Tutoring International Students

I've been given the opportunity to tutor some international students, from Michigan USA, who are studying a short course in the Animation department of DJCAD, for the next four weeks.

First step was a tour around the building with Phillip Vaughan and then delivering their project brief; which is to create an animatic for a 1 - 2 minute animation.

The brief is open, with no guides or restrictions, which will encourage them to define their own ideas and reveal their imagination.

After a good session of brainstorming a natural opportunity for a 'creative break' presented itself. Krish, shown in the foreground below, is currently shooting his final film.

One of our international students, Emily, found herself in the lead girl role! They all got 'live' experience and witnessed, and participated with suggestions, for camera positions, set ups and shot continuity.

I love this image below...it looks so 'American high school'; with the lockers, stripy flooring and a casually dressed student wearing a back pack....

So day 1, has really broken the ice and provided some great bonding experiences with the current Masters students...

Looking forward to seeing their ideas nuggets pitch, this coming Tuesday!

Cat poses and test frames for Elena Lam's film

Playing with cat poses for Elena Lam's 2D animated film this week....great to be using my graphics tablet and photoshop to create some quick ideas and poses...

The image below has been created by Elena, showing her concept designs and cat poses....
I played with adding the texture fur, using Loish brushes in Photoshop

And my test poses and cat drawings below, to keep cohesive and in keeping with Elena's cat designs....
So that the artwork remains consistent

Reflective Practice - Rome's Invisible City

Fantastic BBC programme

Rome's Invisible City. Autodesk's 3D scan software Recap has created exact scans, down to 1mm in accuracy, of the hidden city in Rome.

Amazing fly throughs, with skeletal and transparent trees, cars and urban buildings, hovering above 'ginger root' structures underneath.

Breathtaking imagery and a masterpiece in 3D capture technology...

https://designandmotion.net/reality-capture/romes-invisible-city/

Ice and sunlight; storyboard images

Found this great image on the following blog https://loristillman.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/icicles-and-silence-send-mighty-reminders/

Interesting title 'Icicles and Silence send mighty reminders..

I've played with the image and added some specular glare and sun rays in Photoshop; to form part of my storyboard in my animatic for my final film 'THAW'

Ongoing reflective practice; whatever the situation

So, researching the procedure for an Art based PhD....this cycle springs to mind...

Post Graduate Conference - DJCAD June 6 -7 2016

Well what an inspirational week....
I was invited to submit an abstract for THAW and present the initial research and ideas for my final Masters project: as part of the Post Graduate  'Transformative Practice' Conference at DJCAD 6-7 June 2016. http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/events/
The Keynote speakers Dr Sunil Manghani (University of Southampton) and Dr Joanna Choukeir (University of the Arts London, Kingston and Ravensbourne University) were very inspirational; not only the content of the presentations, but the ethical ideas behind their research and ongoing practice.
I gained some unexpected information regarding the depth and breadth of PHD study and the opportunities for ongoing reflective practice and research by way of a part-time practice based or lead PHD...

Food for thought....

Dr Sunil Manghani
"Drawing on Theory"

Dr Joanna Choukeir 

PHD presentation:

Youth in Lebanon: Using collaborative and interdisciplinary communication

 design methods to improve social integration in post-conflict societies

The content and the presentation itself were flawless....

Critical Review - RoboCop 2014

Whoa!
I could see that the overall emotional theme of the film was a desire for Justice, however, it seemed that the cop who became Robocop (against his will. In fact he had no say at all and his wife agreed to the decision) wanted only justice to be delivered towards the 'bad guys'. All the while, Robocop had been reduced to a brain, face, lungs and hand, and doctors could play god and turn him on and off at will.
Where was the justice for him, or his wife or son?
The opening sequence, set in war torn Tehran, suggested a political motive for the script, which evaporated and rapidly developed into the portrayal of a company wanting prestige, power and greed.
Robocop, having been blown to pieces by a car bomb, after a four month rehabilitation (Frankenstein experiment) is once again conscious and able to walk, meets his wife and son at home. They hug a metal carcass.
The closing sequence, by way of Robocop once again being with his wife and son and walking proudly through an airport, implies that justice had been accomplished and a nuclear family can be happy again.
Seriously?
The image below sums up the film for me. Verging on horror, and devoid of human empathy or in fact any true justice at all.
What happens next for that family?