Jamaal Bradley

...reach...

2012-01-21T15:31:00.000-08:00

yeah brother...keep reaching, because there is always something to strive for...even if you think you have attained everything

...searching heads...

2012-01-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

just searching for a head design...happened to have these scanned

Sergio Pablos Part 1: Acting, Entertainment, & Variation

2011-12-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

I decided to make another animation video for 2012. I played with the idea of a live webinar series, bit I think there would be more benefit to having a downloadable turorial. I sent out an email asking the people who purchased the first video and I received some great feedback. The name of the video currently is: "Acting, Entertainment, & Variation"...but keep this one as an option ("Acting, Performance, & Entertainment"). My last video focused on workflow and not the thoughts behind the acting. I touched a little on some of the aspects of it but I will dive deep into acting on this installment. Not only will I be talking about it, I will be talking with inspiring veterans. So far I will be talking to James Baxter, Sergio Pablos, & Kristof Serrand.

-This is very exciting

...drawings on a lazy day...

2011-12-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

... I am always drawing but its just a matter of scanning and posting. I wish there was an instant scan or something attached to a drawing pad. The new Wacom toy looks nice but I will wait for the version that can read a larger drawing surface. Any way..here are a few that I did on a Saturday at home. When Croods is over I will post some of my thumbnails and pose studies for my shots.. who knows maybe some will get into "The Art of Croods" .....that would be cool...

Acting,Entertainment, & Variation: Video Flowchart/ Work in Progress

2011-11-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

I decided to create the next video much differently than the first. I asked for a lot of feedback from the people who picked it up and I got some great ideas. There were things people liked and other parts that could be enhanced. I really appreciate all of the great information I have been writing things out and planning accordingly. This flow chart is apart of the layout of how the video will be created. The red blocks represent major areas of discussion and the topics/details are underneath. Its pretty simple in concept but will make a better user experience. I will continue to refine this as I move forward and the chart will get a little bigger as well

thanks again guys

-jamaal

CTN EXPO: Live Animation

2011-10-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

I will be at the CTN EXPO this year animating live at the iAnimate Booth. If you are there, you can ask me questions of any kind while I work away on a shot. This should be a fun event as always! I like getting to see the people I havent worked with in a while as well as seeing all of the goodies the artists have to offer. I will be animating for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday. Jason Ryan will be at the booth as well as a few other instructors from the iAnimate school.

Hope to see you there!

Pressure Anim & New iAnimate Character....new Video Tutorial on the way!!!

2011-09-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is the animation I created for the "...from Planning to Polish..." video. There are few things I can do to it but I am not going to touch it. The purpose was to show how I go from start to end on this kind of shot. I am going to be working on another video that will talk about the thought process behind going through the two extremes of acting in one shot; subtle and broad. I am working out the details of how to discuss it as well as figuring out the exact type of animation that will help reinforce the ideas. We talk about many things in the studio as animators and most of it comes from time and experience. Thats probably the biggest benefit of working in production...having access to the different experiences of other animators and the things they have discovered through their journeys. This video wont be as long but I plan on giving a lot of good information...

stay tuned...

This is another great rig created by Victor Vinyals for iAnimate. I will be using this character for the new video. I will post more information very soon!

...focusing on your work...

2011-09-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

this is an original drawing from Treasure Planet by Sergio and I was geeked to get it. Its rare to get a hold of any of his stuff so it was nice to add it to my collection.... and I will never tell where I got it from!

Its not surprising to hear that the people you look up to were and are hard workers. I have heard many stories about different animators. One story was about Sergio Pablos who painstakingly inbetweened his own work on Treasure Planet. It was his way of making sure his performances were exactly what he wanted. I never had the honor of working with him but everyone that has had the pleasure states that he is a very focused animator (as most of the top guys are). With the way we work today you can find that there are many distractions in the workplace...ESPECIALLY with the damn internet. You can get pulled away in an instant if you do not FOCUS. If you think about the way any great professional in history had to work to get things done some things will become clear. Imagine being up on a skyscraper during the industrial age, putting in some rivets, and suddenly getting on Facebook to post something real dumb. You probably would have lost your life not to mention doing a half ass job on an 80 story building. Its an extreme example but you get the idea.

...No More Teaching...(for now)

2011-08-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

(maintaining a students perspective) I have taught two terms at iAnimate and I have to say the experience has been very enlightening. Teaching your process and going through it over and over again, you find out a lot of things especially about yourself as an animator. This piece of knowledge has led me to the decision of taking a break from teaching for a bit. I plan on focusing even more on my animation and acting. Extreme focus on acting which will include reading more books on the subject, workshops, and personal study. I am not going to pretend I know everything about what I do for a living, so I will continue to learn, refine, and add to the little I do know. Hopefully the young guys who were in my class benefited from the information I gave them. There are many goals I have not achieved in this field that I really want to reach....so with that being said, I am off to work on the next project. "..I feel inspired by the challenge that I stand eye to eye with, to move like a wise warrior and not a coward..."

life long student of this.....

-JB

"..iLLs.." Rough Pencil Test

2011-07-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

So...I finally got another animation desk and I vowed not to do any 3D animation at the house for a while. I have been working on some character designs and I wanted to see if the designs held up. This is a quick movement test, but I will have to do some more advanced ones before moving forward with the design. I feel rejuvenated flipping the paper again!

...too many to scan at the moment....

2011-07-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

...its been a while since I posted but I am always doing something. I have many drawings I wanted to post on the site but my scanner is not hooked up at the moment. Here is the wall behind me in my workspace at Dreamworks. I am trying to fill up the whole wall...I am sure it will be filled but ...not sure if they will move me from this space...

-keep grindin'

"...from Planning to Polish...": Promotional Teaser

2011-06-14T07:52:00.001-07:00

"...from Planning to Polish..." is a 3 hour, 3 part video that takes a shot from planning to final presentation. Using 8 steps, the videos demonstrates one of the workflows I use when I am working.

