Joe's Drawings

[joedorsey]

Here begins my journey of drawing and animating. I'm using Preston Blair's book "Advanced Animation" as a reference.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonBear-1.jpg http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonEggs1.jpg

[arif]

cool.....go ahead.....

arif:)

[joedorsey]

Thank you! Here's a head shot of Mrs. Brisby. I remember watching the film for the first time and appreciating the emotional content in the art. I spent the whole afternoon viewing and reviewing the movie. The theater owner was a nice guy! :D

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Don%20Bluth/Don%20Bluth/MrsBrisWorried.jpg

[lavallelee]

I wish i was able to see Secret of Nimh in a theater

Nice work, keep posting :)

[joedorsey]

I wish i was able to see Secret of Nimh in a theater

Nice work, keep posting :)


Thank you Lavallelee!

I'm hoping the CG version will spurn some interest in bringing the original back to Theaters. The scene where Jeremy takes Mrs. Brisby for a ride is spectacular on the big screen. I love the way he runs a bit while flying. The backgrounds just pop out and the score is fabulous (I'm a sucker for strings anyway)!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/25523/the-secret-of-nimh

It's about 25 minutes in...

[joedorsey]

Here's some more eggs and Barney Bear. I've noticed that Preston puts a little bend in the line of the mouth to create a goofier look. I've seen it with Tom and Jerry too. It's great how a little tweak can make a difference.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonBarneyBear.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonEggs2.jpg

[joedorsey]

Sorry I haven't posted in a bit. I'm part of the production of "Annie Get Your Gun" at our local theater group (I'm hoping it will help in my animating to act in a musical). Life got a little busy, but I'm still drawing! I wanted to work on something where the character is shifting weight to a single source. Here's Jeremy before he falls off the log. I noticed how firmly the claw is planted and the great line of the spine as he leans back. I watched the tip video on how Don draws Jeremy and tried to use some of the techniques. The feathers are so much fun to draw.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Jeremysings.jpg

[joedorsey]

Hunkering down and working on the models for the cyber garage. Here's my first Sasha. I'm really trying to construct as much as I can. It takes me forever, but I've heard that's the best way to get it right. I'm also trying to be looser in my approach. I just got Flipbook 6 and poking around to learn the interface. Great program!

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Sasha1.jpg

[joedorsey]

Here's my sad Sasha... I tried to get Sasha's ears to droop properly as sad animal characters do.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Sashasad.jpg

[Seth]

Hey, that's pretty good! It's always a good idea to try to use an animal characters ears to help with their emotion in someway. Emotions in cartoon animals is something that I've never personally been able to figure out.

[joedorsey]

Thank you Seth. I'm just starting to draw again so I understand how you feel about getting the emotion right.

When I started drawing this I did not know where to begin. Then I found a scene from the Secret Of Nimh where Mrs. Brisby is reading a book on how her Husband died. I paused a couple of frames to see what the animator was doing to create a sad face. Then I looked at Don's model sheet for reference.

You keep trying Seth, you'll figure it out. That's what this place is for to encourage one another!

[arif]

hello friend..you are improving day by day....good job...do more drawings....and try to see things as a 3 dimensional object...and find the perspective...you will do more better....

Regards,

Arif

[joedorsey]

Thanks Arif,

I appreciate the advice. Trying to draw every day.

[joedorsey]

Today was an extremely liberating day for my drawing. I watched Don's video on being loose. Tried the 2nd way he shows how to hold the pencil. Gave it a shot and worked on a rough of Preston Blair's dancing girl from "Swing Shift Cinderella". I'll work on drawing the details later, but this has helped me sooooo much. My hands don't feel so tight and the looseness gives me a chance to make mistakes without having a dark line to deal with.


http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Prestonloose.jpg

[Seth]

I hear ya, loosening up is very important when it comes to drawing. I know sometimes when I'm really stressed I have to take my pencil and just draw circles over, and over. I usually try to move my whole shoulder in the process, like warming up for exercise. Keep up the good work!

[joedorsey]

I woke up this morning to find our German Shorthair Pointer "Ginger" curled up on the couch we just bought. With a new drawing pad in hand, I sat down and gave it a shot. She didn't stay in one place very long, so I had to get the basic form together quick.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Gingeroncouch.jpg

[joedorsey]

Here's a couple of drawings. The first is Preston Blair's dog. I spent time being sure my construction was correct. He was fun to draw.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/PrestonDog.jpg


The second is a shot I found from "Winnie The Pooh and Tigger Too!" Rabbit has just ditched Tigger and he makes this great smile. It took me a while to construct the face properly. It's not perfect, but I think I was able to get the essence.


http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Rabbit.jpg

I still have to catch myself from tightening up when I draw. I stop and shake my hands out and think "loose".

[lavallelee]

very nice drawings! when i saw the rabbit first thing that popped in my head was the winnie the pooh theme song

[joedorsey]

Thanks Lavalle! These early Pooh shorts are great. I've wondered what it was like being an animator on these with John Lounsbery at the helm.

[arif]

wow..friend wow.!!!..you have remarkably improved yourself......great!!!.....and good job...keep drawing daily .....:D:D

[joedorsey]

Thanks! I'm trying to work on my construction. It takes longer, but it's well worth it. Speed will come later.

[johncbeggs]

cool drawings

[joedorsey]

Thank you John! I was watching "Duck Amuck" and studied the facial expressions. Daffy was pretty much ticked off for most of it, so I drew my favorite face.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=MadDaffy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/MadDaffy.jpg" border="0" alt="Mad Daffy"></a>

There are some quick motions in this picture and I noticed something interesting. When Daffy turns his head quickly, there is a single shot that has four heads in it. It creates a great fluid motion that happens in the blink of an eye. Here's the screen shot. It goes from four heads (one frame) then to two heads (two frames) then to the final frame with one head. I'm sure there's an animation term for it. It happens around three minutes in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WahJLv65S-U&feature=PlayList&p=0FF43975EBC2CD39&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=Daffytimes4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Daffytimes4.jpg" border="0" alt="Daffy times four"></a>

[joedorsey]

It's been a while since I posted any drawings! Here's a couple Preston Blair models I did while on vacation in Michigan. I kept some of the construction lines in the fox.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Wolf.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Fox.jpg

[arif]

Hai...you have improved a lot !!....great!!!! do more drawings from Preston blair.....

Regards,
Arif.

[joedorsey]

Thanks Arif!

I'm trying to work on construction. It takes time but is worth it in the end. The fox reminds me of the one in Pinocchio. :)

[Seth]

Wow, nice. You've improved a lot. Its been a while I thought you had disappeared! :laughing:

[joedorsey]

Thanks Seth!

Yeah, I've been away for a bit. Time to settle in for the holidays.

I'm convinced that learning construction principles has made all the difference in my drawing. I appreciate the encouragement.

[joedorsey]

Here's a little billy goat I found from a Tex Avery cartoon called "Billy Boy". I've been wanting to draw a cute character and Tex is usually full of crazy goofy stuff. So when I saw this little face, I had to give it a shot. The eyes were fun to put together and construction made it so much easier to get the right feel for the drawing. The eye wrinkles add more cuteness for sure.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/BillyBoy-1.jpg

[SirShane]

Hi there,

I definitely see improvement in your skill since your first post on this thread. Keep it up! It might help us critique you better if you kept your construction lines more visible in your posts. That would give us a better view of the process you took to produce the drawing.

At first glance it appears as if you might still be 'tying down' the drawing too soon. You should be drawing very loosely until the last minute, when you're absolutely sure the drawing looks good, and you've checked all your lines.

I'm still learning myself, but I find it really helps to have someone critique your work and offer suggestions on how to improve. Please keep posting your drawings. :)

-Shane

[joedorsey]

Thanks for the help Shane. I do get a little hurried sometimes when I draw. I'll try to keep more of the construction lines visible.

I used the construction circle to get started then noticed the head bulges out a bit and add some more to it. The mouth took a little time because the line is so smooth in the original (you can see where I erased a bit). While putting this together I've noticed how the eyes make a big impact on a cute character.

