Final Class Evaluation

1. Why did you take this class?
Honestly, as I'm sure most of you may know by now- this wasn't something I planned on! I took this class in order to secure a spot in film at first, but eventually was convinced by Ms. Manning that this would be a benefit to me in becoming comfortable in film, and more confident in my abilities. And it sure was.

2. In general, what did you like most about this class?
I actually enjoyed the closeness of the class the best, as well as the hard work. The way we all got along, were able to talk and have healthy discussions, (and the way I didn't lash out at anybody here save for some snapping on a bad day from me,) and all of the laughs we've shared thus far. Furthermore, having to time manage was something new for me, and it was decently difficult to figure out a plan at first. I'm glad this class really pushed me to learn that, and to become self efficient

3. In general, what did you like least about this class?
I'd say honestly, and I mean absolutely no offense- the rest of the class some days. I think it's just my loner personality, and my hatred of loud sounds or any kind of over stimulation, but a lot of times I found myself overstimulated by people and conversations around me. That shouldn't be used as a general statement about the class however- I generally have lots of sensory problems
4. What was your most favorite project and why?

5. What was your least favorite project and why?
Probably the pendulum project or flour sack animation. The pendulum due to how recent animation was for me, and how I really struggled to get any sort of fluid motion at first. The flour sack I rate as the hardest due to the general shape of it, having to account for weight and many other factors, and the general difficulty of how to interpret a take.

6. Discuss the overall effectiveness of the instructor (for example: preparation, availability, interest, content knowledge, expectations, etc.).
Ms. Manning, I cannot begin to even talk about how amazing you are. Everyday you always were helpful, kind, engaging and interested in us kids and what we were doing. It didn't feel like a typical 'class' where every kid would be bored to death and sleeping- it felt like you truly were/are interested in bettering us at animation.

7. What are the most valuable things you learned in the class?
I'd say work ethic, honestly. The most valuable thing I could dream of is learning to do things by myself, problem solve, and engage with what I'm doing and make an effort to make it look nice. I've learned to take pride in what I do and not just toss it aside as, 'decent as beat.'

8. Do you feel that this class will help you achieve your future academic or career goals? How or why (or why not)?
I feel like it will definitely- as somebody who's about to take film, this class gave me a preview of the hard work and time management that goes into any sort of creative filming process (mainly due to how long an animation takes, and the nature of animation and film.) Sadly, most of my animations won't be worth much in college due to me not pursuing an art career.

9. How could this class be improved?
I really can't find anything, though probably stricter deadlines due to half of the class sometimes banking on the fact you'll be merciful.

10. What would you tell incoming students to help them be more prepared for the class?
Spend every second in class working, don't act like 'you have a week!' or 'two days!' because that will kill you on every project. Write down deadlines on calendars, keep track of all homework, and by any God you believe in just do the blogs! Don't give out at the end of the year like I did- just do your damn blogs.

11. Additional Comments:
Thank you, Ms. Manning, for making this class comfortable and being receptive and empathetic to the students' feelings and opinions!

FINAL BLOG ASSIGNMENT (2)

ANALYSIS

♕ IDEA & INTERPRETATION

My idea was meant to be extremely clear cut and to the point! I had noticed before that I had way too big of ambitions during my independent study, which led to an unclear story and miscommunication. I sincerely took the advice, and simplified my story and interpretation of the story in order to not be misconstrued. The animation begins with the two characters, Akriel and Koal in their living room, sitting at their table and chatting. Right away, I wanted to get to the point of what they did not know- the meteor showers. Having close up shots for the two, they went back and forth talking about the current meteor showers in their world, and how it had frightened Akriel's friends. As a way to add personal charm to the characters, I had Koal tease Akriel about also being scared, which directly led to Akriel loudly disagreeing. It then cuts to a shot of Akriel stirring a spoon in his tea absentmindedly, muttering how 'of course he isn't scared!' when he clearly is a bit scared. Koal leans over the table, resting his head and day dreaming of kicking the meteor and saving the 'damsel in distress' Akriel. The angel Akriel notices, and begins to wave his arms and attempt to snap Koal out of his silly little dream. Once spooked away, Akriel nags at Koal how he never pays attention, is always spacing out, and how 'everyone thinks I'm the ditzy one when it's you!' Koal simply nods, the two both unaware of the meteor about to hit the table. BAM, it really did hit the table. Obviously now terrified, Koal passes out from shock while Akriel peaks over curiously to see the meteor shake. The space rock pops open, and out comes a tiny little purple bat. Now unafraid, Akriel simply picks up the bat and sighs at all the trouble it caused. I interpreted this directly, as in finding something they didn't understand, and finding out soon what it was. The idea took me a while to form, as at first I wanted to explore deeper terms like not knowing love, or not knowing family, as both of those themes fit with my characters. However, I understood my time limit, and decided pushing myself that hard when I have had few and far experiences with story telling would only lead to my doom. 