Trailer edited by: Larry Vasquez

Maximus from Tangled: Short Idea

2011-06-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

...So while I was on Tangled I had the opportunity to pitch 3 short ideas based on parts of the movie. I was spending a few hours at home writing and drawing and came up with some ideas. I sat with directors Nathan Greno, Byron Howard, an the producer Roy Conly. It was a pretty cool and laid back meeting. At the end, the conclusion was if I came up with a good idea using Maximus that would be great. I started posting images on a board outside of my office and asked people to put up drawings that could possibly get some juices going....I guess we got pretty busy on Tangled so not much got posted.... These images were a part of an idea I threw around with fellow animator Patrick Osborne. Patrick did a few illustrations in Photoshop that looked great!

Oh well it was a good try. Funny thing... There is a Tangled short in production starring none other than...Maximus.

Curious to see what it's about.

keep grinding

-jamaal

"...from Planning to Polish..." is NOW AVAILABLE

2011-06-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this video for a while now. This slowed up a bit transitioning from Disney to Dreamworks, but I kept pushing forward. This is a 3hour video demonstration in 3 parts. I go through one of my workflows with a character animation shot. You can read more about the video by clicking the image and that will also take you to the store.

This can be a great resource if you are learning about animation, considering becoming one, or just curious about the process, "...from Planning to Polish..." could be something to interest you!

-jamaal

...rhthym in poses...

2011-05-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

an image I use in one of my class discussions

...European Twist...

2011-04-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

"...draw draw draw.... draw until I leave this place.. hopefully what I draw will put a smile on someones face.."

-jbradley

I saw this cool looking guy and his stance look like a GQ pose. They style was definitely European but I am not sure of his nationality. Man I love drawing. There is something really rewarding about messing around with a pencil and creating anything that comes to your mind. I usually draw people and faces...as most people who probably draw. There has to be some deep psychological meaning behind why we create and re-create ourselves in various forms...hmm I think I will go look it up again.

all the best people

Jamaal

The Death of Mother Gothel.

2011-04-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Now that I am teaching my students are really developing their process and overall approach. I have spoken a lot to them about working in a fashion where they refine their poses. Stepped mode (this is where the software plays your animation back jumping from one pose to the next.) is the method I usually work in; not to be confused with pose to pose animation, but a way to create overall appeal to the work. The biggest part of this animation where Mother Gothel is running towards the mirror and goes crazy was done almost straight ahead. I planned out the poses I wanted to hit, but I felt to capture the energy I had to work through the physical aspects as quick as she was performing them.

This shot was really fun to animate and preparing for it was a good challenge. I had no representation for the cloth she was going to grab so I had to feel where her hands would be and keep them close as if they were holding that fabric...pretending it had some give as well as a bit of elasticity .

Keep grinding as usual guys!

-Jamaal

...Emotional Beats...

2011-02-19T16:00:00.001-08:00

Every shot and sequence in a movie has emotional tones that bring the audience closer to the characters (pretty basic in terms of character development). The emotions may change in an instant but for the most part they carry through from a good portion of time. This drawing was the main emotional beat I used for one of my shots in Tangled. I created many different poses but this was the one that really gave me the feeling of confusion and naivety. Rapunzel was a smart girl but was manipulated by Gothel to the ways of the world outside of the tower. I thought this emotion was captured in this drawing.

...create anything...Mashugana

2010-12-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

...more drawings with more ideas behind them. I had an idea for a kid named Mashugana which is a Yiddish word for 'crazy person'. There is a cool idea behind it but you never know who is reading your blog...so I will keep it under wraps even though it may never see the light of day. Thats probably why all artists are Mashugana's...

keep creating anyway.

...iAnimate & so can you!...

2010-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

So the time has come to give back just a bit more...

I have wanted to teach for a while and I decided that the time is here. Jason Ryan and I have been speaking for a while and his passion for animation is everything that I expected. Being able to work with someone who loves their job just as much as you means a lot. This made my decision even easier. Starting January of 2011 I will be teaching with one of the newest animation schools...iAnimate! Not only will I be teaching, I will be offering a downloadable shot walkthrough that goes step by step from planning to polishing your shot. iAnimate (this link will take you to pricing) also offers a nice range of options for those who are on a budget and want to learn how to animate from professionals who are working in the industry. I love that this option exists because I know that a lot of people have a hard time with paying for school.....there are options! This is going to be a fun ride for me and I am sure you are going to be seeing some cool things coming out of the school. Click the links, go to the site, and see if you want to learn how to maybe get into a fun career.

all the best

Jamaal

Being An Animator: A Small Perspective

2010-11-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Imitating life! I spend most of my life imitating it. As humans we mimic what is around us a lot. The clothes we wear, the hairstyles we get, movies we create, the stories we write, and many people imitate people they know or heard of. So being an animator I watch everything around me and analyze it even more. We create motions and give performances that people can relate to. Interesting that we would want to see more and more of what we witness all the time in our daily lives. Magic or extraordinary events are used a lot in stories to break you from reality but for the most part you get a decent chunk of what you already know. Does that make our perspective small or is it just that we need the familiar. The familiar makes us feel safe even in animation.

I don't think the outlook on what you can do is small, I feel it is just this on going curiosity with who we are. Why we do the things we do and can we become better. Even with that being said, being a better person is relative to the individual. So does being more familiar with what's around you make you a better animator and how do you measure your worth on this planet if you all you do is mimic it?

...maybe too deep....?

...characters and gesture drawning @ Disney...

2010-09-26T16:54:00.001-07:00

Last week I actually had time to go and enjoy some gesture drawing. It was a real good feeling for the soul. I love animating and doing hand drawn animation is a great feeling because your doing both; creating life and drawing. I guess that is why I love working on my thumbnails before I touch the computer. Anyway... getting back at it.

...more process & sketching...

2010-09-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

These first set of thumbnails are for a test I am doing at work using the Prep & Landing characters that is not production related. I am just getting used to working the the characters and rig. I finished up my work on the short and wanted to continue some acting exploration. We will be hitting the ground running on something new in January. It has not been announced yet so I cant really say anything about it.

