My road

  A person needs to achieve certain goals in one’s life before you can call them successful. Success is to achieve goals, you have set. I have set certain goals I would like to achieve in my lifetime. Some of these goals are personal while others are professional. My professional goals in life are to find a good job that makes me happy, get a good education, find a job that makes enough money for me to support my family, and help people

  It is very important for me to receive a good education. Most job fields require a descent education. If I don’t have an education I would not be able to function properly at the work place and I would not understand what to do. To maintain a good job that will make good money will require me to go thorough schooling or training and maybe even both. Education is the first and foremost way to become successful, because the job I will choose will need me go to school and maybe even beyond college.

  My happiness in what I do is also a goal for me I my life. There is no way someone can become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing. If their job is going to make them miserable, they will never show 100% in their work and they will shake off.

When I was a kid I always wanted to get into the army and serve my country. I was fascinated with military training, fighting using fighter jets and all. Later as I grew up I realized how dangerous it is and if u get in once there is not getting out. I changed my mind and thought its better if I don’t get into that field. For a while I had stopped  thinking  about my future and what I want to do. I was waiting for the right time and the right opportunity and knew that with time I'm sure I'll come up with something. I normally don't plan about anything or what should I do and all.

I hate future planning because most of the time they don't go according to your plan and you get the disappointing feeling and look on your face.

My mom always wanted me to be strong and work hard to achieve my dreams. She has given me a lot of courage and confident to do what every I wish for or feel like, but I was still confused about what to do.

Image 1: Fighter Pilot

At the age of 13 I was more into becoming a pilot in a jet fighter and I was so sure that no matter what I will not change my decision and I want to make my future out of it. But then again seeing news on T.V people getting killed and more important the pilot getting killed made me change my decision once again. I wanted to be on a safer side and live my life peacefully.

The next thing that got my attention was cartoons. I was very fond of cartoon, there was no such cartoon that I miss or never seen if I can understand the language that is. With that I started sketching cartoon and with time I got better with i.e. i never realized that I had a talent of drawing in me. But keeping that aside I was still confused about what to become in future.

Well being a pilot in a fighter jet  dint seem a good idea but I had the wish of flying a plan, so what is if it's not possible to fly a fighter jet I still can fly a normal plane like the jumbo jet. I can be the polite in that and it's not so life threatening as well. So there it is I finally had decided what I'm going to do in my future and was quiet happy with it.

Image 2: Jumbo Jet

I was not such a bright student in school. Most of the time in examination hall I would start drawing in the question paper rather than answering on my answer sheet. My grads started to get lower and lower. My parents were called and my teacher would complain about my marks to them every single time, it was horrible.

Once again I got stuck with the decision of what I will do in my future because with this behavior and marks there was no way I'll be able to become a pilot.

With time my drawing, sketching and painting skills kept improving. After finishing my 10^th standard I had to make a decision about what course ill pickup for my future and without a doubt I wanted to take fine arts. But just my bad luck, fine arts is not provided in Kuwait and my parents did not want me to go to some other country. So I had 2 options Commerce or Science. I have no interest in Science so I took Commerce.

I suffered the next 2 years just to somehow pass and clear my school, I hate accounts. After that I focused more on my drawing skill and tried to improve. I couldn't afford any extra classes so I tried learning by myself and somehow I'll make my future with it. But on a positive note if I fail in making a future with my drawing skills I still got commerce skill, I can get into doing business, account, banking etc. So I was not afraid.

 Drawing on papers started getting boring after a while. I got my eyes on 3D animation, it's more interesting and I can keep drawing and make cartoons as well in a better way. So I started practicing how to use 3D max at home. 

Image 3: 3D character Modeling, Street Cop

After 5 months it was the time to decide and move on with my life. I made my decision of doing graphic design with animation. But was scared to turn my hobby into a profession, what if I get bored or fed-up doing it again and again, it was something I was good at and I didn't want it to go to waste. So yah, I made my decision to stick with designing and animation till the end.

