"A Gator Dun Ate My Boots!" interactive iPad book

[Nellopolis]

Here are some pages and prep work samples from an interactive book for the iPad I've been working on. Just waiting for the audio to be completed and integrated, then we'll be good to go!
Each page has interactive elements that relate to the story. These involve pre-rendered animations as well as real time 2D physics engine based simulations. I used Zbrush to create the characters and Photoshop to paint most everything else, with a little 3DSmax thrown in.

[Nellopolis]

Zbrush sculpts

[Hitsu//San]

Uhm nice work, i like the models, they have some Ghostmaster vibe you know... those kind of 2003-2005 games like art (theme park-ish). I don't like the colors though, there's no mood, they are just... there.

[Nellopolis]

Somehow the other images didn't show in the first post. Thanks for the input. I think I see what you mean.

[sprouty]

The idea of an interactive book with 3D animations is a very interesting concept to me.. I've never tried such a newfangled thing How is the interactive book scene these days?

I think I see what Hitsu might be alluding to too. You have a lot of really nice colors and textures on your shaders for things, but the lighting overall seems pretty white-grey in a lot of the scenes. Maybe that's what you're going for.. but you could maybe try some richer/deeper colored lighting, with some deeper shadows in there? To make things "pop" and feel more dramatic/spooky. Your cover image also feels very "serene" with the sky and pastels.. it doesn't quite fit with the way the dramatic title is presented in my opinion. You have a great antagonist (almost T-rex like as he's coming after the boot there). For example: the night shot with the boot on the porch, the way the boot's lit (and its texture maybe?), it's still very grayish with white highlights. Your gator's skintone is also obviously very gray (have you tried him a bit more green/gold/brown?). The light coming from the house also seems "white" and a bit flat.. it works, but maybe another color coming from inside might create more ambience. I like the blue lighting edge coming from outside there.
One could also infuse whole scenes with saturated colors.. ie a deep rich night blue, purple, or golden or peachy daylight glow. Looks like you have a bit of green light going there with the Baron Samedi-esque voodoo guy. Taking that sort of thing deeper might add to the mood of the scenes. (If that makes sense?). Some ideas to throw out there that came to mind.

Nice models. I love the characters and setting style! (also: beardy guy's eyelids are very purple- almost looks like he's wearing makeup). The bayou theme kinda reminds me of Princess and the Frog a little bit. Cheers!

[Nellopolis]

Thank you so much for your input. It helps to have fresh eyes look at this. I think I will go ahead and do a mood lighting pass on the book in the way that you are describing.

As far as interactive books like the one I'm doing, there really are not a whole lot of them out there as far as I've been able to tell, but there are some good ones.