Making a Cartoon on The Computer

Computer-generated characters have some great advantages over pencil-and paper creations. For one, there are no smudge or eraser marks to worry about. More importantly, figures made with software programs can be posed in multiple ways without having to start from scratch.

The only software required for this project is a program that can produce and rotate colored rectangles and ellipses. The author used Adobe In-Design CS3 for his own character, though Illustrator might be preferred.

Step one: the wire frame model

First, decide the character’s proportions and features. A torso, legs and head are obvious body parts, but decide if the creation will also have elbow sockets, knees and fingers. Jointed ligaments are helpful in showing motion.

Use circles and rectangles to create a rough impression of the figure. Try using circles for the head, shoes, knees and elbows. Rectangles will do for the body, upper and lower arm, fingers and legs. Use rotated squares for shirtsleeves.

Step two: the rounding process

Not all design programs will allow for edge rounding, but if possible, try adding a curve to the character’s torsos, sleeves and pants. This will help the character look less “blocky” and more natural.

Advanced software programs will allow for independent modification of each side and corner. Try curving only one region of the sleeves while leaving the arm side flat.

Step three: filling in the wire frame

It’s now time to move beyond the basic wire-frame model. Use the design program’s “fill” program to color in each rectangle and circle, then move each body part above or below the others until the character looks as it should. In other words, bring the head in front of the body, the sleeve in front of the arms and the pants behind the torso. Experiment with the kneecaps and elbows to decide whether they should go in front or behind the legs or arms.

Step four: adding some color

It is possible to end with the third step, but most cartoonists would prefer to add a little color. If possible, use the design program’s “fill” or “swatch” feature to give the character skin and clothing colors. This is also a great time to add hair and clothing accents.

Making use of the character

It’s now time to experiment with the figure. Try grouping the sleeves, arm, hand and fingers into one shape, then rotate that shape to move the character’s arm. Make the character “jump” by rotating the arms and legs outward, then adding in a dark circle to represent the ground below. For an extra challenge, flip the character upside down and have it do a handstand.

With such a versatile, easy-to-modify cartoon, it’s hard to imagine going back to pen and pencil.

http://illustration.suite101.com

Alien oh Alien

Selasa, 22 April 2008 | 17:43 WIB

JAKARTA, SELASA - Pakar astrofisika terkemuka Stephen Hawking yakin alien mungkin ada dalam bentuk primitif di tepian galaksi yang kita huni. Menurutnya, alam semesta begitu luas sehingga terdengar mustahil hanya Bumi yang dihuni makhluk hidup.

“Kalaupun ada kehidupan primitif di ruang galaksi kita, di sana mungkin tidak ada makhluk yang cerdas,” ujar Hawking yang saat itu tengah membawakan kuliah umum untuk memperingati ulang tahun NASA ke-50 di Universitas George Washington, AS, Senin (21/4).

Dalam kesempatan tersebut, ia mengemukakan tiga pendapat mengenai kehidupan di luar Bumi. Kemungkinan pertama, kehidupan primitif di suatu planet mungkin memang sangat kecil. Kemungkinan lainnya, terdapat makhluk cerdas di suatu tempat yang mampu mengirimkan sinyal komunikasi ke luar angkasa hingga membangun kekuatan senjata nuklir. Namun, ia lebih yakin pada pendapat lainnya yang tidak menolak kemungkinan ad ya kehidupan lain namun tidak secerdas kita.

“Kehidupan primitif sangatlah biasa dan makhluk cerdas sungguh sangat jarang” ujarnya. Ia mengatakan perburuan alien melalui proyek SETI (Serach for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) membuktikan bahwa tidak ada tanda-tanda makhluk cerdas dalam rentang 100 tahun cahaya dari Bumi. Namun, ia yakin akan menemukannya jika manusia berjuang melakukan perburuan hingga jutaan tahun cahaya.

Komunikasi saja belum berhasil, apalagi alien mengunjungi kita. Hawking menolak pendapat kedatangan alien melalui penampakan UFO karena menurutya tidak mungkin alien datang hanya menakut-nakuti saja seperti banyak diceritakan selama ini.

