On Wednesday, January 26th, we met with JPL resident animator John Howard. He entertained us with his personal animation reel of work he has done over his career then gave us a look at the pieces he has created for JPL. Howard started with his history and career in the animation field beginning with his education, which began in Science.
I think many of us are deterred from our curiosities and deep interests in science when we must face a particular unfriendly necessity: calculus. While Howard had a deep affection for science, calculus drove him to another passion of his in Studio Art. He graduated with a BA in Studio Art from University of California, Santa Barbara with an emphasis in Photography and Printmaking in 1980. When studying for his MFA at the University of California, Los Angeles, Howard fell in love in 3D computer graphics. Though this technology was only in it’s developing stages, he knew where this was headed and had a deep interest in the process. He completed his MFA in Electronic Imagery in 1984.
After graduating, Howard was immediately hired as a senior technical director at Omnibus Computer Graphics where he worked on animation based projects such as Flight of the Navigator. He continued working in the Hollywood Film Industry and opened up his own company, Viewport Images, in 1991.
Although he had a successful run in the film industry, Howard grew tired of the Hollywood scene. He closed his company in 2004 and pursued one that could combine his talents in animation and his interests in space and science. He contacted NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and to his surprise, there was an opening.
John Howard has been working with JPL since February of 2005 and has been creating remarkable animations of our solar system and beyond for JPL, NASA, NASA TV, media and for public viewing. He helps scientists and engineers simulate how a satellite will operate and orbit, how a rover may move and collect data. Howard takes the static designs of the engineers and makes them move and react on other planets and in space before they have even been launched.
In addition to his animation work, Howard also designs logos and branding for the many projects at JPL/NASA including the Building Curiosity project which showcases the Mars Curiosity Rover that we are all excited to see launch later this year.
As a graphic designer and amateur animator, it is exciting and encouraging to speak with John Howard. Hearing his life story and insights are uniquely valuable to me and his work is an inspiration to everyone at JPL.
No comments:
Post a Comment