“The way to use reference is to learn so much about it that you don’t have to use the reference anymore.” — Milt Kahl, Animator
I agree wholeheartedly with Kahl’s statement. Exploration is one of the keys to thorough preparation in doing any craft. We must do the research so that we can be imaginative.
Thumbnails: The Power of Doodling
The thumbnail sketch is perhaps the most useful tool for the artist-animator to visually play and explore the look of one’s work in the big picture — how its shapes move in a composition. The other big advantage is the speed at which one can explore options visually; doodling is both casual and convenient. One doesn’t have to have great drawing abilities to make little shapes in tiny form.
In the following images, some quick sequential doodles were done purely for fun. They’re not fancy, pretty or detailed. I used a very thick pen setting (using syncsketch.com’s easy-to-use review tool). There’s no erasing or much correction — I’m just going with the flow. The purpose of the exercise is to draw and move fast enough so that I bypass any excessive thinking or desire for nice results. The broad rough strokes also prevent any obsession with accuracy or prettiness; it’s a test to see if one can achieve clarity with basic shapes and lines. The words and story arrive as I play. Nothing here has been preconceived. One’s imagination is naturally pushed into reality, into some tangible form.
These two videos below show how quickly these kinds of sequential doodles can be done (the video recorder actually struggles a bit so it’s slowed down slightly from real-time). As we can see, I make very rough shapes that basically move, and only afterwards, do I layer in some necessary details.
Summary:
When people tell me they can’t draw or don’t have the time to thumbnail I always find it puzzling. It literally takes minutes, and remember, no one’s watching. Doodling and sketching is for YOU, and no one else. It’s where we can play and explore and allow the creativity and personal experience come into visual form without forcing things. Drawing is supposed to be fun. It also happens to be useful.
“We must always be fully aware of the life a good animation drawing can project — of the emotional experience and sincere response it can induce. It takes nothing from reality — it flavours it.” — Eric Larson, Animator