Idea for Illustration / Concept Art

Since I started experimenting with brusho dyes and mixing shades of watercolours from my last project, seeing the patterns and colours they turned into, looking like fireworks, splashes of paint, glitched colour, war etc.

But while working on some research and listening to some of my old music, I found the artist Porter Robinson, a modern, popular musician and American DJ that makes music across many electro genres, including electropop and electro house.

I listened and watched the music video to one of his popular songs called "Lionhearted ft Urban Cone". Keep in mind that've I've watched the music video quite a few times, I watched it this time and observed and took in the effects they used when buildings were damaged, hit, shot or explosives thrown at, looking like glitches or damages to a digital environment being uncovered from being disguised as something real, all while keeping to the beat and rhythm of the song so it fits and gives it an even stronger effect.

These effects made me realise how similar they were to the brusho dyes and even mixing of watercolours I had been using recently and the way I'd experimented with these medias, I realized they could easily be linked to the effects in the music video.

The dyes would give the edgy, sharp glitchy look, like a broken, damaged screen would, while watercolours would be for more solid block colours and shapes. So upon this realization of how I could link the effects from the video to these medias, I've decided to make an illustration and piece of concept art resembling the effects, of course after some experimention to learn how to make it look the most effective and similar. Now i can't wait to get started on this experimentation with colours and shapes.
This video is only a sample of the music since the music video can't be uploaded to blogger, so I'll have to link it instead -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgKDu5pp_fU

This is the video and artist I will be taking inspiration on, and will likely be doing further research on, along with more of Porter Robinsons videos where he includes glitch like effects in them, it seeming to be a theme throughout his videos to resemble his kind of music.

I will also like to, maybe plan, to start and do more pieces based on my two favourite electro artists, which have collaborated together and have known each other since they were younger, music and music videos, Madeon and Porter Robinson.

Now I just need to find some spare time or a project I could link this into to get started... If not, then I'm more than likely to come back to it.

