Animation, Life and everything

Digital Dialogue: An exploration in Time-based Art

2011-12-06T23:30:00.001Z

Well today saw the preview of my first exhibition, 'Digital Dialogue:An exploration in Time based Art' which is currently being held at St.Donats Art Centre, Mid Glamorgan, until 15th December 2011

This is a fantastic exhibition space which is a really good size small enough to not loose its intimacy, it has an informal quality through space, light and structure that I think is productive in reading the work exhibited.I can't explain how good it has been to do this now and to be quite honest I feel revitalised by the whole process, not only as a new experience in itself, (I can now say that I am extremely comfortable with stretching canvases and doing corners (those in the canvas profession will know what I mean) and hanging pictures but to also remind oneself of the artist within, often this can get lost or pushed out as teaching takes over, really its about getting your allocation of time right making sure you don't lose sight of your own conceptualisation and craft. I've had fantastic support through this process also as the women involved are all members of Atlantic college teaching staff, a veritable hotbed of support and creativity, so a big thankyou to Maddy and Lucy. The diversity that is evident in the exhibition is wonderful to see, from macro abstract photography of flowers to installation pieces exploring the preproduction process, to my own animations exploring human conditioning from media influence and mind control through peer pressure.

It was wonderful to see my work projected on a large scale and to see the reactions from people and this is a prominent memory of the evening, people watching on mass of my work. Some students said it was scary but I hasten to add thought provoking - which is always my main aim. Many people came to ask questions about how it was made and the time that each piece took to produce as they had not seen anything like it before which is a compliment in itself. Many people commented on the layering and textural quality of the work.

The communication between the 3 exhibitors is key and we have worked really hard to produce a unique and diverse exhibition. I have got such a rush out of doing this that I have suggested that we do this yearly using this platform as a way to show off new work all fellow members were in agreement, we have enjoyed the whole process. In fact I have started on the new animation already inspired by music and pre-empting the '2012' media frenzy that will happen. Watch this space. Storyboards to go up shortly.

An outline description of the exhibition can be found at the following link

http://www.stdonats.com/category/gallery

2011 onwards and upwards

2011-01-23T22:59:00.002Z

I'm starting the New Year of 2011 with the intention that I actually post things up on here regularly, unfortunately there has been a bit of lull of late. So we shall start with the much anticipated visit to Coleg SirGar by Matthew Gravelle fellow Llanellite, Newport MA Course leader,award winning animator, man of many facets and strings to his bow. I cannot tell you how good it was to see him.
Matthew was his usual lovely self and gave lots of information both about his films and Newport Animation and was a real inspiration to the students giving his time to look and advise on students work. The relationship to Llanelli had a huge bearing on the students, and having an outside speaker who orginated from the area and could relate to the students was a huge bonus.
Needless to say I have had loads of positive feedback from the students with some wanting to change direction to animation!! I have also had feedback from many that they would definately go again if the opportunity arose.
Round of applause for Matthew!!!!!!!What a star!!!

Completion of PGCE and future teaching

2010-07-20T12:51:00.003+01:00

After spending two years completing my PGCE majoring in animation and interactive media the current outlook concerning UK job prospects with respect to teaching due to the extended recession, the national debt and the change in leadership, has left me in a state of uncertainty.
A recent visit to my second home of Cambridge emphasised the overall feeling of vitality and vigor with a plentiful supply of vacancies in shop windows and people optomistic at their futures acerbated by the recent heatwave, it was 30 degrees when I left.
Back to Wales, yes it was raining! back to technology and teaching and the cuts implemented include the closure of Becta the government agency that supports the implementation of learning through technology and huge cuts in learning support.

This year we have now gotDRAGON a stop motion software made by animators for animators which has had many excellent reviews and may well be a competitor in industry for reliable and easier to use Stop motion Pro. Other advantages at last a cross compatible software cutting through the huge list of software that either works on Mac or PC although on the down side their list of cameras that are are supported is limited to highend DSLRs and Canon powershots. In my view definately geared towards production companies and institutes. Individuals great if you can afford the camera.

Still in my usual philosophical way everything happens for a reason and this will give me greater time to make animations. Watch this space!!

Sand Animation

2009-08-07T23:14:00.005+01:00

Well this indeed is an interesting year, I now have also teaching hours at Atlantic College teaching animation, this has vered me both professionally and personally to experiment with the merits of sand animation I love this type of animation for both its links to the area, the coloration and density you can achieve, the method and freeness.
One of the animations I will be using as an example mixes both music and animation and am hoping that this will be perfect for students looking into this technique.

