Awesome-Robo Inktober Round-Up 2014!

Day 22, Spraybot (Greg Baldwin)

Salutations Awesome-Robonauts! I have emerged once again from the depths of another hibernation cycle to bring you the fruits of yet another bountiful Inktober! Since it was first established by illustrator Jake Parker, Inktober has steadily grown into an Internet-wide celebration of creativity, the embracing of challenging new mediums, and the tireless continued commitment to artistic growth.

Though Inktober has been going on since 2009, we here at Awesome-Robo HQ only first caught wind of it last year through Emerson Tung's gorgeously mythic illustrations. In the spirit of the season, we have taken the liberty of combing through the vast number of submissions to bring you six of the most astonishingly impressive contributors to the Inktober event. Check 'em out below the break, and start prepping for next year!

Amnesty International Delivers A Powerful Message With "Pens"

Using a very novel visual approach to deliver their message, director Omar Senturk collaborated with Troublemakers.TV and studio One More to deliver Pens - A powerful short commissioned by Amnesty International regarding stand up for basic human rights.

Inspired by the pinpression toys that took on the shape of any object placed under it, Pens is a direct reference to the power of a signature to change our fates for the better and prevent abuses from occurring. Featuring the fantastic track Iron Sky by Paul Nutini, Pens encapsulates the essence of Amnesty International's primary directive - inspiring people to defend their fundamental human rights.

Journey

Created by Mehdi Tebbakh using a combination of animation and live footage captured during a trip to Australia during 2012/2013, Journey is a really cool hybrid travelogue of memorable experiences. A small animated fellow composited into all the footage represents the spirit of curiosity, the type of curiosity that drives us to try new things and visit new places. Through the application of this small animated individual to his footage, even the most insignificant shots are transformed into a series of awesome little adventures that captivate our imaginations. If you're an avid traveler, this video might evoke some wanderlust!

A Shot In The Dark

A Shot In The Dark by Dark Rye is a documentary about hope, following the story of a mechanic called Jay Dean who finds a new lease on life after finding inspiration in the unlikeliest of places- His junk heap. Following a serious back injury and an error in judgement that ultimately deprived him of the ability to work on cars, we witness the transformative journey of an individual into darkness and back, thanks to the power of creative inspiration.

Jay Dean was a mechanic and that was that. He’d certainly never considered becoming an artist. But a back injury in his early 30's led to multiple surgeries. Jay found himself unable to work on cars and unable to provide for himself and his wife. He forgot all his goals, took to bed depressed, and tried to figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his years. One day, as he was cleaning his tools, empty and lost in existential uncertainty, he suddenly began to see something in the junked car parts in his garage. They called to him. He had an artistic inspiration. Jay began to make lamps out of them. The lamps, in return, began to make him.

Becoming Sumo

This cool documentary directed and produced by documentary studio Salazar, featuring a very unorthodox sumo wrestler from Egypt. Despite being a fish out of water in an entirely new culture and environment, it's refreshing to see his passion and the open mindedness of the 'stable master' who accepted an outsider into their ranks.

Ōsunaarashi (大砂嵐金太郎) is the first professional sumo wrestler hailing from the African continent. Born Abdelrahman Shalan near Cairo, Egypt he first became involved with sumo through an acquaintance at the age of 16. In 2011 he came in third place at an international junior championship. The same year he decided to follow his dream of becoming a professional wrestler and moved to Tokyo, Japan.

The Long Game Of Success - Why Leonardo Da Vinci Was No Genius

Delve just delivered one of the best video essays I've probably seen in years in regards to the pursuit of success, and the distorted modern definition of it. This analysis of highly successful figures over the years, with an emphasis on Leonardo Da Vinci's tumultuous rise to fame actually answered a question I'd wondered about for a long time.

Over the last few decades it's become a well established norm propagated by the media that getting to a certain age without accomplishing everything is the end of the line. Even today I had a conversation in passing about someone saying that they couldn't believe they were turning 30, which really made me wonder how society had come to stigmatize aging as having a negative impact with one's own success.

This analysis did an amazing job pointing out how even history itself gleans on every successful persons 'long game,' a period of struggle lasting anywhere from 5-15 years before finally having a grand breakthrough. Everyone from Harrison Ford to Richard Branson shared this same trait, and in the grand scheme of things it seems like we've all forgotten about the fact that it takes a lot of struggle, and time to get successful. There are exceptions to this rule of course, but society seems to put a lot more stock in those few rather than the more common route.

