Tahoma2D Sample Data

[andeon]

@manongjohn I'd like to discuss creating a sample for Tahoma2D. When I started porting my themes, I felt the lack of images to publicize the program. I really don't like using Dwanko to do this, so I started imagining a mascot for Tahoma.

The TD2 sample needs to cover all levels and with some types of animations, as I suggested in the image.

Ps. I believe people like more cute images; maybe I need to work on the young moose design, but generally it not functional without having a lot of shadows and lights. I have other simpler designs, but let's start here.

[manongjohn]

Yes, I did want to create sample scene for T2D similar to OT but was't sure what i wanted as a mascot.

As far as mascots go, l am leaning away from a "cartoony" moose. I was thinking the character would be boy-ish with not-so-over-the-top moose-like features. I personally like Japanese Anime, so would lean towards that style, perhaps adopting a chibi-like version of what I described.

It's something I wanted to initially create and then get feedback to see what works. Havent drawn in a long while so likely whatever i come up with will look terrible.🙁

[andeon]

Trying to design the character you idealized! I think we need to create shapes that will work properly in cut-out animation and also in plastic tool.

[andeon]

A creature like Netflix's Sweet Tooth? I don't remember if there is a name for this type of style in Japan, it's not Neko, because it's for anything like cat ears.

So something half human and half animal, but you'd like to put on a helmet or hat so you don't know if it's an outfit or a body part?

A chibi human version with small horns can also work very well.

About the sample, I think needs to have only the files that were used, a project for each level, and with folders and files well organized, the Toonz Harlequin Traditional Workflow Tutorial and the Toonz Paperless Workflow Guide had a lot of stuff it doesn't help most people understand easily how the program works or use as a reference. Opentoonz Sample has far fewer files, but specifically focus only in a studio workflow.

@manongjohn Try to draw something, we have a lot of tools to improve it in vector or brushes. I had are many designs ready, but they were all "cartoony" moose 😁

[manongjohn]

Hmm...seems i might need to rethink this human-like character...looks a little too demonic 😄

[andeon]

Yeap, if we try to change the design to a pajama or hoodie, it will remain human and still contain the animal counterpart in the outfit.

[andeon]

Now trying new Chibi proportions (generally Chibis are 1.75~3 heads tall) and also mapping the cut out parts. Thinking about the animation structure, if we could put the cycle: Idle, Walk, Run and Jump or just the character acting something.

I was creating a basic "locked" animated puppet and using the Stage Schematic to connect the final parts of the character animation to each other, this can be reused indefinitely for any new character created. But it can make new users believe that they will always have to create a basic animation first. So I abandoned this idea, we need to keep focus to do it more clearly possible.

[artisteacher]

I think the antlers are too small in this last one. I like the young moose at the top of the discussion!

[artisteacher]

Also, maybe they would look less demon like if the antlers were more on the sides of the head/closer to the ears?

[andeon]

I need to finish a sketching costume/hoodie/pajama version to show Jhon. But now I'm thinking of glowing effects like energy for antlers, something like the character Code Sariel.

I confess that my real interest in this is to have a good sample data to show what kind of workflow Tahoma2D offers.

Still far away, because has a lot of things to do before starting the animation. I don't know if Jhon plans an open repository and also have no idea if the commits would work properly, but it would be very interesting after the release of the animation could improve it punctually, of course some limits would have to be stipulated.

[andeon]

Another sketch now drawing directly in Tahoma with the vector tool. Not sure if we need to stick to the same logo colors, about clothing, maybe a poncho?

Adding the try with a poncho:

[artisteacher]

Cute! Love the poncho idea.

[manongjohn]

I kinda like it. It's in the direction I was thinking, and definitely not a demonic looking baby anymore. LOL.

Slight issue. It looks similar to Tama from the anime Natsume's Book of Friends that i accidentally ran across today.

[andeon]

Wow, that Tama design could easily be a T2D mascot if this anime didn't exist. This height of it would be so cool, like an pixie or gnome in my mind I was just thinking about human height, precisely that of a boy and now that we know about it need avoiding the temptation to create something similar 😢

Was going to ask about quantity and type of antlers. Personality, colors you would like for it. Should we go more to tech, nature or mythical for the character's story?

[artisteacher]

I don't think they are similar enough to be a problem? Sure there are similarities, but the proportions, colors, and style are different enough to not be derivative in my opinion.

[manongjohn]

I think this character can still work. Tama is a dragon in the Anime where as Tahoma is a moose. To @artisteacher's point I think there may be enough differences that it can still work plus the horns are bigger and he has big ears

As for the character's story, I would lean towards either techy (it is animation software afterall) or mystical. Techno-mage, anyone? 🙂

Need to explore this more....and I need to learn how to draw it consistantly. Lol.

[andeon]

Thinking about Japanese animation and I remembered "Unico" by Osamu Tezuka, so I finally avoided the western moose cartoon and tried this one and liked the result. I was thinking about him being a shapeshifter like a familiar magical creature. The suit can have 5 or 7 folds, so when it transforms, some folds from the back come to the front covering the whole body.

I still haven't fixed the bad line strokes or painted correctly, but you get the idea

Maybe for animation:

A digital pen falling in the middle of the white screen, the moose comes and catches it with his mouth. He start running drawing the background poorly, then staggers, rolls over and turns into a boy who fixes everything.

[artisteacher]

Cute idea!

[manongjohn]

Sorry for VERY late reply....either i never got the notification of this (seems to happen a lot with Discussion posts) or got so sidetracked that i forgot.  I had just released 1.4 earlier in the month.

As much as I really like the human form design, I think we just created the chibi form of Sweet Tooth. Lol.

I think i will abandon the human form idea, but your animal form design has some real potential as the actual mascot.  Would make a good plushie! 😄

May need a little tweeking so its not confused with a deer.

[andeon]

I'll redesign working on the antlers and snout.

I also think it would be better if us create multiple samples instead of just one. That way, we cover more animation principles and Tahoma functions as well.