Still, I extremely proud of the product I produced. The book came out great, and I can't wait to start my next project. Onward!
Click to view The Art of The Tuner!
Showing posts with label Spring 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring 2014. Show all posts
Thursday, May 22, 2014
FINAL REVIEW
My Final Review was exactly as I anticipated: anticlimactic. I didn't expect there to be a big blowout of emotions; my panel has been there since the beginning, they've seen my stuff, they know how hard I worked, no big surprises. But I didn't expect to feel so low afterwards. I think it was probably more me being depressed about leaving this place and starting a new chapter of uncertainty in my life. This whole week, I've been closing doors behind me, saying goodbye, and impatiently making my way through "last times" in different areas of my life. It's been really sad. So I think having my Final Review was just another one of those moments. I was happy to have such a genuinely great response to my work and my process from my entire panel, but I think I was disappointed that it was all over.
WEEK 15 - Drawing for Film
This class has been a mixed arrangement of good and bad experiences. But overall, I loved it. I can't say I agreed with everything Anthony discussed, but I have to give him credit, he was honest with us, and he said it like it really was. No bullshit. And I thank him for that.
I got real feedback, and learned real things that are truly important in a professional setting, from a man who has years of experience, and is currently working at one of the top studios in the Industry. I am blessed to have had this opportunity.
Anthony really liked my final book. Although he started at the back….. by the third or fourth page he said, "You'll work." I must have blacked out after that, because I missed him later saying, "Who wouldn't hire you?"
Such a greta honor to hear someone of his experience and artistic eye, to acknowledge me like that. I couldn't believe it.
A great end to a great semester.
I got real feedback, and learned real things that are truly important in a professional setting, from a man who has years of experience, and is currently working at one of the top studios in the Industry. I am blessed to have had this opportunity.
Anthony really liked my final book. Although he started at the back….. by the third or fourth page he said, "You'll work." I must have blacked out after that, because I missed him later saying, "Who wouldn't hire you?"
Such a greta honor to hear someone of his experience and artistic eye, to acknowledge me like that. I couldn't believe it.
A great end to a great semester.
WEEK 15 - Quick Studies
This week, we turned in our finals, as well as a collection of our in-class paintings for Craig to review.
I'm pretty proud of my final painting of Bhairavi. I definitely felt cooler under pressure. Which is good, because this week was a crusher, for sure. Finals, graduating, Final Review the same day…. Not sure if I would have made it if I hadn't have grown as much as I have this semester.
Craig really liked it. As always…. I called everything he mentioned in his critique. Folds in the shirt are too stiff and evenly spaced. Black window frames are a bit flat, and jarring, so I need to push them into the space a little more. And I need some more subtle temperature shifts int he face and body.
Overall, I'm unbelievably happy with this class. It really gave me the mileage I had been lacking in traditional studies, and it has given me an incredible amount of confidence in my painting abilities. I know I've definitely seen an improvement in my digital work as well. Finishing off my thesis absolutely would not have been possible without this class, and the lessons I learned from Craig.
WEEK 15 - Professional Practices
The final week of classes! Very surreal.
Gil focused on the Portfolio, this week.
Outside of school, our job is now to challenge ourselves in order to BREAK THROUGH to the next level.
Make a NAME for yourself.
When people say your name….. they should immediately see your art in their mind.
CHALLENGE: One-up yourself.
Do something that STRETCHES your art! Something DIFFERENT! Show RANGE!
LUCK favors the PREPARED.
ACCEPT yourself:
- artistically
-professionally
-mentally
-emotionally
ACCEPT the world.
WORK HARD, and BE NICE!
This class was an amazing opportunity to grow professionally in terms of figuring out what I exactly need to do in order to be successful once I leaving AAU. These are very scary times, indeed. But I feel more confident than I did at the beginning of the semester, that I have what it takes to land something cool, int he field that I want.
Gil focused on the Portfolio, this week.
Outside of school, our job is now to challenge ourselves in order to BREAK THROUGH to the next level.
Make a NAME for yourself.
When people say your name….. they should immediately see your art in their mind.
CHALLENGE: One-up yourself.
Do something that STRETCHES your art! Something DIFFERENT! Show RANGE!
LUCK favors the PREPARED.
ACCEPT yourself:
- artistically
-professionally
-mentally
-emotionally
ACCEPT the world.
WORK HARD, and BE NICE!
This class was an amazing opportunity to grow professionally in terms of figuring out what I exactly need to do in order to be successful once I leaving AAU. These are very scary times, indeed. But I feel more confident than I did at the beginning of the semester, that I have what it takes to land something cool, int he field that I want.
WEEK 14 - Quick Studies
This week we worked big once again.
