Witches, sketches and Lincoln

I've nearly finished the animatic for the "Witch Betty". I had lots of fun drawing her facial expressions - I used to hate doing this as my first attempts looked like drawings made by 3-year old. But I think they are getting slightly better. I think I've reached at least 4-year old level.
I would love to go back to life drawing classes to draw some nudes. Specially, if there would be lots of different types of models and not the same Scott with his mustachio again and again and again and again and again!!!
Hopefully, ones we are slightly less busy we'll get to do life drawing again.
I also forgot to mention, that I've got the job in Lincoln!
It's only for a couple of weeks, but I'm really looking forward for it! The company is called "Electric Egg",  they do videos, photography and animation, and the guys that work in there are really nice.
The only thing - I'm still not entirely sure about where to stay in Lincoln, but I'm quite positive, that I'll think of something.
Nevertheless, any suggestions are welcome! Except the one about staying in a caravan. Or camping. Caravan is not a completely terrible idea, but I would be terrified to live in it on my own in the middle of nowhere with wild bears and badgers creeping around.

Here's Betty Boo:

Betty Boo

Well, it seems that our Oddball is getting very busy recently. It is two projects, that are currently on our plate and must be done in 2 weeks time. One of them is an animation about MS and the other one is a short animation about a witch.

It is the second short that we are making as Jeff and Sandie, lovely people that asked us to do the first part, kindly suggested to produce one more.

They are making short educational films for school children and want to add an animated title sequence to the films.

First animation had three witch characters and the recent one has an additional little story-teller witch.

As communicating via e-mail with Jeff and Sandie became more and more complicated because of the use of the words "witch" and "which" I selfishly decided to name the last witch as Betty. And today my achievement of the day was  coming up with a full name for her - "Betty Boo".

I'll ask Dan and Alex do I get a Gold star for this.

I'm adding few Betty designs (Jeff and Sandie liked the first Betty):

The interview

So I've got this job interview on tuesday. It's a job for a few weeks in animation, it sounds nice and it would be great to do it.

It is obviously not the first job interview I'll be going to, but it still doesn't help not getting nervous about it.

Obviously I've got few things to sort out this weekend - finish some bits and bobs of animation, sort out the portfolio, think of what am I going to say.

And this is how I am getting ready for the interview - watching Stephen Fry in America, drinking hot toddy and doing fuck all.

Anyways, I'm adding one of the images that I'll put into my portfolio tomorrow.

And please, do not dare to disturb me on sunday, as I'll be working VERY VERY hard on the preparation for the interview.

VERY VERY HARD.

VERY HARD.

Illustration and tea

Here's my digital illustration below. I haven't made one for a long time so it was lovely to work on it.

I'm working on couple of illustrations on my own time as it's a lovely and relaxing thing to do. During the day Oddball Media is busy making an animation about Multiple Sclerosis. It is a very interesting job, I do lots of animation, where's Alex and Dan do lots and lots of drawings.
We are getting into a nice working routine listening to I'm sorry I haven't a clue, classical music, dancing around and playing a game "Who will make cups of Tea".

Dan has lost today as without a little doubt he shouted "Teeeeeee" after Alex slyly asked what letter goes after "S"...

Yes, please!!!

Wedding

I've recently scanned some old photographs of the day my parents got married. I think they are brilliant pictures.

Now I must explain, that traditional Lithuanian wedding usually takes two days. And there is no best man.

But there are Matchmakers. Matchmakers, do lots of things and are responsible for lots of little tasks during the Wedding.

But my favorite part of the wedding is called "Hang the Matchmaker". The idea behind is that a Matchmaker took the young girl away from her family, there for he's got to be killed by hanging. But then the happy-in-love bride saves him. Well, usually. Unless the groom is a complete useless pig-face and bride would rather happily stay with her mother...

So the bolding guy holding a bottle, in a picture below is a Matchmaker (and my uncle as well) who is about to be hanged.

I'm not entirely sure what does the guy with tights on his head do during the wedding, but I'll ask my mum to find out.

Bride and Groom

That looks like wine tasting:

That is a wedding taxi:

Here are the Wedding musicians:

That is my mother enjoying the part "Hang the Matchmaker":

Before the execution:

tWitches

So this is the recent project I've been working on. It's actually called Witches, but I have recently developed an idiotic and annoying eye twitch, and it is affecting everything I do. Specially, when writing my blog. 

Anyways, it was me and Dan working on this animated title sequence. It suppose to be three of us, but Alex had to dig his way out from under the big pile of other work so we had to leave him to it.

I'll skip the part about how we made the film for now, as it's quite a long process and might add it to this post next time (which will never happen). Meanwhile I'll put some pictures up of my concept design for you to look at.

And now I must dash, as either right side of my computer screen or my left eye is starting to twitch again...

Home made

I've got a very good mum. She loves me very much and spoils me rotten.

Now I don't think that way, but when last time me and Alex visited my parents, he told me (whilst chomping slice of cake, that MY mummy made specially for ME and for ME ONLY!!!!!!!!!) that I'm well spoiled by my mum and dad.

Anyways, the blog is about a hat. My mum loves knitting and she loves to knit for somebody rather than for herself, so she's always in search for a knitting target. Most of time it used to be me, but nowadays she makes piles of tiny socks and hats. Not because she keeps gnomes in her garden or because her two cats were complaining recently about cold weather. It's cause she has two grandchildren, therefore I feel completely forgotten and abandoned (not really to be honest).

Nevertheless, she found a spare minute for me and asked would I like a hat and if I do - what kind. I do like hats, so I've done a little research what would be nice to wear on my stupid head. I found a really nice one and send a picture to my mum.

She promised to knit it for me. The only thing, she said she'll do the knitting part, but I'll have to do the sewing and decorating bit as she has more knitting orders from her grand-babies waiting.

Oh well. She's very good, my mum.

On the left is a hat from a shop. On the right is my mums and mine joined effort. Ta-da: