Too Legit to Quit

Randall Sly interviews with Armand Serrano

2012-01-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

Q: How do you go about designing environments, and what goes through your mind, from start to end?

A: I am the one responsible in designing the location and creates the stage for the characters.

In creating the stage, I have to know first the story. Then for each sequence that requires different locations or sets, I have to gather as much information like mood, time of day, camera movement, how big the location should be, etc. Then from these, I could focus my design on what the sequence and character needs.

For example in Lilo and Stitch, there was a scene where Lilo was supposed to be sad and left out by other kids while sitting on the porch. I put Lilo under the shadow and designed the foliage around her with all the leaves drooping down in order to emphasize the character’s emotion. A bit of research was involved in it too to determine the kind of plant that would work well with that design considering also the color pattern that goes with it. Creatively designing the mood of the set brings out the best in the character and helps storytelling a lot.

Always remember, what good is a character if the set doesn’t work with it.

Q: What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

A: Probably four things:

1. Always ask yourself what story you want to tell in your artwork

2. Keep in mind you're not there yet, so keep improving your craft

3. Always bring the fun that you had as a child while doing your art, and

4. Be respectful of other people's artwork.

Randall Sly interviews with Gabriele Pennacchioli

2012-01-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

GABRIELE PENNACCHIOLI INTERVIEW

Q: How do you go about designing a character, and what goes through your mind, from start to end?
A: The answer is actually very simple. I always keep in mind the personality and the purpose of the character in the story.

Q:What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?
A: From comic book artists I would say the importance of anatomy, perspective and composition. From designers: the control of shapes, proportions and caricature. From animators: analysis of movement, acting and entertainment. From story artists: simplicity and staging

last class w glenn vilppu

2012-01-14T11:29:00.001-08:00

at the Metro Red Line

2012-01-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

at the OC Metrolink

2012-01-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

at the Metro Red Line

2011-12-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

at the OPL and the Grand

2011-12-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

Orange Public Library

Grand Californian Hotel

at the Orange Public Library

2011-12-19T16:31:00.000-08:00

Olive Oil Voice

2011-12-15T23:44:00.000-08:00

doodlin' at the leatherby library

2011-12-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

my version of warming up drawings

2011-12-01T17:37:00.001-08:00

people seems to like these drawings--not sure exactly why. it's only a copy, and if anything i was trying to learn about 'line of action,' which has been the biggest influence of my drawings recently. it's like combining gesture and shape design in one strike.

noodlin' an Irish pastor

2011-12-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

sketching at the Gold Line, Metrolink, and Grand Californian Hotel

2011-11-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

sketching at the orange public library

2011-11-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

Ollie Johnston mug

2011-11-13T00:52:00.001-08:00

random mind-going-crazy doodles

2011-11-10T13:21:00.001-08:00

speech

2011-11-05T01:30:00.000-07:00

playing w cintiq

Mulan study

2011-11-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

I see this Mulan Vis Dev book by Marcello Vignali, and I cannot resist to draw some of them. Amazing work.

Brendan Burch interviews with Glen Keane

2011-11-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

BRENDAN: How has the transition from pencil to the Cintiq digital tablet gone for you?
GLEN: I have been doing my storyboards on the Cintiq tablet for Rapunzel. The first thing I noticed is how easy it is to get lost in doing very finished, rendered boards rather than exploring in quick thumbnails the many different approaches one may take to an idea. The computer seems to tempt one to commit too soon to an idea. Maybe it is just my habit but I find that I think better and more creatively on paper. So my solution is to thumbnail and explore on paper, then scan in my rough sketches into the Cintiq. I am now free to move forward knowing I’ve seen the problem from every angle.

BRENDAN: Do you have any routines for uncorking your creativity?
GLEN: Get away. That’s what I need to do when I am stuck. I go for a long walk and refresh my soul. I go to a museum to remind myself that I am an artist and need to think like one. Often the thing that can happen to someone working for a big studio like Disney, or any studio for that matter, is that you can forget why you love this art form. It can quickly become about meeting a production goal. Schedules and deadlines are important, even essential, because they create a fire and heat that seem to force you into your best ideas. However when you feel creatively empty and uninspired, the deadline mentality will say “It’s okay just let it go. So what if it’s not your best work – you’ll get another chance next time. Hand in the scene and at least you can feel good about hitting the numbers.”

