Introduction
For the Explorations unit, we sought to push the boundaries of what we are capable of. Throughout the year we learned how to use various online software and applications. But for our Explorations we were supposed to really see how far our knowledge could take us. For my particular project I sought to explore the creativity of my animation. During the year we learned how to animate, especially using Photoshop. For this unit, I wanted to really try for quality over quantity, and to see how much interest and expression I could create with a short two dimensional animation.
Process
The first step of the process was coming up with an idea. Unfortunately, I was behind due to spending additional time on my Documentary Animation and did not have a lot of time for this one. As a result, I immediately gravitated towards simpler animation styles, and quickly decided on two-dimensional animation.
I found my inspiration while remembering the show Arcane, which I had watched a few weeks ago while sick. The show has really beautiful animation and used contrasting colors as well as exaggerated but carefully planned designs to be as visually appealing and satisfying as possible.
I wanted to capture this style with my animation. I decided on black and white for almost all of the animation, and chose pink and purple as my two highlight colors to really create contrast. I also designed exaggerated imagery inspired by these two shots from the show.
Finally, I began animating. I was really experimenting with using perspective to create interesting angles and to convey the relationship between characters. My first shot presents two characters, but one is placed closer to the screen. This makes you put yourself on that characters side. Throughout the animation I mixed a contrast/colorful style while playing with the different perspectives. While my animation is only 12 seconds, it feels really fluid and the decisions I made work effectively for the action.
Final Production
Reflection
The Explorations project was a chance to really do my own thing and see where I wound up. I would have enjoyed to have more time to flush out the story (original outline had several more fight sequences than just the push) but the result was still fun. It was definitely cool to see how far I’ve come with my animation, as this video, while short, is very fluid and exciting to watch. It was also a chance for me to incorporate some of my favorite aspects of animation: cinematography. I tried to plan out every shot with specific purposes in mind, and also for visual appeal. As a digital artists, it was very gratifying to go out on a limb and complete a project with no guidance. Being able to finish and watch my animation back is a great feeling and it was a lot of fun to create.
Experimental Music
I was really excited when I heard we were going to make our own music, and learning how to use the various digital instruments in Pro Tools was so much fun. Although growing up I was not very fond of music and rarely listened, in the past year I have found a love for music and listen to as much as I can. I was especially inspired by rap beats and flows, and wanted to emulate some of my favorites in my Experimental Song. After much trial and error, I eventually reached something I was happy with, and this is it.
Here is my Pro Tools Interface when I made this:
In addition to these blocks, the actual virtual instruments we used looked either like the actual instrument (such as the MGM Grand Piano) or a radio set with many customizable options. All of it was either played on the piano-keyboard or designed note by note using Pro Tools.
This was one of my favorite projects at Freestyle. Even though I struggled to make a beat and to make the various musical elements flow cohesively, I was really happy with how it came out and will definitely be making more music in the future. Overall, the Explorations unit was really enjoyable as I got to test my limits using the information I’ve learned this year, as well as just having a good time letting my creativity run wild.