A Big Update

Added a great deal to the site today, including all my final pieces for this term at university such as the 3D city created in Autodesk 3DS Max, my character designs and storyboards and several new illustrations. I also moved some older works into the archive area, and tidied up the site a little. With luck, I should be able to do more commission work over Christmas and the New Year over my break.

Autodesk 3DS Max and The End is Nigh

It's not long now until we have to hand in both projects - the city building task and journal in Autodesk 3DS Max, and the character design journal, references and final large scale pieces presented in a A3 portfolio. It's a lot to do - and I am most worried about my Autodesk 3DS Max project.

Luckily I have a 30 day trial copy installed on my laptop of Autodesk 3DS Max, which should last me until after the project is over. Today I found this was a better bonus that I thought - in our lecture today we are using the university PCs to work on our 3D city, but the university only has 50 licenses, so only 50 students can have it running at only one time. Unfortunately I am one of the unlucky ones and the licenses have run out.

Anyway, I can use this time to work on my creative CV and portfolio, as well as my rationalle.

Medieval Textures and a Course Rep

Things have been very busy with me of late - having two big modules before Christmas is scary enough, plus the PDP work and my extra module on International Business Cultures - things are a little hectic. On top of that, I am now, along with my close friend Justine Rugg-Easey, one of the Course Representatives for Illustration at Coventry University. Our first meeting was this afternoon, and it was an interesting introduction into our duties. I hope I have the time to dedicate to it, really.

For one of my modules, as you may have read if you read this blog regularly, I am working on a city in Autodesk 3DS Max. We could choose whatever type of city we want - sky is the limit, but I felt that Coventry had some of the best examples of Medieval/16th Century architecture that I could use as references, or textures directly into my buildings on Autodesk. All of the photographs I have taken around the city can be found here, if you are interested. With luck I will have some interesting city ideas and sketches to post here very shortly.

For my other illustration module I have been working on character designs, although mostly on a small book full of collage work on a circus theme, to which I will add illustrations to match the collage. This book is coming along very well, and I hope to scan some pages this weekend to display here - I like the mix of textures, rough collage and photographs with my neater, inked illustrations.

Enterprising and Autodesk

Something I have only considered fleetingly is starting my own business - it's not because I don't feel I couldn't, in fact, I would love to. I just don't have any viable business ideas. Sure, I'd love a gallery/art shop/freelance illustration company but the way things are financially for me and for the rest of the UK today it wouldn't work - I'd need a really innovative idea to even consider it.

But, it was quite interesting to learn all the options we have at Coventry and the support we can apply for if we do want to set up a small business. Who knows, maybe one day!


Still working on Autodesk for one of my modules. It's slowly becoming much more clearer and much easier for me, although there is still so much more I can't wait to learn. I'm currently writing up my notes as clearly as I can for future reference, as well as exploring cities and towns from all over the world and other cultures for inspiration for my own city. I hope to do some more complex drawings with colours and textures in the very near future, and then import them into Autodesk and start on my final city design proper soon. Deadline is in early December, so I must keep at it as hard as possible.

Life Drawing and Creative CVs

One thing I love to do is go life drawing, although it scares me half to death walking home in the dark through the area of Coventry we live (especially as on Tuesday two guys kicked both our locks out and tried to rob us in broad daylight). Life drawing at Coventry University occurs once a week on Thursday evenings, and they always do a good set of quick poses - which are my favourite. I feel that life drawing is key to improving my skills, it keeps me drawing fast as well as really looking at an object, and learning about shape, shadow and anatomy is important to my chosen path.

In PDP we have been learning about creative CVs. When I worked in recruitment I was always told that simple CVs are best to look out for, and less is always more - don't waste time reading the rambling CVs with half a page about hobbies. It seems we are being told similar in PDP as well as the very basics (like checking spelling and not having rude e-mail addresses). I should update my CV, really, but I have no desire to look for another position currently. I am a little worried we will have to do a work placement this year - we keep getting conflicting information about whether we do or don't. Fingers crossed that we won't, really.

Autodesk 3DS Max

One of our modules at university this year is on 3D Animation and Design, using the Autodesk 3DS Max software. At first I was terrified of it - a completely new experience with completely new software, but over the last few weeks I've found myself soaking up more and more of the lectures, tools and commands that 3Ds Max offers, and it's slowly slipping into place. I have ordered a tutorial book, and am writing up my notes as I go along to keep it fresh - I must admit, I've never found 3D as interesting as 2D design and animation, but I am definately warming to it now.

