Hey guys!
So it has been a little while since I have added anything to this blog… well, let’s just say it’s not because I have been lazy.
NaNoWriMo
After a while focusing on spending each morning animating, I then turned my attention to a bit of writing; spending my early mornings doing some writing exercises. But at the moment my concentration is focused on one thing; NaNoWriMo.
For those of you who do not know, NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month, in which writers (pros, students and hobbyists) are encouraged to write 50,000 words throughout the month of November. I have tried to do this once or twice before, but always had multiple other projects on the go, so no time to really prepare or devote to it. And let’s just say this isn’t the sort of thing you would go into unprepared.
As such, I have been spending September and October doing my research and planning a story I have in mind. I have a decent road map laid out, as well as a few key characters prepared, but you never really know what is gonna happen until you put pen to paper on that first page.
Wish me luck, guys!
Animorsels and the Leicester Animation Meetup
In between these little fancies of being a writer, I keep get drawn back to animation. Something happens, I see a challenge that I like or an event I want to go to, and my concentration goes there for a little while.
Animorsels is one of those distractions (or encourages, depending on your viewpoint). It is a termly meetup in Nottingham, where a load of animators come together to encourage each other and talk shop. It’s a great community, though I have only been along once, with a bunch or really interesting and welcoming people.
Each term they have a ‘Micromorsels’; an animation challenge to be completed however the artist wishes. The last challenge was to animate to a set piece of sound design, to be interpreted as the artist thought best fitting. This was a great challenge for me, and bellow is the piece I created.
As you can see, it is quick and dirty. And I Love that!
Very occasionally I will have an idea of something I want to animate, but it requires a lot of work beyond simply animation. In this case, a load of modelling and strange FX.
So what’s the point in over complicating something? It will likely never be done. I can quite easily consider a personal project too much hard work before I get started.
The idea, therefore, of making it super stylised has helped me out here no end. Rough shapes, terrible modelling, but at least the animation is done, am I right?
So if you’re reading this, I would totally encourage you to do the same. Do something rough, fast, you have no time to over think it, just get it done. You have no time to ask ‘is this acceptable’ or ‘is it too weird’, just do it, and enjoy the ride!
ASTRO-FAM
A little while ago, I was asked to design a number of characters for a potential animation project. These characters needed to appeal to all ages, though primarily children between the ages of 5 to 10, and needed to be astronaut-related.
I had a great time researching some of the current animation trends, as well as some of my own personal childhood favorites. In the mix was greatly appealing shows like True and the Rainbow Kingdom and Noddy alongside The Power Rangers and Voltron. Unfortunately the project fell through, and as such I am free to share the designs with you! Below are a few of my favorites.
Anyway, that’s all for now! So until next time, take care!
Oz
Oz Durose 
Catching up on some of your older posts, your spider-man is a joy to watch, that icing on the cake at the end too, really fit in with his character persona. Thanks for dropping by and commenting, means a lot coming from a talented animator like yourself! My fave of the Astro Fam is the bottom row, but I think I prefer that more heroic dynamic look. See you around!