Last week I enjoyed a trip to northern California with faculty and animation students from Brigham Young University. In contrast to other such trips I’ve been on, we visited very few studios and museums, rather, we spent a lot of time stopping off at sites along the way to San Francisco and in the city to sketch and paint. I’m finding that while I have limitations in sketching from life rather than from scrap, I’m not quite as limited as I may think I am, and as with everything, it’s only a matter of practice. Even still, I took a lot of photos (never as many as I think at the time) for later resources.
We did visit Pixar, and while I’m not an animator, the experience was still enjoyable. Aesthetic rules still apply, of course, whether in animation or traditional illustration. I also have to admit that I enjoyed the workspace– open and full of light, with a large atrium purposefully designed such that everyone has to go through it to get around the building, with the intention that employees from different areas will interact often and therefore not become isolated.
For me, interacting with other creatives increases energy for projects and fuels ideas. Who progresses alone? Aside from the students that went, the three faculty comprised of one of my professors when I was in school; one that was a co-worker and pier at that time also, Peter Sakievich; and a new acquaintence, Ryan Woodward.
I hope you had a blast! Going to San Fran is still on my life’s to-do list. I have only heard great things about it.
I totally love the fun tree sketch you have…I want it on a shirt. You could totally design illustrations for clothes.
Ok, so I have to tell you that Brad uses your name as the epitemy (sp?) of design. When he sees something he likes he always compares it to you. he also uses you as the example of thinking outside the box, he says, “do something creative, try to think like Jonathan.” Apparently I am not the only one who understands that you were the best designer we had.