Again my process always begins with thumbnails. I like to start with drawings since I can play with things a little bit faster. It is kind of like shooting reference because I get up and act out to the dialogue but without the camera rolling. I hit body postures and then exaggerate them on paper. I then shoot reference to look for interesting nuances that I can add within my performance. I am currently working on something that will hopefully be helpful to aspiring animators that gives a good sense on how feature quality animation is created from various perspectives.

These are just some sketches I did while waiting for Maya to do its thing.

2 NEW Trailers for Disney's Tangled

2010-09-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

...US version...

International Version

...so many stories but just animating all the time...

2010-08-29T18:07:00.001-07:00

I found these drawings in a sketch pad then the light went off as I slowly remembered the story I was developing (not digging the poses of the arms too much, bad comp). One of the things I really enjoyed about Art school was being able to explore all aspects of my creativity. Today it still helps me with my animation because I can try and dig deep into the characters head, I think of think of drawing and sculpture when I pose the character, I think of drawing appealing shapes when I pose the mouth and eyes, I think of character design and gesture drawing as I move the character (personality and different defining traits that you get from life). All of these aspects of art school are not necessary to learn to be an animator, but I look at it like this...

...if make tires for a living and don't understand how all of the other parts of the car affect the tires, then you may be making a mediocre tire...

...things happen from hard work...

2010-08-09T21:57:00.001-07:00

Man I remember sitting in Georgia in this room with roaches climbing up the wall and just working away trying to be an animator. I would sleep for a few hours wake up and continue going (this was after I quit my job as a manager at the Gap trying to pay for grad school). I was still doing both 2D and 3D animation. Going back and forth from my homemade pencil test machine back to Maya which was running slow as hell on my crappy computer that I purchased from so 'good 'ol boys' computer store in the sticks. I dont know how many times I watch that Tarzan extra disk with Glen and Bruce talking about animating their characters. There are so many people in the world who have the same story. "To watch and learn from these amazing artists, only to end up working with them" Walking in the Disney hallways means more than just making it to the Mouse House. It meant being where discoveries were made, being where this amazing rebirth of animation started, the place that gave birth to Dreamworks and Pixar, and being next to people who love the art of animation as much as you do. I never NEVER would have guess that I was going to get to work with Glen during my career and be right down the hall from Bruce Smith. They both inspired me while I was struggling and have given me even more drive as an animator. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with them and still have the chance to learn more from them both. I am even more grateful for my mother sacrificing things so that I could pursue my dreams.

Grateful for the shots I received on Tangled and thanks to the Directors for making it an enjoyable experience.

...Tangeled Animation comes to an end..kinda...

2010-08-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I posted....

Since November of 2009 we have been going hard and it was definitely the smallest crew that I have worked with. Everyone gave over 100 percent and we are hoping that the film does well. The name change has been beatin' down by people and the studio has been talked about in all kinds of ways; positive and negative.

My opinion is this:

a studio is a place that houses artist to create products for a consumer. The product has to make money to keep the house functioning as well as put money in the hands of the creators. You can only control what is in front of you and let your voice be heard where it can make an impact. If you are making a positive role for yourself in any workplace, you will eventually be seen and heard. If you care about your peers than help them by lifting them up. If you point out something negative than back it with something positive. Your energy spills over to everything around you and then spreads from there. I have heard negative guys and people that just talk too damn much at all the studios I have been at and they all have the same personalities, the same tendencies, and always seem to find people who will listen to their rants. You don't have to listen and you don't have to associate with them... pretty simple concept huh. It may make your career that much more enjoyable.

With all that being said the guys who animated on Tangled have worked hard. HARD! The negative talk in and outside of the studio has not affected the drive and passion of the people who worked on the movie. If the words have done anything, I would have to say that it has inspired us to continue being better at what we do no matter where we work. Some people will enjoy the movie and some will not. All we can ask is that the fans of animation support the people who help create the film and have a good time with your families.

hungry as every... jamaalb.

...Entertainment...

2010-05-31T13:13:00.001-07:00

When I got to Disney I had a few sit downs with Glen and i asked him about his earlier moments at the studio. I was curious about when he was learning early on from some of the remaining 9 Old Men. Studying under Ollie Johnston was one of the most eye opening experiences for him he told me. He told me a story about doing test animations and how he had some nice movements down, but some of his peers had the movement and just a little something more that he wasn't getting right away. He couldn't put his finger on it and when he went to speak with Ollie about the tests he was doing, the thing he learned to add to his animation was ENTERTAINMENT. Ollie told him that he wants to be entertained when he watches animation and that Glen should strive to put that in his work. This was a small but big gem that he gave me my first month in at the studio. "Dont forget to entertain when you are digging into the emotions of the character". There is a way to get the thoughts of the character across and entertain the audience at the same time. Entertainment will not always be showy and wacky animation, but also things the audience can relate to.

So I basically added the understanding that when people go to the theater to watch our work...they are screaming out....

ENTERTAIN ME!

Drawings telling you to DRAW!

2010-05-23T17:19:00.001-07:00

I follow a few blogs and most of the guys and gals I check out work in production as well... so I am sure the day to day job slows everyone on posting to blogs; including the kid. I came into my office today and started flipping the 2D animation I started and noticed one of the drawings looked like it was saying "...pick up the pencil..." Anyway work has been very hectic and everyone is putting in overtime. I have been planning my final series of shots which is going to be another level of acting for me ( I am looking forward to blocking these out).

During the last several weeks of the movie I am going to be working on an additional blog that will not be ongoing but a presentation for aspiring animators!

Have you ever watched an animated movie and wonder who did what shot? Who are the guys making these characters come to life? My favorite thing to do with my Disney DVD's is pausing the end credits and see who worked on what characters. I have all of them pretty much memorized at this point, but for CG animation you cant really do that. I decided that for TANGLED I am going to create a blog that has pictures of all the animators who worked on the movie a long with one of their favorite shots and a description of how they created it..... or whatever they want to say about it. I think that animation fans will get a big kick out of it.

