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6 Classic Disney Animated Wartime Propaganda Cartoons [Stuff to Watch]

Tim Brookes — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:30:47 +0000

During the Second World War film-makers on both sides of the Atlantic were put to work on morale-boosting and influential propaganda films – Walt Disney included. The master of animation was determined to put his characters to use in the war effort, especially Donald Duck.

Here are a selection of 6 Disney cartoons that were produced during the war, each with its own message and each designed to bolster public opinion behind allied war efforts.

Education For Death: The Making of a Nazi (1943)

Considerably different to the average Disney short, Education for Death is based on a book by Gregor Ziemer and features none of Disney’s usual characters. Instead the production focuses on the issue of youth and how the Nazi machine corrupted minds from a very early age.

At just over 10 minutes long this film was shown to US audiences in movie theaters in 1943 and probably had quite an impact. This isn’t the usual jovial Disney outing – far from it. The imagery contained in this short film is as serious as it gets and it’s easy to see why Walt believed his usual love-able characters would confuse the message.

Der Fuehrer’s Face (1942)

Starring Disney favorite Donald Duck, Der Fuehrer’s Face is a simple anti-Nazi propaganda film that went on to win the Academy Award for best animated short. The message behind this one is straightforward: Hitler and the Nazis are your enemy, support our troops and back the war effort!

There are lashings of comedy thrown in, after all this is a Donald Duck film! The obsessive extremes painted of Nazi Germany are almost comical – everything from clouds to trees are swastika shaped.

The Spirit of ‘43 (1943)

Propaganda wasn’t just used to influence public opinion against the enemy, far from it. In this example Donald Duck expounds the virtues of saving money in order to pay tax – and pay it on time.

At a time when the payment of tax was more important than it ever had been before the film was viewed by around 26 million US citizens. According to a poll, 37% of those who saw the film admitted that it had indeed affected their willingness to pay higher tax rates in order to fund the ongoing conflict.

Donald Gets Drafted (1942)

This short treads a fine line between brazen propaganda and typical Disney antics as Donald Duck receives his draft notice and prepares for the army. The film opens with Donald walking past seemingly endless recruitment advertisements, many of which look way too good to be true.

Walt managed to squeeze in a few more clever jokes about conscription and the army’s willingness to take new troops, though this film seems to have a less defined message than many of the other Disney wartime shorts.

Fall Out Fall In (1943)

In this cartoon we see Donald Duck marching for miles through storms, ice and baking hot desert sands before struggling with his tent and regiment’s particularly loud sleeping habits.

Donald was a busy duck during the war, and many of the cartoons produced simply follow his military career and inevitable mistakes that lead to hilarious consequences. Whilst this one is naturally not much different, it does at least tackle a few of the hardships faced by soldiers in the war.

Commando Duck (1944)

With a not-so-subtle reminder of who America was fighting and lines like “Japanese custom always say shooting a man in the back please” (yes, I know) this is one Disney cartoon that reflects the desperation of the war effort by 1944.

Rather than ending up peeling potatoes or troubled by fatigue this is one cartoon in which Donald seemingly succeeds – though not without the usual hysterical cartoon antics that made Disney so popular in the first place. Politically incorrect but historically important!

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short collection of historical cartoons. This has to be propaganda at its fluffiest, and whilst propaganda is generally never a good thing these are probably some of the finest examples ever made.

More of these Disney wartime efforts exist, if you’ve got any other favorites then don’t hesitate in sharing them in the comments below. If you’ve missed the last few Stuff to Watch articles then be sure to check out these geeky documentaries, some clever lip reading and these awesome machinimas.

What do you think of these cartoons? Do you miss this style of animation? Any favorites? Comment away, below!

HomeStarRunner: The Main Reason To Keep Flash Installed On Your Computer

Justin Pot — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:31:36 +0000

Flash sucks in a lot of ways. It’s responsible for the vast majority of browser crashes on my Linux computer for one thing. Be that as it may, flash gave us one great thing - HomeStarRunner. Years before YouTube and social networking, all of us could enjoy cartoons online, and it was all thanks to Flash.

