Easter Break :)

So its easterrr! and I finally have time to catch up on my work and do some research into my future prospects and such. But it also gives me time to take a breather, which is good. I know the importance of a good work/play balance, trust me.
So today I had a break and watched some good old Disney films. <3 I like most children grew up watching these, so its nice to get all nostalgic.
The one I wanted to talk about here though was Tarzan. More specifically I wanted to talk about a character that I totally loved. I suppose I didn't really think about the characters much when I was younger, because I was focusing on the story. But watching it again I realised what an awesome character Jane Porter was.

Now you may totally laugh at me for this but I think she is pretty good. I wish there were more female characters like her in games. From most of the games I have played in the past five years or so the women in it are a bit irritating from my point of view (a few aside such as Elena Fisher (uncharted) and Maddison Rose (heavy rain) The Boss (metal gear)).
My main example being Lightning from the Final Fantasy series. Shes such and emotional tight arse, so militant and stuck up, is this meant to be whats meant by strong women? I hope not. I hate it women think in order to be viewed as strong you have to act like a bloke.
I liked Jane so much because although she might be viewed as a bit ditsy and physically weak but I think she's a great female character, shes intellectual, passionate, charming, ambitious, emotionally aware, determined, warm and feminine. I think all these qualities make her a character NOT a cardboard cut out of please insert strong female here.


Being strong isn't about being physically strong or emotionally cold. Its about being strong minded, determined and getting what needs to be done, done. All the time staying true to who you are through the tough decisions and tragedies.
Whoa that was deep..

Jay is on his way :)

In a rather productive mood today and finally got my book character final underway. I chose Jay Gatsby from "The Great Gatsby". I just finished reading the book when the project was assigned so it seemed like perfect timing. I love Gatsby in the book although I started off in two minds about him. He's so romantic and sweet and misunderstood. I think I liked the character so much I was putting off painting him as didn't want to get him wrong. I really wanted him to come off right to the viewer. I wanted to try and capture the kindness in his face.  This is my work in progress. :) Hopefully it does.

Hmmm :/

So looking at my last piece that I posted I have realised I rely heavily on lines. Which isn't always a good thing :/ I remember reading in one of Andrew loomis' books that you need to think of your work as more than lines and to represent form properly you need to think of the "shape" of something rather than the outline it makes. This might sound like bullshit but I tried working a little less with outlines in my work; and here's the result.

Not sure if it really worked but maybe I didn't give it enough time :/

Something a bit different

So i did a little photoshop experimentation today using line drawing, block colour and posterize. Not my usual thing but I though I’d try something different as it is for an illustration competition. Nothing special I just win some nice clothes :) I’ll let you know how it goes :)

some more work from before xmas :)

Here some stuff I did of Bradgate park late last year. I enjoyed it a lot more the second time round, as you can probably tell from the pictures :P much better than my first year stuff.




There isn't a massive volume of work for this project as I did a bit of experimental stuff using different media and well... lets just say it didn't turn out very well, so I scrapped it :/

Formative feedback

So earlier this month I had my formative feedback session; which I have to be honest I was absolutely bricking it. I was having a pretty rubbish time then and there was A LOT of negativity and snidey remarks going around. And I kind of wanted to just curl up in my bed and watch QI all day.

BUT it went well. Better than ever before anyway. All of my grades have either gone up or stayed the same; which is good. Not to mention all of the comments made about improvements to my work seemed possible. Like I could actually do them. In my first year it felt like all the things I had to improve on were impossible, but this year I feel like I can do them and get better so... that's just what I'll do.
To be honest this all came as a shock to me as I felt like I was doing terribly. And it REALLY cheered me up when I was in a really negative time.So when you have an up, enjoy it because you never know how long it will last. So yeah I felt like this ..

And of course the moment I came out of that session feeling good about myself there always one prick that's like LOOK AT MY GRADES THERE SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOURS. And to be honest I couldn't give a damn because its not relevant to me how you are doing; not to mention you are only saying this to me to bring me down. What matters to me is that I'm constantly improving and as long as it keeps going that way I'll be happy. :D

Oh and haters/egotistical/insecure people...

Seriously.

