From Goma Chan to Pikachu: The Ultra Cute Pokemon Mascot

The one truly unique thing about Pikachu is his tremendously powerful capacity to deliver electric shocks In the Japanese world of 'cute' creatures, Pikachu is probably unprecedented in that sense, and it undoubtedly adds to the character's popularity. The other hugely popular cute mascot to come out of Japan the world over is Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty is so harmless that she can't even talk back to you or insult you- she has no mouth!

Pikachu is an original Pokemon and by far the most famous. For this reason he is called a Legendary Pokemon and is one of the characters in the line of Legendary Pokemon cards. It's been a long time since Pikachu first arrived on the scene however and now there are over 400 individual Pokemon. The latest incarnation of the game is called Pokemon Black and White and it wildly popular. If you didn't know, the Pokemon Black and White game has already resulted in many spinoffs including Pokemon Black and White plush toys (stuffed toys), Pokemon Black and White Promo Cards, Pokemon Black and White Game Cards, and special Pokemon Black and White cards like shiny suicune, shiny raikou, and shiny entei.

Hardly any Westerners know Goma Chan, though all Japanese do. Goma Chan is a baby seal, and a seal who's just beginning to get his black spots as he grows out of his snow-white coat. Goma means 'sesame' in Japanese and in this case refers to the appearance of white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds. In Japanese animation, Goma Chan is the height of cuteness, harmlessness, cuddliness, and vulnerability. While Hello Kitty has the above mentioned quirky feature that I don't particularly care for, Pikachu has a ferocity that never before has come out anything so cute. Goma Chan on the other hand is flawless.

But in truth, Pikachu borrows heavily off the Goma Chan elements. He looks like a baby seal for one thing, though he is yellow. He also looks a little like a cat, drawing off the Doraimon character, which, although not really considered to be cute, is very likable and charming, and finally Pikachu unmistakably has cute bunny ears. He has the kind of cuddly animal look that makes you want to hold him like a big fat lap cat and stroke his ears. He also has a voice that is cute to the point of being 'baby annoying.' And yet, to watch Pikachu battle is awe-inspiring and dashes whatever images of pure cuteness we had of him over the cliff. Pikachu is cute, but potentially a thunder god.

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Grids and Zones: The Virtual Pokemon World

Gaming can be odd. In space games, it seems logical that the virtual space of the game would be divided into quadrates, and in each of these 'territories' different races would live. We humans have done this to the earth with nation states and within those nations created states, prefectures, and counties. We also do it by putting up fences or walls around our houses in the suburbs.

But this is not true for nature. Swallows migrate regardless of national borders and grasshoppers could give a whit about the fence that separates your grass from mine. Not so though with the Pokemon game. In the game, as well as in Pokemon animation, only certain Pokemon live and can be caught in specific sectors. Why the game was designed like that I'm not sure. Obviously, fish don't live in trees and parrots don't nest with penguins. But nature is quite fuzzy and the Pokemon geography is anything but.

By the way, there has been a new release of the popular Pokemon video game called Pokemon Black and White. It is so popular that Webmasters are postings warnings of slow servers due to all the heavy traffic in response to the release. Spinoff merchandise like Pokemon Black and White stuffed toys (called plushies); Pokemon Black and White cards for the evermore-challenging Pokemon card game, and new Pokemon Black and White promo cards are selling like crazy. The new Pokemon Black and White plush toys inventories are hard to keep in stock as well.

Of course, for the new Pokemon Black and White game a new sector has been created as the place to go to catch the new Pokemon. All the other old Pokemon are still waiting for you trainers as well of course. What is never explained in the game though is why Pokemon do not wander out of their sectors like normal animals would. Are their fences around them keeping them in?

It's just as easy to design a 'random appearance' game as a 'contained' one. I think the game is designed to help the gamer keep sense of what Pokemon he has caught and if wants a particular new one, where to go to catch it. Dividing a game into sectors also ensures that the player will end up seeing all there is to see sooner or later. Like Mario, Pokemon is basically a maze game. You can design this in two ways. One, you can make the game linear like Mario so that each successive level is either more difficult or different in strategy, finishing out at a 'top.' Pokemon is more about winning battles in arenas though in a quest to becoming a Pokemon master. Does the fact that sectors are restricted in Pokemon take away from the game? I don't think so.

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Locking Horns With the YouTube Crowd Over Pokemon

On forums I do not get angry easily. Really, I am quite calm. I try to present my point of view moderately and reasonably. I maintain respect for people I disagree with, even if they don't with me. I'd make a good moderator. But I must admit my graciousness was tested to its limits when I got embroiled on YouTube with a gaggle of young high school or immature college age men the other day.

