While I was still at SAGA Press, I was handed a very challenging series to work on. This series is best described as Juno meets The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s a sassy tongue-in -cheek story of … Read More
It’s still early enough in the year to discuss some good practices for the illustrator. Here are four chores that every illustrator should be doing. Some will like the structure this gives them, others will crave the structure this will … Read More
Once Upon A Time…I recently did a weekend of portfolio reviews of science fiction and fantasy art. The artists showing their work were from all levels—some beginning their careers and others more accomplished. There was a range of skills, both from … Read More
SFBC Edition of Fahrenheit 451
As an Art Director, guiding an illustrator through to the final image is a part of the job. It’s an extremely rewarding aspect of my role, especially when you realize that the final art … Read More
To read Part I, please click here. To read Part II, please click here. ART IMITATES LIFE: An Exploration on the Advancements in the History of Animation Technology and the Effect on the Final Image is my college thesis submitted as part … Read More
To read Part I, please click here. ART IMITATES LIFE: An Exploration on the Advancements in the History of Animation Technology and the Effect on the Final Image is my college thesis submitted as part of the Visual Communication program … Read More
Animation is derived from the fascination of light and motion.1 There were many precursors and experiments which eventually led to the form of animation that can be identified with today.
Since these experiments, people have been adding enhancements to the basic process of animation. From Winsor McCay and his assistants, where all the artwork was drawn by hand, to Walt Disney and his studio of artists who made the feature-length animated film a reality, to Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera and their studios which produced many television animated cartoons, and finally today with the influence of our current technology where animation thrives in almost every aspect of communication. Through these times (1900 with Winsor McCay and “Gertie the Dinosaur” until the present) technology has influenced and changed the look of animation. From the black and white silent films to the brilliance of color and the vibrancy of sound. From the illusion of dimensionality with the multiplane camera to the xerographic line process where the colors only need to be added. Finally the influence of the computer which eliminated the tedious work of inking and painting each individual cel and aided in the production of complicated scenes which would normally involve a large team of artists.
Animation is a task which includes the collaboration of many people: animators, assistant animators, inbetweeners, layout people, story people, background artists, voice talents, composers, musicians, camera operators, editors, producers, and directors. It is the creative collaboration of these people that make an animated film. Animation has appeared as entertainment in short and full feature lengths, television shows, commercial advertisements, educational productions and most recently in the use of interactive multimedia.
Just last week, I spent a few days at the Illustration Masterclass in Amherst, MA.
So, what is the Illustration Masterclass? It’s the brainchild of illustrator/artist Rebecca Guay. I suppose the twitter post about it would go something like this: … Read More
