Here Comes Bod

Recently I was introduced to a children's TV show from the seventies, called Bod.

I've fallen a bit in love with Bod, perhaps due to the poor quality of the animation. It was the 1970s so I can forgive. But the character design is something else. The blocky bodies, the little legs, the basic colours. It is so wrong, yet there is something so strangely appealing about it.

And if we move onto the animation, there is an absolute disregard for all of the principles of animation 80% of the time. Look at those hats fly up in surprise! With absolutely no easing in, nor easing out! But again, there is something oddly charming about it. 

Solid weight? Never heard of her. Look at these guys go! 

What is really impressive is how, maybe once every episode or so, there is a bit of actually good animation. Like their whole budget for the episode goes on a bird flying away, or a letter on the breeze beautifully flapping, and the rest of the episode was animated by poor animation students paid in biscuits. 

Still, I have an affinity for Bod and the poor animation. It is almost charming, and goes to show that you don't need a whole lot of complex scenery or animation to create something that warms the cockles of your heart. 

Study Task 4 - Networking

10 Networking Opportunities

Online

1. Direct Messaging artists/animators/professionals on Instagram to connect and talk
2. Connecting/following on Linkedin
3. Joining networks such as Leeds Illo and Girl Gang Leeds
4. Messaging family contacts (Tom Barnes, Tristan Oliver)
5. Engaging on Twitter

Face-To-Face

1. Get an internship
2. Talk to folk at Manchester Animation Festival
3. Talk to artists at booths at comic conventions
4. Go to meetups for networks
5. London International Animation Festival

I've been able to connect with a lot of professionals on Linkedin, as well as people from university. I connected with a few people from my internship, which is a great way of keeping in professional contact with them. Lots of people haven't replied to my requests though, which makes me feel it isn't a very active way of getting to connect with professionals. 

Study Task 2 - Personal SWOT Analysis

After the session, I have been able to identify some real strengths and weaknesses in my own practice and self. This came from my own analysis and my peers' feedback.

My overall strengths lie in my time management and organisation. In terms of artistic strengths, I have also identified that I am strong at character design, colour theory, and that I have a unique art style.

My weaknesses is that I lack confidence, and this comes from my own anxiety about my work and interacting with others. While I have definitely been able to handle my anxiety better over the last few years, it definitely still holds me back from time to time. Technically, my weaknesses lie in the fact I tend to give up easily if I don't achieve success quickly, and that I often doubt myself and compare myself to others.

While comparisons aren't always bad, I tend to view them negatively, always comparing my art to others' and asking myself why mine doesn't look that good. Of course, I can rationalise it and understand that other artists may have been working longer and harder than I have, which means they have refined their style more. Still, I do find it difficult to deal with the fact that I am not as progressed as others.

Study Task 1 - Who Am I Now?

What have I learned so far?

1. How to use Dragonframe
2. How to animate within Photoshop
3. How to manage my time within a project
4. How to evaluate my work
5. That I need to engage with further work/activities creatively

What do I want to know more about?

1. How to use Adobe After Effects more
2. How to use lighting properly
3. How to design backgrounds in 2D
4. How to create puppets for stop motion
5. Creating sets for stop motion

Skills that I think are my strengths

1. Time management
2. Organisation of a team
3. Character design
4. Visual communication of concepts 
5. Keenness to research and learn more

Things I want to improve

1. Basic animation cycles (walking, running, etc.)
2. My depth of knowledge in certain areas of interest
3. My ability to work with others
4. Character design (in terms of range of character)
5. Expressions in characters

Practitioners that demonstrate my interest in animation

1. Barnaby Dixon (Puppeteer)
2. Lorelay Bove (Artist/Designer)
3. Shiyoon Kim (Character Designer/Concept artist)
4. Pes (Stop motion animator)
5. Glen Keane (Concept Artist)

Websites/online resources that demonstrate my areas of interest within the creative industries

1. Skwigly Online Animation Magazine (http://www.skwigly.co.uk/)
2. TED Talks (https://www.ted.com/) - Ones relating to storytelling, visual communication and design
3. Lindsay Ellis on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/user/chezapoctube) - Video essays relating to animation
4. Animators Resource (http://www.animatorsresource.com/) - Tips on animating with video tutorials
5. Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.co.uk/) - Character design reference and guides on animation skills

Reflect Presentation

For my final presentation at the end of the year, I was to reflect on my year and what I have gotten from the last months of university. It has definitely been a very intense year, but one of the best I have ever had.

