OUAN602 - PPP3:
Module Evaluation
Overall, I feel that there is definitely a lot more that I could have done practical-wise for PPP3. I had high hopes of getting my COP final animation finished and submitting it to the Leeds Mind film competition, which didn't happen due to stress and other factors. I would like to enter the competition next year, possibly going even further with my mental health animation "Of Madness & Mania". I want to really use this time until the next Mind competition to polish the animation and possibly add more scenes and improve it further. PPP has enabled me to feel more confident in doing so, engaging with other professionals, and showing off work, even though I have little to show.
I believe I could have done so much better. I was incredibly thrilled to make some Loopdeloops and Do it in 10 animations, but this didn't happen as I was focusing far too much on moving houses, financial worry, and other dya to day problems that seemed to consume my much-needed PPP energy reserves. I am happy with the research I did, as I believe I covered four main research areas (albeit quite roughly on my blog): teaching and education, further education and development, companies and individual professionals (freelancers), and my own current career, volunteering, and personal growth and opportunities.
I wish to take my animation practice further, improve my skills, and comminucate with the outside world more often now that I have embraked on PPP and this animation degree as a whole. I feel like I have found a direction in which I can head off on, and start a career in animation therapy for myself. I wish to freelance as an illustrator/animator part time, with possible help from my well-established family connections and their famous friends, but I wish not to rely on them too much and become a burden. Thanks to this course, I have learned not to be so much of social wallflower, and more of a sunflower (stand out and be loud and proud!). I just need to really hang on in there and keep working!
Thursday, 19 May 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: Web & Social Media Presence
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Web & Social Media Presence
Over the past couple of years, I've set up plenty of accounts and blogs in hope of making my social prsence more known and easy accessible. I have stuck with one, simple name throughout so that people will know what to search for on every social media platform. I chose "Illustrative Elmer" for obvious reasons, and Grace Elmer where applicable. Below are some of my social media pages and blogs, along with online portfolios, professional profiles and so forth:
Facebook: Illustrative Elmer
LinkedIn: Grace Elmer
Twitter: illustrativeelm
Tumblr: Illustrative Elmer
Youtube: Grace Elmer
Redbubble: GrooseJuice
Web & Social Media Presence
Over the past couple of years, I've set up plenty of accounts and blogs in hope of making my social prsence more known and easy accessible. I have stuck with one, simple name throughout so that people will know what to search for on every social media platform. I chose "Illustrative Elmer" for obvious reasons, and Grace Elmer where applicable. Below are some of my social media pages and blogs, along with online portfolios, professional profiles and so forth:
Facebook: Illustrative Elmer
LinkedIn: Grace Elmer
Twitter: illustrativeelm
Tumblr: Illustrative Elmer
Youtube: Grace Elmer
Redbubble: GrooseJuice
OUAN602 - PPP3: Furthering my Education
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Furthering my Education
I've recently been looking into the possiblity of doing a Masters degree in a more specified field and the pros and cons of takingon another course. One of my life goals was to eventually leave the UK and set up residence in Scandinavia as it has been one of the few places on Earth I can see myself tolerating and living peacefully amongst. I have started learning Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian as part of my plan to go on holiday there and I wish to visit some majoy university cities in Scaninavia first to understand how uin life works over there.
Courses in Scandinavia are actually free, even to outsiders, which is a massive pro to studying there. The other obvious pro is that I'd love to live there in the future, so why not kill two birds with one stone? I'm also learning the language so that would make life so much easier.
""Nothing is for free" is a saying that is true in many cases. But in Scandinavia it is possible to get quality education without having to pay tuition fees. If certain prerequisites are met you could also be eligible for financial support that can pay for your living expenses. Through various fellowship programmes, scholarship schemes or student loans, international students can receive funding for a full degree or a limited number of semesters. The number of available scholarships varies from year to year, and competition is keen. Most foreign students in Scandinavia finance their stay without help from scholarships." - Education Scandinavia
"Costs and funding
This section contains information on living cost for students, grants and loans and other funding.
Living costs
Living costs in Sweden depend largely on your individual lifestyle. A sample monthly budget is as follows:
Food: SEK 2,000
Accommodation: SEK 3,750
Local travel: SEK 560
Telephone/internet: SEK 300
Insurance, medical care and hygiene: SEK 300
Hobby/leisure, miscellaneous: SEK 1,100
Total: SEK 8,010
Lunch at a student restaurant on or around campus usually costs between SEK 55-70; at an average café or restaurant, about SEK 65-95. Dinner starts at around SEK 100-150, drinks not included. In most restaurants and bars, an inexpensive beer or glass of wine will cost about SEK 60; prices can be significantly lower at student unions or nations."
Medical bills are easy enough to save on if you bring your EHIC card with you though. Mine ran out last year so I'd have to reapply, but they're free to do so. "International and exchange students who are passport holders and current residents of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland should bring their European Health Insurance Card which is issued by the social insurance office in their home country. The card states that you are entitled to health care with the same conditions and at the same rate as permanent residents in Sweden. Be sure to bring the card whenever you seek medical care."
I once had a Norwegian friend in first year who was studying here for Masters degree, and we were speaking about cost of living funnily enough. He stated that the cost of living in England is so much cheaper than Scandinavia as a whole, as they have a very high rate of tax at the moment. However, he noticed that our wages were awful and he wouldn't like to work here in a standard job! He also mentioned that the price for one pint of beer in Norway was around £14! Ouch! Good job I don't drink! in terms of universities and Masters degrees though, scholarships actually vary from institute to institute so I'd have to shop around and enquire a lot to get the best deals. After just a couple of quick searches, I did find some MAs in relevant subjects that are free to UK citizens:
One of the cons I found was that they don't have many animation related courses that are FREE or low cost for international students. There seems to be a lot on foreign language and business, law etc. However, I have been told by a freelance friend (and also by my cousin who works for Disney who frequently visited Scandinavia on a monthly basis) that there are great opportunities for animators and artists - after all, Denmark is the home of Lego and Sweden is known for Ikea! All in all, I think I'd definately have to save up some money and go and visit for a few weeks to really get the gist of Scandi life! I can't wait. Next time you meet me I'm sure I'll be a completely converted Scandimaniac!
Furthering my Education
I've recently been looking into the possiblity of doing a Masters degree in a more specified field and the pros and cons of takingon another course. One of my life goals was to eventually leave the UK and set up residence in Scandinavia as it has been one of the few places on Earth I can see myself tolerating and living peacefully amongst. I have started learning Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian as part of my plan to go on holiday there and I wish to visit some majoy university cities in Scaninavia first to understand how uin life works over there.
Courses in Scandinavia are actually free, even to outsiders, which is a massive pro to studying there. The other obvious pro is that I'd love to live there in the future, so why not kill two birds with one stone? I'm also learning the language so that would make life so much easier.
""Nothing is for free" is a saying that is true in many cases. But in Scandinavia it is possible to get quality education without having to pay tuition fees. If certain prerequisites are met you could also be eligible for financial support that can pay for your living expenses. Through various fellowship programmes, scholarship schemes or student loans, international students can receive funding for a full degree or a limited number of semesters. The number of available scholarships varies from year to year, and competition is keen. Most foreign students in Scandinavia finance their stay without help from scholarships." - Education Scandinavia
Above are a list of universities and specialist colleges that you can study at across Scandinavia. I am fond of how there are not too many, but this could mean that each one has a huge intake rate.
"The buildings at most Scandinavian Institutions of higher education are
modern and hold excellent up-to-date facilities such as libraries,
lecture-, class- and study rooms, labs, IT, canteens etc. Computers are
available at the libraries, in computer rooms and, at some institutions,
even in the corridors - all students have free access to these
facilities. The libraries are public, thus, all students can borrow
books, tapes, language learning materials and the like for free."
A brief look at living in Sweden came up with some handy figures and estimates on how much the cost of living is over there:
"Costs and funding
This section contains information on living cost for students, grants and loans and other funding.
Living costs
Living costs in Sweden depend largely on your individual lifestyle. A sample monthly budget is as follows:
Food: SEK 2,000
Accommodation: SEK 3,750
Local travel: SEK 560
Telephone/internet: SEK 300
Insurance, medical care and hygiene: SEK 300
Hobby/leisure, miscellaneous: SEK 1,100
Total: SEK 8,010
Lunch at a student restaurant on or around campus usually costs between SEK 55-70; at an average café or restaurant, about SEK 65-95. Dinner starts at around SEK 100-150, drinks not included. In most restaurants and bars, an inexpensive beer or glass of wine will cost about SEK 60; prices can be significantly lower at student unions or nations."
