Bionic Socks Animation

Threadless Design

2011-03-25T13:09:00.004-04:00

I have put my first submission to Threadless up today and would love you all to check it out and vote. It's a take on my long and boring commute to work everyday. All you commuters out there will understand. Why haven't they invented teleporting yet?

Here's the link...

http://www.threadless.com/submission/331346/Daily_Commute

Shawn

New Team

2010-04-22T10:38:00.004-04:00

After a year at my current job I am on the move again. It was something that took a lot of thinking and debating, (with myself mostly)until I came to a decision. I've had great experiences and opportunities since being here and the people are great as well. No doubt, those circumstances are what made the decision so hard.
One of the positive things about leaving is that I will be able to take what I have learned to share and apply at a new place. A sort of paying it forward. My role will most likely switch from student to teacher which isn't bad but takes a different mind set which I am looking forward too. Changing things up is a good way to learn no matter what you're role.

By far, this was the hardest decision I've had to make in my "professional" career and I am grateful for the open door that my employers have left for me. Seeing as this business is a revolving door of employees I am glad this particular door hasn't been locked.

What Just Happened?

2010-03-10T14:55:00.002-05:00

Whatever just happened couldn't be good. What do YOU think happened to land these unfortunate fellas in this precarious position? Love to hear you're telling of the events leading to this situation.

Shawn

Saying Thanks

2010-01-24T17:47:00.004-05:00

Out of the blue I got a call from my high school art teacher. I hadn't talked to him for easily 12 years. It was great to hear from him and to catch op on all the things he's done and is doing since we last talked. He is retired form teaching but like most "retired" people I know he still works most of the time. I can understand that. I'm years, check that, decades from retiring but I'm pretty sure I'll be the same way.
Anyway, to the point! After talking for half an hour we started to say our goodbyes but I quickly cut him off to thank him for the encouragement and guidance he gave me though high school. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have followed the path I have taken. I'm sure we've ALL had people like this in our past, (and hopefully our future). It felt good to talk to him and thank him because when I was younger I didn't realize the effort he was putting forward let alone appreciate it.
I have been lucky to have more than one of these people in my past and I hope I will be quicker to thank those who help me in the future. For all those I have never thanked- Thank you.

Shawn

The End is Near

2009-12-24T18:45:00.003-05:00

I hope all of you had a great year and the next proves to be even better. See you in 2010.

Shawn

Finding your place

2009-08-17T07:53:00.002-04:00

For the last few months I have been back working at a large studio. For most of my career I have worked in a studio with hundreds of artists, TD's, facilities, HR and management all under one giant roof. It is easy to get lost or looked over in such a big place with so many faces. I am encountering this problem right now.
Previously I worked, (for the first time) in a relatively small studio with a core crew of about 20-25- all in. You know everyone and they know you. Your skills and desires are also known so you get the chance to so a little bit of everything and because the crew is small, you get to try things you would never get the chance to normally just because there is no one else to do it! I loved that. I have become what I affectionately call myself and others in the same position, "Swiss Army Knives". We have a tool for pretty much anything you need.
Now, the problem I currently face is letting others known what I am. My background is in layout and that's what I get called upon to do most often but I don't want to be pegged as the "layout guy". I have a lot of other tools tucked away that need only to be flipped out and used. So, I think I need to be more, ummm..... vocal? Boisterous? Visible? In you face? Or any other of those cliche terms that are used. It is too easy to be lost in the crowd so I need to make myself stand out. I'm not normally the type of person that spreads that word of ME but perhaps I need to start, just a little. Hey, if it is taken wrongly, I can just disappear back into the crowd right?

Pattern

2009-07-28T21:35:00.003-04:00

I've noticed that my mood directly reflects what I draw. This is not good, especially when you consider the image that goes with this post and some of my past posts. It is true, I have been, shall we say "agitated" as of late. Is it the humidity? Work? Commuting? Life? Probably. I have been doodling on my train commute and the other day I was flipping through past pages and noticed that all the characters are scowling. This has obviously been going on for a while. I think I'll be more concerned when I start drawing Unicorns and magical fairies, (sorry Unicorn and magical fairy fans).