My parents wanted me to do my degree in UK so they started collecting money but then later realized it's too expensive and they can't afford UK at the moment. They got me admitted in American University of Kuwait it was expensive as well, but I could work there abd earn my own fee. But few days later my mom got a call form one of my uncle saying that ‘’Rehman can do animation in Malaysia its affordable and he will end up getting a UK degree as well”. So my mom thought then why not we should send him there and like I said before I don't plan much I just go with the flow.

Now that I’m in Malaysia first thing i have in my mind is as soon as i get my degree I’ll leave Malaysia and directly go London to do my masters. As it’s my parent’s dream and wish to see me there studding, working and settling. I always wished to go there and study form the best lecturers in the animation business, but if my family can't afford to send me London then i got to have some other alternative. So i decided was ill go back to Kuwait after getting my degree and work there for one year and collect the required amount of money and go there myself with my hard work. My parents are always there to support me and I’m sure I’ll get to my destination someday. 

I have some other plans as well like become a drawing teacher in school, helping others and guide them. Most probably i will be giving classes as well as working.

 Apart from this there are also other things that I would like to do at some point. One of my dreams is to travel around the world. I have always been curious about other cultures and the differences between people in other countries. It would be amazing to travel the whole world. Furthermore I would love to bungee jump or swim with sharks, experiencing life to the limits.

But have simple interest as well like painting, graffiti , clay modeling and making comics.  Like dancing as well, helps me to be fit n keep my stamina. I have being performing on stage since the age of 9, done a lot of dancing style, loved the hip-hop. Done b-boying as well. Thought I'll continue dancing till the end but unfortunately had to stop because of my health issues.

  I played a lot of chess as well. I had no interest in chess but it was like I wanted to bunk my classes n just randomly took part in any activity n got selected for chess. The funny thing was I just played 1match and won the 1st price  hahaha I know its strange.

Well after that I got certificate n all I showed my dad , he was shocked and he made me play against him, I lost. Wanting to defeat my dad I sincerely started playing against other people and gained interest , but unfortunately I have won only 1time from my dad till now. ''no probe dad soon I'll again''  .

Well the rest are just basic basketball, football, table tennis, n all other sports

Image 4: Graffiti

Image 5: Painting

Image 6: Clay Modeling

Image 7: Comic

In the future I may have new dreams, but the first goal I have to achieve is getting my degree . This is one of the keys to accomplish my other goals and dreams. After becoming a professional, I want to start a family, one lovely wife and maybe three children's and have one beautiful cozy home to raise my kids and grow old with the people I love the most.

 I hope to achieve...

Reference

Image 1: Fighter Pilot, http://www.clipartof.com/interior_wall_decor/details/Cartoon-Fighter-Pilot-Near-His-Jet-Poster-Art-Print-1044318

Image 2: Jumbo Jet, http://www.picturesof.net/pages/100325-214917-474048.html

Image 3: 3D character Modeling, Street Cop, http://maxianim.blogspot.com/2008/10/street-cop-workflow-3d-character.html

Image 4: Graffiti, http://pictures34.tk/graffiti

Image 5: Painting, http://i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/Garfield/Garfield-painting.php

Image 6: Clay Modeling, http://izreloaded.blogspot.com/2008/12/simpsons-clay-busts.html

Image 7: Comic, http://ifanboy.com/articles/making-comics-from-script-to-page/

Me and my idol

  Image 1: Rehman Rashad

  
   My name is Rehman Rashad, age 20. I am from Pakistan. I am doing my 1st semester in Graphic design with Animation in Linton University-Malaysia.

My Background…

   I was born in Lahore-Pakistan,I had only spent few years in my country before shifting to Kuwait. It has been almost 17 years for me staying here, finished my school doing Commerce as my course subject in India Public School. I focused on achieving my goals including  learning how to sketch and animate, participating in extracurricular activities and doing well in all my classes during my junior year.

  

                Image 2: Zack                                                                            Image 3: Kazuya

   I love drawing , sketching painting. In my school year I have always actively taken part in all the activities related to arts. I never learned by anyone but myself. Done painting,won a 3rd price among all Indian school in Kuwait. I have sold 1 of my painting in an art exhibition as well. I tried clay modeling as well,but not so good at it.. sketching is my favorite…. But m just bored of sketching now ,i want to create 3D models and animate them as well ,make it look more interesting.