It all started out with Pokemon Black and White. As a mother, I'm not a big Pokemon player, but it did register to me quite clearly from my son that Pokemon Black and White was the big thing now and he was dying to have a new game. I did want him to have something- he's been really helpful lately, so I bought him a Pokemon stuffed toy (a 'pokedoll?') which he called a Pokemon Plush, whatever that means.

My son has been into Pokemon for quite a while so the other night I became curious as to this game he wants and how it is played. Obviously, YouTube would be the place to go, right? Well, you betcha! But, I was absolutely shocked at the abusive language that I heard on the Pokemon YouTube videos. Pokemon is supposed to be for young children. I understand that its difficult to control the massive amount of videos on the internet, but the fact that abusive language is so prevalent in videos that are supposed to be for children was shocking.

I flagged the guy for abuse of course and even went into the main forms. I realized that if I just randomly walked into this 'chamber' they must be all over YouTube. Of course I complained on the users comments section of the video and immediately got entangled with the crowd (I could tell by their writing that they were not kids). I didn't mind arguing with them, but after an hour I became sad at the fact that they didn't care that young children were watching. I know as a parent that this is partially my job to control what my child is watching, but how are we supposed to control what we think is harmless childrens content?

As a college student, we were still in the post Mario age. There were some Internet games around, mostly arcade type, and I even remember Pokemon coming onto the scene after I graduated. I remember PlayStation and all that, but I was a little old for that. Still, I've maintained some off and on interest in games. What bothers me is the idea of profanity that is easily accessible for children. Games are supposed to be fun and enjoyable for children. I really think this problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Children need to be protected from this.

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Drawing the Human Body - The One Thing You Need To Know

In order to draw the human figure well, you need to have a good knowledge of human anatomy. Yet many artists today still hang on to the myth that good figure drawing does not involve studying anatomy. Perhaps the reason so many artists feel this way is because they never saw first hand what a big difference a little anatomical detail can make to their sketches.

In this article, I'd like to give you some quick but important points about the human body and how they pertains to your figure drawing.

Of all the aspects of human anatomy, the muscles will undoubtedly have the most impact on how your drawings look, as it is at the very surface. One thing to remember about muscles is that they always pull; every movement that you make is the direct result of one or more muscles contracting and pulling on your bones. What this means is that when the figure you are drawing is engaged in dynamic action, you must pay attention to the muscles involved and depict them accordingly.

For example, if you are drawing a boxer who is throwing a right hook, you must ask yourself, "Which muscles are pulling in order to make this action possible?" Then you would draw those muscles as flexing. In this case, the flexing muscles would be the pectoralis major, the deltoid, and the biceps, to name a few. In most cases, a particular movement will involve multiple muscle groups and the more muscles you can depict, the more convincing your drawings will be. Without this, your drawings will look static and lifeless.

Your ability to recognize and draw these muscles will improve as your knowledge of anatomy increases. As a beginner, you might only be able to draw big muscles like the bicep or shoulder, but as you progress in your study of anatomy, you'll be able to add in finer details like the supinator longus and the anconeus. This will give your drawing an extra dimension of realism.

Just a light knowledge of anatomy can do wonders for your drawing. For example, there are many muscles in the neck but there is one particular muscle that artists should pay attention to. It is the sternocleidomastoid. It connects behind the ear and attaches to the collar bone. This muscle is very prominent and can be seen on almost everyone. Simply by adding this one muscle to your drawings of the neck, you can instantly make it ten times more realistic. This should show you how useful human anatomy is to the figure drawing artist.

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Learn How To Draw Step By Step

If you want to learn how to draw step by step you really have to realize it is achievable. There are a lot of people who are of the opinion that you cannot really be taught to sketch and that you are either born or "meant" to draw or you are not. Natural talent does exist however it does not mean that a person is not gifted enough to learn how to draw step by step. 

Naturally talented artists can typically form a technique quicker and make it seem a lot easier, although, it is still not impossible for any individual to learn a drawing method for themselves. Drawing and painting can be a decidedly relaxing activity and one that once you are immersed can keep you occupied for hours!

If you are interested in sketching and are not actually a natural, you need to learn how to draw step by step. Detailed beneath are three options for you to consider when thinking about how you are going to make this possible.

1) When you would like to learn how to draw step by step you are able to take an art class. You should learn there are a lot of courses that you can select from and they extend from beginners straight through to courses for individuals who comprise a natural skill but are simply wishing to sharpen their skillsets and progress their capabilities. Based on how serious you are with your art career, you can opt for a longer term course that will gain you a degree in art or otherwise you are able to take fundamental classes that will assist you in improving and developing your own style for your own reasons.