Thanks again for the critique. It all takes time doesn't it?

[SirShane]

It definitely helps to think through the drawing while you're doing it. Think about why this line goes here, or how to best approximate a certain shape, etc... I firmly believe that thinking through the process will produce a better drawing, as opposed to just drawing what looks good at first glance. Sometimes it takes me an hour before I finally tie down a drawing, but I learn a lot from the process. I think speed just comes from experience, really. :)

[joedorsey]

I think speed just comes from experience, really.

Very true!

[Diego]

Here begins my journey of drawing and animating. I'm using Preston Blair's book "Advanced Animation" as a reference.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonBear-1.jpg http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af144/anim8/Preston%20Blair%20Drawings/PrestonEggs1.jpg

wow man i have that book too and i like it, its very usefull.i learn to draw some characters with that book.:cool:

[joedorsey]

Finally got a blue and red pencil. It has helped in loosening up before finishing up. These crossed arms were tricky. There was a point when I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through this one. I had red pencil lines everywhere. :D

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=tom.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/tom.jpg" border="0" alt="Tom not happy"></a>

[arif]

very good Dorsey.....Run with your drawings with full speed...and post them everyday.....:)

Regards,
Arif

[jeremyhopkins]

Very good Dorsey! You got Tom's likeness and you managed to capture the crossed arm pose. Only tiny tip I can offer is when you draw, try to draw through the characters. It means when you draw construction lines, think of the character as transparent. Draw ellipses rather than half moon construction lines. This will help give your characters depth and dimensionality. Very nicely done!

[joedorsey]

Thank you Arif and Jeremy for the kind words and encouragement! Jeremy, could you show me an example of what you're talking about? I'm trying to wrap my head around what you are suggesting. I'm constructing as per the book, but I'm willing to learn whatever makes the drawing better.

[jeremyhopkins]

http://www.linesandcolors.com/images/2007-04/blair3_450.jpg Do you see the dashed lines in the first and second image at the top, that's what I'm getting at. It helps give a drawing volume and mass rather than a flat shape. Does that make sense?

[joedorsey]

I get it now. Thanks for the clarity!

[joedorsey]

Here's another wack at it. Put up your dukes!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=BoxingBunny.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/BoxingBunny.jpg" border="0" alt="Boxing Bunny"></a>

[joedorsey]

Here's a Freddie Moore girl I worked on.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=FreddieMoore1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/FreddieMoore1.jpg" border="0" alt="Freddie Moore girl 1"></a>

His line of action is much stronger than what I drew. But, I'm pretty happy with my first try. :D I really like Freddie Moore's style.

[joedorsey]

I thought I'd try to construct Rabbit from a screen capture from "Winnie The Pooh and Tigger Too!". It was a great lesson for me. All of his components created his unsure look. His eyes, whiskers, ears, mouth, arms, and a heaviness to his body. I started with the head and worked on getting the three dimensional aspect. I'm trying to see shapes in constructing a body. His has a teardrop style. So I worked his appendages around that. It took a while to get the feet to feel planted to the ground. Lots of fun to draw!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=RabbitUnsure.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/RabbitUnsure.jpg" border="0" alt="Rabbit unsure"></a>

[AvestheForumFox]

I love how these threads show eventual improvement as each artists keep drawing and posting up!

Your art is no exception, your showing potential :) Keep it up and keep it coming!

[WillW]

Here's another wack at it. Put up your dukes!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=BoxingBunny.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/BoxingBunny.jpg" border="0" alt="Boxing Bunny"></a>

I remember this one : D This was the very image that taught me about the line of action, was very helpful c:. yours looks great c: I may have given this drawing a go myself but I have no clue where I put it lol.

[Seth]

Wowie Zowie Joe! Your sure have improved fast! I'm really impressed. Keep up the great work!

[joedorsey]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. One drawing at a time.

[arif]

Hey Dorsey...

sorry for being late to post my comments on your recent drawings...just forgot.....you have improved a looooooooooot just so quick time....amazing...i really like your blue pencil attempt and the bunny....keep drawing everyday at least like that one and post them up here....

Regards,
Arif

[joedorsey]

Thanks Arif,

Once I started using the red pencil it has allowed me to rough things out without freaking out. BTW, your newest drawing of the girl is very nice!

Joe

[joedorsey]

Still working on my Preston Blair drawings. I thought I'd try an attempt at Red Hot Riding Hood. I started with the line of action and built her up from there. Took a while to construct. But, it taught me alot.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=RedHotRidingHood.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/RedHotRidingHood.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Hot Riding Hood - Preston Blair"></a>

[Poulpette]

Nice work. That's true, you're improving very fast. :)

[arif]

Excellent!!!...just went back your first drawing and see the new one.....amazing improvement!!!.....and nice picture you added ...now ..i know whom am i talking .....

Regards,
Arif

[joedorsey]

Thanks Poulpett and Arif! This last drawing really stretched me. I haven't drawn the female figure a whole lot and I wanted to make a solid image.

If you don't mind. I wanted to tell you the process in how I got this picture together. Here we go...

Her line of action to me was where her back was leaning. Usually I start with the head, but I wanted her legs to be strong and planted to ground so I drew her right leg first and worked on the contour of that action line. I drew a reference line for her left leg and roughed it out. Next I drew a reference line of Red's torso and made sure the back line was far enough so she could lean and her stomach line smoothed out to her right leg. Then I drew the breasts around the top of the torso line (I've seen this technique somewhere...) The breasts took a bit to get just right. The oval contour was tricky for me.

Then I was caught dead in my tracks. I needed to construct the arms to fit right with the rest of the drawing. From her left shoulder to her right elbow I saw a pretty straight line, so I put a reference line across and a line where her left arm goes straight down. All along the way, I found that making her curves just right was the big challenge. Her legs are very strong (dancer's legs) and her body is very soft and feminine. Now her head had to be cocked to the left just a bit to show some attitude. I used the ol' head construction and worked on making her face soft but confident in look. Once I felt happy overall, I blue pencil'd to finish.

I compared the two drawings and found that my Red is a little like Mae West in attitude. Her "Why don't come and see me sometime" vibe is there. So I have a little bit of my own style in this one, which makes me glad. Here's the drawing again so you don't have to page back. Thanks again everyone for the support!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=RedHotRidingHood.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/RedHotRidingHood.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[WillW]

you really captured the emotion of the character well in that last drawing, great work!.

[joedorsey]

Thanks Will. I appreciate it!

[joedorsey]

Here's Claude the cat from the Warner Brother's show "Cheese Chasers". He's blindfolded and giving himself to be massacred by a dog. I wanted to get his worried look as he faces the dog. Claude is one of my favorite Chuck Jones characters.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=Claudeworried.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Claudeworried.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[joedorsey]

I found a great model sheet of Bug's Bunny done by Bob Clampett on John K.'s blog. Here's a pose from it. You can see the sheet here. (http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/07/constructing-bugs-bunny.html) It took a while to work out the lines on this. Everything flows together so well on this drawing. The more I work on these, the more respect I have for the artists that put them together. Let me know what you think of my version. Thanks!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=ClampettBugs.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/ClampettBugs.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[joedorsey]

Here's a pose from the same model sheet. Drawing a character from behind was a whole new experience. As you can see I was constructing like crazy to try to make a solid drawing. I noticed that there was an arc shape to the hands (on the finger tips) so I drew them in as a reference.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=BugsFromBehind.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/BugsFromBehind.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[lavallelee]

very cool, great hands on bugs

i always have problems with hands :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks Lavalle!

Dude, it took me a while to get those hands together. I must have redrawn them four times. I drew some guide lines to help me position the fingers. Then I drew around them and kept referencing the model sheet. I understand about the hands thing. Using the red pencil to work it out has helped a ton. Sometimes it feels like you're building a sculpture. Just chipping away until you like what you see. Getting his hind end together was a chore too.

Nothing comes easy does it? You just keep plugging away.

