Rad Sechrist Free Drawing Demo

Here's a great drawing demo by Dreamworks character designer and storyboard artist Rad Sechrist.

//Drawing Demo via Adobe Connect

// Rad's Blog

// Interview With Rad via Character Design Blog

ZOEFLIX: Modern Zoetrope w/ Animated Art

This kickstarter project by Les Cookson & Ken Higginson ROCKS! Thanks for the heads up Jenny Lerew!

More info about ZOEFLIX:
// ZOEFLIX Kickstarter

// ZOEFLIX website

Inside Pixar - Studio Tour

THE VERGE

TEDtalk: Your body language shapes who you are

'Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident -- can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.
Amy Cuddy’s research on body language reveals that we can change other people’s perceptions — and even our own body chemistry — simply by changing body positions.' via TED





More info here:

// The Psyche on Automatic via Harvard Mag

Tonight! VFX Town Hall Meeting [Live Streaming Video]

/UPDATE/ Here's the video from the meeting







Live Video Feed Here:

// VFX Town Hall on IATSE

Date: Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Time: International broadcast begins at 8pm PDT, see below for specific venue schedules.

VFX Town Hall is presenting a night of independent discussion to answer some tough questions about the IATSE union on this Tuesday, June 25 at 8pm PDT. Following our panel presentation, we will have a Q&A session, fielding questions from attendants and internet viewers. Please join us for this open conversation, investigating the pros and cons of unions.

This event will concentrate on the specifics of the existing North American entertainment union, but will also offer a blueprint of topics for the international audience.

Attendants are encouraged to bring challenging questions and confirm what they've heard and read on the internet, from the smallest detail to the most sweeping proclamation.

IATSE Local 80 Hall
2520 West Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91505
Doors open at 7:30pm PST, international program begins at 8pm


Past Events (Videos):

Collider - Live From New York - June 10, 2013
VFX Facilities Town Hall - April 26, 2013
Pi Day Town Hall - March 14, 2013

CalArts: 'Chuck Jones at 100' hosted by John Lasseter

Last year CalArts held a special cartoon screening event entitled "Chuck Jones at 100" hosted by their famous alum, John Lasseter. Here's a great video edit of John's introduction to the event and his thoughts and memories of Chuck's work. Big thanks to FILX for posting it!





Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote -- The Myth and the Truth




Also check out

// Chuck Jones Extremes & Inbetweens

'Alchemy' Free Sketch And Visual Development Software

Just found out about this software from a fellow coworker (Max Adams). It seems to be a quick and dirty way to churn out interesting shapes and silhouettes. I especially like the zbrush demo below. Also the software is free! Rock! Check out the link to the website below.

// Alchemy 

alchemy |’alkemē

Figurative: a process by which paradoxical results are achieved or incompatible elements combined with no obvious rational explanation

Alchemy is a free software / open drawing project aimed at exploring how we can sketch, draw, and create on computers in new ways. Alchemy isn’t software for creating finished artwork, but rather a sketching environment that focuses on the absolute initial stage of the creation process. Experimental in nature, Alchemy lets you brainstorm visually to explore an expanded range of ideas and possibilities in a serendipitous way.

Behind The Scenes of 'Kaeloo'

Kaeloo is a French animated series produced by CUBE CREATIVE. 

// Kaeloo

// CUBE CREATIVE

Making of Kaeloo




Kaeloo Annecy Teaser 2013

How to Draw A Gesture

Also check out these great links for more figure references:

// Proko 

// PIXELovely - Figure & Gesture Drawing
Awesome website with free figure drawing tools

// Dynamic Poses via 8fd Pinterest (giant collection of figure poses)

CTN: Character Designers Creating Identities

Blast from a past CTN Expo - Animation Insiders (2010)
Panel:  Victor Navone, Andreas Deja, Eric Goldberg, Tony de Rosa, Pablo Navarro,

Reference of the day: Francis Prior's Macro Photography

If you need some awesome reference material for that alien or creature design you're working on then  check out Francis Prior's macro photography! It's real treasure trove of hires macro images!

