Gotta get back into this

Long time no see. I knew thisll happen. Ill be good at blogging for a while, then give up.

Lets give it another go.

Ive finished my second year of uni. Its been a difficult year, mostly because of my midyear motivation breakdown. Animation is so not my thing, I find it far too difficult. However I did find I quite enjoy interactive media.

My minor project second semester was an interactive field guide to my own fantasy creatures. I really quite enjoyed making this, it didnt quite get finished to my standards, but I ended up doing well in the assignment.

Im considering expanding on it for my major project next year.

You can view my field guide here -
Field Guide to Liadan

2D, again, I found difficult. I do not have the patience for it, you can see my final 2D pantomime animation here if you wish - Glowy

I also found 3D quite difficult, we had to model and animate a character, I quite enjoyed modelling, though when we got to texturing I found myself getting very frustrated. You can see a poor quality version here - 3D Dino

So far Ive been on holidays nearly 2 months, and wasted it so far. Terrible anxiety has prevented me from doing a lot as well as socialising. However I hope to spend my remaining holidays teaching myself more actionscript3 and HTML5 as well as developing my Liadan world and creatures.

Wish me luck and happy holidays!

Four months pass...

So, I got distracted. Im hoping I can still keep this blog somewhat alive, even if Im going to be the only one ever reading these entries.

I guess this is the time of the year that people get a bit jaded. Not sure if thats quite the right word. But it came to my head when I was trying to think of how I feel at the moment.

First semester is almost over, video, interactive and 2D are finished and handed in, now only 3D awaits.

Im bitterly disappointed at my 2D animation. If you wish, you may watch it at my deviantart here - http://fav.me/d52g3ro

Its just so much less than what I know I can do.

I had a bit of a personal issue mid semester when my dog had to be put down. Yes a dog, what a silly thing to get so upset over, but I was, and very much still am. I havent quite been able to 'snap back' into being cheery and motivated like I was before, but ey, I think Im getting pretty good at acting like it!

Anyway, once 3D is finished and handed in then I plan on trying to sort out some of my issues and hopefully return to normal before 2nd semester starts.

Heres my finished video project - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qB9dOCPwY

Im quite happy enough with the final result. I wish I used a better quality camera though... I got quite sick of the Tetris tune by the end though.

My interactive project where we had to redesign and build an existing website - http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3327985/a2makeover/

Im again quite happy with the result and I got a distinction grade for it. Gotta love pandas.

And again, heres my 2D - http://fav.me/d52g3ro

Its far too bright and odd.. and the sound sucks and theres no effects and I used horrible tweens.... arg.... but hey, I like the drop bears. Drop bears are awesome.

Good day!

Second year student!

Back at uni, and I am liking it so far. I have a 2 day week, which I also really like, though tuesday is a long day. It has my favourite subjects though so its not too bad.

2D is going to be fun, right now we have a project that we have to hand draw a 20 second animation to a soundtrack of some nonsense sounds. So far I have the idea, its not terribly exciting or unusual though. Ill have to try something strange for the next assignment.

For 3D we have to design and build a landscape, which Im also excited about. Im doing a cabin on a swamp... hopefully itll turn out well. I enjoy modelling.

Im not 100% sure yet what were going to do in Interactive. So far we've learnt a little html, I imagine we'll keep learning on that and build up a website or something...

We also have Video, we have to plan, write, film a 1 minute video and edit it. Seems to be a lot of details and such involved, we have to plan everything including budgets, schedules, permits etc. Its going to certainly be different... Im not so much looking forward to it, and I have no clue what I am going to film...

Anyway, heres and awesome little animation-thing, I looove the way its made. I not only love watching speedpaints and such, but theyve taken this to a new level and made it into a gorgeous video of the making of a gorgeous picture. I hope to try out this sort of technique one day as I loved doing the 3D photo collages in after effects last year, though it was nothing nearly as gorgeous as this :)

Anyway, just watch and enjoy!



REBIRTH of GAEA - Flowing Meditation from Jesse Michael Newman on Vimeo.

Three things!

One, I havent posted in awhile. Ive been on break, I still have a few short weeks until Uni starts, and IM hoping I can get motivated and excited in these coming weeks rather than even more terrified.

Ahem.

Two! I want to try out zbrush. Very very much. I enjoyed playing around with Maya in the short time we had, and I did enjoy working with details, up until the teacher decided to tell us about Maya disliking anything with more/less than four edges and I had to scrap what Id done. And seeing zbrush, which seems like a real 3d sculpting program looks like fun! I hope we get to try it this year.



 And three! Very short post... A fellow student posted a link to this animated short that in the process of being made, and I admit Im very excited to see it finished! I admit Im not too knowledgeable about animators or artists, but I did recognise one name on the list of artists working on it and thats James Baxter, who Ive loved the movies/characters he's worked on creating, especially Spirit.

Anyway, the short is called 'Adam and Dog', here is the trailer. Isnt it already looking and sounding amazing! I mean, look at those backgrounds! Nothing will ever replace 2Ds magical look and feel. I cant wait to see this finished.

Full screen and sound! Or your missing out :P


Adam and dog Trailer from Minkyu on Vimeo.