Back into the Fire

The hardest thing about going back to school after Spring Break? Remembering how to stay up all night. Once I got back to school I was pulling an all nighter to get work done.

Thankfully I was able to get done the line work I needed.

Things have been going fine, I guess. I am still alive after all.

3D Modeling is going okay. We had our midterm pushed back so it is actually due on Monday. We have to create a city block. Originally I was going for a modern-day European, but decided to re-start and go for a more Medieval France/ Elizabethan Era. It’s coming on well.

In my Teaching class the week I had to teach everyone animation in 30 minutes. I went over the 12 principles then had them make flip books. It actually turned out well and some where really good. I also had a mid-term meeting with the teaching to discuss where I stand and that also went well. At the moment I have a B+/A- and am moving up.

Model Shop was strange in that most of the class didn’t show up till long ofter it started. 3 still where a no-show by the time we where dismissed and with only 9 people in the class it is very noticeable. I’ve also finally started coming up with a design for what I’m going to make in the class. Of course it isn’t something easy. Ideally the whole thing will be made, but if I just get the top part done it will be fine too.

Top view

Side view

Not much else is new in terms of classes. Just work, work, and more work. Soon we will be scheduling classes for the Fall, but they doing have all the classes listed yet so I’m not sure what I’m even interested in yet.

Other than that I am slowly starting to hear back from internships. I’ve got 1 “no” and 2 “we’re interested in talking”s. Still waiting to hear back from a ton more seeing as I applied to about 30, but it’s a start.

Much Needed R+R

This past was spring break….and I took the break part every seriously.

Once classes where done I was off to NJ without looking back. My sister and brother still had a few days left of their break so we got to hang out at the beach together for a bit before heading home to see my dad’s latest set for a local production of “Grease.” 

My siblings left soon after that and it was just me and my parents at home.

So what did I do?

Nothing.

I hadn’t brought my laptop, I only checked Facebook a few times, I ignored my email for the most part, and I didn’t do any school reading.

It was a complete detox.

Instead I cuddled our dogs, saw a movie with my bf, went for ice cream on opening day, walked the boardwalk, beat my dad at pinball, played pool, watched TV, and saw “Heathers” - a musical I’ve wanted to see for a while now.

Kramer loves to cuddle close

Ralston and Buffy like to play tag sometimes.

Misty mornings

So much better than the movie.

Unfortunately the break eventually had to end. 

Now I’m back at school and have a ton of work to get through - so much that only a few all-nighters will get it done. Still I wouldn’t do it any differently. Graduate school is draining in ways you can’t really explain so a few steps back every now and then is necessary.

Slowly Dying

So much for getting this up on time every week with the Animation blog….

Well, lets hop to it.

The past 2 weeks have in all honesty been a blur. I’ve been so focused on Seminar and Animation that I’ve stayed late without realizing it. Thankfully I am remembering to eat, though it is mostly bagels and sushi….

But really now.

So 3D modeling is still okay for now, but Kane is still Kane and that means nothing is as it seams. In the latest class he gave a lecture on Sublime and it lasted an hour. His voice is very monotone and after a while you can easily zone out. Thankfully it wasn’t too long. Of course he ended it saying, “No one should have to listen to me talk for an hour.” All I thought was ‘we listened to you talk 3 hours at a time last semester.’

One of the more resent assignments from the class
- model a figure and composite it.

Animation is going slowly. Everything is taking a bit longer than I planned so I’m easily getting annoyed. For anything more in-depth go look at that class-specific blog.

Teaching class is….alright. I am learning a bunch and ‘lectures’ are most of the time interactive demos which keeps it interesting. But here’s the thing. I said before that we have to write this research paper of observing two our the kids we teach…..thing was I’m not in the practical class. Finally though they found a solution: I would observe the ceramics class and do my paper on two of them. 

Sure, fine. Only now I have to be at the Saturday Art School same amount of time as them - basically taking another class bringing it up to 7 - yet don’t get credit or practical application.

Yippie.

Next, Model shop. Oh Model Shop.

I truly thought this was going to be a worth-while class yet all we are doing really is going over different materials and tools. We literally spent 3 hours talking about nuts and bolts one day! Most of the time I just keep thinking of all the work I would be doing instead of that class. Only good thing is that it’s half way over now so soon I get to leave.

