k00323896

[k00323896]

Animation - 31 march

Character designs

Mary + Aliens

Inspo for Mary

For Mary’s design, I wanted to create an almost doll-like appearance to emphasize her fragility. I wanted her to look delicate, reflecting someone who has been kidnapped, restrained, and possibly experimented on. There’s an innocence to her, but it’s tainted by the horrors she has endured.

I worked on this design with one of my group members, Danielle, who researched 1950s hairstyles and nightgowns. She also created character designs that helped bring our vision to life. ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა

Inspo for the aliens

For my alien design, I was heavily inspired by the Alien stage franchise designs. I really like the idea of aliens looking completely otherworldly while still having some human-like features.

One concept I was drawn to was the idea of the alien’s head being almost separate from its body, connected by clear, membranous cells. Many of the designs I researched featured heads that could move independently, which I found intriguing.

My design takes strong inspiration from jellyfish—the tentacles function similarly to human hands, allowing the alien to touch and interact with its environment.

The body is based on the ‘manubrium’ of a jellyfish, though in this case, its purpose is to help the alien move, almost as if it’s floating. Since these aliens exist in space, I wanted to incorporate a “zero-gravity” feel into the design, making their movement fluid and weightless.

This also adds to their threat to Mary and her lamb, as their fluid, weightless movement makes them unpredictable and eerie.

[k00323896]

Animation - 25 march

Creating a script and storyboard

When we received the horror prompt instead of romance, we had to create a new script to fit the new theme. While horror was easier to write for, it was challenging to come up with an entirely new storyline after spending the entire morning finalizing the romance script.

Not much from my first draft was used, apart from the experiments in tanks, which is to be expected in a group project. Once we had a rough script, we were then tasked with creating a storyboard based on it.

Second draft - storyboard

In my storyboard draft, I aimed to capture the looming sense of horror and the unsettling feeling of being watched. The alien plays a key role in this, acting as a constant, menacing presence. It never actually strikes or attacks, but its mere existence creates a sense of foreboding, leaving the audience to wonder what it might be capable of.

I ended the storyboard with Mary drifting into unconsciousness. Just as she is about to lose consciousness, we see through her eyes that something is not right—the once normal sheep has mutated into a terrifying creature.

The second last scene depicts Mary’s distorted vision of the mutated lamb, but instead of being home, she’s back in space.

I chose this ending because, after enduring experimentation, her mind creates the illusion of escape as a way to cope with the torture. I find it interesting how far the mind will go to preserve ones sanity.

Storyboard discussion

Once we finished drafting our storyboards, each group member presented their ideas. Some elements were similar, while others differed. Unfortunately, my ending and escape scene was not something the group was happy with, so they were discarded.

However, we did keep my section involving the discovery of the tanks with experiments, which I’m satisfied with. I’m so used to only working on my own ideas, it can be challenging to accept changes I wouldn’t personally make. But I recognize that animation is a team effort, and learning to collaborate is an important experience for the future.

Final storyboard

(Summary from my group member vex) ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა

Final thoughts so far

I think our story is a solid one, and each group member’s input helps make it even better. If there’s anything I’m unsure about, it’s that our story feels more like a thriller than pure horror. However, since this is our first time working on a project like this, we’ll learn and improve as we go.

[k00323896]

Animation - 20th march

Beatrix Potter illustration study

I don’t usually draw animals, so choosing Beatrix Potter as the illustrator to study felt like a good challenge for this drawing exercise.

I’ve always admired the way she used color in her illustrations—they have such a beautiful quality. Since I struggle with watercolor painting, I found it difficult to replicate her style, but I did the best i could.

I’ve loved Beatrix Potter’s work since I was young, so this exercise was a nice way to reconnect with a favorite childhood illustrator and writer.

Colouring process ~ sometimes, I feel like my sketches look better before they’re colored. I think this is because I struggle with adding color, especially getting the shading right. It’s something I want to work on and improve over time.

I found the watercolor part of the illustrations really challenging, but I enjoyed the process of studying a style and doing my best to replicate it.

