Waking Sleeping Beauty

The one of the wonderful gifts I received this Christmas weekend is a documentary on Disney Animation, where they were facing a dilemma. The documentary is called Waking Sleeping Beauty, and features the main players of the CEOs and animation artists, telling stories on how power, egos, and passion drove this company we know as Disney.

It's a wonderful told documentary, showing insight of the people who played roles in bringing the animation movies we know back when we were kids: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and the Lion King. Get yourself a copy of this film, it's really worth getting for your artist collection.

And no you may not borrow mine - I'm still watching the special features as we speak. :D

HTC Surround Commercial

I enjoy this commercial. Not just for the clean look of the background and how the phone is being displayed. I enjoy the characters a lot. Especially the blue. The character designs are well thought out. :)

The Studious Designer (Affable)

Did a sketch of Pattie while I was at Starbucks yesterday morning. It's always interesting how tired I am and I still come up with some awesome sketches after drinking espresso.

The sketch came right out, not totally planned. Still, what I admire about Pattie is her love for design and art, as well as seeking new things and wanting to share them with others. Always inspiring, and coming up with wonderful concepts for her projects. I want to grow up to be like Pattie. :)

Something That I Want - Disney

They just had way too much fun with this video! And what a way to celebrate the completion of a film too! :) Enjoy, and enjoy your holiday break!

Glen Keane - Truly Inspiring

Glen Keane is a veteran animator at Disney Animation, and truly his draftsmanship is an inspiration and a joy to watch. If you ask any animation admirer about Glen, they'll light up for sure.

He's been involved with many Disney movies, including the recent movie Tangled. It would be nice to see him get more hand drawn movies produced at Disney Animation Studios. I would love to see that happening.

What makes Glen so great is that he enjoys what he does, and he brings that passion out in his works. It really shows. It really does show.

Here's Glen giving a lecture while he's animating. Watching him handle both graphite and paper is just aspiring. I want to have control on how I construct lines, and have it strong. Just like Glen.

The Best Rebranding Logo of 2010

goes to......



...myspace.

The new feel and imagery is just perfect, and how the used it for their ads recently is pure genius! Congratulations myspace! You're still not the no. 1 website to go and update on daily lives, but the new logo surely is freakin' awesome!

Innovation For People Logo Animation

Innovation For People Logo Animation from Tres Swygert on Vimeo.

Here's my logo animation for Innovation for People. I wanted to test and make sure the link works, as well as on vimeo. Looks very clean and nice. :)

Social Network and Adobe

It was two months ago when the film The Social Network came out in theaters, and it was an amazing film to watch. Regardless on your thoughts about Facebook, it really does not focus on Facebook by itself - it rather focuses on the greed for power, broken relationships, and the desire to create something fantastic.

What I did not know is that director David Fincher and his team used Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro to edit and construct the film:

I was so amazed to see the use of both After Effects and Premiere Pro to work together in building film. Especially since Final Cut Pro is way expensive (I don't have money like that - laughs). It is also very inspiring for me, as I desire to use After Effects to tell stories and be able to share my vision to audiences.

Again, if you have not seen The Social Network, you really need to. The drama and comedy (yes, it is a very funny movie as well) really brings an edge to storytelling that is continued to be overlooked. And yes, the storytelling was way better in this film than Avatar. I kid you not.

Project - the First iPad Magazine App

I know that it was a possibility to have magazines appear through the iPad...but I would not imagine the possibility of taking motion graphics and make it the cover image! Or even animation for the imagery in the contents page!

There is so much possibilities with this, along with it being affordable for the app. I really have to tip my hat to Mr. Branson, he really came up with a great idea, and it is looking gorgeous! If nothing else, this really inspired me to want an iPad. Yes, the iPad finally has a purpose now.

Just imagine all those Computer Arts magazines with video tutorials inside the app! Or video interviews and some extras....So inspiring. :)

This is Sportscenter

One company that I feel has always the best commercials consistently, without fail or mediocre, is ESPN. The tag line This is Sportscenter is always used when Sportscenter comes on, and it's a clear reminder of what Sportscenter is: Fun, entertaining, exciting, engaging, and wonderful personality. Their commercials really remind us of that with the different athletes, subjects, and witty dialogue they display. Check 'em out!

Enjoy! :)

To My Friend Charles

I Have PSD from Hyperakt on Vimeo.

To my friend Charles, who cannot go a day without using Photoshop in his projects and in life. :) Keep on using your mad skills to inspire us bro! :)

Sketchin' at Starbucks

Did some sketching at Starbucks after I got off of work this morning. Feels so great to get back into drawing and sketching on paper. :)

Gabe from Penny Arcade

Something I started, just messin' with colors. I'll push this for sure, add some type or something, just to push it along. :) Any suggestions is most helpful.

Gabe (c) 2010 Penny Arcade

A Little Exercise for the Morning

I decided to do an exercise this morning, looking at something and seeing what I could do a little different. The panel on the left is a panel from Jeph Jacques' webcomic Questionable Content. It's a favorite of mine, his characters are wonderful together, and the dialogue is unique. I am always amazed how he constructs the dialogue from the beginning to the end of each page, like a conductor for a symphony (except the orchestra is assembled in Photoshop). :)

What have noticed from his style though is whenever he has the character in a side view, you don't really see the neck form the back of the character's skull (head). The neck just goes straight into the jawbone area. It makes the back of the head feel squished, at least to me. He did do draw the back of the head for Marten's girlfriend Dora, but for Marten it is not visible at all. Jeph has been doing this for a good while, and I thought it would be interesting to see what it's like with the neck line forming the back of the skull.

While attempting this exercise, I wanted to draw in Jeph's style, to hopefully make my observation more solid. For me it feels more fleshed out and full.

Now, I am not trying to bash Jeph's work, he does great stuff with Photoshop and his craftsmanship of characters. I felt that there could be something more added to his structure. It's a try for sure.

Hope you enjoy this exercise I did. :)

Gotta Do What I Can...

...to stay afloat in my creativity, my passion, my desire, and most importantly, my drive. Drew this while I was half awake at work this morning.

Go get em Pikachu!

For Sock's Sake

An animation student from Cal Arts, Carlo Vogele, created this beautiful story about a sock captured. The stop motion was wonderful done, very fluid and smooth.

And the best part? He shares behind the scene photos of this amazing composition. Green screen, camera, and After Effects. :) So awesome. Hope this inspires you to go outside of your comfort zone for your passion and craft.

It's Getting Boring By the Sea

I first heard the song from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I had no idea how interesting the entire song would be. Really enjoy the drum playing and vocals for this song.

As I researched more about this song, I learned of the band (Blood Red Shoes), and stumbled upon the music video. I tried finding a high quality version, but YouTube doesn't seem to have it. However, the direction of this music video is intense! I love the simplicity of the equipment (background, items in the video), while making the editing complex and fun.

Found out the band is from the UK too, also another bonus. LOL :) I need to go back to England someday and visit...or be employed there.

MODA

So What If (as Stan Would Say)

This typography animation was first shown to me during my introductory year for graphic design (givin' a shoutout to Paige for the hookup!), and it was always fascinating to me how wonderful this story was through typography. Not kinetic type, but using the characters of a typeface to construct a story along with the music, and having a well conceptual direction for what the story detailed. After having experience with After Effects, I start to see how it was constructed, and grabbing an idea how it conveyed the message through editing and camera use.

So what if there was a story told through type with no dialogue, but just made up of characters of that typeface? Where would the story go? How would you keep people interested? Is there a message to the story? I see a lot of kinetic typography pieces, but barely any projects that showcase a typeface as the main star of its' own production. Something to think about, not just for myself, but for others who are interested. :)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World on DVD!!!

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is out on DVD! Today! :D So happy, I'm gettin' my copy for sure!

