Third year is coming!

Second year is done, and now spring holidays are coming to an end as well... Time goes fast, I am 3rd year already!

Regarding this two semester, I don't even know from what should I start! I learned so much and got so much experience, even if I'm not so good enough. I also have a really good relation with my animation teachers: I had the opportunity to visit a small indipendent animation studio, I went out with my character design teacher and other friends. At first I thought really difficult to talk with teachers and stuff, but then It wasn't absolutely like that, people are not what they appear to be.
The guy on the right is my character for character design class, I had to think about his personality and background, to create action poses and clothes and finally to make a short animation with the teacher's storyboard. Together with this, we had also teacher's character and we had to do another animation. It was really hard... but not only this class even perspective was difficult, but the teacher was really nice. I think that I improved, but just a bit, nothing more..

ツカレルナ！(Tsukareruna!)

On second semester I have started taking script class, animation script class and general script class. It was really, REALLY hard to write and read scripts in japanese. Most of the time I was really frustated because I couldn't read and understand everthing perfectly...Writing and explaining what you want to say is really complicated, ideas and images flow in the mind, but is really difficult to take them out. And think about doing all of this in another language...
For animation class I read a kind of light novel (the one on the left). It was difficult at first but It helps me a lot on improving my japanese. The story actually wasn't so bad (but I still don't like idol, bleargh), It was easy and with a simple structure. 
The other script class was more about talking with teacher and creating your own original story. The teacher was strict, but a really GOOD teacher. I think I have learn so much about story in this class, and I think I need to learn even more (I want to learn more!).
My story was actually something like old animation, Heidi, Romeo's blue sky.... the so called World Masterpiece Theater (世界名作劇場, Sekai Meisaku Gekijō), I love this kind of animation because is simple but well created, with a good balance of everything and a moral, a message inside. It's really difficult to find anime pure like these nowaday.
 
During spring holidays I practiced with anatomy, colours and other drawings. I'm also trying to create a story for a comic. I did some simple concept like characters and situations. The 2 characters on the right are an example.
I'm now creating the pages, but It's a bit longer that what I wanted to create, so It will take a lot of time to draw and complete everything^^"
Thanks to a friend I have tried a different ink and paper, and It was really good. Then I used tones that I bought back in Japan
I had to make my own light box because in Italy It's difficult to find a good one, and buying a new one is really expensive so....
The 2 characters on the light box are original as well, they are from a story I had created with my japanese friend. It will be nice to se them animated in the future....

Old good 2D animation

Second year first semester has started and I have so many things to do... orz @_@
I'm in the animation course, so this year I skipped 3DCG class. Actually It's not like I skipped that, because of some stupid rules I couldn't take the 3DCG class. I like 3DCG,  but I prefer traditional animation. Even if 2D animators life is tough...

Timesheet, at first worst enemy...but if you want to be an animator, you need to know this!

The teacher are really good. I like the way they explain us everything. Actually they are not real "professor" they are just professional people working in animation.

tracing and making nice lines is really important in animation

We have also a trace class, first 3 lessons we did the digital part, from lesson 4 everything is analogue. When you scan the drawings your linearts should be clear so you can instantly color the character. However you can also make the lineart on computer with different softwares.

Doodling in the caffetteria with friends

tables with white boards are the best!

Vyse is always the best!

I watched E3, not so much to say... about square enix, for me Nomura is an idiot, and he will destroy everything lol For Nintendo, X looks amazing, I believe in Monolith Soft for an original RPG beautiful as Xenoblade was.... ah and there is new super smash bros! WOW The new characters Megaman and the Villager are just amazing.

Creepy!

ポケモン Pokèmon Y and X

 ポケットモンスターの新作シリズが発表された！
なんか急にポケモンの絵が増えて来た気がするwww
A new Pokèmon game is coming! And then Fan-arts EVERYWHERE lol

描きたくなった。。。この三匹を描いてみた
I have tried to draw the new starters as well... during class.

helloooooo, summer holidays are almost over and that's really sad... especially when you had exams on the first week of August, geez -_-
I finished my first 3DCG project....THE FAT KITTY PROJECT


Is nothing special at all, but It took me like 3 weeks, many hours for rendering... and I'm proud of It!

Actually I need to thank my senpais because they help me a lot during this project, they were amazing really, I couldn't do It alone.
Also, when I created the video I opened everything in After Effects, that was a BAD IDEA- the problem is that AE is made almost for special effects, there a lot of different settings, and of course I got lost with all of them lol

simple concept for the fat kitty

Anyway, I'm glad that I finished my project in time,  I can't wait for the next one ^^

Everyone ready for E3?!

