Letters of Note

Incredible find.. An archive of fun and encouraging letters from various real famous people. Here is an example from Walt Disney himself urging Ube Iwerks to move out across country to Los Angeles from NY and work with him.. And as you know the rest is cartoon history. Check it out @ http://www.lettersofnote.com/

Puppets with CG Backgrounds

Wow, I love how they really pulled this off. It looks seamless on certain parts. I see this further in the future. The first clip is the movie and the behind the scenes. The instant gratification of animated movement and character life is really fun in puppetry. The best is doing karaoke to your favorite songs too.






For a bonus a clip of the Henson muppeteers in action. When workin' on their own projects, surprisingly for the older crowd. Wanting to dabble with this in the future no doubt. Stay Tuned..

Happy Holidays 2012

Happy Holidays to Everyone! This year's been the ultimate. I'm so lookin' forward to what the next year brings to all effort again. To great Family and Friends..

Growth

*Warning : Explicit Adult Language

Ran into this very real powerful info from Joe Rogan. If your into "Life Progression" as me you'll appreciate this. Understand "Truth" be awakened, evolve, and reach your dreams..

Interesting concept : to do it for the skill mastery and enjoyment, not for the cash. Cause when you get cash you get lazy and wacked. This is what happens to dope bands when they start.. they rock, and when they blow up.. they get lame. ****But,,Since your doing it for progression and the money comes, you will just keep progressing because money had nothing to do with it, and you won't get stuck and be a one hit wonder.. Check it!



This is about staying clear from losers and negative folks:



To deal with Hater's. When you have life direction, others will try to get in your way conscious and or unconsciously.



Evolve


This makes sense

Behind the Scenes @ Aardman Studios "Pirates"

Wow what an exclusive, such an inspiring place. They're having a blast over there.

Masters of the Universe "Fan Art"

This is like incredible mad skills. Dave Rapoza is on some crazy level painting.

More on his site @ http://daverapoza.blogspot.com

And to top it off, I got lucky and found the link of him Painting it too! Unreal!
-------> Clik on this link to see the vid



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The Perfect Bait

Wow! Awesome new book from Bobby Chui. This will make you more "Unstoppable". Great Pro info to make it big. Check it out!!!

http://theperfectbait.com/store.php

Devine Disatisfaction

"I come from a type of artist that isn't satisfied with their own work. Because I know what I wanna see on paper and what I settle for is substantially less. And you always think, its not as good as it could've been, and in fact that's a good sign, help me. Because if you think you've gone as far as you can go then you might as well hang it up."
*A mastery goodie from "John Romita Sr" a Spiderman artist:

Work Ethics From A Pro

No More Excuses,,Forward on!

Don't get ripped off!!!

Sad to say there are people out there that are dishonest. Willing to take advantage and hold on to their money and make you work for free (spec work) or super cheap. Tell em' "NO WAY!" A good way of looking at it, is pretend your a plumber. This client calls in with a clogged toilet, and he tells the plumber to do this for free and he will get credit and have a great portfolio. He will tell the client to "go to hell." simple..
All these years we put in our craft. Don't be a victim, I ran into this great podcast. check it out. And know where you stand. Man vs. Art

Realize Your Dream

There is a great Indy Film rolling out of Kevin Clash. A great example of pursuing a dream and making it no matter what. He is such an inspiration to us climbers to persevere.

The Gawper

Gawper from A Large Evil Corporation on Vimeo.

found this from Cartoon Brew. I love it, it has something that struck me, really pushing the craft along in their style and mixes.

Cool Book and Trailer

Started to read this great book, I'm intrigued with information straight from the sources. To reach, get close, or maybe even passed their level. And get into the mindset and not re-invent the wheel, to use as a jump-off point. To " See further from the shoulders of Giants". This Trailer is so uplifting, I loaded it in my Ipod to watch when I get stuck in the mud of mediocrity. ha ha

Steven Spielberg Advice

Wow.. That's all I can say!