Also, if you weren't able to see it on Facebook, there will be a showing of Scott Pilgrim at Cinefest this Thursday at 7PM. Some of the juniors are planning on going, so it would be awesome to go as a group and hang out. Hope to see you there this Thursday! :D

Truly Amazed on the Consistency

(during the 90's and before the recent one)

(recent version)

I'm truly amazed how Disney was able to keep the theme of dreams, hope, and life into their movie intro when they upgraded it. Not only did they keep the theme consistent, but they also pushed emotion element even more, and allowing us to remember back when we first watched a Disney film.

I know that they didn't do this recently per se, but for some dumb reason this morning I had it stuck in my head. It's a magical sense of wonder, that's for sure. :)

5000 - Mission Accomplished

Today, marks my 5,000th view on YouTube. It was a goal of mine to reach 5,000 views within a year for this video, and I'm pleased to see that the goal was met. :)

Thanks to everyone who viewed the video and let others know about it, I appreciate the support!

SXSW Title Design Competition

I'm very interested in participating with this competition. Though I would like to create another title sequence compared to my first one.

If anyone else is interested, you can go to here. It's only $10 and the deadline is December 9. Plenty of time, affordable, and tons of fun! :)

Tim Burton's Barrel

Felt very inspired to draw Barrel from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. I remember when it first came out back in the early 90's, being the first fully stop-motion movie ever made. So innovating and wonderful to watch, and it still is! :)

Just felt so good the moment it bust out of the lead and onto paper. All while listening to KoRn's version of Kidnap the Sandy Claws. Definitely look to try and color this for sure. :) I'll see what will come next. Enjoy!

International Animation

I was able to go to the 9th Annual International Animation Day at the High Museum tonight. I didn't get to stay the entire night, but I enjoyed the animation films that were shown tonight. Here are a couple I really think you guys should check out:

Yulia and Logorama were both created in France, and I was very impressed with the storytelling and characters. For graphic designers, you guys will really enjoy Logorama! Keep a tab of how many logos you can spot in this project. Good luck. LOL There's lots of cursing in Logorama, just a warning.

100 Yard Dash

Recently saw this music video, it's been a while since the last time I saw it.

I really like this project, the cinematography is superb with the different shots and editing. Also the typography and other motion graphic elements fit in nicely (smoke, light shining).

Heath @ Critique

With Heath's permission, I'm posting sketches I did during Laura's critique...of Heath of course.

Can't forget drawing his pimp cup of Starbucks. :D

Hope you enjoy the sketches! :)

Liking it So Far, Still Pushing

Not too set on the colors, but I'm still working on the color scheme. I have the entire figure done the way I want, but for right now, I won't show that. But I like the concept I have for this so far, and it's keeping me sane. :)

Music Takes Me Up

It was some time last year when I saw this music video for Mr. Scruff's Music Take Me Up. A fun music video mixing with live action, animation, and motion graphics. Have a fun weekend! :)

Toy Story Kinetic Typography

Saw this a few months ago, and to this day, I'm truly amazed by the work and craftsmanship for this composition! I wanted to do this scene myself...but after I saw it the first time, I said screw it. LOL :D It was too darn awesome to try and out do. It is an awesome project, taking on a classic animation scene.

Enjoy!

2011 Lexus IS Commercial

Since the first time seeing this commercial, and to this day, I am amazed by the creativity and hard work they displayed. The concept they had for showcasing the vehicle's abilities, along the lines of the structure and power of drums, makes sense. Not to mention the theme of precision, as they mentioned in their tagline.

I played drums for almost a decade, and being precise is extremely important for the drummer's role. Every hit, every second, every move not only has to be tight and crisp, but calculated. At the exact moment. And taking that concept with drums to go with their product, makes the advertising all the more interesting. Especially that the vehicle had to display that in the commercial along with the drums. Very tricky, time consuming, and patience. And the labor was not in vain.

Also, they included a behind the scenes for making the commercial. I always enjoy seeing how awesome people create awesome concepts and how they execute. Enjoy!