Medical bills are easy enough to save on if you bring your EHIC card with you though. Mine ran out last year so I'd have to reapply, but they're free to do so. "International and exchange students who are passport holders and current residents of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland should bring their European Health Insurance Card which is issued by the social insurance office in their home country. The card states that you are entitled to health care with the same conditions and at the same rate as permanent residents in Sweden. Be sure to bring the card whenever you seek medical care."
A budget of 2000 Swedish Kroner doesn't get you very far for a monthly food bill as that equates to roughly £164 in British currency.
One of the cons I found was that they don't have many animation related courses that are FREE or low cost for international students. There seems to be a lot on foreign language and business, law etc. However, I have been told by a freelance friend (and also by my cousin who works for Disney who frequently visited Scandinavia on a monthly basis) that there are great opportunities for animators and artists - after all, Denmark is the home of Lego and Sweden is known for Ikea! All in all, I think I'd definately have to save up some money and go and visit for a few weeks to really get the gist of Scandi life! I can't wait. Next time you meet me I'm sure I'll be a completely converted Scandimaniac!
OUAN602 - PPP3: Family Freelancers
Family Freelancers
I've been having a little look into how some of the more creative members of my wider family got into freelance work and established themselves as professional artists to arm me with more knowledge on possible career choices and other routes into the art and animation industry should I wish to be a freelancer part-time whilst working with Henshaws (or another company should this career stumble).
My partner's father has been a freelancer for a good decade or so, and followed a similar route to most of the other freelancers I've spoken to (Luca, etc.). He started out working a regular job within retail when he decided that he wanted to follow his passion for fine art, animation, and sculpting. After starting a university degree in Leeds, he found that two years in it wasn't right for him just at the time, and he decided to take some time out to look after his family. A few years later he went back and was able to successfully finish off his degree in Harrogate, closer to home. After he became a newly qualified artist, he started off quite slowly, painting here and there and taking on commissions. He found that he wasn't really that enthusiastic about being just a painter so he taught himself how to sculpt.
Soon after, he started networking and opened an art gallery in Harrogate, Rapture. This was quite a success and managed to bring in a new audience, new commissions, and also help out other local artists whilst making a small profit for putting their work in his gallery. He has networked with people from Aardman animations, and helped create sculptures and special effects for a rugby advert in 2015 for the BBC. In 2015 he also sculpted the "eXplosive ape" trophies for World's Strongest Man, and they were featured on TV! Currently, he's working on a reincarnation of the Commodor 64, so hopefully we'll see that brought back. After a few years of owning the gallery, he decided to close it due to costs and the fact that it would be more efficient for him to own a small studio instead. Now he is the owner of Harrogate's "R-Space" and works as a freelancer full time in his studio. His work has since been featured in "Sci-Fi and Fantasy Modeller" magazine. Check out Wayne's gellery page and some of the work he's done:
 | |||
Friday, 13 May 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: Producing a Tip Top Online Presence
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Producing a Tip Top Online Presence
As part of establishing myself as a creative, I decided to rack up a bit of an online presence by connecting with other artists, creating profiles, and making sure I had all my apps and sites connected so that it was easier for people to connect me, see my work, and get a feel for what I, Illustrative Elmer, am about. I chose Illustrative Elmer as my online nickname as it has been with me since I was in high school and incorporates my surname (of which I'll be keeping until I die!) for easy access, and says a little bit about me. I'm both illustrative in personality and skill set, and I'm an Elmer! Short, simple, with alliteration. There you go.
So far I have created Twitter, Facebook, LinkdIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr presences that I would consider fairly professional. They all use my Illustrative Elmer name so are easy to find, and feature work that I find interesting, links to inspiring artists, news, and so forth. I have tried to keep my personality appropriate without losing my personality. I don't believe one should hide themselves completely behind a stuffy, uptight professional mask as this doesn't reflect who you truly are. Just be nice, keep it sweet, and don't be a dick!
Here are some pointers from Eosfire on how to improve your online presence and make sure you're in perfect standing for getting those contacts:
"What is an “online presence”?
An online presence is the sum of all the identities you’ve created (can be both personal and business-driven) and the interactions those identities have established, and participated in, online.
Your online presence has a very broad reach, and when built successfully it can spread brand awareness and gain you fans, followers, leads, customers and anything else you could ever want for your business.
7 ways you can start build your online presence right now
1. Strategize: What are your goals?
First and foremost, it’s important that you understand what your business goals are – both short-term and long-term.
As you start to build and grow your online presence, you should be constantly asking yourself how each of your online efforts are helping you take a step towards your business goals.
Write your goals down so you can easily refer back to them when you’re checking to make sure that what you’re doing online is helping you take a step forward.
Don’t just build an online presence because you’re “supposed to”, build it strategically so that it can help your overall business goals.
2. Build a solid platform
For most small businesses and entrepreneurs, building a solid platform starts with your website (your home base).
Your website is your hub: a centralized place where people can go to learn more about what you have to offer, contact you, and interact and engage with your content.
Things like a clear message (what your business is all about), easy-to-use navigation, an opt in giveaway (so you can start building your email list), a contact page, an about page, and some type of valuable content are required.
3. Always be optimizing and improving
Don’t get stuck in thinking that you can’t put something out there until it’s perfect – it’s never going to be perfect.
Just start, knowing that you will always be improving upon your content and what you have to offer. Continuously looking for ways to improve and optimize your site and your content post-launch is 100 times better than not launching.
It’s a process. The longer you wait to start, the longer it’ll be until you’re able to reach your goals.
4. Provide consistent value
Whether it’s via your website, an online community, or through your social media channels, you should always be looking to provide consistent value first and foremost.
What content are you providing your audience?
It might be a blog, a podcast, videos or books; whatever form that content takes, make sure it’s consistent and valuable.
Creating consistent and valuable content will help you gain credibility and authority in your industry or niche, which is important for your online growth and visibility.
Providing value through the online communities you manage and on all of your social media channels is important for your online growth, too.
What type of content or knowledge can you share with your community and followers that might not be your own content, but that will still be of value to them? A mix of 80 / 20 is a rule I like to follow: share other peoples’ content 80% of the time, and your own content 20% of the time.
5. Be social
One of the greatest things about the Internet is that it allows you to be everywhere.
Disclaimer: I don’t agree with the be everywhere strategy on social mediaspecifically; however, I do believe in testing and then choosing two or three social channels that work best for your business.
Being social doesn’t mean you HAVE to have a Facebook page, Twitter profile, Google+ profile, Pinterest board, Quora blog, YouTube channel, LinkedIn profile and so on.
But being social DOES mean you should have at least two or three of these profiles set up that you regularly post and engage on. Consistency here is key. If you’re not able to manage your social channels by posting regularly and being a part of the conversation, then it’s going to be hard to increase your following.
Social media can be a GREAT marketing tool to help you gain those initial fans and followers, and once you have those followers, it’s also a great tool to reach those who know, like and trust you.
Producing a Tip Top Online Presence
As part of establishing myself as a creative, I decided to rack up a bit of an online presence by connecting with other artists, creating profiles, and making sure I had all my apps and sites connected so that it was easier for people to connect me, see my work, and get a feel for what I, Illustrative Elmer, am about. I chose Illustrative Elmer as my online nickname as it has been with me since I was in high school and incorporates my surname (of which I'll be keeping until I die!) for easy access, and says a little bit about me. I'm both illustrative in personality and skill set, and I'm an Elmer! Short, simple, with alliteration. There you go.
So far I have created Twitter, Facebook, LinkdIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr presences that I would consider fairly professional. They all use my Illustrative Elmer name so are easy to find, and feature work that I find interesting, links to inspiring artists, news, and so forth. I have tried to keep my personality appropriate without losing my personality. I don't believe one should hide themselves completely behind a stuffy, uptight professional mask as this doesn't reflect who you truly are. Just be nice, keep it sweet, and don't be a dick!
Here are some pointers from Eosfire on how to improve your online presence and make sure you're in perfect standing for getting those contacts:
"What is an “online presence”?
An online presence is the sum of all the identities you’ve created (can be both personal and business-driven) and the interactions those identities have established, and participated in, online.
Your online presence has a very broad reach, and when built successfully it can spread brand awareness and gain you fans, followers, leads, customers and anything else you could ever want for your business.
7 ways you can start build your online presence right now
1. Strategize: What are your goals?
First and foremost, it’s important that you understand what your business goals are – both short-term and long-term.
As you start to build and grow your online presence, you should be constantly asking yourself how each of your online efforts are helping you take a step towards your business goals.
Write your goals down so you can easily refer back to them when you’re checking to make sure that what you’re doing online is helping you take a step forward.
Don’t just build an online presence because you’re “supposed to”, build it strategically so that it can help your overall business goals.
2. Build a solid platform
For most small businesses and entrepreneurs, building a solid platform starts with your website (your home base).
Your website is your hub: a centralized place where people can go to learn more about what you have to offer, contact you, and interact and engage with your content.
