable.

edit: I guess it would help if I attached the images :P

It's better, but the last end of each pendulum swing still is a bit quirky.

Elaborate please.

You did'nt use anti-alias on the line for the pendulum :(

-_-;;

Oh...I did't read the others lol. Sorry

The black outlines are killing the lighting on the wooden parts. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not.

Well I'm currently working on reshading for more visible/obvious lighting... I did think about using a colour outline rather than black... But chances are I'll put this on G2k1 somewhere, and for now I think a black outline will fit it best.

Its nice, but when it hits the right end theirs a white thing or something..maybe its my comp. Not sure..and I wont be able to post for 8 hrs..so cya lol.

lol, Dude, that's the shine as the light reflects off it. xD

And maybe a very dark brown outline would be nice for the clock.

Tips on anti-aliasing please.

It needs a face. What program are you using, mainly?

Breh.

Zero, that's gonna look a bit wierd if it goes against a wall. It'll look like there's a big stain on the wall.

Face will be showpoly. I use Photoshop/Imageready CS2. Mostly Imageready for this because it's animated.

I don't want my grandfather clock to have an army of termites living inside. This will most likely be up against a wall, and if I wanted a shadow it would probably be a translucent image/showpoly.

I heart your shadowing techniques, though, Zero. I use the same for home-brewing translucent things, but I'm not so sure it would be needed for a clock that might be positioned near a wall. I've not really walked into someone's house and almost ran into a clock sitting onto the middle of the floor before. >_<

Wherever that gfx was used it would probably be placed in the center of the room. Its above average work with animation. Nobody will put that against a wall.

Don't make me make that into a fancy PNG. So help you, God.