Developing Independent Animation: Retreat

Noise becomes aesthetic, and vice versa. Animation skills are really flexible in producing more incoherent pieces of abstract motion just as equally as they are in creating a story to portray a message. In this case, it's more about connoting a tone, an atmosphere, rather than a story. A friend of mine has created an avant-garde ambient project for which he requires an animation to be projected in the background like a visualization that will help carry the atmosphere of the music - to simulate a post-modern ritual, in a way. As I've stated previously, I love the notion of philosophy and analysis behind animation; how even the most abstract does have something beneath its layers. For this project of his, I crafted a looped animation that is based on one of my stop-motion works - "Unexpected" in particular, which is animation that I made for the module Animation Skills. However, I fully tweaked it, experimented with my new-found skills in Premiere, expanded upon them, and by introducing my new taste in what I consider to be visually aesthetic designed an animation that complements the sound of the project. For example, I used Echo in order to give the animation a more ghastly and ethereal appeal to it, as every movement is mimicked. Another example would be the Bend I added that makes the animation seem distorted, alluding to a sense of ambiguity and dizziness, which I believe to go great with the music due to their obscure similarities. All in all, it has to do with post-production rather than with production, which is nonetheless a skill to be progressively developed for animation is NOT solely just about animation. One must have an eye for mise-en-scene, eliminating all possible "holes" in the scenography of the animation for it to seem solid, appealing, and not flat, which is the essence of this animation that I crafted. Generally, I believe that art-forms function in this manner where the raw can be distorted in a multitude of ways, producing an abundance of different outcomes through the raw - this is done in music with sampling and analogue effect pedals, for example. I am now generally interested in the incorporation of different elements within stop motion and seeing how far I can push that, as well as the experimentation of techniques in producing an arbitrary resolution (be it an animation or piece of design) and learning from its mistakes and strengths.

"Retreat - Immersion" - https://vimeo.com/165191484

"retreat" - https://soundcloud.com/retreat_music

Developing Personal Style: Assignments and Pieces of Work

Sheet from Visual Language - practice in depth & perspective

With all the other modules altogether, this academic year has been significant in the development of my initially "incoherent" style of drawing, where I had never placed such a huge emphasis due to my stop-motion orientation. Luckily, my horizons have been broadened and light upon traditional 2D animation has been shed, resolving in my distinct development of a drawing style inspired by my fellow peers, observation, and practice, all purged by all of the modules. And, with time and practice, I created a style that showed depth; a style that I became comfortable with and started implementing and gradually modifying - even as I write. Initially, before college, I had been drawing cartoon characters solely with pencil and never digressed from drawing flat and lifeless 2D faces, mostly 2/3 profiles. For example, if I were to draw something else, it would look highly unaesthetic with a lack of depth (not applicable to Solid Drawing, in other words) as I would draw with brisk pencil lines instead of firm and flowing lines. However, through the module Animation Process and Production, I started using other tools, such as the drawliner, which gave me the opportunity to draw coherent and accurately distinctive lines in thickness. Now, following the manner of some of my peers solely as inspiration, I only used pencil to create the template over which I drew the real deal, mainly the character, background, and element design for the 2D animation. With this, came my broken line style, where all lines I draw are generally shaky without definite curvatures. As I continued developing this, it reached its prime during the Visual Language module where we were to create our own character, which relied on this drawing style. Edrik showed depth and visual enrichment with the shaky lines, whereas if I were to draw him in a smooth manner he'd lose all of that appeal. And, thus, based on all of this, I gandered into doing side projects and assignments, one of which is for a future musical event back in Macedonia, for which I acquired to be the logo and poster designer through a commission. This is where my style of sub-realism kicks in where I reference real life objects and draw them in an emphasized manner, still keeping their key elements while altering their realistic aspect - for the event's logo I drew a gramophone with a conch for a horn, based on a picture I piled together of a conch and a real gramophone for reference. The broken lines that define the contour of the shape assumingly give it a perceived texture of ruggedness, whereas the inner incomplete lines give it that 1940 illustrator print feel. Another project is a possible album cover for a musical project which I am a part of inspired by the graininess of old prints. All in all, I am quite satisfied with this style I've adapted and look forward to its constant improvement with future practice endeavors. Thus, the final project I've been assigned is making logo designs for bands - 2 in particular - one of which is my own. In order to create these, I implemented two styles and fused them together: traditional, with which I draw the assets for the logo, and digital, where I scan those assets and tinker and modify them for the final digital outcome. For example, for the Visterija logo (displayed below) I drew the vines and the tree branch in my sketchbook and then scanned them in to give them the overlay effects, whereas the font is just a normal font manipulated with the liquify tool - solely digital.

