Unearthing Delights

Hi and Welcome on my site. I'm Franky and I'm motion graphic designer and filmmakers who recently liver and works in Manchester, UK. Here you can find a collection of my best projects, also some info about my activities, hobbies and interests. Have a nice time :P

[frnky69]

My way of doing things ...

Today's session I devoted for quite silent but very important issue I committed in last project - my recording style. Not so long ago we got feedback talking about our last two projects and guess so, in both I had lack of consistency in presenting information, recording all steps I'm taking during my development process, it seams like very chaotic and unsorted work from theirs point of view and I am loosing a lot of marks because of it. So this time I decide to really work on it and make it much better, more professional and complete from 'each side'.

I decided I'll be working with research folder, notepad, sketchbook in same time and in proper time I'll add laboratory logbook to record each step I'm taking inside software and with projectors. Possibly I'll be recording my software sessions to backup my logbook which should have more textual descriptions of what I'm doing on screen. Reason for this is to keep clean order in my work. 

Concept is very simple and I believe it will help me work on my working style. Basically I want to have folder with initial research which I'll transfer into small journal book with most important information etc. and notes about them ( it has to be like a proper journey log book with information's, pictures, notes etc. ). Than I'll pick up best ideas and concepts and turn them into visual in sketchbook which will contain bigger sketches and more detailed information. And in the end I'll be filling in laboratory logbook with information about concept plans, technical aspects, my digital work and tests with projector. 

It all has one purpose - learn me consistency in recording what I'm working on. There is no other way except hard work! 

[frnky69]

Sougwen Chung is a Chinese-Canadian artist based in New York Brooklyn. She's a multidisciplinary artist who works with different types of media like graphics design, animations, set design, sound design, light design. She is a prefect example of an modern artist which brakes the barriers between fine and digital art making them very transparent and fluent. She uses few unique techniques which makes her work very outstanding. Flat images together with 3d structures ( part of image which isn't painted flat) and video mapping which adds more depth into her art work. And makes it alive!

Her style is described in a way where " ... form meets formless, sound meets vision, and made-hand meets made-machine ...". And indeed her style is very fluent, unreal, seems shapeless because nothing is written into edges or outlines of image and all of them are often creaked by animations and lights. She creates very 'contrastful' creations where black and white seems to dominate until shows is on and projector starts to through out rays of light. Also her drawing style is very unique. Very complicated, full of details and craziness at once. It seems like she has ability to interpret the reality in very unreal and 'hydro-cristal', spiritual way.

One of the installation she introduced to the audience on Mapping Festival 2013 called CHIAROSCURO:

http://vimeo.com/66443975

 She became my another inspiration in my work towards end of year show. She just introduced me a nice and simple concept of creating visual illusion by making things pop out from flat image and adding extra depth by lights. It is a nice concept, bit like origami, I'm thinking of now. It could suit to my idea better rather doing one big flat painting and animations around it. This one could be even more alive, dynamic and interesting.       

It might be the concept of visual illusion I would go for! I'll be still researching more :-P

[frnky69]

Reflections after presentation!

Hmm ... we are all after another presentation day. This one was very important only because it is related to my last degree project which I should be working on till 30th of May. So we all devoted quit a lot of time for preparing and researching.

But ... awwwrrrrr ... I am very disappointed from my attitude. This spouse to be my best presentation but actually it was the worst. I got completely lost between my thoughts in the middle of the presentation! And I could not find my way to get out of that position. I just spoke till end but without any passion about my project which actually makes me so excited. It is pathetic how easily I have lost my attitude.

There are few things which went wrong. First, I have added to many extra words during actual presentation comparing to my plan. I leaded me to the point where I had no idea where I am on slides and what is next. Second, I was so stressed that I forgot about some important information that suppose to trigger all the aspects I wanted to present. Third, I think I had too much in it. There was too many aspects I wanted to speak about and I just couldn't present it on this level of my english without issues. I have over-grade my english skills and I thought I'll be able to make it!

So now, my biggest concern is: I got too confident with english! Actually, I have still work on it a lot, learn much more words which might help me in the future describe things and projects, attend some courses to develop my confidence respectively to my english level. And then I will better under pressure! I need to build up my confidence again.       

Speaking about my project I think I did not present it very well or I have not described my idea in a confident and sufficient way. Although I was trying to keep myself together I know I have missed few important informations. Apparently the feedback was not so devastating ( happy), but I still need to consider what platform I'll use to utilize my project.