The best parts of the software for me so far gave been using the extrude tool, while grouping up the shapes and creating more complex shapes - before lighting them and setting up cameras to view it from different angles. I'm so used to almost instant results when I draw or paint, that the wait is strange, but worth it once something is finished.

I have been thinking about my USP, my "Unique Selling Point" in my PDP recently - It's hard to say, really. Learning so much at university has made me think and rethink what I do, as well as the fact that I really enjoy writing in my current job and believe I have the skills to take that further. When it comes to Illustration, though, I think my main selling points that make me unique and interesting to potential clients is definately my imagination and ability to sketch out designs and ideas fluidly and quickly, as well as expand on these in a variety of medias - not only using pens, ink, pencils, paints and washes, but also in photoshop or flash - even directly with a graphics tablet.
Character design is definately my favourite, and I love exploring other cultures, costumes and designs people wear, as well as thier unique surroundings. 3DS Max can help me with this - mainly just for the surroundings of characters and mapping out areas, homes, cities and the like, and visualising things both small scale and massive. I know I'd like to work in the gaming industry - but ideally for conceptual work, illustration, background painting, character design, weapon design, costume design etc, so bringing my ideas from pencil or pen sketch to exciting 3D models and environments.

Nest week I must remember to create some textures and flat images for use in my current ideas (either from my own photos or sketches), to import them into 3DS and see how they can be used successfully.

PDP

First PDP lecture of the year this morning. Hosted by a guest speaker, I believe - not the most gripping of fellows but lots of information to take in.
I must admit, I've never been the type to enjoy having a label stuck to my jumper and being told I'm "that person", out of a choice of several "types", so that part tended to irk me - especially when he rattled off the weaknesses for "my type". It sounds a bit boastful to say, but I am generally a really driven person. If I'm not working I'll be drawing or doing university work - so being told my "type" was prone to lack of motivation wasn't the best thing to say to convince me to learn more about my "learning type."
For the morbidly curious, it was agreed that I am a "Theorist", which makes me well-organised, factual and good at seeing alternatives and the bigger picture. The cons included putting things off, lack of confidence and several other even less desirable things. Not something one wants to hear first thing on a Monday morning!

Being told that when I have my first interviews I'll do this and that, and that I haven't had any experience of life, what with being a student didn't help. I left school shortly after my GCSEs and lived in Alta in Norway for 2 years, where I taught English and learnt Norwegian. Shortly after I worked jobs in the UK, including as a administrator for Churchill before moving on to be a recruiter for Thomas Cook. I realised I didn't want to be recruiting people to work as holiday reps my whole life, so I went back to college and took my A-Levels in Art, Photography and Graphic Design, and also won an award from the BBC and was published for my writing. Upon leaving the college with grades I was pleased with, I was awarded the "College Award for Creative Achievement" - an honour awarded to one student aloneeach year at Rutland College, and it made everything worth it. When I was accepted to Coventry it was a dream come true - people thought I could draw well and actually make something of myself with it! I was awarded with a creative scholarship, and it was a whole new different world for me.

So, what I'm trying to say here I don't really know. I just have this odd feeling about PDP, and about labels. I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks we aren't all drones that can be boxed up, and I like to think I can't be.

University Second Year

I began my second year at university on Monday - this year we begin with the use of Autodesk 3DS Max to design and build a scene from our imaginations, using inspiration from either historical, mythological or modern cities. We can build the cities with traditional shapes, or using more imaginative blocks, such as sweets or household items. I'm a little daunted at learning a brand new software - as I enjoy using 2D work using traditional media, or with Photoshop, but I can use this previous experience to create interesting textures and scenes in the city. Other lectures this term include further illustration practice and an extra module on International Business Cultures and how to best communicate ideas when dealing with other cultures and peoples (although I did get an automated email this morning telling me the course was full - a full month after enrolling online and being told I was registered to the course). In addition to this we have PDP - and so I'm back again blogging about the details of my course and my progress.

This year has gone off to a shaky start, last year my Personal Development Planning was not marked as the sheets with the links to my site and work were lost, and marked as absent. Luckily I had my slips signed by staff to say I had handed it in on time, and it was marked late in the summer, which allowed me to continue into this year. As a result of this, I also lost my scholarship, something I was relying upon to ensure I would not have to work too many hours to pay the bills and could therefore spend much more time on my studies. Fingers crossed I can have this decision overturned, but as you can imagine, what with the first I heard of my failure being on results day and being told I couldn't go back to university without resitting, when I knew I had done all the work (why - it's all here!) was distressing, and has impacted my view of the university somewhat.

