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.