When I moved away from London, I wanted to get away from the expense of the city and living with my parents. Independence is important to me, and I really wanted to experience it.

This year I feel like I have gained such an appreciation for animated works outside of mainstream movies. I have been able to see so many during Manchester Animation Festival, as well as ones that friends and tutors have shown me. I have learned that there is no one good way to tell a story, and no singular best style to animate in.

I also really enjoyed going to MAF and Tokyo, both trips that opened my mind and eyes up to all kinds of possibilities. Tokyo allowed me to enjoy a different culture, while still gaining some relevant animation experience at the Studio Ghibli Museum. I also really loved going abroad with friends, and getting to be with people on my course outside of Leeds. Plus, I had always wanted to visit Japan and this was a fantastic way to get to see the country.

On the down side, I feel like my weaknesses this year have mostly been based around my time management. While at the beginning of the year I really struggled with having to cope with this new workload, I do feel like I now understand how to deal with it. Still, I have been burning out nearing deadlines and this hasn't been very good for my mental health at all. Instead of burning out and working myself incredible hard, I should make sure that I am working consistently, not constantly.

I also have trouble with comparing my work to others'. I end up seeing my own work as not as good as other people's, which is not really true at all, and instead I should really be focusing on how I can improve mine and gain inspiration.

I need to start sketching more, taking in real life rather than always drawing from reference images. This will allow my skills in anatomy and backgrounds to improve, and this is something I plan to do over summer.

Overall, it has been a brilliant year, and I have leaned so much about animation and myself. I really look forward to gaining further insight when the term resumes in September.

Tom Siddell's Gunnerkrigg Court

One of my favourite comics is the long-running webcomic Gunnerkrigg Court, by Tom Siddell. I've been a fan of this comic for years now, since I was about 12, and I actually attended my first comic convention (which happened to be Thought Bubble in Leeds) to meet Siddell. Since then, I've met him various time at various conventions, to the point where he has begun to recognise me, which is pretty cool.

The comic itself follows a girl named Antimony, who starts attending a very strange boarding school, filled with magic and robots. I personally adore the art style, and it's really interesting to see how it has changed over the years. It has been running for 12 years now, since 2005.

While the pages are a lot more visually stunning now compared to when the comic began, and are a lot more realistic, my favourite point of the art style was when I got into it, and the main character looked something like this.

I suppose I like this style so much because it has influenced my own drawing style quite heavily. I love the simple block colours, the bold lines, and these are all things I have in my own work. Obviously art styles change, and for Siddell, drawing these comics all the time meant that his style developed quite rapidly. I hope that I can change mine too, to become more detailed and with more interesting lineweight. 

Anastasia aka the perfect movie

Ok so it's time to gush a bit. Last year my musical theatre nut friend Libby showed me the movie Anastasia, and I'll be damned if this isn't a near-perfect movie.

Don Bluth creates the world of early 20th century Russia, on the edges of revolution. The way the story builds and slowly reveals truths is compelling throughout, and there is never a dull moment.

One thing I really love about this movie is it's incredible soundtrack. I have written about this before, but the theatrics of each and every song is breathtaking. The opening song is a classic ensemble number, straight out of a Broadway show. There is every typical song - the "I Want" in the form of Journey to the Past, the badass villain song In the Dark of the Night which is just the best song. It has key changes and everything.

