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tawportfolioemilienielsen-blog · 8 years ago

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Making Stories Come Alive

Application for TAW Graphic Storytelling 2017.

Link to my online portfolio: https://tawportfolioemilienielsen.tumblr.com/

My name is Emilie Hørup Nielsen.

I see the bachelor in Graphic Storytelling as a serious and business developing education, that can give me an opportunity to develop my talents towards a future career as a comic artist.

The study appeals to me, since I’ve always had a big passion for art - especially drawing and creating stories. From I was as little as I remember, to sit down and immerse myself in a drawing, has been one of my biggest interests. I began reading comics in the 4th grade, where I also started making my own stories, that could be about anything from horses, to girls, fantasy universes and what my other interests were at that time.

Especially the empty space between the pictures, that the reader brings to life with his or her own imagination, fascinated me. As I’ve grown older, the passion and fascination stuck, and I’ve found that comics and illustrations are what I want to do in the future.

By applying to The Animation Workshop, I get the opportunity to develop my creative skills in several directions, and also be in an inspiring, creative and international environment with other like-minded students. It means that I as a student, will be able to develop my skills with both the art of crafting, but also as a person, and that the education will give me useful tools for a future career in the comics industry. I see myself as a professional comic artist in the future, that controls every step of the process of making a comic, both creating stories and art, but I’m also open to other career opportunities, the education can open up for, such as an independent freelancer, illustrator, and/or as a cartoonist at a firm.

I’ve heard some positive mentions about the education. Partly from a couple of acquaintances, who knows students from The Animation Workshop, that says it’s a serious education. The emphasis is on hard work and personal development, which is something I personally strive for.

Moreover from former students, who’ve got interesting jobs at international firms after graduating at The Animation Workshop.

The professional and academic experiences I find most relevant for the education, I’ve primarily received through my years in school, through different drawing courses and creative camps, I’ve participated in, and my voluntary work as a comic artist at an online magazine.

My years in school

In the last year of school at the Rudolf Steiner school in Odense, I’ve wrote the final 12th year assignment about comics, where I’ve engaged in the different aspects of making a comic. Everything from the first ideas, to communication, visual instruments, symbols and the effects of the present time, has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities, the comic invites to. Along with the written assignment, I also developed and finished my first comic book, called “S.a.l.t. & Pepper”. It was a challenge relating to all parts of the process in the production of a comic book. (see Link to my portfolio, under Other Work)

At the Rudolf Steiner school we’ve worked with creativity in several subjects such as drawing, painting, drama, eurytmi (the teaching of movement), music, orchestra, woodwork, forging and needlework, but also integrated in other subjects. There’s been a rich opportunity to express myself on a high level.

I’ve played the violin in both school and in my spare time at the Music School in Odense. Both places I’ve received the responsibility as the concertmaster. The orchestra work and study trips around Europe has developed my ability to cooperate and work under pressure in group contexts, besides that it has given me experiences with leadership. Additionally, I’ve received an international outlook by participating in different exchange projects.

Creative courses and camps

In regards to drawing, I’ve often been chosen to make posters for different events, f.ex. plays, concerts and stalls at the annual christmas markets and summer festivities at the school.

During the last four years, I’ve been on a creative summer camp, called FLUKS, where I’ve learned about Street Art and sustainable art, I’ve been drawing at an evening course, where I’ve got familiar with croquis and anatomy drawing, and I’ve also been on a summer course in classical drawing at Borups Højskole in Copenhagen. These courses and camps have taught me to open my creativity in interactions with others and to be a part of groups with different types of people.

Voluntary work

Currently I’m working voluntarily as a comic artist, where I draw humoristic drawings about complacent leaders for a newly started online magazine, called ManageMagazine.com. It’s taught me to work independently, and to communicate with my business partners.

Digital skills

I’m familiar with different kinds of software, such as:

Adobe Photoshop - Medium userlevel

Adobe Illustrator - Basic userlevel

Bamboo Digital Drawing tablet with pen - Medium userlevel

Comics in a future perspective

In a business context there will be a trend of using comics and infographics as an external communication tool, f.ex. at meetings or conferences, in PR and marketing and also in internal communication. In public institutions it’s obvious to use the medium in an informative context, f.ex. in tutorials, manuals and in different kinds of presentations.

Secondly, I also see a development in the section of educational institutions, where the comics possibly will be integrated as a regular part of the education, both in the basic teaching in the elementary schools and to help pupils with f.ex. concentration and reading difficulties, such as ADHD and dyslexia, but also at high schools and other secondary and business educations in a more informative context, f.ex. in study presentations and in the context of academic learning.

