On the Subject of Animation

I Got a Job as the Moon

Drawing of the moon

I had a dream where I got a job as the moon.

During the day, I was normal me, and I did regular, normal me things. But at night, I was the moon. I watched the dew fall, and ushered dreams to their owners.

I made this animation, based on that dream. I hope you enjoy it. The music, Clair de Lune, was recorded by Amber Short.

This is my longest animation to date, and I’ve been working on it for a month and a day. I might make another version, where this above video appears in a paper theater, like a crankie.

My hands, drawing.
A scroll of black tyvek.
The God Mars in shown with a speech bubble saying foul things.
Posted in Animation

Scientifically Sound Questions…

Scientifically Sound Questions are inspired by conversations I’ve had with my daughter, Lily. This is another scroll animation, and mostly likely, part one.

Below are some working shots I took…

Scroll on the camera stand.
The scroll in the studio.
Me, painting letters.
Hand puppets.
Brains.

Update:

Part Two is now available! And, I created a site where you, dear reader, can ask your own questions. It’s the Bureau of Scientifically Sound Questions. Please ask something today!

Posted in Animation

Shimmer

I made a short animation for Jenny O’Grady’s Light Ekphrastic. My prompt came from Ms. Shirley J. Brewer, and goes like this:

All the Fine Golden Threads

Born a sequin, baptized in glitter,
I blossomed in childhood light.
Tender arms wrapped me in filigree.
Grace gave me wings, assured flight.

I wear my changes like an ornament.
Gauzy yellow. Beads of sun in rows.
How to measure the luminous
wires of the heart? Even pain glows.

My favorite color is Gem.
I am Shimmering Goddess Energy.

That last line really caught my attention. I put together an audio track of outside sounds + harp, which is very shimmery to me. I then began to draw and film and this is how it turned out:

And here are some process photos.

A pencil drawing on a camera stand
A robed figure in the woods
Me, holding a cut paper robed figure
A goddess with her wings spread
Posted in Animation

Chapter One WIP

I stumbled on these old books at work. They’ve been removed from circulation, and I found this whole scene to be inspiring. I took a few – they called out to be repurposed. Objects like Altoids tins and spoons sometimes do that to me.

The audio for this piece is a collection of clips I’ve accumulated from field recordings, old tapes and found sound (literally sounds that I found somewhere and edited).

I hear each different section as though it’s a visual background to a comic panel, and that’s where the inspiration for the animation comes from.

The audio below will likely change and evolve, especially around the rhythm component. But here’s the working draft so far:

Posted in Animation

Scientifically Sound Questions

While hiking this weekend, Lily proposed some interesting questions, which lead to this particular inquiry.

Scroll of paper with the words "If you look young."
Paper scroll with a painting, for animation
Posted in Animation