Menureutnya alien ada samping kita, namun manusia harus memastikan rencana jangka panjang hingga waktu ratusan tahun jika ingin memastikan keberadaanya. Hawking menilai orang yang enggan berpartisispasi dalam eksplorasi luar nagkasa seperti orang-orang yang menolak rencana pelayaran Colombus mengarungi Samudera Atlantik tahun 1492 dan menganggapnya sebagai pemborosan.

“Menyebar ke luar nagkasa leboih jauh akan memberikan pengaruh sangat besar,” katanya. Hal tersebut benar-benar akan mengubah masa depan manusia dan mungkin menentukan apakah kehidupan manusia masih bisa bertahan lebih lama.(SPACE.COM/WAH)

Julius Erving

Julius Erving was born in Hempstead, Long Island. His father left the family when Julius was only three. His mother worked as a domestic to support her three children. The family lived in a public housing project, and life was difficult, but Mrs. Erving worked to instill a sense of self-worth in her children, and young Julius realized his gift for basketball could be a ticket to a better life. By age ten, Julius was averaging eleven points a game with his Salvation Army team. When Julius Erving was 13, his mother remarried, and the family moved to the nearby town of Roosevelt. There, Julius maintained a high academic average and played on the high school team, all-county and all-Long Island teams competing in state-wide tournaments. Erving acquired the nickname "the Doctor" while still at Roosevelt High. His teammates would later alter this to "Dr. J."

The basketball coach at Roosevelt High, Ray Wilson, introduced young Julius to Coach Jack Leaman of the University of Massachusetts. After high school, Erving entered the university, where Ray Wilson was hired as assistant coach the following year. At Massachusetts, Erving broke freshman records for scoring and rebounding, leading his team through an undefeated season. The next year, he had the second best rebound tally in the country. Over the summer, he joined an NCAA all-star team touring Western Europe and the Soviet Union. He was voted most valuable player on this tour. Julius Erving left the University to go professional after his junior year. He is one of only seven players in the history of NCAA basketball to average over 20 points and 20 rebounds per game.

In 1971, Julius Erving began his professional career with the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association. The ABA was fighting an uphill battle to gain the same recognition enjoyed by the more established National Basketball Association (NBA). Julius Erving, or Dr. J., as fans now called him, did more than anyone else to win that recognition for the new association. In his first pro season, Dr. J. ranked sixth in the ABA in scoring, third in rebounding. He was voted ABA Rookie of the Year at the close of the season. The following year, he led the ABA in scoring, averaging 31.9 points per game. In 1973, Dr. J. attempted to sign with the Atlantic Hawks of the NBA, and found himself in the middle of a complicated legal wrangle. The Squires claimed he was still under contract to them, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed draft rights to Erving under NBA rules, and his old management sued him for damaging their reputation by trying to break the Squires contract. The affair was finally settled out of court. Erving remained with the ABA to play for the New York Nets. Once again, Erving led the league in scoring and led the Nets to an ABA championship, winning four-out of-four games against the Utah Stars. In the first of these games, Erving scored 47 points, sparking comparisons with the greatest players of all time.

In the 1974 season, Erving suffered from knee pains and was forced to wear special braces on the court, but it didn't stop him from another spectacular season. On his 25th birthday, he scored 57 points against San Diego.

After being voted Most Valuable Player in the ABA from 1974 to 1976, Dr. J. moved to the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. He remained in Philadelphia for the last eleven years of his pro basketball career, leading the 76ers to an NBA championship in 1983. When Dr. J. finally retired in 1987, he had scored over 30,000 points in his professional career; he is one of only three players in the history of the game to achieve this feat.

After retiring from professional basketball, Julius Erving became a commentator for NBC and appeared in the feature film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. Julius Erving now serves on the Board of Directors of Meridian Bancorp and of the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company. He is also President of the management and marketing firm JDREGI. He is, of course, enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in the memories of everyone who ever saw him play.