I am going to post some of the doodles that I have done during production... waiting for playblasts, planning shots, waiting for shots to come up in dailies, or just during my lunch break.

thanks for being interested

-JB

...How To Train Your Dragon...

2010-04-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

I don't really review movies but I have to say that Dreamworks latest movie is strong beyond belief. I saw it on opening night with my wife and we were both blown away. It is the kind of movie that would make a kid want to be an industry creative or just work in the arts on that type of production. Its good to see a well balanced animated movie with action and heart. When you get on a roller coaster and you want to go again, that was a well constructed ride. I am really excited to own this movie and I am hoping that they put out a good double disk, but that is not really a Dreamworks thing.

I must have liked it a lot to do a drawing based off of the movie..shiiii

The Strength of a Team: Part 2

2010-04-11T15:43:00.001-07:00

Moving forward together! As creative people we all have ideas that we think are good and will enhance the team’s efforts. There has always been a major issue when everyone has a “good idea”… the issue being too many chefs in the kitchen. The team members have to come together at some point on the strongest idea and most of the group needs to step back and let the leaders push forward. So it may not feel like you are moving forward together but for the sake of getting things done efficiently, most of us have to bite our tongues.

This is not a bad thing; it is just the way it is. A lot of studios have been developed out of the frustration of working for the larger ones. The feeling of not having your ideas heard leads to a lot of creative people wanting to get their vision out to the public… “let’s start a studio!” Eventually that studio will also become a place where other ideas are placed on the back burner because no matter where you are too many chefs spoil the soup.

Moving forward together is not about everyone having a ‘say’… it is about everyone on the team working in their role to the best of their ability and understanding the goals at hand. When the time comes for you to have your voice heard, make sure you are able to articulate with a sense of the higher level goals in mind. If you are asked to share your visions with the rest of the team, put your best foot forward and then you may get a bigger chance to shine. You will inspire others to do the same and make the team stronger.

The Strength of a Team: Part 1

2010-04-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest components of a strong team is the bond. The bond is built by the coach...team leader...etc. They are in charge of creating the foundation, culture, and path to success. This task is what will help make the team feel secure and believe in the leadership. Then the team relies on every individual.

The team looks to each other as family. Of course there will be disagreements (just like a biological family) and other issues that arise but everyone understands that no one person is above the team. If anything, the team members will push each other to be better. If the team members do not believe in itself entirely or if the bond has been tainted in a way that makes the outlook towards success questionable, then failure is eminent. Not because the team is going to purposefully do a bad job, but that the COMPLETE FOCUS of the team is not on the finish line. The vision becomes distorted.

The focus goes towards selfish reasons to do a good job.

If the opposite of the above is in place...the focus of working hard becomes selfless and leans in the direction of making something great that the team can be proud of. Over time something great happens... the team begins to learn from each other and understands how one another thinks. The bond becomes very strong and everyone is making the trek towards the finish line TOGETHER with the intention of winning. The formula is pretty simple: take care of your people and they will take care of you.

Push Forward!

...learning...

2010-03-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

So many times I sat and worked with the making of stuff repeating over and over. Glen and Bruce popping up on the screen and making animation sound like the best job in the world. Andreas speaking on the animators that came before us and being so passionate about the work. So many animators who passed through the doors of Disney and left some kind of mark. The privilege of being around the guys who got learn from the 9 Old Men or the few that were still around to learn from is priceless. I had a taste of that history, that effort of passing down the knowledge that was given long ago. Sitting talking with Glen and Bruce have been some of the greatest moments in my animation career thus far.

I have no idea what my fate is going to be at the studio... but what is fate...

the student

a little wiser

...still working on the intro...

2010-03-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

these are some of the main keys for the dancing part... I am flushing out the turning around to begin the dialogue. It is taking forever to work on this but its nice to do so when I have time between walking a tight rope. Man it has been several years since I have "really" animated some refined 2D work. hard to see this clip..whatever

...walking a tight rope...

2010-03-20T23:04:00.001-07:00

... poses...?

2010-03-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

Pencil Test Depot: New Title Page

2010-02-28T20:32:00.001-08:00

I finally got tired of looking at the lame logo at the top of the Pencil Test Depot. This idea was inspired by a character that BJ is going to animate for the site at some point. In the meantime, I wanted to get something up there that had a bit more fun to it. CLICK THE PIC and check out some of the new posts!

...really...do you know what you sound like..??!!

2010-02-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

Don't hurt your peers if you are at a studio by spreading negativity... Don't be a cancer and make the people around you feel bad about where they work. Do your co-workers a favor .... shut up!!!

...Release the Excess...

more studies

2010-02-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

knowing where to push the face and body has been an ongoing process for me and it will probably continue for a while. I found that drawing has helped me more and more in CG animation. The biggest thing I have found to be helpful is pushing all areas of the body to make a powerful impact. It is really fun to go way beyond with extreme poses and it is challenging to find the right balance sometimes; especially when dealing with realistic looking characters. Finding landmarks has been around since animation started. Using areas of the face and body that can be distorted and taken back to their original position is a great tool. Anyway, I was just drawing a bunch of stuff thinking about what I need to work on tomorrow in my shot and this is one of the few things I sketched. I am actually animating Rapunzel at the moment so this was just a test since I cant really show any of my pre pro stuff from the movie.

...???.insearch of the Golden Animation Reel.. (not really)???...

2010-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

I have been reading and hearing a lot of conversations about studios, layoffs, projects, and so many negative things about the animation industry that my head hurts. All the conversations led to someone asking me why my reel was not posted on my blog so that studios could access it easily. I don't like thinking about reel too much, especially while I am trying to animate. Everyone thinks of their work differently and how it makes an impact on them personally. At the end of the day, we all have to find jobs and provide a good life for our families. Their are a lot of people I look up to; animators and artists a like. Most of the influential creatives have always tried to make a personal achievement within their work. Trying to perfect a brush stroke, sculpting the human form with precision, understanding anatomy through drawing, or just pushing the next level of your acting.

