Assignment completed during Nov 2020 Lockdown
– Restrictions in places / Plus extra family commitments – meant that I wasn’t able to “get out” for a lot of this.
Option Three: Everyday Stories
I had already been drawn to option 3, while I liked the others just as much this one appealed to me the most.
During this Assignment I was going to face another huge issue which was we’re in the middle of another Lock down in England (Nov -2020 )As you know I’ve faced many issue during this whole unit due to lock down, lipreading and wearing masks.
Which means I’m very limited, but I know this is something I can handle very well by looking into myself.
My plans is to make the sketchbook at the end, and work on loose sheet which I will bookbind into a “display” book almost.
This assignment involved me looking into my everyday and almost a conclusion of the Unit.
When I started this unit, my first section of filming my sketchbook I stated I was “scared to use my voice” I have a deaf voice and was scared to use that.
This is the time to use it, in my animatic you will hear my voice for the first time.
I think this is the best way to reflect my personal creative voice growth I’ve done though out the unit.
I knew I wanted to do everyday issue I face as a person who is deaf, therefore it started by showing the issue I face, not hearing traffic, not being able to lipread, not hearing things. But, I realised I’m ending this on a positive and hopeful note.
My hearing loss does not stop me, not really.
So the play of this is like “My Everyday does not stop me” Everyday motivational stories for people with disabities and my six images could be a collection of posters.
Each story from a person could be a small 2 min max animation, things they face and how they tackle the issue, something for celebrating disability awareness.
In fact could be animations that is played (like BBC x-mas ads) though out the year targeting the weeks and days of awareness. Such as deaf awareness week (which my little clip will be targeting) So a serious of peoples everyday, how it they do not let their disabities hold us back.
Something like “child of our time” which follows the lives over a course of a year, with special exercises to tackle, to show how creative people can be to get around things not physically / mentally able to do, how life does not hold us back.
So these mini Trailers for this documency can be shown though out the year, ending the year with this special show, also base these trailers on the people the trailersin their everyday, it which will be show that promotes and showcases difficulties that we can face, how we do not let us stop us or hold us back.
So I got something personal for my everyday, something that means something to me, it is motivational and I’m going to use my new found creative voice to express this.
This indeed is my everyday!
So the trailer I will aim for would be my own everyday.
Inspiration
BBC Christmas 2017 Ad – the kind of vibe / market I would like to target.
And BBC Child of our time https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072bk8
However a lot of this was about me pulling in from what I’ve done to date, research that I’ve done and expanding upon it. All the moodboards I created, illustrations I’ve create and giving this unit an almost “final piece”.
The artist that have inspired me so much such as Pam Smy, Myfanwy Tristram, Lynda Barry and recently Lisk Feng.
Exercises such as drawing with one line, blind, my studies of trees and birds, drawing my everyday world around me, finding my narrative and story, this was about all this coming together in my eyes.
Colours for my palette for this was quickly pulled from description and depiction, for the mood what I learn from Brandon J Wallace makes sense, using images/layout to feed the story and viewer mood.
So this assignment research is reflecting on everything I’ve done as the unit as a whole and putting together to create this project.
For the rest, I was limited by lockdown – but this will not stop me.
Using youtube, Pinterest (Below) and my sketches to date I was able to put together the information I needed.
I used this to fill in the gaps for things like
* Crowd of people
* Robin movement
* Wings
Also reading The Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard E Williams – which was handy to see some movements, while I still had a lot to learn from this book a lot started to make sense.
It was also handy as one of the weights for making the sketchbook!
The Sketchbook – part one
All pages scanned in loose before binding
Pages are roughly A4 Landscape (some over double spread)
Main medium used water colour and ink (but a couple of pages I experimented with different methods of ink and markers and Gouache )
The main Story board
(Below)
From the images I was creating that told my story for this “series” I wanted a flow, almost metaphor for what I mean…
I want to draw the viewer into an almost fantasy world where everything is possible, we can do almost anything, even “fly”.
Each element relates to something I cannot do/find hard, but how it does not stop me.
Leading to the title
“My everyday does not stop me”
“every day stories”
Though out my sketchbooks and thumbnails I used SCAMPER techniques to push the design/idea forward.
My sketchbook pages are mixed with doodles, words and studies.
The Character Design
I wanted the character a bit like myself, but a design that more people can relate to.
The body design came from my own fast draw of people throughout my sketchbook, which I did loose gestures and at time long limbs, pointy fingers.
While I was temped to pass on facial feature, I wanted to add emotions, the character to express to.
And making her purple, I didn’t want to do human skin tones, yet didn’t want to make her blue, pink or yellow. I knew green would have an issue with contrast in the nature settings. So I settled with purple as I’ve been told my aura is mainly purple, so this and the hearing aids are my inner self reflected in this character.
The Robin
I could have used any bird really, I see often birds from my window and used in my early sketchbook work.
I picked the Robin as is what I’m seeing now though my window, it is also symbolic meaning, which is how I feel about what this unit has given me. The Robin teaches us however harsh things have been, hope will reappear, new beginnings, I have to let go of all the negative in my past in order to embrace a new, happier phase.
