My Website

www.simonehunt.com

Website is now up and running, although I'm not 100% happy with it, at least I am starting to have an online presence again. It's not bad for my first one, but there are still elements I am not too happy with as of yet. I might look into getting someone to mess around with the coding and design of it, I think.

Daily Sketch: Self portrait

Jeebus... How hard was that!? Never realised how hard self portraits are, spent ages trying to figure out where my eyes were on my own head!! I'm done staring at myself, not the most vain person as it is, can be occasionally but fed up of it today. Anyway realised the more I challenge myself with different facial features and characters the better I become.

 

This one has been quite difficult, I knew My main features like the button nose and huge lips and big eyes, did not know how out of proportion it ll made it though!

Anyway it came together better when I started looking at it as a whole, with the hair and ears neck and shoulders. Also a big challenge was the 3/4 view not done that in ages and ages! I'm really getting into owning an iPad especially to draw with, best alternative I've got to one of those fancy big computer ones, once I've got a job and money then I'll start doing more fancy things

Daily sketch Le Chef

So my other half is doing a patisserie course this year, and every Tuesday keeps bringing home lots of fattening goodies, then we eat them while watching The Great British Bake Off. Well I was a little inspired to draw my very of a chef.

Here is the outline, and then I did a coloured version on my iPad using the Procreate app.

Only annoying thing about my daily sketch is his stupid squinty eye! I've forgotten how to draw them, will keep at it though! I like it apart from that I think, I like my little random daily sketches thing I've got going on though.

Daily Sketch: Beethoven

Just practicing my drawing skills, practice makes perfect. Anyway thought I'd have a go at a caricature and chose to do the famous Beethoven. Did not realise how big his forehead and hair was till I studied his pictures. Anyway here's my version of him done on iPad using Procreate and a Alupen.

not bad for a first time go, anyway I might add more detail later, just kept it simple with block colours and basic shadows. His hair could do with being a bit more fly away and messy though I reckon, anyway daily sketch done!

 

Slight Change

So I've looked at the bearded man so much I don't know how to improve it, I think I'm going to have to give it a break for a whole.

So with that in mind I've started my essay properly, not just the research and quotations for it. Forgot how hard writing was, spent nearly all day just doing the introduction, September I hope is going to be a long month. 4000 words here I come!

 

This is my mood and inspiration board for my essay. I'm going to get it done!

Bearded Man update

So I'm going to call it a night on this drawing, come back to it in the morning with fresh eyes. Not sure what more I should do, but that's why I'm going to leave it a while, refresh my brain. Don't think I'm doing too badly with my first go at a background!

Also client project going really well. Got a logo and design can now just play with colours! Will begin that this week, going to be ready for my September 16th deadline!

 

Update... Witch Hagatha and the New iPad

So my Silent Comedy story has had some radical changes due to time, body limitations, need for a better animation, and me being ill (Hence the reason for not updating sooner). Anyway I just wanted to share with you what I've created so far, I am literally now finishing up on the last scene, so I might hang on a little while before I actually show that, no point in showing half finished work when I'm sooo close to being done.
The story has been changed about 5 times now, I have three written up and two different storyboards, so you can see I've actually tried to work on some of them in my actual animation and decided no its not working. To be honest had I not changed it I might be finished by now, I've had a sneak preview of a few others and they havent concentrated on the story as much as me, its just about the animation, which is really good as that's all really Andy wants. I just can't be satisfied with that, I have to do every tiny bit, in fact there is a scene right at the beginning of my animation that I'm not quite happy with, and already thinking about re doing it all. Its very frustrating, but I havent got the time to dally, the longer I spend animating the more Roma's project, the Hansel and Gretel one, suffers.There is such a battle going on in my head, but I think I've made a decision because next teh area I'm choosing to do an in depth study in is Animation, its really important for me to get as much under my belt now.
Unfornately my poor little laptop couldnt take anymore, the powerful programs I'd been using like Mudbox, 3ds Max and Photoshop finally took its toll. So My grandparents and other family relatives have helped me invest in a new 32gb iPad 3 (birthday coming up), I know its not a great subsitute for a new laptop, but I am saving up to be able to build my own computer, so I'll be able to update it when ever needed, meaning that it'll never go out of date and will be a lasting thing. I feel there is definitely no point in buying a new laptop as after a few years they just can't cope. Which brings me to the reason why I have become an Apple Slave.
I can not afford a fancy flash imortal desktop computer just yet, but I do really need something for the summer while the Univesity computers are closed. It's ridiculous to not be able to do anything digitally creative for for 5 months. So after a good few months researching, and plenty of in depth conversations with my fiancee and family, I gave in. I'll use the iPad as a portable sketchbook, using "Apps" like Sketchbook Pro and Brushes, Autodesk 123d Sculpt, Moodboard Pro or Adobe Ideas,  Animation Desk and of course probably GarageBand or some kind of music creating app for my animations. I've aslo invested in the same stylus pen as David Hockney the Alupen, plus a hard case (don't want to damage something that costs more then my Bills). I hope this does help and change the way I work, which is very slow due to the process of transferring a rough sketch into a piece of digital Art work. I'll be able to create on the move which is the ideal thing, I understand there is a lack of pressure sensitivity but looking back I've struggled with that in my normal graphics tablet anyway.
Anyway I get it tomorrow, and hopefully I can hook it up to blogger and show some doodles or something, will also create some music for my animation. By the end of this week, we'll find out if it was a good investment or will it end up on ebay as part of a packaged with pen and case.

