Under The Weather

Kuchao/A GUM BOY from Masaki Okuda on Vimeo.

Manolito's Dream from AllaKinda on Vimeo.

Feelings (with Zoom) from okido magazine on Vimeo.

Everyone is under the weather, both in the ill sense, and in the trapped-indoors-because-it-hasn't-stopped-raining-all-weekend sense.  

So we're cheering ourselves up by finding funny little animations on Vimeo.  Here are three of our favourites.

Blackboard Wall (and more animation)

I've been busy redecorating Nelly's room over the past week.  I've painted one of her walls entirely in blackboard paint (which was quite nervewracking - I kept having visions of Adrian Mole's attempt).

But it looks brilliant!  It turns out that everything looks good against a black wall.  Even really ordinary things like chairs and wall lights suddenly look very cool.

And then the best part was letting the girls loose on it with a box of chalks...

Chalkboard Animation from TheRoundWindow on Vimeo.

P.S. If you haven't already seen it (it's been around for a while) THIS is a beautiful blackboard animation.

Animating Glass Pieces

SMALL FACES from TheRoundWindow on Vimeo.

After helping the kids with their animations, I wanted to have a go myself.  And it turns out that animating things is FUN.  These are some pieces of my hand-painted glass that will be turned into a host of angels, but I thought I'd have a play with them first.

I used a really basic programme called Smoovie (I think you can try it for free for 2 weeks, but the full version is only about £20).

To make this short animation took me just over an hour (including putting together the music on Garage Band).  I know it's a bit rough round the edges, but I'm really pleased with it for a first attempt, and it's something I've always wanted to try.

I'd like to work on some more abstract animation next, using coloured glass shards.

I've always been so inspired by this brilliant animation by Sue Doeksen in collaboration with Maxmana.

Paper Jam from maxmana on Vimeo.