"Gesture Drawing" by Walt Stanchfield

So I just read this entire 214 page pdf today (quick, but amazing read) and it has completely opened my mind to all of the ins and outs of gesture drawing. There isn't a published book version and the editor has cleared it to be spread on the Internet, so consider this my gift to you. This brilliant book is by one of the Disney greats, Walt Stanchfield, and is composed of notes from his gesture drawing classes and compiled in this amazing reference. The link to the pdf is below. I HIGHLY recommend reading it. Enjoy!

http://www.floobynooby.com/pdfs/gesturedrawingforanimation.pdf

-S

Portland's Central Eastside District: A Blurb on My Neighborhood's Awesome History in Pictures

I did this post for my work's blog and liked it so much that heck, I figured I'd mimic it here. The post is below.

C.1871. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/historic_portland.html)

 C.1874. East Portland near Southeast Oak Street. (Photo courtesy of http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonhistory/historical_records/dspDocument.cfm?doc_ID=0002137B-1688-1E6E-891B80B0527200A7)

 Old John was one of the last Indians to be relocated, resisting as long as he could while settlers came in and developed the land. (Photo and info courtesy of  https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/214638)

 C.1884. The children are standing near the intersection of Southeast 6th Avenue and Morrison Street. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#1)

 C.1892. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/historic_portland.html)

C.1898. According to the Portland Archives and Records Center, "this rendering details the various operations at the Wolff & Zwicker Iron Works... among other things, the plant built torpedo boats for the U.S. Navy" (Photo and quote courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#3). The plant was located in the Central Eastside Industrial District.

 

C.1898. One of the torpedo boats under construction at the Wolff & Zwicker Iron Works. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#2)

C.1915. Large wooden ships being built at the Supple & Ballin Yards at the foot of Southeast Belmonth Street. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#5)

C.1919. Southeast Grand Avenue looking north of Morrison Street. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#6)

C. 1926. Aerial view of Portland. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#7)

 C.1939. Portland's NE Union Grand and Burnside. (Photo and info courtesy of https://vintageportland.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/a2005-001-668-ne-union-grand-and-burnside-1939.jpg)

 C. 1940s. Old cars and cobblestones. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#20)

 C.1960s. Advertisement for a suburb in Eastern Portland. (Photo and info courtesy of https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/214638)

C.1963. Aerial view of Portland with the Hawthorne Bridge in the middle of the image. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#30)

  C.1964. Aerial view overlooking the Central Eastside. (Photo and info courtesy of http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2015/01/the_central_question_eastside.html#31)

Morningside Hospital was a place for the mentally ill and was torn down in 1968 after most of their patients, who were from Alaska, moved back to their homeland. The land was then developed to become Mall 205. (Photo and info courtesy of https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/214638)

 C.1988. According to this source, "In 1988, the Central Eastside was adopted as an official district of the Central City with new policy direction to 'Preserve the Central Eastside as an industrial sanctuary...'." But it is also attracting knowledge and design businesses due to the urban industrial style while developers are trying to change it with condos and non-industrial projects within the industrialized areas. (Photo, quote, and info are courtesy of https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/491196)

That't all for today! If you can, please follow this blog and my work's blog.

 

 

Keep Going...

Fill the world with your work and go for your dreams. If you don't make work, nobody will see it, and you'll never reach your goals. Some inspirational quotes/speeches:

• "It is better to risk starving to death than surrender. If you give up on your dreams, what's left?" -Jim Carrey

Those of you who know me, know I have been fighting a long, hard battle with depression and anxiety for about 8 years now. My biggest block to breaking into the industry has been myself and I am very aware of it. The work and notes up here is just as much for myself as it is for you guys. So don't be like me and let yourself stand in the way, go for what you want and keep going.

