jollylines - Tumblr blog

[jollylines]

HEY, I drew this spidey logo! Hahaha. I can’t believe someone happened to capture it, since the gif goes by so effing fast. Haha.

FUCK YES BOYS

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So, in case anyone was wondering, THIS is what I’m working on right now and have been working on since leaving Disney. MAYBE YOU’VE HEARD OF IT. :)

What’s up danger?

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel is coming April 8, 2022.

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Nature witch! So, hello #witchtober number 2! I’ve now done double what I realistically thought I would, so everything from here on out is a feat of pure... maaaagic? Keep your throwing-tomatoes to yourself, thanks. Still trying to shake off illness, so we’ll see what lies ahead!

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Witchywitchwitch! Happy October! I can’t find the energy to do #inktober this year (or any energy given the cold I have), but I really wanted to draw witches. I always want to draw witches. If I can this month, I wanna draw a whole lot of witches. So maybe #witchtober ? Can I make that a thing? Hopefully there will be at least one more and as many as 30 more by the time this month is up! For now, have this witch with some glowy eggs and a giant coat. As one does.

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Sing that song in your heart!

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Great follow up to this from @dkettchen :

“@bibixart​ for animation the university of hertfordshire in the UK (near London) is very good too (is where I went ^^ 10/10 would recommend) they're also a 2D/3D/VFX/games art course, so you can specialise in your specific pathway but also get some experience and opportunities to work with people from the other ones :D (and at least the VFX/3D industry in the UK knows us very well, lots of our students get headhunted straight out of uni)”

Thank you so much for the added info!

Hey Amanda! I’m a big fan pf yours!!! I was wondering is Gobelins a well known school in the industry? Do you have any suggestion regarding good schools in Europe? Lysm😘

I don’t have suggestions because I’m not familiar with most European schools, but Gobelins is fantastic and it’s well known in the industry. For what it’s worth, how known a school is doesn’t matter - it only matters how strong the art of the artist is. But Gobeblins seems to prepare its students very well. One of my best friends went there as well as a number of other friends I’ve made in the industry.

[jollylines]

Hey Amanda! I’m a big fan pf yours!!! I was wondering is Gobelins a well known school in the industry? Do you have any suggestion regarding good schools in Europe? Lysm😘

I don’t have suggestions because I’m not familiar with most European schools, but Gobelins is fantastic and it’s well known in the industry. For what it’s worth, how known a school is doesn’t matter - it only matters how strong the art of the artist is. But Gobeblins seems to prepare its students very well. One of my best friends went there as well as a number of other friends I’ve made in the industry.

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“Oh, and I PROMISE you’re going to have the most fun! There’s so much out there to see and do, and I know change can feel sad sometimes, but it only means you have the chance to go out and find your next dream! Also-“.

Today is my last day at Disney TVA, and it is HARD. When I started here, I was so happy I basically thought I’d never leave. But the strange thing about this industry, and my relationship with it, is that new and inspiring projects come up, and this heart of mine follows the lead. I’m following it out of Disney for now, but I can’t believe forever.

My next thing is exciting and great. I can’t wait to see what I learn and do. But I needed my girl here to help me, because I’m the most change averse ever. Also, I love her and she knows best. It has been the pride of my life feeling like I got to give some of Rapunzel to the world. Forever my princess.

I’ll update soon. Thank you for everything, Disney and Tangled. I love you always.

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Hi! Sorry to bother you, prospective art center animation student here, like many others i’m still on the fence about which (ent arts or character animation) to apply to.. but i think the thing that i’m most worried about is: is Entertainment Design program manageable? I went on the tour last month and the guide said class sizes decrease every year (n have not graduated a person until THIS YEAR) because of how rigorous it is. I’m ready to work hard, but what is it like/any tips on staying ahead?

(cont) also an additional part since the ask ran out of space. I live an hour away from the school, and cant dorm (since they still dont plan on adding any until the 20s) so i have to drive there and back every day. The reason i ask whether it’s manageable or not is because, i’m worried that if i go into entdesign that hour lost driving will result in daily all nighters or something. Anyway, as mentioned i’m more than ready to work hard but i’m mostly worried about staying on top of it all haha.

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This ask is so old at this point, sorry.  I took an art-internet vacation.  I’m kind of still on it.  haha.  BUT I thought this was worth answering in a general way, especially the last part, because I’m the best person to answer it.  

