Wrap Up

I don't know who really reads this, but I thought I should kinda "close" this blog in a sense of writing up a "final" post just to tie it all up.

Since I last posted I've finished up at COFA (apart from my graduation ceremony, due sometime next - actually - this year . . it is 2009 now . . haha) and am now getting back to applying for work. I've been trying for the past month now - and failing, but I try not to be too hard on myself just yet as the crazy Christmas/New Years period is just ending now.

Anyhow, I feel I've had enough of a break now and am ready to get back to drawing. My desk is set up again, I've got a new set of pencils (I love using Columbia Cadet pencils. They're cheap things but have a really nice texture to them. Or to me at least) and the 7 second animation I started before Christmas/New Years got too crazy sits on my peg bar asking to be completed.

I don't know what this 2009 holds. I guess I won't know till it unfolds - like everyone else. But I'm not too afraid because I believe everything happens for a reason and at the right time. And there's nothing to be afraid of. As Will taught me perceive - things are not "scary", they're just "unfamiliar".

So into the unfamiliar I go . . . I don't know if I'll post again here. Not unless something happens to 'Fly, Baby, Fly'. I don't know if I'll start another blog. I'll do it if I feel like it, I guess. I'll post a link if that happens.

But in the meantime 'thank you' to those of you who've kept tabs on this blog. Thanks for your encouragement and support. It's been really cool sharing this "journey" (if you'll call it one) with me. Hopefully we'll share another one sometime in the future. :)

Honours Assessment

A funny little email landed in my inbox this afternoon . . my Honours Assesment came!

I don't know what to make of it though. It's not that I don't understand it . . it's just that . . I guess I had hoped for more? I don't know whether I deserved more (I guess not) . . but I had poured everything into it . . so was kinda disappointed.

I guess I'm kinda disappointed too for missing out on Graduate Prizes (they were GOOD prizes). . hmm.

But really, I think I'm just focusing on all the bad things - UNNECESSARILY. I have so much to be thankful for . .

1) I got 80% for my Honours Paper. Considering I was lost for most of the year over it - that's amazing.

2) I got 80% for my animation. I hoped that mark would've been higher . . but then, I am proud of what I was able to achieve in it and don't need a mark (or prize) to validate it.

3) I have completed Honours. That is a feat in itself . . why do I forget this?

Argh . . I'm pretty annoyed at myself for not being more thankful .. because I should be. I can be. Why do I have to ruin this moment for myself? :P

Anyhow, I guess I can just focus on the next thing now. Though what that "next thing" is isn't quite clear just yet. I had a pretty interesting conversation with Will and Alex this afternoon . . it helped me put a few things in perspective in regards to my future - careerwise. So I got to get out of my silly rut of "what could of been" and just move on . .

The COFA Annual 08 opened last night. That was pretty cool. A lot of people. I had a better look at it today and really enjoyed it. I am going to miss COFA so much.

Fly, Baby, Fly

Finally .. my animation. :)



It debuted at the Chauvel Cinema last night which was pretty cool. And surreal. It was rewarding to hear the audience respond to it . . I think they laughed when the spoon turned into a stork. I'm glad I bothered to animate that now and didn't just do a cross fade.

Unfortunately I didn't get to meet any industry people . . that was a bit disappointing. But my piece did get some exposure (even though the COFA show was competing with the 'Australia' premier on George Street . . of all the things to be up against .. ), so perhaps something will come of that. There is also the COFA Annual next week . . I am looking forward to that as I can see my classmates work. After hearing and watching all their projects develop over the year it'll be really rich to see their final pieces.

COFA Annual 08

This post is a bit late .. but these are the details of when the COFA Annual 08 will be running (and 'Fly, Baby, Fly' featuring . . ). .

THIS WEEK . .

Big Screen Blowout! Digital Media & Time Based Art Screening
Date:18th November, 08
Time: 6-9pm Digital Media (my piece is part of Digital Media) 9 onwards Time Based Arts
Where: Chauvel Cinema, Paddington Town Hall
Cost: Free

NEXT WEEK . .

COFA Annual 08 Exhibition
Opening: 26th November, 08
Time: 6-8pm
Running: 27th - 30th November, 08
Time: 10am - 4pm
Where: COFA and Kudos Gallery, 6 Napier Street Paddington (my stuff will be in F106)
Cost: Free

Pure Colours

A special mention has to be made for 'Pure Colours' the St Peter's printing company that printed off my Honours Paper.

They were polite, efficent, well priced and did an awesome job of printing my booklets. What I appreciated most was that they were friendly and never made me feel like an idiot even though I didn't know what stock I wanted my work printed on or what saddle stitching was.

All in all, Pure Colours were fantastic and I highly recommend them.

FREE

On Friday the 31st October at approximately 3:30pm a very wonderful thing happened - - 'Fly, Baby, Fly' my second 2D cell animation was exported into its final form - sound & graphics, a piece of its own.

Room C105 in the midst of an unusually humid October afternoon was probably not the most spectacular place for such a debut, but there it was .. my complete animation. 8 months of work .. complete . .

I couldn't stop smiling Friday . . I felt like such a goon and that any moment someone would smack me on the face for grinning so much . .

I don't know what else to say really .. because this feeling doesn't really have words (as cliche as that sounds). Finishing 'Fly, Baby, Fly' has felt good. Where finishing 'Orville' felt like I was dragging myself over some finish line tiredly with only enough energy to sigh "I've finished" pathetically. With 'Fly, Baby, Fly' I feel more like I've skipped over the finishing line with "Whee! It's done. And I gave it my all."

:D

For the next two weeks I'm pottering about helping my friend Nicolette with her Honours' animation and maybe also exhibition prep stuff if I have time . . . and I guess also just getting back to doing stuff I've wanted to.

Just simple things really . . towards the end of production I started buying the Penguin books (I bought 'Breakfast at Tiffany's') and reading those. On Friday I bought myself another two ('Life is Illuminated' and 'The Great Gatsby') and mean to work on those. I'm thinking of designing fonts just for the fun of it (whoever thought I'd fall in love with typography?) and also . . animating. That's another thing with finishing 'Fly, Baby,Fly' . . I actually still feel compelled to work on animation post it. With 'Orville' I was so drained I didn't animate till about 'Fly, Baby, Fly' . . but with FBF (wriitng it out is taking too much effort!) I want to keep honing my skills .. and I guess building up a show reel. I definately need to look at putting one of those together soon enough.

But for now . . just looking towards the Chauvel screening and COFA Annual opening. I'll post stuff up on them soon. :)

Paper Tiger

I finally, FINALLY finished putting my Honours Paper together this afternoon . . unfortunately not in time to get it to the printers ("Hi, what time do you close?" "In 18 minutes" "Oh") . . but it's done. I'll just have to send it in on Monday.

Above is a sample of some of the pages . . it came out alright . . I like the tactile look of it . . I just hope it prints near as nice and that the markers appreciate it too. I'm glad I got the chance to put together my paper like that . . it's out of the way now. All that stressing, borrowing of books, renewing of books, trawling of websites, collecting of receipts and ticket stubs (to scan), printing, highlighting, drafting, typing, consulting, scanning, planning, rewriting, retyping, editing . . it's (practically) over. I don't have to worry about it again! But perhaps I'm speaking too soon?

Anyway, now I can get back to my animation . . but not before a break. I have a headache.