Wow, That 4th frame is so completely puzzling...what the hell could possibly be happening that would bring on the girls expression? It's sooo strange I love it!!!
Amazing as always John and when it comes to girls Katie Rice does it again. I loved seeing this video at the show..especially the part where cigarettes uses animal intestines as a necklace for the 1st girl. These shots are yet another example of how great animation can be freeze framed alomst anywhere and be pleasing as a stand alone image.
Great artwork :) John, do you mind critiquing my caricatures on my blog? I've been practicing using some of the techinques shared by Katie. Shouts out to her, btw :P
Oh yeah. I consider you to be one of the best cartoon directors since bob clampett and Tex Avery exaggerated everything to the limit and then you came along and extended that limit! The humor in the timing and staggers of your cartoons can not ever ever be topped. You have set the rebar for animation at its pinnacle.
To rodney and the others asking about "twins", check out Thad's incredible blog:
http://classicanimation.blogspot.com
There's a post on there called "They Don't Know Jack (Rabbit)" and compare Scribner's Bugs to Muse's Tom. Look how much more exciting Bugs' movements are!
Here's a definition of "twins":
"Mirroring the position the face, arms, or legs on both sides of the body. This results in a wooden, unnatural presentation. Body movement is rarely symmetrical, but involves overall balancing of posture or reactions."
Culhane mentions this in his book "Animation: From Script to Screen" I believe. That particular definition was pulled off of this site:
"Drawings should not have "Twins" - the unfortunate situation in which both arms and both legs are not only parallel, but also doing exactly the same thing."
-from "The Illusion Of Life" by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston- the Disney animators' bible.
This is an old artistic concept. Symmetry = unnatural.
Look at the Ken Muse scene and ask yourself if you don't see it happening all through it.
The Scribner scene is much more alive and natural.
Scribner and Muse were two completely different animators, each perfect for the characters they worked on. Scribner's style would have been too intense for a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and in my opinion they are the most beautiful cartoons ever made. If you're seriously ripping apart that scene from Heavenly Puss, which is perhaps the most incredible, emotional scene ever done in a Tom and Jerry cartoon, then I really think you should re-title this blog The Most Ridiculous Nit-Picking Festival of All Time.
>>If you're seriously ripping apart that scene from Heavenly Puss, which is perhaps the most incredible, emotional scene ever done in a Tom and Jerry cartoon,<<
I didn't see any emotion in it. It's the same expression all through the scene, and one right off the model sheet.
>> Tom and Jerry cartoon, then I really think you should re-title this blog The Most Ridiculous Nit-Picking Festival of All Time.
<<
Someone asked what "Twins " were. I used Frank Thomas' explanation and a concrete example of some animation that is full of twins. Get mad at Frank Thomas for not liking twins if you like them.
Maybe some people do like them. I always instinctively thought they were unnatural - as do the Disney animators.
To me it looks like the characters are wooden puppets and all their joints are linked together by invisible wires.
That's what twins are. It's an ancient concept. No point getting upset over free knowledge.
If you could, let me know Ed's information so we can pay him a visit (if he is willing to have guests, of coarse). Thanks again for everything.
By the way, this cartoon was great. They did a great job on not making it look flash. I see his eyes are not colored consistantly through the 4 images. Intentional or did someone's ass get canned for that?
This was one of the cartoons I enjoyed the most in the SF shows. I loved the reference to the gag in BIMBO'S INITIATION when the early "dog ears" Betty Boop bounces her behind like a basketball. Made me laugh and think of Clampett's THE HEP CAT.
While I see what you're saying, it still looks to me like there's a lot of emotion in that scene. I always felt that the 'twins' phenomenon was due to budget restraints....something that Frank Thomas would know nothing about, and that Culhane willingly embraced.
It's never anything I noticed in earlier T&J shorts.
I always felt that the 'twins' phenomenon was due to budget restraints....something that Frank Thomas would know nothing about
MGM didn't have much budget contraints, they invested a lot of money in each cartoon, especially Tom and Jerry. There may be "twins" in some of Muse's work but he's still an incredible animator, check out Thad's post of the Bodyguard, the final scene is Muse.