It's little wonder, then, that the movie was turned into a stage show in the last year, which was quickly transferred to Broadway and is lined up for a world tour. The theatrics of the movie honestly give me chills, and the movie does an excellent job of putting songs in when they are needed - to give meaning and open us up to the characters' lives, rather than being awkwardly slotted in as it does tend to feel in some newer Disney movies (let's just say, Shiny was not a necessary song in Moana...)

Bee and Puppycat

One show that I've really admired the style of for a while is Bee and Puppycat. It is a webseries, on Cartoon Hangover. The style of it is inspired by Sailor Moon and Japanese 90s anime, mixed with western-style modern 2D animation. 

One of my favourite things about the show is the costume design. The designs are simple but incredibly appealing, and the colour scheme ties in well with the rest of the show.

The outfits emphasise Bee's childlike personality, despite the fact she is supposed to be in her 20s. They are well-considered, and stick to a very kawaii style - relevant in Japanese culture.

Something else that is interesting about the show is the way it has progressed from pilot to final series. The show initially began as a pilot, and then through backing from supporters, got produced as a full webseries. The changes made in design are notable.

One change that was made that I am a big fan of is making Bee softer and rounder in appearance. She has quite thick legs, and is certainly a bigger girl. The varying body types in the show are very positive, and make a nice change from stick-thin girls of all the same body type, often seen in cartoons and animated movies. The other characters are just as varied - they have varying hair and clothing, and it's refreshing to see this. It's just a shame the show is only a webseries, and not airing on TV. 

The show also embraces a very anime-style for the backgrounds. Compare this background from one of the episodes to a background from traditional Japanese anime, and the similarities are not difficult to find. 

The detail in the backgrounds really adds to the character and charm of the show, and alludes to the characters' individual personalities when it comes to their rooms and homes.

Ultimately, this show stands out to me because of the style. It has been pleasant to see some character development in the new series, and I hope there is more of this, but right now it is definitely the aesthetic and design that stands head and shoulders above the plot.

The Prince of Egypt

One of my favourite animated movies is The Prince of Egypt. Released in 1998, the movie was the first traditionally animated movie released by Dreamworks.

The Prince of Egypt stands out for me amongst other animated films, as it doesn't shy away from being brutally honest. One scene that is particularly shocking is when God comes down to smite all the firstborns of Egypt. The wailing that can be heard through the city is heartwrenching, but it drives the plot forward and lends to further character development. Dreamworks does not shy away from being explicit in the representation of the Plagues, which makes them one of the most disturbing and powerful parts of the film.

In an industry where companies often shy away from such detail, The Prince of Egypt risks keeping it in for the story. I believe this to be a huge success, even if the movie is forgotten more now. The movie actually came about because Jeffery Katzenberg, while working for Disney, wanted to do an adaptation of the Ten Commandments, but it was refused by Michael Eisner. When Dreamworks was founded, the idea was brought back.

Another part of why I love this movie so much is the cinematography. There are so many scenes that carry significance in where characters are placed, and what is around them. My favourite is during the scene where Moses warns his brother to "let my people [the Hebrew slaves] go", in fear of the final plague - the death of the first borns - befalling Egypt. His brother stubbornly refuses, and the staging of his brother, the firstborn son of the Pharaoh, and Moses reflects their positions, and foreshadows the eventual death of the firstborn.

Moses stands under the Egyptian soldiers, who are throwing the firstborn of the Hebrews into the water - the same fate that would have befallen Moses had not his mother released him into freedom herself. Rameses, the brother, stands under the illustration of his father, who commanded the firstborns to death in fear the Hebrew population would grow too vast and take back control. Finally, Rameses' son stands underneath the damned babies, foreshadowing his eventual death from the same fate. 

The staging in this scene beautifully reflects the plot, and is just one of the reasons that The Prince of Egypt is a highly underrated film, in my opinion. 

Animal Crossing

One of the most beloved video games of my childhood and my now-hood is Animal Crossing. It came in various iterations on various devices, but the core values and gameplay is about the same.

