Thought

Life is an endlessness of variations on themes. Once a hint of possible direction is established, the ‘variations’ component kicks in, searching and modifying to arrive at best possible solution.

When in creative mode, one can truly experience and appreciate this ‘variation’ aspect, being naturally propelled to mutate from one condition on to another.

The trouble is- often there can only be one final solution.

Like in physics of the subatomic world, there were many possibilities at the moment of becoming but then made its mind in an ‘instant’. (There is a theory that something becomes what it is at the instant when it is being observed).

I think we being part of the universe, we too inherit and ‘felt’ this immense creative energy that is part of the grand and infinite universe consciousness, (to a much smaller extent that of human consciousness).

Here, the wish is to express an immense sense of space and scale through the condition of a set white rectangular working space, a rectangle, circle, equilateral triangle and 6 black lines.

In this variation above, the focal point is concentrated to lower left of working space in contrast to the larger white open area.

Of the 3 variations, this one gives best impression of scale with triangle placed away from grouping, causing the eye to account for full width and height of working space.

This variation felt large but clustered in feeling.

And here, the red triangle in accord with the other elements generates an ‘anchored’ feeling.

When triangle is placed on lower right and cutting black line, it gives impression of movement, suggesting a right and upward ‘propelling’ feel.

And here, the triangle angled away from being paralleling with the white working space, generating a directional ‘commotion’.

‘Mountain Yellow Legged Frog’ by Dai Toyofuku.

Recently I’ve been to an art exhibit entitled ‘In the Landscape Where Nothing Officially Exists’ conceived by Dai Toyofuku and participated by a selected group of dedicated artists and biologists. The idea is to raise awareness to the list of 50 plus endangered species within the Los Angeles basin through art and symbolically allow them to bio diversified through art representations and reposting of its imagery on the internet.

From an article in the exhibition catalog, Dai Toyofuku wrote-

“Art deals with culture and it is human culture that in many ways determines the future of many species.”

I think that’s a great insight from Dai. When applying art in light of culture, artistic expressions become accessible, relevant and pertinent, trimming away any pretention and artificial flavoring.

The exhibit consisted of the many artworks, each represents an endangered species. It was held at lunch time outdoor and coincides with a larger event relating to arts and education. During this brief hour long interactive exhibition, one by one, the artworks were announced in their chosen spirit of respective endangered species ranging from fish, amphibians, insects to small mammals and to be given away free of charge- with the condition that should one choose to adopt an artwork, one has to post its image somewhere on the net.

I’m much delighted and very grateful to have found this ‘Mountain Yellow Legged Frog’ as interpreted by Dai Toyofuku. And in a sense, its spirit is now popping up here in Rainplace and being reintroduced at where I live in Glendale.

In nature, this small amphibian lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountain and hanging to life due to modern thread. To learn more about them, you can click here.

(Dai Toyofuku is also known as Stephen Wong and a major artistic contributor to My Little WORLD).

And below, an animated demo I made from a recent trip to Denmark… wasn’t quite happy with the result, but it brings beautiful memories when I was there).

Our view of rough pass is like being in quantum mechanics. To help us be in touch with senses of primal energy, the drawings are freer to finding their organic ways into being, within a general direction given by story intent and a predetermined sense of force.

In tie-down, the raw energy is then encased in definite defined outlines, appearing orderly like looking outward towards movement of the stars.

And like in rough pass, the tie-down lines do have freedom to take shape as they should, but must take cue and build on foundation that has been established by rough pass, with added discipline to bring character into intended model.

Life vibrates, disorderly in definite order, predictable in unpredictability; ONE- made of infinite parts… Subconsciously, these thoughts guide our creative path.

This scene from My Little WORLD was animated by Natalie Kim and tie-down by me

There are moments when one seems to fall into ‘trance’, becoming unaware and not in control of the surface look of the drawing-at-hand, taking dictation from the successive drawings that have already been established.

For me, the paradox of being in control but yet not fully in control of the unfolding frame bring about a very organic texture to movement and best reflecting the elusiveness that is- life.

Organic nature doesn’t arrive at one ‘exact’ location in space and time every time by prediction, but most often within approximate range, so too that there is no 2 identical moments in the unfolding of matter through space and time.

