IDENTification

See what I did there?

E4 is basically a channel that has a number of programmes, mainly revolving around the comedy/drama genre. The general idents that I have looked at are rather bold, in-your-face and easily recognisable, not only for the logo but also for the white and purple palette used in the majority of videos.


I have looked at many idents, mainly E4 based, and now I am going to look at 5 in detail. These will be looked at for a number of reasons, mainly because they relate to my intended medium, have an appealing art style or an appropriate theme that I find fitting for the channel.



This one stuck out for me immediately because it is a form of not only traditional but stop motion, both of which interest me. The movement is sped up, showing the ident being coloured in quickly. The ident is an adorable idea but in my eyes, it doesn't exactly fit the theme of the channel itself. However if done right it could be a very interesting idea to explore.



This one I had to add just for the sheer amusement factor alone. I remember the old BBC2 idents and was sad when they changed. E4 makes a rather humorous nod to those old idents we knew in loved but of course in its tongue-in-cheek fashion. Everything looks brilliant, the animation style and the background looking exactly like the old BBC2 idents.



This one actually came 2nd place in a previous E4 ident competition. I liked the cartoon humour involved with the E4 logo being the birds flying over the character's head.



This one just made me literally laugh out loud (and everyone in the class) mainly because it was so unexpected, given the look of the art style. I did expect it to be an innocent scene of a child on a ride. However, it seems oddly fitting to the channel, how it pulls surprises in a humorous fashion.



I enjoyed the art style and colouring in this one, definitely lots of effort involved. Doesn't seem to fit the channel for me but again something I enjoyed watching.

One thing I did notice was that most of them had a jumpy kind of beat for the channel's theme, obviously trying to show a young trendy side to rein in a younger audience.

Well, its been a while...

Indeed it has. And I did warn about my inability to keep things updated blogwise. I apologise nonetheless and I intend to remedy this right now.

We have wrapped up our AD105 projects, complete with sound. I wasn't able to complete all of my animation as most of my time was taken up with trying to understand Cinema 4D, which I now have a much better understanding of. So I just had to animate what I had done and I ended up taking a lot of scenes out and adding newer things in. For example I removed the montage of the footloose pigeon helping footless and instead had a human step on the dismembered foot caught in gum before accidentally dropping a piece of bread. If I had more time, I would have been able to animate Footloose motivating Footless with the bread.

For the most part, everything came out rather well and the sudo 3D seemed pretty apparent to me. I wasn't able to add in a lot of sound, again due to time restrictions but also because certain sound files refused to work, such as background city noise. My sound research needs to be redone as I did not have all the sources needed and the right questions that needed to be answered. Now that I have these things, I will be able to redo them with little problem and hopefully get the 40% mark I need.

Now onto the previous week. We are starting to look into character design and before we break the rules of anatomy, we first have to learn them. We did this with an intense 9:30am-3pm (with breaks) course of life drawing. I had done life modeling previously in High School but this time, we used a male model so that was an experience in itself.

Monday

We started the week by looking at where our drawing skills were- just drawing the model without prior teaching. Immediately, I could tell my skills were limited as I am not very good with realism and that I tend to draw too small on the paper. Dave looked at all our work and, using me as an example, showed the class how to use the pencil measuring trick, where one uses their pencil and thumb to measure the size and width of the subject’s head before sketching it down, and using the measuring length to measure the model’s body, shoulder’s, arms, legs and so on. After I had been taught this, I found it easier to use more of the paper, although my anatomy skills still left much to be desired at this point.

Next we had a disc over the pencil to stop us seeing what we were drawing. This was to stop us from being under-confident in our linework. I found this hard as I am used to being messy with linework and changing things as I go through. I don’t like the idea of just drawing a line without having to change it in some way. I understand that it’s a confidence thing, but I know myself and I am too much of a perfectionist to let myself try to get it right first time.