2) You could select textbooks and kits to learn how to draw step by step. These books and kits can again be found for learners through to the more formed artists. They can be found in art supply stores and even a number of high quality book stores. You will also learn that if you search the internet you are able to find books that are downloadable teaching you all you will need to learn.

3) You can discover the net is an outstanding device in your pursuit to learn how to draw step by step. The net will be able to provide downloadable video tutorials to help with showing you actual strategies on how to portray particular things. Should you plan to learn how to draw a tiger you visit a video website such as YouTube and search for "How To Draw A Tiger." It is now you will find a number of videos showing how to draw tigers. You can hunt for whatever it is you want to learn how to draw step by step - it's an outstanding tool. There are additional video websites available like YouTube, making the web a much required part of your drawing education.

Now that you have opted to learn how to draw step by step the world is your oyster so go full steam ahead and belt out those creations of yours! Should you have a natural talent for sketching, it will quickly turn out to be obvious to you. If you do not, that doesn't matter. You will still learn to draw well enough to make excellent doodles in your notebook, or to embellish the pages of your scrapbook with appealing pictures and designs, if you so choose. You can read art books that will show you how to glance at things that you aspire to sketch, and how to best figure out the dimensions and angles. The more you sketch, the better you will become, just as with anything else in life. When you learn how to draw step by step, perhaps the best teacher is your own eye.

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Simply Love Naruto

Naruto is one hell of an anime! By anime I mean something like a cartoon, just that a Japanese animation is known as anime. Naruto is also the name of the lead character in the anime series. He is a young boy who is learning the ropes to be a successful ninja. He also wants to be the chief of his village one day. 

This Naruto anime teaches us many things. I guess it is a show about adventure, friendship and also perseverance. Trapped within Naruto is a powerful force in the form of a spirit and that what makes Naruto so powerful. But he tries hard not to allow that nine tailed fox spirit inside him from taking control and causing death and damage to others. Then there are also his ninja team mates sakura and sasuke. Sasuke has unfortunately fallen into the dark side but Naruto tries his best to rescue him back to the original path.

With so much plot twists and adventure, how can one forget that there are various Naruto toys available for Naruto fans? From plush toys to action figures, there are really plenty of these toys to go around. One can find the various characters of the Naruto drama series in cute little action figures. As the anime series first came about from a comic, fans who have only got to known Naruto through the anime might want to buy the comics series and have a look. 

In Japan, the comics are known as manga and Naruto manga is very popular too. If you do not want to buy the comics, you can just check out the online Naruto toys and I am sure you will find something that you like. Perhaps you can even buy some of them as gifts for xmas! I would greatly recommend the plush toys for the children and as for adults, some Naruto replica weapons such as the swords would be nice. Yes they sell such things online too you just have to check them out!

My favourite character in Naruto is none other than Gaara. He is somebody like Naruto because he has a strong being trapped inside him and many people refuse to be friends with him because he is immensely powerful. Gaara of the Sand uses sand attacks and the main reason I like him is because his attacks are very cool. For example he can put up a shield of sand to defend other attacks!

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Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance Review

Evangelion is one of those shows where, if you say you've never seen it before in the presence of anime fans, you'll probably be thrown out of the building. It's one of those classic shows that is considered a requirement to be a fan, right along side Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, and Tenchi Muyo.

The plot of the series revolves mostly around the annoyingly whiny Shinji, the pilot of Eva Unit 01. I'm not joking when I say he's annoyingly whiny. There were times were I was incredibly annoyed at how much he was complaining or whining about something. At times, yes, it was justified, but those instances were often far and few between.

The time is 2015 A.D. Angels have been attacking mankind. Their goal is to wipe out all life on Earth so that it can start over again. The organization, Nerv, is created to come up with a means of defense against the Angels, as our conventional weapons have no effect. What they come up with are the Evangelion units. A mix of machinery and squishy parts, the Evas are essentially large, pilotable mechs, who will only function when piloted by young teens. Shinji, the son of the man who created the Evas just happens to become one of those teens, although he doesn't want to. What takes place is a fantastic, deeply woven plot filled with theological references and insane enemies.

The show was an immediate success, but poor financing, time restrictions, and deep depression lead to Neon Genesis Evangelion ending much sooner than intended and in a way no one expected. The last episodes of the series were essentially nonsense acid trips. It wasn't until afterwards when they made the two films that the show got its conclusion.

Now, years later, Hideaki Anno, the creator of the show, has recovered from his deep depression, he is completely re-making the series to make it what he originally intended it to be. Instead of a show, this time the series would be made into three films.

