Food for Thought…on Being Artists in an Industry,

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Who are we as artists in animation? 

Do we do it for the love of humanity? For the pursuit of “Universal Human Truths” that we strive for in our storytelling?  What does that mean?

Or do we do this so that we can be awarded a credit by the animation industry? Do we do it to identify with a fan culture? Perhaps as a means of getting praise or followers from fellow fans?  Who is the audience representing the opinions you worry about?

For myself, being an artist in this medium was a pursuit of putting art out there that inspired and connected with the hearts of people…. As I was inspired by it when I was younger. Creating inspirational work that touches upon our humanity is what drove me and inspired me.

Today we are faced with a crisis of humanity. There is a genocide happening in Palestine, and the animation industry is directly associated with it.

As artists, we have a beautiful gift, that of imagination…. Which can allow us to empathize, its our jobs to understand deeper stories and ask questions about what motivates our characters… to imagine outside of systemic structures that have been set up to dehumanize and marginalize.  When we are silent, we need to ask ourselves, who is the audience of our silence?  Who benefits from it?  Are we artists exclusively for the opinions of an industrial complex, or are we artists because we want to connect our common humanity?

Just some food for thought….

Conversation with Brent & David at Agora

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Hello everyone!

Recently I was interviewed by industry leaders Brent George and David Hubert on the Agora Community Site. We covered a lot of interesting topics about the technique, and conversations about the animation and film industry. (Thank you Brent and David for inviting me to share this conversation with you! )

The interview can be watched here.

 

Staying Creative & Inspired During Isolation

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2020 has been a challenging year for many artists. I hope you are all staying safe and doing well during this time. Some artists and creators are able to continue their practice from home. However for those that are missing live model drawing sessions at a studio, the exchange and energy of being around your peers, or just feeling lost and struggling with inspiration, it can be a challenging time to supplement those needs. For anyone that is feeling a creative slump as a result of the current times, I thought I'd share a few tips that help me. 

  • Online video streaming of live model sessions

  • Photo references to practice life drawing

  • When in doubt, work on technique!

  • Online art challenges

Online Video Streaming of Live Model Sessions

Many of us are missing our live model drawing sessions. There is no ideal replacement for drawing a model in a studio space, but there have been a lot of video resources on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Croquis Cafe has been a long standing figure drawing resource on YouTube. As well, many art galleries and studios have been offering recorded sessions online, with costumed and nude model resources. Search for ones in your community, social media, or your browser.

Video sessions are a great option because you can observe the model moving between the poses, how they shift their weight, and how they settle into a pose.  This gives you a better sense of where they were coming from and what they are moving into, so you can bring that insight into your drawings. These are valuable observations that we benefit from in a live studio, so having a video resource is the next best thing!

Photo References to Practice Life Drawing

Another option for your life drawing practice is to use photos for reference. When drawing from photos, make sure you are not copying but analyzing! If you are working on improving your gesture drawing and pose analysis, this is essential to your approach.

There are many photo references that can be found. I have always enjoyed Live Model Books' collection for studio poses because they offer a 360 degree view of the pose. They are my favourite photography resource for model drawing. When you are analyzing and not just copying, having alternate views to really observe what is happening in the pose is a huge asset.

I know right now spending money for training can be difficult. Another great option is to search for dance photography. I love to use dance poses when I am teaching. They are dynamic and have beautiful lines, which is fantastic for developing your eye to understand beautiful posing.

When in Doubt, Work on Technique!

I am often working on production artwork, but am always looking for time to create my own work. Or perhaps update aspects of my portfolio. However sometimes when left to your own devices it can be challenging to come up with ideas of what you want to work on next. When I'm in a creative slump and can't find inspiration or an idea for a new piece or an illustration, I go back to working on something technical, either a drawing technique I need to work on, some lessons I needed to practice, some creature or palaeontology studies... Just the act of doing something and getting some artwork done, not only helps refine your technical abilities, but I find it gets me starting and finishing something, and that usually leads to me unblocking whatever is preventing me with coming up with an idea.

Online Art Challenges

These are fun little challenges on social media. They can connect you with other artists, and find joy in participating and appreciating the art of the online community. If you're feeling blocked or in a creative slump, they can give you an assignment to help get you going. I find that once in a while these are a fun pick me up and give me direction on what to work on if I feel stuck!

Disclaimer: I very much enjoy participating in these challenges but I urge caution when participating in fan artwork challenges with characters that are not your property. I have created fan art pieces myself, but with that said, value your abilities and skills. It's important to respect yourself and your work, these challenges should not be opportunities to create free artwork for third parties. Use your discretion but this is something to be mindful of should you elect to create fan artwork. You are offering a free shout out via your art, and your art has value!

Thank you to all of you that are staying home and helping reduce pressure on our healthcare systems. I also want to thank everyone who has been contributing to keeping people healthy, providing services to keep us going as best as possible, and those who are sharing and offering what they can to help keep spirits up!


