jacktitmas

[jacktitmas]

Unit 13 - ‘Under the Influence’ – Project Evaluation Part 2

As I progressed through the weeks, my work began to reflect my updated outlook on primary research. Having begun to respond to the themes and concepts of my artist influential. My tests and animations began to take on their own stylisations as I responded to my own terms of expression through the impression of the world around me.

From character based appearance, to character based voice acting and lip-sync. My work catered towards the physicality of speech, exploring stop-motion animation to interpret speech to an audience, questioning; Working within animation, time-management was something I had to constantly consider throughout problem solving as the weeks went on. Ensuring that I wanted to produce a variety of refined tests. I had to take into account the production and editorial time of each process I pursued to demonstrate how I had applied technical skills and use materials and processes imaginatively through peer and tutor review.

In hindsight I could have spent further time co-ordinating the production of multiple tests across the weeks. Whereas on multiple occasions I spent time focusing on a single outcome, I could have considered balancing various processes, whilst questioning the time put in versus the effectiveness of the outcome. This would have helped me when eliminating processes and industry techniques that would not have been suitable for my ideas and concepts as they evolved across my project.

This is something I don't regret though as although I may have been able to explore a wider range of avenues. I gained a stronger sense of my creative decisions as I had the time to refine a wider range of experiments throughout my work. Showcasing the new processes I challenged myself to create as well. Such as animating an armature, translating a 2d character into a 3d environment and lip-syncing. Responding to the self-initiated critical thinking shown within my proposal

'...investigating the relationship between character and audience through visual and audio elements...'.

These individual efforts allowed me to cater my strengths towards a finalised outcome. Using peers as my audience to refine my best experiments in response to my mid-project review. That discussed what I could produce in the time-frame we had left, showcasing the strengths of my creative decisions, to produce an effective outcome based upon my most successful experiments and creative ideas. I believe that a key strength of my work was the strong aesthetic and vibrancy of my outcome.

Measured against the kit-bash tests I had peers created Using dialogue and visual narrative, the layering of animation, effects and live-action. Embraces the visualistic style of a conversation. Successful in what I wanted it too show. I feel that my work effectively communicates the themes and intentions of my project proposal. Whilst originally my proposal responds to the use of 3D stop-motion, to change my materials and processes to 2D based outcome was the best decision I could make. It allowed me to embrace the fun and surreal approach of Terry Gilliam’s philosophy to animation. Whilst achieving the modern and clean aesthetic of my own designs. Embracing the expressionistic style I had been building up over the course of the project. With the constant evolution and exploration of my ideas and concepts, my plan quickly went out the window.

All for the better, I believe that the plan I went with responded to that of higher grading criteria as it allowed me to respond to artists themes and ideas through an objective opinion. Discussing how I could cater style and process to the interpretations of my own work. I don't believe that anyone could work efficiently every day for the entire 11 week duration of the project. I know for definite that I had slumps throughout the process where I didn't think my loose and experimental observational recordings were effective as it challenged me as an artist. Escaping the comfort zone was a difficult task and meant I wasn't 100% efficient throughout my personal journey. But yet in the long run it made me more confident with my strength of line and my drawn outcomes.

Showcased through the sketchbook I managed to fill up of observational drawings. The most successful aspects of my outcomes were the tone of my animations. Light-hearted and wild their low-fi aesthetic helped connote a story through visual interpretation. Translating conversation through character, my animations embraced the absurd by juxtaposing the seriousness and formality of the show reel it's placed within.

Considering the curation of my work, how my work was display was a key component to how my audience viewed my outcomes. Emphasising the commercialized aspect of my animation, My work emits a televised aesthetic to the gritty rawness of its stylisation. Brought into a modern age, I would consider placing these within my audience’s everyday lives. YouTube, Pop-up Ads, even Radio, the characterised voices convey enough emotion to define a character through tone.

If I was to change up the productivity of my final project for this course, I would want to consider how I could scale up my advertisements to a categorised campaign. Much like the structure of one of my research studies 'iPhone People talking Pixel'. I would consider how a larger response of characters, a larger cast, and potentially a larger audience. Would change or differentiate the connection to my outcome, considering the response from my audience, it would be interesting to investigate if different audiences reacted to different characters or different conversation topics? But this is something I will pursue independently.

Overall I’m extremely satisfied with my outcome for the FMP, as well as the journey of experiments I’ve been able to try and produce in support of my ideas over the past 11 weeks. Whilst I never would have thought I would have committed to a long process such as lip-syncing it's given me the opportunity to respond to a traditionally difficult process working in the specialism I hope to pursue as a career.

[jacktitmas]

Unit 13 - ‘Under the Influence’ – Project Evaluation Part 1

The theme of our assignment ‘Under the Influence’ left me choose the creative pathway I wanted to explore. Taking control of my learning, the brief gave me the opportunity to independently initiate research, develop, present and evaluate my own area of interest to look at. Helping me consider how I could develop my ideas through creative problem solving and critical reflection throughout the progression of my work.

The context of my project ‘Chit Chat’ investigates the relationship between character and audience. "Questioning the importance of sound and speech to create a conversation". My original aims were to produce a collection of characters that were translated into three-dimensions. Whilst I initially thought this would be my main focus; to challenge my existing skills with a process outside of my comfort zone. I altered the production of my work to focus on responding to the questions I proposed in my brief to develop my critical approach and build a new perspective to base my studies upon.

Investigating my chosen specialism of animation, I set out to explore the importance of speech through lip-syncing. A skill I wanted to learn in preparation for my progression onto University. This allowed me to expand the purpose of my project juxtaposing the stereotypes of personalities and eccentric character interaction. Potentially producing an outcome that uses animation as a vehicle, to show the importance of narrative in a social landscape where we are driven by visual imagery throughout the media.

Trusted with the independence to decide my progression, I was left responding to my own ideas compared to a topic led brief we would have been given in the past. Finding the time to plan out and successfully explore each section of the assessment criteria alongside finding relevant and useful inspirations was a worry during the project. I had to ensure I explored a range of pathways and artists that investigated different opportunities for developing ideas across a range of social and cultural perspectives.

Embracing the chopped style of stop-motion animation, this allowed me to research unorthodox and experimental pathways responding to themes and ideas of artists such as Terry Gilliam. Shown through his satirical portrayal of character animation, I wanted to embrace the quirkiness of the process responding to my own whimsical character conversations. This was one of the first accounts of larger social implications I used to break the social norms of interaction between stranger and audience.

My first response to the brief, visiting the 'Isle of Dogs' exhibition in London gave me a strong foundation to explore character design thematically. Responding to both process and industry techniques I gathered a range of primary imagery that I could use to identify commonalities between the puppets and their inner workings.

As a critical response to my feedback of previous units I explored artist avenues that demonstrated a looser aesthetic to their work. Expanding my research, this helped identify the importance of letting loose when producing observational recordings. Influenced by Sam Elston, Victoria Semykina and Clet Abraham their informal approach to visual narratives influenced the less-formalised conceptual approach to my outcome.