Foundation 1st Unit Review and Evaluation

Foundation 1st Evaluation

Throughout the development of my project I will say I have been inspired by others work, but not by famous artists, but by my own classmates. Seeing their own ideas linked to their subject area, how they did it, linking the project to life drawing and textiles, development, pieces of work, problem solving, making notes, being involved in textiles etc. it made me eventually jump more out of my comfort zone. I was a bit stumped on how to link life drawing at first but I experimented in my book as much as I could, wrote and listed down my ideas and came up with strong links between the different medias. So seeing my classmates work with plenty of textiles involved, I realized how I can't hold back on experimenting in medias like textiles just because I struggled and didn't enjoy it, so even though it wasn't at the start, I eventually pushed myself into textiles and experimented as much as I could, some I didn't write down before since it was a random, spontaneous experiment.
Some examples of this mainly include the textiles media, a media I'm not comfortable in, but when I noticed and discussed with two of my classmates interested in fashion and fine art, though they both showed how they experiment with different materials and how they react to high heat, wax, brusho dyes, and stitching their work and experiments with materials into their sketchbooks, I realized I need to put in just as much work and experimentation.
The inspiration I got from my classmate interested in fashion pushed me to do some more work in textiles and with materials, aswell as to create something linked to my subject area of illustration/concept art. So I thought of a scene/environment from the top of my head and gathered different materials that resemble earth, grass, hills, rocks etc. I assembled them together together by hand stitching them into a page of my small black sketchbook, first some land, then the sky, rocks, clouds etc. and then experimented how some materials reacted to the heat, creating a cool looking effect. But once I was experimenting with some mesh materials, they melted away or curled up too much that it wasn't giving the desired look and effect I wanted or there wasn't enough of it anymore. To solve this problem I simply added more material on and was a bit more careful with how much heat I applied to it next time, not ruining it or leaving it alone because I was scared of ruining it, but after encountering this problem I decided to just grab a piece of fabric and stitch a bunch of different materials that had different kind of properties to it onto the fabric. Once I had most of the materials available stitched on I used the heat gun on it, seeing the effects it did to some of them, making pretty and interesting patterns that altered the way the fabric it was stitched to sat.
Another example is when I saw one of my classmates pieces of life drawing converted into a stitching on fabric, this instantly gave me the inspiration to try and link life drawing into my textile work. I had recently stitched a magazine cutout of someone into fabric and thought if it would be something similar, but I just had another spontaneous idea and made a body of a sitting female out of two different fabrics with patterns, using different parts of the fabric for certain parts of the body, resembling some muscles of the back, buttocks, legs etc. Though I came across the problem with how I would place the fabric, over the top of each other? In a planned setup? Randomly? But since this was a spontaneous experimented I just dealt with it when I came across it and carefully stitched the fabrics together, giving it a strange but similar style, reminding me of a certain movement.
I think my way of working during this project was rather random and spontaneous, but this was due to getting ideas popping into my head when I observed something that inspire me, but the times where I was able to note and write it down I tried my best to lay out all the possible paths a certain idea could branch off to, how it could develop into a different idea, why I would want to develop it further etc. I would draw or collage some ideas in my sketchbook to give me a better idea of how it would turnout, how I would put it together or how I could develop it further, along with why I would be doing it.
The types of medias I used were only the few I had been practicing, this included stitching and experimenting with materials, along with the explosive colours with the brusho dyes in textiles, then life drawing and how I would link the lines together, give them a certain style, use different techniques I was taught in the lessons with only drawing shadows, light etc. Then another media was independent unlike the other medias, I was experimenting with collage, cutting out people, figures, objects etc. from magazines and experimenting with how I could use them, how I could link them with the other two medias, and I was able to make a strong link between this experimentation with cutting out and with textiles brush dyes.
My development of ideas was slow and limited at first, but later on I was making experimental pieces which shows how I have improved in generating ideas, but I need to try and write these down more to improve how they could possibly come out like. Then problem solving wasn't something I struggled with, only coming across most of the problems in textiles, one of them being when I would use the sewing machine and the needle would break, it wouldn't stitch properly, becoming jammed etc. But to solve this I simply asked for help and guidance on how to solve this problems, how to hook it up properly and to just be a bit more slow and careful when using it.
My development on different skills have defiantly improved, I've learnt how to adapt to certain things, medias, materials, problems etc. I realized my skill I had in textiles, how much detail I can do in it and being able to use the sewing machine with some ease, as much as I didn't enjoy it at first, but I found out how I could develop and experiment with ideas in this media before I did them in a different media, making it stronger and probably better compared to if I didn't. Another skill I'm interested in developing further is with collage and cutouts, I can spot a good example in a magazine of a person, object, figure etc I could use as part of a piece or to just use as an experiment or development towards something. Learning these skills has pushed my confidence much further, I understand certain things I didn't before, I know how to process ideas and use them in the new skills I have learnt. They've been incredibly effective in my work, pushing it in a completely different direction from where I was first going, they've opened me up to try different and possibly even more difficult skills. Times where I've reflected on my work is normally after a lesson where I learnt how to do something differently, to experiment with my work effectively, and when I'm normally taking notes on certain pieces or when I'm generating ideas I'll try to reflect on it all. Reflecting on my work has defiantly helped me move forward in it, I can understand where I can do better, how to do it, how I can do it differently etc. It's made my work alot stronger, has made my ideas better and easier to link to certain themes and other medias, I can even change ideas when I've already started the old version of them and still develop it into something with aesthetic and effect.

Some of the feedback I've received has really helped out with the way I work, both from my tutors and classmates, so now I'm often asking for people's reviews and opinions of my work, this way I get helpful criticism on what I could improve, what's odd, what doesn't seem to link, even suggested some ideas. They give me a lot of help by giving me criticism on my work and how I present it, it makes my work and my confidence better since I know what I feel like I know what I'm doing and that I've been told I'm going in the right direction.

My main strengths throughout this course have mainly been my experimenting with my work to see different outcomes and reactions. Open and searching for criticism, I try to get as many opinions as I can for my work from both classmates and tutors, especially when I'm struggling or stuck, some criticism gives me encouragement and ideas to go from and jump back into my work with more determination. I've been diving into my work more recently without getting easily distracted since I'm enjoying my work a lot more than I used to, making it hard to pull myself away from it sometimes, resulting in me being asked to leave some days when the building closes.
I think this stage of the course has helped me kind of settle more on my subject area, I've tried and converted the illustration and concept art subject into different medias like textiles and collage, and Ive been feeling satisfied and happy with how they've turned out even when it's not the usual media he subject is associated with, which I think shows that I want to take it further, possibly and hopefully making me sure that it's what I want to do in the future at university, also as a job. Though some conflicting thoughts have popped up in my head about it not working out or I'll be more broke than ever with the "starving artist" stereotype etc. But I want to try my best to get where I want to be, to be able to do something I love, enjoy and work hard on as a job, a career, to hopefully be in a creative environment shared with other creative minds. Though I don't feel like I've fully confirmed to my specialism due to these conflicting thoughts and worries, but as I work further into the year, I think I'll soon be confident about it.

