Dadu Shin

I really admire the illustrations of Dadu Shin and really enjoyed reading this interview where he talks about the process of making his work. I enjoy looking at artists' work in process. Things are still unrefined and the emphasis is just on putting down an idea.

Looking at Dadu Shin's sketchbook pages made me realise that I haven't used a proper sketchbook for a very long time. I find them quite intimidating since often I feel like I am ruining nicely bound sketchbooks. Usually I prefer working on cheap A4 printer paper. Working this way has it's advantages since I can then spread out all the sheets of paper which I find particularly useful when I'm working on ideas but often I end up loosing them. I also miss working on bigger surfaces (not massive, maybe A3) and also doing observational drawing. Something tells me that I will soon be making a visit to the Seawhite of Brighton and buy some cheap (definitely less intimidating than Moleskines) sketchbooks.

Shiva and Vishnu

I've been doing some research for a narrative I am writing and found these beautiful images. The first one is Shiva and Vishnu as one being and the second one shows the Trimurti (Hindu Triad) - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - with their wives. In Hindu philosophy Brahma creates the Universe, Vishnu protects and Shiva destroys it.

I've also been looking at beautiful yoga poses to animate and have to admit that the handstand scorpion is one of my favourites. I have asked my yoga teacher whether she knows anybody who can perform this pose so that I can observe how one gets in and out of it and it seems there is nobody in Brighton. I could always use Kino's videos as references but it would be nice to see it from different angles. I definitely find it one of the most impressive and visually interesting yoga poses.

Website update

I have updated my website with new work. Still need to add my show reel but I think I will create another section for it. Take a look here.

I've spent most of today doing a storyboard for an animation I want to create. I thought I finished the storyboard last week but I realised I'd have to spend at least a year animating so I am editing it at the moment. Animation and interactive stories need so much planning. I want to do an illustration before I start such a big project.

Planning

Still working on this interactive project with a friend...it is getting there though! Usually I don't plan everything but I haven't got a choice now since I have to explain to my programmer friend what my ideas are and how I want things to work.
It is so rewarding to see my work becoming interactive!

What is missing?

My friend Raissa sent me a link to this amazing website called 'What is missing' about our impact on other species. I found it incredibly inspiring since I am working on a narrative on a similar issue for an animation. One of the most useful links on the website is the 'What you can do' so do click on that. Beautifully made and incredibly informative.

3D Max Robot tutorial

I feel like I am doing 1000 things at the same time. One of those things is  this 3D Studio max Robot tutorial. It's taking me ages, mainly because I do it between other things and usually avoid it because I find it tricky. I find all these 3d software words like lathing, lofting, splines, vertices, polys etc very entertaining!

I am also working on a narrative/storyboard for a new animation while getting rid of a lot of my unnecessary stuff since I will move to London soon. I love giving away my stuff. It's one of the nicest feelings in the world. I used to keep everything, decorate every surface, but after moving a couple of times I realised what an amazing thing it is to own very little.

But for now I will finish spline modelling the robot's head.

Showreel 2012

And here is my 2012 Animation showreel...Enjoy!

Dazed Digital May Playlist Animation

I did this short animation for Dazed Magazine's Online Playlist. Check out the playlist here. The A was part of my alphabet illustration and ever since I drew it I wanted to animate it. The brief was to do whatever I wanted as long as it said Dazed Digital Playlist. So here it is...enjoy!

Swami - work in progress

Another project I'm working on at the moment with a friend. Nearly finished all the visuals for it and it is going to become interactive soon!

I am having a bit of a crazy day today. I am happy because I got my RCA interview results and I got in (!!!) to do Animation so now I'm finding it hard to concentrate and work. All I've done today was the Eye of Horus on this drawing and a few leaves on the tree.

I've also been trying to arrange pet transport to take my cat to Cyprus so that he can live his life in a house with a garden rather than in tiny places in London and realised what a mission it is (and incredibly unreasonably priced). My ticket is a third of my cat's ticket.

Work in progress - Ecology

I have been interested in green energy and ecology lately so I wanted to make something to express my beliefs on the subject. I think I'm going to make a big illustration or -maybe- an animation. 

I sent an e-mail to Greenpeace to let them know what I intend to do and they sent a really encouraging reply back, which motivated me even more to work on this project.

These are just some of the elements I will be using. I miss working with real materials, I've been making everything on the computer lately so I think I will try making some models at some point and use them as backgrounds for projects.

The Eagleman Stag by Mikey Please

A beautiful BAFTA award winning short film by the amazing Mikey Please whom I also had the pleasure to meet at the Pictoplasma conference/festival in Berlin. Beautiful story and visuals!

I have started an illustration on ecology. It is still at a very early stage since I have to do quite a lot of things at the same time like self-promotion and learning 3D Max. I have an interview for the RCA Animation course on Tuesday which is exciting!

Literary Platform Animation

My animation for the Literary Platform animation competition made it on the top ten longlist! Yay! A big thank you to everybody who voted! Results will come out on Towel day (25 of May). Wish me luck!

Alice Pattullo

Beautiful illustrations by my incredibly talented friend Alice Pattullo. You can see more of her work on her portfolio website. Had a really great time with her yesterday eating chocolate and talking about the world of illustration.

Aaron Leighton

Aaron Leighton gave a really interesting talk about his work at Pictoplasma in Berlin and I was lucky enough to meet him. These photographs/illustrations are part of his Spirit City Toronto project (which also got published in a book) and you can see more of his work here. Aaron enjoys discovering and documenting creatures in boring urban landscapes. If you look hard enough next time you go for a walk maybe you can see them too!