Where Great Ideas Come From

What is so awesome about this video is not just the motion and animation to keep the audience interested and engaged, but the content itself. Making it thought provoking and inspirational.

I truly believe that when a group pushes hard together, more ideas and inspiration comes out of the activity. And this video reassures me on that aspect.

Hope you enjoy and feel inspired!

Death Buy Lemonade

Death Buy Lemonade from Cartoon Brew TV on Vimeo.

Just saw this yesterday, and I could not stop laughing seeing this animation! A short film from Sheridan College grad Kyu-bum Lee. Wonderful timing and pacing, awesome storytelling, and love the character designs! Check out the concept design for this project! :)

Interview with Simon Tolfield

Definitely inspired to start learning how to animate for sure. At least after the CNN project is over. :) Just take it one frame at a time, to learn how to animate something, and then push towards a nice little animation. :)

I'll keep you guys posted when that happens.

One of my favorite shorts. I was like, "No he didn't!" :D

A Heath of Thought

Saw this ad on YouTube. Immediately made me think of Heath. Not just that pose of the figure in the ad, but the kind of photo shoot reminds me of Heath. As well with the typography.

Ok I'm done. Go back to your regular, normal lives.

Cool Scott Pilgrim Poster

An epic poster of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by Martin Austin from Alamo Drafthouse. Epic. :D

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

If you guys still have not seen Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, shame on you as graphic designers! Already seen this movie four times.

What this movie provided, was not just an awesome story, but brought a lot of amazing animation and typography throughout the entire movie. And yes, the action was epic, more surprising and better than Iron Man 2! Check out some of the screenshots:

And I know that Sean covered some video game knowledge in his presentation, so if you enjoy video games, this is your movie right here! Not to mention, it had something that our class needed last semester: A really good example of what a movie introduction looked like!

And you know what?! It's playing at the Plaza Theater right now!! THE PLAZA THEATER!! Do we still remember that place from last year?

Do yourself a favor, get a ticket, grab a pen and paper, along with that tub of popcorn and go see this movie!! Seriously, it'll inspire you to really push your design skills. It already inspired me to push my cartoonist skills and After Effects skills. Heck, does anyone wanna go see this as a group?! Eh, probably not. :P

And Scott takes his game to a whole new level with this move. HA! LOL

Those Who Love Typography..

Saw this earlier today from the popular webcomic PVP. Usually PVP covers video games, pop culture, and everything else...found it interesting that they would do a take on the documentary Helvetica. Enjoy!

Joel & Associates Billboards

My designs for Joel & Associates. Finally finished...for now.

Who Wants to be a Billionaire?!

Toy Story 3 does! Within two months and a half weeks in theaters, Toy Story 3 has not only became the highest gross animated film ever, it also has become one of the few movies to surpass the one billion dollar mark. Very excited and happy for Director Lee Unkrich (pictured above with Lotso) and for the rest of the Pixar team on this wonderful accomplishment!

Swinging for the Fences (Sketch)

Something I drew last night (late) before I decided to go to bed. It's been an ongoing thought that I finally put on paper. Took a while. Anyways, still have more ways to go before I'll take to a more finalized illustration.

For now, it's a sketch. Any thoughts, suggestions, advice is most appreciated. Thanks!

Pascal Campion - Inspiring Draftsman

Inspirational Artists: Pascal Campion from Onyx Cinema, Inc. on Vimeo.

I saw this video clip few weeks ago, and I just enjoyed what he had to say. Very inspirational to those who enjoy drawing, love to tell stories, and just want to keep on getting better at doing so.

Just wanted to share this on my blog. :)

Road to Redemption 1

It's been a long summer doing my internship, taking time to think of the past year, and prepare my mind for the future. With a lot that has happened to me personally, it felt like I was in limbo as a person and as an artist...I was just lost. Well, I recently found myself back to reality, with a renewed focus for what I want to do in life...and my desires to get better at.

This is my Road to Redemption as a draftsman, the sole ability that helps me do what I do best: Illustrate and create cartoon characters.