Marissa Delbressine Seasons was also nominated for the 2007 Aniboom competition this animator's work can be seen at "http://mindmapped.nl"

Channel 4 - Lifeclass

2009-08-07T22:13:00.002+01:00

Ok so the summer holidays are here.....
After the difficulties of finding life classes and the bureaucratic elements of arranging a life class sometimes the good ol'television surprises me. Channel 4 put on a life class for 1 week each day was with a different tutor/ artist and model, each having different ways of teaching the subject and each model have their own unique features.
Channel 4 had a lot of stick for putting on this program with nudity before the 9.00 watershed but I have only praise, there must be so many people in the same situation that find it difficult in finding this artistic outlet to hand. After all life drawing is one of the fundemental areas that all drawing skills are built on.
This drawing facility should be available to everyone that needs it/ wants to attend.

Below are several drawings completed from using the life models from the TV programme.

Teaching

2008-10-28T23:14:00.002Z

After starting the PGCE a couple of weeks later than everyone else have managed to catch up, with assignment1 handed in and the micro session went really well.
Am loving the teaching side of it as usual and finding different ways of getting a lesson across. next week will involve different coloured thigh high socks and cut out people. Single camera production i'm specialising in Storyboarding which again i'm loving with the aim of improving students drawing skills at the same time as explaining the nuances of types of shots, camera movements, focusing, mise en scene etc.
Next week have PGCE teaching assessment and the following week Estyn inspection just hope everything goes according to plan. As Kolb would say planning is the key to good teaching.
Have also been refreshing myself over half term on the wonderful program Toonboom as we will shortly be using this aswell as AfterEffects at the college.
Right back to lesson plans............

My website

2008-10-07T02:26:00.005+01:00

At last I finally get my website up and running after spending a good few weeks and some this year working myself round the nuances of Flash have done my own website which you can find at

www.spikeyhexer.co.uk

The look of the actual site is good but think the front end is in need of a revamp already, am also thinking of adding a link to this blog which would be a sound investment, this may well be put on hold till Xmas, as the homework is thick and fast at the moment.

Graduation

2008-09-23T22:41:00.004+01:00

Well it has been along time since I have been on here but I start the the new term with vigour and positivity.
I have again got teaching hours this year in the best subject ever Animation and have decided to put them to good use and have now started a Post Grad Certificate of Education at Coleg Sir Gar, I started last week as the previous we were at our Newport graduation "Yeh!!!! Hey!!!!!"

The course looks very intense, but ever the optimist, i'm sure I will complete it, I do love a challenge. The first week I was there we had to talk about random subjects for three minutes and also involved lessons in reflectivity(learning from your experiences and focusing on ways to improve).
I had an absolutely great day teaching today and preparation and communication paid off, c'est formidable!! Films shown today included Jan Svankmeyer's Dialog and Norman McLaren's Neighbours and Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel, Directed by Stephen R.Johnson - animation by Aardman and Brother's Quay, finished off with David Anderson's Door.

Showreel 2008

2008-05-09T00:41:00.003+01:00

We have a showreel for this year which is shorter than last year( always learning) am still a fan of the quicktime H264 compresssion technology. Handdrawn and technolgy meld into my style, which I hope makes it that bit different.

Never stop learning; knowledge doubles every fourteen months.or so they say. if that's the case i should be a genius by the age of 50.

Final film update

2008-04-15T04:37:00.003+01:00

At last the final film is completed I have certainly learnt alot with this film every shot looked at and retweaked extra scenes put in, often you need to stand back and have an untainted view, also having Pasha do the audio for me helped as again he was seeing it from a different perspective. In the end the collection of files for the film came to 44GB, but today I proudly handed over the final version for the Newport DVD and entry into competitions.

Am including an excerpt of the Film - Cut

commission

2008-04-15T04:12:00.003+01:00

Well I was privileged to get a commission this year via the Newport website and so my introduction to the world of Freelance has commenced, sleepless nights, timescales and also the world of uploading to servers a must have for any budding animators.
The wonders of "Usendit" have been a godsend.
This method proved so successful, it was only on the day of handing the DVD over did I finally meet Bambo( the lady who commissioned the animation, Place in Me.)
The brief to complete the visuals for a script based on interviews of 3 girls that were in foster care including past and present memories, feelings.

I used three different animation styles/techniques to correspond with the present and the past and also ages of voices of the people concerned. Young girl think compositing meets fuzzyfelts, the girl talking about her past handdrawn the older girl a mix of Film stills edited in photoshop then again composited. Feedback "fast and sensitively done" and all completed in under 3 weeks.

Final Film Update

2008-01-28T02:06:00.000Z

Well haven't posted on here for a long time, just been too busy trying to the get the film up together.
Last Friday was the first draft hand in and found it very useful, lots of positive criticism to be working on.
Apart from tweaking have quite a meaty chunk to do as she goes to work, the day is over too soon, so my intention is to have her looking in a shop window again to reinforce her duplicity and indicision,reflections! reflections! I picture it that the reflection( with short hair) superimposes with herself using it as a metophor for her wavering decision. Also I read in I think a newspaper cutting from the 1920's about these huge queues of women outside barbers and it would be interesting to incorporate this, it was stated that one barber cut over 70 ladies hair in one day.

