progress report

I’ve not updated the blog for a long time but I’m still studying something every day.

The previous weekend I’ve finally watched a couple of documentaries I’ve been eager to see:

Disney’s Frank and Ollie.
http://animated-views.com/2003/frank-and-ollie-special-edition/

Ub Iwerks hand behind the mouse
http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Behind-Mouse-Intimate-Biography/dp/0786853204/


I’m also revisiting a lot of Disney animation as well as The animation podcast. This helps to keep me motivated. I am currently working through them again and I always seem to find more in them each time I listen.

Current Progress:

Structure of man: up to lesson 53 feet videos. I’ve slowed down on these videos as I’m now working through Maya fundamentals. I’m still liking the lesson as they are a great contrast to the Walt Stanchfield lessons I’m ready/practising.

Maya fundamentals: just started work on project 2 creating the space ship. So far I’m finding Maya pretty easy to learn and seem to be making faster progress than I did whilst doing the max videos. There are quite a lot of things I like about Maya (although I miss the right click undo you get with max)

Walt Stanchfield lectures and sketching: I am reading the first of the two volumes and finding the information to be mind-blowing, inspirational and thought provoking. I’m also trying to spend a little time everyday doing at least a few sketches. I’m mainly doing a few in the mornings as people are travelling to work. Hopefully I can start to see some improvement in my sketches soon.

Other studies:
Story by Robert McKee, lots of insights into story methods, film etc.
Eric Goldberg book. Excellent stuff , need to apply it to animation now!
also looking at alot of concept artwork. Glen keanes:pocahontas and tarzan stuff in particular. really liking this blog: http://theartofglenkeane.blogspot.com

Degas, the old man mad about art and Richard Williams

Just watched an 'omnibus' special about Degas.

It was interesting to learn about the varying approaches to line versus colour.
His mentor Ingres influenced his use of line,contour and shading (colour was considered nothing).
This is in stark contrast to the later boldly coloured work. (influenced at first by Titian)

I really like the sketches and rough studies rather than the finished painting. There are feint grids on the 'sketches' which i assume are for composition but i've not read about that yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Degas

I'm sure, for some people, this is all old news but not to me.
The only other time i'd heard of his work was from Richard Williams (another master animator) in the Animators survival kit animated dvds.

I've also been watching some of Richard Williams commercials (and listening to his splinedoctors podcast). I remember many of the commercials from Uk tv and some were new to me. Brilliant stuff. I really wish commercials were like this now. I'd recommend viewing them for anyone into animation or art.

Structure of Man Progress and more

I've just progressed onto the chest videos (Video 21) of "the structure of Man"
http://the-structure-of-man.blogspot.com/

I'm quite pleased with the videos and how they are helping me. At first i wasn't sure but the knowledge 'sort of' seeps in slowly. I've just finshed lots of videos on the skeleton mainly skull. All of a sudden I'm viewing peoples head differently! I find myself staring at people (in the street, at work etc) studying there faces.

I'm also reading the notes of Walt Stanchfield which have alot of tips/ideas regarding approaches to sketching. I like the notes regarding doing quick sketchs/poses rather than trying to do a master piece everytime you pick up a pencil or pen.
The notes are about to be published in book form:
http://animationpodcast.com/archives/2009/02/27/walt-stanchfield-books/

I've really only just begun with these teaching methods but already seeing improvements.

Also listen to the Glen Keane animation podcast. He spoke about 'Degas'. An artist who did lots of great sketches of figures. The first book i have, has a section at the back with sketches, brilliant and inspiring.

Glen also talked about michaelangelo and Rohdan
Artist who inspires Glen Keane : Augustus John
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_John

I'm intend to study some of their work.

First Post

This purpose of this blog is to keep track of my animation studies.

I'm currently studying a variety of topics related to drawing,animation,film etc.
My commitment has increased massively since attending Animex this year and so I wanted to document my progress.

Some of things i'm doing at the moment...

1, Listening to the animation podcast everyday. Inspiring stuff from giants of animation.
2, Sketching. Using Walt Stanchfield notes as a guide (Books on order!)
3, Reading Animation Crash course by Eric Goldberg. Just got the book, looks brilliant.
4, Watching Richard williams 'Animators survival kit animated' dvds. Watched once already but gonna rewatch multiple time.
5, Watching AFI top 100 movies (See Blog) Watched great Chaplin stuff this week!
6, Working on my first animated short. (see Blog)
7, Reading 'The Illusion of Life' by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson but this time watching the animation as i go. Therefore as a movie/short mentioned I then watch/study it.