Just a friendly reminder.

Not to spoil anything for anyone, but...



You have been warned.

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A Dip and His Dog

So I figured if I had been drawing the couple in the last post so much, I should probably give them a dog.



Every randomly sketched couple needs a good companion to wait for them when they come home to their randomly sketched homes at night after a long day at their randomly sketched jobs.

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Who are these people?

I don't know myself, but I've been drawing them a lot lately...



Maybe I'll do something with them down the road... or maybe not.

In either case, they're a hoot to draw!

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Sketch Dump!

Just some random sketches I doodled out on the ol' Cintique tonight while I listened to some music.



Hooray for sketch dumps!

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The Fine Line Between Intimidation and Inspiration

I think that, as aspiring Animators, it’s very easy to focus on what we currently aren’t able to accomplish, rather than focusing on what we’ve accomplished so far. Looking at some of the talent in various schools, and in the professional animation community, can often lead to feelings of frustration and inadequacy if your work isn’t currently at that level of quality.

In other words, “I’ll never be as good as [insert awesome animator’s name here], so I should hang it up now.”

I was just as guilty as the next person of thinking like this, but it’s important to understand that we’ve all been there at one time or another. We’ve all felt like we’d never be “that good,” but if everyone gave up when they felt this way, there wouldn’t be any Animators at all!

What’s also so important to remember is that we all have to start somewhere. I once heard that, on average, a traditional Animator has 250,000 bad drawings in them, and that the quicker you get them flushed out, the quicker you can get on with animating. The same goes for animating via the computer, in that we’re all going to have bad animations at first, but with each animation you learn new things, large and small, that you can build upon in your next one.

So when you’re out cruising the animation world, and you come across a person’s work that blows your socks clean out of your shoes, don’t get discouraged… get inspired! You’ll get there too one day, if you’re dedicated to the craft, and commit to reaching that same level. The important thing is to not be too hard on yourself. Simply take a look at what you’ve done to this point and realize just how far you’ve come. Even if all you’ve got is a little bouncing ball, it’s more than you had a month or two ago, and you’re abilities are only going to continue to improve.

So buck up, little camper! You’re not alone in feeling intimidated by the works of others, but the key is to turn that intimidation into inspiration and let it fuel your dedication. With some practice, and a “bad animation” or two under your belt, it won’t be long before people are looking to you for that same inspiration!

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Go Hear a Who!

You guys all need to go see "Horton Hears a Who!"



I just got back from seeing the film for a second time, and it's amazing. Do yourself a favor and catch this puppy before it leaves the big screen. The story, the art style, the cast, the humor, the animation... all incredible.

The film has even found a home in my Top 10 Animated Films of All Time:

10. Toy Story 1&2
09. Open Season
08. Aladdin
07. The Emporer's New Groove
06. Surf's Up!
05. The Iron Giant
04. Horton Hears A Who
03. Monsters, Inc.
02. Finding Nemo
01. The Incredibles

So go check it out soon, and if you've already seen it, go see it again! That's what I did, and it was just as entertaining as the first time I watched it.

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Progress on my AM final short.

Hi Everyone!

No fancy images with this post tonight, just a link: LINK

Clicking that link will let you view (after some loading of course) the second half of the short film I'm working on at AM. This is NOT final animation, but it's getting close.

I've decided to re-take my final quarter at AM to really get this baby polished, so I've got a good 14 weeks or so to work this puppy into shape.

Drop me a line and let me know what you think!

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