            Image 4: Entertainment City

   Like dancing as well, helps me to be fit n keep my stamina. I have being performing on stage since the age of 9, done a lot of dancing style, loved the hip-hop. Done  b-boying as well.Thought I'll continue dancing till the end but unfortunately had to stop because of my health issues.              

                                                                                                                           I played a lot of chess as well. I had no interest in chess but it was like I wanted to bunk my classes and just randomly took part in any activity n got selected for chess. The funny thing was I just played 1 match and won the 1st price  hahaha I know its strange.Well after that I got certificate n all I showed my dad , he was shocked and he made me play against him, I lost. Wanting to defeat my dad I sincerely started playing against other people and gained interest , but unfortunately I have won only 1 time from my dad till now. ''no prob dad soon I'll again''  .

Well the rest are just basic basketball, football,

 table tennis, n all other sports.

Interest...

   My interest is more into character design and animation.I love designing character and  try bring out something different.My skills and imagination are not  good enough but i do try hard

Character design...

  Image 5: Character Sketch

     As character design is among the most important and fun aspect of creating an animated film. Appealing features and design can provide a way for the audience to identify with and grow to like your character.

Image 6: Rehman Rashad

      Before starting i make sure to have a good idea about how i am going to make my character. I keep in mind how my character's personality is going to be like ,are they confident or timid,young or old,happy or sullen.I usually like making action heroes.

     Image 7 : Leon

   If i'm trying to create more character in a story i make sure that the characters are proportional and match each other,like they belong to the same world.

Image 8 : A Demon and Leon

    I think about how my character will interact both physically and emotionally and make sure that my design can accommodate that.

Image 9 : character Design 1

Image 10 : Character Design 2

  Animation...

    Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program, although there are other methods.

Traditional animation...

Image 11 : An example of traditional animation

     Traditional animation (also called cel animation or hand-drawn animation) was the process used for most animated films of the 20th century. The individual frames of a traditionally animated film are photographs of drawings, which are first drawn on paper. To create the illusion of movement, each drawing differs slightly from the one before it. The animators' drawings are traced or photocopied onto transparent acetate sheets called cels, which are filled in with paints in assigned colors or tones on the side opposite the line drawings. The completed character cels are photographed one-by-one onto motion picture film against a painted background by a rostrum camera.

Stop motion...

 Image 12 : A stop-motion animation of a moving coin

    Stop-motion animation is used to describe animation created by physically manipulating real-world objects and photographing them one frame of film at a time to create the illusion of movement. There are many different types of stop-motion animation, usually named after the medium used to create the animation

  2D animation...

    2D animation figures are created and/or edited on the computer using 2D bitmap graphic or created and edited using 2D vector graphic. This includes automated computerized versions of traditional animation techniques such as of, interpolated morphing,onion skinning and interpolated rotoscoping.

  2D animation has many applications, including analog computer animation, Flash animation and PowerPoint animation. Cinemagraph are still photograph in the form of an animated GIF file of which part is animated.

   3D animation...

Image 13 : Character Design in 3D

    3D animation is digitally modeled and manipulated by an animator. In order to manipulate a mesh, it is given a digital skeletal structure that can be used to control the mesh. This process is called rigging. Various other techniques can be applied, such as mathematical functions (ex. gravity, particle simulations), simulated fur or hair, effects such as fire and water and the use of motion capture to name but a few, these techniques fall under the category of 3D dynamics. Well-made 3D animations can be difficult to distinguish from live action and are commonly used as visual effect for recent movies.

                                                                         Image 14 : Buzz Lightyear

   Its fun giving movement to my character.I'm really not so good at it,im still a student and learning to do better.I really like Michael Surrey's work the way he makes his character and animate.I hope some day i can do like him.

Achievements...

   I have achieved many different goals in life. Some of my achievements are bigger than the other which has given me great satisfaction. Few achievements that given me great satisfaction includes: 

1.Selling my 1^st painting.

2.Being awarded as the 3^rd best painter among all Indian school in Kuwait.

3.Getting my 1^st job.

4.Going collage

Goals...
   A person needs to achieve certain goals in one’s life before you can call them successful. Success is to achieve goals, you have set. I have set certain goals I would like to achieve in my lifetime. Some of these goals are personal while others are professional. My professional goals in life are to find a good job that makes me happy, get a good education, find a job that makes enough money for me to support my family, and help people
  It is very important for me to receive a good education. Most job fields require a descent education. If I don't have an education I would not be able to function properly at the work place and I would not understand what to do. To maintain a good job that will make good money will require me to go thorough schooling or training and maybe even both. Education is the first and foremost way to become successful, because the job I will choose will need me go to school and maybe even beyond college.
My happiness in what I do is also a goal for me I my life. There is no way someone can become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing. If their job is going to make them miserable, they will never show 100% in their work and they will slake off.

My Idol…

                    Michael Surrey…

Image 15 : Michael Surrey 

    Oftentimes it is at least somewhat predictable what animators will eventually become supervisors. A typical “rookie” supervising animator at Disney has usually either been a top animator at other studios for quite sometime(Eric Goldberg, Duncan Marjoribanks, Bruce Smith, Dale Baer), has worked at the studio for many years as a right hand to the top animators(Tony de Rosa, Broose Johnson), or  has displayed blow-you-away skills from the minute they entered the medium(James Baxter). Sometimes, however, a young unknown animator who’s an unlikely choice to be a supervisor is assigned a character that is perfect for them and the person steps into the class of superstardom. That’s probably the best way you can describe what happened when Mike Surrey was selected to supervise Timon in the Lion King.

Image 16 : Timon and Simba

   Mike Surrey was born around 1964 in Canada and grew up in the Toronto area. Like most aspiring animators from Canada, after high school he set off to Oakville and enrolled in the famous animation program at the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. At the beginning of his career Surrey worked as an animation posing artist on low-budget TV shows animated in Canada. After the release of the Little Mermaid in 1989 he realized that there was something special going on at Disney and moved out to California with the ambitions of working there. Mike was hired as an assistant animator on Beauty and the Beast and would follow by working as one of the animators under Glen Keane on the title character in Aladdin. After Aladdin things lined up perfectly and he was assigned the character of Timon the meerkat in the Lion King. Both Nik Ranieri and James Baxter (I also believe I even heard Eric Goldberg) were considered for the role of Timon but Ranieri moved on to Pocahontas and they decided it would be better if Surrey did Timon and Baxter did Rafiki. Timon proved to be a great match for the young animator and the character turned out very well in the finished film. After Lion King Surrey went on to the Hunchback of Notre Dame and supervised the narrator of the film, Clopin the gypsy. This would be followed by supervising Terk in Tarzan, Rourke in Atlantis, and Buck in Home on the Range before leaving the studio for DreamWorks where he animated on Shark Tale. When production started up on the Princess and the Frog Surrey went back to Disney to supervise Ray the fire fly as well as animate Pascal the chameleon in Tangled. In 2010 the Hat Building began to have some down time on the animator end as projects struggled to get out of the development stage making Mike decide to join the crew at DreamWorks to help them on an upcoming animated film.

                                                                    Image 17 : Timon 

Image 18 : Character Sketch

Image 19 : Tarzan

   Mike Surrey’s animation is very appealing and is a lot of fun to study. If you study any of his characters you’ll without a doubt notice that the eyes are always very expressive and the real axis point of the drawing.Surrey has stated in interviews that he likes to use big round eyes so that he can communicate the expression effectively and show the purpose behind what the character is doing. This works very well in the final animation and the communication that's so vital to great character animation is always present. An interesting fact I've learned about Mike Surrey is instead of using high-quality pencils or colored pencils he animates with a number-2 pencil! So maybe next time I take a test at school maybe I should think “Wow! Mike Surrey animates with one of these!.”  Appeal is also a very important aspect in Mike’s animation. He draws in a very round, loose style and doesn't have unnecessary secondary actions or refinements in his sequences like many other animators do. The motion in a Mike Surrey scene is always very lively and fluid. Study either a Timon scene or a Clopin scene and you'll see what I mean. The movement is very smooth giving the scene a very intuitive, natural feel. The character's gestures are also very focused and directly communicate what's important for the audience to understand in what the character is going through. Last Surrey has a very good understanding of the character relationship and the emotions that come with that kind of relationship. That is something that’s crucial and vital for someone to understand when they're animating on any character-driven animated film.