[joedorsey]

I just found this great little speech on Shane Gline's Cartoon Retro blog. It was written by John K. about working through the tough stuff. Inspirational for us folks plowing the hard ground in drawing.

"You start drawing with your brain, but aim to draw from the heart. That doesn't happen instantly. You have to first absorb the knowledge slowly and then forget about it and let your pencil be guided by your subconscious. Not easy, and it hurts to go through the stiff period. A lot of lesser men give up during the stiff beginnings of learning something new and that's a dirty shame. Take the pain and shame like a man and get over it. You'll be so happy when your new knowledge becomes second nature. Otherwise you will be stuck, a slave to formula for life and unhappy, maybe even without knowing why. That pain and shame is essential to your progress. Embrace it. Kick the walls if you have to. But get back to the drawing board and force that stiff information into your head. Then lay awake nights obsessing over it. That's your tax for being gifted."

- John K.

[joedorsey]

Here's my first shot at Mickey. He's pretty happy to slay that Giant!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=Mickey-BraveLittleTailor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Mickey-BraveLittleTailor.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[joedorsey]

Here's a quick story page I did of a Hippo Father and Son. I wanted to quickly capture the essence without worrying how perfect the drawings are.

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=JavaJoy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/JavaJoy.jpg" border="0" alt="Java Joy"></a>

[Rodney]

I really like your story breakdown/storyboard. :)

[arif]

yea....me too....................:D

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys! It's great to try something new.

[lavallelee]

Here's my first shot at Mickey. He's pretty happy to slay that Giant!

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=Mickey-BraveLittleTailor.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/Mickey-BraveLittleTailor.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

great mickey! i really like your drawings in this gallery :D

[joedorsey]

Thank you Sir! Freddie Moore's Mickey has such life. Fred must have seemed a "Jimi Hendrix" of animation at the time. Here's a little excerpt I found of the great Ward Kimball talking about Freddie and his major contribution to the art of animation.

Fred deviated from the rubber hose, round circle school. Fred was just right for the time. He was the first one to escape from the rubber hose school. He began getting counter movements, counter thrusts, in the way he drew. More drawing. He decided to make Mickey’s cheeks move with his mouth, which had never been done before when you drew everything inside that circle. He squashed and stretched him more.

And this was right at the time, but Fred was a high school-trained animator. He never went to art school, and he more or less emerged drawing that way. Nobody seems to remember any development.

[joedorsey]

Oops! Almost forgot to post Penny here.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=184&pictureid=860

[joedorsey]

I put the storyboard together as an animatic with my son's help. It was fun.:)

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=305

[lavallelee]

lol you sing in the end, you should join american idol!

very nice animatic

I can see a lot of good acting animation in my head for this toon. You and your son have a good acting ability. If this is your first time doing this, bravo. All that is left is you get you some music that matches the mood.

[Rodney]

Nice! Great slice of life stuff.
Its alway fun to watch films where people take pride in the simple things.
Yours is no exception.

I think I'll go warm *my* coffee in the microwave.

Microwave.
Microwave.
OOOOOOOOOooooooh. [thunderous silence]
...wait for it...
...wait for it...
...wait for it...
I'm gonna go warm the coffee in the microwave.

Ahem.

Thanks.
Now I've got that tune stuck in my head!!!

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys!

My son and I had so much fun putting this together last night. This is the first animatic for me, so I appreciate your kind words. When we were recording the voice tracks, I directed my son and he directed me. We had a lot of laughs. The editing side was a challenge and I found that timing is SO important. This was a great learning experience.

[joedorsey]

I'm taking Don's advice and putting together the character designs for my storyboard.

Name: Garth
Backstory: Garth is broken goods. After the death of his Mother in a car accident, he has never been the same. Where once was a youth full of hope, now is a teenager trying to make sense of life. Fortunately, Garth has a loving Dad (Harold) who drives him nuts. Garth does not understand his Dad at all. Considering the hardships his Father has gone through, Garth wonders why he chooses a cheery, fun loving disposition. Garth loves what he calls "dark things" because that is where his heart is. If it weren't for his Dad, Po his best friend, Donnie the friend he wishes he could get rid of, and the strange new neighbors. Garth would be a swirling torrent of utter despair.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=184&pictureid=878

[joedorsey]

Name: Harold
Backstory: Harold is a self realized optimist. Having various tragedies come his way, he chooses a happy outlook. He is still grieving his wife's death and spends time alone in his room to cry or go to her grave to talk and leave flowers. Harold is striving to be strong for his son and present a balanced way of dealing with life. Goofy and fun most of time, Harold has a serious side that he shares with his son on occasion. He respects his son's development and loves Garth just the way he is. Harold is a studio background singer by trade and runs far away from the spotlight. His biggest vice? He's gotta have that coffee!

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=184&pictureid=885

[arif]

Hey Joe...

looks really good..................

[joedorsey]

Thanks Arif!

[lavallelee]

animate harold drinking his coffee, i would love to see it :)

[joedorsey]

animate harold drinking his coffee, i would love to see it

As soon as I get my lightbox, I will do that. I have a hard time drawing/animating with my little wacom bamboo. I would rather draw on paper anyway.

[joedorsey]

Lavalle,

Here's Harold waiting for his coffee. He's not the patient type.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=184&pictureid=886

[Rodney]

I'm like Harold!

...but I think both he and I might be reaching to remove the pot of coffee and get those drips into the cup already. Who has time for the whole pot to fill up?!? ;)

I'm really enjoying your updates Joe.
Keep that coffee flowing!

[joedorsey]

...but I think both he and I might be reaching to remove the pot of coffee and get those drips into the cup already. Who has time for the whole pot to fill up?!?

Harold should have gotten one of those sneak-a-cup coffee makers. ;)


I'm really enjoying your updates Joe.
Keep that coffee flowing!

Thank you Rodney. To be honest, I tend to get real intimidated by all the excellent artists here on the site. I have so far to go to be the kind of animator that I want to be. Working a full time job, raising a family, and drawing inbetween makes the process longer. But I want to be a good draftsman. Sometimes I feel I'll never get there. The encouragement and great instruction here and elsewhere on the web keeps me going.

[joedorsey]

Since "Alice In Wonderland" is opening today. (my youngest is going to see it) I did a quick drawing for fun. Tim Burton looks like a mix between Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne (ELO).

<a href="http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/?action=view&current=BurtonWonderland.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii56/dorseytunes/BurtonWonderland.jpg" border="0" alt="Alice In Wonderland,Tim Burton,Disney,2010"></a>

[arif]

hahahahah..nice...joe..what kind of paper are you using for your drawings....i found always a nice color of your paper....and wish that i could draw on that papers....it has some nice texture also....

[lavallelee]

looks like someone is anticipating the new Alice in Wonderland

i am too!

[joedorsey]

Arif,

Here is my paper on amazon. It does have a nice texture to draw on.

Canson Drawing Paper 9x12 70lb (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E2821S/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000HT98CU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1EVW12MEQY9KJG7G0EJA)


Yeah Lavalle, I kinda want to see how this version will come out. Plus, I'm a fan of the Jabberwocky and I saw a preview with this great CGI of him. So we'll see.

I noticed that Johnny Depp uses the same kind of laugh that Tom Hulce used in "Amadeus". Too bad you can't copyright a laugh. :D

Tom Hulce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjmmjXGwarU)
Johnny Depp (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVthJxzG2Gc)

[joedorsey]

I saw Lavalle working on the Crash Course animation. I thought I'd try to draw the dog too.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=194&pictureid=901

[jeremyhopkins]

Very nice Joe! I love the loose feeling you have in the drawing! Very good start!

[joedorsey]

Thank you Jeremy!

Don talks about being loose and I'm trying not to be so tight when I draw.

[WillW]

looks great! really like the flow of the lines on this c:

[joedorsey]

What happened to your correction drawing Will? I appreciate your input. Thanks for the encouragement.

[WillW]

I took it down because I saw you did make the arm overlap on the animated version.

