Tag: animation instruction

Manual setting

René Magritte’s False Mirror. This innovative and provocative surrealist is really one of the precursers to modern art, making us feel and think about our existence, all the while doing it in a stylish way.

Life is too automatic nowadays; We work the same way, we think the same thoughts and we resort to the same forms of escapism to deal with the unglorious monotony of it all. And now that technology is making it even easier, more convenient and even addictive to behave in such automatic fashion we have to really wonder what agency we really have over our lives. It all seems pretty dull and empty and getting to the commonly expected desired end — more money, status or acceptance as quickly as possible — is hardly the fix. That’s because the ultimate end is death, so what’s the hurry? Personally, I find a life chasing, competing, and stressing to get all these things society defines as successful living is all rather silly, even terrifying. Why live a life in fear?

“Life is wasted when we make it more terrifying, precisely because it so easy to do so.” — René Magritte

Why have we become so automated? Why don’t we give each moment its careful due attention? I suspect because it’s easier, at least at first. Thinking requires effort. Stopping and actually looking and listening require effort. Our mechanical minds are always trying to avoid effort trying to limit the expenditure of energy that isn’t by a calculated benefit. We live too transactionally. This is a problem because it leads to kind of a daily malaise — a sickness of the mind. Instead of seizing the moment of joy, peace or opportunity, we live in the past or future chasing desire and running away from fear ultimately ending up without much genuine happiness or meaning. This we call success as along as we have the aforementioned gains in fame or fortune. It’s certainly not very original is it? This is the price of automatic living; it’s mechanically and rationally efficient but ultimately pointless and miserable. The only way to counter that is to turn off the auto setting and go manual.

Here are some things to consider on reverting back to manual setting:

  • periodically stop whatever you’re doing and actually ask yourself what it is you’re doing. Is there purpose, vision or even awareness? Sounds simple but people rarely do this, being aware that is, especially so in the midst of frustration, anger or conflict.
  • when you’re working, consciously feel the tools of your trade in your hand — brush, pen, knife or whatever — hover your skin over it, feel its substance and form, wonder about its construction and possibilities. How you think of and use your tools affects the quality it has on your craft.
  • apply the same sensitive mindset you apply to your physical tools to your craft. If managing colors, lines and movements are the techniques of your craft, be really aware of it, never forget ther are the foundations for creating expression.
  • depend less on automated tools designed specifically to save time and work. Everything comes in a package, what you gain in efficiency you’ll likely lose in skill development, resourcefulness and/or innovation.
  • listen to your body, especially when you’re working. If it’s tired, stop. Get good rest, return to the work later. Creativity can’t be forced.
  • don’t always work the same way and don’t treat each project the same. Ask what that particular assignment demands. Be true and respectful of the work.
  • Beware of any formulas. Defined techniques used over and over again might bring consistency but it also ruins any possibility of having any fun or developing an original style. Discovery happens in the darkness of not knowing.
  • ask yourself: do you want work to be easy or good? Go autopilot if you want your work to mirror the consistent “acceptability” of a fast food hamburger. Otherwise, make good art which requires order and effort.
  • vary your sources of reference and increase your exposure to different forms of art. Broaden your tastes. Mix and match ideas.
  • improve your tastes. If you want to make good art expose yourself to lots of good art. A good chef eats good food.
  • periodically resist the use of digital tools, photography/video or the internet. Pick up a book, listen to an LP, bang some drums around. Don’t let the smartphone/ipad/tv become your default form of play, rest or research.
  • remember to work from the inside out (i.e. from the heart) and bottom up (i.e. foundationally). Your work will have more structure and more personal meaning.
  • change your work setting. Shaking up your environment forces your brain to adapt to new stimuli and even think differently. If you want to think outside of the box you must get outside of it first.
  • watch/listen to things you don’t normally do. Get away from confirmation bias. Be humble and open.
  • if your catch yourself thinking too much go do something that makes your sweat. It’s amazing what hitting a heavy bag or running around chasing a ball can do for your tensions and focus.
  • design your life — YOU must choose what you like to be and do — otherwise your life will be “automatically” designed for you. Try to live authentically every moment, everyday.
  • sometimes, it’s best to just stop everything where ever you are and just look and listen to the sky, the water and the trees and forget about time for a while.

Art’s Purpose

Two great artists — Leo Tolstoy and Ilya Repin — sit together. One the writer, the other the painter, each a devotee to the highest cause of his art.

“Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists say, a game in which man lets off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression of man’s emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and, above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity.” — Leo Tolstoy

It’s not always easy to define what art is or what it’s for. To many, art is a luxury, a plaything, a leisurely post retirement activity to bide time or the mere idea of what we could do if and when we might be free from the burdens of working for money. But to those of us who actually make art regularly, we know that it is none of those things. And like Tolstoy so aptly stated, art works towards a higher cause, one that doesn’t just serve to satisfy our own individual whims but that of uniting humanity itself.

Documentary of Judy Baca’s LA project. Here, an artist’s vision and her actions have united an entire city in perpetuity.

