Lens Flare Test

Sometimes in animation I need a lens flare to plus-up a project, but you can only modify the default After Effects lens flare effect so much before you need something more (and I never use the default flares without a lot of modification). However I've not yet had the need to spend a lot of money on a dedicated plugin, so this afternoon I did a quick test to see what I could do without a filter. Using only shape layers and expressions I was able to create an easy-to-use lens flare with very little hassle. I can foresee this method getting used for future projects.

Water of Leith

Heron

Glen Cononish

Edinburgh Torchlight Procession

A few snaps from the Edinburgh Torchlight Procession. The first three were taken with my new compact camera. I took it out to test its low-light capabilities and the zoom. I am not disappointed!

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

If you're looking for a cheap gift for one of those smaller, less mature people that seem to be everywhere - children, I think they call them - then you could do a lot worse than giving them the gift of reading. "But Mark", I hear you cry, "kids don't want books for Christmas! They want technology and special effects and superhero origin stories!" You didn't let me finish! Jeez! This isn't just any book, this is an e-book, loaded with all the stuff kids yearn for, including that touchscreen interaction they seem to love so much. So pick up The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, adapted from the L Frank Baum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) original and let the young folk in your life learn the story of Santa in revolutionary boredom-annihilating condensed form, interspersed with animated illustrations by yours truly!

GoMA

A hand-held panorama of the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow. Short of having a really wide lens it was the only way to get the whole thing in.

Subterranean T-Rex Blues

Dreamt London was attacked by a T-Rex & I hid in a tube station WITH BOB DYLAN. Wish you could pre-order dreams. #simpletwistofjurassicpark
— KT Tunstall (@KTTunstall) November 14, 2013

I love dreams; the weird events and logic that seem perfectly normal at the time. I replied to Miss Tunstall's tweet, saying that I'd love to draw that. After I got a message of encouragement back I felt I had no choice.

Wellington

There was more talk today about preventing people from giving the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow his official, period-accurate hat.

(Original painting by Thomas Lawrence)

Snap, Crackle and ArtPop

You may have heard Lady Gaga's new album has a app tie-in, but did you know it has an edible element?

No real meaning behind this, I just liked the title.