The first film, Evangelion 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone, was almost exactly like the first half of the show. Very little was changes aside from about 10 minutes of added scenes, some changed dialog, totally new animation, and re-vamped Angels. This wasn't all that surprising to me. I mean, at this point in the show, things where going as planned. It was pretty much how he wanted it. The new animation was gorgeous, and included a lot of CGI, that is very well integrated into the 2d animation to make it look like it isn't CGI at all. The re-vamped Angels were great. The most dramatically changed Angel was the fifth Angel, Ramiel. In the series, this Angel was just a black diamond with a laser. In 1.11, it was a translucent octahedron that morphed into geometrical shapes when it attacked or defended, making it significantly cooler and more entertaining to watch.

Going into 2.22, I wasn't expecting that many changes thanks to the lack of changes in 1.11... boy was I caught off guard. Almost the entire second half of the show was re-written into this film. Barely anything is the same. Totally different Angels, a new pilot, lots stuff was cut out, and a totally different cause for the ending of the movie.

I'll start with the new pilot since this was the only disappointment for me. Mari Illustrious Makinami, the fourth child. Yup, fourth child, not fifth. "But what about Shinji's friend? The one Shinji was forced to almost kill when the Dummy Plug was first tested." you might say. This never happens in 2.22. In order to prevent spoilers, lets just say that the scene still happens, but its not the same person. Anyway, there's not much to actually say about Mari, which is why I was so disappointed. Mari has maybe 10 minutes worth of screen-time. We don't get to see much of her personality other than she absolutely loves piloting and fighting in Evas, and she has a thing for the smell of LCL, the liquid that the pilots breath inside the Evas. I would have loved to see more of her, and I'm sure we will in 3.33, but seeing as how she had a somewhat important role at the end of this film, she should've had a bit more screen-time.

As for the bits that were cut out, I have to wonder what they will do with this. In the original series, Tabris, the 17th Angel, was a young teen named Kaworu Nagisa, who befriended Shinji. In the end, Shinji was forced to kill him. This all happened long before the end of the series, whereas in 2.22, he only makes a few cameos, implying that he will show up in 3.33. I have to wonder how things will play out since 3.33 ends with the beginning of the Third Impact, just as the show did. Which of course, as I mentioned previously, is started is a COMPLETELY different way than in the show.

So now the main question is, "With all of these changes to what was already an award winning and popular show, is it still any good?". The simple answer is YES. Dear god, yes. In my opinion, and at the risk of getting a lot of hate, these new films are far superior to the original show. While the show holds a place near my heart, I can't deny that it was incredibly difficult to understand, if not impossible. The show required not only multiple viewings, but also lots of research online just to even SOMEWHAT understand everything. Even then, almost all of the info you find online about the original show is simply fan speculation and theory. With the new films, the story is much better explained and done at just the right pace so that you don't feel like you're just watching a bunch of exposition.

So, in a nutshell, if you enjoyed Neon Genesis, you'll love these films. If you've never seen Neon Genesis, then these films are perfect for you. If you're a hard-core Neon Genesis fanboy who turns red in the face from any mention of change, then you should probably stay away.

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5 Witty Episodes to Watch From Phineas and Ferb Season 1

If you like watching Phineas and Ferb on Disney Channel and you've missed some of the episodes or just want to enjoy seeing them again, here are 5 witty episodes to watch for a fun filled day.

The episode titled "Crack That Whip" was aired on May 24, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb surprise their grandmother by constructing a roller-derby rink for her. Grandma, who once participated in a championship derby team uses the opportunity to skate against her rival, none other than Jeremy's grandma. In the same episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz plans to take revenge at a statue of Rutherford B. Hayes with a beard because he thinks the status is mocking him as he can't grow facial hair.

The episode named "The Best Lazy Day Ever" was aired on May 24, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb who are used to doing something new and adventurous every day decide to change all that and spend an entire day doing nothing. Naturally, Candace doesn't buy that and still wants to bust them. In the same episode, it is revealed that evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz is considered to be one of the least pretty people in the area so he builds a device designed to make everyone else uglier than him in order for him to become the prettiest person.

The episode titled "Boyfriend from 27,000 B.C." was aired on June 7, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, a caveman gets revived from a glacier thanks to Phineas and Ferb and then he gets loose at a costume party which Candace is attending making her believe the caveman is actually Jeremy. In the same episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz wants to do the world a favour and comes up with a plan to destroy all the people which are dressed as sandwiches.

The episode named "Voyage to the Bottom of Buford" was aired on June 7, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb help Buford find his missing goldfish Biff and Dr. Doofenshmirtz saves a kitten by accident and tries to re-gain his evil reputation afterwards.