George Lucas Advice

Some "Gold" here, from the source. Nothing like learning from someone that's up there, where you wanna reach. Not some regular folk that's just guessing.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like the old saying goes! Here is a killer clip to shed some light on this.

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Immortal Work

It is normal not to be satisfied with your work, that is a mark of someone pushing to be the best they can. From what I've ran into just doing the work and earning that 10 thousand hours and getting those thousands of ugly drawings (animations) you should be in a better controllable state. Here is a great quote to the Dream chasers/ Craft pushers out there from Orison Swett Marden: *Regard your work as Stradivari regarded his violins, which he made for "eternity". And not one of which, was ever known to come to pieces or break. When a piece of work leaves your hand it should bear your "recommendation". Below is a great shot breakdown I found, to a great poem piece from a inspirational movie Dead Poets Society.

From a Painting background, I've seen people get good but just do that same template piece and are just satisfied with that alone, not pushing to the next level, challenging themselves, exploring new possibilities, just getting by with mediocrity. In my opinion how you feel( i.e bored, angry) when you paint a painting ( I think this may happen too in animation or any other art form) is transferred to your work and is reflected back to the audience/ viewer. Just an observation of mine, you can definitely tell/ feel the innovators and pioneer trail blazers.

Urgent Skit- w/ Breakdowns and Rough Lipsync

Got to smash hard this weekend. Rocked this all day: Added Breakdowns and Rough Lipsync. Toned down the big shapes to go with the dialogue better and dived in the lipsync, hit the biggies and closed. All in all just a fun weekend, carved out shot 19 of wrestling and tomorrow in the crack of dawn. I will drill the cores and finally polish it out, since I spent Saturday, re-blocking a character to be more believable. Dig it!

Urgent Skit- Keys Stepped Timed

Yeah!!! Super productive "3-Day" Labor day weekend ( sacrifice to get better at the craft). Got this out to share, Blocked it out with a Andreas Deja Tip of Poses with "Feeling". I copied my Thumbnails and molded it with a reference Video I taped of myself hitting the beats. And just cranked up the exaggeration. I emailed great friends for Crits, will await that and adjust, then Break it down. Having a Blast!

The Great Art Babbit

Another awesome find in the net. I don't have any recording from Art, but to find a documentary of him with him is "Treasure" indeed. Enjoy!

Bill Tytla

Wow, ran into this voice recording of Bill Tytla. Also some example of his work.

Mental Gold !!!

Through the choices and decisions you make, you can determine what your environment will be. Let’s look now at what we can do, to make your future environment pay off in both satisfaction and prosperity. The first step is to recondition yourself for success. The number one obstacle on the road to high level success is the feeling that major accomplishments are beyond reach. This attitude stems from many, many suppressive forces that direct our thinking toward mediocre levels.

To understand these suppressive forces, let’s go back to the time we where children. As children all of us set high goals, at a very young age most of us wanted to conquer the unknown, be leaders, jet pilots, doctors, presidents, and great artists. To do exciting and stimulating things, become famous, and wealthy, in short.. to be successful. And in our blessed ignorance, we saw our way out clear to accomplishing these goals. But what happened? Long before we reached the age when we can begin to work toward our great objectives, a multitude of suppressive influences went to work. From all sides, we heard “It’s foolish to be a dreamer” and that “Our ideas are impractical, naïve, or foolish, we had to get our feet on the ground and our head out of the clouds”. We heard that to get ahead we had to have money to begin with, or that we had to have important friends, or just plain luck.

As a result of being bombarded with this, “You can’t get ahead so don’t bother to try”, PROPAGANDA. Most people you know can be classified into 3 groups. The 1st group are the people who surrendered completely, the majority of people who are convinced, deep down inside that they haven’t got what it takes, that real success, real accomplishments, is for others who are lucky, or fortunate in some special respect. Now you can spot these people because they go to great lengths to rationalize their status and explain how happy they really are.

The 2nd basic group are those who surrender partially. Now this is a much smaller group than the first one. This group enters adult life with a lot of hope for success, the people prepare themselves, they work hard, they plan. But after a decade or so, resistance begins to build up. Competition for top level jobs look pretty rugged, and this group decides greater success, just isn’t worth the effort. They rationalize “We’re earning more than the average, We live better than the average, why knock ourselves out.”