Here's the correction image again though.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/tyokio/example-1.jpg

[joedorsey]

Cool Will. I'm learning so much with that dog walk. The stretch in the back leg and squash on the feet make a great impact on the walk. There's a curl up on the toe before it makes final impact. Having his head go down during the passing shot. I could go on and on...

[lavallelee]

It is a tough walk I am perfecting mine. Keep it up Joe!

[joedorsey]

You keep going too Lavalle. Partners in walking the dog!

[joedorsey]

Here's a drawing of Harold. He is visiting his wife's grave and telling her a funny story about Garth their son. Midway through, Harold is struck with sorrow of how deeply he misses his wife.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=194&pictureid=914

[jeremyhopkins]

I like your story ideas and how you have the line action match the composition. If you don't mind a quick suggestion, you might want to check the perspective on the front leg. The drawing would be stronger if you separated it a little and maybe had him leaning on his knee. Great ideas and good improvement!

[joedorsey]

Thanks Jeremy. You know, after I was done drawing this I was thinking about leaning on his knee too. My struggle was not to have him looking straight at the tombstone, but up a little for a humble/sad effect in the eyes. You're right about the front leg, good eye. I appreciate your advice, I admire your drawings very much.

I'm hoping Don will be doing more draw overs like he did last week. :) He really shows how the line of action transforms a drawing.

[Richard Willimot]

Wow Joe,Harold's really taking shape as a character. I look forward to seeing him develop more. One suggestion from me is to lower his eyelid a bit to give him more of the sad look you're after.

[joedorsey]

Thought I'd put O'Mike in me gallery...

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=194&pictureid=923

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=194&pictureid=924

[joedorsey]

Harold and his wife used to hang out at the beach alot. Sad and confused he sits and watches the waves splash against the shore in hopes it will ease the pain.

I tried a different pose, but had problems putting it all together. I started with both legs straight and then bent the knee to make it more interesting.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=194&pictureid=938

[joedorsey]

Penny the ant discovers how to read. She's closer than ever to communicating with the outside world!

My dog woke me up at 3:30am. So I'm getting a few drawings out while I can. :)

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=202&pictureid=939

[lavallelee]

early morning drawings are always the best!

[joedorsey]

early morning drawings are always the best!

In the morning, sometimes my mind is a clean slate for drawing. Other times...well, not so much. ;)

[jeremyhopkins]

Really like your book drawing Joe. It communicates a story and is very appealing. Good work!

[arif]

In the morning, sometimes my mind is a clean slate for drawing. Other times...well, not so much. ;)

ahh...i always draw at night!!!.......

Joe....great progress.......................

[Richard Willimot]

Good work on these joe they're really developing in character

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys! Do you ever go through different poses in your head to figure out which one would be best? I went through that with Penny.

[zanekohler]

Awesome Job Joe!

Yeah I definitely go through poses in my head. I go as far as to loosely sketch out a page of all those poses. This page is not about making art but finding information to work out my pose. Usually after a page of these scribbles I then have an idea of how I am going to approach my drawing.

[joedorsey]

Thank you Zane. I want to get the feeling of my character in my head. Don talks about rough drawings being what's going on in your subconscious mind. Some drawings you struggle with and some just flow from your pencil.

[zanekohler]

Yeah some drawing just do poor out which is awesome. I have really been trying to apply Don's thought of think of what you are going to draw before you do. I For me I always look at the first pose after some time has passed and and find I could have taken it further. So I keep the first round rough more as a time saver because I know after looking at it I am going to do another pass with improvements. At least I hope it improves :p

[Rodney]

Joe,
Your drawings (and your animation... love that flying bird!) aways draw me in.
There is always a story... an evidence of life... and importantly an element of fun... or in the case of your father hippo character... the rememberence of it... flowing through what I see there.

As you refine your drawings and master all that is there to be mastered I hope you'll never depart from that.

[joedorsey]

Your drawings (and your animation... love that flying bird!) aways draw me in.
There is always a story... an evidence of life... and importantly an element of fun... or in the case of your father hippo character... the rememberence of it... flowing through what I see there.

As you refine your drawings and master all that is there to be mastered I hope you'll never depart from that.

Thank you Rodney. I try not to take myself to seriously and my kids keep me real. The last thing I want to be is an art snob. Entertaining people is the goal. I like to bounce ideas off my kids. They are honest and will tell me if something doesn't work. I was writing some dialog between two teenage boys and asked my son (13yrs) if it was something that boys would say in today's world or was it contrived. He confirmed that it would work. Sometimes it's good to go with your gut.

[joedorsey]

Meet Barn Bunny or as his friends call him B.B. He's the owner of the local diner/gas station/repair shop. B.B. is laid back and sincere. Most all the town comes to his place to have a burger and chat awhile. The town is very country and is just off the highway where many city folks commute to work. So there are a variety of characters that love to visit B.B.s Place. Here he is working and welcoming someone new.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=202&pictureid=980

[Richard Willimot]

Great Job on the ears Joe I really like them. Keep a watch out for your size relationships the left arm is a bit larger then the right and be careful of the tangent at the arm and coffee pot spout. Loads of potential with B.B.

[joedorsey]

Thanks for the critique Richard. I have to work on arm and hand relationships. I was also trying to give the same kind of back leg haunches that real rabbits have. Like this jack rabbit I drew. I'll keep working on it.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=202&pictureid=982

[joedorsey]

This is Clem (An Opossum). He's the mechanic who also pumps gas for B.B.'s Place. Being B.B.'s right hand man has him always working. Clem is suspicious of just about everything especially city folk. He's a hard worker and is best friends with B.B. There's a soft spot in there somewhere...you just got to get to know him.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=202&pictureid=983

[Rodney]

Joe,
Alright... you've got me hooked on B.B.'s Diner.
Now it looks like I'll have to check your Gallery more often!

I've got to tell you... the setup of having travelers passing through and stopping for a bite to eat with conversation ensuing is inspired.

I can imagine it as a comic strip or series of shorts (minute films?) that offer a setup, a situation and a resolution/insight. Comedic depending on the traveler, rather serious at times, insightful always... perhaps all even occuring in real time. Perhaps best of all it'd be great to catch up with old friends again after we haven't seen them in awhile. Beyond that there is even the potential for longer adventures with the most popular regulars at B.B.'s Diner.

I don't want to unnecessarily transpose my stray thoughts over your ideas but its easy to see there is a whole lot of mileage (literally and figuratively) in the premise you've described.

[joedorsey]

Thank you Rodney. Don't worry about transposing your thoughts. You're seeing what I'm seeing in the story. I'm imagining B.B.s Place to be like "Cheers" in the south. It would include regulars and those just passing through. Here's another character (my wife's stuck at work due to snow and I'm just drawing away waiting for her).

Billy (the Fox) is the fry cook and essence of youth at the diner. He wants to change the world, but doesn't know exactly how. He longs to live in the city and wants to know any news from the commuters that stop by. His loyalty to the crew and his greater love for the townspeople keep him firmly planted at home. Billy is a mixture of southern culture and hippy. He loves the "new" but the folks love him just as he is.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=212&pictureid=985

[johncbeggs]

Joe I really like that last character of urs hes quite the character but mostly I like that perfect drawing of that right shoe and how it works perfectly with the design of his leg, awesome :D!

[Rich-E]

yur inspiring joe

[joedorsey]

John: Thank you and I appreciate your comments. I've always liked those high top Converse basketball shoes (http://www.converse.com/?CSID=44_kwid/#/products/shoes/allshoes/113936) and wanted to capture them somehow. I've been studying Eric Goldberg's book and was using his character construction lesson to help develop Billy.

Rich: Thanks Rich. You guys are all an inspiration to me. To be honest, I've been pretty down on my abilities as of late. I want so much to draw what I have in my head. It's just going to take some time to hone my skills. I tell my kids to work as hard as you can and savor the successes along the way. Now Dad has to take his own medicine. :rolleyes:

[joedorsey]

I just got a copy of "The Art Of Animal Drawing" by Ken Hultgren in the mail the other day. Here are a couple of animals I worked on. It's a great book!