So it is just my opinion that focusing on what will look good on my reel will distract me from pushing my work. I like to say to myself..."focus on the subtext of your shot, the performance, make sure the mechanics are working, and think of interesting ways of handling your characters.... and guess what will happen...."

Your reel will take care of itself

"...Kick The Ball..."

2010-01-30T17:22:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to work really hard at the office and the days are flying by. I was on Facebook and I have to say it was pretty cool to meet up with people you haven't seen in years. As time passed I began to not speak to those people as much and they spoke less to me. It is just what it is... you grow apart from people and create lives as adults. Its cool to link up every once in a while to touch base. My career has taken me far away from where I grew up and only so many people stayed close to me. With that being said, Facebook has become another distraction for me personally. The constant glance at the site only to see someone has gained 100 crops in Farmville..? WTF is Farmville or am I just becoming old. It was fun while it lasted. I have to focus more than ever in 2010 because my family needs it.

...day 44 @ Disney...

2010-01-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Today was the 44th day at Disney... no there is no significance to the number or day. I just was curious about how long I had been there and to be honest it feels like I have been there for years. Everyone is open and the team is pushing together. I have been working away on my shots that are due this week; polishing and refining stuff. Even though the picture looks like I am going crazy...it is probably more like the stare of go hard or go home. I made this sketch between playblasts. I will do another sketch on day 88 or maybe sooner.

key frame: #2

2010-01-10T21:25:00.001-08:00

this is probably going to take me forever just because the amount of work I have to do in the studio and my thoughts are really focused on that... but I want to create this 2D piece as well so I am using whatever little time I get (between work and family) to create it. This is the second key pose out of the 6 I have made so far. I am exploring acting choices that will fit with the dialogue I recorded. I remember reading up a few animators that I look up to and one of the things that holds true is the amount of time spent finding those poses that will make the character come to life. I will keep trying to push and hopefully this thing will come out moving... I will try my best for believability.

...New Year...new stories...new ideas...new animation...

2010-01-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

well I guess this is an idea that is carrying over from the end of last year, but it is still new. The character designs and head model sheets I created for the cartoon version of myself are for an intro. (link the the head sheet: HEAD-SHEET) Between working at the studio and writing, I have been trying to hash out what the intro should look like. I got a flash and something came to me a few days ago. I roughed out a few versions but I think this was the one I am leaning more towards. This is just some rough thumbnails of how I see the character coming into the frame and starting. It should be a really short 2D animation but I want it to look as professional as I can get it. This is good for my nephew to see and hopefully he can use this in the future.

I think it should come out ok, but I am really going to have to squeeze it in since I am going to be working a lot of hours. Sunday nights look like my best bet for trying to get this idea finished...

...digging up the past on New Years eve...

2009-12-31T20:51:00.000-08:00

I was going through old sketchbooks and notepads. Besides a bunch of stories and character designs I found something I had no idea how to create at the time. My first job in the 3D animation world was at a start up game studio. I was thrown into the lead animator roll after a few weeks and it was a true learning experience. I had no clue how to create an animation pipeline that would be effective for getting us from the beginning of the game to the end. The pipeline had to show the back and forth between the different departments and not just what the animators output. I wanted to post this because it is kind of a release to see that I could do this. I really appreciate John Sicat (EA Creative Director now!) for giving me the chance to prove myself. We have been good friends since then. You can do anything I guess when the pressure is on you to perform. Like Al Pacino said in Devils Advocate, "...pressure changes everything....some people focus..others fold"

stay focused in the new year!

...new Rapunzel image released...

2009-12-30T20:58:00.000-08:00

This image was posted by disneypixar.fr. and has the two main characters facing off. I am sure there will be many more to come.

take a break from drawing and draw?

2009-12-27T22:31:00.001-08:00

researching some stuff for work and drawing some ideas..but I took a break and kept drawing. I used to love the Looney Tunes stuff that was drawn in the real world even though it looked odd. For some reason I was amazed by it and still at that point I didnt know I could do animation for a living (very young age). I found some fantastic stuff and I think it is really going to help out for next year. I will probably stop in the office tomorrow and work out some things that have been popping into my head over the weekend. I also had time to help my wife out with a logo for her math education blog.

If you have kids and need a good way to get them excited about math, my wife is creating an area that will give exposure to great ways of learning math. It incorporates real life situations, videos, and information that can help them excel in class. I will give an update when it goes live. Here is a sneak peek at what the logo looks like so far.

HI-HO....HI-HO its off to... (lack of posts)

2009-12-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

Aww Man homie... I have not been posting much stuff here or the Pencil Test Depot, but I did put 2 new pencil tests up go take a peek at PencilTestDepot. I showed my first shots for production today. 6 shots for the movie within the same sequence. I blocked out all six and wanted to show them before the holiday break. I didnt want to come back and have to wait for the directors to see...or just sit on the ideas that long period. I was able to show and got some good notes that I can hit the ground running when we get back. This wasnt the first animation I showed. The first bit of work I did was with the main villain of the movie. That test got sent off to simulation so that we could see everything working as a whole. I cant wait to see what it looks like.

Anyway... feels like going to the office everyday with the "Bruce Leroy" glow! Excited to be at work and eager to keep pushing forward to help make the production be something we all can be proud of.

Animation: A Labor of Love

2009-12-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

Animation has always been a big part of my life. I used to sit in front of the TV at a young age and watch anything that was animated, even episodes of My Little Pony. I just loved cartoons at a young age. When my mother couldnt get us toys she would give me a stack of paper and pencils. Being a teacher, my mother had more than enough of both. My grandmothers house was just another place that fueled my head with ideas. Now that I am working as an animator, I think back to all those days. The moments of trying stuff, mimicking other artists, and just being curious. Animation is hard work and it is work that I love. I try so hard to be better, more creative, strong mentally, innovative, and so many other things to be good as I can be. Staying humble and remembering the struggle is what keeps me going day after day. I remember eating crap and staying up until the sun showed up for a new day and how that was a regular way of living. For me, animation is hard. I try so hard to get the ideas and character out of my mind and on to the screen, I am literally drained by the end of the day. I try hard because I want my mother and brother to be proud of me. I want my grandmothers to smile down on me and be happy their grandson is still trying. Trying to be someone they can be proud of.

