Chasing the Muse

Disney Coloured Pencil Illustrations

2012-02-04T19:07:00.000+10:00

I first started these illustrations in 1995 after we travelled to Disneyland on a trip I won. Part of the prize was spending money at the Disney store and I bought 2 sketch books (amongst many other things).

The later sketches were done instead of doodling when at work in a call centre, I find that drawing helps me thing, odd huh? The sketch is done in lead pencil first and my coloured pencil brand of choice is Faber Castell.

Pocohontas

Simba from The Lion King

Radcliffe from Pocohontas

King John from Robin Hood

Narrator from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmarelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Centaur from Fantasia

Pocohontas

Pegasus from Hercules

Quasimodo from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Ariel from Little Mermaid

Buzz Lightyear from Toystory

Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland

Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland

Sully from Monsters Inc

Beast from Beauty and the Beast

Thumper from Bambi

Mulan

All characters remain copyright to Walt Disney Animation Pictures & Pixar

Vinylmation Completed

2012-02-01T08:58:00.000+10:00

The vinylmation that I began to commemorate our 2009 trip to LA and Walt Disney Animation Studios at Burbank, has finally been completed.

Special Screening of Princess and the Frog at Walt Disney Animation Studio Lot

TShirt Design

2012-01-15T21:20:00.000+10:00

TShirt design competition for Deviant Art. Concept had to be based around the 1950s and 60s vision of the future and sci-fi. Here is my entry and work flow:

Learning a New Program

2012-01-04T21:47:00.000+10:00

New Year, new program! Looking at doing something quite different for my Hons project, aesthetically different in terms of the animation styles that I have tried in the past. I think that the story I want to tell needs a more artistic authentic visual that looks as though it has been scratched into paper. Well that is where it is headed at the moment. I have started compiling a reference folder and have tried TVPaint for the very first time tonight. I quite like the idea of using it to obtain a painterly aesthetic whilst still using good ol Toon Boom Animate Pro for the bulk of the animation, this was a tip from film maker Simon Cottee who used it in his final year film.

TVPaint Interface- Gonna take some getting used to...

Mucking around with the interface and brushes.

I think that the style of render in TVPaint will suit my colouring style and at the moment I am toying with using it predominantly for the backgrounds with an almost pen and ink style for the animation and figures- just an idea, influenced by the Monk and the Fish aesthetic:

Character Commission- Dutazzi

2011-12-29T23:12:00.000+10:00

To keep focus over the holidays and so that I can safely avoid working on my honours project which is at a standstill at the moment; I decided to complete a WoW commission I had been trying to get through during the madness of final assessments. Here is the progress on Dutazzi a lvl 85 Troll Hunter.

Finished product

Keeping the Creativity Flowing

2011-11-29T23:57:00.001+10:00

One of the easiest things to do when on holiday from uni is to start seeing illustrating with a directive as work and to therefore avoid it. To overcome this, I search the net looking for competitions or open calls for illustrations so that I continue to practice working to a brief and deadline even when not at uni. The past few weeks have seen me design and complete a Christmas card for gaming company, Blizzard. The brief was that the card had to include characters from either Starcraft, Diablo and/or World of Warcraft; so I went with all of them on the one card.

SketchJam

2011-11-28T22:25:00.003+10:00

Weekly sketchJam, the colours and theme are set each week and we have approximately an hour to complete the drawing. This week we had to draw a humanoid monster thing and as I've been sick all week mine ended up being a snot demon lol.

Draco Complete Movie

2011-11-26T10:25:00.000+10:00

To view the completed film, Draco Frightful Fun, please refer to the following link. I learnt a lot doing this film and have improved so much in terms of animation and finding my feet with layout and design. Would not have been possible without the hardwork of Amy & Yolanda. For me, this isn't the last time I will work with Draco and Draak, I have future ideas in mind and will keep you posted; but for the immediate future this is where they will stay.

SketchJam

2011-11-16T23:36:00.000+10:00

I had never tried this concept online before but it was well good. It's essentially a chatroom but with visual access to everybody's desktop. Colours were chosen and a theme of ít's so freaking hot' was decided upon. We roughly had 30mins to finish a drawing. Here is my very rough interpretation of the theme lol.

Possible Further Study

2011-11-07T10:06:00.001+10:00

Well Draco is finished. So, now what's next? Well I am considering further study to allow me time to explore some different animation styles, so potentially I could be back at uni next year completing an Hons year. Here's what I am thinking of studying:

As an animator I have an interest not only in the artistic and technical processes involved in animation, but also in the construction of narrative in order to tell a ‘good story.’ In my previous degree I studied the classic canonical literature of western societies and it was through my extensive study of such literature that I recognised a central aspect of the narrative common to all stories regardless of cultural origin.

This pivotal narrative device is the construction of a sense of community in a largely homogenised society and the identification of the outsider. This form of conflict provides the basis of most, if not all, literary texts and I believe is also the case within western animated feature films. The difference between the protagonist and the community can be visual and literal or ideological and psychological, but it is the presence of such difference that creates the all- important conflict paramount to the telling of a ‘good story.’

In my honours year I propose to study the presence of this narrative device as an integral part of story-telling in the visual medium of animation. In particular I will focus upon animated feature films of the Walt Disney Animation Studios and how the outsider is constructed within the narrative and as a visual presence on screen through colour, design and layout. This study will compliment my deliverable which will be a short animated film.

The film will be based upon a script that I wrote for our scriptwriting class (received a distinction grade) and although it will need rigorous revision to be condensed as an animated short, it is a story that encapsulates the concept of community and the evolution of the outsider. The story uniquely traces the change that occurs within both the individual and their environment, in this case the Australian suburbs. A full synopsis of the film proposal will be available at a later date. In contrast to my recent film, Draco, this individual project will be a different style visually and will incorporate different programs (such as Photoshop and TV Paint) in addition to Toon Boom to give the film the personal, authentic aesthetic that will contribute to the successful telling of the story.

Draco Teaser Trailer

2011-11-01T18:08:00.000+10:00

Finished our film, Draco: Frightful fun and this is the teaser trailer. World premiere is on 22 Nov in Brisbane with the rest of the awesome films from the graduating class of 2011.

