Hallowe'en Is Coming!!!

For the next little while, I'm going to be talking about Hallowe'en. Why? Because August is when I usually start making costumes and stuff. I have quite an elaborate costume planned for my boyfriend this year, and I've already bought the materials. One thing I had to buy was leather..........ah....but , I'm not going to give it away THAT easy.

Here are some photos from a couple of years ago after I went nuts checking out ideas on the internet on how to make certain Hallowe'en props. My kids helped design the above Jack'o'lanterns (but I did the carving for them). I loved the idea of a "13 hour clock", but I have to admit I rushed through the project and it could have turned out better....but it wasn't bad for a first try. I glued rubber bats and mice to the wood, after painting it black and aging the oval in the centre to look old.
I also wanted to try my hand at an "Axworthy Ghost"....one that flies along a clothes line.....but I only got the ghost part made. I wired it's eyes with LEDs and it looked pretty cool. But it was windy that night, and using no flash, I had to rely on a timed exposure, and the photo turned out blurry.

Kids!

Here are my kids. My son, doing his impression of the Amazing Spiderman, and

here's my little girl imitating her Mommy. I had my camera set up on a tripod, and I was trying to pose glamorously. She decided to do the same. Going through a divorce isn't easy on them......but I want them to know I love them immensely.
I know this post has nothing to do with art or animation.......it's just a personal thing.

Pazyryk Tattoo

This is a picture from National Geographic, October 1994. It was drawn from the mummified remains of a woman who died 2500 years ago. What was my first reaction when I saw this? I must have it! It has to live again!
I had to flop the design, because my left arm was already occupied by a Bee. And I felt the curve of the creature's body was too abrupt. So I drew a slightly different version for myself, and showed it off at work, (Nelvana) to get some other people's opinions.

Well, here are a couple of reactions I got. The drawing in the upper right corner was mine, and the other two are from these other layout artists I worked with. They were totally against the idea of people getting tattoos, and they thought I was crazy to want one. I actually had two already.....but they were small. It's funny in animation.....we're all artists, but we are a very diverse group.
Another guy I worked with WAS into tattoos, and he drew THIS for me on my birthday.
I thought it was really cute. That was back when we were working on "Eek The Cat", several years earlier. But I already had a dragonfly on my leg. So I guess I had crossed into the world of the "Tattoo People" back then.

Foolin Around With FLASH

Here are some things I did in Flash many months back. The two colour ones are from little animated bits I did just for fun....and the line drawing was for a test for "Iggy Arbuckle", which was done at 'C.O.R.E. Digital' for the National Geographic channel. It should be airing soon if it hasn't already. I didn't end up getting hired for it....but that was okay, because I got to work on "Chop Socky Chooks" at I.D.T. (formerly DKP) before it got pulled and sent to C.O.R.E. Yes, yes....don't get me started on the politics of this nasty industry.
.....So anyway.....I used a mouse to draw the others....using the brush tool.....and I used the line tool to do that other one.
Unfortunately, I was using a trial version of Flash 8....which has now expired....so I can't open any old Flash files right now....but when I do....I'll be sure to share them with whomever happens to be looking here at my blog. Bye for now.

My First Post!!

Like most victims of the animation industry.....I am currently laid off from work.....and I thought it would be the perfect time to learn how to "blog". I just wanted to begin with a great old photo I took over 10 years ago that we called "The Last Supper".....because it was the last time we Nelvana layout artists would all be working together at once.
Since that time, a lot of us have gone in many different directions. I was fortunate enough to work alongside Rob Sadler not too long ago, and it prompted me to dig up this photo.
I guess I should list these guys from left to right. Far left is Brad Graham, then Ted Collyer, Blayne Burnside, Alan Parker....then slightly behind is Todd Janke, then Steffie Gignac. Now...in the centre, playing the perfect "Christ", is Jeff Lyons! Behind him is Michel Daze, seated is Frank Ramirez, standing is Rob Sadler. The three on the end are Dan Poitras, Genni Selby and Steve Remen on the far right.
I apologize for any misspellings!
Well, I will be sure to add a new post soon......thanks for lookin' !