It’s Valentine’s Day! A holiday mostly tailored towards the card making companies. However, the overall sentiment is appreciated, “celebrate love.” So for today’s inspiration, I bring you an animated piece that has already made its rounds on the internet, but the animation and emotion is still as powerful as ever:
Thought of You/ Ryan Woodward/ 2010
For “making of ” video, hit the jump:
Congrats to my fellow Animation Mentor graduates! We did it!
Yes many of us have been done since either last summer or this past fall, but the ceremony, show, and pomp & circumstance all happened this past weekend. For an online school like Animation Mentor, these events are even more thrilling, as we finally get to meet-up with all those folks we’ve seen only through the eyes of a lowly webcam. It amazes me, that even though we’ve never met in “real” life, I can start up a conversation with them like I had known them for years.
The events of this past weekend are a definite high, but the real question comes after. Like coming back from a conference, or an expo, the quintessential thing we must ask of ourselves after all this is… Now What?
There are some graduates out there that already have found themselves a job, and for them they have answered their “Now What?” I’m proud of them, but I’m also proud of everyone else that graduated that will either now or later attempt to do something that not many people ever accomplish… Realize a dream.
For me, I’m not going to stand still through this high. I’m going to go back to where my inspiration lies:
It’s time to give this piece an animated facelift that I have always envisioned it to have. After about 2 years, I think I owe it to all those organizations that fight for social justice, especially those I organize with, to do something positive for the people. And hey, if I get a job in the industry at the same time, even better.
I know my fellow AM graduates have other shots they’re working on as well, and the main thing, like I’ve always stated each in week in my videos to them, is to keep inspired and most of all, HAVE FUN!
Yes for some it’s a struggle, but that’s why we’re here. Yes we observe life in order to create the illusion of it, but at the same time by animating life, we can change it as well.
If you want to know who we are, WE ARE REVOLUTION!
Congrats once again AM Graduates!
Inspiration for animation can be from anywhere and my favorite places for inspiration are inside the squared circle of professional wrestling. Based on the last shot of my demo reel, I’m a big fan of old school wrestling. Today I’m going to relate the animation principal of “appeal” to these classic vignettes of the ol WWF-days…
Hit the jump for some more analysis of the GENIUS of this PERFECT Appeal…
Let’s put a bow on 2010 and wrap it with Art of the Cartoon’s Best Animated Features of 2010. I’ll be honest, 2010 was an an okay year in animated features, not great, just okay. I enjoyed 2009’s offering of animated goodness better than 2010, but still I have to commend all the animation studios for putting out some quality work in 2010 (by the way studios, I’m looking for a job as an animator *wink wink*). I only have a top 3 this year, so let’s go over some ground rules first:
Let’s do it! Hit the jump for the Best Animated Features 2010…
I only have a couple of readers left, but if you were wondering where I have been the past 7 months (and most of 2010), I was busy finishing up school at Animation Mentor. The last few classes definite required more attention on my part, but in return I now have this:
It’s not the greatest reel in the world, and in my eyes it’s not even that good, but the key thing I learned was the basic foundations for me to keep animating and keep my critical eye out on the world we live in.
A couple of changes I have made to sight. Artoftecartoon.com will now act as my professional sight. My name and contact info as well as my reel and my other artwork is now featured in the fun tabs above. Check them out! 1. About, 2. Demo Reel, 3. Artwork, 4. Resume, 5. Contact
Worry not though, I will still post my musings on art and animation and I promise to try to post more in the upcoming 2011. The old favorites like Bootleg Classics and Set the VCR will return, and reviews will come around from time to time.
Check out some new links I added on the sidebar, and here’s to happy, healthy, and successful 2011!!!
Coming up: Best Animated Features 2010…
PS: If anyone knows of any animator job openings, hit me up!
It’s been awhile since I posted something on here. Animation has kept me pretty occupied, but some 4 months into 2010, I think it’s finally time I reveal my best animated features of 2009. 2009 was an outstanding year for animation. Seeing that there were 5 nominations for Best Animated Picture at the Oscars, and beyond that there were quality animated films this year that may have been considered in lesser years. Anyway before I get to the best, I wanna go over my ground rules for best of 2009:
Without further delay, hit the jump to see the Best Animated Features of 2009… Continue reading
I Kill Giants/ writer: Joe Kelly/ art: JM Ken Niimura/ 2009
Another year come and gone and another birthday. I guess it’s time to reflect…
Getting older and wiser, I start to notice more things. Obstacles and struggles in life in general can become a little more daunting. Work can suck if you have a job, looking for work can suck if don’t have one, school can drag-on, love life at a stand still, finances swirling in the toilet, health going wrong, etc… Add to that the seemingly unending injustices and human rights violations out there and things can start to get really bleak. But that’s why we have inspirations, things that keep us going, keep us moving forward.
On the day of my birth, I present to you one of my many inspirations. In my opinion, one of the best, if not THE best graphic novel/ trade paperback of 2009. A book that everyone should read. Even though there really is no social commentary or political context involved in this book, it is one of the most poignant, genuine, and touching stories I have seen in a graphic novel. And its message and theme is as “in your face” and obvious as it seems, a metaphor waiting to happen…
I KILL GIANTS! Continue reading
Lavatory Lovestory/ dir. Konstantin Bronzit/ 2007/ Russia
Well its fake love day today, aka Valentines Day. I thought it would only be appropriate that I would visit this 2009 Academy Award nominated animated short film, Lavatory Lovestory, cute film about a restroom attendant and her attempt to find love. The simple and elegant animation set to white background with simple lines exemplifies the emotions that said woman go through. We experience her anticipation, we feel her pain, and in the happy ending, we feel like we have been through a whole lifetime of love with this woman, all in a span of 10 minutes, and all expressed without dialogue.
Now obviously we romanticize these types of meetings, but rarely do we ever experience them exactly like how they turn out in film. But you know what, its fun to be a romantic at heart, and even if you have no significant other this time of year, its still fun to dream…
Art of the Cartoon 