Game Prototype

2011-10-26T18:04:00.000+10:00

Games History game prototype here

Poster Presentation for Games History

2011-10-24T16:29:00.000+10:00

Games History poster presentation, the poster has been made to promote the mock-up computer game, RESISTANCE. The poster design was inspired by the propaganda posters from the Second World War. The poster is also found in the game itself as a recruitment poster for the resistance group in game.

Poster Presentation for Game Mock-up called RESISTANCE

Original Colours in design

Poster with noise, filter and de-saturation to age the poster

Poster in game context

Parisian street in game concept art

NPC concept art

NPC Concept Art

Workflow - China: The Sleeping Dragon

2011-10-14T23:49:00.000+10:00

Rough in basic shapes and layout

Basic colours

Detailing on the dragon's head

Add the bubble and more details to the dragon

Transition from dragon to wall (giant leap forward cos I worked on it at uni)

Add mountains and structures for Great Wall

My fave bit? The Chinese flag stars around her sleeping eye

Magazine Illustration: Rationale

2011-10-14T23:35:00.000+10:00

The very first criteria listed in this assignment, was to select an article of substance from an existing magazine, this ruled out most of the magazines currently found at newsagents. I selected the article from TIME magazine as they are a publication well known for their journalistic integrity and their choice of story subject matter. I knew that I wanted something completely removed from animation or illustration and I knew that I wanted it to be dry and topical. These two factors dictated my selection of an article detailing the current economic situation in China and its’ far reaching ramifications.

Having studied political cartoons as a student of history I am aware of the iconographic visuals associated with various countries in certain contexts and this is why I choose to depict China as the sleeping dragon. The dragon is red in colour like the Chinese flag and around its sleeping eye can be seen the 5 stars that also make up the flag, the flag was important to include as it represents the country and also the theme of nationalism. The design of the actual dragon itself was very important as it is based upon the Chinese dragons often seen in temples and as a symbolic representation of the emperor. The dragon’s claw rests on the globe indicating as mentioned in the feature article the impact of an economic crisis in China across the globe. In my mind when the dragon is woken her first reaction would be to clutch and smash the earth which is in keeping (metaphorically) with the article’s themes of global economic turmoil. As the body of the dragon disappears into the distance it becomes the Great Wall of China, yet another symbolic icon of the country of China and important in defining the sleeping dragon as representing China herself. Above the dragon’s head (a shadow can be seen just above her horns) is bubble filled with houses. This is a direct interpretation of the false economy created by an inflated housing boom and the economic metaphor of a bubble that must eventually burst after a period of rapid growth. Once the bubble bursts, the houses will fall and awaken the dragon- this illustration correlates directly to the ideas within the feature article and creates a visual representative summation of the article’s themes.

Once the illustration was created I faced the problem of making its look fit the magazine’s context. TIME magazine is a rather serious magazine that deals with socio political and economic issues from across the globe, therefore when looking at the coloured version of my illustration I found that it was a little too childlike or fantasy art based. The final design of a predominantly black and white image with the dragon and globe in colour provided a stark contrast whilst invoking a sense of seriousness and iconographic imagery associated with the country of China.

Final Full Colour Dragon

Final Assessment: Magazine Editorial

2011-10-14T23:27:00.000+10:00

For this assignment we had to select a magazine article 'of substance' and illustrate it accordingly. My illustration is based on a TIME magazine article about the current economic situation in China and how the potential collapse of the growth period may lead to a global financial recession or worse.

Final illustration: took 2 and a half days to complete

Skateboard Deck Design

2011-10-11T13:23:00.000+10:00

Something completely different for me, skateboard deck design for a pro-model skateboard. Had to consist of a tri colour palette.

Animation, animation, animation

2011-09-28T21:54:00.000+10:00

Working on cleans for Draco and my life at the moment is an endless cycle of black line chasing the orange in a vain attempt to keep the animation from jitterbugging right off the screen. Daily routine has vanished and over this week long break I wake at 9am start work at 10am then continue through to usually 12midnight or 2am. The cans of V are taking over the desk, but there is a sense that I am achieving things and making an all out effort to move the Draco production along.

Always time for lols though:

How I feel at 2am when I go to bed and Draco is still on screen

Studio Set Up for Portrait

2011-09-20T11:09:00.000+10:00

My studio, complete with old school 'dual screens' lol

Portrait Complete

2011-09-19T22:54:00.000+10:00

The finished portrait, I'm pleased with her likeness. Also pleased that was able to digitally paint her in colour rather than simply going with the black and white original.

Sexy

Illustration Portrait: The Process

2011-09-19T22:49:00.000+10:00

The original photograph by Milton Greene in black and white only, I used colour photographs of Marilyn as reference for her colouring.

Done in Photoshop CS3 using Wacom over approx 3 days.

basic sketch

block in shapes

skin tones

reference picture of different pose helps with her colouring

Cigarette and more depth to shadows

lips and teeth- a challenge to avoid tombstone syndrome

eyes and eyebrow with rough sketch for guidance

The cardi- pale blue own choice to compliment her hair and pale complexion

Blocking in hair and tonal values

Softening the hair

Illustration for Design

2011-09-15T16:13:00.000+10:00

This week's task was to do very basic storyboards based on the animated film, The Iron Giant.

Games History Essay

2011-09-15T13:39:00.000+10:00

In my Games History essay I explored the issue of official/ formal communities within MMORPGs versus the emergent organic communities that are becoming more a part of the online virtual community. To read it please click here.

Traffic Signal Box

2011-09-09T11:56:00.000+10:00

Proposed Completed Box including Side Panel

Design for Top of Box

Traffic Signal Box Brisbane

2011-09-09T09:24:00.001+10:00

Illustration for Design this week saw us designing an artwork for a traffic signal box in Milton Brisbane, to check out the Artforce initiative, please click here.

The original TSB can be seen below and is located on Cnr Park Road and Douglas Street Milton, these images are from Google Earth:

Previous Design on the TSB

The following images are of my design and the later images are my design in 'real life' context:

My original Design for TSB

My design in Context

My design in context

Design Rationale:

The design I selected was deliberately designed to reflect both the local area of Milton and also portray the Queensland lifestyle. Given its proximity to the local cafe scene I chose to include a reference to local iconographic architecture with the replica Eiffel tower at La Dolce Vita cafe.

The two figures are reminiscent of a Parisian scene and as Milton is an inner city suburb of middle to upper class, the two women have an air of sophistication about them- hair and stance. Contrasted with this is a need to show the relaxed easy going lifestyle of Brisbane city. This has been depicted in the wearing of thongs and in a most unsophisticated way I have slightly exaggerated their feet and toes to emphasise the ‘occa’ nature of wearing thongs. The ladies clothing is key as the suburb of Milton is now directly linked to Suncorp stadium via the train, bus stations and pedestrian walkover via Milton Road. One woman is wearing the colours of Brisbane’s local team, The Broncos (though there is no direct reference to this in the design) and the other is wearing colours similar to that of the State of Origin. Both teams play at Suncorp Stadium and both are apparently ‘very important’ in Brisbane and Queensland. On the French cafe inspired table sits a couple of cappuccinos showing the sophistication of Brisbane from country town to city, yet this is tempered with the inclusion of classic Queensland fruit such as pineapple and bananas for decoration and also with the prominent display of pumpkin scones (famous in Brisbane as they are associated with Queensland political folklore. The colours of the box are bright and eye catching and the design takes the entire box leaving very little open space for potential graffiti tags. On the Google image included the back of the box is not viewed as it backs onto a retaining wall. The side of the box includes a basic repeated motif taken from the front design to ensure that all sides available are a part of the overall design of the box art.

Toon Boom Tutorial- Flames

2011-09-01T12:33:00.000+10:00

Ok, so just had a run through on how to achieve a funky looking cartoon flame effect complete with afterglow casting around it, so I'm going to write it all down before I forget. Going to be so useful for Draco animation to achieve atmosphere:

Create a basic flame cycle- can be 1-3 colours
Open network, drag the GLOW module onto the network.
Place the GLOW in between the FIRE and the COMPOSITE module.
Click on RENDER VIEW to check the changes made to the flame during the adjustment phase.
In the network, click on the properties (yellow square) for GLOW module.
Settings approximately, radial glow, 7 radius, use source colour
One adjusted if you find that the shape of the flames are lost, take another network connection from the FIRE module and connect it to the main COMPOSITE module on the left hand side. If you want to over-expose the effect keep taking new connectors from the FIRE to the main COMPOSITE.
Open network, from module library choose TRANSPARENCY module.
Create a connector from FIRE module to TRANSPARENCY (FIRE module now has two connectors from it, one to GLOW and one to TRANSPARENCY, these both separately join the main COMPOSITE), click on properties to adjust it, ensure you are in render view to check the adjustments.

Glow of Fire on a Wall or Surrounds:

Module Library, select and drag HIGHLIGHT module onto the network.
Connect the HIGHLIGHT in between the BACKGROUND module and the main COMPOSITE module.
Go to non render screen, create new layer on the timeline on top of background.
Go to ELLIPSE tool, tool properties click on AUTO FILL option.
Draw ELLIPSE around the flames.
Open network, drag the ELLIPSE DRAWING module and put it into the HIGHLIGHT module.
Open HIGHLIGHT properties, settings suggested: radial, 14-20, to change the colour click on the alpha bar in properties box.
To animate the highlight on the wall, go to the layer where you drew the ELLIPSE and animate a cycle.

Animation Has Commenced

2011-08-31T22:31:00.000+10:00

It has taken me a little while to get going, but now I'm on a roll and animating like a boss. For a full break down on our progress refer to the Draco movie site tab above. In addition to working on the film, we've had to juggle other assignments and tasks for other subjects. I can see how it easy it would be to keep pushing the film to the bottom of the pile as its due date seems far in the future (although now on paper it is alarmingly near). This weekend will see me animating the rest of my scenes and then continuing to work on essays and a portrait project due for illustration in October. At the moment its simply a matter of more Pepsi Max and taking each assessment as manageable bite sized pieces. Well, that's the plan lol.

He's ALIIVVVE!!

Better.....but still not what i envisioned :(

2011-08-26T17:56:00.000+10:00

Better......but more like a panto stage than a 3D environment......will keep working on it....this is a combo of jpeg background and png components at the front......Im not too worried about the outside shots cos they are already giving an illusion of depth....its in the cave where i want them to appear to move amongst the rocks....thats the important bit. These trials are clunky but i'll keep working on em.....

Arghhhh >:(

2011-08-26T16:31:00.000+10:00

Importing psd files from photoshop into toon boom and the image disappears....any1 know y :(

Anatomy of an Illustration

2011-08-25T20:51:00.000+10:00

Screen shots of the Rapunzel illustration: Photoshop CS3 & Wacom

Rapunzel

2011-08-25T20:34:00.004+10:00

This is the second illustration for my design subject wherein we had to illustrate a character from a classic children's tale, in this case the Brothers Grimm, Rapunzel. In the space below the illustration is where the following text will be placed:

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then her hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it.

In this illustration I really wanted to capture the sense of longing that the teenage Rapunzel must have felt being locked in the tower. The character’s stance and the way in which she has been digitally painted has been largely inspired by pre-raphaelite artists such as Waterhouse. I wanted Rapunzel to appear elegant and wistful in her loneliness. The moon has been included as the moon is often associated with femininity in particular during adolescence.

I made a concerted effort to avoid any semblance to Disney’s Tangled, which is why I adopted a more painterly approach to this illustration and a focus on details that help ‘tell the story.’ It appears as though every strand of her ‘golden’ hair has been drawn and up to 5 different colours have been used to give the hair a sense of density. Entwined in her hair are rampion flowers / herbs that are intrinsically connected to the Brothers Grimm tale of Rapunzel. Both styles of flowers in her hair are rampions and the largest blue flower is a Rampion called Rapunzel. Another direct connection to the Brothers Grimm text is the inclusion of the hook that Rapunzel uses to lift the enchantress into the tower. In this illustration I have included two single strands of hair and a broken rampion flower that seem to have been caught in the hook. This detail allows a connection between the hook and the character and furthermore adds to a sense of movement in the atmosphere perhaps eluding to the height of the tower.

