ACTION PLAN

Working backwards from the submission date for the Sherlock Holmes Folio Society Brief is making me anxious. It is very close and I really should be further along in the process of that competition if I am going to enter. I'm wondering about not doing this one after all. I am interested in it and I would like to have a go but perhaps I should be spending my time on something that REALLY excites me rather than scares me. I know it's good to push my comfort zones and have something a bit different in my portfolio but I don't know if I have the time to pull it off.

This is definitely something I'll ask about in my crit tomorrow: SHOULD I TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND DO THE FOLIO BRIEF, OR DO I ABANDON SHIP AND MOVE ON?
All I have so far is two sketches of Sherlock so I don't feel attached or committed, which is probably why I'm still umming and ahhing over the whole brief - I don't want to commit because I don't know whether I'll carry through with it, so I don't want to waste any time starting before I've answered this question.

I WANT to get started on my children's book idea but I feel like I need the 'go-ahead', permission to get moving with that, since it's not a live/competition brief PLUS I'm worried that I'll leave COP behind by moving onto this project.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I MADE A TIMETABLE/ACTION PLAN which I've been putting off for weeks. I also tidied my studio. I'm feeling like a proud adult and it is so pleasing to tick off tasks once I've finished them.

Fairytale Trail Brief: Trailer

The trail begins SATURDAY! I had my final meeting with Gaynor this morning to hand over the dolls. Gaynor has done so much with printing the flyers, going around ALL 70 BUSINESSES handing them out, printing stickers, collecting prizes and organising the hunt. Events and opportunities like this are so much more successful when you work WITH other people, from other disciplines, so you can share your skills and come together to make something great. I wouldn't have had the time/resources to do something like this by myself at the moment so working with Gaynor was perfect. She was really pleased with the dolls and she was showing them off in Oliver's Pantry (cafe). There's a lot of excitement with the residents and employees in Ripon about this. Gaynor bought all 10 dolls and has ordered another two for another business owner in Ripon (crystal Shop Karma, who also want to hire me to curate a scene with their crystals and my characters). Holding tight for the influx of custom orders. We have plans to work together again in the near future as Gaynor is considering buying another retail unit to make into a shared studio space/gallery/shop/teaching space. It's the DREAM and she wants to get Ripon artists (degree standard) involved and working in this space. Here is a short trailer-sort of video just to shout about the trail on the Blow Your Horn Ripon Facebook Page.

Music for Future Projects?

Just a reminder to myself to revisit the music of TALES (Free Music Archive), especially the album 'Echoes from the Last Fairyland'.  Beautiful soundtrack numbers, would be wonderful for stop-motion.

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/TALES/Echoes_From_The_Last_Fairyland

FAIRYTALE TRAIL: FINAL PHOTOS OF DOLLS/SCENES

Print as postcards!

Fairytale Trail Brief: Extended to Book Covers

I tried to think about how these images would look as book covers/contextualised images. Adding type made them look like book covers/post cards so I had a go...

The scenes are very busy so there was often not much room for type. It got crowded and the text had to be a bright colour to stand out. Doesn't look very well designed, a bit tacky and very dated.

Maybe they don't need the titles. If I got rid of the titles and had them in this size format as little postcards with titles on the back then they might work. Text wasn't successful!

FAIRYTALE TRAIL BRIEF: Sword Practice with the Mouse King

Again, this wasn't asked for in the brief but I wanted to have a play with making the Mouse King move since he has been the most popular character on my social media. People seem to like him so I think they'd respond well to seeing him move and do more!

What works well:

So cute. Really love how the character comes to life and seems to have a personality.

The sword helps to contextualise the movement and add narrative/reasoning for his motion.

What needs work:Lighting washes out the mouse's face a bit at points.

You can see his hanger (elastic loop for hanging in the shops)

Wonky/wobbly. He moves around a lot and where he fell over there are obvious jumps in the footage. Could use magnets or white tac to stick him in position before moving each frame?

Fairytale Trail Brief: Animating Little Red and the Wolf.

A very bad and wobbly animation but fun to see these dolls come to life and see the potential of them as working in moving image.

What works well:

Engaging for child audience

What needs work:

Plan out storyline and storyboard before animating.