The 3rd group is quite small, perhaps 2 or 3 percent of the population. This group never surrendered their dreams. They never did and they still don’t let pessimism dictate their limitations. They don’t believe in surrendering to suppressive forces. Instead these people live and breathe success. This group of people is the happiest, because it accomplishes the most. These people become top salesmen, top executives, top leaders, top artists in their respective fields. These people find life stimulating, rewarding, worthwhile. These people look forward to each new day, each new accomplishment, each new challenge, each new encounter with other people, as adventures to be lived fully.

Now let’s be honest, all of us would like to be in that third group. The one that finds continually greater success. But to get into and to stay in that group, we have to fight off the suppressive influence of our environment. To understand how people on the first two groups will unwittingly try to hold you back.

Try this experiment: Tell several of your, average friends or your fellow workers with the greatest sincerity that someday you intend to be Vice-President of your company. What will happen? Your friends will probably think your joking, and if they do believe you mean it, they’ll say something like, “You poor sap, you got a lot to learn”. But assume that you repeat that same statement with equal sincerity to the President of the company. How will he or she react? One thing is certain the President of your company will not laugh. He might look at you intently and say to himself “Does this person really mean this?” But he won’t laugh, because BIG people do not laugh at BIG ideas.

By the same token, when you tell somebody that owns a Million-dollar home, you plan to own your own Million-dollar home one day, that person won’t laugh either. And they won’t think you’re crazy, that person knows it’s perfectly possible because that person has already done it. But if you tell your neighbors that they’re liable to tell you that it’s impossible. Remember people who tell you something can’t be done, almost always are unsuccessful people. Strictly mediocre in terms of accomplishment, the opinions of these people are poison. Develop a defense against people who want to convince you, that you can’t do something. Accept negative advice only as a challenge to prove that you can do it. Be extra, extra conscious about this. Don’t let negative thinking people destroy your plan, to think yourself to success.

I call these people Negators, Negators are everywhere and they seem to take delight in sabotaging the positive progress of others. Some of them do it out of jealousy. They’re not moving ahead themselves, so they want to see you stumble too. Others may be sincere and well meaning, but they’ve been brainwashed. They’ve surrendered, they’re convinced that success is impossible for them, and that people who strive for success are risking everything and are liable to end up with nothing. So be careful, study Negators. Don’t let them destroy your plans for success.

*Excerpts from the book “The Magic of Thinking Big” – David Schwartz Ph.D.

Check out the rest of the book it clears the path, this continues the earlier post on who to believe sometimes.

Learning from People

Knowledge from experience is very valuable. I treasure it always, it might not be understood at the moment of hearing it. But the illumination that strikes later or at the time, saves energy and time to progress faster. My favorite one was when I was like in my 20's and this man spoke to me and told me, "Wow your wheels are spinning". I guess he meant I'm doing big things, because I've started being productive and trying to be great in Art.

He passed along this great advice, "Don't trip too much on yourself on how you look right now (negatively), because years later you'll know it was bullshit and you'd waste all this time. And you've already been cool all along" something in this realm I tried to recreate. But this was, something very profound, and helpful to get me light years beyond my peers.

To that, collecting wisdom, advice, comparing notes with others has always been fun for me. The feeling is captured here, gonna check out these books soon. But the vids are pushers. But just filter out, the "Stay in comfort zone ones" and there is a BIG difference where the advice is from.



E.g. I shared my dream and the extra hours I put in after work to be a great pro Animator to a owner of this accounting firm next door to my present non art job and his reply was "Working two jobs, huh.. that's how I did it too. You can do it".
Compared to someone in a crap job venting on you, will bring you down or make you feel guilty to make them not question themselves on why they don't have the guts to do what your doing . On the hours you spend trying to get closer to your dream.

I heard this in some interview about a guy up on a podium winning an Oscar or Academy award upon his speech he say's " This is for all of you people, that spend that one hour a day trying to reach you dreams". -----> Let's Go!