♕ ANIMATION PRINCIPLES

I did keep in mind our good ol' principles of animation during this project! I used staging in the beginning to really put the importance on where the characters were. Using up close shots, I made sure to make it personal with these characters, and made sure to include the window in almost every shot I was able to put it in. As the window is the center of action and the climax, it was very important that it wasn't discarded in people's thoughts immediately. Secondary action was a requirement for this project, so I made sure to address that next. Akriel spoke in the first scene, and as a secondary action, he picked up the tea in order to sip it. There were many other instances, such as Koal's arms moving up and down as he lifted and lowered them from the table. Anticipation was used next- when Akriel retorts to Koal's teasing. He starts back, with his arms crossed, then moving them back in order to move closer and point a finger at Koal. Leaving space on the right side of the screen, it allowed for the audience to expect and take in Akriel's next movement. Follow through was another requirement- this was used frequently and throughout the animation with Akriel's ahoge (the hair standing up like an antennae). I used the wave principle in order to show follow through, and when it sadly waved in the air as well. Timing was used next, with the meteorite falling through the window and onto the table. I put more frames in the beginning to show weight, and less in the middle to show speed. When the meteorite fell, it bounced slightly to show that the object was weighted, and added a less stiff appearance to it to allow it to flow. Exaggeration was used next, in the scene where Akriel and Koal are startled by the meteor. Akriel jumps up, eyes wide and hands in the air; while Koal passes out hard and a little ghost comes out from his body. The exaggeration helped add appeal to my characters as well, showing more of their features. For instance, Akriel has a much more childish, fluffy appearance. Meanwhile, Koal wears a loose hoodie an has short, curly hair and horns, showing a more mischievous and relaxed feel compared to Akriel's nice jacket and bow.

♕ GROWTH & ACHIEVEMENT

One of my favorite scenes was the meteor crashing through the window and falling onto the table. I was so proud with the timing, and how smooth the cup had lifted up and the liquid spilled out. The book moving too, with the pages expanding when knocked up. I have never been able to pull off such a heavy fall and chain reaction, and honestly was more than proud how well it came out. Another aspect I've grown in is my posing, and how dynamic my art has become. It feels less stiff- more real and fluid. Such a boost in confidence from that! I feel as if I really have learned and grown from over the year in my style, and the way I go about drawing. In the beginning, I was too afraid to ever try a new pose- and copied and pasted nearly everything in order to save myself the trouble of fear. I was afraid, I didn't want to animate a drawing that looked 'bad' to me, but through learning and rigorous study; I came to the conclusion that I truly only grow by trying. Drawing stick figures on the sides as reference, then bubbling out a shape, then finalizing, has become my biggest friend when it comes to figuring out how to move bodies. I can now say that I am proud of my art, and glad I've tried this much.

♕ IMPROVEMENT 

Definitely, however, I'm aware that my timing and line art needs drastic improvement. One area of the animation I felt was poor would be the beginning scene, it felt stiff and robotic with the head tilts. During the sketch stage, it was certainly fluid and smooth, but as I did the line art, I was getting confused by which frame was which, and didn't break it up enough to truly stick to the original sketches. I feel if I took a day out of my sketching stage to focus on that scene, it would've smoothed my progress by adding confidence. Another area I feel like I struggled at would be the final parts of the sketch- I didn't expand enough in my storyboard on how Koal would fall to the ground, and it left too vague of an option that was hard to find. I was between decided on having his fall backwards, which I couldn't animate properly since depth is not my friend, or lean over the table. If I had just stuck to what was realistically easier, I wouldn't of spent so long being frustrated over it.

♕ OVERALL

I think my strategy worked pretty well. I tackled this by dividing up days for me to finish, setting goals and understanding the severity of this project. I refused to let my brain wander or doodle on the sides (outside from my reference images), and made the most use of my time as I could. Perhaps if I simplified some of my shots, the sketching and lining would have moved along a lot faster, and I would've had more time to include shading and splashes of darker colors. I would've loved to add another scene at the end, where the bat would fly around the room and bring the ending slide into view by a string- however, I understood that was too complex for me to finish in time or attempt, so I scrapped that idea. I learned the importance of pacing yourself, and really understanding what one can achieve realistically. This project taught me patience as well, and being self sufficient enough to problem solve when there is nobody around to help me. I had my stressful moments, the moments where I felt like I wanted to throw out the entire project. Definitely, I am thankful for the stress it's caused in a way. I've grown stronger because of that, and I've learned to overcome adversities. Next time, however, I promise to save every three seconds! Seriously, however, next time I would love to focus more on poses, and dynamic movements rather than still movements. 

FINAL BLOG ASSIGNMENT (1)

STILL IMAGES

REFERENCES SOURCED TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY

 

I used this image during the beginning of my animation to figure out exactly how the legs and arms would be positioned during my opening scene! I did end up changing where the (left?) arm was placed, and instead put it against Koal's (the blue character's) head! This stock image set was created y Robyn Rose on Deviantart (right here). I did change the order of the legs as well, because it felt unnatural at first when I attempted to draw the (right?) leg laying down.

I used this image during the spoon-stirring scene. It came from this website, and I ran it through Photoshop in order to turn it around and adjust the levels so I could view it easier (my poor blind eyes!). While the spoon was placed differently in my animation, the hand came in very handy when it came to how exactly it's held. 

