During the four first semester we explored the question of “Who am I?” through many different projects. In Animation we designed a table scene, a weapon model, and a character which explore our imagination in creating objects and characters. In digital media we created a mandala that used repeated patterns to express ourselves. We also recorded core values that we came up with in english and then used After Effects to make a video with our core values. Finally, in english we wrote personal essays that could be used in college applications. In this essay I had to think about my own personal values and how they affect me and my personal experiences.
Digital Media
Mandala
In digital media we used Adobe Illustrator to create different mandalas. We created a circle with different “pie slices” but we only had to draw in one of the slices to have the mandala come together. We created 4 different mandalas, each with a different amount of slices. One with 8, 10,12, and 16. I really liked the process of being able to draw different shapes and having them come together. Sometimes it would be difficult to have the shapes look nice together without looking too repetitive.
English
College Personal Essay
I’m English we wrote personal essays that we could use for college applications. I found this assignment really helpful because I was able to get a start on the essay writing for college apps without as much procrastination. I wrote about not really being able to picture things clearly and how it can be an inconvenience when likening to create art. I mentioned that some of the ways I manage and work around this is finding inspiration through finding lots of references.
I want you to close your eyes and imagine an apple. Think about the shape, the color, is it on a tree or is it detached and sitting right in front of you? Now open your eyes. On a scale of 5-1 how well were you able to visualize the apple. Were you able to vividly imagine it with details such as any discoloration and/ or texture? Great, you’re about a 4 or a 5. If you were only able to see the outline with very basic coloring you’re about a 2 or a 3. Now if you’re like me and can’t actually visualize anything you’re a 1. This is called aphantasia which Oxford Dictionary defines as, the inability to form mental images of objects that are not present. It’s not like if you’re a 1 you don’t know what an apple looks like, you just have to “visualize” it in a different way.
I first found out about aphantasia when I was a freshman in high school from a video on Youtube of someone who’s an artist and animator talking about their own experiences with aphantasia. What the creator said about their experiences really resonated with me. I remember when I was young I was trying to draw a blue cartoon car. But what does a car look like? I know what it should look like but it’s not appearing on the paper in the way I think it should look like.
Being someone who is very interested in the arts has made my aphantasia something more troublesome than someone without any interest in it. There were instances where it has really brought me down and made me frustrated, telling myself, Why can’t this look the way I want it to?? If I were___ it would be so much easier. It has made one of the things I love most a frustrating experience and made me want to give up. But why would I give up on something I love doing just because it might be slightly harder for me than trying to find a way to overcome it?
There are ways I’ve found to work around it because even though it makes it harder for me to be active in my interest for art, it doesn’t mean it has to stop me. A very helpful tool is looking for PLENTY of references on Google or Pinterest and making collages of the scene I want to draw. It gives me a more solid foundation to let my creativity roam free rather than looking at a few.
Animation
This year in animation we started learning how to 3d model and animating with the models we create. We used different programs such as Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter. Maya is used mainly for creating rough geometric shapes. ZBrush is better used for creating more fluid organic shapes or for smoothing out the models along with adding texture like what we did with the character and weapon models. Substance painter is also used for adding texture along with coloring the models. At first, I was having a hard time getting used to doing 3d art instead of 2d but after some time I got used to the programs.
Character Models
Object Models
Fire hydrant models
Creating a temple and using different camera angles
Table scene
Weapon model
