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Journal

Short notes from the studio and the gallery.

Framing the face: where things sit

DrawingFraming the face: where things sit

Why the empty space around a face matters as much as the face.

Building a portfolio: fewer but better

DrawingBuilding a portfolio: fewer but better

Why ten strong pieces beat fifty average ones, and how to choose.

Digital tools: what changes and what does not

AnimationDigital tools: what changes and what does not

What a tablet and software make easy, and what still rests in your own hand.

A short history of animation: from flipbook to screen

AnimationA short history of animation: from flipbook to screen

How a simple trick of the eye grew into a whole art form.

From drawing to animation: the bridge few people mention

AnimationFrom drawing to animation: the bridge few people mention

Why a good animator must first be a good draughtsman.

Storyboarding: seeing the film before you make it

AnimationStoryboarding: seeing the film before you make it

Why every animation begins with a few simple boxes.

Timing and spacing: the secret of weight and speed

AnimationTiming and spacing: the secret of weight and speed

Why the number of frames and the gaps between them decide everything.

Squash and stretch: how a ball comes alive

AnimationSquash and stretch: how a ball comes alive

The single most important principle, with the simplest possible example.

The twelve principles of animation: the alphabet of movement

AnimationThe twelve principles of animation: the alphabet of movement

A tour of the rules Disney’s studio set out that still underpin every believable movement.

Daily practice: small but every day

DrawingDaily practice: small but every day

Why ten minutes a day beats three hours on the weekend.

From a photo or from life?

DrawingFrom a photo or from life?

What each one teaches you, and why you need both.

Animals as characters: a cat that wears a hat

DrawingAnimals as characters: a cat that wears a hat

How to make an animal human without making it silly.

Oil paint: patience instead of speed

DrawingOil paint: patience instead of speed

Why oil is built in layers, and why we work from dark to light.

Hands: the hardest part, with one simple trick

DrawingHands: the hardest part, with one simple trick

Why not to start hands with the fingers, and how to build from big shapes.

Drawing the eye: a window that must stay alive

DrawingDrawing the eye: a window that must stay alive

Why the catchlight matters more than the lashes, and how to give the gaze direction.

Values, not lines: the secret of volume

DrawingValues, not lines: the secret of volume

Why the real world has no outlines, and how light and dark build form.

Face proportions: the map that puts everything in place

DrawingFace proportions: the map that puts everything in place

A few simple rules that help you place the eyes, nose and mouth correctly.

Pastel on kraft: colour on a warm ground

DrawingPastel on kraft: colour on a warm ground

Why brown paper does half the work, and how to build skin from just three colours.

Charcoal: darkness and drama in a portrait

DrawingCharcoal: darkness and drama in a portrait

Why charcoal suits weathered faces and hard light, and how to draw the light back out with an eraser.

Knowing your pencils: from H to B

DrawingKnowing your pencils: from H to B

How pencil grade decides your shadows, line and texture, and how few pencils you really need to start.