Art of

The Music of Erich Zann

By Ruben Martins
Rubensblogpage.blogspot.com Unit 2.03- Transcription
 Foreword
This “Art of” book contains all the research and development done for “The
Music of Erich Zann”, an animation based on the original story with the same
name by H. P. Lovecraft. This book will explore different areas which helped
create the final outcome.

Defining the chosen artistic style, German Expressionism, understanding the

characters and their designs, visualising the worlds they inhabit are some of the
things that this book will address.

On a more technical note, it will also explain how was possible to achieve such
an unique and ambiguous style, with a the powerful world of 3D.

So fasten your seatbelts and travel into the world of

“The Music of Erich Zann”.

Ruben Martins
Map of Paris, Final Render
Directing with Pencil
Script I

Final Script, 1- 4
Script II

Final Script, 5-7

 Visualising the Story

Storyboard , Pencil Sketch and Digital

Storyboard , Pencil Sketch and Digital

Initial Storyboards,
Pencil Sketch and Digital
Young Man Arriving to the Rue D'Auseil – Animation Final

Defining an Artistic Style

 Influences
Main Influences
With such interesting story, the right artistic
direction was needed. Knowing that the story was
set in 1920's France. I decided to opt for a style
that was predominant in Europe around that time.

German Expressionism, is better known for the

use of dark, bold distorted prints where is evoked
strong feelings in a more graphical and abstract
way.

Beim Vorlesen, 1914, Eric Heckel Zwei Manner Am Tisch, 1913, Eric Heckel

Other Influences

Tifusari, 1963, Vatroslav Mimica

Zagreb Films
 Research – Style Influence Maps

These influence maps were guides that were constantly being used throughout the overall process of
the animation.
 Research - Music
Artists of Choice
Nicollo Paganini Music has an important role in this animation, not only it
accompanies the piece but also to evoke strong feelings.
These feelings are better perceived because the music varies
throughout the animation. From calmer notes to babels of
insanely played music. At places, the music may be seen as
a 3rd invisible character, that gradually becomes more and
more mysterious.

Although the music varied throughout the overall

animation the artists of choice remained.

Bela Bartok
GOBO Lit World

With the Art direction defined, it was important to find ways

to convey that same style.

One of the things used in the animation to emphasize the

distortion shown by the German Expressionism was the
Gobo lighting.

Gobo Lit Environment, Animation Final

Meet the Cast
Erich Zann Young Man
 Erich Zann
Age: Unknown, maybe around his 80's or 90's

Race: Human pale white

Height: 1.55 m

General Demeanour: An old, lonely, nervous, afraid, temperamental and mysterious.

Career: A viol-player, who would play evenings in a cheap theatre orchestra.

Prejudices: He is defensive, tries to defend what is menacing to escape from his window.

Best Qualities: Regretful and rarely thankful.

Worst Qualities: Nervous, afraid, temperamental.

Erich Zann, Final 3D Model

Bio: Zahn is an old viol-player living in the mysterious Rue D'Auseil, he is a solitary, afraid and temperamental being with an
unimaginable burden. He lives in the boarding house owned by the paralytic Blandot, the 3rd house from the end of the ascended street.
his room is on the top floor, a small place with little furniture looking almost inhabited.
As a job, he plays evenings in a cheap theatre orchestra, though at night he has to worry to something far creepier, coming from his
window. With his weird and crazy music, he attempts to keep the inexplicable mystery away.
 Discovering the Character

Initial Erich Zann Silhouettes, Collage

Erich Zann Influence Map

Erich Zann character took a series of stages before the final design
was chosen. Collage to create strong silhouettes and the use of the
random shapes to create possible designs helped explore various ways
to create his final design.

Initial Face Designs, Digital

 Developing a Character
With a clear direction of what the design
should look like. It took some development to
arrive to the desired design. Firstly , a less
stylised approach was done, until a consistent
design was created. Later, to better fit the
artistic direction, the same design was taken
further in stylisation, to have a character with a
stronger silhouette.

