FRANK production blog 17

February 18, 2020

tonights update consist of the phone/gameboy

from the beginning i knew this device was to represent what we all have grown so dependent on, our smart phones. something fairly knew which we’ve gotten really attached to, some of us even have serious health side effects because of them. this phone/gameboy was something i was strongly pulled towards when first conceiving this project, partly because i really enjoy drawing it and partly because like most of us i use it daily and it has changed my life in many ways.

i think its very important for us to understand what this device does to our brains, that being said they arent a bad thing if you maintain a health balance.

below are some ideas of the evolution of this device, im almost sure what design i will go with but i still have some doubts at times on which version i like more and although all the animation involving it is pretty much complete.

this draft was more in the smart phone direction

gameboy design with smaller controls and larger screen

closer to the final design, kinda looks like micky mouse..lol

had settled on this one but recently changed my mind…again..

i selected this as the main distraction in FRANKS life because i strongly feel that this is/can be a distraction in most of our lives. its cool and new and can come into our life without warning, it consumes all our time and attention thus ending with us ignoring whats most important to us. this is what this little thing represents in my film. i hope i can accurately convey these thoughts with these drawings in motion

FRANK production blog 14

February 05, 2020

the revealing shot of franks apartment, at first i was going to cut between the two, but i have decided to use a pan east move. this background has been in the works for a long time, i have a hard time making the call for a final version on backgrounds. i love exploring its space. the evolution of a scene is quite fascinating. the birth of a project is a wonderful thing, i love the process. i specialize in animation production haha (inside joke)

FRANK production blog 11

October 09, 2019

Below are some screen shots of my work space. I use TV Paint 11. Its a very easy software to learn. Its specialize for 2D animation and works amazing. Frank will be my third animated cartoon using the program. It come from France and has been around for a while now.

I used the standard Adobe Flash when I was in art school and for some freelance projects after graduation. I didn’t like it so much, there are a few reasons why but i honestly think I am just bais towards it.

I been using TV PAINT for a while now and just keep loving it more and more. Im not very fluent with all that the programs offers, I have my methods and I stick to them however old school they may be.

There are two versions of the program, the student version and the professional version. https://www.tvpaint.com/ check the site out for all the details

FRANK production blog 10

September 30, 2019

todays update consist of some rough key frames for a scene and a few old story boards. this scene has been a lot of fun to work with, pretty easy and simple action to animate. the biggest challenge has been the flowers, trying to keep count of all the petals and their size in every frame. non the less the scene has been easy and fun. it needs one more pass of clean up, and then on to coloring. the colors are subject to change a bit

rough back ground and colors for this scene

more updated board with character design

old story board, possibly the 1st draft a very very long time ago

FRANK production blog 8

June 09, 2019

No big update today, but got some good images to show.

!!!MAJOR reveal alert!!!

These are a few animation keys I recently finished up. I cant wait to color them and composite the scenes. I cant wait to be done with this thing, animation is hard!!!……

But I been enjoying the whole process even when it moves at snail speed, which honestly is like 70% of the time….

FRANK production blog 7

June 02, 2019

This scene is about Frank pulling out the built in charger, this key drawing is from the 2nd pass of animation. Im currently finishing up the 3rd pass. Im hoping it will be the last pass but sometimes a 4th pass is needed.

This scene has taken me by far the most time yet. There are so many elements moving I have had to really take my time with this. Even now while wrapping up the 3rd pass Im still not fully happy with the outcome. I might have to rework it….not looking forward to it but ah las…it is the only way forward.

So to anyone reading this, do not forget I am chipping away daily on this project on mine. It has come really far and it has further to go but I look towards that. Wishing you all the best!

FRANK production blog 4

February 10, 2019

My process of making animations is always an experimental one. Im trying to do something I’ve not done before. No matter how similar projects can seem they always have their own unique challenges. I’m constantly trying new things, design, color, story, timing, all these things take a long time to figure out. The more ways you experiment with the more clearer you’r vision of the project becomes. (or at least that’s the goal) Below are a few images from FRANK, some really old, some pretty recent all things a work in progress

Above we have the 1st draft back ground and some color/value studies. This was done in pencil and photoshop

Below we have the the 2nd draft back ground along with color/value studies, and below that we have the 3rd draft background. These where done digitally in TVPaint

I’m more then certain the final designs will be different, I’ve yet to figure it out but the more time I put into experimenting the clear the vision becomes. Let me not forget to mention that ANIMATION IS HARD, but some much FUN

The process of backgrounds

January 26, 2019

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, animation is a long process! There is something to be said about the character of those who willingly choose to embark on these roads. It’s pay off is something that only the sweetest of fruits can compare to. You start with and Idea and through sheer will you give that idea life, you bring it into the world, you will it into existence, that is something very few can do and even fewer enjoy doing it over and over. So animators are of a special breed of artist, not everyone is cut out to be an animator but everyone can enjoy animation.

Above is a page from my updated storyboards for my current project FRANK. This was the 2nd pass of storyboards. It was the final pass for this scene. I was very happy with the action and the framing and so I did not feel the need to reboard it more a 3rd time. The action is pretty clear, Frank our main character is smelling his flowers by his window.

Above is one of the 1st drafts I did for the background, Like I previously stated I was pretty happy with the framing and original design idea, and so it was pretty easy to draw something and approve it. Below is the 1st draft I did on paper, I used animation size paper with and HD field guide, while I was happy with the outcome I ended up not using it, It felt to stiff and not exactly what I wanted. I remember I did all the backgrounds on paper thinking I would scan them and use them as finals but I ended up going with digital finals instead.

Next came the color versions of the background. Now I will be the 1st to admit that while I love color I am pretty terrible at it. I tend to select colors I love but don’t have much of a understanding on how to balance them. Maybe I just need to experiment more.

I done a few different variations on the brick wall, not completely sure on which one I want for the final design. That being said Im not completely sure on what the final vision for the film should be, when it come to style. While I have completed much there is equally if not more work that needs completion, so I will continue to cultivate that will and give life to this beautiful art form, for there is no grater feeling then seeing something complete from start to finish.