:D

More work from ages ago

If you are interested this is my work from loughborough train station. I was meant to uploaded agesss ago but something was wrong with my blog on that day and I got REALLY frustrated and gave up. Either way its here now :)

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Looking back its probably not my best work but I think my understanding of perspective has came on leaps and bounds since my last serious attempt at it. And to be fair my final isn't too shabby. I think I could've added more detail to the right hand side but it gets to a certain point with a piece where you just have to let it go or you will be fiddling with it forever. I do think however that the colours are pretty true to form.

Extra curricular activities

So when I say I have been busy I mean it ;)
Earlier this year I was made a DMU Brand Ambassador which made me rather happy. Not only is this fantastic for my C.V but what was more important to me is that you had to be recommended. It was really touching to me that people think I am the kind of person they want to represent the university. I did get interviewed first though, which was rather fun as it was a group interview. I think I only got the job because out of 60 something people I was the first one to break the ice. pahaha. Either way I found it interesting to hear from other students on different courses and in different faculties. Everyone has such different experience whilst here.
The job entails lots of different tasks from open days and telemarketing to being filmed… thats right I was filmed. I enjoy all the jobs to be fair probably because I have always been a people person. I always volunteer to do as much as possible when I have the time. Oh and here’s that rather embarrassing video if you want to see it :/ pahaha. I enjoyed it at the time but its a little cringe worthy to watch back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eNQcQfVW9gU

Look at my stupid face.
Anywayyy.. on top of that I help out with interviews. I did do this last year a bit but now I do it every week. Unlike some of my colleagues I do enjoy doing this. I always invest myself in whatever I am doing and that includes this course and its future, so I find interviews great because you get to meet possible future students. I find it quite interesting to be fair. This also kind of ties in with my ambassador work too as part of my job is telemarketing. Luckily that doesn’t mean I have to sell anything to anyone it just means I follow up those students that get offers and talk to them about anything else they might want to know and so on. It always helps if you can say you have met them before.
I’m doing interviews again tomorrow but its promising to be a long one. I don’t really mind though just hoping we get to spot some talent :)

Recent Times

So I feel like I've been really busy recently and that probably why I haven't been updating this as much as perhaps I should've.
My main focus these last couple of weeks has been the group project as I am team leader. I have a rather diverse team and I've found it interesting to work with them. I have however found it hard to enforce deadlines with certain people recently. I've had a plan since day one but for various reasons it hasn't ended up that way.

My original plan after devising the route was to split the chosen rooms in to zones ranked by priority. Then start work on the room with the highest importance and work our way back. Red is obviously the highest priority and working its way back to the cooler colours it becomes less important. This was based on heathers advice that it is better to have one spectacular room that 6 or 7 half finished rooms. I figured if we ran out of time we could block off less important rooms and bring the starting point forward. To me it seemed like common sense but I had to fight for this to even be out plan 0_o. I originally had assigned 2 weeks for zone 1, 1 week for zone 2, 1 week for zone 3 and 1 for 4. It seemed to be when we devised the asset list that a lot of the assets for zones 1 & 2 we repeatable assets we could re use throughout the rest of the level so I gave them the most time. I did have an option for extras but put them behind doors so it wasn't essential for them to be done.
 This is still the way we are working now but there has been some inconvenient hold ups. I left room in the plan for this so it's not the end of the world I'm just irritated because they were problems I tried to address early on but I was overridden and ignored.
But not anymore, I'm pretty sick of loose cannons and half hearted excuses. I'm a rather understanding person but I feel like some people are just taking advantage now. The worst thing is I have no leverage over them, although I am doing my best at the end of the day I cannot force anyone to do anything.
My only weapon it seems is the design document in which I can be frank about people. When it is finished it will hopefully be clear to the tutors who has done what and by when. That is my only hope for justice really. I should just stop being nice to people all the time...
I have set a solid deadline for the end of this week for most of the work to be completed, but if when we come back from Easter people are still working on it I might turn into the hulk. I'm sorry but six weeks to produce five assets is NOT acceptable. On the brighter side I do have some people in my group that I can rely on and they have surprised me. :)

Creativity, the talent myth and craft

'Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine - it burns wildly but

accomplishes little...'

I couldn't agree more. I had always felt growing up that I would be outshone by those who had "natural talent". You know the type the ones that don't really seem to study and still managed to get through will A+. I for one have never felt particularly gifted at anything really but I always tried my best. My dad always told me "all you can do is your best" So I soldiered on.

