Danielle 'Nellie' Albert

Monday, February 27, 2012

I like trees...part 2.

I have another favorite tree.
It lives right outside my hometown house.
It is an Elm tree.
It is huge.
In the fall it turns the prettiest shades of orange, yellow, and red.
When my older siblings and I were little, we would take family pictures around this tree.
Then we would use those photos for our annual Christmas cards.
I do not know why my parents thought it would be a good idea to take pictures by this tree.
But who cares.
I still love that tree.
I will cry the day they have to cut it down.

(It was cut down Christmas 2010. I did cry.)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I like trees...part 1.

I like trees.
I like trees a lot.
My favorite tree is the Japanese Maple.
It is this nice shade of blood red which just so happens to be my favorite color.
I hope to own a house where I can plant a billion of those trees.
Ok maybe not literally a billion....

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Happy Birthday Steve!

My pastor's 40th birthday hit this year!

I was asked to create a funny little video to celebrate his 40 years young...

I also created a blooper reel!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Three Frame Comic

I created these comics that were featured in Xerox Candy Bar Magazine, an independent newspaper created at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Church in the City Wednesday Night Prayer

I was asked to create this promotional video for my church, Church in the City, announcing our Wednesday Prayer Meetings.

I was told about the video on Tuesday and needed to finish the video by Sunday of the same week.

With three of those days filled with eight hour shifts at my retail job...

Half a day filled with creating a French video...

and the last half filled with wedding dress shopping for my sister, I FINISHED the video!

I don't think they realize it, but CITC has a SUPERHERO on their hands!

Church in the City Prayer from Danielle 'Nellie' Albert on Vimeo.
Copyright Danielle Albert 2012

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I love Christmas!

I have just finished this animated jingle! Took way longer than expected but I made it by the Christmas deadline!

I Love Christmas from Danielle 'Nellie' Albert on Vimeo.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Dobson's

I posted on Facebook a while back that I was going to start sketching everyday as much as I could. My friend, Kindall, jokingly commented that I should sketch a picture of her and her husband.

Challenge excepted, Kindall, challenge excepted!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

25 days of Danielle....

For those who don't know me during the Christmas holiday, you are definitely missing out. This is my favorite year obviously because my Lord and Savior was born. But I do love EVERYTHING about Christmas...the lights, snow, carols, decorations...everything!

Over the past few years, I have built up a Christmas sweater collection. I am up to 24 now! Starting December 1st, I will wear a different sweater until Christmas day.

Ready to be absolutely amazed, my friend?!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To donate to the Christmas sweater fund, please email me at barcode0101687@gmail.com.

Copyright Danielle Albert 2012

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Rest in Peace Chapstick

I wrote a song about my chapstick committing a suicide jump from my pocket (click here to listen). I am in the process of creating an animation for the song. Here is a very raw version of my CG chapstick character.

I have changed my idea for how I want to animate this Chapstick. Going back to my roots and passion, I am using stop-motion animation. Here is my puppet thus far.

Chapstick puppet in comparison to real Chapstick

Big Chapstick puppet used for flashback montage

Chapstick puppet without cap in comparison to real Chapstick

SNEAK PEAK!

I am a Guerrilla

I have concluded that this world needs a sprinkle of excitement. So I have decided to create guerrilla art in the form of postcards. I have been sketching on the front of postcards and sending them to random address around the country. Each card is an original and has a a little note on the back that will make you smile. Here are a few that I have sent out thus far. Keep an eye on your mailbox friends and strangers!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Neon Light

SAIC provided a Neon Light making class. I took it obviously. Who could pass that up?! It was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken, skill-wise that is. The lab was no more than ten feet by six feet in size and was about three hundred degrees due to a constant streaming of flames. In the end, I could not make any letters or shapes because those were extremely difficult. So I made this.

It is a play on twigs.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Special Gift

What parent wouldn't want a song and animation written about how much their child loves them?