Initial drawing, rough lining, textured feel

Digital rendering of poster template

Possible draft of an album cover, digitalized ink drawing

Analyzing Animation Techniques: Little Talks

Multimedia animation is at the heat of the industry currently, and as time is progressing more and more emphasis is being placed on a fusion of different animation techniques as separate elements that perfectly create an aesthetic for a vigorous animation. However, one thing I've noticed is that the most versatile of techniques are used in the making of animated music videos that strike the media, most of which possess a brilliant opportunity for young animators such as myself to learn, analyze, and attempt, for the sake of eclecticism. The animated music video of Of Monsters And Men's "Little Talks" served as a perfect paragon of this notion, as well as a brilliant opportunity of inspiration. Considering that I'm in the middle of working on my animation for the module Applied Animation by blending stop-motion with post-rotoscoping 2D, I found this animation particularly interesting and bewildering as I can identify some techniques I have yet to try, but believe I have the knowledge to attempt. Initially, the animation reminded me of the vivacious Pythonesque technique of puppet animation where segments of images are bound together to be controlled and animated without re-drawing every consecutive frame - a technique I'm really keen on. However, this animation incorporated the technique digitally as to juxtapose it with the live-action heads of the characters which are stuck (through green screening) to the puppets. Furthermore, the animation reminded me of Kiszkiloszki, an animator that incorporates this style through the revival of old baroque art, but makes the movement of his characters much more flexible by adding motion blur. Nonetheless, in "Little Talks" this technique is perfectly blended with realistic green screened effects of sparks, explosions, and smoke that add color to the animation - perfectly juxtaposing the mise-en-scene elements in the shot. The FX go well with the animation since practically most of the elements are modified segments of fabricated live-action scenery (the trees, the gargoyle head, the monster) where they look like they are vested in reality due to their detail, but actually are not (except for the faces). To account for this, I researched that many animators had produced this animation, all of which had animated the separate and different techniques in the final output, once again, proving that different styles plus teamwork account for brilliant interdisciplinary art.

Kiszkiloszki's style as shown in a gif image

Animation and Technique Analysis: Right in Two

"Right in Two" is a song by the progressive rock band Tool which has an accompanying animated music video, something unique of which likes I've never seen before. The most flabbergasting part about the animation is the technique used, or need I say, techniques. In other words, the animation is a perfect assemblage of stop-motion, 2D animation, 3D animation, greenscreening, and live-action film elements - a real fusion of the art of the moving image. Every element of animation is used to define an aspect of the animation's characters, backgrounds, or miscellaneous effects, in a way that it juxtaposes all of them but also blends them to emphasize the power of their differentiation. The main character of the animation is a stop-motion animated puppet, whose eyes are segments of the live-action filmed eyes of a real person, whereas everything that happens upon the little lump of clay that transforms into a cartoonish paragon of our world is 2D with individual frame drawing and bold and repeating contour lines. In order to place an accent on the theme of the animation - the destructive degradation of society - the style in which the animation is drawn has a sense of chaos within it due to the line inconsistency of every drawn frame, as well as the shading (which is done with non-technical parallel lines). Constantly switching dynamics, the way the characters are drawn allows them to easily be transformed and distorted with every consequent frame without the movement seeming choppy, unnatural, and sudden (something similar to the style in which Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is animated). However, in my own opinion, I believe that the background is the primary element that adds all the techniques together in a perfect blend due to its slow but smooth tempo (the greenscreened animated clouds). So, we are presented with a fast-paced 2D animation, a mid-paced stop-motion figure, and a slow-paced background, all distinguishing the foreground, midground, and background ever so effectively that it makes the whole film aesthetic eye candy along with the pale colors that help us focus on detail (because our eyes are more sensitive to strong colors, making it difficult to "zoom in" on detail). Tool's well known for having animated music videos in different styles, which makes their video material a real analytical journey - even more so with their visceral yet harmonious tone.

Tool - "Right in Two" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj-10lIrboM

Understanding of Green Screening: Model Turn-Around

Finished turn-around

The final activity our Visual Language model's got to experience was today's Dragonframe induction. This one was one of the most interesting inductions I've ever had as we composed stop-motion along with greenscreening, attempting the main technique that is used in feature-length stop-motion films as well as post-productive editing in modern movies. I have never done greenscreening before and have always wanted to learn the conventions of being able to do it, even if it is just on an individual level for personal progression and practice. Seeing as I am slowly getting to understand After Effects, we were taught the power of using mask layers, which perfectly align with my understanding of how keyframes, effects, and filters function in After Effects (compliments to the past inductions). Initially, we went through the conventions of lighting and how it affects the reduction of light flicker and the removal of shadows, something crucial to greenscreening. When it came to Dragonframe, everything that we were taught I already knew, however, solely because I've been "specializing" in stop-motion for years. Making a valiant use of the cinematography window is essential in achieving the desired exposure in the frame, something that all photographers know to be fundamental. The most informative part for me was the process of greenscreening and how the asset Keylight 1.2 has the power to automatically filter uniform colors which stick out at the background. Furthermore, learning how to fully manipulate masking will open a range of possible alterations in digital animation. Just in case I do not forget the process, I took picture notes of the procedure so that I may use this technique in my future animations. With this induction, I feel that I'm one step closer to becoming a multifaceted animator with a semi-professional background, as I have broken yet another barrier of non-understanding. Stop-motion just got a whole lot more flexible.