Glen Keane Advice

The example above is just so, alive and appealing the fluid shape transitions.


It seems when you run up against a problem (while pushing your Craft), you always think it's just because " I'm not good enough" but it's not that. It's just that you've kinda hit the limit of you knowledge, and you gotta go out and observe, find, get, and discover something more. "Those are really great" the best times, when you feel like you stink and you can't get it, any better, your stuck, and your in a rut. That's like "man", the world is open and your ready to learn something new. You gotta go, you gotta take advantage of it. Sometimes you wallow in that for like a week and that's crazy.

*this is a great example of hitting the zone, the flow, zen, when your rocking.

Once I really hit my "Key Poses" (Animating), it's more of the joy of it. You know it's like I've practiced it enough and you can now just go ahead and play that piece on the piano. And its a joy, the expression, and I'm living it completely, lost in the moment animating it.

-Following are excerpts from an interview by Clay Kaytis

Key Analysis

Wow what a treat, In Andreas Deja's blog he happened to post a cool sequence of Jafar in Aladdin. I noticed he had the frame numbers and just couldn't resist, and had to see it in motion. Loaded it to a pencil shooter and here ya go. So fluid, and the lag on the pointing finger when he and the horse exit. The raw beautiful drawings and his post is at this link: http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/08/follow-trail.html

Back to Dialouge

I love Acting shots, got this great line I ran into. Just need to film a reference shot hittin the beats loosely. The set is ready to rock,, check it!. General Maya work is one of my guilty pleasures.

Lit it the best I could and hooked up some free rigs . Trucking along with my wrestling shots, need to go alot slower in polishing, and fight the urge to rush it and look crappy being hap-hazard.

This will be the intro to my new reel so it has to blow some minds and really sell.

"Rough Cut with Breakdowns"

Yippee! Its time for Spline Plus to Final Polish. Edited the shots together to see the flow in the transitions and I'm quite happy with them, also to get motivated to finish. They're mostly in Breakdowns and in Stepped mode still. Just taking a breather and I'm gonna dive right back in the deep end.. See what you think. I got another little dialogue scene I'm cookin' up at the moment to throw in the mix. Stay tuned




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Great Ani Theory Vids

Powerful stuff to learn here. Awesome work "Ugur Yetisen"

29 Ways to Stay Creative

I enjoy collecting info to get better and not re-invent the wheel. Here is a great vid to help for the struggle up (re: if your not struggling, your not learning anything)

New Reel Update

Rockin.. More than Halfway point with Breakdown pass on my new reel pieces. Just checkin in, that I'm still Animating. Ha Ha. So much Fun, Stay Tuned..

Puppetschool Grad show ( Behind the scenes)

Wow.. Unbelievable talent in one place, teaming up to Entertain as if their life depended on it. That's what it felt like and made this a sold out "Smash hit". So Lucky to be able to perform with everyone here. So much fun

Traditional Master Art School in Florence

This is just Insane! Wow.. you would hear people talking about going to Europe and learning how to paint and stuff. From the Lineage of the Renaissance Masters no doubt. And we are so lucky in this tech age to catch peek at these, super specialized schools and what its all about. Just a jaw dropper for me.

Stan Lee Interviews

Comic books will always have a special place in my heart, the coolest composition, design and style. To me it's like a portable fantasy movie. And who doesn't know who this guy is. To see this man with so much zest and passion for life, its just very contagious. Peep the hidden gold in his words and learn this mindset. Enjoy..







And an extra.. His heroes

2nd Teaser "WIP"

Here's a sneak peek at the PSA I'm cranking out too, its some old rigs I'm using. I equate it to molding with clay the worst rigs ever, but their original and mine, its a start working with what I got and embracing a good challenge. By Monday I'll put a good dent at the two shorts.

Teaser " Work in Progress"

Just checkin in with what I'm up to. Having an awesome time blocking two shorts simultaneously. Logging in a notebook, all progress, ideas, the next step ,and thumbnails so you can step out, then come back to them when ever, and not lose track . I have a week vacation left, and this is total bliss. Will do the most to have this next reel out by November for the CTNexpo.

