My name is Jules Kenville and I am an Animation/Illustration major at San Jose State University. Currently I am working towards an Illustration focus and have my time divided between visual development and 3D modeling. Below are a couple of samples of my work, and passions of mine, I will describe things I have discovered in recent years and achievements I have made in art that I felt were worth sharing. Beyond art and performance as you will see below, I am an avid rock climber, and gamer, I like to lead an active lifestyle where I can, beyond very few things I live a free form life, I've been learning how to scuba dive and will get certified soon, I am very interested in the cirque arts, and I love being apart of a team and helping things come together. I hope you find the post below enlightening and informative.
This assignment was to recreate a qing coin sword that was used to ward off ancient spirits, demons, and other such entities. I particularly enjoy this piece as I pushed it beyond the requirements of the assignment adding in variety to the coins along with the extra cord and trying to recreate it draping properly. During my time in ANI 51A, I discovered I've had an affinity for 3D modeling and have been exploring that as an option to pursue as a career.
Above is a sketch I did last summer while on a sketchcrawl through Oakland with a friend. That summer I had been working on my sketchbook for the program after passing the portfolio review. To me this sketch was an achievement, as it appeared near the end of my sketchbook near the end of the summer. I had never done my on location sketching, needless to say it was a little daunting to be judged entirely on that, but I felt confident in my abilities to learn and improve to meet the requirements. Perspective was something I enjoyed, but I had always lacked giving anything personality or any story to it, and this sketch brought the best of what I had accumulated that summer into one piece, as I was taking the information I saw finally and I was digesting it into my own vision and storytelling. I wasn't just copying the world anymore, and to me that was a great achievement.
Above is a video I got from a tumblr I follow, who reposted it from a site. Hooping.org. This video was their solo video of the year winner along with one other for the hooping awards of 2012. Just like any other Animaton/Illustration student I find my passion in the art I create. And I am an active participant in the club, volunteering when I can, and working in the charity committee for SHM to help our local community. But in the time beyond that I need to find an escape to keep me going, an outlet with no repercussions. I love yoga and rock climbing as I have recently fallen into a weekly routine with them. But before that, last summer I went through an experience, I spent 4 days in a forest, at a festival with other flow artists learning craft and expanding our world views. It was my first time camping, first time seeing the night sky without light pollution and boy was that beautiful. But the real treats came from what I did there, I spun fire poi (First time lighting up my poi too), discovered hula hooping, as a dance form, and I walked on hot coals. The experiences I made that weekend and the friends I made were unbelievable and transforming. It has developed into a steady passion that keeps me loose and free. Hula Hooping has become a lovely outlet for me, and an avenue to new worlds, such as Aerial(Tissu), Wand, and Fire Eating. It has left me without a doubt that if I was not an illustrator, I would gladly be a circus performer. The people I have met in that world have been amazing, friendly, and accommodating, I wouldn't trade it for anything, so above is a video of a beautiful hooper and the skill she brings to the craft, and the beauty that I see with all my fellow hoopers in such a simple but beautiful tool.