The episode titled "A Hard Day's Knight" was aired on June 14, 2008 on Disney. In this easygoing episode, Phineas and Ferb set on creating a renaissance fair while paying a visit in England at their grandparents along with Candace. At the fair, Candace enters a jousting tournament. In the same episode, Perry The Platypus is undercover at a convention in an attempt to locate the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

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A Brief Introduction to Anime

Anime is the term that identifies cartoons of Japanese origin. Anime is an important and extensive source of entertainment in Japan, being a commercial entertainment product, cultural phenomenon, an art form, and at the same time a technological showcase. 

Anime is potentially aimed at all audiences, from children, adolescents, and adults. Anime segregate its content using a set specialize classification basically taken from the existing classifications in "manga" (Japanese for the comic in general Word.) (Outside of Japan, is used exclusively to refer to the comic from Japan.), with base classes designed to socio-demographic specifications such as employees, housewives, students, and so on. Therefore, they can deal with subjects, themes and genres as diverse as love, adventure, science fiction, children's stories, literature, sports, fantasy, eroticism and many more themes.

Anime traditionally hand drawn; however, in recent years it has become common computer generated animation better known as CGI (computer-generated imagery) or a mixture of both. Anime screenplays include much of the genres of fiction and are transmitted through film media (broadcast on television, distribution in domestic video and feature films). The relationship between of the Japanese anime and manga is close, because historically a large number of series and work of anime are based on popular manga stories or in rare cases an anime series or movie could end up being released as a manga.

Etymology

The term anime comes from the abbreviation of the Japanese transcription of the English word "animation"; hence, the word is used in the shorter form "anime".

Internationally, anime was once known as "japanimation", but the term has fallen into disuse in recent years. Fans preferably pronounced the Word as an abbreviation of the phrase "Japanese Animation". Anime saw one of its greatest expansions use during the 1970s and 1980, which generally comprises the first and second wave of anime fandom. The term survived at least until the beginning of the 1990s, but seemed to disappear just before the resurgence of the anime in the mid-1990s.

In general, the term "japanimation" now only appears in nostalgic contexts in the Western world, however the term is widely used in Japan to distinguish animations made there (Japanimation) animations in general.

The Anime Industry

Between the 1990 and 2000, the production of anime has increased in a big way. In 2001, film, video and television production reached an estimated amount of 180 billion yen, and distribution is estimated at 43 billion yen. Also the amount of television broadcasting has seen a significant increase every year.

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A Brief Introduction to Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for comics in general. Outside of Japan, the term manga is used exclusively used to refer to the Japanese comics.

Manga covers a wide variety of genres, and reaches audiences in many different and diverse spectrums of ages. Manga is a very important part of the publishing industry of Japan and it motivates many adaptations to different formats: animated series, known as Anime, movies, video games and novels.

Note: Tagosaku to Mokube Tokyo Kenbutsu (1902) is considered the first manga.

Terminology

Hokusai Katsushika, a representative of the ukiyo-e, coined the term manga by combining the kanji corresponding to informal (man) and drawing (ga). It translates literally as "Informal Drawing" or "doodles". The Japanese call it 'insignificant images', also in the manga because they buy annually more than 1 billion volumes in black and white, printed on cheap paper. The professional to write or draw manga is known as a manga artist.

The manga industry

The manga in Japan is a true mass phenomenon. A single fact serves to illustrate the magnitude of this phenomenon: In the year of 1989, 38% of all books and magazines published in Japan were manga.

As you can guess by this figure, the manga is not just a fad for young people. In Japan there are manga for all ages and social status, including homemakers, clerks, teenagers, office workers, etc. Erotic manga also known as hentai is a quarter of total sales.

Manga Magazines

Manga magazines are one of the most popular distribution forms of manga in Japan selling millions of copies every week. Shonen Jump Magazine, the most popular manga magazine in Japan sells around 6 million copies every week. Shonen Magazine follows with around 4 million copies.

Manga magazines are weekly or monthly publications of between 200 and 900 pages in which there are many different manga series that consist of between 20 to 40 pages of the magazine. These magazines are usually printed in black and white low quality paper with the exception of the cover and usually some pages from the beginning. If a series turn out to be successful they tend to be published for several years within the magazine.

Another variant that has emerged as a result of the proliferation of file sharing over the Internet is the digital format called e-comic. The most use formats of e-comics are the.cbr and.cbz, which its basically really is a set of compressed files (rar and zip, respectively) with images in formats such as jpeg or gif inside.

