Metamorphosis

My final project of the second year of my degree course was a project based around metamorphosis, and how this could be represented with the modelmaking industry. One of the key areas that metamorphosis is commonly used within the modelmaking industry is with prosthetics. it can be used when transforming actors into aliens or monsters, a process that is commonly used in the TV series 'Doctor Who', or when changing actors age, used in films such as the 'Curious Case of Benjamin Button', or a actors ages gender, used in 'Mrs Doubtfire'.

Prosthetics are often used in TV and film and a area that I have always had a interest in are the prosthetics that are used in programmes such as 'Silent Witness', 'Bones' and 'CSI'. These can range from body parts to full body autopsies in a range stages of decay.

For my model I have made a decapitated decaying version of my own head, (pretty creepy i know). The reason that i have chosen to create a decapitated  head is to be able to put the head into a context and scenario, as if it was a model for 'Silent Witness'.

To make the decaying version of my own head I had to go through a number of stages including life casting, a plaster pour, clay sculpting, fibreglassing, a wax pour, and then painting, so in total it took eight weeks to make.

Along with the final model, I produced a case file with details of background information that could be used in a TV crime Drama. This document included, CCTV photos, police reports, medical and dental records, crime scene, evidence and autopsy photos.

Hope this doesn't creep you you out too much.

BEEGU animation project

My current university project was to create a animation based on a children's book recreating the style and the mood of the original story. I choose the book 'Beegu' created by Alexis Deacon. The storyline of this book is that Beegu a baby space rabbit from outerspace that crash lands on earth and tries to find her parents, she tries to make friends with everyone but noone seems to wants to be her friends. She finally makes friends with a group of school children. At the end of the story she is finally reunited with her family.

The animation that I created was based on 12 scenes from the book, and each scene was created as a still.This scenes were then manipulated in final cut pro to create transitions between each scene. Narration was added to the animation (narrated by Hayley May Nice) and a soundtrack and sound scape (produced by Sam White).

Movember

During the month of November I have been raising money for Prostate cancer and mens cancer research by growing a mustache/ tash /mo. Me and a mate, Luke Matthews, decided on a slightly drunken Halloween party  that this would be a good idea, looking back on it not sure it was such a great idea.

So during the whole of November I didn't shave my nose neighbor and let the hair grow (very, very, slowly). By the end of the month to be honest my tash was pretty poor but we had raised a great amount of money, £248 between us. Worldwide over £38 million has be raised for this great cause.

Ive added a few pictures below to show the progress of the tash. Thanks to everyone that donated to it is really appreciated. Thanks.

Harry Hill's TV Burp - WAGBO !

Last week i went to see Harry Hill's TV burp being filmed, I have never been to see a TV program being filmed before so was really excited about going. We traveled upto London and got to BBC studios at three o'clock, (two hours and 45 minutes before they would let us into the studio, i know that sounds crazy but these TV programs they give out more tickets than spaces so you got to get there early to get in). Once we finally got in the warm we were given free beer and more waiting around. It was another hour before we were let into the studio. But all the waiting around was worth it, the set was amazing and Harry Hill was even better. We were in the studio for a almost two hours whilst it was being filmed, a long time for a programme thats only on air for like 25 minutes, but it went so quickly because Harry Hill is hysterical. There were so many highlights to the show, the hats gag, the giant head and the FIGHT! but to top it all was Wagbo. Watch the clip and you will see why.

When Wagbo runs into the audience you would see us on the right if it wasn't so dark.

Samburu iPod Speaker

So the brief for this project was to produce a prototype of a iPod speaker dock  with design influences from the Samburu tribe. The Samburu tribe are from Kenya and are semi-nomadic and are one of the most vibrant tribes from Africa, with their bright coloured clothes, necklaces and beads. These elements were the design influences for my iPod dock. The main design was based around the necklaces of the Samburu tribe, the speakers were a simplified version of the shape and pattern these necklaces created. The principle of the stacking system of the speakers and dock was to create a portable device that would suit the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the tribe, by allowing the speakers to be transported but would look attractive whilst being used. The design was finished in black and silver to give the design a contemporary finish. 

Photographs by Kevin Langley

RHINO

I haven spoken about my work for quite a while now so I thought I would update you with what I am currently producing for part of my 1st project on my second year on the modelmaking course at UCA. As part of my current project I needed to produce some three dimensional sketches of the product I have am designing and producing. The product is a iPod speaker dock with design influences from the Samburu tribe of Kenya. During the design process I learnt how to use the design program Rhino to produce these designs.

welly rash

Whenever you think of summer music always comes to mind, and there is no better place to see some great music is at the good old festivals. I technically went to two festivals this year (well only two if you consider a evening at the i tunes festival a real 'festival). I basically applied for every gig at the i tunes festival but I really wanted to see Mumford & Sons and Florence and the Machine, I didn't get those tickets but I did win some tickets for Ellie Goulding. I am pretty lucky with i tunes festival tickets really, this is the second year in a row I have won some, got to see ou est le swimming pool  and Friendly fires last year. Ellie Goulding was surprisingly good I heard her stuff on the radio but never really listened to her much before well worth seeing even if it was a fee gig!


Now here comes the real festival, one were you camp, don't clean for 5 days, hate using toilets, and lots and lots of mud. Reading festival wooo! I wasn't planning on going to reading this year but right at the last minute a mate of mine couldn't go and I brought his tickets, and boy am I glad I brought them. The four days were amazing so many great bands highlights definitely had to be Kele, Marina and the Diamonds, Dizzie Rascal, The cribs, Weezer, Blink 182 and my personal favourites Mumford & Sons. They are by far my favourite band bring back  folk music I say. This year reading turned to mud so much mud, my wellys were needed everyday. However four days of wellys and shorts does not create a good mix, leading to a bad welly rash (the hair on my legs has only just grown back).


Just got to decide what festival to go to next year now?
(pictures to come)