Better do something

2009-06-18T08:10:00.003-04:00

Boy, I sure haven't had much free time lately to do any drawing for myself. I did manage some time this morning for a warm-up doodle. I've been busy working, doing home renovations and within the last month and a half have kicked up the training routine. Lots of boxing so I must have it on the brain.

Changes

2009-04-13T06:47:00.002-04:00

Everyone will tell you that I don't like change. I am one of those people that likes routine and stability. Things of late have not been routine or stable but today marks the beginning of something new. I am trying to see this change as something positive and also as an opportunity. You never know when or how opportunity will present itself but I think you need to be ready for it when it comes. A change from the norm seems to be when you learn new things which is always a good thing.
Oh well, here's to new opportunities.

Shawn

Batallon 52

2009-03-18T23:57:00.003-04:00

In february I had the opportunity to head down to Mexico and teach/talk and draw animation for a week. I was at a studio called Batallon 52 located in Guadalajara. I had no idea what to expect but I was welcomed by friendly, energetic and talented people.

Batallon has the daunting but exciting task of creating 52- 1 minute shorts celebrating the centennial and bi-centennial of the Revolution and Independence of Mexico. The films will be show cased on the big screen before the feature attraction. Each film is to be in a unique style from the ones before it. Its a bit scary when you think how much work that is but I must admit, I am a bit envious. The animation industry doesn't really exist in Mexico and this crew has the chance to be there when it all starts. This could be the start of something HUGE. Not to mention all the fun styles and techniques they will get to try out on all the different shorts.

It was a stressful week for me but the people made it easier. By the end of the week I was really into it. Isn't that always the way when its time to leave?

I wish them all the luck in the world and I can't wait to see the finished products. All 52 of them!

Shawn

Decisions

2009-03-03T09:35:00.003-05:00

Well, lets face it, I'm getting older. I know, I know, I was surprised too. As I age, the decisions I have to make take longer to come to me. Its not because my grey matter is going all moldy and soft, (but that would explain some things) but rather I have more to consider in making a big decision. Thats just it, I feel a big decision coming and I find myself weighing the consequences of it. I have a wife, kids, mortgage, family and friends to consider into the equation as well because the decisions I make now will in some way, big or small, effect them.
My career has taken me to places I thought I would never see, allowed me opportunities I never thought existed and introduced me to people that have become good friends. Maybe thats how I should be thinking right now- an opportunity but I can't help thinking of all the other things that will be effected. For now, it seems like they are winning but for how long? Anyone have any ideas? I could use the insight.

Wow, that was depressing. Sorry. Here's a image I made for my oldest son by request. He was right into the new Spider-man series for a while and asked for this drawing specifically. Man, when he get and idea, he knows what he wants. As for now, he is addicted to Avatar and who can blame him.

Talk to ya'll later,
Shawn

Digging through folders

2009-02-21T14:24:00.002-05:00

I was poking around some of my older folders and found these. They are a couple of vis dev pieces for the kids show Super Readers I did a while back. Just sharing like my mom always told me to do.

Shawn

Walking the Dog

2009-02-15T07:57:00.004-05:00

I was walking around work the other day generally annoying people and causing grief when I heard something that made me really happy. One of our youngest co-workers, (whom by the way has been doing an awesome job, far beyond what is expected of him) said something that I rarely hear. He said, "Boy, do I have a lot to learn still". That may seem like nothing but to me that was amazing. Too many times its seems people believe they know all there is to know whether they are the surly veteran or the student grasping a diploma with the ink still drying. It was truly refreshing to hear, especially from someone so young and someone who has learned incredible amounts already. I try to keep learning everyday and I thank those who share their knowledge with me. Its something that we all should do more often.

Shawn

For the Kids

2008-12-21T23:48:00.003-05:00

All the late nights, frustrating days, long commutes and missed home time makes me wonder if its worth it. And by "it" I mean the time away from my family. I know my absence is noticed and I don't like being away for so long but I also believe that I am at a time in my life where this is the hardest I will work, (and hoping all the effort pays off). Hoping...... hoping.
I am not the type of person that things come naturally to so things usually take me a wee bit longer. Also, I don't like when a problem is getting the best of me so I will sit and fight with it until I figure it out. A quick look at the clock tells me I'll be late again. Guh. My wife is not going to be happy... again.
The one thing I do know is that all the effort we put into our work is for one special group of people- the kids. So, having said that, this is an image I did for my youngest son. And yes, his cheeks are that red.