Some more illustrious from Beatrix Potter bellow

Potter’s artistic style was influenced by her love of nature—she was a keen naturalist and spent much of her life studying plants and animals.

Her illustrations often featured realistic textures and carefully observed details, blending scientific accuracy with whimsical storytelling. She used soft, earthy color palettes and subtle shading techniques to create depth, making her illustrations both charming and visually rich.

Source: wikipedia (2024) beatrix potter

Available at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrix_Potter?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Accessed: 20/03/2025

[k00323896]

Animation - 18 march

Pixelation project

Today, our group created a stop-motion film featuring a fight between a mannequin and a person. We focused on experimenting with perspective and props throughout the filming process. The mannequin added a unique creative element, enhancing the overall stop-motion piece.

We ended up changing locations halfway through because it got too cold, but it actually made the whole thing more interesting, so im happy we did it

I found editing in Premiere Pro challenging since it was my first time using it, but with more practice, I hope to become more confident.

Overall, it was a great experience getting to work with new people, learning to use the stop-motion app, and experimenting with editing techniques and audio to complete the final piece.

(I dislike being filmed so i was helping record and such..! ૮ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ა )

Storyboard drafts from different group members!

Behind the scenes of filming

[k00323896]

Movement - 6th march

Animation

I did a very short rough animation of the 10th scene from my storyboard. I don’t have any experience animating so i was kinda drawing and hoping for the best…!

My goal was to depict the darkness surrounding the main character as a moving force—something they can’t escape from. If I had more time, I’d love to refine the animation, making it smoother and more fluid.

໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১

When drawing the hands i decided to experiment with some colour techniques. Its very messy as i was simply experimenting for fun but i enjoyed the little exercise.

Final statement

I really enjoyed animation as an elective—it was the one I was most excited for since I’m hoping to be accepted into the animation discipline. I loved learning more about how animations are created and was surprised by how much work goes into so many different aspects of the process.

I love creating stories and designing characters, so I’m looking forward to having more time in the future to explore my ideas and create work I can be proud of!

[k00323896]

Movement - 3rd march

Animation elective

Creating a moodboard

This week, I’m focusing on further developing my story concept for my animation elective. On Monday, I created a mood board to illustrate the style and atmosphere I want for my animation.

I really wanted hands to be a prominent feature in my animation since they are the main focus of my studies this semester. I also made the main character and their loved one the focal point of my mood board. If I have time, I’d love to further develop their character designs this week, but for now, I’m using the images as inspiration.

Adobe animate

On Monday morning, we participated in an Adobe Animate tutorial, where we learned basic animation techniques, starting with a bouncing ball. We also experimented with different shapes and movements. I’m not the best with technology, so I did struggle a bit, but hopefully, with more practice, I’ll become more confident in using different animation programs.

[k00323896]

Movement - 24,25,27 February

Animation elective

On Monday we were tasked with brainstorming story ideas for our animation. We had around 20 minutes to come up with numerous ideas which we then presented to our lecturer, who helped us decide which idea was the best to develop further.

The concept of my story revolves around a main character who unintentionally kills anything they touch, a power they cannot control. I show this in the first two scenes, where a blooming flower withers upon contact with the character’s hands.

Despite knowing how deadly their power is, the main character longs for the touch of a loved one. I wanted to include someone they are deeply close to, highlighting the internal struggle they face—wanting to protect this person while also yearning more than anything to embrace them.

I chose to leave the final scene as a black screen to create an open ending—did the main character pull back at the last second, or did they make contact with their loved one? And if so, what happened next? I was really happy with this story, though I wish I had more time to explore it further.

(Song i listened to while drawing the storyboard.)

Drafts of the brainstormed story ideas. ૮꒰ ˶꒦ິ꒳꒦ິ˶꒱ა

[k00323896]

Movement - 10th February

Artist research

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance artist, scientist, and inventor, known for his deep understanding of anatomy, including the structure and movement of hands.

His hand studies are among the most detailed and scientifically accurate of his time, reflecting his fascination with the human body.

Why Leonardo Studied Hands?

He believed that hands were one of the most expressive parts of the human body, capable of conveying emotions and intent.