I hope these tips can be helpful! I hope you are all doing well, staying safe, and keeping others safe!

Happy 10 Year Anniversary Studio Technique!

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🌟Happy 10 Year Anniversary Studio Technique! 🌟

It's been 10 years since I officially started a training studio for professional artists in the feature film, VFX, and video game industries, working with artists from Pixar, Disney, Sony, Dreamworks, ILM, Lucasfilm, EA, Ubisoft and many many other incredible studios.

To the studios out there - Thank you for choosing me to work with your talent and productions.

To the artists - thank you for working so passionately through my courses and workshops.

To the academies and colleges - thank you for integrating my book, Movement & Form, into your programs. 

Thank you everyone who has supported me along this journey! It has been an amazing time, working with studios across the world, meeting students at colleges on other sides of many oceans, and working with artists without borders through online workshops and courses! Not to mention publishing a book that has been circulated through more studios, schools and countries than I had ever imagined!

Here's to even more great things to come! Cheers! 🥂

- Samantha Youssef

Visiting Colleges

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Most of the time I am teaching through masterclasses with professionals and consulting at studios. Which I absolutely love! The topics we can dive into are always exciting and diverse, and vary depending on the projects the studio is working on.

However, I always love when I can visit schools and talk to aspiring and passionate young artists! I had the chance to stop by Seneca College’s Animation Program in Toronto, and meet up with my amazing teacher, Werner Zimmerman, who taught (and inspired) me when I was in school at Sheridan.

Thank you for having me at Seneca!

- Samantha

Animation Paper Guide

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Let’s talk about animation paper!

While there are more and more software options available to create drawn animation, there are still certain things that can only be achieved on paper.

For the hand drawn feature quality productions with performance animation in the Disney feature animation tradition, or for the artists that are truly into the craft at the highest technical level, let’s talk a bit about paper and finding the best options for you!

Paper, as with any artistic material, can be a personal choice, and there are a few different options. I will break down some items to consider when choosing animation paper, as well as sharing what I prefer to use myself and my reasons why.

12 Field vs. 16 Field

These terms are based on camera field guides. 12 field paper (12 inch wide field guide) is obviously smaller than 16 field paper (16 inch wide field guide). Both have their advantages and challenges.

 
16 field vs 12 field size comparison

16 field vs 12 field size comparison

 

When you are learning, I highly recommend 12 field paper.

To start, it is significantly more affordable.

Also, when you are not as experienced an animator, 12 field helps when you are learning to flip paper. The main reason that I prefer paper over digital is because you can flip your paper as you draw. There are flipping options in software packages, but they do not translate as effectively or work as fast and concisely as with paper. For more information on flipping, check out my flipping tutorial.

Mastering this technique is far better on 12 field paper. Once comfortable, it is easier to transition to 16 field, but it’s important to learn how to do this properly. If you are aiming for the highest quality of animation, you can not rely on your backlight or onion skinning, you need to flip CONSTANTLY as you work. Flipping technique can get sloppy with 16 field paper, so it’s important you learn it properly on manageable sized paper. I still work on 12 field paper at times because the ease of flipping on it allows you to work faster.

 
Clip from Hand Drawn Animation documentary film

Clip from Hand Drawn Animation documentary film

 

Once you are experienced, and looking to create the highest quality of feature film animation, 16 field is the better option.

If you are aiming for performance oriented animation, or more sophisticated feature film animation in the Disney tradition, you will need the canvas size that 16 field offers you. This will become obvious to you as you progress. When starting out with basic exercises, 12 field is enough. However as you progress, you may feel restricted and that you need more space to draw. 12 field will eventually become quite limited, especially when handling acting, lip sync, and complex performance.

There are also projections in the theatre to consider. If your animation is going to be screened in a theatre, like the films we made at Disney, then 16 field paper scales better than a smaller drawing surface. Think of it in the way we apply this to photo resolution. The larger the paper, the higher the resolution.

I have a stash of both sizes of paper at my studio. They each have advantages depending on what I’m working on.

12 Field:

PROS:

  • more affordable

  • better for learning to flip paper

CONS:

  • limited canvas size

  • not as suited for higher resolution, theatrical release work.

16 Field:

PROS:

  • better drawing canvas

  • better for higher resolution (theatrical) screening

CONS:

  • more expensive

  • harder to learn on for flipping

Paper Quality

There are various types of paper you can get. This can get a bit personal, and is dependent on your drawing style as well. There are a variety of paper weights available. Experience with your way of working and the materials you use will help you choose what you like best. For myself, I feel it is dependent on the kind of pencils I’m using (how dark or light they are), how much flipping is required (how much paper endurance is required), and the length of the scene I’m animating (this also effects the amount of strain on the registration punches in the paper and if they will tear and deform).

Quality animation paper is made with some translucency, so that you can see the impression of the drawing on the paper beneath the page you are working on. However this does not mean that it is flimsy. Professional animation paper is also made with the understanding that you will be doing a lot of flipping, and therefor it has to endure the physical demands that flipping places upon it, as well as any erasing and any corrections you are doing to your drawings. Pro animation paper is a specific design of paper.