When I’m too conscious of the drawing in frozen mode or surface motion mechanic in first pass, the movement will likely inherit a mechanical feel or stiffed looking. It’s an interesting balance between being deliberate, precise and allowing a margin of unpredictability.

This intricate balance is achieved by placing main emphasis on the force flow of structure in motion and not in frozen mode.

In this animated context, the impression that a movement gives is everything and one single frame is nothing, no matter how beautifully it is drawn.

Yet, the way a movement feels in playback is intricately linked to the surface look of each successive frozen frame; they each must properly reflects-

- Appropriate spacing location of structure in context to its path of action.

- Maintain structural volumes and breathe in context to its mass, make and velocity.

The more self-conscious I am to surface structure and movement mechanic, the more stiff things ‘feel’. It really a lot like in real life when one is too self-conscious of one manner and action.

In this above example, I was more self-conscious to the movement mechanics went approaching this new character, causing scene to be stiff looking both in single drawing and movement (like above 2nd try on the Tibetan antelope).

…It takes a few tries to get more comfortable with a structure. (This set is much looser in 3rd attempt).

(This post is for Joel, in response to your question from last post.)

The edge of leading force is like the very edge of a present moment in time. Its projectile relating to location, manner and gesture are interwoven and affected by everything that has just gone before.

It is easy to look backward and say- there it was, exactly where it should be; its placement is logical within its visible trail of trajectory. It is not as certain when one is at the very present of that edge, where one is in states of experiencing and directly affecting what is to come.

To find this very edge, first and foremost, one relies on one’s sensitivity, not as much on mechanic but heavily on ‘feel’.

Sense to increasing and decreasing intensity of leading force, the body compartment it originated in, its movement from one compartment to another, they are keys to drive the surface appearance; (example from clip above).

If animation mechanic is simply 1+1=2, then it will also likely appearing mechanical; but if the mechanic is 1+1 = certainty + uncertainty = Life

(Sorry I went philosophical here, but that’s what really drives me to animate; will approach practical thinking on this topic in next post).

Here, memory of crossing path with a sheep somewhere near the west coast of Ireland.

On surface, movements of structure can appear very complex with all its parts and compartments moving about all at once; but if traced to origin of source, these various parts orderly follow their turns into motion.

This origin rests at the instigating compartment, generating ‘leading force’ that creates a ripple to the entire structure and transfer itself from one compartment to another in chain reaction.

In 1st pass animation, I start with search to determent the ‘right’ spatial location to the very edge of the leading force by a simple line. This line is very crucial and must be in accord with the intended ‘feel’ of unfolding force. If it doesn’t reflect the ‘right’ location, it will throw everything else off.

In the sample above, the movement is initiated by the left leg, affecting the immediate pelvis to drop, followed by the ribcage then arms and head. Here, the spacing for the leg has to be at ‘right’ distance and is determined by the previous sequential drawings within the unfolding path of action.

As the leg muscle propelled the body off the ground, the leading force is transferred to the pelvis area; and so I began with search for right distance of the pelvis, utilizing the waist line.

Life and everything within unfold in series of cause and effect; it begins and ends by the start and stop given length of time. Animation is very much a reflection of this living experience.

Here, a plant given by a friend some summers ago. It is doing well and happy in my home. I really don’t have a talent to nurture plants, so I think this one is very patience with me. The shade of green That it has is very beautiful and calming.

Things we take notice and things we don’t are very inward and have much to do with the texture of our creative work; in turn, they are reflections to how sensitive we each are, what we truly see and what we find of relevance…

Looking at these fishes at first glance, maybe one find nothing of interest; but once one decides to be inquisitive , there is always- so much, much more!

If we were assigned to animate a fish of similar elongated shape just drifting about, not doing any thing special, to do just that, that which invoke a full sense of life, is already- something very special!

As simple as a wave of tail fin or a slight flex in the spine, animation movement become magical and poetic in nature when we’re not just simply copy and duplicate how this fish look and move in reality, but how this fish really feels like from one inner perspective.

The more interesting and beautiful each little aspects one find in seemingly ordinary day-life, the greater the possibility for a much richer and in-depth work one can create.

For me, to be able to share this inward experience of life that is uniquely to each- is one of the highest attributes that one can give to one another.

I’m off to Ireland for 3 weeks, to give a series of workshop and presentation; hosted by my good friend Barry of Barley Films in Dublin.