I DID I DID see a putty cat

Still practicing my drawing skills and photoshop. It's simple stuff like this that builds a portfoilio. Especially as I know exactly how I'm going to digitalise my sketchbooks properly for the real portfolio I'd hand to potential employers as a concept artist. If I keep doing stuff like this by the end of the summer I'll have quite a collection. Anyway this is me and emma as Cats, I took the the previouse images I drew and changed us into cats.

2012 Showreel

So here it is, my first ever go at making a showreel, theres a lot that could be improved, but there is plenty there that shows the hardwork. The most important thing is how much I have come along in such a short space of time, and this really shows that. From having nothing for two years to suddenly being able to pull together a 2minute showreel, I wish I could add more into it showing my knowledge of all the programs I know, like after effects and Maya, but this will do for now. It can only get better as my own skills improve, i also think that my next one will be more conceptual based this one is all about what I've learnt my next one will be me not having to rely on that but show all the things I can accomplish. I have added my sketches onto the DVD just not into the Showreel, I have a good idea of what I'm going to do for that too when I get there. One step at a time though.
Anyway as promised here is my baby, can't wait to watch it grow:



Also want to apologise for the flickering I uploaded the wrong version to Vimeo, but u get the jist.

Showreel Menus

So here are the Title menus I have made for my Showreel DVD, I'm quite impressed with myself as I learnt Adobe Encore quite quickly, thank goodness!  Anyway I will be shortly sharing my actual showreel with u shortly, just though I would add my menus. I like how I've incorporated my work onto the pages in a non too evasive way, they're there subtly in the glass baubles. Again another thing I taught myself. I am getting there, I have almost begun to conquere 3ds max. After this I will also add the turntable video of Hagatha in Mudbox.

 Above is the main page, simple stylistic, straight to the point. And below is my extras page which has the full length film 'The Chess player' and also a slideshow of my sketches, as I feel that is very important to show if I'm slowly heading into the direction of concept artist.

I have also included a contact page, for further info. Being in Digital Multimedia I thought it was very important to use just digital forms of contact. Eventually I will change the Hotmail account into a web address, but for the time being it will do.

Morning Play

Just been playing around with a tutorial by Andrew Kramer, it taught me about subtle ligthing and shadows.Still in the playing stage of the producion logo. Mini projects keep me learning new things. Especially the shadows I can use within a scene. Anyway I might do another. Will keep you updated

A helpful bit of Visualization of Hagatha

Just did a quick video of Hagatha, just to help me visualise her better. There are some flaws, but I'm going to leave her alone this week, before I start over workign her and lose interest. Bad I know, but I have to move and progress otherwise it gets stale quick. Anyway I'm currently working on a mini project for myself using 3ds Max. Its going to be my production logo, Kvasir Productions. Anyway its going ok modelling wise I'm about to start animating.

here is the title....

Saint Jerome in his Study - Model

I have begun modelling a replica of the painting 'Saint Jerome in his Study' by Antonello da Messina. This is just the doorway, I've built most of it by just extruding and Chamfering sections. Once you get the basics down its quite simple, just a puzzle. The awkward bit was modelling the inner doorway detail towads the top. I havent taken a good enough screen image for it to be really visible though. Anyway, this project I will be slowly getting on with along with all the other ones, hopefully will be another small thing to add to the portfolio.

 

Little ol' me

Yes this is what I used to look like as a kid, always wore tshirts that were way to big for me, along with my my scraggly hair my poor mother used to have to try and tackle every morning. I was a rough and tumble kind of kid, I think this quick sketch somes me up quite nicely.
Could do with some tweaking, but I started to take too long on it, took me an hour as I kept getting distracted.

Morning practice

Just some mid morning practice, 30mins from that poor photographed sketch below. I'm practicing to speed paint basically, and half an hour to have it sketched out in photoshop and coloured isnt too bad. Just trying to build up my portfolio I guess.

Character Design

So here is character one for my animation. I'm now starting character two, and over the weekend I will be working on the Scenery. This project for me is important to show my ideas and workings before the animation as this is perfect practice for the job area I want to go into. I need to develop the skills needed for this career path, along with building up a porfotolio worthy to show people. Developement is key.