The clothing the character is wearing is again a reference to the pre-raphaelite artists, with detailed wing sleeves and gold thread brocade similar to that of a noblewoman of the Middle Ages. Given that the story is European in origin it was important that her clothing emulated a period in European history often associated with fairy tales such as Rapunzel. The gold thread brocade also helps to connect the illustration through colour theme. Her skirt was heavily influenced by the stained glass windows of European cathedrals. I felt that this inclusion aided in giving the scene a more grounded sensibility, moving it away from the whimsical pink drenched cartoon version of the tale. I wanted this piece to be connected to the idea of an illuminated manuscript helping to convey the seriousness of the tale given the violent and somewhat morbid second half of the narrative. For this reason I felt that this Brothers Grimm version of the story would be aimed at young adults aged 15- 18.

Done in photoshop on wacom.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning

2011-08-23T20:50:00.001+10:00

The following illustration is part of an assignment for Illustration at uni. We had to illustrate a character, in this case Count Olaf from a children's story- Lemony Snicketts A Series of Unfortunate Events. This is the illustration only, I still have to work on layout for the page as if it were a part of a picture book. The following extract will accompany the visuals:

                  "What?" Count Olaf asked. "No roast beef?"
                  "You didn't tell us you wanted roast beef," Klaus said.
Count Olaf slid toward the children so that he looked even taller than he was. His eyes grew even brighter, and his one eyebrow raised in anger. "In agreeing to adopt you," he said, "I have become your father, and as your father I am not someone to be trifled with. I demand that you serve roast beef to myself and my guests."
                 "We don't have any!" Violet cried. "We made puttanesca sauce!"
                 "No! No! No!" Sunny shouted.
Count Olaf looked down at Sunny, who had spoken so suddenly.

The idea was to use descriptions from the book to guide your character design, there's a movie as well- but I've not seen it and from what I have read of the books, this would be my first and last encounter with the series. Created in photoshop on wacom.

Rationale:

I have never read the books, Lemony Snicketts: A Series of Unfortunate Events, therefore my first task was to become familiar with the writing style and target audience of the novels before commencing any type of sketches. I was an English teacher for 10 years prior undertaking my current degree and do remember that this series of novels was most popular with both boys and girls in grades 6-8 (approx aged 11- 13). With this knowledge I knew that any illustration had to contain an element of the ‘ick’ factor to bring to life a character that is written to be cold and repulsive in the eyes of the orphans in the novel. It is this vision of Olaf that is most aligned with the sympathies and ages of the readers themselves.

The layout of the illustration was inspired by the accompanying text wherein Olaf seems to tower over the children, I wanted him to seem almost spectre like rising up and over them in an intimidating manner- this also helps to display his role in the narrative. He is reaching out towards Sunny (as stipulated in the associated text) but his attention has been briefly focused towards Violet as his beady bright eyes rest on her for a moment. There is something almost dismissive in the way that his body continues on its original path towards the crying baby, yet pauses for a moment to hear the other children protest (as per the text).

The colour palette in this piece is decidedly cool, blue greys and shades of green add to the sense of coldness in the character of Olaf. Black outline in keeping with a cartoon style enables the character to be drawn in a scary spectre manner without forgetting the sensibilities of the target audience aged 11-13 years old. The description in the novel identifies Olaf as wearing a grey coat complete with stains. Upon further research I came up with the idea that he was clearly a flamboyant individual (evidenced by his passion for the theatre) but that everything he owned was old, broken or in disrepair. This is why I have included gold-threaded brocade around the sleeves of the coat, as it gives me the opportunity to show a faded jaded character- the brocade is faded and threads are coming off it as if it had been worn every day. The stains are badges of ‘dishonour’, they reveal the lie of his character in that he craves to be wealthy and to embody his desired social class- yet everything about his appearance is cloaked in unkempt eccentricity (unshaven, dirty, no socks).

The orphans have been deliberately illustrated in a reversed negative style to echo the way in which Olaf sees them, as orphans- not as individual children with personalities and identities. Their colourless appearance helps to convey to the reader how Olaf interacted with the orphans and additionally conveys the orphans role in the narrative at this early part of the first novel wherein they are predominantly reactionary to Olaf to set up the over- riding conflict for the series.

Photoshop and Wacom were used as these are most pertinent to my animation skill set.

Illustration Weekly: Fashion

2011-08-17T20:12:00.000+10:00

This week we had to take a photograph from Vogue and turn it into an illustration suitable for a haute couture fashion magazine. Here is my interpretation- I love drawing fabric so I knew I wanted something with lots of folds, I was originally after a spectacular oscar style gown, but I love the structured sculpted quality of this jacket. Drawn in photoshop on wacom.

Harper's Bazaar Sept 2011 Hermes jacket and pants

Games History: Thesis Mind Map

2011-08-13T10:52:00.001+10:00

Click to enlarge

Illustration For Design: Logo Design

2011-08-12T14:29:00.000+10:00

My logo design for a secondhand, crafty bric-a-brac store called The Bower.

Illustration for Design Winebottle

2011-08-12T14:26:00.000+10:00

This week was redesigning existing packaging. Here's my take on a modernisation of a wine bottle label to more accurately appeal to the target demographic. The wine cost $7.99 a bottle and I intend to sample it tonight.

Draco Backgrounds

2011-08-11T11:20:00.000+10:00

Backgrounds so far, more to come.......

Backgrounds so far......

Early Thesis Ideas

2011-08-09T14:08:00.000+10:00

Practitioner's Statement:

As an artist and an animator I have always been fascinated by the sense of community amongst artists and also the creation of community within the artworks themselves. It is for this reason that I am interested in investigating the growth of community in the constantly evolving art-driven realm of the MMORPG. I am intrigued specifically by the presence of communities such as in game guilds and organisations that establish a sense of identity that visually designates the individual player as being a part of a particular community.