I presented and communicated my work through breaking down the tasks of each brief and investigation I pursued. Creating a chronological account of the pathway I took, my blog, with photos / screengrabs / gifs /videos and audio logs, showcases how I have clearly shown analysis, research, proposition and planning throughout the production of my project. It gave me the opportunity to log key academic moments of developing and refining my project as well as well as developing a theoretical understanding of my project and its successes and areas for improvement.

Building on my mid-project review, my main discussion was my approach to primary and secondary research. Responding through primary observation and secondary sources. I believed that I withheld a constant strength of response when evaluating the effects of a process or technique. As I want to hit the higher level grading criteria I needed to cater my research towards an idea or theme. Contrasting the ideals of artists who use their platform as a social commentary to discuss critical thinking.

Responding to Walt Stanchfield's perspective of observational recording, and how he capitalises character to explain narratives through his work.

Sourced from Walt Stanchfield’s ‘Drawn to Life’. The book is a two volume collection of the legendary lectures from long-time Disney animator, whose questioning of ideas and research showed how I could use critical perspective and application of theory, to use my surroundings to influence the progression of my work. What I learnt from Walt Stanchfield’s opinion of visual recording is too embrace my own stylistic approach of my environment.

Rather than previously responding to technique and process through my artist research. This primary discussion led to me investigating the works of ‘Terry Gilliam. A designer, comedian and artist, Gilliam uses animation to explore the surreal concepts of society, influenced by his basic approach to animation, Gilliam conveys narrative through stop-motion. Episodic and bitty, Gilliam’s work doesn't rely on speech to convey a story, using a mechanical like process the physicality of his work is what set himself apart from industry professional, Walt Stanchfield.

A pioneer in the animation industry, Stanchfield’s observations relies on character to tell a narrative. His previsioned understanding of the mechanics of animation presents a fluidity of design that Gilliam has never set out to achieve. Using animation as a tool, Gilliam’s primitive skill set contrasts the two's field of animation as Gilliam capitalises character to explain his stories.

This research influenced my tests as it gave me the opportunity to explore a wide and varied range of experimentation. Exploring 2d, 3d and 4d in an effort to translate my ideas across multiple platforms. I had the opportunity to compare and contrast how processes such as character design, lip-syncing and observational drawing could all be amalgamated through a variety of mediums.

Across my FMP my ideas developed based around the context of research I was responding towards. Reflecting against higher grading criteria my initial experiments responded directly to the influential techniques and processes of hand-drawn artists such as Victoria Semykina. In an effort to loosen my style of work to build a body of test and experiments to base my further developments on. These initial ideas were one of the founding realisations that led me to continue to work in this loose and organic style.

[jacktitmas]

My final outcome of my time at the Colchester Institute studying Graphic Arts Level 3 Extended Diploma, this series of short animatics, influenced and inspired by the works of Terry Gilliam, it a bitty episodic series of responses that incorporate both, 2d, 3d, digital and traditional animation. In an effort to convey a range of bizarre and whimsical narratives.

Chit Chat: Episode 1

[jacktitmas]

My final outcome of my time at the Colchester Institute studying Graphic Arts Level 3 Extended Diploma, this series of short animatics, influenced and inspired by the works of Terry Gilliam, it a bitty episodic series of responses that incorporate both, 2d, 3d, digital and traditional animation. In an effort to convey a range of bizarre and whimsical narratives.

Chit Chat: Episode 2

[jacktitmas]

‘Chit Chat’ Final Piece Review

My final blog post for my Final Major Project of the second year, this post will discuss the production and outcome of the 11 weeks up till hand in. Discussing how my final outcomes were made and if they were successful in my own eyes, peers and my intended audience.

My original plan I wanted to explore was to highlight the conversation between characters through the process of animation. Focusing on speech and scripted conversations, I limited myself to the potential of expanding my ideas through focusing on a niche subject of experimentation. As the weeks went on my work developed as I began to cater my experiments towards using speech as a support for visual imagery. Where as the subject of the conversations no longer emphasised such an impact, my new main goal was to grab the audience's attention through hi-jacking the final showreel through short, episodic clips of individual characters.

Working with a muted colour scheme set of backgrounds, I wanted to highlight the importance of the animation of the characters themselves. Using dull and pastel themed colours this allowed me to draw attention to the characters on show and differentiate the foreground and background. This made it all the more visible when my work transitioned from the flat background to the visual imagery and home footage that supported key words of the conversations.

One of the goals of my work was to establish a nostalgic effect to my animations, making something that looked primitive. I wanted to experiment with using digital technology through Premiere Pro to make it look more primitive than it is. Embracing the low-fi quality, the retro aesthetic of my work resembled the key influences I explored of Terry Gilliam and Walt Stanchfield who worked in the 60/70′s. 

This stylisation of work also connects to today’s contemporary minimalist visual style that caters to a much more clean and vector-based quality of work that is seen through advertisements and product campaigns today. Balancing these two complimentary era’s of art, allowed me to bring a nostalgic pay-off to segments of my work balanced against the rapid and quick fire, HD portion of my animations. 

My work supports this tone as I predominantly used a cut-out style of lip sync animation, with VHS static breaks which are intended to serve as an entertaining pause from the other peers work. To break away from the serious tones of Kate, Sam and Cal’s animations. Introducing this effect onto my own work, the rest of the animation reel was formatted in this retro-aesthetic to give a sense of continuity and theme to the overall reel. 

Concluding everything i’ve looked at, a successful outcome should showcase how my research and responses have influenced the progression of my ideas towards a final piece. Trying to gauge the widest audience possible, the exhibition is an opportunity to showcase how I have catered my work to the public. Considering all ages in tackling existential ideas from space, to beards. In the goal of confusing and questioning the audience to engage and interact with the characters. 

Aside from animation, I alluded to in a previous post how I wanted to include other forms of visual imagery throughout my work. Repurposing stock footage and home video to emphasise the absurdity and eccentric tone of my work. As I wanted to explore this quirky avenue of amalgamating various forms of video and animation. As influenced by my case study of Terry Gilliam who suggests how animation should be used as a vehicle to convey my themes and ideas.

Contradicting my original project proposal, I would suggest that my outcome disproves the original themes I wanted to pursue, as I showcased through my work that I don’t need to know all the intricate skill sets to pursue the act of conversation between characters or audience.

Unlike Kate or Cal’s outcomes, my animations purpose was not to scare the audience but to entertain them. To break away from the foreboding feeling of these animations, my episodic shorts were meant to be something that lightened the mood of the exhibition. To confuse the viewer my outcomes were made to juxtapose the complex narratives of my peers animations. Using static characters and injected visual imagery to convey my ideas.

To achieve this effect I used Premiere Pro to add subtle nuances to further reate a retro look and feel to my work. With tracking bars, noise and warps, the RGB discolouration of my characters alongside the imperfect VCR sample and traking marks, give my outcome and the entire reel a subtle sense of nostalgia with a contemporary visual twist.

