Week 4 - "Tips!!! Tips!!! Tips!!!" (4/23)

    Hi everyone! I know this week has been extremely busy and stressful (I’m only guessing, but I’m 90% sure this is the case for everyone) but the time has come for you to read my blog again! I did in fact post a vlog this week, so I thought I’d continue on the topic of reflecting. Recently, I have been trying out many ways to make animating more enjoyable, since it can be time-consuming. Although I did change my approach to making animations, there are still many other things that play into my overall “animating well-being”. In fact… I have compiled a list!! Without further ado, here are “Pelin’s Top 3 Ways to be Less Stressed and Distressed while Animating”.

Pelin’s Top 3 Ways to be Less Stressed and Distressed while Animating:

     1)      Listen to music. We all love books and movies, right? Especially fiction. If you are an avid watcher or reader of nonfiction, good for you. Honestly, I would not be able to do that so I am very jealous. When listening to songs, it makes me (and you, I hope) feel like the main character in a story. Picture this: “Pelin sits down at her desk and sighs. Music plays in the background. She starts working towards her dreams and her future.” Of course, this is far too exaggerated to be true, but at least music makes me feel like I am in a story. My favorite is classical music, even though this is not something most people listen to. I would very much like to live in a Victorian castle and go to balls all day, so classical fits this description. If you hate music, at least listen to a podcast or an audiobook.

  TRY THIS PLAYLIST!!!

    2)      Have someone actually there with you. Or, in a more convenient case, be on the phone with someone. A friend, a family member, really anyone you can talk to and have a fun time with. I always FaceTime my best friend Z, and we can stay connected for HOURS while working/animating. This definitely lightens up the process, as you are not staring at a screen in mere silence. 

She took my picture AGAINST MY WILL while I was researching how to manage some quirks on animation apps (excuse the blurriness): 

     3)      Change your setting. Don’t animate in the same place all the time!! This will make the task tedious and too similar each time you do it. Place yourself among different colors, smells, or sounds. Sit in your kitchen while food cooks, sit in another room with a different wallpaper, or sit outside with wind blowing and birds chirping!! You need creativity, so allow your surroundings to enhance it!

My view outside, as I tried to animate in my little brother’s room and he kicked me out (literally, out of the house):

    There we go! If you ever try doing something that does not require as much critical thinking but is still tedious, try these.

    Now, I am sure you’re saying—“Pelin! Why haven’t you shown us any animations in this blog post yet?” Well, the answer is quite simple. I haven’t fully completed anything this week. You see, as time goes by and I improve, my animations are more complicated and are harder to make. But never fear!! I was not lazy. I just will not be spoiling anything I made until next week’s blog, when it is finished! 

In case you don’t believe that I have been working, here is a sneak peek:

See ya!

Edit: I commented on Mia, Anoosha, and Rachel L's posts.