Artist's guide to health and wellness

Wrist and forearm stretches for artists to prevent soreness and injury!

We all get this some times, a soreness in your wrist or hands that just doesn't go away. I'm sharing this for easy access, and because I think it's important! Please prevent any injury to your wrists! Also, please share it with others, anyone who can benefit.

The website states that it's for animators, but I figure it's really important for any frequent mouse or tablet user.

Flooby Nooby's Animator's guide to health and wellness


Here's a sample of some of the exercises.

Body Acting

I've been working as a teaching assistant for animation (and other) classes. One of those classes was about body acting, so I've been really immersed in this thing for a while now and I need to write about it!

Making a believable character without any speech, it takes a different kind of acting. Body acting becomes principle acting instead of being in a more supportive role.

Lately I've been really inspired by the student work that has been posted on the AnimSchool Vimeo, so that's why I included two videos from a body acting animation class! But it's not just about humanoid characters.
I read a post about animating Toothless (link here!!), and of course he can't use speech to show what he wants and what he's thinking, so obviously body acting is of major importance. In the post they also describe how they had to work with limitations, like how it was very easy to take him off model. Go read it!!

So for the class I've been helping out with, the students had to create video reference for themselves. That obviously has some perks for the students, but all of the students stuck very closely to their reference. So I had to post these two examples that very clearly don't stick too close to the reference. Enjoy :)






Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with AnimSchool or Animation Mentor :P They just post interesting stuff worth sharing!

Life after Pi

This is not directly animation related, but for those of us who are interested in working in the VFX industry (like myself), this will be of interest to you.

VFX studio Rhythm and Hues won the Oscar for best Visual Effects for Life of Pi in 2013, 11 days after filing for bankruptcy. The video explains how that happened.

How animation was done in the 30's

Hey there, here's a little video on the brink of the holidays. It's an incredible behind the scenes peek! It shows the making of a couple of seconds of animation for Popeye the Sailorman.

I feel like I finally got a better insight into how every part of the process was handled and it definitely made me appreciate our animation origins. The amount of labor that went into it was amazing! It still is of course, but nowadays we are able allocate our resources more efficiently.

Enjoy, and happy holidays everyone!

80/20 Rule

Ugh man, I'm trying very hard to deliver this piece of information in a good way, but it's just pretty dry stuff, I'm sorry about that! I promise it's incredibly useful though!

80/20 Rule
Sam Nielson wrote a blogpost about the 80/20 rule. I'll summarize the blogpost's conclusion and describe its use in creating animation. If you want more info head on over to his blog: here.

The way he describes this rule of thumb is that you need to find the 20% of "stuff" in your work that'll demand 80% of the viewers attention. In a painting for example that might be one or several persons on the canvas.

Once you've found that 20% you can focus on perfecting just that which the viewer pays most attention to. So basically this is a way to efficiently allocate your time! When you put your time in 20% of the art that is most important, the viewer will have a better impression of it. Get more value for less time put into it.

Animation specific
In a painting it might be easier to identify what is the focus of the viewer will be, but it's definitely possible in animation too. For example in a close-up animation it might be the eyes. If we're watching full body performance, it might be a combination of the body language (the pose and silhouette for example) and the face.

If your shot is (example) just a hand picking up a ball, this might not be applicable, but in most human(oid) performances it will be. Be aware of the focus of the viewer at the very least and act accordingly!

Ursula animatronic

Here's definitely a different kind of animation! This really wowed me, I've never seen an animatronic this advanced! It is so cool to see how it is animated, though the panel used to animate it does look a little primitive admittedly. I'd love to see more of this, but Imagineering has always been very secretive, so I'm glad we got to see this much! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



I probably shouldn't be saying this, because I might spark your curiosity, but there's also a video of Ariel's animatronic. To me Ariel's video was a total letdown, so I suggest you don't watch it!

Animating from the heart

This was posted on the 11secondclub blog and I just have to share it. I can relate to this on several levels and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Synopsis:
Limitations vs possibilities (or inspiration). That is one of the things Ryan Woodward talks about. The work setting influences the outcome. Once you work in one place for a while, you know what the company expects from you. The art you produce, you narrow it down to their expectations, they basically have standard limits to which you conform. This is great for the company, but as an artist you need an outlet of your own taste too!