After this we did our own drawing of the model using pencil that we would show the class later and critique them. Dave pointed out the ‘alien eyes’ that I had given the model (they were dupposed to be realistic, I just didn’t have time to put the pupils in!) and that I tended to give a curvy, almost feminine lines to a character and that I should try being rougher, giving more variety to character designs and could also use them to portray a rough, bitter character. This is advice that I have found useful.

We then worked with inks and paints, which I found rather difficult but very interesting as well. Used white paint to show where the light is on the model. I think I did very well at this, David was impressed at least.

Tuesday

Today we used charcoal and chalk and started the day by drew a shape which we drew the model in before trying to draw him within it. I found this difficult as I would draw him either too big or too small for the shape I had confined him in. We also drew close ups of parts of his body. I did the hands and feet. I tried to experiment with shading using the chalk and charcoal but I always ended up doing it too dark and had to use a rubber on the darker areas. I tried to show off and add a bit of a shine to the model’s watch, which wasn’t easy at all.

At the end of today, we drew very short ten second poses of the model walking, sitting, holding a stick and so on in preparation of capturing movement. As animators, that’s kind of our job.

Wednesday

Today, the lesson was based on movement. We worked with the inks and white paint again and would draw the model in a pose over the top of the previous drawing. It was very interesting and helped me see what parts of the body went where, as I was learning to study the model quickly as I was drawing and was able to memorise the previous pose. We also did work using contrasting colours of crayons to show light and shade. After lunch, like on Monday, we shared the drawings with the class and I saw how other people used bright colours for light and darker ones for shade. The problem with mine was that both of the colours I was given were dark so I don’t think I was able to portray the light and shade as well as the others were.

Thursday

Today was the final day of life drawing and we had been given the task earlier in the week to decide on an artist out of the ones we had previously researched in the module and create a piece of work based on them using the model. I wasn’t very fond of a lot of materials that the majority of the artists had used and I had been told it was OK to use computer art programs (i.e. Photoshop) if I so wished so I had decided to create a piece inspired by Friends With You.

I had initially wanted the model to be lying down so I could draw him with the cross eyes and have a small ghost fly out of him as if he was dead but more people in the class wanted him to be sitting up, so I decided to have him sitting happily on a cloud with the bright background of stars and rainbows.

I started by sketching out a rough sketch of the model in photoshop. I intended for the model’s body to look realistic enough, considering the simplistic look of the style, but with the facial expression which is famous with the artist (pie eyes, smiley mouth). When I was happy with the sketch, I outlined the model in Illustrator using the pencil tool and saved the file before going back into photoshop. I sorted out a colour palette for the model (skin, hair etc) before locking the lineart and colouring it. This is because there is no lineart in this art style and I wanted to make this as close as possible to the original work. I would colour lineart that would mis with the body (such as skin creases, line of the arm and fingers etc) in a darker colour of the skin tone so that they wouldn’t disappear, and then colour the body, hair, eyes and mouth. I even coloured the model’s watch and gave it a face of one of the friends.

After the model was done, it was time to work on the background. I basically copied a background that had been used previously in their work with clouds, star/sparkles and rainbows, using shapes and changing opacity of the clouds to make it look as close to the original as possible. I also added in the friend with the cross eyes as a humorous afterthought.

I had basically finished the piece very quickly out of everyone in the class but it still needs to be printed out and added with the other pieces I have done over the week.

Evaluation

Overall, I found the week very useful and helpful for me as it has given me ideas of how to look at the body, a new way to draw out the human body, ways to look at light and shading and has improved my confidence in drawing slightly. I still like to sketch things out before I get deep into them but that’s just how I operate and isn’t something that’s going to immediately change, if it ever does. I am happy with the progress I did over this week and I believe the skills I have gained will be put to good use as I continue to draw and develop the work I do.

