BWC - Teddybears Inside || Getting things organised

[4Daniel]

Hey guys, first off sorry for the lame title

I finally had an idea worth trying (and not too complex, my other ideas would’ve taken months :P). It’s basically the moment in time where you throw your teddybear away, because you won’t be needing him anymore, because you’re growing up. It’s kind of a sad moment, and I’m going to try and convey that through the render.

Anyways, here’s my concept art, some ideas for the composition and angle, and also a few sketches of the teddybear. I’ve decided to go for a pear-shaped body, since that looks more interesting I’ve made him patched-up and worn out, to make it seem that he’s been there for a long time, which makes it that much harder to throw him away…

What do you guys think is the best / most dramatic angle for this? Further C&C also very welcome!

[Dusky]

DUDE!!! That’s an incredible idea! Maybe this - yet simple but effective - idea will help me get an idea too :D. But anyway, you can ‘store’ alot of ‘emotion’ in there to make it look more ‘dramatic’. I’m sure this will be a hard job, but you’ll pull it off… Yeah you will.
Your drawing looks really cool. Just in the middle of the situation.
Good luck with it m8!

[Ace_Dragon]

My old teddybear from when I was in 1st grade is still sitting on the chair in my room with loonytoon characters, Mickey Mouse, a purple dinosaur (NOT BARNEY), a stingray and a Hershey’s pillow, so I never threw him away.

This could be a competitive entry, too bad teddy couldn’t be sold to another little kid.

I think a cross between the 3/4 and side view could work, also have emotional lighting, the light’s on the bear, the bin is dark.

[4Daniel]

DUDE!!! That’s an incredible idea! Maybe this - yet simple but effective - idea will help me get an idea too :D. But anyway, you can ‘store’ alot of ‘emotion’ in there to make it look more ‘dramatic’. I’m sure this will be a hard job, but you’ll pull it off… Yeah you will.
Your drawing looks really cool. Just in the middle of the situation.
Good luck with it m8!

Hey, thanks Good luck brainstorming!

My old teddybear from when I was in 1st grade is still sitting on the chair in my room with loonytoon characters, Mickey Mouse, a purple dinosaur (NOT BARNEY), a stingray and a Hershey’s pillow, so I never threw him away.

This could be a competitive entry, too bad teddy couldn’t be sold to another little kid.

I think a cross between the 3/4 and side view could work, also have emotional lighting, the light’s on the bear, the bin is dark.

Me neither, I still have my teddy bears (yes, multiple :P) stowed somewhere in a plastic bag (poor things…). But I’ve thought about what it would be like to throw them away. It’s silly, but some things are difficult to part with, even though they’re just pieces of stuffed cloth and metal wire…

Thanks for your input, anyways. And indeed, I really shouldn’t underestimate the lighting for this one.

[Googleplexer]

Top view, definitely. I feel that has the most impact and is the most unique perspective. It also gives the chance to put a lot of emotion into the bear model and then places the focus on that. Even with just your sketch, I can almost hear the bear calling out to the person, pleading with him or her. I feel like I’m actually there, which is a big part of the contest.

Looking forward to seeing the progress on this!

[Sandrew]

I’d say top view. The 3/4 and side view look like those small images you find in manuals and on warning labels.

[SeraphZero]

If animated, start with the camera inside the can pointing upwards, slightly skewed so the top edges are at angles with the edge of the picture (aka a dutch angle), then cut to the outside looking down into the darkened can with only the teddy lit up, and the owner’s hand looking all depressed and having second thoughts. If not animated, just use the second shot.

[Orinoco]

Agree with Googleplexer and Sandrew. Top down definitely has more emotional impact, even in your thumbnails.

I never knew teddy bears got thrown away. I thought they just sort of wandered off and lost themselves when they were no longer needed.

[Dakka_Dakka]

Yeh you could really display a subtle facial expression on the bear from the top

[4Daniel]

Wow, a clear preference for the top view I see what you all mean. But I liked the side view as well… I’ll go with the top view as a still, and if I choose to turn it into an animation (with super-slowmotion and dramatic music), I can use multiple vantage points.

For the lighting I was thinking about an evening setting, with warm, yellow sunlight coming over the bear from one direction, leaving stretched shadows on the other.