Techniques of Stop-Motion Analysis: Crooked Rot

Stop-motion's appeal to realism possesses the power to utilize firm visual imagery in order to portray a concept that is interrelated with existence. However, stop-motion also gives the opportunity to use manual effects which can introduce a more hyperbolized level of realism: surrealism. "Crooked Rot" is a stop-motion animation created by David Firth in 2008, and is one of my favorite dark-atmospheric animations. Unsettling and mesmerizing, the animation is an ambiental-surrealist masterpiece in my own opinion due to the intricate use of lighting to hint the atmosphere along with the eerie soundtrack in the background that caters to every action within the animation. What is most interesting about the animation is that it's 100% pure stop-motion with no digital effects, which proves that the authenticity of manually generating graphic effects during production (and not post-production) can outweigh the digital rendering because they seem more natural, ultimately giving the animation a bigger appeal. In this situation, the animation's intention is to be bizarre in a way that it uses psychological conventions to create a horror tone giving the audience an unsettling feel. For example, the scene where one of the severed heads is wearing a mask and screaming incoherently uses the natural human fear of masks (because without facial expressions, our mind cannot differentiate emotion) along with the fear of ambiguous noises which cannot be subconsciously explained. All in all, I was compelled to try to analyze the techniques used in "Crooked Rot", as I too stick to natural effects when animating in stop-motion (for example, cigarette smoke in "LSDuck"). The hovering lights which are made with a slow shutter speed responding to quick circular movements of a synthetic light in contrast with the darkness make for a unnatural luminosity that beguiles the human mind, releasing feelings of awe. During the scene where the pig head protrudes through the wall the rapid and quick animation of his hands (on the computer and at the camera) are presented in a chaotic manner which instigate a series of shock scares because of the difference in every frame. The most important factor in what makes this animation particularly scary is the pre-production - all the props together make the imagery aesthetically frightful, something I personally try to incorporate in my stop-motion animations.

"Crooked Rot" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjny4qNy24

Animation Analysis: Take This Pill

David Firth, also known for being the creator of the eerie animated series "Salad Fingers" is a profuse animator whose style is similar to mine, or to be more accurate, the other way around. I had forgotten about his work for a while up until a fellow peer pointed out that my last animation (The Other Side) reminded him of Firth's style, something I do not negate although it might be a subconscious inspiration. Among the many animations that he has, I adore his "Take This Pill" where he depicts the big Pharma through a vile visual anecdote, a satire if you will. One of the main reasons why I love this animation is the vernacular language used to point out the miserable cycle of individuals' dependency on pharmaceuticals to treat only the symptoms of a condition whilst promoting extended use (which has been speculated to strike heavy addictions and hormonal imbalances). The animation also portrays the notion that these pills become a part of our identity, where people develop fears of not taking their daily meds (anxiety issues, as well), one example being the scene where pain is personified as a "chap", and then revered by humans which inadvertently assist the pharmaceutical industry. However, another reason why I love this animation is the style in which it is created, as I pointed out prior. David Firth's use of de-saturated colors and grayscale patterns adds to the eerie and freakish feeling one receives when watching his animations, along with his character design for this animation in particular where the characters resemble bugs (body composition and appearance as anthropods). Brushing up on such works by David Firth gave me the incentive to analyze and appropriate his style to mine, pick up a few tips to improve my 2D animation, such as the simplicity of animating mouth movement to sync up with sentences. Truly, an inspiring and eclectic animator, even with stop-motion works, something to analyze later on!

"Take This Pill" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfAul2isPfo

PPP Seminar: Internet Use and Copyright

This week was amongst the most important of all PPP presentations regarding how one can protect his/her own content from being stolen as an intellectual property or how one goes around the possible violations of the same concept. Personally, this is the most useful PPP presentation so far hence `i have never quite fully understood the parameters of copyright and have seen countless European and American cases where such infringements have been punitively assessed, most of which where about music or art. Luckily, in the UK any content produced is automatically copyrighted, which eliminates the necessity to register one's content for fear of plagiarism.

