Wednesday 10th of June
As the seventh week continues, I am starting on my lobster. Knowing my imminent departure back to the uk, my work hours have extended a bit and I am ending up working later in the day. Catching up with my schedule, I started really building up the lobster. The more I was thinking about it the more I admired it needed simplifying. I re-drew some technical drawings and ideas and thought to changing the focus on the claws and the head. For the head the idea is to use a ball and socket mechanism for it to be able to move and create a more dynamic character. The claws would be able to move not realistically, but in a more flexible way than my last design. The legs are on springs and would ideally wobble a bit but not be the focus of the movement.
I then realized I had never really done a paper maquette. Or at least not one that was truly helpful. So that is exactly what I did. It was quite rough but it was the key that helped me realize a few new ideas. I admit now I should have done this from the start, to really get an understanding of the 3D. It makes a world's difference to be able to hold an object in your hands, compared to having it drawn in front of you. I usually get stuck in the 2D, trying to hard to understand the way it will look on paper. Lesson learned.
I am using the Great American Lobster as a reference, but changing the color to bluer tint. Blue lobster are rarer but more interesting color wise, and will crate a greater contrast with the red in the clip.
After having some of these technical aspects figured out, I started molding the claws out of clay, left it to dry over night and created a copy with craft tape this morning. I am also using the craft tape method for the tail, casting it on two different shapes of water bottles.
On another note, the butter story is still being brainstormed. Due to the change of packaging, we are now brainstorming the idea that he is a French butter, maybe making a joke about Brexit... I am liking the way it is going. But I am finding out that my creativity is not really in storytelling.
Here is an example of how I film the new butter in front of the green screen.
Here is the re-worked version of the butterfly sequence.
Lastly about the Woodlouse. I decided to ditch the PVA technique to make it glossy, after 5 or 6 layers, it still did not do anything. So I stole my friend's clear nail varnish and let it dribble on the woodlouse. Worked wonders. I am quite happy with the result of that little guy now. I tried filming it yesterday, but technology got to me and I got very frustrated. I told myself I would film again today. I dedicating my afternoon to filming and editing, while my lobster pieces dry on my window sil.
The pictures do not show the shine very well, but trust me, it does shine.
Motivation is hard, but having found a potential solution to the lobster is great. I find myself stuck in situations, where there seems to be no solutions or help, when in fact I just have to wait a few