Online design and personal branding materials
Showreel
Starting my showreel, I searched for a royalty free song to edit to, and I put together an intro clip displaying my name, role and email. I designed this in a visual style I like/personal style.
I want this showreel to make my main skills clear in 2D rig / character animation. I included the industry project I worked on as a Junior Animator using 2D rigs on AE. I included a personal project where I built my own rig, understanding the pipeline better, and my major project where I developed my skills in these roles. Other clips come from my other university assignments.
SHOWREEL_DK_V2.mp4
Portfolio
I had already prepared a portfolio site on Wix.com before this year started. Since September, I have been updating the site. I have:
- Uploaded videos I think are my best quality of work from university and personal work.
- Made a new showreel of work from my placement year.
- Added a showreel page to view my latest showreel.
- I added an about page incase viewers would like to know who I am.
- I added a section to view my FMP. I provided a password protected link to the page where it can be watched, as I am undecided whether to keep it public, or private.
Password: DANTP019435
https://daynakeaneyart.wixsite.com/daynke
I favour this efficient way to view my work in one place. I also have Artstation set up, however it features all my work, instead of just my best quality of work. This feels more professional to show to others.
CV
CV_Dayna_Keaney_2023
Last year I built a CV in my own time. However, it needs a redesign for better layout, and more information explaining my skills/particular job specifications. I took inspiration from previous students’ examples, and tutors’ advice to refine this CV.
CV-DK-2024-V1
I’m happier with the arrangement of this page with the description at the top, left-side my experience, and the right-side other details. It fills up the page evenly. I reduced the font size so more information can fit into the page, such as more described roles in my placement experience.
I got feedback from my tutors to rewrite my description with more emphasis on industry experience, and emphasising my interests are my skills. I also was recommended to add my major project into the experience section as it’s what I’m currently working on, showcasing what skills and workflow I am using.
CV-DK-2024-V2
I am happy with the feedback and result of this CV. For the End of Year Show, I would like to use this as a template to make it major project themed.
CV-DK-EOYS-V1
I tried this ticket shape style in the boarder with an alien face. However, this was too distracting of a shape, and the colours don’t fit.
CV-DK-EOYS-V2
In this attempt, I incorporated the design of my business card. I used the same wave pattern, colour scheme and an alien waving. I prefer this attempt better. I updated the information to suit the time it’ll be shown.
Poster
For my poster I am aiming for action that fills the page, featuring each character doing something different, in a chaotic atmosphere and warped perspective.
I tried out the expressive idea described above, and a more uniform, high perspective idea. Although it looks interesting, I am aiming for the more expressive look.
I was struggling with the layout of my poster, so I thumb-nailed with greyscale shapes. This helps simplify the process and gives me a more structured idea of where I want to go. I followed the layout of the third design.
In these sketches, I drew the stalls in the background, but skewed along a rounded perspective. I added the roller coaster coming from the top to the bottom. I liked how the coaster could meet the audience at the bottom for a more exciting look. I chose two positions for the title and catchphrase. I want to use most ideas from the first drawing but use the stalls in the second sketch.
After choosing the sketches I got started on polishing the layout and continued to build the poster. I followed the same colour scheme / style used in my backgrounds, characters and props in the film. I experimented with fonts and style effects to combine ‘theme park advertising’, and ‘alien’ visuals together. I made sure each part was clear to see, and tones were defined using the black&white filter. I am happy with this outcome. It has the chaotic, warped and action-filled visuals I was aiming for.
DANTP_POSTER_RGB_PDF
Business Card
I wanted a good connecting theme to go with my business card. I researched into a physical ticket/raffle ticket/season pass theme, where my card could appear like a ticket to the ‘Normal Theme Park’. I built a rough design on Miro board as I was researching this theme.
Before I start my card, I decided to use a QR code instead of writing details on the card. I set up a Linktree account with all my socials and added the link to the code below. This makes my socials easier to access, all within a couple clicks.
https://linktr.ee/daynke
I designed cards with a background pattern, boarder, my name, details and the QR code. I like the first shape of card best, and I tried colours that were seen in old physical tickets.
I developed a polished version, detailing the parts included above. However, I still feel like this attempt is plain and boring.
I was recommended to split it apart, one side includes my information, and the other is more artistic – featuring an illustration of the aliens.
I showed this draft to tutors and classmates to gain feedback. I was overthinking if I should scrap this and try another idea. I was recommended to keep the style as it is but emphasise my name and QR code more as they get lost in the design. To continue the illustration, and scale it up more.
For the art side, I took out the text for more room, and added star details. The text is bigger, and the QR code is brighter for better visibility.
