The Meaning of Life by Don Hertzfeldt

is one of my favorite/most adored/beloved animated shorts OF ALL TIME. ALL TIME!

And you can watch it here for free for a limited time! Merry Christmas! :D

These are some of my favorite scenes because I'm a nerd and made screenshots while watching it... whatever don't judge me! It's so PRETTY!

No computers were used either. Oh, my hero!

Strawberry Swing

old news but it's resurfaced into my present thanks to that magical day on the swings with besties bruce & biggers. this song just makes me happy & calm. on that note, time to finish these custom ordered giant letters.

DONE!!!!!!!!!!

so FRIGGIN CUTE!

akldkalkdafklasdlakljafd I get so giddy watching it. Hahaha. I still have to play with the timing of her getting up but the nudge is such a sweet little last minute touch.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Day 2 of Animating

Oh brother what a world! :D

I gotta get as much done as I can before 2:15 because I will be taking a break for yoga & more children's book illustrator/author geekery at Hicklebee's! David Wiesner is speaking & signing! YAY! Props to San Jose for having such an event! Good timing too ;) Thanks, Universe. Thank you. It's almost like you know...

I love this book.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: After 8 hours...

Here's the piece so far. There's still so much that needs to get done but hey! I'm happy with how it's turning out :)

Ps: don't be alarmed by the black parts. Just empty space of nothingness that will soon be filled filled with illustration!

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Scene 6

Makes sense now? :)

Slow & steady hustle.

Here we go!!

What was once a storyboard is now REAL! Sorry, I feel like I'm abusing my blogging privileges. I'm just so dang excited.

Also, random fact: 90s r&b/baby making music (i.e. jodeci, avant, new edition, aaliyah) is my work soundtrack. Props to Bedhead for the late night creep.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Animation Time!

All the pieces are there. Just need to put it together :)

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Even more pre-production!

Reading is cool.

time to edit & slowly piece together this animation!

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Prop Making

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Key Frame Fun!

Let's get this party started!! :D

I usually write in my journal in the morning, but I think I'll do it here instead:

I can't even describe how giddy animating makes me. It's been yeaaars since I've made anything. The last time I used a lightbox was more than a year ago to collabcreate with Rich on a project. Before that... I can't even remember. I think a workshop at Nucleus. I remember enjoying the workshop but also thinking, I don't want to do this for a living. Now, it feels like home. Muscle memory is on my side.

Sometime while I was storyboarding yesterday, the focus shifted from trying to win the contest to just animating a short again for me rather than an awesome trip to London to meet my children's book writer/illustrator hero/role model/best ever, Oliver Jeffers. Yeah. I mean, that would be cool. But I'm just as happy making.

Oliver Jeffers Contest Animatic

I have until midnight this Sunday to finish it. I can do it! Oh brother! I also clearly got tired toward the middle/end :)

Princess & the Frog

I finally watched it after waiting SOOOO long for it to come to the Philippines. I found it cute and an interesting twist to the story. I definitely enjoyed the music (Ne-Yo WHUT!!) but was disappointed it didn't seem to improve upon the Disney-animated musical formula. Meet the Robinsons and Enchanted, for example surprised me with how heart-warming & funny they were. This one... didn't. It did make me very happy to see the name of a friend-of-a-friend-but-I-do-actually-know-him in the credits as an animator (or was it an in-betweener?). Anyway! Hoorah! Props to Jules :).

I also find it interesting that I was disappointed in how they fell in love, for the same reasons I hated the ending of Garden State. Such a cop out to use falling in love with someone as the answer to your issues of self-doubt, self-sufficiency & balance. PUH! Haha, I may be looking into too much but still, don't teach kids that! They gotta stick it out!