Scissors need sorting I agree they look too 'home madey' and really should emphasis contrast between materials.

Will be having a meeting with Caroline on Friday so should be interesting what the feedback is.
(uploaded 12.5 fps Quicktime H.264 set to 70% quality)
not perfect but at least there is something up now to see my progress with it.

city scene pre people

2007-12-10T00:44:00.000Z

well I haven't posted for while, so thought it was about time am currently working on the city scene so this is the try out before I put people in and audio, I had previously storyboarded her working at a desk but was inspired by a box set of Russian animation which made me realise I did not have to be so literal.

Need to do as many backgrounds as is possible this week.

Might need to put a bit of guassian blur on the addresses but my intention is that the viewer realises that the city is full of people that are numbers.
Think it's worked out well but would appreciate some feedback.
Feeling excited about xmas holidays just to have a few weeks of uninterupted animation time, even though the deadline looms closer.

Progress report

2007-11-05T04:00:00.001Z

Not one to take to the k.i.s.s. method naturally am trying to incorporate a more textural quality in my work, for textural quality is where my subtlety needs to develop. Am still using a mix of rotoscoping and freehand, at the moment the figure is quiet simple although will be incorporating wood cut effect for lighting source.
On the work front although the compositing work has come to an end for the moment have now been employed to teach animation for one day a week as well as my other job.
Niyaz will tell you this is when i work best busy, busy, busy!

Final Fillm - Cut

2007-10-24T01:12:00.000+01:00

well as you know by reading this my interests lie in film noir, black and white films and german expressionism the pre-american scene. Have been doing quite a lot of research in this area. I am working on the first element of the film which is showing that my main character is stuck in a rut so repetition will be used.

well i'm back

2007-10-13T23:24:00.000+01:00

Well it's been along time since I updated this but am finally on board again,last couple of weeks have been doing both jobs and notetaking is eating in to my own time. After numerous weeks of reworking storyline and how it can be improved think I am happy with it, numerous ponderings on the train whilst travelling to/ from Cardiff after last meeting with Caroline at the end of last semester the train again seems to be playing apart in this animation.
Have been experimenting with newspaper people as need to convey someone in a rut, why else would a woman cut her hair?
Been recording sounds for my benefit, but have also thanks to Calon work got a contact that will hopefully do audio for me.
Am also on tenterhooks as waiting to hear if going to be granny any time now!feel that im on board running!!!!!

Summer holiday update

2007-08-09T23:31:00.000+01:00

Well busy, busy, busy, holidays - have received a contract from Calon so will be working there till October(confirmed anyway).
Have done compositing on Hana's Helpline, Bytis and Tatties.
The days are long leave at 7 get home at 8.30 but I can't tell you how good it feels to be part of the productive team.
Love it!!!! As I say in the editing room 'Feed Me' !!!!
Strange influences over the last couple of months have included a lot of stop-motion Calon being one of them and this has led me to look into using some form of stop motion for reflection sequences of animation.
Am looking forward to this as have been dying to use sculpture/model making skills.

On a good note with all this travelling plenty of time for reading books. as I took the books out for the holidays at least I can have proper read now.

Summer Holidays

2007-07-18T15:35:00.000+01:00

Well major project taking a slight backseat at the moment as have now got the go ahead for a few weeks of paid work from Calon as a compositor, the world is wonderful!!!! working on Hana's Helpline, Channel 5.

London Summer Exhibitions

2007-07-01T02:59:00.000+01:00

Ok after a stunning couple of weeks of visits and shows this week has continued in the same vein. I popped to London for a visit on Wednesday to see friends, after an offer of a VIP ticket to the Royal College of Art(Fine Art Party)we had been trying to arrange an earlier visit but that co-encided with Annecy but I think this arrangement worked better anyway, not least because I could go to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy(The largest open exhibition in the UK I think I read somewhere that they had 30,000 entrants and these get whittled dowen to 1,300). This exhibtion I strongly advise to anybody going to London at this time, not least to work out why some images work and others don't, the prices are also something to educate yourself on........

Anyway got in for nothing as my friend is a friend of the RA, afterwards had a mooch round Picadilly Circus, taking photos and then down to Chinatown for a bit of dins. Bit of rain with no coat and then to the Royal College.
What on earth is that building all about in the park I like the outside and I can see the merits of using marine ply on the outside, but whooooa the inside no no no. you do not give a display building for art pieces wobbly floors, your walking along and all the pieces of ceramics and glass are rolling about looking very precarious.
This may be just my feelings but it's as if a permanent exhibition space which is well lit and spacious gives you room to form your own views about a piece, It looked more like a badly staffed Ikea sale, too much in there too many distractions, although I thought the jewelry, footwear and Bag design were very exciting all merging sculpture and experimentation with the traditional, on the other hand the actual Royal College building was much more condusive to art purusal.
Had a look at the animation, print making and painting. I was very impressed by a Czech print maker Tereza Buskova who made several prints and a film for her major show the images still haunting me, multi textural with visual referencing to folklore and history, I could see nuances with Svankmeyer's work.