I reject this voice and instead do something that feels entirely counter-intuitive. I take that seemingly all too precious time and walk out the door of the studio, hop in my car and drive to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. I marvel at the Rodin sculpture at the entrance. I study the Degas pastels and figurines… I start to remember that I am an artist first and animator second.

BRENDAN: With all of the Nine Old Men now gone, who do you look to for artistic advice or guidance in your career?

GLEN: Frederic Back has always been a great source of inspiration. I believe his work points to the future of where I hope hand drawn animation can go. Anytime I can spend with him is precious to me.

BRENDAN: When you’re animating, how much importance do you put on weight and gravity?
GLEN: If a character lacks weight in how it moves, it lacks credibility. I don’t believe it exists. It becomes just a drawing or a frame of film. As I animate, I have an inner-feel of the weight of the character that I am always very aware of with each step, twist and movement. If, as I animate, the weight of a character feels in any way untrue, all sorts of animation alarm bells sound off in my gut.

BRENDAN: As you survey the animation industry in 2008, are we in a new golden age?
GLEN: [...] We need to be stretching out and learning, discovering, trying new things. We cannot rest on where we are. There is always a stronger, more convincing, more personal and expressive way to tell our stories and to animate our characters. If we do that then we can move into another “golden age.”

sketching inside the metro red line

2011-10-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Cherie Lim mug

2011-10-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Stuart Livingston mug

2011-10-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

doodle of the day

2011-10-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

sketching at the San Diego Safari Zoo

2011-10-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

click to embiggen

sketching at Mitsuwa

2011-10-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Dave Pimentel on Observation is Creation

2011-10-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

Observation is creation:

"the words Observation is Creation came to mind and it made me remember that if I don't know what objects or people look like I can't really draw or create them in my work.

We need to study and sketch observationally!

LOOK at stuff and draw it. LOOK at people and draw them.

Keeping up my sketchbook helps me create new shapes and build on my well of resources when it comes to drawing my boards. Its like homework for us, especially if you're a designer of any sort.

You need to observe even more because you're creating characters and development that should be caricatured from reality. Keyword "caricatured"!

The more you've observed the easier time you'll have when you have to create."

Xia Taptara interviews with Bobby Pontillas

2011-10-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

Bobby Pontillas, Master Artist interview:

Q: How do a beginner become an Animator?

Bobby: Study and Application. Don't just do one or the other. Study the masters that came before you. To both, learn the foundations that they established, and to not just simply repeat what they did. Stand on their shoulders and take animation to different place than it's been to before.

Q: To you, what are the three to five most important elements in Animation and/or art in general?

Bobby: In no particular order:
Simplicity. Easily said, hard to accomplish. What's important in my work is that the central idea is not cluttered by extraneous details. I want my statements to be clear and bold.

Personality. To me my favorite work is when it's coming from someplace personal. Something that I've experienced myself that I know to be true.

Storytelling. I feel like every facet of an animated film, film in general, or work of art is stronger when it's telling a story, big or small. Communicating an idea, making a statement.

Feeling. This is a big one for me that might be a little ambiguous. But I'm really drawn to art that makes me feel what the artist was feeling. Or what the character is feeling, or how a scene feels.

Q. What would you suggest to young artists on how to get start and become an Animator?
Bobby: Make sure to get quality animation education. There are thousands of art schools with animation programs, and I'd say 90 percent of them will lead you astray. They don't really mean to, they just lack the knowledge of what skills it really takes to break into the animation industry.

Second, I would focus on being an animator, but at the same time have interests in more facets of art besides just animation. Fine Art, Illustration, Photography, Theater. Any of these things will help your animation be of higher caliber.

gesture drawing with the amazing Mark McDonnell

2011-08-30T02:49:00.000-07:00

2-minute

my first "comic book" attempt.
each panel is a gesture pose, and I turned them
into a comic book panel layout.

Iron Giant film study

2011-08-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Tarzan Film Study

2011-08-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

gesture drawing with Mark McD

2011-08-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Emperor's New Groove film study

2011-08-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

gesture drawing w Don McDonnell

2011-08-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

gesture drawing w McD

2011-08-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

1-minute

Shark Week day 3: Longnose Saw Shark

2011-08-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

first time doing some "painting." eh...what y'all think? tips?

Shark Week day 2: Pelagic Thresher

2011-08-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

Shark Week day 1: Hammerheads

2011-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

one of Hammerhead's knack is comedy

playing catch

gesture drawing with M to the A to the R and K

2011-08-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Mark added environment, which added 'story' to the picture

gesture drawing class with M. M.

