Back From the Magical Mayehem, With Plenty to Share

Hi everyone,

It’s been a while since my last post, and that’s mostly because the closer I get to finishing my degree, the more intense everything becomes. I’ve always pushed myself with challenging courses at a full-time load, and I’m the type who can’t stand watching anyone struggle if I can help. My faculty noticed, and I have stepped into a few additional roles: Peer Mentor (Federal Work Study), Undergraduate Student Representative, and at one point I was even club leadership for Legends of Visual Effects.

At the end of Fall 2025, I only had six classes left. Because of veteran benefits, it made more sense financially to split them evenly: three in the Spring, and Three in the Fall. I could have done four in Spring and two in Summer and graduated early… but something about walking before I was truly finished didn’t feel right. So, it was three-and-three.

I thought this lighter load would give me more time for my portfolio, demo reel, and blogging, but one of those classes was Producing for StudioX, where I served as Producer for five projects and the CG Department’s Production Assistant. That role consumed my free time, but I now have a deeper understanding of the entire pipeline. So here I am, finally on summer break, catching my breath and updating everyone on what I’ve been learning.

What I’ve Been Up To

Since my last post, I’ve completed every Look Development and Lighting course available to undergraduates in AAU’s Animation and VFX program – including some cross-listed graduate course all the way through StudioX for LookDev and Lighting. So, please ignore my very old post about how to create materials. I have come a long way since then.

One of my favorite discoveries has been texture painting in Substance Painter. It brings me right back to being six years old, experimenting with crayon pressure to create highlights and shadows. That same joy is still there – just with more layers, masks, and render engines.

I’ve also taken courses across:

• Traditional Art Fundamentals: Analysis of Form, Color Theory
• Film: Cinematics, Producing, Real-Time VFX in Unreal Engine, StudioX Production
• Animation: Hand-drawn, digital, stop-motion, Feature Animation Training
• Visual Effects: Matchmoving, Compositing, StudioX Compositing Lead, Python for VFX/Rigging
• CG General: Photoshop, Maya modeling/rigging
• Games: Construct3, Unity, Unreal Engine, PyGames

It’s been a lot – but in a good way. 

It’s time to turn more attention to my goals. My final semester, Fall 2026, I will be only serving as a Peer Mentor while I finish up my last three courses: StudioX CG Artist / TD, Art History through the 19th century, and Senior Portfolio Review. I can’t wait to be back into StudioX as an artist. I will be surfacing live action assets for VFX shots, lighting, and building tools to help the various artists in the pipeline. I have learned some really cool stuff in Python, and I can’t wait to share it with you and put it into practice in a real studio environment.

Why I’m Blogging Again

Now that I’m finally on break, I’ve had time to breathe and process everything I’ve learned over the last few years. I’ve also been applying for internships and jobs, but because most of my professional work is under NDA, I don’t have much I can publicly show yet. Only one project has been released, and even that must be password protected.

So, I’m returning to blogging for a few reasons:

• To share what I can talk about.
• To break down my process using simple geometry when I can’t show real assets.
• To fill the “NDA gap” so recruiters can still see how I think.
• To document the technical challenges, I’ve been exploring on my own.
• To keep learning, experimenting, and growing during the Summer.

Like I said, much of my work is still protected, so if I sound vague at times or use cubes and spheres to demonstrate ideas… you know why. But I hope these posts will still be helpful, interesting, and maybe even inspiring.

I’m excited to share more – and maybe cause a little creative Mayehem along the way.

Best Wishes,

Christa “Maye” Chandler

PBA = Pixar in a Box Activity via Khan Academy

If I was stranded on a deserted island, what three films would I take with me? Why? How are they the same? How are they different?

Whoa, this is going to be so revealing.

1. American Tale: It would remind me I'm never truly alone. Even when feeling alone, someone else in the world does too. Fievel helped me when I was a toddler. I remember being torn from my Grammy very vividly. After hours of car travel half way across the state, I woke up in my first foster home. They were great people, don't get me wrong. It still didn't change the fact that I felt lost, scared, and alone in my feelings. That is, until I watched this movie. Some how Fievel shared the burden of my feelings and confusion. So if I was all alone on a deserted island, sad and all alone, I think he could help me cry it out. 

2. Epic: It would be a good reminder that you can find a friend in all creatures and to remember to take time to look at how beautiful everything is. There are many hummingbirds in my neighborhood. They like my lilies and gladiolus flowers. Every morning, in the summer, when I'm drinking my coffee on the back porch they come up and hover right in front of me. The bark as if they are saying hello. I respond with, "Good morning my little yard fairies." They happily chirp and turn slowly as if waving good bye before zooming off to go to the flowers. Sometimes they even stop after they've had their fill as if to say thank you. I really feel BlueSky Studios turned my little morning ritual into an epic adventure. It would be a nice retreat from the daily duties of survival.

3. Brave: This would remind me to be brave. Meredith's hair reminds me of mine when I was younger and let it grow it. It has always been so big and so curly. The way she is always fussing with her curls including blowing up to get them out of her face is too relatable! Yet she is a bad A girl who isn't going to take anything from anybody. She is a girl on a mission. It kind of reminds me of how I was in the Navy. Plus the fact that soo much of my family tree is rooted in Ireland helps too. Also Meredith is not like the other princesses. It's a good reminder that sometimes you have to be different to get stuff done.

All three movies are stories of hope and resilience. All three movies are very relatable, I can see myself in the characters of each.

American Tale is different in it's medium and value. It is a hand drawn 2D traditional animation. Most of the movie is very dark. It has many very sad themes. It not only deals with lost children but also the challenges of immigration.

Epic is different in that it is a CG 3D animation with extremely realistic textures. I am obsessed with textures and I have not seen better dandelion fluff since. It has some dark areas dealing with decay but it is a mostly colorful film.

Brave is also CG Animation but with some amazing dynamics in how her hair moves realistically. Trust me I have experienced this kind of hair, it's pretty accurate. Also it's a pretty bright movie. I mean just look at how bright her hair is. 

That's all the activity was. I am feeling pretty venerable and exposed now. Your turn. What three movies would you take on a deserted island and why?