So now it is a time to work on submission till 7th of this month and think about bigger research.     

[frnky69]

Well ...

it was a nice two days I have spent working on this trial video mapping surrounded by peaceful environment of small town called Bury and I have came up with very easy and short animations I  decided to use on my presentation after next two days. Basically I wanted to present that I'm very familiar with this technique, that I'm not going to create any more advanced stuff, but I just want to create interactions between fine art and digital art, connect them. Somewhere inside my brain, deep in subconscious I always wanted to bring my skills together and use a video mapping on graffiti around streets so I guess this is a time to use that idea and bring it out of my head.

It turned out as a very interesting test and practice. I have managed to align painting with animation quite well like for 20 min of work. Also, it showed that if we will create a nice map it will be very easy to connect painting with animations. One thing I'll be still researching and considering is black paint. As you can see it isn't reflecting lights very well. From different angles it is almost impossible to see any animations on black lines/parts of painting. I think it is two glossy! So I'll be testing different shades of grey and types of black paint. Maybe matt paint would work better?     

[frnky69]

Preparing for presentation pitch!

When the ideas grows inside our brains...

slowly we are getting to the point in which we need to present it. And wow it's just ahead us, already in next week! Days are busy now and there is lots of planning and preparing involved. On last two sessions with our tutors in college we have been comparing our ideas with expectation and possibilities we could use. And the result is: we need to spend yet again some amount of time finishing and polishing our ideas, finding appropriate ways of speaking ( words and gestures), think about attention and how to keep audience interested on topic and what we could include in our presentations to make it more interesting and interactive.

I still need to correct some of the issues like be more formal but balance out how do not be too formal - I'll try to use more descriptions and visual material rather throwing out just an informations. I need to prepare some hand outs for a panel and I thinking of using that particular technique to make them feel connected with presentation ( when I'll be speaking about mine city I could hand out some pictures of most recognizable places). Also, would be nice to back up my idea by my past projects and experiences, so should include some informations about last two projects and CRS - it would show the progress of my and my skills. Also point out direction I'm going now. There are still few more ideas in my head how to make it better. Test shots and trial video mapping could be very cool - it would show that I know the technique and how to develop it.

All this has one purpose! Make us look more professional and ready to work on our concepts and research more deeply. Some aspects I known for the past presentation but there are some cool ideas I haven't heard off before. Definitely it ( new amount of information) could help me pass this pitch with highest grade I could get and I'll be working on it in next 5 days :)                  

[frnky69]

Idea B has been approved and it's under development ... :P

After one-on-one tutorial with my tutors we got to the same decision and we've agreed that it is enough of technical research I for me on this stage and instead of working and involving some new technical stuff into my installations I should stop, consider what I know and use it in best way I can. So I'm not going to work with interactive installations, I'll be still researching it and developing myself for future purposes, but now in order to achieve best project I possibly can I'll be working with video mapping and content of it. It has been said, that I know quite lot about technical aspects of video mapping, but it took over creative side and I'm not using my knowledge from artistic point of view. I they, who said it, they are right!

So this time, for my last uni project, I'll be working on my own, personal, artistic installations, which would express my interpretation of relaxation and staying calm. Inspired by book I'm reading now Learn to Meditate I have decided to create a art work with would take the audience into world of piece, relax and 'emotional chillness'. This is the purpose of it: keep them for a bit in one place and get them relaxed, make them feel good, like in a wold they never been before. I wish to achieve this by using 3 senses: smell, sight and hearing. Chilled music which enhance relaxation, some incenses around the main part of my exposition and of course visual pleasure of watching astonishing video mapping show on a painting done on the wall or canvases.

This is why I have included video about in this post, because it has became my inspiration and visual interpretation of what I'm aiming to do using different type of theme. AntiVJ once more amazed me by their work which by connecting new technologies with old painting techniques ( perspective, optical illusion and perception) they has created awesome piece of art on a flat image. Inside the video we might listen what is the name of that particular technique, what is the reason of it and how it make the flat images more exciting to watch. It will be my topic to research how to create more depth on flat image.                 

[frnky69]

Reflection about past two modules ...

OK, so here we are as a students of BA Creative Media& Visual Communication ... We are just ahead of presentation pitch and also we are straight after a reflective feedback from our tutors. It seems like we need to put much more effort and work harder, better, crisp out all the ideas and submission parts, think twice before we'll say it's done. Basically we all know each other quite some time and they know we can do better. BA students needs do it better!

