EVOKE | SENIOR THESIS
In this main project, Motion Design seniors at the Ringling College of Art + Design will select one of their explorations to develop. We were challenged to create a final original work that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. This project should show experimentation, self-expression, and pursuit of an individual aesthetic.
CATEGORY
Cel & 2D Animation
RELATED DICIPLINES
Graphic Design
2D/3D Animation
Visual Essay
DETAILS
Custom music by Kelly Warner
Flexible with media and lengthHigh Level of Complexity
FINAL ANIMATION
EXPLORATION + PROCESS
DIRECTION 01 | 2D Graphic Illustration
DIRECTION 02 | 2D + 3D Textural Collage
DIRECTION 03 | Expressive Illustration + Cel
I spent a considerable amount of time exploring various options to ensure that my project's visual style matched my concept and message. After much experimentation, I landed on Direction 03 as it perfectly aligned with the tone I wanted to convey. To bring my scenes to life, I dedicated a significant amount of time to creating the scenes in 3D using Cinema4D. After that, I rotoscoped over them using Procreate and Photoshop before finally compositing everything in After Effects.
DIGGING DEEPER |
When considering the concept for my thesis, I knew that I wanted to reflect upon the incredible experiences I've had at Ringling College of Art and Design over the past four years. Throughout my journey, I've been fortunate to meet amazing people and create countless memories that have filled my heart with joy. When considering further, I couldn't help but drift to one of my favorite poets, Morgan Harper Nichols. One of her poems, in particular, struck me with its message of moving forward while holding on to the beauty of the past. This was the perfect way to describe the feeling of graduating, in a way that celebrates my college classmates, friends, and memories.
REAL WORLD INSPO |
When it came to creating the styleframes for my project, I found myself drawing inspiration from my own memories and personal photographs. After all, this project is a tribute to the people and experiences that have shaped my life, so it only made sense to feature them in the artwork. By using real-life moments and snapshots as the foundation for my design, I was able to capture the essence of the memories that I hold dear and bring them to life in a way that is both heartfelt and visually stunning.
MOTION BREAKDOWN & PROCESS |
STYLEFRAMES + THEIR REAL-WORLD INSPO |
AUDIO |
Working closely with Ringling's Department of Motion Design's very talented sound designer Kelly Warner, I was able to have a totally custom music track made specifically for this piece. Kelly helped me early on establish a tone for the sound track and we spent hours working on creating the melody and sound effects heard throughout the piece. Along with this, I recruited one of my best friends and fellow motion designer Kaisin Qiu to be the voice-over for this piece.
Thank you for looking through this semester long journey of mine, and extra thank you to all those who have helped create beautiful moments to be remembered! <3
