Talent and Temperament

"The reality of any 'animation' or 'art' industry today is that degrees really are not at all relevant to hiring. Yes, you need computer skills but beyond that there are two criteria that employers look for in the main - what can you do as an artist/animator and what are you like as a person." 

-Tony White Founder: The Animator's Sketchclub

For those of you who have been following me, I have been saying this for the past 10 years when I realized that a degree simply says you took the classes, but not how well you can demonstrate you learned the content. That is what your sketchbook and portfolio are for. So when I came across this quote in the comments of a LinkedIn discussion Drawing on the wisdom of the past... why its important to put the STEAM back into STEM! I felt validated.

ATTENTION YOUNGER VIEWERS: STRONG LANGUAGE IS USED IN THIS VIDEO

The first criteria Tony mentions is your TALENT and ABILITY as an artist. It's gonna take a lot of drawings to get there. You've probably heard of the 10,000 Rule. So how do you resolve to get through all the bad drawings to make a living doing the thing you love? I just watched this video again to remind me of "The Most Important Word Ever" to becoming what you want to be in life. And that word is... (Did you really think I would make it that easy?) WATCH IT.

The second criteria is your TEMPERAMENT. What are you like as a person? And for me, the key is to always remain humble. Throughout all the ups and downs in life, remaining humble will keep things in perspective. To be grateful in the struggles and gracious in the successes.

Talent with Hustle, and Temperament with Humility is a WINNING combination!

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

The Book of Like

All Souls Day. Dia de los Muertos. The Book of Life.
Rich traditions occur in many faiths and cultures, and today I experienced this in a fun and colorful way. After attending weekly Sunday Mass with my family, we decided to see DreamWorks animated feature, The Book of Life, and explain why I give it a "Liked It" rather than "Loved It" rating based on it's Style, Story, and Spirit.

Today is November 2nd, and the Catholic church observes this day as "The Feast of All Souls Day", to remember and pray for those family and friends whom have died. In the film, Mary Beth (voiced by Christina Applegate), actually references "November 2nd" (which I thought was an odd coincidence) as Dia de los Muertos, or "The Day of the Dead". This is a Mexican holiday where family and friends gather to pray for, honor and colorfully celebrate their deceased family members.

The Style
Often times, I determine whether I will see an animated film based on the designs of the characters from the posters and trailers. At first glance, this was not a film I was excited to see. As a matter of fact, if the character designs aren't esthetically pleasing to look at, rarely will the film hold my attention, even with a strong story. So the character designs in my opinion, were the weakest part of the film. From a design perspective, the two most enjoyable characters for me were "La Muerte", and some awesome animation with "The CandleMaker" (voiced vivaciously by Ice Cube)! The rest of the characters had a difficult time keeping my interest, and the vibrant amounts of color representing "The Land of the Remembered" seemed almost psychedelic.*

The Story
*Disclaimer: I am a Californian caucasian, and newly confirmed Catholic, so my knowledge and understanding of both these celebrated holidays is extremely limited. But this is where the beauty of the story on an educational level was so enriching. I truly enjoyed the history in this story as written and directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez, whom I have no doubt consulted talented and knowledgable cultural advisors to maintain accuracy and authenticity in this film. So I can appreciate the artistic, colorful and cultural representation of "The Land of the Remembered", as a realm full of life and vitality. This film was captivating, giving me a greater appreciation for the meanings behind these traditions in the Hispanic culture, almost as if I was in a "hip" History class! (Imagine if all classes were taught with animated films!)

The Spirit
Being a man of faith, it was a pleasure to see the depth of the messages that were related to the audience. Faith. Family. Friendship. Forgiveness. Fortitude. The first moment in the film that piqued my interest was when Mary Beth, the museum guide, delved into the story of "The Land of the Remembered" and "The Land of the Forgotten". This caused me to pause for a moment and think of my own family and friends that have passed away, and it suddenly gave the movie more relevance.

I also enjoyed Manolo's journey through the realms, and the charismatic characters he interacts with. It is through his music, his feelings are explained, not just for Maria, but also in a touching testimony to a tempered Toro! He stays true to who he is, and seeing virtues like this is what our society needs more of in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed this film more for the message and cultural material, than for the animation. It was Education over Esthetics, and Content over Character Design, which is why I'm rating The Book of Life, as "The Book of "Like".