// Francis Prior Macro Photography

Coffee Talk with Disney Art Director Mike Peraza (July 6th @ Chuck Jones Gallery)

Coffee Talk with Disney Art Director Mike Peraza
Saturday, July 6 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM
Chuck Jones Gallery--Costa Mesa
3321 Hyland Avenue @ SoCo
949-274-4834 RSVP by July 2nd

More info here
// Chuck Jones Gallery

Also check out Mike's blog
// Ink And Paint Club












Here's a great interview with Mike Peraza from ArtInsights

Monsters University: Behind The Scenes

I got to see an early VES screening of MU over the weekend! It was fantastic! Lots of fun! I was pleasantly surprised by the story direction and how it tied in with the first film. Love the new cast of monsters as well!

// How Pixar Developed ‘Art’ for ‘Monsters University’

Pacific Rim : Creating the Robots

Check out the killer concept work for Pacific Rim over on IT'S ART MAG

// Pacific Rim : Creating the Robots

// Pacific Rim : Behind the Scenes

TIFF Master Class with Peter Lord of Aardman Animations

Here is a fantastic tiff. Master Class with Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord. He gives a general history of Aardman and reflects on the numerous films and shorts they have produced over the years. Oh and one bit of trivia - Aardvark and Superman = Aardman





Also check out:
// A History of Aardman

The 12 Principles of Animation

This is a great video reference of the 12 principles of animation by veteran animator Alex Williams. He pulls together a variety of reference images from various animation material to illustrate the different principles. His commentary is also informative and spot on. Also check out his blog FLIP for more animation related goodness.







// Animation and Visual Effects course starts at Bucks New University led by veteran animator Alex Williams 

// Alex Williams to Lead BA Program at Buckinghamshire

Evil Minion Animation Test

And this is funny as well -

Despicable Me 2: Steve Carell Explains 3D Animation

B-roll footage for Despicable Me 2

Making of Disney's 'Mulan'

Also check out Hans Bacher's posts on Mulan here:

// Style of Mulan 

TAG Interview: Tom Sito

More:

// Tom Sito on fxpodcast: History of Animation Unions

// Tom Sito's History of Computer Animation

Danny Strong: The Art of the Hollywood Pitch

 



More here:
// Screen Writing and Story

Maya 2014 New Features: Grease Pencil

Maya has integrated Grease Pencil!! It's been a longtime coming! Can't wait to try it out!



// Complete MAYA 2014 Release Notes

3D Filmmaking Software Muvizu

Digimania's 3d production suit Muvizu is the latest in easy-to-use filmmaking software that targets artists, businesses, and educators unfamiliar with the world of 3d animation/VFX. Muvizu helps users create their films by providing a FREE streamlined software package with endless libraries of customizable assets such as characters, environments and animation performance libraries. Under the hood Muvizu is powered by Epic's Unreal Engine 3 which supports the effects, physics, real-time lighting and much more.

The software is free to download from the Muvizu website. Also checkout the FAQ page for more specific information about video watermarks, final rendering prices, file sizes and resolution.

I have my own opinions about this software specifically about the animation elements but I will save those thoughts for another post! 

Checkout the website here
// Muvizu

Also check out Muvizu's Facebook page for more info about their new competition
// Muvizu on Facebook



Training videos here
//  Muvizu YouTube Channel


More info:
// Unreal Engine 3-powered Muvizu 3D makes animation easy

// Muvizu and Zubox Form Merger to Launch Digimania via AWN
// Free Muvizu 3D Software Fuels DIY Animation via WIRED

Behind The Scenes of Monsters University

Check out the concept art and behind the scenes clips from Monsters University over on ITS ART MAG!

// Making Monsters University

// Monsters University Concept Art 

Stop Motion Vids By Ian Padgha

Here are some fun stop motion vids from Ian Padgha! Check out more of his work here

// Vin Videos






Thanks Colossal for the heads up!

CBS This Morning: At Home With Jim Henson (1989)