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Learning to Animate - Part I

Becoming a full-blown animator is a long, arduous process that most won't ever make it even halfway through. This is not to discourage you, but rather, to state the obvious: art is difficult to create. Even if you're lucky enough to have all the true assets required to be successful in the field (i.e. artistic talent, drawing capabilities, production efficiency, etc.), that doesn't mean those factors will mesh together and set afire a glorious road to success for you. 

Instead, you'll have to rely on your current talents, continue to build on those talents while adding new ones, and hone those skills while you wait for just a bit of luck to cross you by (OK, maybe a whole hoard of luck).

Now that I've sufficiently depressed you, let's get back on a positive note. This is not, I repeat, NOT impossible. Laying out an effective game plan for your approach to success is key to making this all work out for you in the end, however, so let's begin with the first step. Though not the most exciting part of becoming an animator by any means, laying out your vision for the animation you want to create can help you identify what remaining needs you have. Once identified, you can start working towards acquiring the tools and skill sets you require to overcome or accomplish those needs.

The most essential thing to remember about animation is that it amplifies any problems that you may already have with still images. Even though a still picture often tells a story, story doesn't play the same crucial role as it does in animation. Motions need motivation to make sense, so laying out a story line is absolutely the first thing you want to do. If your animation idea is primarily visual at this point, setting up a blackboard or easel and drawing out parallel visual and story elements can be very useful.

One of those easels with multiple sheets of paper that you can fold back, similar to those easels your elementary school teachers used, is probably your most useful tool. Start by drawing a simplified version of the first 10 seconds of the story you want to animate. Now, turn each second into 3 pictures, so you can show some of the minute motions happening during those three seconds. Remember, each second will eventually contain 24 separate pictures, or frames, so if this process is already becoming tedious for you, now may be the time to reconsider becoming an animator. 

Continue drawing until you have those first 10 seconds sketched out. What have you accomplished? A lot more than you'd initially think. You've created your first crude animation, and in the next article, we'll talk about filling in those missing elements. If instead you've decided to give up, I still insist that you keep on drawing. The animation world is vivid and complex, and though we're approaching the whole process here, you would never be hand animating a motion picture by yourself, so don't stress yourself out too early.

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Learning to Animate - Part II

You've been there before. Face to face with a friend. You ask her how she's doing. She says "fine." But you know she's lying.

How is this relevant to creating animations? It's extraordinarily relevant!

The reason you know she's lying, despite her words directing you to the contrary conclusion, is that her facial expression is telling you. Sure, words can speak the truth, but they are also the most easily manipulated form of communication people rely on. Facial expressions, on the other hand, rarely lie. Even the most practiced people in the art of deception have difficulty getting away with false expressions forever.

As you begin to animate, you'll need to be able to draw convincing expressions on the faces you're drawing. Characters brought to life require human qualities to be mentally and emotionally resonant with your audience. Many people are quick to identify a disconnect between the story you're trying to tell and the visuals they're actually seeing. That disconnect can be a huge burden on you, especially if you've worked so hard to get everything else right. Below, we'll go over some critical tips designed to help you create animations with authentic expressions of emotion. Technique at this stage is less crucial than the need to convey the correct emotion or feeling.

Step 1: Find a place to draw where you can easily erase parts of your work and refill the missing spaces. A pad of paper and a pencil with an eraser can work, but is less than ideal, as eraser marks can become problematic with relentless erasing. A dry erase marker board is the most useful tool, as it's easy to wipe away mistakes, so you can quickly correct a facial expression you've drawn that isn't quite perfect.

Step 2: Attempt to draw three of the most basic emotions portrayed on human face. Start with 'happiness,' then move on to 'anger' and 'sadness.' This part of the process can be a bit tedious, but keep drawing faces with these emotions, over and over again. What you're doing is building up versatility. After you've drawn two hundred angry faces, you'll have drawn enough variations of them to always be able to pull the 'right' angry face out of your pocket and use it in an animation.

Step 3: Now that's you've gotten the basics of the three major emotions down, attempt to transition from one to the other. Being able to accurately portray a transformation from a happy face to a sad one can help you convey deeper emotions underlying your overarching story. Moving from happy to sad can be poignant, and this can help set your animation apart.

Step 4: Expand. Move on past the basic three emotional expressions, and draw everything from an insane face to a depressed face. The minute details here, such as the small variation between a sad face and a depressed face, can help you capture in your art even the most detailed facial expressions. Limiting yourself to sad, angry, and happy won't get you very far in the end.

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The Best Movies Of 2010 - Animation

In 2009, we had much to cheer about for the line up of animated movies. Consider sparkling and assured successes like Up, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Nine et al. They were perfect getaways from troubles and agonies, with their spectacular animation, charming characters and most importantly, great plots.