My final outcomes used these foundational themes and experiments in response to outlandish and peculiar audio I was able to gather, evidencing a handful of different techniques I was able to explore. Alongside the animation of my characters themselves I wanted to incorporate a series of glitches and distortions to my work to introduce and break away from the animation reel. Capturing the audience's attention, these edits allowed me to break apart from the reel not only visually but audibly. Introducing a new piece of animation that could be recognised throughout each episodic clip, through the distorted start of every animation I presented. 

Glitching to other backgrounds and imagery throughout the clips, it brought the character and audience to a modern day scenario. No longer overlaid by an RGB distortion, prevalent within flawed and malfunctioning VHS tapes. The HD quality of the clips contrasted the analogue aesthetic of the majority of the animation. Although only for a short amount of time, it marks key moment within the animation, highlighting the importance of specific words for the audience to interpret. No longer viewed as a character of the past, my animation uses clips from today's technological advancements to be more relatable to a current day audience.

It was an importance choice throughout my work to not include music throughout my outcomes. As it felt over-saturated when I tried different clips and genre of music. Taking the audience out from the bizarre and nonsensical tone of my work, adding a linear track built an expectation of progression from my audience. Something I didn’t want to provide as it would have juxtaposed against the short, episodic animation style of my work and research.

Leaving the VHS audio which provided enough information to introduce and conclude the animations per episode to the viewer. With the additional quips and sound effects to support the change of location and scenery throughout the videos.

Overall I feel that my outcome is an effective showcase of the skills I’ve been able to use across the duration of the FMP. A blend of animation and film, the zany tone of my work comes across from it’s original character design, muted 70′s colour palette and retro aesthetic. With the seamless quality of interjecting itself between each animated piece. Whilst it jumps out and is unexpected ot the audience, it does it in a way that is subtly enforced upon. Rather than scare the audience of it’s undefined place within the show, my work leaves an aura of confusion and whimsicality rather than fear.

Whilst my original ideas explored a more traditional approach to animation conversations, influenced by the work of Aardman Animations ‘Conversation Pieces’. My ideas grew and developed to the point where I no longer focused on traditional stop-motion alone. But considered how the amalgamation of multiple animation processes of traditional and digital influenced by the potential of today's application of animation in our social landscape of film and tv. Embracing the hand-rendered aesthetic of traditional animation and the merger of newer and widely used processes within today's animation industry. This allowed me to consider how rather than discussing conversation between characters to how character could interact with a live audience.

Looking back at the start of the FMP, I like to think that not only my work grew  technically, but my approach to design and influence evolved as my inspiration for design began to be based upon context and themes portrayed throughout my work and my research. Considering wider contexts and questioning the intention of my work to best represent or respond to ideas from an observational viewpoint. An exciting conclusion to my research and experiments, i’m excited to see how audiences react to the impact of my work and how it interacts with viewers as a final piece showcased at the exhibition.

Potential Actions:

Respond to the success of the show and how a live audience responded to my work and peers.

[jacktitmas]

Stanchfield / Gilliam Comparison

Two different fields of animation, ‘Walt Stanchfield’ and ‘Terry Gilliam’ both pursue animation to convey various themes, responses and social and cultural nuances throughout their work. Whilst Walt uses narrative as a visual aid to animation, Gilliam uses animation as a tool to communicate his narrative and ideals typically through whimsical and bizarre humour. This is one of the many contrasts between their work that got them recognised as successful animators, using the process both traditionally and absurdly to gain an audience through teaching, satire and tv appearances.

Discussed in this blog post today i’ll be covering how each animator uses animation to communicate their own interpretation of the world around them. And the sharp contrast in pleasing an audience through showcasing a fantastical and child-like world, depicted through the teachings of Walt Stanchfield compared against the gritty and surreal reality televised through the animated works of Terry Gilliam.

Comparing the visual style of their work, both artists emphasise the use of character within their animations. Capitalising on a stylised approach to their work to carry the narrative. Stanchfield's traditional approach to animation uses hand-drawn aesthetics to give his characters a more whimsical appeal. Using traditional animation, this gives Stanchfield the flexibility of his characters that Gilliam does not. Characters that can be manipulated, elongated and physically distorted, Stanchfield's work allows him to animate the character in a much more malleable fashion. 

Against Gilliam’s cut-out animation, Gilliam uses real-life imagery taken from sources around him to create static characters with limited motion.  Although typically pictures of people from real-life. Does this mean we connect with the character more? Too much like reality, Gilliams static range of motion detracts the human elements of his work. Giving the audience a deeper connection to the hand drawn character designs of Stanchfield's work, their fluid motion creates a more realistic presence throughout each animators work. 

Coming form different areas of the same specialism, Gilliam has actively discussed that he doesn’t need to understand the process of animation well. Relying on the mechanical and physical properties of animation, Gilliam uses animation as a vehicle to convey his narrative. Not needing fluidity to tell a story, Gilliam address throughout his interviews how to tell a story we should be able to digest and read key opportunities in the narrative. Enough information for the audience to understand the story, but not to spoon feed them information. Giving them enough to use their creative imagination to fill in the blanks.

Juxtaposed against Stanchfield's precision of the mechanics, Walt uses animation to create an emotional connection to the characters and their audience. With the goals of creating a realistic personality, his traditional skill-set allows him to identify character traits that don’t rely on visual language alone. Giving him the opportunity to explore character through the change of posture and figure. A key element of character acting that is typically restricted through Terry’s animations.

Terry Gilliam didn’t have an active interest about the animation industry, much like DaDa expressionism, his work wasn’t about his it visually looked, not aimed to please an audience through it’s visual style. But focus upon the narrative it portrayed, built to bring an element of comedic, ironic satire into a time of the disney renaissance where the market of animation was saturated by the likings of Walt Stanchfield's traditional techniques.

Both known for their individual styles of animation, I found it ironic that in today’s evolution of animation in my own opinion Gilliam gets more recognition for his work over Stanchfield. Limited to the knowledge of animators, Stanchfield is dramatically overcast by the other Walt that he worked with ‘Walt Disney’ as his traditional techniques are classed as one the foundational skills of animation.

Where as Gilliam is not only recognised for his alternative cut-out animations through the audience he build amongst ‘Monty Python’, but his fans from film and cinema, having departed from animation to becoming a director of over 28 feature length films. Even though Stanchfield has had a larger impact on the development of animation, through his years of teachings that influenced the course of animation through the 70′s and 80′s.

What I’ve learnt from this comparison, is that I should consider to use narrative visually to engage my audience. A common theme between both artists, they use their individual styles to engage the viewer through the fluidity of motion, or the choppiness in design. The visual engagement of narrative through imagery is something I can use in my work to assist the speech of my characters. Showcasing how my characters perceive and respond to realistic footage that my audience can recognise. This will give me the opportunity to place some live-action elements within my animation, which I originally intended to do from my Terry Gilliam case study response.

Potential Actions:

Finalise my animation in premiere pro, considering how I can use live-action elements to emphasise the speech throughout my work.

Place my final animations in the Year 2 showreel, ready for the show.

