I've played with Flash CS4 some, mostly getting to know my way around it. So far I've only made an animated banner for my site. I wish there were a book on Flash for character animators. Or perhaps when I become more proficient on it, I could write one myself. It's a thought.
Another hobby I got back into is action figure customizing. It helps sharpen my traditional art skills in sculpting and painting, but it also presented an opportunity to brush up on Photoshop. I scanned in the original packaging for the figures I started out with, and attempted to replicate the package design for my custom figures. I've come pretty close, and I'm happy with the outcome because now it's more of my style packaging, but it fits in with the action figure line I'm working with.
jan 2, 2010It's been roughly half a year since I've updated the site, and although I have no new materials to add, I do have information to update. I'm currently working at a local retail pet store to pay the bills, but I'm still applying to jobs in the animation and graphic design field. My lack of industrial experience seems to be killing my chances for even getting a response from anywhere. I did have a very promising five hour long interview in the beginning of November, but I have not heard back from that company. I have asked about the status of the hiring process for that position, but I didn't even receive a response from my last e-mail inquiry. Despite discouraging setbacks like these, I'm still pressing forward and applying wherever I can.
In the meantime, I have recently decided to expand my toolset and study Adobe Flash more intensely. Since I have a handle on the principles of animation, I just need to become proficient with the program itself. I'm also going to study ActionScript, so I can apply my animations to interactive web elements. I'd love to take classes, but the lack of time and money prevents. I will be putting up test animations as I complete them. I believe the first thing to do would be to start with the basics, just like the 2D animations I already have up.
Hopefully the new year will bring new opportunities for me to get my foot in the door so I can start my career in the animation field. Until then, I'll be expanding my skills and working towards a new demo reel, which will include Flash animations as well as 3D animations. Have a good 2010!
july 30, 2009I applied to a position at a game company about a month ago and I got as far as the art test. Unfortunately, that was as far as I got. I was given a week to do three animations using the Max rig: a heavy object lift and throw at a charging enemy; a run, get hit, fall down, pick himself back up, and begin running again; and an audio clip animation using body language to express the emotions in the clip. I forgot that I was most likely competing with people who have been animating much longer than I have, and I did not put as much time into polishing the animations up as I should have. I did receive feedback on what they did not like about the animations, so that was helpful. It also served as a great learning experience.
Today I found my 2D Animation class video files. I felt it would be good to also have my understanding of traditional animation up here. This is where a lot of it came together for me, since it started with a lot of basics of the 12 principles. It was an enjoyable class, and one in which I did very well.
may 14, 2009I redesigned the Gallery section to be more appealing, and to fit with the design of the rest of the site more properly. I added another category to the Gallery section, "Graphic Design". I have uploaded my work done while earning my degree in graphic design, which includes works done with a non-profit and my best friend's dad's business.
may 1, 2009And that's a wrap! I finished my last lab today, and my demo reel is now completed to its fullest. My graduation ceremony is next Friday, May 8. My time at Full Sail may be finished, but school is never out as I will learn everything I can throughout my career. I can't wait to start the next leg of my journey.
april 23, 2009I'm nearly done with my Demo Reel Creation class, which ends next week. My animations are going through their final renders, and I'll be uploading them as they are completed. This way my assets will be available to view even if my reel isn't quite complete. I played with the idea of putting up the different cuts as I finish it, but I decided not to so that it will be at its best when I put it up here.
march 21, 2009My three main assets for my demo reel are now in a completed status. I have the lighting ready and I plan on rendering this weekend. Hopefully when I start Demo Reel Creation next month the instructors will like my camera work and lighting so that I won't need to re-render. If I do, though, no big deal. That's the one thing about cartoonish animation that I like, is that render time usually isn't very long.
march 6, 2009Palkamation.com is officially open. I have uploaded the best of my student work, since that is all I have at the moment. I will be graduating in May, and I will have my graduating Demo Reel uploaded shortly before that. Until then, I will upload my assets as I work on them in the Works In Progress section of my Gallery.