Today, I thought I'd post a link over to John K.'s magnificent blog - right now he's posting some of his own insight on the 'rubber hose' era of animation in the '20s/30s. Lots of stills and YouTube shorts posted, including a good number of contributed comments and links and from fellow readers. So far he's got two posts on the subject:
This is one of my absolute favorite periods in animation history. Even if a short wasn't really that good, it was still a blast to watch. Characters, animals, inanimate objects, and whatever else would all interact together in harmony in a surreal, happy almost-utopian universe. The character designs are simple, yet masterful works of art.
27 April 2006
05 April 2006
A non-cartoon piece
Sorry I've been so busy these past few weeks - I haven't even had time to scan any of my random sketches - I've been working at the caricature booth more than anything else! More stuff is on the way though.
You know, I should really be in bed, but I want to put this up. It's not a cartoon... it's something I don't do enough of - FINE ART!
Last year I decided to begin a little side job doing pet portraits. Not caricature or cartoon types (although those types are welcomed!!!), but realistic portraits done in whatever medium a client may desire. When I think of doing fine art, I always think of animals. They just seem more fun to me than people, buildings, or cars, etc. Although I want to try painting people portraits in the future, when I get more comfortable.
Well, right after Thanksgiving, I made some of those flyers with the little pull-tab things with my e-mail and phone #, and hung them up at various spots in Fargo and Breckenridge. My intent was to get at least a few jobs for the holiday season, to make a little extra cash. Well, I didn't get ONE reply. I was in a local drugstore a little over a month ago and noticed my ad was still hanging there on their bulletin board - and a few of the tabs were gone! But alas, still nothing.
But several weeks ago, a lady in the area happened to call, knowing I was an artist - she was on a mission to get a painting made of her dog who passed away a few months ago, and wanted to know if I knew any painters that could help her out. I said I didn't know any local artists personally, but then I told her I was trying to start up my own gig, doing exactly what she was looking for! Huzzah!
So I told her I was new to this 'pet art' venture, not having any customers yet, but I said I would be glad to paint her dog! Of course, I've never actually painted an entire portrait before (I didn't tell her that). I've dabbled in acrylics and watercolors, but that's it! DABBLED is the key word here. She dropped off some photos a couple of days later, and I was set. And nervous. I don't even know pricing right now, but I charged $100 for a 9x12 acrylic on canvas. That seems pretty reasonable, doesn't it?
Anyway, she's coming to get it tomorrow, so I finally finished up the rest of it tonight, and scanned it for myself. Here!
I think you can click on it to see more detail. Anyway, for being my FIRST EVER acrylic painting, I'm amazed even at myself how well it turned out. Dude, I know NOTHING about painting! I know how to hold a brush, I know how to mix colors somewhat, the basics of layering... but that's about it! The colors actually turned out very close to the dog. I know she was a mutt - a beagle/lab/spaniel type mix, I recall the lady telling me. But obviously it's a bit sloppy in spots... she was originally supposed to be lying in grass, but since I'm a beginner I didn't want to go nuts trying to paint believeable grass. So I gave it a nice solid background and tried to mimic a littlegrass around the feet. I was worried this thing was gonna turn out to resemble a cheap paint-by-number painting, but as I added more detail, I got less worried. I'm satisfied with it!
When I was buying supplies, I didn't know what brushes to get, what kind of canvas to get, what PAINTS to get. Well, I know more now than I did a month ago. Note to self - never buy the low-priced 'student' paints ever again. Now I know why professional-grade 'artist' paints cost more - BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER QUALITY.
The lady told me that if she likes this one (and I really hope she does!), she has 6 other dogs that she would like to have painted. All I can say is... CHA-CHING!!! Well, not only that, but then I can start building a portfolio of pet potraits. I'm gonna do one of my cat, and my dog who died over a year ago... those should be fun. And my friend's jack-russell - that dog's a riot!
You know, I should really be in bed, but I want to put this up. It's not a cartoon... it's something I don't do enough of - FINE ART!
Last year I decided to begin a little side job doing pet portraits. Not caricature or cartoon types (although those types are welcomed!!!), but realistic portraits done in whatever medium a client may desire. When I think of doing fine art, I always think of animals. They just seem more fun to me than people, buildings, or cars, etc. Although I want to try painting people portraits in the future, when I get more comfortable.
Well, right after Thanksgiving, I made some of those flyers with the little pull-tab things with my e-mail and phone #, and hung them up at various spots in Fargo and Breckenridge. My intent was to get at least a few jobs for the holiday season, to make a little extra cash. Well, I didn't get ONE reply. I was in a local drugstore a little over a month ago and noticed my ad was still hanging there on their bulletin board - and a few of the tabs were gone! But alas, still nothing.
But several weeks ago, a lady in the area happened to call, knowing I was an artist - she was on a mission to get a painting made of her dog who passed away a few months ago, and wanted to know if I knew any painters that could help her out. I said I didn't know any local artists personally, but then I told her I was trying to start up my own gig, doing exactly what she was looking for! Huzzah!
So I told her I was new to this 'pet art' venture, not having any customers yet, but I said I would be glad to paint her dog! Of course, I've never actually painted an entire portrait before (I didn't tell her that). I've dabbled in acrylics and watercolors, but that's it! DABBLED is the key word here. She dropped off some photos a couple of days later, and I was set. And nervous. I don't even know pricing right now, but I charged $100 for a 9x12 acrylic on canvas. That seems pretty reasonable, doesn't it?
Anyway, she's coming to get it tomorrow, so I finally finished up the rest of it tonight, and scanned it for myself. Here!
I think you can click on it to see more detail. Anyway, for being my FIRST EVER acrylic painting, I'm amazed even at myself how well it turned out. Dude, I know NOTHING about painting! I know how to hold a brush, I know how to mix colors somewhat, the basics of layering... but that's about it! The colors actually turned out very close to the dog. I know she was a mutt - a beagle/lab/spaniel type mix, I recall the lady telling me. But obviously it's a bit sloppy in spots... she was originally supposed to be lying in grass, but since I'm a beginner I didn't want to go nuts trying to paint believeable grass. So I gave it a nice solid background and tried to mimic a littlegrass around the feet. I was worried this thing was gonna turn out to resemble a cheap paint-by-number painting, but as I added more detail, I got less worried. I'm satisfied with it!
When I was buying supplies, I didn't know what brushes to get, what kind of canvas to get, what PAINTS to get. Well, I know more now than I did a month ago. Note to self - never buy the low-priced 'student' paints ever again. Now I know why professional-grade 'artist' paints cost more - BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER QUALITY.
The lady told me that if she likes this one (and I really hope she does!), she has 6 other dogs that she would like to have painted. All I can say is... CHA-CHING!!! Well, not only that, but then I can start building a portfolio of pet potraits. I'm gonna do one of my cat, and my dog who died over a year ago... those should be fun. And my friend's jack-russell - that dog's a riot!
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