It wasn't until I got to college I finally saw someone that had talent but couldn't get any further and it baffled me. I had always looked up to this person she had "talent" oozing pout her pores. Everything she produced was fantastic but it just wasn't getting her anywhere And the problem was that she was relying on her talent to get her through. She wasn't pushing to get better. She had no get up and go. I remember at a networking event  EVERYONE turned up but her and as a result I (someone who's work was pretty terrible) got more interest than her.

I then realised that "talent" will only get you so far. The rest is up to you. People are very perceptive to laziness, during interviews its normally startlingly obvious to me if people work hard or if they just do enough to get by. And those who just make excuses.
Everything that I'm good at I had to work for even my confidence. If you could've seen me nine years ago I was completely different. The only way I got tot where I am today was by pushing myself to do different things in order to learn different skills. I think this is what make me stand out maybe? Maybe not, either way I feel that people see the passion in me to do my best and that's why I get presented with so many fantastic opportunities, which of course I snap up.
In truth how I see it is some people are born with a natural ability or "talent" for something but that alone is not enough. If that person takes it builds a passion for it and runs with it they are a force to be reckoned with. However if that ability is left un-nurtured or abused other people who have spent the time to learn the skills and worked hard can take over.
I hope one day that will be me, I have improved so much already but I have a long way to go and perhaps to my advantage I have other skills to complement me.
Reading some of the links provided I was actually shocked at how some people regard talent the link below in particular -

http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_07_22_a_talent.htm

It's ridiculous that such a high profile company would behave in such a pathetic and juvenile way.The fact they spent so much time and money making their little "stars" happy is just stupid. A business should function on profit and the only way to get that is by focusing on the product and the customers with trained and capable staff and good management, planning and task delegation. Companies should want their employees to be happy and comfortable but to molly coddle them in such a way they did is just.. there are no words.

In my time I have a had few different jobs and not all of them pleasant but at the end of the day, ITS A JOB suck it up and get it done or move on. I have never had a boss make that much fuss over an employee and  if I did I be worried frankly. No wonder the company went down. As the article states positions should be assigned by experience, suitability and capability. Somebody may have all the qualifications in the world but without the relevant experience they are still a rookie.

As for the whole creativity matter I have realised in order to be creative you have to have the tools and the skills. Both talent and creativity are great to have but without the fundamentals they are both wasted.

 

 

Image from -  http://gameartstudentbullfrog.tumblr.com/

Interaction Design

On the same note of reaching out to the player something we probably don't think of as artists is interaction design or how it is that the player interacts with the game how they experience it. However as a player I think we all do.
Since the beginning of video games we have interacted using a controller weather it be wired or wireless.  The design of these devices has changed over the years to reflect the console, the games popular at the time and of course what looked cool at the time.
Controllers started out VERY basic as the games were also rather basic. Pong's controlled was basically a box with a dial on it which yeas was rather functional but not at all glamourous. As time passed and games evolved more buttons were need and some design flaws were addressed. And in my opinion things got better (N64 excluded, I mean what was going on with that?!).

One issue facing the designers is as games get more complicated do controllers have to too? I personally think no theres nothing more frustrating as a gamer as too many buttons. Especially in the heat of a game, if you are absorbed into a game and really enjoying it the last thing you want is to lose control or have to spend ages trying to figure out the controls. If you ask me keep it as simple as possible, practical and easy to use.

More recent controllers seem to have taken this a bit far though if you ask me. The most recent permanent controlled released have been the Wii Remote, the PlayStation Move and The Kinect each getting more minimalistic as the last. The only problem with this to me is it almost looses its intimacy having to dance around the room like a lunatic to control the game maybe be fun in a group for a bit but a a single player its seems a bit silly and pointless. It also seems to lose its chill out factor, it makes playing a game a big deal, call me lazy but I like to sit comfortably with a controller in my hands and really get absorbed into a game. With these new approaches to gaming I feel like its a massive gimmick, most families seem to buy a wii or whatever one year thinking "oh we will play that all the time together" and come next Christmas they will be trading it in for cash because they have no longevity (trust me I know I worked in a game shop selling these to people). It doesn't really matter to the manufacturer as they have made their money but I think the whole thing is a bit pointless and puts distance between the player and the game rather than a sense of realism.






