Armstrong Wakes Up

This is my new puppet character, Armstrong the Octopus. In this film, I tried adding sound effects as well as eye movement and a simple camera zoom out move. I think that they were all pretty successful, but I definitely have quite a bit of improvements to make.

Rustin Allison

Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford

I visited this wonderful museum in Oxford on Sunday. The museum is a collection of anthropological artifacts from around the world. The Pitt Rivers is unique because it groups its items not by culture, but by use. The cases are crammed full of unique objects. There are also many drawers under some of the cases that can be explored. I spent a couple of hours at this museum and I am sure that I only saw a fraction of what there was to see.



This was a great case full of Noh theatre masks. I have always been fascinated by Japanese theatre.




These cases are a bit gruesome. They show how different cultures have treated their enemies. If you look behind the shrunken heads you can see scalp trophies from Native American tribes.

Rustin Allison

The Masque of the Red Death

I keep being reminded of this great theatrical experience. I went to see this at the end of December, and it is one of the most unique evenings I have ever had. The production spans over three stories at the Battersea Arts Centre. Spectators are brought in by the side door and given a mask and split up from their groups. The rest of the evening was spent wandering through massively detailed rooms and hallways stumbling across scenes of murder and revenge. Many tales of Edgar Allan Poe are intertwined with the climax of the evening re-telling The Masque of the Red Death. It was quite eerie seeing everyone masked around me, but it was also fun to know that I could come and go as I pleased. One of the most memorable parts was watching the resurrection of Madeline Usher take place on a grand staircase. The scene was a strange mixture of drama and dance. the grand staircase itself was amazing... it was surrounded by hooded statues and went down into a mist drenched forest. There was also a night club that constantly had old music hall acts being performed (somehow I ended up back stage at one point!).

Rustin Allison

The Heir Cross Stitch

I just finished my first (and maybe my last) cross stitch. This was an incredibly difficult project, but I think that it was well worth the effort. There are lots of details like the seaweed and bubbles, and this pattern used many, many beads. I am very proud of the outcome! This was made using a cross stitch pattern called "The Heir" and it was designed by Terrance Nolan.

Rustin Allison

Little Monster's Quest

Here is another short animation featuring Little Monster. This time I tried to incorporate more camera angles as well as a little bit of narrative and character animation.

Rustin Allison

Stardust

This is one of the most magical movies I have seen in quite a long time. The movie is full of humor and warmth. It is a shame that it did not get the box office recognition that it deserved. Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer are both great in this film. I highly recommend this DVD as a great evening at home!

Rustin Allison

Little Monster Stop Motion Animation

Another short animation that I just completed. I have started to use plasticine for my stop motion puppets. This is also my first attempt at making a biped creature walk.

Rustin Allison