Now of course art doesn’t always have to demonstrate such noble traits nor carry the burden for saving the world. But even in the individual pursuit of personal understanding it can serve the greater good for the world is ultimately a better place when its inhabitants are better members of its fraternity. The practice of art, with its encouragement of individual adventure sprouts authenticity and uniqueness. Life and lives become lifelong documents of wonder and self-discovery. The practice of delight brightens not only the practicioner but his audience. And we do need to learn how to be delighted; the world is so full of anxious complexity and violence that gracious uplifting joy is rare. Furthermore, the long and arduous challenges of being a true artist that tests him also grounds him. In sharing a common foundation, he promotes the big picture rather than stand apart from it. Existentially, it reminds him that to arrive early is not the purpose — skip the journey and we skip all the growth, understanding and fun that is life. It’s so easy to lose sight of this but quick success is short success.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a wonderfully creative and engimatic talent who exploded onto the NY art scene in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s. Although his work remains powerful and valued at the top of historical artists, his quick rise to fame was met with huge psychological despair which led to his early death at the tender age of 27.

“The shortest distance between two points is often unbearable.” — Charles Bukowski

Art can also help us and others bear the hardships of living. Sometimes as reprieve and at other times enlightment, to step into a world better than the one that faces us. Inside the world of imagination arrives wonder and magic, things that awaken us from our stupor in surprising blends of the strange, surprising and beautiful. Art transmogrifies as much as it transforms those who involve themselves with it.

Miyazaki’s Spirited Away is not only a gorgeous dive down into the unknown and strange, but one that brings joy, love and meaning in its viewing experience.

Art is like a fire; it always put us into an active state of attention that directs our energy in positive constructive ways. It institutes a feeling of productivity not as a byproduct of goal driven industriousness but one that arrives with deeply felt meaning and worthiness; stated goals and targets are only starting points of activity. Furthermore, we feel very good about ourselves after a hard, conscientious day spent tackling our creative challenges even when we don’t meet initial hopes or expectations.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates

A still from The Disney short film How to Fish with animation by Milt Kahl. It must’ve been a good day at work making this kind of animation.

Making art requires intense focus. Focus is a powerful thing, it enables us to empty ourselves of ego and submit to the demands of the task. And it’s a great challenge to wield the tools of any craft never mind make art. Rather than avoiding our difficulties, which infers ignorance, art teaches us to face them. Art invites proactivity; you don’t postpone when you’ve got art to do. Making art changes our patterns of thinking — it alters the brainwaves. The mind goes from the distress of self-pity or aloofness to one of courage in action. We align with the only thing that’s real which is the now; we keep it real while also making our own reality.

The soul is dyed with the colour of its thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius

Art, in altering our thoughts, is also a transformer of time helping it to pass nicely and worthily. It’s why the clock seems to jump when we’re having fun — we don’t want the journey to end. A healthy psychological hunger develops and we mysteriously find the energy to sustain our activities. We know this when we don’t mind skipping dinner when that great idea strikes or when we’re in the flow of creating. But when we invest in unfruitful things, time drags and we can’t wait for things to finish. Mindless energy expenditure whether it be job-related or escape oriented is often frivolous in nature and tends to fall into the category of “wasted time.” Meaningless activity — so common in today’s culture of commodification and ego enhancement — always carries with it that distasteful quality of abject disposability.

One of several iterations of Rodin’s The Thinker. Great artists like Rodin don’t make disposable art.

Ultimately, creative action is a positive multiplier. Art betters so many things; it keeps us active, productive in the positive sense, gives purpose, and provides direction; it brings joy, elevates our sensibilities, draws out intelligence, develops coordination and discipline; it grants and demands order while providing a path where discovery, growth, ability, experience, sympathy, beauty, communication, relationship, and perspective are gained; it even keeps us healthy. In a medical study on the effect of creativity on stress, it showed that making art statistically improved physical well-being. Here’s a short summary of its findings:

“Our main hypothesis, that there would be a lowering of salivary cortisol as a result of visual art making, was supported by the results. Additional hypotheses were not supported: Those with prior levels of experience with art making or who used less structured media did not show greater reductions in cortisol. Also, there were no associations between reduction of cortisol and age, gender, or race/ethnicity… Results indicate that a brief experience of art making produced physiological changes in most participants, indicating that art making can lower cortisol levels regardless of prior experience with art, media type, or demographics.” — Excerpt from NIH study Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making.

Now, how can we not develop gratitude and appreciation of life when we make art? And with the power to bond the whole world through empathy, beauty and wonder, art is everything Tolstoy says it is and more. What it is not is mere utility or luxury. True art has always objected to being object or methodology and fights stoutly against commercialization and its associated propaganda. It rejects what writer Jeanette Winterson calls “the lie against life” and exists beyond the rationality of exchange transactions. Cave men made beautiful art.

For me, traveling along the voyage that is artmaking always reminds me of that crucial message from The Iliad (Homer’s Odyssey), namely that “the treasure you shall find will not be the treasure that you seek.” In daily creation — turning the intangible into the tangible and vice versa — we learn to live along the journey of continual birth and re-birth or, what I’d like to call genuine living.

“He who’s not busy being born is busy dying.” — Bob Dylan