My art style is directly inspired and heavily based upon this artist! Seriously, I've loved them from the beginning of time (2013 is a really neat beginning of the universe.) and I've taken lot's of inspiration. For example, they draw mainly angels and demons! Which Akriel and Koal both are. I've also taken inspiration off their expressions, the ahoge (the lil hair that stands up!) and anatomy proportions. It's extremely cartoony, (anime more like but I have too much dignity to admit it.)charming, and full of appeal! They can be found here and I urge everybody to go at least take a scroll through their character list to see the variety of designs!

WINDOW BREAKING VIDEO (VERY LOUD!)

This video was used to help me learn how to animate a breaking window! It is a 3D animation, but slowing it down by .25 speed and scrolling through proved to be very helping in learning how glass shards fall and how the window pane would smash. It took a lot of time for me to animate the window breaking, as I struggled with positioning and how exactly the glass should fall, but this video proved to be extremely useful. 

This reference was used when deciding how Akriel (pink character) would point at Koal! I didn't really know how the other fingers were supposed to bend, or where exactly the thumb was supposed to go- but this truly did help me figure that out! It helped me figure out the placement of the knuckle, the wrist bone, and where exactly each fold would be (and how many fingers actually are visible.). As my style is very cartoony, it was hard for me to try and translate it into my specific style- so I do admit it came out like a mix of realism and obvious reference. However, I believe it added more charm into my animation.

— ARTICLE RESPONSE: DETECTIVE PIKACHU

             — Here's How Detective Pikachu Brought Pokémon Into the Real World (Andrew R. Chow)


                                    Introduction 

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                                    Conclusion
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——— WEEKLY COMMENTS 5/19/19

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                          ♕  — LEARNED : Nothin' really learned! Just a hard lesson in planning and ambition, and another lesson on how to properly write resumes! Very helpful, and I'm seriously glad it's required. I forgot for a moment, but I learned a lot about the film career, and what really goes into it. All the hours of effort, all the time and money it takes as well. Very insightful!

                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: I'd really love to learn how to properly edit videos- not just my simple transitions or color corrections. I think it'd be helpful, and I also want to pick up website design on the side and coding. As much as Film is my passion- I've realized that this business is extremely competitive, and I'd like a backup in case it doesn't fall through.

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Well, sad to say my depression only got worse! I've numbed myself to it now, though. I don't want to feel anything, I know I've slacked on my work, and it's disappointing myself and my teachers. All I can say is, I have no energy, I feel stalked and paranoia constantly, like the entire world is out to get me and there's something bigger after me, or something big coming that's going to ruin my future. It's terrifying. I'm frustrated that I can't just feel normal, or just accept that it's okay to take a break, and not feel like a workaholic that gets nothing done.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  My Dad bought us drones today, it was honestly very fun! Unfortunately I suck at flying them, and got it stuck on the roof. I felt bad, like I wasted my Dad's money by sucking at flying, but he said "The fact you smiled so widely and said 'So cool!' when I brought it out made it's moneys worth indeed, so don't you dare worry." and that made me beam. I love my father, he even agreed to cosplay with me a father-son cosplay, (Snufkin and Joxter!) at the next UBcon!

(The red hat is Joxter [my Dad's gonna cosplay him!] And the green hat is Snufkin [That'll be me!])

                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: This babey. Kidding but seriously watch that- it made me so happy. Today I've got a really neat animation called 'dead end'. The style is beautiful, I love how it seems sketchy but neat, and the colors give it a real dead vibe. I personal believe the meaning of the video is hypocrisy in adults when giving advice to kids about their life, and how everybody has a bad side. Here's the video! I really hope you enjoy it.
                                                                 

— ARTICLE RESPONS 5/52019

oh god licata please im like. dying i havent been home all weekend and apush killed me, plus my sats and now my exams im hyperventilating pl e ase do not murder me i'll do my best

— WEEKLY COMMENTS 5/5/2019

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                          ♕  — LEARNED : Just a work week today-- but otherwise, I can say I read up more on Tarot Cards and studied my APUSH work a bit. Very interesting, I also learned more about the 1960's, as that was my favorite time period to study.


                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: Finally got my computer back! So.. time to learn more photoshop? Perhaps more on animating on Photoshop, because it's a readily available source for me. With a basic knowledge of keyframing, it can't be too hard-- right?

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Really, really bad week. My depression hit like a truck, I'm struggling in school again, and my illness is slowly catching up to me. It's really, really difficult to keep my issues underwraps anymore, I honestly feel like I'm going to loose it any day. I'm frustrated because it feels impossible to be okay, I guess. It's incredibly upsetting, looking back on how great I used to be and how I had no worries as.. a 8 year old I suppose. Everything has spiraled, and I'll never be as carefree again, probably.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  I saw Grease, which was a super happy moment for me. I love musicals, and Grease was my first ever musical. Greasers are also a huge importance in my life, I love the culture of the 1960's, and my Dad was once a Greaser. Yeah, and I mean the stereotypical white shirt, leather jacket and chain smoking abilities from hell.