 

(Photo courtesy of http://dontgiveupworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/keepgoingperfectbattleinspirationwordsquotes-b2ec9a54de8cf547d9a69f0785be6312_h.jpg)

To see some of my older work, check out my website:  http://rosered.carbonmade.com/

To see my more current work and updates, follow me on FB here: https://www.facebook.com/rosered91sarahsteele

Night all! Happy Tuesday!

P.S.--I will try and update my website in due time when I feel I have something truly great to show. Until then, I will be uploading process pieces and such to my FB.

Animating in Photoshop

I found out yesterday that is completely and utterly possible to animate in Photoshop. The Youtube tutorial and link I referenced are below. You're welcome. It's awesome. Sorry about the creepy Sumo Wrestler animation though. Other than that, the dude in the video is super helpful. No more words are needed except... run and play!



Night all!

-S

The Purpose of a Second Bachelor's Degree: a.k.a. I'm Not Crazy, I Promise

I get a lot of odd looks and reactions when I tell people that yes, I am in fact getting a second Bachelor's Degree. These range anywhere from "What the hell are you doing here?" to "Stop wasting your money on a degree you already have" to "You're too smart to take up your time with that." People are basically telling me that school ends for an artist once they graduate from their Bachelor's. I'm here to tell them: "You're wrong."

(Photo courtesy of http://i.imgur.com/wZU0q.jpg)

So Why the Second Degree?
First of all, a Master's degree is for someone who is already well-versed in something to master at it, meaning that you need to actually KNOW your major. For those of you who know me, you're aware that I got my first BFA in Sequential Art (Art in Sequencing), aka Comics/Film Design/Creative Writing/Self-Publishing with a double minor in Business and Storyboarding. I fell in love with comics and will continue to make them til the day I die, but the industry I've had my eye on is Animation and Film.

I'd love to storyboard and direct animated feature films someday while developing myself more fully in the comics industry. There's just one problem... I don't actually know how to animate, and in order to succeed in any aspect of the animation industry, you should know how to animate so you know the medium inside and out. A great knowledge of animation is also useful to make your characters and panels come alive in comics and avoid stiff and static visual storytelling.

So basically, I want to be more flexible and learn animation, the tool of one of my trades. But if I don't know how to do it, should I get my Master's degree in it? I say HELLS NO. Be patient, go through another BFA, and learn your damn trade. So that's where I stand. There's also the benefit of me having the first two years of foundation arts classes done since I already went through them at my past art school. So overall, a 2-year BFA? Yes please. It's the smartest option for me.

And for those of you who say artists don't have anywhere to go after their first degree clearly need to learn more about our industry. Yes, it's a competitive one, but it's a steady and good one that you CAN survive in. All hope is not lost. You just have to be stubborn, patient, and hard-working. Two of these I have, one (patience) I'm working on.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.newkidscenter.com/Dealing-with-a-Stubborn-Child.html)

What Are the Benefits of a Second Bachelor's Degree?

•  You have the Career Services people as a resource. This is MUCH easier, if you have the right kind of people, than trying to get into the industry on your own.
• There's more chances for networking, especially across fields. I networked in the comics industry with my first degree and now I get to network in the animation industry. Can it get any better?
• More knowledge. Knowledge is power and the entertainment industry is constantly changing. The more you can learn, the better.
• Knowledge in a more specific field. In your first Bachelor's, you're just figuring out what you want to do. By the second one, you can finally focus on what you want to do and use your resources to get there instead of wasting time experimenting.
• Up-to-date resources. Resources are expensive and softwares are constantly changing, and in the arts, they're usually about $500-$1000 apiece average. Then there's the equipment, which costs even more. With a part-time schedule and full use of these things, you set yourself up for success.
• Studio space. It's about the same price as renting your own studio, but you get to be in a productive atmosphere around creative people versus being in an empty apartment or storefront. It doesn't get better than that.

 (Photo courtesy of http://www.shifteast.com/asia-trends/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3.JPG)

Still think I'm crazy? Feel free to pick my brain and I'll happily convince you I'm not... or I may just be out of my mind, but all the best people are so I welcome it.

