As a third year, we get put into small groups and are given a guru for the year who give us advice and feedback on our portfolio's along the way. I didn't get the chance to meet my guru the evening she came to university, but I did get in contact with her via email.
My guru, Sam, is a recent graduate who works for a TV Company as an art department assistant. This job roll involves finding props suitable for the scenes they are filming, or if she can't get or find the prop she's after, she make's a mock prop of it, and it could be anything. When she does get a brief to make a prop, she will only have a limited amount of time to do it in, so there is a lot of pressure but she enjoys it because it's what she loves doing....making things! I had never even considered this as a job option but it has got me thinking that it is something I would love to do in the future.
Luckily for me and the peers who I am grouped with, (who also have a love for making) Sam was able to get us in touch with a company called- film dust, which is a prop house I'm currently working with at the moment. This is great for me to be involved in because I am now amongst people who have experience in the industry. The manager at film dust, use to work on film sets as a prop maker for 16 years, but with having to run the place and deal with customers, he doesn't get a chance to make as much anymore, but he said if an opportunity does come along to make a prop, he would happily give the project to me and my peers. This would be a great experience and a wonderful addition to my portfolio if something did come along.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Illustrator Ian Whadcock
Illustrator Ian Whadcock came in to give us a talk about his experience in the industry, which was very interesting. He has been in the industry for a very long time, and so he had a lot of advice and wise words to share.
He said he finds everything interesting, which stuck with me and that was influenced by an exhibition he went to which had that for a title. So he began to keep lots of different sketchbooks full of all sorts from, doodles, to bits of scrap paper that are textured, patterned, coloured, to mark makings and photographs he had taken himself etc and from having done that, it inspired new work. And he then went onto to say that its good to break habits and get out of your comfort zone, which I agree with because as he also said, its better to be as versatile as possible. As technology develops, we need to keep up with it to.
http://www.ianwhadcock.com/
This has to be my favourite piece of his, which he said was inspired by photographs he had taken on a walk through the Peak district. Along with photographs, he has also combined it with digital and pencil drawings. His clever compositions, limited colour palate and attention to detail bring this piece together beautifully.
I would like to get back in touch with working in this way again, as I have been for the most part making my work 3d, so it will be refreshing to get out the pencils again.
http://www.ianwhadcock.com/
I would like to get back in touch with working in this way again, as I have been for the most part making my work 3d, so it will be refreshing to get out the pencils again.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Hopes, Fears and Opportunities
Before I even started the illustration degree, I knew exactly what I would be getting myself into after I graduate, because as will all know, the creative industry is VERY competitive, and it may even take years to get going properly. But its a risk I was willing to let myself take, because if I didn't, I know I would regret it for the rest of my life. You have to work hard at everything you want in life, nothing ever comes easy....I just want to give myself a chance to get out there and be creative.
The drive and enthusiasm that I have has carried me through into my last year but its what I'm afraid of losing when I leave. Over the years, you get comfortable being surrounded by peers and tutors always helping at every step along the way and not having that when I'll be in the big wide world is something I obviously won't be familiar with, so I often wonder how I'll cope on my own, when I feel like I haven't done a good job or have a creative block. Will I have the same drive and enthusiasm then, as I do now, but it's something I'll only have the answer to when I am on my own.
Failing is something I do worry about... (even though I know failing is a must)...because I haven't experienced failing in the industry yet, I don't know how that would effect me. Failing in university is a fail because you didn't do the work, failing in the industry is because no one likes your work. If I was told once in the industry that my work isn't what there looking for, then thats fine, but if I'm told more than once and by different people that my work isn't good enough, that will definitely open up a lot of questions. However, I don't think I would ever let myself quit, I would need to work on how to improve.
And I think if you can pick yourself up from a hard fall like that, it's proof to yourself that you want it, and I think its very important to have that kind of attitude and open mindedness on a creative career path.
I hope to continue with this determination, which will hopefully open up some opportunities along the way.
Im currently working in a prop house, where people from TV companies and film companies etc are always coming in, and I sometimes get the pleasure of talking to them when I get a chance to help them look for what they need. This is a great way of making contacts and asking questions that could really help me in my future.
