Robert Kondo

Here is a teaser of the art of RobertKondo. He is one of those talented guys at Pixar. Check out Robert and all the other blogging artists at E-ville Press. They have a new site for their upcoming publication Afterworks.

Stash

Take a look at Stash! This dvd magazine showcases what is hot in the world of animation, vfx and motion graphix every month. Just last week they announced what I hope will become a yearly international competition of student work. Check out the inaugural winners...(blink)!

Scott Morse

Scott Morse now has a blog to go along with his fantabulous website! Drag your knuckles and get evolved by the loose brushwork and stylings of this underexposed comix prestigitator.

James Jean

Just a quick post today about James Jean. An excellent illustrator whose designs will knock your braces off. His recent published sketchbook,Process Recess, is sold out. But, if you can get your blood stained hands on it don't hesitate to do what you gotta do to get it!
Update: it is now being published by Adhouse!

Anders Nilsen

Time for...What's living in my enlarged brain cavity!!...Anders Nilsen. Animation has been in the curio cabinet as of late so I will take you into the library to show off some of the books on my shelf. Anders Nilsen is part of the mega-star chicago group, the Holy Consumption, which comprises of Anders, Jeffrey Brown, John Hankiewicz and Paul Hornshemeier. Anders's latest issue of Big Question is out and worth picking up. Take a peek at a sample page of his work here. Also, he is going to be included in the new 'Ignatz' series launch in September by a consortium of european publishers and Fantagraphics in the States. So look out for The End next month. All of the artists of the Holy Consumption is worth holding up through the bars for a prod of the old freak stick.

Nextoons

Open wide and sink yer teeth into Nextoons:Nicktoons film festival. Everyday they will be showcasing short animations in which you the viewer can vote on. I missed day 1 but on day 2 my vote is on Jessica Borutski's, I LIKE PANDAS! On day 3 it is on J.G. Quintel's, THE NAIVE MAN FROM LOLLILAND.

Koji Yamamura

Today marks one more month until the OIAF and to kick it off I highlight the work of Koji Yamamura. His latest film, the Old Crocodile will be showing in Competition #4 of the festival. Actually, Koji ties together several past posts here on the bigheadedhare: 1) The Old Crocodile will be showing at the Ars Electronica in a couple of weeks. You can now download the festival program here. 2)Also, Koji has an animation museum set up at the Expo in Aichi, which will be showing one of those NFB shorts that won because of your vote! Don't forget to check out Koji's ink drawings on his site.
So for those rich philanthropists, remember to go to Linz, Austria; Aichi, Japan and Ottawa, Canada in the next month.

Under the Microscope

Under the Microscope...Bill Sienkiewicz! I remember when I first started collecting comics and I picked up New Mutants no.50 with a special guest artist named Bill with a last name I couldn't pronounce. The character's heads were all warped and misshapen and I hated it! But then as I came to appreciate non-conformity of assembly line comic art I gained a respect for Bill's art. Since then, I have seen Bill's vast array of styles and paintings that are hands down some of the best in comics today. So, learn to pronounce his last name (which is Sin-kev-vich) and buy his books. I recommend his seminal Stray Toasters and Big Numbers (which there is only 2 books) he did with Alan Moore.

arrr...Whalefish

I know! what's with the creepy doll kick?! What can I say...i'm disturbed...
But really, who doesn't like this stuff! Whalefishstudio is a great site made known to me by bigheadedhare fan fishbaitkate...thanx katie!
The seige has begun, so, let loose the hedgehogs!! You will cringe at the sight of cuteness!

Graeme Patterson

Since we are on the topic of creepy stop motion animation...I just found the site of canadian animator, Graeme Patterson. Monkey and Deer is his latest production and it has a nice sublime vision of rural existence. His puppets are just the way I like them...fleshy... in a miniature world filled with monkeys. His films will be playing at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Play with Me

I remember seeing this cool doll animation on some site but couldn't get it to play and then I forgot all about it. Fortunately, thanx to Oona and Jeremy for resending it to me. Now I have a working link. Check out Play with Me and remember to try all the scenerios! Also, check out all the other works by this artist down under @ Van Sowerwine dot com. Oh no, barbie broke the teapot...heheh!

N.F.B. In Vivo

Hurry my lemmings! Get over to the NFB website and vote for the animated short that will represent Canada in Aichi, Japan. For your sacrifice you could win an MP3 player for the afterlife...ONLY 2 DAYS OF VOTING LEFT!

Dave Cooper

Under the Microscope...Dave Cooper. I just noticed that my favorite comic artist (who isn't doing comics anymore!hint hint dave) is having a solo show of his pillowy girl paintings in California. Congrats Dave!. Also, via the boingboing site, there is a nice link to Critterbox, who does toys of Dave's characters like Pip and Norton. The second pic up top is a prototype of their newest Cooper creation...disturbingly nice! That is what makes Dave Cooper so great!

Animation library

Animated shorts have such a limited exposure level in this living sideshow that I thought I would share a couple of rare acts to put next to that Britney Spears Live dvd(freak). The first is Square Footage Films, they are a collective of independent NYC animators that have packaged their films together on Avoid Eye Contact dvd. There are two volumes now with heavy weights such as George Griffin and Bill Plympton to newcomers of Pes and Chris Conforti included on it. The second is the Animation Show which is the unnatural child of Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt. It is a travelling show that spotlights many of today's best animated shorts. Check to see if it is coming to a city near you! If you missed it then you can pick up the dvd of Season one. Both of these DVD's have big name animators that warrant a spot in the ol' What's living in my enlarged brain cavity column! So go out and get these collections for the video library and support food for animators worldwide. Every month you will receive a picture of the animator in their dark underworld environment and feel warm and fuzzy inside from the burden you will lift from state run mental institutions.

Wallace and Gromit

Well I know this film is far from being independent but at least it's roots are. I have been a fan of Wallace and Gromit from the beginning and even now with the Dreamwork insignia on it. Only because of the genius of Nick Park and Steve Box do I keep the faith that they will yet again show the crackin' cheese animation that they do time and time again. Hopefully, unlike the Spongebob movie they will be able to translate the quirky yet sophisticated escapades of the wacky Wallace and the Bill Murray of deadpan animation, Gromit. Watch the trailer and tell me what you think of it.
***UPDATE*** Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit will be premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival! I am thinking that Nick Park and the gang will be on hand too!

Seth

I know this is a little late but...if you find yourself in Toronto head on over to the Art Gallery of Ontario to see our one and only SETH on display. The top photo was taken at this year's TCAF with Seth in the foreground and yes that is the world famous Chester Brown in the background, of which drawn and quarterly is reissueing his Ed the Happy Clown series. So turn off the Playstation and go read these two modern masters of sequential art. (Ed will make Grand Theft Auto look like Sesame Street)
***UPDATE*** I forgot to mention that you could get a sneak preview of Seth's new book on the Globe and Mail site.

hey kevin!

hey kev! this one is for you! vfxy check it oot! While I am at it...check out this months Res magazine, as it is devoted to comics and animation!!

Chris Harding

Under zee microscopic radar...Chris Harding! For side splitting entertainment, watch chris's u.p.a. looking animated shorts. I particularly like his newest one Learn Self Defense. Let loose the monkey and lance that sore, for it is pain and laughter that makes it sooo good.

Experimental animation

Chris Robinson, a.k.a. The Animation Pimp, has written a good column yet again at AWN. He defends experimental animation at festivals and in general terms of how get over that abstract hump. It is a shame that in this day and age with the advent of CG and the dominance of commercial endeavors that animation has regressed to a state of infancy. Again, the form must go through growing pains of let alone technique but of subject matter. Think of all the experimental pioneers of the past...Fischinger, Bute and Bartosch to the Whitney's, Cuba and Sims, that have laid the foundation for us but we have to continually re-invent the wheel. The Richard Reeve's and Steven Woloshen's of the world are trying to continue to push the boundaries of animation while some of them are still soiling their nappies trying to fit the peg into the round hole of formulaic narrative. I know abstraction isn't for everyone but it is frustrating when you see the animation world go erect over a new technique or something good that has snuck past the corporate bean counters, that is great but it is like a little kid getting into a room that they haven't seen before. I can't wait til we make it out into the world again and explore animation for all it has to offer. Especially, at the festival level where experimentation should be received with open minds and enthusiasm.

Shane Acker interview

Shane Acker is this year's winner of Sigraph's Best of Show award! I have seen the trailer for it and it is very cool. In fact, it is so cool that Tim Burton has announced that he will produce a full length version of it!! The thing I like about it is, that even though it is CG it has a nice stop motion quality about it. So check AnimationTrip, who have a good interview with him and also look at the rest of the interviews in their Where Great Minds Meet series.

T.Y.P.

This is a sketch I did for Kevin and Sarah Atkinson of Teach Yourself Piano. They are a unique cabaret style duo that will leech out the bitterness and sins of your soul...so hire them for that 'special' day, barmitzvah or sunday picnic. Teach yourself piano today and exorcise daily. Listen to some of their songs here.

mushroom licker

saturday sketch blah...this one is for katie and hannah!

Hi girls.

Svankmajer

Not to point out the obvious specimen but here is the Brothers Quay seed of inspiration...if you didn't know, Jan Svankmajer. A practictioner of surrealism, Svankmajer's work is an alchemical process of two parts insects, one part dollheads and a pinch of darkness. Stir it up to a fever and serve cold.
Enjoy!

Brothers Quay!

Well the twins are up to something, finally! News from Twitch film reports that Terry Gilliam has been brought on board as executive producer to their next feature film. Check out the link for the latest details and synopsis of the film, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes. I kneel before the altar of agitated decay.

sketch part duh!

Lazy holiday monday!

sketchbook

Well, here is a couple of sketchbook doodles for my entertainment. Hopefully, I will get my studio up and running so I can work on finished pieces.
Until then let the mold fester and infect until you find yourself being prodded with sticks at the local sanitorium. Ha ha silly rabbit Boschtrix are for sinners!