Have a great day all!

-S

P.S.--I just started my own Facebook Artist page that I will be updating semi-regularly with my work. Please like my page when you get the chance and you'll get the latest and greatest about my work and professional career! https://www.facebook.com/rosered91sarahsteele

Patience: Part II

Patience is a lost art. Part of experimentation and art is trying to feel your way around the unknown. The lack of it can be great for spontaneity, but once you get through roughing your work out you need to slow things down and focus enough to work things out. Most of creative work does take patience, in all honesty. You need to be able to slow things down enough to finish your work. Patience may seem like a natural and passive thing, but it is a muscle that needs to be actively developed. If you learn to discipline yourself, you will grow in skill. But if you stay impatient and quit everything when you're bored, you'll constantly be settling for "just good enough" instead of your full potential, then life will never be what you want it to be.

(Photo courtesy of http://cdn3.steadystrength.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Patience.png)

How to Develop It

• Stay optimistic.
• Realizing the value in any situation and staying positive will help you relax.
• Don't assume and don't be afraid.
• We too often tend to assume the worst, which is many times rarely the truth. At the same time, don't let your fears get the best of you. Barrel through them and give everything your best. Just remember... good things come to those who wait. If you're not willing to wait it out and let the fruits of your labor do their work, then maybe what you think you want isn't what you actually want. If you really want what you need to be patient for, then the wait will make it all the much better.
• Try to enjoy the ride and be excited by the wait. 
• Instead of dreading the wait, learn to live it out. You don't know how long the ride will take and by the time you get what you want, you don't know if your life will be done by then or how long the moment will last if it will last at all. Enjoy the learning experiences and don't forget the journey is most of the fun, so learn to enjoy it a little.
• Don't ever EVER give up.
• Quitters never win and winners never quit. That is... unless you're quitting drugs or some kind of terrible addiction. In that case, quitters always win.

(Photo courtesy of http://summercampprogramdirector.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/skills_linus.jpg)

 

The Benefits of Developing Patience

• Reduces stress levels and produces a happier and longer life.
•  Anxious people are sick the most, are the most stressed, and forget to breathe throughout life instead of smell the roses. Don't be that person.
• Results in better decision-making and less mistakes.
• Impulsive behavior creates stupid mistakes and decisions that will often times repeat themselves if you don't slow down and use that brain of yours.
• Helps you develop understanding, empathy, and compassion.
• In tough situations, you are able to put yourself in other peoples' shoes. This allows you to think more clearly and be able to be there for other people and/or be the bigger (wo)man.
• It gives you an advantage.
• While other people freak out, you are calm and collected. How badass is that?!
• Helps you appreciate the journey. 
•  With hard work comes great reward. Fortune cookies tell the truth.
• Creates success.
• Behind every "overnight success" is 15 years of success, or so the saying goes. Successful people work hard and practice steady patience to develop their skills/knowledge and climb the ladder. There are no shortcuts in the big leagues. You have to be willing to go the extra mile to get what you want.

(Photo courtesy of https://runluaurun.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/relaxed_kitten.jpg)

Some Practice Exercises 

• Practice thinking before you speak.
• Blurting out creates mistakes and regrets. More often than not you burn bridges this way, but be warned... you have to go back over those bridges many times through life. Thinking before you speak=more relationships. You might even hate the person, but everybody goes through bad days and some people are miserable people. So take the high road.
• Practice delaying gratification.
• Try gardening. You get to work with your hands, be out in nature, and breathe some fresh air. It also teaches you to take the time and enjoy caring for something that will not show itself right away.
• Try to slow things down.
• Reading is a great helping tool, and I'm not talking about the Internet. Crack open an old-fashioned book. Reading through the entire thing takes time... and patience. It is also enormously enjoyable. So go for it. Slow things down and enjoy the damn thing.
• Unplug from social media and the computer when you can. I get that our society basically runs on social media, I even do it for a living, but set apart a time every day to unplug and unwind. It will help yourself focus.
• Meditation is immensely popular and incredibly helpful. Try it sometime with some candles, smooth sounds, and an otherwise quiet space. It will help you unwind.
• Yoga is a great combination of exercise and meditation. You are also able to sweat out all of the bad toxins and anxieties in the process.
• Try to pick something to better in patience every single day.
• Make every day a little bit better and a little bit more progressive than the previous one, even if it's by one tiny step.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.prolificliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DoYourPractice.jpg)

