breaking the rules

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

- Pablo Picasso

animation is mostly done traditionally (pencil on paper) or digitally (by computer). these are the most commonly used methods.
one animation studio, laika (the studio behind coraline, paranorman, the boxtrolls, and the upcoming kubo and the two strings), specialises in stop-motion animation, which according to wikipedia is an animation technique that physically manipulates an object so that it appears to move on its own and the object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.
they break the idea that animation should only be done using the pencil on paper and digital methods.

tim brown: tales of creativity and play summary

in the video, tim brown talks about how people tend to be afraid of judgement from their peers and this stops us to share our ideas with everyone else. we were born unafraid but as we grow older we become more sensitive towards others' opinions.

he also mentions the three ways of playfulness which are playful exploration, playful building and role-play.

we need to become more open towards other possibilities like kids do - explore more to get new ideas and solutions. in the business world, creativity and playfulness is not the norm but successful companies like google who encourage their employees to be creative and playful have proven this wrong. play building is basically learning while doing - thinking quickly with your hands. role-play is used as a tool for prototyping experiences and creating empathy - putting oneself into an experience that they're designing for. 

he also tells us that play is not anarchy (although it's important to know when and where it is needed) and that creativity and playfulness co-exist in order to make wonderful creations. 

cosplay

cosplay - short for costume play - is when people dress up as their favourite people/characters. it's a very popular culture, especially in japan. i enjoy tv shows and animes although i'm not as big of a fan now compared to last year. cosplay allows people to express themselves, be someone they're not, live in an entirely magical and made-up world. i think cosplay is a fun and creative outlet for people and i do enjoy going to conventions to see the cosplayers and take pictures with them.

160719

first post on this blog for creative thinking. i was never good at keeping journal/diary entries so let's see how this goes. 

we experimented with chinese ink and different type of objects (such as a straw, stick, rock, q-tip, plastic ripped off a bag) in place of the 'brush' today in class. i found it very fun and interesting. i guess i'm used to doing stuff by the book and i rarely step outside of my comfort zone. this exercise helped me see that you don't have to always follow the rules and  trying out different and new - albeit a bit unusual - things will bring a better outcome than if you don't break the rules.