Although I feel that personally my work is strong in places, some parts could definitely be improved. One of these being my note taking, I have done an acceptable amount for the work, but I could've been more in detail with some parts, but this wasn't so due to some of my spountainious pieces of work. There could've been more reflecting on lessons and my work, but I didn't do that much of it either because I forgot, I didn't need to, or I was too busy on my current work, development and experimenting of it. I also think my research was very sparse and not there, but in defence of this I believe that I just didn't need an artist while working on this project, I felt confident with my work, how I was working and all of the ideas I had, but I was also challenging myself to work off my own back, to be able to experiment and develop without looking up to a certain artist, I just wanted to do my own thing and I believe I've done quite well without the inspiration of an artist, but just by the creative classmates around me.

Brief

1
A review of progress and achievement throughout the course.
I will go through my previous work in my sketchbook and blog that I have done throughout the course, linking to my current project, and do an overall reviews of my progress through my previous work.

Throughout my sketchbook and the course I’ve made drawings, sketches, paintings, digital art, animations etc. of random ideas, some finished or just the start of one or a messy sketch that’s in my draw, taken home, in one of my sketchbooks etc. Some of these achievements that I’m happy and not so happy with have contributed to my current project and ideas, either by remembering or looking back at them. I’ve used my achievements in improving my skills in painting and generating ideas, I’m a lot more confident in making work, taking risks and ideas without being so hesitant, slow and scared, generating and changing my main ideas rather then having hardly any.

2
Explain the concept of my project, say what the concept is and how I've made my project to fit the concept and my area of interest. I will also have to include what inspired me to make my project, what artists I used and went to for ideas and/or research, previous ideas that didn't work or failed, how I developed my ideas, the resources and equipment I would use etc.

The concept of my project is strongly linked to metamorphosis, I’ll have scenes, objects and environments within an hourglass, which itself is a link to metamorphosis with the change of sand in an hourglass from the top half to the bottom half, along with the metamorphosis of changing time.

I would make the project as digital art, but I want to take a risk and go outside of my comfort zone and paint instead, with acrylic, water colour and maybe some pen, though it’s not originally what I wanted to do, it’s still in my area of interest. The artists I’m wanting to focus and take inspiration from would be Steven Sugar, a background artist that has quite an abstract look with good mixes of colours to his work, also Sam Didiler who has detailed, shaded and bold work that really stands out to me, though I won’t be able to replicate neither Steven Sugar’s or Sam Didler’s style nor have as a strong effect with art like they do.

I listed and sketched out ideas to have within the hourglass theme, developing them into certain scenes which I would then try to pair up and combine to have together within an hourglass, to have some kind of obvious link between the two, for example of two ideas I’ve put together; city pollution causing a polar bear to become abandoned on a small remaining piece of ice.

For my concept I had to get quite a few of object research from online for things I couldn’t have in front of me such as a stormy sea, a polar bear, a fresh bleeding cut etc.

3
Do an overall review of my work, evaluate throughout the process of making my project and development I did and how it effected my project, then a conclusion of my finished project.



Explain about the necessary progress of the project over the weeks up to the dead line, and show what actions were taken in those weeks so it would be finished successfully in time for the dead line.

Record the research resources I used, from when I got the project proposal and throughout the progess of making the project.

Metamorphus animation

Unit 12 Assignment Brief & Targets

 

In the brief I need to:

1. Understand the audience for a chosen art and design activity
2. Be able to plan and implement art and design activity for an unidentified audience
3. Be able to use evaluation in support of art and design activity for an identified audience

 

For this brief we have a lot of freedom with our work and what we want to do for the subject of metamorphosis and within our subject area. This will let us have the chance to expand our ideas and practices within our subject areas and even outside them if we choose to, though we have been told to not just focus on what we've wanted to do since the start, but focus on the things, practices and processes before it to make the final outcome.

For example, my subject area is in concept art and/or animation, so I would focus on the process and things to do before making the outcome of an animation or concept art sheet, these would be when listing down ideas, scrap ideas, sketchings, storyboards, character design, research, concepts, themes etc.

It would be recommended that I set deadlines for my work for the subject of metamorphosis, though I will add this once I know the overall time I have for the assignment.

I will be setting some of my own targets along with this brief:

Look into the different types of media of animation

Practice a chosen animation media

Research the process of animation and concept art

Practice with storyboards

Research and practice life drawing at home

Write an evaluation of overall work

Where I am now

Where I am now

When I first joined the Art & Design course at North Notts, I was still quite unsure what I wanted to do as a career, but I know I wanted it to be involved in the creative industry, to be able to work on something with other people that others would enjoy, like a movie, cartoon, animation, illustrations, a game, theatre makeup, fashion, painting etc. I've been inspired by everything I've seen and grown up with up to now like cartoons on TV, detailed animation movie projects, anime, horrors and thrillers, transformation, storylines, concept art, games, books full of a games or movies art etc.

