Organizing / Workflow

It's funny but the older I get and the more I learn about animation, the more I see that success has a lot to do with establishing and sticking to a consistent and well thought out work flow. Luckily with Animation the work flow that most animators use was invented and refined many years ago. Right now I'm 2/3 of the way through Advanced Body Mechanics and I'm still learning the proper work flow, but it really makes a complicated process much smoother.

Anyhow, I've just been thinking about that a lot because this week I'm working on blocking out my next animation. I'm really excited about it, because it's going to be fun to work on and because it's a little more complex then my last two. But Unlike the previous assignments I've done, I have a whole extra week to work on it.

Currently I'm working as a Multi Media developer and for the past year or so I've been using After Effects for 90% of my work. I really love AE, but like Maya it's pretty overwhelming at times and I think requires a similar sort of approach to the work. If only it were that easy. Basically this comes down to plan, plan some more, then do some more planning. But in my world the planning usually comes later in the process and always too late.

Okay, just some random thoughts as I sit here on a Rainy Thursday and think about all the stuff I'm been learning.

Slow Progress .. My Bowling Shot

Well, it's been a few weeks since I last posted, but that's because I've been busy with Animation Mentor. My latest shot is of Stewie bowling. I'm happy with the outcome, because I think it's an improvement in my Body Mechanics and definitely in my work flow.

Work flow is such an important part of the process and I'm still getting my mine down. The last phase, know as Polish is my least favorite and the hardest. But I'm told that's try for most animators.

Anyway, I thought I'd post it here and I'm trying Viemo for the first time. So far I like the results.

Week 07 / Stewie Bowling from Philip Isaacs on Vimeo.