JB

...Santa and Hannukah Harry are on the way...

2009-12-10T22:22:00.000-08:00

The holidays are creeping up and I have been grinding at work pretty hard. Going in early and trying to push. I hope everyone gets to have a good holiday this year. I drew another yearly HOBO SANTA. I have a few of these I draw during the holiday season... something about the holidays and hobos... This is not the happiest mixture but I always find it interesting. I am in the middle of coloring this one... fingers crossed for the outcome.

***Disney Update: I have been working on a something to hopefully help define one of the characters for the movie. Its not set in stone but I have been getting some really positive feedback and I look forward to really trying some powerful acting.

...first day at Disney...and new character stuff

2009-11-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

So today was my first day at Disney and I was pretty 'geeked up'. You are already siked about it but once you walk through the doors its an even better feeling than you expected. Met with some old friends and spoke with Glen K. My friend and I walked around the studio and he introduced me to some of the team. I have to say that the projects look amazing and the artists are at the top of their game. Walking into an "animation" studio with so much history...a history that I have soaked up for a long time really hit me hard. I am eager and excited... a bit more than excited. My office door is open!

On another note... more art for JBToon and one of the last Key Frames from a test I am starting.

JSBToon: SECOND PASS. Head Poses

2009-11-23T22:21:00.000-08:00

After playing with the shapes and placement of things, I think I got a good workable head. The rough drawings really felt good when trying to discover the best turning shapes. This was always one of my favorite things with 2D animation; creating the model sheets. It can be tough trying to figure out how the character turns, but the discoveries are worth it. There may be more evolution when the animation is started and I sure it will be for the best.

...going back to Cali..Cali... Cali...

2009-11-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

the day I was leaving to come back to California I did a sketch of my wife and I. She says I never draw us so...NO.. I dont like drawing myself. Just is a coincidence this month I guess. I made the cartoon version and played around a bit more. Kind of like our Cali post card. Dont be surprised if this gets used for parties or some other kind of invitation (insert address here). You see I left some space... ok.. back to drawing model sheets. oh! and I just realized that the shirt I am wearing is damn near the same color as the logo dude..uck

..a few months back...

2009-11-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

When I started getting the 2D animation bug again, I started playing around with a thumbnail mock up of sorts. Just playing around with some ideas and thoughts.

JSBToon: FIRST PASS

2009-11-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

So in an effort to continue pushing my animation skill set I decided to create an animated intro for this site. Began to work out the facial shapes and structure. I have to refine the placement of everything so that the character will be solid when I start the animation. The body is still a work in progress. Not sure if I want to go with the thick to thin arms or anatomically stylized. I am going to be way more anal in this animation than the pencil test I posted. That was a fun exercise that got me really pumped to animated full steam ahead at home and work. (DONT FORGET TO SPEND TIME WITH THE WIFE SUCKA!!!) This should be an interesting undertaking after all of these years but there are no real excuses not to do it. Anyway..there will be some more stuff to come as I press on. Thanks to BJ for some extra inspiration. THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS FOR ME IS TO DRAW OVER THIS SKETCHES AND REFINE THE FACE SO I CAN ANIMATE IT EASIER.

-jb

Walt Disney Animation

2009-11-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

In a few weeks I will be starting my position as an animator at Disney. My career has been a journey that seems to be never ending. I started out chasing the dream of becoming a 2D animator and always had Disney in my sights, but there was a time when 2D animation was coming to a hault and I had to jump on the computer if I was to have a higher chance of working as a feature animator. The funny thing is the entire time I was in Los Angeles I never applied to Disney. I can honestly say if it wasnt for one of the Disney featurettes, I probably wouldnt have continued to animate. I remember sitting in my room in grad school night after night getting frustrated, but I saw this guy on one of the DVD's and I was blown away even more. The idea that he was working there gave me more hope of being an animator. I started to really focus even more and pressed forward. NOW the idea that I get to work a long side soooo many people I respect is a major thing, not just in my career but my life as well. I try so hard not to take for granted what I do for a living. We as animators/ artists are given the opportunity to do something that is rare. Some people got on the path easier than others and some get there by sweating for it. Either way you have to appreciate what you do for a living and remember to continue to do what got you to this point, because it is what made you.

...Black Warrior...Pencils

2009-10-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

When I first started animating I was turned on to these pencils... Black Warrior... I have to say that I became addicted. When I moved up to the NW, I had a panic because only office stores carried them and none of the stores here had them in stock. I had like 3 pencils left and the way I sharpen pencils...the go fast, even with the pencil extenders. Well obviously this character isnt me but...eh

pre-color: WildCart full concept

2009-10-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

this is the full concept of my front page. I made it in 3 sections so that I could play with the depth of field. This was actually for a larger concept that I had, but here is a piece of what I was thinking before the color

...everyday I'm rustling...

2009-10-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

since I have been in transitioning and living in temp housing...I have been drawing on an ironing board and sometimes taking my laptop, opening a blank page, laying it flat open, and using it for a lite table. I guess its roughing it, but its better than drawing on the floor...been there, done that...but it does remind me of my childhood laying on the floor and watching cartoons.

...no storyboards...?

2009-10-15T10:10:00.001-07:00

I remember working on a project and someone talked about how storyboards were overrated... I felt disoriented and dizzy by the statement, like I was about to go into cardiac arrest. I know not every story person works with boards, but I know most AT LEAST work with thumbnails or beat boards to visualize their idea. So in essence, they are working with a type of story board.

item_03: col-erase 20044

2009-10-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

the blue col-erase 20044. Sounds like a weapon, but I guess for most artists it is. This is has been my choice for many years. Even before I got deep deep into animation I used to mimic the comic book artists who had rough examples in Wizard magazine. You can see it all over Florian Satzinger's blog (great work). A definite must have for all artist and animators who love to draw, but there are a few similar pencils that 'kinda' have the same feel... buy em' by the box because they go fast (CLICK ON THE PICTURE)!

old.Man-O-Steel

2009-10-14T00:10:00.000-07:00

diggin in the crates. came across some older images that I had some fun with.