2011-07-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

this model has the roundest full bottom I've ever seen--model wise. Gotta do her justice, by taking your sweet time drawing it.

One is an Amazonian woman w giant hands,
and the other one is a Hobbit w cotton ball hands

suggestions are welcome

gesture drawing class with Mr. McDonnell

2011-06-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

I wish I knew this guy's name. Never disappointed w his poses.

Mark added the grid so that he's "grounded," and pushed
the left leg forward and right leg back to give a sense of depth

so what do you think?

character drawing by Mark

2011-06-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

what Mark McDonnell drew for me...

very cool character

gesture drawing class with Marky Mark

2011-06-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

I love this model (I wish I knew her name). She always smiles whenever she poses.

so, what y'all think?

gesture drawing class with Mark McDonnell

2011-06-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

First day of class...

as always, tell me what y'all think.

another gesture drawing

2011-06-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

I'm going for...well more than just simples lines, going more w form and tones. this time I'm using tablet, it's actually not as "intuitive" to draw w it, I like cintiq better. but then they're so pricey.

at Koreatown Galleria Market

2011-05-19T18:29:00.000-07:00

as always any tips and comments are always appreciated

at my girlfriend's cousin's best friend's wedding

2011-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

as always any tips and comments are always appreciated

another quick drawings w Cintiq

2011-05-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

it is interesting to see the progression of your drawings from your warm up until your arm is totally tired. some good, some bad. trying to do more of getting the gesture down just by using basic shapes.

as always let me know what y'all think.

gesture drawing w tone and shadow exercise

2011-05-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Getting really bored with "just" drawing gestures. So trying to focus on some tones exercises.

After doing some "realistic" lighting on the objects, I decided to put more "design" to them.

as always let me know what you think

first time using Cintiq to do some quick drawings

2011-04-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

I got real addicted--I'm liking it. I might have to fork some fortune to get some of this incredible tool.

from Mostly Martha

2011-04-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Was watching Mostly Martha, and have the urged to sketch. Well made film, and lots of cinematic feels to it as well.

at Gold line and Metrolink

2011-04-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

any suggestions are appreciated.

Inspired Gesture Drawings from great artists

2011-04-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

I'm totally psyched and inspired by gesture drawings from these artists:

Alex Woo
Terry Song
Matt Jones

Their drawings are so appealing. I love the line of action of Woo's , readability action or "acting" of Song's and simple shapes/lines of Jone's . And I'm still striving for that kind of qualities.

I always thought it's ALL about shapes and putting these shapes strategically. But the more I think about it, an appeal drawing, in a simplistic term, should have readable silhouette. And putting good shapes is one of the factor, and I'd imagine getting the right bumps to create a rhythm would be secondary. Not sure if I'm right about this, but so far that makes sense to me now.

Great web tool for getting random drawings.

As usual, tell me what y'all think.

at Exchange Alley, Pasadena, CA

2011-04-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

I pass this alley way so many times whenever I go to lunch. So today I say I'm doing it.

There are many things I can fix. Next time it'll be better.

at Orange Dog Park

2011-04-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

any suggestions are much appreciated

at Glenn Vilppu's class

2011-04-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

at Orange Dog Park

2011-04-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

any constructive opinions are much appreciated.

at the Orange Dog Park, again

2011-04-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Yet again. Try a little bit loose on my drawing. Others always seems to be more receptive with this style of drawings, but I personally not very comfortable with it. But it doesn't hurt to try.

Tell me what y'all think. What can I improve on?

taking the Metro Red line

2011-04-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to do sketches series while riding Metro lines. I think there are lots of cool opportunities drawing LA folks commuting about.

So? Suggestions anyone?

at Kirk's workshop class

2011-04-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

not really the best figure drawings. proportion is out of whacked, no facial expression whatsoever. but for some reason I like them; not exactly sure why.

what do you think?!

sketching the 70's show

2011-03-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

while watching one of my fav sitcom, I noticed most of these actors exaggerate their acting, and I figured, why go to coffee shop where I can watch a performer perform at a convenient in my own room.

what y'all think? Any notes or suggestions are much appreciated!

wandering

2011-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

at Starbucks, Whittier, CA

2011-03-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Met with a friend at Whittier, sketch at a nearby Starbucks. It was in the afternoon and hardly anybody was around. Though there were some interesting folks to stare.

at the Orange Dog Park

2011-03-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

My gf took her dog to the Orange Dog Park, being he's usually super hyper all the time. She decides to exhaust his energy, which never succeeds*

So I decided to tag along.

