LAUIL603 Extended Practice Design Boards
Jay Stelling
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Contents Course-Directed Briefs ............................. 3 Live/Competition Briefs .......................... 6 Self-Initiated Briefs ................................... 15 Final Passion Project ................................. 21
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Course-Directed Briefs
3.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Confessional Statement Final Images
Brief: This was a warm-up brief which asked for me to push myself out of my comfort zone. Solution: Making sets and scenes for my doll characters to exist within. Until this point I had only used real-world backdrops and this brief was the perfect opportunity to try something new and see what I could do with sets. This brief was momentous in that it was the first brief in which I considered model-making beyond dolls alone.
4.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Self Portraits
Development and Final Image
Brief: At various points in this module, we were asked to create a self-portrait to represent ourselves. Outcome 1: A model of myself as a witch. At that point in time, I was busy working on my dissertation which explored the role of the maker as a magician or a witch, so this was a play on my identity as an artist being mystical and magical. Outcome 2: To tell more of a story in my self portrait, I created two characters to interact in the image. I also returned to two recurring motifs in my work: a Jay bird and myself as Queen Jay. Reflection: I wasn’t happy with the lighting in this outcome, there was a dark shadow on the right side and the grass looked too garish. Outcome 3: An improved version of the second outcome. I gave the characters more action, a sense of adventure and added a crown. I also fixed the lighting so the image is crisp, clean and bright. Reflection: This image represents my work as a model maker, a storyteller and a world builder (Queen of Jayland). It is appropriate for my intended audience of children and relevant to my practice because it is consistent in its craft with the rest of my portfolio.
5.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Live/Competition Briefs
6.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: LAIKA Holiday Image Research
Brief: The stop-motion animation company LAIKA opened this competition on social media, asking for fans to create their own version of a LAIKA scene with a holiday twist. The winner of the competition would have their work featured on the company’s social media pages. Rationale: I’m a big fan of LAIKA’s work; they are responsible for the intricate (and spooky) stop-motion of Coraline, The Boxtrolls and Frankenweenie. LAIKA works in the very niche, specific area of practical stop-motion model-making and film-making that I am passionate about. This is the kind of company I would like to work for/with in the future, so this challenge was an ideal opportunity to get my work and name in front of them.
7.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: LAIKA Holiday Challenge
Final Images
Idea: From LAIKA’s iconic catalogue of stop-motion films, I chose the movie The Boxtrolls to be the theme of my submission. The characters in this film are underground creatures who live inside old boxes (e.g. ‘Eggs’), so I had the idea that for this Christmas version, the trolls would be holiday decorations that come to life in the attic. Outcomes: My decision to make Boxtrolls challenged me to steer away from my usual doll aesthetic (which I was worrying had become a little stale). I produced something that looked different from my previous dolls and in my portfolio would demonstrate that I can adapt to different styles.
8.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Dark Crystal Character Design
Research
Brief: To design a small woodland character inspired by the world of The Dark Crystal. The entries were to be judged by Toby, Wendy and Brian Froud. The winning entry would be made into a puppet creature by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and be featured in the new Netflix series ‘The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance’. Rationale: I have been fascinated by Brian Froud’s creature designs and fantastical worlds since I first saw Labyrinth as a child and later when I saw The Dark Crystal. To have the chance to contribute to the worlds that have influenced me was really exciting. I had also avoided briefs which asked for a drawn/2D image as I favoured making physical models, so saw this brief as a refreshing challenge and a chance to show more traditional illustration in my portfolio, should a client ask for examples.
9.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Dark Crystal Character Design Final Images
Outcome: My creature was an animal called a Hogwomp. I presented this creature in a field guide format, as though it was a real creature I had observed in the wild, taking inspiration from the Spiderwick Field Guide book illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. Reflection: I enjoyed the process of imagining the creature and gathering information about it in a notebook, but I would have preferred to have created the creature as a 3D model than to draw it. I don’t think my observational drawing is strong enough to communicate the idea that this creature is alive and real.
10.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: ADQ Haunted Fairytales
Research
Brief: To make a doll responding to the theme ‘Haunted Fairytales’ for Art Doll Quarterly. Rationale: I had success in submitting to ADQ last year and was excited by the theme. I revisited the Russian folk story ‘Vasilisa the Fair’ which I had already researched for COP3.
11.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: ADQ Haunted Fairytales Final Images
Outcome: I made dolls of the main characters and constructed the scene of the woods and Baba Yaga’s Hut. I tried to use traditional Russian folk colour palettes. Reflection: I think the images reflect the moody atmosphere and cautionary tone of the story. I could have played with the composition to improve these photos because I seem to use the same format every time (characters are central). I could push this project further by applying these images to a book.
12.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Templar Publishing Dragon Story Final Images
Brief: To produce finished artwork for a cover and one spread, plus a storyboard for a full 32-page picture book about dragons. Rationale: I wanted to tell a story and demonstrate some more traditional illustration to show in my portfolio alongside my models. Idea: Playing on the theme of ‘dragons’, I made a story about Snapdragon flowers and my Grandad winding me up.
