Task one: writing prompt
To be frank, I have no reason for choosing character animation, I only chose it because the deadline was drawing to a close. I had an immensely hard time deciding between what pathway was right for me. I spoke to students and several teachers on the matter and thus concluded to choose character just because, and I believe I’d work better in a slightly more structured environment from what was being said.
My initial inspiration coming from animation is that of the works of Don Hertzfeldt, and the art of movement. I am passionate about film, but I am also passionate about art, and that combined fits to animation. Storytelling is of prime importance to me and my work, and I want it to be brought to life with the flexibility animation has to offer. Despite film being a close second, it can never recreate animation the same exact way.
I hope to explore and find out how I want to communicate storytelling in the means of animation, by learning its roles and working through group projects. I want to gain some understanding of what I want to do precisely, and what I feel I’d enjoy doing most.
Task two: research
I wanted to try and observe my surrounding environment by heading to the park and local Pret so I could do some life drawing. However, the search for creativity and attempt to innovate ideas was short lived, and I grew quite frustrated. I wrote about it particularly at Pret, because no one there was interesting, rather all the same.
Life drawing in park
Life drawing and annotation of Pret’s surroundings
It wasn’t until I decided to take a deeper look at who I’ve drawn, and remembered I was actually quite intrigued over this woman sitting at the bench for quite a long time. She wasn’t distracted by a phone, book or anything, just sat in contemplation. So, I thought to use this person as a character I could investigate and create of my own, of who I think she could be.
Here I drew a profile sketch with some visuals of my reimagined character inspired by this person. I believe, and I think, she is someone who still at an older age has no idea what to do, but the difference being she is content at where she is. I was also inspired by an older person I spoke to who doesn’t know what they want to do either, but they are happy regardless, and I feel the same way.
I also don’t ever draw or focus on older people, so this was quite a different idea and approach to my work.
I also went on to Pinterest to create a small online scrapbook of some work I like and am inspired by, mainly being some of David Lynch’s art work. It is visceral yet simple and strictly black and white which is what I’ve always leaned towards. I wanted to try an incorporate some of this into the triptych I’ll create
Insert board
Upon further research and lightly being inspired by the La Jetee featurette, I decided to narrate this reimagined character’s day through photographs. It was admittedly difficult without this person posing for I think she did through the day, and street photography didn’t feel right, because they weren’t describing this person. So, I took pictures of absence, narrating her day without the actual character being in the photo. I believe I could have done more experiments and further research on this and photography, but I am nonetheless content with what I have done. It was also the first time I actually noticed the first signs of autumn. Those details have really slipped past my mind.
Contact sheet
Hopes and dreams – Triptych
This is the concept sketch of what I want the triptych to look like. I want it to be a representation of the character’s stages through her life. From childhood to adolescence, and to where she is now. There is an air of hopefulness and excitement over growing up and wanting to do many things as a child, then uncertainty as a young adult. And despite still not truly knowing the answer at a wiser age, the answer to what she really needed and looked for was that she was content.
Final outcomes
Here are the final outcomes.