I have a fascination with hand-drawn animations, ever since I saw the works of an American animator, Glen Keane. One of his works, Duet, has got me so inspired that I went to read up about the technical aspects of animations and even attempted animations using my own illustrations. It was not an easy feat and I really salute all animators out there!
So, imagine my delight when I got an invitation by Ms Beverly to attend “Toy in Animation” exibition by MINT Museum of Toys and LASALLE College of the Arts. It will be interesting to get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes of the process and watching the sketches come alive.
The animation below was created by a student who drew the character and transformed the sketch into 10 seconds dynamic 2D animation.
This exhibition is a collaboration between MINT Museum of Toys and LASALLE College of the Arts, where 90 students from the Animation programmes spent one day sketching at the museum. Bringing vintage toys to life with a touch of imagination, each animation tells a unique story and interpretation of selected toys.
“We believe our collection of vintage toys has the potential to inspire not only imaginative play but also various contemporary creative endeavours. With collaborations such as this, we also hope to open up more conversations about the relevance and importance of preserving these vintage toys. This project with LASALLE started from a small initiative and has grown into something we’re proud to be a part of.”
– Christopher Ho, General Manager, MINT Museum of Toys.
Drawing by a student from LASALLE
“At LASALLE, it’s important that students get to work outside the classroom, and draw new inspiration from everyday items around them rather than mimic existing animation. Starting from scratch with sketches helped sharpen foundational skills, while the short timeline served to stimulate industry practice and train students in quick decision-making. We’re very happy that this collaboration has grown to become a full exhibition.”
– Chris Shaw, Head, The Puttnam School of Film and Animation, LASALLE College of the Arts.
We got the opportunity to meet some of the students at the exhibition and they explained to me the process of how it was like sketching and making into animation within the deadline. Every level, there will be showcases of their works and the compilation of the animation videos which you can easily recognize some of the characters that you saw at the vintage toys displayed at the museum.
Here are some examples of their works:
One of my favorite sketches that I have come across!
Wish to see those drawings in action? Hop over to “Toys in Animation” exhibition at MINT Museum of Toys and you will get to see those works in animation! There will also be a Meet the Animators sessions on the specific dates stated below so do visit and get to interact with the animators to find out more about their works.
You can also get your complimentary tote bag when you register for ‘Meet The Animators’ on any of the following dates: 19, 20, 26 & 27 August 2016.
Register here: LINK
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Exhibition Information
Toys in Animation opens on 30 July 2016. In conjunction with Singapore Night Festival, Toys in Animation will be accompanied by Meet the Animators sessions on 19, 20, 26 & 27 August, from 7pm – 11pm. For more details, you can find out more at www.emint.com.
Venue: MINT Museum of Toys, 26 Seah Street, Singapore 188382
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 6:30pm daily
except during Singapore Night Festival on 19, 20, 26 & 27 Aug, exhibition will open till 11:00pm
www.emint.com / www.lasalle.edu.sg
About LASALLE College of the Arts
LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore is a leading tertiary institution in cutting edge contemporary arts and design education and practice. The college offers over 30 undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in art, design, film, animation, fashion, dance, music, theatre, arts management, artist education, art therapy, and Asian art histories.Its faculty is led by a community of award-winning artists, designers, educators and researchers, and their practice-led research sets LASALLE apart as an international centre of excellence. Critically acclaimed alumni form the core of the cultural and creative sectors in Singapore and increasingly internationally.
Founded in 1984 by de la Salle Brother Joseph McNally – a visionary artist and educator – LASALLE is a not-for-profit, private educational institution. LASALLE receives tuition grant support from the Singapore Ministry of Education. Its degree programmes are validated by Goldsmiths, University of London.
About MINT Museum of Toys
MINT (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia) Museum of Toys houses a world-class collection of vintage toys and collectable items in an international award-winning contemporary building on Seah Street. When it was founded in 2007, the museum was the first in the world known to be purpose-built for toys, and to date, remains to be the only one.Since its inauguration, the museum has expanded its collection, amassing over 50,000 items, 8000 of which are on display in the museum. The toys and items hail from over 40 countries and range in date from the 1840s to 1970s. These are displayed across the rooftop, basement and 4 thematic levels of the museum: Outerspace, Characters, Childhood Favourites and Collectables.
The collection is made up of various key collections, including Batman, Dan Dare, Japanese character and space-related toys, and collectables. In addition to toys, the museum also houses a collection of confectionary vintage tin-cans, large-item objects, such as Mobo horses, as well as enamel advertising signs. Over the years, these have been incorporated into various activities and programmes run by the museum, serving as windows into the past as well as inspirations for the present.
Today, MINT Museum of Toys serves diverse and expanding audiences, including students, artists, tourists, and a growing audience of collectors.
Credits to the following people for the pictures of the students’ drawings:
Students – LASALLE College of the Arts (http://www.lasalle.edu.sg/)
Disclaimer: Some pictures are credited to LASALLE College of the Arts and MINT Museum of Toys unless stated otherwise. However, content and opinions are of my own.
