the japanese band, NewS, were recently part of an advertisement for russ-K, a clothing company, and produced this add. the add features all members taking part in a short dance in succession. the main thing about this add that grabs the audience, is how the transition from person to person takes place. this is achieved by blocking the camera view, or leaving the view, then reappearing. this has been recreated by many artists with their own styles and influences, to make an animated version of the dance. this was achieved by drawing over the original video thus making the movements sync better with the music.

Zombieland, a move set in the months after a zombie apocalypse follows the story of a boy called Columbus, who is trying to get from one side o the country to the other to find his parents. throughout the movie, he establishes 32 rules of how to survive Zombieland. though the rules are made for comedic purpose, most make sense, and would be useful in an actual zombie outbreak. i will use some of these rules to help me create my own list of "what to do" rules.

Rules to surviving a zombie invasion

1. cardio. lets face it, the faster you can run, the better chance you have of out running the zombies, and your friends.

2. don't be stingy with your bullets. make sure its dead, and shoot it twice in the head.

3. beware of enclosed spaces. zombies may not look it, but their smart. their going to attack when you least expect it. so ALWAYS expect it.

4. Seatbelt. face it, unless your an idiot, your not going to be walking it on foot. and accidents can still happen in cars.

5. always check the backseat. if you leave you ride unattended, you never know if you may have a little visitor.

6. no attachments. people around you WILL die. dont get attached and make sure your not one of them.

7. travel in groups. means you have someone you can run faster than.

8. kill with efficiency. don't go straight to the gun cabinet, chances are, if you live in the UK, your not american with 494895855 guns. any blunt, hard object will do to smash in a zombie head.

9. always carry a melee weapon. eventually, your gonna run out of ammo, and when you do, its time to get up close and personal.

10. when in doubt, know your way out.

11. no drinking. somehow, trying to survive a zombie attack while your censes are clouded with booze, isn't going to work.

12. BE RUTHLESS. Even if its your best friend/ sister / brother/ mother / father / grandma, there after one thing, your brain. if they have been infected, don't wuss out; kill them.

13. god bless americans. there loud, brutish and well armed. so when a zombie comes callin', there going to be a good defense. plus, you can probably run faster than them.

14. no cure. after someone in your party has been bit, their infected. kill them.

15. ammo. doesn't matter how you get it, as long as you get it.

16. be QUIET!

17. blend in. have you ever seen a zombie eat another zombie? no, thought not. so guess what!? its dress up time! just make sure your team mates know your not really dead, or you may end up getting shot.

18. limber up. do you really want to pull a muscle while running for you life?

19. don't be a hero.

lee work 2 how i created my website.

then i also linked them to designated web pages, that held the whole image for the thumbs. i did this by placing the web link within the link bar. i also changed the border to zero, so that the design did not change. 

for my portfolio, i selected the thumb images, and then useing the behaviours tabs, made them swap images when hovered so a rainbow colour would show up in there place. 
i then, useing my properties tab, linked the image so that when clicked, it would open the contacts page. i then repeated this process on all the other buttons. 

this then brought up the options box. i selected the image contactbutton.jpg from my image file as the swap image.  this then ment when i hovered over the button in safari, it would change appearance, so that the image would appear to have a black splodge on it. 
i then went onto the behaviors tab and added the behavior, swap image.
i then opened all the pages in dream weaver, and began editing. first, i showed dream weaver where my root folder was so that the files did not become corrupted or lost. i then edited the buttons so that when they where hovered over, they would change to show that they where selected. to do this, firstly i clicked on my desired button, as seen in the image above.
i made sure that the file was labeled clearly and was saved as both images and html. i repeated this process for all my other pages. 

once this was done, i saved the design for web.

within photoshop, using the slice tool, i sliced the guides for each separate page so that when i opened them in dreamweaver they would already be ready to use. i grouped some of the slices, as there where to many, and i only needed a certain few. 

the layers where then turned off and on in succession to create the separate frames in the animation. 

this method was then repeated on all frames.
i then filled in the colours using a larger brush tool on a layer in between the line art and the sketch.
i then used a black brush for the line art, and drew the outline for the image, on a separate layer above the original sketch. 
i then repeated that process on every frame, all on separate layers so the can become invisible. 
then i drew using a light coloured brush to show where the legs bend and move and used a light red to show how the clothing moves.
firstly i created a background by taking a snippet from the original.

brian work

lee work process

finally for my contacts page, i made a new group layer and added the text. 

