August | 2011 | Samurai Beat Radio

Saturday August 13, 2011- Sara Barton

Brian Mah, well-known animator and director returned as a guest-speaker to AniMiniCon Soho 2011. This year Brian hosted an animations workshop. For a small fee of $5, aspiring artists and animators, (including yours truly), were given: two animation cells, paper, sharpies and two colored pencils, and lots of masking tape.

There are many tricks of the trade that an animator must learn. Today’s lesson, was how to transfer a drawing on to an animated cell. The students were given a sample piece and told to trace it.

Brian also provided the students with lots of masking tape. Jokingly assuring them that, tape is an animators best friend because it will not destroy paper and the animation cells.

It may look easy, but it takes a lot of practice to perfectly trace a drawing on to an animated cell.

Upon “mastering”the material, Brian asked the students to draw their own creations and then transfer them to animated cell. There was a lot of talent in the room, to see more photos click here.

I thought it would be a fun opportunity to draw my creation, Xenon, from 2001 (appearing online soon). After class, the students were told they could keep their materials, and Brian offered extra cells to anyone who wanted to practice at home. Later, I got a chance to chat with him. Brian taught me a few special drawing techniques to help my wrist after recover from it’s tendinitis injury. Kudos to AniMiniCon Soho for hosting this fun and informative workshop.

Links:

AniMiniCon Soho:

h http://www.animiniconsoho.com/

Brian Mah:

http://www.mahproductions.com/

To purchase animation materials:

Cartoon Colour:

http://www.cartooncolour.com/