Really liberating.
Next week we turn in our final paintings.
This is what I have so far:
Really liberating.
This may be my best figure painting to date. Which Craig was very surprised by: because we were working so big, which typically produces the opposite results the first time around.
Next week we turn in our final paintings.
This is what I have so far:
WEEK 14 - Professional Practices
Gil talked about Getting the Job, this week.
Why should I hire you?……. Because I AM the job. Everything this job is; is what I do.
Get creative about finding a MENTOR. Someone to help you through those creative hurdles, and who will have the proper knowledge to shed light on problems you may have.
Make it easy for the Studio to say Yes!:
- be polite
- take your work seriously
- respect them, and their time
Believe in yourself!
Research for jobs:
- 20 min in the morning
- 20 min at night
"In order to do good work, you need to be able to put your work away" - Gil
Basically…. HAVE A LIFE!
Know your field!
Be able to talk about your field on a modern-day level, and fluently.
Train Derailment:
- fear of failure
- criticizing
- whining
- preaching (opinions/criticism based on feeling, rather than experience)
- clinging
- blaming
- impressing (trying to boast or brag)
- interrupting
Dream big, but realistic
Establish a COMMUNITY
NEVER stop learning
example PHYSICAL CONFIDENCE (be politely assertive)
Be SPECIFIC
Don't be BORING. Open with a BANG!
Why should I hire you?……. Because I AM the job. Everything this job is; is what I do.
Get creative about finding a MENTOR. Someone to help you through those creative hurdles, and who will have the proper knowledge to shed light on problems you may have.
Make it easy for the Studio to say Yes!:
- be polite
- take your work seriously
- respect them, and their time
Believe in yourself!
Research for jobs:
- 20 min in the morning
- 20 min at night
"In order to do good work, you need to be able to put your work away" - Gil
Basically…. HAVE A LIFE!
Know your field!
Be able to talk about your field on a modern-day level, and fluently.
Train Derailment:
- fear of failure
- criticizing
- whining
- preaching (opinions/criticism based on feeling, rather than experience)
- clinging
- blaming
- impressing (trying to boast or brag)
- interrupting
Dream big, but realistic
Establish a COMMUNITY
NEVER stop learning
example PHYSICAL CONFIDENCE (be politely assertive)
Be SPECIFIC
Don't be BORING. Open with a BANG!
Friday, May 2, 2014
WEEK 13 - Drawing for Film
I didn't have anything to show Anthony this week.
He talked a lot of Problem-Solving in your art.
There is no point in painting a pretty picture, if you haven't solved the problems that still lie beneath the surface. Don't create more problems for yourself.
DON'T BE LAZY!
Draw you characters from every angle. Introduce yourself to your characters. Get to know them!
Where is your drawing/painting going next? Who is doing what with it? Modeling? Lighting?
This changes what problems you have to have solved before calling it finished on your end.
You're supposed to create creative problems for the next link in the chain, but you have to have the problems that the previous ink gave you, all figured out first!
He talked a lot of Problem-Solving in your art.
There is no point in painting a pretty picture, if you haven't solved the problems that still lie beneath the surface. Don't create more problems for yourself.
DON'T BE LAZY!
Draw you characters from every angle. Introduce yourself to your characters. Get to know them!
Where is your drawing/painting going next? Who is doing what with it? Modeling? Lighting?
This changes what problems you have to have solved before calling it finished on your end.
You're supposed to create creative problems for the next link in the chain, but you have to have the problems that the previous ink gave you, all figured out first!
WEEK 13 - Quick Studies
This week, we worked BIG!!!
Like 18x24 big. Same time-frame…. 40 min…. just using bigger brushes at the beginning of the painting. It was different, and the same….. all at once. Very fun! But it can get expensive fast, I would guess.
I also turned in my final round of studies. He said a lot of the pieces had a lot of potential to be great larger pieces. But my Nocturne was by far my weakest…. which I completely agreed with. I knew I was rushing through when I was painting it, and it shows. I definitely need more practice in painting light sources in night conditions.
My Lighting from Behind piece, he though was very nice. It just needs a couple more minutes to put some subtleties into the face, but he liked how understated it was.
But by far, Craig really like the Figure in Interior composition of Bhairavi. He loved the staging of the piece, and the backlit figure from the large window. I had a lot of fun with this piece, and I think that shows very obviously.
I need to paint more things that spark my interest from the start…. because every time (and mean EVERY TIME), they've always been my best pieces. In anything I've ever done.
Like 18x24 big. Same time-frame…. 40 min…. just using bigger brushes at the beginning of the painting. It was different, and the same….. all at once. Very fun! But it can get expensive fast, I would guess.
