Oh Wow.

At Ottawa this year I showed the little concept walkcycle to Amid & Jerry of Cartoon Brew and Will Krause. Jerry and Amid recommended I check out this feature from 1983 called "Twice Upon a Time". Oh my god folks this thing is stunning. New favorite inspiration piece, I think we've found each other.

I swear I do work on things.

Not the best at running a blog, am I?

Hi new visitors from Ottawa! That was a blast, wasn't it?

As mentioned back in May I did take a bit of a hiatus from art. The film is deep in production now and I'm going to try to start updating here a bit more.

I got my first taste of film yesterday when Steve Stanchfield and Richard Roy shot wedge tests for a little drive in theater policy trailer we're finally wrapping up after 3 years on-and-off of work. Man that's going to be great to see done. It was really interesting to see the Oxberry launch into action and I'm just more excited to shoot my own work.

Here's something I should have posted ages ago! I follow Evan Dahm's Webcomics like a diehard fan and in celebration of him starting his third (3rd!!!) online graphic novel this summer I painted our heroine Vattu. He was nice enough to post it on his site but I never shared it here!

Oops.

I haven't posted in a month. I honestly can't say I've done much worth posting about in the past month though. Just a lot of thinking, a lot of things getting shaken up and resettling, a lot of over-thinking, and a lot of need to build back some confidence.
I'll try to be back in my stride as soon as I can, better then before.

Oh look, I'm still working on that film...

Hey! I've been keeping the work from my film rather hidden, but progress is a-happnin. Unfortunately I keep redoing the backgrounds over and over. I just had a pretty nice one and I decided to do this paint splatter and awwwww man. Redo.
But today I also learned about how the Oxberry functions! It's a little intimidating but I've got time. I'm starting to understand the film process stronger as well. I sure hope I'll be able to make shooting on 35mm a reality!
Anyways here's two photos from Wally the Oxberry fun. I'll take a really great glamour shots of the beast next time so the world may know what it looks like.

Hey I recut my demo reel a few weeks ago, figured I should share it!

Kate Burck Demo Reel 2010 from Kate Burck on Vimeo.

More Concept-ie Stuff

More potential concept thesis stuff. Definitely getting stronger but still not at the look I want. Either way, enjoy!

I Like Kitschy Houses

I truly do.

Old Art is still Tasty

I was actually going to post something new, but when I went to find the file for it, I stumbled upon this old piece. Two years ago I did some super quick character/style concept for the Biore web spots I did a bit of work on. They went for a different look in the end but they were trying to get something that "was flash but didn't feel like flash".
Either way, I still like these.

Patterns Are Delicious.

Have some concept art. :D

Sooooo Many Buildings.

I should update this blog with new stuff about my film, but it seems I am unreliable about that (plus I'm rather reluctant to show work to the wide web, my film festival chances are too valuable.) Rest assured the film goes on. Nearly finished all the leaves in the first 2 shots, about to head on to shot 3, then 4, and then I'll be in the second act.
But I'm being a craaazy spring breaker and ignoring my film for this!

The school has partnered with the Ann Arbor Film Festival to allow us students to make sponsor bumpers that play before and after the screenings. The Festival people will be picking 5 to use! Mine is a flash piece and if all goes well, terribly endearing.

The Hardest Button to Button

Started animating the film last (tuesday) night. It's both thrilling and nerve-wracking. I honestly haven't really animated in half a year but I think I'm slipping back into things comfortably. While being incredibly frustrated with it last night I thought something that's probably going to become my mantra the next 7 to 8 weeks. "Stop trying to animate it, start feeling it." Animation is method acting to me. Long and excruciating method acting that I wouldn't have any other way.
Before getting into animating the film, I did warm up a few weeks ago with this little clip of Eede. I draw her playing tambourine a LOT. I figured I should eventually animate that!

Dance, Eede! Dance! from Kate Burck on Vimeo.

*Reposted the video to Vimeo. I think I've given up on youtube.

Crazy times in Character Design

Wow I've been getting doozy assignments in Character Development the past two weeks. Last time it was 6 villains, most of which I posted, this week was 12 designs for a made up film called "Attack of the Oogly Boogly". The rough part is our class was canceled Wdnesday, and I only got the email Friday afternoon. So I haven't been able to get feedback on any of my questions! Right now I'm stuck on an Elephant-like Dragon. It's all pretty confusing because I don't have any idea how these character's connect, but I'm still having fun! I described my inspirations as "60's Beach Party Brofest meets Space Ace meets Kitchy low-budget si-fi"
Well anyways, heres some of those characters I don't know the purpose of yet. 6 evil little devils. Are there devils in space then? Only Monday morning will tell.

Today's Post Brought to you by VILLAINS!

I have Character Development with Keith Newton this semester and it's been a really great class so far. Our last assignment was to redesign iconic villains. I could babble about my concepts behind all of these but that's boring.

Professor Moriarity from Sherlock Holmes


The Bogeyman


Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty


The White Queen from The Chronicles of Narnia

Sweetening

Here's another fluffer visual development piece for my presentation boards:

I forgot to title this post?

It's been quiet since my last post. I vegged out over break, thank god. But school's back in session and my film is swinging into high gear. I'm getting pretty excited again, not that I wasn't before, but you know.
Audio's finally coming a long and I'm starting on the background layouts! But I have a presentation for it this coming wednesday, so as a little extra background fluff for the presentation boards, I did these two little illustrations of Eede and F.

I went on a long hunt for polaroid brushes that were high res enough before I stumbled upon an even better option: Poladroid. I want to make more of these!