Lack of Posts: Preparing for Transition.. On to the next one!

2009-10-11T02:30:00.001-07:00

So I have had a lack of posts here on my blog, but putting a lot of posts at the Pencil Test Depot I am sure that will slow over the next month. I am moving back to Los Angeles and I have been preparing the move as well as mentally for the next part of my career. A lot of research and sketching... It has been an eye opener and refreshing to get back into the student mind state. I have always put it in my mind that I have a long way to go in my animation career (I will probably still be saying that at age 60). Funny how the path has been...and I have to thank my wife for being very strong through this transition. Its funny to see how you inspire someone with drive and passion...at the same time how you are inspired by someones calm and peaceful outlook on life. The perfect balance and another reason why I love my wife. New posts soon...

keep grindin'

CB: Head Pass 2

2009-09-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

these are some head passes I did on a character. Some are a little off model, but the idea of what I want is there. keep plugging away.

Pencil Test Depot: first posts..NOW UP!

2009-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

Pencil Test Depot (click here to see)

I created this blog because I was tired of going all over looking at pencil tests. I also have a bunch I have collected over the years that I will share with all of the people who like looking at rough animation by good animators. I have always found them very valuable and I have always studied them. Now there will be an easy way to access them from anywhere.

Enjoy

line up...

2009-09-02T22:32:00.001-07:00

design ..design ..and more design. Trying to make the best of the time when I work in my home office. Generating ideas and concepts.

...brass monkey...

2009-06-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

I was going through some of my old folders and found concepts from a project that never took flight with this online group. The concept was pretty funny, but you know how things go sometimes...draw draw draw and nada. Its cool though..I was excited at the time..."the experiences thats all you have are the experiences"

the project... character 4

2009-06-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

this was the fourth character design I created months back and when I started to do his head turn sheet, he needed a hat. I based his first hat from Lee Van Cleef then tried another. Ultimately I went back to my first idea. The other designs will be show in the sketch files/ making of.

Meet the Spy: RELEASED

2009-05-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

so the short that I co-directed with Andrew Burke and Aaron Halifax got leaked early on the internet. The writing was done by Erik Wolpaw and Jay Pinkerton...funny stuff. Major thanks to Lars Jensvold, Jason Brashill, Mike Stevens, Bill Fletcher and Keith Huggins for helping us make it come all together.

Meet the Spy

Hope you enjoy it.

Cartoon Brew...thanks for all the great compliments

c.bradley

2009-02-05T00:04:00.001-08:00

bottles...

2009-01-25T22:25:00.000-08:00

...2009...

2009-01-15T22:24:00.001-08:00

new ventures... and new horizons... and a bigger release

yes sir...get them while you can..

2008-12-30T20:44:00.001-08:00

so I have been wanting these for my collection for a while.. I saw the Calvin and Hobbes collection a while ago but it is was some $$$ and something always came up which stopped me from purchasing it. Luckily Nicole remembered that I wanted it and gave me a good surprise. Two good surprises! I had a feeling that the Batman Animated Series: The Complete Collection would be released as a bundle but it was just a speculation. A few months ago I saw it and was geeking, but still didn't want to shell out the ends at that time. If you love animation and art both of these are worth the money. I fell in love with the animated Batman and Bruce Timm's take on it. I was in high school when it came out and I watched it faithfully everday after school. So many cartoons mimicked the style after and Bruce set a trend.

Calvin and Hobbes is an American icon that I think if you are a fan of comics you should get it. The skill of coming up with short, funny, and clever ideas for strips is a great skill. Inspirational is the only word for it. Bill Watterson also hints to why he has never let anyone touch the characters. I am glad that they have not been animated. I know people have approached him to have them hit the tv screen and movie theatre, but I believe he has made the right decision in holding on to his work ....as is...

doing what? storyboarding and stuff

2008-12-23T21:41:00.001-08:00

So I have been doing a lot of stuff at work and a big part of it has been doing beat boards and story boards. I can't say what it is for but you will get to see it soon. It has been taking time away from personal work a bit, but it is helping me grow in different areas. Our team is becoming tighter knit and we are moving forward with a lot of good ideas. Especially with all the economic issues going on..it is definitely good to be where I am at..and doing what I am doing.

stay tuned...

WildCart: CTF

2008-11-10T20:40:00.001-08:00

visit CONSUMPTION

CONSUMPTION

2008-10-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

color on Shopping Cart, one of the images from the Consumption project. Click the picture or click here to check it out: CONSUMPTION

this is a project I have been working on after work there will be more progress posted on the Consumption website as I move forward.

post office alien

2008-10-13T01:31:00.000-07:00

sitting in the post office with a prismacolor and pencil...on the back of a bubble packed envelope.

piano..?

2008-09-27T01:28:00.001-07:00

sketchbook study. experimenting and playing with some different character stuff with hands and facia. Sketching between opening and closing files, waiting for playblasts..etc..

...are you still hungry...

2008-09-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

HUNGER.. you know the thing that musicians talk about a lot where you have to stay hungry. It goes for everything in life right... Remember when you used to draw as a kid. It was that escape into your own world. I was happy with a stack of paper and a pencil. I am sure it made my mother happy at points when she didn't have extra money to buy me toys or whatever else I may have asked for. She give me a stack of paper. I have been really drilling into those memories and trying to put that into my work....and I mean the work I do for myself. That is the only way I think you will survive mentally as an artist. Knowing that part of you. To quote Shawshank Redmemption "its something inside of you that they cant touch" the thing that know company, studio, or other person can take from you. I think there are many artists that are broken by some studios. They get broken down to where they begin to hate what they do. I only say this because I felt it before, but I had to snap back into the part of my mind that wanted to do this as a child. The part that would draw to escape any pain, worry, or strife... HUNGER.. My friend said to me the other night.."your either going to be a wolf or a sheep..and if you dont stay hungry then get ready to be eaten". Sounds harsh doesnt it. Probably one of the major problems with our country at the moment.. many of us have become sheep and just want to graze. So if you are a wolf in this game of artists, animators, storytellers, and life in general you know the HUNGER I am refering to and if you decided to be a sheep...well....