Change of Seasons

2008-11-21T08:00:00.004-05:00

The animation "business" is an up and down industry. There are times you have to turn work down because you are so busy and oppositely, times when you can't get enough to scrape by. Its those times that I hate the most, (obviously). When you see people that are your core group of hard working, talented and probably most of all, DEPENDABLE artists leaving that makes it harder.

But, and there's always a "but", what has surprised me is the intense dedication I see despite the current conditions. Even when faced with negativity these same group of people are still there getting things done and helping to make things better. Thats really impressive to me. It would be easy to walk away and forget your troubles but to stick to and and try to make things better is something admirable.

I have always believed in leading by example. I would never ask anyone to do something I wasn't willing to do myself and thats something I expect from any person doing any job anywhere. Its hard to get and keep people motivated when they don't see you putting forth the same effort. Its a slippery slope. I've said it before in past posts but I still say it and believe it, "Being a professional is doing your best when you don't like what you are doing". I know this to be true and when I see the "boss" digging in and helping out that makes the extra hours and missed family time a little less painful, knowing your time and effort is appreciated. I hope our crew knows their effort is hugely appreciated, because without them, there would be no HoC.

Shawn

Off to Mipcom

2008-10-15T07:55:00.003-04:00

This has been yet another busy summer season at House of Cool. The guys are off at Mipcom trying to get some more original HoC content out there. This year they took 2 new ones- Roboyo and Spaghetti West as well as last year's Better Banner and La Mancha. Spaghetti West is an idea of mine I've had for awhile now. The finished "bible" looks amazing but it wouldn't have been anything if it wasn't for the crew that steeped up huge to help me. In the end, the bible was 12 pages of full spread images that went from concept to completion, (including getting printed) in 2 weeks. I want to thank Alex, Bernard, Louis, Lubomir, Myke, Kareem, Evelyn and Mel for their help. There's no way this would have been done without all your help and I appreciate it more than you realize. I honestly have never seen a group step up as much as they did for those 2 weeks and thats on top of their regular heavy workload. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Okay, enough of the chatter, here is an image of Professor O', a feisty Irish inventor on the side of justice. More to come soon...

R and R

2008-09-18T22:11:00.007-04:00

The family and I recently spent a week at a cottage in the Muskoka's for some good old rest and relaxation. It was a little late in a pretty dismal summer so we got a lot of rain. We did take advantage of the good weather when it peeked out from behind the clouds, (albeit it to rare). We fished, hiked, swam, hiked and I almost had to fight a bear to defend my better half- but thats a story for another time. And not a very good one. Stories that have "I almost" in them usually don't amount to much.
Anyway, to keep themselves occupied during the rain, my oldest son brought a tackle box full of markers, crayon, chalk and paint. I even managed to sneak in some ink and pen nibs for myself.
During one of our indoor retreats from the weather Justin quietly slipped away and created one of the nicest drawings I've seen him do. It's a picture of himself roasting a marshmallow on the fire under a crescent moon, (thats the curvy thing at top left). The fire is on the bottom left with the embers flying off the top of it. Mind you, he is only 5 so for the harsh critics out there, be nice or I will find you. Seriously. I'll find you.
I knew I had to put it up on the blog for others to see. Oh yeah, here is one of the doodles I did. Its a view from one of the many windows in the cottage. Personally, I think Justin's is better. You be the judge.

Inhaling and Exhaling

2008-07-17T22:00:00.003-04:00

Like I mentioned in my last post, (see below) work life has been pretty hectic. Over the last 2 weeks I have stepped back and taken a deep breath and tried to relax. It has been good. I've actually had the time, energy and motivation to do some drawing when I get home. Not to mention getting home in time to have dinner, go for walks and tuck in the kids. I even had a special request from my oldest son for a drawing. He's really into the new animated Spiderman right now so I've been having fun with that the last couple of nights. This drawing is not for the kids but when my wife saw it she thought it was my sub-conscious trying to take over and tell me how I was feeling/thinking. I hope not cause then I might have some serious therapy time ahead of me. Enjoy!