Subjected to Copyright:
An author or individual should not adapt, distribute, publicly transmit or perform, rent, or even lend content without consulting the respective copyright laws to said piece of work/content. As for who owns copyright, from the presentation I understood that it is the author or the company/agency that publishes the piece. Luckily, for educational purposes copyright applies without permission (given that the educational establishment is in compliance with some form of legal document/contract, like one needed for a library). I had been afraid of violating copyright in any shape or form for my next COP animation which shall feature names of brands, a super copyright double-whammy.

Alternatives to Copyright:
I had never heard of any alternatives to copyright prior, and was always thinking that every individual, like it or not (especially in the UK) is subjected to copyright in some way for his/her own personal content.

Copyleft - A form of licensing that gives a right to redistribute, adapt, or reproduce a piece of work. The main concept of Copyleft had been described by Richard Stallman in his "GNU Manifesto", where he had said that "GNU is the public domain". Upon further research of this notion, I found out that Copyleft has several lawfully identified levels of licensing that all differ in the magnitude of the restriction, ranging from Freedom 0 to Freedom 3:

Freedom 0 - Piece of work can be used
Freedom 1 - Piece of work can be studied
Freedom 2 - Piece of work can be shared with others
Freedom 3 - Piece of work can be modified and distribute altered such versions

Creative Commons - a versatile and liberating license of intellectual property and content that provides simplicity and standardization. Founded by Lawrence Lessig as a non-profit organization, Creative Commons is a more established set of licensing which has an official website which assists aspiring creators in licensing their work under their free regulations and allows them to expand their creative works. As does Copyleft, so does Creative Commons carry levels of licensing which give the artist a choice of how he/she wishes to disseminate hers/his work, all written down on their official website (link at bottom of blog entry). As my research continued, I found that artists such as Nine Inch Nails use delineations of Creative Commons so that they may sell their music without having to compete with others selling copies of the same work. Thus, for my personal animations (non-educational) I will be using Creative Commons as it appeals to me the most in both freedom and liability.

Sources:
"What is Copyleft? - GNU Project" - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html
"Creative Commons" - https://creativecommons.org

Analyzing Animation Tools: DLSR Camera and Lighting Induction

Photograph with a zoom-in effect/low shutter speed

Considering I mainly want to focus on stop-motion, it is essential that I learn the settings of a DSLR camera intricately, because they can call for all kinds of alterations on scenes, be they about lighting, depth, saturation, or perspective. During the last week, our Animation class had gone through a Photography and Lighting induction, which helped me profusely grasp the possibilities of a camera in compliance to stop-motion. We were taught about depth of field, something I had already been using in my stop-motion animations to emphasize the focus placed on a character or background, however, prior to this induction I did not understand that the depth of field is measured according to a system, which calls for precise adjustment. As some people know, in stop-motion, EVERYTHING must be carefully executed; one small push of a camera, one slight misadjustment of the lens, one shift in lights can destroy the entire scene up to that point. Furthermore, we learned about the low-key, mid-key, and high-hey adjustment of lighting and how its reflection or absorption by the color of the backgrounds varies on the exposure significantly. For example, for the elimination of shadows, two lights are to be used, while if a shadowed exposure for the sake of 3D realism is needed, only one is to be used. All in all, this induction really assisted me in understanding how cameras work, something essential for stop-motion.

Low ISO, high shutter speed

Lighting studio

Animation Analysis: Adventures of Mark Twain - The Mysterious Stranger

As I've pointed out profusely, I simply adore stop-motion. Among the plentiful films that have been created, there is one that I truly adore: "Adventures of Mark Twain - The Mysterious Stranger". What strikes me about the movie is not only the development of the plot, but also the individual characters and background which are mostly crafted out of a plasticine-base. Seeing as I have mainly animated stop-motion with plasticine, I found the film to be utterly inspiring in terms of scenery and visuals, as 99% of the debris is made of clay. For an example, during the scene where the main characters encounter Satan (40:05), the mask Satan uses as his face constantly changes appearance and molds to match the emotion he is relaying and the eeriness that his existence brings. While Satan has been depicted as a horned, goat-like devil, this sequence re-establishes the ambiguity of his figure (and what he presents, for some view Satan from an optimistic point-of-view, particulary Laveyan Satanists) and insinuates that the devil can morph, that the devil can appear in many forms, that the devil is omnipotent. By the end of the scene, his face turns to resemble a skull, depicting the death he may bring. All of this done with technical ingenuity with clay-morphing, the most useful skill a stop-motion animator may have. However, what I like the most about the film are the colors which are used, which are dominantly cold-colors that persist in the background. This adds a firm level of contrast between the foreground and the background, making it visually more appealing.

