Simpsons Interview pt 2: Models and Abandoning Inbetweens

CHARACTER MODELSSo I did some character models to give them an idea of how I would draw the characters as caricatures of the Simpsons and then explained that even drawing them that way wouldn’t be enough to achieve what I wanted to do.I’m even bored with the pose to pose style animation we did at Spumco where the only control we had over the look of the cartoon characters’ acting was in the held

Who Needs To Pay For 2 Whole Eyes?

In an industry that is always looking for cost cutting ways to produce entertaining but efficient product I am happy to show off my latest money saving trick.
One eye is half the price of 2, right? Think of the savings!
Of course, sometimes you need a realistic believable expression and only 2 eyes will do so you can't be stingy on every single frame.

Ed Love: Connecting Held Poses

From :"Drooler's Delight":Ed Love is great at varying how he connects his bold and clear poses. Here's a real simple general way:STRETCH WOODY'S NECKHere are the 2 poses we see and feel in the animation. They are holds. They are drawn with perfectly clear negative spaces, contrasts and lines of action. The action happening between them is visually obvious. Buzz stretches Woody up. The action is

Methodical Study

My pal Jojo is a young whippersnapper who is constantly improving his skills.I suggested he study some Tom and Jerry animation and copy some of the basic actions.I have noticed over the past few years that students who study and even copy old animation do not in turn always apply what they studied to their own work.So I suggested to Jojo to animate another character doing the same action as a Tom

Real Animation

Here is my favorite run cycle from a Clampett cartoon:I think it's Scribner. It's interesting how awkward (and sloppy) the individual frames are as opposed to how magnificently smooth and powerful the motion is.There are 6 drawings on ones for each step.The rest of the scene is great too. Such amazing force!Full ClipYou can buy this set of rare Snafu cartoons on Amazon. This is the best set there

Previews Of Some Work I am Doing In Harmony

Here is a clip from a station ID that is airing on Adult Swim.Elephant Pencil Test, animated by animation giant, Mike KazalehWhen we first started using Harmony, we animated on paper and scanned it in. This was somewhat helpful in making the transition from what we were used to, to animating completely on the computer.Elephant Final, tweaked in HarmonyOnce some of the paper animation was in

Good Direction VS Turning The Furnace On and Off

WATCH THIS SEQUENCE OF FOGHORN ESCAPING DOGI had thought that because this was such a frenetic sequence, there must be a lot of scene cuts in it. It turns out there are only 3.A lot of story information is conveyed in the short sequence, and McKimson uses all the animation and film tools available to him. He doesn't use the same tool to tell each story point. He varies them and coordinates them

Crazy Cute

I love when Scribner draws cute characters. They are reaaaallly cute - but kind of crazed too. It's like he's making fun of cuteness but at the same time likes it. he's torn - as am I.This frame is genius!___________________I have a theory about how Scribner evolved this jittery cluttered style.The action in much of his work after Clampett happens within very confined spaces.When he animated for

The Entertainment Value Of Movement

One thing you see a lot of in cartoons from the 1930s and 40s is movement that is entertaining for its own sake.You can tell this animator had fun making this cat shadow box. The still drawings don't really convey the movement.Clampett encouraged his animators to make every bit of their work move in a fun way. He figured it was "animation" and that was the main thing audience watched cartoons for