#industryQ

[38sr]

Hi! I love MAWS it’s so good!! It’s literally changed my mind on Superman as character bc he was never one of my favorite DC characters until now!

I have a story boarding question if you don’t mind!

What’s your process for starting to board a scene? Do you thumbnail out first? Do you look at reference?

I want to be a storyboard artist but it‘s daunting to start the actual boarding process because I don’t really know how to start? #industryQs

Hello hello!!! Aw, thank you so much for enjoying the show! Hopefully you and fans will also love the second season once it comes out~ Oh, my process for storyboarding. Well for reference, I've only worked on script-driven shows which means there are writers who write the scripts as opposed to board-driven shows where board artists are writing dialogue on top of doing the storyboards. So when I'm first given a script I (obviously) read it and ask a lot questions to my director (if possible the writer) for things that are for sure needed to be there. Usually this can be like "Hey, throughout the section a character is feeling this emotion" or "Make sure the screen direction is this because of this other element". For me, these are like tentpoles I place down and work within so that I'm giving what my director wants. But once I ask the questions and read the script way too many times, I make very bad thumbnail drawings on post-it notes haha. Normally if I get a good script, I can clearly see the images in my head and quickly put it down on paper (and it's not very good haha, it's more like this is the composition I want). Sometimes I don't see certain parts as clearly and I'll ask my director for feedback/advice and we work together to put it all on paper. Sometimes I do look at references if I'm stuck on a section or I really liked how a show did a shot and I wanna dissect that further. It's all very dependent on the episode in how much I look at references and how many questions I'll ask, but that's pretty much how I start. Even if it's for personal stuff that I'm not writing a script for I still just get the ideas down on paper first and ask my friends to roast me haha. It doesn't really matter if I make the most perfect drawings because if it doesn't work, if it doesn't flow well, if the visual storytelling isn't solid, then doing all that embellishment I did is wasted. That's why I always tell myself it doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to work. After that, I go into doing actual roughs in Storyboard Pro and might change shots to enhance the shot flow or start adding character acting. But again, it's not clean or very good drawings. I draw mannequins and make sure the heights/proportions are right for composition reasons and get everything down so my director can edit my work and provide feedback. But yeah, a lot of my process in the beginning is getting the ideas down on paper first and making sure it works before embellishing it. It can be very easy to wanna make one beautiful shot and not distribute that energy equally across a whole sequence. I want the whole sequence to be good, not just that one shot. Once that's all said and done (meaning I've gotten my director's feedback and such), that's when I clean up and make the boards more presentable for the final pitch. For me, storyboarding is a marathon and matter of making a good shot flow rather than flashy boards. Get it down on paper, edit out what does and doesn't work (asking for feedback helps with this step), embellish once I have the foundation down. Not every board artist does this but this is pretty much my process haha. I hope that answered your question!

#industryQ #animation industry #animation #storyboarding #anon #ask #send me anons #send me asks #txt

[norahtrent61-blog]

#Electronic goodselectronic goods industryelectronic goods sectorelectronic goods productselectronicelectronic industryq

[38sr]

not sure if this necessary qualifies as an #industryQs but any tips for doing line art that does just look like i’m drawing a coloring sheet if that makes sense? idk something just feels clunky and off about it compared to others art (including yours which is awesome btw)

Oh hmmmmmmm, well honestly my lineart is a result of my handwriting being pure cursive. So, I normally suggest people to practice writing in cursive haha. It might be a weird suggestion, but penmanship classes actually helped me a lot with understanding line depth and control throughout my art journey. If you think about it, writing in cursive is about using one line (or the least amount) to write a whole word. That requires control of pen pressure and when to curve, make short strokes, long strokes, etc. The more you practice that, the more decisive you are with your line making.

For this drawing, I used a thicker, gritty brush and you probably can't tell but I'm using a combination of long and short strokes to help push the pen pressure (or really the line thickness from the brush).

All the red lines are long, singular strokes that have a bit more variation in line thickness unlike the blue lines (mainly the hair) which have the same line thickness. Personally when I see young artists start out, the line weight feels heavy and flat because there's not a lot of confidence in the line making. More strokes doesn't always mean a better line. Knowing when to use a long or short stroke can drastically change the "look" of a line. And the extra cool thing about it is that it can be applied to any pen/brush you use:

In this drawing, I'm using a brush that has no pen pressure whatsoever. The line weight/thickness doesn't change regardless if I'm using a long or short stroke and yet it doesn't feel flat.