I also turned in my final round of studies. He said a lot of the pieces had a lot of potential to be great larger pieces. But my Nocturne was by far my weakest…. which I completely agreed with. I knew I was rushing through when I was painting it, and it shows. I definitely need more practice in painting light sources in night conditions.
My Lighting from Behind piece, he though was very nice. It just needs a couple more minutes to put some subtleties into the face, but he liked how understated it was.
But by far, Craig really like the Figure in Interior composition of Bhairavi. He loved the staging of the piece, and the backlit figure from the large window. I had a lot of fun with this piece, and I think that shows very obviously.
I need to paint more things that spark my interest from the start…. because every time (and mean EVERY TIME), they've always been my best pieces. In anything I've ever done.
WEEK 13 - Professional Practices
This week we pitched our idea for "The Colorful Adventures of Hush and Brush"!
Personally, I thought we absolutely nailed it. Even considering how underdeveloped the other pitches were. But I thought our idea was clear, well laid out, concise, and innovative, while playing right into the hands (or paws) of our target demographic.
We will find out next week who won the grand prize.
3D model by Tao Di
WEEK 12 - Drawing for Film
This week, I put up most of my Tuner color keys for Anthony to review. And he liked them!
And then he asked a very important question….. "What are these for?"
This brought up the great discussion of painting with intent. Where are your paintings going to go after you finish them? Modeling department? Lighting? Animation?
Because each of those department are going to require different things from your painting. Pretty pictures are nice, but they're worth shit to a modeler.
How does this painting fit into the production pipeline?
He asked me to strengthen the lighting on some of the paintings and not to go so tight on others.
In the end, a great critique.
And then he asked a very important question….. "What are these for?"
This brought up the great discussion of painting with intent. Where are your paintings going to go after you finish them? Modeling department? Lighting? Animation?
Because each of those department are going to require different things from your painting. Pretty pictures are nice, but they're worth shit to a modeler.
How does this painting fit into the production pipeline?
He asked me to strengthen the lighting on some of the paintings and not to go so tight on others.
In the end, a great critique.
WEEK 12 - Quick Studies
This week, we went on location to paint plain-air in South Park, just across the street from the Federal building. It was really fun to be outside. Great atmosphere.
I'm really starting to feel more relaxed while painting. I've stopped worrying so much, and have kind of found a groove that works. I think.
WEEK 12 - Professional Practices
This week, we gave our preliminary pitches for The Color Kittens animated series.
It did not go well. There was some miscommunication and misunderstanding on my part, and we weren't as prepared as we should have been. Couple that with Gil being his slightly over-dramatic self, trying to teach us a "valuable lesson"….. It did not go as I would have liked.
But we're gonna get it next week.
It did not go well. There was some miscommunication and misunderstanding on my part, and we weren't as prepared as we should have been. Couple that with Gil being his slightly over-dramatic self, trying to teach us a "valuable lesson"….. It did not go as I would have liked.
But we're gonna get it next week.
WEEK 11 - Drawing for Film
This week I worked on some shader packets for some Tuner props.
Anthony had great suggestions of just plusing things here and there. Adding story details and such.
Anthony had great suggestions of just plusing things here and there. Adding story details and such.
WEEK 11 - Quick Studies
We worked more on exaggerating colors.
Craig made it very clear that we should always try and push the HUE and the TEMPERATURE….. but keep the VALUE accurate!
If you see a color…. PUSH IT!
Sometimes putting pure Aliziron Crimson into the shadows, can help make them really pop.
With pale skin, the shadows need to have more color.
There is more color in shadows of lighter base tones.
Plane change = Temperature change
It's easier to see changes in larger areas, than it is in smaller shapes.
The shadow side is the ambient lighting from the room, and typically cool. Then the bounce light will appear warmer in relation to the core of the shadow, as it is receiving the warm light from above, indirectly.
Glancing light shows more color in the shadows, because it's not bleaching it out with direct light.
Make quick decisions….. you're going to be wrong most of the time. Learn to embrace it!
If you didn't get it right the first time…. DON'T PANIC….. just put it in.
"I've got 2 whole minutes….. what am I going to do with all this time?"
Lights will only have a lot of color if the shadows are damn near black.
Craig made it very clear that we should always try and push the HUE and the TEMPERATURE….. but keep the VALUE accurate!
If you see a color…. PUSH IT!
Sometimes putting pure Aliziron Crimson into the shadows, can help make them really pop.
With pale skin, the shadows need to have more color.
There is more color in shadows of lighter base tones.
Plane change = Temperature change
It's easier to see changes in larger areas, than it is in smaller shapes.