Source: RCT.uk (2024) leonardo da vinci hands

Available at: https://www.rct.uk/collection/919009/the-bones-muscles-and-tendons-of-the-hand?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Accessed: 10/02/2025

When I first discovered Leonardo da Vinci’s hand studies, I was amazed by the incredible detail in his sketches and the sheer number of studies he created just for hands.

Finding sketches with the notes Leonardo da Vinci took while studying hands amazed me. I wish I could read them because he wrote so much about hands, which makes his studies even more fascinating to me!

I took inspiration from Da Vinci’s hand studies when creating my own. I loved how he captured hands from so many angles and in different forms. It’s clear how interested he was in studying them. I really enjoyed learning about him while working on my movement project.

[k00323896]

Movement - 9th February

Artist research

Akiko takase - Japanese animator and illustrator

Violet Evergarden is a Japanese light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase.

Takase's designs played a huge role in bringing Violet Evergarden to life. She adapted the light novel’s illustrations (originally by Kana Akatsuki and Takase herself) into highly detailed character designs for animation.

Her attention to detail, especially in animating hands, is a standout feature of Violet Evergarden. Hands in the anime often serve as a means of expression, from typing letters to reaching out to others.

Source: Violet Evergarden Fanbook (2019) Akiko Takase

Available at: https://atmafunomena.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/violet-evergarden-interviews-akiko-takase

Accessed:09/02/2025

I chose Takase as one of the artists i wanted to study because id always been such a big fan of her work especially in Violet Evergarden.

The art style is so incredibly beautiful to me and i love how much detail goes into both the drawing and the colouring especially when it comes to the hands of the characters.

Since im studying hands and their movement, Violets character was particularly interesting to me. Her mechanical hands are drawn with such detail and beauty.

The animation of these metal hands is so lifelike that its almost as if they have their own sense of emotion when you watch the anime.

The art style really inspired me when i was experimenting with sketching hands and i hope to create a digital drawing of hands if i have time during my final animation elective.

[k00323896]

Movement - 11,13 February

Ceramics final week

Unfortunately due to being sick with the flu i was unable to complete the last few days of my ceramics elective. Since i had air dry clay at home and had planned to make a hand anyway, I decided to continue work on it there.

Working with air dry clay was very similar to the clay i used in college i used the same methods id been taught like scoring and slipping to attach each bone and ensured i didn’t let the Clay dry out while using it.

I chose to focus on the skeleton of the hand for a change. Studying the individual bones that allow the hand to flex and move was really interesting.

Final piece 🦴

[k00323896]

Movement - 4,6 February

Ceramics continued

૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡

I used the photos of the square cut outs as a reference for the card piece. As we were under time pressure i wasn’t able to complete it fully but i got most of it finished.

Similar to the first card piece, I had limited time and couldn’t fully recreate the entire reference. However, i tried my best to make it as similar as possible.

On Thursday we were finally able to use clay, using the card pieces we created Tuesday as a reference we transferred the design to the clay.

I adjusted the design slightly, as I found it challenging to keep the clay strips from falling over. So I made some changes to keep the structure stable.

Finished clay pieces on the way to the kiln.

[k00323896]

Movement - 4th February

Ceramics

We started the elective by experimenting with ink and various tools to create expressive marks based on different verbs.

I chose "to gesture" as my verb, as it connects to my study of hand movements.

After our ink exercise we cut out squares from a black and a white sheet of paper.

We then used those squares to pick out sections of our larger ink pages, creating small scenes that served as references for our future card constructions.

[k00323896]

Movement - 27,28 jan

Painting 2nd week

We were tasked with making a small painting and a big painting corresponding to our chosen themes. For the big painting i chose to paint hands reaching for each-other. I think the gestures we make with our hands for different situations are art in themselves.

The act of reaching can portray so many emotions like longing, affection, regret, yearning, want, concern and so much more. The fact a body part that isn’t the face can express such emotion through simple gesture is fascinating to me.

