Running Squirrel- by Charlie Marshall

Running Squirrel from Charlie Marshall on Vimeo.

Simple Circle Animation

Skill

learning about simple movement in animation.

Learning Approach

I just drew a simple shape and decided to experiment with the timings, learning by trial and error, testing different techniques out.

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. In the last animation I tried to make the circle come from different sides. It doesn't work however because in some of the frames the circle is too small and it makes it flicker. I need to make sure the subject is the same size in every frame.
2. Again in the last animation, I have forgotten to remove one of the frames so half a circle flicks onto the screen while it's also moving on the other side of the screen. I should double check I am only showing the frames I want to or it can ruin the whole animation.
3. Changing the timing on each individual frame is tedious and take time. I didn't realise until far into the last animation that you can select all frames and carry out the process only once.

1- The first animation is 16 frames repeated 4 times with a delay of 0.01 sec between each frame. It's too fast:

2- On this second animation the time delay is 0.1 second... I definitely prefer this speed:

3- Here I have managed to ping the circle backwards and forwards.

4- I've tried to make the ball appear from different directions. There is a problem with the size of the ball in a couple of the frames however which is proving impossible to sort out... I think I would have to start again if I was taking this project further.

Overall...

Although trial and error can be a laborious process I found it really good not to have any structure to learning, to be able to experiment. I allowed me to explore without worrying about making mistakes and I discovered loads of small shortcuts etc which would have been really difficult to find in a manual. However, I don't believe that it's they best way to learn all the time, but I think that there should be a balance between textbook learning (studying), and just getting stuck into the process without knowing what you are actually doing.

Watercolour Tree

Inspiration for Laser Cutter

This is just a cutting I found a while ago from a magazine. When I had finished cutting my tree out of the laser cutter today, it reminded me of it.

Laser Cutter 1

This is my first go on laser cutter. I just cut the tress out on plain white paper but I still feel it is effective.

Skill

Learning how to cut out my illustrations using a laser cutter

Approach to Learning

I went to a laser cutter induction last year and thought that I would remember how to carry out the process with help from my notes. However, it proved more difficult than I thought. Luckily, Katy had had an induction in the morning and she reminded me how to set everything up. I watched Katy cut her dinosaurs out first, then I cut out my tree.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. Time management. I did not realise how long it would take to cut my tree out. Due to all the intricate detail, it took just over 40 mins. I wanted to cut some more trees out of acrylic but I only had a 1 hour slot. I could have used this 40 mins to do something else while the tree was being cut out.
2. Write notes on the process down in more detail. This would make it easier for the next time I want to use the laser cutter.
3. Double check all files are compatible with the laser cutter computer. Katy told me all files have to be saved in Adobe Illustrator CS3 because the laser cutter computer isn't up to date yet. I had problems opening my files in Illustrator because it was too large. I learnt to scan the image straight into Illustrator instead of Photoshop.

Overall...

I found working with and from a fellow course member really easy and useful. If there where were any problems there were two of us trying to work things out- there was always someone there to help me. Although it did not happen this time, a possible problem with working with someone else is we may chat while we could be could be getting on with some other work. Overall, I feel that learning how to use the laser cutter properly is a great new skill, it suits my style of illustration. I will definitely use the laser cutter again in the future.

Screen Printing onto Cloth

This was my first attempt at screen printing onto cloth. Before this exercise, I had only done screen printing once before, and this was onto paper.

Skill

Learning how to screen print my illustrations.

Approach to Learning

I went to a refresher screen printing workshop last week. I had already been to one but because I had not done any screen printing since, my knowledge of the process was very vague.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. Time management. Screen printing is a very long process - while I was waiting for the screen to dry there would be gaps of an hour long. I found I could use the time to prepare my image ready for exposure.
2. Remember do not expose the screen to light until image has been exposed. It did not happen to me, but another girl forgot and took hers out the room while I was there.
3. The first image on this post is the original image printed from a computer onto acetate. I learnt that by doing this it makes the final image stronger once printed.
4. Remember to always put weights on the screen or the print will come out blurry. (I always seemed to forget)
5. There is almost always a member of staff who is on drop-in who can help

Overall...

The refresher workshop was a good way to get started, but I found the best way to learn was actually carrying out the process myself. This way I got a feel for how long and laborious screen printing is- the workshop only lasted for half an hour and made the process look simple, whereas realistically, screen printing can take all day. I am a hands- on learner.

Some Photos of Trees

I took these while at home for the week end in Cumbria.

These photographs were taken to make me realise that I should try and take a camera out with me more often. Even if the photos taken do not make good photographs themselves, they can be used for reference for my illustrations.

Pierluigi Riccio

http://www.pierluigiriccio.com

Continuing with the theme of trees, I would like to take some photographs for this project. I have not taken a camera out in a while and think I would be good practice to start doing so- it is a good, quick way to document and capture an idea.

Bird in Animated gif

Skill

Creating an animated gif in Adobe Photoshop

Approach to Learning

I researched 'animated gif in Photoshop' on the internet and taught myself by following the steps from http://creativetechs.com/tipsblog/build-animated-gifs-in-photoshop/.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. I found that sometimes I got muddled up with the different layers and the order they were meant to be in. In the future I need to remember toname/label the different layers according to the correct order.
2. At first, my animated gif was too fast and I found out that the preview in Photoshop is not very accurate. I learnt to save and export my gif then watch it in quicktime player to get a feel for timings. Then I would go back and edit.
3. Alos, my first attempt was too short. I had to repeat the 9 frames 5 times so there were 45 frames in total.
4. When i tried to upload my gif onto my blog it wouldn't work. Through trial and error I learnt that the gif needed to be saved as an MPEG- 4 file

Animation 1-

Too fast and too short

Animation 2-

Slower, but still too short

Final Animation-

Overall...