More frames.

Keep tripod and camera still!

More trees.

The castle looks very flat. Either take it further back into the background (depth) or bring it out a bit with relief/3D model.

Fairytale Trail Brief: Peter Pan and Tinkerbell Improved Tink

Although I felt the previous Tink looked mischievous (right for the role), her red hair was a bit harsh/unnatural against the backdrop and her cheeky face made her look quite evil. I went for a softer look with this Tink, but I don't think she is as true to the story as the previous version.

What works well:

The acorn caps work well to communicate the idea that these characters are small fairy folk. They are one with the woodland.

The bigger fir trees are much more suited to the forest/woodland theme. Look better in the background and very Christmassy.

What needs work:

Boring composition on the left, but the right is a bit more interesting. Tell a story!

How will these images be used? Think about context. Post cards?

What's Next?

I've started some initial character designs for Sherlock Holmes but I'm not CERTAIN that I will enter the Folio competition. I'm intrigued by it but not HUGELY MOTIVATED. 

What I DO REALLY WANT TO DO is make a children's picture book.

I want to plan, write, make and produce a picture book (or a proposal/some final pages for a picture book) using physical models/scenes.

Do I save this for after COP is finished or do I start on that right away?

GET THINKING OF IDEAS! PLOTS. CHARACTERS. SCENES. 

Is there a number of live briefs I should be working on?

What I've achieved so far:

Dark Crystal      -    SUBMITTED

Fairytale Trail    -    FINISHED DOLLS, RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER

What's still to do:

Folio Society  (Sherlock Holmes)             -    17th January 2018

Art Doll Quarterly  (Haunted Fairytales)  -    15th March 2018

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Rapunzel and Dame Gothel

The tower had neither stairs nor door, but near the top was a little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried:
'Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair to me.'

What went well:
Rapunzel's hair is much longer and makes her character more obvious.
Having two characters interact within the scene makes it more of an illustration and tells the story.

What to improve:
IMAGE ISN'T SHARP ENOUGH
More trees
Better lighting
Consider COMPOSITION...

Dark Crystal Competition Submission

Due to the fine print in the rules of this competition, I'm not actually allowed to post any of my images or designs on here but I will include them in the module submission.

I had fun imagining this creature and I am content with the designs I submitted. They fit the brief and they communicate my ideas well, but I don't think they're amazing. They're just drawings and I didn't spend that long on them. I know that there will be much more incredible concepts submitted but I think it was definitely worth submitting because it will be seen and judged by the Hensons and the Frouds.

I could come back to this brief and bring my creature 'to life' by building it into a model. It wouldn't be part of the competition but it would be an extension of this project that could lead on?

Big Bad Wolf

The wolf thought to himself: 'What a tender young creature! what a nice plump mouthful - she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.'

What's Going Well:
I'm enjoying making scenes and seeing how the dolls can interact with the landscape. I'm trying to create depth and a sense of winter wonderland adventure, a magical tone of voice that would suit the fairytale topics.

What to Work On:
Making photos as crisp as possible! Clear, high quality
Composing the scenes, considering every element.
More trees, make it a WOODLAND.

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Posters

Collaboration with Colour it In Ltd and Gaynor Gray. I didn't make these posters or design them at all, Gaynor took this responsibility and just asked me for two images of dolls to include.

I like the photo of the fairy but the one of the mouse is on a green background which looks really odd next to the colours of the posters... I did send a pink and a white background alternative which would have gone better with the background used.

If I was involved with the design then I might have chosen a different font, this one looks a bit over the top, too swirly! I would have chosen something child friendly but also clear to read.

HOGWOMP SUBMISSION

Hogwomps are small, solitary mammals which live in the woodland of Thra. They have large bodies and long snouts, making them so bottom-heavy that if a Hogwomp were to sit/lie down, it wouldn’t be able to get up. Hogwomps have tiny wings but they’re only strong enough to lift them a few centimetres high.

They feast on debris and aren’t hunted for meat since they have a tough layer of fat, but their large, pearlescent eggs are a delicacy. Hogwomp feathers are shaken off and used for ground nests to protect their eggs since they cannot sit to incubate.