What you want to do

2008-07-08T21:10:00.003-04:00

For a while now things have been pretty crazy at work and I haven't had time to do much of anything. In a talk with someone at work the other day I was given advise from an angle that I never considered before. Through this advise I have re-thought my position and what I want to do with the future. I know, you're wondering what this secret pep talk was about. The advise that was given to me was quite simple- Figure out what you want to do and make it happen. See, simple right? I thought so too until I thought about it for about 4 seconds. I realized I didn't know what I wanted to do. Well, for the most I know, I like animation and I want to stay in the biz but what I really mean is where I want to take me career. I couldn't believe I didn't know. Things must have been really busy for me to lose sight of that; and it has been.
I've been giving it some thought over the last week and have come up with a plan. I can't wait to see if it works.....

Shawn

Looking Back

2008-04-21T19:00:00.004-04:00

I recently pulled a series of Disney children's encyclopedia's from my son's shelf and had a gander at them. They were mine and my brothers when we were kids and now they have been passed on to the next generation. He loves looking through the pages loaded with photos and illustrations covering everything from science, history and geography. Something that brought back memories of my childhood. As I thumbed through the yellowed pages I would glance at the photos, read some of the captions but ultimately I would linger on the illustrations scattered across the pages. They were beautiful. The more I saw, the more I envied the skills these of classically drawn and painted images with rich colours and textures.
I think a lot of these skills have been lost since the adaptation of certain programs that allow you to undo, use layers and change colours infinitely until you get it right. I should know, I have my fingers rested on "apple Z" most of the day. These artist's, using paints, sponges and brushes had to really think ahead and have a solid understanding of what they were doing. To me, thats really impressive.
I will, probably for the rest of my life, fumble to reach that level of understanding and quality. For now, I'm going to keep looking at these old images and try to absorb some of that greatness.
As a note, the above image is something I've done and not an example from one of the books. Those are much, much better.

Shawn

Juggling Act

2008-03-16T08:55:00.003-04:00

Juggling home life, work and family is definitely a juggling act. Everyone does it no matter what their career choices are. Lately, my personal juggling routine has been increased, (I think someone added another ball to keep in the air). Its interesting to see how much you can keep functioning before the wheels fall of and everything comes crashing down. That may seem a bit extreme but there has to be a load level that someone can handle. Every one's tolerance is different but they all have an amount that is comfortable.
That's the strange thing about animation. There is no other industry that works long hours, goes home late, sits down and does the exact thing they were doing all day. Doctors don't take their patients home. Police don't go home and patrol their neighborhood. Cab driver's don't drive their friends around for fun. There is a strange passion that comes along with animation. I don't know one person that that treats animation as a "9 to 5" job. The amount of amazing artwork on thousands of blogs and web pages is the proof. Those images are just the things they did for fun, or as a practise or experiments on their own time. I love that.
I guess its that passion that keeps the industry fueled and creative. Just be sure it doesn't take over your life and you miss the other more important parts of life.

Shawn

Batman

2008-02-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

Dah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, Dah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah BATMAN!

He's always been my favourite beause deep down I truly believe I could be Batman.

Colour

2008-01-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to learn a bit more about colour and I'm quickly figuring out that there is a lot more to that I thought. My tendancy is to sneak back to a monochromatic approach. I have a pretty good grasp on lighting and shading but the colour part still eludes me, (as you can see from the above image). I should probably dive into it and see what happens. My appreciation and envy of good painters has grown. I wonder what I'll stump myself with next? The list is so long.

Shawn

Now in colour!

2007-12-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

Wow, as promised, Optimus in colour! I have 2 versions here. One with just straight colour, (which I kinda like for its simplicity) and another all jazzed up for the kids, (cause that what the kids like). Roll out!

More than meets the eye

2007-12-04T20:42:00.000-05:00

This is a drawing i'm working on for my son, (and a chance for me to geek out a little bit too). It seems that transformers are back with a vengence. I played with these as a kid and LOVED them. Now I get to see him enjoy them.
I used Toon Boom to get that slick line. Its a vector based program that I have been using for the last 11 months. Its has its pros and cons, (as an newish program will). It definitely was the way to go for this drawing. Colour to follow soon...... I hope.