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=212&pictureid=986

[lavallelee]

very nice, the muscles look great too

good study joe

[joedorsey]

Here is a character from Harold and Garth's world. Susie aka Sunshine (stork) is Garth's new neighbor. She is fun loving and a very genuine person. She keeps Garth's overtly dark side in check. Questioning every bit of his personal belief system and finding out what's really going on inside him. Susie can seem very forward at times, but her intent is always good. Here she is sharing her new issue of "Beak Week".

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=212&pictureid=997

[joedorsey]

I've been working through an idea for a short film about a slave family escaping the plantation using the underground railroad (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2944.html). It would have no dialog, just an old spiritual playing in the background.

This is the father slave trying to run across an opening in the forest while a hunter tries to shoot at him. His wife and kids are on the other side and he's desperately running to get to them where they can escape into the forest.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=212&pictureid=1019

[Rich-E]

a lot of growth is evident joe. good going.

[joedorsey]

Thanks Rich! Still pluggin' away.

[jeremyhopkins]

Wow, nice improvement Joe! Your sketches are getting more solid all the time!

[joedorsey]

Thank you Jeremy. The Ken Hultgren book has been helpful in getting the head construction together. He covers about half a dozen breeds. Seeing a drawing from the inside/out is wonderful.

My daughter looked at the drawing and said, "He looks like a wiener dog!" and she was right. It also happens to be her favorite breed. So life beget art... subconsciously.

[joedorsey]

Here's a quick drawing I did of Jake The Swallow. He's a fun little guy!

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1035

[Richard Willimot]

i really like the way you did the eyes,lots of life there. Don't forget about the different forces and how they pull on the body.

[Rodney]

Nice one Joe.
You've already captured a moment of fun.

...and here you are already off and running drawing Jake the Swallow???
I've got some catching up to do!

Flying with that hat is going to be interesting...

[joedorsey]

Hey Rodney,

After looking at Don's models, I see I've given Jake an ample caboose. :D

Yeah, I hear you about secondary motion with the hat in flight. Here's a great example from a pencil test by Ken Harris with Bugs. The hat is so solid as it rises and falls off of Bug's head. Plus, he keeps it interesting by having Bugs grab it in mid air.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pMfbl19dcVw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pMfbl19dcVw&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

I'm working on a little mouse with a scared look. I've been studying some Tom And Jerry. Everything is elongated when a character is scared. Almost like they have strings pulling pieces of their bodies upward. Here ya go.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1043

[C. Siemens]

I wish there were more pencil tests left from the old WB cartoons. The Ken Harris one in particular looks so solid, a quality that I suspect is lost in many of the cartoons of that era thanks to sloppy inking. (In their defence, they were on killer deadlines.)

My two pieces of advice for the scared pose would be not making the mouth kind of just float within the head shape. This could be achieved by connecting the upper jaw to the nose, for example. Also, there's a tangent with the one eye and the lower jaw overlaps the nose, that kind of stands out for me.
I also think the pose could be stronger if you worked the arms more into the silhouette rather than obscure them by the body mass. That might require repositioning the tail.

[joedorsey]

I appreciate your critique. It will make for a better pose. Here are some different emotions I put together for Jake.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1044

[GdeSouza]

My favorites of yours is the one you drew of your dog sleeping. Nice angles observed in that, and your thumbnail storyboard. I can see you searching for structure and looseness in your copying, which is good. Make sure you draw with your whole arm into it rather than just your wrist if you aren't already. This will add to your looseness and control.

[joedorsey]

Thank you for the advice and kind words. I'm still trying to draw loose and fluid. It's coming here and there.

[joedorsey]

Jake's ticked.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1046

[joedorsey]

Even though Harold is professional singer, he loves to share the stage with anyone. Here is running to give the mic to someone. I've been reading the chapter on Character Design from Eric Goldberg's book. Still have work to do on anatomy, but I really enjoyed drawing this picture.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=229&pictureid=1050

[Moneyguns]

Even though Harold is professional singer, he loves to share the stage with anyone. Here is running to give the mic to someone. I've been reading the chapter on Character Design from Eric Goldberg's book. Still have work to do on anatomy, but I really enjoyed drawing this picture.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=229&pictureid=1050

I LOVE the facial expression on him. He looks like he's having a great time.:)

[joedorsey]

Thank you Sam. Here is a character from Harold and Garth's world.

Name: Po
Backstory: Po is a teenager in search of himself. He is Garth's best friend and Garth looks up to Po for being so in control of his emotions. Proud and standoffish, Po acts like he's not impressed by much. But, inside he's full of insecurities. Po is constantly trying to be cool and act smooth. A raven of very few words, Po has an uninhibited side that Garth will eventually see and make their friendship deepen.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=229&pictureid=1054

[joedorsey]

My goofy lemon-head guy.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=229&pictureid=1077

[arif]

hahahha..so nice...did you draw the color yellow one too!!

[joedorsey]

Hey Arif!

I did not draw the top one. It's the logo for Lemon-heads candy. I had a box of them last night and got the urge to draw.

[Rich-E]

wow! it's like seeing a kid after a year of not seeing him and being so amazed at how much he has grown. :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys! I've been slow on the drawing lately. We get about 6 months of snow in Utah and we're now getting some great sunshine. So it's been a little distracting. :)

[joedorsey]

Thought I'd work on my classic cartoon drawing. Here's Andy Panda.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=229&pictureid=1107

[lavallelee]

very nice joe! draw woody woodpecker too! :)

[joedorsey]

Here's a scene I did an animatic for Harold And Garth. Garth approaches his Dad to talk about some girl problems he's having.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=384

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/azPCAgm-TCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/azPCAgm-TCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[OwenWelsh]

Joe nice job on the panda. He feels really solid!

[joedorsey]

Thanks Owen. Solid is good. :)

[Rodney]

I'm really liking your animatic Joe. (Hehe... I like it even more than your panda!)

You've chosen a pretty challenging dialogue sequence yet you've got some nice little areas for character action/interaction. The father and son back and forth also provides a compelling aspect.

I live in anticipation of how you'll further play this up visually for entertainment (as well as emotional and educational?) value.

[joedorsey]

Thanks Rodney. I appreciate your input. Garth is struggling to choose from a popular girl at school or Susie the goofy girl next door. Harold and Garth's relationship is the core of the script, but I want to have people in their lives to create a nice ensemble as well. This is to be a fun movie, but one that deals with issues of loss, redemption, and self evaluation.

Having the right camera angles is tough. Trying to keep things interesting while Harold is describing how he met his wife is a challenge. Doing these animatics has helped me to see how things should flow along. Allowing a scene to breath is a constant lesson. So many things to think about, but I'm trying to go with my gut.

[joedorsey]

I ran out of drawing paper, so I drew on the back of the cover. :D
Here's a little animal drawing of a platypus.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=243&pictureid=1109

[zanekohler]

Very cool! I like the loose feel. I don't know why but I particularly like the feet.
awesome job.

[lavallelee]

nice animatic

is this the story you made before? how long have you been working on this?

[joedorsey]

Lavalle: I've been working on "Harold And Garth" for about six months now. The script is in it's early stages, but I've got the whole story figured out. I'm at the point where I need to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

Zane: Thanks! I've always been interested in Platypi. I don't know if you've ever drawn something in nature and just marvel at the wonderful forms. As I was drawing the bill, I loved the contour of how it attaches to the face so smoothly. Nothing like nature!

[lavallelee]

Looking forward to the finished cartoon Joe. :D

[joedorsey]

Me too Lavalle. Since this is to be a film, it might be a while. Know any rich investors? :D

[lavallelee]

You could always make it in parts. Animated shorts that tie in together.

[joedorsey]

That's true! Here's to the animation journey.

