Engarde!

When I get in a disagreement with my director, we settle it with a duel!

If you like this post, feel free to riposte.


17 days...

Butt-Touchdown

Last night in class, we analyzed Ahmad Bradshaw's game-winning butt touchdown. I love the sharp angle as he put on the breaks just before the endzone, juxtaposed with the almost absurd squat-and-tilt backward. These are the sort of contrasting poses that make for great animation.

As I mentioned last week, my co-teacher Paul and I are also instituting a new tradition of students bringing deserts for the class. Here's Fiona with the first animation class dessert: dried mangoes.

Fiona was kind enough to bring a box for every row. We're definitely keeping this tradition going (though I discovered it's a bit more difficult to teach with your mouth full)!

18 days...

Han Rolo

My brother, Andy, and I were more excited about the Star Wars VW commercial than the Superbowl, so we brought Star Wars-themed snacks to our friend's Superbowl party.

"Luke, we're gonna have company!"

We used Think Geek's Han-in-Carbonite ice trays and hired mercenaries to keep strict supervision over the molding process.

"Put Captain Rolo in the Chocolate Mold."

Aside from being delicious, the molds also look fairly authentic. Here's a Han Rolo next to an actual vinyl Han-in-Carbonite. By the end of the process, Andy and I felt like regular Dartha Stewarts!

"Who you callin' crunchy lookin'?"

Warning: if you eat too many, you may begin to suffer from hibernation sickness and temporary blindness.

20 days...

"Adam and Dog" Wins!

Congrats to Minkyu Lee and all my fellow crew (such as the beautiful Jen Hager and Heidi Gilbert, pictured with Minkyu below) for Adam and Dog's win in the Best Animated Short subject of the Annie Awards!

I've worked on a lot of films, and I'm not sure I've seen a filmmaker put more heart and soul into a picture. If you get a chance, go see this film!

21 days...

Chades Challenge LXVI: Angry Harpies

Those harpies sure love cherry pie, but boy are they messy eaters.

If you have any angry harpy designs, let me know and I'll post them below. Otherwise, join in February 17th for...

Chades Challenge LXVII: 
GLUTTONOUS CONQUERERS

Adam "Death from Above" Dix

Natalie "Wonderfully Talon-ted" Hall

Bruno "Rovio" Chekerdimian

Zane "Bird of Prey" Yarbrough

James "The Ram" Trujillo

Adam "The Slasher" Rosette

23 days...

Just Desserts

Last night was the first class of the new semester at AAU. Animation Lesson One: always bring a dessert for teacher.

Each week, a different student is assigned to provide treats for the entire  class. I'm particularly looking forward to frozen grapes. Yeah, I'm failing that kid.

25 days...

Biff! Pow! Sketch!

More doodles of Batman characters. Surprise, surprise. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the latest Chades Challenge (Angry Harpies). I'll be posting the feathery monstrosities this Friday!

26 days...

Pub Trivia

My local watering-hole, The Albatross, has a weekly Pub Trivia night. Being the types who jump at any chance to win free beer, Chris Chua and I made an appearance last night. Berkeley barflies aren't your usual beer-guzzlers, and trivia night in particular attracts the local intellects (like the one below, sketched on my iPhone).

Chris and I didn't stand much chance against the Berkeley grad students, but we did manage to score major points whenever the subject matter delved into nerd territory, like HP Lovecraft.

Alas, we didn't win any free beer (we placed 7th out of 30 teams). But we won something even better: knowledge. Okay, yeah, the beer would have been nice.

27 days...

Rango

I borrowed Rango from my buddy Ken, and if there's anything I've learned from Arrested Development, it's to always leave a note.

This is a great film, by the way! Hats off to Gore Verbinksi for an animated film that pays homage to classic westerns yet still manages to break the mold! I hope they take home the animated film Oscar (how was Los Lobos not even nominated for their fantastic original song?).

Now if they'd only gotten Nico Marlet to design those animals...

31 days...

AbomiNATEable

A belated birthday card for my pal, Nate, best artist South of the North Pole!

32 days...