The shadow side is the ambient lighting from the room, and typically cool. Then the bounce light will appear warmer in relation to the core of the shadow, as it is receiving the warm light from above, indirectly.
Glancing light shows more color in the shadows, because it's not bleaching it out with direct light.
Make quick decisions….. you're going to be wrong most of the time. Learn to embrace it!
If you didn't get it right the first time…. DON'T PANIC….. just put it in.
"I've got 2 whole minutes….. what am I going to do with all this time?"
Lights will only have a lot of color if the shadows are damn near black.
Monday, April 14, 2014
WEEK 11 - Professional Practices
We turned in our business cards this week. Gil really liked mine. He said it was really well designed.
We then talked about The Pitch. Next week we'll be making a pitch for an animated series based on the children's story "The Color Kittens."
Things to keep in mind:
- be clean
- don't be boring
- know the industry
- select a specific genre for the show
- know the client
- always smile
- make client feel comfortable
- open wight he most important details first
- be PROFESSIONAL but ENTHUSIASTIC
- be conscious about body language
- keep it short
- prepare for Q&A
- research current programming
- avoid reading the floor
- be CONFIDENT!
We then talked about The Pitch. Next week we'll be making a pitch for an animated series based on the children's story "The Color Kittens."
Things to keep in mind:
- be clean
- don't be boring
- know the industry
- select a specific genre for the show
- know the client
- always smile
- make client feel comfortable
- open wight he most important details first
- be PROFESSIONAL but ENTHUSIASTIC
- be conscious about body language
- keep it short
- prepare for Q&A
- research current programming
- avoid reading the floor
- be CONFIDENT!
WEEK 10 - Drawing Film
I showed more of my thesis work.
Anthony suggested I do a shader packet of Albert's piano. Really adding lots of wear and tear on the wood. I plan to work on that this week.
Anthony suggested I do a shader packet of Albert's piano. Really adding lots of wear and tear on the wood. I plan to work on that this week.
WEEK 10 - Quick Studies
This week we focused on exaggerated color. Enhancing the hue and temperature of the color, without altering the value at all. This exercise also helps us develop our observation skills.
Color is a combination of light and local color.
Craig also talked about how planes that face the light are typically warmer, then as the form turns into shadow, it cools down, but then as the plane turns underneath, it warms back up again.
If you see a subtle shift, make it extreme, but make sure not to change the value.
Shadows are the anchor of the painting.
Worst Thing….. if you're wrong, you lost 25 minutes and you get it on the next one.
Color is a combination of light and local color.
Craig also talked about how planes that face the light are typically warmer, then as the form turns into shadow, it cools down, but then as the plane turns underneath, it warms back up again.
If you see a subtle shift, make it extreme, but make sure not to change the value.
Shadows are the anchor of the painting.
Worst Thing….. if you're wrong, you lost 25 minutes and you get it on the next one.
Also, I turned in some quick studies…..
I need to stop cropping the images at the bottom, where the focal point is right on the bottom of the canvas.
Craig mentioned that we should never trust the photo. We are better than the photo. We're artists. You're the Creator of your painting. Change ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to make your painting better!
WEEK 10 - Professional Practices
This week we focused on designing our business cards.
Gil really focused on the importance of crafting a memorable first impression. He showed us a lot of good designs, and a lot of bad designs. Most of the good designs were good simply because….. they were simple. The ones that were bad, were usually too busy, over-thought, and trying way too hard to be something they just weren't.
For next week, we're deigning our own cards. I'll be changing up my design a little, but the basic theme will remain the same.
Gil really focused on the importance of crafting a memorable first impression. He showed us a lot of good designs, and a lot of bad designs. Most of the good designs were good simply because….. they were simple. The ones that were bad, were usually too busy, over-thought, and trying way too hard to be something they just weren't.
For next week, we're deigning our own cards. I'll be changing up my design a little, but the basic theme will remain the same.
Friday, April 4, 2014
WEEK 9 - Drawing for Film
I didn't really have anything new to show for this week's class.
But Anthony gave a great tip about designing strong characters:
Think of starting with shapes that have nothing to do with that character. For example, start with numbers, or letters. What does a character look like if they're shaped like the number 5? Or the letter P? Or even shapes like household items. A character that has the same silhouette as a blender, perhaps?
We're taking a trip to Pixar next Tuesday!
But Anthony gave a great tip about designing strong characters:
Think of starting with shapes that have nothing to do with that character. For example, start with numbers, or letters. What does a character look like if they're shaped like the number 5? Or the letter P? Or even shapes like household items. A character that has the same silhouette as a blender, perhaps?
We're taking a trip to Pixar next Tuesday!
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