Firstly I kind of sad we didn't pull off all are best skills to get best grades we possibly could get and some of us done it 'just because we had to'. This is general feedback about our group but now it's time for me and my reflections. Pass two modules where quite busy and hard for me, especially Creative Reflective Studies and essay itself. Therefore are some certain aspects we all each other and as a individuals need to work on this time. Quality, quality of submission and ATD - attention to details. We has made some stupid mistakes which we shouldn't as a BA students. It is very general sentence describing everything what has been submitted. Sketchbook, mine was very poor and I have to work on it this time and make it special, developing process needs to be recorded more accurately and detailed, no more shitty labels on DVDs, no more hand-written subtitles etc. on DVDs, CDs, sketchbook need to be designed from the first page till last one and we have to think how to record each stage of our work in funky, arty way. 

Considering this my last submissions were very poor. Instead of thinking about all project and each part of submission as a whole thing, I got focused on quality of my animations and renders. I took me quite while to get them sorted, so I've lost a bit of time. Also, I've worked very slowly with my sketchbook, so I didn't turn out good. This time I have to work on it from the start and do not leave some things for later.

Well, there is a lot of work and thing we need to done better this time but we still has some time to reconsider and restate what we are doing here at BA degree course, what are future plans and what level of effort we want to put in our last, end of year project. Answering that questions I'll ask myself: is there any point of doing it in easy way?

NO! NO,NO,NO! So get it done in best way I can and I know I can much more then last time!  

[frnky69]

Breakdown of me idea no. two … :)

Because interactive art installations requires quite a lot of specific knowledge probably I’ll have to drop that idea on this stage and develop other one’s. Here I’m presenting picture of my new painting I have done as a worm up and test for (maybe) my future project. This one was done for special person by a sprays and markers on canvas.

Speaking about the idea I wish to take a word ‘interactive’ into other direction and, instead of making connections between art and audience, make connections between two types of art: fine art and digital art. They both would connect each other creating astonishing visual show where fine art, painting made by me, would be fully filled by visuals and animated by moving images made by me as well. There is another idea in my head, collaboration. If i wish I would consider collaboration with Irek Tankpetrol who’s my favorite stencil artist. So right now I’m in the middle of making decisions which one I would present of 3th of March and what would be my final project.

This exercise had to remind me what drawing means and make me feel confident with canvas again. It turned out pretty well, don’t you think? After few years my first canvas painting … :D I’m happy. All that time didn’t make me totally digitalized and computerized. I’m still having it somewhere and not afraid to use it! I still have to work on a lines and fades between the colors, but I will work on it if I’ll decide to work with painting instead of making interactive installations.  

So far I’m still dedicated to both and I’ll attend on workshops with Elliot Woods next month to get some hands-on experience. I’ll developing skills in VVVV environment and I’ll try to speak about mine ‘interactive’ idea. Workshops will take a place between 20 -21th of March in MadLab Manchester. So, I might present one idea on presentation pitch and leave place for interactivity in it if … 

[frnky69]

I knew there will be a lot of coders and technicians, but for God sake, wazz up with you all? ... I have decided to attend Manchester Digital Talent Day which were hosted in the Town Hall of Manchester city in order to expand some informations about coding, processing and creating networks. This even is specifically targeted into media and computer technologies students form Manchester and surrounding areas of North West England. The purpose of it is to brings all the medias together and help connect them, inform them and maybe get some of them into world of professionals. The idea is pleasing! It seems like a good event hosted by Town Hall just once per year ( this is a shame) with many opportunities to speak with guys from BBC at the top of the list. For some it is a great place for creating a networks and looking for a permanent jobs - many of hosted companies simply looking for a fresh talents which can fill in available places. But for me? It was a very commercial and unpleasing experience. I'm feeling like there is no place for art inside commercial world which is full of clients, deadlines, web designers, graphic designers and marketers. I felt like they are rushing so much they have no time for nice and creative conversation. Maybe I was there too late and some of guys were too tired of speaking with different persons all day? Even if, we are all committed to designing and creating, so I would say 'stop being so restricted and open your minds'. There are other things to speak about than applications and web sites ... There is world of videos, animations, fine art, different events and happenings, spirituality :D, music ... If it would be an event just for web developers, coders and marketers, I wouldn't think the way I think now. I guess I wouldn't go there, it's just not my world ... But it was for everyone, was it? I have got into contact with just two agencies, which were quite interesting for me as a motion graphic designer and that is all I could say about Manchester Digital Talent Day. I was bit disappointed but I would give 8 out of 10 stars to the event for a purposes and idea. Next time it has to be just more balanced, so everyone could find something interesting for themselves. And people, please, be more open next time. Open your minds and breath by small things which makes our happier and better :P