Sotryboarding class is probably the easiest right now. Sure we had to do an action storyboard but then we got 2 weeks to make the animatic. 2. Whole. Weeks!

Part of the action boards where 2 people fight over the last piece.

The final class is Seminar with Kane. A quick over view is that things are moving, but slowly. I’m having a hard time visualizing and then illustrating the angles that I want so it is frustrating me and him. Not fun.

In other news Spring Break is next week and I plan on going home and de-stressing a bit before going back to the grind. But before that I have 2 classes to go to, new angles to come up with, character designs to finish, a paper to write, 2 faculty meetings to go over my thesis, and a one-on-one with a visiting artist - while still applying to more internships.

......Kill me now.

Breakdown

Last week was not easy.

They say that when it rains, it pour….and to me it defiantly seemed to pour last week.

Now keep in mind that it has only been a few days after I was told that I have to go back to my old story for seminar/thesis prep, essentially tossing out everything I’ve done for the past month or so.

Add on the first day of modeling in Maya where, though exciting, is beyond frustrating because all the keys are different from Cinema 4D and I can’t figure out where anything is located.

Sprinkle in Teaching where I finally get that hand out outlining what my final paper is to be about. Then the teacher suddenly realizes that I’m not in the Saturday Art School class where everyone else is gaining practical experience interacting with their classes and guess what? The paper is about you observations on the evolution of 2 of those students! On top of it the paper, that I have no idea how I will write it, is to be at least 20 pages. 20 PAGES!!!

To top it off in Model Shop we finally got homework that had to be completed in the shop. There is no way around it. The teacher does the demo of the different tools we will need and I figure it will take 20-30 minutes to do. I ask him to leave out the router since I decided I would just do it then. So I went to check out a tool and a technician come over and starts asking if I was certified.

“Not at Pratt, but at my last 2 colleges and my high school, yes.”

“Well did you take the class here and get the sticker?”

“What. Sticker?” (I said turning to look at my teacher who finally came over)

A lot of back and forth happened in which my teacher didn't really participate. The jest is that I apparently needed to take a 6 hour safety course to get a sticker that would allow me to be in the shop and use the tools. I told my teacher the first day I hadn’t been in the shops at Pratt and he said nothing so I assumed I was fine since I had done it so many times before hand. 

Apparently not.

I was told that the last safety course happened last weekend (of course) and that without it I wasn’t allowed to be even in the shop except for class time let alone use the tools outside then to do homework.

After this, I broke.

It may not seem like something that should have been that big a deal to break as badly as I did….and trust me I cracked hard. I called my sister cry like crazy and freaked out to her about Shop, seminar….everything. It took about 25 minutes to calm down enough to eat my dinner take was getting cold and another 30 to be able to think of anything with starting up again.

It didn’t help that it was by then 9pm and I still had a ton of boards to finish for the next day.

Breath.

Now a few days have past since all that. I got permission to take the safely test and, provided I passed, get permission to use the Shop for the semester.

I passed.

1 problem solved.

I’ve also talked to my sister to try and fix my thesis since no one liked what I was trying to do in the new edits. The story is much better and I was able to create a decent animatic in time for class…..but all the boards need more character detail, I need to figure out color, need to fix lots of camera angles and framing, and need to find a better scratch audio narrator.

So problem 2 isn’t quite fixed yet.

As for the Teaching issue, the problem isn’t fixed yet. I have the class tomorrow so hopefully the teacher will have thought of something. 

The stupid cube I had to make fro homework that tipped this breakdown.

Other than that things are okay. Maya is still driving my crazy with it’s impossible interface, but I’m getting to the point that it doesn’t take 5 minutes of internal debate with myself to move one thing.

The highlight of the week was my Uncle Michael coming. He was playing in Brooklyn and we decided to meet up for lunch (he plays the violin for a living). He bought me lunch and I got to sit in on the music for an hour before I had to get back to homework. I even had time to do a doodle of the church we where in.

Now hopefully I don’t have another breakdown this semester. There is a ridiculous amount of work that needs to be finished in the next 3 weeks though and I’m not sure there is enough hours in the day.

Art school. Don’t ya love it.

Set Back

Let's only briefly go over last semester. I know I haven't updated in way too long, that last you heard o was only a few weeks into my first semester in school at Pratt...

Well that's over and done with.