Learning from a step-by-step guide was simple and quick, making me realise how easy it was to put together an animated gif. If i had known how to do it sooner I think I would have used it a lot more in the past, I will certainly use it in the future. The demonstration I found was really good, however, similarly to learning from books, if i had trouble with something I would have been stuck and had to wait to go into college to get help.

Loads of animated gifs.

http://www.iamnotanartist.org/index.php

Reading Week

In 'Animation: A Handy Guide' I found a section explaining about bone structure in animation particularly interesting and decided to give it a go. It turned out to be very useful. All 9 images can be put in a loop in an animation to make it look like it's flying. When I get back to college I will put it into flash/ make an animated gif.

Skill

I want to learn how to use illustration to make an Animation. How to create realistic movement in a an animation.

Approach to Learning

I borrowed a few books from the library and read up on some animation techniques, taking notes as I went along. Then I drew the sequence to test out the suggested technique.

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. Make thorough, step by step notes so I can work without the book in the future.
2. Mark important pages so when I want to go back and try out a particular technique I can easily find it. I did not do this I wasted time trying to find information again.
3. When I draw out an image to animate I need to make sure I can see the previous image so the animation will line up properly. I thought I would be able to work out the size if the area I was drawing onto was the same size, but i found out that there is still a risk that the images will not synchronise.
4. Make sure the general shape of the image is similar to the others being put into the animation

Overall...

Teaching myself animation techniques from books meant I could learn/ work at my own pace ensuring that I understood everything as I went along. If I felt I did not understand something I could go back and re- read. However, I did have to be self disciplined. With no-one overlooking what I was doing I could have been easily been distracted. I felt I managed to keep on track though. Another downside was that if I did not understand something after re-reading I was on my own. I would have to wait until I went into college to ask someone. Overall, I found working from books a very successful way of learning.

Reading Week

Over reading week I decided to take out a couple of books on animation as I would still like to explore this further.

The two books I got out were: '

"The Animation Bible!' The Guide To Everything- From Flipbooks to Flash' By Maureen Furness

'Animation: A Handy Guide' by Shelia Graber

Drawings from My Sketchbook

I normally draw small, detailed drawings so here I was trying to experiment and fill an A3 page. I'm a perfectionist so it took me about 5 hours to complete the bottom image... and the top one just took so long I gave up (which I never EVER do).

Tree which took far too long to draw!

Black fine liner

A3

Tree Silhouette

Black Fine Liner

A3 Double page spread

"Tree Silhouette" (bottom):

It wasn't until really near the end that I realised I had miss judged the size and would have to spread over to the other side slightly, which I feel ruins the image (although you can't actually see thins in the photograph).

• I should plan out my illustrations in pencil first
• or work on paper larger than necessary, making the assumption that I'm going to miss judge

Life Drawing

I went to life drawing classes between 1st- 22nd 0ct. I had been last year and classes before that, but i still felt it was important as an illustrator to attend.

Skill

Life drawing classes- 3hours once a week for 4 weeks.

Approach to learning

There was a life drawing tutor, Claire, who came around and help us individually

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. Sometimes I found I was struggling to get the proportion right. I then learn about negative space and how this is as important as the figure itself.
2. LIfe drawing allowed me to experiment with different media, such as a feather quill and ink. It was a messy way of drawing but it made me less neat an tidy and allowed me to explore.
3. I used to be really sketchy when drawing. Life drawing has taught me to become more observant and to have confidence in drawing solid lines.

Overall...

I really enjoyed these classes, which made me realise how much I missed it (I used to go 3 hours once a week for 2 years) If they occur again in the future I would definitely put my name down.

Drawings from My Sketchbook

Drawing Darwin as a tree

Small Sketches from A3 page

I had an idea that Darwin could be a tree: they're old and often said to hold secrets. I thought I would draw some sketches without any reference as this is something I don't do very much and would like to get better at it.

Adjusting the anchor points

You can't really tell on my blog because of the scale of the image, but I have spent a while neatening up any unwanted jagged edges on the image on the left. I did this by adjusting the "anchor points"-an adjustment you can achieve after you "live trace" an image. The image on the right is an exaggerated version to give and example of what I mean.

Process Notes

Adjusting the Colour using Adobe Photoshop/ Illustrator

Skill

Learning how to add colour and tone to one of my illustrations using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Approach to Learning

First of all Matt showed everyone in a group tutorial how he added colour to his illustrations. I forgot to take notes so I watched tutorials on line, borrowed an Adobe manual and asked Kate (who is Vis. Com Yr 1), for help as she has been using the Adobe suit for years.

Process Notes

Key Tips from the Learning Process

1. The pencil lines of the original image were too faint so they did not scan. I went around all the drawings with a black fine liner.
2. Shading can make an image look more "alive". Kate told me that if I change the opacity on the paintbrush tool you can gradually build up the shading instead of persistently changing she shade from the palette.
3. It is quicker to scan the image into Adobe Illustrator, live trace it, then place it into a new Adobe document. This also means you can adjust the size of the image while "placing".

The original image, just scanned in-

The image "live traced" in Illustrator-

The image without shading-

Overall...

I took me a while to grasp the process but found it a very useful exercise. I still think I have more to learn about Photoshop, but generally feel more confident and have realised that if I am struggling there are many ways I can find help. The only thing that would have made the process easier is if I had used a graphics tablet as it would have made the shading more accurate.

Drawing from My Sketchbook

Swinging Monkey

Black Fine Liner

A3 Double Page Spread