Timbuktoons Studio » animation

[This is concept art and character descriptions taken from Guardian High, our latest show concept. Guardian High is an action comedy for tweens, 26x22 minutes.]

WILLIAM NICOLAS BLAYDE
“Never be idle Chase, we are like vapor and we know not how long we have in our endeavors. Lost time does not return.”

Blayde, 17, is a squire from Northern Wales, 1429. He is a tall and well-built redhead with a deep respect for the code of chivalry. He exudes nobility in his words and deeds despite his lack of knight status and coming from “no great birth.”

Blayde values and defends loyalty, courage and honor as a typical gentleman soldier. His strong faith in these qualities, even when it doesn’t make sense, can rub those around him the wrong way making him come across as self righteous. Unfortunately, Blayde’s view of the world can be too small which often leads to a limited view of himself.

Friday Favs 2_19_10

Sean Copley — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:39:14 +0000

Why Brands are Becoming Media

Toy Story 3′ introduces new characters, including first stuffed animal

Disney’s plan to release ‘Alice’ on DVD early upsets theaters

Studying other people’s design helps us improve our own. Plus, it’s fun.

Children’s Books: Apocalypse Now, Teens turn to dystopian novels

TIA’s top Toy Fair trendsetters get straight A’s

Children ‘missing out on sleep’ Newsround finds

Disney taking a pass on one of the most profitable movies of 2009?

Looking Back at 20 Years of Adobe Photoshop

Friday Favs 1_29_10

Sean Copley — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:07:44 +0000

Some web gems we mined this week from the world of animation, kids stuff and ipads:

Neat wall decals for kids

The world of 2.5D animation

Cool kid environment/spaces designs

Cutting Class: Moving Pictures: Using Still Images In Your Edits

First look: Marvel Comics’ ‘heroes will be heroes again’

Adobe speaks up about Flash on the iPad

i’m in love with a strategic plan

National Cable and Telecommunications Associations

How Will the Apple Tablet iPad Change Our Kids’ Lives?

Discovery Channel and Hasbro- HUB announcement

CTN Animation Expo

Anatomy reference for illustrators

Constance J. Greene

Sean Copley — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:29:40 +0000

[This is concept art and character descriptions taken from Guardian High, our latest show concept. Guardian High is an action comedy for tweens, 26x22 minutes.]

CONSTANCE J. GREENE
“Given the right amount of time, one’s imaginations and earnest efforts can establish a bright hope for the morrow. But Chase Lewis if you pay no attention to the present, you will suffer a dull life indeed…in more ways than one!

Constance, 16, is from Baltimore, Maryland, 1906. “CJ” is kind, energetic and the cheerful optimist of the bunch. But don’t mistake her optimism for naiveté; Constance is very intelligent and outspoken. She is tactful with her wit…and her left hook!

Her upper body strength is just as powerful as her mind, and she easily slips into her tomboy personality. Despite being extremely beautiful, she lacks confidence in her femininity and struggles with behaving “appropriately.” Being caught between two very different times doesn’t make matters any easier!

Constance is fascinated with the biological and physical sciences and that is especially evident in her thoughtful approach to problem solving. She is also very concerned with the health and well being of the team, sometimes to a fault.

Friday Favs 01_22_10

Sean Copley — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:11:13 +0000

The Most Relevant Identity Work of the Decade

Seth Godin: Unrealized projects

‘Avatar’ Soars on Fat Ad Spending, Mass Marketing

Discovery To Launch 3D Channel With Sony, Imax: Source

Letter from Richard Williams to his Who Framed Roger Rabbit crew

Meet Marko, the 9-year-old systems engineer

Kaia Chiyoko

Sean Copley — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:07:23 +0000

[This is concept art and character descriptions taken from Guardian High, our latest show concept. Guardian High is an action comedy for tweens, 26x22 minutes.]

KAIA CHIYOKO
(sarcastically) “Chase, this wouldn’t be a problem for you in my future. Progress has left us with plenty of time to focus on what matters most to us. Whatever that is.”

Kaia, 18, is from Kyoto, Japan, 2079. She has dark hair, green eyes and a sleek physique. She is extremely agile and a gifted gymnast…a skill that comes in handy when stealth is required. Her unique blend of martial arts and aggressive style makes her the tip of the spear on missions.

Kaia has great confidence in the progress of science and relies heavily on technology but lacks confidence in her own intellectual abilities. This is especially true in cultural and historical perspectives.

She is stoic and sometimes unexpressive which can easily be misinterpreted as aloof and relationally detached…although relationships are definitely not a strength. Her touch of future snobbery doesn’t help in that department either!

The Emotion of Art

Todd Hampson — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:27:20 +0000

Don’t draw what you want them to see, draw what you want them to feel. In addition to being a good draftsman, concept artists, designers, animators, and art directors need to pay a great deal attention to mood, lighting, color, pattern etc.

As artists, our goal is not to draw what we see (a camera can do that), but to draw in a way that makes the viewer feel a certain way. Our goal is to tell a story visually relying heavily on emotion.

I think one reason I love animation so much is that it is so expressive. You have many art forms (writing, drawing, color, movement, sound design, voice acting, art direction, etc.) colliding to tell a story around a core story with powerful emotional themes….or very cartoony or light hearted themes depending on the genre.

So today when you pick up your stylus, mouse, brush, pencil, pen, marker, or the like, remember to draw the emotion and tone you want to convey.