Dominique’s Animation year 1 blog, BA1b Part 2

  Week 4 (Week 31) (11 th of May 2018) During mid-week I added my mystery box work to my show reel, I also tempted to make a moving logo stamp in after effects but was very not overly effective, however I was able to do some animated movement. However I finally completed it after Re saving my animated work and adding it in. Overall, I found this task easy, yet at the same time frustrating. I really enjoyed editing, and making the footage fit to the beat and making the quick cuts. I do wish I had personalised it more with logos, and practised further on my motion graphics skills in adobe after effects to further hence the personation, as standing out is important. I find it frustrating when logging back into premier pro because files keep going missing, which is rather upsetting because the programme decides not to work. I am also having issues with finding most of my animations, a lot of clips do not work with premier pro. When I redo this next year, I will prepare fo...

Week 10, (Week 31) (11th of May, 2018) This week was my final week to complete everything, as its deadline week. Luckily, I managed to complete all my work in time. Tuesday, I spent time working (in After Effects) on editing the   green screen out in my video, I found a useful tutorial on how to improve parts that became pixelated after keying. Wednesday, I finished editing my final sequence for the mystery box, adding in my drawn background, animating it to move with my armature when she walks. I also, using shape too (then editing) added lights that flickered to the street lamps in the background. I also experimented with the 'starburst effect', editing and animating it to explode from the box once its opened and disappear after its closed for a more dramatic effect. Additionally, I also added a rain effect, to fit the background scenery and give extra atmosphere. Thursday, I spent the day making my Experimental Reel, using Premier Pro. I show from the concept art, maque...

Week 3 (Week 30) (4 th of May 2018) This week I decided to research into how to make moving titles and logos in after effects for premiere Pro and other tutorials that may be helpful. I also added more to my show reel, However I am struggling to find my animation footage still, so currently not all work is there.

Week 3 (Week 30) (4 th of May 2018) This week I carried on drawing the mouths in Photoshop, and continuing research on the side. Once completing all of the layered drawings, I saved each face with the different mouth as an image and then edited it in Photoshop to make my very own mouth chart. Once I finished this, I began animating my lip sync till it was complete. I am happy how it came out, it was a quick process and I am now confident in animating in After Effects, however animating took a day and a half as a kept re editing it to fit the sounds perfectly, I which I used a longer sound track so I could further experiment with the facial expressions I could make.   

Week 9, (Week 30) (Friday the 4 th of May, 2018) Mystery Box This week was very hectic. I tried to make the heels once again out of milliput, this time making it directly onto the wire. However, it did not set in time, and whilst I tried to dry them out overnight, one of the shoes fell off. On Monday I had to cut off parts of my puppets legs off (The foam and skin), Brake off the Milliput and sand it down. I then formed the Legs wire into feet. Because of this, my puppet became greatly shorter and less like her original design. I then began making her feet again, (the fourth attempt) using Milliput. This time a much simpler design without heels. I left it to dry and collected the next day, (In an over 24 hour period of time) taking her feet to be drilled by the 3D workshop, enabling her feet to be pinned for balance when it comes to doing the stop motion. Once the hard part of the feet was done, I focused on sorting the head out. I repainted the front, painted the added w...

Week 2 (Week 29) (27 th of April 2018) Show reel This week I had an introduction into Premier Pro and learnt some techniques; for example how to mute the sound track in one part (without slicing), how to resolve images that don’t fit (in a fun and upbeat way.) And other basic stuff such as saving, adding text ect. I made a experimental show reel as a test, and once I finished I began creating my own.

Week 2 (Week 29) (27 th of April 2018) This week, with my concept design as reference I began drawing the head and face in Photoshop using the pre made layers linked to after effects. As the drawings were supposed to be simple, I used a simple mouse instead of using a drawing graphic tablet. I also researched into mouth shapes, and then began drawing out my mouths.

 Week 8, (week 29) April the 27th Mystery box This weekend I searched Jarrold for another material for the feet. Once again, they did not sell sculpey. However, the staff recommended Fimo for professional modelling. Available was ‘soft’ sets, ‘effect’ and ‘professional’ (Which is suggested use for doll making) they had variety of colours, and luckily they had a maroon red that fitted well with the fabric colour I used for her dress and gloves. Which also meant I may not need to decorate the feet as much after. On Monday, I repainted the ball black, adding more coats of paint. After it dried I then applied a white circle on one side, to make the 8 ball detail for the back, decided it would look better then sticking on the painted paper. Whilst I waited for the paints to dry, I began sculpting and modelling the shoes. ‘Fimo’ was very hard, and took a while to soften after intense massaging in my palms. Once it was softened, I added layers to a tinfoil foot and then blended ...

Week 1 (Week 28) (20 th of April 2018) Show reel This week we were briefed on the show reel Project. We were advised that: ‘Less is more’, most effective show reels are shorter, but with the best work first. Cutting to the beat makes the show reel look powerful, personality should be shown in the music video. It should have a title page and then a credits page that has details of how to contact you. Logos can be included. Previous people start the show reel with start of an animation, and end the show reel with either a logo connected to it or the end of the animation. Or even so use it as a theme. The briefing: -The show reel should include all recent, relevant work, (Character designs, life drawings, animations) - We need to contain a research portfolio, watch three show reels and analyse them. - The duration of the show reel should be 75-90 seconds.

