Happy to say another side hustle has been completed! After a very stressful week trying to squeeze everything in – animating, work, life, and side hustles – its finally done! After a large amount of hourage (around 10 hours!?), I cracked out this beauty shown below of the three cats named, from left to right, Drogon, Neph, and Akoya.
After keeping communication the entire way through I made the tweaks the customer has requested, some examples ⬇️
The customer was very happy with it in the end, and the customers happiness is my happiness 😉. Loving the side hustles!
You remember the Wellbeing Campaign idea I posted about awhile back, about making short animations representing what wellbeing means to us? I’ve put the building blocks in place to get it in motion! I asked my boss if it would be something the Student Union would be interested in and they answered with a resounding YES! With the go ahead, I pitched the idea to the second and first years but unfortunately I didn’t hear a single thing back from them, kind of disheartening I know. I turned to my current cohort and got a few yes’s from them, the only issue is, there isn’t enough of us! To get this off the ground and make it a Campaign, I’m thinking I need at the least 20 1-3 second GIF animations. With this in mind I had a quick discussion with my lecturer to talk about options for the best way forward. We came to the conclusion that I should continue trying to make it happen, get the few animations I can from myself and my cohort, and then re-pitch to the second and third years and really push them to get involved. That’s where I am with this atm, hopefully make some headway into it in the coming weeks. I’ve received one fully finished GIF so far from my classmate the very talented Adam Watkins, follow him at @theadamwat!
Last month I took on a side hustle project from Instagram, where I advertise that I am available to do commissions – @_julianimation_. The commission was an adorable cat illustration for someone’s birthday! How the conversation usually goes is –
Discuss what they want drawn foreground/background etc.
What style they’re looking for
What size/dimensions they’re looking for
Price for commission (I usually charge per hour, time is money)
And then I suggest different ways in which I think I could contribute creatively to amp up their idea
With this commission, the customer wanted a portrait of the cat in a cute position, simple and sweet. I suggested doing a pop art style illustration, with 4-6 drawings of the cat in different poses, with bright backgrounds, making the piece more of a statement! The customer agreed, I drew up a quick draft, (unfinished) and showed them what the style could be. They were unsure, so I suggested I finish a section fully with colour and background in place so they could get a better overall idea of what I was going for, we don’t all think visually! In the end the customer loved it, but requested the background be muted colours, and the cat a lighter shade of grey – keeping communication throughout working is key to creating work the customer loves. Screenshots of some of our conversations can be seen here ⬇️
Coloured background version.The completed piece with the more muted background.
Even though I would’ve stuck with the bright coloured background, the customer comes first! Through this project I got another commission! Woohoo! Another person contacted me requesting a drawing of their cat’s as a birthday present for their significant other. I’m starting on that next week, and have all the specifics down already. Here’s a quick peek at our conversation! ➡️
Another commission I have coming up as well is for a Twitch stream logo, in a more graphic style. The customer liked some work I had done previously for a building business, and has requested a similar style! Screenshot of the discussion below! ⬇️
I aim to keep up these little side hustles, as they keep me on my toes, help me work towards the clients needs, exactly as I would be when working for a company in the animation industry! Also keeps me learning new things on Photoshop, which is always a bonus.
My main passion in animation would have to be animating character. There’s something about trying to capture the subtleties of humanlike movement and reactions – maybe its the challenge. Having the freedom and opportunity to experiment with character design/animation at University has been a godsend. I’ve read a few books on the subject ⬇️
and hope to continue my learning journey for hopefully the rest of my career. I recently purchased a masterclass of over 20 hours follow along program called Acting for Animation by Aaron Blaise https://creatureartteacher.com/product/acting-for-animation-course/, who has been an animator at Disney and elsewhere for over 30 years, and hope to dive into that over Christmas break, feeding the knowledge I gain from that into my FMP here at University. Hopefully finishing with my best work yet! Something to be proud of accomplishing. I look forward to it!
Looking at the future – aka next semester – my professor and I were discussing what would be something (a project) I could come up with and oversee as part of the module, while simultaneously getting paid for it. I work for the Students’ Union Marketing Department, so what would be something that could benefit them and my CV? We came up with something that on everyone’s mind in these Covid-19 times – Wellbeing. I did some research, and as it turns out the Union has an entire section of their website dedicated to Wellbeing including information, contacts and news on the subject, they also have a campaign for it every year. How can we “better” it and make it more human on a “relatable” level? Wellbeing is a tough subject to discuss, as it means something different to everyone, so I’m thinking what can I take from this?
Student Union’s Wellbeing Page
Here’s what I’m thinking and what I’m hoping to pitch to the 2nd years next semester. A collaborative project demonstrating what wellbeing means to them personally – utilizing animation as the visual tool. Short GIF like animations (3-10 secs?) showing off what wellbeing means to them, the things that make them happy, keep them sane, and make life worth living. Just a little something from everyone who wants to participate, maybe even mix in some live action if someone doesn’t want to animate. Compile it all together with a voice over, some music, union assets and bam, you’re golden. A newly invented Campaign for Wellbeing for the University and something for everyone involved to stick on their CV. We can unite together a make something that inspires us.
I wanted to take the time to really appreciate the artists that have inspired me on my own personal art journey. People I wish could be my mentors, and in so many ways they are. We could be here for years if we talked about every artist I admire, so I’ve narrowed it down to a list of 5 give or take. You may remember an earlier post of mine where I spoke about the Bancroft Brothers Podcast and all the golden nuggets of information they have on there. Well, I listened to one where they had guest speaker Amanda Jolly on.
