General Reel From Yesteryear

General Reel From Yesteryear from Joel Brinkerhoff on Vimeo.

This is a mix of computer, stop-motion, and drawn animation from various projects I've worked on.  All the animation is mine, most of it very old.

Water-color Roos

I found this old water-color of mine which dates back to the 70's.  I remember this was done after reading about Maxfield Parrish who had experience with color printing.  He painted in color separations like a printers plates, using a layer of varnish to separate each color layer.  I don't remember if he had any order to which color got applied first, but essentially he did a blue, yellow, red, and black layer, all separated by the varnish. It allowed him to wipe off or alter a color without disturbing the color layer below. Then he would commit the whole thing by sealing it with a last coat of varnish.  I guess to see one of his painting was almost like looking into a 3D image because of the depth achieved by the many layers he used.  Pretty cool, huh?

Well, now, back to my picture.  I tried a quicker version using a translucent water color and doing a red, yellow and blue wash just to see how it might work.  I did the kangaroos and laid in the background but never felt inclined to finish it for some reason.  Anyway, having rediscovered this picture, I kind of like the dreamlike quality to it now, so I'll frame it and hang it on my wall.

I tried two other water-colors using this technique and they have appeared elsewhere on this blog, but here they are again.  I'm not sure if it's more effective than mixing colors using water-color, but I think it may be cool to try in oils, like Parrish, and using the varnished layers.  Maybe one day I will finally try it.

Heinz Edelmann, a Brief Review

I hope you all had a splendid start to your new year. With sometime till things kick in for me, I thought I would write about one of my favorite artists: Heinz Edelmann. There are many good reviews of his life and history so mine will be more about his range as an artist and the impact of his work shaping an era.

So much of the 60's was about 'change', and I think much of it led to very positive changes that are now being challenged again. I'd better stop there before going into a full blown rant on politics, but it was within this environment of experimentation and change that Edelmann influenced a generation or two with his work.

Any cursory viewing of his paintings and illustrations immediately show a diverse understanding of drawing and color, and a multiplicity of styles. Edelmann was a chameleon, always changing media and design. His commercial works show a playful and radical departure from the normal conventions in composition and layout which suited the radical changing times these publications were trying to address. This spilled over to his book illustrations which look just as fresh and exciting today, if only a little nostalgic.

It's not surprising that Heinz would be contacted by other prominent artists wanting to make an impact: The Beatles. Heinz singlehandedly created the look of Pepperland and all its residence, including monsters and mop-tops for "Yellow Submarine". It was such an arduous task that it almost killed him and he hated to talk about the experience in later years. A little taste of his discontent can be seen in the picture showing Ringo's head served on a platter, and the people of Pepperland tearing the flesh, and drinking the brains of the Blue Meanies! 

Because he was influenced by innovators and was an innovator, Heinz work became lost in the psychedelic haze of the times. Other people with louder voices started putting their stamp on the 'groovy' look and even his work on "Yellow Submarine" was for many years thought to have been done by imitator, Peter Max.

Heinz went on to teach a new generation of artists to think in radial terms.  His wide ranging abilities show a draftsman of great imagination.  Heinz Edelmann was no one trick pony, and I'm glad he left a body of work that attests to that fact.

"Peace On Earth" Commentary

Scott Thill has provided a thought provoking article for the Christmas day post of Cartoon Brew.  Scott tells the story of the 1939 MGM cartoon "Peace On Earth".  I recall seeing it on television as a child and recognizing it as something unusual, and suspecting it as a piece of propaganda left over from WW2.

Scott does a good job of covering the intentions, and difficulties faced by filmmaker Hugh Harman, of Harman & Ising fame, in making this theatrical short, so I'll leave this link where you can read it for yourselves and see this now 75 year old film:

 http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/peace-on-earth-is-75-years-old-and-more-relevant-than-ever-107274.html

The Thief and the Cobbler Rough Animation and Reconstruction

So much of "The Thief and the Cobbler was removed that we may never know what the finished film may have looked like. These pieces reveal a rich and amazing artistry and effort done the old fashioned way and without computers!

 
"The Thief and the Cobbler" Rough Animation Montage from Kevin Schreck on Vimeo.

Below is the special fan edit of The Thief and the Cobbler reconstructed by Garrett Gilchrist of Orange Cow Productions combines the fabled uncut work print with other footage from the released versions, as well as other rare materials to create the most complete film - not to mention the most faithful to the original vision.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Brinkerhoff Animation from Joel Brinkerhoff on Vimeo.

Offering Portraiture

I"m getting a jump-start on Christmas this year with this gift for my daughter and son-in-law, (they don't read this so I'm not spilling the beans, so to speak), and I thought this maybe something I could offer to whomever may want it.  The picture isn't done yet, (want to smooth out boys face and finesse the background),  but it's enough there that I felt I could share it.

I'm going to offer oil portraiture done from good photos.  I had to piece together several pictures of these kids because they were so active I couldn't get a good expression or composition otherwise.  I could do these in the evenings and weekend.

I need to take sometime to see what people are charging for sizes and number of figures, so I don't have a price list yet.

In fact, I need to build up a portfolio and most of my work was done out of state.  Back then, I didn't keep photos, and the only recent work I've done was badly photographed, and pretty pixelated.  It's this detail of the boy with the oval white boarder which originally  includes his little brother beside him.  I cropped the brother out because most of the bad resolution from the photography showed up on him.

It's too late for this holiday season, I estimate it would take four to six weeks to deliver a picture, but I will try and make them affordable.

Unfinished Christmas Present

Detail of portrait done for friend