Still alive!

2007-10-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm still alive and breathing. My apologies for those of you nice enough to keep coming and checking out the blog. I've got some spare time so I'm hoping to start posting a little more then every 6 months. I know, a lofty goal, but why not?

Its been a busy summer at work. We've put together some pretty cool animatics, which, as I write this, are being shown at Mipcom 2007 in Cannes. Fingers crossed for the future of House Of Cool. If you want to see what's kept everyone so busy then check out houseofcoolstudios.com and poke around at all the "cool" stuff. Let me know what you think.

I ARE THERE

2007-04-13T08:29:00.001-04:00

I know its been a long time since my last post but I think I've got a pretty good excuse. Back in January I started working at House of Cool Studios with a group of super talented and dedicated artists. This new position has kept me fairly busy to say the least but it has been good. Its been a different experience working in a "small" studio after spending so many years working with hundreds and never really knowing everyone. Thats what I like about HoC. Its been fun and a lot of work but its for a good cause. They know what they want to do and where they want to go and they're actually doin it! I'm hoping to stick around for the ride. It should prove to be fun.

Change in View

2007-02-02T01:41:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, its been a while since I've put anything new here but life has been busy. This New Year has been a hectic one and we're only a month into it. I guess the biggest change for me is leaving my old job and diggin' in at House Of Cool. This has sorta been the plan for the last 2 years but as I've learned, plans don't always work out like you, well, planned! House of Cool is growing as a studio and I have been blown away by the talent level crouched over shiny new Cintiques and glossy Macs. There isn't a single person there that another studio wouldn't scoop up in a heartbeat. But that's the catch. No studio will scoop them up because they're where they want to be, and that speaks volumes about how the studio is being run. Ricardo, (college classmate, room mate, witness to weddings and president/owner) is doing exactly what he's wanted to do since I first met him by building a studio that is creative, innovative and dedicated. But he's not alone, Wesley, whom I view daily from behind my already messy desk brings and energy and enthusiasm to the studio that is vital to keep everyone fresh and excited.
This year promises to be full of surprises. You never know, I may be rolling a few myself. Stay tuned and I'll keep you informed. Its just that things, well, are taking longer than planned.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

Have a fantastic holiday and I'll see you next year!

Shawn

Time for a Change?

2006-11-14T11:16:00.000-05:00

I've realized over the last while that I've never really had a long term plan for my career. I have friends that from the very beginning have known what they wanted to do 10 years down the road and have accomplished, (or are on ther way too) those goals. Now I'm left wondering what to do next. There are options out there that could lead me in different directions but which one to choose? It's easy to flatline in your job. Do the same thing for too long and not mixing things up leave you feeling bored and stagnant. I love being thrown in the deep end , forcing me to learn new things.......... or sink. The big question is, where can I learn, what does this job A offer that job B or C doesn't? What is important to me? What can I get out of it? How much room is there for advancement and growth? These are things I think everyone needs to consider when they are pondering new opportunities. This is a time to be selfish, you are the one that will have to show up everyday and work.

A Friend Made Me Do It.....

2006-10-23T13:43:00.000-04:00

Never, EVER underestimate the power of peer pressure. Check this guy out... http://darklieness.blogspot.com/ (Steve Deane on the right column). Don't judge him too harshly because he's Irish.

Heroine

2006-10-20T09:09:00.000-04:00

Here's the Heroine for a show I'm doin'. Hope you like it........

Expand Your Mind

2006-10-17T13:50:00.000-04:00

Just something I'm workin' on

Making the switch to 3D from 2D was a bit daunting. Would I be able to learn the software? How would my 2D skills relate? Could I understand the technical aspect, (for those of you that know me, you'll understand my concern). Would I have to start over and re-learn everything I knew to cope. The answer was no. The leap proved quite simple because of my 2D background. Because I had that basic knowledge the only thing that changed was putting down the pencil and picking up a mouse. Sure, computers and their software are immensely frustrating but that was about the worst of it, (my pencil never crashed). Anyone can learn the software. All packages do about the same thing but with different names. That's what was frustrating to me. Some people were reluctant to switch from software A to B. Why? How could this hurt them? They were already familiar with 3D. Sure, they'll be a little slow at the start but if they have the basic skills the speed will come. For the first three months my head was swimming but shortly after I had a handle on things and it was smooth sailing after that.
I guess what I'm taking along time to say is, Expand your mind, learn more about more. It can't hurt, (for long).

