Eyvind Earle/Fredric Edwin Church...

Eyvind Earle was one of the many fine artists recruited by Disney in the 1950's. Eyvind's artwork is simply stunning. I can't think of a stronger visual designer, the best examples of which are the incredible images created for "Sleeping Beauty". I would highly recommend Hans Bacher's book "Dream Worlds". Below are a few of my favorite paintings by Eyvind. Michael Sporn does a way better job of collecting these images than me. I'm typically not drawn to this heavy use of contrast and graphic design within the context of animation, but these images are too alluring not to admit their greatness. Power like this reminds me of the american painter Frederic Edwin Church, a Hudson River school landscape painter that specialized in this type of imagery, with out the graphic design element. Specifically the his iceberg paintings.
Church gives an amazing lesson in contrast of scale here, something I use very often in my own work. One of the things brilliant landscape artists seem to excel at is making us humans feel insignificant in comparison to nature.
Earle uses a similar contrast of scale method here to create a feeling of power. jeeeez.The depth of this piece is astounding. I often notice that the more depth a piece has, the more dramatic and powerful it becomes.. in contrast to this, things that are flat are often used for humor or light hearted-ness.
The contrast of scale itself is the single element that provides depth to this piece above.

"Blood and Posture" from Mark Kennedy blog...

"I don't use action lines to describe what is happening in the frame; I use blood and posture to tell the viewer what is happening" -Gibbens (of "Watchmen")

Another epic blog entry from Mark. Please take some time to read this very extended entry, it's something I think about all the time, and I happen to lean toward the NO action lines especially in animation. I hate that I've used them in the past, they added practically nothing to the action. "Blood and Posture" may just be my new tag line. ok... i'm using my own drawings as examples, you'll have to forgive me, i just have no immediate other examples at hand.
Above I used motion lines in "Puppet" to punch up this key that was exposed on ones. Now that I look at it, it didn't add anything, i should have left it out.
Above, I think I did well, some animators would use a "wipe" effect by elongating this exposure (again on ones) but it looks better with the more realistic "stretch" of the sock being thrown down, as well as a nice drag from the hair.
Above I think I used the saliva coming off the kids mouth as a "Blood and Posture" move, eliminating any motion lines, and only using goober to leave a motion trail, and also again the direction is aided by the drag on the hair, as well as the puppets little hands. This was a fun scene to animate.Dangit... above is another one... what's wrong with me?? this one had no reasoning behind it.. I think sometimes I put them in when i'm working on 1's because i think it goes by so quick.
I even see they crept in within the rough of this one.
Here's another one above, you see the VERY NEXT FRAME has debris (read "blood") that made the action quite clear enough.. no lines were needed. moral of this... stick to the real world for your references... there's no motion lines in reality!

Patrick Smith Program at Lake County Film Festival...

In addition to programming this years selection of Animated Shorts, Lake County Film Festival is hosting a talk and a screening of my last five short films, as well as several commercial productions my studio has completed this past year. It should be fun, I love talking shop with other professionals or students. I'll be at both Animation programs Sat. and Sun., and the Patrick Smith show is Sunday... info below. Hope to see you there!

Patrick Smith Show: Sunday March 8th, 2pm.
Animation Program: Saturday March 7th, 12pm, and Sunday March 8th, 4:10pm.
19351 W. Washington St., Room D100, Grayslake, IL