Let's get Animated!

 

I'm still working on my little animated photography journey. I'm not very skilled at photography but I'm giving it a try. My little clay dough men are the main focus in the photos and the background blurred. You get a sense where I have been though, what I stopped to look at. Obviously I don't take account of absolutely everywhere I have been or else I would have a huge amount of photos. I have to be selective with my photos, then perhaps I will pick my best 10 to present for my studio assessment, the rest will be in a sketchbook if the tutors want to see them or else I will put them here on my blog.

After a quick tutorial I was told it was good to have series of pieces, it shows development of an idea and exploring it in different ways.
 I had then sorted out the layout of my wall a bit and cropped some pictures to stick into my sketchbook. Looking at the long strips of leftover paper I came up with the idea of drawing a simple little animation on each strip creating a small story... like comic strips I guess. My tutor passed by my desk again asking did I just draw them and she liked it and said do a series of them so that's what I did. It lots of fun drawing these small little animations based on my dough men character... I'm keeping it linked to my project without drifting to much away from it. I think my main inspiration came from the artist Jacob Stack. Here is what I came up with:

Three strips, drawn with pen on tissue paper. Very little drawing involved to tell the story. Due to the length of the strips, this descending from a rope animation was quite fitting I thought.

I then developed on this idea by making a series of different animations. I bought a large sketchbook to dedicate to my animations. Keeping my two main areas of interest separate but both included in my project and lined together. Here's the other little stories I came up with:

 

These were drawn with pen on spare pieces of cardboard and using paint to add a small bit of colour. I like how the animation is broken up into different segments. Each has it's own little story yet all these little stories are connected to make a whole. Also by manipulating the angles of the pieces of cardboard adds to the story.

 

 

This animation was drawn with pen again on paper. This one relates to my idea of the human figure in an confined space. Also a while back I was using boxes, so I combined the two and came up with this simple animation. I particularly like how I laid these animations on my wall (as you will see in the next photo).

 

For the cardboard animation I connected the cardboard pieces just enough to link the story together. I also slanted one piece to add  to the lower part of the story where my little characters are slipping off the cardboard. For the animation on paper I simple changed the direction of the story when the character falls out of the box. It adds to the aesthetics of the piece rather than just having the story move horizontally.

 

This is my little cute version of Romeo&Juliet, simply because it randomly came up in conversation and I decided to draw it. That's the great thing about animation, you can make a classic story your own for example. Again very simple drawing and enough detail to get the story across.

 

I then decided to lengthen the story. Make the viewer stop, and follow the story. I did this by just adding more segments. Here's a close up of the one above:
A combination of drawing and painting on the cardboard and the paper.

Well that's all for now folks. Hope you enjoyed getting animated !!! :)



Assingments finished, Friday Crit and back to work!

I'm freeeeeeeeeeee!!!! No more CCS assignments to do. I can finally focus on my work without being distracted by essays.

We had our introduction lectures to the second year disciplines. The work shown to us was of really good quality, bit daunting on we baby first years! :P I'm particularly interested in Animation and Painting. I've always been interested in these areas of art and finally have the opportunity to explore them properly. As my third choice for the second semester electives, I decided to try print. I enjoyed the workshops and that helped me make my choice.

Today the sign up sheets went up for our electives. I come in early on the bus everyday so it was handy signing up without waiting in a long queue. Now that is out of the way I can get back to work.... lots of things are keeping me busy lately!

Friday Crit
On Fridays we have group ctits or discussions. It's important to talk about your work to help you understand your work better and also its a skill you have to develop as an artist. I enjoyed last Fridays crit, it was pretty helpful. We got into groups and discussed eachothers work. Afterwards we got up and explained another students work to the class and our interpretation of it and maybe advice and ideas we have that could help them.
When it my works turn to be discussed I was a little nervous since tutors often dont like my work BUT!!!!! the tuitor liked it!!!! I was so happy! She liked the idea of my little "adventure" and stop motion ideas and also liked my paintings. That made me very happy since the tutor specialises in painting. That was the confidence boost I needed. Now to get to work and start my ideas.

The advice given to me was what I already had in mind but now I will definitely try them. I already made different little figures out of clay, all with different expressions. I'll cast one of these so I can made quick multiple copies. I'll also try make them from wax and ice. Also I should leave them somewhere and come back some time later and see what happened to them.

Well... of to work I go :)

 

 

Module intoductons and new ideas...again!

Today we had introduction lectures to modules we can choose to do next year. Today I went to all the lectures, keeping an open mind, about animation, visual communications, ceramics and fashion. I'm definitely interested in animation and couldn't help but get inspired from the introduction, so now I have a new idea, with help from my fellow students who give great advice.

I plan on taking my art on a little journey. Remember my little dough men made from clay? I plan on making another version of those little guys and placing them in (hopefully) amusing scenario's in our life size world. The contrast itself between the tin figure and in comparison our everyday objects should be amusing. The use of animated facial expressions should help too. I also want to try make a stop motion video. I've never made one before but it's worth a try and I'll have it here on my blog.

I plan on taking my little character with me on my everyday journeys and surroundings and taking photos in different situations. Literally taking my art on a journey. It also still includes the theme personal space since the little guy will be sharing my own journeys!

So textured paintings and my little animated adventure are two new ideas... Maybe I'm finally breaking down that wall?

my previous dough men. 

My latest tutorials and new idea!

I've had lots of tutorials last week. To some up the advice given to me, I need to start drawing from real life!!!!! It shows through the art. I have a habit of improvising, especially with colour. I like to use my own selection of colours rather than focusing on the realistic elements. In my latest tutorial I was told I need more work done. Problem is I've hit a bit of a wall... I'm getting tired of the topic I'm currently doing, Confined personal space, my tutors don't seem overly keen on it either so perhaps it's time to have a re think and move on.

My tutor also recommended doing a series of observational drawing. So I did just that! I made a small paper box and squashed different sized items inside it. I focused on the different folds in the crumpling box. The tension in the folds as it adapts to the larger object. This time it's a space adapting to an object basically.
From these drawings I noticed I was focusing a lot on textures, perhaps this is another area I could move onto? I think paintings of close up textures might be pretty interesting. Not very original I know but perhaps with the use of different materials I might be able to put my own little twist on things... think I'll give it a try.
Here are some of my observational dwings:

 

 

So far I have covered a series of different areas. It's really about time I settle down on one before my assessments after Christmas. Here is a list all with the theme of Personal Space:

• Sharing your space.
• Adapting to a space.
• Claiming a space.
• Hidden spaces.
• Confined spaces.

Hidden image behind another.

 



And now textures in a space. Think I'll start off by photographing everyday areas I travel on going to and from college and home. This way I would have a physical journey in my paintings, then paint a close up of the textures and details with emphasis on colour and brush strokes and even the materials I paint on. Hopefully it turns out well... we'll see!

I then continued my observational drawing by using a model. I made my boyfriend a victim of my observational studies  (sorry and thank you :P) by standing on the other side of the door to me and standng in front of the small window in the door. This small window acts like a frame. It relates to my paitings focusing on composition in an small space. I took a few quick photos and sketches. Here's some of what I came up with:

 thats all for now folks ...stay chuned!! :)