The last year was defined by a slew of 3D outings, but to be honest, the extra dimension did work miracles in animated films. Usual heroes Pixar and DreamWorks rolled out confident and wildly successful offerings, while tinkering with technology, star power and smart writing. And the makers of Happy Feet made a daring comeback too, despite the odds of their chosen director and a rather old school premise. Let's check out the cartoon films of 2010, which would have made Chuck Jones and Walt Disney proud.

Toy Story 3- Undoubtedly, the best animation film, which hit the theaters last year. Maybe I have an irrational love for every Pixar outing. But, you cant blame me, guys. The whole thing is a fully loaded package of beautifully crafted animation, wonderful characters and the kind of script that deserves to be in the Oscar race.

Woody and Buzz, our favorite boy-toys return in their lovable friendship and comradeship. And the other toys are there as well, from the dim witted Rex to Mr. Potato. However, you will marvel at how detailed the animation is. The film perfectly blends the little details of a regular, cluttered playroom, with the jumps and jives of the toys, which dramatically become life like and human.

How To Train Your Dragon- Another successful experiment with the 3D technology does not break any new ground. Its simplicity and its warm-hearted innocence are, however, bound to take your breath away, before the flame-throwing dragons do.

The makers of Kung Fu Panda have fashioned, with equal beauty and imagination, the tale of a self willed Viking boy, determined to train and ride on a dragon. While it is spectacular, the story also sparkles with simple vignettes of simple desires and aspirations- watch as the little hero tries to impress a girl with his dragon and his bravado.

The Legend Of The Guardians- Possibly, this is the darkest anime flick last year, and the scariest movie since 'Nine'. However, even with its disturbing brutality, this Zack Snyder movie is way more thrilling than the damnably slow 300.

From the sweeping flight of the majestic birds, to the fierce skirmishes on the skies, every little and major nuance is captured with breathtaking flair and energy. Remarkably, Snyder's direction is a lot more gritty and firm; thank heavens that we do not have to see the action in slow motion.

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3 Selections Of Cartoons To Draw For Rookies

At the time of deciding on the cartoons to draw when you are initially starting out you will want to be honest with yourself regarding your capabilities. There are lots of alternatives to choose from and ahead of starting you have to realize what these choices are. You can then work out from there what you are most competent of drawing and you can go from there. Picking cartoons to draw might be a fraction more difficult than you may initially imagine. If you do not select the fitting kind of cartoon for you, you may notice it additionally tricky to make any money out of them as the eminence of them will not be as high hence making them not as saleable.

Three categories of cartoons to draw from the many kinds you can decide to be taught are:

1) Pets and even wild animals are one of the mainly preferred subjects by artists of all kinds, all over the world. When choosing to illustrate them of course they will not stay still by themselves for a long period of time therefore utilizing your mind's eye is imperative along with having a image alongside you in order to remind you of the lines, shapes and shadowing that is necessary. Imagination is necessary when making the decision that your cartoons to draw will be animals. Every living thing is diverse with their own personalities therefore you will need to portray this in your cartoon.

2) You might want to understand how to illustrate comics. Comics were plentiful as well as being the number one form of enjoyment back when television was not as vital as it is these days in the 21st century. Comics are a fantastic collector's item and anybody with a one of a kind sense of humor is talented enough to design cartoons to draw within a comic strip that is able to end up becoming a cartoon sequence or even a box office movie hit. Essentially a comic book is a printed out film.

3) Japanese animation is proving to be one of the most favored cartoons to draw in recent times. Japanese animation is also acknowledged as "Anime." They are ultimately cartoons that are centered on Japanese Manga series, or comics that were brought to existence as a result of being animated. The characters often have unruly hairstyles of other colors such as pinks and greens, the villains are often drawn in order to be more scarier and the faces of the big bosses are generally not viewed with only their limbs and mouth the focal point and they are often smoking a cigar.

These are simply 3 of the countless cartoons to draw you are able to pick from. When you are learning to draw cartoons there are so many types to pick from.

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Learn How To Draw Step By Step - Getting Started Sketching Cartoons

Should you intend to learn how to draw step by step one of the most illustrious and favorite form of sketches to learn would be cartoons. These are extremely amusing to watch or read. If you like to be taught to illustrate cartoons, hereunder are the straightforward issues you ought to be familiar with for you to be able to begin producing your own.

1) Pick Your Medium: Still Or Moving?

The medium that you will be using is incredibly important. When you learn how to draw step by step you will recognize this will have an effect on the overall impact and appearance of your work. What do you want to do? Do you want to go for single cartoons or else cartoon strips like the types you get to see on the comic page of your newspaper or else do you plan to achieve a full size movie? Selecting one will influence how you start. However, for novices, it may be best to keep the movie for later!

