2024.11.18

I'm currently:

  • diving into how gameplay animation works, using Unreal Engine and a lot of different YouTube videos to understand state machines, blend spaces, and other bits.
  • still on the job hunt, applying to interesting and novel jobs that I've not considered before to get us through an expensive period of life.
  • working out at least thrice a week, which might not seem much but that's more active than I've been in years!

    • 2024.07.12

    I'm currently:

  • getting significantly better at 3D - modeling everything from octopus' and old-school rotary phones, to texturing grenades and Indian religious statues.
  • back on the job hunt - looking to line something up once I finish this sabbatical in September.
  • starting to go regularly to a 'Functional Fitness' gym - turns out you have to pay a significant license to use the 'Crossfit' name! It doesn't seem much different to a fitness dilettante like me, though.

    • 2024.06.13

    I'm currently:

  • taking a semester after finishing 9 straight months of character animation to broadly improve my CG skills, focusing on modeling, look dev and texturing on the Fundamentals Course at TTTC.
  • working on my current assignment, which is to model out an environment concept. I'm learning loads about camera matching and hard surface modeling.
  • still finding small pockets of time wherever I can to continue working on the game. It's very slowly shaping up and I've made a lot more assets for it - now it's mostly about implementing the assets into the game, which I'm finding complicated.

    • 2024.04.30

    I'm currently:

  • getting better at character animation - working on my body mechanics through a class at Animschool.
  • working on a small game with my brother in Godot, learning to make assets and implement them into a game engine.

    • 2023.09.07

    I'm currently:

  • finishing up my last month of full time work before jumping into freelancing and studying.
  • relearning 3D from the ground up - exploring animation in-depth.
  • continuing to occasionally write on 'A Winding Path', reflecting on the artistic journey.

    • 2023.05.09

    I'm currently:

  • settling into a new city - I've moved from London to Bristol.
  • working on improving my draughtsmenship, design and anatomy by drawing in pen and searching for more appealing shapes.
  • writing and building a blog called 'A Winding Path', where I draw connections between all the different random and disparate things I've been learning.

    • 2022.11.14

    I'm currently:

  • drawing heads. A lot of heads. Learning to draw it from all angles by breaking it down into the simple gesture, the planar form, the skull, and then the features. It's a grind but it's getting there, the mileage is slowly paying off. I'm using the Expressions references at Bodies in Motion daily and can highly recommend it.
  • wrapping up some brief 3D sculpting - I learnt how to use zBrush this past month and sculpted a skull and a simple Asaro head to supplement my 2D learning. I'm figuring out what I want to focus on in 2023 in this regard.
  • starting to think about an end of year video where I talk about and show my progress in having drawn every day for a year.
  • getting ready for my driving test in the beginning half of December.
  • refocusing on my health, making sure I do SOME exercise everyday.

    • 2022.10.14

    I'm currently:

  • very happy after just finishing Peter Han's Dynamic Sketching class. Using those skills I'm refocusing back on anatomy - specifically the head and neck - while practicing good line confidence and breaking complex subjects down into more basic forms to understand.
  • practicing a new mix of balancing study alongside personal projects, and having my personal projects actually inform what I need to study. Current personal project is this website.
  • figuring out this other balance of my time now that my partner has moved in with me - this has meant a healthier schedule while also squeezing as much time as I can get for my personal work.
  • working on this complicated and tricky project for Deliveroo at Ignite, which has lead to a lot of learning new workflows and processes from my senior Walter.

    • 2022.08.29

    I'm currently:

  • building my foundational drawing skills (form and line confidence) with Peter Han's Dynamic Sketching class. I started to follow a similar program over 2 years ago, and I can feel that I've gotten much better since then.
  • collecting a portfolio to serve as an archive of my work across different disciplines.
  • preparing myself for a big lifestyle shift at the end of September.
  • challening myself with motion graphics at Ignite and learning from the designers around me. Possibly about to do a deep dive into AR which could be interesting.

    • 2022.03.02

    I'm working on:

  • 2D animation, going through Richard Williams' and Eric Goldberg's books (and finding so much great sakuga animation online!)
  • FIG1 from Brainstorm - the first proper art class I've ever enrolled in, it's kicking my butt. Steve Hampton is a really cool guy and a great instructor.
  • still learning to drive - I'm on 30 hours now. Getting closer and closer to the exam!

    • 2021.12.26

    I'm working on:

  • classical frame by frame animation inside Clip Studio Paint.
  • figure drawing by drawing gestures every morning.
  • a mini reel to put together the work I've made in 2021.
  • continuing to learn to drive - I'm getting better, I'm up to 16 hours.

    • I'm reading:

  • I'm finding this section tedious to update, so instead here's a link to the books I've read.

    • I'm currently in: London, UK

    2021.11.04

    I'm working on:

  • learning and practicing design by creating a styleframe after work everyday for the next two weeks. This has been extremely satisfying to practice; the time flies by.

    • I'm reading:

  • the same books as the last update - but I finished The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri

    • I'm currently in: London, UK

    2021.10.25

    I'm working on:

  • finishing off my vellum learning in Houdini so I can pause for two weeks to focus on design.
  • continuing with the rest of Level 2 of Talk To Me In Korean.
  • continuing with Interneting Is Hard and Jon Duckett's book on Javascript and JQuery (I finished the one on HTML and CSS).
  • learning to drive - I've had 6 hours of class so far.

    • I'm reading:

  • Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens
  • The Language of Graphic Design by Richard Poulin

    • I'm currently in: London, UK

    2021.09.21

    I'm working on:

  • learning Vellum in Houdini.
  • remembering phrases from the first 6 lessons of Level 2 of TalkToMeInKorean.
  • learning more about Web Design and Development before continuing to build this website. I'm doing this by going through Interneting Is Hard and Jon Duckett's books on HTML, CSS, Javascript and JQuery (thanks Rob).

    • I'm reading: The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St. Clair

    I'm currently in: London, UK

    2021.09.06

    I'm working on:

  • learning RBD sims in Houdini by designing a specific destruction shot for Graft's upcoming reel.
  • working through Level 2 of TalkToMeInKorean.
  • designing and developing this very website.

    • I'm reading: Starting Point by Hayao Miyazaki

    I'm currently in: London, UK