In the meantime he tells about his journey and shows really nice drawings, animated storyboards and FX animations. Great inspiration!

Animating from the heart - logic vs inspiration - Ryan Woodward




Personal take (for those interested): I wish I had seen this before I had started to work on my graduation project. Or maybe not, maybe it just makes more sense in hindsight. In any case, I now see why I got frustrated with my own project. I went into this really for the sake of doing what I love doing. A graduation project, on the other hand is not the right setting for doing so. School sets limits. Supervisors are there to ground you. Rules and limitations are stipulated at every turn. I had to narrow things down. I was being limited, and I'm not blaming anyone for this, it's just the way things had to be done. The way I had envisioned doing this project could not be done in this setting, I had wrong expectations.
Because I was being limited, I lost sight of possibilities, which is one of the things I was essentially marked down on at project assessment. Part of this was pretty much my own fault of course, but school just wasn't equipped to deal with a project such as mine. Or maybe I should look at it the other way around, my project wasn't tailored to the school settings well enough. In any case, lesson learned, post mortem closed.

The thing you might take away from this is be aware of the kind of project you're getting yourself into if it's for school. If it needs to be a free, personal project, make sure that school allows you to do that. In the case that school isn't equipped to deal with such a project, then put this project on hold and conform to what school wants to see you do. This will spare you (and your supervisor) some headaches.

Pixar storytelling nuggets

Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coats has compiled a list of nuggets of narrative wisdom she's received working for the animation studio over the years and she's shared them with us! Most of the individual pieces of information are pretty basic, but I've never seen them enlisted like this.


A friend told me something which I recognized in most of the points in the list. "Kill your darlings." It's a piece of wisdom from poets, but applies to a lot more than just poetry. It means that sometimes you need take out a piece (of story, of poetry, of art in a portfolio) that you've grown attached to if it doesn't make the whole better.

In poetry that would be a line that might be wonderfully phrased, but has a different tone than the rest of the poem. In film that might be a scene that's incredible, but doesn't add to the progression of the story. In a portfolio, that might be a modelling piece that you're proud of, but doesn't help you get that animation job you want. This is something I'll need to apply to movements in animation too.



Official list:
http://io9.com/5916970/the-22-rules-of-storytelling-according-to-pixar

Don't live in a vacuum

I read this little piece of advice on the AnimSchoolBlog and sadly I can relate! I used to do this a while ago, but I found out there was more knowledge outside of the bubble. It's nice to be reminded of making a choice for the better.

Aaron Gilman:
Don't be a Bubble Boy! Some animators work in a vacuum. They don't interact with other animators, they don't share their work, they don't ask for critique, and they don't show their stuff very often. You can be a very talented Bubble Boy animator and make a great career for yourself. But I believe all animators are constantly growing and no one should ever plateau. The Bubble Boy tends to hit a ceiling with the quality of their work. They don't grow as fast as those animators who seek critique, whether it be from their peers, or regularly from their supervisors.


Taken from: http://www.animschoolblog.com/2012/05/animschool-interview-animator-aaron.html

Desiderata

The following is entirely not related to animation, but it helps me be motivated for my own causes. I figured there wouldn't be any harm in sharing it.


Desiderata (by Max Ehrman)


Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.


Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. 


Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. 


Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. 


Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. 


Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. 


Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. 


And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.


Strive to be happy.

Animation at its best (jk)

Ofcourse this is just for shits and giggles, but still I find the animation, sort of well done...

Going to the store

First Entry

Hey and welcome to anyone reading this!

Sooo, this is my first blog entry and to start off  here's a little introduction as to what I'm trying to do with this blog!
I'm Joyce, 21, student at IGAD in Breda, specialising in animation and my goal is to land myself a job in the movie industry. By now I've reached a good understanding of what rigging and animation tools can do and I'm decent at animation, but I'm far from satisfied with my skill level. I'm trying to reach a higher level of understanding of what makes for a better animation. For inspiration and knowledge I take a closer look at any book, website, video (, etc) I can get my hands on! Here's where I share anything that has taught or influenced me in one way or another and as I immerse myself in animation daily there'll be plenty of subjects to post on.

I don't mind sharing my opinion and I love to help with any animation, so if ever you're in need of help give me a message and I'll discuss your work with you via mail or in a blogpost (as you wish).