Things like a clear message (what your business is all about), easy-to-use navigation, an opt in giveaway (so you can start building your email list), a contact page, an about page, and some type of valuable content are required.
3. Always be optimizing and improving
Don’t get stuck in thinking that you can’t put something out there until it’s perfect – it’s never going to be perfect.
Just start, knowing that you will always be improving upon your content and what you have to offer. Continuously looking for ways to improve and optimize your site and your content post-launch is 100 times better than not launching.
It’s a process. The longer you wait to start, the longer it’ll be until you’re able to reach your goals.
4. Provide consistent value
Whether it’s via your website, an online community, or through your social media channels, you should always be looking to provide consistent value first and foremost.
What content are you providing your audience?
It might be a blog, a podcast, videos or books; whatever form that content takes, make sure it’s consistent and valuable.
Creating consistent and valuable content will help you gain credibility and authority in your industry or niche, which is important for your online growth and visibility.
Providing value through the online communities you manage and on all of your social media channels is important for your online growth, too.
What type of content or knowledge can you share with your community and followers that might not be your own content, but that will still be of value to them? A mix of 80 / 20 is a rule I like to follow: share other peoples’ content 80% of the time, and your own content 20% of the time.
5. Be social
One of the greatest things about the Internet is that it allows you to be everywhere.
Disclaimer: I don’t agree with the be everywhere strategy on social mediaspecifically; however, I do believe in testing and then choosing two or three social channels that work best for your business.
Being social doesn’t mean you HAVE to have a Facebook page, Twitter profile, Google+ profile, Pinterest board, Quora blog, YouTube channel, LinkedIn profile and so on.
But being social DOES mean you should have at least two or three of these profiles set up that you regularly post and engage on. Consistency here is key. If you’re not able to manage your social channels by posting regularly and being a part of the conversation, then it’s going to be hard to increase your following.
Social media can be a GREAT marketing tool to help you gain those initial fans and followers, and once you have those followers, it’s also a great tool to reach those who know, like and trust you.
6. Start building relationships
Something that’s really important when you’re trying to build your online presence is, of course, “being seen”.
If no one knows you, then presumably they won’t be looking for you on your website, on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so on.
So what’s the best way to draw people into your world?
Find a group or online community that is made up of individuals who share the same interests or who run similar businesses in your industry or niche.
You should also find a group or community of individuals who fit the description of your audience, or your avatar, because joining this type of community has the potential to give you priceless insights into what your avatar’s biggest pain points are. Knowing this can help you pivot and create the exact content your avatar wants and needs.
7. Track
You can start building your online presence today, but how do you know if it’s working?
You’ll know if you’re tracking your progress.
Something that’s really important when you’re trying to build your online presence is, of course, “being seen”.
If no one knows you, then presumably they won’t be looking for you on your website, on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so on.
So what’s the best way to draw people into your world?
Find a group or online community that is made up of individuals who share the same interests or who run similar businesses in your industry or niche.
You should also find a group or community of individuals who fit the description of your audience, or your avatar, because joining this type of community has the potential to give you priceless insights into what your avatar’s biggest pain points are. Knowing this can help you pivot and create the exact content your avatar wants and needs.
7. Track
You can start building your online presence today, but how do you know if it’s working?
You’ll know if you’re tracking your progress.
OUAN602 - PPP3: Getting into Art Therapy
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Getting into Art Therapy
Art therapy to me is a loosely used term that describes a person who wishes to help others with disabilities and difficulties, physical and mental, by using art (and in my case animation also) to allow them to improve on their creativity and express themselves psychologically for better wellbeing.
I believe with the career I've embarked on recently at Henshaws, and the voluntary work I've done with Inkwell, it has given me a good idea of what it's like to work with people of different backgrounds and abilities. I believe that art and animation can be used for therapeutic purposes and I would like to apply these skills in the future to better others' creativity and happiness.
To be a qualified art therapist it is required that you have a Masters degree in the subject of art therapy. However, I believe that often qualifications don't mean a lot and experience accounts for so much more as with experience under your belt, you can practically apply what you have learned to that field, whereas with a qualification it's more about you've learned from a textbook which yes, is useful, but in my opinion employers have been more interested in experience as people with disabilities are all very different which need vast experience and understanding.
"An art therapy education is the first big step in becoming an art therapist. In countires where the art therapist profession is regulated, you are almost certainly going to need a Master’s Degree from an accredited school offering an art therapy program. Check with your local/national art therapy organization for the most current list of accredited schools. It’s probably also ideal, and may even be required, for you to participate in an art therapy internship. Not only will this help you gain some experience, but interning in different settings is likely to help you decide with whome and where you might like to work.
Tip: It’s also a good idea to check with your local art therapy organization for any potential grants and/or scholarships."
"Art therapy is still pretty young as a profession, so it’s important to check with your local art therapy organization for proper certification & requirements. Not all locations require certification to legally practice art therapy, so it’s beneficial to understand exactly what these requirements are. In the U.S., the Art Therapy Certifications Board (ATCB) is a good place to start. Even if it’s not required, it’s usually a good idea to be come registered and board certified (ATR-BC)." - Art Therapy blog
Getting into Art Therapy
Art therapy to me is a loosely used term that describes a person who wishes to help others with disabilities and difficulties, physical and mental, by using art (and in my case animation also) to allow them to improve on their creativity and express themselves psychologically for better wellbeing.
I believe with the career I've embarked on recently at Henshaws, and the voluntary work I've done with Inkwell, it has given me a good idea of what it's like to work with people of different backgrounds and abilities. I believe that art and animation can be used for therapeutic purposes and I would like to apply these skills in the future to better others' creativity and happiness.
To be a qualified art therapist it is required that you have a Masters degree in the subject of art therapy. However, I believe that often qualifications don't mean a lot and experience accounts for so much more as with experience under your belt, you can practically apply what you have learned to that field, whereas with a qualification it's more about you've learned from a textbook which yes, is useful, but in my opinion employers have been more interested in experience as people with disabilities are all very different which need vast experience and understanding.
"An art therapy education is the first big step in becoming an art therapist. In countires where the art therapist profession is regulated, you are almost certainly going to need a Master’s Degree from an accredited school offering an art therapy program. Check with your local/national art therapy organization for the most current list of accredited schools. It’s probably also ideal, and may even be required, for you to participate in an art therapy internship. Not only will this help you gain some experience, but interning in different settings is likely to help you decide with whome and where you might like to work.
Tip: It’s also a good idea to check with your local art therapy organization for any potential grants and/or scholarships."
OUAN602 - PPP3: A Bangin' Set of Business Cards
OUAN602 - PPP3:
A Bangin' Set of Business Cards
Creative Bloq have been a fantastic website with aiding me on my creative journey. They provide some great tips and info on establishing yourself as a professional, and marketing yourself correctly and effectively. Lately, I've been thinking about business cards and how I can create an image for myself based on my creative practices and skills. Considering I'm not a generalised animator or focused on a really specific area within the industry, I'd have to think hard about how I'd go about presenting myself through business cards and marketing material.
I see myself predominantly working within the education and therapy industry, using animation as a means of bringing people with disabilities and difficulties together to create team projects and improve wellbeing and creativity. Considering I have recently acquired a job at Henshaws Society for the Blind, I would love to show the nurturing and caring side of me on business cards whilst also keeping it creative and professional.
Here are some of the interesting tips I picked up from Creative Bloq:
Think about design principles! Remember to think about a 5mm trim edge in case any part of the design gets cut off while printing. Staying at 300dpi and CMYK colour profile will make sure your card is at optimal settings for good printing and quality.
"There are some common pitfalls to designing business cards that it helps to be aware of. The first and most obvious is to ensure you provide a bleed as specified by your printer. This is commonly 3mm, but can be 5mm so check! Just as important is to avoid using a straightforward border around the entire of the card, as this will show up any misalignment in the trim if the card isn't perfectly cut."
"An instant way to add impact to your business card, and make it stand out from the crowd, is to use a special finish. Special finishes include the likes of foil blocking, spot-UV and metallic inks, and can add significant cost to your print. What they offer, however, is the opportunity to make your card more tactile, visually impressive and memorable. Different printers offer different options for finishes, so speak to them to find out what they can do for you, and don’t be afraid to go to a specialist if your usual printer only offers straight four-colour print."
"A great way to make your card unique is to use a die-cut process to remove elements from the card stock, leaving a void. You can either use a die to change the shape of your card (by rounding the corners, for example), or you can cut shapes out of the centre. Dies are expensive to create the first time, although increasingly printers are offering laser-cut options that make it economical to create a die-cut look on shorter print-runs. There are some amazingly creative examples on the web, and when combined with creasing you can use the process to create architectural features in your card design. Also, don't overlook letterpress as an option." - Creative Bloq
A Bangin' Set of Business Cards
Creative Bloq have been a fantastic website with aiding me on my creative journey. They provide some great tips and info on establishing yourself as a professional, and marketing yourself correctly and effectively. Lately, I've been thinking about business cards and how I can create an image for myself based on my creative practices and skills. Considering I'm not a generalised animator or focused on a really specific area within the industry, I'd have to think hard about how I'd go about presenting myself through business cards and marketing material.