Or maybe you just don't give a f--- nothing!
E3 hasn't started yet, but.... yesterday I found THIS

LMAO I LOVE THE INTERNET

I'm watching E3 only for pictures like this one!
As always, I'm planning to see the live press conference via web with a friend! Hope It isn't boring like last year... everytime I hope to see interesting and original games, or maybe some good old series or amazing game like Arcadia, Chrono, Mother, blahblha we know that is impossible with this new generation *sigh* 

Talking about something else, I'm doing a little drawing for a friend's book, that is gonna be published this summer. The book is called "Nightshade" written by my friend Jonelle Patrick. If you have interest in Japan and japanese culture you should read It! You can find the book on amazon as e-book version ;)
Also, I'm really busy with classes and homeworks, for example 3DCG. Working with maya is cool, but It takes so many hours... And I need to finish a "room" for next monday, with textures render and everything! :S When I will have time, I'll try to post something here in this blog, so just wait! ;)

大学 University

皆さん、お久しぶりだね　(´∀`）
やっと大学が始まった！実は、1日から〜6日まで一年生のガイダンスだけだった。。。が、その週間に色んな事があって、ずっと忙しくて、ブロッグで新しいポストを出来なかった。本当にごめんなさい　(´・ω・`)
月曜日から授業があるけど、その日から一所懸命頑張ります！ブロッグのため、もちろん勉強のためにも！

Hello! Finally University has started, YEAAAH!  From April 1st to April 6th I had the school guidance: course presentation, informations, and stuff.. of course all in Japanese @_@ Even if It was a "guidance", I was quite busy with lessons and other thinks... like buying furnitures for the apartment, buying textbooks... That's why I wasn't able to update my blog, I'm really sorry for that (´・ω・`)
Next monday I will have class and starting that day I will do my best! Not only for school, but also for this blog hehe :P

とりあえず、新しい絵を描いた！　(・ω・)
Anyway, let's talk about something else... for example, drawings! I have a new one that I did last week

ポケットモンスターのシゲル  -  Gary Oak from Pokèmon

最近、時間があれば（例えば電車の中でとか。。（･∀･)　）ゲームをやっています。イラストはＮｉｎｔｅｎｄｏDsの『二ノ国　漆黒の魔導士』というゲームなんです。私はスタジオジブリと久石譲の大ファンですから、このゲームをやると思っていた。英語のバーションがないので、全部日本語でやると思った！やっぱり、勉強にななってしまいましたね（；´∀`）それに、ゲームだけではない、必要な本もあるし。どうして？もちろん、魔法指南のため！これ、面白いですね。本の中で絵がすごくきれいと思う。大好きです。

Also, when I have time (on the train lol) I'm playing a really nice game for Nintendo Ds: Ni no Kuni! As a great fan of Studio Ghibli's works and Hisaishi Joe's music, I really had to play this! Unfortunately, this game hasn't come out in Europe or USA... but I know that they are going to translate the ps3 version, check this out!!!! . However, the most interesting thing is that you need a "magic book" to play this game! In fact, everytime you have to draw a macig spell, you need to check the special book included with the game! I think It's really original :P And the drawings inside the book are so beautiful!

ゲームと本  -  Ni no Kuni and the book

discovering blue pencils

Of course I know that blue pencils are used for comics and stuff, but this is the first time that I have ACTUALLY tried to use them. It's not really the first time, but whatever!

Random guy studies

not so bad, but I need to improve anatomy.... :S

The first one, Natsume and Nyanko Sensei from the anime/manga series Natsume Yuujinchou (by Midorikawa Yuki). last picture is just an original/random character.
And then the last one!

my favourite! Drawing the kitty was so funny :3

Also, lately I have been kind of "obsessed" with stars and galaxy, so I just tried to draw something nice like this or this one :)

Drawing snow leopards

Since last year, I've been quite interested in snow leopards. Why? Well, first of all because I love cats and felines. Also, I like the fact that a snow leopard (also called panthera uncia) is really secretive, solitary and well camouflaged by Its own habitat. Afer a little research on the web, not only about this animal, but also regarding legends and myths , I have found this program called "Snow Leopard Beyond the Myth" by BBC.  When I was little I didn't know such animal actually exists, and of course I have never seen this kind of program before. In fact this is the ONLY good documentary that I could found regarding snow leopards. Their life, the place where they lives, everything reminds of a legend. This feline sure is mysterious.
As an interesting animal, I tried to draw It. I usually take inspiration/reference from photos.

Drawing process, click for bigger size

As you see, It's only a mere sketch and nothing more. I have started with the base lineart for the body, and then I have drawn the fur and stuff. I think animal anatomy (or general anatomy) It's quite difficult, but snow leopard's anatomy is even more difficult because of Its thick fur. This was the reference for the sketch.

In the future I'd like to create a comic (or somenthing similar) with this amazing creature as one of the characters. In fact I already have a story on my mind, characters, setting, and everything, but with my actuall drawing skills I think I won't be able to create a good work. Of course I have tried to draw a page, but I didn't really like it, so that's why I'm practicing with sketches and simple drawings :)
I've done other drawings, and probably this is the best I have done so far

Done with watercolor