The final design was achieved, the rest of

character exploration could take place.
Erich Zann less stylised approach,
Pencil Sketch

Erich Zann Stylisation, Pencil Sketch

Erich Zann Body Development, Pencil Sketch

 Erich Zann Final Design

Erich Zann carrying the Viol, Pencil Sketch

Erich Zann carrying the Viol, Final Model
 Visualising the Character

Erich Zann Fully Modelled, 3D Software

Erich Zann Model Sheet, Pencil Sketch

Model Sheets were done to initially visualise the character in 3 dimensions,

later those same model sheets were taken into a 3D Software program and
modelling began. Alongside the main body and head of the character, other
features were explored such as hands and an extra head

Erich Zann Modelling Progress, 3D Software

 Creating Emotions

Erich Zann Default Expression, Final model

Erich Zann Expression Sheet, Pencil Sketch

The expression sheet (above), was drawn at the pre-

production stage, exploring some of the emotions that
the character could possibly express throughout the
animation. This sheet was very useful for a later
production stage, when similar faces were created in
the 3D World (right). Although not all the faces are
displayed, the ones that are, are the root in which
many others can be expressed.

Main Character Expressions, Facial Rigging, 3D Software

 Creating the Insanity Expression

In the animation, the character Erich Zann, suddenly morphs into

this insane being. Although, he keeps the same features, they will
change his face considerably. This extra face depicting insanity,
was done totally separate from the body and then attached
purposely for the only scene it appears.

Where the other expressions were modelled, from an already

finished model of Erich Zann head, this one because of its
deformation and level of detail, had to be modelled and textured
separately.
Erich Zann Insane Head, Pencil Sketch Erich Zann Insane Head , Final Model

Erich Zann Insane , Animation Final

 Young Man

Age: Unknown, but maybe around 20.

Race: Human-white

Height; 1.80 m

General Demeanour: he is a friendly and caring person, but also curious and disobedient.

Career: A student of Metaphysics at university.

Best Qualities: Friendly and caring.

Worst Qualities: Curious and disobedient.

Young Man, Final 3D Model

Bio: The young man moved to the Rue D'Auseil, because it was closer to his university. It was there that he lived one of the most horrific
episodes of his life.
When he moved to his new room in the old boarding house owned by the paralytic Blandot, he began to overhear the music played by Eric
Zahn. Being so drawn into it, he discovered the mystery of the old man and the weird music.
 Discovering the Character

Collage Process Initial Young Man Silhouettes, Collage

Erich Zann Influence Map

As well as Erich Zann, the Young Man character took a couple of

stages before arriving to the final design. This stage was crucial to
explore the different ways the character could be designed. Most of
this process was done spontaneously, and with only one purpose in
mind, variety.

Initial Face Designs, Digital

 Developing a Character

Less Stylised Approach, Pencil Sketch

Young Man Body Silhouettes, Digital

Final Design, Pencil Sketch

With a broad exploration of the initial designs. It took some

more development to arrive to the desired design. Firstly , a less
stylised approach was done, until a consistent design was
created. The same design was stylised even further, to have a
character with a stronger silhouette.

Body Development, Pencil Sketch

 Young Man Final Design

Young Man, Pencil Sketch

Young Man Sees the Void, Final Model
 Visualising the Character

Young Man Fully Modelled, 3D Software

Young Man Model Sheet, Pencil Sketch

Model Sheets were done to initially visualise the character in 3 dimensions,

later those same model sheets were taken into a 3D Software program and
modelling began.

Young Man Face Detail, 3D Software

 Creating Emotions

Young Man Expression Sheet, Pencil Sketch

The expression sheet was drawn at the pre-production

stage to help visualizing some of the expressions that
the character would have. This sheet was very useful
for a later production stage, when animating the
emotions felt by the character. Young Man Scary Expression, Final model
 Comparing the Characters

Size Comparison Chart, Pencil Sketch Scaling the Characters, 3D Software

This comparison chart was done in pre-production measuring the characters and their
respective scale. This chart was extremely helpful at the production stage helping to
scale the characters together, so they would be proportional.
From 2D to 3D
 Modelling
To achieve a final 3D look of the character, it was needed to
follow a process- a character pipeline. This consists in a certain
number of tasks that are always needed when moving the design
from 2D to 3D,those tasks range in variety, from modelling the
character and adding the bones and muscles(skinning) to create
controls for animation (rigging ), and adding believable skin
colours (texturing).

