Midweek and still so much to do!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week. I can't believe how fast it's flying by.

Are Distractions Always a Bad Thing?

I think I had mentioned on here the other day that for the first time I had a bit of a hard time getting to art. Not for lack of inspiration or ideas, but simply excessive tiredness, a bit of monotony and in the end a feeling of burn out. Ever since I took a trip a few weeks back it's been hard maintaining a schedule. With the extra work at both schools, plus trying to evolve and grow in personal work as well as professional work, one can feel at times overwhelmed.

All in all I'm basically posing the question that came up after last night. I spent all saturday working on homework, and art projects from that morning till Sunday morning and then had work on top of that. After work I intended to take a 2hour power nap and get back into schedule, but some of my roommates decided to have a party. Which is awesome, but because of the amount of work I set for myself as a goal everyday I usually don't get to enjoy said events. Well, I'm not sure if it was cause I was too tired or just in need of some sort of break, but I ended up having quite a fun time and meeting some really great new people.

So, that being said... Are distractions from your end goal always a bad thing? Are there benefits from not constantly maintaining your true focus? Is it better to let yourself be distracted every now and then?

After that and a bit of sleep, I can say at least for myself, that while I would have liked to get a few more things done yesterday, it sure is nice to step back from projects if just for an evening.








Because it helped energize myself this week I'll leave you with a great tune by the fantastic VJBREWSKI!

The Final Exhaustion!

Quite a long week, but productive nonetheless!

A bit more perspective work.

Exhaustion Week!

This week's theme is exhausted, perhaps its a bit too appropriate.

The Final Concern!

It's already Saturday night! That means it's time for the final concern.

Here's a couple extra concerned poses,

and a little collage.

Visualize

Visualize Visualize Visualize!

Last night I finally signed up for Don's Club, the Don Bluth Animation course, now I'm kicking myself that I didn't do it sooner. Tonight was my first class and it was chock full of information. I don't usually take notes, but I ended up with a page full of notes and a page full of drawings.
The main theme he had for us today was Visualize. What makes creative people valuable is that they can never really be replaced. As Rual from ManvsArt says, "be yourself cause no one else can be" or something to that effect. That being said our creativity and our skill come from our visualization, before you do anything visualize what you are going to do and try to get as close to that as you can. Whether it's animating, caricaturing, drawing, story-boarding, illustrating, whatever visualize, visualize, visualize!

Here's a quick glimpse at today's notes. (Note to self: use darker pencils!)


(second page of just notes and like always click to enlarge)


Today's concern week pose is Sorrowful Concern.


Here's a little concept design I'm working on that I might turn into a logo, or menu for the site later on.

(Gilligan, Claude's Turtle, Claude, and the Little Hero)

Concerned Perspective part deux

Continuing on with this week's theme here are the concerned concept sketches.

Concerned pose dos


Revised and updated the perspective work from yesterday.

Overall it turned out pretty decent, but I'm not comfortable using the softer leaded pencils in this composition ie the 4B and 6B. Hopefully it'll come easier with practice.

Triple Strength Week 3!

Here's the sketch of all of last weeks strength poses.


Starting this week off with a more Conan themed strength pose.

A few months vs 11 minutes

While reading through the Avatar the Last Airbender (the art of the animated series), something really caught my eye. People talk about loving the work, and how much effort goes into a piece of art, but when you're actually given time frames on how long things took or how short, it really hits home. I was shocked at 3months for 11 minutes and I couldn't figure out if that seemed really long, or really short. Three months in most people's view is a significant period of time, but when it comes to creating something that you really love and want to be perfect it doesn't seem like nearly enough time.

Dump Extras!

Scott Lemmer has been pushing all of us ton, like I've said before, Keep it Simple. So this week was all about, dumping extras, just focus on what the core idea is. If it's not really helping the whole concept dump it!

Celebrate what makes you unique!

When studying the basics and the principles of any craft there is a reason to learn the steps to mastery. However, even going from one book or one teacher to another, even the basics are presented with different viewpoints, strengths, and weaknesses. That being said look at all the things you love in life. If they all were the same how boring would that be. So when you're working on a project, of course think about all the principles and important foundations, but celebrate what makes you unique! Keep working towards a goal of where you want your style to be, but be content with where your style is now and happy that you're the only you in the world.

Triple Strength Week 2!

I've been especially inspired during these strength gesture studies by the perpetual gorgeous muscle flexing poses of Beauty and the Beast's (Andreas Deja's) Gaston.

Reevaluating

In the Art and Story podcast this week they brought up an interesting point about frequent reevaluation, and with the amount of projects I have on my plate at anyone time this is definitely something I'm going to have to do. I have about 3 months worth of backlogged sketchbooks that I need to get up, and I also have 2 books that I need to get off the ground. This episode was definitely worth a listen for anyone who has any project they want to get done.

Stay Strong

Today's Inspiration: "I have to struggle like hell to make a drawing look good." - Milt Kahl

Triple Strength!

With Devastation Double Week in the past it's time for some Triple Strength Action!

Find Inspiration in Everything!

I've been listening to a lot of Art and Story and I've also been reading through Avatar the last Airbender the Art of the Animated Series. One thing I've really picked up on is how much the creators talk about other things they're interested in and how that always inspires their work or at least their other hobbies seep into and influence their art. So, I challenge you to do the same. Find Inspiration in Everything!

Today's devastation is financial!

Love it, Just Love it!

Eric Goldberg has got to be one of the most inspiring influences on me art wise that is still alive. He's the mastermind behind such animated greats as the Genie, Louis, the Rhapsody in Blue segment from Fantasia 2000, and like a million other animated greats. Anyways he was asked this week what advice he had for people just getting into animation, and his response was simple and perfect, "Love it, just love it!"

Almost at the end of Devastation double week and, so much Devastation is just depressing.

Go Easy, Step Lightly, Stay Free

I finally jumped on the Art and Story Supreme bandwagon, and boy am I glad I did. I've listened to quite a few of the podcasts already, but the one that really got to me was the one about music. I had never really thought about it, but they presented an interesting topic, What song is the theme of your life? I thought it would take me forever to come up with the answer, but surprisingly I new exactly which one it would be.

Stay Free by the Clash

Okay, so I'm sure you're all wondering how this ties in to art, animation, etc. Well, I guess it all comes down to how I approach art, well, my art at least.

Easy
(easy to read, easy on the eyes, easy to understand..),

Light
( fun and entertaining I'm not a big fan of getting into heavy discussions. That's not to say that I don't want avoid "darker" art. I tend to really like goth, punk, creepy, bloody, sexy, you name it, art.)

Free
(open to any ideas, styles, methods, genres, etc., that come along)

So, what's your theme song? Life or artwise, I think it's an interesting idea to think about.

Today's Devastation is Luck Struck.

Anticipation, Action and Reaction!

This weeks principle to remember comes from Bill Tytla, "Any animation consists of anticipation, action and reaction."

Oh, and the second half of Devastation Double Week starts now!


Devastation with a dramatic flair.

Half way through the Devastation!

Here's the rough concept animation of this weeks 2 bouncing balls assignment.

The second half of devastation double week starts tomorrow!



Here's this weeks Tiki themed daily sketch group entry.


(original)


(reduced size)


(wallpaper version)

Redid this weeks first devastation pose to match the color theme of the rest,



and revised last weeks pose with a little more bend of the "fiving" elbow, and a different shadow.