Some suppliers offer a mid tier standard quality of paper. It is not made for high end professional use, but it is still reliable in most cases and good for lower end productions or student work.

Suppliers often offer a cheaper economy option as well. This paper is much more affordable but tears easily. It is similar to printer paper, however I believe it is even thinner, to offer some translucency. It is without the reinforced quality that professional paper provides. This is fine for when you are testing the waters in animation, but it will not be ideal for when you get into more sophisticated work as it gets damaged easily with flipping and erasing.

Back in the hand drawn days at Disney Feature Animation, we used Chromacolour Prograde Plus animation paper.

Chromacolour used to be a Canadian company but is now turned over in the U.K. The paper options are not exactly the same as they were before, but this would be the professional paper that is the equivalent:
https://www.chromacolour.co.uk/animationsupplies/animation-paper/pro-grade-animation-paper.html *

* There are many other suppliers that sell animation paper. You do not have to go with Chromacolour. I have always purchased through Chromacolour, so it is the only one I can suggest from my personal experience. I have heard good things about Lightfoot LTD as well. Both companies manufacture environmentally conscious paper which I appreciate as well!

Paper Texture

How much tooth or smoothness? This can depend on your drawing materials. The higher quality paper that is made specifically for animation usually has one side that is a little smoother, and another side that has a bit more tooth (rough texture) to it. Depending on the drawing materials** you use (how waxy or chalky your drawing pencils are), you may prefer the smooth side or you may prefer the toothier side. I appreciate that about quality paper, I like being able to have the option that works best with the pencils I’m using.

** Side note: choosing your drawing pencils is dependent on your approach to drawing. Let me know in the comments if this is something you’d like me to talk about in the future!

Punched vs. Unpunched

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Punched animation paper is slightly more expensive as it comes already punched with standard animation pegbar registration.

If you purchase unpunched paper, you will need an animation paper punch. Proper animation paper punches can get very expensive. On top of the cost, you can only punch three to four sheets of paper at a time without damaging the punch, so it can be very time consuming to do this yourself.

Some people use a three round hole punch, like the ones you use for your school binders or office documents. While this can function, it is not a very good option for feature quality character animation. Proper animation punches alternate square and round holes. This type of peg registration provides much more secure paper alignment.

Classic 16 field disc Pegbar with alternating circle and square pegs

Classic 16 field disc Pegbar with alternating circle and square pegs

I personally recommend buying punched paper, and saving yourself the hours of time it would take to punch all the paper you will need. As well the cost of the punch equipment is so high, it’s only worth it if you are a production studio.



DIY Paper

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Some people opt to punch their own paper with round pegs, as they can use cheap printer paper (A4) and a regular hole punch. There are now peg bars available with three round holes instead of the animation standard of square and round pegs alternating. This can be a much more affordable option and great for learning on a budget or if you just want to try animation out for fun.

The downside of this is that it can work for basic fundamental assignments, but if you want to get into more sophisticated animation, the paper quality of basic A4 paper is not resilient to the flipping you are required to do and will tear or breakdown easily. There is also size to consider. A4 paper has an even smaller drawing area than 12 field paper. As well, the reason for the square and round alternating pegs is for a more secure alignment of your pages. As the paper wears down around the holes, it becomes looser and is therefor no longer as aligned. This means that your animation can jitter if the paper is not securely aligned to the registration pegs.***

***There are reinforcement stickers that you can purchase to help with this, but they are not always necessary if you have higher quality paper.

Please let me know on my instagram post if you liked this kind of article! I’ll be happy to post more conversations like this in the future!






Comicon 2019 - Dynamic Posing! Drawing Characters from Life

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Another amazing year at Comicon with Dr Sketchy Montreal. This drawing workshop is always so much fun!

We covered quite a few drawing topics this year, had some great Q&A, and - as part of the Dr Sketchy Montreal experience - some great contests and prizes. Congratulations to our prize winners - tickets to attend Dr.Sketchy and a copy of the book Movement & Form!

It was such a great turn out. Thank you to everyone who participated in this fantastic event. We hope to see you next year!

More Free Online Classes!

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Hi Everyone!

There was such a great turn out at the last online critique, demo, and Q&A, and there was not enough time to go through all the artwork and questions. So I've decided to do a couple more sessions during the campaign, and would love to see you there! The past sessions can be viewed on the campaign page.

The final session will take place:

  • June 29, 3pm EST / 12 pm PST

I will continue to go through the artwork and questions that were already submitted but for those that would still like to submit artwork, you can do so here:

You will be able to submit your artwork to be critiqued, or you can just attend, learn and be part of the conversation!

The session will run approximately 60 minutes. Artwork will be reviewed in order of submissions. We will try to get through as many critiques, as well as demos and answers to your questions, as we can in that time!

The link to the online Adobe Connect classroom will be available on the campaign page 15 minutes before the event.  It can be streamed through your browser.