In between working as a writer for a fantastic web-content company in the summer, I have also drawn a little for pleasure. I will upload some of my summer works to the site as soon as I can, and the conceptual drawings and ideas for my 3D City for this Animation and Time based Illustration module.

Over The Sea Illustrations

Added two new illustrations today, a moody blue piece painted in Photoshop called "Over the Sea", which I'm particularly proud of, as well as an experiment in a pin-up style (Warning : Not safe for work).

Film Noir - Final Piece

Tweaked the site a little today, and added my final piece for my last module of this year at university, an illustration in a painterly style of a scene called "The Black Dahlia". I used my own photographs as references, as well as painting out the type (using other fonts from the time as inspiration) and am pleased with the oil painterly, rough and loose style that has emerged.

Film Noir and the Beginning of The End

So, tomorrow I hand in my Personal Development Planning - the reason I have been blogging in such a way on my site, and being more concise with my descriptions and methods of work, as well as my influences and feedback.

In doing so, I have been able to monitor my work more, as well as see how I've developed and what directions my work has been taking - giving me an insight into what I need to concentrate more on, and to decide what path I want to take apon leaving university.

Taking the time out every week to publish some work online, and blogging about it twice a month, has been an experience a little tiresome at times, but I enjoy the feedback I recieve posting my work on this site, as well as sites like deviantart, where you can find my work at:
http://www.fayea.deviantart.com/

This site also has many of my sketches, works of a very similar nature to the ones you see on this site, works in progress and works I feel that don't meet up to the standard I'd like to keep on this smaller portfolio website.

Easter Holidays

Mostly this Easter I have been working on our mandatory "Add-Vantage" modules that the university requires us to complete. Mine is "Introduction to Project Management" and has been taking a fair bit of my time, mostly due to it being something I feel I am not naturally gifted at.
For Easter, I promised myself I would work on my personal projects, such as the graphic novel I have been working on, and my gallery now has two new pieces related to this, of an original character of mine featured in the comic. Hopefully over summer I can really get it going, without university deadlines looming!

Maths Postcards and More!

Tomorrow I hand in my second module at university - I'm very very nervous. I've spent a long time tweaking it, and adding more as I go, but there's always something you feel you can do better, isn't there?
So, tomorrow it's all over.

After that, it's all hands onto my Film Noir project, and expect to see many images in the style in my gallery quite soon.

Today I also updated the site a little, adding my Maths Postcards images, a project for a client through the university to design a postcard "advertising" maths to a young audience to be distributed in school libraries. I did four ideas, which can be found here. If you know of any competitions similar to this one, please leave me a comment - I'm always interested in getting my work "out there".
Also I added a piece exploring drawing to music, and how the styles, colours, methods and materials in an image effects the mood.

A Small Update

Just a few tweaks here today - updated my photograph to a recent photograph of myself at university, the one from the newspaper as it is so vibrant and bright and enthusiastic - just how I would like to portray myself on my site and as an illustrator.
Also added a note in the Awards page about my CPA Scholarship from Coventry University, which is currently funding me upgrading my PC so I can handle higher resolution and more detailed files in Photoshop, as well as buying some more modern image making software in both traditional medias and on my PC. Thankyou Coventry University, I won't let you down!

Hot Off The Presses!

Two friends and myself can be found in the Coventry Observer on the 31st of January issue posing for a photograph to publicise "The Big Picture", an initiative in the Coventry area to break a world record for the largest photomontage - with all the photographs used contributed by residents from around the area.

I'm glad I was able to help publicise the event, and also excited at being in the paper - the last time I believe I was still in primary school for a piece on pond dipping!

(If you are reading this from my website, please click on the "Hot Off The Presses" link at the top to view the cutting from the paper in which we feature!)

Watercolour Illustrations

Some new pieces added to the site today, including a few watercolour and mixed media pieces created for a fundraising project at university.

I felt that participating in the fundraiser would help people to see my works - the fundraiser is for the third years final exhibition, and they will be showing the "postcards" created by students in a exhibition, and inviting members of the public to purchase them to raise money.

I hope that people will see my works, and note my name, and like them! I love the thought that someone could pay money for my original watercolour postcards, and read the back and find thier way back here.
(If you do - hello, thankyou very much for buying one of my postcards, It really means a great deal to me).
Also I hope that people will like my style enough to commission me for further projects, and start to create a name for myself in the industry, even while I am still studying.