Key issues such as the strength of such communities, the validity of their manufactured existence in a manufactured world and the ramifications of their existence in terms of both game play and the ‘real world.’ An integral aspect of this study of the evolution of the community within MMORPGs is the unavoidable designation of the ‘other’ or those that fall outside the membership of the group. The general parameters of this research will be guided by my own experience within MMORPG as a Guild Master, but will also be widened to include a diverse cross sections of games plus an historical context that may provide insight into the communal nature of gaming.

McLuhan- Luke Warm?

2011-07-30T22:57:00.000+10:00

The following is a response to reading McLuhan's theory of Hot and Cold media as found within his 1964 work, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man

Reading McLuhan is like a meandering journey through ADHD territory with so many tangents and a complete preoccupation with comparing hot and cold media in countless immeasurable examples. Ideas are started and yet fail to follow through and his complete over simplification and generalisation of some examples to fit within the hot to cold paradigm is troubling, I refer in this point to the reference about the collapse of Indigenous Australian tribal culture based on axe distribution- unless this use of the word axe is a metaphor of some kind then his assessment of the situation seems to have trimmed down this event to fit within the parameters of his argument. He’s definitely a man of his time, noting his reference to ‘backward’ countries as cool and to ‘us’ (by us I’m assuming he is referring to Westernised developed and more specifically capitalist countries given the political climate during which his study was undertaken- the height of the Cold War during the 1960s).

The central point of his study of hot and cold media seems to be that hot media like movies enhance a single sense (high definition) in this case- vision, indicating that to participate in the media is a passive experience wherein the individual does not need to exert much effort in filling in the gaps on screen. In contrast at the other end of McLuhan’s spectrum is the notion of the Cold media such as a comic book which requires a higher level of participation by the reader in determining and extracting meaning from the media.

However, McLuhan’s assessment of media consumption and in turn his classification of a media as hot or cold disregards what the individual brings to the media, the depth of understanding the individual wishes to take from the media and the content of the media itself (which he seems to believe can be separated and discarded in favour of the type of media). In gaming for example a game such as Minecraft could be classified as a cool example (requiring greater participation from the individual) within what I am sure McLuhan would see as a hot medium (ie: Gaming predominantly provides information to a gamer and enhances a single sense, the visual sense). Yet it is possible to also find a Hot media for example an online facebook ‘game’ such as Farmville which is mind numbingly hot requiring very little individual input with only a single sense enhanced, the visual.

With so many medias now performing a duality of functions and enhancing multiple senses, McLuhen’s Hot to Cold scale seems to, although historiographically important to the study of media, be largely irrelevant as a method of measuring a medium such as Games that contain within it such a diverse range of genres and sub genres that determine participation levels and this is without even considering how the individual chooses to approach and participate in each individual game.

Illustration for Design

2011-07-30T19:39:00.000+10:00

Doing a new type of subject this semester- an entire semester of drawing to specific briefs, just what we need. This week's assessment was to create a series of instructional diagrams stepping through a process with illustrations. Here's my version.....

Kung Fu Panda II

2011-07-19T18:35:00.001+10:00

I recently went to see Dreamworks latest animation offering, Kung Fu Panda II. This is the latest instalment of the Panda franchise and sees us revisit Po's early childhood in an attempt to understand how he became the panda that he is today, for a full synopsis please click here.

It seems that with a lot of these animation films being released lately, the technology and the animation is exceptional, but the storylines and character development seem to be left behind. I loved this film, this was one of the first CGI animation films I have seen where I actually forgot I was watching CGI animation- odd but true, quite often the rigs and unnatural movement can be distracting- but not in Kung Fu Panda II. Now that the technology of CGI animation has been advanced there is a return to and application of the classic actions, 'rules' of animation and guidelines to creating convincing movement on screen. I also enjoyed the number of animation styles used throughout the film from 'fake' shadow puppets to 2D Flash animation- all of which served a purpose as plot device in the narrative (usually to signify a leaving of the now to return to the dream world or memory).

There were lots of really cute nawwwwwww moments with little Po- his relationship with his adoptive parent and the story of how he came to be the son of a noodle making goose- were well rounded and engaging. The panda movements were very natural and VERY cute!

Also love the inclusion of Van Damme- bit of a nod to 80s westernised martial arts movies.

The plot seemed to grind a little with the repetition of the flashbacks inspired by the villain's feathers and the other Kung Fu characters seemed to serve no real purpose in this sequel, unlike in the first film where they were key in creating Po's experience. The peacock as a villain was less than convincing and his character seemed 2 dimensional and repetitive.

Concept Art- Backgrounds

Scene from Kung Fu Panda II:

Loved the backgrounds and the variety in settings, fantastical and colourful. I preferred the strength of story and character in the first film, however this film surpasses it in visual style and animation execution. Yep I have the Art of Book and I can also recommend that as well.

The Art of Kung Fu Panda II- Worth a look

To preview the book click here

World of Warcraft Warlock

2011-07-13T22:04:00.000+10:00

Latest work is a commission piece based on an individual character from Blizzard's World of Warcraft, Azulla of Frostmourne. Photoshop CS3 and Wacom.

Title Cards

2011-07-04T23:41:00.000+10:00

In keeping with the vintage feel of our film Draco, these are the title cards that will appear at the start of the film. Just like a vintage cartoon they will fade in and out and the accompanying music will be ragtime played on the piano by me.

Promotional Poster Final

2011-06-27T15:55:00.000+10:00

First semester was all about leading the audience astray with the promotion of the film Draco, in semester two the promotional posters will now give a sense of the era and style of the animation in the actual film.

Getting those Pencil Miles Up

2011-06-25T00:37:00.000+10:00

Another Fan Art drawing, just working with viewing block colours and trying to focus on the general to the specific. This character is the spirit beast loque'nahak from Blizzard's World of Warcraft.

