Ash's Gallery

Cai, cai balão, aqui na minha mão;

2008-05-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

My next animation project is set to a Brazilian children's song called Cai, Cai balão. It's sung during as Festa Juninas (translated June Festivals) by little children as it is typical to light small tissue hot-air balloons during these festivals. The lyrics to the song are as followed, accompanied by their translations;

Cai Cai Balão ( Fall Little Balloon)
Cai cai balão, (Fall, fall little balloon)
cai cai balão (Fall, fall little balloon)
Na rua do sabão (Fall on Soap Street)
Não cai não, não cai não, (Don't fall there, don't fall there, )
não cai não (and don't fall there)
Cai aqui na minha mão! (and don't fall there)

Cai cai balão, (Fall, fall little balloon)
cai cai balão ( Fall, fall little balloon)
Aqui na minha mão (Fall right here on my hand)
Não vou lá, não vou lá, (I don't dare to go there, )
não vou lá (I don't dare to go there)
Tenho medo de apanhar (I'm afraid I'll get spanked)

Note: The little balloon referred to in this song, is a miniature hot air balloon, made of tissue paper, very popular at the June Festivities.
lyrics and translations taken from http://www.brazzil.com/p40mar00.htm

The animation would follow the second half of the song, as children try to catch the slowly lifting balloon as it tries to float away.

The attire for these festivals are that of the caipira, or inhabitants of Brazil's rural areas, usually consisting of plaid and denim, or any other coarse fabric. I wanted to have that coarse or rough feeling thoughout the animation so I decided on applying a texture like that of a potato sack.

Cai Cai Balão: Finished

2008-05-07T01:03:00.007-04:00

For how simplistic it came out to be, I'm quite happy with it. Honestly, I was expecting it to turn out really bad, given the week lost redoing scene 4 and impending finals. I do feel though that the arm on the boy with the blue shirt could move in some other way, but I think it's more a matter of the way his arm is to begin with than it's movements. I can't speak on behalf of anyone else, but the balloon floating gives off a happy and exciting feeling. I believe that's my childhood/nostalgia speaking. Anyway, enjoy. :)

Song title: Cai Cai Balão
Artist/Singer/Composer: Unknown
excerpt from file named: Infantil - Cantigas de Roda - Samba Lele-Cai Cai Balao-Pirulito que Bate Bate (downloaded from Limewire)

Balão: Board

2008-04-29T21:34:00.011-04:00

The rough 4-scene storyboard/layout for the animation

Begins in the center of the festival. Warm light from a bonfire comes from off right screen and the children play and try to catch the balão. This scene is supposed to demonstrate a civilized atmosphere, where the children are all playing together cohesively amongst the crowd and other adults in the stands.

Next comes the closer up, aerial view of the children trying to catch the balão. The children are so excited and unaware of each other that they step on each others toes hit and bump into each other, bringing out the barbarous nature of competition.

From the point fo view of the children, we see the balão begin to float away into the night sky in scene 3.

In the final scene, we watch as the balão floats off into the night. We look down at the festival that serves to define the community as an organized civilization that joined together to entertain one another.

Balão: Backgrounds

2008-04-29T20:50:00.010-04:00

Scene 1;
kids playing in center of festival

Scene 2;
the aerial view looking at the kids fight over the balão.

Scene 3;
Upward view of balão floating away

Scene 4;
Aerial view down onto the festival watching as the balão flies higher up into the evening sky.
(finishing)

Catch Me If You Can [Animation]

2008-02-20T10:25:00.009-05:00

Song: "No Cares Here"
Composed by:Todd Haberman, ASCAP (50%), John Loeffler, BMI (25%), Scott P. Schreer, BMI (25%)
Published by: Habes Music Publishing, ASCAP (50%), Music of Paradise, BMI (25%), Freeplaymusic, BMI (25%)
Courtesy of www.freeplaymusic.com

Catch Me If You Can [Process]

2008-02-20T10:20:00.009-05:00

Artists Statement

The concept for this piece is to convey emotions and an experience through an ambiguous character, in the form of a cat, in an aim to represent a curious and adventurous spirit. In respect, the story is to be presented in a picture-book formation, and is to be animated later. The background set was made up of cardboard pizza boxes, spackled and painted on, and decorated with felt, cardboard, and other accessories comprised of the same material. The character is digitally drawn and colored in over the photographs of the set, to distinctly represent a fictional character in a real life environment and experience. My inspiration for the real life, minuscule set came from the collaboration of Austrian artist Hans Donner and the Brazilian artist Sérgio Cezar for an opening of a currently running Brazilian novela called “Duas Caras”. This piece has no purpose in relating itself personally to the viewer. It’s main purpose is to merely represent a typical childhood, with “exciting” moments (in the eyes of some) that come and go.

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Anamatic

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Sketches/Breakdown poses

Catch Me If You Can [Storyboard]

2008-02-20T10:15:00.001-05:00

Kitty & Butterfly

2008-02-20T10:10:00.000-05:00

Song: "Flim" by Aphex Twin
Animated in After Effects

Curiosity didn't kill this cat

2008-02-20T10:05:00.000-05:00

Morph

2008-02-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Dramatic

2008-02-20T09:55:00.000-05:00