In summary: Animation Narrative was a joke. We had 3 assignments, class was spent going over things I already knew, but hey, I got the credit I needed and it allowed time for other stuff. Practicum was also simple as we where mostly left along to do our animations in ways we wanted. Most of the projects, while new to an animator, where old rides to me - with a motion design background. Seminar was confusing for a long time and it is still difficult to get a read on the teacher, Kane. Languages....I was so glad when that class ended. Everyone, including the teacher, thought I was great and new everything but I was just making a lot up as I went. Finally Animation Studios. We started a project last semester that carries to now (see here for weekly progress) so I won't go into everything.

Still, I ended with a 3.83 so I'm happy. (I'm trying to stay above a 3.8 to graduate with recognition - Pratt also doesn't do the Latin system......)

Moving on to this semester.

I have 6 classes. Yes, that is as crazy as you think it is. We might not meet as often as undergraduate, but we have just as much, if not more, work. 

Let's start with the new stuff quickly.

First up is 3D Computer Modeling, with Kane whom I still can't read. It's going okay so far. We're starting off in ZBrush which I know how to use but will be moving into Maya next week.

Storyboarding is also a class I'm taking. Easy for now, but demanding new storyboards every week which is adding up fast.

Model Shop is my elective outside of the DDA department and is with Industrial Design. We've only had 1 homework assignment so far but have spent every class lecturing on materials and adhesives.......It is obvious that this class will be picking up soon and when it does we are going to run.

I'm taking a class with the Education department as well. Basically it is a class on how to write a lesson plan. As like in Model Shop, I am the only on from a different department. I get a bit lost here sometimes, but everyone is very nice, so even though the amount of reading is crazy - it's going okay.

Now there are 2 classes that continue from last semester. The first is Animation Studio with Claudia still. Seriously, if you want to know all the little details on what is happening, follow the other blog. That one is updated every week religiously since it is part of my grade. Otherwise, I love Claudia, she is my favorite teacher by far. It might be that she tells it to you straight, or that she went to Ringling too, but she is still my favorite.

The last one, and second re-peat class is Seminar with Kane. Last semester towards the end we started writing ideas for thesis, though you could change it over Christmas. This semester the class is basically thesis prep. We have to have storyboards, animatics, style frames, character designs, color stories, and a proof of concept but the end of the semester when we give a big presentation to the faculty. 

Last semester I wrote a story that I really liked, but I knew it had a few issues so I brought it home to get some 'fresh eyes' and their opinions. 

.....It kind of back fired.

I came back this semester with the same general story, but it was completely different. I've worked and worked and worked this, now 5th, version. 2 weeks of drawing, redrawing, frames. A few all-nighters, countless hours spent planning, and I walked into class to play an animatic I was proud of.....only to have crItique basically say, "go back to last semester's version."

So, yeah, a bit of a set back. A bit of a big set back.

Thankfully Kane loved the amount of work I was putting into everything. And even though I am going back to the original, any issues or extra scenes I might need have already been figured out with the different versions. So it will work out. It'll be fine.

At least I can say that now that it has been a few days since I nearly broke down during critique.

Now, hopefully I'll be more regular - but I have a blog just for Animation Studios and need to make one for thesis.....so there is only hope.

Grad-School

So, there that being really about posting on here, I do have some things to say so lets move on.

Grad-School is not what I thought it would be. Though to be honest I’m not quite sure what I expected. 

I guess part of me thought it would be something like 4 years of schooling and teaching packed into 2 years. So far its more like, “Here. The assignment is due in 3 weeks. In the mean time read this packet that is 60 pages, watch these short films, now get me a 15 minute presentation about all that. What isn’t your animation do yet?”

So yeah. Not hand holding here.

Midterms is officially over. With it has past 3 Narrative assignments, 2 Practicum animations, countless Languages files, 5 written out thesis ideas for Seminar, and a board-o-matic + concept art in Animation.

Lets break that down.

Narrative (the class “Animation Narrative”) is a bit up in the air. The teacher still isn’t sure what his plan is and each day of class it a very different topic than the week before. So far we have had to write 1 narrative piece, 2  scripts (one was film noir), and do 2 story boards. Nothing is graded yet so I have no idea how I’m doing in that class.

Practicum is a bit of a joke at times. We had 1 project to make some idents. Then we had a partner project to make an animation about a political or social issue. I HATE partner projects. Thankfully though the person I was with understood after effects at least and though we had several things we disagreed on, it was always resolved quickly and with little fuss.