[joedorsey]

New drawing pad! Watched "The Mad Hatter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgeWSZeL2I4)" with Fred Moore's redesigned Woody. I checked it out frame by frame and this pose came up. I had to draw it. This was while he was celebrating at the beginning. Talk about your line of action! :)

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=243&pictureid=1112

[lavallelee]

very nice woody study! now try a few more poses! or not :p

[joedorsey]

Haven't posted in a little bit. It's been a rough week for my family (our car broke down). But, we made it through and I'm starting an animation study from Disney's "Robin Hood". This is Otto who gets some gold via Friar Tuck from Robin Hood. Still trying to keep things loose.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=243&pictureid=1126

[Seth]

Nice Work, Joe. Always improving. Which is better than good. :)

[arif]

yes...Joe...this is nice...............keep more posting!!!

[joedorsey]

Here's another one of Otto.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=243&pictureid=1134

[joedorsey]

Today was a day of just letting go and having fun drawing. Here's a little character that came about.

Name: Dmitriy Luvinsky

Backstory: Dmitriy is a love lorn vampire thingy. He scares away most everyone. Once you get to know him, he's just a hopeless romantic in a vampire-centric world. The thought of biting someone makes him cringe, so he just eats out and orders his meat extra rare.


http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=243&pictureid=1135

[lavallelee]

nice character, i made a character named "Dimitri" once

lol, hope to see your character animated joe ;)

[joedorsey]

Dang! I haven't posted in a month. Soaking up the last bit of summer with the kids and getting ready for the new school year.

I was on John K.'s blog (http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2010/08/cartoony-principles-1-contrasts.html) and he had the Preston Blair baby on there to show contrasts. I gave it a go and pushed some of the features and added some of my own things (like the caramel apple). It's good to be back drawing again.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1164

[arif]

welcome Back `Joe the papa`.......nice drawing you have made.....:D

Arif.:p

[akkushisu]

Hey, Joe! Finally got the chance to look through your gallery here. Your style reminds me a lot of oldschool animated works, particularly those around the 50s-70s or thereabouts. Your faces are very expressive and your characters look very friendly. Very stylish work, my friend! Please post more often. I'd really like to see more. :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys for the responses. Yeah, I definitely love the old stuff, but I appreciate what is new out there as well. My goal is to develop old school artistry with strong stories that have universal appeal. So I'm writing story ideas and working on my drawing/animation.

At the moment, I have two things on my personal goal list.

1. Does my character have visual appeal?
2. Does the story keep the audience interested in this character?

These two things keep me busy. :)

[akkushisu]

Our character styles are different, but our goals are definitely the same. Like you, Joe, I want to not just create endearing characters, but timeless stories that really capture peoples' hearts. Given your style, you could easily create some very lovable characters, just back them up with an enthralling storyline and you'll be set! Keep it up! :D

[joedorsey]

Here a couple things I've been working on. First, I finished Don's mouse march from the workshop. I added a little music for it. His head grows some as he marches, but I'm pretty happy with it.


Mouse March
(http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=464)

Below is my attempt at the curves against straights birds Don drew for us at the last seminar.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1165

[joedorsey]

Here's a bunny I found on a model sheet by Tom Oreb for Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed his expression, so I had a crack at it.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1171

[akkushisu]

Cute bunny character, Joe, and a nice sketch, too. Could you post a link to the original model sheet to use as a reference though?

[joedorsey]

You got it! I found the sheet on the cartoon modern blog. The drawings have great straights and curves.


Tom Oreb Bunnies
(http://cartoonmodern.blogsome.com/2006/03/07/tom-oreb-week/)

[akkushisu]

Awesome! Thanks, Joe! Okay, looking at the model sheet and again at your take on the rabbit, I think you did a wonderful job at redrawing it! Thanks again for sharing your work. :)

[joedorsey]

Thanks a heap for the comments. Being the Fred Moore fan that I am, I gave the bee from "Plight Of The Bumble Bee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfjJIIZ1OrA&feature=player_embedded)" a shot.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1172

[arif]

Here's a bunny I found on a model sheet by Tom Oreb for Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed his expression, so I had a crack at it.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1171

wow..joe......i didnot find time to look around in the forum due to my Fasting and huge office work in recent days.....but, just found it and i like this Bunny so much:laughing::laughing:

[joedorsey]

I'm starting to try to draw real people. Here is a head shot that I worked on. Drawing people scares the heck out of me. So I'm dipping my toe in the water.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=1181

[johncbeggs]

I agree with you their man! When girls see that I can draw they automatically think I can draw them :laughing:!

I like your try at realistic girl! I like how youve done that wavy hair! :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks John. I love wavy girl hair. It's cool.

[akkushisu]

I agree with you their man! When girls see that I can draw they automatically think I can draw them :laughing:!

I guess in this regard, I was lucky. Amanda's perfectly content with me drawing her as a cartoon hamster. :D

Anyway, very nice sketch, Joe! I agree with John on the wavy hair. Looks very nice! Thanks so much for sharing. :)

[joedorsey]

Thanks again guys! Here's the girl from the Jungle Book. The lips were tough. She has almost a Mona Lisa smile. The head proportions aren't exact, but I think the attitude is there. I never realized what a seductive siren she was. How could Mowgli not be entranced?

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=1190

[akkushisu]

Oh my... Very beautiful work, Joe! Personally, I think you're beating yourself up over the proportions. Very solid work! Thanks for sharing. :D

Oh, and on a bit of a side note, all your recreations of classic animated characters has inspired me to try something. I won't have the results in my next gallery post, but it should be coming up soon. Hope you'll like it. :)

[joedorsey]

Oh, and on a bit of a side note, all your recreations of classic animated characters has inspired me to try something. I won't have the results in my next gallery post, but it should be coming up soon. Hope you'll like it.

Can't wait to see!

[joedorsey]

Hope you don't mind Seth. I made a little drawing of your dragon burning his marshmallow. Poor guy. It was his last one too! :(

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=1194

[akkushisu]

HAHA! Joe, you just made my day with this sketch! Thank you so much! :D In your style, Seth here looks a bit like Elliott from Pete's Dragon. Oh! I was meaning to ask you if you'd like to do some collaborating at some point? Just like I did for Lavalle, if you have a sketch you'd like to see me work on, I'd be more than happy to ply my skills! Plus, it's good practice for me, given what I want to get into. Let me know if you're interested, and again, thanks for this! :)

[joedorsey]

I'm glad the drawing made your day! You're right. He does look like Elliot. It must have been a subconscious thing. ;)

I'd be honored if you collaborated with me. Here is a drawing I did a while back. If you have the time, would you mind doing a background too? It's from a 1-2 minute short that I plan on fleshing out eventually. He is a slave running from a hunter (while being shot at) trying to get to the other side of a clearing where his family is waiting. It's set in the deep south so there is a forest behind him that I didn't draw. Here is a link to a clearing in Mississippi if you want a reference.


Mississippi Clearing
(http://www.dillonms.com/Bethel/Bethel.htm)

The scene is during sunset and the season is Autumn. His clothes are a bit raggedy and plain (the material is burlap like). His fur is dark brown.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=212&pictureid=1019

I'm excited to see your artwork!

[Seth]

Hey! Nice drawing of the dragon, Joe. I really like this one and....hey. Wait a minute. You've never drawn a picture for me! *Sniff* You don't like me do you?? I'm taking my pencils and going home. ;)

[joedorsey]

I'm really enjoying Seth's dragons. Here's my version of Mataio. He's concentrating on knocking out that last marble. Hope you like it Seth.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=1196

[akkushisu]

Oh, wow! That's a wonderful picture of Mataio, Joe! Thanks so much for sharing it! :D I always love to see how characters look in different styles. Your style really reminds me of the golden age of animation, specifically of Disney back in their heyday - very straightforward design, but very charming and friendly. Like I said before, you're always welcome to draw or animate any of my characters. Also, if you have any original characters of yours that you'd like to see my take on, or want me to ink and paint for you, I'd be honored.

Anyway, thanks so much, Joe! Seeing this picture really made my day! :)

[amandahamster]

Very cute picture of Mataio, Joe :) It's interesting to see you draw Seth's characters. I also really like the one of Sethy-dragon himself, that one's adorable and humorous. Very nice and creative.