As pointless as I find the kinect I do find the way it works to be quite cool, this is a still from Paranormal Activity 4 showing the was that the Kinect senses your movement, look pretty cool in night vision.
Although the permanent controllers have mostly stayed similar in design and usability there have been some rather fun specially made controllers such as these -
Donkey Kong Bongo's

Resident Evil 4 chainsaw... great to look at, pretty much impossible to use effectively.


Time Crisis Guns, although everyone thinks it would be the best way the play a shooting game it didn't catch on. Although they will still try and push it.

Most famously there is the guitar hero controller, this one was probably the most successful specially made controller there was because it made the game easier and more enjoyable. Both things which the player actually wants.

In the end I think its all down to personal preference, it's about what you are comfortable using and what you are used to. I personally enjoy using and xbox controller or a Game Boy. But I know people that much prefer a keyboard and mouse because its "hardcore". Either way I think the xbox, PC, and PlayStation probably have it nailed to today's standard as they are the ones that have saw the test of time in one way of another. Every time they redesign it its pretty much the same as before just a bit smoother or lighter, is that because its reached its full potential? Perhaps, we will have to wait and see.



Made by Steve Cable.
Some Images from this article -
http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2006/09/13/Top_10_unique_game_controllers/1

Sound for games

When you play a game, watch a film or absorb most types of media the thing that you come away with is normally, A story, great game play, Compelling characters or stunning visuals. But something that is hardly ever mentioned is sound. Which I find strange really as it can make so much difference to how everything else is interpreted.
You might not know this but I did a short (I mean very short) qualification in music or sound or something like that, only a few modules it was mostly pointless. However I did take a few things away from it.
I remember on day one we watched several game play and theatrical trailers and wrote down what the music/sound made us feel and what it suggested. It was typically two completely contrasting games which were Borderlands and Dantes Inferno. In both examples the music reflected the topic and mood of the game so it could be viewed as well chosen (although the Damte's Inferno one gives me a headache). However Imagine the two pieces swapped over, completely different yes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai7pMPCDHpo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUOZRRU_Dyg
In each case the sound adds to the experience and tells us something additional about the scene. The Dante's inferno music creates drama and a sense of grandiose. The music in the borderlands trailer gives the player a sense of attitude and mood for the characters being introduced. You can tell from the comments underneath that the music for this was particularly well chosen.This might be a ridiculous example but I think the point is proven.
Another thing is that as human beings we are rather respondent to sound. Music for example evokes emotions in everyone and people attach themselves to it. I don't think I know a single human being that doesn't like music. Some music can even cause deep emotions in us in and good sound directors and composers will use this to complement and if they are good make the scene.
One particular example sits in my mind and that was the original release trailer for Dead Island. The visuals are definitely stunning but its the music that really sets it off and makes it emotional. I remember viewing this for the first time in a lesson with all my classmates and when it had finished we all just said there in silence. Its still an amazing trailer two years later, shame the game was a steaming pile of crap. Try watching it without the sound or a different song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZqrG1bdGtg
Although all I have mentioned up to now is trailers; sound and sound effect play a vital role in game play as well as cut scenes. A great example of this is Silent Hill. I have played these games since I was a child and the sound has been so well embedded in my mind that as soon as hear static from a radio or an air raid siren my hair stands up on end. The composer of the majority of the silent Hill games is greatly applauded in both his field and by fans. When Silent Hill downpour was released the new composer was celebrated for his ability to recreate the much loved composers work

Survival horror as a genre heavily relies on sounds to portray fear even if that sound is just silence. Why do you think that some peoples reaction to a scary movie or game is to cover their ears? I think its because sound can give something a sense of realism of three dimensionality. The more senses a game or film can address the more it can immerse the player or viewer. Many "4D" cinema experience have popped up all over the globe in theme parks and have proven to be rather popular. Although I have no idea how they could reproduce the experience for a player at home.

I think as artist we tend to believe that visuals are the most important aspect of anything. However human beings as a whole tend to be excited by things that are as close to reality as possible (with a bit of excitement of course) something we can feel and believe in. Sound is a very important part of that as it is a strong medium to communicate to people in. (How many time have you heard "it's not what you said its the way that you said it) People are very sensitive to sound and can react to it emotionally and out of impulse. It can be used to create atmosphere ambiance, it can be used to determine pace or tell you something you can't see, it reaches out to the player on another level. Sound can be such a subtle and powerful tool depending on how you wield it. Therefore it should never be underestimated or taken for granted as it can make or break a game.