                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: Lets uh.. Here, this is an 'older' animation, (aka last year.) called 'In a Heartbeat.' Super adorable, pretty self explanatory, and I loved it so much when it came out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkk9SCRn0
                                                                   

Article Response 4/14/2019

           Introduction
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           Body 1
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           Body 2
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           Opinions
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           Conclusion
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Let's hope I don't drop the ball this time like the failure I know I am~

— WEEKLY COMMENTS 4/14/2019

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                          ♕  — LEARNED : Just a work week today-- but otherwise, I can say I read up more on Tarot Cards and studied my APUSH work a bit. Very interesting, I also learned more about the 1960's, as that was my favorite time period to study.


                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: Finally got my computer back! So.. time to learn more photoshop? Perhaps more on animating on Photoshop, because it's a readily available source for me. With a basic knowledge of keyframing, it can't be too hard-- right?

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Really, really bad week. My depression hit like a truck, I'm struggling in school again, and my illness is slowly catching up to me. It's really, really difficult to keep my issues underwraps anymore, I honestly feel like I'm going to loose it any day. I'm frustrated because it feels impossible to be okay, I guess. It's incredibly upsetting, looking back on how great I used to be and how I had no worries as.. a 8 year old I suppose. Everything has spiraled, and I'll never be as carefree again, probably.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  I saw Grease, which was a super happy moment for me. I love musicals, and Grease was my first ever musical. Greasers are also a huge importance in my life, I love the culture of the 1960's, and my Dad was once a Greaser. Yeah, and I mean the stereotypical white shirt, leather jacket and chain smoking abilities from hell.


                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: Lets uh.. Here, this is an 'older' animation, (aka last year.) called 'In a Heartbeat.' Super adorable, pretty self explanatory, and I loved it so much when it came out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkk9SCRn0
                                                                     

TED TALK RESPONSE -- 4/07/19

Introduction









Body 1

Body 2




Conclusion

— WEEKLY COMMENTS 4/07/19

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                          ♕  — LEARNED : We didn't learn much this week! It was more of a work week if I recall. Personally, I decided to research more into something called tarot cards! My friend gave me a deck and book that explains how they work, and such. It was awfully interesting, and I've only scratched the surface of it since!


                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: I'd love to learn more about Photoshop. I recently got another pirated version, (thank God, I was going mad without it.) and found there were many new buttons that my old version didn't have. Now I want to dedicate an entire week to it unfortunately, but boy will I have fun next year.

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: My.. Grandmother was the source of my frustration. Holy hell. How can one person be that racist and irritating? I recently visited Medialle College, and the first thing out of her mouth when I told her that was "You know.. there's an awful lot of black people in that area." And what about it?? Suddenly you refuse people the right to simply exist?? I swear, I want her hate to die with her. That sounds super bad, but I'm sick of the side comments that are so unnecessary.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  Super super happy!! I slept over at my friends house for the first time after an incident occurred in January. I was super nervous, but when I got there, her parents were super kind and we had an amazing time laughing and walking. Honestly it's one of the happiest moments I've had this year with somebody. It's been a rough time, but hanging out with her makes me feel so at peace.


                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: I'll toss something here later!
                                                                       

ARTICLE RESPONSE 3/17/19

            Power through Composition



            We all have those favorite scenes in movies which grab our heartstrings, that glue your eyes to the screen and mesmerize you in ways you never have known. Whether it be the climax, ending scene, or even the beginning composition. There's a reason gif-edits exist of extraordinary shots! It's all due to the film composition, aka, camera angles, choice of importance, and many other factors that play into creating that emotional, and powerful, message. Aesthetically pleasing shots make viewers more inclined to watch, and show professionalism and experience, even if the scene is as plain as an establishing shot! In the article, "How to Give Characters Power Through Composition" by V Renée, Renée speaks in depth about the importance of composition, and how it can define a character's personality, or scene.
            Renée starts out strong, addressing the elephant in the room- The Rule of Thirds. It's known by amateur artists and the professionals, and the most widely used rule. Categorized by a three by three grid on your scene, this rule helps keep the balance, and establish a powerful dominance of a character. Renée demonstrates with an image of two men taking up the first and last horizontal rows, with empty space in the middle horizontal row. It's nearly symmetrical, clearly showing the emotion between the two, and gives a good idea to the viewer about how they view each other. She then links a video by John Tindell titled, "Rule of Thirds, and Depth." In that video, many more examples are shown to illustrate a clearer view of the staple rule. Furthermore, Tindell discusses another valuable composition law-- Depth. 
            There are many levels to a scene, and each holds their own importance and meaning. For example, the foreground of a scene brings them 'closer to the audience, but also puts them "first in line" in the order in which people view images.' (Renée). It defines the importance, and draws a focus and attention to the character. Another level is Center Framing, a technique to utilize the aesthetics of a scene, and displays the importance of the center frame, using the side elements as a component to draw the focus. Size is another factor in a scene, as much bigger characters demand more attention, and your eye is naturally drawn to them first. It displays personality, strength and dominance over a smaller character in the frame. Even without the body language, you can tell clearly who has the spotlight in the scene by the size! Color works in your favor as well, different grey scales with a single colored or vibrant object often draw much attention. Think, if you're in a pure white room, and there's a red bow in the corner, you're clearly going to be drawn to the bow, rather than the walls or doors. In the end, Renée links two other helpful articles on Aesthetic Theory and a second Composition article.
            Surprisingly, none of this is huge news to me! The Rule Of Thirds is by far my favorite shot composition, the balance just brings a level of harmonious understanding to me that other shots can't quite seem to capture. I've worked with shot compositions in film quite a bit, and understand the importance of capturing a perfect level of depth and size in order to show power and focus. I found this article quite refreshing, and it serves as a great reminder to always plan out a shot, and discuss the emotions around it before executing said scene! Renée's writing is well, albeit a bit short and brief, but extremely understandable. This was a fantastic article, however, I would have liked a better explanation on a few things she touched upon.
            We all know the layout of a scene is important, and with all this rules, it's clear as day that Renée explained plainly how to achieve a perfect shot. Combination is a god-send, and mixing and matching different shot styles can only benefit you in finding your artistic style! The Rule of Thirds, Depth levels, Sizing, and Coloring all play a factor in framing your film or animation, and aesthetics remain the most important reasoning behind love and adoration in such styles.

