So it's been a while since I last blogged. I havent been happy with my blog for a while, which I think put me of blogging as I didn't really want anyone to see it! I decided I did not enjoy my blog header/logo so I finally did something about it! It lacked tactility! I like it much more now. 

It has been a busy few weeks I have been helping my friends Luke & Alex with model making for a stop-motion music video they are making. Below are some of the things I made, replacement hand bags that should look like they are being rummaged in and various lunchtime components.  

I enjoyed working in the shed with them, and eating the many nice things that Alex's mum whipped up in the kitchen!  


I have also been busy on my project 'DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS'. I have been working on a script, while simultaneously working on an animatic and trying to figure out how it is going to look.     

Here is a still of the title from the animatic.

And here is a still of a frame from the animatic. It's black and white at the moment as I didn't want to go into colour right now. Just concern myself with the timings etc.  

Here is a look test I did on photoshop to test how I might colour a frame the way I would like. me thinks I need to simplify. 

I'm still not quiet sure how I want it to look. I know I want it to be block colour. 

Must crack on! 

Wacom Bamboo Fun times

I recently treated myself to a Wacom Fun Bamboo graphics tablet, the medium sized one, which weirdly happens to be the largest one they do of this range so, why it is described as the medium sized one I don't know. I think it\s a fantastic piece of kit, I really do. It also doubles as a touch pad as well , so a nice alternative to the mouse. It also makes going from using a laptop to desktop a little less jarring. Anyhew!

Here a few drawings I have colored in on photoshop using the tablet. I am playing with digital coloring is to get an idea of the time required to color in a single frame, in the style I want. I intend to make a short 2d film soon. I am trying to get a better understanding of the process, because I haven't really done any polished 2d work before. It's all very interesting! 

I plan to, in the early part of the new year to move to london! In those first few months that when I hope to be working on this film. I won't give to much away about it but it will be called 'Do Not Feed The Birds' and fingers crossed, my chum Helen Dallat and I will be working together on it! Bring on the new year I say. At present I am working feverishly saving the money for this relocation.    

And to end this post, here is a obligatory christmas related doodle. Thumbs up Santa. Santa thinks this christmas will be ok.

Things that have happened

 The work experience I was doing on a Nike viral came to an end. I was only there a few weeks but I thoroughly enjoyed it. So far, possibly this project I have enjoyed working on the most. I wish I could have stayed the duration, but I met a really good bunch of creative people, and I can't wait to see the film in it's entirety. And I would like to thank Mike Please, Ben Gerlis, Jo Gallagher for letting get involved and especially Luke Gearge for suggesting me (especially as I pestered him so much to ask).   

  

Here are a few of the props I made for the viral. The one in the middle though you cannot tell right now is not just any old trophy it is a egg cup trophy! 

And to end the post here is a painting I did the other night. It wasn't planned, I tidied my desk and then had the urge to paint something. I quiet like it, it has inspired me to, in my free time, write and illustrate a story book for my (soon to be) goddaughter.    

Well It has been a busy few months

Since my last post in march Rather a lot has happened. Joseph Wallace and I finished our graduation film 'The Man Who Was Afraid of Falling'  to our relief and graduated from University! 

                Newport Animation 2011 postgrads relaxing after dothing their caps

Between the finishing the degree and graduating in september, I had my first proper animation job working on two Partizan Velvet Commercials (Thank you Rhiannon Evans for getting me the job!) which should start being aired on television during october. 

'The Man Who Was Afraid of Falling'  has been excepted into several national and international film festivals, which is very exciting! One of which being Bristol Animated Encounters this november.

And more recently (Thanks to Luke George!) I have been work experiencing on a Nike commercial Directed by Mikey Please, making set props and assisting the model making. Which has been great, and I should be going back to help out a bit more soon! 

        

And to end the post here is a rough sculpt from an old sketch I did. I intend to turn him into a puppet and give him life in stop-motion! I am yet to decided on his who he is and his personality, but as it's a personal project and I am not answering to anyone, I will just allow that to be evoked through his development as I go along.

Cat

Recently I have been taken with the impulse to draw cats. Not wholly sure why. I also thought I might color it as this blog is in danger of becoming to devoid of any color at all! I also feel recently that I am loosing tactility in my drawings, I'll color in photoshop out of convenience. I would rather on reflection watercolor some paper and scan that in and apply that in photoshop. Or even better directly paint the drawing.  That would give it more a the kind of feel that I desire.     

What I am up to at the moment

For my final year at the University of Wales Newport, I am working on Joseph Wallace's graduation film The Man Who Was Afraid of Falling . I had the intention of making my own graduation film, however various realizations about the film lead me to decide to join another project. I would rather work on a film of which I had great faith in rather than poorly realize my concept through pride.  I have worked with Joe in the past and really enjoy and respect his work, I was already going to be doing some model making on his film whilst working on my own. I wanted to spend my final year working on a project I would be proud of, so I decided to approach Joe to consider me joining the production on a more full role. Of which he excepted, so here I am!


Click here to check out the blog to see how it's coming along!

A man I found in the boot of my car

This evening I found a drawing I did when I went to visit my good friend Hayley O'Gara in bonny Glasgow, unfortunately it got all scrunched up in my boot till I rescued it this evening. I want to realize him three dimensionally and turn him into a puppet.