Commercial work

[daygraphics]

The world of commercial work is often-times not so glamorous and or exciting as the fashion or portrait world, but it can be equally challenging. Just this morning, I was asked to age an individual for some on-line video animation. Quick and dirty. Was due in about 2 hours. Just fly by the seat of your pants and do what comes naturally. Older people's skin tends to be rougher and more ruddy. Obviously, we all develop laugh lines and crows feet - and the usual furrow brow lines. Our eyebrows get bushier (sometimes out of control) and we even grow hair out of our ears (I left that out). Our earlobes dangle, our noses get longer - just the general breakdown of age. Oh... and of course, you also get gray hair - if you're lucky enough to keep your hair. Two hours and see ya - off to the next project.

[=)JC]

Maybe you could add some pigment spots on the skin, but anyway, i like the result!

[Just Kit]

Beautiful job! What was your workflow? The face and hair looks perfect but I do think the neck is a little extreme. It may just be the web version.

[daygraphics]

I could have, but did I mention - they didn't want liver spots or any of the nasty things that come about. You know, your average well aged, handsome man...

[daygraphics]

Originally Posted by Just Kit

Beautiful job! What was your workflow? The face and hair looks perfect but I do think the neck is a little extreme. It may just be the web version.

When you see it on the screen pop-up - it is about 4 times bigger than it is going to appear in animation. But looking at it again... the neck is bit too turkeyskinned. BUT the AD liked it and it was time to move onto another "have to get out" deadline.

[shift studio]

Good work daygraphics.

I had a job just last week where I had to age someone. I had about a day to do it.
Below is what I came up with (nevermind the 'odd' colour treatment - there is a reason for that)

--Shift Studio.

now that its posted, I see this isn't the final version - final had some 'thinned-out' and whiter eyebrows.

[daygraphics]

I like it SHIFT.Very believable. Again, in the world of advertising, it just has to pass as believable at a glance. No-one is hanging it up in a fancy Sterling Silver frame, and staring at it for days on end. I like your liver spots - very expected with age. Ironically, my client (or AD) specifically did not want them. What-Evah!!! It pays the bills.

[renata]

Wow, I'm impressed with both.

[shift studio]

Thanks daygraphics and renata!

Originally Posted by daygraphics

... in the world of advertising, it just has to pass as believable at a glance. No-one is hanging it up in a fancy Sterling Silver frame, and staring at it for days on end.

In theory, true, but sometimes an image needs to hold up under scrutiny too. (I'm not saying my posted image does or doesn't)

I end up letting stuff slide sometimes when there is no budget, or no time, or nobody cares about the job. Most other times however, I know my clients and their clients are going to look at it hard, and might possibly want to enter their ads in awards shows - it better hold up then.

I guess its about considering all the factors and weighing their importance. When you're building a client relationship, you may want to go to the ends of the earth for perfection, other times, you're comfortable with the client, and both of you know, a particular image requires being believable at glance, but not more - then you get it out the door, bill it, and move on!
Now I'm just rambling.... now, I'm stopping.

--Shift Studio.

[daygraphics]

Shift,

I guess I was being a little cavalier and using some generalizations when I made my initial comments. Obviously, if I am working on a high profile piece that is likely going to be a beauty shot or judged in competition, I spend considerable time in the details, making it a real award winning contender. I have won my fair share. I imagine that you have too. In fact, if the budget is substantial, you can almost guarantee some special accolades and awards.

But when I'm on a project with little to no budget, and it has a for-sure, short life and is pretty much a throw away - I give it my all (for the hour allotted), which is often better than what some of my competitors can produce giving it an all day effort.

[shift studio]

yup, seems like we are saying pretty much the same thing

[women'sdesk]

I think it's a fantastic result!! Very cool... Only thing you could do in addition to this would be saggy chin, bulgy nose tip, nasolabial lines bit softer etc. Great job!!

[daygraphics]

Yes... all anatomically correct and probably the right thing to do, BUT I had that AD hovering over me saying, "make him look old, but "not too" old". We still want him to look like a handsome, old guy. I tried to explain that bulging nose thing and sagging underchin (more like attached), but he wasn't buying...

Oh well, I had like 30 other projects due that day and I had made one person happy - so onto the others.

Thanks for commenting. I haven't been on in a while. I need to start checking back in. i get great feedback here and learn lots of tidbits along the way.

Dan

[women'sdesk]

You did a really great job!! They must have wanted him to maintain his model charm... bulbous nose may have been too rugged like Harrison Ford