THE DILEMMA OF WHEN TO LET SOMETHING GO... IS THIS READY TO SEND OR SHOULD I KEEP WORKING

Rapunzel

What works well:

In the original story, Rapunzel gets pregnant. I tried to make her look pregnant but I don't know if it reads well in this dress. 

What needs work:

The dress is also too similar to the background so she blends in.

She is also SMILING when her story was really quite sad. She should be upset. 

She should also have a tower!

Her hair isn't long enough.

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell

What works well:

Using clear thread was successful in making the dolls look like they are in flight.

The characters are true to the story but not identical to the Disney version or other illustrator's versions.

What needs work:

Shadows wouldn't appear in the sky so the lighting needs fixing.

Tree tops look strange. Maybe bigger fur tree tops would look better here. The dolls should also be higher in the sky, and maybe a night sky? Wider frame. Draw out compositions.

Puss in Boots

What works:

The character is charming, sweet and different as I've not made a cat before.

Still enjoying the blue/peachy pink colour scheme - looks soft and dream-like, works for the fairy tale theme.

What needs improving:

You can see the white tac sticking the tree bases down!

Colours too similar on the cat in front of the grey castle and the hat/boots in front of the same colour brown tree trunks. The character starts to blend into the background.

I don't know if he needs trousers on, or just thicker/wider legs. He looks a bit odd in his proportions.

The ribbons on his boots and the boots themselves look a bit rushed/scruffy.

More sparkle - add glitter?

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Little Red Riding Hood

The easiest and probably most basic of the dolls for this collection so far... is it exciting/different enough? Conventional, typical, expected...

Looks sweet in a scene though and the character is easy to identify/recognise. I would like to make some little FIMO buns and treats to go in a basket for her. Temporary acorn cup basket - needs a handle.

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Stickers

Stickers! Client asked for background colour to be changed to plain white or light green to see whether it was less distracting/ brought the dolls out more.

DARK CRYSTAL COMPETITION: Field Guide Research

Looking at how field guides are composed for the Dark Crystal character competition so I can present my creature as a real, wild creature you might find on Thra.

Dark Crystal Woodland

The brief asks for a small, woodland creature to fit into the world of the Dark Crystal. 

So I'm trying to figure out what the woodland would look like and how this creature would exist within it.

All of these leaves look pretty normal but they were all designed and created specifically for this world.

Here the woodland looks a lot more exotic and unusual.

Develop a colour scheme from these scenes.

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Animation Test

Sugar Plum Fairy Dance Test from Jay Stelling on Vimeo.

Animation wasn't in the brief but when I posted an image of the dolls on the Ripon Facebook page, people really wanted to see these characters moving. So why not? This module is my chance to try new things, capitalise on what works and to make some great work... so although I have spent ALL afternoon making the set and I've now been sat trying to make this dancer balance, I don't need to feel like this is a waste of time at all. It is all valuable and I shouldn't feel guilty for working on this project. It feels as though it's NOT REAL UNI WORK because I'm having fun - maybe something I've not done for a while. It doesn't seem serious enough.

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Nutcracker SCENE

What works well:

Pink and blue working well to create both sky and ground, also creates the fairy tale world/atmosphere.

Diverse characters, true to the original story. 

Appropriate for child audience, enchanting and sweet.

Having multiple characters in one scene makes it look like something is happening, they are interacting and dancing together.

What needs work:

More trees. They just look a bit sparse and randomly placed. In winter, these trees would be mostly barren of leaves?

The sugar plum fairy's shoes are too bright/distracting in that colour! Should tie into the scene. More of a pink?

A bit dark in areas. Work on lighting!

Fairy Tale Trail Brief: Nutcracker Characters

First three characters! Based on the Christmas fairy tale 'The Nutcracker'.

Mouse King.

It was difficult to make him look like an animal since the papier mache is usually quite smooth, but I glued white 'fur' onto his cheeks and he looks a bit more animal-like! Maybe I could try drawing lines for the texture of the fur? I do like how the fur looks but it was fiddly to apply.

Nutcracker and Sugar Plum Fairy

It's so fun to make all the little details and tiny props, I do feel like I'm immersing myself within the story/ it's quite similar to set design or theatre costume production but I'm in charge of everything - I'M THE DIRECTOR, THE ARTIST, THE AUDIENCE.

