The Hairiest of all the Heroes: Captain Kelly!! (UPDATED!!)

HAIRY UPDATE: This is the final batch of development sketches and character studies that you'll see from me for Hairy Heroes I'm afraid! Recent developments have meant that my involvement in the project could not continue.
My previous posts and animations clips will remain on here though as a record of my work! Enjoy! :)

Hi there Hairies!

Ready for a rather long awaited Hairy Heroes update?
Currently Laura has completed the storyboards and the animatic for the Smooth Jason animation, and after thoroughly exploring the looks and movements of Jason (as can be seen here) so Laura has enough to work from, I'm now moving on and designing the other characters.

So let me introduce you to the leader of the band of renegade heroes, Captain Kelly!!

Captain Kelly had spent his life in the hairy army (Harmy), he had served in many wars after he joined as a young and fluffy spider. Over the years he was decorated for bravery and services to the Harmy, until one day he was thrown out after a dispute with senior hairy officers. 

Kelly vowed to keep his soldier instincts, he recruited his own eclectic mob of misfits and trained them up to become a crack troop (sort of), these recruits are known as Kelly’s Hairy Hero’s!

Kelly, like Jason, is based on a real spider species. He is a Huntsman Spider, a rather fierce and freaky looking spider indeed! I can tell you I found it rather difficult to research this one without running away in terror from the google image results! But I stuck it out, with my skin crawling and turned the freaky Huntsman into a furry and much friendlier looking Kelly!

I based Kelly's appearance on the British WWII Officer's uniform, with the webbed emblem on his hat, and the Arachnid Cross medal on his chest. The Huntsman's fearsome mandibles have been transformed into a big fluffy moustache befitting of the character, and the markings on his legs and bum  I decided to simplify from the sketch in profile above, so they resemble army camouflage!

Walk like a Spider - Completed Walk Cycle!

Hey there Hairies!

It's been a while since you all have a Smooth Jason update!
Well I've been working hard today to FINALLY get this walk cycle finished to share with you all!



(Also available to watch on Vimeo)

If you want reminding of the process/development that built up to this then click right here!

I plan for Jason to feature a little more on my blog in the weeks to come, Laura Bartle (my collaborator on this project) has just completed the animatic for Smooth Jason's story, and it's looking fab!
My job now its to continue with some additional character designs and mock up concepts for scenes!

So stay tuned! :)

MAC music video - Animatic!!

It's been a long while since I've updated you all on the MAC animation project!

Well I can happily say that after several odd days spent scribbling away in photoshop and listening to the same track over and over and over and over, I finally have something to show you all!

I have just finished the Animatic for 'Let the Jury Sing'!!

So without further a-do...
(Apologies for the wonky embed! This video is also available to view on Vimeo!)

This project still has a long way to go yet; the character designs need developing with colour, scene concepts need to be done, dope sheets need to be written, and the additional SFX (which in the animatic are provided by free audio websites and are temporary for the purposes of the animatic) need to be properly recorded.
Not to mention actually properly animating the damn thing!

As it stands though, with the completion of the Animatic, this project has reached a nice point to be able to pause for a month or two while I take time to work on an opportunity that has come my way. A 5 page contribution to a comic anthology, though I'm afraid I can't say any more than that at the moment!

But all of you can remind yourselves of the character designs and storyboards done for this project so far right here

Also to learn more about the band, listen to more tracks and find out about upcoming gigs, visit the Mad Apple Circus website!!
(Note: The MAC logo and website text headers were provided by moi!)



Judge Dredd, created by Carlos Esquerra & John Wagner, is copyright Rebellion A/S http://www.2000adonline.com/

Walk like a Spider... part 2!

Hey there Hairies!!

Remember I was teaching Jason how to walk? Well here is progress so far!

I've gone from the basic construction outline (as seen here) to a more fleshed and Jason-like full outline!

Despite being naked he still wears his sunglasses, what a cool customer! :P

I shall colour and dress him at the final stage!

P.S. Apologies for the picture appearing stretched.. seems the aspect ratios of the blogger upload and my exported movie are different :S

Mad Apple Circus, Animated music video - Storyboards!!

Another bit of animation news for you tonight!!

I recently completed the Mad Apple Circus storyboards for "Let the Jury Sing"

Here're the first few storyboarded sequences to this massively action packed and monstrously fast paced animation!!

The next task for this project will be to make an Animatic (motion storyboard) and match the duration of the sequences to the timing of the music!

Incidentally if any of you guys want to listen to the track I'm animating this for then you can do so right here: http://www.myspace.com/madapplecircus

It's the first song listed!

Walk like a Spider...?

Remember this cheeky chappy??

