So anyway here is my plan. I want to apply for the Disney Animation Studios Talent Development Program. http://www.disneyanimation.com/careers/student_programs.html
Its for recent graduates and is a 3 or 6 month apprenticeship/internship in one of several different disciplines in the studio. I'm shooting for visual development.
I am trying to do a bunch of new projects and re-invigorate old ones to have a kick-ass portfolio to send off by the beginning of October. It is technically due Oct 20th, but I'd like to get it off well before then. Anyway, fist off I'm refreshing my old character Dendrul. You guys remember him form Talon's keyframe illustration class.
So here are the latest sketches of him. Pardon shitty scan/photoshop job. I'm going for the "Disney no-style" style. Just keeping it neutral. Rather uninteresting, I know, But I'm told they want examples like this.
Some heads and expressions. Thoughts? Next I'm planning on doing a scene painting featuring him in an environment. 
I've made thumbnails! Top left, Dendrul is looking out onto an encampment inside the labyrinth he is lost in. Top right, facing some intimidating wizard dude in a complex library. Bottom left, gazing at a statue's foot as it meretriciously turns to flesh as other characters are distracted in the bg. Bottom right, sleeping in the background in a forest with an awesome owl in the foreground. What do you guys think i should go with? My goal is to complete the painting this weekend. Next on my to do list after the painting is updating bearrex (shock) again. I'd like to do him in a traditional media graphic style a la Mary Blair.
Thanks guys, any words are appreciated, and feel free to call.
ps. Christina, i realize i am it in phone tag.
You are indeed "it" in phone tag, sir.
ReplyDeleteDendrul is looking good! You're drawing it in a disney-neutral style, but I can still detect sparkles of your own personality and approach, which is great. My thoughts about the facial expressions are maybe add some more variety and include hand gestures?
Thumbnails. I like the top left environment with the encampment because of the strong structure and diagonals you have going on, plus I like the fact that it's an exterior environment and you can see things in the extreme foreground as well as in the distance. However, in the top left scene, the viewer only really gets to see the back of Dendrul's head and maybe a little of the side of his face. Also, Dendrul is not really interacting a whole lot with the environment, he's just standing there looking at it. This can also be said of Dendrul in the top right scene. The bottom left scene, I think, is your strongest composition. Dendrul is interacting strongly with his environment, you can see his face and hand expressions, you have strong fore, middle and background, plus you showcase a couple other characters. My second choice would be the bottom right. Dendrul, although sleeping, is grounded in his environment, and you know that I'm a sucker for owls, so...
I can't wait to see the finished painting :) good luck!
Yay for being inspirational! I feel like these Dendruls are cast improvements over the Dendruls of the past. They feel more refined and expressive. Mature, even? Maybe that's because I only saw rough sketches of the character like 2 years ago, but I digress. Yer like a fine wine son, you just get better with age.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the environment stuff, I'm all about the bottom left. I think the top right one is fun as well, but a little too 'Scary-wizard-scolding-Mickey-for-stealing-his-hat-and-causing-a-ruckus-in-The-Sorcerer's-Apprentice':
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PRJJxuTIeLw/S-tJmdg8S-I/AAAAAAAAARE/Pjb9OJsga5A/s1600/Fantasia+-+Yen+Sid+and+Mickey.jpg
But, maybe it was the point. Lord knows half of the stuff I did sophomore year was Fantasia inspired.
Anyway, I love love love the bottom left one all around. Bueno composition, and his facial expression is adorable. Awesome owl notwithstanding, I think I would maybe like the bottom right one more if you incorporated the bottom left character sketch of him stretching/waking up, if only because it's my favorite thing evaaarrrr.