Take 5 final animation sound 10.

These are the final product of the smashing glass sound animation. After I exported the first one, I found that the last part where the strokes accumulate is not smooth enough therefor I add an extra frame as retouch.

The final animation. I am quite happy with this first attempt, I think it successfully show the sound in its shapes and colours. However, I still want to try out different media and forms because digital drawing cannot really show much textures. I might come back to this piece and add some retouch later on. 

Take 5 development

I have started the animation in photoshop and I successfully add in the sound so that I can listen to it and match it with the animation at the same time. According to the plan, I started with a rectangle that is increasing in size to represent the sudden smash sound of the glass.

Instead of red as I mention before, I use orange as the stereo sound because red might be too intimidating and do not match the rest of the colours. I set another layer for the orange strokes so that they can go under the fragments without interrupting them. Originally I was planning to make the strokes with round point but they appear too soft and powerless so that I arrange them with pointy heads so as to emphasize the dynamic movements.

The pieces expand and spread in different direction just like how the sound spread. The yellow pieces are less than the blue ones because the 'twinkly sounds' are less than the heavy sounds. 

At the end the orange strokes accumulate into a point and disappear while the pieces all off the canvas. This is repeated twice as it only lasts 1.5 seconds.

I think it can be improved by having better time management. I have spent too much time testing with different colours and did not put as much time onto the animation which might affect the quality a bit. I want to quickly start the other animation and with a better schedule. 

Take 5 preproduction

I have started the animation in photoshop and I want to animate the picture alongside with the sound which would be more effective and accurate. However, the aif. format cannot be open in photoshop so it has to be converted into mov. format. 

Someone suggests to use imovie and garageband but it do not work on my mac...

Finally I found this website that can help converting formats online for free. It is fast and very flexible with various format file and definitely need to be bookmarked!!!! 

Take 5 concept

We have received a new brief in visual language. We are animating sound by studying its details and visualise sound in different forms, shapes and colours. I took half a day to decide on the sound I want to use and I end up with 7 sounds! (Thanks god, all the sounds are interesting which is extremely difficult to choose 5 out of them). 

I choose to work on number 10 smashing glass sound first and the reason I choose it is because the sound is made up of serval patterns and pitches that would be interesting to transform them into shapes and colours. 

I want to use red as the stereo sound because it is the sound lasts the longest and yellow as the twinkly sound. Fragmentation of the shape mimic the smashing shape that spread randomly in pieces.

This picture is close to my imagination and I want to animate this digitally. After the OUAN405 project, I want to practise more digital drawing and timing and spacing.

Environmental Storytelling research

Tram by Michaela Plavlatova

Tram - Michaela Pavlatova from Film Club Productions on Vimeo.

I could not find the full version of this animation and apparently it is amazing in terms of its story and style. I think the use of colour is bold and experinmenting as only the lady has colours which draws all the attention onto her. The lighting and shading have create a atmosphere of tireless and bored of the people who go to work everyday by tram and contrast to the sassy and erotic female driver. There are not much in the background but street lights and some dull cars that could avoid distraction and simplify the animation.

Environmental Storytelling research

Run Wrake - Rabbit 2005

This animation was shown to us during the lesson which is full of surprise and the content is extraordinary dark. The plot is totally crazy and out of expectation while the style is equally astonishing and it is interesting to watch a dark animation with the 2D illustrations in children's book and what is more making them alive in 3D. There are not much lighting or shading due to the art style but the spacial awareness is brilliant and the composition is compact yet confusing. The use of this kind of 2D environment might limit the amount of information and not looking as good as the 3D generated background. However, this is still an unique approach which is innovative and inspiring.

Environmental storytelling research

Luis Cook

His sketchbook is full of thumbnails and little sketches and ideas. Even the little doodles could be further developed into big ideas. The use of thumbnails is something I have never tried before and they look so professional and effective on the sketchbook for generating concepts. A mixture of words and drawings might be thought provoking when creating a story visually and aurally. I enjoy his animation so much and there are traces of his notebook and I can tell that both of them are closely linked together.

The animation 'The Pearce Sister' is such an unique and dark story with an unusually environment and characters. I especially like the use of colours and texture in the animation which bring out the creepiness and the 'smell' of the scene. The space is really well designed to show depth and build up an environment for black humorous. The texture of the sand is so realistic that encourage audiences to believe in the story and being part of it. Overall, the background has played a vital role in this animation but never stand out more than main characters.

Environmental Storytelling

1)Where are you drawing? 

Sai Wan (literally means west ring, west borough or west district) in Hong Kong

Why have you chosen to draw there?