Image 20 : Character Sketch

                                                                        Image 21 : Character Design
     Mike Surrey’s animation has had a great impact on sidekick characters in animated films. In comparison to Eric Goldberg and Duncan Marjori ]banks who handle sidekicks with broad acting and caricatured expressions Mike is very subtle in his handling of a sidekick character while retaining the range needed for the character. Like Eric Goldberg oftentimes explains in interviews the sidekick oftentimes has to cover the most emotional range of a character in a film. They usually have to keep the comedy afloat but have to be sincere when the time comes. Although Surrey’s characters have this range it is maintained in a very subtle way and is a very natural transition. This has influenced the way many of those characters have been handled in films done since. Also many people say that Mike is a very generous, caring mentor to young people and has a great sense of humor. Last Surrey’s appealing, expressive, and lively style has been a great inspiration to everyone who works on a film with him.

    Mike Surrey and his animation have inspired me in several ways. First is I've really been influenced by the way he draws the eyes and focuses on communicating through them. I love how expressive they are and the clarity is breathtaking. This made me realize that the eyes are really the axis point of a great drawing and the key to communicating the expression as well as the feeling in a scene. Next is the liveliness and subtlety in his animation is always very inspiring to study. Also the appeal he puts into his characters is something that's really influenced me and a thing I hope to master someday. Last is I'm really inspired by the confidence and mellow-nature that Surrey always has. Thank you Mike Surrey for being a great influence to me and for your impressive contributions to Disney animation.

Surrey’s Work...

Beauty and the Beast- Animating Assistant

Aladdin- Animator on Aladdin
Lion King- Supervising Animator on Timon

Hunchback of Notre Dame- Supervising Animator on Clopin

Tarzan- Supervising Animator on Terk

Atlantis- Supervising Animator on Rourke

Home on the Range- Supervising Animator on Buck

Princess and the Frog- Supervising Animator on Ray

Tangled- Animator on Pascal the Chameleon

                                                                                                                           Image 22 : Tangled

Reference...

Image 1 : Rehman Rashad
Image 2 : Zack, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2574084506041&set=a.2573825179558.127956.1072145361&type=3&theater

 Image 3 : Kazuya,     http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2573995103806&set=a.2573825179558.127956.1072145361&type=3&theater

 Image 4 : Entertainment City,     http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=57921095623&set=t.1072145361&type=3&theater

Image 5 : Character Sketch            

 Image 6 : Rehman Rashad      

 Image 7 : Leon,  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2855596343661&set=a.2573825179558.127956.1072145361&type=3&theater    

 Image 8 : A Demon and Leon, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2878050104991&set=a.2573825179558.127956.1072145361&type=3&theater

 Image 9 : character Design 1, http://www.fanpop.com/spots/resident-evil/images/722304/title/leon-re4-photo

Image 10 : Character Design 2

Image 11 : An example of traditional animation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

Image 12 : A stop-motion animation of a moving coin, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

Image 13 : Character Design in 3D, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

Image 14 : Buzz Lightyear ,

Image 15 : Michael Surrey, http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/32-mike-surrey/

Image 16 : Timon and Simba, http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/32-mike-surrey/

Image 17 : Timon,

Image 18 : Character Sketch, http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/32-mike-surrey/

Image 19 : Tarzan,

Image 20 : Character Sketch, http://livlily.blogspot.com/2010/11/princess-and-frog-2009.html

Image 21 : Character Design, http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/32-mike-surrey/

Image 22 : Tangled, http://movies.about.com/od/rapunzel/ig/Tangled-Photos/Flynn-Rider-Rapunzel-Photo.htm