Why?  Because I also commuted an hour each way the whole time I was in Ent Design.  So, BUH-BAM.

It goes like this: yes, you lose an hour each way.  Yes, that sucks when you start realizing how much more time your classmates have to work on things (I’d only really notice when I’d be home sick, and look at a clock, and be like “SON OF A-” haha).  Yes, that means you might not be able to just loaf around the school till all hours like everyone else, because your bed isn’t a convenient 10 minutes down the road.  

However, it DOES make you prioritize more than other people.  Because I couldn’t just drive home whenever, and because sleep was priority number one for me (in a school that treated not-sleeping like a badge of honor - IT IS NOT THAT BTW; GET SLEEP.  GET. SLEEP.), I had to make decisions about using my time wisely, what was going to benefit me most, and keep my eye on my direct goals.  I feel like I didn’t get as lost in the school work as some other people, because ultimately I had to say, “This is good enough for X,” or “This really helps my career pursuits,” versus just killing myself to get every-project-done-right-now-so-help-me-god.  I also had to decide up front what was important to me on this journey.  Yeah, I’d be in a killer architecture class run by hardasses who were exceptionally difficult graders, and yeah I’d be counting on scholarship money so I couldn’t just get an F.  BUT I’d have to keep in mind that I ultimately wanted to design characters, not design sets.  So, I needed to do just enough work to keep my head above water and maintain my grades on the less important things, and really throw myself at the stuff that’d have a real impact on my future.

Also, interesting thing about the commute, because Art Center IS stressful and the commute IS long: the commute kind of became this perfect refuge for me, where I had no choice but to decompress since I physically couldn’t work on an assignment while I was driving.  I think if I hadn’t had that time, I would have filled the empty space with more work and driven myself crazy.  I probably maintained more sanity because 2 hours a day, I HAD to do nothing.

Oh, and again, because it bears repeating - my ultimate advice: GET. SLEEP.  Ignore people who act cocky about not sleeping for days.  They’ll get in a car accident, or injure themselves on a sharp tool, or become super angry and irrational and their work will get worse (all of these are true stories, some of them my own).  So: Sleep.  It’s just school.  It’s there to help you, not the other way around.

Good luck! 

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Goodbye Tangled

Today was my last day working on Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, and there’s no proper outline to my emotions.  Right now, I predominantly feel sad, but it’s the strange kind of sadness that I felt coming on a month into the show, then more acutely after a year, then more fervently after a year and a half, till now it sits heavy on me over two years later.  It’s the sadness that comes with knowing, practically immediately, that you’ve found something extraordinary and that it will eventually have to end.  I’ve been on borrowed time since figuring that out, and today I finally had to say goodbye.

But that sadness only exists (has existed) because the experience was so singular and joyful and precious.  Sometimes in life you really do end up in the right place, where your capabilities are optimized, where you’re surrounded by people who are truly your tribe, and everything really is right with the world.  That was me and this show.  

Tangled, the movie Tangled, saved me at a time I needed saving.  All I had wanted to do my whole life was art, I’d finally made it to art school only to have that school try to change who I was, and Tangled came out and told me I had a place in the world.  It told me to not give up, because I could be making something just like it.  It told me to dream.

When I was asked to come be a part of this show, I couldn’t process my luck - being able to finally take part in something I’d loved so much from afar - but I didn’t really understand the extent of that luck till I got there.  I have been so proud making this show for our audience.  I have been so thrilled with the fan reaction, the participation, the grace of our viewers.  They love it the way I love it.  They’re fans the way I’m a fan.  They have the same gratitude to the story I’ve always had for it, and I don’t know if I’ll ever experience that kind of involvement and support in the many years ahead in my career.  

And the people I’ve worked with have been everything to me.  Everyday turned into year-round summer camp, laughing till we cried, supporting each other, creating together.  I’ve made some of the greatest friends of my life because of this show, and there’s no repayment that could satisfy the debt.  And somehow, there’s no repayment needed at all.

Sometimes, you get everything.  Sometimes you really do catch lightning in a bottle, and it glows until your hands turn vibrant red around it, the warmth running up your arms, burning in your chest, till the power could light a hundred thousand lanterns in a Corona sky.  Sometimes you find a home, and it inexplicably looks like a colorful caravan carrying more-colorful people who are steeped in magic and humor and more optimism than the world deserves.  Sometimes you’re right where you need to be.  