i then using the selection tool, and the magnetic lasso tool selected the required areas, made a new layer and filled them black. i then added the paint splats with the custom brush to continue the grunge effect. 
for my links page i added the logos from the pages i wished the web page to link to in a seperate group layer. 
finally i added the basic information.
then i added the border usening the shape tool, and added some paint splatters with the custom brushes to add a grunge effect. 
for my portfolio page, i created a new group layer, and added all the thumbnails from the images i want within my portfolio. 
i then added the basic information to the image. on a separate layer, i also added the labels to the tabs.
i then added the image lucypic.psd, and edited it with the custom splatter brushes to give it the grunge connotations, in a new group layer titled "home". 
then using the custom logo brush i made earlier, i added the logo to the corner of the page. this background will now be used for all my pages. 
using the rainbow image i created earlier, i added it to the background on a new separate layer, behind the beepbeep image and the grass. 
i then added the image beepbeeprun.png onto a new layer above the grass.
then useing a custom brush on a seperate layer i created the grass tips. 
then useing the shape tool i added the tabs on separate layers below the background.
i then on a separate layer i then created another box using the selection tool , and used the gradient tool to colour it. this will be used as  the background for my pages. 
then using a circular brush, i created on a separate layer the clouds and the sun. 
i then repeated the process on a separate layer to create the grass. 
i then created a new group of layers for the background, and called it background. then using the selection tool, created a small rectangle to highlight the area i wished to colour then using the gradient tool, i added the sky tones. 
how the layers are laid out.
i then created a brush for my logo, so that it would remain the same on every page. i then placed it as a title. 
i then added the image file lucas.png, and placed it in front of the rainbow. 
i then, using the circular select tool, coloured an area red on a separate layer, then using the contract tool, i made the selection smaller by 20 pixels and added the orange. this method was repeated till an entire rainbow was formed. then, using custom brushes, i added the paint splats to create a grunge feel. 
for my introduction page, i opened a new document in photoshop sized 966 pixels by 600, and coloured the background black. 

mark images print

Harvey Krumpet connotes the feeling of being distraught through the use of simple story telling and basic istop motion. this can be seen in the grey colouring of the characters and the same face used for harvey, for instance, he only smiles once within the whole story, cannoting the feeling of being alone and distraught in the story, and that he is never truly happy. 

within this video, the artist is able to convey a feeling of horror. this can be seen within the narrators story, as well as the tone he uses. by keeping his voice monotonic, it is like he is reciting a sad memory to the audience, helping them feel as if they are there themselves with the use of simple black and white images. these images connote horror through the angles used as well as the clothing the focus of the image is wearing.

Brian evaluation

What were you asked to do? (Project brief tasks)



For my project brief, I was asked to create a 20 second long animation, showing how I feel about my identity, and how I would portray it to others. I was also recommended to put to gather an audio file for the project to accompany the video, to give it more depth.


What did you make/present?

I presented an animation based around a reoccurring dream / nightmare that I have, using the same scenery from my dreams within my piece. I used frauds theory of the id, ego and super ego to create my characters within my animation, thus creating Lucas, who represents the inner me, and clicker, who represents the id, or inner demon. Within the animation, Lucas is lost within the wood till he stumbles across a large lake. When he touches the water, from his reflection, clicker appears and scares him, before the scenery around him turns to a beautiful forest and clicker turns to leaves. The leaves the return to the trees and Lucas is left astonished by his encounter.


What did you want to communicate?

 I wanted to communicate my own inner battle with myself when it came down to my diabetes, and my emotions. Clicker was used to symbolize the pleasure principle, (A.K.A the ID) whereas Lucas was used to represent my inner self. (A.K.A the ego / persona / personification of hopes and dreams) when clicker turned to leaves and returned to the forest, I intended to symbolize my hope for the future of overcoming these issues within myself, and beating an inner battle. This also connotes how I believe I will not be able to live my life fully till I accept who and what I am and let it become a part of me.

Who was your intended audience?

My intended audience for my animation is 12 to 19 year olds, this can be seen through the style I used to draw my characters in, similar to a western cartoon style. It can also be seen within the actual intended message, as the video shows someone accepting who they are, something that most teens struggle with. 

What materials and processes did you experiment with?

I experimented with the use of digital art, by painting the scenery, drawing the characters and colouring directly onto Photoshop, and the use of traditional pencil drawings drawn onto plain white paper then photographed in I-stop motion to give the appearance of movement.

What materials and processes did you reject?


I rejected the use of pencil drawings, as I saw them as too restricting on my ideas, as I would be limited on the colour vibrancy and backgrounds. I also found it restricting when drawing backgrounds, as it would have taken too long to draw the same background over and over again.

What materials and processes did you use in your final designs?


