Mari Jaye Blanchard Headshot

Mari Jaye Blanchard

Associate Professor

School of Film and Animation
College of Art and Design
mjbpph@rit.edu
Office Location
GAN-2204
Office Mailing Address
70 Lomb Memorial Drive\n School of Film & Animation

Mari Jaye Blanchard

Associate Professor

School of Film and Animation
College of Art and Design

Education

BFA, Massachusetts College of Art and Design; MFA, University of Pennsylvania School of Design

mjbpph@rit.edu
Areas of Expertise
Animation
2D Animation

Select Scholarship

Shows/Exhibits/Installations
Blanchard, Mari Jaye. Swing. n.d. SIGGRAPH Asia, Daegu. Exhibit.
Blanchard, Mari Jaye. Mutoscope: Labor of Love. Jun. 2019. The Magenta Suite, Exeter. Installation.
Blanchard, Mari Jaye. Tired Tongues. Aug. 2016. Westbeth Gallery, New York. Installation.
Show 2 More
Peer Reviewed/Juried Poster Presentation or Conference Paper
Blanchard, Mari Jaye. "Line of Action: The Two-Dimensional Line in Three Dimensional Space." Proceedings of the UFVA Conference 2019, Minneapolis, MN. Ed. Michael Clarke. Minneapolis, MN: n.p..
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Blanchard, Mari Jaye. "The Animated Line in VR: Hand Drawn Animation Workshop." Anibar Animation Festival. Anibar. Peja, Kosovo. 16 Jul. 2019. Conference Presentation.

Currently Teaching

SOFA-108
Drawing For Animation
3 Credits
This course focuses on the mechanics of motion as applied to animated characters, both human and non-human. Working directly from a live model, costumed and nude, and also employing visualization techniques, students will apply figure-drawing skills along with gesture drawing, focusing on the correct representation of weight, energy and force in sequential poses. Specific attention is paid to improving drawing skills in order to create stronger storytelling poses for animated properties. A variety of drawn animation examples will be screened in class.
SOFA-203
2D Animation I
3 Credits
This course focuses specifically on the sequential stages of hand-drawn digital animation. Students will explore every stage of production of a short animated scene, including dialogue, from ideation to clean up. Each week builds on the previous week’s progress. The final result is a complete rough-animated scene.
SOFA-228
Animation Writing and Storyboarding
3 Credits
This course concentrates on the structures of temporal organization for the screen in all animated productions. Particular attention is paid to the structures of writing and the layout of movements and visual composition via editing into storyboards. Various individual written projects will be required of the student, leading to a final story for an animated film that will be fully storyboarded and formatted.
SOFA-303
Animation Workshop II
3 Credits
Students will explore phases of animation short film production in their area of interest as determined by their experiences with their second-year films. Through identification of project needs and exploration and fulfillment of determined objectives, unique filmic assets will be created.
SOFA-599
SOFA Independent Study
1 - 6 Credits
SOFA Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.
SOFA-604
2D Animation II: Mechanics
3 Credits
This course will build on information gained from foundation animation courses. Multi-week assignments will allow students to fully grasp the production process involved in hand-drawn animation and develop an understanding of different parameters commonly found in animated films, including but not limited to character interaction, emotion and animal movement. Students will have the opportunity to explore various approaches to timing, movement, acting and characterization. Character design and solid drawing skills are highly recommended.
SOFA-627
Pre-Production for Animators
3 Credits
Using pre-production steps, students will produce short film ideas. The course will cover concept creation, treatments, scripts, storyboards, design, budgets and experimental film structures. Students will make weekly presentations and work will be critiqued.
SOFA-790
Research and Thesis I
4 Credits
This is the first of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved plan of work for their thesis while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. They are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester.
SOFA-799
Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study
1 - 4 Credits
Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.
SOFA-890
Research and Thesis II
4 Credits
This is the second of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved plan of work for their thesis while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. They are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester as well as present a final screening of their thesis.

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