Had a chat with Glyn Williams and watched, learnt and took part in the art of networking. The day after had a guided tour of the sculpture studios wonderful. Fantastic couple of days.
Got back to good old rainy Wales hit my mouth on the kichen worktop whilst trying to force too much in the kitchen bin and voila gave myself a lip piercing to be proud of.
The very same day as I get back all the terrorism stuff kicks off in London again, so think I came back at the right time!!!!

Annecy 2007

2007-06-22T00:47:00.000+01:00

Well after 8 days in Annecy I am back!
I have overdosed on du film d'animacion.
Films that will go down in my Annecy memories are many but include Peter and the Wolf for cheering and the fact that I gasped out loud and covered my eyes when the wolf ate the goose (memories of the old smallholding including Jimmy duck, that we hatched out under a chicken and the rest of the menagerie)Madame Tutli Putli (how did they do that- real eyes- ooops I gave it away!)and telling the director Chris Lavis I had a poster.
Pingpongs for the shear oddity of the characters involved.
The Girl that Swallowed Bees for live action and compositing, The Tale of How (mega compositing),Rosco the Tim Burton of compositing.Stunning.....
Meme les Pigeons vont au Paradis for pure blissful stop motion as was Premier Voyage a complete delight.The Wraith of Cobble Hill was a strong dark film noir interpretation.
Handrawn wonders include t.o.m. ( of course )congrats Tom and Dan, Devochka Dura first film by Zoyja Kireeva, brilliant! The simplistic style and premise of Lavatory - Love story. Charlie and Lola " I will be very careful" and the fluffy white coat!
Suprisingly I was rather partial to several CGI animations which has got to be first for me....'A Gentlemans' Duel' should have a mention as should 'Dji vou veu volti' and Tong great characterisation and were all wonderfully crafted.
As for my first expedition to Annecy and camping
Three things to remember for next time !. Take an adaptor and wear trainers,and if you have trouble sleeping through noise this campsite is crowded (We were sharing tent pegs) I had annecy foot which consisted of 4 blisters on one foot.
I used up two days food money on buying a pair of shoes hoping to rectify the problem which in fact just made it worse. so at the end of the week I had a semi sort of detox as I had been living off ham and cheese rolls and semelles( apple pastries)
We got in to the VIP party and met some interesting people and did a bit of networking, business cards were at the ready... I got very emotional about being there..... So a big thankyou to Leigh and Kes.
I finally met Joanna Quinn after numerous chats on Skwigs yeh!!!
The last night I had the best steak I have ever tasted.....I'd been to Captain Pub and had shots and drunk a selection of world beer with some of the most lovely people. Cheers Romy, Matt, Tom and Dan!
The trip has also taught me the goal is achievable and that Im stronger than I thought and that I can strike up a conversation with anybody... hello to Bournemouth and hello to belgium guys.
Not bad going for a week's trip.

Annecy 2007

My Showreel

2007-06-08T23:34:00.000+01:00

Finally at last my showreel!

Hope you enjoy!

What a week trying so hard to be organised for Annecy but a week is just not long enough.
showreel online yes
Tent check
rucksack check
shorts check
money check
receipts for everything check
add a skillset visit to newport
a virus infected laptop
staff training
add a website in a week and thats just about sums up what ive been doing.

Major project, research ,essay and rythym

2007-05-14T23:20:00.000+01:00

Well now the presentations are out of the way, can have sleep as a treat! Need to crack on with the last essay am determined to do some really thorough research.

Woodcut, ok am thinking of calling the animation 'Cut' short and simple and i think the look will work well with the subject matter will keep you posted as to tests. Have had a think about how im going to produce it and at the moment am thinking of using the vector paint option in after effects used on top of cutouts, think that would work if i use cutouts the areas round the joints would not be smooth so this seems to be the best solution.

On another note I have just found the Zen tv dvd in the library - love it - I can feel the next piece coming on visuals and rythym Fishinger would be proud, im a horder of old and interesting things so a very old typwriter may be coming in to play!

research

2007-05-12T21:25:00.000+01:00

Thought this was good, influential!

and another classic

Train of Thought

2007-05-07T00:51:00.000+01:00

Well this has been a long battle with nuances of head turns, different perspectives and small movements, my main problem being keeping the characters the same when moving, the contrast in styles looks good and instead of trying to fit in with Niyaz's which I floundered with, I think this now works to our advantage, I tried initially to do things in aftereffects but these tests were not as good as hand drawn, which I have stuck to.
Niyaz's work is beautiful and im trying very hard to give her something that is of the same standard. This has been an interesting and thought provoking lesson in drawing as there are many things I hadnt thought of that have come into play, as the time draws nearer to handing it in working on a scene that incorporates rotoscoping and handdrawn currently on layer 50 of 90.
I will say that the distance between us has been a bit of a bind, but thank heavens for .zip, .rar files and gmail.