The Long Game of Success really hit home with me, especially my lingering feelings after working in a Silicon Valley startup for a year prior to quitting. Everyone talked about their dreams of hitting it big overnight, getting bought out hastily by a large company, IPO's in record times..The pressure of seeing a few getting rich quick, and ultra young was a pervasive mentality that people embraced in that interesting bubble. Shaving off ten years of my life in an ultra stressful environment for a chance to cash in some stock options was cool and all, but I guess after watching this video I finally have an answer: I'm a believer in the long game.

To all our readers who are struggling, yet powering through the hard times- This really is a must watch. Check out part 2 after the break.

The Gap - Overcoming Creative Obstacles

This piece directed by German director Frohlocke carries an excellent message, especially for any of our readers getting started in the creative industry. Getting started in this field is a major uphill battle, and getting your skills to where you want them to be takes a lot of time and blood, sweat and tears. Once you accept the fact that it'll never be easy, you'll be at peace and continue your growth..The key is to never give up. Just keep making stuff and try and improve with every piece, it tends to pay off.

Presented using a fun series of vignettes to illustrate the key words narrated by David Shiyang Lius, it's a healthy reminder that persistence ultimately pays off. From a personal standpoint, after 6 years of working in the game industry I think this message rings absolutely true.

Carter - An Unlikely Swordsmith

Murray Carter's tale is an incredible, and inspirational one; A man who took an incredible risk to pursue the dream of mastering a craft in a completely unfamiliar culture. Born in Nova Scotia, a chance encounter with a master bladesmith in Japan while there for Karate training set his life on an completely unexpected course, ultimately becoming a 17th Generation Yoshimoto Bladesmith. Murray makes some very important points about success and failure, and the difference between an 'I could' and 'I do' type of mentality in regards to life. Nothing comes easy, and the pursuit of a dream to result is the ultimate form of happiness.

The Record Breaker

The Record Breaker is an awesome little documentary narrating the tale of Ashrita Furman, an unlikely yet charming man who holds the honor of having the most Guinness World Records of all time. It's quirky, profound and an incredibly interesting tale about a very genuine man with larger than life ambitions. Fuhrman really taught me that most of our limitations are self imposed, and only you can break yourself out of them. Enjoy your daily dose of inspiration.

Myosis

A wonderfully surreal short by Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart, Ricky Cometa, Guillaume Dousse, Adrien Gromelle and Thibaud Petitpas at the Les Gobelins animation school, Myosis follows a man journey away from his own individuality as he assimilates into a larger, monolithic entity symbolizing conformity and going with the flow. Ultimately memories of his past prove to be too strong to keep him shackled into his daze, and he sets out to do the unthinkable.

I have to say that this was one of the most visually stunning shorts we've run into this year, down to the absolutely incredible setting, staging and the fluidity of the animation, especially during the revolt scenes. Myosis is the constriction of the iris which decreases the diameter of the pupil. It is an unconscious phenomenon which can be triggered by an intense light, fear, or the effect of epiphany.

The Art Of Miko

(Via)

Miko Maciaszek is a Warsaw, Poland born illustrator who moved to Canada following the fall of Communism, and enjoyed a happy transition and life spent fostering his love of art with two nurturing parents behind his direction. Following a stint at Sheridian with an initial goal of doing concept art for videogames, Miko has gone down the path of the freelance illustrator, getting a chance to work with publications including The New York Times, The Globe and a growing list of publications.

With aspirations of someday creating a comic book and world of his own, with a project currently brewing in his head. Reading through his Tumblr you'll be able to get a really in depth look into the world as he sees it, including his future aspirations and thoughts on his current career. One of the favorite things I saw him mention was a quote by Theodore Gericault that did wonders for my creatively frustrated mind lately:

If obstacles discourage the mediocre talent, they are, on the contrary, the necessary food of genius; they ripen and exalt it, where the easy road would leave it cold. Everything that opposes the triumphant progress of genius irritates it, and induces that fever of exaltation that overthrows and conquers all to produce its masterpieces.