13.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Lucky LoopdeLoop with Stacy Straub
Animation Collab
Brief: A collaboration with animation student Stacy Straub. We produced a short, looping animation sequence in response to the theme ‘Lucky’ for the animation competition Loopdeloop. Rationale: A great opportunity to work with an animator, to build my showreel of animation work, to see my puppet’s potential for animation and to learn from Stacy and how she works. Outcome: Stacy gave me advice on how to make my puppets stronger and more suitable for stop-motion animation. I made a puppet and Stacy did all the hard work animating it! Stacy also voice recorded the sound effects of the puppet gasping. I am so pleased with the final video and it’s brilliant to see the scale of work that can be done through collaboration. We will be working together again.
14.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Self-Initiated Briefs
15.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Fairytale Trail Final Images
Brief: A collaboration between myself and Gaynor Gray - a shop owner, curator and events organiser. Gaynor approached me to make a set of fairytale themed dolls which could be hidden around shops in Ripon over Christmas for children to find. Rationale: Fairytales are a theme I admire as a storyteller and this was a unique opportunity celebrating and working within my hometown. It didn’t offer the prestigious awards that big competition briefs do, but it was a brief literally made for me and what I do. Collaboration: It was useful to collaborate with individuals outside of art school. This collaboration brought my project out of the studio and into the community. It was also a great experience to meet formally with Gaynor and to conduct this project as a professional, external brief. It was exciting to see my dolls applied to an interactive project rather than a static image.
16.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Fairytale Trail
Promotion / Responses
Promotion: Gaynor made sure that everyone in the city knew about the trail; it made the cover of the local magazine ‘Review Ripon’ and featured as a double-page spread inside. It was also promoted online. Although we’re only a tiny city, this exposure was valuable for bringing tourism to the town and getting people excited to join the hunt. Responses: Over 60 businesses in Ripon signed up to join the trail and be involved! It was overwhelming to have so many shops volunteering to host my work. The trail was a great success, prizes were won and lots of proud children posed in the shops with the characters they discovered.
17.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Classic Stories Final Images
Brief: A self-directed project with the intention of illustrating some of my favourite classic children’s stories to use in my portfolio, demonstrating an understanding of narrative and tone. Outcomes: I made the characters Lucy and Mr Tumnus from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I posed these characters within sets to illustrate scenes from the story.
18.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Classic Stories Final Images
Reflection: The images match the adventurous and fantastical tone of the story. I was extremely happy with how the dark vignette and spotlight lighting in the spare room made the wardrobe look enigmatic and intriguing and how the icy colours of Narnia expressed the transition of atmosphere and temperature.
19.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Party Animals Final Images
Brief: To build my portfolio, demonstrating my skills as a model maker and storyteller. I planned to make characters, this time working beyond human characters and creating anthropomorphic animal puppets. Outcomes: Some animals were more successful than others. The squirrel was the most difficult and I think the fox has the most personality. There wasn’t much context to these, they were more of a warm-up exercise for myself.
20.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Final Passion Project
21.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Whistle-Stop Thistle
Research
Brief: To produce a complete children’s book ready to show to publishers. Research: Looking at other children’s books using a similar 3D puppet illustration technique. The Whatamagump, Too Much for Turtle and City Mouse, Country Mouse all use handmade scenes instead of traditional drawings to tell stories.
22.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Whistle-Stop Thistle Development
Rationale: All the other briefs provided me with portfolio pieces but lacked context. This was a chance to make a complete product and to see it realised. Idea: The story went through a few different plots and concepts before I arrived at the final narrative. The book is about a world called Whistle-Stop Thistle and the people who live there are called Thistle-folk. I really enjoyed developing this world and imagining the characters.
23.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Whistle-Stop Thistle Development
World Building: The entire world was build in 3D with tiny details right down to the items inside the buildings crafted by hand and carefully placed. I lit each of the buildings with battery operated lights to bring life and atmosphere to the scenes. Sustainability: The story is about the resourcefulness of the Thistle-folk but I also used a lot of found materials and scrap cardboard to make the world itself. I submitted the book to the LAU Sustainability award.
24.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Whistle-Stop Thistle Development
Craft: Hand-made objects, food and furniture inside the world. Tiny details that add interest to each page.
25.
Jay Stelling
LAUIL603
Brief: Whistle-Stop Thistle Final Product
Final Product: The final book was printed and bound through the online bookseller Blurb. It is a 24-page 11x8� hardback book. The images can be printed as stand-alone illustrations or exist with the narrative that I’ve written. Extending the Project: The world of Whistle-Stop Thistle has the potential to become a series of books, animations and merchandise/products. I tested animating the characters using stop-motion animation but this could be improved and expanded by collaborating with animators, actors and musicians.
26.