Facial / Body Expressions

I've recently decided I really want to learn more "traditional" character animation. So here's my start. This one took about a half hour-45 minutes. I know there's, like, a million things wrong with it (I haven't totally figured out eyes yet, among other things). Something tells me, though, if I want to get serious about it, I'm gonna have to end up back in school one of these days. Though that's definitely something I wouldn't be against.

Till then, I'll just keep practicing. And keep analyzing Disney movies.

Quizzical Snot

Yup, that's what it is.

Manga

I haven't done this in a while. But I've decided to take another stab at fanart. It happens about once a year now. I plan on coloring it soon.

I've been doing a lot of original doodling that I'd like to post here soon too. I've also been trying to animate fire. Fun stuff. It's hard, and I'm not necessarily good at it, but I love animating the elements.

Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom

At work today, I was looking through a book that highlighted cartoons in the 50's and came across an image of a scholarly looking blue owl with glasses, and it triggered this... really intense nostalgic episode. As if it was from something I had obsessed over as a child. The subtitle was "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom."

Luckily, since YouTube has almost anything ever made, I was able to find it, and relive this memory from my childhood. It must've been at LEAST 15 years since I last watched this, and my jaw just dropped the entire time. Nostalgia has really never hit me so hard before.

Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom

Unfortunately, I also discovered today that it was the source of my worst childhood nightmare, in which characters resembling the ones shown at 3:18 were chasing me around the house. It was terrifying!!!

Anyway, I can watch it now with a greater appreciation for it. It's really such an amazing, fluid style.

Another Shitty Animation Post!!

They'd make even less sense if I tried to explain them. I promise.

More Fun With Words!

Character Design

I don't consider myself a character designer. But I'd like to think my design skills are evolving along with my animation skills. When I (rarely) take a stab at character design , I tend to draw my characters in a style conducive to the way I'd like to see them animated. Which I guess... anyone would do. However, I'd often like to see my characters running around jumping off of walls and doing back flips and stuff, which is why they've usually got tiny bodies, and large heads, hands and feet.

That, and, as much as I hate to admit it, I do draw some inspiration from Tetsuya Nomura, the master of body contortion. The second you see me drawing zippers on a character's hat, however, feel free to punch me in the face.