[frnky69]

My research took me to the place I have never thought of before! As I'm struggling with finding any relevant informations about technical and technological aspects about interactivity in art, interactivity produced out of technological achievements and how to use it in order to create installation I'm thinking of. I was forced to go to University of Manchester and spend more than 1 hr with proper computer geeks inside Computer Science department and that was a very good decision. Luckily, yesterday I've been invited by Manchester Digital on a 1 hr session with hands-on experience and explanations - short presentation - of Raspberry Pi computer and coding with Python and I have used it. I used it properly and more than properly! 13th of Feb 1.30pm it was a time for session to begin. At first I wish to thank them for introducing me a smallest computer I have ever seen. Raspberry Pi, which is not really bigger than credit card. Also, I have been introduced to Minecraft and Python coding environment. I had a chance to introduce myself and what I'm doing and why I'm here? It all leaded me to a brilliant conversation with mid age woman, she didn't introduce herself to me, but that is not important. She gave me a massive advices, where do I could look for help in order to unravel mystery of my idea and who is working with this type of installations around Manchester. MadLab http://madlab.org.uk/ Manchester Girl Geeks http://manchester.girlgeekdinners.com/" Manchester Raspberry Pi Jam http://mcrraspjam.org.uk/" This three places are highly recommended for me to visit and I'm already researching them. It all leaded me to the guy called Elliot Woods who apparently is one of the biggest person in a world of video mapping. And he's the one who's providing workshops about 3d video mapping, processing and Kinect in mapping here in Manchester. This made my day becausefinally I have moved with my research. I know some basics and I know where to look for more informations and help! Considering all this I much more happier now because I have got plenty on new experiences and new contacts with persons who knows more about computer science. It really opened my world and took me off the computer forcing in same time to go out and actually speak with people. Really great day, full of positive vibes and achievement in my research. Definitely I want to attend ( at least attend) on a workshops provided by that Elliot Woods. Madlab seems as a place I need now, so maybe I would hang out there since now? who knows ... :P

[frnky69]

This is my brand new animation I have used as a part of my submission for Professional Creative Practice module on year 3 of my BA degree. Rendered from Cinema4D with additional effects and animations added inside After Effects. I'm pretty happy because it is done by myself from the scratch - without any help from uncle google. It is core animation for my last video mapping production. You can see the final result on my YT channel or here on Tumblr few post before.

[frnky69]

I wish to share with you by some video which is very inspiring for me and I'm drawing much of my own inspirations from it. Done by Spanish collective called ThingsHappen it shows how funny and cool may be mixing of projections, Kinect technology and music. It seems like an easy idea but it works perfectly for me. As a audience I could spend an ages on playing with it just for fun, not admitting that I wish to understand how do they done it! I have never been into using Kinect cameras in visual art but since MadMapper introduced Kinect Mask module I have rising my interest and now I wish to try it myself. And ThingsHappen pushed me even further, so now I'm spending much of my days doing researches around the web and Manchester. Personally I thing the fact that video mapping becoming more and more interactive and people/artists can play integral part of projections/presentations make it so interesting and extraordinary comparing to the traditional techniques. I'm not trying to say that interactivity and video mapping is much better than everything else but indeed its very competitive and it could change our cities into some cool interactive advertising zones. It is very futuristic vision but from time to time we are able some attempts around the world ... Anyway ThingHappen produced idea which is inspiring for me. In a way I wish to reproduce it changing just a details in my way like instead of using color or RGB sliders boxes use a different graphics/ moving images which person with hand as a cursor could turn on and off as a guy on video above. Also I wish to send the output through MadMapper and map it on a sculpture. But before I'll start working on designs I need to end my technical research and see if I'll be able to make it, what are the requirements and costs and what kind of technical skills I need.