I see an opportunity to reverse the development in an otherwise male dominated industry, by including more female shaped life experiences. I’ve already seen several examples of young female artists, who publishes their comic series through independent publishers. I hope it will continue in the same direction, so there will be a more neutral gender ratio. I think that more women in the comic industry means that comics in general will reach a wider audience and that it will create more demands in the market.

At last I hope that the small, independent publishers will expand, creating a wider range of comics with diversity, high artistic quality and strong storytelling depth.

My professional influences and inspirations

Hayao Miyazaki, one of my biggest inspirations, has made many genius animated movies, such as “Howl’s Moving Castle”, “Spirited Away”, “Porco Rosso”, “My Neighbour Totoro”, “Princess Mononoke” among others. In my opinion he’s a movie-genius, creating innovative, unique and mind provoking animations. Additionally, he’s one of my favourite illustrators.

The Hernandez brothers, known for their comic book series “Love and Rockets” from the 80’s, has been a big inspiration for my drawing style in my later teens. They have a very personal and characteristic stroke, way of storytelling and a socially relevant approach to their stories, which have inspired me. I really like their way of picturing the 80’s punk and youth culture.

Scott McCloud, author of “Understanding Comics” and “Making Comics”, has had a great influence on how I see the comic as a medium. He’s taught me the basic principles and functions in comics, and how to use them in practice. I think he has contributed to revolutionize the way we see comics as a medium.

My favourite works

“Ghost World” by Daniel Clowes. I love Clowe’s very characteristic line, and how he pictures the two girls, Enid and Rebecca, and their last years as teenagers and how they’re searching for identity. The story is very appealing and I recognize many aspects of the plot from my own life. His peculiar way of depicting today’s youth, makes “Ghost World” a masterpiece in the graphic novels genre. The way he shows the two main characters having conversations creates a unique and natural flow.

“Maus” by Art Spiegelman. “Maus” has made a special impact on me. When I read it for the first time I didn’t like it very much because I found the mouse- and cat-faces terrifying and a bit intimidating. Reading the the book again, I became more and more obsessed with it and ended up reading it all the time. It’s one of those books, where you can read it again and again and still discover new interpretations and constructions in the story. By giving the characters animal heads, the author illustrates the inherent power relation between the cat and the mouse, between dominators and the dominated. I think, Art Spiegelman is telling terrifyingly authentic about the horrible events in the concentration camps during WW2, and his parent’s struggle to survive. At the same time, he manages to depict his complicated relationship to his dad in a very honest and raw way, which I find interesting.

“Spirited Away” by Hayao Miyazaki. He’s my favourite artist within the field of animation. Especially “Spirited Away” is a movie I can watch over and over again. There’s something unique about it, and a depth in it, I never get tired of. There are always new details and use of symbols to discover, that you didn’t notice before. Some aspects stay unexplained, which in itself seems alluring. The movie appeals to both children and adults in the same way as Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. In addition, he’s incredible at drawing and making his universes alive and believable. A movie that makes me think, long after I’ve watched it. It’s in my opinion brillant.

My less favourite work

I’m very critical and selective in my selection process, when it comes to picking movies or comics, so I’m normally very quick to sort the stuff out, I immediately find bad.

A very low quality movie is “Whoops! - Where’s the Ark?”, about two weird looking creatures, a father and a son, who isn’t registered on the list to enter the Ark. You follow their struggle to sneak on board the Ark and survive the big flood. The creators completely left out the background music, you normally hear in animation movies. Also, the movie wasn’t animated very well, the characters had really annoying voices, and in general it was put together in a bad way, both compared to the composition but also to the whole purpose of the story. I didn’t finish the movie, because I stopped half way through.

Economy

I will apply for SU for the education, and supply the financing by getting a student job and work a couple of times a week.

My biggest strengths

My biggest strength is that I meet my surroundings with an open and creative mind, and a stubborn dedication. With my voluntary work as a comic artist, I’m experiencing what it means to work in a company that requires something specific of me and that I’m being challenged on my way of doing things, and thereby develops as a person. I don’t earn money by making drawings for ManageMagazine, but right now it’s okay, because I only do it for my passion for drawing.

You should choose me, because I’m passionate about getting the opportunity to study Graphic Storytelling and I’ve read so much about the education programme and heard so much good about it, that it will be the right thing for me. I’m dedicated; determined to develop my talents and obtain all the knowledge available. I accept every challenge, no matter what form and size it will take shape of.

Regardless of what the future brings, I know I’ll always dedicate my love to art and storytelling.

Sincerely,

Emilie Hørup Nielsen.

FYI: I’m travelling from March 18 to May 17. I’m doing voluntary work in Costa Rica, why I’ll only be able to attend an audition from May 18, or via Skype (name: millemus97)

Contacted person at The Animation Workshop, regarding my trip: Katrine Frausig, administrator.

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