This is an old artistic concept. Symmetry = unnatural.
In Chuck Jones' second autobiography Chuck Re-Ducks, he states that the human face isn't twinned naturally either. He even added that if you did use a mirror to twin your face, you'd look like a psychopathic killer. So, if Chuck were alive and saw this blog, he would concur with John and Frank Thomas.
Back to the Wierd Al video. What parts did Marlo work on? Are there examples up on this post right now? Could Marlo post some shots from her scenes up on her blog? I think it would be interesting to see how her style has adapted to animation. B)
Craig, that's a 3/4 turn so there's no way it can be twinned. Twins mostly occur when a character is either facing straight forward or straight backward.
For instance, check out the The End card of Bugs from What's Cooking, Doc? (by Bob Clampett c. 1944). At first glance it may look twinned. But, if you study it a bit you'll see that there's a definite difference in both sides of the ears, eyes, mouth, shoulders, tail fur, legs, and even the negative space. That's how you untwin a drawing.
I didn't see any emotion in it. It's the same expression all through the scene, and one right off the model sheet.
In Tom, I see panic, fury, fear, intense fear, wonder, desperation, humility, elation, relief, love, appreciation, & affection. I can't say that they're all taken from the model sheet, but I think off-model scenes were really handled by Irv Spence.
Get mad at Frank Thomas for not liking twins if you like them.
I'm not mad, but I think it's gotten a bit silly that you're seemingly determined to point out the flaws (real or imaginary) in almost everyone else's animation. If a character is pleading with another character or waving his hands in the air, I think it's absurd to call that using "twins" because the arms/hands are in the same positions.
To me it looks like the characters are wooden puppets and all their joints are linked together by invisible wires.
I've always thought that Tom and Jerry has the most solid animation out of any other cartoons. They seem to have weight, unlike other characters who seem to sort of just float around.
>>I've always thought that Tom and Jerry has the most solid animation out of any other cartoons. They seem to have weight, unlike other characters who seem to sort of just float around.<<
I agree.
I always tell young animators to study those cartoons to learn basic principles.
Mainly because that's what they are, pure and basic. They aren't very stylish or specific, so they are good to study.
Twins is a problem that many animators struggle with, including me.
55 comments:
looks great.
Fantastic. :)
Great stuff! I like how the cat's tail is stiff and sticking out.
Wow, That 4th frame is so completely puzzling...what the hell could possibly be happening that would bring on the girls expression? It's sooo strange I love it!!!
Amazing as always John and when it comes to girls Katie Rice does it again.
I loved seeing this video at the show..especially the part where cigarettes uses animal intestines as a necklace for the 1st girl.
These shots are yet another example of how great animation can be freeze framed alomst anywhere and be pleasing as a stand alone image.
Wonderful!!!!
The first drawing makes me feel kind of funny!
Those are great John!
hey John K this stuff is amazing...
when and where can we see the whole video?
theres a camel toe in the last one!
Who makes the Bg`s?
man it looks so good and fun
Awesome John and Katie drawings. Yeah, anonymous! Huge, juicy camel toe!!
Nice ass!
Great artwork :) John, do you mind critiquing my caricatures on my blog? I've been practicing using some of the techinques shared by Katie. Shouts out to her, btw :P
Is this for the Weird Al video?
This will be made by Flash 5, right John?
Actually, Flash is up to version 8 right now. That's what I have on my laptop.
These are looking good. Can't wait to see the video and hear the song. Wierd Al never disappoints me. B)
Fantastic butt-huggin'sweetness!
John I just recieved my copy of the Lost Episodes in the post today - I love it!!! Happy Happy Joy Joy it's freakin brilliant!! Thanks man.
I'm lucky, cuz I got to see this video at the SF event. Go me. Awesome video too.
So beautiful!!!
I loved that video, seriously.