One aspect of Animal Crossing that I have always loved is the escapism it provides. While real life is packed with stress and responsibility, the responsibilities in-game are minimal and without much consequence. If you want to pay off your mortgage to get a bigger house, you are free to do so, but there is no punishment if you don't. The incentive comes from whatever the player chooses to invest their time in.

Interestingly, the only things that could count as consequence in-game comes from taking things too fast. If you run everywhere, to get places quicker, the lush green grass begins to wear down and give way to the brown ground. Sometimes, you even fall over. If you don't visit your town regularly (the game performs in real-time), villagers may leave and weeds will grow, but they are easily plucked away.

Animal Crossing employs elements of popular Japanese culture, notably the concept of "kawaii". The characters, especially the playable main character, are "cute". They are rounded (especially in earlier games) with large eyes, often appear child-like. What's interesting is the way that "kawaii" deals with good and bad. Even the characters in Animal Crossing who are lazy or mean, are still cute. This is a direct contrast to how we perceive good and evil in the western world, with rounded shapes and big eyes meaning cute, and pointy, sharp edges with dark colours indicating evil.

Ultimately though, I think the main appeal of Animal Crossing is the freedom it allows. The objectives are loose, and the player is free to do as they please - be that plant a million apple trees or just spend all their Bells (in-game currency) on paintings.

How to Break the Fourth Wall

Breaking the fourth wall is a term for when a character or characters within a TV show, movie, video game etc. recognise that they are inside a piece of media, and address the viewer directly. This breaks the immersion, but it is seen often in animation.

In animation and most forms of media where it happens, the fourth wall is broken for comedic reasons. The Emperor's New Groove breaks the fourth wall in order to solidify character and plot. Kuzco literally freezes the movie in order to remind the audience that the movie is about him, and not about another character.

This provides a moment of comedic relief, but also reminds the audience that Kuzco is a self-obsessed narcissist, and that he doesn't want the audience to forget that the movie is all about himself. He also narrates the movie, further adding a layer of self-obsession to the narrative, and providing another connection between the audience and Kuzco. 

At the end of Aladdin, Genie lifts up the paper that has the animation on it, revealing the pegbar holes and paper number. This is an extremely meta form of breaking the fourth wall, as it not only acknowledges that they are in a movie, but specifically in an animated movie. This is sort of an in-joke for the animators as well, as most audiences may not know what the pegbar holes are. 

Aladdin breaks the fourth wall multiple times, with the peddlar at the beginning directly addressing the audience, even having his face pressed up against the "camera". Both the Genie and the peddlar are voiced by Robin Williams, a comedic actor, so this fourth-wall break is totally in-character for both the characters that do it.

Finally, I think it's important to address fourth-wall breaking in childrens' TV shows. In this case, more often than not, it is not done for comedic reasons but to establish a bond between character and child. In Dora the Explora, Dora and her friends often speak directly to the child watching in order to get them to interact with her, by asking questions such as "Can you see [x object]?" or "Can you say [word]?" This is for educational reasons, to encourage children to repeat things back in Spanish or recognise simple objects. 

Luke Pearson's Hilda

A while ago, I read a graphic novel my dad picked up called Hildafolk. I loved it instantly, for its simple style and folklore elements, as well as the character design.

The second book in the series, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, has a lot more complexity in the character design. It is interesting to see how Luke Pearson's art style changes through the books.

For the second book, Pearson has delved into more detail for his backgrounds and character design. Still, there is still the feeling that the art style is not fully established. Many elements are complex, while other designs are simple - and the most effective panels and moments are the ones where there isn't too much visual detail.

The third book, Hilda and the Bird Parade, has a more established art style, that is "rounder" and uses the environment of the city to build up simple detail, rather than focusing on tiny details. It was also exciting to see the development of human character design, which had been lacking in the previous books, as they had been set in the valley with the only human characters being Hilda and her mother.

I was able to find comparisons of Hilda, her mother, and her pet Twig online, comparing the style of the three across the first three books.