[jacktitmas]

Case Study Response

Responding to my Terry Gilliam case study, I wanted to explore how I could incorporate a live action element throughout the development of my work. Having explored the use of animation through stop-motion and digital animation already, I wanted to further the amalgamation of multiple processes by considering how I could translate live action scenes to support the visual language of my characters and how they could possibly work in conjunction with one another to produce a more tonal accurate outcome in response to my research of Gilliam himself.

Through Gilliam's animation, I can see that on multiple occasions he uses a live action element to break the fourth wall. Using hand swipes, feet coming down and other body parts. The physicality of his live actioned gestures interact and overpower not only the characters but the scene as a whole. Bringing the audience into the performance, adding a recognisable object allows the viewer to resonate and be captivated more by the surreal and bizarre elements of his animation process.  

Wanting to amalgamate both digital and analogue techniques within my final piece, replicating this style of work gave me an opportunity to explore chroma key again. A process I have explored throughout previous projects chroma key  is a digital technique by which a block of a particular colour (often blue or green) in a film or video image can be replaced by another colour or image, enabling me to edit and compose a new environment or scenario for my characters through layering multiple chroma keyed elements.

With the camera mounted from a birds eye view, this allowed me to recreate a series of Gilliams iconic gestures amongst a green screen backdrop. Interacting with a flat plain of colour that could then be recomposed into my video.

Two ways of approaching my green screen videos, I recorded a series of completing swies, pounds and gestures that were all typically associated with Gilliams work. With the intention of working against the character on screen, I wanted to challenge this concept by making the hands a prop to the character. Bringing a physicality to the characters design. I recorded a range of hand gestures that support the speech of my conversations. Acting as a visual element of emphasise key words in each animated short. This combination of processes allowed me to experiment with a range snaps, clap, and expressive gestures that would push the realism of my characters design.

After a series of experimentation, exploring chroma key to best suit the design of my characters. It didn’t have the desired effect I was hoping for, not resonating with Gilliams original style, the reality of my hands juxtaposed the cut-out characters I had created. With Gilliam using cut-out images of real life, taken from, magazines, books and more, the real-life hands suited the stylistically similar aesthetic of his animations. 

Bringing my designs to a more contemporary low-fi quality, the recorded hands were to hi-res and fluid, standing out against the original intention of focusing on my characters speech. Taking away from the interactive connection between audience and character.

With this response not working out as planned, I want to explore different ways in which I can incorporate a visual elements throughout my work. With the characters having been identified as the main focal figure of the frame. I want to consider how I could manipulate or change the background? Not as to deter audiences away from the original animation, but to catch them by surprise in the change of location, scenery or environment. This would also fit in with the disrupted and hijacked tone of my work, to stand out against the completed production look of the rest of the Year 2 reel.

Potential Actions:

Compare and contrast Terry Gilliam and Walt Stanchfield's approach to animation.

Complete my final series of animations.

Conclude the project by reflecting on the final show and it’s impact.

[jacktitmas]

Terry Gilliam Case Study

One of the most successful visual artists of the 20th century, Terry Gilliam was a pirate, rebel, provocateur and an adventurer. Who used his comics, animation and directing as a tool to communicate his vision of the world through surreal and whimsical practices. 

A powerhouse of mechanical and physical processes, Gilliam views animation as a technique to provide the narrative. A simple and expressive art form, cut-out allows Gilliam the opportunity to explore the obscure through a satire and humorous practice. As discussed within his commentary on his time working on the ‘Python’ animations, ‘the technique itself doesn’t really matter, whatever works is the thing to use’. This observational understanding of visual story-telling, Gilliam had mastered the ability to communicate narrative through the simplest of forms.

With nothing at stake, Gilliam went against the traditional structure of animation, following the ideals that narratives don’t require smooth graceful movements in a time of the Disney renaissance. Contrast against the powerhouse of animation, Gilliam’s quick, erratic and simplistic animations complimented the humor of his narratives. Pursuing something so different to traditional animation at the time, Gilliam was beyond comprehension or criticism as he was limited to the knowledge of the craft.

Gilliam pursued cut-out animation as it provided him with the fundamentals of a process to convey a narrative or story. Alongside his creative flair for imagination, Gilliam prioritized the importance of narrative over aesthetic appeal. Hand in hand with the rest of the ‘Monty Python’, Gilliam's ironic satire juxtaposed the verbal performances of the rest of the cast. Highlighting the effectiveness and power of Terry’s visual language to convey narrative and humor.

Working within the limitations of cut-out Gilliam found himself perfecting the basic foundations of his craft. With an over-saturated market of content in today’s society, we’re used to the abundance of creative flair to which subsides the importance of narrative within film, animation and comics today. Back when Gilliam was producing his work for ‘Python’, Terry’s visual narrative was based around the concept of making themselves laugh. Not discussing an audience the sole arbitrators of what’s funny or what isn’t, was subjective to their opinions and beliefs of humor.

If this same concept was discussed today, we could compare Gilliam’s approach to satirical and political based humor to the ever evolving meme culture through social media. That survives through the evolution of social and cultural change. Not actively creating content for any one audience, Gilliam’s work can draw comparisons to this modern movement as I believe it would be considered a viral success in today’s social landscape.

An innocent naivety to his work, Terry discussed in one of his most recent talks ‘Inside the head of Terry Gilliam’, that if he had fully understood the process of animation it would have prepared him for the pitfalls of his process. Something he wanted to actively avoid Gilliam wanted to convey through the most simple accounts larger societal questioning among his work. Similarly in response to the Dada movement, Gilliam's work discusses the upended sensibilities and generates difficult questions about society. Questioning the role of the artist and the purpose of his work, Gilliam prioritizes his use of narrative and social commentary over crafting aesthetics throughout his animations. 

Depicted through a whimsical and surreal approach, Terry combated their anti-authorization stance through presenting political and satirical humor. Using cut-outs from magazines, books, family albums, studio walls, he further complimented this movement by using ready made objects throughout the course of his animation career.

Having had a vast career in cartoons, animation and directing, the common thread that runs through Gilliam’s history is his passion for human imagination. With the refusal to believe that there’s only one way to view the world. Gilliam’s aim was to contradict authorities struggle to limit control and push the tension between fantasy and reality. Which is why throughout much of his work, there’s a constant tension of empowerment and hi-jacking. To catch and address the audiences attention through physically interrupting societies morals and values to explore visual language and narrative.

Potential Actions:

Respond to Gilliams work through demonstrating how he portrays narrative through the simplest of motion. 

Referencing iconic archetypes within his work, identify how I can respond physically to Terry Gilliams animation style.

Reflect within my develops the influence of Gilliams approach to animation, and how it changed the ideas of my outcome.

Sources;

Terry Gilliam’s Monty Python Animations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs7WaL44_Iw

Terry Gilliam on Letterman [1982] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtrckPVLhi4

Inside the Head of Terry Gilliam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOSeMa0tmU

[jacktitmas]

Custom Character Asset Kit

In response to my character flapping review, I identified throughout my work how I wanted translate my digital designs to a physical medium. Amalgamating both the minimal look of my digital experiments alongside the realism and physicality of my original stop-motion tests. This would lead me to create an impromptu asset kit where peers were asked to take part and respond to a series of pieces with the creative freedom to design their own character.

