Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512296
WINTER 2023 43 WINTER 2023 43 TALKING TUFT Janae Hall It's not an obvious connection—rugs and animation. But Janae Hall says that while she loves creating original art for rugs: "A lot of the rugs I make pull from images from existing TV shows, video games, and pop culture. It's fun to … see it made in this tactile, completely unique new medium." Formerly a staff writer on Zokie of Planet Ruby, and currently freelance writing on projects at various studios, Hall was look- ing for a creative outlet that was hands-on and tactile. "When I started seeing people [on Instagram] making custom-tufted rugs, I thought that was something I could totally do," she says. She bought a tufting gun and taught herself how to make piec- es by analyzing the Instagram videos she'd already been watch- ing and finding tutorials from creators she liked. With hand-carved detailing, Hall's playful, plush rugs are one- of-a-kind and handmade with 100% acrylic yarn and black felt backing. They can be used on the floor (in a low-traffic area) or as wall décor. Hall also offers commissioned work. janaetufts.com CRAFT MAN James Mattson James Mattson always admired Craftsman style, but he couldn't afford original antique lamps and didn't care for reproductions. Then, he says, "I stumbled on a Popular Mechanics' magazine article from 1910 called 'How to Make Etched Copper Lampshades' and started making my own." He got such a good response he started selling them. Mattson began in animation production before switching over to writing with a stint at Disney Feature Animation. More recently working in live action, he credits aspects of his career as inspira- tion for his copperwork. "In the '80s I worked in backlight motion graphics, often on spinning chrome logos for TV stations, and then I worked for a while in special effects for 2D animation," he says. "Many of the EFX [projects] involved putting silhouettes over a lightbox and then modifying the color and glow. I guess I would say that animation work taught me how to look at light in a way that's very useful for my copper lamps." Mattson even makes shadow lamps that directly apply diffusion techniques he used with film. JamesMattson.com etsy.com/shop/JamesMattsonCopper Egg Rug Appx. 20.5" x 24" $150 Dango Rug Appx. 12" x 35" $285 Craftsman-style Accent Lamp Mica shade with etched copper base; seven-foot-long cord with rotary switch; includes torpedo-style candelabra bulb 12" high x 4.5" base $260 Landscape-pattern Light Switch Plate Etched copper protected with clear lacquer; includes two screws 2.75" x 4.5" $53