Work Ethic

2006-10-03T17:47:00.000-04:00

Another image for the show I'm developing.

This is something that is really, really important to me. If I had to choose between two people- one that was new to the industry but had a lot of potential and probably more importantly the drive to get better- or- one that was super talented and experienced but came in at 11 and left by 5 and tended to bring moral down with a negative attitude, I would obviously choose the first. There's more to being great in the industry than just being the best animator, storyboarder, modeler etc. If you are enthusiastic, driven and focused on improving; show up on time, work hard and contribute then that will get you a lot farther than, well, you all know the types. I'd rather not focus too much on the negative. I may sound a bit corny but it really does matter and it will only make your experience better no matter where you are.

Shawn

Staying Motivated

2006-09-27T20:08:00.000-04:00

It's really hard sometimes to stay motivated, no matter who you are. There's the initial excitement of a new project or task but pretty soon the reality of schedules, deadlines and changes, (oh, the despised and dreaded changes) rear their heads and suck the wind from your sails. There is a quote that I love and often think of when I get into this situation, (hopefully I don't screw it up too badly).

"Being a Professional is doing your best when you don't like what you're doing."

It's a simple thought but I agree with it 100%. There are always those assignments that everyone tries to avoid but inevitably has to get done. I have been stuck with these, sometimes 2 or 3 in a row, and I'm often surprised at the turnout! Maybe just having the right attutude was all I needed or perhaps the task wasn't that bad to begin with.....

Back by popular Command!

2006-09-24T20:23:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, its been a month since my last post. Its amazing how quickly a month can pass. Here are a few rough, (and I mean rough) drawings that you will see in colour soon. They are a trio of travelling bikers/rockers. You know the type.

Shawn

What say you?

2006-08-21T21:21:00.000-04:00

This is one of the main villains in a show I am developing. His name is Texas Holdem' and he's a vile and rotten human being. What I can't decide is whether he should be blue or black and white. What do you all think? I'd love to hear your opinions!

Thanks,
Shawn

Been a bit

2006-08-17T08:18:00.000-04:00

Just trying to stay in touch. Here's an image for a story idea I am working on. It's a little early on to divulge the full plot but think of Brazil meets Charlie and the Chocolate factory. That should make it easy.

Shawn

Dead Ideas

2006-07-19T22:43:00.000-04:00

Over the years I've had a lot of ideas that have died. Be it for lack of interest, manpower, money or all of the above. Most of you have probably experienced the same thing. The strange thing is, I keep trying. You'd think I would catch on after a while but I haven't. And from what I've seen on other blogs and websites, neither have most of you and I think thats cool. Just because someone on a review board decided they didn't think your idea fit the structure of their programming doesn't mean that it isn't good. Of course, some are quite bad and deserve to be passed over, (some of those were probably mine). But it does make you wonder; what unpolished gem is sitting in a stack waiting to be discovered?
These are just some of the "dead ideas" that sit in my stack at home, (and had images readily available).

Shawn

A long time

2006-07-19T22:16:00.000-04:00

I have learned that to get a project off the ground takes a lot of work, (usually for free) and takes even more time. This is a drawing I did well over a year ago and the project is still out there in limbo. The project itself has got a lot of praise but that hasn't seemed to help and there are a lot of "big" names behind it but until it gets the financial backing it sits. I never realized or appreciated the amount of work behind the scenes it takes to get a project green-lit be it t.v., feature or short film. My hat off to all those that have done it.

Shawn

For the team

2006-06-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

*all images are the property of disney feature animation*

These are some layout and development drawings I did while at Disney. I never see anyone representing layout in any blog so I thought I'd try.

Why did you do it that way?

