Thursday 30 September 2010

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Anatomy - Myself spliced with a flamingo (Jutmingo)

From my initial ideas I managed to come up with this so far.

Anatomy - La Belle et la BĂȘte (1946) Jean Cocteau.


This was first time I've ever seen any media based on the classic fairy tale that is Beauty and the Beast, so although I've heard of the story this was the first time I got a real understanding of what it was about. The story is about a merchant who loses all his ships at sea and thus his wealth. He is then is forced with his three daughters to work on a small farm. Sometime later the merchant hears that one of his ship has been found and returned and thay all hope that they will be able to regain some of their wealth, before he goes he asks his three daughters if there is anything they would like who of them ask for riches but Belle (Beauty) asks for a rose. The merchant goes to his ship only to find anything of value has gone. On his way home the merchant gets lost in the forest ans finds the beast castle, there he his greeted with hospitality but hands that come out of the walls and he is fed and sleeps. Upon leaving the castle he sees a rose and remembers what Belle asks for and picks it, the Beast seeing this tells the Merchant he has stolen from him and the he shall die or have one of his daughters in his place. Personally I found this a little unjust for stealing a rose but according to Libertas Film Magazine "In fairy tales, there are grave punishments for breaking the rules" and I guess that's a theme that holds strong in not just Baeuty and the Beast but other fairy tales alike. Without going too much into what happens in the story after that you'll find this is where the fairy tale really beings, as Belle stays at his castle and like the classic fairy tale she eventually falls in love with the Beast.  


 This film was very much like watching a play at the theatre, it is full of classic theatre type sets and the acting with very much over the top and theatrical. For its time I can imagine some of the shots and special effects were quite cutting edge, although the film could have worked without them. The Gaurdian put it "It's all the better for not relying on astonishing special effects" and although they effects were good for its time they didn't out do the rest of the film.


 The one part of this film that kept my attention was the statues, it was almost as if they were looking after Belle or just watching over her rather than keeping her prisoner in the castle, Time Out decribe it as "wonderfully designed ......complete with fantastic living statuary". this was accomplished by painting peolpe to look like statues. A classic example of theatre techniques used here.


This like any other fairy tale ends with the happily ever after scene. After Belle says she loves him he turns into a handsome man.

Anatomy - Life Drawing, lesson 2





Friday 24 September 2010

Tablet drawing in Photoshop.



Anatomy - Flamingo Skeleton

Anatomy - Flamingo Anatomy from www.flamingos-world.com

The Flamingo is the tallest of all birds, with some of them being up to 5 feet tall. It is often assumed that they weigh too much to fly but that isn’t true. Flamingos don’t weigh more than 10 pounds. They also do fly, but mostly at night which is why most people don’t notice them.

While there are several different species of the Flamingo, the overall anatomy of them are all the same. Learning more about their body design will likely give you a new understanding and appreciation of these animals. You will also learn that they are well designed for their needs, not a freak of nature as some people at first assume.

The wings of the Flamingo are made up of delicate feathers that keep them warm, allow them to swim, and allow them to fly. The wing span can be from 3 feet to 5 feet in distance. The neck is very flexible so they can bend it downward to eat and even backwards to preen their feathers. There are a total of 19 vertebrae found in the next which is why they can have such a wide range of movement in it.

The body is designed to allow them to turn the head upside down to feed. They have a filtering system in their body so that food and water are taken in and then extracted. They have to remove the salt water from their body and then drink fresh water to stay healthy and alive. Their tongue is absolutely amazing and it is the centralized system for them to be able to feed adequately. It moves up and down hundreds of times per feeding.

The coloring of a Flamingo isn’t specific to a given species. Instead it is based upon the types of foods that they consume. The coloring is based upon the Beta Carotene found in the food sources. The more of it they have the darker in color they will become. When food sources become scarce, they will lose the bright red and orange coloring so that they are more of a pink or a shade of white in the most severe cases.

The bill of the Flamingo has a very interesting design to it as well. The upper and lower portions of it fit together very tightly. Many compare it to the way that the lid on a box opens up and then shuts tightly. All Flamingos feature orange eyes regardless of what species they are. What is also interesting is that the brain is smaller than the eye!

The webbed feet of a Flamingo allow them to stand in the muddy waters without losing their balance. They also allow them to easily swim in the waters. Many people assume that Flamingos don’t have knees but they actually do. They are just hidden beneath the wings. Their ankles run half way up the length of their legs.

The feet often seem to be in the way when the Flamingo lays down or when it flies. Yet the design of their bodies works well with it. The reason it often seems like they don’t fit well is that people are used to seeing birds with short legs that are tucked under them. With the Flamingo, they are stretched out behind them when they fly and when they lay down.

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Anatomy - The brief.

Ok, so it seems I've had an unfortunate accident, a flamingo walked into my telepod as I was being transported to the pub. It appears I've been spliced genetically with the little blighter. A least flamingos are tall skinny and have a big nose, so not too much damage done. But anyhow I just looked in the  mirror and it's not so good.

Anatomy - Hand observations


Anatomy - Life drawing

Summer Project 101

To create a concept for a 'Life Form', 'Machine', and a 'Structure' from 101 thumb nail sketches. 


Initial 101 sketches. 




Developing the ideas from the initial sketches. 


  

The end results of a Life Form, Machine and Structure.











Anatomy - The Fly (1986) David Cronenberg




 This is possibly David Cronenberg's biggest block buster film, the remake of the fly far over shadowed Cronenbergs previous flesh obsessed works. Mainly due to it having a much better budget than previous films and as TV Guide put it "Cronenberg found the perfect outlet for his obsessions, producing his most controlled, mature and insightful work to date".

Here we see Cronenberg explore the gruesome horror of Seth Brundle decaying as he slowly becomes absorbed by the fly DNA until he is an insectile creature and you can't recognise any human left. Even 30 years later this film still has you feeling sick to your stomach as the more Seth turns into 'Brundle Fly' the more his mind deteriorates into that of a mad man. Time Out nicely put it "this gothic horror is heartbreaking as well as stomach-churning". You really can take that statement literally.


As in the original movie a matter transporter is invented for the good or mankind but the concequences end up disasterous. Brundle played by Geff Goldblum, the scientist in the film who has invented the matter transporter ends up being genetically spliced with a fly. At first he feels like it has made him a more phisically perfect human and recommends that his girl friend go through also, but she has reservations.  As the film progresses it becomes apparent that something has gone wrong. Brundles body slowly deteriates and his human body parts slowly are rejected and drop off.

The special effects in this film are grose to say the least and really help give a sence that there's no happy ending here. Channel 4 made the point "As for The Fly, there was no room for camp and unconvincing effects" I think they hiy the nail on the head . Made in a time when AIDS was feared and alot wasn't known about it, there was a paranoia and fear of being diseased.



The film ends with Brundle fly tring to make himself more of a human by teleporting with his pregnant girlfreind, his plan is foyled and it ends badly for Brundle.