Seems like I am going to write a series huh? Yes, it is precise.
I thought of writing about some of the great Animation Industry veterans from which we learn SO MUCH and seldom give credit to. The GODS like Walt Disney, Hayao Miyazaki, John Lesseter, Glen Keane, Chuck Jones, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and many more. But I think I will start with someone Character Animation specific as I recently am very much elated about it. Ladies and Gentlemen, Presenting, JASON RYAN!
Jason Ryan was a supervising animator at Walt Disney studios for almost twelve years and now a Supervising animator at Dreamworks studios.He worked on films like Fantasia, Magic Lamp, Chicken Little and many more.Check out his website
here. Now I know. If I am to write his biography here, nobody will be interested because you can find it anywhere on the web. But I am not writing that anyway. I want tell you all how much he inspired me. If you will go to his site, you will understand that he loves to teach. He believes in an 'Over the shoulder' learning method and that is why he made those Marvelous Video Tutorials which are available on his site and he also holds regular webinars teaching Character Animation.
Yes, life is to learn from video Tutorials. It would be really great if I could learn from someone who is a master in this art. It would just be so terrific if I could learn from someone sitting right next to me, watching him move life. Someone who can guide me, tell me where I am going wrong, SHOW me the right way to do it. But that is a dream now I assume. Nobody is there yet. Or I am not there. I haven't found any teachers in any institute here who will really TEACH animation. You beg for it, you crave for it, but a real MENTOR is hard to find. So the next best thing you can do is VIDEO TUTORIALS. Self Learning is the way.
I just love the way Jason Ryan does those shots. He first animates the entire thing in 2D with just stick figure and then go ahead in Maya and animate it in 3D. You get to see the entire process based on strong 2D animation foundations and see every tinsy minsy details he puts according to the principles. Its really like watching him then and there and learning a great deal. I never knew there is so much in a Walk Cycle until I watched his tutorial.
I recommend you check out his site and also go the webinar section and download those free RAMPUPS which are short tutorials teaching Basics of animation and more. Just Fantastic!