2006-06-07T11:33:00.000-04:00

A lot of the time when I'm trying to design something, (for someone else) people will come around and say, "Why are you doing it that way? It would be a lot cooler if you did it like....). I hear this a lot and most of the time I agree. The problem with that is I'm not necessarily doing what I want to do, its what the person is asking for. Thats not to say you don't have any say over what the style will be. There's a quote I love and am bound to screw up but it goes something like this, "Being a professional is doing your best when you don't like what you're doing". I couldn't agree more and its something I constantly remind myself of when I'm doing something I don't totally love. This is a drawing I liked but the person in charge wanted something more realistic. I may not agree but that's fine. I did another version more like what he wanted and he went with it. Of course, I'm not going to post that one.

Always getting better

2006-05-22T11:52:00.000-04:00

These fine fellows are a couple of the villains for the show I am developing. Its taken a bit to finish but I'm fairly happy with it, (for now).....
Through my career, like most, I've kept drawings that I thought would boost my portfolio and show off my skills, only to go back and look at them a few months later and say to myself, "What was I thinking? These are awful!" I used to get really depressed and embarrassed when I realized this was what I had sent around to get jobs. But then it dawned on me, that's a good thing. If I was to look at a drawing I did two years ago and thought it was amazing today then that's bad. I must have got better if I think something I did not too long looks sub-par. Now I look at it a different way. I'm glad to dig through all the old stuff and throw some of it out and replace it with new, (hopefully better) stuff. It's invigourating to see yourself improve so keep on drawing, painting, doodling or whatever it is you do!

Slow going

2006-05-22T09:49:00.000-04:00

Here's another image for the show about the kids "inner thoughts". This is one of the first ones I did since then I have got a lot faster, (or better yet, not as slow). It still takes me quite a long time to finish an image, (this one took about two days). I have noticed a change in my speed since then and hope that it will continue to get better. That's the thing about teaching yourself; I'm fairly certain there is a faster way to do it but what that is, I don't know. I've always been able to learn quickly when others have been kind enough to take the time to show me some "tricks". I'm grateful for the help I've received from all the people that know more than me, (and that's about everyone). Thanks!

Taking the time...

2006-05-15T09:34:00.000-04:00

These are some designs for a kids show I did some work on, (backgrounds only). I was asked to keep things simple and easy to read. The top one, (blue) is what happens when you eat candy right before bedtime.... NIGHTMARES! The bottom two, (orange) are 1. the real world, and 2. inside the mind of the kid imaging what would happen if he disobeyed his mother.You never really get the time you want to spend on a design which, after quickly learning, may be the reason the way some things look really slick or roughly pasted together. I now know the more time you take at the beginning of a project the more problems and headaches you save at the end. Plus, if you start with something fairly inspiring hopefully the person after you feed off that and is excited to add their own improvements, (and so forth through the process).

Spaghetti West

2006-05-13T21:41:00.000-04:00

Here's an image that I did for a show idea I am working on. I did a rough sketch, scanned it and coloured it in Photoshop. I'm going to try for a mono-chromatic look for all the characters. Who knows, maybe something will come out of it.

Here's the plan

2006-05-13T21:11:00.000-04:00

Hey everybody! Welcome to the Bionic Socks Animation blog. I'm glad you've taken the time to check it out! My intentions are simple.... I wish to share my drawings and experiences with you and I would like you to do the same. If you have any thoughts, comments or cool drawings you would like to show off then this is the place.
I know what its like to have no one to turn to for advice or suggestions on how to improve my skills. I figure there must be a million other people out there in the same boat so why not share our techniques, experiences or stories with each other?
I'll do my part the best I can. Here I go. I'm a Sheridan Animation grad, (way back in 1995) and have worked at Disney Feature Animation, (Burbank California) Disney Direct to Video, (Sydney Australia) and C.O.R.E. Feature Animation right here in Toronto! All that adds up to over 10 years of experience and a fair number of credits.
I'm an old school 2D Layout artist but have also done a lot of "workbooking", storyboards and for the last 2.5 years- CG. The one thing that has stayed consistant over my career is the desire to get better. If I ever got content with how I draw, I would get really nervous. There's waaay too much to learn to think you've learned it all.