"Adventures of Mark Twain" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJb3Gady7Vc

Manchester Animation Festival Research: Song of the Sea - Character Sheets and Mood Boards

One thing I haven't been utilizing in my developmental process of animation prior to this course are mood boards. Mood boards are assemblages of images which portray a certain style of approach for a future animation, and I had NEVER even heard of them before. Luckily, Manchester Animation Festival provided panels which shed light on this part of the developmental process, particularly with Tom Moore and the making of "Song of the Sea". The backgrounds used for this feature-length animation amazed me with their style, as they were accurately compatible with the mood board which was presented. Furthermore, the backgrounds retained their "organic" essence of pure watercolor (hence they were drawn traditionally), as they were edited afterwards digitally.

I was intricately interested in the character sheets of the main character Ben, for there were many of them on display. Every single necessary key-frame of character position, perspective, and emotion was drawn, accurately providing the studio animators (and us) with a concise overview of how the character is to be animated. Honestly, I was interested in the character sheets because I still haven't reached that point where this skill is properly honed, as I am still practicing on perspective drawing (not realistic, of course, cartoon wise!). The lines are simple, yet elaborate, and I am astonished at how simply the character is designed, but with the soul and feel of a real person, a real boy.

Manchester Animation Festival Research: Contrast in the Re-Making of Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse's re-design

Among the plentiful panels and screenings on the festival was the Re-Making of Danger Mouse: a lovely endeavour where the productive process of the new series is being shed some light for all us aspiring animators out there. Although I have not watched the classic Danger Mouse profusely as a child, I was intricately interested in how the cartoon had now evolved from the vintage essence it brought as a traditional animation. One of the panel guests stated that the aim of the new Danger Mouse was to appeal to a new audience while still satiating the expectations of the old and classic audience that had loved the series during its classic era. In terms design, all of the characters had been redesigned while still keeping the old vigour of the original designs. For example, although the new Danger Mouse  possesses a more elegant and detailed design (with his body proportion being slightly elongated and slimmed) it still carries the same sense of familiarity which appeals with the classical audience while giving a sense of a vigorous change (for the sake of breaking monotony). Another sense of lividity had been added to the re-make of the series with the blending of 3D photographic backgrounds and 2D digital design. With the use of this technique, I believe that the animators effectively redefined the environment, combining it with the more resonant style of character animation. When a re-make is being done, if the characters are drawn in the same manner and animated with the same style, the effect of the re-make would be purely quantitative and not qualitative - something that animators are to never embrace. Now, the movement of the characters are more flexible and smooth, a bigger sense of action and character frivolousness is introduced to compare with the more static one of the original series. In terms of story development and plot, I was bewilder by the manner in which the studio created fresh new stories which were not rearrangements of the original ones: different types of writers congregate to create a blend of wit, plot, and character (for some are good at making jokes, others at creating descriptive and interesting stories, while yet others at defining characters through communication). All of this meticulous processes constitute the new Danger Mouse, which in my opinion is not a reboot, but a new vibrant experience that merits from the masterpieces of classical animation.

3D/2D background sample

Manchester Animation Festival Research: Will Becher - Masterclass

The stage of a "Shaun the Sheep" scene

The Manchester Animation Festival just ended, and I'm still exhilarated that I managed to learn so much from different animators and practitioners. Not only that, but I had watched a variety of animations with  different styles and techniques which inspired me and added to my comprehension of styles. However, among my favorite events was the Masterclass by Will Becher, the creator of Shaun the Sheep. Although I hadn't seen Shaun the Sheep prior hand (although I was aware of the series), the Masterclass had a didactic essence to it as I got to learn much about the process of stop-motion - the style of animation I "specialize" in. Will Becher started with stop-motion in the same manner as I did: pursuing it purely as a hobby, which then enabled him to develop his skills and work with Aardman. However, what intrigued me the most about the masterclass was the elaborate process of the creation of Shaun the Sheep The Movie. Among the plentiful stages of development comes the creation of the characters, which turned out to be an extremely meticulous process with clay statues being built for the incentive real-time design of the characters, the mechanized armatures beneath the puppets for support, the molds created on the surface, and finally the creation of different mouth sets. Never have I ever perceived the art of puppet-making for stop-motion to be so elaborate and time-consuming, for my animations had been created with Lego mini figures - already pre-made armatured characters. The puppets of Shaun the Sheep are made with different materials - glycerin, foam latex, etc. Furthermore, what baffled me was that the animation team binds every singular position of a character's legs with strings in order to immobilize puppets with the soul purpose of preventing unwanted movement. Placing this frivolous process of creation aside, what truly bewildered me and built upon my skills as an animator was the pre-productive and post-productive techniques of stop-motion animation that Aardman utilized - one being the Live Action Videos serving the purpose of animatics, and the rigs which are used to suspend characters mid air which are later on digitally removed from sight. I considered this masterclass to be extremely informative, as I shall use the techniques utilized by the Aardman crew in future stop-motion animations, as with every day my skills improve more and more.

