PLemination

Baboon - pencil on paper and some photoshop

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:39:00 +0000

Another sketch for the Draw a holics blog

pencil on paper, then i had bad lighting with my camera when i took the picture to upload it so started toying with it in photoshop...

Indian ink and brush

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:45:00 +0000

bought some indian ink and brushes a few weeks ago and started playing with it. Have not been drawing as much as i would want to due to work but im still drawing every week which is waaayy better then last year.

Hands

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:11:00 +0000

Ok i'm posting these hands not because they are so good but so i can look back at the end of the year and see if i've improved. This is the first batch i did since posting saying i would draw hands to get started. Today was the first day i did not draw in 2 weeks... i have some kind of weird pinched nerve or someting that makes my leg feel like it is suffering from pins and needles with out the tikling... see how that ends but i thought some rest should help

Zebra

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:07:00 +0000

I joined Draw a holics, our goal is to draw some kind of animal every week. This week... zebra...

Giraffe's first sketch of the year

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:40:00 +0000

Cats and Dogs 2: The revenge of Kitty Galore

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:08:00 +0000

Checked my inbox and got the AWNTV email with the Cats and Dogs trailer in the spotlight. How cool, first feature film work for me! No shots in the trailer but hope they will make it on the big screen to be released this summer.

Working at Tippett Studios was great in so many ways, I look forward to watching the movie and knowing all the story's behind the shots.

Check out the link for the trailer!

http://www.awntv.com/playlist/trailer-hitch-top-ten

Getting in shape... creatively

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:37:00 +0000

Its a new year, new round new chances...

Like most people I try to set a few goals for each year. Last years... read more books watch less TV.. which I did and have refound the joy of reading a book and letting my own imagination take control instead of someone else's when you watch TV or a movie.

This years... get in shape creatively!

It's very easy to come home and kick back and do nothing after a long day at work. I mean I work in a creative industry right, why the need to get in shape for it? Well when I'm at work I work for my employer and the director and the animation supervisors and the production coordinators etc etc.

I am expected to deliver a certain amount of creativity on any given day, which is great I enjoy doing that. However Ive found that the more I am going through production the less I am actually involved in expanding my own creativity, the stuff that makes me as an artist so to say since working creative on demand is just that... as a animator I execute some one else's idea and add my own vision to that. Sometimes successfully sometimes not but if it were a equation or a percentage i would say a animators shot is handed to him with about 60% already decided for him or her by what is needed for the movie, specific scene etc. It comes down to how you execute that idea really.

So with that said I find I feel the urge to do more for myself and re-connect with the basics that got me going in the first place... drawing characters, cartoons and telling a little story once in a while. However my over extensive use of the computer the last 4 years or so that I have entered the 3D animation realm, have left my skills well beyond rusty. I can barely draw stick figures when I do my planning for animation seems.

So this past weekend I bought some pencils and pencil lead fillers and have started sketching again beginning with the basics, hands. Hard as ever but really important for an animator. Hands tell an incredible amount about some ones mood or attitude. Fidgety hands, strong hands, a fist or open palm, relaxed hands and tense hands, it goes on and on.

By starting with this I hope to open up my creative channels even more and regain my old drawing skills. This creativity will inevitably run through to my production work which I hope will make me a better animator, and thus deliver a better product for my boss...

see, every one wins :-)

just rambling

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:10:00 +0000

So, well into the 5th month at DreamWorks. I can say it has been on a whole new level in many ways at work but also outside of work. Were enjoying California as much as we can and now that we have a car we can get around allot better and cruise down to the coast and that sort of goodness. Family life is going great at the moment.

At DW I feel its taken some time to get settled in.. this has to do with the proprietary software they use and me having learned everything in Maya, which I had become extremely comfortable in to the point that I was just animating... no longer thinking or worrying about controls, work flow etc.

Nothing like learning new software while on the job (uhum) and now it seems I have to re invent the way I animate, the DW software is very unforgiving and time consuming which has resulted in me banging my head several times.

The other thing is the big studio environment and having come from Tippett and Rare where there were 200-250 people or so to a campus with 1200 people and tons of departments and other good stuff. One of the things I always enjoyed at smaller studios is the direct contact to the entire pipe line which results in quicker problem fixing etc. In a big studio there seem to be more channels to go through and the result being sometimes you will have to wait a few days for what would be a quick fix at a smaller studio. In that essence I think you have to be more aware and plan up front more at the big studio.

That said I am glad to have gone through all the different types of work and studios that I have as it gives me a better insight to the industry and what all the pro's and cons are to me on a personal level.

DW is an amazing studio full of talent and something is always happening arround campus seems... its is extremely inspire-ring to see all the production work evolve and all the stages the movies go through from up close, this is definitely something I had only seen in games but not for film as in VFX your main job is to animate to the plates given to the studio by another studio and as freelance remote you really just dig in and follow the plan thats laid out for you to get you your work done a.s.a.p.

1 Year since last post!

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:45:00 +0000

Ok, so it's been 1 whole year since i last posted here. I figure better do it before blogger shuts me down.

Allot has happend in one year but i'l try sum it up as quick as I can. Last year (September 2008) I quit my job at Rare in the British midlands and we left for the U.S. where I went to look for animation work. After 4 months staying with my in-laws in Florida I got an offer to go and work at Tippett Studios in Berkeley, CA. On Cats and Dogs 2: The revenge of Kitty Galore due for release 2010. It was an amazing experience and I truly enjoyed my stay there. However as it turned out I was given an opportunity to go work for DreamWorks in L.A. 6 months into the Tippet job... on Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom due for release in 2011.

We moved to L.A. end of June and ive been at DreamWorks now for a bit over two months.

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:25:00 +0000

So it's finally out there. VP:TiP! its been a great experience and looking back at it makes it even more so. This is my first game credit and I feel its one to be really proud of. I've enjoyed the creative freedom I was given and was lucky enough to get handed the intro to not only animate but also edit, stage, and adjust the initial concept to something short, funny and that would lock in to the game well. I hope I have succeded in this, take a look for yourself! the game is a reall gem!

Thanks VP team and Rare for this oppertunity.

ANIMATION MENTOR SHOWREEL 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:42:00 +0000

Another AM showreel, Its amazing to see the level of animation and acting students are knocking out.. really awesome stuff! And Im proud to say my work is featured on it as well! Really awesome!!

Tourist Class 2008 short film AM

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:32:00 +0000

Kung Fu Panda Video

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:17:00 +0000

time codes 00:13 and 01:23... YEAH BABY!

Pinata game play trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:01:00 +0000

Look at the crab! hehe yes i did the crab!

Inside Rare Video

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:50:00 +0000

Long awaited update.

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:42:00 +0000

Well some time to blog, lots of cool things are happening and have happened. I recently graduated from Animation Mentor and finished my short film Tourist Class. I am now trying to render it all out and hope to be able to throw it out there within a month or so.

Also the game I am working on will be done soon and the press embargo will be lifted tomorrow, so il post some more then. Really cool though it's been a year for me and now I will be getting my first XBOX 360 Game credit. I must say it is looking really impressive and I have learned tons on this project. I also think it is still one of the most original games out there and will do every one proud here at Rare who has worked on it.

My good buddy Robert Barros got himself published in a book so check out his blog, and Jamie Quist is making some seriously cool art and is now attending art school, Jamie has a awesome perspective on life, can’t wait to see more of his work. Mr.Music is kicking it in NY as a freelance animator and so is Mr. Lutha, both worked on Horton here’s a who so the OSG is still going strong.

Also I hope to be bringing out my updated demo reel really soon, I have some cool stuff coming out this year and the freelance work I’ve done for ReelFX for Kung Fu Panda commercials and DVD stuff should add to it rather nicely :-)

Holy Moly

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Its been ages since I published here!

