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Weirdo
I'm so bad at this.

Amatuer Animator

Joined on 5/17/04

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ill bookmark this so i can re read it when i feel totally demotivated, hope it helps =) so i guess thx

wow great post xD
this'll really help me!!

i've been lacking motivation with my drawing recently, and i've been getting a little depressed about it after comparing my own drawing to other peoples

but this is exactly what i needed to make me feel a little better xD

thanks!

Bakshi came to talk at my school, it was really great. Your advice is good!

Wow dude this is really nice. Your doing a real good job. Plus you've introduced me to some very key importnet people in animation. Learning animation would probably be stupid without knowing these guys.
One thing though: I dont own the book but if I can find it at a local book shop Ill definitely pick it up on the spot. One thing concerns me which is what if I dont want to draw in a classical old fashioned style? What if I want my style to be more realistic and detailed? Is the book still for me?
I do still have to pick up a drawing book and an art class , dont I? Well my major at school is art so I guess that'l be sufficient.

Read what ahaarchive wrote. It's all you need to know.
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Quote: One thing concerns me which is what if I dont want to draw in a classical old fashioned style? What if I want my style to be more realistic and detailed? Is the book still for me?

Learning to animate is different than learning a style. The Preston Blair book doesn't teach a style. It teaches you to draw volumetrically. In order to move a character through dimensional space, you need to be able to break it down into its constituent forms, envision how those forms look from different angles and distort them in a controlled manner. It's a LOT easier to do that with a character based on simple bean shapes than it is with a realistic character with a million different angles and variations in shapes.

Once you absorb the principles of construction, squash and stretch and basic anatomy in Blair's book, you can start applying them to more complex forms. But starting out animating on realistic characters is a sure path to frustration. It would be like a beginner sitting down to learn to play the piano by tackling Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata.

Beginning artists shouldn't even attempt to have a style. Style isn't something you choose. It chooses you. Focus on learning the fundamental principles, and then look for other people's work that you like the way those principles are applied. Those choices are what lead to style. Some artists develop a personal style... others never do. Either way is fine. The biggest mistake you can make is forcing yourself to draw in someone else's style.

If you can master the Preston Blair exercises... and I mean REALLY draw them well... you can animate anything. But be careful not to mistake simplicity for easiness. Those ten lessons in the $100k Animation Drawing Course take six months to a year to master. It's a lot more difficult than it looks. But it's worth it.

Thanks, I could not have explained it better myself.

And to think I was going to spend this evening goofing off. I love being motivated.

Whoa. This is amazing! I've had flash for two years now and have yet to make a full animation. I love drawing and art and animation, but I recently lost my spark. It seems as if this post was directed at me and my struggles. While may not start anytime soon, it IS a good look in the right direction. Thank you!

From all the tips you listed I have followed 5 of them, haven't really tried the second when it comes to trying to do paintings, sculptures etc.

But anyway, really great tips here, especially that Ralph Bakshi.

You really should. A little bit of variety can go a looong way!

That was fucking epic. Thanks so much for the link to that video.

Fucking epic win.

Lol.

Bookmarked <3

Nice. Great inspiration; now I might finally stop blaming my crappy computer and finish up the movies I've been working on for months. This post really helped, so thanks for that!

lemme break it to ya gentley i d o n t g i v e a f u c k

Good piece. I've totally fallen into the trap of not drawing anything. My haitus has lasted about two years and it's not going to be easy to get out of. I've actually forgotten how much I used to enjoy making stuff just for the fuck of it, I'm going to get back to it tonight and will surely be frustrated with how crap my efforts will be after such a long break.

Thanks :)

Too much reading...Cannot finish :(

i really like the 3rd pint you made, very good post sir!

15 years later, and Ralph's advice is still solid!