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Animation & Game Design
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Apr 08
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Star Wars + Legos = Love
The video is popular with Star Wars fans and Lego nuts, but nobody seems to know who made it. A tribute to John Williams and all things Star Wars, the computer animation depicts a Lego Darth Vader conducting an orchestra of storm troopers as they play the Imperial March.
We have an idea that whoever made this snippet is probably very familiar with the online community at http://www.brickfilms.com, a site dedicated to stop-motion animation using building block sets like Legos and their near cousins in the toy department.
The storm trooper orchestra is based on Lego figures, but it’s CGI, not stop-motion. Check out the way Darth Vader hops up and down, not to mention the background animation. The question is, was this a CG-geek’s homage to brick films, or a case of one-upsmanship?
The answer may be that we’re dealing with two different—though equally creative and interesting—approaches to Star Wars fan fiction. Students of digital art and game design may use Lego figures as models because of their simple, but attractive, geometry. They also make cute animated characters.
The brick purists, on the other hand, are sticking with stop-action for a reason. Despite being the most primitive form of film animation, stop action is appealing to old pros and newcomers alike for its simplicity and old-fashioned charm.
You don’t need any fancy computer equipment. Your hands, eyes, and extreme patience when manipulating the figures will determine the quality of the final product. Stop action is just more physical.
So there may be only two major aesthetic approaches, but there are literally hundreds of Lego-Star Wars videos out there. Is it just handy for Star Wars fans that Lego sells models of all their favorite characters and spaceships? We think that there is more to the Lego angle. In truth, these videos are as much Lego fan fiction as they are Star Wars fan fiction. This takes playing with Legos to a whole other level.
Do you have your own fan film? Do you know who animated the Imperial March? Do you have something to say about computer animation versus stop motion?
Let us know! Join in the conversation. Send us your thoughts here.
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Ford Models 360 Beauty Beat: No Make-up Make-up
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Makeup & Hair
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Apr 08
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No-Makeup Look Still Requires Makeup Skills A makeup artist’s job is not necessarily to make a subject look “made up.” More often than not, photo shoots and celebrity clients require a “no-makeup” design and a “real” daytime hairstyle. Of course that doesn’t mean hair and makeup get a day off. You want your subject’s face to look naked, only better. The subtle art of making a face seem effortlessly flawless may actually be the most worthwhile skill in your repertoire.
Achieving this no-makeup appearance requires subtlety, skill, and a few essential tools. Ford Models makeup artist Jamie Melbourne uses a small but deadly arsenal of basic makeup tools: concealer or foundation, facial lotion, lip balm, brow set, eyelash curler, and mascara.
Yes folks, that’s it: six little items that make a big difference. Of course you can’t wield Jamie’s weapons well without following his tried and true makeup tips.
1. Blend the concealer or foundation with the lotion and apply with your fingertips.
This technique evens skin tone and blends away blemishes with a sheer, natural-looking coverage.
2. Use lip balm to brighten lips.
No lipstick is required for this look, but you do want to give your lips some definition. The lip balm also gives lips an appealing softness.
3. Use brow set rather than eyebrow pencil.
Brow set just tames the hairs so you can brush them in to a nice, smooth shape. You can also use brow set on the lashes after you curl with the lash curler. The brow set helps retain that nice curve if you’re not using mascara. If you are:
4. Use dark brown mascara rather than black.
Black mascara is too extreme for this look. You want to define the eyes without drawing attention to the makeup.
Starting from these basic essentials, you can add a little color for evening. The important thing is that the subject looks fresh and clean—as if you didn’t do any work at all. Of course you know, and your subject knows, that you have just worked a little bit of makeup magic.
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