Nature Animation Challenge: DAY TWO!

After successfully creating my main character yesterday, I focused today’s artful explorations on the storyboard, or visual script, for my story. The story almost seemed to write itself, as I thought about my little flying character and his interests/motives/actions. In line with my suggestions for the storyboard, I decided to limit my board to 6 frames. I kept the sketches relatively simple and quick. (The entire 6 frames took me approximately 10 minutes to draw). Here is my resulting storyboard:

For tomorrow’s challenge, work on the background/stage for your animation. Be sure to include something for a backdrop and base/floor. Using your storyboard and main character for inspiration, create a background that will not distract from your storyline or subjects, but will rather enhance everything.

‘Til tomorrow..happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY SEVEN!

Today is the last day of January’s Nature Video Challenge! For today’s video, I left the assignment completely open to whatever happened to come across your (or my) path throughout the day.  In my own case, the delivery of a package of delicious tea provided the spark needed for my seventh nature video! Using a very long piece of paper that had been used to protect the wonderful contents of my package, I decided to explore this material and its source.

Here is the resulting video:

I hope you have all enjoyed this challenge as much as I have! Having never explored video art before, I found it to be a wonderfully unique way of exploring the subtle changes in the environment. There are so many beautiful changes that occur on a daily basis–and I find that unless I deliberately force myself to become more actively aware of the natural world, these subtleties go unnoticed. Through time lapse videos, these changes can be explored within a matter of minutes (though the actual footage takes numerous hours/days/months). If you’re interested in checking out some awesome time lapse videos, check these out!

If any of you decided to try video art yourselves, I’d love to see your work!

‘Til later…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY FIVE!

The weather here has been an absolutely perfect 75 degrees today! So, to take advantage of a lovely day,  I decided to explore the lines and shape of a fine-looking leaf specimen that I found during a beautiful sunny afternoon walk! With the help of my incredibly hard working art assistant and hubby, Greg, rocks and sticks were used to recreate the shape of the leaf and the lines that formed the veins.

Here is the resulting video:

I can’t believe there are only two days remaining of this month’s challenge! For tomorrow’s challenge, find something fun and quirky to explore through movement–an interesting shape,  a funny looking plant, a mysterious texture. 

 

‘Til tomorrow…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY FOUR!

Today’s windy weather made for dramatic changes in the sky–changes that were literally BEGGING to be filmed. On my way to the gym I watched handfuls of clouds as they quickly blew across the bright blue sky…wishing I was watching the drama unfold through the lens of my camera! After I finished my workout, I headed out with my camera, hoping the sky had saved some of its drama for my nature challenge. As is usually the case when you’re actually LOOKING for something, the sky did not deliver…In fact, it seemed as though most of the giant, active clouds had disappeared entirely. After several minutes of filming, I ventured inside…temporarily defeated.

After about an hour of toying around with my first sky video attempts, I decided to head outside again to see if I could find SOMETHING exciting going on. This video is the result of my second filming attempts:

Pfew! Challenge Indeed!

For tomorrow’s challenge, I will study the lines and structure of an object in nature. For this video, I will focus on the lines and borders that make up the natural object chosen to be the subject of my video. 

‘Til tomorrow…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY THREE!

Today’s suggestion was to explore the patterns and colors in nature. Since most of the day was filled with glorious rain showers (MUCH appreciated and needed in the Austin area!), I decided to explore the colors, shapes, and distortions found in a rain puddle. By slowing down the film and reversing the captured film, I was able to study the transformation that took place as I dropped various leaves into the puddle. Overall I thought the resulting film was a nice first attempt at filming water–though issues of filming reflective surfaces and lighting will have to be further explored in future films!

Here is the resulting film:

And for a bonus, here is another film I put together–exploring the same sort of concept as yesterday’s second video, but in a slightly different way:

For tomorrow’s challenge, I will take to the skies–focusing on the sky as my main subject. As with today’s suggestions, I will leave this up to your creative interpretation. You might film a bird in flight, trees in motion, the changes in the sky over a period of time, or perhaps something else entirely that in some way grabs your attention!

‘Til tomorrow…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY TWO!