Once I had been at college for a bit and told to look into the subject area I want to do, by now I had became set on doing just animations or game production, but when I looked into them further, I discovered there were more technical skills and practice included in game production, which I don't think I would enjoy, have the patience for or be good at it. So I looked into animation and  found that there was so many other things linked and included in the production of animation, character development, concept art, movement research and reference, backgrounds, voice acting, music, illustrations etc.
I focused on all the links of animation and asked myself what I would want to do and what I'm more suitable for, narrowing down again to things like animation, voice acting, music, illustration and concept art. Though I did drop the idea of voice acting but kept it as a backup idea, the same with making music on a software since I would like to try and develop a skill for it in the future, more skills more outlets.
Though at some point I completely dropped animation from my interest since I was struggling with animating with an animation software at home, becoming frustrated and since I didn't know certain commands I would do it the longer way or on photoshop. But once I got some help from a classmate with the animating software, I'm a lo more confident to take on animation and do animated work.

So at the moment I'm focusing on having skills of a freelance animator, but still be able to join a team or company for concept art and/or animation, though I would want to have other skills to do concept art, backgrounds, illustrations, special effects, maybe some editing and even some characters.


Where I would want to be

 In the future I would want to be in a stable position in life, have a career I'm happy with and good at, have more confidence in doing more things in life, to work in a team with people and have a strong small group of friends. Realistically, I would want to be living with friends or with a partner of mine in a nice cozy or/and spacious house or bungalow, cottage, flat, house with some/little land, while including having a gym room, a spare bedroom, having our own or a shared studio for our work with plenty or artwork all about, paintings, sculptures, plants, rugs etc.
Along with some animals, furry family additions to make it feel like an actual home to me since I believe animals are what makes a home, having animals such as 1 or 2 birds, 1 or 2 cats and a dog, also likely to have them as rescues, though this would all depend on the place, locate and financial situation.
My first dream job was to be working for Nasa, helping explore, even becoming an astronaut, but then I realised a much more achievable dream I had was to become an animator and/or concept artist. Personally, I can stay awake for a long time but cannot get up early without feeling horrible all day, so I would like to work from home for myself as a freelance concept artist/animator, but i feel like I would be more successful and comfortable in these job roles if I worked with/for a studio or company with other people, so I can at least socialise and not be byself all the time while working, and if that means having to get up early I would do it, though if I could, I would come in later such as starting at noon and finishing until the early hours the next day. I would want to do animations for whatever it may be asked for, music videos, short film, advert etc. Aswell as doing concept art and/or illustrations for games, movies, a cartoon, series etc.
I would like to have good relationships with co-workers and directors in my job

How would I get there

To get to where I want to get, I would out in all of my hard work and determination into my portfolio, build it up to become acceptable and better then it has been before to get into a university I want to go to. I would try to get into a course in university I want to do, mainly around animation, illustration and concept art, so overall animation and its production and work before to make it.
I would start putting my work on an online portfolio for companies, studios and people to see my work, I would also want to start selling my work online, this either being illustrations, paintings or for hours making concept art or animations, I would first advertise locally at first before spreading out a bit more.
I would then hope to meet lots of people on my course at university, get along and give criticism, then having a chance where we might suggest each other to other people. I would even like to get with a group form the university to form a little studio or go into a company/studio together, working on commissions and paid professional work. Throughout my time in university and all the way up to hopefully getting into a studio job, I would continue to do side work, illustrations and concepts to add to and improve my portfolio to hopefully get with an even more professional, good budgeted and even more well known company and team to work with.
With a career I want, I would hope I would be getting enough pay to be able to stably live in a nice apartment or small house, just as long as it's somewhere I can happily live with enough space to do work, though I would save up towards this since university and even now.





Concept Artists I aspire to be like

John Sweeny - Worked on The last of Us and Uncharted, both rich and important in environment games

Sam "Samwise" Didiler - Detailed, shaded art, works for blizzard, blizzard artists overall are what I aspire to be

Steven Sugar - A lead background artist for Steven universe, a cartoonish but still beautiful and detailed work - http://stevensugar.tumblr.com/

Spiros Karkavelas - Art of Skah, great form in art, some messy others really detailed - http://artofskar.blogspot.co.uk/

Hidetaka Miyazaki - Incredibly detailed art, worked on Dark Souls series, overall dark, grim, scary

Yoji Shinkawa - Messy design but with great form, worked largely on metal gear solid games

Fumito Ueda - Art director and lead animator of the ICO team and game series

Paperclip charcoal drawing

Life Paintings using paint

Work Experience: Day 2

Work Experience: Day 1

Warm up work