Lots has happend and is happening, my good friend Dan Carey from Rare is creating his blog and has joined Animation Mentor.. so has a odd fellow named Andy Hall.. with whom I am working with on VP2... so now there are 5 of us at Rare who are doing AM since I am back to finish class 6 and my short film. Il be a proud graduate end of March and will also wrap on VP2 by then! So besides being sleep deprived and having two deadlines all is well :-)

Aardman awereness commercials

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:24:00 +0000

Do penguins fly?

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:09:00 +0000

Pinata wedding?

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:00:00 +0000

Ok, so a month has passed even though I only was on vacation for one week. It was really nice being back home and seeing old friends and family. Did some sailing on my brothers America's cup yacht and some late night beer drinking and chilling on the beach. Good stuff!

Much has happened in the mean time. I will not be going back to AM class 6 to finish my short sad to say. Moving cross continent has rendered me somewhat broke and do not feel comfortable putting my family under the financial stress again that AM inflicts on my situation.

At work I have been moved from the Art Asset Team to the full time Pinata 2 team. Doesn't change much work wise I have been animating Pinata's now since i arrived at Rare in April. Speaking of... some guy proposed through Pinata 1... check it out :-)

We send them a congrats card from the team, pretty geeky and cool at the same time :-)

Further more Olivier Ladiuex has joined Rare and is coming from London to the midlands... look forward to having another AM'er arround.. it will now be three of us.

Vacation!!

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 10:02:00 +0000

Woo Hoo! finally some vacation! Its been more then 4 months now here in the UK. And after all the moving, rain and trying to settle in at work etc. it sure is a very welcome break. Going to visit Holland see my mom and brother and his family. Should be good fun and time to recharge those animation battery's.

Demo comment

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:46:00 +0000

Ok so since the AM stuff is at 24 fps and the Reel FX stuff at 30... you tube can't really handle that in one file... Quick Time can though... so you can just hit the quick time link on the right to see it if you have QT that is... h.264 compression. So update if you have not in the last year or so.

I know updating is a pain... but if you really want to experience a updating pain, buy a computer with Vista on it. Guaranteed hardly anything will work other then browsing the internet and emailing. I just had bought a laptop and returned it cause it had Vista... it drove me off the wall. Sometimes you wonder what people think bringing out products that are just not ready.

My new(ish) reel

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:37:00 +0000

Transformers!

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:06:00 +0000

Ok, so I asked permission and got it... and the game is out now any way. Here are some shots I did for the Transformers game cinematic's for Reel FX. It was my first EVER 3D professional experience and I truly loved doing it. The Reel FX guys were really supportive and even though all work was done over the internet, feedback was always there and I felt like part of a team... but then at home in my shorts.. in the Bahamas, cause thats where I was living at the time. Hope you dig 'em!

New short & stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Peer Lemmers) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:23:00 +0000

So I have written a new short... I am currently trying to trim it down some and cut off the unnecessary fat. It is not actually a new short, I wrote it during my class 5 but chose a different one instead. One that would be easier to complete within 3 months. However I felt that it was missing certain things that I have become more aware of since January. Either way I will be developing my new idea and then taking a look at both just to be sure I will be making the film that I feel is better. But most importantly the one that has the most acting potential. I will start class 6 in October so I have time to do this.

As for becoming more aware of things, I made a list of all the things I can still polish on my multiple character shot and all the things I see wrong with it now. It has become quite a big list and I am now wondering if I should just keep the shot as is just to remind myself what I was seeing then and what I am seeing now.

When I did some freelance work for Reel FX on the Transformers game my supervisor then had consistently the same notes... being keep it moving! No flat tangents in the GE. I have since then focussed allot on that aspect in my work.. moving holds... eradicating flat tangents, becoming more aware that I am animating in 3D space and should use all the channels as such. Putting this in mind has made my work flow allot faster from the get go... now that I am animating tons of in game animations but also small cut scenes on a day to day basis I feel I am truly building up a more solid foundation in my work. Getting better results quicker.

I am enjoying this aspect of games the most ... the quick turn around on different characters/creatures. It is extremely helpful to just get that solid and quick work flow going.