I want to apologize for not posting much lately. Over the last few weeks things have been busier than usual around here which is saying a lot. I’ve been juggling not one but three animation projects plus a good amount of regular freelance illustration work. For one project I hired a team of very talented freelance animators to crank out 150 clips in only three weeks! That project finally wrapped yesterday and I can’t wait to tell you more about it. In the middle of it all I took a trip to the Motion ‘09 conference where I prepared and gave two talks on character design.
Things should be slowing back down to a sane pace around here sometime next week and then I look forward to posting more regularly again. Thanks to all of you for your patience.
Some exciting news about an upcoming project I’ll be working on:
Phil Vischer, the creator of VeggieTales (the best-selling direct-to-video series of all time) and of the kids’ media website JellyTelly.com has just announced a partnership with Focus on the Family to create a 13-volume educational DVD series called “What’s In The Bible?” The DVD’s will take kids through the Bible from cover to cover using a combination of puppets, animation, and live action to teach about the Bible and the Christian faith. The DVD’s will be released through Tyndale House publishers starting this coming Spring.
The best part (for me at least) is that I get to play a small role in the project. I’ve been hired to animate three segments, and if that goes well there will likely be more to come.
The DVDs are going to echo back to the spirit of the old Disney educational films from the 1960’s but with a modern, snappy sensibility. I’m a huge fan of the early Disney and UPA-style educational films (especially the work of Ward Kimball like the classic Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom – Amazon link). For years I’ve been thinking how cool it would be to use educational animation to teach the Bible and theology. Bible literacy is on the decline in America so this series will help fill a huge need. I’m thrilled to play a small part in it. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a very fun and quality product!
Look for the first two DVDs to be in stores in Spring of 2010. In the mean time, for samples of Phil’s latest offerings visit JellyTelly.com. Just what exactly is JellyTelly? Glad you asked.
A few weeks ago I was hired by a local agency to create some artwork for a new interactive website for Great River Energy, a Minnesota company that provides electricity to a large part of the state. The site is promoting their “Brighter Kid’s Club” campaign designed to help kids learn about saving energy.
I was asked to draw the exterior and interior of what the client described as “the coolest tree house ever”. They provided me with some rough thumbnails and a long list of specific items that had to be included in the artwork. The ideas was to create a fun little interactive clubhouse that could be enjoyed by both boys and girls. I created all the elements as vector art in Illustrator and then handed them over to the agency. From there there they inserted additional elements (posters on the walls, for example) and added some simple animation to make everything come alive.
It was really a tag-team effort, and in the end it turned out quite nice. You can view the actual site here.
Just a reminder that I’ll be giving a 2-part seminar on character design at the Motion ‘09 animation conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 11-14. It’s a real honor. Last year’s conference was packed with great speakers and seminars and this year the conference has even more to offer.
I’ll be part of a new “late night” session, speaking on Monday and Tuesday from 10:15pm-11:30pm. So if you attend be sure to bring your favorite caffeinated beverage!
The job of Character Designer is one of the most sought-after – and most important positions in the animation industry.
In this session we’ll examine the fundamentals of good character design. We’ll look at some do’s and don’ts and discuss tips and tricks to help you create engaging characters with personality and appeal. We’ll walk through some helpful exercises to develop your skills as a character designer and point you towards some resources for further study.
Part 2: Putting It Into Practice
In the second part of this two part series, we’ll walk through the process of creating a character from concept to final design, including model sheets and turnarounds. We’ll also take a look at some of the industries that use freelance character designers including film, TV, advertising, video games, and toys. Get first-hand advice on breaking into those industries based on the Hohnstadt’s personal experience as a freelancer.
So, you’ve read my recap of the 2009 Creative Freelancer Conference and now you’re bummed that you missed out? Don’t worry, I’m here to help!
The Free Stuff
The conference organizers have posted a ton of free downloads and resources over at their website. Check it out!
The Not-So-Free Stuff
In a few weeks the audio from the conference seminars will be available for purchase. Keep an eye on my blog for the link. In the mean time, you can still purchase .mp3’s, session handouts, and powerpoint presentations from the 2008 conference here.
Several books were also available for purchase at the conference. Here’s the Amazon.com links:
Finally, while you are waiting for next year’s conference be sure to follow the CFC blog. And don’t forget to sign up for future updates on the 2010 conference.
Last week I attended the second annual Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego. The goal of the conference is to help creative freelancers (i.e. illustrators, designers, writers, photographers, etc.) to improve their business skills, get better clients, and increase their income.
We artsy types aren’t exactly known for our business saavy. One thing you definitely won’t learn in art school is how to market yourself. Or write a proposal. Or network, talk to clients about money, etc. This conference fills a huge need. Each time I’ve attended I’ve walked away inspired and ready to take my career to the next level.
It was also great just to spend a few days with other people who get what it is that I do for a living. Who have the same experiences, the same problems, and we can talk shop without the other person’s eyes glazing over. Freelancing can be lonely at times so I really relish any chance I get to hobnob with my fellow freelancers. Read more »
I had a blast last week at the Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego. My head is still spinning from all the great tips, tricks, and inspiring info that was served up. Can’t wait to post about it here. I’ve been swamped with all the emails and client work that piled up while I was gone, but I hope to have something posted in the next day or two. Stay tuned!
Earlier this summer I was hired by PreFurred Pet Care, a small business on the west coast, to help out with an ad campaign. They had seen an old piece from my portfolio depicting a cartoon flea and tick having a picnic on top of a dog’s head. They were wondering, could I sell them the image for use in a postcard campaign? After looking through my files I discovered I had already sold all the rights to that particular image, but I did offer to create a custom illustration just for them and their specific needs.
The client liked that idea and decided to do their own twist on the picnic idea. They would use a stock photo of a sleeping dog, and above his head they wanted to place a cartoon “dream” balloon containing some parasites getting ready to eat him. I liked the idea and did the above illustration. Here’s how it looked inside the balloon:
Wed.-Fri. of this week (Aug. 26-28) I’ll be in San Diego attending the second annual Creative Freelancer Conference. The conference organizers are encouraging attendees to tweet live from the conference using the hashtag #CFConf. I plan to do a bit of tweeting but mostly I’ll be furiously taking notes during the presentations. I’m sure other attendees will be tweeting as well, some with great frequency. Just do a Twitter search for “#CFConf” to keep up on everyone’s latest tweets from the conference.
Incidentally, if you want to follow me on Twitter my username is “cedrichohnstadt“.
Recently I was nominated by Bob Ostrom for a “Superior Scribbler” award. As far as I can tell its not a real, tangible award. Just a fun way to acknowledge other artists whose work you enjoy.
If you are nominated, one of the rules is that you nominate five other artists. Here are my picks (in no particular order). Two of them work together at their own studio so I’ve combined them into one link. Click on the images to check out their work.
Michael Foster
Stephen Silver
Tom Bancroft & Rob Corley (FunnyPages Productions)
). For years I’ve been thinking how cool it would be to use educational animation to teach the Bible and theology. Bible literacy is on the decline in America so this series will help fill a huge need. I’m thrilled to play a small part in it. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a very fun and quality product!
Just a reminder that I’ll be giving a 2-part seminar on character design at the 
