To bite more than you can chew

It took a long time to get to the end of this tutorial by Polycount_3D.

I wanted to continue with rigging, and after starting a few tutorials, I realized that it wouldn’t be easy without going through character creation. So I found this tutorial, which was long and comprehensive and allowed me to see the entire pipeline from modeling to animation. Let’s just say that each step was a challenge and a headache.

First of all, modeling with the mouse, knowing that I’m not very good at drawing, everything related to lips, fingers, or details in general was extremely difficult. The retopology afterwards, particularly on the hand, proved to be endless with the shrinkwrap, which moves the vertices anywhere, a nightmare.

By the way, I wanted to tackle the hair. I had no idea how difficult it would be to just make the mane fall. I had to spend three days on it for a result that, frankly, wasn’t very convincing. I tried several short tutorials (here, here, and here) to achieve something I found acceptable, and then I had to move on.

After that, the tutorial moves on to normal map sculpting, which I didn’t really understand, and finally, textures using ucupaint, which I didn’t really understand either. I was getting fed up with this tutorial, so much so, that when I got to the end and wanted to tackle the rigging, which seemed so complex and far removed from what I had, I decided to try to do it myself, but it didn’t work, so I threw in the towel and decided to stop there.

First of all, I don’t think this video was really aimed at Blender beginners, especially since there was no teaching method to speak of. The person mumbles, the sound quality is poor, and the whole thing seems improvised. This made the tutorial quite difficult to follow, even though I did learn some things. So the next step will be either to redo my 3D avatar using what I’ve just learned, or to try another tutorial.

Meanwhile, I’ve got back into watching movies regularly, starting with Hamnet, which completely devastated me. I had no idea what the film was about, I had only seen Chloe Zhao’s Eternals — a very pleasant surprise for the MCU — and I must say that the subject matter, the direction, and the cast, led by Jessie Buckley, brought me to the brink of tears and beyond several times. I hope the film will at least win the Best Actress award at the upcoming Oscars on Sunday, March 15.

Hamnet 2025 ★★★★★

Ce film m’a anéanti.

lacydonyx Voir sur Letterboxd

I recommend watching the video by Écran Large about the film. I largely agree with the opinion expressed:

I really liked 28 Years Later, especially for its highly poetic and macabre ending. And the more time passed, the more I realized that this ending remained in the back of my mind. In the end, it was one of the most memorable films for me in 2025, I eagerly awaited the sequel, this time directed by Nia DaCosta, and even without all the experimental techniques dear to Danny Boyle, The Temple of the Dead picks up where the previous installment left off. I can’t wait to see how it ends.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 2026 ★★★★

Tout ce qui m’avait particulièrement séduit dans le précédent volet est ici décuplé et confirme une trilogie avec une thématique bizarrement moins nihiliste qu’attendu avec ce sujet. Au contraire, le film se veut combatif et un avertissement contre les cyniques et les manipulateurs. Il est aussi un message d’espoir, l’humain peut avoir de l’éthique dans l’adversité, l’homme n’est pas forcément un loup pour l’homme, et sa compassion peut être réparatrice. (...)

lacydonyx Voir la suite sur Letterboxd

In France, one of the most important films of last year was undoubtedly La Petite Dernière by Marseille-born Hafsia Herzi. Like her characters on screen, her feature film is deeply sensitive. The final scene is particularly magnificent.

The Little Sister 2025 ★★★★

Un très beau film sur le passage à l’âge adulte contrarié par une orientation mal acceptée, dés questionnements, des cœurs brisés. C’est très doux et sensible, parfois drôle et joyeux, ni misérabiliste ni bêtement critique des freins à l’émancipation. (...)

lacydonyx Voir la suite sur Letterboxd

Another movie that resembles its actress is The Chronology of Water by Kristen Stewart. It’s rebellious, very direct, and emotionally raw. A promising directorial debut from someone who is likely to be a big name in the future; in any case, she clearly has something to say.

The Chronology of Water 2025 ★★★½

Une proposition sensorielle, étouffante et mal aimable qui repose sur une histoire cruelle, un casting époustouflant de vérité ainsi qu'une image et un montage immersifs. Le film se veut violent et dérangeant, nous jette à la figure sans détours toute la brutalité patriarcale et la difficulté pour l'héroïne de ne pas rester submergée sous la souffrance.

lacydonyx Voir sur Letterboxd

On the other hand, there’s this movie… I didn’t get it. There’s nothing there. It’s shameful. Especially when compared to The Brutalist, which also talks about a “radical” architect, but which deals with issues of that era, class dynamics, and architecture as well.

The Great Arch 2025 ★

Que ce fut long de suivre le parcours d’un gros bébé, ça ne raconte rien si ce n’est le sempiternel refrain de l’artiste exigeant qui pourrit son entourage et qu’on devrait acclamer malgré le piètre humain qu’il est.

lacydonyx Voir sur Letterboxd

As for TV series, I’ve started season 2 of Monarch Legacy of Monsters, which features twice as much Keiko, and that’s great. Even though these episodes seem to focus on King Kong, I hope we’ll still get Godzilla to say hello. I also started watching PONIES, which is nice, but not amazing so far. Let’s just say the premise is flawed.

Motchus

#1512 — 3/6

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