I wasn’t entirely happy with how the shading of the hands came out however with more practice i hope to gradually get better at it. Finally i chose to add the red string after the painting was finished. I wanted to add something to connect the two hands. (I was inspired by the red string theory which i love)

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For the smaller painting i chose to draw a hand gesture from a character i like. I got my friend to recreate the same gesture and from there i painted my interpretation of it using blue tones to shade the skin.

(Gif shows a clip of the hand gesture i painted in motion)

Final statement:

The two paintings are connected through the concept of calling. The hands are depicted in a state of movement, reaching out to one another as if summoning or seeking connection. In the smaller painting, both hands form a gesture used to call a shikigami for assistance. This idea of calling—whether for aid or connection—inspired the creation of both pieces.

[k00323896]

Movement - 23 jan

Hand studies continued

I did some studies of hand gestures from one of my favourite shows jjk. I love the different hand signs they use its a really creative way to show how they draw their power from a calling hand gesture.

(Gif of one of the hand gestures used in the above sketch)

When sketching the hands i was able to understand the movements it took to create them better by mirroring them on my own hands.

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Since I was participating in a painting workshop this week, I decided to paint a tattoo from one of my favorite characters on my hand. This served as an exercise to work directly on my own hands while studying movement.

Tattoo belongs to kaiser from bluelock😼

[k00323896]

Movement - 20 jan 2025

~studying hand gestures~

Ive decided to change my focus from dancing to the movement and gestures of hands.

Im keeping my overall theme of movement of the body however im now studying it through hands and the gesture of hands. I decided to change my choice after having a conversation with my painting lecturer that it is advised to have a primary source in-front of you above all else. I have my hands with me all the time so problem solved🤲

[k00323896]

Movement - 13,14 jan 2025

Today we spoke about our ideas for movement with our lecturer. It was really interesting to listen to all the different ideas from each student.

The lecturers advised us to work from a primary source rather then a photograph or image from the internet. This made me rethink my plan for painting a dance scene as i would more then likely have to use a photo as a reference as i cant bring dancers with me into college.

Im unsure whether to continue researching dance for my project however i will brainstorm some more ideas over this week while keeping in mind the advice i have been given.

I did some sketches of photos i had of my parents dancing. I struggle with getting body proportions correct so thats something i hope to improve on if i continue the study of movement through dance.

On Tuesday we did a mind-map of keywords for movement.

[k00323896]

Movement - 6 Jan 2025

The theme of our 2nd semester project is "movement". The first idea that came to my mind was the movement of the human body. I decided I wanted to explore this concept through the lens of dance, particularly as it is portrayed in animation and movies, which I find incredibly visually captivating.

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One of my favorite dance scenes actually comes from a video game.

The opening scene takes place in a ballroom, where the directors use a dance to introduce a new character, offering the audience a unique insight into their personality through the dance.

The movement of the camera as if follows the two characters as they dance is truly captivating, the lighting and shadows fading and highlighting the dancers as they move across the ballroom creates a sensual, intimate scene.

The body movement throughout this dance goes from refined and dignified to raw and panicked i love the contrast the animators created throughout the dance. It completely mesmerised me as the viewer.

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Another of my favourite dance scenes is from beauty and the beast. Particularly the live action. I watched a behind the scenes of how the dance was filmed, the use of costumes, props and cgi. It amazed me how the actor playing the beast was able to move so elegantly when he had to wear heavy probs and a costume while also carrying belle.

The movement of the camera captivates this magical scene in such a beautiful way giving us a 360 view of the ballroom and dancers. The visuals are outstanding.

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Finally the 3rd dance scene I wanted to reference in my research of movement this week is Jinx and Ekkos dance in arcane season 2.

This scene was unlike any animation id seen before. The dance is animated at 4 frames per second intentionally, as a reference to the characters' storyline. I loved how the choice of a lower frame rate actually enhanced the emotional weight of the scene.

The blur and fuzziness, almost dreamlike atmosphere the animators created throughout the dance, creates this sense of unreality that is in fact true for one of the characters. It's almost like you're feeling their emotions more than just watching their movements.

I chose these 3 dance scenes to study for movement because I would love to create a painting of a dance and/or try to animate a small dance scene in my upcoming electives for 2nd semester. I am looking forward to exploring this theme further.