New ideas

My idea from the previous posts has now changed as I wasnt happy with my old idea but i felt it wasn't very interesting and wasn't motivated to do it. Therefore I've changed the story so it's more like a traditional fairy tale like Aladdin but with one of the necklaces from the Pitt rivers museum. I've storyboarded it all and now am creating using a stop motion technique and puppets made from black card.

Pop-up tree animation

This is a collaborative project that was inspired by The Ice Book pop-up. Here is a video of the experiment with this idea. Our plan now is to make a slightly bigger one and adjust the animation so there isn't actually a projection of the tree as well as the pop-up.

Emma van Leest

Emma van Leest

This is a paper-cutting artist from Australia whose work is very impressive, with very detailed intricate designs. She has also been part of an animation project using paper cut outs, similar to my project.

Characters

I've now began to create some other characters for the story and also cut them out of black card. This time however, instead of using pins to join them together, I've used blu tack which is much easier to move and keeps the figure much flatter.

Lion silhouette

I chosen to animate an African story about a necklace that protects the wearer from lions. So to begin with, I've cut out a lion silhouette into different segments so that I can move it and try to animate it.

The Art of Lotte Reiniger

This is a video that explains how Lotte Reiniger created her animations using black cardboard cut outs and taking photos every time they were moved slightly. It's quite an easy technique but very time consuming and probably difficult to get it to appear to move smoothly and realistically. It would be good to try out this technique myself using a light box and a very simple figure.

The Small Red Feather

Herre is another short story about a magical bird with feathers that could be turned into food. The story is very simple but very possible to create an animation for.

The Small Red Feather

The Magic Ring

As well as the stories that I have written from the amulets and charms research, I also want to try and find some already exiting stories of magical objects that I could use too.
This first one is called The Magic Ring and originates from North Africa. It has a very similar storyline to part of Aladdin.

The Magic Ring

Silhouette

Here is a photo of a silhouette that I cut out of a small child and a horse, related to the night horse story.

The Night Horse

This is a first storyboard taken from the horse charm with the belief of a night horse that would make you become invisible. I have added and adapted the story so now it's about a boy whose parents are killed and he is left with the charm, he then runs away and does the ritual for the horse. It then appears and helps him to live and become stronger to then go and kill those who murdered his parents. It's only a very early idea and will need to be developed much more.

Heavenly Sword Animated Short

Heavenly Sword Animated Short

This is an animation for a Playstation 3 game that uses a very similar style to the shadow puppets, however slightly more colour and detail is also included. It also has  narrator to explain the story and what is happening which again is needed for this animation and goes well with it because it's a very deep male voice which compliments the scenes of battles.

Ben Hibon

After finding the Harry Potter animation yesterday, I wanted to find out who created it.

In 2010, Ben Hibon met with Harry Potter producer David Heyman and director David Yates. They were looking to create a very particular scene for their movie "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallow". Ben designed and directed a three minute long scene telling the tale about the all−important origins of the "Deathly Hallows". The fully animated sequence was produced at post production house Framestore London.

Looking on his website, I also found some concept art that he has created with very similar styles to the type of illustration that I would like to create. 

http://www.statelessfilms.com/main.htm

The Tale of the Three Brothers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN1_h_eGitE&feature=related

Here is an animation from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I really like the style of it and would like to create something very similar. It is very similar to the shadow puppet technique that I have been looking at, but is much smoother. It also uses more colour as well as some parts being in negative. The narrator works well for this particular animation as it's one of the most famous characters from the film. I think it depends on the complexity of the story as to whether or not I will need a narrator in mine.

Arthur Rackham

This is an illustration of Arthur Rackham'S conception of Thor. I like the style and colouring of it as the lines create a lot of motion which would work well as an animation.

The girl who married a lion

Here is a book that I found of which I like the illustration on the front and is a good example of the style of animation that I would like to use.

The Rainmaker

Visiting the library to do more research to get more ideas of what to animate and a narrative to use. One book I found on mythology comments on 'The Rainmaker' the storm god Baal made thunder with his mace and produced lightning from his lance. This could be something to look more into as there seems to be many stories about this God.

Pitt Rivers

Went to the Pitt Rivers Museum to look at the amulets and charms exhibition. There were many different ones all from around the world and a variety of cultures. It was very useful to see them first hand and be able to photograph and draw them.

The Evil Eye

I have been reading the book "The history and use of amulets, charms and talismans" and found out more about 'The Evil Eye' which is when someone who is filled with envy infects, by a glance or by words of praise, someone of a young age. Ancient Egyptians believes that to protect children, they must wear "the Eye of Horus". So I then had the idea to draw this symbol within a silhouette of a child to represent protection from the 'evil eye' .

Thomas Hicks

Makes music videos and collaborated with the band Gravenhurst.

Has an experimental and unique style of animation. Need to watch them.

Like the style and how he interprets the human form.

Sam Griffiths

Ancient Japan

An illustration as part of a poster campaign promoting Japan as a tourist destination.

Use of silhouette technique with lots of details and the small use of only one colour

Andy Potts

Freelance illustrator and animator

I like his style and use of silhouetted figures as well as colour and composition, would like to view animations as well as other work.

Laura Mullen

Triton, King of the Sea

An illustration of Triton who used a conch shell like a trumpet to control the ocean waves.

Very relevant to the tales of magical objects competition. Use of only black as white colours and a smooth curved composition.

Marcus Irwin

Hollywood Pin-up

Use of silhouette is different with the detail inside it rather than around it.

Research

The Best of British Contemporary Illustration...

Lara Harwood -

Very colourful work with an interesting composition and abstract human form that works well with the composition.

Pitt Rivers Museum, Amulets & Charms Collections

As a start to the project, the competition information suggested that I take inspiration from the Amulets & Charms collection at the Pitt Rivers Museum. This webpage goes into more detail about the collection including items from different countries and for a range of purposes. Some purposes include, keeping evil spirits away, protection, assistance and good luck with hunting, good health, medicinal, bringing luck and success in passing exams, protection against death in battle and much more. One that interested me in particular was a necklace that was to help interpret messages received from thunder. This is a slightly more unusual purpose and one that I may research more into. I was also interested in the idea of 'mana' meaning supernatural power which can be present in man and objects but always derives from spirits. This could be an over-arching theme to develop more.