I'm a 21-year-old student currently studying CG Arts and Animation. I'm amazed at how much I've learnt and I'm excited for what will come along the years
We had a good long discussion yesterday regarding this project. Just to reiterate, you need to allow yourself to grow creatively, and not stunt this opportunity because of your desire to be 'the best'. Success and confidence are long term prizes, and a degree education sets you up for life - not just the first career you think you want - trust in the process and don't be too hard on yourself when the gap between what's in your head and what you can at this moment achieve seems wide. It's like that for pretty much everyone at this stage. Panic prohibits creativity - and I think you're probably doing a bit of that at the moment - especially if you allow the likes of Ryan Church to intimidate you! :-)
As discussed, what you're lacking is a visual concept - a production design 'rule book' that will guide you in the creation of these original spaces. Put bluntly, Chris, I strongly suspect you haven't done the groundwork required of you. You thought King Solomon's Mines was set in... America! If you'd done any research at all you'd have known this to be incorrect. In this sense, my advice to you at this interim stage is going to be short and sweet.
Do your research! You can't expect to complete this task successfully without doing so! The one thing you must avoid is producing generic images of landscapes - what's the point? That's what cameras are for! Your job is to design a world for an animated film. I suggest, for additional visual language ideas, you look beyond concept art itself, and look at painters, illustrators, artists, African masks, textiles... anything to give you the visual concept (colour palette/texture/stylisation) that will unlock this world for you. And you're wrong about looking at the work of others being something unwelcome or unnecessary. You need to drink deeply, Chris. You need to let the work and influence of others through the door. Your creativity is not in danger if you so.
A small observation re. your film reviews; to refine your technique when it comes to the essays, use your reviews to develop a more academic 'voice' - at the moment, your reviews, though satisfying in terms of content, read too personally (i.e., you use the first person etc.). Just consider adopting a more formal approach. The more you do this, the more natural it will feel in time.
Here is a list of links back to the CGAA Group Blog, where I have recently uploaded loads of information regarding the way I want students to tackle their written assignments. As you now prepare your unit 2 assignments on production design, pay close attention to the advice given. I will be looking for clear improvement in terms of use of language, academic ‘voice’, use of conventions, argument structure and correct methods of referencing.
Also – be sure to check out the 2 student essays uploaded to myUCA/Space/Unit Materials – good examples of degree level written assignments. Take the time to read them.
Online Interim Review 09/11/10
ReplyDeleteHey Chris,
We had a good long discussion yesterday regarding this project. Just to reiterate, you need to allow yourself to grow creatively, and not stunt this opportunity because of your desire to be 'the best'. Success and confidence are long term prizes, and a degree education sets you up for life - not just the first career you think you want - trust in the process and don't be too hard on yourself when the gap between what's in your head and what you can at this moment achieve seems wide. It's like that for pretty much everyone at this stage. Panic prohibits creativity - and I think you're probably doing a bit of that at the moment - especially if you allow the likes of Ryan Church to intimidate you! :-)
As discussed, what you're lacking is a visual concept - a production design 'rule book' that will guide you in the creation of these original spaces. Put bluntly, Chris, I strongly suspect you haven't done the groundwork required of you. You thought King Solomon's Mines was set in... America! If you'd done any research at all you'd have known this to be incorrect. In this sense, my advice to you at this interim stage is going to be short and sweet.
Do your research! You can't expect to complete this task successfully without doing so! The one thing you must avoid is producing generic images of landscapes - what's the point? That's what cameras are for! Your job is to design a world for an animated film. I suggest, for additional visual language ideas, you look beyond concept art itself, and look at painters, illustrators, artists, African masks, textiles... anything to give you the visual concept (colour palette/texture/stylisation) that will unlock this world for you. And you're wrong about looking at the work of others being something unwelcome or unnecessary. You need to drink deeply, Chris. You need to let the work and influence of others through the door. Your creativity is not in danger if you so.
A small observation re. your film reviews; to refine your technique when it comes to the essays, use your reviews to develop a more academic 'voice' - at the moment, your reviews, though satisfying in terms of content, read too personally (i.e., you use the first person etc.). Just consider adopting a more formal approach. The more you do this, the more natural it will feel in time.
ReplyDeleteHere is a list of links back to the CGAA Group Blog, where I have recently uploaded loads of information regarding the way I want students to tackle their written assignments. As you now prepare your unit 2 assignments on production design, pay close attention to the advice given. I will be looking for clear improvement in terms of use of language, academic ‘voice’, use of conventions, argument structure and correct methods of referencing.
Academic style/Do’s & Don’ts
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/11/cgaa-yr-1-written-assignment-stuff-or.html
1st Person to 3rd person conversions
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/11/fao-1st2nd3rd-cgaa-students-from-1st-to.html
Use of footnotes
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/11/fao-1st2nd3rd-cgaa-students-use-of.html
How to satisfy essay criteria/assignment presentation/hyperlink to referencing methods
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/11/fao-cgaa-yr-1unit-2spacewritten.html
Also – be sure to check out the 2 student essays uploaded to myUCA/Space/Unit Materials – good examples of degree level written assignments. Take the time to read them.