January 16, 2012

art and the future...

I spent most of the weekend pondering the future of art and animation... One easy way to sum up my thoughts is: cheap, fast, easy, new.
Recently I've been obsessed with film cameras and photography. I'm pretty new to it but I'm letting photographic influences leak into my film. Recently I bought a refurbished Polaroid. When I couldn't understand how to use it and nor could a chap at the photo store/developing place I visited, I picked up a Holga. I've wanted a Holga for a long time but didn't pick one up since I knew I'd be going to Australia. It's expensive to bring stuff around the world and back. Also, while there I didn't make any money so picking up a camera and buying/developing film was out of the question. I later realised that my Polaroid is working just fine, the problem was me; I wasn't holding the button down long enough to let the flash charge before taking a photo. So since that time... I got another Polaroid in case something happens to the first one and recently I ordered a Lomokino. (!!!) I am just going to stop looking at things that are for sale for awhile. Oh yeah and I also bought two very old camera bags on ebay.
I love old things. I've learned recently that I don't enjoy old things for pure nostalgia though. Which is a relief. I like thinking about the future and new. I like pushing for the future of art. Thinking of the future of art... Often "cheap" disgusts me. But it depends. Sometimes cheap is fabulous. But I tend to be attracted to quality and "magic". To me, a Polaroid camera is wonder and magical. It was a big deal in it's time and was/is a pleasure to use.

Film cameras are seeing a big resurgence, especially via the format of toy cameras/lomography. It's interesting that as digital cameras get ridiculously advanced (Lytro), people are reaching for something "primative" and unpredictable. I think "cheap, fast, easy, new" applies to many aspects of art these days as well as other industries. I think it's what people often want or have to be. I personally love the fact that my Holga was cheap. I do still have to pay for film and developing however so "cheap" may be somewhat of an illusion. It's more like small payments over time instead of one investment up front. And that method of making money is certainly popular these days.

I expect to receive my Lomokino on Tuesday and I am super mega excited.

LINKS:
The Impossible Project - new polaroid film and products
Lomokino
Lomography
Photoworks in San Francisco - cameras, film and developing

January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

view of the bay bridge at night
I lived in a hotel in Chinatown for a week when I arrived in San Francisco 
my new polaroid

In 7 days this blog will have been around for 3 years! I think I came up with the idea in very early 2008 so that is 4 years Pickled has been in my head.

I've been too busy to work on Pickled for months now. I moved out of Australia in September 2011 and then stayed in Toronto for a couple weeks with a weekend in Montreal with my parents. Then I moved to Vancouver, BC in October with Steve and started a new job there animating at Big Bad Boo. And then in November 2011 I moved to San Francisco, CA to start animating at Kabam. So what with living in 3 countries and 2 provinces in 2 months and starting two jobs, all the logistics of that have kept me very busy. I can't wait to get back to Pickled! People ask me if I'm done... I am far from finishing.

I think that people think I'm insane for animating it hand drawn as well. I don't think animators are "insane" like people claim. I've heard it said over and over. It seems like a way to say that what you're doing is great or to give yourself a pat on the back somehow... I think different people have patience for different things. I don't have the patience to use a lot of dishes and make elaborate meals like a chef. Animating can be emotional and a challenge but it's also a relatively safe job. I think art is as dangerous as you want it to be, but it can be very safe.

Recently I got a couple new cameras which I think are excellent vents for creativity. I got a refurbished Polaroid 600 Land Camera (from the 80's) and a Holga 120 CFN. So the Polaroid is "new" to me, but certainly not a new camera. The other day I was at the Fisherman's Wharf I heard someone beside me say "OH MY GOD A POLAROID." while was taking a photo and I coudn't even look at them while I was looking through the eyepiece. Both cameras have extreme limitations and I like that. Nothing against new digital cameras, I still love them, but these 2 film cameras are a lot of fun and are just a different medium. I hope to get some of my photos online sometime, however without a scanner at home it is going to take some time to get there. I'll get some film developed and see what the scanner at work is like!

*I can't figure out why blogger wants to date this post as Jan 2, it's Jan 1! I saved my timezone as the correct one in my google account as well. grr

Come with me to the Ghibli Museum!

I made a video for my youtube channel about my visit to the Ghibli Museum this past March.