But something like this starts combining line with form (human body, fabric, hair, etc.). Which for myself was good way for me to learn how to depict form more decisively (and accurately) since I couldn't rely on line weight to make thicker strokes. So, I would say try practicing writing in cursive to help feel more comfortable with line making. A common practice is writing the English alphabet in one stroke (it's possible trust me haha) or the least amount of strokes possible. Also drawing/writing strictly in ink traditionally can help you think more about what lines you want to make since it's more permanent. At least that's what helped me, so don't feel like to have to do any of this if it doesn't work for you. ^^; I hope that answered your question!

#industryQ #line art #anon #ask #send me anons #send me asks #txt

[38sr]

Hello! I was reading through the asks you've answered and I saw that you use CSP Ex for animation line work but Opentoonz for color/fill-- is there a reason why you don't animate everything in Opentoonz? I ask because although I primarily draw/paint with CSP Pro, I've been practicing animation with Opentoonz because it's free and I'm hesitant to pay for the upgrade to CSP Ex

No worries at all!! Well there really isn't any grand answer other than I've been using CSP EX since I was 19 (7 years as of 2023). When I bought the program in college, I just couldn't afford Harmony or TVPaint and absolutely hated the UI interface for Adobe Animate, Character Animator and Photoshop. OpenToonz wasn't even a thing yet (or at least open to the public yet) so when I stumbled across CSP I tried it out. And it stuck with me! I just prefer CSP UI interface more because personally it feels the most natural to drawing/animating on paper while still having the option to do vector or raster layers. And once the animation feature came out, I just never went back haha. I do admit it's not perfect and can use some updating (audio scrubbing, symbols similar to Animate, optimize canvas playback, etc.) but after 7 years I just got comfortable with it I guess. It's not that I wouldn't suggest using OpenToonz (especially if it fits within your budget). It's just that the program would constantly crash if I tried to do anything beyond color/fill work. ^^; I guess my CPU specs don't really match well with the program so I won't force something that doesn't work.

But yeah, if you're on the fence about CSP EX I would say it's worth it in the long run. Compared to Harmony (which I paid $1K and some change for the discounted industry professional license, you can imagine what the full price is) you're getting your moneys worth with a one time purchase instead of the monthly/annual subscription model every software has decided to follow (which isn't ideal for people who can't afford that reoccurring expense). Overall, work what's best for you and your needs! I find it impressive to see other animators find workarounds that fit within their means. So if OpenToonz works for you, then I wouldn't pressure you to change your methods haha.

I hope that answered your question!

#industryq #animation industry #animation software #clip studio paint #opentoonz #anon #ask #send me anons #send me asks #ani #animation

[38sr]

#IndustryQ (maybe?)

Right now I don't have a laptop, do you think is possible to start learning animation on the iPad and then later on try to translate what I learnt there to the animation industry apps?

I don't see why not! Art supplies can be expensive (from tools to software) so if you feel like an iPad works with your budget, then that's okay. Not everyone can afford a 24in Cintiq or the entire Adobe Suite. Sometimes you gotta make do with what you got. But nowadays there are so many more affordable options that I would never tell someone that they can only buy a specific set of equipment. I remember back in college when I saw how crazy expensive Harmony and TVPaint was and felt heartbroken that I couldn't afford it. But then I discovered Clip Studio Paint and have been using that program for 7 years after only paying $250 for a perpetual license. And now I primarily use it for my work in Japanese productions. If it works, it works. You don't need to break the bank to achieve your dreams, you just gotta think of creative solutions.

But if you do wanna work in the animation industry (US specific), I would suggest you to at least learn how to use the software many studios use (ToonBoom Suite, Adobe, etc). Your drawing skills can always be transferred over but learning how to use the program will always give you an advantage when applying to jobs. Some productions don't train green artists and some do train new artists how to use the programs (it's always a gamble). So it never hurts to learn.

Until you're financial able to make that sort of investment (yes, it is an investment), work with what you got! There's nothing wrong about it and many people in the industry are impressed when you're able to produce major studio level work with means that aren't major studio level. If you can work off an iPad and make good work, your output will only be maximized when you're given the industry level tools (and most studios provide the computers and software anyway so you don't have to pay). I hope that answered your question!

#industryq #animation industry #animation equipment #ask #send me asks

[38sr]

Hi Li! I've been trying to make sure my portfolio is strong enough for a studio or contract position. I usually lean toward character design and storyboards but I'd like to start incorporating background design as well. Do you have any tips on what to include for that?

#industryQs

Hello! Unfortunately, I'm not a background designer so I wouldn't know where to start with that. ^^; But! My suggestion would be to study industry professionals who mainly focus on background design and reviewed their website, tumblr, instagram, etc. Sometimes the best way to learn is to look at other people's work. Sorry I can't be much of help since BG design is not my forte but I hope researching professional BG artists helps!

