The 3D animation The Gingerbread Man is the practical part of my bachelor thesis at FH JOANNEUM – University of Applied Sciences. Having a background in graphic design and videography, 3D animation was the next step for me. With almost no prior experience in 3D, I taught myself everything from scratch to create this 90-second short.
While 3D animations in general are used to tell all kinds of stories, The Gingerbread Man is based on a fairy tale of the same title. It’s a charming invitation to a place where magic takes place and the protagonist finds himself trapped.
The bachelor thesis that stands behind my very first 3D animation project, however, invites to discover what fairy tales and stories as such are, and how they work. It goes into detail on the fundamentals of visual storytelling and how images can influence perception. Furthermore, the production process of an animation is explained on the basis of the workpiece. This way the thesis paints the whole picture – from fairy tale to animation. Supervised by Fh-Prof. Orhan Kipcak.
As graphic design is still a passion of mine, my work also included the design and layout of the book. While the hard cover itself and the use of materials remind of a typical fairy tale book, the overall design gives it a modern look. This combination of tradition and modern age makes the thesis is a timeless, 180-page piece.