Tomorrow Somewhere New

Produced by online magazine Dark Rye, Tomorrow Somewhere New is the docu-short about a small family who decide to untether themselves from their traditional home, buy an Airstream, and wander the US.  With a yearning for a constant change of scenery, and sense of discovery, they hit the road!  With the very fortunate allowance of having a job that allows for such a lifestyle, they decide to break the norm and set forth on a life of their own choosing, as opposed to the one "expected."

Ten Things We Love About Italy

Created by the foodie oriented folks at the Perrenial Plate, 10 Things We Love About Italy is a dangerously appetite building, high energy tour featuring ten staples of the Italian diet and it's many different variations and applications. In order, the whirlwind tour covers pasta, pizza, espresso, olive oil, truffles, wine, parmesan (Aka Parmiggiano Reggiano), balsamic vinegars, gelato and prosciutto! Brace yourselves for some machine gun style editing in this quick, gastronomical tour of a beautiful country.

Motivational - Inspiration, Whisper

This week brought us two inspirational shorts, so why not start your week with a healthy dose? First off, Rafe Galeano's personal piece, titled Inspiration features an artist experiencing the inception of a new idea via the work of others, and the process of assembling it into something tangible with the help of personal tools specific to every artist. In Rafe's case: Coffee, cigarettes and some great tunes.

 

Whisper is a beautfilly crafted ad by Gioacchino Petronnice for the Young Director's Award that shows us when directing is in our bones before we know it, there's no need for a camera to craft beautiful moments. Beautiful and to the point.

A Life Well Lived

If anyone has some inspiring words to give, I'd say Jim Whittaker would be one of them.  50 years ago, Mr. Whittaker became the first American to summit Mt. Everest.  In this docu-short, he briefly speaks about his journey at Everest, but speaks in greater detail regarding his larger-scale journey.  That is, his journey in life and how he thinks that risks and mistakes are what make us greater people.  Though it's not an untouched theme that most of us have probably heard before, his words tied with the grand footage of his adventure decades ago is rather inspirational.

Eyes on the Stars

Back in November we brought you the story/animated short 'Sundays at Rocco's', created by StoryCorps, the group that creates animated shorts based on true stories.  Today is sadly the 27th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster. 'Eyes on the Stars' is narrated by Ronald McNair's brother Carl; Ronald was a physicist  and astronaut onboard the Challenger during it's unfortunate last flight.  A rather inspirational story of a boy (and later man) who wanted to learn and become something more than he could have ever dreamed of.

Rain by Christine Chen

Student animator Christine Chen created a really awesome, inspiring short for her school thesis. A young man, trudging alone life, his smacked by a gloomy rain cloud. The metaphorical drops keep coming down harder and harder, trying to bring him down and remind him that he's worthless. Instead of making the sun come out in some cliche way, he improvises: He just becomes stronger and more hopeful. For those of us who struggle with who we are from time to time (yeah, that's probably all of us), this is an especially amazing little reminder that sometimes, you just have to say, "SCREW YOU, RAIN!" Or something like that.

A Reflection

In this inspirational short, a Polish man briefly speaks about how he lost his career, but instead found inner peace instead. Taking the time to perfect his talent on the violin, he plays underneath a bridge daily, to an "audience" of thousands. What started out as filming for a commercial, became a side project with a lot more meaning. As the creators of the short say themselves, "...his outlook furthered our belief that contentment through self acceptance trumps societal approval." We here at Awesome-Robo try to adopt that very same mindset, and seeing this clip just further reminds us where we want to be.

The Walk

Sheldon Candis' The Walk is a short film that tells the story of an elderly man, and his quest to walk again. Confined to a wheelchair for an unspecified reason, he hires his young grandson to assist him in making a device that will allow him to walk again. It's a really touching and heartfelt story of perseverance and ingenuity, but also of compassion and empathy.

The Epic And The Beats

Sebastian Linda's skate video is easily among one of the best I've ever seen, simply for the little excerpt that came with it that gave it an all new meaning that struck home with me: 'When we were kids we never dreamt of being a firemen, a pilot or superhero. We always wanted to be skateboarders, jumping up curbs, down the stairs and flip our boards as many times as we could. This has not changed until today.'

The video captures the childlike wonder of people who never gave up on what they believed in, and it's an incredibly uplifting piece as a result. Never give up on those dreams readers, keep believing.