It seems that Flash is starting to decline around the web. The iPad and iPhone both don’t support the animation and video platform, meaning that web developers are slowly needing to replace flash content in favor of other alternatives. YouTube, the current king of Internet video is working on switching its site from Flash to HTML5. So is Pandora. It’s doubtful that HomeStarRunner will make that transition, however. For this reason, Flash is worth keeping around.

What’s There?

So what’s on HomeStarRunner that makes me want to keep Flash around?

Cartoons, mainly. A combination of geeky pop-culture references and good old fashioned surrealism made this site one of the earliest viral sensations on the net. Five years before YouTube and Facebook this site was spreading via email, instant messaging and word of mouth.

The first visit cartoon is a good test of whether or not you’ll like this site. After that, try some of these:

Trogdor!
Looking At a Thing in a Bag
Indie v. Independent Films
Virus

If these don’t make you laugh, stop watching now. You probably won’t get this.

If you do laugh however, and have never seen these cartoons before, I’m jealous of you. It’s kind of like discovering The Beatles for the first time; there is so much to explore and all of it is awesome.

Games!

HomeStarRunner isn’t just cartoons. A variety of games make the site worth visiting. Mostly inspired by the Atari and early PC eras, these games feature faux-pixelated graphics and gameplay from the early 90′s and earlier. One highlight is Peasant’s Quest, a parody graphical adventure game that captures the spirit of classic gaming.

A Post-Flash Existence?

Looking through all these old cartoons and games reminds me how much fun the early Internet was. It also worries me a little. Flash isn’t going away anytime soon, but what if it does? All of these cartoons and games may slowly become impossible or difficult to load on new computers; they already are impossible to load on the iPad without jailbreaking. This process, where old content becomes hard to load as supporting software disappears, is called digital decay. Files that are common today, including not only Flash files but also PDFs and Word documents, may be rare 30 years from now.

There are inspirational stories of people making an effort to preserve digital culture. Reocities, a backup of Geocities comes to mind. But we need to remember that such things take effort. HomeStarRunner may just be a silly cartoon I enjoy, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t worry about it disappearing. If Flash dies, lots of other content will die with it.

What solutions can you think of? Share them in the comments below. This is something we, as netizens, need to figure out. Also, if the Chapman brothers are reading this: bring us new cartoons please! We miss you guys.

10 Animation Blogs That Inform, Teach, & Inspire

Saikat Basu — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:31:11 +0000

This post has been inspired by a child sitting in front of the television who refuses to budge while her favorite animation show plays on. Some years back that was me and perhaps you. The enduring magic of animation has caught our imagination and made childhood a fantasy world.

Wikipedia tells me that the first animation film was made way back in 1917. We perhaps link the history of animation more with Walt Disney. Even then, from the days of Snow White to today’s cutting edge CGI powered flicks like Avatar, the world of animation creates a fantasy bubble which lately adults too have found captivating.

But what’s rendered on the screen takes hours of toil and painstaking detailing. Let’s see what happens behind the scenes with the help of these top animation blogs that also give pointers to anyone who wants to learn about the art of animation.

Cartoon Brew

This animation blog takes a look at the industry as a whole and covers animation news, views and lots of teasers too. Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi are a duo of animation historians with a really good hold on what happens in the world of animation.

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive

Currently, it has gone into a bit of a temporary limbo because of lack of funding, but this long-standing animation resource deserves a spot because it’s a rich source of historical information on animation. The archive is especially useful for students who can see how animation and animators have developed the craft over the years.

Animation World Network

The Animation World Network is the largest animation-related publishing group on the Internet. The site and its network of other animation related websites cover the industry in depth bringing you everything from news to lessons. The free blogging service – Animation Blogspot is also a must follow for animation buffs.

TAG Blog

The daily updated blog is an opinion piece that brings together interviews and news from the animation industry. It is a front row show as the voices belong to the members of The Animation Guild.