I see myself predominantly working within the education and therapy industry, using animation as a means of bringing people with disabilities and difficulties together to create team projects and improve wellbeing and creativity. Considering I have recently acquired a job at Henshaws Society for the Blind, I would love to show the nurturing and caring side of me on business cards whilst also keeping it creative and professional.
Here are some of the interesting tips I picked up from Creative Bloq:
Think about design principles! Remember to think about a 5mm trim edge in case any part of the design gets cut off while printing. Staying at 300dpi and CMYK colour profile will make sure your card is at optimal settings for good printing and quality.
"There are some common pitfalls to designing business cards that it helps to be aware of. The first and most obvious is to ensure you provide a bleed as specified by your printer. This is commonly 3mm, but can be 5mm so check! Just as important is to avoid using a straightforward border around the entire of the card, as this will show up any misalignment in the trim if the card isn't perfectly cut."
"An instant way to add impact to your business card, and make it stand out from the crowd, is to use a special finish. Special finishes include the likes of foil blocking, spot-UV and metallic inks, and can add significant cost to your print. What they offer, however, is the opportunity to make your card more tactile, visually impressive and memorable. Different printers offer different options for finishes, so speak to them to find out what they can do for you, and don’t be afraid to go to a specialist if your usual printer only offers straight four-colour print."
Making your business card useful is also a good option. Being able to fold the card in a certain way to make an origami piece of art is memorable and interesting, and is good for those of us who like to fiddle with things out of boredom. It would be really fun to print your card on a packet of flower seeds if you're a gardening business! Anyway, I've had a look for some inspiration and here are some relevant cards that would be useful to me in terms of context, colour, and design:
OUAN602 - PPP3: A Successful Showreel
OUAN602 - PPP3:
A Successful Showreel
In order to make the most out of the little animation work I had done this year, I decided it would be a good idea to put together a fresh and zesty new showreel for the end of year show and any possible job opportunities that may arise which require me to send one. Last year I made a small effort to whack a showreel out featuring the work I had done over the first two years of college, however it lacked any real 'oomf' and felt a bit rushed. I had gone in completely blind without any real research into what the industry wants, encouraging me to now put in the effort to research what makes a successful showreel.
Mike gave us a brief talk and presentation on what some companies are looking for: 30 seconds to a minute long, best work at the beginning to hook the audience, no overly dramatic music that may reveal tastes or personality (let the work do that!), and keep it simple. This all seemed relatively straight forward but I still wanted to find out whether or not each company/job role/etc differed in what they expected.
DreamWorks, Shelley Page says: "There's no such thing as a student film that couldn't do with editing." Many student films take on too much, resulting in what one jaded recruiter describes as: "typically five minutes of poor animation on poorly rigged models in poor environments".
"Don’t get attached to material that ultimately doesn’t showcase your best work, even though you have an emotional attachment to it," stresses Patricia Kung, senior recruiter at Animal Logic. Dave Throssell from Fluid Pictures says: "I don't want to wade through a showreel where someone's thrown in everything they've ever done." - CreativeBloq
Your reel should be no more than 4 minutes.
A Successful Showreel
In order to make the most out of the little animation work I had done this year, I decided it would be a good idea to put together a fresh and zesty new showreel for the end of year show and any possible job opportunities that may arise which require me to send one. Last year I made a small effort to whack a showreel out featuring the work I had done over the first two years of college, however it lacked any real 'oomf' and felt a bit rushed. I had gone in completely blind without any real research into what the industry wants, encouraging me to now put in the effort to research what makes a successful showreel.
Mike gave us a brief talk and presentation on what some companies are looking for: 30 seconds to a minute long, best work at the beginning to hook the audience, no overly dramatic music that may reveal tastes or personality (let the work do that!), and keep it simple. This all seemed relatively straight forward but I still wanted to find out whether or not each company/job role/etc differed in what they expected.
DreamWorks, Shelley Page says: "There's no such thing as a student film that couldn't do with editing." Many student films take on too much, resulting in what one jaded recruiter describes as: "typically five minutes of poor animation on poorly rigged models in poor environments".
"Don’t get attached to material that ultimately doesn’t showcase your best work, even though you have an emotional attachment to it," stresses Patricia Kung, senior recruiter at Animal Logic. Dave Throssell from Fluid Pictures says: "I don't want to wade through a showreel where someone's thrown in everything they've ever done." - CreativeBloq
Pixar suggest these few helpful pointers when applying for their careers:
Don't show unapproved work. (Stuff from other companies/collaborations without permission)
Nobody cares about music/soundtrack. (Pixar often turn off the sound)
Put your best work first.
Demo Reel Breakdown (DRB). (Talk the audience through your work - titles, process, context)
Include a title card at the beginning and end with your name, address, phone, and email.
Show work that proves that you know what you did.
Take the time to polish.
Show it to other people. (Get it critiqued!)
If you really don't have stuff to put on a reel, don't send one.
Nobody cares about music/soundtrack. (Pixar often turn off the sound)
Put your best work first.
Demo Reel Breakdown (DRB). (Talk the audience through your work - titles, process, context)
Include a title card at the beginning and end with your name, address, phone, and email.
Show work that proves that you know what you did.
Take the time to polish.
Show it to other people. (Get it critiqued!)
If you really don't have stuff to put on a reel, don't send one.
Skwigly suggest very similar pointers, but have a few more tips on creating the best showreel. A great reel should have no mistakes whatsoever! This one seems a little bit obvious, but it's quite daunting when you think how many people don't edit their showreels meticulously before sending them to a big company! Customising your reel for the job is another fantastic tip: if you are applying for a job that focuses predominantly on character design, tailor your reel to involve your character design work so that it appeals and shows you've really mad san effort. Skiwgly also suggest posting your showreel publicly on your website, professional pages, and profiles even if you're tailoring it for a job. This means that it's easy to access whenever, and shows that you're open for feedback and comments. You might gain some valuable comments and ideas for future showreels too which could in turn help you bag that job you're after. A short reel with amazing pieces will work much better than a longer reel with shots that don't really work. Quality over quantity tends to fair well with employers.
So, with all this knowledge I am armed and ready for putting together an end of year showreel with the work I have done over the three years at Leeds College of Art.
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: A Closer Look at Teaching
OUAN602 - PPP3:
A Closer Look at Teaching
After having a chat with my former art teacher and visiting her at school to have a brief talk with the class about degrees and student life, we fell onto the subject of teaching and how she managed to get involved with the school as an art teacher. She spoke about her experiences at university studying Art and Design at undergraduate level which then led her onto becoming what is known as an "unqualified teacher". This meant that she didn't specifically go to university to do a teaching course, but instead took a different route. An unqualified teacher means that a teaching certificate (eg PGCE/QTS or GTP) is not usually required.
Teacher Training and Other Routes
Are unqualified teachers worse than qualified teachers?
"There doesn't seem to be much systematic evidence to say if qualified teachers are any better or worse than unqualified ones.
There is some evidence that less experienced teachers aren't as good as more experienced ones, even if they're both qualified. Ofsted observed last year that teaching by those who were newly qualified was "weaker than that of more experienced teachers". But not being qualified doesn't necessarily mean a teacher doesn't have any experience, as unqualified teachers may have experience teaching abroad, or at independent schools in the UK." - FullFact
How to become an FE teacher
Formal qualification requirements for FE teachers were revoked in September 2013. However, the sector still recognises the need for good teaching qualifications – FE training providers are all independent organisations that recruit directly to their courses, so they may still specify particular requirements or eligibility criteria.
There are three training routes available to become an FE teacher, catering for people with and without teaching qualifications:
A Closer Look at Teaching
After having a chat with my former art teacher and visiting her at school to have a brief talk with the class about degrees and student life, we fell onto the subject of teaching and how she managed to get involved with the school as an art teacher. She spoke about her experiences at university studying Art and Design at undergraduate level which then led her onto becoming what is known as an "unqualified teacher". This meant that she didn't specifically go to university to do a teaching course, but instead took a different route. An unqualified teacher means that a teaching certificate (eg PGCE/QTS or GTP) is not usually required.
Teacher Training and Other Routes
Are unqualified teachers worse than qualified teachers?
"There doesn't seem to be much systematic evidence to say if qualified teachers are any better or worse than unqualified ones.