[joedorsey]

Thanks you two. The dragon is a great challenge for me and trying to do different poses. Look forward to seeing more work from both of you.

[jeremyhopkins]

That's really nice Joe and your work is improving very quickly. You're a hard working student and it shows. Just a quick note, his silhouette is a little unclear right now. The staging could be stronger if you cleared the marble hand from the dragon's face. Watch out for his feet too and maybe check some human reference for a balance guide. Again great progress and nice to see your work!

[joedorsey]

Thanks for the input Jeremy. I was thinking that having his arm outstretched would have created a stronger pose. I need to visualize the whole body being a part of the action.

[soul]

hi...the dragon....is cool..what he doing with the small...stone or marble ........

[joedorsey]

Thanks Soul. He's getting ready to knuckle down while playing the game marbles (http://www.howcast.com/videos/311-How-To-Play-Marbles).

[joedorsey]

I thought I'd try to draw Glen Keane's horse from Tangled. Here's the original


Rapunzel And Horse
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/hollyfaerie/Tangled/IMG_7344.jpg)

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=1200

[zanekohler]

Very cool!

[akkushisu]

Very cool re-creation of the horse, Joe! Your drawing looks almost identical to the reference picture! Wonderful job! Keep up the good work, my friend! :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys. The expression of "I'm in trouble now" is priceless. :D

[joedorsey]

Here's a quick sketch from my slave family. (inspired by Akku's hug picture)

Backstory: Husband is out patrolling and wife was worried (it's been a while). She hears a noise and thinks it's a hunter, but instead Husband emerges from the forest. They embrace and he's happy to see her and she's relieved he's all right. I think coloring this will make the characters stand out more. Anyway, Just a quick idea.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=1201

[amandahamster]

All together now: Awwwwwww... :D

What a sweet picture!

[akkushisu]

That's a really touching scene, Joe. It means a lot to hear that my picture inspired you to draw this. Your backstory really drew me in as well. Even from the little bit that you've shared, I already feel a lot of sympathy for the slave and his wife. I was just telling Amanda that I'm already imagining your story being populated by all sorts of southern-dwelling animal characters; gators, hounds, possums, foxes, pigs, and so on. If you need any help developing this story, I'd really love to help out in any way that I can. You've already got me thinking of a small cast of supporting characters.

Anyway, great drawing, Joe! Very expressive and emotional. I'm really eager to see and hear more about this story of yours! :D

[joedorsey]

Thank you Seth! The story of the slaves is from a short I created called "Freedom Train". It's based on the struggles of those traveling the underground railroad during the slave era in the U.S. It's one family's tale and it's set to a musical background of an old spiritual called "I Want Jesus To Walk With Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhlt3d_js5k&feature=related)". It's sung A Cappella. There is no dialog in the short.

Here are the main characters.


Father, Mother and Son (he's about 8 years old)
The conductor (a slave guide)
Auntie (a relative living in the north)


They are rescued by the conductor who guides them through the south to get to the north and freedom. Along the way they get new clothes at a church, ride trains, walk the forests, and find their way. One main struggle hits the family hard (especially the son) and a relationship is made stronger in the process. There is a certain heaviness to the story and the song sets the mood right away.

Right now I'm working on the animatic for the short. I appreciate your willingness to help. I could use some assistance on the backgrounds if that's ok?

[akkushisu]

That's a really compelling story, Joe, and yeah, the musical accompaniment really helps to set the mood of the piece. Even if this is only a short film, it's very possible that you'll endear your audience to your characters, given the subject matter.

I'll do what I can to help with the backgrounds. Just know that there are some scenes that still give me a lot of trouble, building interiors, for example. I asked Amanda about this and if you need it, we'd also be willing to help design any supporting characters you might need.

[joedorsey]

You two are the best! I'll take whatever help I can get. Most of the scenes are exteriors. One is inside a church and others would be inside a train's box car. Everything else is outside. I appreciate the help with designs too! I'll contact you about putting things together. Thanks!

[samuelvictorjones]

"Freedom Train". It's based on the struggles of those traveling the underground railroad during the slave era in the U.S. It's one family's tale and it's set to a musical background of an old spiritual called "I Want Jesus To Walk With Me". It's sung A Cappella. There is no dialog in the short.

Joe - I'm ALL about this, that sounds fantastic! I'm sure with Amanda & Seth onboard & with your clear drawing talent your short will be amazing! Are you using an old public domain recording of the song as the audio? I've been considerring doing that, I've been slowly collecting old public domain recordings that inspire me for use in films, animations etc.

[joedorsey]

Thanks Samuel! I'm excited to do some collaboration. I've got a recording I did locally that I'm using for the audio portion. I think it's a great idea to find public domain songs for use in animation. I've seen some shorts that use them and it adds authenticity to the overall feeling of the project.

[joedorsey]

Yet another inspiration from Seth and Amanda's work. Here's a little drawing I did of Amanda's character "Isabelle". She has a sensuous aura to her, so I thought I'd give her a flirty look. Hope you like it Amanda.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=260&pictureid=1202

[amandahamster]

Oh, wow! Thanks a lot! :) I love your rendition of her, your style really suits her! I was going to say in my thread that you're always welcome to try drawing any of my characters, but you beat me to it! Really, I'm honoured. Oh yes, as Seth said earlier, I'll be glad to help you design characters for your short. I was also meaning to say that if you would like to see me draw one of your characters, I would be glad to! (The same goes for anyone here really, it would be great practice!)

Again, thank you for this lovely sketch! :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks Amanda. I enjoy drawing both yours and Seth's characters. Speaking of...since my dog woke me up way too early (I work night shift). I thought I'd try Seth's dog "Pootin". I took the liberty of not putting a flame on his head because I was afraid it might cover up his expression. Someone has distracted Pootin and said "Do you want a treat?"

Dogs learn the word "treat" pretty quick don't they?

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=260&pictureid=1203

[akkushisu]

Awesome work, Joe! I really like your take on Pootin here, especially the use of straights on his hind leg. And yeah, if someone offered Pootin a treat, his tail would flare up like that for sure! Thanks for sharing this! You really made my day. :D

[amandahamster]

Uh-oh, you drew Pootin! I knew you would! I think you did a really good job on him, and I like how you handled the curves and straights. :)

[andrew sharp]

Good drawing of the playful pup Joedorsey:D

[joedorsey]

@Amanda & Seth: Thanks you two. You're right Amanda, I couldn't resist not drawing Pootin. :D Straights against curves are tough for me. Developing a good balance will take time. I'm a big dog lover, so this was alot of fun to do. In fact, when I went upstairs I gave our dog Ginger a treat.

@Andrew: Thanks! It was a labor of puppy love.

[lavallelee]

everytime i come in here, i see improvement joe

good job :)

i also hope you get back into fred moore study too

[joedorsey]

Thanks Lavalle! Don't worry about Fred Moore. I'll probably study his work til the day I die.

[joedorsey]

Here's Seth's dragon "Cookie". It must have one of those tamper resistant lids for sneaky young dragons.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=260&pictureid=1204

[akkushisu]

LOL! Poor Cookie! :laughing: Still, you can't fault him for trying, huh? Thanks for yet another gift drawing, Joe. Whether you're just drawing Amanda's and my characters just for practice or to show to us as gifts, in either case we're both honored! Oh! By the way, you even included a feature my dragon character possess that I don't believe I ever mentioned. When they're sad, afraid, hurt, etc. their ears will droop like Cookie's here. Wonderful work, and again, thank you! :)

[joedorsey]

I was reading up on Seth's character Hearth (http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/showpost.php?p=18767&postcount=82) and I did a little drawing of Kindle (http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/showpost.php?p=17709&postcount=23)trying to woo him. I hope you don't mind Seth, I put some hair on Kindle.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=260&pictureid=1222

[akkushisu]

Hearth: "Well, I'm off to explore Darkflame Cavern with Smolder. Wish me luck! ...Kindle, could you kindly let go of my tail? Why are you giving me that strange look?"