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

New Life

Animation. When most people see or hear this word, they of course associate it with cartoons. But animation is also defined as:

1. The act, process, or result of imparting life, interest, spirit, or activity.

2. The quality or condition of being alive, active, spirited, or vigorous.

New Years Day is the beginning of a new calendar year and symbolizes a fresh start and the promise of a new life. Like many, I get re-energized at the thought of the tremendous possibilities awaiting my pursuit over the next 366 days... just seeing if you are paying attention. (It's a Leap Year!)

The Bible says in John 10:10

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Enjoy this latest Character Matters comic strip below, and let us approach 2012 with animation! To wake up with an "Attitude of Gratitude" being thankful for the new day and the potential we've been given to make the most of our time to live life to the full.

VoogDesigns Volunteers

I believe that the gifts we are blessed with are meant to be shared.
Beginning on September 30th, VoogDesigns will be volunteering their time every Friday at Saint Augustine Academy in Ventura, CA to offer a 45 minute class that will explore the following subjects to students of all grade levels that are interested in: Cartoons, Animation, Caricatures, Illustration and Comic Strips.

Claymation Creation

Patience. It's hard enough mastering this characteristic as an adult, but imagine being a 12-year old kid that has to accept this quality before being able to see his work of art come "alive"! Meet Zachary M., also known as "MiniClayDude".


During my recent visit for a "most special" project, I discovered that we both share the same love- ANIMATION. I was about Zachary's age when I knew that bringing drawings to life was what I wanted to do too. So I took the opportunity to ask "MiniClayDude" a few questions about his love for Claymation Creations.

What interested you in doing claymation rather than painting or drawing?
I got into claymation a long time ago (like 2 years ago). I saw a guy on you tube named Mamshmam who did amazing claymations and I guess I followed that.

It's a lot of work making movies.Why do you do it? How does it make you feel?
The way I do it is simple. I just take a picture and move the guy. Take a picture and move the guy (and so on). It's also because I have patience. They make me feel happy and excited to watch them at the end!

How many pictures (frames) to you take for an average movie?
For an average movie I take more than 200 or 300 pictures.

What kind of reaction have you received from family, friends and fans of your movies?
The reaction from my family, friend, and fans is really good. They encourage me to make more movies.

What's can we expect next from "MiniClayDude"?
What can you expect from MiniClayDude next? . . . Heck, I have a whole 2 pages full of ideas from ninja fights to water balloon fights!

What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are being a priest. Or if God is not calling me for that, then I will become a. . . doctor or something like a claymationist.

Thanks Zachary and continue to explore your God-given talents!

You can watch more from "MiniClayDude" on his YouTube Channel

Disney's Animation Academy

Discover the secrets of how to draw a classic Disney character from a Disney animator at Animation Academy!

I found out about this recently after a good friend of mine had the privilege of attending this hands-on experience when he chaperoned a year-end field trip for his children' class to Disney California Adventure Park. The last time I attended something this cool was back in 1988 at the Disney MGM Studios in Orlando, FL!

I can't believe I didn't know about this!

Learn the Basics of Drawing
Fun for any age and experience level, Animation Academy provides step-by-step instruction on how to draw some of your favorite Disney characters. Learn some basic tricks and techniques to give your drawing a professional pedigree.
Disney Animation Building
Animation Academy is only one part of the Disney Animation building, where you can learn all about the art and history of Disney animation, in an interactive, hands-on environment.

Magical Memories

In the summer of 1988 my family embarked on a road trip around the United States to see as many landmarks as possible in a 1 month period. Little did I know what I would find on this journey. At 13 years old I already had a fondness of animation, but it was at the newly constructed Disney MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida that I knew what I wanted to do.

One attraction at this park is called The Magic of Disney Animation. At the time you were able to watch real Disney Animators at work from behind a glass curtain after viewing a short movie on the process of creating an animated movie. Once I stepped in, it was a slice of heaven for this young artist with a love for cartoons.

Disney Animation Paper Circa 1988

The picture above is of the actual case of Disney Animator's Drawing Paper that I purchased on that special trip in 1988. I found this paper tucked away in a file cabinet containing some of my old artwork. The caption on the right states, "Animator's Drawing Paper- 50 sheets specially made to Disney Animation specifications. Created exclusively for the Animation Gallery."

When You Were A Kid

As parents, we are often asked the most inquisitive and innocent questions by our children. For me, my daughter often asks the question,  

"Dad, when you were a kid, what was your favorite ________ ?"