Engaging audience interaction within their designs, the use of an asset kit gave me the opportunity to explore character within the same thematic tones. Building universal characters, this process showed me how peers would not only design a figure but physical interaction to take part and create an emotionally invested character from the assets provided. Contrasting that of 'iPhone People Talking Pixel' my main aim was to showcase how I could build a cast of characters all through the same visual style.

Where as 'iPhone People Talking Pixel' used speech to link the characters through topic of conversation. I wanted to flip this concept on it's head by producing characters of a same visual manner as we live in a social landscape where 5-second videos and bizarre topics of conversation leads the popularity of fame. In the hopes of questioning ‘Why animated characters can't be apart of this ever evolving circle?’

As today's social construct depicts everything as a joke or anecdote, I expected to see a random construction and abuse of my assets from my peers interaction with the lifeless objects. I was surprised to see how people conformed to a relatively consistent structure to their designs. Influenced by the peers before them as they acted as opinion leaders in the construction of their character. Using a head, eyes, mouth, eyebrows, nose and ears. I was surprised by the parallels in conjunction to each peers character design.

Letting peers create their own designs, they began to place value on their characters. Where as we live in a digital age where things are mass produced. The hand-crafted appeal to their work is what was missing from my digital experimentation, with the misshapen, bent corners, roughed up edges and much needed physical texture to the character. It brought an abundance of individuality to each design.

Reviewing the effective elements of working both digitally and physically, I need consider how I could amalgamate my physical response to digital animation. Creating a digital asset file using my original assets, this would give me the opportunity to compile my physical assets whilst withholding the textural appeal that emphasizes the hand-crafted ability behind my work. A constant response that was brought up from my peers and audience. Keeping up this physical aesthetic provides a sense of authenticity and life to the characters. Placing value on the design and creative spirit of my peers.

Moving forward I need to consider how I can withhold this aesthetic whilst exploring the visual flair of primitive technology. Based among my two key influential’s, ‘Walt Stanchfield’ and ‘Terry Gilliam’, I want to explore how I can emphasize the low-fi quality of my work to make it visually relatable to the context of research I have explored through documentaries and interview commentaries.

Potential Actions:

Explore the stereotypical aesthetics of 70′s tv’s. How can I relay this onto my own work?

Generate a case study on Terry Gilliam, his influence and impact of animation philosophy.

Compare and contrast the work of Terry Gilliam and Walt Stanchfield.

[jacktitmas]

Digital Flapping

In the hopes of getting peer response to my work, I needed to produce a series of flapping experiments using an alternate process, material or technique. To measure the effectiveness of my work, this would allow me to get an objective view on what I should pursue based on peer and tutor feedback. My target audience for my Final Major Project, this would ground my experiments giving me the opportunity to have something to compare against. Finding out what works, how I could improve the process or possibly amalgamate the two in the hopes of producing a higher standard of outcome as a second year student. One of the grading criteria that is considered when reflecting upon the response of my experiments.

Giving me more control over the animation process, working digitally allowed me to work to a precise set of controls when animating the mouth motions of my character. Supported by the phonetic sound assets I had recorded this allowed me to easily identify and animate a realistic set of motions based amongst the mouth movements of my peers who I recorded.

Although a more interactive process, losing the physicality of the character lost the human error of my previous animations. A subtle nuance of my original tests, the cleanliness of my digital animations, juxtaposed the design of my character. In my opinion, the animations seemed too traditional in the sense of design, as the fluidity of their motion as well as the variety of mouth shapes available contrasted the kit-bashed aesthetic I was hoping to achieve throughout my tests.

One of the main responses I discussed with peers, the physical stop-motion I had showcased lacked an emphasis of character apart from one clip. Using secondary motion to move the eyebrows of my design, it allowed for an emphasis of the characters emotion within that test. This is something I wanted to elaborate on throughout my digital experiments. As working digitally, it allowed me to break down the individual features of the face. Animating the eyes, ears, nose and eyebrows to be played at any time alongside the foundation animation of the characters lip-sync. This allowed me to bring further life to my designs as they began to emote through facial expression to support the tone and speech of their original recordings.

In comparison to my physical experiments, my digital characters became quite flat against the page. Using single toned colours, they lacked the textural benefit of working physically as the camera picked up the grainy texture of the characters material. Even with the addition of texture, my digital experiments continued to hold a lifeless quality as they didn't have the surrounding environment changing or adapting to the light within the scene.

Something that is apparent throughout my physical tests, the hand-rendered aesthetic is shown through the change of the characters environment and it's interaction with it's surroundings. Although basic in concept, the slight chattering of the characters shadow as it moved from frame to frame reacting to the lights, brings a homemade quality to my work. Much like how Aardman Animation leaves thumbprints within the clay as they animate. It emphasizes the handcrafted quality of the work. Leaving the audience a reminder of the time and interaction between the animator and the puppet.

This is something I want to have within my own work, to show the audience the time and effort put into my animations. Although I prefer the process of animating digitally, I must consider how I can evolve my work to appeal to the primitive aesthetic I want to achieve. Problem solving to gain a low-fi quality to my outcomes.

As I have designed this character digitally I could consider translating my designs to a physical 2d asset kit that I could have peers create their own characters.

Potential Outcomes:

Influenced by my digital character create my own asset kit that peers can customize and design.

Respond to Terry Gilliam's approach to animation through a case study.

[jacktitmas]

Phonetic Sounds

In order to gain a range of primary references for the final outcome of my FMP, I wanted to source a series of animation references that I could use to demonstrate the phonetic alphabet. Exploring how the mouth works, shapes and changes through speech. I wanted to gather a range of peers to showcase the diversity in mouth shape and movement from person to person. Something I could use as a tool of reference when animating my own lip-sync experimentations for my project outcome.

Phonetic sounds explore the ability to hear, identify and manipulate phonemes. Representing speech through singular sounds that can be identified through movement of the mouth. A basic English skill, this is a key tool of an animator which helps dictate the basic foundations of lip-syncing. It helps identify the mouth shape and sounds an animator wants the character to make. As well as helping identify expression through the use of emotion. This can be depicted through the use of phoneme's.

Phoneme - A Phoneme is any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat.

The smallest unit of sound in speech, a phoneme helps dictate the mouth shape we use on a daily basis. As an animator it's my job to understand how whilst we may emphasise phonemes through individual words. We use a blend and amalgamation of various phonemes to make up a flow of mouth shapes as we talk. Creating a flow of shape rather than emphasizing the action of every single phoneme we hear.

This is prevalent within animation, as through sentence structures and speech, animators aim to focus on key and important phonemes to emphasise particular words, accents or dialects within character, to give a more realistic and emotional performance. Following these rules, animators are able to achieve a much more realistic representation of speech in animation, contrasted to the over-emphasis of speech through trying to highlight every phonetic sound created through the English language.