I’m still thinking about what to do with the hand, whether it will be without mercy, or a bit hesitant.

But anyways, I think it’s time to start modelling Update soon!

[Koeltzsch]

What a great idea. If you get that right it will be one hell of an emotional masterpiece.

And as the others have already said I’d also encourage you to make it from top-view. It does make it a lot more sad if you already see the black hole in which the teddy is slowly being engulfed. Maybe you could also rotate the teddy slightly along his y-axis (from top to bottom) so that it seems like he rolled out of the hand instead of being let go without a second thought. That way one side of him could already be in the shadows whilst the other is still lit warm from the sun that you plan.

I’m really looking forward to seeing a completed render :eyebrowlift:

[nikolatesla]

Top view would have the most impact

[blenderman345]

3/4 cross side cross top. Perspective view.

[4Daniel]

What a great idea. If you get that right it will be one hell of an emotional masterpiece.

And as the others have already said I’d also encourage you to make it from top-view. It does make it a lot more sad if you already see the black hole in which the teddy is slowly being engulfed. Maybe you could also rotate the teddy slightly along his y-axis (from top to bottom) so that it seems like he rolled out of the hand instead of being let go without a second thought. That way one side of him could already be in the shadows whilst the other is still lit warm from the sun that you plan.

I’m really looking forward to seeing a completed render :eyebrowlift:

Thanks man, and good idea with the rotation, I like it!

Now I’m scared as hell to mess up the actual thing

3/4 cross side cross top. Perspective view.

Hmm, all in one eh? That’s going to be difficult.

But I might actually be animating this, so you might just be right.

Anyways, after downloading a ridiculous amount of teddybear reference material, I’ve started work on the modelling. Nothing spectacular, just wanted to have something to show:

I still don’t have a clue how to do the mouth area. And I still have to experiment with how to make him as cute as possible But crits and comments are welcome, try to be harsh!

[4Daniel]

I’ve worked on him some more, still need some ways to ‘cutify’ him…

I’ve been thinking about the material as well, can’t seem to decide between rough cloth or fur… I’ll try fur first and if I don’t succeed, I’ll do cloth

[Rore]

Maybe you could make his belly bigger, chubby teddy bears always look cute (and big eyes with fake reflections can make everything look cute, too)

Not sure about the open mouth - even if it’s not “posed” at the moment, I prefered the sewn one from your initial sketches.
I hope you’ll manage to make him some fur - or fur with some fabric patches.

[4Daniel]

Maybe you could make his belly bigger, chubby teddy bears always look cute (and big eyes with fake reflections can make everything look cute, too)

Not sure about the open mouth - even if it’s not “posed” at the moment, I prefered the sewn one from your initial sketches.
I hope you’ll manage to make him some fur - or fur with some fabric patches.

Big eyes, definately. I just slapped these on to get a decent render

I see what you mean about the mouth, it’s not that cute… But I want him to have a panicked expression, which means I might need an open mouth… Hmm, I’ll see.

Fabric patches, that was on my mind as well Maybe a bit of filling sticking out somewhere, some laces that help keep the legs and arms in place…

EDIT: Thanks for the input btw Lol at your sig

Really tiny update, a button instead of an eye. Still struggling with the mouth. May the C&C flow!

[Koeltzsch]

I see what you mean about the mouth, it’s not that cute… But I want him to have a panicked expression, which means I might need an open mouth… Hmm, I’ll see.

I’d like to disagree. Giving him a panicked expression will automatically give the viewer an uneasy feeling. Making him look something between sad and neutral will make us all feel sad and touched and therefore we’ll see it as something great no matter how it looks.

Try changing the mouth, maybe that will already get you to the cute look. If it doesn’t, enlarge the eyes

[Rore]

Yes, I think it’ll be more touching if he just looks sad.
I remember when I was a kid I had a teddy bear that looked sad, because the sewed mouth was in the shape of an inverted Y, without the corner of the mouth going up in a smile.
Maybe try to play on the “shape” of the eyes (or add some kind of eyelid) to make it look sad?

quick example drawn with the mouse:

[4Daniel]

Both of you are right. I got rid of the open mouth, and things cleared up immediately But now I’m kind of worried about the topology. I’ve also added eyesocket… things, to give him a bit of a brow area to play around with. Thanks for the tips by the way, they really help me out!