Train of thought- ongoing

2007-04-04T02:28:00.000+01:00

Have been working on 2d experiments with line colour and style, plenty of drawing on the train as usual. After looking at the the juxtaposition of both out styles think my style needs serious boldness or it just gets lost. I didn't realise that these considerations would come into play when we set out on this adventure, but it has made me experiment more with line and tone and brushes in photoshop which is a good thing!

second part of lifedrawing

2007-03-07T02:15:00.000Z

Thought this should go up made from second part fo lifedrawing using Monkeyjam, Photoshop and AfterEffects nothing to technical but a very interesting exercise, more please. Think we should do this every week with different positions, its a modern day Muybridge!

lifedrawing

2007-03-06T14:46:00.000Z

Mmmm what a good day yesterday a fully hands on day this is the result of drawing stripes, sucessful i think. Also drew 4 people on the train coming home and thanked them for their patience when I got off, which has in turn led me down the path of Matthew exercise in timing, one man was getting very agitated lots of changes of position so have decided to do Matthew's exercise to denote someone getting annoyed with someone drawing them(changes in emotion), in the end he has enough and ends the drawing session abruptly. After seeing what we could achieve with animating a person walking round a chair which was the second part of lifedrawing think this is achievable by next Monday, so will give myself a couple of days with this and spend the rest of the time on group project.

Train of Thought

2007-02-27T14:02:00.000Z

Been doing tests as to how the train interior may look for this animation. I would like to mix rotoscoping with small animated fragments but keeping it quite simple this would be in direct contrast to the freedom evoked within the daydreaming sequences, have booked out the sound equipment for Friday so will be recording the ambient sounds on Friday have also got to start working on the layout and feel of the main project. I keep coming back to the 'KISS' rule which in the end will have a major baring on the choice I make of the two that I have been working on.

2D Animation

2007-02-06T14:52:00.000Z

Have decided to spend the next 5 weeks or so doing traditional hand drawn animation in my free time. Now that I have a light box made by my partner's fair hands, no excuse and I can't wait to get going.
After looking at my showreel there seemed to be a distinct lack of it so this needs to be corrected. The beauty of a showreel is that the clips can be small so i'l make the most of it and put soome quite abstract things in there but tying them together in the animation.
This is to be done whilst also working on group project,"Light Space and Time"Niyaz and myself need to work on the story for this. Sorting out work placements which I can't do till the Summer, due to work commitments. Although the work load was extremely stressful over Christmas it has made me more determined that this career path is the right one for me.
All I can say is "Bring it On!"

Animatics and Bibles

2007-02-05T01:33:00.000Z

Animatics and Bibles spent an age scanning 6x4 cards that I use, so what have i learnt from this ,well I would say that if more than one bible is required at a time don't use this method other people I have spoken to just drew them out in a sketch book, no messing about with scanning and resizing unfortunately I dont work that way so the price had to paid.
Have found quite a nifty program on the Internet called Monkeyjam if anyone is interested in doing line testing or animatics, very good program.
I'll post a short clip up of animatic that I did. What have I learnt from this, well ideally I would have an overhead camera but used a web cam still not happy with the results so next time will attach it to an old over head project which should work will post the results to compare.

Experimental animation.

2007-01-22T00:41:00.000Z

Well after several interludes with cut out style animation using AferEffects am now looking into the work of Robert Breer there is definately a yearning inside to do something more experimental and thought provoking, his work has several things in common with my leanings, use of Dada inspiration and modernism, infact the whole historical perspective interests me greatly.
Have been reading about the Bauhaus movement for squares and circles animation.

Will keep you posted. As it is, thought I would post up this quicktime by Charles Bandla.

http://www.bauhaussoftware.com/community_userstories_charles_bandla.php

Drip Splat Boing

2007-01-17T21:35:00.000Z

January madness

2007-01-17T18:22:00.000Z

Well what an intense couple of weeks am really now understanding time management, and how thw working of handing in late submissions work! Am going to try and post the little Ethel and Ernie animation I did up so look for it in the side menu, remember the lady in the bath!

Manic January

2007-01-11T12:13:00.000Z

Yep they certainly know how to pile on the workload I hope we can all learn from this and not get in this state in May which looks equally stressful.
I've had major problems with recording audio and after numerous chats with people in the know am going to try and get some recorded audio off my minidisk on the computer the last month has been a steep learning curve with software, compatibility issues and general do's and dont's. Have felt almost that these issues were taking presidence over the animating and that indeed is a sorry state to be in.
Had spent some time writing poetry for my piece only to find I coulnt get it in to the computer, which is a shame as I really wanted to experiment with sound effects over Xmas. As usual being so far away from Newport, if i've got any problems tend to use Forums and books as I havent got Stan the man to help me out.
Handdrawn animating, finding it hard to do character animation and sticking to the character they almost seem to morph with out me thinking, into another identity. In fact the one I worked on over Xmas morphed 3 times, i enjoy drawing and want to practice this side more, have in the past relied on computer helping me out but in the long run it can hinder you as much as help.
I need sleep!!!!