Well, tonight I gave my daughter the answer to the question, "What were my favorite cartoons when I was a kid." We sat down in front of our computer and after hearing theme songs of Saturday mornings past and viewing iconic images of my boyhood, one cartoon stood out from all the others.

Listen to the energetic theme song as the crisp action is perfectly timed to the beat. Look for the strong and dramatic anatomical poses during each character's introduction and a collage of the cast so nicely composed within the television frame. And finally the harmonious pacing of quick and slow movements, camera angles and perspectives.

The childhood cartoon that I deemed my favorite was, ThunderCats!

Jaw and Draw

Multitasking. We've all heard the phrase "walk and chew gum" or "walk and talk", but can you "jaw and draw" like this legend? Notice that there is NO ERASER on his pencil. The strokes are felt before he even puts them to paper.

I love watching how others draw. What is their thought process? Where do they start? And this short video puts you into the mind of a legendary animator that had the privilege of being mentored by the original "9". Enjoy!

VoogDesigns Visits DreamWorks

Wow! What a great opportunity I had tonight to walk around the campus of DreamWorks Animation Studios in Glendale, CA. I scheduled some time to visit a friend of mine that works there and he was gracious enough to give me a tour of the studios.

From seeing detailed plant sculptures (and a life-size Kung Fu Panda sculpture) to running streams and a secret hidden lounge, this campus is certainly a catalyst for creativity. With mission style architecture and ornately landscaped Zen gardens, given the opportunity to work here, I don't think I would ever want to leave!

"Bolt" of Lightning Without Thunder

Tonight's Family Movie Night was Walt Disney Animation Studios' Bolt.

Debuting in theaters November 2008, the appealing characters and amazing animation is 100% Disney by design. This is the lightning. Bolt, is an American White Shepherd, who has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, with the belief he has superpowers. This however, is what is lacking. The strength of a Pixar-esque story, or the thunder. Although executive-produced by Pixar's John Lasseter, Bolt is entirely a creation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, and is not a Pixar film.

That's OK though. I could watch this film over and over with my daughter, just for the laughs we get from the dialogue delivered by Rhino the hamster, and to simply study the beautiful animation and character design. 

Two Thumbs Up for Tangled

Took my family today to see Disney's 50th Animated Feature Film, Tangled. Awesome!


Once upon a time in the not too distant past, cartoons were nothing more than lazy vehicles to briefly entertain children. During our teenage years, we rush and rush to grow up; distancing ourselves from all things young, even the bits and pieces we once loved. But the collective attitude toward animation has changed. Animated films can be, and frequently are, just as funny, serious, joyful, exuberant, honest, heartwarming and unique.

I am part of a small group of people that think animated films are sometimes brilliant, sometimes good, sometimes mediocre, sometimes bad and sometimes unwatchable. We simply treat animated movies like everything else, and when one comes along that’s smart and clever and too much fun to toss aside, we embrace the film and heap on it all the praise it deserves.

Tangled is good. In fact, it’s really, really good, and should be relished by everyone. With a charm entirely its own and two likable, fully developed main characters, Tangled is a joy. For 92 minutes, I once again experienced the magic that is Disney Animation.

"Train Your Dragon" is a Treasure

Tonight we watched Dreamworks Animation's How To Train Your Dragon.

After not seeing this film since it debuted in theaters on March 26, 2010, I forgot how much I enjoyed this animated adaptation of the book. The story, the characters, and relationships that develop with these mythical creatures in this warrior's world is something that I truly enjoyed and easily surrender to.

Although Toothless never utters a word, the acting, expressions and emotions of this creature were exceptionally animated. From the young Viking's virgin flight together, to the synergetic prosthetic conclusion, the story of Hiccup and Toothless is a treasure.

Megamind is Memorable

What a great job it is to be a dad that has to "study" cartoons! I took my daughter to see Dreamworks Animation's Megamind this afternoon and was thoroughly entertained.

Character Design has always been a hang-up for me with many animated films, but the exception of this film is the main character, Megamind, who is tenderly animated expressing a wide range of emotions. As to be expected from Dreamworks, clever comedic delivery of dialogue keeps you focused on every line, beautifully animated and edited action scenes elevates your heart rate, and a college-classic soundtrack that brings back memories that make you bounce around in your seat.

The Little Dragons

This was a fun study I did over 10 years ago, which I just now got from the paper to the computer. The bully of the cartoon I was a little too slow for our Little Dragon...