References

• Blackwell, Alex. "The Art of Patience." The BridgeMaker: Inspiration When You Need It. N.p., 12 May 2014. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.thebridgemaker.com/the-art-of-patience/>.

• Edberg, Henrik. "How to Improve Your Patience: 7 Thoughts from the Last 500 Years." The Positivity Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2010/09/16/patience/>.

• Hereford, Zorka. "Patience - Tips On How To Develop It." Patience & Tips On How To Develop It. Essential Life Skills, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/patience.html>.

• Ursillo, Dave. "7 Unconventional Ways to Develop Patience." Dave Ursillo. Lead Without Followers, LLC., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.daveursillo.com/7-unconventional-ways-to-develop-patience/>. 

Random Art Work of Mine
Some sketches of my living room I did this week.

 

 

As always, comments are welcome. Follow me if you enjoy the blog. Until next time, night all!

-S

Patience... A Constant Struggle: Part I

A well-known fact about me: I am NOT a patient person.

(GIF courtesy of https://s3.amazonaws.com/giphymedia/media/JZYu4g0Fk4J1e/giphy.gif)

I speed when I drive, I have TERRIBLE road rage (if you've ever been in a car with me, you know), I have a bit of a temper, and I CONSTANTLY talk about what I should be doing or where I should be going. It's always one thing or the other. I have all sorts of wanderlust and want to live in Portland (my current location... please don't stalk me), Oxford, London, Paris, and Ireland all at once or I'll never end up over there (at least in my head). I must start my own animation company, work at various animation studios, work in my current job, edit comics, direct live action and animated movies while writing the scripts and doing the storyboards, own and manage my own book store, be a professor, an author/graphic novelist, illustrator, translator, train horses again, and become bigger than Walt Disney all at once. I need to have my 2nd Bachelor's (this one in Animation), my Master's (in Cinematography, Graphic Design, International Communications, and French), and my PHD (in Russian, Russian Doll-Making, and Design) all at once as well. I also want to know over 13 languages when I'm barely learning my 2nd (French). I want to master everything in the arts, yet I have trouble sitting past 1-2 hours at a time. I can't even sit through more than one movie anymore without getting fidgety. So no, I am definitely not a patient person at all.

A little well-known fact about me: I was a VERY patient kid.

(Photo courtesy of http://northshorekid.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/post_photo/events/kids_thanksgiving-yoga_workshop.jpg)

In elementary school, I was so frustrated that I couldn't draw Mickey Mouse that I sat myself down for 5-6 hours straight and drew his face nonstop. I can still draw it from memory. I'd read for, what seemed like, days at a time (pure heaven), and I'd have whole 24-hour marathons of Disney movies whenever I felt like it (and if my parents didn't put a stop to it). I'd play video games on long car rides, I'd sit and draw or paint. If I didn't have soccer, I would've done nothing but sit and been perfectly happy.

For the longest time, I wondered... where did it go? Did I use it all up? Did I lose it somewhere? Did the Internet steal it or adulthood knock it out of me?