Yup, it's Smooth Jason from the Hairy Heroes series I'm co-animating!

Today I have been busy trying to make this little guy walk!

Not so easy when all wants to do is nap.....

AND when he has 4 legs and 4 arms to move about....

But anyway here is the basic construction to a simple walk cycle for this guy. I used the characters from Dreamworks' Antz for reference as quite by chance Jason here has a similar body structure!

I'll continue to polish this clip into a fully formed, fully clothed little Jason. Strutting his stuff like only the smoothest of blue spiders can!

Oh and the piccies at at the top were done for Clive Pearce's Hairy Heroes website!

Check it out: http://www.tinhuttales.co.uk/#

Mad Apple Circus, Animated music video - Character designs

Hey there Music fans!

I'm finally going to post up a bit of the initial character design regarding the Animated Music Video project I'm working on, amongst other things!!

First though I'll fill you in on all the background stuff.

Mad Apple circus is an original Big-band/Reggae/Ska-punk group from the deepest darkest suburbs of Bristol. You can usually find them making regular performances at The Prom and The Blue Lagoon along Gloucester Road (for any readers local and looking to hear them!)

Through a series of meetings with Luke Wilson-Tancock (Vocals, Guitar and Trumpet) and Josh Chapman (Guitar) we've discussed an animation to accompany one track titled "Let the Jury Sing". The track itself is 2 mins, 49 seconds long and is pretty damn fast paced! A LOT is planned to happen in those 2 mins, 49 seconds, so I shall have my work cut out for me!

Everything that happens in this animation will happen to one specific character, who'll be pulled through a variety of situations. This character is the Band's mascot, a Clown by the name of Bastardo! And so without further a-do I'll get on with the drawing bit!

Here are some initial character sketches for Bastardo the Clown!

These character sketches were based on your typical 50's Disney style, which the whole animation is to emulate, and various clowns and things from Dumbo and other animations I researched. However the largest factor to Bastardo's appearance is this lovely bit of artwork done by Luke's Dad!

You can find out more about Mad Apple Circus and the the other band members on their Facebook Page

The next thing to do on this project is to draw up storyboards and then fit those to the track with a rough animatic!!

Stay tuned!! :)

Hairy Heroes - more Smooth Jason studies

Hey there Hairies!!

Here's another batch of Jason character studies for you!

I've covered every possible angle of this character so that there'll be plenty of reference for Laura and I to animate from, especially for Laura who'll have to animate another person's drawing! Always tricky, so I'm giving her as much to draw from as possible!

Hairy Hero Smooth Jason - More character studies!!

Hey there Hairies!

Here're more studies for Jason. I've started to draw up a more concise study of the character from all angles with colour, so Laura and I can use it as reference when animating!

I've got the Front and Back views for you now

I firstly drew Jason unclothed to get an idea of how his body shape, markings and how his anatomy could work, and then I set about dressing him.

The colour swatches along the bottom will allow Laura and I to pick and use those exact colours when we animate.

Now I bet you are all wondering why on earth Jason is blue... there's no such thing as a blue spider!!?? Guess again!

Jason is a Peacock Parachute Spider and the colours I used were taken directly from this photograph of the real thing!

Who knew spiders could be so pretty, right!??

Hairy Hero Smooth Jason - Character studies

Hey there Hairies!

Today I shall introduce you to a smooth little customer. He's stylish, got an eye for the ladies, he's just a little bit lazy and can't pass up an opportunity to look himself in the mirror!!

He's Smooth Jason!

Jason here will be the first character that sees animation, his story will be the first that Laura, Clive and I adapt for your viewing pleasure!

Clive is working on the story backbone (which you can read here) Laura will be working on adapting the prose to script for storyboarding. And yours truly will be having fun playing with the characters!

So watch out for the next Hairy Heroes installment, with some 360 colour studies of Jason!!

Hairy Hero Pete Panther - Character studies.

A little while ago a good friend of mine and fellow animator; Laura Bartle, got in contact with me about working with her on a possible animation commission!

It would be a series of potentially 13 animations based on stories written by Clive Pearce, titled Hairy Heroes!

Well after sorting out a few things with work I'm able to commit to the Hairy Heroes project!

So, without further a-do let me introduce you into this Hairy little world that Clive has created with the first character I've had a go at designing. The little light fingered arachnid; Pete Panther!

I shall be designing the characters (which as you must all have figured out, is what I love doing most!) and Laura will be working up storyboards (which is what she prefers too!!) So it's a perfect match!

I shall keep you posted on the progress we make! However if you want to learn more about Pete then click here to read his story!

You can also read a lot more of Clive's stuff on his full website: www.tinhuttales.co.uk

Also you can take a gander at Laura's fantastic animations on her Vimeo and YouTube channels!

