Social Media Update

After watching everyone's creative presence presentations, it motivated to get more active on all my social media platforms so I have updated my Linked In. It's not a platform I often remember to post to so I'll need to make a concerted effort. I definitely need to improve at this seeing as LinkedIn is such a good place to find opportunities!

I'm also considering branding my social media more, I started with trying to use an icon of me that I'd drawn rather than a photo of myself. I liked the sketch but wasn't a fan of my digital development, so it's something I'm going to work on, but here are some iterations...

Study Task 3: An Interview with Reg Isaac

For this brief we were asked to interview a practioner and the first name that came to mind was Reg Isaac as I have found his animation to be effortlessly impressive, as is his character design despite it not being his focus!

The link to the interview is here:

https://issuu.com/eloise.wayling/docs/pdf_interview_with_reg_isaac

The Plan: Immediate and Long Term

Immediate Plans to improve my Practice
I want to work constantly on my weaknesses and thoroughly on my current strengths. I intend on always carrying my sketchbook with me, life drawing and focussing on traditional art equal to digital art. I hope to FINALLY complete a monthly challenge e.g. Adventure April, Mermay.
I recognise a strength in background design so I will work on some environment/film studies- being able to recreate great compositions will develop my understanding of good design so that I can create my own.
As I've mentioned I already read up on my interests, but I want to do further reading and learning on character design, visual development and colour theory.
I am motivated to work through the Animator's Survival Kit and a Book of Things to Draw to look to for inspiration.
I really enjoy working on commissions so it's something that I need to work to promote more! On this note, I want to continue maintaining my social media- I'm fairly present on Instagram but my LinkedIn page needs a lot of work.

Next Year
As I am deferring my third year I have had to do a lot of reflection on this year and what I want to do next to get me to where I want to be. I'm now choosing to see my deferral in a positive way, I am caring for my health whilst maintaining that I will return in a year stronger, and better at what I do.

I am looking to Work Experience and Internships wherever I can for however long I can- and hope to grasp opportunities in London as it is commutable. Hence why I'd like to make an effort in involving myself with the London Animation Club also. It's really about working a way into the industry, like contacting Reg, and I hope to volunteer at MAF.

My biggest struggle will be to stay motivated next year, which is why submitting work to live briefs, Loopdeloop or 11 second club will give me a deadline to work to and will give me the feedback and otherwise miss out on from not being in uni around peers and tutors.

In my year, I will be continuing my progress with my immediate plans, possibly creating a second of animation a day so that I have a end product at the end of the year like https://vimeo.com/83155234 , or it may be that my learnt skills amount to an end of year film, but I'm not going to pressure myself into that. The focus is to curate skills so that when I do return to uni I feel confident in making my graduate film. I think I might choose a focus within animation each month, be it a type of software, visual development or colour theory.


A couple pieces I have done outside of uni work to keep the practice going:

For Chinese New Year

My Parents

Extra Influences: Artists

I constantly have an influx of different artists that I'm looking at, specifically from Instagram - it's such an amazing platform because you have artists who are building their careers in the same room as those still, or having worked at the likes of Pixar and Disney. I love seeing the more casual drawings from artists who have created some of my favourite animation characters-I've also included the work of Mary Blair on Alice in Wonderland, I have been inspired recently by illustrative styles and love the vibrant colours in the work (colour is something I need to work on!) Generally I find that the artists I follow specialise in character design or visual development, all very relevant to my personal practice. There are a few artists that I always look forward to seeing work from (below) but I also archive any pieces that I find particularly fascinating- to study the colour, try the style, the technique which will only serve to maximise my portfolio and create a greater breadth of skills. This summer and onwards, I am so excited to fill my time trying new things, taking inspiration from these artists and working my way through my notebook of ideas. It really has introduced me to a plethora of art styles that I want to sink my teeth into, because I'm not pinning my work to one style, I just want to create good work, hopefully!

Mary Blair's work

Extra Influences: Films/Books

To help further my practice I enjoy reading art books, especially the making of books...
Despite not having a focus in stop motion, I loved the Making of The Fantastic Mr Fox, seeing the process, the directors notes and the concept art was fascinating because it is such a visually stunning film and is a good reminder that I could still work in stop motion (which does interest me!) within character design.
The Making of Spirited Away and Ratatouille are incredible in regards to character design, I always adored the variation and different character silhouettes that they both display in the films. It's a stark reminder that I have a long way to go but is forever inspiring.
I have also fallen in love with Heikala from Instagram, her watercolour painting progress videos make it look SO easy and have influenced a new drive to be able to have the skills to incorporate watercolour/gouache into my work, and being able to flick through her book Once to see what is possible with traditional paint is great.

It is always useful as an animation student to see these films deconstructed in books, but also to have an influx of the films in action, I recently saw The Isle of Dogs as I loved Wes Anderson's direction in Fantastic Mr Fox so much. Even in the opening sequence I was in awe of the smooth, weighted motion of the drummer boys. I loved the unique characters portrayed in the dogs, a cast of dogs could've easily restricted the depth portrayed but a lot of emotion was shown in the film.

Once by Heikala

Ratatouille

Fantastic Mr Fox

Spirited Away

Presentation: A Look Back on Second Year