CALARTS CHARACTER ANIMATION PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Hands, Feet and Faces: ‘Separating the wheat from the chaff’

Countdown 26 days to go be for the portfolio deadline for CalArts

 

 

Time is running out and  I haven’t met the minimum criteria of 15 pieces of artwork. At the moment I am on four presentable pieces. Six pieces if I included work from Barking and Daggers College.

 

I have tried to give my portfolio some dimension by working in different mediums. So far I have used crayons, charcoal, ink and gold. Compared to those portfolios that got accepted onto CALARTS Character Animation program, I still haven’t got that WOW factor. At this moment in time my only regret is not having attended extra life drawing classes whilst I was at college. No point crying over spilt milk.

 

There is one advantage,  doing the sketchbook on a daily basis and attending the life drawing courses has meant that I have seen a significant improvement in my artwork. I can't stress enough how practicing everyday is vital to your improvement in your artwork.  Another advantage about attending life drawing classes is that you can add your rejected artwork to the sketchbook!

 

Two weeks ago, I attended a life drawing course specifically on Hands, Feet and Faces at the Heatherly’s Fine Art School, Chelsea (London). It was a must for me to attend this life drawing course, as CALARTS places a heavy emphasis on being able to draw the hands, feet and face accurately.   Calarts states that you can disguise a beginner from an accomplished artist by looking at the hands, feet and faces. 

 

I didn’t produce any finished pieces from the class itself, as most of the lesson was taken up with the tutorial; but I did leave the class with a range of ideas for a visual story for the hands.  So I am eager to see if this works.

 

There is one course that I must attend and that is a master course in colour. In one of the life drawing sessions the art teacher told me not to merely colour in my artwork. Instead I must think and feel how colour could enhance the visual narrative. I’ll let you know how I got on with that course.

 

Tip for preparing to apply to Calarts Character Animation Program.  START AT LEAST PREPARING YOUR PORTFOLIO A YEAR IN ADVANCE!  This would enable to choose from a range of artwork, hence you will be able to pick out your best pieces.  It would be able to give yourself a chance to improve on your artwork.  Either way starting well in advance is a must.

Useful Reading
Learn more about how to create great hands, feet and faces
http://characterdesignnotes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/foot-and-shoe-reference-part-2.html

ACCEPTED CALARTS PORTFOLIO - A definitive list of those who have been accepted for the past four years

Updated:   18/06/14

First Published on 8 /10 /2013

Hi Peeps,

Yeap - you've guessed it it's that time of year again, where we find out who has been accepted. I'm constantly checking online for any acceptances. I'll be updating as of when.

REMEMBER this is only meant as inspirational purposes only. You're not to copy their work (because this would be known as plagiarism) and besides I think Calarts are looking for something unique. And the only way to be unique is by being true to yourself. Trust your art, Trust yourself and Trust your own style ....... Shaney

ACCEPTED CALARTS CHARACTER ANIMATION PORTFOLIO'S

Calarts Acceptance Portfolio for the year 2014

Updated: 18/04/14

Congrats to those who have been accepted - their work have been amazing.

Dadhoo, Rhea: Portfolio Full Example: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2583

E, Kelsey : Portfolio: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2584:
Sketchbook: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2586
Amazing use of colours, and a strong style.

Horst, Clara: Full Portfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2578

Horton, Maggie: Portfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2851

EAT ..SLEEP Draw Repeat Mug by ShaneyStudios
Design stainless travel mugs online at zazzle

Issac, Reg: Portfolio Complete: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2563
Sketchbook Examples: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2481
Fantastical packed Sketches.