Mouth and face pieces

Animation Online Tools Research: Skwigly

Skwigly is a really nifty online animation magazine that provides aspiring young animators and audiences of all kinds with information about festivities regarding animation, as well as freshly created animations for enthusiasts. I was introduced to this website by my course leader Michael Smith, and ever since I've been using it as a tool for obtaining inspiration by watching different sorts of animations. Furthermore, the website provides useful information regarding any events near my vicinity, one being the Manchester Animation Festival (which I shall take part in). In addition to this, there is a plethora of tutorials for different aspects of animation available, whether one needs assistance with marketing their short films, or improving their styles - learning both directly and indirectly. With Skwigly, conducting research on techniques of animation is now much more accessible, and I highly recommend that all my peers use this website for the same purpose.

Animation Software Research: After Effects and Photoshop Induction

The modern ages have supplied us with animation technology: hardware and software tools that if properly utilized assert tremendous power in the hands of the animator, and by learning how to use them, broader perspectives open in terms of how to animate and what to use. During this busy week, I got to engage in a proper After Effects induction, as I had never used the program prior to that class. Although we were taught merely the basics, it was quite enough for one session as it introduced me to the working interface of the program and all the available tools within it. Similar to Adobe Flash (a program I actively use in animation), After Effects incorporates a vector-style approach for animating sequences, as I learned that by understanding that one can easily manipulate solid graphic objects within the program, making them stretch, elongate, move, rotate, and plenty more. In order to fully grasp how the key-frame panel and timeline function, we were given exercises where we examined the conventions of the utilities by animating simple motion using 2D squares. Some of my peers had already been using After Effects prior to the induction, or had a better understanding of arithmetic behind animation, and produced smoother sequences. I got to say, I'm not very good at this, and with time I hope to get better by fully comprehending the utilities of the program. Up until our next session.

The second induction (subsequent to many previous ones) was for Photoshop, where we were asked to animate a bouncing ball that applies to gravity and momentum by drawing the ball individually for every frame. This helped us practice the maintenance of volume when drawing shapes (as the Animation Skills flip-books did as well), and acquire a better understanding of the program. Furthermore, it helped us utilize planned-out schematics before animating by demanding that we draw the arc-path of the ball as well as the position of every independent frame. So far so good, learning more and more by the week.

Technique Research and Analysis: Movement in The Animator's Survival Kit

Excerpt from "The Animator's Survival Kit"

The motion of characters tells a lot about them. Even the slightest adjustments to a character's movement animation change the appeal of their attributes, as well as their demeanor. If all characters were to walk or run in the same manner, the principle of Appeal would not fluctuate among the animation, which introduces a level of stiffness that breaks the whimsicality and vivacity of a cartoon. While conducting research on the technique of movement, as I was consulting The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams, I had learned an abundance of ways in which a character can be drawn to "life", all of which differentiate in what kind of emotions are elicited in the audience according to the manner in which the characters move. For example, if a character were to drag his/her torso to the back, elongating his/her movements ever-so-tediously, he/she would appear peculiar, which is something we want to achieve when we are presenting a character's movement similar to Shaggy's (from Scooby Doo). I also noticed that shading of limbs applies a significant improvement to one's walking cycle, as it gives the character a bigger essence of perspective. Mainly, I focused on the two ways in which a walk can be planned out. The reference points of the different techniques revolve around the placement of the head, one placing the head in on a slightly parabolic pathway (Down Position Method), and the other on an oscillating one (Contact Method). I believe that these techniques are perfect for animating character motion, as they can be used as roughs upon which the actual characters with his/her details can be drawn. Disney's always got this down!

Using both methods in a combination - why not?

Animation Analysis: Traditional Animation and Doom Doom Death

Recently, I developed an interest in traditional animation and the vintage-aesthetic taste it provides us with. As days have passed, as my peers all worked on their respective projects, I witnessed a profuse incorporation of traditional animation for our module projects, and got engrossed by how well people executed the technique. The main reason why I am interested in traditional animation is that it's indirectly linked with stop-motion (seeing as each frame is drawn on a piece of paper then captured with a camera or scanner), and was thinking about the intertwining of these two techniques: 2D and stop-motion presenting a new perspective of how playful animations can be. Thus, I researched and looked for such films, and stumbled upon a YouTube animation that completely matches my expectations. "Doom Doom Death" is a short animation created by MisterMulluc, which presents both a flip-book and a stop-motion style. The animation introduces a 4th dimension, as the traditional animation is 2D, stop-motion is 3D, and in a way the juxtaposition of those two worlds introduces the omnipotent 4th dimension that controls the flow of the traditional hand-drawn world that is presented. By far, this is one of my favorite animations on YouTube, because not only does it entertain, but it also makes us think "wow, this is a lot of work". In a way, this animation makes the audience appreciate the toll of the animator's life.

