Dear Winterites,
On the road of adventure, sometimes you discover that the adventure you started with isn’t the one you want to continue with. This can happen many times over. When it does, when you make that decision mid-road, it isn’t always possible to change your route immediately. Sometimes, though you know you’ve changed your mind, you must continue on the current road and face its hazards. At least for a little while longer. When that happens, the hazards don’t seem quite as hazardous. What once tried to kill you, now becomes nothing more than a minor nuisance. Your perspective and priorities change, and that’s a beautiful thing.
For me, since I’m planning on switching out of animation and moving into writing for film and television, these current animation assignments no longer feel quite so burdensome. Especially this design layout. I’ll get done what I get done, and that’ll be it. No pressure from looming deadlines, no feelings of inadequacy for not being able to complete things, no stress. It’s quite freeing. I feel lighter again. Happier, too. More like myself, and that’s a major relief.
Due to our prof taking ill, our Monday class was an online class. To be honest, I more-or-less ignored whatever he was talking about to work on the assignment instead.
I may not feel the pressure to get it completed to his standard, but I’m still not going to waste a class time watching cartoons. That’s what afternoons are for!
I didn’t spend my afternoon watching cartoons. I was drawing hands for another class. I only had 4 out of 10 left to complete, so I put on something for background noise and got to work finishing that up.
(Yeeeaaaaahhhhhh....I don't get it.)
Our room has been smelling bad recently. Certain food scents tend to linger, and I don’t like it. Went around spraying Febreeze everywhere, but what I really want to do is give everything a good wash with vinegar water. I won’t; however, if something doesn’t change, the weekend may be the time to take action.
Our Tuesday morning class was also online. It lasted all of two minutes. Just another work period for drawing trees.
(It's getting there. Slowly but surely. I really like the red leaves. They make me happy.)
Over lunch I planned out basic plot points for season one of my TV series. Then in class we got into groups to brainstorm together to help each other come up with potential episode ideas. This was a lot of fun, and I absolutely love the ideas of the other two stories I heard. The one I would definitely watch, and the other I would absolutely be okay to watch with my nephew!
There are so many great ideas in the world! It’s too bad they won’t all get the chance to be shared.
With the end of school approaching, it’s time to think about getting a summer job. Well, I’m hoping to find something that I’d like to carry over past summer, but the going is tough. Most places put more importance into having a B.A. rather than skill and experience. It makes the job hunt a frustrating one.
On Wednesday, I received my official acceptance into the writing for film and television program with Toronto Film School!! Getting that email set me free for real. The cares and worries that had been building little houses on my shoulders were swept away. I was able to finish my design assignment – not anywhere near completion, mind you – so, that’s finally done with.
(Isn't it glorious in its incompleteness?)
I was so tired in Thursday’s classes. Especially in the morning. I was fighting so hard not to fall asleep. I still managed to get one good hand drawing during our long studies. At least, I think it’s pretty good. Lots of people were missing from class though, skipping in order to work on their design layouts. Frustrating for the other profs. They were not impressed, and I can’t blame them. Life Drawing isn’t something that can easily be made up outside of class since we work with live models.
(Practicing exaggeration is hard work. Some poses make perfect sense in how to best exaggerate them, and others are just...wut?)
(Hand short studies before getting into long studies. Clearly, only the one in the middle actually turned out. The others are kind of hideous, but that's okay. Even bad drawings are good practice.)
(Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the hand that turned out!)
Even fewer people showed up to Character Design. We continued in our original character rotations, so hopefully those who missed will be able to catch up on their own time. My character is not the easiest to rotate mainly because of his hair. It’s adorable, but a challenge nonetheless. And since I had my computer open, I submitted my design assignment at the end of class.
My classmates next to me thought my handing in an unfinished assignment to be an iconic move. I’ll take the compliment.
I ended up staying after class for a bit to chat with my dragon companion. She and I haven’t gone on any side quests in a while. We may have to plan something before school lets out and we go our separate ways.
With design done, on Friday we switched back to animation. Switching mid-week is another frustration for the profs, and frankly, we as students don’t understand the point. Can’t we just wrap up our assignment at week’s end then start the new one on Monday? For how many years this program has been in existence, one would think they’d be a bit more organized.
Whatever.
Our next assignment is creating a walk cycle for a given character. We’ll be working with Jeanette from Alvin and the Chipmunks. Should be interesting!