All this was needed to be done, in order to accurately transfer

the character from the paper to the computer.

This processes are elaborate and take time ,as you can see on the
previous pages, modelling enables to visualise the character
already in the 3D world, though it is a still model.
Erich Zann Body Model, 3D Software
Erich Zann Face Model, 3D Software Adding the joints or bones and carefully bind them to the model
is a process known as skinning

Young Man Upper Torso Model, 3D Software

Erich Zann Skeleton, 3D Software Young Man Skeleton, 3D Software

Young Man Body Model, 3D Software
 Rigging
At this stage, character is able to move. However to help the animator,
rigging is done, controls are created to move each part of the body,
from the point of a pinky to a blink of an eye. Every possible character
movement needs to be controlled.

For these characters, a more advanced rig for the arms was created,
IK/FK Switching rig allowing the character to be control by 2 sets of
controls, FK used for motion such as walk cycles. And IK used for
grabbing things.

Erich Zann Fully Rigged, 3D Software Young Man Fully Rigged, 3D Software

Erich Zann FK Rig, 3D Software Erich Zann IK Rig, 3D Software

 Texturing

Erich Zann UV Mapped, 3D Software

Erich Zann Texture Detail, Final Render

Erich Zann Sculpted Head, 3D Software Erich Zann Textures, Final Render

The creative part comes after when texturing a characters comes to

play, creating believable textures for skin, fabric , etc. May seem
elaborate but nonetheless enjoyable when you see the characters finally
“dressed up”.

The texturing done for these characters was using a more advanced
process, using sculpting and normal maps to create textures. Erich Zann Texture Detail, Final Render
Character Renders
The Wold of the Music of Erich Zann
 Rue D'Auseil

Rue D'Auseil, Pencil Sketch Rue D'Auseil Model, 3D Software

Rue D'Auseil Model- Camera View, 3D Software Rue D'Auseil , Animation Final
 Lodge House

Lodge House Detail , Animation Final

Lodge House, Pencil Sketch

Lodge House , Animation Final

 Hallway

Young Man Arriving to the Apartment,Pencil Sketch

Young Man Arriving to the Apartment, Animation Final

Meeting the Genius!, Pencil Sketch Meeting the Genius!, Animation Final
 Staircase

Staircase ,Pencil Sketch

Staircase, 3D Model

Staircase Textured, 3D Model The Path of Mystery!, Animation Final

 Void

The Void, 3D Model

The Void , Pencil Sketch

Young Man sees the Void, Pencil Sketch

Young Man sees the Void, Animation Final
The Instrument
 The Viol
The instrument that Erich Zann plays, a Viol, has an important role in the
overall animation, therefore a lot of thought was done. In order, to get a
good design for the instrument.

The viol is the carrier of such strange music, so a it should evoke power.
Thus , a theory was used to create the design for the Viol.
The Viol supposed to be this heavy instrument that should be difficult to
carry around, as a symbol of the burden that Erich Zann has. The main
focus was to create a bizarre yet mysterious scenario, where a frail
character carries an enormous instrument as a burden for life.

Viol Turnaround, Pencil Sketch

Viol Model, 3D Software Viol UV Mapped, 3D Software

 The Viol

Viol Rig, 3D Software Viol Texture, 3D Software

The viol, was taken also to a pipeline similar to the characters, where it
was modelled, uv mapped, rigged to create the strings controls, skinned
and finally textured.

Viol, Final Model

 Art of

The Music of Erich Zann

By Ruben Martins
Rubensblogpage.blogspot.com

Lecturer: Alan Postings

Unit 2.03- Transcription