Check out this totally awesome article, from Mr Incredible ( not from the movie,) this guy who's an amazing CG guru and one of my inspirations. It's written in Chinese, but basically, it says "sky is the limit." Something like that. Be positive. When faced with defeat, learn from it, and never give up. There maybe many obstacles along the journey, but never let them stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Below is a new piece done over the new year's. It has also been submitted into 11secondclub monthly competition, but this one has a bit more polish. Been quite a while since I dropped any keys, thus I feel a bit rusty. Still, I am not using that as an excuse, just saying.



Anyways, I am slowly learning to be more patient and more sincere in animation. Sincere in my acting choices, and sincere in my attitude towards this art form; patient when things don't work as envisioned and curves get tangled up. Ultimately, perseverance is what it takes to get better, like how I am determined to keeping my blog alive and updated. And passion, too, of course, you gotta love what you do.

Happy New Year!!!

You were more than just a teacher. You were a mentor, a inspirer, and so much more.

You don't see this kind of buildings in America!

America is huge. It's something that becomes abundantly clear once you're on the road exploring beyond the norm. There is so much to see and experience in this vast and mysterious land, your mind expands so much just by you embracing all the different cultures unique to each place.

First stop, "Travel Plaza?" In Chicago that's called an Oasis.

Drove into a National Park, and lo and behold, a mountain trail right next to the highway!

Warning Sign Fail! "Dicks will be cut..." LOL

Buffalo wings from Buffalo... Taste better? Hecks no, but then again, that's probably not the reason this dish is called "buffalo wings."

I took this picture? No way... I should consider pursuing a career in photography! What a perfect way to wrap up. Except, this isn't the end.

Somebody clean that wind-shield!!!

"My land is where my dead lie buried"

Buffalo sausage! Yummy? Hecks no... But then again, how often do you get to savor bison meat?

Random notes on animation, can sound a bit dry so be forewarned.
In Maya, the word "spline" can describe a few thiings. In rigging, a "spline" spine is an IK (inverser kinematics) spine. In animation a "spline" tangent is a type of tangent that defines how the curve should travel from one key to the next(and previous.) Both splines are extremely difficult to work with IMO.
Below are a couple of different approaches to animating:
Straight ahead --- most spontaneous
pose-to-pose --- good in keeping the character in scale
Layer/offset --- creates nice followthrough and secondary motion
Ultimately, though, it is the heart and performance that makes an animation gold, not the technicality in which methods are used...

*edit:

An update WIP.


Above is an animation exercise I have started this weekend. Youtube cuts off with audio so it's missing a few frames at the end, and that's my excuse why the last frame looks so bad. Plus it's still WIP.

The magic inherent in cartoon, in its extravagant visuals and curious rhythms, are dazzling beyond words. To create personality through movements can be so difficult but when you finally get it, so rewarding. When you finally see a drawing, even just a stick figure, come to life through motion, and you feel it is alive with character, that sense of accomplishment is worth every bit of sweat and effort.

Above isn't necessarily something I look at and feel proud of, but it's just a thought process I am experimenting with. Making things move is tougher than it looks.