EYE ON DESIGN STUDIO INTERVIEW
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JONATHAN BALL
JONATHAN LEADS US THROUGH A TYPICAL DAY, COMBINING CLIENT AND PERSONAL PROJECTSmany variables it’s difficult to know what to go for.
Graphics cards are being used more and more for
intensive computing tasks, but the new Mac Pros
are AMD only, which is very limiting.” These
powerful machines are essential to run the 3D
software that is important in getting the distinct
pokedstudio look. Blender and Cinema 4D are the
go-to programs for this, though After Effects,
Illustrator and Affinity Designer are in use almost
constantly. The team is always looking to expand
their skills and are developing their skills in
ZBrush and exploring various side-ware and
visual effects packages.
Even though there is a very 3D feel to the work
that pokedstudio creates, Photoshop is a very key tool
in the production workflow of the studio. “Photoshop
is a lynchpin for the work that we do,” says Stephen
Thomas. “From storyboarding and sketching ideas
and concepts, to creating the final artwork. We work
with a whole toolbox of applications: Blender,
Premiere, After Effects, Nuke... The list goes on.
Photoshop fits very well into our pipeline.”
Because the studio works with such high-profile
clients, many of its projects come with non-
disclosure agreements and they can’t talk about a lot
of what they are working on. Ball reflects on a recent
project that was particularly memorable: “One recent
project I enjoyed was developing a set of odd-ball
characters for a local entrepreneur. I really enjoyed09:00
GET STARTED
Have a large coffee and pick up
the projects I need to work on today. Typically
there will be more than one, so I will be spending
a few hours on each. If someone else is in, I will
go over the day’s work, or Skype them if they are
working remotely.10:00
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
More coffee. Working on today’s
main projects. Often creating some animations or an
illustration. I mostly work on the commercial
projects in the morning.14:00
SOME ADMIN
I often do any accounting work,
sending and chasing invoices, and working out
tax and wages, etc, just after lunch. I find I’m at
my least creative after [I] have just eaten so it’s
best to do more menial tasks then.that, as it gave me a chance to use and learn 3D
sculpting techniques.” This is typical of pokedstudio’s
ethos – they are not afraid to take up the challenge
and accept projects that can be time-consuming or
come with difficulties. “Lots of projects are
challenging in different ways,” says Chris Mcfaul.
“Sometimes it’s a tight deadline; sometimes the
client can’t make up their mind and you go through
hundreds of amends. We recently had to make an
animation for a five-minute music video in around
two weeks. Jon and I worked night and day to get it
done, but we got there in the end.”
Commercial work takes up a lot of time for the
studio, but it is important to Ball that he works on hisown personal projects, which he sells as a range of
prints and art products (see http://www.pokedstudio.
com/shop for details): “These help promote
pokedstudio and to build new skills in various
software and learn new approaches to workflow.”
Personal work is definitely on the cards going
forward too, as well as expanding into different areas
for commercial endeavours. “We are getting bigger
so we will need to take on more people to work on
larger animation projects,” says Ball. “I am hoping we
can push the animation side of the business forward
in the next few years. Also, I am personally working
on my own character properties that I hope to
license out or turn into games and products.”Photoshop is a lynchpin for
the work that we do. Fromstoryboarding and sketching
ideas and concepts, to creatingthe final artwork
3D. A mix of well-known characters Heads: “Mutant toys, rendered in
and some of my own”