— WEEKLY COMMENTS

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                          ♕  — LEARNED : Ah, nothing learned this week but to have patience and calm down when things get loud. I can't seem to focus at all lately, so I bought ear plugs in order to help me achieve this lesson of calming down and lessening my sensory issues. Oh, I forgot, we learned all about audio recorders! Very interesting, and I wish I had more time (and better used time) to explore them more, and the possibilities around them.


                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: Not quite sure now! I'd love to learn a new language, or master a cooking skill. I'm getting my laptop back on monday, so I have a better outlet to learn and explore more things all language and cooking! Film wise, I'd love to learn more about audio recording and mixing, it's always been interesting to me.

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Oh man, Dysphoria up the... inappropriate word. I've had an awful time dealing with the disconnect between my body and brain, thinking about how hard it will be to get on testosterone and pay for it, thinking about surgery and if people see me as a male. It's hard, I'm just frustrated by it all.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  Uh, I actually got some Chinese food on Sunday! It was.. super good, I've been craving Lo Mein for a while now, and teriyaki chicken too. So that's a plus! My Father also called me his handsome son the other day, which made me scream in happiness. Other than thaaat, I hung out with my good friend Roman, and we talked about roleplaying and theories about our favorite characters.


                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: I found this  animation done by an amateur, they said it was their first animation, and I could see a lot of things to critique about it, and also learn from. Their follow through is marvelous, I adore the way the dragon moves around the screen! However, the pacing of the walk and the lizard moving is quite awkward, and could use some work! I think it's important as an animator to look at other work and take examples and references from them!
                                                                         

ARTICLE RESPONSE 3/10/19

            Appeal - 12 Basic Principles of Animation



            This week, a lovely animator and article author, Ethan Hurd, goes in depth about the meaning of 'appeal' and the misconceptions it tends to hold. The main theme around this article can be summed up by one outstanding quote given-- "Subject matter has nothing to do with appeal, disturbing can be just as appealing as cute." (Hurd.) Whether it be a grotesque zombie, rough bandit, or cute child, each has it's own appeal, and pieces about it that make it worth viewing to an audience. On an animation scale, rather than an illustration scale, certain principles of animation can help bring a broader appreciation and 'appeal' to a particular animation, timing and holds are put into effect as well to convey certain emotions. Appeal is much more than a simple cute drawing. "Appeal is the culmination of all the other principles above it, plus something extra." (Hurd.)
            Using examples that juxtapose each other, such as the Joker from Batman, and a cute group of bunnies inside a teacup. These things are vastly different, but each attract and audience and fame none the less! Now how could that be if the Joker is made to be somewhat disgusting (face it, he looks like a grease vat.) and bunnies are so small and fluffy? The key is the appeal of each, as the colors and design of each of these things bring about their own appeal. The Joker is somewhat scary, meant to send a chill down your spine at the 'insanity' (I use this term lightly.) of one villain, with a comical twist in the cartoons. Bunnies are soft, cute, and face it, we all love those bunny compilations videos that make you procrastinate your work. The appeal of these is in the design, but it only isn't for pictures. 
            Animations hold their own candle to appeal, as seen with the example of squash and stretch given by Hurd. He explains that even though exaggerated squash and stretch aren't quite realistic, they provide a beautiful animation when used properly. Even though it isn't realistic, our minds love to explore the impossible, and seeing a squishy ball, rather than a stiff ball, is much more 'appealing.'  It's simply "more interesting to look at." (Hurd.) Now, over exaggeration and completely unrealistic, it can bring about a bad taste in your mouth. If the ball suddenly becomes a dinner plate upon hitting the ground, it's bound to make the viewer think of it as a glitch, or see it as unappealing. Art is a balancing act of appeal and realism.
            Appeal isn't only in squash and stretch either, it's in the simple choices a producer can make. Whether it be live action of film, we all love a good pause before a punchline. Right before a joke hits, seeing the character take a second to pause in mid air, or star at the screen (or other character) is always funny. It gives the audience a second to register what's going on, and see the humor of it. Though it isn't always realistic, Thumper from Bambi won't jump in mid air and pause with his heart throbbing out of his chest, nor will the Hulk take under a millisecond to punch Thor in the stomach, it brings a sense of comedy and life to a character that is most definitely needed to convey a message.
            Misconceptions are bound to happen when taking things at a face value, however, through this deep-dive of appeal, I've learned it's much more than a pretty face and design. The reoccurring theme of appeal being a 'culmination of all things' (Hurd), resonates within me as I read this article. I found it especially interesting to take a step back, and remember all the times watching movies where an action happened in a split second. Those were one of the funniest moments- and it was all due to appeal! I also enjoyed how he incorporated all forms of art-related media into this article, it wasn't a simple cookie-cutter explanation. 
            All in all, this article written by Eric Hurd is an exceptional piece about the art of Appeal, and why it remains an important principle of animation-- despite being listed as the last. It's all about how it's used, rather than seeing it as one facsimile of illustration. It's color, design, unrealistic tendencies and the balance of such, stretch and squash, exaggeration, the list truly goes on! This was extremely informative, and a good reminder to read when it comes to ramping up one's animation or art.