Haha! Wonderful picture, Joe! Very strong lines of action in both Kindle and Hearth! I can see improvement in your style and techniques as well. Y'know... the more I look at how you drew Kindle with hair, the more I like the idea. Next time I draw her, I'll give her some braids like you did here.

One last thing, for some reason I get a much stronger impression of your overall style from this picture than some of your previous ones. In the last few pictures, it almost felt like you were trying too hard to emulate Amanda's or my style, but with this one, your lines look cleaner and more deliberate. I hope I'm not being too critical here because I really do enjoy your work and I'm always looking forward to your next sketch! Again, thanks so much, Joe! Keep it up! :D

[joedorsey]

I'm glad you like the new picture Seth. I found out that Don was looking for more line of action in my last drawings, so I starting working on that. I appreciate you seeing some changes in how I'm drawing. I did try to stay true (somewhat) to your characters before. This time I tried experimenting and adding some of my own things.

My lines look deliberate, but I was erasing and erasing and redrawing to get what you see. I'm still limited with my skills, but I'm glad you see a difference. Don't worry about your critiques. If I can't take input, I won't grow in my drawing. Thanks!

[lavallelee]

good practice joe, good idea to play with different styles and characters like you do :cool:

[joedorsey]

Thanks Lavalle. I saw a video of a CG rendering (http://www.cartoonbrew.com/cgi/roger-rabbit-cg-test.html)of Roger Rabbit on Cartoon Brew and thought I'd give Roger a try. This is a scene from the movie where he makes difference takes after having a drink of liquor. His color is green. :D

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=260&pictureid=1223

[andrew sharp]

Ha ha that is great. I was listening to the Man vs Art podcast today and Tom Sito animated all the deaths of the weasels and how Richard Williams was getting him to exagerate certain things with it a great listen while drawing:)

[akkushisu]

LOL! Awesome take on Roger, Joe! Outstanding work! I forgot to mention this in my previous reply but you mentioned that you erase a lot while you work. Regardless of how much you happen to erase, your linework is still very solid and confident. I tend to erase an awful lot while I work too, just so y'know. ;) I think the end result speaks for itself though. It doesn't matter how much you have to erase and redo as long as the finished product turns out the way you wanted it to. Again, great work! Keep it up!

[joedorsey]

@Andrew: Thanks and I appreciate the heads up on the ManvsArt podcast. I listened to it and enjoyed what Tom Sito had to say. Raul tends to interrupt. He needs to stop that!

@Seth: It's good to hear you do a little erasing yourself. Trying to get that line your looking for is worth it! Thanks for the kudos and encouragement.

I've always loved this scene from the "Brave Little Tailor". So, I thought I'd tackle it. I believe Fred Moore did some work on this. My daughter has a sweatshirt with this scene, but it looks nothing like the original. I did a screen capture from the short and penciled away...

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=268&pictureid=1224

[andrew sharp]

Great work Joe i gotta do some studies like that:)

[joedorsey]

Thanks Andrew. It was a great study. There's so much warmth and character in these inbetweens. It took me a minute to lock down which one I wanted. When I saw that look of joy on Mickey's face, I was sold.

[akkushisu]

Very beautiful picture, Joe! You've certainly done a nice job at recreating the scene and capturing the mood, too. Keep up the good work on your studies, my friend! :D

[Solium]

Hi Joe, don't know if I have ever posted here before. I am still "finding" everyone's gallery. Your last two drawings are the best yet. Love the Roger and Mickey drawings. They show a lot of emotion and movement. Great work!

[joedorsey]

Thanks guys! I enjoyed Amanda's Samurai in training character "Hinara (http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19054&postcount=48)". So I dug around the internet for a samurai pose. I wanted to give her a determined look. It's still needs work, but the character was fun to draw.

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=268&pictureid=1231

[amandahamster]

Ohh that's super-cool. :D That's just amazing, I love how you drew her! Thank you so much!

Seth even suggested I do that exact pose for Hinara myself - where she's holding her sword across her body... I went against him and did a more defensive pose though!

[joedorsey]

I'm glad you like it Amanda. She's a feisty one isn't she? It was a nice challenge to try to work with this pose. I've always liked the style of the Samurai look.

[akkushisu]

Haha! I think you just made Amanda's day with this last sketch, Joe! Wonderful work, as always. Great posing and attention to detail. Keep it up! :D

[Solium]

Nice Samurai sketch Joe. :) The only thing I would suggest is moving the left arm and hand further out from the body. This would really solidify the "silhouette".

[joedorsey]

Thanks for the advice! Today I'm working on Susie aka "Sunshine" (http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/showpost.php?p=13761&postcount=125) from my movie idea "Harold And Garth". She's waiting excitedly at Garth's doorstep to give him a new CD that he has no interest in. Don a while back redrew her with the proper legs that a stork has, so she got a bit of a makeover. I know the silhouette isn't much, but it's exactly as I see her. All full of bunched up energy.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=268&pictureid=1246

[andrew sharp]

Cool Stork character the contained engergy comes across really well:)

[akkushisu]

Awesome drawing, Joe! After reading your description, I can just picture her talking to herself and carrying on about just how much Garth is going to love the CD she's brought him. :D Don't sweat the silhouette! The only suggestion I'd make would be to move her elbows out a bit from her body so her wings come in at more of an angle.

Keep up the good work, Joe! Can't wait to see more! :)

[amandahamster]

That is a really silly-looking character... and I mean that in the best way possible :) Just seeing her expression and the "bunched up energy" of her pose makes me smile. :D Would love to see the movie!

[joedorsey]

@Andrew: Thanks. She can't contain herself. ;)

@Seth: Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Still workin' on those poses.

@Amanda: Thanks. I'm glad the picture made you smile. What more could I ask for. I've always liked how girls hold things close to their hearts. A feeling expressing itself on a physical level.

Would love to see the movie!

Well then! Free tickets for you and Seth! :D In some ways Susie steals the show. There is a central theme of the relationship between Garth and his Dad. But, Susie is a force unto herself. In fact, she has the first lines.

[NateHorsfall]

I cruised a bunch of galleries when I first signed up, and yours has seen a big improvement since the early beginning, Joe :)

The latest stork one definitely has emotion to it. My only suggestion in addition to other comments would be be to curve her spine back a bit. If you're restraining yourself, then you're probably sucking in your lungs with shoulders up (which you have) But if the posture was like ), with her head being at the top, I feel like that would really help push the pose and feeling of holding back, even more.

But keep at it!

[joedorsey]

Thanks Nate! I'm still pluggin' away. I was looking through "The Illusion Of Life" and found some early production drawings from Pinocchio. So I thought I'd give them a try. The one on the left is an early drawing where he has flat hands. On the right is Fred Moore giving him a boyish look. Milt Kahl did the final that we know and love today.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=268&pictureid=1256

[akkushisu]

Amazing take on Pinocchio, Joe! Very detailed and your silhouettes are really nice, too! Keep on sketchin', my friend! Can't wait to see more! :D

[joedorsey]

Thanks Seth. These are not my original drawings though. I copied them from an animation book by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston called "The Illusion Of Life (http://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Life-Disney-Animation/dp/0786860707)". This was a study for me to see the difference from one artist's view to another. When I was drawing the first one, it felt very stiff, but much of the foundation is there. With Fred's drawing, it felt smooth and rough. The tilt of the head adds personality. His feet at different angles and the line of action are all there. I didn't attempt Milt's because it was 5:30am and I had to get some sleep. I love Milt's drawing, so full of character. Here's the excerpt where I got my reference.

http://donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=268&pictureid=1257

Seeing the transformation from the early concept to final is interesting. Fred Moore kept the stocking cap but added his own style. Milt took off from Fred's ideas and gave him more hair, a more interesting hat, less impish ears and Milt's excellent draftsmanship and you have Pinocchio. I like seeing Pinoke without the bow tie. It gives him a more European look.