2) Who is The Major Character?

When you learn how to draw step by step and cartoons are what you have chosen to understand you would need to settle on a main character. Is it a male or female? Is it human or an animal, or else maybe a vegetable? What are its central aspects? Usually, cartoons end up with exaggerated points.

3) Begin With Planning And Illustrating

If you have looked at a movie storyboard, you'll see it is just a rough and ready outline and overview of what will be happening on a particular scene. It doesn't have full explicit particulars on it. If you be looking to sketch a strip, it would be best for you to sketch out what would be happening in each one of your frames. Get the summary of what you need your final cartoon to look like.

When you learn how to draw step by step please make sure that you're still having just as much joy from it all or else it will almost not be worth it. Sketching cartoons is entertaining, they were initially created for entertainment consequently it is only appropriate that people must get just as much happiness out of creating them as individuals do in reading or watching them. When you learn how to draw step by step the above information will help you get started in illustrating the cartoon of your choice.

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Tips on How to Choose the Best 3D Animation Software That Will Blow Your Animations Through the Roof

Observing the present world, the computer animation industry have developed a great deal from the periods of 2-dimensional crude image processing. It is however still in a continuing level of improvement offering innovative solutions that are better for those who work interestingly with some kind of visual images. 3D animations have come into subsistence, to optimize the method of designing motion images by using certain capabilities. The industry has grown from being a dream of possibilities to the best, most ranked for images and graphics designing industry.

3D Animation Software, a popular term in animation, can be defined as the set of programs that are used to create 3D images, generated by the computer. The major advantage of using 3D animation software is the ability to improve the quality of the design, its options of animated designs offered are more complete compared to the 2 dimensional animated designs.

3D meets the discriminating requirements set up by the expert animator; this shows its progression as it has had a tremendous growth in the last few years.

In the present times, 3D popularity is increasing its diversification into different sections like the graphic world. 3D animation is also used in the entertainment industry to aid the professional's directors and enables designers to pitch their ideas more efficiently. The continuous progress of the entertainment world has really been boosted by the animation. The rate at which the revolution in the entertainment industry is having is set to grow at the rate of 30 per cent annually as the year's progress.

However, the option of choosing the appropriate 3D software is never a simple task especially when there is a possibility of multiple offers over the same set of features. Moreover, the software price is largely determined by the working functional capabilities of the software. Thus, some of the factors to take caution on before using animation software include:

• Formulating an easy to use, learn and understand 3D software. The importance of this is because creating a complex subject out of 3D software at the beginning of the study is not easy.
• Try obtaining the top 3D and most favorable software for your creation. It is necessary to check whether the software you picked meets the demand of your work

3 dimensional software is easy to understand but you need to have some experience if you wish to create exactly what you want. With all the different 3 dimensional software packages out there, it can be difficult to choose the perfect one to satisfy your needs.

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3D Computer Graphics And How To Make

There are a number of ways to generate or make 3D computer graphics. Before we discuss how to make 3D computer graphics let us consider what they are and their beginnings. 3D animation has been around since the beginning of motion pictures. 

They were first used in the early films as "King Kong" and even earlier films such as The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1897). The movie King Kong (1933) is distinguished for its stop-motion animation. This is a form of 3D animation. When creating this type of animation the objects or characters that appear in the motion picture are moved in small increments. Each increment is photographed. each increment represents a frame in the film, and when played in a continuous sequence the illusion of motion is achieved. Clay figures were often used in this early 3D animation technique. This was often called "clay-mation".

3D Computer graphics like any 3D animation, gives the illusion that characters are in a three 3D world, which is how we view our world. They look like they are in a space which includes length, width and depth. When being generated by a computer program, geometric data is used to produce the effect of three dimensions. Of course earlier 3D animation such as stop-motion, did not use computers to produce this effect. They relied on the clay figures to produce the 3D effect.

Today animators use 3D computer animation software to produce many of the special effects we see in movies. In fact there are many movies that have been produced they have been completely generated by various computer animation programs. One such example is the film "Ice Age". This was a highly successful film and was released in 2002 by 20th Century Fox.

3D computer graphics are created by using 3D animation software. This is how these graphics are created in today's world. There are many software packages to choose from. There are many commercial packages available, as well as free packages you can use. Each of these software packages will offer their our unique features and many will have common features found in other packages. If you are interested in creating 3D animation there are many ways to start. If you are new to the animation process it is recommended you begin with a program that is easy to learn and can generate basic, but high-end graphics. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to create high-end 3D animation. You just need to get access to the software that is affordable and can produce the results you are looking for.

Best Regards.

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