The Beatles ~ HELP (End Credits, 1965)

I am trying to find different things to post now, with better images and more things to say. I am thinking about trying to write about people and animators I know personally.



For now, I thought I'd post this video here (yes, I hope at some point to stop relying on You Tube videos). These are the end credits to the Beatles second movie, HELP, directed by Richard Lester in 1965. When I was about ten, I saw this movie on video, and thought it was amazing, and these end credits made a valuable impression on me. At times, images like this make their way into my work. There's just something I love about people showing off. Its not a good idea to show off the first time you meet someone, but when talking to people who know you well enough...well, I'm only guessing.

I hope to do something like this sequence some day, probably with animated characters. Animating characters just showing off; what an idea!

Is it alright to like Hanna Barbera?

Still working away on Parasite's Delight. I am trying to get myself used to the production schedule I have set.

My recent discovery of Top Cat has, as usual, led me to looking up other Hanna Barbera cartoons, as well as their history. I find that I gyrate more towards the TV characters from the late 1950's and early 1960's. Those characters include such charmers as Top Cat, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quickdraw McGraw, Wally Gator, and of course, the Flintstones. However, I have also found that Hanna Barbera is blamed for the decline in the quality of commercial animation. This is particularly true in their 1970's stuff, which I have never been enthusiastic about (the Smurfs, Scooby Doo spin-offs).






I wish I knew where this came from. I want a larger version.

I love animation that has a lot of posing and acting (or what many call classical animation). I feel like I might be criticized for liking HB cartoons. But if there's anything I go for, its characters. No matter how they are drawn or animated, I like fully formed personalities. I see no reason not to like all different forms of animation. I even like stuff that hasn't lasted very long, and even some considerably unsuccessful stuff.



I am excited about the early stuff, because I find the characters to be quite appealing. I love charming characters, possibly because they have qualities I don't have. These same characters were reused in gang of 1980's Saturday Morning cartoons. Those shows, unfortunately, are too humiliating to watch, have terrible coloring (fast food coloring) and have infantile humor. But considering the financial trouble HB was going through at the time, I guess it shouldn't be too surprising. I believe those bad cartoons could have been great with the same characters, but just with better coloring and more inventive plots. I don't mind seeing these great characters over again.



I have been working on my technique lately, although they are less a priority than my film. Here I jotted down some expressions for practice. I just thought I'd share it. I am hoping to get more of my thesis up here, although not everything is as complete as the last clip I posted.

Echo and the Bunnymen ~ "Bring on the Dancing Horses" music video, 1985

I just saw this for the first time on YouTube. It's directed by Anton Corbijn. I rather like this video, but I feel a little strange for liking it. Maybe it is because I like the song, or my appreciation of Corbijn's work. I really don't know why I like this. I would like to know if anybody else actually likes this.

Emmett's Birthday and the discovery of TOP CAT

As usual, my birthday this year just happened to fall upon Thanksgiving, so my family and I had a double celebration. My sister, who is a culinary student, took charge of my birthday treat shown below. All I asked was no chocolate this year, and in turn, I got a lovely collection of cream-filled, sugar glazed pastries (I can't remember what the dish is called, but it was still great).


What did I do on my birthday besides eating? I discovered Hanna Barbera's Top Cat for the first time in my life. Although I had discovered many HB characters when I was a little kid (through one of our local video stores), I never found anything on Top Cat, even though the character popped up in HB images every so often. I found myself attracted to it, which is I guess isn't too sup rising. I find HB's characters to be among the most appealing, right up there with Looney Tunes characters and others.




Along with Top Cat, I also watched a Looney Tunes DVD with my Grandmother. She's getting up there, and it was wonderful to see her laughing. I showed her Bob Clampett's Book Revue with Daffy Duck (one of my favorites). And not only was she laughing, but she was excited to pick out all the celebrities parodied in the cartoon. A true classic.



I would like to wish whoever reads this blog a HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Pitti and Pogo

Sorry for being so unreliable. My schedule is really hectic, as I am now in the full swing of animating my thesis. I guess if I am going to keep this blog going, I may have to avoid writing entries for a while. I will still put up pictures and videos.

Here is one of the pencil/color tests I have been working on. Pitti is pretty hungry here.



Also, here is a Pogo by Walt Kelly from 1968. I have been getting into Pogo for the last month.

I have spent so much time trying to be a good animator, that I haven't paid enough attention to being a good draftsman (I see a huge difference between the two).

Parasite's Delight ~ an introduction

After months of planning and preparation, I think it is time I posted a couple of items related to my thesis. The working title is Parasite's Delight. It is about a lone parasite, Pitti, who must learn to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. I have posted a few images of Pitti before, but nothing along the lines of the story. I figured I finally post the animatic I have been working with. It is currently undergoing some changes (as all films do). The story seems to be coming together nicely, and I am currently working on getting the visuals nailed down.


I should be able to get a couple of images down here soon as well.

The World is my Critic ~ First Entry

I thought I might try something, just to keep this blog going.

I recently checked out Dan Pinto's blog, and even though he's a student, he's managed to post a drawing up there practically everyday. I'm only acquainted with Dan through a friend, but I'm very impressed. This gave me an idea.

I will post a drawing up here as often as possible...any drawing, no matter how I feel about it. And I urge whoever reads this blog (no matter how few) to give me some pointers on how to better the drawing. Since I am still a student, criticism is really valuable. I will see how often I can keep this idea going.


The drawing here I did very quickly from a paused frame. The character is (I think) called Oily Cat, from Ralph Bakshi's Mighty Mouse series in the late 1980's (I am starting to discovering it, as well as old Terrytoons). I really like this pose, as the character looks like a performer, yet with a very earnest and appealing expression.

Every time I copy an existing cartoon, I analyze my hands (in a manner of speaking) to see what lines and shapes feel comfortable, and eventually I learn something about how I can better my own animation drawing. And mind you, I do not mean for these drawings to look exactly like the original.