Triboro News

Are you an Animation Major who wants to get into concept art and visual development? Well you're in luck!! We've recently added these wonderfully colorful new animation books into our library family! The Art of Pixar Complete Color Scripts is a wonderful book to use to learn how to do color scripts for storytelling. You could also add our new book The Color of Pixar to learn how to color can tell a story by mood! (Which will come in handy if you have Shari Flemming's amazing storytelling class)

We also have something for those illustrators who also love animation. Pocket Full of Colors and The Art and Flair of Mary Blair are both colorful books full of illustrations by Mary Blair that could help inspire your work. If you don't know who Mary Blair is, she is the wonderful lady who worked for Disney as a concept artist for Alice in Wonderland. She also designed the ride It's a Small World at Disneyland/World. These book can also be wonderful for color theory!

      ​       

Rini

This week, meet Beauty Kussoy, one of our library student workers!

What’s your major? 
Fine Arts
What’s your year? 
Junior
Where are you from?
San Bernardino, California
What's your favorite spot on campus? 
My studio in Spivak (and the library!)
What's your favorite art medium or tool?
A bunch of books with images, my straight razor, gel medium, and a paintbrush.
Who is your favorite artist? 
Right now, painter John William Waterhouse and music artist Solange.
What's your favorite food? 
Large combination pho from Pho 99.
What's your favorite mode of transportation? 
My car for convenience, but a train for the scenery and people-watching.
What's your favorite book? 
There There by Tommy Orange.
What's your favorite TV series? 
Fleabag created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
What's your favorite movie?
Disney's Ratatouille
If you were a character in your favorite movie/book/TV show, who would you be? 
I would be Remy the Rat. Having enhanced senses and exceptional cooking abilities -- can you name a better combination?
Cats or dogs? 
Both, even though I am definitely allergic to cats.
Lightning or thunder? 
Can you have one without the other? Both!
If you could have dinner with anyone, living or deceased, who would it be?
All of the strong individual Indonesian women in my family -- alive or dead.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? 
Having the ability to retain any and all knowledge. Like having a photographic memory, but across all platforms -- books, movies, people, etc.
Who is your hero(es)? 
Those in my life who have used their responsibilities and freedoms to do something meaningful -- something that extends way beyond themselves.
What is the scariest fun thing you have ever done?
Swimming in the open ocean.
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
To live and sustain myself by constantly creating.
What's your one piece of advice for RMCAD students? 
Have the courage to redefine your skills, your relationships, your interests, and your beliefs. Change is constant, don't fight your own progress.

Welcome to February! You’ve successfully made it through the first half of winter and survived everything--the holidays, breaking in a new schedule, and midterms--standing in your way. 
For many, though, the beginning of February can mark the end of New Year’s motivation (and the short days and turbulent weather don't help). Do you feel a slump coming on? Try these strategies for staying positive and productive this February:
 

Revisit your goals. What do you want to accomplish this term and why? What about this year? Where would you like to be five years from now, and what steps can you take now to get there? Taking time to review and reflect on your goals can put temporary hardships (like getting up for 8am class) in perspective and reignite your drive to succeed. 
 

Use a reward system. If you’ve ever owned a pet, you’re probably familiar with the idea that small rewards, like treats or belly rubs, can reinforce positive behavior until, over time, it becomes the norm. This technique works on people, too! Rewarding yourself for reaching a goal, whether it’s turning in a project or completing the first step, can help make productivity a long-term habit. If you need reward ideas, this is a particularly thorough list!
 

Simplify your life (and lunch). Staying fueled is essential for productivity, and if you make the right meals, eating something home-cooked is even easier than grabbing takeout. Here are my go-to’s when I need something nutritious but fast:

• Overnight oats. Combine raw oats with milk, yogurt, fruit, nuts, and honey in a container and stick it in your fridge overnight. You can warm your oats the next morning before you eat them, but they’re just as tasty cold.
• Slow cooker stews. Relatively inexpensive and easy to use, slow cookers can help even the most casual cooks achieve culinary greatness--and with minimal prep time. Load it up and cook overnight for an easy lunch, or in the morning for a hot, fragrant dinner to welcome you home. 
• Simmer sauces. From lemongrass basil to tikka masala, simmer sauces are available at most grocery stores and make dinner as easy as opening a jar, adding fresh produce, and turning on the stove.
• Easy study snacks. The options and combinations are endless, but our blog post can get you started.

Cut yourself some slack. No one can feel motivated 24/7, so if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels on a project without making much progress, it’s probably time to take a break. Taking time to refresh your brain on a regular basis can make you more focused and productive in the long term--just make sure one TV episode doesn’t turn into a marathon.

What are your strategies for staying motivated and productive? Let us know in the comments!