Today’s challenge turned out to be much hard than I had thought. Unfortunately my first attempt at stop animation was a little shakier than I had wanted, due to a lack of a tripod (or some sort of makeshift camera stand). Here is the result of my attempts to bring back life into my subject:

After fighting with this video for more time than I care to admit on this post, I decided to return outside to play around with another idea. Below is the result of my second video of the day (though I must warn you—I definitely strayed from the suggested challenge for the day!):

Please note: No live plants were harmed in the making of these videos

Enjoy!

Tomorrow’s suggestion: Explore the colors and shapes around you! (I’ll leave this suggestion open for creative interpretation!)

Till tomorrow…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: DAY ONE!

What a beautiful day for a challenge! The weather is in the balmy high 60′s this afternoon–perfect for a little nature walk. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, today’s suggestion was to create a collage of sorts by choosing one subject to film from multiple perspectives and magnifications. To create my video for this challenge, I selected a Live Oak tree as my subject. I filmed this video in small segments and then pieced it together afterwards in order to create a blinking effect. So, in this video I was exploring the collage of visual images that enter our minds as we are exploring the beautiful environment around us!

Today’s video:

As always, your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated!

For tomorrow’s video challenge,

Study the movement of an object in nature. If it is not already in motion, experiment with bringing life back into your subject using stop animation (film object, move it slightly, repeat). 

Till tomorrow…happy explorations!

Nature Video Challenge: TOMORROW!

Tomorrow begins January’s Nature Art Challenge, which will focus on exploring the natural environment through video art! For those of you wishing to participate with me in this weeklong challenge, I will be posting daily suggestions for subjects and techniques to explore. As always, regardless of whether or not you participate in the art making process of this challenge, I invite you to participate with me through your comments and viewing of my posted videos!

Although not directly specific to Nature Video Art, Cameratim.com offers some helpful tips for video production. Here are a few of their tips…abridged:

1.) Get physically close to your subjects. The visual perspective and sound is better when you physically get closer to your subject, as opposed to using the zoom. Although the sound may not be AS important when filming nature, the effects of physical proximity to your subject might be interesting to explore.

2.) Film scenes using more than just one shot. Showing the same objects from multiple perspectives and magnifications can make a video a little more interesting–though this style should not be overused.

3.) Film more than just your subject. This adds interest to your film as well–and makes editing a little bit easier as well. Just make sure that what you use as a “cut away” from your subject relates in some way to the overall theme of your video.
4.) Film at the same height as your subject. This provides a much more natural look for your subject. Experiment with different heights and angles as a way to create dramatic effects in your filming.

To check out the rest of these video tips, click on the link I’ve provided above! Just to give you a little head start in brainstorming for tomorrow’s challenge, here’s my suggestion for tomorrow’s video:

Choose one subject to explore from multiple perspectives and magnifications. If you have video editing software, try creating a moving collage of sorts, by piecing together short video segments from different perspectives and angles of your subject.

As always, my suggestions are just that–SUGGESTIONS. Feel free to film whatever and wherever the wind may take you!

Till tomorrow…happy explorations!

Happy New Year!

I can’t believe 2011 is already a thing of the past. I feel as though I have grown leaps and bounds over the last year, and I absolutely thrilled at the prospects for growth and exploration in the coming year! Due to holiday travels and celebration, I will begin January’s nature challenge on JANUARY 7th, rather than the first of the month (for obvious reasons). So, January 7th through January 14th, I will be exploring nature through VIDEO ART. I have absolutely no experience with this art form, so this challenge should prove to be just that–challenging.

Although this week is not a part of January’s challenge, I decided to spend the morning playing around with video art. From my explorations came this short video, in which I decided to explore the human connection to the natural world and the growth process of plants. The resulting video is quite different from anything else I have posted on this blog, but proved to be an interesting exploration and artistic process:

 

Enjoy!

 

Till later..happy explorations!

Environmental Video Art!

As I continue my search for the myriad of artful ways in which the natural environment might be explored and interacted with, I give you…. ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO ART!

Video is a wonderful medium through which the subtle, yet beautiful movements of nature can be explored. Paul Ryan is one such video artist. His works have been shown in Japan, Turkey, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, and the United States. Click on the link provided above for more information about the artist and his work.

Here are two examples of his work:

Enjoy your Monday!

‘Til later…happy explorations!