Never really good drawing animals. I wish I could draw them well.

*don't let this picture fools you

at Border's bookstore

2011-03-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Borders bookstore is closing down, and I visited one of them, by The Block in Orange. Thinking about getting some discounted books, but not much really. So I drew some people instead.

Watson's next gig

2011-03-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

"so the ultimate question now is: should I wait three days to call her?"

at Little Tokyo

2011-03-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Rad organized a little sketch session. Pretty much open for anyone who wants to go, sketch and hang out w fellow artists. The middle picture where people huddled together, they were admiring work by Christie Tseng, which is freakin' awesome.

light study

2011-03-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

Another experiment w cintiq. Kinda liking this technology regardless of its size.

While looking outside my window. Why not sketch I thought?

another cintiq experiment

2011-03-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

this time with the 12 inch version. I don't see much difference with the 21 inch one as far pressure sensitivity and ease of use. The only drawback with this Cintiq is that I cannot make the screen angled any higher. With a 45 degree angle, I have to hunch over and for a period long time. And that can be somewhat unconformable and tiring to my back. My friend Owen actually uses one of this too, and he has a drafting table where you can prop it up almost vertically which actually is a really good solution. Whether or not he uses that table for that purpose, I'm not too sure.

sketching of a guy throwing a leftover coffee to the ground.

A Girl and a Gun

2011-01-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

I was watching La Femme Nikita last night. I really enjoyed it, not sure about the ending. Then I saw a banner ad for Salt, so I decided to doodle something. Like Godard said, "All you need in a movie is a girl and a gun"

passing through

2011-01-21T09:35:00.000-08:00

I went to the National Portfolio Day about a week ago. One school that I really wanted to go hate my work, one school really liked it, and the other school just wanna sell you a seat at the school. Generally all of them mentioned that I should put more "story" in my drawings. Putting context in the drawing.

Here's my attempt

transit passengers at TPE

2011-01-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

animator hard at work

2011-01-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

Still amazed by how they work and making those characters come to life.

First time I'm using Cintiq to sketch. Or to draw with it in general actually.

Jennifer Harlow's note on Glen Keane Guest Lecture

2010-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

Glen Keane Guest Lecture:

"Push boundaries or you're not taking advantage of being an animator.' Essentially, don't settle for what has been done before, or 'safe.' These are drawings, you can animate your wildest fantasies----you're not bound by any rules of real-life reality(or even live-action film)."

'The more action is related to the emotion, the more interesting it becomes.' Always think of a way to put a more interesting perspective on an emotion.

"One of the example he drew out was, 'fear'--well it's very easy to just go with a run of the mill pose--sweat, teeth chattering, eyes bugged out, shoulders hunched up to the ears. Usually something everyone has seen before. However, when 'Eating' is added, in this case, 'Fear of Eating'---you get a very character specific scenario...Glen drew a guy cringing at the very idea of actually eating a scorpion that was on the end of his fork. [...] So find ways to link an action with an emotion and the animation will benefit greatly."

"Setup a goal and hold it back from the audience for as long as possible. Let it be known what the character(s) is after and just milk every second before they achieve their desire. [...] prolonging the ultimate goal [...]--the goal is clearly established, but every task is difficult, nothing is easy and it makes the audience feel very satisfied."

Jennifer Harlow's note on Brad Bird Guest Lecture

2010-11-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

"to explore quickly, commit early (don't change your mind, be open, but don't count on changing your mind), be specific (what do we see), and in CG what do we need to build to avoid over-building a set)."

"Artists who aren't quite sure what they're good at yet, or interested in so may aspects but haven't figure out their nice quite yet in the industry: Don't stress it. Proceed with whatever interests you. [J]ust eat it all up and see what you want seconds on and that'll guide you with where you want to go.

"One of the problems that animators have is that they get so focused on making the movement beautiful that they don't focus on making it specific." [...] "How do they move and how is it specific?"

"Try to organize the information in a scene/story, so you're revealing it at the best possible point to reveal it."

