Multi-media animation.

I’ve decided to use animation to present my strengths and weaknesses list, though I’m still exploring the best way to approach it. Right now, I’m considering a mixed-media short animation.

My choice to use animation came after revisiting Hayao Miyazaki’s work during my artist research in Week 4. Seeing it again after so long sparked so much joy, and I immediately knew this was the direction I wanted to take for this assignment.

Miyazaki often blends traditional hand-drawn animation with subtle mixed-media techniques, seamlessly incorporating watercolor backgrounds and painterly textures. Films like The Tale of the Princess Kaguya take this even further with expressive, sketch-like brushstrokes that create a raw, textured quality, adding to the emotional depth of the storytelling. The way Studio Ghibli integrates multimedia so effortlessly is what originally inspired my idea. I love how their use of texture and handcrafted details makes their worlds feel so rich and alive, and I want to bring that same depth and tactile quality into my own work.

A multi-medium animation is the perfect choice for this project because it allows me to directly showcase my strengths while pushing myself to improve in areas I struggle with. By combining photography, charcoal, digital illustration, and collage, I can highlight my skills in those mediums, making them an essential part of the visual storytelling. At the same time, I can challenge myself by incorporating elements of typography, pattern, and print design, areas I need to improve in, forcing me to experiment and refine those skills throughout the process.

Animation also gives me the freedom to merge these different techniques in a way that wouldn’t be possible in a static piece. By layering, morphing, and blending the mediums together through motion, I can create a fluid, evolving representation of my strengths and weaknesses, rather than separating them into fixed categories. This approach makes the project more engaging while also reinforcing the idea that skills are constantly developing and changing.

Now that I have the idea and the mediums, I need to decide on the animation concept and how best to bring everything together.