There is some evidence that less experienced teachers aren't as good as more experienced ones, even if they're both qualified. Ofsted observed last year that teaching by those who were newly qualified was "weaker than that of more experienced teachers". But not being qualified doesn't necessarily mean a teacher doesn't have any experience, as unqualified teachers may have experience teaching abroad, or at independent schools in the UK." - FullFact
To become a Further Education (high school) teacher, here are the steps I'd gave to take in order to become "qualified":
How to become an FE teacher
Formal qualification requirements for FE teachers were revoked in September 2013. However, the sector still recognises the need for good teaching qualifications – FE training providers are all independent organisations that recruit directly to their courses, so they may still specify particular requirements or eligibility criteria.
There are three training routes available to become an FE teacher, catering for people with and without teaching qualifications:
- pre-service – this involves gaining a teaching qualification with a university, college or other training provider, with entry requirements decided by the specific institution
- in-service – typically involves working within further education as a teacher while training part-time at a college of FE
- transferring to FE – if you already have a teaching qualification, you can transfer to FE with a few additional steps and potential extra qualifications, all of which can be done in-service - Department of Education
Thursday, 14 April 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: The Start of a Career
OUAN602 - PPP3:
The Start of a Career
Just two weeks after applying at Henshaws art centre in Knaresborough, I got an email from HR asking me to come to an interview on the 13th of April, which was yesterday. My interview went exceedingly well and I really felt welcome and looked after in the centre. My interviewers were really lovely and thorough, and complimented my CV, experience, and dedication to my passion - art and caring for others.
Only this morning did I receive a phone call back to congratulate me on my success! I am now a member of Henshaws society for the blind as an art workshop leader! I will officially be teaching others with a range of difficulties and disabilities how to hone and express their creativity and have a happy, successful life in an artistic manner. I met some of the students yesterday and they were ever so friendly - I really did feel at home with them and understood their struggles and needs fairly well. I even met some old acquiantances who I haven't seen in years!
I start the job officially when HR get back to me via email, and from then on they said they can work around me and my degree until I move back to Harrogate. I am honestly over the moon and so happy that I have made my family and friends proud of me - that's all I've ever wanted to do other than be happy and have a healthy life. I'm so glad I can start a career straight from college as not everyone is as lucky as I have been. I really hope to improve the students' wellbeing and creative confidence and help them realise that their disabilities are not a disadvantage!
Here's to a successful future!
The Start of a Career
Just two weeks after applying at Henshaws art centre in Knaresborough, I got an email from HR asking me to come to an interview on the 13th of April, which was yesterday. My interview went exceedingly well and I really felt welcome and looked after in the centre. My interviewers were really lovely and thorough, and complimented my CV, experience, and dedication to my passion - art and caring for others.
Only this morning did I receive a phone call back to congratulate me on my success! I am now a member of Henshaws society for the blind as an art workshop leader! I will officially be teaching others with a range of difficulties and disabilities how to hone and express their creativity and have a happy, successful life in an artistic manner. I met some of the students yesterday and they were ever so friendly - I really did feel at home with them and understood their struggles and needs fairly well. I even met some old acquiantances who I haven't seen in years!
I start the job officially when HR get back to me via email, and from then on they said they can work around me and my degree until I move back to Harrogate. I am honestly over the moon and so happy that I have made my family and friends proud of me - that's all I've ever wanted to do other than be happy and have a healthy life. I'm so glad I can start a career straight from college as not everyone is as lucky as I have been. I really hope to improve the students' wellbeing and creative confidence and help them realise that their disabilities are not a disadvantage!
Here's to a successful future!
Friday, 25 March 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: A Look into Bethesda
OUAN602 - PPP3:
A Look into Bethesda
Seeing as we were encouraged to research and talk about companies that inspired and interested us from an animation or career perspective, Bethesda seemed an appropriate choice seeing as I've spent a good chunk of my life engaging with their many successful works.
The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series are two of Bethesda's most well-known creations and are certainly huge inspirations in my world. Their games have given me hours and hours of endless fun, frustration, empathy, and joy all rolled into one. They've forced emotions that few other game companies have been able to do and for this I will be a loyal fan of theirs. We recently bought Fallout 4 (we waited until a few months after the release to see reviews and hold on to hopes of DLC dates being announced) and have enjoyed every second so far.
You definitely feel a sense of familiarity as Bethesda have very kindly (or conveniently) made the interface, controls, and overall atmosphere of it very similar to the Elder Scrolls. I think this makes the games successful for loyal players who have stuck with the games for a long time (some have criticised this as being lazy and not having any innovative new ideas, which is silly). I like the idea of being able to play say, Skyrim, and then go back to Fallout and not be frustrated at having to get used to everything all over again. Having played Skyrim for an insane amount of hours, Fallout 4 was incredibly easy to get the hang of (movement-wise, crafting, interface, etc.) as plenty of the features as similar.
Bethesda was founded in 1985 by Christopher Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland. (Always wondered why they named it Bethesda!) They've produced many well-loved games from The Elder Scrolld series, Fallout, Wolfenstein, The Evil Within (another one of my favourites), Dishonoured, Rage, Rogue Warrior, and the Doom series (another winner in my book)! Bethesda are the subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, of which is affiliated with companies such as Tango Gameworks, Arkane Studios, and id Software (developers of Doom and Quake). They have plenty of jobs available on their site, all of which are based in the U.S, none of which I'm qualified to do!
So far, Skyrim has been Bethesda's most successfully ranked game out of the Elder Scrolls series (and there's a lot, stretching way back to 1994 with the release of Arena) with a 95% score!
Aggregate review scores
However, Fallout 4 took the world by storm in November last year, making a whopping $750 million in just 24 hours!
A Look into Bethesda
Seeing as we were encouraged to research and talk about companies that inspired and interested us from an animation or career perspective, Bethesda seemed an appropriate choice seeing as I've spent a good chunk of my life engaging with their many successful works.
The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series are two of Bethesda's most well-known creations and are certainly huge inspirations in my world. Their games have given me hours and hours of endless fun, frustration, empathy, and joy all rolled into one. They've forced emotions that few other game companies have been able to do and for this I will be a loyal fan of theirs. We recently bought Fallout 4 (we waited until a few months after the release to see reviews and hold on to hopes of DLC dates being announced) and have enjoyed every second so far.
You definitely feel a sense of familiarity as Bethesda have very kindly (or conveniently) made the interface, controls, and overall atmosphere of it very similar to the Elder Scrolls. I think this makes the games successful for loyal players who have stuck with the games for a long time (some have criticised this as being lazy and not having any innovative new ideas, which is silly). I like the idea of being able to play say, Skyrim, and then go back to Fallout and not be frustrated at having to get used to everything all over again. Having played Skyrim for an insane amount of hours, Fallout 4 was incredibly easy to get the hang of (movement-wise, crafting, interface, etc.) as plenty of the features as similar.
Bethesda was founded in 1985 by Christopher Weaver in Bethesda, Maryland. (Always wondered why they named it Bethesda!) They've produced many well-loved games from The Elder Scrolld series, Fallout, Wolfenstein, The Evil Within (another one of my favourites), Dishonoured, Rage, Rogue Warrior, and the Doom series (another winner in my book)! Bethesda are the subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, of which is affiliated with companies such as Tango Gameworks, Arkane Studios, and id Software (developers of Doom and Quake). They have plenty of jobs available on their site, all of which are based in the U.S, none of which I'm qualified to do!
So far, Skyrim has been Bethesda's most successfully ranked game out of the Elder Scrolls series (and there's a lot, stretching way back to 1994 with the release of Arena) with a 95% score!
Aggregate review scores
However, Fallout 4 took the world by storm in November last year, making a whopping $750 million in just 24 hours!
"The post-apocalyptic open world game ‘Fallout 4’ earned over $750 million in 24 hours.
Bethesda’s Fallout 4 sold 12 million copies and generated over $750 million in its first 24 hours at retail on Nov. 10. Those numbers obliterate the over $550 million in 72 hours that Activision-owned developer Treyarch earned with Call of Duty: Black Ops 3." - Fortune
Bethesda’s Fallout 4 sold 12 million copies and generated over $750 million in its first 24 hours at retail on Nov. 10. Those numbers obliterate the over $550 million in 72 hours that Activision-owned developer Treyarch earned with Call of Duty: Black Ops 3." - Fortune
So, maybe Fallout 4 could be bigger than Skyrim? Two completely different games to compare in terms of genre, aims, and story, but still fascinating nonetheless to see these two giants compete to be Bethesda's number one title of all time.
OUAN602 - PPP3: Volunteering Continued - Inkwell
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Volunteering Continued - Inkwell
So far, I've only managed to take part in a few shifts at Inkwell but as a consequence of this, I've gained a little bit of experience in the environment of a mental health charity. I've been enjoying my time so far and recently took part in an Easter event where kids of all ages could come and help us paint the giant willow hare that had been made the week before. We set up a few stalls with paints, craft items, and projects that they could work on and had loads of fun. The only downside was that the weather took a turn for the worst and it got incredibly wet and windy, meaning we had to pack up early and leave the event. All in all though, about 50 kids and their parents turned up and some even made donations to Inkwell which resulted in us all raising over £700 for Leeds Mind.