I know I have a long road ahead of me of valleys and mountains. That's fine with me, I will do what I can to get better in anatomy and in drawing. That's what I do, and I cannot put this away anymore.

I hope you enjoy this journey as I will. See you next week!

Toy Story 3

Do yourself a favor and see this movie!!! The story really brought heart, laughter, tears, and excitement! Just got back watching it with my family, and it was a treat.

I plan to see this movie again...but at the IMAX!!! It's worth watching it, so says the Animation Enthusiast! :)

The Hardest Jigsaw

The Hardest Jigsaw from Eric Anderson on Vimeo.

Just saw this today, and I was extremely impressed by the style for the animation. As well as the storytelling. Pure animation fun! :)

The animation was done by CalArts student Eric Anderson.

Motion Inspiration

The seniors of the graphic design program really inspired me in motion design, with the thought process and experimentation. With the works they have done, I know it'll be a great challenge to match their projects...and it's a challenge I'm willing to take on in the following months.

Thanks guys for inspiring my motion interests! :)

Jason Dooley:



Nathan Linkous:



James Linehan:



John Milam:



Jason D. + John Milam Collabo:

The Modifyers

"The Modifyers" animated pilot from Chris Reccardi on Vimeo.

I've seen this pilot before a few months ago, but I had a chance to see it again today. Still as good and impressive as the first time I saw this piece. It left me disappointed that it was not green lit into full production.

What I like about the project is the art direction for both the environments and the characters. They fit together, not something where some cartoons feel they are distant apart and not interacting. The style reminds me of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends...but not a rip off. A bit of My Life as a Teenage Robot too.

Check it out, you won't be disappointed! :)

Pixels - an Animation Genius Project!

PIXELS by PATRICK JEAN.
Uploaded by onemoreprod. - Arts and animation videos.

One of my friends shared this to me recently, and I was clearly blown away by the storytelling and animation in this production. OneMoreProduction did an outstanding job! Really inspired my animation drive! :)

You have gotta to watch this!! :D

Tribute to Joe Ranft

Today is Joe Ranft's birthday...however, he passed away five years ago in a terrible automobile accident.

For many who's following me on this blog, that is not familiar with Joe Ranft, he is one of the most influential storytellers/storyboardists in our time. He has contributed to many animated movies (all the Pixar movies up to Cars, Nightmare Before Christmas, Rescuers Down Under). He also did the voice of Heimlich from A Bugs' Life and Wheezy the Penguin from Toy Story 2.

Disney Director John Musker (Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Princess and the Frog) did a tribute for Joe Ranft...through storyboarding. It's a beautiful tribute, as well as inspirational.




Joe's work and passion in animation has been a blessing to me. Thanks Joe, for everything.

Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw! (a message from P. Docter)

Here's Oscar winner Pete Docter, director of Pixar's Up and Monster's Inc., giving advice on getting out there and draw. See what you see in the world, and love what you do (animation, print, design, etc.). Do what you love. :)

Best Animated Feature - UP!!

I was very excited to hear that Pixar's Up won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Don't get me wrong, all the nominees for this year in the category were all worthy of the award, and I wouldn't have been bothered by the winner. Still, I was happy to see Pete Docter finally win this award (when he didn't win with Monster's Inc.).

Someday, that's gonna be me: Being nominated, and winning the nomination for Best Animated Feature. I'd say within 15 years tops...

Kyle Cooper Interview

Hey guys! I went to Motionographer (they have links for more After Effects tutorials, check it out!) this morning, and they posted a link for an interview with Kyle Cooper. Already at the beginning of the interview he talks about what the motion titles should be about.

Take the time to watch it, and I hope it's inspirational towards your projects and drive! :)

Sketches on Thelonious

Some sketches I'm thinking of for the CD project in Pop Culture class. I'm still trying to get used to the whole abstract thing idea....as well as trying to incorporate some other elements to it to make it interesting for this day and age. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. :)