"Doom Doom Death" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFeVpF6S4IY

Game and Character Analysis: Krieg the Psycho

Among the plentiful games which are in possession of the accolade "Game of The Year" comes the ever-so-chaotic, hectic, ravenous, and massively tumultuous Sci-Fi, First Person Shooter game "Borderlands 2". Developed by Gearbox Software, the game profusely grasps the concept of fun-packed and vivacious action gaming, were one has the power to let loose all chaos around him by slaughtering bandits, disassembling automatons, raiding camps, and firing an array of projectiles, all in a whimsical manner. What makes Borderlands 2 so special, in terms of visual aesthetics, is the design of all characters and environmental debris and scenery, as well as all the weapons and interactive vehicles. For example, I'll take Krieg, the Psycho whose blood-thirst may not be satiated even with the entrails of his enemies dislocating from their mutilated bodies before his voracious gaze. Krieg is designed according to an overly-masculine proportion, slightly distorted in terms of realism, mimicking the incipient design of the abundant enemies a player will face throughout the game, called Psychos. Furthermore, like everything in the game, Krieg's physical appearance is emphasized with the overlaying indigo contour lines around his character. Thus, Borderlands 2 has created their own style of gaming graphics, inspired by the pop-art comic characters' appearance, which is both realistic and unfeasible. Even the coloring of Krieg complements the scenery of the wild and unpredictable desert matched with the engineering technology in the steam-punk style.

"Borderlands 2 - Krieg" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6chxuovrbCI

In this game-graphic animation produced by Gearbox Software, Krieg's character is introduced visually, and psychologically, which makes for brilliant story and plot development, as well as exquisite art in 3D environments.

Technique Analysis: Walking and The Deconstruction of Pop-Cultural Conventions

Original artwork of "Abbey Road"

Everybody knows several conventions that have presented pop-culture throughout the years in the form of a synecdoche: a part represents the whole. As these conventions have become symbols of a certain period within pop-culture, all kinds of artists have altered the original and created a modified, more aesthetic expression of the same convention. For example, I've taken the ever-so-popular The Beatles' album cover of "Abbey Road", which is an ultimate representation of the rampant 70s and even 80s, as rock was perceived as something majestic and godly which infused the masses with energy and vigor. Many artists have mimicked this image, developing a new essence upon it, however this animated version of The Beatles walking eternally down the pedestrian cross-walk has captured my interest and attention.


With this animated GIF image,

Animated re-edit of "Abbey Road"

the heroes of Abbey Road are brought to life from a motionless picture, achieving an even greater sense of vivacity. In a way, it elaborates upon the notion that conventions such as these are timeless, hence their never-ending walk. Furthermore, every member exhibits a different walking pattern (one nonchalant, the other head-down, etc...), which portrays how different walking movements of characters insinuates a different emotion or characteristic that defines them. They are all animated through a puppet-warp technique, where visual clips are manipulated through pivot points, making them more real. Conclusively, this animated GIF shows the progression of modern-day animation, the malleable deconstructive notion of pop-culture, and the rejuvenation of something that might have disappeared with age. Astounding.

Animation Analysis: 8-Bit Trip

I've always been interested in stop-motion, and as this course gradually settles in, I'm going to fully pursue the technique of bringing items to life! Also, alongside this comes my affection for the 8-bit era of gaming, for which I was but a puny little creature without the analytical capabilities of today. Thus, this brings me to Rymdreglage's "8-Bit Trip", a stop-motion/pixilation animation done mainly with Lego blocks that brings back the old retro essence of pixel-gaming. It's smooth, it's colorful, it's vivacious, the animation breaks the boundaries of stop-motion, as well as the plentiful uses of Lego. Although it's just a compilation of animation skits, it does it's job properly as it rejuvenates the style of the late 20th century video art. Plus, the animation is extremely interesting as all these movements are occurring, keeping our minds whimsically occupied with the beauty of stop-motion.