Christmas update

2007-01-02T00:34:00.000Z

Well it wasn't quite what I expected, pre-Christmas started using Toonboom for 'drip splat boing' which to all intents and purposes I was hoping to take into Aftereffects.Receeding walk cycles causing me a bit of difficulty - but will get there.
Went to Cambridge to see my sister for 4 days leaving my partner here to dog sit! Bit weird and didnt like it. Christmas eve -toothache. Dropped a card round to my newphew who normallly resides in Belgium saw my other nephew that I haven't seen for 18 years(family fall out, which i hope is on the mend)phenominal tooth-ache! 2 packets of pain killers later and an x-ray(emergency dentist) and not much eating or drinking later and yes- no drinking for the New Year either due to 2 lots of antibiotics and a swollen jaw. Dentist tomorrow to arrange extraction/s.
Back to the animation.
I have to say that my biggest fear is making work that I am not proud of, which leads me to cogitate instead of trying things and experimenting, I also worry that the work I hand in will be sub-standard to the rest of the group's as I know there are some very talented people in it.
My feelings on this is the work is more important than the mark!
I have no idea wether I will get them finished in time.

Handdrawn for dripsplatboing part1, toonboom and after effects for part2.
Taxonomies mixed media film and animation. Also feel alot of pressure with audio, writing poetry aswell.
Also keep thinking what was said in the masterclass about showreels and showing animation of the type that you want to get a job in- this has made me decide on using Aftereffects but has made my job longer.
Can see the big picture that these animations hopefully will go on our showreels so the pressure is twofold. Want to make them varied and push myself but have no idea how long it will take me.

Apart from that I hope you all had a good one!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2006-12-18T17:12:00.000Z

Phhhewwww, was the last week manic or what, in total from Monday to Friday 10 hours sleep 3+3+4+0 what a manic week. Still everything out of the way and on to the next bout of assignments things seems to be going according to plan shame Xmas is there to disrupt the flow.
Just spent half an hour designing Xmas cards which will be too late for the last post but never mind, something a bit creative always goes down well. Obviously fairy tales have had a major influence this year.
Right now thats out of the way, 'Drip, splating and boinging', which i've set myself one week for.
As usual will probably make it too complicated but in for a penny in for pound!!!

Facial expressions

2006-12-08T01:04:00.000Z

Well an interesting night of gurning in front of the mirror, have given myself a complete facial workout. Really useful evening as these sort of expressions will come in handy and will put them in a people library of my own. Just wish my eyebrows were a bit more expressive.

Sketchbook work

2006-12-06T01:19:00.000Z

I don't seem to be very organised this term and have been busy drawing people at any opportunity, two main places either at work I know naughty, naughty, or on the trains /at the stations have posted a few your purusal. I seem to be drawn to character studies. I should have more dogs, skinny dogs would be better would be able to see how everything is working, perhaps I should feed mine less. I am in need of more life model lessons am going to look into extra ones in the area, can't believe that we have been at uni 11 weeks and had a life model 3 times.

Imagination cubed

2006-12-06T00:39:00.000Z

Found this nifty little program, the administrator on Skwigly was forwarding, so if you don't want to post a comment draw me one instead have a look the link is at the side you can play it back and it animates it back as if you were drawing it. also if we all give each others msn we can animate at the same time nifty eh!

Modern Comedy

2006-12-02T00:54:00.000Z

After lessons today, and my inability to find Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny funny, had a bit of think about it and have come to the conclusion that the problem I have with these two is
1. the violence
2. and this is probably the main reason is that one character is always the victim.
3. With Tom and Jerry the format is replicated for every show, Tom and Jerry was a staple of my childhood growing up in the seventies and I used to wish for Tom the cat to just eat the mouse......and be done with it.
Also a major part of my youth was on the side of the underdog and I think this is a very common female trait. So in this case sensitivities ruling my head.

Im going to put links to the offensive but satirical, 'Monkeydust' shown on BBC 3 and also 'Drawn Together', a spoof of Big Brother by American animation company Rough Draft Studios, Inc.
Like to hear your views on how you think comic taste has changed.Parody is the word.

John Williams masterclass

2006-11-20T23:20:00.000Z

This was a real privelege. I have been in awe of the Coldplay Trouble video for years. A stunning masterclass. Thankyou very much.
He is also a lovely chap, an 'Ethical animator'!
I also found out the term for what I do '3d stop motion' and I had plenty of information about compositing very worthwhile.
Key things to remember
1. Keep It Simple Stupid( KISS)
2. Try to have 4 layers your working on at one time
3. Easy to get pidgeonholed, so keep the style of work varied.
4. Decide what you want to do for a bread and butter job and make sure your showreel shows this.
Link to trouble video at the side

Fairytales

2006-11-17T00:02:00.000Z

Boy are there some truely weird and wonderful stories out there I thoroughly recommend the website SurLaLune fairytales.com, Bluebeard one scene reminds me of Hellraiser is thoroughly gory, The girl without hands was suitably strange aswell. Who needs horror movies when we have wealth of flippant dismembering, no wonder I was so strange as a child, my alltime favourite was the story of 'Little-suck-a-thumb' in the book Der Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman which did make me think twice.
Things seemed to be getting chopped off left, right and centre.

