New animation training
A little update from the world of animation training. As you may know, I’ve been running the side project turned mega beast Toon Boom Trainer. I say mega beast as at times it takes over my life! But it IS fun and I get a huge kick from running the courses and seeing people come on with their learning.
What’s this new name about?
Toon Boom Trainer has been going for 3 years now (time flies!) and it’s now time for a change. So from the end of May, Toon Boom Trainer will become….
The new logo
To start with I’ll be running the same courses, but the idea is to allow for easier expansion and training over a much broader area of animation. It’s exciting! I’m really proud of the site that’s been created as the student experience is very friendly and easy to track progress in. I’ve also go a blog set up and plans for plenty of free content, so DO sign up for the email updates when you head over 🙂
You said new course, right?
Our newest course, Advanced Animation in Toon Boom Harmony opens for sign ups as of today! Sign up via the image link below. It’s going to be a fantastic ride through the world of character animation, resulting in a showreel-worthy piece of performance. Read more on the new site, but I think you’ll love it!
Lots of great exercises and tips to get your character animation SINGING!
Summer life drawing
- At August 16, 2019
- By Adam
- In Sketchbook, Updates
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I’ve been heading to a few life classes recently, warming up that sketching muscle! Here’s a selection from a duo workshop in Manchester, U.K and two other classes with a male and female model.
Trips in America
- At June 10, 2019
- By Adam
- In Sketchbook, Travel, Updates
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We arrived back from a 16 day U.S.A experience yesterday, going from Chicago, into Wisconsin, marriage things and then to New York for a final bit of fun. It was a GREAT holiday and we crammed in so much. The weather was everything from warm, sweaty and sunny to windy, stormy and tornado inducing (no really, we had an alert whilst in Chicago..!) I played golf at some amazing courses, met a lot of ace people (and dogs) and watched my brother get married. The U.S.A is always great fun for me, as for all its faults, it still holds this feeling of freedom for a little boy from old England. Maybe it’s all the Americana I grew up on, but you can’t help but share in a little excitement at the novelty of it all.
Sketches & photos
I made a few sketches amongst the madness, many of which were in New York when there was more time to reflect on things. I did snap a fair amount of pictures, practising with the new camera (low light settings ALMOST mastered!). For now, here’s a snippet of those things.
Unexpected moments from the trip
– Finding out that Sheboygan, WI is a beautiful town with a strong creative vibe (who knew).
– Williamsburg is cool. It was expected, but it was even cooler than I imagined and we had a great time there. The independent shops are awesome.
– Friendly New Yorkers. We met many helpful, kind people there just in passing on the street, at night, etc. Not the stereotype! Mainly off Manhattan island, it has to be said.
– Playing some of the best golf of my life at Whistling Straits G.C. That day will forever live in my memory and I shall not let anyone forget my long game prowess.
– Discovering that Dexter has a rival for the cutest dog in the world. Meet Katrink, of Old Town, Chicago.
Penguin film alliance!
I have some exciting news: as of last week, my recent short animated film, Who moved my Penguin? is screening exclusively through Adastra’s channel, BoggleSox. The channel also screens such properties (fancy word for stuff, tangible or not) as Grandpa in my Pocket, Bounty Hamster and Spider! Funnily enough, you can see my fiancee, Josie (as of Feb 14th!) in the show Ha Ha Hairies on there, too!
It’s really great to get the film seen by such a large audience (50 million channel views and counting!) with the bonus of being around the brilliant shows mentioned above. I’d LOVE to create more of these little films but it’s all down to funds to do so. They’re not expensive (I can actually make them quickly, in animation terms) but I still need money to live 😉 If you are looking to fund some new short animated series work, LET’S TALK! 😀 I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s the film again, updated to it’s new place on the web. As of last week it became inactive on my Vimeo and YouTube accounts, ready for this launch. At that time, it had amassed over 40,000 views. I’m chuffed with that! My last proper short film was during university and with the internet not being the beast it is now, it garnered nowhere near as much eyeballing. Festival submissions and DVD posting ruled back then! Ahhh sweet 2007…
Spring sunset
- At March 20, 2019
- By Adam
- In Sketchbook, Updates
- 0
Today apparently marks the start of Spring here in the U.K plus there’s something called a super worm moon whatever that is! The days are getting warmer and the rain has lifted, at least in Manchester, for the time being.
I was wandering around town today, looking at all the incredible development that is going on in this city. It’s like something out of a sci fi novel, except when I read about Hyperloop it makes me think we are actually IN a sci fi novel. It’s very cool but also maybe moving a tad fast. Capitalism doing its thing I guess! Just to be clear though, no Hyperloop in Manchester, just lots of cranes and shiny glass 🙂
Whilst contemplating life in the big ‘Northern Powerhouse’ I saw an ace sunset out of my window. I’ve sketched and drawn this numerous times, but it never gets boring, as the clouds are ALWAYS different. you notice little changes in the tree/building silhouettes, too. this sketch was digital (Krita again) whereas the others are normally in a sketchbook with mixed media. tonight had these wonderful, silky ink clouds that almost dripped across the gradient skyline. Here’s the sketch:
Anyway, enough about skies! A little side note: my short film: Who moved my Penguin? recently got accepted into the Lift Off screenings run by Pinewood Studios. So here’s to the film’s first laurels..! There’s a few other festivals that it’s looking likely to get into due to its theme, so I’ll post updates when I get some 🙂 The work on the new film is going good now too, made some progress today! The trick I’m finding is balancing the time between different projects, keeping all the plates spinning, as it were. Oop, one’s about to drop, no more blogging distractions from me…
Who moved my Penguin?