And unfortunately, all the time, those times have to find an end.  

But this show about dreaming, having dreams, finding dreams, taught me that the new ones are just as important as the old.  So, my new dream is out there somewhere.  I don’t know what it looks like yet.  But I’m so, so glad I got to live this one.

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Hi Amanda! I really admire your work. I was wondering if you're staying in the states with a work visa at the moment? I've considered moving to the States one day to pursue a career in the animation industry. However, I heard that it's difficult to immigrate there unless you have a bachelor's degree. Knowing that you found a job before finishing school at art center, how did you stay in the area? Thanks!

I’m actually an American citizen. I was born here. From what I understand, you do have to have degree in order to work here if you’re a non-citizen.

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I absolutely admire your art and have been inspired to push myself but when it comes to fluid movement and character expressions I'm afraid of pushing the expression/pose to the point where it's not on model. You see I'd have my model sheet and I'd make the character express but then I wouldn't want to go off model but then I end up with pretty bland expressions. Any tips? Thank you so much and have a nice day!

Thank you so much!

So one of my super friends is this incredible animator, but he exists in the same constant battle of on-model-but-not-stiff.   While he was griping about this one day, I told him I concerned myself more with capturing the “feeling” of the character versus the hard and fast “rule” of the character.  And I don’t mean the emotion of the character (though, heeeeey, that’s always important, haha).  I mean, I’d have the model of the character well in my brain, then I’d place my focus on making the character pose or express how I needed them to.  There might be little cheats here and there.  Maybe the mouth is suddenly a little lower, maybe the legs a little wobblier, etc etc.  I’m mostly concerned with whatever action and emotion I’m trying to get the viewer to grasp, and place a loose, but recognizable version of the model on top of that action.  That notion helped him a bunch, and I hope it helps you, too!  :D

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Hey Amanda! I have been trying to research colleges(specifically art schools)so I’m ready to apply in the Fall,and I’m having trouble finding any recommendations other than the more common ones. Do you by chance have any ideas as to where to go for a degree in animation? Also,I was wondering what degree you suggest for an aspiring animator,that doesn’t want to limit herself to one area of expertise? If I do get a degree in animation,would I still be able to pursue different parts of the process?

So I don’t have any suggestions for schools off the beaten path.  You’ve got your Art Center, Calarts, Ringling, SCAD, LCAD, etc.  And I didn’t study animation, so I’m not well versed in what’s available.  This is what I’ll say, and I think your mindset of “not wanting to limit” is what a lot of people have before they jump into art school or understand more about the industry: you’re gonna end up limiting yourself.  haha.  You are not going to be an animator who also character designs and storyboards all on one show, and you 99% likely won’t be the chameleon able to switch between those specialities every other project.  You can definitely be someone who animates who after awhile transitions into character design, or transitions into a storyboard artist, but all of those skills won’t be needed at an elevated level all at once.  

Look at the school programs available to you, and examine the courses involved.  If in your animation program, you’re going to have classes on storyboarding or you’ll be tasked with making your own student film, you’ll likely absorb those boarding skills even while learning animation.  Same for character design.  There’s a lot of interplay between subjects, so you’ll get exposure to and practice with them, even if they aren’t the primary focus.  I’m also aware of a lot of people who start out going to school for animation, but 1 year in are like, “OH, yeah no I only like doing the storyboard part,” and the rest of their education kind of skews that way.  Just do your research on school programs and the kind of careers you’re interested in, and go from there.  Hope that helps!

(SIDE NOTE: the exception to this “you won’t be doing everything” thing, is if you go and start up your own company or make your own film or are on a crew of like 8 people.  THEN, YOU’RE GONNA DO IT AAAAALL, hahah.)

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What is your opinion on older artists starting new in visual development? Asking for a friend LOL But seriously, more often than not, I see that most of the advice, career opps and ideas are geared towards young 20 somethings that are in art school or want to be... but what if a 40 yr old decides to take their talent to start working on vis dev or similar careers? Is it impossible? Too late? What’s your experience based on the people you have known? Thanks! 😊

HA, well this paired nicely with the last question.  This very scenario was that of a friend of mine.  He was literally in his 40′s when he switched careers and jumped into visdev for animation, and he is SO. CRAZY. GOOD.  

