From the Film Maker

I felt a connection with the painting through the idea of exploration. Stylistically, I was inspired by the desolate appearance created through the use of props placed in the background and the light that seems to be cast over the astronomer’s face. This creates the feeling of inspiration. The pose is rather melancholic and the figure appears to be in a contemplative state. My animation is about an astronomer who realises he is coming towards the end of his career. He falls into a vision in which he sees himself as a child exploring space in a fantasy-like sequence where he reconnects with his passion for astronomy and is reminded that there is more to be discovered.

To complete my animation I used a mix of traditional and digital media including scanned textures, inkwash, hand-drawn techniques and Adobe software, including After Effects, Photoshop and Flash. .

Mark Jackson

A piece inspired by Ferdinand Bol, An Astronomer, 1652