Special Gift from Danielle 'Nellie' Albert on Vimeo.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Magic Boat...Part Deux

While working on The Magic Boat from July 2010 to June 2011, we were lucky enough to be featured in a documentary. This featurette is based around the life of art students straight out of art school.

Here is the film, titled "Kids".

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Cyclops

I took a digital sculpture class during my junior year at SAIC. Here we were introduced to various digital programs where modeling could be done. We learned Rhino, Google SketchUp, Google Earth, Second Life and ZBrush.

I had created a family of Cyclops in my sketchbook one day and decided to model them digitally.

I used Maya to model all the Cyclops except “Lxrtqs7” which was created in Second Life.

Aymch25, DnmxL20, Rptxs19

Dnlp124, Mshpv2, Odmld37, Zmpqs27

Cwlnz14, Lxrtqs7, Elqmn33

Friday, October 21, 2011

It's Raining on Clarence

During the winter of 2008 to early 2009, I spent my days creating puppets for my upcoming animation I would be doing in my Puppet Animation Independent Study Class.

Clarence (2.5' x 1', Skeleton:cardboard, wire, epoxy joints. Outer:floral foam, fabric, acrylic paint)

Umbrella (6" x 4", wood, fabric, clay, acrylic paint)

I had come up with an ironic thought early in my education involving a tree with no leaves that just wanted to be shielded from the rain. What would be the perfect shelter from the rain? An umbrella!

It’s Raining on Clarence is an animation about Clarence, a tree, who asks his poor, broken-footed friend to help him get out of the rain. This animation is done in all stop-motion techniques with an original Foley soundtrack.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Like a Fat Kid in Kickball...

Did you know that I was once a DJ? Welp, I was! My junior year of college, I had my own radio show where I would play oldies during the first half hour. I would then have a five minute talk called Tourist Rants where I would basically talk about the annoyances for the week. The second half of the show was dedicated to some Broadway musicals.

Yeah, I am a nerd. I cannot help it.

I would end my show with the phrase, "Welp, it is that time of day. Like a fat kid in kickball, I'm out!"

Hence, the title of the radio show.

The School.

My school had a contest to showcase The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in a quick video. I decided to ask the students, "What S.A.I.C. meant to them?" After receiving their thoughts, I compiled them to make a narration that was voiced over an original animation.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago from Danielle 'Nellie' Albert on Vimeo.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Bright and Sunny.

Today my friend sent me one of the greatest texts in the world.

It read, “…I’ve already noticed a bright and sunny quality to you!...”

This made me so happy!

My roll as a Christian is to show God’s love. I don’t want to force Jesus down anyone’s throat but I want people to notice that there is something different about me.

I show His love through my spirit. I show it through my constant smile. I show it through my positive contentment in life. I want people to see my bright, sunny personality and just feel God’s love out poured from that.

It Sucks to be that Teabag

In the spring of 2010, I took a Maya animation class. It was a very basic introduction class allowing us students to get used to the Maya program. During this time, I was getting just getting into putting my music to animation. This was the first time I screened to people I did not know. They loved it!

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Magic Boat

From June 2010 through May 2011, I was part of an independent studio here in Chicago called Colorphony Creations. Here, I was part of a project called The Magic Boat, a children's puppet show. My role on this webisode series was Animator, Prop Maker, Set Designer, Editor, Foley Artist, and Co-creator.

These puppets were created by me for the introduction of the show. They are stop-motion puppets ranging from three inches to seven inches in height. Each puppet is structured with a metal skeleton with working joints. Their bodies are carved from upholstery foam and dressed with fabric.

Fin and Shep Crow Brothers

Brother Abbot, Rynan, and Cap'n Gown

Chef Otter, Caroline, and Brother Bear

These are the hand puppets used in the webisodes. They are about two to three feet in height. All are made from upholstery foam and fabric.

Rynan, Brother Bear, and Brother Abbot

Cap'n Gown, Chef Otter, Caroline

Shep and Fin Crow Brothers

In early 2011, The Magic Boat received a grant to perform live shows in the park of Wicker Park. I was part of the set design and prop making department.