Sundance Launches Touring Animated Shorts Program

The Sundance Film Festival announced today that they are launching a touring animation programme this September starting at Los Angeles' Sunset cinemas.

The following eight shorts are on the programme:
(Some are only on vimeo and I can't embed for some reason)

Marilyn Myllar directed by Mikey Please
https://vimeo.com/69100068


Belly directed by Julia Pott

It's such a beautiful day directed by Don Hertzfeldt

The Obvious Child directed by Stephen Irwin
https://vimeo.com/81491128

Oh Willy... directed by Marc James Roels and Emma de Swaef

Subconcious Password directed by Chris Landreth

Voice on the line directed by Kelly Sears

Yearbook directed by Bernardo Britto

Although most of these shorts are now available online I really enjoy going to festivals and even just reading the line up of this touring animation shorts made me aware of work I wouldn't have ordinarily come across. Some I like some I don't but it's encouraging to see what people are doing whether they inspire me to work harder to perfect my art or encourage me that I can already do as good!

Evelyn Grace Illustrations, hot off the press!

My vinyl illustrations for The Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton are being installed today! Very exciting. Will post a picture of them actually up on the glass as soon as I have it. Sorry It's only a small picture. http://www.evelyngraceacademy.org/

Disney releases Images from 'Feast"

Today Disney have released the first few images from their short 'Feast' due to screen in front of Big Hero 6 on 7th November 2014.

I was lucky enough to see the world premiere of Feast at Annecy this year and you are all in for a real treat. It combines my two loves; dogs and animation! What more could you want! It focuses on the 12 year relationship between man, James, and dog, Winston, illustrated through how they share their meals. I won't give too much away as it is really is a lovely, heart warming story. 

Meet Winston, the adorable Boston Terrier...

The screening at Annecy also gave us an opportunity to hear from first-time director Patrick Osborne (Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph & Paperman) and Production designer Jeff Turley (Tangled, Wreck-it Raplh & Paperman). It was a great inspiration to see the behind the scenes working progress of this short. The detailed visual research into Boston terriers, the character sheets and even the initial pitch concept from Patrick.  But also, a huge encouragement to see the amount of work and people power a short of this high quality takes, we got to see a scene breakdown from the short through production, layer after layer of compositing and lighting and filters. 

Although I enjoy working remotely and independently, I look forward to the opportunity of working within a team where everyone loves it as much as you do! 

I eagerly anticipate November when I can see this short again!

"I want a Glen Keane style animation turned around in a week for $100"

As a freelancer I am a member of a lot of freelance pool sites which are just great, have a look http://www.peopleperhour.com/ There is quite a thorough selection process meaning that the freelancers on there are of a good standard and reliable.

However, I also spend a fair amount of time trawling adverts on google and general job advertising sites. I have become increasingly aware of how little people know about animation and the processes involved to create an animated piece.

My particular peeve is "I want a Glen Keane style animation turned around in a week for $100"

I wish that these overly optimistic clients would take the time to look at some of Glen Keane's work and understand that not only is he one of the most talented animators but also the rigorous creative process even a rough animation takes. Below is a video of a rough animation from Tarzan, the drawings are spectacular even in this rough state and the movement is so captivating and fluid.

$100? I think not!

Evelyn Grace Academy Illustration Commission

I have just signed off on a commission for Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton.

www.evelyngraceacademy.org/

The brief was to create 11 vector illustrations to be displayed as vinyl cut window installations. Using scientific diagrams as my spring board I was asked to create 11 images within the same visual language that would be appealing to senior school children and would brighten up a grey, industrial looking school corridor.

Here are my final vector images (please excuse the watermark).

       

                  

 

                 

 

                 

 

Testimonial:

Victoria Deadman Gatt

Operations Director, Evelyn Grace Academy at ARK

"Working remotely from each other on something so creative could have been a disaster but Sophie really delivered on what was asked of her. We wanted to brighten up our grey environment with scientific diagrams all brought to life in the same style which would be accessible to our students whilst remaining true to their scientific principles. I'm delighted with Sophie's work."

August 20, 2014, Victoria was Sophie's client

I began the concept process for this work by mono printing, this helped me to loosen up my drawings rather than keeping to the tight, manufactured look of the original scientific drawings, below is a video of me printing out some mitochondria cells!

http://vimeo.com/103899926

Expressive faces

Working on my Shark character design I have been looking at a lot of character sheets from other animations and thought I would share them as they have been incredibly useful to me. The work of Milt Kahl, drawing Hook for Peter Pan and Andreas Deja's work on expressing the character of Jafar are just incredible and really push me to loosen my drawings.
(As well as photographing myself and pulling exaggerated faces into my mirror to draw from!)

Have a look at Andreas Deja's blog as it is so full of great information and visuals, you'll be impressed!

http://andreasdeja.blogspot.co.uk/

Shark character: step 2, existing shark character research

With ' Finding Nemo' and 'Shark Tale' there are already a fair few existing shark characters to look at and learn from, I was interested to research the shapes used and which characteristics had been exaggerated.

Patrick Mate's character designs for 'Shark tale'

Simón Vladimir Varela's charcoal drawings for 'Finding Nemo' are just beautiful, I really enjoy discovering this high art,  traditional technical process at the beginning of the development of  3D film.

I am particularly in awe of the work of  Ricky Nierva, the art director of 'Finding Nemo' and lead character designer on Monsters Inc.

Click on this link to watch a short video on his character design process:

www.pixar.com/behind_the_scenes/Character-Design

Shark character designs: step 1, studies

I have been asked to create a Shark character that will be used in a 'creature comforts' type 3D animation.

It is necessary for the character to look fairly realistic and retain it's dangerous characteristics as the audio clip is fairly 'cutsie' and the director wants the juxtaposition of audio and visual.

As usual, I am beginning with some observed illustrations of sharks from photographs and wildlife footage to make a proper study of their anatomy and physical characteristics. I have discovered that their mouths, especially their teeth are completely terrifying and something I really want to make a feature of my finished design.

Below are my studies:

"Do It In Ten"

"Do It In Ten" is a monthly competition run by Show Me The Animation. They have a monthly theme to be used for a ten second animation and entered by the end of the month. I don't often have time to complete the project but I enjoy using the theme as inspiration for a pre production project .
Last month's theme was superstition:

I researched into traditional myths of the South West of England and came across a lot of myths to do with birds.

"A bird calling from the North means tragedy is on the way, from the West brings good luck, from the South means the harvest will be plentiful and from the East, you will find true love."


Birds are generally regarded as messengers between the world of spirit and the material world but different breeds of birds have different myths and superstitions associated with them.

I found the most charming superstitions  to be associated with Robins:

1) Make a wish on the first robin of spring for good luck.
2) A robin singing in the open means good weather is coming. A robin singing in the branches means a storm is on the way.
3) If you break a robin's egg something of yours will soon break (in Somerset, it is specified that your mixing bowl will crack and break)
4)If the first bird you see on Valentines day is a robin you will marry a sailor.

My favourite was the last one, living by the sea I was interested to combine my surroundings with my love of these precious song birds.

However, as I mentioned I often run out of time to see the project through and so only completed study drawings of robins. Here they are: