I gotta be honest with you

Last week I realised that since St.Martins I haven't worked on a lip sync of my own, so for I've decided to spend the next couple of weeks or so testing some lip syncs. The first of which I present to you now - it's nothing glamourous, just getting back into it with something nice and simple.

Dub of a Preacherman

Recently I've been told that I could try straying away from the traditional human figure in terms of character design. When it comes to designing characters they all start out wonderfully unique and bizarre in my sketchbook, but as soon as I open flash the character begin to morph back into dull standard human like design. The video above however has inspired me, as well as some kind words from a friend of mine, to really push myself to use more interesting shapes in my designs. I also really love this animation, and track!

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Happy Chinese New Year!! So today is obviously a day for wearing lots of red, as it's very lucky in Chinese culture. So the red tee is on, but has had to be covered up by the arrival of my brand new tshirt from Hugh Leeman, which was literally posted through my door moments ago.

Leeman prints his street art on tshirts, which he then gives away to the inner city residents of San Francisco, not just individually but also in bulk. This allows homeless "vendors" to sell them and keep the profits. By purchasing these tshirts online, you have the ability to fund and support this project, so you don't just get an awesome tshirt but the money goes towards something really positive.

Inky Goodness

So a long while ago I designed a tattoo for a friend of mine, which was kind weird. I mean the idea that something I drew was going to be permanently engraved (obviously unless he got it lasered off) on a human body is a little freaky, as well as kind of cool. Here's a snap of the illustration and the final ink:

So now I'm working on another, for a the lovely Miss Tittley, the first draft is looking a little something like this, so if you see any glaring errors for a pirate ship let me know now:

I miss long locks

So after having my hair cut AGAIN, I am beginning to miss long hair. Not only is my neck cold, but I am constantly doodling girls like the ones above in my sketchbook. Winter is not the time for short hair.

New year. New showreel.

Updated showreel, with some schoolwork, intern and freelancing jobs smushed into a minute, twenty seven

Hypnotise me with you colours and shapes

Nano Projections, the work of Paul Skiart. His work is wonderfully hypnotic, created with a set of random liquids simply reacting. It's a delight to see the liquids forming into different shapes, you can even make out little characters forming some only for a second, others for longer moving randomly across the space.

Google Science Fair

Before Christmas I had the pleasure of working for Google at the wonderful Across the Pond Productions studio. The project was 'Google Science Fair', and the animation was crafted by Motion Graphics Designer Michael Brookes.

Trolley fun.

Designs for an intro animation for the C-12 Dance Theatre studio

Animal Sketches

Some sketches from the Natural History Museum and the Hunterian Museum - which if you haven't been to I highly recommend, it's in Holborn and it's free! The scans are overexposed, but that's because the scanner I was given as a wonderful gift I can't really use.

Intimidation of the White

You may find, like I do, that sometimes starting a new project can be quite daunting. Maybe it's not even a new project, but a new page of your sketch book. Standing before you is the white abyss, the expectation of greatness, the fear of mistakes - all of that and you haven't even put pen to paper. So in light of my struggle with the blank canvas, I have, through pure accident found a way to overcome the fear and let my creative flow a little more loosely when it comes to think up characters.

Here it is, my "great" discovery. Paper mache fish! Whilst rooting around my garage, because well that's how I like to spend my evenings, I came across a discarded paper mache fish, covered in crappy paint and spider webs. Rather than throw him away I decided to clean him up, and give him a fresh white coat of paint. Then whilst watching TV I found myself doodling on him. Random characters began appearing, different features, shapes, sizes, all  based around the simple premise of drawing something with eyes, mouth/beak, roundish body, wings and feet.

It might sound a little odd, or completely mundane, or like something you might try. I just thought I would share my little discovery with you, as I have found it rather helpful drawing onto an abstract canvas, as to release some tension from the desire to craft a interesting character.

Walk with me, it's been a while