Two shots from my ident project. Theme was pastel goth.

Seminar is, I’ve found out, thesis prep part 1. While we watch different shorts and talk about film devices and story rules, homework is always to write a short story you could see as an animation. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we do have to make a final decision by 4 weeks into next semester.

Languages is a pain. I don’t like coding but I get some of the concepts easily because they are all very logical to me. Unfortunately this means that most of the class thinks that I know everything so they always ask me for help. I don’t mind helping, but I am no where near confident to proof read your code.

Color wheel created using nothing but coding.

Finally Animation. If you’ve been following my other blog then you know everything that is going on there. Basically we are working on an animation that will last till the end of spring semester. Mine is about a girl that travels to different worlds by a portal/ puzzle piece. It was based off of the Shel Silverstein poem Picture Puzzle Piece.

Expression example sheet for the main character - Pepper

That’s most of the assignments so far, well not mentioning the 40-60 pages of reading for each class every week…..

For now though I’m going to bed. I’ll try and be more regular in posts, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

5 Months, 800 Words

Last I updated this I had just gotten excepted into Pratt for an MFA in Animation and had about another month at Ringling.

Well, graduation has come and pass.

The ceremony took for. ev. er. You would think that only 260 people would be fast but noooo. Must be dragged out. But finally that moment came. I crossed the stage, got my diploma case (real thing get mailed to you) and said a final goodbye to my Ringling friends.

Some of us from freshman dorm, 2nd floor short hall

Summer came and so did another trip with Katie and my Grandparents. Last time it was our turn Katie and I went to central Europe. This time we wanted any but Europe. So we went to Japan and Taiwan.

We did it with an 8 day cruise since the grandparents can't walk as well as they would like. Most of the time off the boats we were all together, but Katie and I often ran around the boat when we weren't docked. 

In Taiwan by a tea shop that inspired the shop people turn to pigs in Spirited Away.

I loved the trip, would go back in a heart beat, and the weather was great - though we had issues with the time difference for a long while.

A Shinto shrine in Osaka, probably my favorite location.

When I got back it was time to start with apartment shopping for in Brooklyn. Let me tell you, it was a pain in the butt. One day I have 7 roommates, then 4, then 1, then we find a flat, then it get sold...on and on and on this went.

Finally we did find an awesome place. Huge, right next to campus, very reasonable price if someone didn’t mind sharing a gigantic room. Eventually we did secure the place and rent it for our own. It was a process though. Our broker, Tom, was very demanding on us about deadlines but would never get us the next set of papers until the day of. The manager, Hal, is also nearly very annoying stereotypical thing about a New Yorker rolled into one. Good thing is that once we signed the papers we said good-bye to Tom and Hal said he would leave us alone unless there was an issue.

I’ve now been renting the apartment for about a month already. I have my own room and live with 3 others. Shirley, Emma, and Michael. Shirley and Emma are both from Taiwan (I seem to attract international students), and Emma and Michael are dating (and sharing the giant bedroom.) Shirley is also in my MFA program, Emma is studying fashion at FIT, and Michael is a Bio-Chemist who just got back from a teaching program in Taiwan. We aren’t best of friends, but it’s only been 2 weeks since we all got here.

Onto school.

Basically we hit the ground running.

I have 5 classes this semester, 4 are CORE classes. 

Animation Narrative: elective humanities course that teaches good story telling techniques when applying narrative to 4 minute films.

Practicum: a class to get real-life-experiance. First assignment, to create a 15 second promo animation for a new TV network, aka a network re-brand. Something no one in my class really understood, but I did them often at Ringling.

Seminar: not quite sure what we’re doing yet other than going over different devices and collecting a crazy amount of pictures.

Languages: aka Coding. I think in the end we learn how to make animations using only code (Processing 2) but for now we are learning how to create shapes and beginnings of interaction with the image.

Animation: not a class on learning an animation program, but a class where all we are really doing is working on an animation. (You can find the other blog I have to keep for this class about my progress)

So those are my classes. I’ve also picked up a job, a Graduate Assistantship helping to run events on campus. Irregular hours, but $12/hr and only a max of 15hrs a week so I think it will fit in nicely.

Other than that, well I’m exploring the city a bit. Not too much yet since I’m trying to find a buddy to explore with me, but I have seen a free concert and visited Little Italy....