My good friend who was with me and was a bit picky (whereas I love manic, crazy stuff, it doesn't really jive with him) loved it too, actually :)
Those frames are just so pretty!
I love the shape of the rear on the girl in the first frame- somehow it looks like it's got mass and is gonna wave around, haha.
The last frame's great too :) Such expressive faces.
Any theories on "twins" in drawing?
>>
Any theories on "twins" in drawing? <<
They are bad. You can see lots of them in Ken Muse's animation.
Go to Thad's site and look up the post about animation acting and see the Tom and Jerry cartoon.
It's full of "twins".
Hey John,
What's "twins"? I've never heard that term in animation before.
I always thought "twins" was slang for a woman's chest pillows.
That's what I thought too, but I know that Tom & Jerry clip isn't full of twins, or fun pillows, or bazooms, or anything else....
By the way, I'm not an animator, but from a graphic design point of view, Katie's work is generally ace.
very berry good. i like the cat embracing the apple bottom.
Friday was great!Thanx for the autographg and drawing!!-Jerome
I love the offering of the dead rat.
Those pictures make me feel tingly...you know...down "there".
What the fuck are 'twins'? Besides what you want to squeeze on Katie?
Oh yeah. I consider you to be one of the best cartoon directors since bob clampett and Tex Avery exaggerated everything to the limit and then you came along and extended that limit! The humor in the timing and staggers of your cartoons can not ever ever be topped. You have set the rebar for animation at its pinnacle.
To rodney and the others asking about "twins", check out Thad's incredible blog:
http://classicanimation.blogspot.com
There's a post on there called "They Don't Know Jack (Rabbit)" and compare Scribner's Bugs to Muse's Tom. Look how much more exciting Bugs' movements are!
Here's a definition of "twins":
"Mirroring the position the face, arms, or legs on both sides of the body. This results in a wooden, unnatural presentation. Body movement is rarely symmetrical, but involves overall balancing of posture or reactions."
Culhane mentions this in his book "Animation: From Script to Screen" I believe. That particular definition was pulled off of this site:
http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms695811.aspx
Hope that helps! :)
"Drawings should not have "Twins" - the unfortunate situation in which both arms and both legs are not only parallel, but also doing exactly the same thing."
-from "The Illusion Of Life" by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston- the Disney animators' bible.
This is an old artistic concept. Symmetry = unnatural.
Look at the Ken Muse scene and ask yourself if you don't see it happening all through it.
The Scribner scene is much more alive and natural.
Scribner and Muse were two completely different animators, each perfect for the characters they worked on. Scribner's style would have been too intense for a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and in my opinion they are the most beautiful cartoons ever made. If you're seriously ripping apart that scene from Heavenly Puss, which is perhaps the most incredible, emotional scene ever done in a Tom and Jerry cartoon, then I really think you should re-title this blog The Most Ridiculous Nit-Picking Festival of All Time.
>>If you're seriously ripping apart that scene from Heavenly Puss, which is perhaps the most incredible, emotional scene ever done in a Tom and Jerry cartoon,<<
I didn't see any emotion in it. It's the same expression all through the scene, and one right off the model sheet.
John did a great drawing for me in San Fran. Look here: http://gavinscartoons.blogspot.com/
>> Tom and Jerry cartoon, then I really think you should re-title this blog The Most Ridiculous Nit-Picking Festival of All Time.
<<
Someone asked what "Twins " were. I used Frank Thomas' explanation and a concrete example of some animation that is full of twins. Get mad at Frank Thomas for not liking twins if you like them.
Maybe some people do like them. I always instinctively thought they were unnatural - as do the Disney animators.
To me it looks like the characters are wooden puppets and all their joints are linked together by invisible wires.
That's what twins are. It's an ancient concept. No point getting upset over free knowledge.
Hey John,
The drawing you did is on my blog:
http://tonypapesh.blogspot.com/
If you could, let me know Ed's information so we can pay him a visit (if he is willing to have guests, of coarse). Thanks again for everything.
