Bristol Encounter Festival 2011

Bristol Encounter Festival 2011

This year saw the Annual Animation trip to Bristol take place as usually. It was a great chance to meet people from industry and see what the latest animations were and more importantly catch up with old friends!

Jamie Bakewell from Aardman, was working on Pre Viz currently working in the digital effects department.

A picture of laura Weston discussing the old days with Kolin Humphries Animator and Illustrator, currently working out of Lichfield. He popped along to see what job opportunities there were out there and to network with people from industry. Kolin drew the picture at the top of the page.

All the ex-students were eager to divulge information and chat openly with 3rd years students telling them where the jobs were and more importantly what to expect out there in the big wide world.

 While there Shelly Page from Dreamworks presented her best films from across the world, and mentioned that this was how they found potential employers for the company, and that they had film days there so the other animators and designers could be inspired by what was happening in education.

There was quiet a bit of queuing, especially for the best events such as the Aardman talk on Rapid Prototyping (See Daryl Marsh's blog on that) and also to meet John Krisfalusi the inventor of Ren & Stimpy. He spoke knowledgeably about the animation industry in general and  in the dessert island flicks showed some of his favorite films, including one of my idols Tex Averys work! We're on the same level John K!! He also drew some excellent caricatures of people for a small fee!

 

Rob Pointion

visit to

Staffordshire University

The other week before we set off for Bristol we had visiting lecturer and all round animator and illustrator Rob Pointon from BigRed Studio came to Staffs Uni armed with 2 Rock climbers to teach students dynamic drawings from different angles. In this short animation below, Rob left his art work of a model he drew in rotation to show the students how to draw people and maintain some consistency to their drawings.

The aim of the award is not to teach students to draw, but to get them experience different methods of mark making so they can develop their drawing styles.

Poltical Comment

Satirical Cartoons

on the

Euro and Arab Uprising

I find it hard to believe that while the Arab world is fighting for democracy, getting rid of the unelected dictators who have ruled their live's with a ruthless fist, that we in the west are looking to have our democratically elected officials replaced by faceless bureaucrats! Put in place with no agenda voted for by the people, this is the way democracy dies, not with guns and explosions but with the quiet ching of the platinum cash tills! Long Live Democracy in Europe!

Before I get rants and raves, yes I realise that Britain is under the control of a government selected without a mandate from the people. I've always wondered what a coalition party would be like and now I know I'm quiet happy to say never again. The only good thing to come out of this, is I understand why the political parties have different colours. Blue for the cold and dead conservatives, Red for the way Labour bleeds the public's money and Yellow for the line that runs down the back of Liberal Democrats. 

Weekly Cartoon word

Well done to Cartoon and Comic Arts students who thought they didn't have enough on their plate, so started a Weekly word 3 panel Cartoon. Using words created randomly this is the starting point for the cartoon we have to produce.
The first entry was eyebrow, and the last 2 weeks have been Marker and Stumble. I hope they keep this up as it is just a bit of Fun. Here are my contributions to the wall!

1st Year of Cartoon and Comic Arts

Cartoon & Comic Arts

at Staffordshire University 2011



The first trip for Cartoon and Comic Arts students from Staffordshire University took place earlier on this week and was deemed a success. Not only was there plenty to see and do while we were down there, we also met Rob Cureton of the independent print company "Orful Comics" and chatted with animator Jo McLellend and the award leader met up and coming stand up comic and script writer James O'Brien.

While in London the students arranged visits to London Zoo to sketch and also Madame Tussuad's for the Marvel 4D Experience

We also visited the National Museum to see the Elgin Marbles which could be interpreted as a form of comic art. We also visited the V&A Museum where there was an excellent exhibition on the first 50 years of Private Eye