Am I the only one that feels like this!

2006-11-16T23:31:00.000Z

oh dear, oh dear,
The blues got me big time the last couple of weeks its almost as if my brain had gone on strike.
Please tell me that I am not the only one, I think it must be bio-rythyms what a lull and very badly timed. Still the worst is over and I have read about 10 thesis papers in the last two days so onwards and upwards. Am contemplating doing my paper for Caroline on something like propaganda techniques used in advertising. Think thats quite a meaty subject. Plenty of CGI stuff out there. if you go to 'google' you can do research paper search very handy, been working throught the animation reader book Caroline suggested aswell although I am a bit miffed that there is about 5 papers dedicated to Disney.
Films watched this week - Brothers Quay Gilgamesh
Peter Greenaway - The early films of Peter Greenaway Vol1
(including H is for House)

Painting with twigs

2006-11-07T23:48:00.000Z

How good was that lesson, I just want to do more and more, I feel that it has freed my line up, and can't wait to give my dogs sequence a go. Those dogs are like mini "Aliens" when they get going.
On another note have been given an overhead projector so am going to try and make it in to a lightbox of some sort apparently it has a fan inside so in theory it will not overheat, will keep you posted on its success or failure.

Dog bites Man!

2006-10-30T00:04:00.000Z

Using abstract shapes to convey character!
just though I would post link up for exercise we did in class last week, have a look at Dog bites man! Nat's handiwork is the dog and mine is the juddery old geezer! Excellent exercise which will definately be looked into more closely, think that video is too big so will have a little experiment in to resizing.

Audio is the key!

2006-10-26T15:08:00.000+01:00

After seeing Paul Bush's Masterclass on Monday, I big thumbs up for Independant filmmakers, it has only confirmed my feelings that audio is key to what makes a great animation. There is a lot of discussion or at least there was at my old college about wether you make the audio first and then the animation to fit or the other way round, personally my preference is audio first, which brings me on to my next topic. As an trainee animator wouldn't it be good if Uni actually put on some classes in this, as personallyI think it is the foundation stone that your animation is built on.
As it is I shall have to teach myself again which eats in to my scheduled timetable, alas more time taken away from animation, oh well guess what i will be doing this weekend.

Hurrah its working!

2006-10-26T15:07:00.000+01:00

The 50 images link is up and running!

So many flipping programs

2006-10-25T00:54:00.000+01:00

Right after that hiccup with Flickr have now decided to use Picasa for online slideshow as all of this is run by Google so streamlining is the word, enough said Picasa will do for me easier navigation aswell. Easier all round ......

flickr update

2006-10-24T13:41:00.000+01:00

Sorry Peeps,
Have just double checked the Assignments/50 images link and unless you are logged on to Flickr you cannot see them, to set up an account is free, and may come in useful in the future. The perks of this program is that you can make a slide show and vary the degree of speed for play back minimum 1 second ( i know I know not fantastic for animators but there seems to be loads of animation groups using this program), think it would be quite good for the flip book effect.
http://www.flickr.com

50 images continued...

2006-10-23T00:20:00.000+01:00

Have put a link to images that I am working through, I have put them up on Flickr so will take you to the slideshow. The link is under Assignments any feed back would be interesting.

50 images continued

2006-10-18T11:34:00.000+01:00

well after a chat with Caroline have changed direction again and am using this assignment as an analysis of my work, and also an introduction into the feel of work that I will eventually make for my major project animation. Currently on image 20 although the general feel is very dark, but am also looking into textures, structure, line quality, type of medium, and aspects of voyeurism. To get the most from this assignment I think you have to go this way as you have to decide why you like particular images, getting down to the crux of what appeals to you aethestically - this of course either physically or pschologically will lead into your own work at some point. At the moment my images tend to be rather monochrome although a wide amount of image have been covered, from Expressionism to Dada to Post-Modernism, from print-making, painters, photography and graphics. Thirty images to go.....its not actually hard to get find images that I like the problem relates to keeping on one track of thought throughout the process.

