A Bouncing Ball ‘Game’

A little something I’ve been working on over the weekend……

Can’t Do It? Great!!

It is often spoken that when limited, we become truly creative. We think creatively to overcome the obstacles set before us. I got to thinking today about what this means for someone early-on in their learning of a subject. If we lack the skills necessary to complete a piece of work, can we see that as a good thing? Will our creativity help us work around our knowledge gap?

What, then, happens as we learn more? Let’s take it to the ultimate – when we master a subject (if that is possible). I wonder if we then cease to be creative. Perhaps the ability to do anything would actually prevent us creating anything particularly good……? I guess it would depend on our ability to impose other limitations upon ourselves.

I have seen lots of people avoid doing a project because they feel that it is beyond what they can achieve with their current level of skill. I have always tried to encourage them to try anyway because I believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. But thinking about things in terms of what I’m talking about in this post, I think it is actually important to embark only upon projects that are beyond our ability. In doing so we impose a massive limit on ourselves that we are then forced to negotiate with our creativity.

Hats On

Just a small mime update. Yesterday I modelled a clay head to aid me in drawing him from obscure angles. Today I gave it a hat.

Maybe That’s Enough

My friend Andy sent me this a couple of days ago and it really struck a chord with me. Not just because of the emotional subject matter, but because of the conversation about silly songs and whoopee cushions.

We all, I think, feel like we are ill-equipped for whatever task we are undertaking. But in reality I think each of us has everything we need.

“Take what you got and fly with it.” – Jim Henson

Tops and Bottoms

It’s been a while since I mentioned my mime film. In fact it’s been a while since I really did any work on it. I’m trying to get back up to speed on it now though and in particular have been trying to address a couple of problems that I have when animating him.

Firstly, I struggle a little with drapery. Specifically in this case, I struggle with trousers. So I spent a little time tonight concentrating on trousers.

I also struggle with drawing the mime’s head from awkward angles (is it a coincidence that “awkward” is a rather awkward word to spell?) and I have long desired a sculpture of his head to use as an aid. I’m not too good at the old modelling thing, but I thought I’d have a go. As you can see he looks a bit odd with simple balls for eyes and unfinished facial features etc, but his only purpose is to help me get things in the right places in my drawings, so he should be good enough for that.

A Random Doodle

Who knows why?

550th Post Reflection

Do you ever really look at things as they are? I’ve been thinking, as I often do, why I keep this blog. And it’s really not for all the great reasons that I like to think it is. Hence why there are so few posts devoted to anything useful.

I pretend that I keep it up to do the following:

• Document my progress as an animator.
• Keep a record of the things I learn to remind myself of them later.
• Receive constructive feedback on my work from people.
• Provide a useful resource for other animators in positions similar to mine or in positions that I have been in.

While I don’t consciously think about things like this, I really keep it for the following reasons:

• To try to get praise on my work.
• To spout my opinions on matters that I don’t have the experience to back up.

That’s pretty crappy really isn’t it?

So is there anything that’s truly positive to extract from this? Well I guess it must be helping to teach me some of my flaws. It makes me mindful of my dependence on the acceptance of other people, and it exposes my naivety. In short I think that it shows me that I’m just the same as most people.

Still Going…….

I need to give this blog a bit of attention. Why I started another one when I don’t find the time for this one I don’t know! Things have been tough lately. Lots of changes and potential changes leading to a feeling of limbo. And now a lovely painful tooth abscess to contend with! Anyway here are a few recent bits and bobs.

First some sketches.

Next some animation tests I did in about three days. A bit stiff, but time was tight.

And a really quick 2D walk, just for fun.

Finally, I put this on my other blog, but since I’m already considering deleting that one, I thought I’d stick it on here. I did it quite some time ago when I first started working on Lego Star Wars III. I figured it was an important moment in Star Wars history that has never really been tackled.