——————— WEEKLY RESPONSE 3/10/19

                           ————————— WEEKLY COMMENTS —————————



                          ♕  — LEARNED : Well, since all demo's are done, I'll talk about an important lesson I learned. The second time around, run cycles and walk cycles are a huge breeze. Seriously, I felt like I had no trouble shooting out a pretty decent cycle and full body shots. I'm incredibly proud, and glad I've learned that doing things over, I become better. I've learned to take criticism and use it to my advantage, and learn from it.


                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: Well, I'd love to master a few languages! Just kidding, animation-wise I'd love to learn how to better perfect my perspective, and animating in perspective, however I know that'll be a lot of work, and a lot of anatomy practice, in which I can't see myself willing to put the full effort into yet. Otherwise, I'd love to learn more about Photoshop's timeline, as I've not really worked with gif-making yet besides a few overlays I've done. It'd be really neat, and next year I feel like my Photoshop skills will make me a pro of the class.

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Hey Ms. Licata and classmates, it's that time of my comments to listen to me whine and complain! I think I learned a very valuable lesson though, be it the hard way, about loneliness and dependency. I don't think many of you know, but I was diagnosed last year with Co-Dependency, an illness I struggle with that alters my personality in bad ways, and it was tested this week to the fullest. My boyfriend, who I am extremely attached to, kinda blew me off for the last two weeks. Which really hurt, as I have nothing to do when he isn't around, and to make matters worse, he hung out with a guy who made him constantly upset, belittled his interests and him, and said his entire identity is a joke. When I warned him this guy was giving off red flags and vibes. So yeah, I was a little frustrated at him, however I love that he has friends and want him to connect and have as many friends as he possibly can. This sounds bad now, I'm a good boyfriend I swear.


                          ♕  — HAPPY:  Not much made me happy this week, it's been neutral. On Saturday though, I went outside for the first time in a while!! I went out to go get some well deserved milk tea, and hang out around Pulp for half an hour. Otherwise, my Dad just got me a really nice set of cook books filled with new recipes to try!! I'm excited as hell, I love to cook and making new food is a huge happy-zone of mine.


                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: Another Youtube video! Sorry Ms. Licata, but this one really piqued my interest! It's a 6 year compilations of one artist's animations, and it shows how much progress somebody can really make when they put their heart into it, and strive for bettering themselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94HN8GMaZwo
                                                                         

im a true animator

had a public breakdown over the class comp, it's a new record my boys

ARTICLE RESPONSE 2/10/18

            The study of real poses and anatomy has been ingrained in artist for centuries, the most famous examples being ancient Greek statues. When you view such sculptures and art, it's hard to deny how lifelike they really can seem. This is due to the certain posing, style, and view of the ye old artistry. Solid Drawing, a principle in the 12 principles of animation, is another reminder to keep posing and realism somewhat involved. Flat characters, too much symmetrical features, and lack of weight and proportion can really send a dent into any animators-- 3D or not, work. Jay Jackson, in his article, "Solid Drawing" delves deeper into tricks and tips into bringing your drawings to life, and helping to better plan out your animations using these techniques of dimensional art.


            Jackson Jay discussing in depth the importance of utilizing art skills, even if you swear off all 2D animation. Of course, Jay isn't requiring you to become Picasso, rather give the sage advice of studying varied bodies and learning how weight works in coordination to movement. It will only make you a better animator if you can do a quick plan-out sketch of the action, so when rigging or figuring out timing, it's much easier to decide where the weight will fall. Learning proper body proportions is more to "recognize natural poses and to study how bones, muscles, and fat work together with gravity to form dynamic poses" (Jay). Furthermore, his mentor, legendary Disney animator Eric Larson, stressed that he should spend "half of his time planning, and the other half drawing" (Larson). Preparing and story boarding out every interaction can help keep consistency, and be a good reminder to keep physics in check with stylistic features. To illustrate this further, Jay uses his own thumbnail drawings to show how he mapped the motion and timing, segwaying into our next brilliant topic.