Kim, Ena: Portfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2560
Sketchbook 1: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2281
Sketchbook 2: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2395
Sketchbook Observational: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2280

KraKirian, Liana: We don't have a link to here portfolio, but here is a link to give you a feel of some of her sketches. http://lianasbananas.tumblr.com


Lam, Michelle: Sketchbook Examples: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2451


Sketchbook







Lynne, Gabrielle: Portfolio: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2468

Mansfield, Ben: Full Portfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2611
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.gblogID=7843030089096725072#editor/target=page;pageID=3290814452396931753;onPublishedMenu=pages;onClosedMenu=pages;postNum=0;src=link

Page, Alexis: Portfolio Observational: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2515
Portfolio Other: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2803
Sketchbook: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2491

Her favourite Portfolio Pieces: http://alexis-page.tumblr.com/post/72180652962/my-favorites-from-my-calarts-portfolio-the-rest







Niu, Victoria: Portfolio: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2513
Sketchbook Examples: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2361 ( See her Sketchbook below. )





Turner, Caleb: Portfolio Examples: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2305

Siswick Jess: Portfolio Examples: http://toriknew.tumblr.com/post/56807261196
Sketchbook Examples: http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2826

Wasiluk, Martyna: Full Porfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2828

Experimental Animation 2014


Chang, Kyle: Portfolio: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2573 (You have to love this guy's determination - he got in on his third go!! The power of belief)

Kamberai, John:I've been told, that not all his work featured on his vimeo account was included in his porfolio.
https://vimeo.com/johnkamberai
http://joankamberaj.tumblr.com

Calarts Acceptance Portfolio for the year 2013

Chanda, Sandeepan:  http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/1889

Crittenden , Clara :   http://ccritcalartsportfolio.blogspot.co.uk/

Heelis, James:   (not in attendance, but got accepted) http://holycowfarts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/2013-calarts-accepted-portfolio.html#!/2013/03/2013-calarts-accepted-portfolio.html

Howard, Kaden: http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2035

Januzzi, Delaney:     http://dookah.blogspot.co.uk/2013_10_01_archive.htm

Lee, Jackie:             https://picasaweb.google.com/115598477917506649570/March282013?feat=flashalbum#

Lee -Sung, Katie:  http://www.animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/1717

Lien-Sjursen, Kirsten:  http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/2032

Park, Joseph:  http://joeparkart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/calarts-portfolio-wip.html

Schwarz, Val:  http://animatedbuzz.com/albums/view/1751

Suarez, Anthony (JR): http://anthonysuarezjr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/pieces-from-my-calarts-2013-portfolio.html


Click on this link to see the rejected portfolio for 2013

Calarts Acceptance Portfolio for the year 2012

Bader, Issac:    I think that this was his portfolio. http://ijbader.blogspot.co.uk/ Gesture drawings are lovely to look at: http://ijbader-gesturedrawings.blogspot.co.uk/


Choi, Yong Nak (aka Knocknak) You can see his impressive portfolio on youtube - see below



Chong, Jerrold
http://jmaginestudios.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/calarts-portfolio-2012.html


Harris-Schotzko, Sasha:  I think within this portfolio you can tell that she was being true to herself and what she liked.  http://shotzgoboom.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/portfolio.html


Lee, Hui Yon:   http://mokomikiporty.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Calarts Acceptance Portfolio for the year 2011

Ekabutr, Monica: (This lady demonstrates the meaning of determination.  She got in on her third try)

http://ekabutr.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/final-calarts-portolio-for-character.html#!/2010/12/final-calarts-portolio-for-character.html


Hankins, Carrie: Some amazing fantasy artwork             
http://karurie.deviantart.com/gallery/30271620


Karurie
http://karurie.deviantart.com/gallery/30271620


Yon
http://mokomikiporty.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/finally.html

Calarts Acceptance Portfolio for the year 2010

Dario:
http://i-am-dario.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/here-is-my-calarts-portfolio-for-2010.html


Filigheri, Elyse:
http://www.elysefiligheri.com/2010/07/accepted-calarts-portfolio.html



Kamin, Yeb
http://yebkamin.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/so-you-want-to-get-into-calarts-hu.html

Lin, Gabe:  http://pd09.blogspot.co.uk/ Tagavi, Portlynn:  This blog is a must read for anyone wanting to know where to start and what to do. http://portlynntagavi.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/so-you-want-to-be-calarts-tian-well.html 

CALARTS: TIPS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR OBSERVATIONAL ARTWORK

Countdown 50 days to go be for the portfolio deadline for CalArts

I attended a drop-in life drawing class on Saturday, at the Prince's Drawing School. The school is near in Old Street Station, London. The problem was that the class was crammed packed. Since the only available space was right under the crotch of the nude male model, I stayed at the back of the class. Fortunately for me, most people left in the afternoon.  This gave me ample opportunity to view the nude male model from every possible angle.