 (Photo courtesy of http://img.piczep.com/medium/4/looking%20for%20dog_1.jpg)

I think part of it is that I'm a dreamer. I want goals that are seriously ridiculous in height. I'm 23 years old right now and you know what I thought or wanted to have accomplished by now? Two or three of my books would be published, I'd be working at Disney or Pixar or Laika (etc.) and in the comics industry at the same time. I'd have my own animation studio on the side with enough influence to give the bigger studios a run for their money. I'd be in, at least, my Master's education, or possibly PHD. Life would be good. But the reality is I'm financially struggling out of both student loan and credit card debt while attempting to be financially independent AND paying for another Bachelor's degree, I'm not even halfway through writing my novel, and I'm struggling with school and with sitting down long enough to get work done. I'm taking anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, and focus meds while needing sleep aids to calm myself down enough to sleep. I'm looking at planning/paying for a wedding/honeymoon, but don't have the time to tackle it.

I do have the man of my dreams and two stupid fur babies though who make so much of it worth it. But still, it's tough.

(My Kyle and I at our surprise engagement party)

(Fur Baby #1)

(Me with Fur Baby #2)

I'm also at that point in my life where everybody my age is having kids. I in NO WAY want kids right now. But I'm thinking more when I'm in the 28-30 range, which isn't too far from now (scary, right?), and I'm worrying about how I'm gonna pay for a house and support kids, even then.

There's also the part of the Internet and the instant-gratification society we currently live in, especially in the U.S.. We all want things NOW, NOW, NOW. If the Internet takes more than 2 seconds to load, we get annoyed or twitchy. We order fast food, but they take a minute or so longer than we'd like and we get grumpy. Many people no longer read (I DO read, by the way), but look for instant bits of information/skim through websites just to get what they need and move on. This as an alternative to going through the library and taking your time with your research. Modern-day society and technology sets us up to be impatient and it's difficult going against the grain when this is the culture you grow up in.

 (Photo courtesy of http://www.justshuddup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/everything-you-want-right-now.jpg)

And last, but not least, it's being out in the "real world." I never realized how easy I had it in high school. I was far ahead of my class in the arts, so I won many awards and praised all the time. I didn't have to pay bills or think about supporting myself, which left more time for focusing on my craft and my homework (I also didn't have a social life... or much of one, anyway). Another thing about not being low on money is that it allowed me to dream easier about doing whatever it takes to break into the industry, even if it meant working for free or camping out at studios (I'm not insane, I swear). It was easier not to think about what I'd have to do for work until I got there IF I didn't get in. But surely I'd get in because my mom says I will, right? Right? Things don't come easy in the real world. People who don't make it in the industry don't make it necessarily because they're not qualified. In fact, many of them are very qualified. They don't make it because they don't keep at it long enough and don't keep that patience. It takes an average of 7 years out of undergrad to make your name in the industry. I'm only 2 years out and I'm going crazy.

What can I say? Life ain't fair.

(Photo courtesy of http://cdn29.elitedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/large5.jpg)

So, you see, patience is a necessary part of life. You need to stick it out. But what happens if you've lost it all? How do you gain it back? I've done a lot of research on the subject, but I won't tell you just yet. You need to wait until Thursday for Part II of this post. Call it... a little test on patience (and possibly my hubris, since I'm assuming you're not only interested enough to take a peek at my blog on Thursday, but that you're also interested enough that you'll NEED patience due to your level of caring about this very subject). Until then, I'll leave you with the link to this incredible article on patience. It has helped me immensely.

http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2010/09/16/patience/

Until Thursday, best of luck to you all! I'll even post a bit of art then too (oy, with the hubris already!). :P

(Photo courtesy of http://www.startupmuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Captura-de-pantalla-2010-01-03-a-las-20.20.07.png)

-S

Some Concepts From My Book

I know I haven't been posting art really at all lately and I'd like to start changing that. Below are some concepts from my book. Keep in mind, they are just concepts, so some of these sketches are not purely my ideas (I like to play around with other peoples' styles to develop mine more). When things are more put together, however, they will be purely my ideas though. I am not a believer in stealing, so please don't sue me.

Anyways, here they are. I hope to post more every now and then in the future to show you guys that I didn't just fall off the face of the earth, I just kinda hibernate in it instead.

 

Night all! As always, comments are welcome.