#industryq #animation industry #background desing #portfoilo #ask #send me asks

[38sr]

Hey! How you're doing? I just wanted to ask you if you're a major in art and that's how you got into the industry or if you're a self-taught person and even though they accepted you in the industry. I hope it doesn't sound rude (my english is not really good so sometimes I can't phrase things the way I mean lol) but I just want to know if I'll only have a chance to get into the the industry if I have a diploma or something like that (I'm a self-taught artist). Thank you so much and I really love your art! Wish you the best always.

No worries at all and your English is perfectly fine! I actually answered a question similar to this a while back and you can read my thoughts here.

#industryq #animation industry #art school #college #ask #anon #send me anons #send me asks

[38sr]

#industryQ(?)

as someone who’s also from NYC and thinking of applying to the Nick program during the summer, During the Nick job what was it like moving from NYC to California?-NYC anon

Hello NYC anon! Oh gosh moving cross country was such a whirlwind of events and yet it's already been 3 years...wow time flies. Thinking back, I was so overwhelmed with the sudden change (along with a pandemic happening 3 months into moving to California) that it feels like such a blur. At first, it did feel lonely 'cause I had no family in California (I live with my sister now) and I had very few friends I met online that was in the area. Luckily, Nickelodeon reserved a hotel room for me for an entire month so I could look for an apartment. I believe that's only specific to the Artist Program and not for the internships. So anyone who doesn't live in California and wants to apply just know that the Program does its best to help you out when you move here in California.

But yeah, I would describe my experience kind of like a "culture shock"? California is just a different mindset compared to NY and even now 3 years later I still go, "Why are the people here like this????" I don't necessarily hate it, it's just different. But it does take a moment to acclimate if you're a true New Yorker through and through. My sister who I live with prefers the vibe in California more than NY but then again she's always wanted to live here so she adjusted very quick haha. Overall, it was a quick but exciting time in my life and I don't know if I'll stay forever (depends how the industry and the universe turns out as time goes on). I would just suggest if you ever wanna move out to California (LA specific), try to take a couple trips first to see if you like the area and get an idea of pricing, homes/apartments, etc. It can be easy to just wanna move to a new place but it's always important to do research especially since, like NY, California is VERY expensive. So plan smartly if you can.

I hope that answered your question!

#industryQ #animation industry #moving to california #ask #anon #send me anons #send me asks

[38sr]

#industryQ Can I ask what was your favorite thing to animate last year was? Professional or Personal project.

Oh hands down this shot I did for Castlevania Nocturne. I spent hours getting the slight drag on the harpie's boob right and it's my greatest work EVER.

#no one but me will notice this #and that's what i love about it #so many people think my favorite things to animate are sakuga fights and stuff #but in reality i love animating the most mundane and practically invisible things the average person would never noticed #animation #industryqs #animation industry #castlevania nocturne #ask #anon #send me anons #send me asks

[38sr]

Hi! Hope you're having a good day

Sorry to be a bother, I wanted to ask how do you make sure that the character design remains consistant while drawing/animating different perspectives..?

Hello Anon! You're not a bother at all! Hmmm, to be honest maintaining consistency is a result of developing solid drawing skills over time (like since high school). There are tricks you can use like flipping (flipping back and forth between key frames while drawing) or arcs (using curved arcs at certain anchor points to maintain line of motion and volume). But if I'm being honest, having solid draftsmanship skills in animation is super important whether the designs are complex or simple. It's hard to explain but I just visualize the character and motion in a 3D space in my head and try my best to translate that onto a 2D plane. And that was a skill I developed while improving my draftsmanship skills during college and when I started working in animation professionally. Also, I studied a lot of Kihyun Ryu and Ilkwang Kim (famously known for their work on Legend of Korra and Voltron) which has a heavy emphasis on solid volumetric drawing when it comes to the human body. There are other artists I study like Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion Rebuild movies), Tadashi Hiramatsu (Parastye), Mamoru Hosoda (The Girl Who Leapt through Time) who also have that same core of strong volumetric drawing (but I would argue for those they are very skilled at simplifying their line work and shape language to fit that anime aesthetic). So it's really a combination of things but I'd say solid drawing skills can carry you a very long way if you're able to look at a design and break down everything into simple shapes and develop the ability to visualize those shapes in a 3D space. At this point in my career, it's become second hand nature to me but I still think I have much more to improve. I hope that answered your question!

#anon #ask #animation #industryQs #send me anons #send me asks #txt

[38sr]

#industryQs any tips and how to break into the industry? also any tips on what a portfolio should and shouldn't have?