"Rymdreglage - 8-Bit Trip" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qsWFFuYZYI

Game and Character Analysis: Crash Bandicoot

I love Crash. The ever-so-vibrant character Crash was firstly introduced in 1996 by the platform game "Crash Bandicoot", which has sold over 6 million copies on a global scale. The game, among a few others, has introduced the 3D Adventure genre of gaming, supplying the masses with real-time action, dynamic movement of character, and lush and organic environments. Furthermore, Crash Bandicoot as a character has now become a legendary idol of the Retro Era of gaming by embracing simplicity in adventures, which make the game even more enjoyable. With the gradual progression of time (and the consequent releases of games), Crash Bandicoot's control had become more flexible and versatile. For example, during the first installation, Crash could only jump, run, and attack (by spinning), whereas in the second one, he could also crouch, slide, belly-flop, and crawl, giving the player an even more accessible dynamic variety of gameplay. The following game became even more free-form, as different abilities could be uncovered with the game's progression, giving the player an opportunity to create his own play-style. In terms of animation and appearance, Crash's original design had been updated with every consequent game, making his movements more smooth and coordinated (all done with the evolution of platform gaming). The most interesting instance of Crash's animations is his spin attack, which effectively uses motion blur to invoke the illusion of fast movement.

PPP Seminar: Presentation

During this week's PPP seminar, we entered the realm of presentations and public speaking, where one should effectively elaborate upon a new concept in front of an audience. We dissected the works of a successful and efficacious presentation and were given key tips which are to assist us in being concise, informative, and comprehensible during our journey of lecturing. Truth be told, it takes time to build up experience in presenting, and as one goes down that road, tricky moments of stage fright or difficulty during speaking will occur.

However, ironically, the presentation on how to present was quite effective in offering support for our group of animators and future presentors. The main key points of the seminar are written within my sketchbook so that I may reference them conveniently throughout my years of college, and even after, with the hopes that I will remember them (I probably will automatically from so much referencing). Among the most crucial pieces of information we got is the tip to NOT STRESS OUT! If one is properly prepared to address a crowd with a presentation, there should be no stressful impulses as one's thoughts are fully articulated within one's mind. Moreover, the most important factor is enthusiasm. Nobody wants to hear a monotone speaker blabbering on about a topic which is irrelevant even to him/her, so appealing to pathos is mandatory.

During my research, I found a myriad of TED Talks on how to effectively give a speech, as well as tips for presentations. However, most relevant of all is how to open a presentation, as many people struggle with entrances.

"Great Openings and Closings" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyE1Kz0e--0

Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want to learn?

In terms of Personal Professional Practice, we had been assigned several questions which we are to answer in 5 responses.  After all, reflecting on one's self solidifies improvement.

1. Why you chose to study this programme?

- Animation has always been my passion, and through this programme I can fulfill my desire to become an animatior.

- Through this programme I can elaborately develop my skills as an animator, by learning new techniques and augmenting creativity.

- Out of all artistic professions, I find animation the most intriguing; bringing inanimate objects to life through stop-motion.

- An introduction to a plethora of animation software and hardware I have never utilized before, with the hopes of mastering them.

- Improving 2D drawing animation skills, for I am a bit rusty at that department.

2. What do you want to learn during your time on the programme?

- Learn how to utilize different techniques of animation.

- Learn how to socialize with other animators with the hopes of creating a collaborative project.

- Learn how to create puppets for stop-motion through eclectic methods of establishing resources.

- Learn how to think critically and analytically in regards to different animations, learning their techniques and unravelling the hidden symbolic meaning behind them.

- Learn how to exchange ideas with other fellow animators.

3. What skills do you think are your strengths?

- The eclectic use of many sources for animations, stop-motion in particular, for anything can be brought to life.

- The lack of necessity for a script. Most of the times, I develop the plot and animation spontaneously as I go on animating, thinking of the next scene as I animate the current one I’m on.

- The free-form ability to constructively consider criticism of my work by other animators, and dwelling upon it with the hopes of improving my work.

- My philosophical views of existence (existentialism, cynicism, melancholia, stoicism, dualism, etc…) which account for the symbolism within my work that activates an individual’s interpretation, provoking connotative views instead of denotative ones.

- The principle of trial and error; even if I don’t know a technique, I can comprehend it on my own by trying constantly until I get it right.

4. Which things do you want to improve?

- Improve 2D animation drawing techniques – properly using shading, etc…

- Improve understanding of various animation software and hardware that I have never utilized before

- Improve practical analysis of other works, and being able to provide artists with constructive criticism

- Improve understanding techniques of animation, mostly 3D

- Improve being able to work at a constant rate without the tendency to halt the routine.

5. In what ways will you evaluate your progress?

- By presenting my animations and different projects to other students for constructive criticism. According to their thoughts, I will consider whether I’ve improved or not.

- By receiving proper feedback from the course leaders on my development.

- By creating a time-table of past and future works, viewing them simultaneously in order to deduce progress.

- By remembering the effort required to create a proper project previously and currently.

- By referring to grades and evaluations gotten from projects.