If we’re being honest, I’d never heard of her before, but boy do I now. After sub sequentially following her on all social media, and taking the time to look through her fantastic expressive character designs, I can safely say she is one of my many inspirations. Amanda Jolly everyone.
Some of Amanda Jolly’s Character Designs
Adrien Gromelle, a 2D animation supervisor in France, is another inspiration – he recently popped up on suggested on my Instagram feed, and his 2D animation is just so smooth, quirky and believable. Exactly what I’m striving to be 😗. This is the only reason I have social media to be fair, stumbling upon someone this talented is a privilege.
Adrien Gromelle’s animations
Ken Duncan (A fellow Canadian!) is another one. Classic master animator, who was also on the Bancroft Brothers Podcast, travelled all over the world animating through his 20s into his 30s, and now opened his own company, Duncan studios, in America doing contract work for all the big and small names, recently animating the 2D scenes in Mary Poppins. I aspire to be as fluid and talented as Ken Duncan, and still as humble as him. Bless him.
Duncan Studio & Mary Poppins work.
Another artist I really admire is Julian Narino, a story artist/animator based in Portland, OR. He was another Instagram find, and his illustrative style is so fun, energetic, and effortless. Which are all qualities I really admire and wish to acquire. I feel he’s found such a good balance of simple and complex. Almost perfect you could say. Really one of a kind.
Julian Narinos Art.
Last but NOT least I have to mention Kathy Zielinski. One of the first women to become a lead animator at Disney Studios, and just all around wizard at animation. She’s worked in the field for probably 30 years now. Her comical final year university project gets me. Its comedic and horrifying in all the right ways. Her work on Spirit of the Cimarron is a perfect interpretation of a horses movement. Her creation and animation of Frollo in Hunchback of Notre Dame is the one for me. Everything about that character she got smack on. Nothing but love for this lady. Also she works on the Simpsons now, like whhhhaaatt? Awesome.
These are just a few of the amazing artists out there that I hold in the highest esteem. These guys have been on my mind recently and they’ll probably never read this but, just wanted to let them know they inspire me everyday.
One of the tasks for this Module, is to design a creative CV that we can then use when we “fly the coop” and apply for jobs in the real world. I was stumped as where to start with this really. I had a one on one with my lecturer and she had some excellent ideas involving me re-drawing my avatar in different situations for social media, therefore further engaging my audience. So I took that idea and thought to apply it to the creative CV I was designing, I mean why not right? So I drew myself comically in the many different jobs I’ve had over the years etc.
Octopus Julianne.
I think it went pretty well. The feedback from my professor was great as always, and the CV is now looking better for it. To be honest I would never have thought to make a creative CV of my own accord, most of the CVs from my time in the field have been boring word documents, so I’m really glad to have the little push to do things I wouldn’t usually think of.
I was going through some old drawings in my attic today, and found quite a few old figure drawings that I had never shared on social media. They made me remember how much I really miss life drawing class, and the rush of trying to capture the gesture and movement of a pose in 2 to 10 minutes. I re-read FORCE: Dynamic Drawing for Animators and it really inspired me and just the amount of knowledge on mark making and line work inside it’s pages is immense.
Michael Mattesis Book
I feel it’s an essential skill to have as an animator, being able to draw motion quickly and “forcefully” from any angle is an invaluable skill in this profession.
Some movement drawings from Mattesis blog.
I was thinking how can I turn this passion for life drawing into something collaborative? The New Masters Academy has hundreds of free life drawing classes available 24/7. It would be such a fun idea to have a zoom call with my 3rd year cohort and life draw while drinking wine! Maybe it’ll turn into a traditional and we’ll carry on till we’re old, it’s a nice thought.
Drawings by yours truly – Julianne Farmer Drawings by yours truly – Julianne FarmerDrawings by yours truly – Julianne Farmer
I’ve just had the wonderful opportunity this Friday night to sit and have a listen to an expert in her field, Francesca Maxwell, talk all things visual storytelling. I think we all as avid tv gobblers notice certain things about movies, angles of shot etc. But for the most part we just enjoy what’s before us and don’t think about the WHY behind the planning of those shots or why they’re so crucial to the very core of the visual story we’re watching.
I was genuinely enlightened to be shown how much thought and planning goes into every shot in film and just how important something as simple as horizontal and vertical lines can be. The process going on behind the camera, the details put into colour and lighting really does make “your favourite film” your favourite film. Lovely eyeopener on a Friday evening.
I’m struggling with how to put this into tangible comprehensive words, hah! But I guess I’ll give it a go, here goes nothing!
To whom it may concern,
Hi, I’m Julianne. 3rd Year International Canadian BA Animation student specifying in 2D Character Animation, looking to be hired by you. Animation to me is more than a job, its my passion and hobby and to be honest I didn’t know that until recently. I’ve been in the workforce since I was 15 working in sales, construction, licensed beauty therapist for 4 years, and now a part-time marketing motion graphics designer alongside studying. I feel these job experiences have given me life skills, excellent work ethic, social skills, and admirable team player finesse. I’m also well versed in the Adobe Creative Suite family, Toon Boom Harmony, and TVPaint. I’m ready to start my working animation journey and I feel full of potential, so hopefully you’ll consider me for the job!
Sincerely, Julianne
I don’t know if it reads a bit too cocky you know? I just tried to imagine how I would say this in a interview to the person hiring me, all in good humour and humility of course! I genuinely am just really ready to learn and fail and everything in-between all wrapped up into a ball of me and I hope they’ll see that and hire me. Fingers crossed.
Julie & The Pencil 