Seventeen*1

Whilst searching for a simple psd that continues to elude me I stumbled across all my uni work from 2007. Man, what a difference there was between my 2nd Year work and my 3rd and 4th year work. It's like all my enthusiasm was destroyed in the first half of 3rd year and it all went down hill from there. At the moment I have been feeling a bit down, but this has encouraged me to retake that enthusiasm to life in general - so expect some cool shit to happen from here on! I needed a boost, so I'm pretty stoked that I found it!

A few choice snapshots that I unearthed included the above image of my work station circa 2007. Such a cluttered wonderful mess it was. Two computers, one awesome tablet and a keyboard tray that my brand new girlfriend would break probably about a week later! (damn you Elizabeth!). I cannot wait to move in October and set up something just as wonderful in my new place. This was all taken around the time I was doing my 'recreate a special effect' assessment which for me included attempting to use a model of an AT-AT to create one of the greatest scenes in Star Wars. The model required epic slicing and dicing and the creation of knee joints amongst other things in order to actually have the required functionality. It went pretty well. I can't seem to find the final video (which had a terrible snowspeeder comp going on) but I did find this one of the shots of the walker. Not terrible for my first stop motion attempt.

Need 4 Melbourne

So over Wagga and uni, I cannot wait until I complete my course and move to somewhere with a different climate to Young as well. I need something new and different and not as regimented as Uni. I desperately want to be able to finish work and then not have to think about anything I want rather than have to worry about assessments and the expectations of lecturers etc.

Uni is not really doing anything for me at the moment, there are moments of excitement but overall I just lack the enthusiasm that I should have and I think this is due to the structure and the general nature of uni. I don’t care for some of the assessment tasks I am being given to do and that I am afraid that this is reflected in the final product. I want to do something different, but the guidelines of the subject or assessment do not allow me to do the things I want. I try anyway and am feeling as though I am missing the mark in part on some things. But I fear this is quite normal for being in 4th Year of Uni.

I need something new to inspire me. I need a new place, a new job and some new hobbies. I find myself not caring for the opinions and petty cliques of those people around me, whether it is friends or colleagues at uni. I find that a group in one degree in particular has developed a complex that they seem to deem it acceptable that they treat the people that they once respected with a rather large amount of disregard – even those that count themselves friends with these individuals. I would like to say that this is my opinion alone but I am afraid that it is not. This is unacceptable as far as I am concerned but I no longer have the patience to put up with this. This is one of my many reasons for wishing that uni was over right now so that I could get the hell out of Wagga, move to Melbourne and do something of merit and that I enjoy more than what I am currently undertaking.

Gigs

Alot has been happening in the 3 weeks or so that I haven’t posted so I have got a few catch up posts to do. I have been working on the website for SYMPOSIA09 which is an annual design symposium held in Wagga Wagga similar to AGIDEAS and SEMI-PERMANENT. The little edits and tweaks of the information are the most time consuming, including several alterations in regards to the pricing alone! But this is something that is inherently unavoidable in this particular industry. I have also been working on concepts for motion titles for the event which will introduce the speakers and their work, as well as brainstorming for another motion graphics project that I can’t really speak about as of yet.

These are progressing at an acceptable rate, which just happens to be a rapidly as is allowed. This combined with my final graphic design assessment for the semester (environmental design) is taking up the majority of my time, whilst trying to fit in bits and pieces of things that I enjoy.

I have been to 2 gigs at the Uni Bar in the past 3 or so weeks; Faker and Josh Pyke. Both were incredibly enjoyable, although I was surprised that Josh Pyke pulled a larger crowd than Faker. One part of Faker’s performance that I greatly appreciated was their attitude, it’s great that bands make an effort to come to the smaller centres (such as Wagga) and they obviously enjoy coming; obvious with the way that Faker interacted with the crowd, not dissimilar to Gyroscope’s efforts last year. Josh Pyke had a similar reaction to Wagga and the uni, and his performance was better than what is on his albums – which is definitely something that you look for in seeing a band live, otherwise what is the point in going to a concert?

AGDA Poster Annual

Received the weekly update from AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) today which had a link to their annual poster competition, deadline is the 5th June and I have decided that I should most definitely do something for it. If nothing else it will provide me with a new portfolio piece – something that displays my passion for the area in which I will soon be seeking employment. Because I do get very excited about design and animation and as my lecturers having been mentioning of late – the majority of students portfolios (especially those coming out of CSU) display ‘student’ works which are undertaken as assessment items (non-negotiable) and no works undertaken as a personal endeavour and therefore do not display you interest and passion. And of course if i was actually short-listed or anything as amazing as that it would look fantastic in a portfolio/in a cv!

So my work for this poster will be a passion piece, I shall place updates on this blog and you can check out the brief here.