Hello Shannina! I've actually answered these questions before so you can refer to these previous asks: Networking

Portfolios vs Resumes How Hard is it to Break into Animation? How I Broke into Animation What Should be in a Portfolio? Do You Need to Have a Specific Style?

#animation #animation industry #industryQs #ask #send me asks #txt

[38sr]

As someone who wants to work in character design or storyboarding, how difficult is it to get into that industry? Do you need a bachelor’s degree or is it just recommended and how did you get your foot in the door? #industryQ’s

Forgot to mention this but if you are a U.S. citizen you do not need a degree to work in animation but if you are an international artist you do need a degree to qualify for work visas and sponsorships. I don't have much information about this since I am a U.S. citizen but I just wanted to give that clarification since I didn't in the video response.

#industryQs #animation #animation industry #breaking into animation #ask #send me asks #video response

[38sr]

This is a bit long, but how long had you been working in the animation industry before you began working on Superman and now Spiderman? And how long have you spent practicing animation as a whole?

#industryQs

Oh! Well, I started animating when I was 16 so now it's been 11 years since I've practicing animation (I turn 27 next week as of this post).

As for when I started working in animation, my very first job was working on Sesame Street (yes, that Sesame Street) in 2017. I was an animation intern that assisted in animation retakes for Elmo's Wonderful World and other animated projects in the studio. So it's been....holy cow 6 years in total haha. So for Superman and Spider-Man I started those projects back in 2021 (4 years into working in animation). Sadly, I no longer work on Spider-Man Freshman Year due to being laid off last November (corporate BS reasoning as usual). I hope that answered your question!

#ask #industryQs #animation industry #send me asks #send me anons #txt

[38sr]

#industryQ hi had question I’m currently learning animation student and like had question for u about how get into industry and aslo do u Need degree ti get into like big animation company’s since I currently trying to get animation certification wasn’t sure if I could get in job for animation if I having certificate I hope I making sense aslo do have any advice for beginners animation aslo out curiosity what type softwares for animating do u suggest? I hope my question makes sense aslo love ur art sm

Hello Super! I actually answered a question about whether or not a college degree is needed to pursue animation a while back (you can see the previous ask here). As for your question about advice for animation beginners, hmmmmmm, honestly what got me to where I am today is studying the 12 animation principles heavily and also applying those 12 principles in my personal work/portfolio. I think a lot of people wanna do the super cool action sequences first but the greatest animators out there have a super solid understanding of the 12 animation principles and that's why they can make such amazing animated pieces. I like to think of the 12 principles as lego blocks that you can build on top of each other to create something bigger and greater. But in order to do that, you gotta understand how each principle works and how you can apply them in different ways to create different effects/feelings (ex. if you combine timing/spacing with easing you can achieve the principle of anticipation). I know it sounds boring but developing the skill to identify and analyze when, how and why an animator uses a certain principle will help you out in the long run. Take the time to watch your favorite animated sequence and test yourself if you can identify what principle they are using to make it look cool and appealing! I do this all the time and it's helped build my visual library for when I animate haha. But yeah, I would say for beginners get those fundamentals down! As for programs, well honestly I don't really have any recommendations since it depends on the person. I personally use Clip Studio since I work on animes but honestly whatever works for you (and your budget of course). There's Clip Studio, Procreate dreams, Rough animator, OpenToonz, Harmony, Krita, Sai, Adobe Animate and more. I would say test each one out and see what works best for you! 'Cause at the end of the day you're still going to be using the same 12 principles haha.

#ask #animation industry #industryQs #animation #txt #send me asks #send me anons

[38sr]

#industryQs ! hullo! aspiring storyboard artist here! been trying to get into a creative role for 10+ yrs and counting 😭 was wondering if industry storyboard expectations are closer to anim roughs and should i aim for that rather than a couple key drawings? thank you!

#industryQs #animation industry #storyboarding #storyboards #ask #send me asks #video response

[38sr]

Hi! I have learned a lot from you videos and i notice you used clip studio paint. Im sorry if you had this as before and if so ignore this message but. What are your clip studio settings or the type of layout you use since i would like to practice knowing the rigth brushes and setting that they use in the industry. Thanks for your time and stay hydrated!! Oh and thanks for the videos they are really educational!!

Hello Anon! If you're asking about animating brushes I've already answered this in a previous ask. But in general, I use default brushes with default settings (like G-pen). No custom settings. Even for the ones in the previous ask I have set on default settings. This is just a me thing but I don't care much for customization since I just need it to work haha. There really isn't a "right" or "industry professional" brush because each production is different according their art direction/design and every artist has different tastes. And as for layouts, those templates are different from production to production and are provided to me when I work on a show. But in general we are working 1920x1080 and 24 fps for standard TV animation.

#txt #ask #animation industry #industryQs