I used a digital method for my final designs, choosing to draw it completely on Photoshop, as to achieve cleaner colouring and higher details in the background. It also made the background easier to create for each scene, instead of having to draw out the same images several times.

How do the materials you chose to use help you to communicate your message to your audience?


They helped me make the images clearer and brighter, and also helped me with my transitions with the colour of my background from a dark, dreary blue green, to a bright emerald shade. It also made animation checks easier as I could go back and remove very precise bits of information, instead of having to recreate the whole thing again.

What did you do to ensure you worked with tools and materials safely? 


To make sure I took regular breaks from working on the computer to rest my eyes, I also made sure to keep all liquids away from the equipment I was using, in case of a spill that could lead to a malfunction or and electrical surge.

How well did you manage your time? 


I used my planner to help me organize my time, though I found it hard to maintain both my work and my college work, as my job took up a lot of spare time. It was also difficult to work through as I struggled with other classes’ work as well as this project.

What were your strengths in completing this project? 


My strengths in completing this project would be in my research as I go into large amounts of connotations and denotations as to understand how other animations work well and how others do not. I also work well with my research as I gained a lot of different images to study and learn things from, meaning I could improve my own animation.


What would you like to have done differently?


I would have liked to start off in a different way, as I struggled with using blogger and my first little book, and I preferred to layout my work in an a3 pad, as I am more familiar with this. I also would have liked to work longer on putting colour into my animation as well as more detail on the last few seconds as to make them clearer.

What will you do to ensure you improve for the next project?

 


I will insure to improve my time management, especially when it comes down to my job and college education. I will also add further detail into my work, as well as go into deeper depth with my research. This will make the whole project a little bit easier to work with on my time scale. I will also spend longer working Photoshop animations so I can understand my limitations when it comes to this program. 

Lee website - evaluation

What were you asked to do? (Project brief tasks)



For my project brief, I was asked to create a web page that expressed my own individuality through its appearance, the way it navigates and its content. It must have a minimum of four separate pages, a portfolio, a home page, a links page, and an about page / contacts page.


What did you make/present?

I presented a brightly coloured webpage containing my own artwork and designs, as well as logos that have become associated with my designs to help identify my individuality. I also created a webpage that I believe was interactive and interesting to look at as well as informative in the correct areas.


What did you want to communicate?

 I wanted to communicate my own individual style within my webpage as well as my own appearance, and things that express my personality. For instance, I am a very loud person, so to show that I used bright, loud colouring to grab the audience’s attention. I also incorporated my own art style into the basic layout and background for the webpage, giving it the connotation of a child like attitude towards life. (As my art style is western orientated, meaning it has a cartoon like appearance with low colour detail and shading.)

Who was your intended audience?

My niche audience for my website is 14 to late 20 year olds who are interested in similar art styles to me. This can be connoted through the bright immature colours used to create my website, and through the background images shown. Though my website contains some mildly offensive images, they come with a warning to minors, as not to cause any problems, and they do not hold any severe violence/ sexual content / gore / language.

What materials and processes did you experiment with?

I experimented with the use of contrasting colours, such as red and blue, green and pink, orange and blue and red and green. By doing this, I was able to analyse and understand what colours fitted together well to create a well co-coordinated background image for my website.

What materials and processes did you reject?


I rejected the use of the red and green, red and blue, orange and blue backgrounds due to the haziness of the edges of the colour as it made the whole website appear confusing and unappealing. I also rejected the use of larger thumbnail images on my portfolio page due to the fact they were too small to see correctly, and therefore the art would not be able to be viewed to its full potential.

What materials and processes did you use in your final designs?


I used the green and pink background, as it looked the most appealing, and didn’t distract the attention of the chosen audience from the rest of the pages information and images. I also decided to create links from small preview thumbnails on my portfolio to separate web pages where the image could be seen fully and clearly at a decent size.

How do the materials you chose to use help you to communicate your message to your audience?


They helped me define who I am to the audience, and what my art is about, as well as my loud, boisterous nature. This can be seen through the colourful imagery used within my work, and the cartoon like style of my art.

What did you do to ensure you worked with tools and materials safely? 


To make sure I took regular breaks from working on the computer to rest my eyes, I also made sure to keep all liquids away from the equipment I was using, in case of a spill that could lead to a malfunction or and electrical surge.

How well did you manage your time? 


I used my planner to help me organize my time, though I found it hard to maintain both my work and my college work, as my job took up a lot of spare time. It was also difficult to work through as I struggled with other classes’ work as well as this project.

What were your strengths in completing this project? 