Hash, Phone, Hello, Duck, Yellow, Bench, Weight, Mitch

These are the eight words which I got ten peers to say in the hopes of establishing similarities in how they convey speech through mouth movement. Exploring how accents, dialect or age could change the way we move our mouth when speaking. I actively tried to get people with different personalities to demonstrate the contrast of mouth movement between peers who were active against peers with a more laid back and bland vocal tone to their voice.

From the ten peers I gathered, I feel as if you are able to see a stark contrast between peers who emphasised the phonetics of each word against the people who did not. With the people who did not representing a more realistic approach to speech in every day life. I was surprised by the lack of motion and manipulation of the mouth that it took to actively speak the diverse range of phonetics.

These primary recordings will act as references for my lip-syncing in the future, giving me the opportunity to compare and contrast a range of characters and speech. Through identifying how I could convey emotion through the speech of characters. Heavily emphasizing the phonetics of each sound, like most of the peers I recorded, generally engaged a more energetic and ecstatic response to the recordings. Whilst if I wanted a more somber tone to my character, I could lack the emphasis of their mouth shapes presented through peers such as Luke.

Potential Actions:

Using my recordings as reference, respond to my findings through creating a series of digital flapping animations using the phonetic words I recorded.

[jacktitmas]

People Talking Pixel

'IPhone People Talking Pixel' was a UK Google advertising campaign where iPhone users shared their candid thoughts after trying out a Google Pixel 2 for a week. Highlighting the discussion between user interaction and technology, their adverts voices their audiences opinions and discussions through the use of animation.

Depicting narrative through 4D, each advertisement uses a unique stylistic approach to defining character. Demonstrating through a vast array of processes and techniques, how characters can be brought to life through the use of animation.

Ranging from hand-drawn, adobe after-effects, digital and traditional stop-motion. Each artists interpretation conveys how they use animation to convey speech through lip-sync and secondary character animation.

Picking out the first three that stood out to me, these advertisements use unorthodox animation techniques, showcasing the variety of process of animation. Demonstrating how I could explore surreal and obscure concepts through amalgamation of animation processes. All produced through some form of stop-motion, I believe that the ones I best picked out show a diverse range of discussion to how lip-syncing was used to best demonstrate character conversation.

Demonstrating processes I have had the opportunity to explore, these animations identify how flapping can be used to convey realistic movement of mouth through unorthodox methods.

Example 1 - Created in Adobe AE, this advertisement uses a minimalist character design focusing on shape theory to convey character. Not using a traditional set of mouth shapes. This artist demonstrates how his minimal approach of using circles and lines can be used to showcase expression of character.

With a range of quick-moving elements throughout their animation the audience isn't directly focused upon the detail of the mouth. Rather focused upon the quick-fire change and expression of character through props and secondary motion. This artist establishes how building a strong foundational character can support a range of character designs, through using basic geometry to define and explore character through a range of ways.

Example 2 - A fully physical stop-motion piece, this short animation highlights how traditional stop-motion can portray character through physical objects. Limited to a 2D plane the artist uses various tones to create the illusion of depth within their work. Making the animation no longer a flat 2-dimensional image but a motioned piece through the addition of the camera movement.

Example 3 - The most influential through design, this artist uses an amalgamation of animation techniques to convey their characters. Using both stop-motion, traditional and digital animation. The artist uses secondary animation to bring the characters to life and make them more relatable to their audience. Conveying actions of what they're target audience would be doing, it humanizes the characters form their original surreal design.

Once again using digital animation to Lip-Sync their characters, they use more traditional renditions of mouths to convey a more realistic tone of voice, to contrast against the abnormality of their design. It allows the audience to relate more towards the characters and their actions.

From discussing each animation, what brings the characters to life effectively is that they don't just utilize mouth animation, but facial animation. Exploring the expression of emotion through eyes, nose, ears and hair. Each animation depicts some form of secondary animation that emphasise the characters emotion or tone of voice that alludes the audience to connect to the characters.

With each character discussing a personal experience, the audience is spoken to through direct address to catch the attention of their viewer. Responding and questioning their own beliefs when contrasted against a possible 9 advertised characters that share the same belief and opinion. This use of marketing gives Google the opportunity to produce an animated outcome that suits the style of a wider range of people. Generating a wider target market, with each animation coming to the same conclusion the differentiation in style means you are more likely to follow the belief of 1 of 9 characters, yielding a larger chance of positive results instead of them producing a single advertisement.

Each animation effectively conveys a great example of surreal animation, emphasizing the morph, physical change and manipulation of character, the amalgamation of both digital and physical stop-motion, or the re-imagining of character to get rid of the humanized element. These 9 adverts, provide me with a range of ideas to how I could push and challenge my lip-syncing techniques further through responding to my favorite ideas in my own expression.

Using these techniques within my own work, I hope to be able to identify how I can express my own interpretation of character through digital experimentation. Using line and shape to generate a series of characters that I could animate. In response to the words of Walt Stanchfield, I hope to identify how I can express my own interpretation of character in an alternative media, digital experimentation.

Sources;

iPhone People Talking Pixel 2 - Dan talks Set Up   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxyrzhQOO0

iPhone People Talking Pixel 2 - JT talks Google Lens   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDF3PT3n5I8

iPhone People Talking Pixel 2 - Charlie & Regan talk Google Photos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKdMu6ASH2Q

Potential Actions:

Create and design my own minimalist character digitally.

Attempt to Lip-sync digitally to contrast and compare against my stop-motion experiments.

[jacktitmas]

Two Week Time-plan

We were first given the time plan within the first two weeks of the FMP, giving us an opportunity to create an ongoing record of the work we plan to produce in response to our Project proposal, showcasing as a physical study to where and how our project evolved as we developed and explored a range of experiments across the course of the 12 weeks.

Used a guide of time-management, the Time plan offered a structured representation of the breakdown of holidays and time-tabled lessons we had to give us an idea of the countdown to hand-in. Used as a tool, the time plan had the potential of ensuring that I kept up to date with my personal series of experiments, whilst taking into consideration the time I had left to produce an effective and aesthetic outcome that fit the criteria of the brief and my own project proposal.

Used as an opportunity for peer and tutor reflection, I used the time plan throughout my journey as a personal planner that I could update and use to justify the use of experiments that I was producing in response to my evolving ideas throughout the project.

Putting into perspective how I could cater more time to longer processes such as Puppet building, and working towards the foundation of my work, the time plan set out when I realistically needed to complete and produce my springboard, breakdown of research investigation and experimentation of ideas. All leading me towards the final two weeks of the project where I am currently at.

Facing the last two weeks of the project, I need to achieve not only my own personal outcome for the FMP, but ensure that I participate in the build of the show and putting together of the animation reel, to best showcase the work that my peers and I have had the opportunity to produce over the course of the project.

To complete this I need to ensure that I gather the final resources and assets I'll need to successfully produce my FMP outcome. Gathering the finalised audio files and video clips that I'll be using to support my contextual research of characters in conversation. I must take into consideration the production time of my outcome, as animation isn't the fastest process to produce. If I want to complete my work to the higher standard that is required of the brief as a Extended Diploma Graphic Art student to earn a distinction I will need to ensure that I provide myself enough time to compensate for the animation process as well as gathering the final resources and assets of my work.

