Blog EXCLUSIVE!: My very own Animator Portrait!

So, I realized that I've been doing these Animator Portraits for over 3 years now, and the one person I didn't have yet was- yup, yours truly.

Well, I thought it over for quite a while- how would I do it? did I even want to do it? would it count as a portrait?- and finally, I came to the decision. I wanted one. I just didn't know how the hell I was gonna take it. I thought about setting up a tripod, etc., but I know me. I HATE being in front of the camera. I like being safe and sound behind it! (And there I shall stay!)

So, I ended up talking to the Institute Photographer, an AMAZING photographer named Scott Groller. Annnd- long story short (TOO LATE!), we decided he would shoot me for my portrait. The date kept getting pushed back, but the week of Thanksgiving, Scott came into the cubes and shot me. (That always sounds so painful- haha!)

I am BEYOND happy with the photos he took. So many I love for so many reasons! But, as we all know, there can be only one. And I am presenting it here only.

Presenting- my Animator portrait.



I picked this particular shot for so many reasons. One- I look fabulous. Two- it emphasizes everything that I love about what I do and who I am. I love my hands, the way I hold my head when I draw (which I know isn't correct, but it's so me!), and I love 2D animation. Lastly, it is exactly what I aim to capture in every single portrait I take. It's the kind of photo I can send to my folks and they can be like, "Oh, look! There's our kid, working away at college." I know that may sound stupid, but it's the aim of this project for me. Because it's NOT a selfie. Because it's not taken on a cell phone. Because it's not taken at an arm's distance away. Because maybe it doesn't show me at my absolute best angle. But it's REAL. There's no pose- at least, not intentional. It's just me, the way I am.

I hope to continue this series for years to come- even after I leave CalArts. I hope to take Animator Portraits of my friends at studios and in their work spaces. This series is truly a product and work of love. And I am thrilled to now be included in it.

STRESS-STRESS-STRESS-FINALS-STRESS-STRESS!

Yes- blog title is correct. I am pretty sure there are more grey hairs on my head, but I've no time to inspect them. I am just assuming they are there at this moment.

The killer assignment this semester is Bruce Block's Film Grammar "book". We all breathed a sigh of relief the world has never known when he emailed us to tell us that he would NOT be requiring us to make a film this semester as well!

The book was to make 60 different pictures of the principles taught in class. Yes- SIXTY. Six of each. After the first week, when I tried to Photoshop it like everyone else, I got an email from Bruce informing me that I had to redo four of them. After that, I decided to *&^% Photoshop and the entire freaking day it took me to do all that- and I picked up my beautiful, faithful, trusty Rebel xTi. (< That's a camera.) Bruce said we were allowed to use photography if we so desired and I so did!

It ended up saving me a lot, but it ended up hurting a lot too. I am still bound to the campus for the most part (no time or car), so I was limited with what i could do, but DAMN! If I say so myself, I am pretty freaking happy with a bunch of these! Enjoy!














My ETERNAL gratitude to my models- Lexy, Phillip, Elizabeth, Aaron, Alexandra, Gavin, Clare, Onion, Sean, the reluctant Mirae, and the even MORE reluctant Rose!

Kyros Sculpture- Almost there...

"Almost there... alllmost there..."

God, I cannot tell you how badly I wish to be FINISHED with this sculpture! I am SO CLOSE! I mean, I can friggin' taste it! Okay, well, not really... unless I stick my Chavant-covered fingers in my mouth- but that's just GROSS!

I am doing last touch-ups on this sculpture for my grad review. Basically, making sure all his sides and stuff are smooth and even and stuff... yeah. That means raking. And if I had guitar wire of my own, he'd be done now. But I only have really thin wire. So I will have to finish him on Tuesday- PLEASE GOD- LET ME FINISH HIM ON TUESDAY!?!?!

In other news, saw Captain Phillips today. Nice movie, but the shay-cam nearly made me ralph. *shakes head* I will never understand the over-use of that stuff.







"IT'S AWAY!"