Quick Sketch

Base Mid Colour

Broad Darker Tones

Adding Depth

Finding Highlights

Taking off the Training Wheels and adding detail

Detail on paws

Detail on Ears

Markings and establishing fur direction

Finalised markings

Adding the Glow

Final Piece

Final Character Animation Piece

2011-06-21T22:41:00.000+10:00

This is what I've been working on for the past few weeks, an assigned character animation piece set to dialogue. I really aimed to capture a sense of 'connection' between the two characters during their interaction. I also worked hard to ensure that the movement remained fresh through diligent redrawing of every single frame (an animation epiphany for me). Finally, I aimed to make the actions realistic and expressive; I'm happy with the result and can see where I have improved and where I will improve in the future. See it Here.

Toon Boom Animate Pro 2: Scene from the piece.

Constant redrawing

Drawing in Progress

2011-06-21T22:23:00.000+10:00

Finished uni for the semester and finally had a chance to do some good ol fashioned fan art. Here's the progress on a piece from Blizzard's World of Warcraft, a spirit beast named Skoll:

Basic Sketch

Block Colour

Block Tonal Highlights

Block Darker Tones

Add texture and detail to fur

Add detail and form to paws

Finished Skoll.

Concept Art for Draco

2011-06-06T18:01:00.000+10:00

A few concept art pieces for Draco. Main aim was to see how the characters 'fit' in their environments and how a particular atmosphere can be portrayed through the setting. A challenge was to get the right level of desaturation to enable the characters to pop and the backgrounds to play a supporting role.

See more here

Caricature

2011-06-04T00:09:00.000+10:00

Caricature for a future collaborative project.

Title Cards

2011-05-28T12:28:00.000+10:00

Have been thinking about intro credits for Draco and am loving the homeage to classic cinema and cartoons. In keeping with this idea we're going with simple classic title cards, here's the classic ordering of the cards:

Here's one I did for the opening title card of Draco

Between each of the title cards there is a fade and the ragtime music will complete the overall effect.

A Break from Uni

2011-05-25T17:46:00.000+10:00

A short break from uni work, this is a cartoon version of a mate's World of Warcraft avatar, see the original here

To Catch a Dragon

2011-05-17T23:29:00.000+10:00

Some Draco sketches looking at how the body of a dragon moves when catching or throwing- opening scene sequence will comprise of some sort of game.

A little too 'showgirl' perhaps?

Flat Out at Uni

2011-05-17T21:13:00.000+10:00

So it's the last few weeks of semester which means that our other subjects have massive assignments due and that of course is edging in on film making time. Progress on Draco has slowed as we attend to other classes, but I have no doubt that it will pick up once again.

I've been exploring character and doing pages of character emotions with good old pen on paper- liberating lol.

Draco Test Walk

2011-05-05T13:27:00.000+10:00

Very basic test walk for Draco. Really focusing on creating that vintage look and the sense of weight in the character.

Final Character Turn Arounds

2011-05-03T16:23:00.000+10:00

Final Character turnarounds- built for walking :)

When they stand next to each other (height comparison chart coming soon) Draak (the red one) is taller and leaner.

Draco Character Colours Finalised

2011-04-28T21:35:00.000+10:00

Final character colours- love the desaturated colours, perfect for the vintage look of the film- so different from my usual style. Can't wait to see it all falling into place :)

Subtle Animation

2011-04-27T15:46:00.000+10:00

One of the things I have found challenging is making the transition from what I would call full bodied animation to a more subtle animation based on limited movement, smaller lines of action and a focus on creating empathy between the character and the audience.

Here are some of my thumbnails for a piece to be completed later this week. The sound will be from the film, The Hours and consists of two basic lines-

"I'm living in a town I don't want to live in, I'm living a life I don't want to live."

I deliberately chose something that would challenge me to be more refined.

Draco Promo

2011-04-14T13:11:00.001+10:00

Promotional Parody Posters for Draco

2011-04-09T19:38:00.000+10:00

Each month I'm hoping to create a parody of a famous film poster to promote our third year animation film Draco. Here are the latest two posters:

Hitchcock's Vertigo

Lucas' Star Wars Episode I

Simplified Cave

2011-04-06T16:56:00.000+10:00

Easing back on the dense colours of earlier concept art, this one has a more subdued vintage feel that places the character as the focal point:

Another Draco Character: The Cave

2011-04-06T10:36:00.000+10:00

The cave in our film Draco is of pivotal importance, so much so that it almost becomes a third character directing action and narrative through atmosphere. Early concept art:

These ones are probably a little too detailed for adherence to the design treatment of a vintage cartoon.

2D Animation Thumbnails.....HANDS!

2011-03-31T16:28:00.000+10:00

Character Sketches Draco

2011-03-31T10:44:00.000+10:00

Concept Art Backgrounds- Draco 'Disney-esque'

2011-03-30T11:35:00.001+10:00

Backgrounds that are more detailed and seem 'denser' in colour saturation:

Character Designs Draco

2011-03-30T11:31:00.000+10:00

Working on creating 'animate-able' character designs based on a vintage inspired Draco. Want to establish a character that is both flexible and able to be animated effectively whilst retaining volume and shape; essentially staying on model.

Concept Art- Vintage Inspired

2011-03-30T11:27:00.001+10:00

Some concept background art for Draco, these have been inspired by the vintage classic Disney and Warner Bros films of the 1950s.

Last Week was a Tough One

2011-03-23T19:47:00.000+10:00

Last week we met as a group with the scriptwriting supervisor and it was kinda tough. Trying to express my vision of the project was difficult and hearing that the entire project was a horrible idea was heartbreaking.

So, after a little cry I went home and thought about the project as a whole rather than just as a script. I took on board the suggestions from other team members and that helped me hone the story to a more manageable narrative. I think the thing that was upsetting was the threat that the core idea of the project was a bust and had to be changed. Once I worked through the narrative another 3 or 4 times I could see that it was possible to keep the central idea but alter the actual narrative to make it doable in the time limits.

The story has now paired down to a coming of age tale about a little dragon who wants to fit in but has a habit of sneezing and the most inappropriate times. He gets a chance however to step up to the plate and become a hero. I love the classic form of the hero's journey and this has been the basis of the entire project from the beginning.