Now we are moving onto our next project, which is creating an E4 ident. We have gone over the brief and looked at idents that have won previous Esting competitions to give us ideas. At this early stage I am unsure of how I am going to go about this so I am going to create a weekly table which will illustrate what I plan to do on what day. This is to keep me on track and also to set me up for future employment as it keeps me prepared and on task, which is a much sought after trait in an employee.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday + Weekend
Research no less than 20 idents and annotate on blog. Also add to word document and add to file. Additional research on idents themselves, how they represent their channels, what factors are considered to go into this.	Write up short summary of project proposal, class discussion and earliest plans. Look into character designs, concept artwork and so on that I find interesting and that might influence my own artwork for this task. Type up ident research if not already complete, discuss if my ideas are compatible or not to the theme of the channel.	Research the channel of E4 in further detail. This is for me to gain a deeper understanding of what the general theme is, what programmes are shown and how I can reflect all of these in my ident. Discuss initial three ideas that I might use for my ident.	Begin storyboard work on three ideas. By now I’m hoping to have picked out a favourite but must remember to not abandon my other ideas just yet.	Begin and complete work on my presentation discussing what I have researched and discovered, what my three main ideas are ad why, my views on how idents are the face of the channel and what my plans are.

To pass my other module, AD101, I need to keep my blog updated on a weekly basis. I am determined
to do this and break my habit of abandoning them! Typing this has actually given me some guidance and helped me plan what I want to do so it can only be helpful!

Trials and Tribulations

To be frank, I am not overly satisfied with the amount of work I have managed to achieve last week. I have had issues that have been stopping me from getting to college or progressing on my work, mainly snow related and home decoration (not Christmas, we're not getting near those deccies until my bedroom and the spare room are complete!) related scenarios which I need to help out with and I have been finding it hard to juggle everything. However, we are getting near completion with such things and the snow is practically melted away (although not without leaving nice trails of ice that I can happily slip on) so such things shouldn't be much of an issue in the future. It does mean I'll have to finish a lot of frames and editing over Christmas but to me this isn't a problem. I'd have been on the computer colouring/animating something anyway.

What has been kicking my proverbial rear end over and over again is Cinema 4D. We're like the two people that, no matter how hard we try to get along, are spitting feathers and shooting daggers out of our eyes at each other by the end of the night. I had downloaded the free trail to experiment with at home and I can grasp how to move a layer (or whatever its called in that thing) but that's pretty much as far as my understanding goes with the program. To be frank, I'm gonna need to be taught about it like I'm a five year old.

Or just give up on said program and use Animation Shop or Photoshop which I can't see why we can't use in the first place. No doubt its part of the module or something. Blahh.

Hopefully I can discuss said issues with Paul when we do our tutorial talk and hopefully I'll have a better idea of what to do and what I can achieve. I was supposed to show my research and drawings but since I figured all I would be doing was working on the frames, I didn't bring the sketchbooks. Thankfully I have the knowledge locked away in the ol' noggin so at least I have something to talk about!

I'll update when I have a clearer idea of what I'm going to do next. If I have the time/motivation/memory to that is.

Ok, snow? Seriously. Knock it off.

Didn't make it into college AGAIN due to shenanigans of the winter variety. I phoned Paul and he sent me links to download Garage Band and Audacity onto my computer which I am having good fun with. Making sounds for animations is most amusing!

Hopefully I'll be able to make it in tomorrow. Especially since we don't have any more snow falling... touch wood.

I also did more artwork featuring the pigeons, which also kind of relates to the weather we've been having. I've done it all in the cut out style which I suppose could be consider concept art. It's practice, no?

And this is why birds fly South for the winter!

LETS MAKE SOME NOISE!

YEEEEEAH!

*ahem* Yes, this relates to our snazzy little lesson today revolving around SOUND. We watched a little of a Tom and Jerry clip, first muted and then with sound, to try and make us think what noises would probably be used. I had a vague idea and was quite surprised at how different the sounds were when I heard them from what I thought they would be. Makes you realise how little you pay attention to such things. Also makes you see how unique the sound of Tom and Jerry really is!

Anyway, our next task was to go outdoors and after stopping at a certain point, we had to walk back to the college and take note of the noises we heard along the way. This was to give us an idea of what background noises there could be and how the subtleties come together to create effective background noise. I especially found this useful as my animation takes place entirely outdoors, in a town/street/bus depo setting. It has opened my mind towards what what noises can be used to create the scene effectively.

After this, we had a nice little play about on a lovely little program called Audacity. Whats this? Emma actually APPROVES of an unknown program on the Macs? Why yes indeed! And that actually WAS a pig flying past your window. Going oink.

Anyway yes *ahem* we all had good fun on Audacity, recording noises, sounds and speech and modifying them in some way, mainly just playing with and getting used to the program. I've actually recorded random little things that I might one day animate if I ever have the free time. I also practised my pigeon coo noises which actually sound pretty decent on the program. Now that I have further knowledge of noise, sounds and programs, I can start to think what sounds can be used when and where.

So that was rather productive. While I'm here however, I might as well show you some animations that have kept me sniggering like an idiot for the past... number of days (I dread to count). If you've noticed me sniggering and snorting into my hands earlier today, its because of these. A friend of mine introduced me to a Professor Layton parody by Skaijo on deviantArt, titled Proffessor Layton and the Malignant Growth. Not a nice sounding title at all but its actually really amusing. I found parts 2, 3 and 5 the funniest though. They just have more going on in them. Or maybe I just like seeing Layton swear and scream at Luke. Your call.

"F*** has FOUR letters, Professah!"


"BAAAAAASEBALL!"


"I'm 42 years old! I live on the MOON!"


They all seem to have been done on Flash and what really adds to the humour is the overlapping dialogue between characters and sound effects. And the Professor's very inventive threats.

Just curious, does everyone actually read anyone else's blogs? And do they ever comment on them? I know that's kind of in the general knowledge of blogs but I dunno what the rules are with these professional ones.

... Professional? Mine? Yeah riiiight...

And the weeks go onnn...

Huh. I was on a roll last week with my updating. Tis a habit I need to get into.

Anyhow, I think I'm well on my way with my colouring and animating. Again, I have done more backgrounds and characters and I think I have completed all the scenery (although no doubt I'll remember something I've forgotten). I think what I need to focus on mainly is colouring characters and then inbetweening.

As far as inbetweening goes, I won't be doing a lot of drawings and scenes, mainly to keep the cut out look and feel of the piece constant. I imagine it to be similar to how South Park is done, with the jerky movements.

Again, thanks to the drop shadow tool, the quality of the cut out look has improved and I have actually been told the characters look a lot like they've been constructed entirely from paper, which is a look I have been hoping to achieve.

Throughout this whole week, I intend to continue colouring my characters and inbetweening where it is needed. I think every sequence needs at least one more frame between every two that I have done. No doubt I'll need to colour and animate the sequences before I can be sure. Overall though I am very happy with how my artwork is going.

One think to consider is adding in people walking around the pigeons. Paul gave me this idea to add people walking around the pigeons or even through the shot to show how insignificant pigeons generally are through people's eyes. It seems like a very good idea but its all about whether or not I'll have the time (or patience) to animate such a thing. Hopefully I will because I like the message it gives to the story.

Here's hoping I'll actually document more of my progress as the week goes on.

Bloggin' from Home!

Eeeyaaah, had a few minor difficulties getting to college today... in which I never actually GOT there. I stood there in the freezing snow waiting for a train that wouldn't show. Thankfully I phoned Paul and he's told David so hopefully they'll know why I was a no show.

I was basically done waiting for an hour and then had to turn tail and talk home despite the fact that I could barely feel my limbs and that I could barely move. After warming up though, I got right to work.

I have managed to get the majority of my backgrounds finished and tomorrow I am planning on completing them and getting started on my characters. Hopefully a train will arrive tomorrow so that I can get there and discuss some things with Paul or David about a few backgrounds and sequences.

Short entry is short. I am tired and cold ridden. I can feel my throat closing as we speak. Lovely.