- At February 16, 2019
- By Adam
- In animation, Updates
- 0
Here it is! The short film I made about basically being kind to one another, no matter where in the world you come from. It’s around 2 minutes long and you can watch below (note: this video is now playing from BoggleSox’s channel due to a streaming partnership with them).
Where does the story come from?
The story came about from watching all this news on refugees trying desperately to get away from their homeland, and the very mixed reception that people gave them. I didn’t want to make a film that was preachy or too political, as I feel like there’s enough depressing things out there already! My aim was to tell a lighter version which can be viewed by all, with a core message of kindness and empathy.
The picture pin board sequence works around the idea that circumstances affecting the movement of people are often out of their control. This is shown through the easy life of a young Westerner, with details of their affluent life scattered around the photos. The actual pictures are representative of the exotic holidays that rich tourists ‘take and tick off’ on their individual road to self affirmation. the only interaction with the world outside their bubble being a throw away, filtered photo or an ‘awareness’ post on social media. These are just fleeting moments to them, like the worldwide, disaster news they scroll through online everyday.
But I believe people are still fundamentally good! And so this is the end to the story. So be kind to one another people 🙂
One of the first sketches for the film
How was the film made?
The film was made in Toon Boom Harmony using Adobe Premier, After Effects, Audition & Photoshop for certain parts. I started the film as an exercise for rigging demos (a hand drawn character that is rigged up like a skeleton) but it evolved past that, probably because it took so long to finish! I actually believed that the Syrian refugee crisis would be ‘over’ by the time I finished and no longer in the news, but alas… The film was started in 2016 but often was put off due to work commitments and other projects. I finally came to the realisation that I needed to be brave and just finish it towards the end of 2018, when my girlfriend and I were robbed in Mauritius and I was also reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron…but that is story for a different post!
There’s an original score by Richard Hunter (it was great to work with him too..thanks Richard!) and assisting direction from Josie Cerise…saving me from moments of madness 😉
If you have any questions about the film or the process, just send them over from the contact page. I hope you enjoy it!
Happy holidays!
- At December 28, 2018
- By Adam
- In Updates
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It’s that time of year again when many people are seeing family, taking in some downtime and generally reflecting on the year just gone. I’m back in my home county of Nottinghamshire for Christmas, catching up with my family. My brother is even over from Philadelphia in the US! So my mum is super happy of course 🙂
I’ve been away working on Réunion island (more on that later!) so it’s good to be back in the UK for a change. No snow here but see the seasonal snowman in the picture is my contribution to the festive vibe 🙂
I’ve got some plans for the new year regarding animation and training, so I’ll post updates as things progress. Enjoy the downtime everyone!
Take part in the worldwide Sketchcrawl
- At June 20, 2017
- By Adam
- In Sketchbook, Updates
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Ever taken part in a Sketchcrawl? This is the original sketch meetup by Enrico Casarosa of Pixar fame. It’s like a pub crawl, but with drawing instead of beer (well, the beer is not the main focus, at least!) It’s a great way to meet fellow sketchers and see a place with fresh eyes.
There’s an event 29th July 2017, [edit: the event has been and gone, but check the Sketchcrawl forum for future events!]Â Â http://www.sketchcrawl.com/forum
You can tell I was new to watercolours when I did these…the paper crinkled like a Floridian pensioner
Added frivolities: I did my own one-man band sketchcrawl (so keen, so sad) back in 2004. I was a student then and just out around my hometown, Nottingham. Here are a few pictures from the day. Was a lot of fun as a little project, and interesting for me to see how I’ve developed. The sample pages below show I was still wrestling with construction and my ‘cartoony’ tendencies! That’s what you get growing up reading The Beano 🙂 See my new sketchbook work here.
My current hometown, Manchester is a great place to draw. There’s all the industrial charm of Deansgate locks, modern developments popping up all over the city and not forgetting the easy hipster pace of Ancoats. The tram is the lazy option, as places like Cornbrook will give you amazing views of the changing skyline, like the super expansion of Salford. Then you just hop back on and off you go! Easy peasy.
I still remember the things I drew that day (full disclosure, these sketches are pretty pants, but it’s good for nostalgia!) A sketch is worth a BAZILLION words my friends. Happy sketching y’all!
Watch me on The Gadget Show!
- At June 01, 2017
- By Adam
- In Updates
- 0
Well, I’m sure you’re all still reeling from the fame I have acquired after my Gadget Show appearance. Limousines, sponsorship deals and hoards of fans are all fleeting experiences that are sadly no longer part of my daily life. But if you somehow cast adrift at sea this past month, here’s where you can relive the glory days:Â https://www.my5.tv/the-gadget-show/season-25/episode-8
It’s available until 2020, so you’ve got plenty of time 🙂 Here are a few screengrabs from the segment. I’d just like to say a huge thank you to North One TV and the whole Gadget Show crew for a fun day, I really enjoyed myself. Cheers!
A day filming with The Gadget Show
- At May 11, 2017
- By Adam
- In Travel, Updates
- 0
Several weeks ago I went down to Birmingham to try out the brand spanking new Dell Canvas, a sort of Wacom Cintiq if you will. But it’s all smooth and shiny and brand new, so it was great fun to just play with! Here are the guys tweeting about it ahead of tomorrow’s showing:
Obligatory cheesy photo
If you fancy a laugh, watch me pretend to be a presenter tomorrow (Friday 12th May) at 7pm on Channel 5. Or if you miss it and you’re a SUPER FAN, go catch up on Channel 5’s website.
For anyone who finds my little space on the web after the show, say hi via the contact page and let me know what you thought! Cheers!