I could see the fact I’m using my “darker” past in my work now so that I can grow and move forward. Which is echoed in this very assignment, everything negative in the work is balanced out with a positive.
The Animatic / Animation – The start of something
Halfway though point (this can show my process as I was working on this in facebook. ) from the line, grey base to colour in one piece (below)
The more animatic version would have less frames between – however I was enjoying working on this as I had a vision.
The Sketchbook Part two – The binding
I’ve recently got into book binding, though out my “creative book design” unit I’ve been learning via BOOK, youtube and also a Domestika course which I’ve really been enjoying and using this as a chance to push my skills.
Paper
Once I knew the main colours (purple) I had some paper which I ordered from G.F Smith – called Peregrina Majestic, purple for the main book and the spine I am planning to use silver for a strong contrast as I have plans to make the spine “different”.
I stitched the sections together and using TYVEK I bound the middle so it is stronger. Using Clips and weights I allowed the glue to dry.
Then I bound the covers with the purple Majestic, using one piece to cover up the spine and Tyvek, I left this under weights to dry before finishing the spine.
I wanted a bit of a show case spine – to add additional level of interest to the book cover.
While I scanned the pages originally when loose, you cannot see the full effect of some of the pages, so I took pictures of each page.
Sketchbook tour – You tube (Quick tour)
The Illustrations
From my sketchbook work/thumbnails I had a clear idea of how to start my illustrations.
I would be creating these with watercolour at first, mainly as I want to slowly build contrast and have the watery textures.
I created the illustrations on Mixed media – A3 Canon paper
I used watercolour, Real brush markers and colouring pencils.
While scanning in I knew was a few issues, after the last assignment I feel I’m gonna stop at stages and review my work before I reach a stage it is harder to “fix”.
Scanned images (below)
Issues (Key issues)
* Colours – not scanned in the best, so lost some tone so need adjust.
Also need to make colours work better
* Body on the “dance” need to be longer (more adult) or head smaller
* Flying wings – neck looks wrong so need to adjust
* All these have been designed so I can use SCAMPER to make the best of the layouts.
* head is too big on the “crowd image.
I found working on the illustration hardest this unit, because I wanted these sketchy but I also wanted them to be “perfect”.
So at the last assignment I find myself in a little block.
I realised once all the images were together, I had indeed overwork one to to the point one of the faces looked plastic….
The Animation/Animatic
When I started this unit I said “Sadly I’m not “ready” to talk, this is due to the fact I have a deaf voice and do not say words correctly.”
I was scared to use not only my creative voice but my physical voice, so it is only fitting for me to use my voice as I end this unit, the gift of this unit has been my voice…
No longer will my own voice drown in the sea of voices.
Rough Copy – Due to Tech errors (laptop corrupted some files) – I have to redo a lot from an earlier save. (Due to assessment period I’m aiming for/Christmas period I want my tutor to have time to check this) so I will be uploaded a rough copy before the final.
Work in progress
– Sound needed to be added, some frames need base
Colour – disco lights and pacing and timing in areas are off….
Plan is to finish base of animation and then fix up in another software + add sound
With Sound
I was a little worried doing this as wasn’t research heavy, I felt I had to do almost a summary of the unit and conclusion to the theme throughout of “everyday” I had revisited some of my earlier exercises and pulled upon that knowledge and things I’ve learnt.
I am not 100% sure on the illustrations (maybe it is the desire to polish them more).
I am over the mood with the sketchbook and animation.
Reflective Statement
I found this unit very emotional and a creative awakening. I’ve learnt my work does not have to perfect, I can be free and more myself.
I found the way I started to draw is more natural and it expresses who I am as an illustrator better. My marks have emotion, expression in them now, I do not worry about it being so clean.
My everyday has indeed changed I am now myself in my days, I’m now friends with myself and that is something that I think speck volumes within my work.
It is a wonderful and inspiring things being at peace with yourself, I feel inspired, I do not feel the things used to holding me back any more, I am ready to use my voice. I still have a lot to learn about my voice, what do I want to use my voice for, how can I apply this in my illustration. How to grow with my new found voice and style!
I end this unit with heavy heart, I know that I can still do bits / redo exercise I wanted to once Covid-19 situation is under better control, could draw the world as it opens up.
This has been a life changing moment for myself, as said before maybe because of Covid-19, I couldn’t go outside for my “everyday” so I had to look inside myself and I started to learn about myself, see myself clearly for the first time.
I’ve enjoyed so much of this unit, I honestly couldn’t say was one bit I didn’t enjoy. Yes, I have some bits I would like to redo, but that is due to lockdown / limited freedom at the time of doing the exercises and assignments.
I’ve always enjoyed looking at art of others, however I hold more value in this, I’ve started really collecting the works of others, I feel I shouldn’t only learn and enjoy from the works of others, but support others.
My book circle is still on-going due to to Covid-19 we have to be careful, plus allowing more time for completion. I am hoping this is completed for assessment, however aiming for March it may “just” miss it, fingers cross.
Emclemmie OCA Sketchbooks 