I was very young when I first started drawing dinosaurs. I can't recall much of my early years, but scrapbooks containing drawings I did for my father still litter my parents' house. My fascination with the non-existent evolved when I began to play videogames (quite obsessively) – and later, roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons.
I was much older before I figured out that one thing that really fascinated me about these mediums was the art. Be it a Dungeons and Dragons rulebook, a videogame, or a Magic: The Gathering card; most geeky mediums contain entire treasure troves of fascinating and extremely detailed artwork – used to build vast and complex worlds. When I watched the first Making Of videos of Guild Wars (an award-winning MMO which I spent far too much time playing), I was introduced to the term 'concept artist', and it quickly became clear that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
In fact, I believe it was my time playing so many different videogames that led me to that conclusion. I am a big fan of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games), which consumed thousands of hours of my time. But I do not regret it - that time was spent exploring incredible far off worlds, hand-designed and built by teams of passionate and talented designers, people who I'd like to count among my peers one day. I guess you could say I am addicted to escapism, and excited about the potential to create it - be it through games, film or art.
In fact, I believe it was my time playing so many different videogames that led me to that conclusion. I am a big fan of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games), which consumed thousands of hours of my time. But I do not regret it - that time was spent exploring incredible far off worlds, hand-designed and built by teams of passionate and talented designers, people who I'd like to count among my peers one day. I guess you could say I am addicted to escapism, and excited about the potential to create it - be it through games, film or art.
Sadly, my time in highschool was spent studying drama rather than art, as I had quickly found that the traditional art teacher did not approve of my line of interest. I didn't want to draw pears and teacups (although my training at TDA has taught me that this can be a useful skill) – I wanted to draw knights and aliens, space ships and pulse rifles, swords and shields. As a result, I soon forgot my interest, and for a long time I was convinced I would become an actor.
That changed when my mom took me to visit TAW when I was 16. When I first came into the building and saw what people where doing here, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. Here were the passionate people with vibrant imaginations and walls covered in movie posters and inspiring art. This was a place where I could finally speak about my interests and hear the kindred souls in the answers of the people around me. This was a place where people discussed Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the latest videogames just as readily as they did the weather or taxes. It felt like home.
It would be many years before I found my way back to TAW (I had to move from South Africa to Denmark first), but when I did I immediately knew I would need further training in order to get in. As a result, I spent the entire year of 2011 training at TDA under Mads Peter. I learned a great deal about the true complexities of drawing, and found that I had to rebuild my understanding from the ground up. Determined as I was to succeed, I also took Scott Eaton's Anatomy for Artists course during the summer of 2011, and studied Glenn Vilppu's videos on constructive anatomy in my free time.
Ideally, in the future I'd like to be able to work as a 2D and 3D artist designing characters, props and environments for videogames. I am also very fond of comic book illustration (TDA has left me with a love of the pencil) and artwork for mediums such as Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering (Secretly, having my artwork appear on an MTG card is one of my greatest dreams). I have also curried a deep interest in working in film since seeing Jurassic Park for the first time at the tender (and frightened) age of five. Luckily, TAW has only further increased my interest in animation and character design, and I am now eager to contribute to the field.
I still have a great deal to learn though, a fact that has been somewhat alarmingly shoved into my face by the skill and tenacity of my fellow pupils.
I still have a great deal to learn though, a fact that has been somewhat alarmingly shoved into my face by the skill and tenacity of my fellow pupils.
As such, The Animation Workshop seems like the perfect place for me. I hope you will find my work satisfactory.
Yours truly,
John