            Line of action. A line of action "illustrates the force of the action, unifies the pose, and makes a clear statement." (Jay). This is a phrase often used in comics, different illustrations, and 2D animations, but it sure does apply to 3D as well! It's important to keep a clear, focused direction on where your character is headed, to lead the eyes in a pleasing manner. Jay gives vivid examples of this through an image of "The Little Mermaid", where Sebastian is extending his claw. Another extremely important factor that Jay reminds us of, is 'twinning' when creating these solid poses. As we all know, flat designs are much less appealing than 3D, posed and varied-in-sizing illustrations. It just brings a different feeling to the character, a vibe in a way. Twists should be used when available, (but not overdone!) making the body turn in a certain way to show more depth of the character. One more tip that Jay gives us novice creators is to trust in "counterposing", a method of turning the head and tilting the shoulders in the opposite direction! This balances the character, and gives him a more equal weight disposition.

            Now, I was unaware of the art of counterposing. That was quite new, however I have expressed this art use before! I just was unaware of the word for it. The importance of line of action is also more clear to me, as I now see it isn't only for illustrations or 2D animation. If I had the chance to go back and fix a bit of my class competition, I think I would make a more clear line of action next time! Another factor I enjoyed was the credibility and brevity of this article, it wasn't too drawn out and got straight to the point! An extremely fantastic choice to show the importance of solid drawing in 2D and 3D animation.

            Solid Drawing in the 'Twelve Principles of Animation', can be seen as something tedious and unnecessary in actual animation. How could a still frame help when it comes to moving pictures? Jackson Jay proves the importance by showing his credible tips and tricks on how to utilize solid drawing in planning out drawings, keeping a concise movement, and posing to equally distribute weight among a character! These tips both help 3D and 2D animators, and should be kept in mind when working diligently at art and animation.

——————— WEEKLY RESPONSE 2/8/19

                           ————————— WEEKLY COMMENTS —————————



                          ♕  — LEARNED : We didn't learn much besides particle effects! Which, if I might
                                                           say, was extremely fun using the paint brush effect. I would've
                                                           used the effects in my project, had I not feared the rendering
                                                           time taking over literally every waking second. Either way, the
                                                           extra credit demo may be done around Thursday, if it finishes
                                                           rendering in time. I underestimated the fear of rendering.

                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: We're probably not going to do any more real lessons,
                                                                       so I'm going to be the one to say I cannot wait to start
                                                                       film. Literally, my life revolves around editing and film.
                                                                       It's definitely a 'calm amongst the storm' for me, sitting
                                                                       down and cutting and stabilizing cameras. PSD's and
                                                                       stunning filters being made, it completely makes me at
                                                                       peace.
                                                                     
                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: Depression still bad my dudes, I'm guessing it's the weather
                                                                causing the spike in slowness and sadness. I guess a specific
                                                                bummer would be the fact I really wanted to buy me and my
                                                                boyfriend matching keychains, but the card was only for the
                                                                US. So now I have to ask my Grandmother, who is. . .
                                                                an interesting character.

                          ♕  — HAPPY:  The gift Sam made for me!!! Literally I'm so in love with Sam's
                                                    art, and I'm so happy she did it on a short notice too. I can't say
                                                    what it is on here (my boyfriend reads my blogs, and it's a gift for
                                                    him.) but I'm sure you all saw the lovely art and gift!! So. Big happy.

                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: I'm gonna promote my friend's animation channel,
                                                                            as their art is extremely cute and stylized! They're
                                                                            self taught, and Ramuu has an extensive story being
                                                                            made! They're semi-popular, and they mainly use
                                                                            keyframing or cut-out puppets, which I highly
                                                                            applaud them for! Here it is. It's funny how I met
                                                                            them honestly. My friend Jaiden introduced us, and
                                                                            I realized I followed their YouTube account! Ramuu
                                                                            is pretty chill.

ARTICLE RESPONSE 2/3/2019

                                              FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE SCAMS

              For years, colleges have provided students the ability to gain degrees to further their credibility in their wanted field. However, in the college field, a snake in the grass known as 'for-profit' colleges have been draining the life force of students, and their pockets. It's a trap essentially, to promise students a glorious class filled with the knowledge of life, and leave them ensnared in thousands of dollars that will loom over their life no matter they do. It's cruel corporate greed and manipulation on the colleges part, and the further students fall into this trap, the worse it will be. This is why it is extremely important to be conscious of where you apply, and who you give your trust to when it comes to cold hard cash.

