Shaun the Sheep

So i had a look at a short animation by Aardman Studios obviously famous for their claymation! I know this is an obvious choice but i wanted to see the difference at the top of the scale! I think what differentiates this from Sculpey the Slug is that the background is made up as well rather than using real life situations to represent the setting the character is found in rather than just on your bedside table or desk. I don't know whether these are made up by hand or created in preproduction but it shows more creativity and imagination as you can create anything to show your desired mise-en-scene. Although i prefer this i don't think i am capable of creating the whole entire background as well since my model is not to the best of standard i want my models to look fairly child like to suit the overall 'bringing back memories' approach. So i think for me the best option is to create a model and work it around real settings such as in the garden or on the beach similar to Sculpey the Slug.

Sculpey the Slug

Before i threw myself too far into the project again without any development i thought it would be wise to look at other animations amateur and professional to try gain and see what i am missing so that i can make mine into a finished piece! This particular animation uses plasticine like i am going to use which is what made me want to watch it the most! It is a simple story of a Slug that creates his own wife because he is lonely it is a very basic story line and it is set in someone (the animators) bedroom i presume. The thing that works well is the use of comedy within the piece i think humour is a very important part of a story as it makes the audience feel good and most likely want to show it to other people! My piece lacks any sort of storyline and i would like to add an element of fun and comedy as i think this will portray the feel of the sonic game when you play it. The use of subtle sounds of movement e.g. the blinking is beautiful and the choice of songs adds to that of the comic factor which is something i need to focus on more as sound is equally as important as the animation itself!!! However one thing i would do differently - because the brief is to create an almost advert to promote Sonic's 20th birthday i need to make it slightly more professional and i think this will be extremely difficult as i am also an amateur! I need to now look at professional plasticine stop motion pieces to get a feel of what level i need to be hitting.

Areas of Interest

As i am unclear of where in the moving industry i fit in i thought it would be a good idea to start from the very beginning and make sure that i know what is available out in the working world.

Over all i think i prefer animation to film as i think it looks more creative, unique and surreal anything in the 'world' of animation is possible if you can think it, it can be done! So i thought it would be a good idea to firstly look into what careers are available in the animation industry and see if i think i could fit in anywhere.

I found a website called Skill Set and here they broke up animation into four disciplines: 2D drawn or traditional; 2D computer generated; stop frame and 3D computer generated. The one i am most interested in would have to be traditional (2D hand drawn animation!)

After watching Tom's hand drawn animation i thought to myself 'i wish i could do that' and over the last month or so i have been practising my drawing techniques and trying to bring these drawings to life. I have attempted the walk cycle and although its hard i think i am getting there (when i put them together properly i will put them up here!) i am trying my hardest to find what i am good at but i think a lack of self confidence is holding me back i am too worried about what people think and being embarrassed that its effecting my work over all. Too help this i bought a book online called 'The Magic Of Thinking Big' as suggested by a friend ... i know this sounds completely silly but i feel that if i have the confidence i will defiantly make something work for me and finally find out what i want to pursue in the future.

Evian Ad - Euro RSCG Worldwide

I am absolutely in love with this advert! Its fun and active yet simple and clean which i think connotes their message of healthy living in this calorie counting world craze. Water being the simple and clean element and the dancing of the adults to make the stop motion animation portraying an active, exciting approach. "Our strategy aimed to connect the historic image of Evian (the water for babies) and the driving imagery of water (purification and regeneration) with a rising consumer health lifestyle trend (the desire to stay younger, longer)" Euro RSCG Worldwide.

After watching the Evian advert on Youtube i saw a link for this Ad Agency (the creators) so i thought i would have a mooch. I found out that Euro RSCG Worldwide which is a huge global advertising agency with 233 offices running in 75 different countries (HUGE!!!) some of their clients include Durex, Peugeot, Citroen and Volvo. The site is huge and i think personally there is a bit too much to look at and it isn't all too visually exciting, you almost get lost in it! (But this simply connotes the largeness of the company.) However their was something i found very different on their website was a tab named 'creative business ideas' which i found very interesting as it broke down a few of their ad campaigns giving you an incite into the brain of Euro RSCG Worldwide. (They were broken down into headings: The Product, The Challenge, The CBI, Strategy and Results.)

This small break down has given me a plan of working as i can use these as headings as i develop along the briefs i am given. A new way of looking at a project before i begin. Organisation at last! I am currently putting this into practise throughout the referral work on the competition brief hopefully it will prove successful!

Plas Glyn-y-Weddw (Welsh Art Gallery)

Plas Glyn-y-Weddw (from outside)

I spend a lot of my free time in Abersoch (North Wales) and while i was there i thought it would be a nice idea to visit one of the local Art Galleries. I thought it would help my passion for art and design and general creativity reappear! The art gallery is called Plas Glyn-y-Weddw and it is situated in Llanbedrog just before you enter Abersoch.

The building itself is absolutely beautiful inside and out and they exhibit work from local artists mainly landscapes of the countryside scenery and seascapes from around the Abersoch area. But this particular time there was an exhibition of mixed media imaged created by a local illustrator Niki Pilkington i think the main reason i liked these images was because they were so very different from the landscape imagery that they usually showcase. Niki uses very intricate pencil lines and shading for the portraiture in her work and adds colour but either using pencil crayon, coloured pends and coloured card to add more detail such as patterns on clothing or is used to add another object to the image like balloons and wildlife. She also adds traditional Welsh idioms somewhere in the composition she explains the reason for this is because "Idioms are an imperative part of the Welsh language, and are in danger of disappearing. This series of illustrations aims to bring these idioms alive once more, at least for a little while." Niki Pilkington.

However i have to be critical in the fact that there is no english translation to the Welsh idioms, i love the meaning behind the use of the Welsh language as i feel it is personal to her and it is upholds the Welsh heritage but i simply cannot gain the full feel of the piece.

The illustrations looked great in context as they were all placed in white frames in the centre of the wall all next to each other acting almost like a wallpaper boarder. The walls were cream which matched the rest of the gallery so the exhibition was designed to match the atmosphere of the building and its interior. It was simplistic and sophisticated which contrasted with her contemporary, bold work similar the the themes within her work mixing the traditional with the contemporary - "The contrast between these traditional Welsh phrases & idioms and the more contemporary illustrations is intentional. Take these illustrations as a step towards remembering the Wales of bygone days." Niki Pilkington.

A few photos of the Exhibition

Illustrations in context

Here are a few examples

When i look at any type of illustration i always imagine what it would look like moving (as a moving image student i recon thats a good thing!). I think the contrast of details, life like drawings and block, florescent colour is beautiful i will consider this as a drawing style i could use in the future. I would also like to look more into life drawing, i missed a couple of sessions this year and i am currently looking for classes outside uni.

I am now following her blog to keep an eye on her upcoming work and events and i have notice she has an exhibition at this gallery again starting this week so i am planning to go down to Wales for the weekend to see her new work. Super Excited!!!