Showcasing the work I've been able to produce, my production file is another example of how I have been able to time manage my FMP to show a range of developments and experiments across the duration of the term. To ensure that I am able to clearly convey a linear progression and pathway through my work, I must showcase the range of experiments I have considered leading up to the final two weeks of my FMP. 

As well as the major tasks that need completing, touching up my blog and production file are some of the few small things I need to do to ensure that I appropriate my work to the standard of a distinction grade.  

Do I think I'll get it done? Realistically I think I can manage balancing the home stretch of this project. Whilst it may mean I stay longer hours for the rest of the upcoming weeks, if I put in the essential time for the project. I don't see a reason why I can't push myself to achieve the grade boundaries of a distinction grade. Ensuring that I remain positive in finalizing each piece of work I want to present rather than half-arsing it. The use of a time-plan has been a key progress throughout my work and has helped me plot my potential actions throughout my blog amongst what I plan to do in conjunction to the remaining time left on the course.

Potential Actions:

Record a series of peers relaying phonetic sounds as a primary resource that I can use as reference for my animations.

Explore Lip-syncing digitally to compare and contrast to physical stop-motion.

Design my own asset-kit influenced by the work of Terry Gilliam and Dave's asset-kit.

[jacktitmas]

My Final Idea

After considering the reflection of my Mid-Project review, I had to go about re-coursing my final idea, not only in response to the time-frame I have left but to adjust my outcome to support the ideas that built the foundation of my personal project, ‘Chit Chat’.

Focusing on the use of lip-synced animation, my idea consists of creating a nonsense based conversation which uses wacky and unorthodox methods and processes to directly confuse and catch the audiences attention.

To interject my work onto my audience, the goal of my final piece is to catch my viewers off guard by presenting a series of commercial like animations that play in between my peers work as a forceful takeover and interruption to what would be classed as a professional and formal reel or event.

Much like the works of Clet Abraham, I want my work to convey a satire effect, making fun of the formality of final year shows by forcing upon this wacky, crazy and ridiculous amalgamation of character design, animation and voice-acting. 

Inspired by the likes of Terry Gilliam and Walt Stanchfield, my outcome reflects my own impression of expression from observation. Inspired by conversations around me and custom designed character, to incorporate a range of techniques that emphasize and exaggerate the emotions of my characters.

Incorporating an abundance of animation techniques, the goal of my work is to draw my audiences attention. Through the amalgamation of digital and traditional stop-motion, live action elements and editing through Premiere Pro, I aim to take my audience out of what they’re doing in order to be caught off guard by the daft and outlandish conversations between my characters. In the hopes of an audiences asking, ‘What is it doing there?’. To bring a certain uncomfortable tone between the audience and character throughout the interaction. 

Sticking with the element of Stop-motion I want to ensure that I produce a 4D outcome for my final pieces, whilst i’ll no longer be working within an 3D animated outcome, I feel as if I could strongly convey my initial intentions of my project proposal through focusing upon the correlation between speech and character, compared to my previous experiments of character through motion. This will allow me to create a stronger connection between the identification of character and voice, using character design to explore and experiment with the conformity of stereotype to portray convincing conversations.

To ensure that I have the opportunity to emphasize the arbitrary tone behind my work, I need to make sure I lend a helping hand when it comes to making the collaborative animation reel. This will demonstrate further how I have considered the curation of our work to emphasize the impact of my animation throughout the show reel and its audience.

Moving forward I need to ensure I have all the necessary assets to complete and create my final outcomes for the Final Major Project, gather audio, creating characters and leaving time for animated processes as we reach the final two weeks of production before our show.

Potential Actions:

Gather a finalized range of audio which I can use for my animations.

Experiment with digital Lip-syncing using my own cut-out asstes.

Create my own asset-kit using both digital and analogue elements to create a range of characters.

[jacktitmas]

Walt Stanchfields Impression

My recent change in artist research had led me from responding to outcomes through analysis to discussing and research an idea or quote in response to a particular theme about my own investigation proposed in my project brief. Discussing a quote about artist identity and observation I wanted to respond to Walt Stanchfield’s quote about artist interpretation and how we as individuals perceive the world as our own.

I first came across Walt Stanchfields work when I was introduced to his 2 animation books last year, ‘Drawn to Life’. A collaborative biography of Walt���s teaching and interpretation of animation during his time at Walt Disney Studios. An american writer, animator and teacher, Stanchfield is best known for his work on a series of classic animated feature films alongside his mentoring of Disney animators.

His work is best recognized as one of the most influential additions to animation and his efforts within character design. Using his study of observational drawing in life and classes to demonstrate how we should interpret the world around us through our own stylized impressions.

“‘Impression minus expression equals depression.’ This is especially applicable to artists. We have trained ourselves to be impressed (aware) of all the things around us, and in the natural course of our lives those impressions cry out to be expressed — on paper, on canvas, in music, in poetry, in an animated film.”

The first segment of Stanchfields quote directly discusses the importance of observational drawing. Breaking down the effects and power of drawing as a tool. Giving us the opportunity to record the world around us in that point of time. This statement reflects on the opportunity to observe and interpret the world around us individually. Understanding how each artist can develop their skills through practice and repetition. 

Stanchfields formula is what led me to discussing this quote as a whole as I can directly link it to the perception and development of my work form now on. What I take away from Stanchfields formula is his discussion of experimentation, the willingness to explore and experiment through multiple mediums and processes.

Throughout discussing his ideas I want to continuously address throughout my upcoming work how his thoughts relate to the change and developments of my outcomes as I explore new and exciting ways to interpret my conversation between characters.

Emphasizing that it’s not only our job to observe the world around us, but to interpret it in new and exciting ways. This is why within my own work I have explore a more experimental and abstract interpretation of observational studies. Using artists such as Victoria Semykina and animator Terry Gilliam, to explore a surreal representation of animation, through amalgamating both digital, physical and experimental animation. Something I hope to discuss in another blog post last this week. 

Sources;

Drawn to Life Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SwJ2XWWENd8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Potential Actions:

Discuss my Final Ideas, what I plan to pursue and present as a final piece.

Create a time-plan of the final two weeks of the FMP.

Record a series of new voicelines and phonetic sounds as further primary research and reference.

[jacktitmas]

Mid-Project Review

My mid project review provides me with the opportunity to reflect on the work I've produced, the pathways I've explored, and the outcomes I've made so far. Evaluating what has worked, and what new experiments have pushed and challenged me to attempt to achieve a higher grade of a distinction at the end of the year. Having discussed with my tutor where I'm at throughout the mid-point of this project, it's opened my eyes to how I can change and evaluate my position in the FMP, to correct the course I'm on in achieving the highest grade possible.

One of the main points that was brought up in my review, was my balance between primary and secondary sources. Whilst I started out strong with some key primary sourced investigations, through visiting live exhibitions and contacting artists in response to my work. I set myself to high of a standard to continued as I responded to artist through secondary investigation. Responding to visual interpretation and process. Dave suggested that I respond to a higher discussion and criteria by responding to theories and ideas, interpreting life in my own visual style. Identifying how I could develop a personal stylisation as an artist throughout the rest of the FMP.

