if you ever try to befriend me and you expect to be in frequent contact with me i am so sorry. i do that with maybe two people and even then i often go days or weeks without saying anything before talking daily for a while.
the point is if we dont talk that doesnt mean i dont like u and think about u a lot im just terrible at maintaining close relationships
ADHD things I didn’t know until recently: ADHD has been found to be genetically linked to “Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder”. People who experience this usually fall asleep around 2 or 3 am and can be almost impossible to wake up in the morning for regular school or work times. Sometimes it gets better as they reach adulthood, but otherwise it is a lifelong disorder. Normal sleeping routines can be established, but they can be hard to keep because the brain will eventually reset its sleeping schedule to the later sleep time.
Note that this is not to be confused with insomnia because DSPD means having a biological clock with a later sleeping schedule, and usually people with DSPD do not have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
@adhd-community @actuallyadhd I see asks about insomnia and trouble sleeping sometimes so I thought I’d tag your blogs B)
“But you’re so talented, why can’t you just believe in yourself more? Why don’t you see what I see?”
To this amazing and talented person, who is so full of talent and creativity. Don’t let others poison you. You’re beautiful. You’re a fighter. You’re a creator. You have reason to be proud.
I believe in you.
20,104 words of Fishsticks retyped/gaps filled/revised. 27% complete, and I got past the block. More tomorrow. I still have something like 50k of printed material to retype…
20,104 words of Fishsticks retyped/gaps filled/revised. 27% complete, and I got past the block. More tomorrow. I still have something like 50k of printed material to retype…
Quickest way to improvement? Practice. It’s a simple bit of advice that rings with absolute truth. Articles, tips, mentors, and study will never get you as far as rolling up your sleeves and getting down to work, be it animation or any other skill. Today we’ve compiled a list of exercises, like animation push-ups, that will get your art skills buff and toned.
Maybe you still need convinced of how important the “Art of Doing” is? Look no further than the early days of animation, especially at the Disney studio. Here were a group of animators (before being an animator was even a thing) who HAD no books to read, or websites to visit, or even experienced animators to ask. They learned via the age old art of hands-on training, experimenting and discovering as they went. And some would argue they created some of the greatest animation to ever be seen. Masterpieces like the dwarfs dancing in Snow White or the terror of the Monstro scene in Pinocchio. So be like them! Get out there and do animation!
Some of these exercises you may have done or seen before; some maybe not. Consider doing each of them, even if you did once previously, because returning to an old exercise to see how much you’ve progressed is a very valuable experience.
Level 1 Exercises
(Do not discount their simplicity! Here you have the principals of animation, which all other animation is built on. They are worth your time and effort.)
Sleeping character startled by alarm then returning to sleepy state
Opening a cupboard and removing something inside
Putting on a pair of pants
Opening the “world’s best gift” and reacting
Any of the above exercises using a very heavy character/object next to a very light character/object. Enhance the differences the weight change makes!
Things to keep in mind:
Reading these exercises will do as much for you as reading about push-ups would do for your physical muscles: NOTHING. If you want the benefit, you must animate them. Take a deep breath and just do it.
Do not forget the famous words of Ollie Johnston: “You’re not supposed to animate drawings [3D models]. You’re supposed to animate feelings.” If a character isn’t thinking, they aren’t alive, and the animation has failed.
Keep it simple! There is no reason to over complicate any of these exercises. Going back to push-ups, would push-ups be harder if while doing them you also recited the Gettysburg Address? Yes. Would they be any more beneficial? No. Keep things nice and simple and clear.
Do your best. There is no reason to do these exercises poorly. Give it your all. You don’t have to show anyone, these are for you. You owe it to yourself to try your very best. Something not quite right? Take the time to fix it.
As always, have fun. Push ups are not fun. Animation is supposed to be. Be joyful in your work!
Have any questions about the exercises above? Leave a comment below and we’ll answer them the best we can! Someone else may be wondering the exact same thing, so you’ll help them too. Likewise if someone is looking for possible exercises, why not share a link to these and give them a hand?
I need to ask you guys for a favor. I’ve been unemployed for about 4 months now and despite my best efforts, I’ve been unable to find another job. My financial situation is not looking good, and to put it simply, if I don’t find a job this month, I’m going to lose my apartment.
Now I’m not asking for any money. I don’t want to do that to you guys. All I’m asking is for you to share this post and maybe, hopefully, a company or someone out there will see it and be looking to hire an illustrator or character designer.
I’ve worked with many studios in the past including Jim Henson, Universal Studios, and LINE. I can work both digitally and traditionally in a variety of medias and styles. One of my personal favorites is working in paper and gouache. Below are some samples of my work. You can also see more of my art on my tumblr.
Please feel free to contact me with any inquiries and questions you may have. And please share this and help spread the word. I would really appreciate it!
Thank you for taking the time to read through this ~<3
And for anyone who may be interested in helping to support me financially, I’ve included some commission and store info below.
