76 Trombones

Last week I came with a lot of information, including 8 different worlds. That, as I noted at the end, was a bit much. The first thing to happen was that 3 of those worlds where cut from the animation leaving only Main World, Fantasy World, Evil World, Water World, and Cliff World.

Work in progress is still underway with [Anna’s] new character design. I have a idea I really like for the cloths but am still working on the face. I also want to wait on posting anything for her before I can get designs for all her looks done.

What do I mean by that?

If you recall the idea is that she changes what she is made of each time she jumps worlds. Hence, the need for multiple designs.

Moving on.

76 Trombones....kind of.

The main focus this week was timing. I put together a ruff board-o-matic* with a scratch audio track. I am still not 100% sure if there will be background music or just sound effects, and not all the effects I want to start with are in this things...but you can get the basic idea of what I’m going for in tone.

• We where technically asked to create an animatic but I did a board-o-matic. Let me explain the difference as it was explained to me. A board-o-matic is where you take the storyboard frame you have and aline them to audio, moving the frame around on screen is about the extent of the animation. An animatic is when you have primitive models posing out the major actions. All cameras are in place, everything needing to be modeled in there in basic form, and the audio is secured - if not locked in place. That is how I was taught and unless someone tells me that is completely wrong it is the way it will stay.

On that note, here’s my board-o-matic.

World of Pure Imagination

This past week I decided that I would focus on creating storyboards for the animation. First, though, that meant I had to have a firm idea on the different worlds.

So they go as followed:

Main World Clay/fabrication

Fantasy World Water color

Evil World Pencil/Charcoal

City World Construction paper

Water World Tissue paper

Roots World Photo-real

Book World Typography

Cliff World Computer 3D

     (Return to Main World)

The storyboards shown here are broken into three parts to represent the 3 sections. No word explanation or number accompanies them (though I know there should be) for the simple reason that I thought it would detract from the look.

Some things I realized.

1) Anna is WAY too young. 

After drawing everything out I found that my original sketch of Anna gave the look of a 5 year old and the story really calls for someone around 11-13 I think.

2) I have a favorite shot already.

It is something that isn’t really a great thing to have, especially so early on, since that means I will be more likely to be unwilling to change it. But it just looks awesome!

3) I might have shot myself in the foot. Again.

It is only week 3 and already this seems like a huge task. 8 worlds all with their own technique? I must be crazy. But, hey, if it wasn’t hard then everyone would do it.

And now, a treat.

I did do some other work and thinking over the past week in addition to the storyboards.

First off, the City World. I want it to be in a 3D paper style. I feel like these two projects. The building was made by the French company Zim & Zou. The city was made by a lady named Hattie Newman. These both are large influences for the final look of this world.

Second, Book World. To give you a better idea of what I hope to achieve you just have to look at Winnie the Pooh. Disney has, in nearly every Pooh video, had the characters interact with the text or book. That is my plan. What the words say.... not too sure yet. For the sake of time I used the lines from Picture Puzzle Piece by Shel Silverstein which was the diving board of this whole operation to begin with.

Finally, Fantasy World - again. When I said to my class last week that I would be changing this world’s style and not do water color anymore everyone started yelling. Apparently even though I'm brand new to the medium everyone likes it so it is staying. Because of that I did some more exploration on the actual colors and designs of the foliage. And I have to say that I love the golden trees.

So there you have it. Another week, another update, and a whole lot more to come.

And Soon You'll be Walking Cross the Floor

Over the past week I have been working on refining some of the sketches for the story line I wrote about last week....need to come up with a name for that soon.

Before you scroll down to look at them, since we both know that’s what its all about, let me say that while several of these are close to more of a style frame sort of look they are NOT finalized. Though each ‘world’ is to have their own style, I am still tying to find the best matches.

Now on to the meat and potatoes!

First off, the ‘in progress’ list of world types. Some will stay, some will go. I’m not too sure yet....

-Main World - 

-High Fantasy World - 2D textural?

-Evil’s World - charcoal

-Water World - 2D stop motion?

-Cave World - 

-City World - 3D stop motion?

-Giant Tree World - photo real mashup?

-Lego World - legos

The main character is, for now, a little girl named Anna.

How she is made will change with each world.

The bad guy, inspired by the Beast from Over the Garden Wall, has no name yet. As he moves he transforms everything to be created as he is - charcoal.

Close to my ideal final look for him.

Next I have some concept art for High Fantasy World.....

Idea sketch of some trees, a bush, bird and squirrel.

An attempt at water color. It isn't going to be this style...

...Water World....

Made with tissue paper. Kind of worked.

....and a quick sketch for Giant Tree World.

Not in any type of final look. Wouldn't spend long in this world.

So there you have it. Progress with some hits and some misses.

What's the Story Morning Glory?

Coming up with a story idea was not the easiest thing. I wanted an interesting plot that could be conveyed with little to no talking as well as a chance to explore different techniques and styles.

Inspiration hit with Shel Silverstein.

This poem was always a favorite of mine as a kid and it led to an interesting idea:

Jumping through different words by way of a puzzle piece.

The basic idea is that a character is cleaning when they find an abandoned puzzle piece. Upon touching it they are transported to a ‘new world’ that they explore happily. When they find another piece (of different color and design) they are transported again.

———

This time it isn’t as much fun. The world is darker and something evil resides there. The Evil starts to chase them. When the character tuns to a third world Evil follows. This happens several time. Finally the character is cornered, jumps, and falls into another piece.

———

The character falls awake in the original world. Touches the first piece again but nothing happens making them believe it was all a dream. They leave the room, such off the lights, and Evil begins to crawl out into ‘reality.’

So there you have it, the basics of a story.

Not many sketches have been done yet. The main point of my line was that each world has a different technique- one could be stop motion, or 2D, or hand drawn….

And That's What It's All About

This blog is being run in conjunction with a class I am taking for Pratt’s MFA Animation program. By following this you will get to see the process and steps I take to complete a 3 part animation short I will be making over the next 2 semesters.

So join me through the sketches and first ideas, to the storyboards, motion tests, and beyond. Watch and see this short animation come to life, even though all I have right now is a small idea.

But first, don't you want to know who I am?

My name is Christina and I recently moved to Brooklyn to attend this masters program at Pratt. In the spring I just graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota Florida with a BFA in Motion Design and a minor in Fine Arts-Sculpture. You could say though, that Pratt is my 4th school as I went to Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia for a year and a few months at a school in Florence, Italy. But regardless of where I studied I will always consider myself a Jersey Girl (and correct, I don’t pump my own gas.)

Because of my various backgrounds, my animation style is a bit... everywhere. I like 3D, find stop motion very fun even if it’s tedious, and am quite comfortable with 2D. 

A few things that inspire my work is: Disney, anime, Laika, and Wetta Workshop. Each does something different and 3 are places that I would love to work at in the future.

For now though I have classes to pass, and this animation to create. Future jobs will have to wait until tomorrow - what what a great, big, beautiful tomorrow it looks to be.