Week 1 (Week 28) (20 th of April 2018) This week we were introduced into the lip sync project. At first, I had a trial of a pre made rig, animating the face, eyes and mouth in After Effects. The Process was rather quick and simple. We were then tasked with creating our own head and mouth shapes, to create a lip sync video with our own creations. I decided to create some mock concept designs that I thought would be interesting to animate. The briefing: We must submit a mouth chart, lip sequence, research portfolio, and a reflective journal. the submission is the 11th of May. We will have to make 14 different mouth shapes for our own lip sync head.

Week 7 (week 28) weekly summary, Friday the 20th of April  Mystery box project  This week I returned back to uni. For some reason the ball I kept repeating during the week before kept absorbing the paint I applied each time. I was advised to apply a varnish, in which super glue was suggested, to stop the paint from being absorbed. After purchasing as then applying, I tried to add black paint on in the same day however this was a mistake as the glue was not fully dry. Most of the black dried, however it wasn’t left rather streaky. Whilst I did leave it to dry, I attempted painting the two side features if the magic eight ball, but on paper circles I had cut out. Later in the week I tried to mould Millieputt into high heels, I was advised to make them whole first, then cut them up after drying and hardening. However, I found the milliput hard to work with; the shoes looked rough and not as good as they could be. I was then advised to redo them with a different material...

Week 6 ( week 27) mystery box project 13thnof April  This week I headed to the forum library for more research on stop motion; techniques and also the process of pre production. I found the book of ‘animated life’ by Floyd Norman an ‘Disney legend’ and ‘cracking animation’, both where very useful. For my model, this week I sewed in her dress and hemmed it, snorting it greatly in the process much more accurate to her design. I also gathered netting to make it puffy and applied it as a petticoat under her dress, to fill out and give it the proper physical properties I desired her character to have. I also attempted to apply layers of black paint to her foam head to begin the form the design of the magic 8 ball 🎱.

Week 5, (week 26th)      6th of April Mystery box project  Whilst of from uni, I have been in search in antique and charity shops for a box. I wanted a box that would fit fairy lights in and yet still be well hidden, (as I want to use them for effect during my stop motion shooting), but I also wanted it too look out of place to its environment, that it would draw curiosity. I visited my grandparents, who, have collected a massive range of boxes. Ones that’s are unique, strange, rare yet graceful. There is a few I have picked, but must wait to fully complete my model so I can choose a box fitting for her size. Also this week, I visited a creative market, looking for additional craft pieces and materials to add an extra a "wow factor" the glamor aesthetic and style I tried to aim for, for my model. Although I did not find anything, I saw some certain art techniques that I may explore later on in the next few years for other projects. Lastly, I visited the Vic...

Week 4, (week 25) weekly summary.  Mystery box

Week 3 (week 24) mystery box     (Date. Friday The 23rd March 2018) Over the weekend I headed to fabric and accessories shops in Anglia square. ‘Anglia Fabrics’ had very unique patterns and fabrics, however I bought white felt, a tan artificial leather scrap piece, a meter of chiffon and a red feathery accessory. Over that same weekend, I tried to glue (using a hot glue gun) the leather material as a skin to my model. This happened to be a big mistake, the material that I tried to use was very tough! My model struggled to move. Also, it was too thick, and would not flatten, overall it was very stiff and instead of taking shape of the model, would stick out. It ripped the dress I had made and when I tried to take the material off, if also ripped a lot of the foam layer away. Wreaking the body I had created for her. In which meant; I had to redo her foam, try to fix or remake her dress, and find a new skin. During the week before, she had also lost both her fifth fing...

Week 2 (Week 23)                        Friday the 16th 2018   Week 2 (Week 23) Friday the 16 th , March 2018 Mystery Box Project; This week I had a lecture by John Lee about his career in model making, in which I found his work outstanding and inspiring, it opened my eyes to different types of possibilities of materials that I could use for my animation puppet, and the props. Also Monday I began the construction of my puppet, using wire and milliput, which I had to leave my wirer Skelton untouched for the rest of the day after the putt. In the rest of the spare time during my session, I researched fabrics I could use for the costume and tutorials on how to make gloves and hats. On Wednesday, I spent my day researching and looking for materials. I bought some red fabric and began practising making gloves and dresses using the material, to see any problems that may occur with the fabric. With glue the fabric sti...

Media Industries Roles & Practices;     Week 1 (Week 23)   On Tuesday we were introduced to the new brief, Media Industries roles and practices and were shown different roots that animation can lead too. We were grouped into four, and given the task to pick an practitioner in the animation industry whom we will write and present a presentation about their job role, company ect. My group choose Glen Keane is using Google slides, so we are free to access, add and edit the presentation. this week I researched my part, if his job was working pre production, production post production and other related information to this. Overall; This has been a very quick paced week with much progression in design, construction but also learning both in and outside of scheduled lessons.  

Weekly summary 1, week 21. 📦 MYSTERY BOX  PROJECT  📦 During the Monday session, we were introduced into the new brief, the mystery box project. In which the final outcome will be a finished sequence of our character reacting to a box, with rules of; 1. Character must not touch box 2. The viewer must not see the boxes contents. My design for my character so far is a ‘feminine’ lady, with a Hollywood glamour/ studio star 20’s look and theme. However, with a twist... Instead of a human head, she has a magical eight ball as a replacement. The design has both positives and negatives, by not having a face that shows expression, it enables me to focus mainly on the characters body performance, of poses and movement. A negative is the ball may be too heavy for her body, however I will research into lightweight materials. To get the head perfectly smooth however will be challenging, to create for my maquette. Not having much experience with model making, I will ne...