I didn’t produce some of my best drawings, maybe I was conscience of other people around me and the fact everyone’s peeking at everyone work; so perhaps I wasn’t feeling too relaxed. NB: I was peeking at other people’s work too. Their work was fantastic.

I realised that no two pieces of artwork is the same or even remotely similar. So for CalArts to say that they want us to be unqiue or be you is the easy part.  All I need to make sure of, is to be the best possible me that I can be.  I just need the courage to stand up and shine.

There was a bonus as I learnt how to  make a bamboo pen. Also teacher gave me useful guidelines on how I can improve my artwork in general.

Tips that can be applied to help improve your artwork:

• Try and be critical about your artwork

I was told to be always critical of my own drawings.I needed to question what worked and what didn’t.  Step back and observe the subject and critical evaluate your own artwork.  Is the form and porportion accurate? Does the line and tone accurately reflect the mood?

• Think about the visual story:

The teacher kept telling the class about the visual story and he said  ‘…imagine that one day your paintings will be hanging on a wall, you need to think about what you want your paintings or drawing to say to the viewer……’

• Think about the relationship of the subject with other objects.

I’ve been advised that I needed to show the relationship between the subject i.e the model and the object i.e the sofa.OOOO…..KKKKK….. This I really didn’t get.The nude dude was just lying on the sofa; I really don’t understand what alternative relationship the nude dude can have with the sofa?Any suggestions?

The teacher also mentioned my lack of attention to the background, in terms of mood, and accuracy.This has been duly noted and I would be thinking more about the mood and details within the background.

• Composition.

Generally I’ve been using the two thirds rule, used in photography to give my artwork some sort of order. The magic ‘triangle’ used by the masters can be also used to make artwork atheistically pleasing. Composition is really important as it enhances the mood and reinforces the visual story of your artwork.

Overall, the teacher commented on how some of my drawings looked loose and how others looked solid. According to him, I needed to combine the two styles together. I gave it a go and the result looked reasonable.

 

I stayed the entire day and produced numerous drawing, but unfortunately only one drawing was worthy to be added to the portfolio. The teacher was excited about the composition, and the story of the drawing. I do think I may need to add some sort of colour to the final drawing.

This class made me critical of the other two life drawings in my portfolio. There was something fundamental wrong with ‘Emily holding a sword and pretending to be dead’ drawing; namely a dead person wouldn’t grip the sword so tightly. Also for the life drawing with ‘Loreta stabs Joseph’ Loreta’s entire body language just feels wrong.

 

This is a disaster because it means that I now only have ONE quality drawing for my portfolio. S**T.

For anyone thinking about attending a quality life drawing classes, I would highly recommend it.

Gesture Drawings Resources

Useful Resources for Gesture Drawings

updated: 10/04/2014

Thankfully there are many resources that you can use to help you improve the quality and feel of your gesture drawings.  You can sketch people and animals from TV.  Programs recomended are sports and animal/nature programs.  You can even use VIMEO and Youtube.

If you are new to Gesture drawings and don't know where to start see Proko TV below.  I found the program informative and useful.  I've included all three series below.


Series One:  How to Draw Gesture





Series Two: How to Draw Gesture - Step by Step






Series Three: Gesture Drawing Examples - 2 minute Poses

 

 

 

 

Useful Websites for practising gesture drawings

Quickposes: pose generator for figure & gesture drawing practice (Free) 
www.quickposes.com/ 

Figure & Gesture Drawing Practice ToolFigure & Gesture Drawing (Free) www.artists.pixelovely.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/

Online Life Drawing - 360° images for figure drawing (Subscription) 
www.onlinelifedrawing.com/‎

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another tutorial video I found informative. 

 

Series 1: Gesture Drawing with Chris Warner (Otis college)

 



      
Series 2: Gesture Drawing 2 with Chris Warner (Otis College)

    















This video is suited to those wishing to go into animation.


Series 1: How to warm-up for gesture drawings
 







Series 2: How to warm-up for gesture drawing