"You want to give the audience opportunities to ask questions(and what DO I want them to ask), keep them interested, etc. before giving it all away."
read more

Radford Sechrist on Creating habits

2010-11-17T23:45:00.000-08:00

Creating habits:

"[...] If you want to learn how to do something, you have to create a habit. If you want to write, draw, paint, play the guitar, etc, it's not enough to decide that you want to practice. You have to create some sort of daily habit where you do it every single day. My daily habit is doing studies. Every morning before I start working, I pull out a dvd, usually animated, and do some studies. I also pull some books off my shelf at night, if I'm watching tv, and draw from those. That's my daily study habit. I don't really even think about it, I just like doing it every day. In fact, I can't draw out of my head if I don't warm up first by doing some studies. It's like I have to relearn how to draw every morning. It takes me at least an hour just to warm up. And the cool part is, you never stop learning. One day you practice hands, one day you practice poses, one day you practice, acting, composition, storyboarding, etc. You can never run out of stuff to learn."

Nick Campbell's take on Ira Glass: "How Beginners Get Better"

2010-11-17T23:36:00.000-08:00

How Beginners Get Better: Ira Glass Explains:

"Ira sums up in a five minute video what took me years to figure out. Follow these four rules and you will become better at what you do. Period.

1. Have good taste.
2. it’s OK to suck. You will get better over time.

3. Set project deadlines to practice and get better!

4. Be patient and don’t quit. It takes a while."

30 sec gesture drawing

2010-10-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

trying to warm up before doing some serious drawings. got some of the poses from this site: Pose Maniacs

John Kricfalusi on Toot Head Construction

2010-08-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

John K Stuff: Animation School 14: Toot Head Construction

"USE NEGATIVE SPACES WITHIN THE FORM!"

Here is a common mistake in modern design. CRAMPED AREAS - No Negative Space

Sometimes the eyes have 4 corners. 2 subtle ones at top. But they always are thinner at the top, wider at bottom.

Little Boy Flips Pages

2010-08-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Madam Mim Sneezes

2010-08-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

John Kricfalusi on Solid Construction

2010-08-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

John K Stuff: L.O. 4 :From Storyboard To Layout:

"[...] when translating my storyboard poses to layout. [First] to understand what the character is doing and feeling, and [second] to analyze how to construct that sensibly and fix any mistakes in the rough."

"[...] made the feet more solid. By flattening them at the bottom, and bulging them at the top. Remember this tip!"

"_Make the emotional story statement.
_Solid construction.
_Fix obvious mistakes.
_Maintain angular curves (don't make all the curves even or parallel)."

Mark Kennedy on Rules

2010-08-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

On Rules:

"Art has limitless possibilities so artists use the 'rules' to organize and give their work control and, therefore, beauty as well as meaning."

"[...] of course, is that of course [rules] can - and should - be broken. They [exist] to be experimented with, pushed, bent and broken. But the problem comes when people don't want to take the trouble to learn them first. The only way to really know how to break them is to learn them and follow them until you know them inside out. Then you have the sensitivity and the understanding to know under what circumstances they can and should be broken.

John Kricfalusi on Head Construction

2010-08-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

Don't Forget The Space Behind the Face:

"Areas of interest to us are eyes, mouths, ears, arms, fingers, but we sometimes neglect the big spaces between the fills. And those negative spaces are needed."

Many cartoonists [...] draw the whole face filling the head shape, with no space around it. This makes the image cramped and unfocused. It also leaves no room for the features to move if the character needs to raise his eyebrows or open his mouth wide.

John Kricfalusi on Being Enslaved to Somone Else's style

2010-08-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Being enslaved to someone else's style-the Disney Lion-evolution and devolution:

"Here's what happens when you don't enslave your view of the world to someone else's and you make up your own designs based on your own observations and hard won skills [--] being creative and drawing well at the same time."

"A good artist is influenced by many artists and styles, not just one and is also influenced by his own observations and opinions about what actual things in the real world look like."

Mark Kennedy on drawings

2010-08-28T02:49:00.000-07:00

The Secret to Practically Everything (well, duh):

"I do a quick drawing that combines a quick visual impression [combined] with some design choices to fill in the rest."

"[...] one key to great life drawing is to use the model for inspiration and capture the essence of the model and the pose while using design to make a pleasing picture."

"[...] I am filling in the gaps in my memory, using design to make choices instead of trying to remember exactly what I saw."

"[...] in drawing it is always important to remember that design is more important than knowledge."

"So to beat a dead horse for the thousandth time: design principles are more important than anything else in the creation of a successful drawing [...]."

"[...] but tell me the real secret of drawing, okay?' [...], here's a list of some basics that I find apply to every life drawing:

_ rhythm

_ straights against curves

_ offset curves (basically, making sure that no two curves are symmetrical)

_ using a variety of small, medium and large shapes, and

_ balancing areas of detail with blank areas for the eye to rest."

