New Props

Here's a series of props I have designed for the film I am producing during my 3rd year, 'Ticked Off'. I am really enjoying the process of bringing a world to life. Something I've always been inspired by in animation, is the attention to detail in the smallest of things. To me, backgrounds are so important in the enhancement of storytelling. Each prop adds a little bit more personality to both character and environment, and I've really enjoyed exploring this alongside producing this year. 

More Background Layouts for Ticked Off

Wild Wood Complete

Background Layouts for Ticked Off - 3rd Year Film

Working on The Wild Wood

 So I've started the next part of my commission, The Wild Wood. I started by creating a rough layout and moved quickly on to blocking out the colours. Once again trying to keep it as simple and clean as possible. One thing I've always struggled with, is how to create the sense that something is in the distance, so this will definitely be a test and hopefully a learning curve.

Obviously theres still an extremely long way to go, but just like the previous background for this commission, I'm really enjoying the process and being able to have something creative to do alongside my studies!

Commission Update

I've finished the stately home background. I tried to keep it as simple as possible in terms of style, the lines are clean, most of the colouring is made up of block colours. I have however added a little texture to some of the items to avoid the scene looking flat. It's turned out much better than I thought it would. 
However I still feel it could be better. With the time produced to create the scene however, I need to move on with the next task.

My first ever commission!

I was contacted about a week ago, by a theatre company called Boxtree productions, who asked if I could create a set of still and panning transitional backgrounds for their backdrops during a Wind in the Willows production. They're flying out to Saudi Arabia in two weeks to start performing which didn't give me a lot of time to get everything they wanted done. I've taken the role of art director and background artist, and to tackle the lack of time, I've recruited a second year to help me with some of the workload.

When I asked for artist reference, I was sent a set of very simplistic backgrounds with block colours, very little shading etc. I asked Rebecca to work on the seasonal transition backgrounds, so I created a base for her to work on.

I then started working on a stately interior for a scene in Toad Hall. I still have a way to go with this background, however I'm liking where it's going so far. Since I've never been paid to do any work specifically to fit a brief before, I'm being super critical of what I'm producing. Which in some ways is definitely a good thing, because I'm paying attention to detail. However, it's also making it hard for me to feel happy with what I'm creating. 

The sketchy line work is how I map out ways I can clutter up the scene and create a more lived in atmosphere. I love designing props and it's definitely the one thing that has been pushing my boundaries a little and really expanding my knowledge of background design and how much work really goes into it.

A finished animation background

Recent Personal Art

Something I was lacking during second year, was personal art. I just stopped drawing, painting, creating my own art, which in turn, impeded my drawing ability as a whole. This year (2018), I've made it my own persona goal, to create more of my own work. Some recent illustration and drawing below: 

Quick line drawing with a 0.4 fine liner. - Thailand 

Work in progress pencil drawing - Based off of a photo 

Pencil Illustration of my brother 

Digital illustration I created for my brother and sister's mum! 

One I'm most proud of. For this I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried a little more realism with colour. I definitely have a long way to go but I love the vibrancy of this piece and will definitely be using coloured pencils more. 

Ostrich Illustrations

A course mate's film pitch idea was about an Ostrich police Officer called 'DCI Neck'. Unfortunately, the film didn't get green lit, however in the time we waited for results, I illustrated my idea of what DCI Neck would look like!

Props Props Props

All I seem to be posting about recently is prop designs, but I just love doing them. I've always been a sucker for all the little trinkets you see, or maybe don't see, in animations. The way a toothbrush is kept by the character, the level of clutter they're happy to live with, all of the personal mess surrounding an environment, I love. Coming to an end of the first semester, I think I'll continue to create props and further the personality of my backgrounds in semester two.