Environment Design Rocks!

[Amit Dutta]

Welcome to the Environment Design Rocks! Class 
Last Updated: 22 Sept 2015

This thread will contain all links, assignments and general class shenanigans for the next 8 or 9 weeks. 

Registered vs not-Registered?
If you haven't registered for the class, you might not get direct critique from me on your work nor access to all the demo videos. This should not stop you from doing any assignments and please post your work in this thread, so we can all see it!  You can use the donation option (see below) to get a guaranteed critique each week whether registered or not!

This thread is open to everyone to participate in and learn from, and hopefully will be useful to people long past the time it is actually live and running.  I have also built a site to hold all the resources / demos / assignments to make it easier to browse here: https://sites.google.com/site/edrocks2015/

Class structure

Demo videos
I will share prerecorded demo videos for most weeks. You will be able to watch these before getting started on your assignments. These will be hosted either as video files in my Google Drive folders or on My Youtube Channel

Assignments
Assignments will be posted in this thread and on the EDRocks site on a weekly basis, usually on a Friday or Saturday (UTC +12) depending on your timezone. You will generally get 1 week to do the work. There will be very clear and strict deadlines for submission of your work. Make sure you are subscribed to this thread!

You will have to post your work in this thread as well as submit the assignment using the submission form here   
You will need to submit before the deadline if you want me to critique it. The submission form locks off automatically after each deadline passes, so make sure you don't leave it too late. Better to get it in, even if it's not 100% done.

Commercial and entertainment art, especially freelance, is heavily driven by deadlines. You must rise to the challenge! NO excuses. NO exceptions.   Ok, so if you have a truly genuine and serious issue preventing you from submitting you can talk to me about it. Having "Man flu" will not get you sympathy; losing a limb might, depending on which limb.

Critique
Critique will be split into two parts:

1. Individualised video critique
I will try and record your individual critique within a day of you submitting your assignments. For those registered I will first try and send you a direct link to your own short critique video. If that turns out to be too admin intensive, I will instead do a single recorded critique video for all assignments and make that available to everyone to view.

2. Group critique livestream
I will also host a weekly livestream session on My Sywork Channel
The livestream will be held mostly on the Monday/Tuesday (UTC+12) after the assignment deadline. Everyone is invited to come and view the live sessions and hang out and learn together. I have created a schedule in Sywork, they should notify by email beforehand if you follow my channel and have this setting enabled.

Course Materials  
I will update the EDRocks website with all demos, assignments and resources so everything is neatly in one place. 
https://sites.google.com/site/edrocks2015/home


Donations and Tailored Critique
This course is free for all and modeled on an equivalent $700 CGMA course. 
You don't have to pay a cent, however, I will be accepting any donations if you want to give back a little. 
Link to donation page:  https://sites.google.com/site/edrocks2015/donate

Additional Bonus if you donate on any particular week, I will do a longer live critique on your work during the group critique livestream. You can use this as a way to get more help specifically where and when you feel you really need it.


Student Lounge
I created a permanent google hangout for the duration of the class (Click the heading). You can use it as a place to get to know each other, work on assignments at the same time, ask for help and advice, and be all happily introverted together safe behind your pixelated avatars. Thanks to Yog for the suggestion!
If it is full, Crimson Daggers also has a permanent hangout which you can use. The link is the hangout icon on the right just underneath the main banner image.


That's it! 
The only rules I have are to be respectful of each other, help each other out when you can, and most of all HAVE FUN. Art shouldn't be so damn serious all the time, you angsty so-and so's. :D

I'm so excited to help and watch you guys grow in the next two months!!
Amit

[Andy R]

yeeyyyy! CAN'T WAIT! XD XD XD XD

[wasgodx]

I am so excitedddddddddddddddddd! :D

[Rshin]

Just subscribed to the thread! Oh man I'm so excited for this!!!!

[Amit Dutta]

I am posting the first assignment earlier than planned because people were so keen. 
This means you have a few more days to do Assignment 1.

Demo:


Link to some environment images for study: Study Images

Submission Information

• Please save your assignment as a flat file in .png or .jpg format.
  
• Name your assignment file: yourcrimsondaggersnickname_week01
  
• Upload your file using this Submission form: Week 01 Submission
  (please PM me if you are having issues with permissions)
  
• Also post a copy of your image in this thread. Please make sure the posted image is < 1200px wide. There will be a crapload of images in this thread so let's make it load a bit snappier for those with slow connections (Me!).
  

Deadline: Friday 02 October @ 21:00 (9 pm) NZST (UTC+12)
Use www.worldtimebuddy.com to check when this is for you.




Recommended Further Reading on Composition:
Composition by Arthur Wesley Dow (free!)
Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers
Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting 
Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne
The 5 C's of Cinematography

[ZombieChinchilla]

Wooo, I can't wait to get starting with this!! I know I've said it at least three times but thanks so much for putting this together, Amit, you continue to blow me away with your awesomeness.

[Bookend]

Finished!

[ZeroCartin]

This is awesome! Cant wait to start the homework!

EDIT: I just found out I cant register since supposedly all 50 seats are filled :( Any chance of opening a 51? :( If not, Ill still bewatching this thread and participating with the homework.

[MehdiVdC]

Hi all,

Did anyone try out the perspective stamp brush in Krita?
Because when I downloaded the brushes (.abr) and tried to add them to Krita's brush library nothing happened. Isn't .abr Photoshop only?