Mark Kennedy on Follow Thru

2010-08-28T02:37:00.000-07:00

Suggestions On Follow Thru:

"just like everything else, overlap has to be used to frame the action and accentuate the acting, it's another tool to convey the feeling and mood of the scene and character - it has to be an organic and essential part of the design of the whole drawing and idea of the scene."

Mark Kennedy on a little more free advice

2010-08-28T02:33:00.000-07:00

More Free Muybridge (and a little more free advice)

"[...] it's up to you to accept what advice makes sense to you and disregard what doesn't feel right to you."

"[...] take comfort in the fact that you never really learn anything until you figure it out for yourself."

"Concentrate on drawing clearly, not cleanly."

Michael Nielsen on 10,000 hour rule

2010-08-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Michael Nielsen Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, “Outliers”, and the 10,000 hour rule

"I believe it’s a mistake to focus on building up 10,000 hours of deliberate practice as some kind of long-range goal. Instead, pick a set of skills that you believe are broadly important, and that you enjoy working on, a set of skills where deliberate practice gives rapid intrinsic rewards. Work as hard as possible on developing those skills, but also explore in neighbouring areas, and (this is the part many people neglect) gradually move in whatever direction you find most enjoyable and meaningful. The more enjoyable and meaningful, the less difficult it will be to put in the time that leads to genuine mastery."

"Raise your quality standards as high as you can live with, avoid wasting your time on routine problems, and always try to work as closely as possible at the boundary of your abilities. Do this, because it is the only way of discovering how that boundary should be moved forward."
-- Edsger Dijkstra, computer scientist

Bill Peet on whether it is helpful to have characters with distinct contrast to each other

2010-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

"[...] for animation you need strong, definite personalities, so that you can have broad and explicit action, and there'll be no doubts abut what your characters are thinking. In animation, we're not trying to duplicate live-action or create realism. We're trying to make it larger than life. We want exaggerated actions and attitudes. That's the fantasy of animation, more than special effects or all the wild things they can do in Star Wars. It's our larger-than-life personalities"

-- Bill Peet

Source: Storytelling in Animation by John Canemaker

guess what movie is this from

2010-08-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

guy tries to cartwheel and fails

2010-08-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

I wonder why Blogger doesn't allow you post an animated gif. Though the color range is limited compare to jpg, but every once it's fun to post animation sketches.

here's a tutorial how to post an animated gif in blogger.

Mark Kennedy on doing great work and cynicism

2010-07-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

A Kick in the Head, Part Seven:

"To do great work you need to be inspired at least a little bit and embittered people are incapable of any amount of inspiration. Once you become cynical it's very difficult to keep developing as an artist. We need fresh eyes and hope to keep seeing the world anew and learning and growing artistically."

sketches 16 july 2010

2010-07-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

sketches 26 may 2010

2010-05-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

ignorant hands

2010-04-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

"If you just look at the drawings and read the text, you'll end up with educated eyes and an educated mind... and ignorant hands."
--John Kricfalusi.

read more

Gesture Drawing w Steven Brown: Cave Woman theme

2010-04-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Gesture Drawing w Steven Brown: Afro Samurai theme

2010-04-15T11:36:00.001-07:00

Sharing inspiration words from Glen Keane

2010-04-08T16:39:00.001-07:00

I listen to this podcast from time to time when I feel stink. Either that or I'll take a shower.

"It seems when you run up against a problem, you always think it's just because "O, I'm not good enough." But it's not that, it just that you kinda hit the limit of your knowledge and you've gotta go out and observe and get and find and discover something more; those are really great, those are the best time when you feel like you stink and you can't get it any better and you're stuck and you're in a rut, that's like, "Man, now this is the world is open and you're ready to learn something new, you gotta go, you gotta take advantage of that. But you're right, you sat there you wallow in that for, sometimes a week, which is crazy."
-- Glen Keane on doing studies

listen to the podcast.

sketch 23 mar 2010

2010-03-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

my opinion on "Monkey vs. Gorton" comp

2010-01-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

composition is not very easy thing to do. it is not necessarily difficult to achieve if you follow certain rules of what makes an appealing composition is (i.e. 80-20 rule, one-thirds, big-medium-small, etc.). what makes a good composition challenging is that how can you convey what STORY you want to say in 3 seconds or less? And that can be achieved in many ways.

these are only few ways of what I think about Owen's piece: