Mr Kent, Mr Wayne and Mr Parker....

Wassup people. Thanks for all the feedback on the last post. I’ve been a bit weak on doing my part in terms of responding and commenting etc, sorry. Not really hitting my Blogging stride in Scotland. I’m really starting to get busy and I’m not really managing my time very well. I think I’ll save blogging till the weekend from now on, that way I’m not doing it after I finish work. At the time of writing this which is about 23:30 Apr 1^st, I still haven’t cooked or eaten anything. Just been scanning pics, resizing blah blah blah. It's gonna be a late one......

The Heroes

The pic at the Top is a drawing my friend Omer who has been asking me to do it for like a year...maybe 2. Finally I’ve got round to it. Its been a while since I've done anything like so it took longer than expected. As you can see from the process pics, I did 2 versions. Ever draw something, pat yourself on the back, go to bed, wake up and look at the drawing and then hate it? It was really bothering me. I think my first attempt was too realistic. Maybe because I was referencing from the movie versions. I also hated the way I drew Spidey, So I decided to rethink it and do a more “animation friendly” version. I really struggled with Superman. I love the Fleisher, Bruce Tim and Alex Ross versions of Superman but I didn’t really want to approach it like that. I wanted a balance between Brandon Routh portrayal in Superman Returns, Christopher Reeves (very big shoes to fill) and a little of Tom Welling from Smallville. I was thinking about the personality and how to convert that to an image. I don’t think I was very successful. I can see him in my head, but can’t get it out. Maybe I should have done more character design sketches to begin with. My brother isn’t too fond of the way I draw the man of steel but I’ll get there, I hope.

Another thing I found difficult were the clouds. They were killing me. I’m not used to playing with tone and values etc. I usually opt for a more cel shaded look, but I’m getting a little bored of solving problems in the same way. Ken and I are gonna hook up and exchange techniques (actually he’ll be teaching me LOL) so I’m looking forward to seeing an improvement in my work, and varying the type of work I do on my blog. While we’re on the topic, Oliver, I appreciate your honesty on the last post. If anyone out there happens to stumble on my Blog and has any suggestions on how to improve my work, don’t hesitate to do so. I’ve seen some staggering improvement on other blogs because of constructive feedback, Once again, I have no problem people saying what they like, but don’t be afraid to say what you don’t. Whether you like it or not, the why is important (to me). Thanks to everyone who gives me the why’s positive or negative by the way. I only highlighted Oliver because he told me what he found unsuccessful.

Anyway, with the clouds, I searched You Tube for any tutorials and found this one. This is what I used to paint them.

Sketch Group Scotland.

I’ve been twice in the last month so in terms of observational drawing I’m not doing too well. I am trying to draw everything, and I did try to force it in one session, but by the next I just reverted back to old habits. Bare with me guys....I’ll get there....

Life Drawing

These are from my last 2 life drawing sessions, over 2 weeks old now. I’m really upset because the college won’t be holding anymore sessions till September as the 4^th years are concentrating on their final projects. I actually felt like I was getting somewhere. Certain things were starting to click. I realised that I try to do too much in session so I end up having weird drawings (which is why Oliver’s comment was invaluable). So In these, I tried to focus on doing specific things don’t know if it shows. Anyway, Kyla (co worker and flat mate) knows some of the models so hopefully we won’t have to wait till September before I do more life drawing.

Django

Last week wed (I think, it was a long time ago) I was privileged to be sent to Django Studios in Edinburgh (Illusionist HQ) to collect some stuff. The timing was great coz I woke up in a bad mood and wasn’t really up for inbetweening. While I can’t go into specifics about the studio, it was amazing. I was given the grand tour by Aya whom I met at the Projector Animation Festival. She studied Bournemouth with a few of my co workers, Chris Halls, Tori and Laurent, and is an Animator at Django. She also introduced me to Victor Ens which is one of the first bloggers I linked via my boy Kristian when I started this blog so that was surreal. He's a supervising animator there. Aya also introduced me to another blogger Bob Wolkers. He showed me his blog which has other Django blogger links. I still can’t believe the amount of opportunities, and learning experiences blogging as opened up for me. Nothing is better than knowing people that have the same interests and share your passion. I was very alone in this before LAS and Blogging. I Love it!!! At some point this week, yes, i've said it before but definately, I'll update my links list.

She also took the time to show me some of her work and gave me some insight into her process. Aya, I'm forever grateful.

I haven’t animated in a while, but I’m learning a lot. Hopefully I’ll start putting some animation up in a few months but I have a couple of things to do first....

So that's pretty much it for now....

Here are couple random doddle I did at work, probably won’t post for a couple weeks, but I will be updating my links so keep an eye out. Till then, keep drawing and keep inspiring.

And Again....

Wes

Not Quite Everything....

I missed the sketchgroup this last weekend, so my plan to draw everything er...didnt go according to plan LOL. So here is some life drawing from last Thursday. Got a class tomorrow and sketchgroup on sunday so I'll do a healthier post then.....

And Again....
Wes

Now The Work Begins

HI everyone, thanks for the comments on the last post, I know it was a bit much but I guess I’m just trying to make up for lost time. I know I said I’d be posting every 2 weeks but I’ve decided to try and up my game a bit and try update once a week.(try being the operative word). Every day I go into work inbetweening drawings and animation which is way beyond my level. I try to study the keys and break downs, to get a sense of what the animator is doing; I don’t know what I’m looking for. My one frustration is that I don’t get to talk to the animators to find out why or how they approach a scene as the animators are based in Django and not Ink. I supposed it’s good for the animators not to be bugged every minute. They’d probably need to take out a restraining order against me LOL. Anyway by 2009 (if God wills it) I hope I’ll be a stronger animator, draughtsman, the works. I know that won’t happen unless I start to do private study outside work hours. Hopefully, Ill look back on this post and previous posts feeling some sense of accomplishment. To look back on a younger me, and to see my growth. Even then I know I have many years of enjoyable but hard work.

I also recently discovered Animation Podcasts and I’m hooked (yes I know I’m late). I go into work and listen to them while I draw. It really helps keep my motivation up. I found it via Alan Cooks Blog which by the way, is a great Blog for info on whats new in animation. He’s also got some great work up there. Another good site for animation News is Catsuka. It’s French but if you're like me and can’t speak a word, you can translate it via Google. The news section is in he top right hand corner.

Following is some of the life drawing and observational sketches in the past week. Still struggling with the life sketches. I can’t seem to get the looseness and fluidity I get from my observational sketches. My focus on life drawing at the moment is understanding, but I still want to be able to get a good likeness. I want the model to look like the model. I’m also playing with tone, values and shading techniques in general. I always avoid it for my fear making mistakes or doing bad drawings. I remember last week I was talking to Timbo about cross hatching, and saying I wasn’t good at it thats why I don’t do it, then I thought, why not? The pic at the top is of the photocopier at work. I put it first because I always draw people; the goal now is to draw...EVERYTHING!! If it’s not too cold this weekend, I’m definitely going out to sketch some buildings and other stuff. Dundee has some great architecture. Contrasts of old and new everywhere you look.

Anyway enough talk, here are last week’s struggles....

And Again....

Wes

PS: sorry to everyone whos posts I haven’t really commented on or given feedback to lately. I’ve been a lousey Blogger, I’ll remedy that real soon.

If you want to see a good all rounder, click here. Was on this blog yesterday. Always blown away....

Guess who's back.....

First I want to apologise for not posting in a while, I should have given some sort of notice. When I found out I got the Job at Ink, I decided to take a break from drawing, animation, and art in general. Not because I’ve reached my goal, or because I have nothing more to learn, on the contrary I feel my journey is beginning, My studies and efforts so far were to bring me to this point in my life, to the beginning of what I hope will be an enjoyable career in animation. I know that I am fortunate to have this job and will not take a day for granted.

Before I go on, I just want to thank everyone who stopped by my Blog, whether to just browse leave comments etc. I want to thank the Blogging community; I feel I have grown because you share your work world. Thanks to The London Animation Studio (Central St Martins LAS) past present and future, you guys are great and I hope to countinue to grow with you. I want to thank my friends and family for their support and belief in me. My parents who continue to support me even though they may not understand my chosen career path, and my Lady, For putting me first so I can do this..... :)

So what have I been up to?

I arrived here on Roberts Burns night, (or the day after, not sure) and had my first Taste of Haggis with Mashed Potatoes, so my introduction to Scotland was one of tradition. I’m staying in a basement Flat which overlooks the river Tay So I am privy to some fine views in the morning; sun Rises and sunsets...yep! My room is pretty cool to, it's a bit plain at the moment but I hope to fill the wall with inspiring stuff.

One of my Flat mates, Kyla Tomlinson, also a work colleague, and a fine artist also works with me at Ink. I hope I learn a lot from her. The very next day which was Sunday went to the cinema to see Sweeny Todd, with Kyla and a couple of her friends, Sara and Vickey (also another work colleague, so my first weekend in Scotland was cool especially as I was to start work on the Monday, (more on that later)

I came to Scotland at a good time thanks to the DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts) hosting the annual Projector Animation Festival. Ink supplied at least 4 tickets and time off for us to go which was cool. I got to meet a lot of animators from around Scotland, sat through many lectures, even got to see Persepolis which is amazing. One of the artists I met, Jenny Soep (which happens to be good mates with Kyla) was capturing the event with some beautiful drawings, click on the link to check out her blog.

I also got to meet the legendary Bill Plympton. He showed some of his Shorts (animated shorts...grow up, lol) and spoke about how to market yourself in Animation. He was also selling some rough frames from various films his made. I bought a rough from his new animated feature, Idiots and Angels. He also had a still from the animated video he did for Kanye West, I Heard Em Say, I wanted it but it cost £100, I settled for taking a photo with him instead. J

In short Projector was really informative entertaining, and inspiring, so it gave a lot of enthusiasm for work. The after party at the end of the week was cool. DJ Garry Whitton was DJ..ing animation on a projector. They supplied flip books paper, and taped huge sheets of paper to the walls so we could draw and dance pretty much anywhere. The idea was to hand our creations to the DJ so he could “mix them into his set.

The animation community here seems to be quite big, especially at the university, so to be in the thick of it feels great.

Throughout the week I’d gone to a few to Bars, restaurants, saw No country for Old men at the DCA so socially, I had a real busy week.

Also went to Edinborough with Ken Anderson and Sean Yu (both work colleagues) with the hope of drawing, instead we took loads of picture and just looked around shops, including Forbidden Planet. It was my first time there; hopefully it won’t be my last.....

As for Dundee, I didn’t think I’d like here, but I’m actually really enjoying it, the air is cleaner, it’s peaceful, everything is walking distance, and the people seem really friendly. I feel really relaxed here. The fact that work is about a 10 min walk away from where I live, is a refreshing change for me considering in London the journey to work is a 1hr15min commute via bus and train.

So what’s it like working at Ink.... so far I love it. It’s a really cool place to with people who are highly skilled at what they do so in a year’s time (if all goes well) some of those skills will rub off on me.

In the little time I’ve been here (3weeks now) I’ve learnt much about the inbetweening but most importantly, about myself. This is the hardest Job I have ever done in my life, (especially the clean up part) but the most rewarding. As the days go by it gets easier. It’s weird, last year I was studying animation, and this year I’m working in animation, but it still feels like I’m studying the difference, I’m specialising in Inbetweening. I sit there sometimes and think...hold on...I’m actually getting paid to do this????!!!! The strange thing I’m finding as an inbetweener is, you need to be able to draw, and understand animation principles but it feels like you do neither, yet you're improving in both. Any inbetweeners out there that feel the same way? Ink has also made a deal with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design for us to do life drawing free 4 times a term on Thursday morning. The students there do a session on Thursday evenings also, so I drop in. I make sure to go every session, as I need life drawing badly, I’ve become very rusty, (it’s been almost a year).

My first session was quite difficult, for some reason I was really timid, trying to get everything right. The next session I decided to loosen up a bit, after Ken lent me a book called Force. I took a bigger pencil, one that was given to me almost 10 years ago as a gift, I feel like I have the right to use it now J (long story and this post is long enough already).

It restricted me in terms of detail and forced me to use broader strokes. In doing this, I found, for the first time, I was actually studying the form rather than trying to replicate it.

Also joined a sketch group out here, started by Ken, which also has a blog so I’ll be posting there also. We go every sunday about 1 oclock to a huge Borders just past the town centre. I'm finding it quite hard, I don't know if it's because I took such a long break or because I'm so used to drawing people on the train.....

So far, that’s my life so in the Scotland. I’ll be posting every 2 weeks from now on so no more huge long winded posts.....

And Again....

Wes

PS: Happy now Timbo :)

PSS: I'll be updating my links real soon, I have loads of links bookmarked, something like 200 so I'll add some real soon......

Happy New..ish Year...

Have a lot to say....will update in a few days, bare with me......