Wolf Sketches

Here are some character design sketches for the pre-fusion wolf in 'Eric and the Wolf'-

I like the simpler style of the examples on the bottom right. There's something pleasing about the successful creation of a character using just a few quick and simple lines (like in the work of Benjamin Cady, creator of the animation short 'The Goat and the Well').

Eric and the Wolf

I've developed an idea for a comic based on a random drawing from my sketchbook that had no reason other than that I thought it would look cool. Here it is-

I think it will be called Eric and the Wolf and will involve the two main characters being fused through some freak occurence. I'm thinking there will be an inadvertent use of a secret portal of ancient magic and it'll go kind of wrong! The two will have to try to co-exist and will find it tricky to begin with (naturally). Eric will be an average guy, unhappy in his job, leading a pretty unfulfilled life until the addition of the wolf eventually teaches him the joys of existence and that he can take control of his own life.

Here's a wee concept drawing with two tone colour-

  

Baby Dragon

Another 9 panel strip I did recently (click to enlarge)-

I tried to dull down the colours a bit compared to 'The Grass is Always' (see earlier post). I think it's better.

I started doing these short strips with their simple layout and style after discovering the feel good comics of Todd Webb (http://www.toddbot.com/).

The Grass is Always...

Here's a 9 panel comic I did a while ago (click it for a bigger view)-

The colours aren't very subtle like good ol' Tom Gauld (see earlier post).

Nobrow

Recently I've been loving the comics and other narrative illustration coming from Nobrow (http://www.nobrow.net/), especially the work of Luke Pearson.

The cover of Nobrow 6 (the latest instalment of their magazine) is by Tom Gauld (http://www.tomgauld.com/). His restrained use of colour here is great. Starting with a black and white sketch you need only add two shades of blue to create a real atmosphere. Even though there are only two colours it doesn't feel like there should be more. Here it is-

I shamelessly had a quick attempt on the wacom at something very similar-

Memory Project

Here's a quick synopsis of the memory project I'm doing.


The idea was to create an animation based on a 30s audio clip of me recounting a memory, any memory. The retelling was to be spontaneous and unrehearsed, full of ums and ers.


The memory I talk about is from the two years I spent as a child living in California. Once, in the sandpits at kindergarten, I become trapped under a large, upturned green bucket. I had been playing, maybe hiding under the bucket, and someone had come and sat on top. In the short time that I was rendered trapped I remember feeling terribly frightened which is probably why the memory (one of few I have of my time in California) has stayed with me. 


My plan for this project is to create something quite sketchy and ephemeral in accordance with the nature of memories and dreams. Also the sketchy style will be a reference to my age at the time: it will be as if the animation was drawn by my five year old self.     

Seasons Wheel Styling

I'm thinking about the style of the seasons wheel for the Apex project. I'd like it to have a textured, almost handmade feel. I've also been trying to steer myself away from depicting 'realistic' seasonal landscapes in favour of something that is (hopefully) more evocative and abstract. 
It being the 100th birthday of Disney artist Mary Blair, I've been looking at some of her illustration and can definately take something from them. The textures and simplified shapes will help the cutout, handmade look I'm hoping to achieve. I think that another Disney artist, Eyvind Earle, could also be a strong influence.


Here's an example of Mary Blair's work-

And a concept image of mine for the autumn section of the seasons wheel-

    Haha! It looks like the duck's swimming in lava!

Apex Hotel Project

I'm halfway through this project already so here's a (sort of) quick synopsis-


The brief is simple. Create a one minute video with a spring, summer, autumn or winter theme featuring the Apex Hotels rubber duck mascot. 


My instant reaction to the brief was that it would be far more interesting to explore all four seasons rather than sticking to one. The changing seasons with their varied aesthetics throughout the course of a full year struck me as a theme well suited to animation, a medium of change. 


Firstly I sketched out a few versions of the rubber duck to get the creative juices flowing. I was altering the character in varying degrees away from a representation of the real, plastic version to get the best happy medium between creating an expressive and malleable character and having something that was still recognisable as the Apex duck.    


The first rough storyboard I sketched out went against my previous instincts as it involved just one season: winter. I was unconvinced by the idea which cemented in my mind the desire to incorporate all seasons. Rather than having to pick a season and come up with a story for it, I decided that I should let the changing of the seasons themselves drive the narrative.     


A fundamental and unavoidable fact is that the seasons are cyclical and never-ending. This is something that I thought could form the basis of my animation. It is particularly the word 'cyclical' that I latched on to and so I developed the idea that my duck would simply take a walk through the seasons as if on a treadmill which would be represented by a revolving wheel, split into four for each season, that the duck would 'inhabit'.


I liked that this meant the duck would seem to be on some mechanical season machine so I felt that I could further the idea by having a reveal at the end where you see a Father Time figure power this machine by pedalling an exercise bike! I also thought I could add Mother Nature sprinkling the seasons onto the wheel from above.    

The storyboard for this idea was put together and pitched to representatives of Apex. They seemed happy with the idea but suggested that my duck should indeed look a little more like the actual rubber duck. So I redesigned the duck and I think they were right: it is better now.


As far as the execution goes I plan to actually create the wheel and shoot it in stop motion, revolving as the background for most of the film. The characters will be hand drawn or computer drawn and superimposed onto the stop motion background of the wheel. I want that definition between a hand made, built world and the world of Mother Nature and Father Time in which the wheel has been built. 

Just Started

This is my first ever blog. Just created it so I thought I should write something straight away...


...that's it I guess.