HAS: animated

2008-09-18T22:29:00.001-07:00

between animating and waiting for files I was looking at a picture of my brother and my cousins. started transforming Has into a Cartoon... need to start animating on the Cintiq..

Common Animated and characters

2008-09-17T22:06:00.001-07:00

there was talk a few month back about an animated Common video. These were some of the concepts I drew up real quick.

clarification...Milt Kahl's work!

2008-09-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I posted this drawing but it is not my work. It is a production drawing by Milt Kahl from Sword in the Stone that I purchased from a collector.

playing around

2008-08-14T00:15:00.001-07:00

thumbnails and Animation: Surfs Up last shot

2008-07-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

So this was my last shot on Surfs Up. Animation by:

Cody and Reggie(Otter at the end of the Shot): Me
Lani: James Crossley
Two Intro Penguins: Seth Hippen (flippin hippen)

I began the shot by shooting reference(yada yada yada) but that is probably lost in the archives of Sony. Once I got my reference laid out; I usually do so many takes that I have to spend a good amount of time sorting through it. I look for the best performance but within that I try get the best poses. From the poses I work out my thumbnails. I do not like to take my reference exactly. I use it just as that ...reference. In my thumbnails I look for the areas to push on as if I was going to animate it in 2D. Adding the keypoints of dialogue to the top of the key poses ensures that I will hit the poses when I need to, but there is always room to experiment if you plan right. I spend most of my time planning and luckily on Surfs Up, Chris Buck and Ash Brannon were open to looking at thumbnails during the shot launch. Before the shot launch we had a sequence launch which allowed us to know what was going on in the scene.. this made a smoother transition when we had to go listen to the specifics about the shot. I had to make sure I broke my neck in time to pitch the thumbnails before I touched Maya. I few times I believe I showed my acting reference and got great feedback. I had fun working with the people on this shot..camera things changes a little bit on the final product and the track a little but the essence pretty much stayed the same.

I probably could give you every last detail of how I work but ...eh. Just a brief explanation of the images you see below should work for this post.

Anyway... I have never shown animation on this site, but this shot was kind of a "release".

before added FX, background characters, fur, and lighting

Final Shot

..its about time... a place to work

2008-07-07T00:08:00.000-07:00

once I moved to California I had to draw on some broken down desks, animate on some of the worst tables with my elbows touching each other, and sometimes drawing on the floor hunched over. Dont get me wrong, its nice to draw on the floor sometimes.. it reminds me of my childhood, but .. after a while the old age kicks in and your back is not the same. Anyway..its about time! I finally have a place to work and call my own. My favorite room in the house. Call me crazy but I like to work on my own stuff. Its a balancing act I suppose. You have to try not to burn yourself out, but you'll sleep good!

60lb Hoagie: half-life size Sculpt Study (WIP)

2008-05-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

research: sculpt update

2008-03-29T21:43:00.001-07:00

bad pictures.. need to continue refining the legs, feet, and hands. working on muscle implied muscle structure and trying to avoid making a comic book sculpt

...life drawing...

2008-03-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

few segments from life drawing..need to put more time back into this.

research: sculpt

2008-03-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

using sculpture class to enforce construction in drawings. this is the phase of refining the shapes and planes of the form

research: v.016

2008-02-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

need to decide what hand style will work as well as facial construction. Using more of a quick style hand will lend itself useful when drawing become smaller. That will keep the style consistent. This hand style is becoming a little more "chunky". lets try to do another test and compare the three and decide from there.

research: v.014

2008-02-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

union and hands

research: v.006

2008-02-26T20:18:00.001-08:00

research:v.007-011

2008-02-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

trying to find the style that will work

research: v.004

2008-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

soldier rifles from 1810

research: v.012

2008-01-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

research: v.003

2008-01-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

researching silhouette shapes v.003

Giving Back using Art

2008-01-06T17:11:00.001-08:00

After a long 2006-2007 I began to look at life a little differently. I know everyone loses family members and goes through the stress of sickness and various other issues and we all have that hard time of balancing certain aspects of dealing with it. These things made me look at how my art has helped my people, my family, my peers, or anyone that may have met me in passing. I really do not think that I have made an impact on this world with what I do. Not EVEN a dent. During a time of stress, my brother told me that a lot of people from my old neighborhood in New Jersey and Philly looked up to me. He said that "you made it out and you should be proud...I can speak about my brother with pride." I thought to my self "Damn...I didn't do anything to give back" Yeah I have helped my family, but what about the grand scheme. 2008 is the beginning of something different. I dropped the work on my short and began research for a Graphic Novel that is based on the history of certain American figures. One of the reasons I started drawing as a kid was an interest in comic books. I was fueled by the super fictional characters but as I have grown I have learned to recognize the real heros and how there stories are even more interesting than made up realities. Time to move forward, time to change, time to build, and no time to chase yesterday because you will miss tomorrow.

anim thumbnails (but direction changed as usual)

2007-12-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

these are some thumbnails for an animation that I was about to start, but production got switched around a bit. I guess a lot of these posts are for my family back east since a lot of what I do seems to be a mystery to them sometimes. The way this one was going to play out was...the character walks in from screen right then begins to address the camera. I cant really post what he is saying...

Meet the Demoman

2007-10-10T13:42:00.001-07:00

here is my small contribution to Team Fortress 2. With the help of my other team members, I was able to direct this short segment introducing the Demoman. I hope you dig it!

sharpshooter

2007-07-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

just an idea I had a little bit ago.