Lucas Wright

Ronald Searle (1920-2011)

2012-01-03T20:47:00.000+13:00

This morning while I was at work I learned that Ronald Searle, the legendary illustrator and cartoonist, passed away just days ago at the age of 91.

Searle's aesthetic sensibility was truly unique, and his influence incalculable. It's no secret that his work made a notable impression on Milt Kahl, whose visual tastes are almost single-handedly responsible for establishing what would come to be known as the "Disney style". So, in the geneology of the visual language of popular animation, Searle can arguably be viewed as a distant godfather, or a cool uncle who lives way out of town.

I was having trouble deciding which pieces of his to include with this blog post, but I'll let this Google image search do the talking.

Also, Ron Searle and I shared a birthday. And I think that's pretty cool.

(Searle on the left, Kahl on the right):

Like-Minded Bodies

2011-07-20T23:08:00.001+13:00

Lately I've been going bananas over this piece animated by Pixar's Michal Makarewicz for a lecture he gave some time ago for Animation Mentor:

Like most things that intrigue me, I immediately wanted to analyze it. Initially I wanted to break down its narrative phrases, maybe write about acting patterns (because this has a good one), but that made me want to write up a quick post about something that I've been thinking about more and more-- character arcs. Specifically, the way in which a character's emotional arc is mirrored in their physical arc.

Now, there are countless great examples of this sort of thing in both live action and animated films, and maybe I'll write more extensively on the subject later on, but for now I'm just going to dig into this one piece.

Short as this shot is, it provides the character with a nice emotional arc-- he starts off hushed and timid, gains some backbone, becoming tenacious and inquisitive, before escalating into straight-up enraged. There's your character arc. Easy peasy, lemon squeezey (I heard that in a movie once).

Now, what makes this piece so well done is the manner in which that character arc is manifested physically. Check it out:

Quiet, timid, feels his fate is at the mercy of external forces...

Gains some backbone (literally and figuratively)...

Acquisition of backbone begets inquisitivity, no longer so timid, determined to take control of his fate...

Escalation...

Frustrated, Enraged.

Aside from the poses being so well constructed, and the arcs being so beautifully clean, the character moves seamlessly through this progression of poses, these physicalisations of emotion. You can't animate emotions, after all. Only actions. But that's another post entirely...

Anyway, it's something to be mindful of-- mirroring a character's thought process through physical action. It's the sort of thing that separates the good stuff from the really good stuff.

-Lucas

Reelin'

2011-04-19T13:14:00.002+13:00

Aloha!

I have emerged with a new reel. Links are for chumps, so I'm just going to post it right here. And there ain't nothin' you can do about it.

I've also posted a reel breakdown in the sidebar to your right (in pdf), for those interested.

Enjoy!

-L

The Evolution of Monsters

2011-04-11T13:42:00.001+13:00

I had the pleasure of stumbling on this some time ago, and really wanted to share it. Pixar is known for spending roughly the first two years of every five-year production just working out the story, but aside from the odd deleted scene, or a vague mention of some scrapped idea in a podcast interview, we're rarely privy to these films' earlier iterations. That's why I was so intrigued when I found the original treatment for Monsters, Inc. posted on YouTube. Written and narrated by Pete Docter, I find this a thrilling insight into Pixar's darwinian story process.

PART 1

PART 2

More blog posts a-comin' soon!
-L

On Bow-Taking

2011-04-11T12:54:00.000+13:00

I'm going to take a moment just to address something that has been bothering me, and has bothered me for some time. It's about us; animators.

As we all know, animators fufill the acting duties on any-- no, wait-- every animated film, tv show, video game, or whathaveyou. Animators are actors. I realise that many (most) non-animation types might not grasp that (at least not until it is pointed out to them-- usually by an animator), but what bothers me is that many animators don't give themselves the credit of being an actor. In behind-the-scenes interviews, or making-of documentaries, I'm constantly hearing animators articulate their jobs on the film, then undermining their own achievements with a bashful "we're basically like actors" or "kind of like actors" or "not at all like actors we just push buttons and the movie happens thank god for the voice talent." Well, not so much that last one, but in saying that you are "basically-kind-of-like" an actor, you negate all the tremendous acting work that goes into your animation.

Animation is comprised of many different things (physics, body mechanics, arcs, appeal, etc) and you wouldn't call yourself a physicist, but animation is-- at its core-- about performance. You know, kind of like acting. I think that it's important that we, as animators, stand tall and take credit for the performances we create. Isn't it bad enough that voice actors get all the credit? Next time someone asks, don't shy away from the fact that as an animator you are an actor. Own it!

-L

The Things One Dreams Whilst Observing Goldfish

2010-04-15T15:45:00.000+13:00

I call this one Charlie. Is he an alien? Dinosaur? Half-eaten muffin? Oh, the mysteries this universe holds.

-Dr. L

Chimpan-A

2010-04-09T13:49:00.000+13:00

... So I finally said "Enough fighting! We must divorce ourselves from our prejudices! Can we not also agree that this is a scribble that vaguely resembles some kind of ape?"

The group then seemed displeased that I had interrupted their board meeting, and puzzled as to why I was there in the first place armed with a doodle of a chimp.

-Dr. L

Super + Girl = I Love Math!

2010-04-06T15:37:00.000+13:00

Like the divine fraternity of peanut butter and chocolate, there's just something about the amalgamation of 'girl' and 'superhero' that just makes my brain explode. Here are some doodles.