Finally up for your viewing pleasure, my Octopus Esting!!!

HERE IT IS!!! My E4 Esting via youtube!!

With absolutely no word what so ever from E4 about wether or not my entry will ever be put up on the website, or in fact has actually be received, I have decided enough is enough!!

It has been FOREVER since I completed and entered it , and sent numerous follow up emails regarding wether or not it will appear on the website or has been accepted into the competition at all!!

I CAN'T wait any longer to share it with you all!

So here he is, the one, the only showering Octopus!!

Octopus E Sting, Slow progress....

The Showering Octopus (as I have dubbed him) has been successfully uploaded and entered into the E4 E Sting competition!!!

In fact this was the case as of exactly a week ago today... I was hoping to be able to post a link for you guys to FINALLY be able to view the finished animation by now!! However I'm still finding myself at the mercy of E4's website admin, and when they get round to publishing The Showering Octopus (along with a few other people's entries, some who uploaded theirs over a week before me!) onto the website...

Rest assured, the moment it is up for public viewing you will be the first to know! (Here's hoping it's worth the wait!!)

Octopus E Sting, IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!

IT'S FINALLY OPEN!!!!

E4 have Launched their E Sting competition!!!

Can you believe it... After spending last summer making this animation to only find out (after numerous unhelpful emails) that the competition was not going ahead for 2010, E4 have finally launched it for 2011!!

You can find all the development drawings, colour concepts, bits of animation and the roller-coaster communications with E4 about their sluggish launch right here!

Of course this means that I have got the hard part all done and dusted, and once I've sorted out the last niggly bits of animation and added a sound bed, it'll be ready to upload well within the closing date in July!!!

So please, please, PLEAAAAAAASE!!! When the time comes, vote for me!!! :D

Octopus E Sting, UPDATE. (It's been a while!!)

Okay it's been absolutely aaaaaaaaaaaages since anything has been heard about the 2010 E Stings competition. Evidently as it is now January 2011 there was no 2010 competition despite the responses to my emails.

I've postponed the finalization of the Octopus animation for the launch of the competition. It is pretty much done, all that is left to do is add transparencies to certain layers and edit in the sound (but any backing music/jingle will have to wait till E4 launch and make available any usable sounds).

So I thought I'd email them again expressing my disappointment at receiving misleading information and the lack of any news on the website, despite continued interest from other people who comment on the site.

This was the reply I got:

Dear Sara,

Thank you for your email regarding E-STINGS on Channel4.com.

I can confirm that there will be another E-STINGS competition in 2011, but unfortunately there are no confirmed dates as yet. We would advise for you to keep an eye on the website for further details.

We apologise for any disappointment.

Again still rather vague on the details, and you can be sure that if nothing goes ahead I'll be having some strong words. I would rather wait till the competition launches to reveal my finished animation, but if worst comes to worst then I will not be able to wait any longer to share it with you all!

So please, don't think I've given up on the 'ol Octopus! He WILL get his debut in the near future!!

Octopus E sting, another UPDATE!!

Last time I left you, I was waiting for a more definitive answer on when or whether the E Sting competition was happening this year.
A week later and I still hadn't heard anything back, so I decided to contact them again!:

Thank you very much for your prompt response to my email!
I am contacting you again to ask if there has been any further information regarding the launch of the E Sting competition.
I notice that a few more people have commented on the E Stings page since the comment I left before contacting you directly. It seems that there are plenty of people willing to participate in this annual competition and would very much appreciate some information on if or when it is going ahead this year.

Thank you for your time!
Sara Dunkerton

And just today I have received this in response!!!

The annual e-stings competition has not started yet but should be launching over the Autumn/Winter period of this year.

Okay, so it isn't an extremely informative answer, but at least it's some confirmation that the competition is indeed going ahead this year!!

So as always, stay tuned!! :D

Octopus E sting UPDATE!!

Okay so, I have been keeping regular tabs on the E4 website for any news on the 2010 launch of the E sting competition, and so far have had no luck!
I've commented along with many other people on the E4 E stings page:

Posted on: Thu Aug 19, 2010 at 06:46 pm
Comment: I'm sure the competition last year launched in July and closed in August. Could someone from E4 please let us budding Sting-makers know!! We're dying here!! >.<

And there was no further response... So I found a contact on the Channel 4 website for asking direct queries and sent them an email, this is what I said:

I am interested in entering an animation for the annual E4 E sting competition. I wonder if it is possible for someone to contact me and let me know if the competition is going ahead this year. I have started animating my entry despite there being no news of when the competition launches for 2010, and regular checks to the E sting page on E4.co.uk has yielded no further information! As the competition launched in previous years during the summer months I am concerned that it might not open at all this year! Please could you let me know if this is so. Thank you!!