              These for-profit colleges have a funny way of targeting their victims. Imagine, you are a single parent who struggles to make ends meet, and a stunning, beautiful college swarms you with advertisements, promises of loan help, and statements such as "Make your life better!"  or "Get up and do something with your life.". It must be hard to deny that, especially when it's an onslaught. Statistically, they mostly lean towards African-Americans, Veterans returning home, and single parents, says Adam Harris in his article, "The Lifelong Cost of Getting a For-Profit College." Another author of an article exposing the greed of these colleges agrees, Gillian B. White states they use "savvy persuasion" in order to grab in desperate students.
              That barely scratches the surface of the scam and artifice of these colleges. After taking these often expensive classes, the student loans are the most damning things to ever be seen on this planet. White says in her article, that "the amount of debt owed by those attending for-profit colleges has grown from $39 billion in 2000 to $229 billion in 2014." Those numbers are most definitely outrageous, and most of the time, students cannot pay the debts they've accumulated by the end of their graduation. That would be expected, however, with the average salary of graduated student simply will not make ends meet. With the high cost of rent, food, driving, and general living expenses, it is most likely that those students will remain tied to this lethal debt. And when those schools close? Loans must /still/ be paid off! Due to the fact these organizations are for-profit, there is little to none loan forgiveness. One organization that closed, Corinthian College, has over 10,000 students still swimming in that debt. And to pay to who? A closed school that went bankrupt. Not to mention, kiss your degree goodbye! It's usually nullified, and reduced to a simple certificate of shame.
             
              As for my personal take on these colleges? I was way in over my head when I sent in my email and phone number to one of the many out there. Unfortunately, it is true that they spam your email and phone. I had over three emails after the second day of signing up, asking me to call an adviser and book a date to visit the campus. Which was quite insane, when I only requested additional information about cost that was not listed on the website. It truly did try to lock me in, and I'm very glad that I have such an astounding teacher who warned me about the dangers of these colleges (Thanks, Ms. Licata!). I'm appalled by greed, but I also must take the fact that there must be decent ones still out there. However, these articles definitely made me make the decision to choose a public college.

              In the end, it's wiser to choose a public, trusted school that is non-profit, than a money-grabber that has the chance of closing, and your degree becoming nothing. It's much safer, and as shown above, a way to save your mental stability, and your wallet, to be conscious of your college choice.

——————— WEEKLY RESPONSE 2/3/19

                           ————————— WEEKLY COMMENTS —————————



                          ♕  — LEARNED : Not a lot to cover in a measly two days, other than the nice
                                                           packet about camera positioning and lightning! Soon my love of
                                                           Dutch Shots and Over-The-Shoulder will be revealed, I tend to
                                                           overuse those shots. It was good to learn about better positions
                                                           and the meanings of each. The rest of the days were just work!

                          ♕  — WANT TO LEARN: Hm.. Particles are going to be fun for sure! And by fun,
                                                                       I mean terrifying. This will definitely be scary for me.
                                                                       After all, my class competition requires me to use water
                                                                       splashes, which I have been watching tutorials of all
                                                                       week to attempt to perfect. Let's hope I got this!

                          ♕  — FRUSTRATED: I really, really had an awful break. I don't want to talk about
                                                                what happened, but things were done without my consent and
                                                                I've completely stayed away from any contact all week
                                                                because of it. I'm okay, I don't need the police or anything, I
                                                                just got into a very bad situation. I'm safe at least. Also, I
                                                                accidentally spilled water on my laptop. Not fun.

                          ♕  — HAPPY:  Yeah I've got nothing, my depression is at it's peak, this is a chore
                                                    to even talk about my week, and I feel like I'm about to lose it. I
                                                    guess I'm happy that I had some ice cream today. And looked at
                                                    ferret pictures. I really love ferrets...

                          ♕  — INTERESTING LINK: I'm seriously running out of links so.. here's my
                                                                            animation music playlist! This has literally all my
                                                                            music tastes in one, and also some killer bops. Some
                                                                            include mild language, I'm sorry! It's expressive...

— ARTICLE RESPONSE: MARY POPPINS

                      — Animated Characters Abound in Mary Poppins by Scott Lehane

                                    intro
                           i'm gonna try to write this, i promise. it's very hard, i can't really find any interest
                           in these articles to be honest. if i can only shoot out my opinion, i greatly apologize,
                           and any opportunity to take up a different research paper instead of this, i would be
                           grateful for that chance.


                                    body one

                           brain focus


                                    body two

                           try


                                    I'll be quite honest, this is the hardest blog I've ever written or attempted to 

                           write. The article layout is a bit messy first and foremost, and I had a hard time 
                           trying to grasp any interest in the topics presented. I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel,
                           or Mary Poppins to be honest. I admire the effort that had went into the fantastic 
                           special effects, and the mixture of live-action. The color palette choice was
                           especially wonderful, reminding me of a dreamy, creamy nature filled dreamland
                           in the midst of a 1930 depression-era London. The contrast between the light, fun
                           and joyful animation to the darker, blue toned scenes really make the emotions of
                           light happiness pop out from the sad reality of the play. The reference of the 1800's
                           silhouette and art style brings nostalgia to older audience as well, especially those 
                           who had loved this play and remember early showings of it. I can most definitely
                           say I appreciate those aspects, even though I have very little interest in the style and
                           all around jumpiness of this article. 


                                    conclusion 

                           brain juice stopped licata dont impale me i beg