We had another project meeting on Tuesday where we came together as a team and worked out the major overreaching vision of the project. We established that we are looking to create an old school vintage cartoon with a focus on theatrical character animation through strong lines of action and comedy.

After a rocky start I think we have the opportunity to start and finish an amazing film, I can't wait to see it done :)

Inspiration for project

We Get Board!

2011-03-16T20:20:00.000+10:00

Our upcoming short film, Draco has started its promotion phase and we've started the ball rolling by putting up posters and concept art on the legendary boards of Level 5 at QCA lol.

Weekly Animation

2011-03-10T17:07:00.000+10:00

So this week our task is to capture 3 different styles of walk based on age. Starting with thumbnails is proving to be successful.

Story Beats

2011-02-28T20:23:00.001+10:00

These story beats are quick sketches- 10min to complete, that capture a particular scene or character moment from the script. I've tried to draw them as I see them in my mind.

Meet a Possible Draco

2011-02-28T14:13:00.000+10:00

After many drafts and hours spent working on the creation of this character I think I have been able to create the little bugger that was stuck in my mind. Yes he is overtly cute, but I think his face will allow me to push my animating abilities and his body is built to tumble and express that awkwardness that comes when you're not quite sure who you are yet.

This is not the final design, but its the closest I've come to it so far and that makes me happy; for the moment.

Need to research claws more, not happy with these ones yet.

Updated Folio

2011-02-25T12:25:00.000+10:00

Have taken the plunge and invested in my online folio. Pretty pleased with the results, at the moment its missing a sketchbook dump area.

To have a look click the folio link above, or here

Scriptwriting

2011-02-22T08:35:00.000+10:00

Without much guidance from the 2nd year scriptwriting subject where we were supposed to learn the craft of scriptwriting for animation, I have just completed the second draft of the Draco script.

I made the decision early on that I wanted to test the script on a range of readers before even beginning to animate a single scene. As a animator I not only want to demonstrate all that I have learnt in animation so far, but I also want to tell good stories. So now I wait to hear back from my test readers, then the script will be revised again before being sent out to a different lot of test readers. My attitude in relation to opinions and criticisms is that I would rather know now than waiting till we get further down the track and find ourselves trying to animate something that just isn't a very good story.

So for now? I wait.

Glen Keane

2011-02-15T10:15:00.001+10:00

It's always time for Glen Keane advice

Sky studies

2011-02-14T21:42:00.001+10:00

Sky and cloud studies, focus to establish depth and realism.

Essential Cloud Painting

2011-02-13T08:33:00.000+10:00

Given that the sky is an integral part of the third year film, with it being the home of the source of inspiration for the protagonist- where the little dragon sees his father at his best, I was thrilled when I found this article on a fantastic animation blog . The article provides an insight into the delicate art of cloud painting.

Landscape Concept Art

2011-02-13T01:18:00.000+10:00

Landscape concept art for third year film, settings for dragon ledge and the unicorn valley.

Colour and Background Concepts

2011-02-12T14:16:00.000+10:00

Messing around with colour and style to create a concept background for the third year film based on the colours and style of both Fantasia Pastoral Suite and What's Opera Doc.

Pixar Studios

2011-02-11T12:40:00.000+10:00

A Rare look inside Pixar Studios Here

Concept Art Background

2011-02-06T13:39:00.001+10:00

A pivotal moment in the film I'm working on, is when the little dragon is rejected by the group and goes to cry by the lakeside. He sees his reflection and, in a similar vein to Disney's Mulan, is disappointed with what he sees as it is different to everyone else.

Before creating this background, I researched a lot of Disney legend, Mary Blair's work- in particluar scenes from Alice in Wonderland. I'm happier with how this one is evolving and also happy that I am starting to understand how colours work to create atmosphere and direction.

Concept Art Layout

2011-02-06T10:26:00.001+10:00

Taking a break from scriptwriting and character design to try and illustrate the place that I see in my mind when I'm writing the film script. I see the valley as appearing in a kind of alpine setting, in keeping with the idea of purity often associated with unicorns. An alpine setting also allows for rocky outcrops and a variation in zones from the peacefulness of the valley covered in wildflowers to the dragon roost and the troll cave. It also holds the potential to be dramatic in scale.

At the moment I am grappling with the idea of a realistic setting versus a designed and imagined setting that is colourful and fanciful, more in keeping with fantasy. More to come.

Life at Pixar

2011-02-04T08:37:00.000+10:00

A view into the life of a Pixar employee here

New Techniques

2011-02-03T22:38:00.001+10:00

Playing around with new techniques in Corel Draw, trying to loosen up a bit and give more movement to my illustrations. Decided to test it out on an already established character- Blizzard's Murloc from World of Warcraft.

Character Sketch and Translation

2011-01-31T12:38:00.001+10:00

One of the biggest things I struggle with as an animator is moving from concept to manageable character design and rendering for animation. The following is a collection of thumbnails for the young foal concepts and a possible translation to an animation style that may be manageable.

Prelim Sketches Dragons & Unicorns

2011-01-31T11:50:00.000+10:00

Sketchbook Dump for Third Year Project:

Concept Art Dragon

2011-01-31T09:39:00.000+10:00

Idea for character design for the father dragon- pitching for regal, powerful and stern. Within the film the 'adults' will seem to be serious in design in contrast with the protagonists. Colours are a little bland I think they need revision regardless of character design.

Cross Promotion

2011-01-30T22:56:00.000+10:00

Nothing like cross promotion in film :)

Animators Should think like Artists

2011-01-27T10:14:00.000+10:00

Check out the following link for an excellent article about the perils of approaching CGI animation from a purely technical standpoint. Some great artworks that express the individuality associated with the human condition and this is afterall what we are attempting to achieve- a conncetion with the audience through our exploration of universal emotions and stories.

Promo Concept Art

2011-01-23T23:08:00.001+10:00

Created some promo concept art to really help 'sell' the idea of the characters visually during the pitch. Although this particular piece of promotional material doesn't give away anything of the character in terms of his motivations and I like the fact that it is very much an expected vision a of 'cutsey' unicorn; a concept that is subverted in the film.