I think Pearson's work is a testament to the power of good colour choices, simple but confident linework, and character design. I think his most powerful character designs are the simplest ones, which evolves naturally. The designs are cute, but not overly pandering. I would love to develop a style similar to this. 

Tokyo or Bust

This January, we took a three-day trip to Tokyo. This was a truly exciting trip for me, as I have always wanted to go to Japan, and I was looking forward to going since it was announced.

The flight out there was long and painful. Excitement quickly gave way to tiredness and jetlag, as we met outside college at 3am for a long journey ahead.

full of hope

Once we got there (about 24 hours later, running on two hours of sleep), we were free to explore the city. Maybe it's because I was so sleep-deprived, but the city was so full of life. We visited a temple, and made wishes based on what everyone else seemed to be doing.

It was then on to lunch, and then back to the hotel to get rid of 30 hours' worth of grime. A few of us had booked a slot at a hedgehog cafe in Tokyo, so we had to work out how to get there. After managing to work out the metro system (with help), we enjoyed some hedgehoggy company. It wasn't the most cultural activity, but it was cute as all heck.

i had the only hedghehog who wasnt a mean bean

Afterwards, we visited one of the many bars along the famous Golden Gai, which is packed with tiny bars that can fit about seven people at most. The less said about that evening, the better.

chunderdragon is emerging

The next day, after some much-needed sleep, we took a trip up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which was right next to our hotel. It had a fantastic view over Tokyo on such a clear day, and we could see all the way to Mount Fuji, which was pretty cool! A couple of friends and I also visited a local flea market which we spotted from the observation deck, and picked up some knick-knacks.

That evening, we went to Tokyo Disney, which was only a couple of metro rides away. We were able to enjoy a few hours there, which was enough time to go on a couple of rides, look in the shops, and enjoy the general atmosphere of animation. It was wonderful to be able to visit with my friends who are also big Disney fans - it definitely reminded me why I love animation so much, seeing so many happy faces. It was also so damn expensive. 

 this was magical as hell

On the final day, we visited the Studio Ghibli museum. I am a huge Ghibli fan, so this was one of the highlights of the trip. This was also a chance to catch up with some of the other students who were visiting, since my friends and I had sort of gone off to do our own thing. Since we were slightly more experienced with going on the metro as well, we acted as guides to the rest of the group. 

The Ghibli museum was quite literally like walking into a Ghibli movie. It was bright, colourful, with a kind of mystical feel to it. It was quite the experience, and we managed to get a few photos, even though the whole place was sworn to secrecy without photos. 

The museum allowed an insight into the way the films come together. One room that was particularly striking had replicated an animator's setup, complete with real cells, sketches and designs. It was a wonderful mess, and you could tell that creativity was bursting from the seams. I wanted to take as many photos as I could to remember it in better detail, but that was forbidden. Still, that room was one of my favourites.

Another favourite was the room that replicated the Catbus from My Neighbour Totoro, which was squishy and soft inside. We sat there for half an hour, just enjoying how comfy it was. That kind of immersion was what made the museum so memorable.

After visiting Ghibli, we went on to Harajuku, which was this gorgeous mishmash of street fashion and colourful culture. We shopped hard, picking up all kinds of things that were very Japanese. It was also interesting to see how fashion changes - I am a size 6/7 when it comes to shoes, which is about average for a female in the UK, but in Japan that was the biggest size. I bought a pair of shoes which are a tiny bit pinchy, and are the biggest size - LL. 

We were also able to go to a mini-mall and watch a J-Pop band, and eat some sugary ice stuff. It was good to be able to let our hair down a bit just soak in what teenage culture is overseas.

After these three long days, we finally flew back to the UK.

Japan was an extremely tiring trip, and I was severely jet-lagged and sleep deprived for most of it. Still, it was one of the most rewarding trips I've ever taken, part of which came from the independence we were able to have. I enjoyed both taking in the culture and animation elements, and the trip certainly resparked my love for animation, and my appreciation for foreign animation.