I saw Amit use that stamp brush in Krita...how does he those things :-)

[MehdiVdC]

Hi all,

Did anyone try out the perspective stamp brush in Krita?
Because when I downloaded the brushes (.abr) and tried to add them to Krita's brush library nothing happened. Isn't .abr Photoshop only?

I saw Amit use that stamp brush in Krita...how does he those things :-)

If anyone else runs into trouble, I found how it's done:
https://userbase.kde.org/Krita/Manual/Br....2A.ABR.29

[yog joshi]

Awesome demo Amit! I just started the first assignment! & Thank you for starting the google hangout student lounge. I wish there was a way we could know if someone is hanging out in the lounge. Perhaps they post here or else where that they are in the hangout? Let me know if you or anyone else has any other suggestions. Thanks!

[wasgodx]

Can we go posting the progress here? Even tho we are not finished?

[Richie]

Maybe have a weekly thread or is that too messy?

[Amit Dutta]

@ZeroCartin, I pm'd you on dA.
@Yog, no worries! hmmm I don't really know the answer to that. I don't really use hangouts much but it doesn't look like there is an easy way. You just have to bookmark and keep checking the room when you want I guess, unless someone else knows a solution?
@wasgodx. For Assignment 1, I don't think there would be much benefit in seeing wips, but see below.
@Richie, I'll probably stick with just the one class thread to keep things simple. Let's see how many pages we can get on this puppy! haha

If you guys want to post wips, later on to get help and critique, that's fine, just try and use your better judgement on how much to spam the thread :) I will need to see a separate post for your final assignment.

Also guys, if you have questions for me, don't hesitate to PM me here, or email me directly. There may be a LOT of posts in this thread so anything to keep it relatively neat and readable will be appreciated.

Lastly, I just finished a little uploader script for submitting your assignments, which has now replaced the drive folder link. This should work for all, even those of you that don't have Gmail accounts. PM me if you are having issues with uploading.

[MehdiVdC]

Warning: insecurity and indecision here! Avoid when necessary.


Do we need to use the perspective grids on the x100 Notan ex.? Because either I need to unhinge my mind with a hammer or I need to leave the grids out. But, perspective needs to be taken into account. So ehm, *tantrum*.

[AlfonsoX]

I dont think he mention perspective on notans. 
He explains that we should look for abstract shapes with nothing in our mind.

The keys beeing composition and shape design.

Use:
Pattern, contrast, emphasis, balance, scale,harmony, rythm, unity, variety
To design pleasing/beauty shapes and compositions.

Altho Amit on several of his notans demo he seems to do landscapes on perspective or even cast shadows,
 and he mention that we can do the notans to resemble real things / representational
 but the general rule for them is not to be representational.

So, Its good to have perspective but dont force it, no need for guides. If it comes naturally is fine if not, dont bother.
These are mean to be quick and brainstormy.

If you are referencing a pictur/photo you are doing the study assignment not the 100x notans.

Also try to crop you image before posting. 70% of it beeing empty. 
This thread is going to be studied over years to come as "From cube to cathedral"
We all should try to keep our posts clean and compact. Avoiding non class related stuff.

Just my 2 cents and some of the notans I've done so far.

[Amit Dutta]

Yep AlfonsoX nailed it all Medhi!
Great work so far, but if you use grids for all you will want to jump off a tall bridge by the time you hit 50. Forget about perspective unless you see something perspective-y in your sketch you want to explore, but even then just wing it. Keep it relatively quick and loose (And by loose I mean free, not sloppy)

[MehdiVdC]

I dont think he mention perspective on notans. 
He explains that we should look for abstract shapes with nothing in our mind.

Alright, just needed to be sure.

The keys beeing composition and shape design.

Use:
Pattern, contrast, emphasis, balance, scale,harmony, rythm, unity, variety
To design pleasing/beauty shapes and compositions.

Got that.

Altho Amit on several of his notans demo he seems to do landscapes on perspective or even cast shadows,
 and he mention that we can do the notans to resemble real things / representational
 but the general rule for them is not to be representational.

OK.

So, Its good to have perspective but dont force it, no need for guides. If it comes naturally is fine if not, dont bother.
These are mean to be quick and brainstormy.

Forcing perspective was the thing that got in the way constantly. Thanks a lot for this one.

If you are referencing a pictur/photo you are doing the study assignment not the 100x notans.

I'm not referencing, might be overdoing it instead.

Also try to crop you image before posting. 70% of it beeing empty. 

Done.

This thread is going to be studied over years to come as "From cube to cathedral"
We all should try to keep our posts clean and compact. Avoiding non class related stuff.

n/a.

Just my 2 cents and some of the notans I've done so far.

Appreciate it, and good examples btw.

[MehdiVdC]

Yep AlfonsoX nailed it all Medhi!
Great work so far, but if you use grids for all you will want to jump off a tall bridge by the time you hit 50. Forget about perspective unless you see something perspective-y in your sketch you want to explore, but even then just wing it. Keep it relatively quick and loose (And by loose I mean free, not sloppy)

:-) Glad the first bridge is too far off.
Alright, loosen up and keep perspective as a lucky accident.
Understood.

[ZombieChinchilla]

Nice stuff so far, everyone! I've done 30 Notan thumbs from imagination. It can be frustrating to get away from trying to imitate real life environments. I'll start scribbling then I'll suddenly see a waterfall, and I can't help but paint a waterfall.