OK, one is a Top Twelve list and the other is a Top Thirteen list. Still, these are some terrific articles from one of my favorite blogs, FreelanceSwitch.com: 12 Breeds Of Client And How To Work With Them Thirteen Breeds Of Freelancer And How To Up Your Game FreelanceSwitch has also started a podcast. I haven't had a chance to listen to it...
I received a letter from a man in Germany who collects autographs and sketches from cartoonists around the world. In broken English he politely asked if I might someday have time to send him an autographed sketch. He also asked that it be of a pig, since his wife likes to collect little pig knick knacks. Normally I don't make a...
Yesterday I covered part 1 of my latest schoolism.com assignment (my instructor is Stephen Silver). Part 2 was to do a memory sketch. "Memory sketching" is an exercise designed to strengthen your observation muscles. It works like this: Go to a place where there are a lot of people (i.e. a mall, airport, coffee shop, etc.). Choose someone in the...
For eight weeks now I've been posting my assignments from a character design class I'm taking at schoolism.com (taught by Stephen Silver). Only one more week to go! This week's assignement was another two-parter. For Part 1 we had to go to a busy public place and fill a page with observational sketches. The Mall of America is near my house,...
For the last few months I've been working as a freelance character designer on 3-2-1 Penguins!, a new animated series on NBC. The premiere episode airs this Saturday (10:30am Central, check your local listings). 3-2-1 Penguins! is about four wacky penguins (Zidgel, Fidgel, Midgel, and Kevin) who travel the universe along with two kids, Jason and Michelle. Imagine Star Trek...
Dream On Silly Dreamer is a fascinating documentary about the rise and fall of modern Disney animation, told from the point of view of the animators who lived through it. I've blogged about it before, but here's a summary: The film starts with the "renaissance" of Disney animation in the 1980's (i.e. The Little Mermaid), moves on towards the...