The script is coming along well so far, well the first draft anyway. I made the decision early on that I wanted to tell a good story and that it had to be a story that was universal in experience regardless of the fact that it is being told through the lives of mythical beasts. Once the script is complete it will be sent out to a range of different readers for their opinions and suggestions, I would rather get ideas for improvement now rather than later down the track. Of course I'm pleased and proud of the idea, but its not a sacred cow and can easily be changed or improved based on the suggestions of others.

In terms of character development, I am pleased with the unicorn progress and hope this week to move onto more thumbnails that capture movement, decide on mouth placement and then move onto the young dragon, the protagonist of the story.

Tangled

2011-01-16T12:46:00.000+10:00

One of the best films ever produced by the Walt Disney Animation studios, hitting all the marks in areas of story, character and animation design and development. For a basic synopsis of the plot click here. Definately see as a 2D film, not 3D, to full appreciate the details present in the layouts and characters.

Although created as a CGI animation film, the masterful influence of 2D animator and Disney legend Glenn Keane is clearly evident as the CGI created characters exude more movement and humanity than other computer generated humanoids have done in previous and current films (Shrek, Megamind, Toy Story).

Perhaps one disappointing area for me personally was the villian. Rapunzel's mother, clearly heavily influenced by the look of diva Cher, seems to lack the pizazz for which other Disney villians are famous. Although she must hide her true identity from her 'daughter,' I felt that the audience could have been given a more in depth look at the pure evil and selfishness obviously lurking in her soul.

My only other gripe about a film that had an exceptionally tight storyline, great soundtrack, solid supporting characters, beautiful environments that were conceptually complimentary to the plot development and associated themes; was the character's eyes. At times the size of the eyes compared to the dimensions of the head made the characters look like cupie dolls and in a film with so many intense closeups, eyes should not cross- its very distracting.

Stand out character performances were the comical sidekicks Pascal the 'frog' sorry Chameleon and the unlikely ally Maximus the lead horse of the King's army. Both remained non speaking parts which really forced the animators to explore comedy through movement and also establish a connection with the audience through nuances and a simple look.

Overall, Tangled is a masterpiece, an instant (14 years in the making) classic that I loved. If Disney continues in this direction then maybe there is hope that disasters such as Disney's Home on the Range are a thing of the past.

Colour Tests

2011-01-09T00:57:00.001+10:00

Working from basic line art, my other job today was to start wrangling with colour. When rendering I tend to overblend my work and rely upon subtle shading to indicate volume, which works well with illustrations and concept art, but is painful on a moving animation character. I also had to think carefully about how to indicate the definition of the character without losing its predominantly white colouring. This is the first colour test was done with a cool colour palette most often seen in Unicorn artwork.

Line Art

2011-01-09T00:47:00.000+10:00

The conversion of a complex concept design to a workable line art piece, is something that I have struggled with in the first two years of uni. I often find that my character concepts are unneccessarily overcomplicated and although illustrative in quality do not always make the ideal models for character animation. Today was spent converting the unicorn herd concept designs into workable and realistic line art that can disseminated amongst a team for reproduction without a loss of original design. So far I am happy with the progress on these secondary characters.

Horse Movement

2011-01-04T21:49:00.000+10:00

Starting to focus more on the movement and characteristic habits of horses when grazing as this will be the basis for the individual movements seen in the unicorn herd. Also starting to establish a distinct character shape for the young unicorns as opposed to the elegant unicorns they become when fully grown. This all sounds way too detailed, but it does help me think about the drawings as potential characters rather than as immovable lines.

More Concept Art

2011-01-02T22:50:00.000+10:00

A few more concept art pieces for third year film idea. These would primarily be the background unicorns, grazing and frollicking as part of the herd. Script is also coming along well and should be ready for a read through in a couple of weeks. Although we are making the choice to limit dialogue in favour of character actions and movements expressing the mood and emotion of the scene and character.

New Project

2010-12-30T13:10:00.000+10:00

After much discussion and debating about ideas and possible stories for third year, we have come to a very simple notion; that story is key. We want to tell a good meaty story without complications. A story that has a sense of universality in the themes and a easy to follow 3 act structure perfect for a 5-10 min film.

In addition to pages scribbled with character ideas created during meetings at work, the piece pictured above is one of the first srs concept art pieces for the adult unicorns.

Still Life

2010-12-06T00:08:00.000+10:00

Been trying to experiment with different approaches to art, including using traditional 'high art' in the sub culture world of online gaming. This is my interpretation of the foods of Azeroth from World of Warcraft created with an influence of the Dutch masters of the 15th Century.

Willem Claesz Heda 1599 1680

New Online Folio

2010-11-16T23:19:00.000+10:00

Can't believe that we're about to go into our final year of the Bachelor of Animation, the last two years seems to have vanished. In an attempt to maintain momentum and motivation over the holidays, I've started working on my online folio. Sat in on a lecture given to the third years about the importance of online folio presentation and have given it a go, Check it out

Princess Project

2010-10-30T19:50:00.000+10:00

This project looks at the positive and negative sides of celebrity and is a possible topic for my final year film in 2011. I like the idea of idealistic visions of the princess colliding with today's idea of fame and celebrity and its close association with infamy.

Done

2010-10-30T19:02:00.000+10:00

After a few last minute changes (including the overall size of the product which we really shouldve clarified at the very beginning of the project) we are done. You can view the final draft at the following link.

I think we have produced a product that is exactly what the client required and is a commercially viable and professional looking advertisement that introduces the community radio station and the ideologies that support.

The group worked exceptionally well and we worked hard to produce a project of a high standard for application in a 'real world' setting. I'm very proud of what we have achieved.

Creating the Typical Princess Scene....Work in Progress

2010-10-12T16:17:00.000+10:00

For the opening sequence of my post production assignment I want to create a typical princess moment reminiscent of Disney style so that people are expecting a film bout Princesses in the stereotypical vein, not in the way in which i intend to present them....hehehehe. Stay tuned more coming soon.