Pittmo, the greatest networking resource for any animator in the Pittsburgh area, hosts a monthly challenge on their Instagram page. The rules of the challenge are simple—we're provided with a single word theme and a color scheme. From that, each participant makes a short, square animation within the allotted time frame. It's a great catalyst for conversation with fellow motion graphics designers and often results in some of my most interesting work.
Sweet
The theme for this animation was "sweet." I opted to fabricate an ad for a fun tropical drink in a fully modeled tiki mug.
The theme for this animation was "sweet." I opted to fabricate an ad for a fun tropical drink in a fully modeled tiki mug.
Wonder
As a kid nothing filled me with wonder more than an arcade. The games were so advanced it always felt like I had jumped 20 years into the future. I tried to make that jump as literal as possible with this animation.
As a kid nothing filled me with wonder more than an arcade. The games were so advanced it always felt like I had jumped 20 years into the future. I tried to make that jump as literal as possible with this animation.
Bright
A fun take on Christmas lights heavily inspired by Ernie Kovacs' classic lamp bit. This snowman was the result of experimenting with a stuffed Christmas decoration and photo-scanning software.
A fun take on Christmas lights heavily inspired by Ernie Kovacs' classic lamp bit. This snowman was the result of experimenting with a stuffed Christmas decoration and photo-scanning software.
Music
I'm a big fan of Hatch Show Print's letterpressed posters for country music shows, so I imagined an alternate universe where Dolly Parton is Polly Darton - a humble print shop worker who somehow still finds her way to stardom. Type animations were handled in After Effects and exported as a black and white video bump map. In Blender, I used that bump map to give this poster a more convincing letterpress feel.
I'm a big fan of Hatch Show Print's letterpressed posters for country music shows, so I imagined an alternate universe where Dolly Parton is Polly Darton - a humble print shop worker who somehow still finds her way to stardom. Type animations were handled in After Effects and exported as a black and white video bump map. In Blender, I used that bump map to give this poster a more convincing letterpress feel.
Quest
A cel-animated introduction to a little guy's big journey.
A cel-animated introduction to a little guy's big journey.
Memory
Here's some stuff I remember laying around my house stuffed into a hazy, nebulous cotton candy cloud.
Here's some stuff I remember laying around my house stuffed into a hazy, nebulous cotton candy cloud.
Free time
I love a needlessly elaborate pun. Here I interpreted "free time" as though "time" were a free plugin for a clock application.
I love a needlessly elaborate pun. Here I interpreted "free time" as though "time" were a free plugin for a clock application.
Contrast
For this one I kept things simple—half the stuff in this animation looks different than the other half.
For this one I kept things simple—half the stuff in this animation looks different than the other half.
Reflection
Sometimes, reflection on one’s past actions is a slow, thoughtful process. Other times you know immediately that you messed up—like when you shoot a laser in a room full of reflective windows.
Sometimes, reflection on one’s past actions is a slow, thoughtful process. Other times you know immediately that you messed up—like when you shoot a laser in a room full of reflective windows.
Childhood
Around the time of this challenge, I picked up a toy that made me feel like a child again. It's a 1979 Tomy Atomic Arcade toy pinball machine, and I could listen to the obnoxious sounds it makes all day.
Around the time of this challenge, I picked up a toy that made me feel like a child again. It's a 1979 Tomy Atomic Arcade toy pinball machine, and I could listen to the obnoxious sounds it makes all day.
Explore
Kept this one very simple with the intention of filming it through a zoetrope. The filming part didn't work out, but the animation remains a snappy little moment.
Kept this one very simple with the intention of filming it through a zoetrope. The filming part didn't work out, but the animation remains a snappy little moment.
Hotdog
As a dachshund owner and frequent griller, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for this one the moment the theme was announced.
As a dachshund owner and frequent griller, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for this one the moment the theme was announced.
Fear
A timely reminder to vote, this animation was "performed" using Unreal Engine and an Oculus Quest VR headset to record my hand's movements.
A timely reminder to vote, this animation was "performed" using Unreal Engine and an Oculus Quest VR headset to record my hand's movements.