My strengths in completing this project would be in my research as I go into large amounts of connotations and denotations as to understand how other websites work well and how others do not. I also work well with my research as I gained a lot of different images to study and learn things from, meaning I could improve my own design ideas.


What would you like to have done differently?


I would have liked to start off in a different way, as I struggled with using blogger and my first little book, and I preferred to layout my work in an a3 pad, as I am more familiar with this. I also would have liked to work longer on putting my final pages together in dream weaver, as it is a new program that I am not used to yet.

What will you do to ensure you improve for the next project?

 


I will insure to improve my time management, especially when it comes down to my job and college education. I will also add further detail into my work, as well as go into deeper depth with my research. This will make the whole project a little bit easier to work with on my time scale. I will also spend longer working on dream weaver to help me understand how to create a better, more time efficient and fun website.

mark evaluation - video story

What were you asked to do? (Project brief tasks)

For my project brief, i was asked to create a 2 minute video with digital image capture and audio. the audio must contain a story about me that happened when i was a child, and must be narrated by someone from my family. The digital images must be edited at a professional level to go along with the audio to make a video that is both well timed and intriguing to look at.

What did you make/present?

I created a 2 minuet long video, based on the story of me telling my great great aunt Gertrude that she had a very wrinkly face, then asking her is she was going to die soon, because if she did, it would ruin our dinner. i used images from the actual night that i gathered from my childhood photo albums, which i edited so that the focus of the image in a certain part of the story was highlighted, to make the visuals match the audio at a more professional and understandable level.

What did you want to communicate?

I wanted to communicate the humor within the moment of the video, as well as the time period. for instance, the time period can be seen in the style of photograph, the colour and the clothing of the people within the photo as they all highly represent the 90's era. i did this by highlighting the focus of the image, and making the rest of the image a dull grey. i then added a frame to the coloured section of the image, and used a custom made brush to create the look of cello-tape on the image, as if it had been stuck together. i also wanted to highlight what people where saying within the story, as this is something that is of great importance for the punch line.  i did this by using a grey, textured background with white lettering, so that the text was bold and clear.  

Who was your intended audience?

my niche audience for my video is people aged 17 - 40 as it is a childlike humor that most adults and teens will understand the innocence of it all. it is also aimed towards that audience due to the voice of the narrator, and that it is told from a parents point of view, meaning that a older audience will associate better due to their own life experiences with children.

What materials and processes did you experiment with?

i experimented with various techniques to create separate bright and dark colours within my work, looking into the hues and saturations till i found an effect i liked. Then, using the feather tool, i was able to make the transition from colour to grey easier, till it was hardly noticeable. 

What materials and processes did you reject?

i rejected the use of the expand and contract selection tool, as it made the area i was working with harder to colour and control, and i had to create multiple layers to gain the effect i desired. 

What materials and processes did you use in your final designs?

i used the magnetic lasso tool to select the desired area, then cleaned up the selection with the eraser and brush. i then made the selection larger, and created a boarder for the image. finally, i added the brush to give the sticky tape effect to the image. 

How do the materials you chose to use help you to communicate your message to your audience?

they help define who the subject is within the story, thus making the audio link with the visual. it also helps the audiance understand the events taking place, as well as where the narration is going. 

What did you do to ensure you worked with tools and materials safely?

to make sure i worked with tools and materials safely, i took regular breaks from the computer, and kept my desk clear from clutter. i also kept food and drinks away from possible power sources as this could cause damage to the computer and myself. 

How well did you manage your time?

i used my planner to help me organize my time, though i found it hard to maintain both my work and my college work, as my job took up a lot of spare time. it was also difficult to work through as i struggled with other classes work more, therefore this section of the project took a back seat as others required my time more urgently. 

What were your strengths in completing this project?

my strengths in completing this project would be in my research as i go into large amounts of connotations and denotations as to understand how other videos work well and how others do not. i also work well with my research as i gained a lot of different images to study and learn things from, meaning i could improve my own design ideas.  

What would you like to have done differently?

i would have liked to have started off in a different way, as i struggled with using blogger and my first little book, and i preferred to layout my work in a a3 pad as i am more familiar with this. i also would have liked to have added a little more detail into my images, so that they were clearer and more fun to look at.

What will you do to ensure you improve for the next project?

i will insure to improve my time management, especially when it comes down to my job and college education. i will also add further detail into my work, as well as go into deeper depth with my research. this will make the whole project a little bit easier to work with on my time scale.

The Sangreda familia closely resembles a sureal, "living" building. this can be seen in the shape, and how everything seems to have grown from the ground, instead of being built. the details of this can go as far as the colour of the stonework, appearing from a distance to be built symilar to that of a termite mound.