[frnky69]

Back on new track :P

After all rush with last two units I had few lovely days off in Newcastle and I'm back with fresh batteries and new ideas for my last Uni project. While me and my course-mates waiting for grades I focused myself on new idea I'm having in my mind and researching it! I'm feeling very excited about it BUT it is something that may be too difficult for me on this stage. I can't really tell now if I'll be able to make it or not - my current research would help me answer that question I hope really soon. Basically I'm taking my all skills into interactive direction and I wish to come up with interactive installation in the end of my Final Major Project. I'm thinking would be really nice to attract the audience by making the an integral part of our exhibition and at the moment it is my main goal. I've got few ideas in my mind so far, which I'm researching: - real time vjing ( people would be able to control the content of projection), - using Kinect camera to turn them into remote controller ( motion tracking involved), - output mapped on the structure I would develop in the middle of project. As a newbie in interactive installations I'm really looking now for any resources which may get me closer to understanding what needs to be done in my particular case. I'm getting into contacts with different artists and designers from UK and Europe in order to find some informations. So far I now it will be very challenging and I'm also preparing my back up idea in a case that interaction aspect would turn out as a too extreme and difficult technology for me on this level. I really love this idea and I feel like it would be my best ever project, best idea even when it seems for me very minimalist ... But simply I'm ending BA degree so I have to be also realistic in order to end with good amount of work and best quality possible. I'm looking forward for this next few months ... :P

[frnky69]

My brand new 3D video mapping test and part of submission from mu Uni project. Made on a small scale object. It is an extension of my previous animation I have posted on YT and FB, but this time it is really mapped on a structure. Sorry for projection quality - sadly that projector wasn't supporting HD resolution :(

[frnky69]

Essay draft feedback: Future of advertising?

Last afternoon I had a feedback sessions with my tutors. It wasn’t good, but wasn’t bad. It seems like I need to expand my research because I’ve got not enough of informations to support my arguments.

From a start I should reconsider my subject matter and clear out my argument because now it is confusing. People may have impression that I’m writing about something but I’m not really sure about what I’m writing about. I can’t predict anymore, I need to use more figures and opinions/words of others to support my essay theme. Also, there is too much of my point of view. I should build my point of view by mid section of my essay where I’m comparing different opinions of others, different aspects of my subject matter. Basically I need dig deeper and expand my research. Also maybe slightly change the direction: do not try to show how video mapping is better than traditional ad techniques, but maybe show just a advantages of video mapping over traditionals?

Definitely I have got something, like a pizza base, to work on and make it “spice chicken pizza”. I just need to add that extra toppings to make it spicy and good enough because this draft wouldn’t pass this unit :( :)

[frnky69]

CRS - quick review of my ideas :)

For my year 3 BA degree Critical Review Studies we had to came up with something we wish to write about in essay. It could be something what we like or want to discover, develop, learn etc. To be honest it is not so easy when you have plenty of interests and you're open on everything what is around you. I was struggling with it a lot.

My first thought, before beginning of this year was to do an essay about video technique called video mapping, but there is not a lot of information about it, is new emerging technology, so I was simply struggling with my research. So I have moved on my other interests.

I have looked around me I found out that Graffiti was a big part of my life when I was living in my home city. So I decided to look at it and write an essay about Graffiti and how do we see it now? Is it a vandalism or it's an art now?

Whole concept was good for me and just for me. It turned out as a not good for BA level. Presentation pitch and feedback I have got showed I'm not sure what I want to speak about and my topic was used plenty of times before, so NO. It is not good enough.  

Few more sessions with my tutors and head master of BA department has expanded my thoughts a lot. So I'm back on video mapping. I have done a new research about video mapping but this time, it was involving political messages, graffiti and destructive vs. non destructive aspect of graffiti and video mapping. It was very exciting but too wide open. I need something smother, I have to narrow down my ideas a choose just the essence ...

Hope I'll get there soon ... wish me good luck :P

[frnky69]

Today I'm back on Tumblr with my new animation made for Wear The Future ( http://www.wearthefuture.co.uk/). They are independent clothing company based in Manchester, UK and they are passionate about cloths, music and life style. As a intern I have been asked to produce intro for their future video productions. It has had to be quick and futuristic but made in funny and snappy way. I came up with few concepts but this one seems to be the best for them. Originally animation was 10 sec. long, but we decided to cut it down to 7 sec. Here's final result.

I was a hard task for me and I have spent few weeks working of concept. Then, another few long hrs in After Effects and Illustrator. In the end I was really happy. For the first time I did glitchy effects on my animation and I think the end result is pretty good. I have learned new techniques, which makes my AE works smother and faster. This is brilliant. Plus two more visual styles - combination of of glitchy and snappy sequences. It could be useful in my future projects, especial in a film productions. It is just a simple extra bit to add on your footages to make them look better and more interesting. 

This version is currently accepted as a final :P

Thx guys!