And this is what they have replied:

Dear Sara,
Thank you for contacting E4.com with your enquiry.
I have escalated this issue to the site producer and await a response.

So I am still waiting for a definitive answer on what is going on... BUT in the meantime I am continuing with the animating regardless!!
I estimate that I am about half done, and am pondering on the best way to give you all a taste without revealing too much before the competition (if there is a competition...)

Stay tuned!!! :D

A Blast from Animator's Past!!

It's officially summer for me now, no more uni and no work for 2 months!! So I've left the land of Bristol to stay with my parents for the remainder of the holiday, and whilst sorting out the dumping ground that my vacated room had become I encountered a blast from the past, a glimpse at where my bug to animate actually came from!

In the last year of the National Diploma in Fine Art course at college, I was able to write my own brief for the Final Major Project. I chose to Illustrate the Children's novel Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, and along with the series of illustrations for the book I decided to try my hand at animating one of the characters!
I took the centaur character; Foley, and researched Muybridge's series of photographs of a horse in motion and coupled it with his photos of a man running to create a run/gallop cycle for a centaur!




























Prior to this I had not animated anything more advanced than a simple flick book, and with no instruction on the basic principles of animation, I dived right in! Looking at this snippet now I can see PLENTY of faults in both movement and timing, but back then when seeing it in motion for the first time I remember getting this magical feeling of seeing a character I had created, that had previously been nothing more then a static drawing on a page, suddenly leap to life!
And I still get that feeling even now, with any animation I do! It is that feeling that got me hooked!

Octopus E sting - Developed concepts

Finally, here are the finalised concepts for my E sting idea. I've had many a distraction from getting these concepts done, including two separate commissions within about as many days!

One is for the couple next-door who are opticians and have recently bought a second shop that needs some sprucing up. They have asked me to do an illustration for a print to hang in the reception and also to be adapted for the shutters on the shop front! I shall need to investigate the best materials to paint on metal and possibly get myself acquainted with spray paint, which will be interesting...

The other commission is from my boyfriend's cousin; Sam Wilson, who's band (Sick Wax) is looking for someone of a creative mind to design their album cover! I volunteered myself straight away and am working on sketching up the ideas that Sam had for the content of the cover. He said he hopes that the album will be ready to release in about 2 months so you shall see sketches for it on here very soon!

In light of all these new projects I have going on, I have made a new addition to this blog! You'll now find an 'About Me' page on the sidebar where you'll be able to browse through a whole list of projects currently in development, I'll be updating this page when projects are completed or new ones are added so all of you (and myself) can keep track of all my work in the real world!

Octopus E sting - Animation tests

After drawing up and scanning all the key frames for the Octopus as he slips on the soap, I realized how tricky it will be to actually animate this!

Co-ordinating the movement for 8 legs as the Octopus flips 360 in mid-air is really quite tricky. Accounting for each leg and how it moves in relation to the Octopuses body/head as it flips really confused me at times, I'd either loose one leg somewhere or mistake one for another and skew the motion up.

So, before developing the colour concepts any further I thought I'd tackle this tricky section, and here is how I managed it!

Stage One - Drawings: First I drew and scanned all the key positions for the Octopus as he slips on the soap.

Stage Two - Rough Guidelines: I then colour coded each tentacle so as to be able to track them individually as the Octopus flips.

The front three are red; these are the tentacles that have contact with the soap and so initiate the flipping motion.

The 4th and 5th tentacles either side of the front three are blue, and the remaining three tentacles at the back are green. The head is also marked in pink and the position of the Octopus' eyes are in orange.

I animated each colour coded section of tentacles separately so that I only had 2 or 3 legs visible at a time, this made things a little less confusing.

Stage Three - Fleshed out Guidelines: Next I fleshed out each tentacle to be able to see how they interact with one another; where one overlaps another, if their in the foreground or in the background, etc.

Similarly to before I tackled each colour coded section separately, but this time made regular checks to the positions of the other tentacles... it still looks a bit of a mess here though.

Oh I also added in the motion path of the soap to help with the timing.

Stage Four - Final Outlines: So with all the tentacles and the head in roughly their correct positions throughout the flipping motion, all that was left to do was basically trace over the fleshed out guidelines with a single outline.

This final clip will now become the reference for when I come to animate the real thing. Once I have developed up the colour concepts and have a clear idea of how the Octopus character will look (e.g: if he has an outline, texture, colour, markings, etc) I will be able to simply trace over this clip, frame by frame and concentrate on the aesthetic quality of the Octopus having already got the technical side of the animation pinned down!