50 images

2006-10-15T22:30:00.000+01:00

After numerous days of scratching my head on this one, initially just putting in a folder of images that I like, I have now decided to dig out all my photographs I have taken and choose ones that appeal to me in either colour, form or texture the ones that I am choosing arent necessarily the most attractive - beauty is in the eye of the beholder- there is something about them that appeals to me aesthetically.
Am also experimenting with two websites that can perform slideshow rituals,
Smilebox( hoping this one works because I like the name, silly reason but there you go!- download times seem to be rubbish but I think that is my connection so much for 8MB Broadband the last two days have been awful have just done a broadband test and its coming out at 124Mbits per sec how bad it that, cant watch any films at Atom..... really bad.
Flickr( have looked at this slideshow very black, minimal oh so....arty definately for the photographers amongst you)
Just remember we don't get marked for this, to carry on with the course we have to do it......
Am still having problems with finding when exactly this assignment is due in.... ok found it Wk 5
week beginning 30th October 2005, hope that helps......

Life drawing is wonderful!

2006-10-08T21:51:00.000+01:00

Do you know how wonderful it is to do life drawing again, for four years I have been trying to get it made part of the Media Prduction course, but to no avail. I was lucky in that I had done some before, how they expect students to do storyboards with no lifedrawing I will never know, but my word is it good to be doing it again. Last friday waiting for the train in Swansea I got out my pocket sketchbook and started drawing people, very hard doing it without them noticing you though and once they do, they move. I can thoroughly recommend The Natural Way to Draw by Nicolaides am going to continue drawing people in natural poses out and about and hopefully get over my shyness in doing this.
Is it me or is that first part of Assignment 1 very hard to pin down???????, I would really appreciate some examples of what may be expected, from that at least I could choose a direction, Is it me or did I see in the hand book see example!!!! Taxonomies project is much more interesting. That could make an excellent final animation!!!!
mmmm Friday shall be known from this day forth as "The Day of the Essays", mind boggling!!!
On a good note I have order my zouped up computer as this poor little one bless has only 256 RAM Ahhhh she has served me well and in return I am going to gut her and put most of her parts back in to new machine and call it Frankenstein.

Week 1Teething Week

2006-10-05T22:23:00.000+01:00

Ok so we all know we got to do one of these, and I have finally bitten the bullet and got this sorted . Well not that sorted 'cos we all know that we could waste alot of time on here tweaking to get the look of it just right well if my myspace is anything to go by...... anyway. Ideally would ahve done this in the Summer but I suppose it will be an ongoing project.
This is the second time Ive written this one as I unfortunatley wiped it before I saved it, its all a learning curve.
Its a been my first week back at work this week and think the work load is going to get too much, so am contemplating reducing my hours have been sitting through loads of lectures on Advanced Java, Networking Administration and Database Development wondering what I was doing there am so desperate to chat to people that are on the same wavelength, last Monday started reading the book by Betty Edwards that was on the reading list, so to all intents and purposes not surprising that my student is not interested because we use different sides of the brain......
During a quiet spell on Tuesday morning started to enter in a little notebook all my likes and dislikes for the Taxonomies Assignment reading them back i was wondering wether some of them would be offensive, variety is the spice of life though.

have also signed up for the Swansea Animation Festival on the Saturday 10th November £10.00 for the day, for the "independant film making day" lots of speakers including Joanna Quinn who i feel Ive got to meet as I was having some great chats with her on Squigly before Chatty Tuesdays became defunct, it was actuallly through the forum at Big Animation that Tom suggested that I try Newport so have Squigly to thank for a few things.

Films Ive watched this week include "Spirit of the Beehive" Spanish Film( since my last animation I have a fascination with films that portray a loss of childhood innocence, rites of passage etc) and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Tim Burton is the second person I would like to meet after Jeunet have sent away for a couple of films by Peter Greenaway including The Pillow Book and also The collection of shorts that we were supposed to see on Monday that included H is for House, the one that Caroline didnt have.
Am still waiting for Caroline to send me the plans for the lightbox. With my practical head on have decided to try and make my old scanner in to one, as for about three years it has been sitting under my desk with the light permanently on so I know its not really likely to blow up. Even if I attach gaffer tape to a piece of perspex it might work got to be better than selling at at a car boot sale for £5.00 worth a try anyway.
Miranda the technician suggested today that I get in contact with a couple of students that will be working on a project with Mr Peter Greenaway himself at Aberglasney will find out more about that one.

Now have to go to bed early as have got that nice early 5.45 rise in the morning to catch the train, for those of you interested got back at 8.00Pm something positive in that my friend who I havent seen for ages rang me and we will arrange to meet probably next week as she lives 10 minutes from Swansea station.
There are a few good things about using the train:-
1. I have abit more time to actually read some of those books, had the first one from America today..... nearly 4 hours of time I wouldn't of had.
2. Its more enviromentallly friendly than driving the car.
3. Its actually cheaper than driving
4. Now that ive done it Cardiff doesnt seem that far way.

An introduction

2006-10-03T01:52:00.000+01:00

OK, this is a brief summise of my history - HND Design Crafts, HNC Computing and HND Media Production and now studying MA in Animation. I live in West Wales with my partner and 5 border collie cross's and this is my blog about my journey through the MA course and beyond.