Hey, sometimes superheroes need to do laundry, or sit on rocks.

-Dr. L

Threequel

2010-03-16T09:24:00.000+13:00

With less than 100 days until its North American debut (Latin for "the butt" -Ed.), I, like most animators and fans alike, am eagerly awaiting the release of Toy Story 3.

But there is quite a tale behind Pixar Studios' very first threequel. Oh yes, there is quite a tale indeed.

I stumbled on this article, written in October, detailing the history of the upcoming Toy Story 3 and the litany of obstacles strewn along the path of its eventual creation. Though most of us are well aware of the tempestuous relationship between Pixar of the '90s and the ever-so-charming Michael Eisner, the gorilla attack that was the production of Toy Story 2, and Pixar's relatively staunch stance on sequels, the article sheds light on some details of which I had been previously unaware, like the full synopsis of an alternate Toy Story 3 script penned in the 1990s (which actually didn't sound so bad).

June 18th. Know it.

-Lucas

Saturday: Raccoon

2010-03-15T12:28:00.000+13:00

Friday: Sloth

2010-03-15T12:27:00.000+13:00

Thursday: Hippopotami

2010-03-13T04:09:00.001+13:00

I call her Suzanne.

-Lucas

Wednesday: Fish

2010-03-13T03:43:00.000+13:00

Since the post is late, the sketch was quick. But don't tell it that.

(click to get to know him better)

I'll post the next two later today (or tomorrow. These ain't my taxes).

-Lucas

Tuesday: Swine Fever!

2010-03-10T06:37:00.000+13:00

It's the second day of my week-long Daily Draw-Off with Magda, and the beast of the day is the mighty pig! My opponent struck first, revealing her beastly boar this morning.

(click for a slightly larger view)

I wait in gleeful anticipation for tomorrow's entry: FISH!

Until Wednesday,

-Lucas

Monday: Bear

2010-03-09T13:04:00.000+13:00

As promised, this week is The Daily Draw-Off (yeah, I just made up that name. Jealous?) bewteen me and Magda. Monday's beast is BEARS. While my competitor created an impressive monstrosity, I hope that you might be equally dazzled by my humble offering:

"Only you can prevent the unlawful disposal of hazardous waste."

I call him Joshua. (click on him for a closer look)

Keep checking out both my and Magda's blogs every day this week, as the monstrous marathon of maniacle mutations continues!

Tomorrow: SWINE!

-Lucas

twentysomething.

2010-03-05T10:20:00.000+13:00

Dear everyone,
Yesterday was my birthday, and in honour of me managing to live this long without somehow choking to death on a shoelace, I am giving you a gift. The gift of more drawings by me.

Now I am going to tell you something exciting.

Earlier this week, Magda and I formulated a sort of drawing tournament-- a draw-off, if you will. In the spirit of our last sketchbook challenge (see below), the permeating theme is warped and distorted animals. Here are the rules (oh yes, I made rules. Cartoons are serious business, you know):

The tournament will occur throughout all of next week. Each day both participants will post their respective doodles depicting a particular animal assigned to that day of the week. The schedule is:
• MONDAY - Bear
• TUESDAY - Pig
• WEDNESDAY - Fish
• THURSDAY - Hippopotamus
• FRIDAY - Sloth
• SATURDAY - Raccoon
• And on SUNDAY participants will create a mash-up; A cross between any two of the aforementioned beasts. A genetic abomination. A beastly amalgamation that would offend the very nature of existence. A totally awesome monster.

So it seems we all have something to look forward to in the coming week.
I'll see you very soon, and a happy belated birthday to myself!

-Lucas

Radioactive Rabbits with Rocket Rollerskates and Rabies

2010-03-02T06:07:00.001+13:00

Aloha,

I apologize for taking this long to fulfill my pledge to post with mind-breaking regularity. I just finished work on the first two seasons of Waybuloo for the BBC, so I have, regrettably, had little time to give this blog the love and attention it (and you, dear friends) so greatly deserves.

And with that I preface the main event. A few weeks ago, as incentive for both of us to keep our blogs updated and running like pantyhose, I challenged my ever-so-beloved friend Magda to regular theme-based blog posts. I, being the clear leader in this doodle campaign, set the theme: Mutant Rabbits. Any-which-way you could find to bash, mash, break or bend a rabbit was the fundamental objective. Accepting my challenge, she came to the table with this, to which I now retort:

"SQUREEETCH!"

The ball is now in her proverbial court. (It's her turn to pick a theme)

So that's just a taste of the copious cartoon calamities that my sketchbook has quietly accrued. I will be back wicked soon with more.

Peace,
-Luctimus Prime

In preparation for a new year

2010-01-04T20:58:00.000+13:00

Well hey-howdy-hey, aloha and bonjour!

As your trustworthy eyeballs might have already told you, I have opted to kick off the new year with-- among other things-- a new blog. Though not but a blank cyber-canvas now, soon this barren barroness will be flooded with words, pictures, videos, doodles, dingles, dongles, dingos, and just maybe a few puppets. The old, puppet-free blog can still be found here.

This year I plan to post with increasingly impressive regularity, so please check back often, because I never see you any more. What happened to us?

So that's the long and the short of it. I hope that 2010 brings us all much joy (and a robot butler or two).

Cheers,
-Lucas