Individual Tutorial with Ben

A quick chat today with Ben. I didn't have any specific questions or concerns to address but I just wanted to use the contact point here since it was available.
We discussed my progress in my chosen briefs so far... a good start, all really relevant briefs for my specific interests. Might need to retweak my proposal since I've added a new brief (Fairy Trail) and changed editions slightly (children's book! plus maybe old LAIKA projects).

One thing I am struggling with is time management/project management and routines. I'm keeping on top of everything but I do feel as though I am juggling and that without a clear routine I might drop something.

Next step: MAKE A TIMETABLE. Write down all my deadlines and plan out priorities!

FAIRY TRAIL LIVE BRIEF: Meeting with Gaynor Gray

Fairy Trail Live Brief Meeting #1

Date: Thursday 2nd November

Points Discussed: 
Gaynor and I met at a local cafe, Oliver's Pantry, to discuss the trail. We'd not met properly before but we got on really well. I brought a sample doll of the smaller scale to show her and she was really impressed. We discussed some of the logistics and plans she had for the trail so far...
10 Fairies (5 boys and 5 girls)
Some ideas for fairy characters but mostly up to me - Pantomime costumes, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell (but not Disney versions, my own interpretations), Little Red Riding Hood, Fairy Godmother, Princesses, Frog Prince. Could have some baddies or villains?
Dolls could be sold in some of the businesses too.
Create names and stories for each of the fairies (post on Blow Your Horn) so that the hunters can get excited and look for that specific fairy.
Gaynor has a nephew studying stop motion at Bournemouth - getting in contact to see whether he can help with some animation.

Notes: 
Gaynor suggested I should charge more for my dolls. As an art retailer she said she would expect the small dolls to be at least £25 each.
Halinka's Fairies - doll decorations - look her up for PP3. She makes dolls full time and makes big batches.

Next Meeting: Thursday 9th November
Bring 2 completed fairies for taking photos with which will be used for the posters and promo material.

Claire Slee from Ripon Review Magazine will be getting in contact about a front cover feature for the December issue of the magazine. 

LIVE BRIEF: Fairy Trail

BRIEF

Client: 

Gaynor Gray (artist and owner of Gray Finch, www.grayfinch.co.uk) and Blow Your Horn Ripon (a community-run project committed to making the small, historic City a more creative and commercially thriving location).

Project: 

A fairy trail around Ripon's businesses and shops. There will be 10 fairies hidden across a selection of Ripon shops (from the 60+ businesses who have signed up to be involved and promote the project, including cafes, shops and restaurants) over the 4 Saturdays leading up to Christmas. The trail will invite people to visit the businesses each Saturday and actively 'hunt' for the fairies. The first person to find each fairy will win a prize.

Brief: 

I have been asked to produce 10 different fairies. They should be my smaller scale fairies (around 4 inches) so that they can be hidden in the many different participating businesses. 

Deadline: 

December 2017

Audience: 

Families and children. Locals and visitors to Ripon.

Rationale: 

I have quite a few reasons why this project is relevant and important to me, which means that it should produce work for my portfolio that I am serious about and would generate discussion in interviews. 

This is a project that is very local to me. The trail will bring families and children into the shops to look for the fairies each week so this will benefit the local economy, especially small and lesser known local businesses. I care a lot about my home town and think that these community run projects are very important. Gaynor Gray's latest project was a Pumpkin Trail around Ripon shops which brought lots of visitors into the city and the shops.

I'm also passionate about making Ripon more CREATIVE. It's so appealing to see artwork around.

The timescale for this brief is quite short and close so it won't take up too much of my time or attention. 

The theme of the trail is relevant to my interests in fantasy and fairy tales so I will be making work that interests me.

There will be a lot of promotion around this event. Gaynor is producing leaflets, posters, maps and stickers for the windows of the shops. We will be contacting the local newspaper and radio station. I know that 'local' is quite exclusive and limited in terms of audience but Ripon is becoming a hub for these unique events and people do travel to our little City participate. It could become an annual event. I enjoy the charm of this being a small and close-knit project.