I have yet to do my DBS/CRB checks but I'm having loads of fun working with people of all backgrounds and difficulties. Hopefully I can stay on and help out even when I move back to Harrogate.
There have been job openings at Henshaws recently within the art centre and college, so I will consider looking into these and possibly applying for relevant jobs that I may be able to use my Inkwell experience in.
Volunteering Continued - Inkwell
So far, I've only managed to take part in a few shifts at Inkwell but as a consequence of this, I've gained a little bit of experience in the environment of a mental health charity. I've been enjoying my time so far and recently took part in an Easter event where kids of all ages could come and help us paint the giant willow hare that had been made the week before. We set up a few stalls with paints, craft items, and projects that they could work on and had loads of fun. The only downside was that the weather took a turn for the worst and it got incredibly wet and windy, meaning we had to pack up early and leave the event. All in all though, about 50 kids and their parents turned up and some even made donations to Inkwell which resulted in us all raising over £700 for Leeds Mind.
I have yet to do my DBS/CRB checks but I'm having loads of fun working with people of all backgrounds and difficulties. Hopefully I can stay on and help out even when I move back to Harrogate.
There have been job openings at Henshaws recently within the art centre and college, so I will consider looking into these and possibly applying for relevant jobs that I may be able to use my Inkwell experience in.
OUAN602 - PPP3: Zane Whittingham - Fettle
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Zane Whittingham - Fettle
A couple of weeks ago, we were visited again by Fettle animation. Last year, Zane's partner came to LCA to talk to us about their new series, Children of the Holocaust, an animated franchise made for the BBC. I had seen some of the shorts prior to this as we often browse BBC iPlayer for documentaries and they had been recommended for us. I was heavily inspired by Fettle after the talk last year as documentary animation really interests me as I've loved all kinds of documentary film from being a young child and really wanted to merge it with animation.
Zane was a really nice person and had a warm and friendly attitude to us. He was incredibly passionate about Fettle's work and some of the wonderful things they'd achieved and spoke to us about some of the other people on his team and what a wide variety of talent and backgrounds they have. Everyone is very, very different in the studio and that's what makes everyone inspirational and full of creative ideas. He went on to show us some of the more recent animations they had produced, and how they had worked with some upcoming music artists/vocalists on music videos. Fettle have a very distinguishable style and sometimes flit between a couple of other different looks for their animations. Children of the Holocaust shows off their most well known, with Shakespeare in Shorts sporting a more graphic-design aesthetic, which I really loved and was shocked to hear that they did not animate the series of shorts in After Effects (they use Adobe Animate, formerly known as Flash for all of their animating)!
Shakespeare in Shorts was very fun to watch and even thought about sending links to the animations to my former high school English teachers as I think their GCSE students would benefit from watching shorts like these to keep them interested and entertained whilst being thrown short and factual snippets of Shakespeare's greatest plays.
Everybody loved "Poo at the Zoo" and I couldn't contain my tears and giggles (I'm definitely not childish...) as it was a brilliant masterpiece of entertainment! Aimed at children I imagine, it had that same graphic-like look to it and was amazingly beautiful to watch as all the characters moved well with the music and really got you laughing. When the little animal poos came on screen with individual faces and expressions on them that was it, I was in tears and struggled to contain myself. Fantastic!
Beforehand though, Zane had brought in his HP laptop (looked like an incredibly similar model to mine oddly enough) with the hope of hooking it up to the projector and showing us the animations that way. However, the clips kept stuttering and struggling to play, which made us think they would handle better on our Macs (32GB of RAM, right?). Zane had very little experience on an Apple product and found it a little difficult to get to grips with something he'd not been on much - I had this problem when I started college! He did really well and despite being really embarrassed (I wanted to reassure him that he was doing great) and the few odd impatient sighs across the room (which annoyed me), he showed us loads of fabulous work from Fettle. Honestly, it was a lovely talk and visit and Fettle sounds like a great company to be involved with as it seems so genuine and down to Earth!
Zane Whittingham - Fettle
A couple of weeks ago, we were visited again by Fettle animation. Last year, Zane's partner came to LCA to talk to us about their new series, Children of the Holocaust, an animated franchise made for the BBC. I had seen some of the shorts prior to this as we often browse BBC iPlayer for documentaries and they had been recommended for us. I was heavily inspired by Fettle after the talk last year as documentary animation really interests me as I've loved all kinds of documentary film from being a young child and really wanted to merge it with animation.
Zane was a really nice person and had a warm and friendly attitude to us. He was incredibly passionate about Fettle's work and some of the wonderful things they'd achieved and spoke to us about some of the other people on his team and what a wide variety of talent and backgrounds they have. Everyone is very, very different in the studio and that's what makes everyone inspirational and full of creative ideas. He went on to show us some of the more recent animations they had produced, and how they had worked with some upcoming music artists/vocalists on music videos. Fettle have a very distinguishable style and sometimes flit between a couple of other different looks for their animations. Children of the Holocaust shows off their most well known, with Shakespeare in Shorts sporting a more graphic-design aesthetic, which I really loved and was shocked to hear that they did not animate the series of shorts in After Effects (they use Adobe Animate, formerly known as Flash for all of their animating)!
Shakespeare in Shorts was very fun to watch and even thought about sending links to the animations to my former high school English teachers as I think their GCSE students would benefit from watching shorts like these to keep them interested and entertained whilst being thrown short and factual snippets of Shakespeare's greatest plays.
Everybody loved "Poo at the Zoo" and I couldn't contain my tears and giggles (I'm definitely not childish...) as it was a brilliant masterpiece of entertainment! Aimed at children I imagine, it had that same graphic-like look to it and was amazingly beautiful to watch as all the characters moved well with the music and really got you laughing. When the little animal poos came on screen with individual faces and expressions on them that was it, I was in tears and struggled to contain myself. Fantastic!
Beforehand though, Zane had brought in his HP laptop (looked like an incredibly similar model to mine oddly enough) with the hope of hooking it up to the projector and showing us the animations that way. However, the clips kept stuttering and struggling to play, which made us think they would handle better on our Macs (32GB of RAM, right?). Zane had very little experience on an Apple product and found it a little difficult to get to grips with something he'd not been on much - I had this problem when I started college! He did really well and despite being really embarrassed (I wanted to reassure him that he was doing great) and the few odd impatient sighs across the room (which annoyed me), he showed us loads of fabulous work from Fettle. Honestly, it was a lovely talk and visit and Fettle sounds like a great company to be involved with as it seems so genuine and down to Earth!
Thursday, 10 March 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: Web & Social Media Presence
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Web & Social Media Presence
Facebook
LinkdIn
RedBubble
Etsy
Twitter
Web & Social Media Presence
LinkdIn
RedBubble
Etsy
OUAN602 - PPP3: Looking a Little More into Aardman
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Looking a Little More into Aardman
In 1972, Peter Lord and David Sproxton registered the company name "Aardman Animations" and started their huge journey into the animation industry, changing the face of British film and television, and gaining massive success.
They originally were set on creating animation for a more adult audience, breaking the stereotype that "cartoons are for kids". In 1985, Nick Park then joined the team. Morph was born and has been a significant character in most British childhoods! However, Aardman still wanted to create animations for an adult audience.
In 1986, they were commissioned to work on the famous "Sledgehammer" music video (Stephen Johnson and The Brothers Quay). They did this in a very short space of time according to Dave-Alex who visited us not too long ago, and didn't have a huge budget.
In 1993, The Wrong Trousers became a huge hit winning an Oscar and world recognition as being one of the best animated pieces ever made. In 1995, A Close Shave was created and won them yet another Oscar. This is how Wallace and Gromit came to be the huge superstars that they are now.
From then on and into the new century, they created such works as Angry Kid, Creature Comforts, Chicken Run, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Shaun the Sheep. They really have made a massive impact on animation globally, let alone in Britain. As a Yorkshire child, growing up in Harrogate (the town of Yorkshire Tea, Betty's, farms, and Emmerdale), it's comforting to see some of their works reflect parts of true North Yorkshire life. Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep make me feel at home and are hilariously accurate depictions of typical Yorkshire characters. It's lovely to know that the place you call home has had an influence on one of the greatest animation companies!
Looking a Little More into Aardman
In 1972, Peter Lord and David Sproxton registered the company name "Aardman Animations" and started their huge journey into the animation industry, changing the face of British film and television, and gaining massive success.
