Learn to make Digital Puppets

PaulyPuppets

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I don't know if this is the right place for this post, but I'll take a shot. Recently, I've become addicted to "digital puppetry". There is a great new software called iClone, which enables anyone to create 3d animated movies, characters, props, etc., within minutes. From any photo, you can also make 3d animated characters of yourself, your friends or family, ...anyone, and make them talk and move in real time, like a digital puppet. You can even take a snapshot of your favorite puppet, and turn him into a walking talking 3d animated character. I have no business affiliation with this product. I'm simply a fan. I know that BUCK knows about it too, and tells me he enjoys it a lot. You can see my artwork with the software here, or my 3d movies here. So check out the link below in my signature, and make some digital puppets. There is a free trial version of the software there. Enjoy :smile: !.....Pauly​
 

Buck-Beaver

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I think iClone is more of an animation tool than a true digital puppetry app - because there's no way to control a character in real-time - but it's very cool nonetheless. Please check out the awesome stuff that Pauly's been doing with it!
 

PaulyPuppets

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Thanks, Buck, and Yes, actually, you're correct. I guess my own definition of "Real time" means, "a heck of a lot faster than other 3d animnation programs". But I love it. I really believe it's my fascination with puppetry, ...the art of making an unreal character, become real. Cool indeed! I know the Henson Company has become more involved in the use of "digital puppetry". I know a puppeteer in California who had to operate a puppet for a Henson series called "Francis", I believe (I think that was the title). The puppet was like a motion capture puppet which while performed, made a computer generated character move in Real Time (true REAL TIME). I wonder how puppetry lovers feel about this somewhat new approach to puppetry. Perhaps that should be the topic of a new thread, eh?......Pauly​
 

gfarkwort

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I think it's wonderful.....I mean this is what the future is going to be and it all looks really fun to do and you get A LOT of emontion and other things with the digital characters but it still has all the basic and classic Puppeteering skills....So I like it.....
 

Camellia

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Hi everbody, this sounds interesting I'll have to take a look later. Is it similar to the style they're doing at www.jibjab.com and the like?

Anyone here interested in character facial animation with 3D modeling for fun? I use 3DSmax and TrueSpace.
 

Buck-Beaver

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You might be interested in this...one of the projects I'm currently involved with is an open-source 3D animation program called Panda Puppet. It basically allows you to program different facial expressions (sort of like the way iClone does) and then trigger them as you perform a digital puppet. It's being designed to work with Blender though, not 3DS Max.
 

hennesprod

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Hey Andrew,

Actually, I decided to model him in a $300 3D package called Animation Master
to see what it could do. I was pleased with the level and ease of the current tool sets and for $300.

William
 

Buck-Beaver

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Really? I didn't realize Animation Master was still around. I've been learning Blender, which is even cheaper (free!) and the newest version is very impressive, although it's still kind of unintuitive.
 
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