Chute #20 100' s Trick Challenge

Yep.. ALL DAY! Carving light and shadow is so fun, got to a happy point in the animation. It looks like time for the two toon shorts to attack. Standby

Archer #19 100' s Trick Challenge

Another one in the bag. Mid-week, Ik elbow was hell trying to smooth out. I just put in the time, and drilled this until it felt right.

It's A Climb To The Top

I was thinking, why do people use this analogy of climbing to the top. Yes its tough, a struggle, and not everyone gets there. So it dawned on me, why not use literally the mountain climbers info and mindset.
I'm getting so much out of it, my passion for animation has its challenges and obstacles, I collect a lot of info and ask the experienced achievers, to solve issues and receive advice and feedback.

Check out Eric Horsts Blog Here and Here

see the mental training part just use for any endeavor up.. Rock it

Breaking New Ground

Innovators! Here is a great team that created this piece of " Amazing Mastery" a whole set in one, a synergy of greatness. I have the short and the making of as well.. Yahooo! This is what I strive for, pushing past boundaries in your craft, with today's world wide connectivity of knowledge, there is no excuse. So challenge yourself and enjoy

Elk Hair Caddis from peter smith on Vimeo.

Making Of Elk Hair Caddis from peter smith on Vimeo.

Making of Elk Hair Caddis by Alice Holme from Alice Holme on Vimeo.

"Making of Elkhair Caddis" by Anders from Anders Brogaard on Vimeo.

Farmer John # 18

Okay.. Startin to build up momentum again, this is done. 2 more exercises to go and I can start on the 2 shorts I have ready to animate.

Aardman Commercial

I'm such a big fan of this studios work, always quality and character driven. Here is a commercial spot they made and a behind the scenes.

Character Animation DVD's

If classes are pricey, you can rock out with DVD's or both? From "Chris Kirshbaum" who is currently animating for Dreamworks, credits include Over the Hedge, Flushed Away, and Kung Fu Panda. Chris is an amazing Teacher, pick these up, they are the best.

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/store/category/150/Chris-Kirshbaum

Also, GNOMON has tons of Tutorial DVD's from the Greatest teachers on Earth. Rock on!

Chute 1st Pass

Just truckin along with this fun shot, making the action really fluid. Added more inbetweens fleshed it out, pretty happy with it. Time for the next step, clean up the spline, face and emotion of thrill.

What It Takes

This is the ignition to launch info here.. Any one can be what they set out to be, you just gotta earn it.

Keep On Going

Challenge yourself everyday. This the follow up of Richard St. John 1st Lecture.

The Journey

This craft takes a lot out of you, but it so worth it on what it gives back. I wanted to share what keeps me going, great people, people that inspire and bring you up. I constantly collect and absorb great info on how to keep going in life and in your passion. These are rocket fuel for the cause.. This one is ZEN right here, Srkumar Rao drives home the concept of what might be sound familiar? "Its not about the destination its all about the Journey." Have Fun..

Chute Breakdowns

Filling in favors and snap.

The Practice Continues..

A bit held up on Pre-Production assembling 2 shorts for a new reel, was my excuse for not animating.. Well back in effect 3 are rollin and this is one the others will follow. This is Blocking stage, trying to get the extreme fun in it with good fluid flow.

Redemption

Yes,, its the same reel but can you spot the difference? The 1st one was in the dreaded underwater syndrome..Totally lost track and gotten tunnel vision( this gets worse on the last part when your starting to wrap up and finish) , it's very important to get in mind that animation is a team sport and getting feed back from other people is KEY! and give more time at the end to plus and finesse cause its really the make it or break it part.

So I fixed this up as far as I could, thanks to a corner turning crit, that I'm happy with it, that I can leave it for another Reel to start up again... HA HA. gonna keep the old one as a reminder how easy it is to think the shots on point when its not. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Lets all make it happen and out do, last years MASTERPIECE!