They originally were set on creating animation for a more adult audience, breaking the stereotype that "cartoons are for kids". In 1985, Nick Park then joined the team. Morph was born and has been a significant character in most British childhoods! However, Aardman still wanted to create animations for an adult audience.
In 1986, they were commissioned to work on the famous "Sledgehammer" music video (Stephen Johnson and The Brothers Quay). They did this in a very short space of time according to Dave-Alex who visited us not too long ago, and didn't have a huge budget.
In 1993, The Wrong Trousers became a huge hit winning an Oscar and world recognition as being one of the best animated pieces ever made. In 1995, A Close Shave was created and won them yet another Oscar. This is how Wallace and Gromit came to be the huge superstars that they are now.
From then on and into the new century, they created such works as Angry Kid, Creature Comforts, Chicken Run, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Shaun the Sheep. They really have made a massive impact on animation globally, let alone in Britain. As a Yorkshire child, growing up in Harrogate (the town of Yorkshire Tea, Betty's, farms, and Emmerdale), it's comforting to see some of their works reflect parts of true North Yorkshire life. Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep make me feel at home and are hilariously accurate depictions of typical Yorkshire characters. It's lovely to know that the place you call home has had an influence on one of the greatest animation companies!
OUAN602 - PPP3: Aardman - Dave-Alex Riddett
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Aardman Visitor
Yesterday we were invited to meet Dave-Alex Riddett, head cinematographer of Aardman animation. It came as a bit of a shock as we received the email a bit last minute and I had planned on doing some work that day. However, I came along as it seemed like a very beneficial talk and would give us all an insight into working in industry and how he went about his journey.
Dave instantly made me smile as I noticed his tweed waistcoat accessorised with a pocketwatch (of which I instantly wanted to ask him about as my partner and I collect antique pocket watches)! He certainly had great fashion sense and looked charismatic and interesting, which I know you shouldn't judge someone by, but he had made a lovely effort by dressing smartly (which I always a respect a person for considering its a rarity to see...)
He really did go all out with his presentation which lasted just over three hours, one of the longest talks I've ever had! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him talk about his passion and his work. He explained that stop motion is incredibly versatile and experimental - some of the techniques he described such as using hair wax and little glass pearls to replicate bubbles were very interesting as he said that often new methods are picked up by accident, and along the way you discover things that would work for other projects or tasks. He has even used toilet roll to achieve a flame-like effect!
Dave then went on to show us loads of little clips of the Aardman studio, with snippets of the team working on different shots and scenes. They sometimes built the sets on weird angles as limitations such as space and ceiling height meant that they couldn't (or it seemed unreasonable and not very efficient) often fit some features such as hills for chase scenes into the building. The team would simply build the set at the needed angle, then adjust the camera accordingly so that when finished, the animation would look completely natural. I thought this was very clever and practical.
The whole class were besotted with the little models of some of the characters from the Shaun The Sheep movie. They were fully poseable, containing all the original armatures. I was surprised at just how textured they were as I actually thought that Shaun's fur was all plasticine, not the wool it turned out to be! It made sense when I saw him close up, and his fur felt a lot more rigid than I expected, like it had been brushed with some glue or sprayed with a setting spray to give it a rougher texture perhaps.
I finally asked him about the pocket watch and whether or not our family motto: "it's not what you know, it's who you know" really was true when it came to industry. He said that yes, skill is incredibly important, though if you don't have the personality and contacts, then you could essentially have all this unspent talent. I completely agree and believe that often skill is acquired through the meeting of new and relevant people. You can pick up new skills, share them with others, and flourish as a team rather than egotistically assuming you have all this immense talent whilst sitting their in your dingy little flat expecting people to seek you out. Think about the X Factor (as rubbish as it is) and how many unnoticed people with amazing talent find potentially life-changing jobs just by getting out there and proving their worth. I imagine the animation industry, and art as a whole, is just like this.
Here are a a few shots I took of the models. I tried to get them as close as possible as I wanted to really show off the textures on the characters. The man's knitted sweater had me in awe at just how realistic it looked and felt!
Aardman Visitor
Yesterday we were invited to meet Dave-Alex Riddett, head cinematographer of Aardman animation. It came as a bit of a shock as we received the email a bit last minute and I had planned on doing some work that day. However, I came along as it seemed like a very beneficial talk and would give us all an insight into working in industry and how he went about his journey.
Dave instantly made me smile as I noticed his tweed waistcoat accessorised with a pocketwatch (of which I instantly wanted to ask him about as my partner and I collect antique pocket watches)! He certainly had great fashion sense and looked charismatic and interesting, which I know you shouldn't judge someone by, but he had made a lovely effort by dressing smartly (which I always a respect a person for considering its a rarity to see...)
He really did go all out with his presentation which lasted just over three hours, one of the longest talks I've ever had! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him talk about his passion and his work. He explained that stop motion is incredibly versatile and experimental - some of the techniques he described such as using hair wax and little glass pearls to replicate bubbles were very interesting as he said that often new methods are picked up by accident, and along the way you discover things that would work for other projects or tasks. He has even used toilet roll to achieve a flame-like effect!
Dave then went on to show us loads of little clips of the Aardman studio, with snippets of the team working on different shots and scenes. They sometimes built the sets on weird angles as limitations such as space and ceiling height meant that they couldn't (or it seemed unreasonable and not very efficient) often fit some features such as hills for chase scenes into the building. The team would simply build the set at the needed angle, then adjust the camera accordingly so that when finished, the animation would look completely natural. I thought this was very clever and practical.
The whole class were besotted with the little models of some of the characters from the Shaun The Sheep movie. They were fully poseable, containing all the original armatures. I was surprised at just how textured they were as I actually thought that Shaun's fur was all plasticine, not the wool it turned out to be! It made sense when I saw him close up, and his fur felt a lot more rigid than I expected, like it had been brushed with some glue or sprayed with a setting spray to give it a rougher texture perhaps.
I finally asked him about the pocket watch and whether or not our family motto: "it's not what you know, it's who you know" really was true when it came to industry. He said that yes, skill is incredibly important, though if you don't have the personality and contacts, then you could essentially have all this unspent talent. I completely agree and believe that often skill is acquired through the meeting of new and relevant people. You can pick up new skills, share them with others, and flourish as a team rather than egotistically assuming you have all this immense talent whilst sitting their in your dingy little flat expecting people to seek you out. Think about the X Factor (as rubbish as it is) and how many unnoticed people with amazing talent find potentially life-changing jobs just by getting out there and proving their worth. I imagine the animation industry, and art as a whole, is just like this.
Here are a a few shots I took of the models. I tried to get them as close as possible as I wanted to really show off the textures on the characters. The man's knitted sweater had me in awe at just how realistic it looked and felt!
 |
| David also wanted a photograph with the chaps! |
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| That sweater though. Lovely. |
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: Inkwell Volunteering Continued
OUAN602 - PPP3:
Inkwell Continued
I've been in touch with Inkwell recently and was invited to come in for a small induction/chat about volunteering with the manager, Heather. We spoke about what experience I had and how I could use that to benefit the charity and Leeds Mind as a whole. After being handed a forest-worth of paperwork for DBS checks, references, and so forth, I went home with a grin, knowing that I would soon be an official volunteer for Leeds Mind and Inkwell.
We've decided that I'll be helping out up until late June, when I leave for Harrogate (a recent decision). I'll be working on the Take Over Cafe and Art Monsters days (Thursday evenings and Saturday daytimes) with children and teens aged 6-18, supporting them with a range of activities. Currently, we will all be working a giant Easter hare.
Inkwell are brilliant at what they do as they have so many activities on throughout the week and have recently opened up on Saturdays. They bring so much to the community and those who need a safe and relaxing place to create art and meet new people. They cater to a wide range of people of all ages and backgrounds and take part in many local events such as Leeds Light Night.
How will this further me in the future?
This experience will give me more advanced and well-needed skills in public speaking, running workshops, and working with a range of people. I consider this research rather than engaging as I'm looking into how more doors can open up for me and lead me down different career paths.
Inkwell Continued
I've been in touch with Inkwell recently and was invited to come in for a small induction/chat about volunteering with the manager, Heather. We spoke about what experience I had and how I could use that to benefit the charity and Leeds Mind as a whole. After being handed a forest-worth of paperwork for DBS checks, references, and so forth, I went home with a grin, knowing that I would soon be an official volunteer for Leeds Mind and Inkwell.
We've decided that I'll be helping out up until late June, when I leave for Harrogate (a recent decision). I'll be working on the Take Over Cafe and Art Monsters days (Thursday evenings and Saturday daytimes) with children and teens aged 6-18, supporting them with a range of activities. Currently, we will all be working a giant Easter hare.
Inkwell are brilliant at what they do as they have so many activities on throughout the week and have recently opened up on Saturdays. They bring so much to the community and those who need a safe and relaxing place to create art and meet new people. They cater to a wide range of people of all ages and backgrounds and take part in many local events such as Leeds Light Night.