It is an old area of Hong Kong which is far from where I live. It has a lot of old buildings and historical heritages. The main age range in this district is about 50-80 so the environment and people are rather vintage.

What are you expecting to see, what is of interest to you?

I am expect to see a lot of cultural stuffs that people did in the last and still doing in Sai Wan today and it is a special area in this international city. 

What do you think you are going to draw whilst there?

 I think I am going to draw the landscape, people's daily life. Beautiful places I have never been before.

How are you going to draw? 

I am going to observe the environment first and find different spot to draw in order to experience the view in various perpectives. I take photographs and record what I have drawn in that day and interact with some people.

I was having so much fun talking to people I do not know and this is something I have never tried before. I took these picture with these cute little fellows after I drew them playing in the basketball court.

What media are you going to use?

To ease my trip to Sai Wan, I did not bring any paint. I think it might be good to just do some quick sketches and I did not plan to stop at one place for long so just by pencil and colour pencil.

What about the composition and how can it be used as storytelling device? 

I did not include much light or shadings but I think some of the perspective could really show the depth and some story behind. 

Are there famous/infamous stories about the spaces that you already know?

Not really, but it is where my grandmother lives so I am quite interested in this (un)familiar place.

Since Sai Wan is near the coastline, it is popular of seafood or preserved seafood and this is a typical preserved seafood shop in Sai Wan.

The buildings are tall and dense which is a disaster for me as I am not good at sketching buildings and architecture or straight line... I avoid drawing buildings...

2)Where are you drawing?

In a shopping mall in Hong Kong that I have never been before.

Why have you chosen to draw there?

It is interesting to explore the places I am unfamiliar with.

What are you expecting to see, what is of interest to you?

I expect to see some beautiful christmas decorations, people shopping and maybe resting.

What do you think you are going to draw whilst there?

I think I am going to draw interior and exterior scenes.

How are you going to draw?

I sat in a cafe and observe and movement, the conversation people have. In the afternoon, I sat outdoor and observe further more about the shadings and people who rest.

What media are you going to use?

Colour pencil and ink pen because they are convenient.

What about the composition and how can it be used as storytelling device?

Shadows in the garden could generate an atmosphere within the drawing and the position of the people (the character) is important in storytelling as well. I have to move instead of changing the surrounding in order to sketch a good 'story' onto the paper.

A reflection of the christmas tree decoration. Trying out different perspectives and this is one of the  sketch I like.

My favourite sketch of that day. I like it because of the composition and the shading that tell a story of that lady.

3)Where are you drawing?

Paris Airport

Why have you chosen to draw there?

Kill time during interchange and the interior design is beautiful.

What are you expecting to see, what is of interest to you?

I wish to see some people in rush, some people fall asleep and the busy and quiet moment of the airport.

What media are you going to use?

I just used pen and pencil.

What about the composition and how can it be used as storytelling device?

The spacious place allows a lot story to be told and the people all have different experience and background that I could imagine when drawing them. I have also tried to see the world in a whole new perspective which is to imagine myself as little fairy. 

 I think my sketching skill can be improved a lot more by practising daily. I can use different media and challenge myself to use them while doing life drawing. The quality of line can also be improved by taking more time sketching. I found myself impatient during live drawing and I can be easily bored when sketching details.

Sketchbook

We received a brief in December 2014 and which allow me to generate quick ideas based on one word. The word I chose is plant because I always love nature and being surrounded by plants. What's more, I am encouraged to think outside the box for example plant can be factories plants or an action to plant some ideas. 

I sort of just started in my daily watercolour sketchbook and let the ideas come through and tried work on normal sketchbook as well. I like the colour and softness that only watercolour can show but I think this is a good chance to try out different working approaches.

I like this mushroom man and I want to make a story out of him.

Plant a hair

After I watched Inception, I really like the idea of planting another idea in someones' mind. Here is the totem that could allow the characters to distinguish between dream and reality.

The daisies do not have any outline so it is quite difficult to get the portion right.

This is a compartmental cabinet for storing Chinese herbs. Plants are widely used in Chinese medicine and they are like living history. I try using masking fluid for the tags and it is so addictive.

I received a lot of positive feedbacks from the class which really encourage me and build up self esteem. Some comments are like: The characters are expressive; strong shading and define imagery. A lot of them encourage me to try out different media for example using acrylic and oil pastels!MARKED!

I have definetly tried out some drawing or painting methods that are so different from what I used to and it is a good practice for me to push myself to try and to explore. However, I still find myself being restricted by own style so... need to feel more comfortable to experienment.