The idea of learning new software has always haunted me. I was only using procreate and I understand that the tool doesn’t matter as much as the story and the animation itself. Whatever can convey the message across is good enough. I have been trying to learn new tools like illustrator, after effects and photoshop. I really like Procreate for drawing because of the ease of it and the brushes it offers. However, animation on this software is very tricky. I feel it is difficult to get the timing right on it.

However, I have used Procreate for a major chunk of exercises before finally giving in and buying tv paint sometime in late February.

I became acquainted with this while trying my facial acting and then tried a couple of other illustrations and gifs in the same style.

Storyboarding was an alien concept to me up until its first session. I remember I called up my friend who is pursuing film studies and asked her all about camera angles and perspectives and whatnot. She told me how they use three key lightning points, i.e., key, back and fill light. How they are used and what does things like a close up imply. I am due to have another session with her soon to get into more details about it.

We(some of the MACA classmates) also started a storyboard group on WhatsApp to try our hand at it after the first session we had. The theme was Halloween and I wanted to do a wordplay around “Ghosting”. How people get ghosted over dating apps and wanted a draw a funny take on it. I ended up explaining the story so that wasn’t a good sign but go ahead and meet Johnny Ghost-o! This poor chaps get ghosted every now and then and cannot seem to fix it.

“Drawing and sketching are central to the art of animation. The contents of an animator’s sketchbook can sow the seeds for legendary stories, characters and layout designs.”

A number of topics are covered in the book, including the use of shapes, perspective, drawing figures, setting up landscapes, capturing movement, developing ideas, and laying out and composing.

I ended up looking at Peter Parr’s sketches and enjoyed every bit of it. He is called “an artist for all seasons” and rightly so.

I feel like all his drawings, be it of an animate or inanimate object possess a lot of character and life. He has also added a lot of cartoon examples in the book and it got me excited about it in the first place.

He is a professor at Bournemouth and often challenges his students to the 30 days challenge wherein they have to fill a sketchbook in 30 days. I plan on taking it myself over the Easter holidays.

From the very beginning one thing that I wanted to work on when it comes to drawing is my understanding of perspectives. I look to books, articles or videos every time I get a chance.

One of the books that helped me break it down a little was by David Chelsea. It is a really old book but I got my hand on it in about two months back and so far it has been helpful.

“Acclaimed artist and autobiographical cartoonist David Chelsea and his hollow-headed pupil Mug together explore the many aspects of perspective, the art of rendering the visual effect of distance on objects. In an entertaining, step-by-step comic strip format, David and Mug demonstrate basic concepts of perspective by constructing vivid, spectacular landscapes and architectural interiors. Though designed with the beginning artist is mind, Perspective! for Comic Book Artists will also be useful to working professionals looking to brush up on their skills.”

The book covers all three of these perspectives in a tongue-in-cheek way, demonstrating how to use them in practice, giving you shortcuts, explaining the construction, and even providing templates to help you start.

One thing that stands out is there is no assumption that you are stupid or a genius, and the information is presented in a way that any artist can understand.

It is a hefty book and I still haven’t come around to finish it but so far, I have found it useful.

Having said that, my understanding of perspectives is still bleak and I hope to better at it.

I wanted to animate something for Diwali. It was early on the course and I wasn’t really sure what was I doing but I wanted to make something colourful for the festival of lights.

I ended up not posting it anywhere because it didn’t do the in-betweens properly but it was nice to play around with this colour palette.

“I will have an extra hot latte please”, said Dennis. He frequents the cafe I work at every week. Quite a heartthrob, I must add. An old man in his eighties perhaps. He enters the cafe and everyone’s face lights up. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the day, the words “Dennis is here”, is exactly what everyone at the cafe wants to hear. He is one of the people who I look at and I immediately want to hug and protect. I wish all Dennis out there have someone who is looking out for them always.

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2022 is the year of the tiger. I felt that this was the best opportunity for me to animate a little something for it.

I prefer a LOT of colours in my designs and hence chose this colour scheme. I’m pretty happy with the results.