Understanding and reflecting upon the importance of Observational drawing, something I have prioritised across the duration of my work to begin to characterise the world around me. Understanding how I could potentially found my observational drawing upon a theory or quote that explains my intentions to holding an importance to recording my observations

Using this as a foundation, it would provide as an alternate perspective upon my approach to artist response through primary investigation. Where as secondary research has taught me the skills of analysing, responding to a quote or idea will allow me to create a body of my own research and investigation instead of responding to somebody else.

Catering my work towards the time-frame I have left, I've made the decision to move on from looking at 3D structures in animation as it's something I can develop within the future of my career. Re-reading my proposal has highlighted the key points I wanted to investigate over the course of my FMP, demonstrating where I should prioritise my importance to responding to my original ideas in the brief.

"The context of my project 'Chit Chat' will investigate the relationship between character and audience through visual and audio elements. My main focus will be questioning the importance of audio to build character, investigating the impact of sound and speech to create a conversation."

Taken directly from my Project Proposal, it highlights how my main intentions for the brief should be focusing upon the use of sound and how I've investigated this through lip sync and character design. Throughout the project so far, I've definitely explored this, most recently exhibited throughout my stop-motion flapping animations. Where as I have recently been more engaged in the character design and motion of form through an armature, I need to reconsider what would best be appropriate to highlight a conversation between characters, and how I could potentially investigate and develop my flapping animation tests further, to serve the purpose of the "importance of audio to build character".

Throughout my proposal I actively highlighted how I wanted to prioritise my research through primary sources. Discussing the importance of observing life around me to influence as my own. Where as I have done this throughout my sketchbook , its now time for me to take this one step further and begin to respond to an idea or quote compared to a physical thing.

"Primary research will heavily influence the evolution of my project as I to develop my observation skills for inspiration. this will derive from narrative and character designs that are taken from the world around me. Using real-life conversations to inspire the topics I discuss throughout my work."

Going forward I want to begin to cater my work towards a more lip-sync based outcome. Focusing upon how I can convey character through audio. Responding to audio based around my own environment and interpretation of character. This will give me the opportunity to identify and discuss how I can better use my time to respond to the original intentions of my brief whilst sticking to the process of stop-motion, a process I have explored through multiple pathways thus far across the duration of my personal project.

From this Mid Project review, I’ve established a few actions to follow:

Produce a realistic time place of the last upcoming weeks

Explore lip-syncing both digitally and physically through stop-motion animation

Create my own kit-bash characters that can be put together by my chosen audience

Consider the work of Walt Stanchfield and his influence in animation on my own work

Explore a potential meaning for my animations

Record peers saying phonetic sounds to gather primary research on mouth movements

Create several lip-sync tests, exploring mouth movements through characters

Explore how I could incorporate both analogue and digital animation into my work

Explore stop-motion in a Terry Gilliam esque style

[jacktitmas]

Puppet Production

After experimenting with the armature I had acquired, I wanted to challenge myself to translate a 2-Dimensional design to a 3-Dimensional object, considering how I could explore new processes, techniques and mediums in the hopes of re-producing a character concept into a physical formality. This would challenge me to consider the changes and appropriations I would have to make to effectively convey my original designs through another format.

As I have explored sculpting in the past before I believe I have the confidence to redefine my characters design and aesthetic into a 3-Dimensional medium. Considering how sculpting with clay would showcase my ability to translate character between mediums. Whilst challenging me to sculpt with new materials and mediums such as epoxy clay, resin and foam. All more traditionally used within industry standard.

Having had required a 12 inch armature, I have the opportunity to produce a character relative to the traditional ratio and scale for models and miniatures. In particularly popular for child dolls or figures aimed at adult collectors 1:12 scale is most recently popular for action figures and related toys, especially those based on super-heroes and related concepts, such as Marvel Legends and DC Universe Classics.

Designing to set limitations, I had to take into consideration the scale of my armature to ensure that my sculpts were in proportion to the rest of the body. Using foam cores and foam padding to map out the foundations of my design. As a rough initial guide for the production of my character.

Building a foam core had many benefits to the production of my character, not only setting an intentional value of scale. It also made up the foundational shape of my design. Ensuring the character is light weight and malleable, with the excess materials I plan to layer on top of the foam, be it, clothing, clay, epoxy or resin. Using foam made sure that the overall design of my character stayed light weight throughout the puppets production.

Due to the flexibility, cheapness and low value of the foam, I had a range of opportunities of creating head shapes and body parts that best suited the design of my character. Starting at a larger scale to ensure I had enough materials to cut away to create the correct geometric shapes that my character is based on.

Acting as an additional skeletal layer, I attempted to produce 3 foam heads all slightly different in scale and shape, this gave me the opportunity later in production to choose a scale that best suited the measurements of my armature. As well as multiple heads that showcased the range of materials that I tried out for the first time.

Having worked with clay in the past, I felt more confident when using my tools to sculpt and carve the malleable material, using a ruler and various shaped tools to cut away at and additionally add to the layers of my head-sculpt. A familiar medium, the clay we ended up using gave me no set working time or parameters, giving me a lot more flexibility within a stress-free environment, ensuring that I didn't have to worry about working times of the material itself.

Compare this to the new material I had the opportunity of working with, two-part epoxy clay, this was a challenge as it included a set working time from the moment I mixed the two halves of the compound materials. Giving me a set time limit on when I could easily mould the material into the shapes I wanted. Not as forgiving as the clay I originally used. I built up the face with larger more emphasised proportions in the hopes of sanding the character back using a high grit sand-paper. Much like the process I took for carving foam, I anticipated working to a larger scale to work back into and refine my design to where I wanted it to be.

Inspired by Laika's style of character design, I wanted to replicate their geometric and sharp angled designs, something that I realised was hard to achieve from sculpting alone. Using the repeatable process of sandpaper, and sculpting, it gave me an opportunity to reflect this design style within my own work. Using sharp characterised planes on the character faces to construct the main proportions of his design.

What I found most difficult to translate from my original designs what the symmetry of my character, where as I was able to use a 2D plane to draw my original designs, translating depth was one of the harder consistency's throughout my work. As I had to accommodate for not only height and length when sculpting but the width of the character. As the audience would not only be able to see him form a single angle, but from 360 degrees.

After reflecting on the time I invested to getting to the stage im at within the production of my puppet. I need to begin considering wether I would be able to manage the time I have left in producing and animating a range of successful tests leading me towards a final piece. Considering how I could be able to incorporate and animate a key element of my project proposal, the conversation and interaction of characters, being plural. This is something I need to discuss within my mid-project review as I correct the final course of my FMP, highlighting the techniques and processes that I feel will best demonstrate my abilities as an outcome.

Potential Actions:

Reflect upon the time I have left of my Final Major Project in a mid-project review, discuss the amount of production time I have to produce an outcome.

Further refine my head-sculpts.