I am much happier with this outcome. Although I was overthinking how to go about the business card, I’m happy I was encouraged to finish this style as it turned out great.
I printed my business cards with vistaprint.com.
DK_BC_RGB_BOTH_PDF
Stickers
I decided to make stickers as a fun addition to my display. I used my alien rigs head and redesigned a hand to make this illustration.
I used the site Stickermule.com to print out my stickers. I ordered 50 stickers for the EOYS.
Art-book / Design Deck
I thought of producing my art-book in resemblance to a theme park guidebook you would pick up when visiting an amusement place. These books are vibrantly designed with bold fonts, exciting imagery and hold a range of details – dates, times, and deals.
I struggled to start this design, so I choose three key images that inspired me most, so I’m not overwhelmed with many choices. I analysed specific details I could add from this theme.
I thumb-nailed layouts for the book cover. The third layout looks interesting, but still needs work. I’m aiming to add the title, my credit, the catchphrase, the tickets (referencing the business cards) and the aliens. I first thought this will be a portrait book, but later changed to landscape so I could fit more imagery in.
After a while, I produced this style for the art book cover. I incorporated a boarder to shape the page, added the title from the poster, imagery of an alien on the coaster, and the alien hand holding the ticket. This is simpler to what I was aiming for, but I think this works as an art-book cover.
For the inside of the art book, I am building the pages on Photoshop. Each page is set up to the landscape book size of 8×6. I tried to keep elements consistent like the colours, size of text & page numbers. I chose a colour scheme picked from my poster design.
I ordered the artbook on Snappysnaps.com where I can get a softcover book of 20 pages.
DANTP_ARTBOOK_V2
Digital strategies of promoting work online – Instagram & LinkedIn
I have posted on my Instagram account an introduction post, and animation work from the past 2 years.
https://www.instagram.com/daynkeart/
I made a short teaser for my FMP, highlighting some clips in a 5 second video. This will bring interest, and lets my followers know what I’ve been working on.
I have also prepared my LinkedIn account with job skills & details, links to showreel and portfolio, and making connections with the industry and my classmates.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayna-keaney/
Industry / career decisions
Throughout the years I have kept up to date with the studios and projects situated in Northern Ireland. Those working with 2D animation and rig software interest me most and is where I’d like to pursue towards first.
NI Screen has been a vital source for research and opportunity. In January I attended the 2D Animation Pipeline Masterclass, organised by NI Screen. I spent the week listening and engaging with people of the industry, from Paper Owl, JAM Media, Dog Ears, ALT Animation and more. It held fun workshops and informative presentations. I received a certificate for my participation.
Masterclass-Certificate
NI Screen also has graduate job schemes, providing us opportunities to apply for jobs in animation studios. I applied to all positions this year, catering each one to their specific roles and requirements and detailing how I meet their criteria. I sent over my portfolio to each role.
To roles in 2D animation I sent my 2D showreel:
To generalist and editing roles, I sent my generalist showreel:
With the rest of my promotional materials ready, I will keep searching for graduate / entry level roles to apply to.
Display design & presentation
With pictures I took from the EOYS last year, I thought of what I need to consider for my own display. These include:
- Poster
- Table cover
- 1-4 themed props
- Storage for cards, CV, stickers
- How the display will be positioned based on one screen or two screens
For the theme of my display, my tutor brought up a ticket booth, which I thought suit the project very well. I gathered some ideas and images based on this theme:
- Ticket holder booth, sign labelled ‘Tickets’, window, rectangular cardboard shaped, round striped shades.
- CV and art book in front of display
- Storage on ticker booth where business cards can sit
- Prop balloons, prop popcorn box
- Table cover; vibrant block colour
I have several props I bought, crafted, and designed to fit the display presentation theme. I built a layout of the ticket booth on Illustrator and made it with a cardboard box and coloured paper. I got an acrylic holder stand to go along with the booth.
I got craft eggs which I was able to turn upside down and paint, giving the visual of miniature balloons.
I found party food trays that resemble the prop used in my film. I stuck coloured paper onto it, so the design is similar too.
Lastly, I found bunting banners, and a table cover.
Physical materials
I gathered my physical materials as they arrived. My business cards came perfect, but I used a paper cutter tool to cut the corners away, creating the ticket look. I printed my CV through the library, I picked up my book from SnappySnaps, and collected my poster in the classroom.
Business Card
CV
Artbook
Poster
Display presentation
This is the progress of setting up my display presentation. I included my props, promotional materials and decorations onto this assigned table. At the start of this week, I helped clean away the computers and move the tables.