CrumpArt » Animation

A romance in lower mathematics.

May 14th, 2008 by Crumpet

When I went to feed the dogs this morning, they weren’t there. After freaking out and searching for about half an hour, they finally heard me and came sprinting into the yard. I still can’t figure out how they got out, and am going to be extremely late for my animation class on the one day that I would have been on time.

So, to cheer myself up, I just watched The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics again. We were shown it in class last week, and it has to be one of my favourite things ever.

Posted in Animation | | 2 Comments

Revelations.

March 24th, 2008 by Crumpet

When I was a kid, I always wondered why Easter changed dates. I knew it was something to do with some sort of old Biblical calendar, because I saw my parents referencing it for calculations, but I never thought to discover why. Now that I’m studying the relationship between myth, religion, creation, astronomy, cosmology and science for my artwork, of course I wanted to figure out the answer.

Yesterday morning, Easter Sunday, I woke up early and set out to do some sewing. This involved cleaning up my studio, and as I was taking the rubbish to the bin outside, I saw the moon still hanging in the sky, its pale reflection of the suns light looking beautiful against the clear blue, and it hit me. Easter is a lunar festival.

My parents came to visit for dinner, and I mentioned the morning moon to my dad, and he confirmed that there is a full moon each Easter. I’ve done a little research and found that the religious calendar of predicted full moons that Easter dates are calculated from was timed to the Jewish Passover, which in turn was based on a lunar calendar. Makes sense, considering that the stories tell of Jesus celebrating Passover before he is executed.

It all makes me wonder what kind of astronomical cycles happened in Jesus’ time, especially as he was executed. The stories of Good Friday talk of a darkness coming over the land as Jesus died. An eclipse, perhaps? Or maybe just a large storm? The appearance of the full moon in the sky three days later, especially if storm clouds had been obscuring the sky, could be seen as Jesus rising to the heavens (as the moon appears to rise from the horizon at night to us). The Eucharistic bread that Christians receive as “Jesus’ body” certainly resembles the full moon, and with a long history of the body symbolised by the circle, a glowing circle of light in the darkness could of course be seen as godly and mystical.

And what does all that have to do with rabbits?

The myth of the Rabbit and the Moon. There’s a shadow on the moon that many cultures see as a rabbit or hare making food. Myth tells us that through his kindness, the rabbit sacrificed himself as a meal to an old man. The old man turned out to be the moon god, and he repaid the rabbit by placing him in the full moon forever. (I’d post the animation I’ve made of this story here, except I’m not ready to share it online yet — I want to enter it into some festivals and stuff first…)

Again, the symbol of the moon as a resurrection device. And that is why the Easter Bunny brings us eggs… a symbol of new life and sustenance that, in retrospect, look kind of like the moon.

Posted in Freaky Coincidences, Universe, Animation, photography, Art, Random | | 0 Comments

Butterflies.

November 26th, 2007 by Crumpet

I felt extremely nauseous before leaving for work this morning.

My results were released at 8am, and I was suffering my usual bout of self doubt. I had to leave the house right about then as well, in order to get to work on time. I decided that being a little late was worth it.

It turns out I didn’t need to worry. Three High Distinctions (thanks to Vetti and Mr Crumpet for help with the animation!) and a Credit. The Credit was for theory, and the annoying thing is that I actually received a Distinction for my essay, worth 80% of the mark, but it was brought down by the Pass I got on the stupid Critical Bibliography assignment — a list of our initial research points made before beginning the essay, and long before we’d had the lecture on the topic I’d chosen for the essay. I think I also got marked down on the essay for the sources that I did end up using — there was a note saying that I’d used too many internet resources and not enough theoretical research (presumably from books). When are academics going to get with the program and realise that accessing valid, published newspaper (and other) articles from reputable authors, critics and journalists online is just as good as reading something from a piece of paper?

Anyway, enough with the bitter. I really loved my time spent at uni this year. Hooray!

Posted in Animation, photography, Art | | 2 Comments

Rants. Backpedalling. Etc..

November 8th, 2007 by Crumpet

So, I’ve missed a day of NaBloPoMo without even managing to mention that I was taking part again…

I considered cheating and backdating a post, but I just couldn’t do it.

This week’s has been somewhat stressful — there was the whole uni assessment thing, coupled with Mr C overhauling all our computers, my email being down, the fact that we’re running on empty until both our paydays in a weeks time, and my period finally arriving a week late. Fun!

My mum called today to tell me not to knit anything for my niece because my sister says she won’t wear it. They want me to buy crap instead of “wasting my time” making something. They obviously don’t realise that the time I spend making things is as much for myself as it is for the recipients. I don’t like it when people demand certain things as gifts — for me, lists and requests are always just suggestions, and I’ll give what I want when I want to. My niece will still be getting knitted things, and I like to think that I can make something that she will actually want to wear. I may slightly cave on my Handmade Pledge and add some books to the package — it’s technically a cheat, but I consider it an honourable one.

Anyway, the reason I didn’t post yesterday is also rather honourable. On Tuesday night, after I’d spent Cup Day at work earning lots of money that I won’t see until next week, and right after our power went out for a couple of hours, I received a phone call from one of the third year students asking if I could help out with their graduate show. So yesterday afternoon and evening I helped set stuff up, played barmaid at the opening, then helped pack up. Fun but quite exhausting. Head along to RMIT First Site Gallery (next to Storey Hall) on Swanston St in Melbourne to check out the show — it’s on for another couple of weeks. Something else to see soon? My latest animation, Rabbit and the Moon, should be screening at the ONEPLUSTWO show (a collection of first and second year media arts work) on Tuesday the 13th of November from 8pm at Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne. Come and buy me a beer… because I can’t buy my own right now…

Posted in Animation, General crafts, Art, Knitting, Random | | 0 Comments

Let’s bend light.

October 21st, 2007 by Crumpet

Just a quick note to say “Hah!” to all those people who laughed when I said I was going to ~~perform magic~~ shoot my animation in a day.

It’s shot, and is currently being edited. Vetti, what night would you and Joffa like to come over for dinner and voice-over recording?

I also managed to take some more Photo of the Day shots, playing with the cool light and shadows on my bathroom wall…

Gotta get ready for work now…

Posted in Universe, Animation, photography, Art | | 3 Comments

I can play with the big kids now!

October 16th, 2007 by Crumpet

Lookee! I’ve graduated from using desk lamps to “real” lights for shooting my animations! These are called Dedo lights, and I’ve borrowed a set of three from uni — they have fun stuff like dimmers and barn doors!

Posted in Animation, photography | | 0 Comments

Excuses, excuses…

September 27th, 2007 by Crumpet

I fell of the wagon again yesterday. I missed taking a picture because I was:

a) annoyed
b) at uni doing work during the day, even though I’m on holidays this week
c) at a work thing where they told us our results for the end of the financial year, where I got some beers and a gift card — hooray!
d) at Andy’s show, followed by dinner and more drinks

By the time I got home I pretty much collapsed into bed, and while I did have a hangover this morning, it was all worth it because I’m pretty much over my foul mood now. Yay!

Today I went back into uni and spent all day shooting a little stop motion animation for one of my printmaking classes. And tomorrow I have the day off.