Like here’s the thing: it’s never too late.  You hear about all the 20-somethings because that’s when the MAJORITY of people figure things out.  It took me till 26 with two other unrelated degrees under my belt to go, “Oh, right, pursue art.”  I was 29 when I started working.  But I’ve worked with people of all ages - 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, 50′s, 60′s - and they’re all incredible, hirable, and I never really once thought about “when they got started.”  All I saw, and all anyone else saw, was that they could do amazing work.  So, it completely can be done.  The industry only has eyes for skill.  :)

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I'm about to be a junior in high school and I really love doing art but I didn't really get serious about doing it until this past year, is it too late for me if I want to go to art school?

Noooope.  One of my buddies and former-Art-Center-classmates is the super internet-famous RossDraws (heyRooooss).  haha.  He didn’t really dive into art till he was around your same age, and now he’s HIM.  Glory be.

Also, you can totally jump into art or the industry at any age.  It’s never too late.  I was 26 when I started art school.  One of my friends switched careers into animation in his 40′s.  AIN’T NO TIMELINE, just draw!  haha

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Hi Amanda! I loved the talk you gave a month ago or so at Art center. I forgot to ask, how did you deal with those types of comments that suggested you to "find a different niche that wasnt character design" or " character design is a really hard job to get"? That's all I keep hearing from both faculty and industry people but that's the only thing I want to focus on becoming. How do you keep yourself motivated or what would you suggest to do in that position? Thanks!

Well, thank you so much!  I’m glad you enjoyed it!  :D

So, you really have two avenues if you’re hellbent on character designing no matter what.  Avenue 1: If you 100% want to character design, and can feel that you’re on the right track in terms of skill and meeting industry standards and making designs that would work at various studios, just block out the noise and KEEP ON GOING.  I reached a point at Art Center where I more or less just started ignoring things my teachers said.  haha.  Not everything, obviously, but I started listening to my own wants/desires/goals more than teachers’ harping about the importance of assignments I knew were unrelated to my career aspirations.  So, I just kept looking at what the job I wanted would require of me, and swung, swung, swung to hit that.

The second avenue exists if you’re not quite on the right track yet - like you want to be a character designer so badly, but you’re still not in the vicinity of industry standards and the skills required.  If that’s the case, assess what else you’re good at and enjoy doing (maybe it’s props, color, layout, etc), and try to get a job doing that thing.  Then, while doing that job, JUST KEEP ON GOING with character design practice till you find yourself in avenue 1.  haha.  That’s really it.  Only you can stop yourself.  This second avenue is relevant if you need to get a job immediately, and can trade some of your other skills for work that pays the bills. But as you go, just keep chipping away at character design.  

Art’s a learnable skill.  You tell you when to stop.  That’s important to remember.

The other BIGGEST thing to remember, however, and I believe I talked about it while doing the lecture you attended: you HAVE to be realistic about and conscious of your art.  I think people get held up saying, “But I worked so hard, and no one is hiring me,” but their work doesn’t realistically meet industry standards.  It has to.  It HAS to.  Somewhere on my path, something clicked and I was able to analyze what people who had this job were doing right, and I could then break it down and find my own way with it.  I also had a clear view of the kind of stylization my work needed to have to fit with the companies I desired.  These realizations gave me goals I could work toward meeting, so I no longer felt aimless or like I was just just drawing mindlessly.  

SO HATERS GONNA HATE.  haha.  Just keep what you want in mind and wooooork for it!  Hope that helps!

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PROFESSOR PLUM - WITH THE PIPE || And at long last, we reach our final suspect: the illustrious Professor Plum. Appointed with bow ties and elbow patches, this scholar loves looking a man-of-thought as much as he likes proving it in conversation. Always more about the brain’s power than the body’s, he’d likely faint at the first sign of violence. Or can a healthy mind plan the perfect crime? If I had to guess where Mr. Black and the good Professor had final words, I could think of no better place than the Library. [Thank you all for going on this journey with me. This has been such a passion project, and I don’t plan to leave it alone permanently. I’m just happy to have completed The Big Six. Your enthusiasm has been astounding and your support has meant everything.]