By the way, this cartoon was great. They did a great job on not making it look flash. I see his eyes are not colored consistantly through the 4 images. Intentional or did someone's ass get canned for that?
Hi Tony
thanks. It was fun hanging out after the show. Yeah, I'll get you Ed's number. I'm sure he'd love to see you.
Hey John (et al.)
I love the images. Check out the drawings in my blog(if you want to, totally up to you) and tell me whats good, bad, and ugly about 'em.
This was one of the cartoons I enjoyed the most in the SF shows. I loved the reference to the gag in BIMBO'S INITIATION when the early "dog ears" Betty Boop bounces her behind like a basketball. Made me laugh and think of Clampett's THE HEP CAT.
Thanks Paul,
I think we have many of the same inspirations.
While I see what you're saying, it still looks to me like there's a lot of emotion in that scene. I always felt that the 'twins' phenomenon was due to budget restraints....something that Frank Thomas would know nothing about, and that Culhane willingly embraced.
It's never anything I noticed in earlier T&J shorts.
they're totally dissing you on somethingawful.com
I always felt that the 'twins' phenomenon was due to budget restraints....something that Frank Thomas would know nothing about
MGM didn't have much budget contraints, they invested a lot of money in each cartoon, especially Tom and Jerry. There may be "twins" in some of Muse's work but he's still an incredible animator, check out Thad's post of the Bodyguard, the final scene is Muse.
This is an old artistic concept. Symmetry = unnatural.
In Chuck Jones' second autobiography Chuck Re-Ducks, he states that the human face isn't twinned naturally either. He even added that if you did use a mirror to twin your face, you'd look like a psychopathic killer. So, if Chuck were alive and saw this blog, he would concur with John and Frank Thomas.
Back to the Wierd Al video. What parts did Marlo work on? Are there examples up on this post right now? Could Marlo post some shots from her scenes up on her blog? I think it would be interesting to see how her style has adapted to animation. B)
Is this pose an example of twinning? (I'm talking about the upper right-hand corner pose.)
It's the generic "Tom" from the Preston Blair book. Is this the sort of pose you're thinking of?
Craig, that's a 3/4 turn so there's no way it can be twinned. Twins mostly occur when a character is either facing straight forward or straight backward.
For instance, check out the The End card of Bugs from What's Cooking, Doc? (by Bob Clampett c. 1944). At first glance it may look twinned. But, if you study it a bit you'll see that there's a definite difference in both sides of the ears, eyes, mouth, shoulders, tail fur, legs, and even the negative space. That's how you untwin a drawing.
That first picture is, sadly, a horrifyingly accurate representation of my sex life...
I didn't see any emotion in it. It's the same expression all through the scene, and one right off the model sheet.
In Tom, I see panic, fury, fear, intense fear, wonder, desperation, humility, elation, relief, love, appreciation, & affection. I can't say that they're all taken from the model sheet, but I think off-model scenes were really handled by Irv Spence.
Get mad at Frank Thomas for not liking twins if you like them.
I'm not mad, but I think it's gotten a bit silly that you're seemingly determined to point out the flaws (real or imaginary) in almost everyone else's animation. If a character is pleading with another character or waving his hands in the air, I think it's absurd to call that using "twins" because the arms/hands are in the same positions.
To me it looks like the characters are wooden puppets and all their joints are linked together by invisible wires.
I've always thought that Tom and Jerry has the most solid animation out of any other cartoons. They seem to have weight, unlike other characters who seem to sort of just float around.
>>I've always thought that Tom and Jerry has the most solid animation out of any other cartoons. They seem to have weight, unlike other characters who seem to sort of just float around.<<
I agree.
I always tell young animators to study those cartoons to learn basic principles.
Mainly because that's what they are, pure and basic. They aren't very stylish or specific, so they are good to study.
Twins is a problem that many animators struggle with, including me.
That Ken Muse scene is a good example of them.
Thanks, John.
While I'll probably never think that twins are a bad thing, I do appreciate your responses.
I love the nice drawing of the cat grabbing the chicks butt.
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