How will this further me in the future?
This experience will give me more advanced and well-needed skills in public speaking, running workshops, and working with a range of people. I consider this research rather than engaging as I'm looking into how more doors can open up for me and lead me down different career paths.
May Day Festival
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
OUAN602 - PPP3: 12 Month Action Plan
OUAN602 - PPP3:
12 Month Action Plan (2000 words)
12 Month Action Plan (2000 words)
PPP3 – 12 Month Action Plan
The Plan
Seeing as my circumstances
have changed dramatically in the past month regarding future residency,
financial status, and health, my plans for the future have also slightly
changed. After originally deciding that both my long-term partner and I were
going to stay in Leeds for another year while they completed their final year
of university (meaning I would carry on my voluntary work at Inkwell whilst
working part time in retail to save up enough money to travel and expand our
horizons), the plan took an unexpected turn as I was going through a rough
patch and struggled with my health, meaning I was incredibly worried about
staying in a city that would potentially make me worse. Kindly, my partner’s
parents offered for us both to come and live with them in Harrogate, our
hometown.
This would only be a
temporary stay for a couple of years whilst we worked hard to earn savings so
that we could then decide for our future with more confidence – you can’t go
anywhere without money, so simply hoping for the best isn’t exactly a very
realistic option. Hard graft would get us further in life and give us a good
start (after all, neither of us had rich enough parents to become one of those
“Trust Fund Babies”!) Harrogate wasn’t exactly where I was hoping to spend the
next few years as I suffered a difficult time back home and would rather not be
known back there for fear of seeing people I’d rather not. However, it was the
only place I was welcome at the time so was grateful for the acceptance into
another family.
As a child, I had high hopes
of working as an art therapist at Henshaws’ college for the blind and students
of other difficulties. This is situated behind my parents’ home in
Knaresborough. I often visited the college to see exhibitions and the
incredible works of the students. It taught me compassion and understanding
from a young age, and made it clear that no matter what your abilities or
disabilities, anyone is capable of making something amazing and worthwhile. It
made me feel less useless and gave me something to live up to, knowing that
everyone has a talent at something. I wanted to be able to help others live out
their potential and make art fun and accessible for everyone. My plan is to try
and involve myself with Henshaws and use my degree to hopefully bring animation
and puppetry into the college. I believe making armatures and models would be
fantastic for the students as they would be more than capable. My partner’s
father also has strong connections with many artistic personalities, such as
former employee for Aardman animation, and plenty of other valuable contacts
that may help me start up some freelance work if the opportunity arises. He
runs his own studio in Harrogate, Rapture, and specialises in 3D modelling and
sculpture.
My secondary plan of action
is to contact my former high school in hopes that maybe they’ll consider me for
a place as a teaching assistant in the ICT, Art and Design, or even English
department. I have good connections with my former teachers and contact them
regularly. Luckily, I wasn’t a nuisance student and studied hard, thoroughly
enjoying my subjects with high respect for the staff, so hopefully if anything
comes up, they’ll get in touch as I’d love to give something back to the place
I spent the best part of six years studying.
My contingency plan and very
last resort is to simply work full time in retail or
administration/secretarial. I would love to kick start a decent career in my
early twenties, but money is money and I believe I should my health first and
find somewhere stable, clean, and safe to live first before I start travelling
the world. I have spent too much of my time as a child looking after everyone
else that I believe now is a good time to bring some stability and happiness
back so that I have the ambition and drive to make a really successful life for
myself. My cousin was a former employee for Disney, travelling globally every
month, working in the marketing department to motivate and keep everyone on
track. She is incredibly inspirational and is full of charisma and adventure. I
have spoken to her about possibly putting me in touch with a few contacts, and
she would be more than happy to help out which is fantastic. After all, it’s
not always what you know, it’s who you know!
How you are going to do it?
So far, I’ve pushed
through life quite chaotically simply by “just winging it” and being in the
right place at the right time. I don’t believe there’s any special formula to
life or any chance that “things are just meant to be” or “everything happens
for a reason”. I believe that if you want something enough, you can go out and
try your hardest to make it happen. I’m going to save up enough money to give
myself a broad enough list of choices as to where in the world I can cast my
net and travel to. I’m going to contact old acquaintances and keep myself in
the loop with what’s happening in the industry and whether or not there are any
jobs or internships that I feel would be suitable for me. Meanwhile, I’ll keep volunteering at Inkwell
once a week as this will give me experience and allow for some training
opportunities meaning I can get a few more qualifications under my belt.
Hopefully I’ll be
able to go back and work at my former high school for a few days a week as the
art department is lacking massively in staff. This way I may even be able to
bring in some animation knowledge and experience, as I know plenty of students
who want to get more involved with animation in their lessons. If this works
out, I then have a few days to spare a week meaning I can hopefully work at
Henshaws part time, or if not, spend those days looking after myself and taking
care of my mental wellbeing by going on trips and exploring new places. One
thing I miss in Leeds is the ability to find a forest where you can sit quietly
in a tree and read a book, watching the world go by. It’s far too dangerous and
busy here to find any form of solace!
Who you will be contacting?
I will be contacting
former teachers, current family members, and professionals in the industry in
hope that I can further myself and land myself a job in the right place.
Personally, I don’t want to work in animation solely. I find that working for a
company would be far too stressful for me and find that working on my own gives
me more control over things and allows me to make sure tasks are done in a
certain way. This is why working in the education or psychological sect is more
for me as yes, you are part of team, but you have that independence in which
you aren’t joined at the hip to colleagues constantly, which is stressful.
I already have a
small online presence of which I hope to expand so people get a feel for my
work and what kind of creative pieces I produce. I don’t see myself as an
animator in the literal sense of it – I am more of an
illustrator/producer/organiser with an amateur ability to animate. If I can get
involved with a company that requires organisation or producer skills, then
that would be brilliant. However, I’m not going to turn my nose completely at
the opportunity of animating. I think because of my personality, I need
consistency and regulation but without the stress of strict deadlines and
pressure.
What professional organisations do you need to engage with or
become a member of?
As I’m already a
volunteer for Inkwell which is a part of Mind, I am already very much
affiliated with the perfect organisation to further my journey into art
therapy, psychological services, and helping others with mental health
difficulties. This could take me down a whole new path in life but one of which
I would proud of as I’d be helping others of a similar background to myself and
improving society by joining in the battle to banish stigma surround mental
illness. I wish to become more closely connected to Henshaws in Knaresborough
if I wish to use my degree in a classroom setting, still helping those with
physical and psychological difficulties.
I stay in touch with
former teachers as mentioned earlier, so this could open up teaching
opportunities within a high school and allow me yet again to use my degree to
inspire other students who wish to learn more about animation, puppetry, 3D
modelling, and so forth.
I may get in touch
with Leeds Arts & Minds Network as I met one of their members, Tom Bailey,
at Leeds International Film Festival last year and he was very keen to get more
people involved. He also has connections with Orb Arts in Knaresborough, which
work with those suffering from mental health issues.
What local, national or international networks will you be joining?
As mentioned above,
I’ll hopefully get more involved with Mind as they have helped me out immensely
and I wish to give something back. I may also be contacting Orb, Leeds Arts
& Minds, Henshaws, and Harrogate High School, as well as keeping closely
involved with what companies my partner’s father is working with. By staying
local for now, it gives me chance to get myself known in the area and then
hopefully I can work a bit further from home once I’ve established a decent
career.
What are your strategies for contacting people and making links with
industry (or post-graduate/collaborative/exhibition opportunities)?
Although I’d like to
think of myself as an extrovert most of the time, sometimes I can be incredibly
introverted, so putting myself out there can be rather challenging and
stressful. Personally, I believe in the good old trusty tactic of visiting a
new place, researching it, and speaking to members of that organisation to find
out how you can help and if there are any opportunities. I believe in pushing
and going back to people, whilst not giving up. Exhibitions and very social
events can be a bit of an issue for me!
How are you going to present and pitch your portfolios to your audience?
Make sure I have up
to date examples of work, such as showreels and online portfolios. This means
that there’s less effort I have to put in beforehand in terms of panicking to
muddle a shoddy few examples of work together the night before a meeting. I’m a
very organised person who has labels and places for absolutely everything
imaginable, so I can’t see this being my downfall. I should work on
consistently producing new works as I feel that sometimes I don’t create enough
content that shows off my skills meaning I often settle for old pieces to pop
in my portfolio, rather than going for quality over quantity. I need to work
massively on my confidence if I am to pitch to any large or professional
audience as my nerves often get the better of me. Overall, I think I have a lot
of fingers in a lot of pies, and this could get me to many unusual places and
career paths. So long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters.
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