The drive and enthusiasm that I have has carried me through into my last year but its what I'm afraid of losing when I leave. Over the years, you get comfortable being surrounded by peers and tutors always helping at every step along the way and not having that when I'll be in the big wide world is something I obviously won't be familiar with, so I often wonder how I'll cope on my own, when I feel like I haven't done a good job or have a creative block. Will I have the same drive and enthusiasm then, as I do now, but it's something I'll only have the answer to when I am on my own.
Failing is something I do worry about... (even though I know failing is a must)...because I haven't experienced failing in the industry yet, I don't know how that would effect me. Failing in university is a fail because you didn't do the work, failing in the industry is because no one likes your work. If I was told once in the industry that my work isn't what there looking for, then thats fine, but if I'm told more than once and by different people that my work isn't good enough, that will definitely open up a lot of questions. However, I don't think I would ever let myself quit, I would need to work on how to improve.
And I think if you can pick yourself up from a hard fall like that, it's proof to yourself that you want it, and I think its very important to have that kind of attitude and open mindedness on a creative career path.
I hope to continue with this determination, which will hopefully open up some opportunities along the way.
Im currently working in a prop house, where people from TV companies and film companies etc are always coming in, and I sometimes get the pleasure of talking to them when I get a chance to help them look for what they need. This is a great way of making contacts and asking questions that could really help me in my future.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Paddigton Bear
Ideas for making my own characters set for my moral consequence story...
The Paddigton Bear set is beautifully well made.
I wish this show was still aired on TV!
Summer Project research
Inspiration for making my summer project moral consequence story- It is a short film about a little girl who graffiti's ...and suffers the consequence. It's brill and very well made!
- Written and Directed by: Rodrigo Blaas
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Mackinnon & Saunders studio visit
I got the chance to visit the Mackinnon & Saunders studio over the summer (which was absolutely amazing) but having seen all their work, it really became a major influence on my summer project -The moral consequence story!
All of these pictures are from the Mackinnon & Saunders website.
Take a look and see what else they have done... http://www.mackinnonandsaunders.com/home/
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| Farmer Bunce from Fantastic Mr Fox |
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| Boy and Mother-The Sand Man |
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| The Periwig Maker-By Steffen Schaffler |
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| The Corpse Bride-By Tim Burton |
Very cute mini 3D scenes
I saw these on holiday in Greece over the summer and had to buy them.....Im not sure who exactly made it, but whoever they are, they are very talented indeed! I love them, I jut wish I could have bought them all! There like little mini 3d snippets of a story unraveling in my head.
Scene Doc
I am currently doing some work experience with a company called Scene Doc, which is a prop house that holds alot of everything and anything, for Tv soaps, film companies, Theatre shows etc, to hire out what they need for their show. They have all kinds of thins from furniture to toys to books to flags to pots and pans, carpets, paintings, lighting, medical props, science props, cauldrons (and much much much more), all from different era's.
Its AMAZING being surrounded by it all, because it helps you get a better sense of what living was like (may have been like) in olden times. As a lot of what they have dates back a very long time ago.- It's crazy to think that when I look around, each and every item will have been in the hands of so many other people before us, and each with their own little story too.
My job is to clean and organsie the props in a way that may entice clients to buy, or visualise what they want better, because sometimes they come in and they don't quite know themselves what there after, and it's also not helped by how much stuff there is to look at and take in. It can be quite overwhelming by the amount of stuff there is, and then they don't no where to begin to start looking. So organising the props to make it easier on the eye really does help them quite a lot.
There are a range of different clients that come in, all wanting different things, for what every project they are involved in... Downton Abbey came in on a day I was there and they were looking for some silverware, so I helped clean and polish them up (as they had hundreds of years worth of dirt on them!!) ready for them to take.
Its AMAZING being surrounded by it all, because it helps you get a better sense of what living was like (may have been like) in olden times. As a lot of what they have dates back a very long time ago.- It's crazy to think that when I look around, each and every item will have been in the hands of so many other people before us, and each with their own little story too.
My job is to clean and organsie the props in a way that may entice clients to buy, or visualise what they want better, because sometimes they come in and they don't quite know themselves what there after, and it's also not helped by how much stuff there is to look at and take in. It can be quite overwhelming by the amount of stuff there is, and then they don't no where to begin to start looking. So organising the props to make it easier on the eye really does help them quite a lot.
There are a range of different clients that come in, all wanting different things, for what every project they are involved in... Downton Abbey came in on a day I was there and they were looking for some silverware, so I helped clean and polish them up (as they had hundreds of years worth of dirt on them!!) ready for them to take.
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