Animated Views

The informative animation site has a community and a cool contest corner. Throw in news, reviews, retrospectives, and interviews and you get a model of a well rounded animation website. The site’s focus is more on animation in media.

11 Second Club

If you like to stick with contests, then the monthly character animation competition on this website could be worth a look. You have to download an audio file and then take a month to animate a character performing the line, using whatever acting you feel fits the audio best. Feedback from your peers can help to make you a better animator and perhaps you can win the cool prizes while you are on the learning curve.

Drawn

This simple and neat Tumblr blog is not only about animation as such, but you can get inspired with the showcase of cartoons, illustrations, comic art, and animations on display. You can also contribute your own work or something that has inspired you.

Animation Physics

Physics and animation? If you thought you could leave that subject back in school then let this blog and the companion wiki change your mind. Its physics that will help you define the range of motions as you go about animating objects. The lessons on the site should be a great help to teach you all about realistic motion.

Animation Tips & Tricks

As the name says, this blog teaches you all about the insider tricks that go into creating great animation. Animation professionals like Industrial Light & Magic animator Shawn Kelly among a host of others teach you the philosophy behind animation. The lessons extend back to 2008, so do check the archives too.

All About Animation

The animation blog revolves around podcasts that seek to inspire, inform, and entertain. The blog is run by a trio of animators from my own country (India). It is neatly designed and also contains information on the ‘master class’ they run to teach aspiring animators. The blog seems to be a bit dormant now.

Out of the hundreds of animation blogs out there, these are just ten. You will find a few more core animation links in the blog rolls these ones have. Over the years we also have covered some cool free animation apps which can help you spark your creativity. Which are your favorite animation blogs? Get animated and leave a link in the comments.

Image Credit: Wikimedia

Strip Generator – Create Free Highly Customizable Web Comics In Minutes

Tim Brookes — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:31:47 +0000

If you’re a fan of web comics then chances are you’ve had a few ideas for your own in the past. The only problem is you need some drawing skills, plenty of patience and a fondness for Photoshop, GIMP or other imaging software if you want to start from scratch.

We’ve had Strip Generator in our MakeUseOf Directory for a while now but the site has gone through a number of changes over the years with new features and the introduction of a cleaner, easier to use interface. It really couldn’t be simpler to drop in some characters, objects and text down before sharing it with your friends. No artistic skills required, simply let your ideas take shape!

Uses For Strip Generator

Artists and those blessed with the ability to draw will probably look down on Strip Generator for its drag-and-drop simplicity. This makes it perfect for those with an idea, a punchline or a joke between friends to bring their ideas to 2D life in minutes.

Even those who draw their own strips from scratch may find uses for the website; as a storyboard or a plan for larger projects. If you’re interested in transferring your comics from pen-and-paper so you can design offline, check out our guide.

There are also more ambitious Strip Generator comics floating around the website, which show off some of the more off-beat community creations (like this Helicoptero strip). Using objects and tools in ways other than they were intended requires a bit of experimentation, but is testament to the adaptability of the sandbox you have in front of you.

You don’t need to register to use Strip Generator, so to get started simply visit the homepage and click Create New Strip. You’ll be asked once your strip is complete to register, so you can save your creations and re-edit ongoing projects.

The Workspace

When starting your strip, you are presented with the simple 3 frame comic format, which you can change by clicking on Frames at the top of the strip. Here you’re presented with lots of options, including 1 or 2 rows, full page designs and custom frames you define yourself.

You should always choose your frame first, and be sure of your decision. Changing the frame after beginning your strip will delete the lot, something you’ll be hoping to avoid. Once you’ve decided on a frame the rest is experimentation.

Characters and objects are handled by Strip Generator in the same way, and are highly transformable. Once you’ve chosen something from the appropriate tab, drag it into one of your frames. Clicking the item will highlight it, and display the scale and rotate controls – simply click and drag.

After selecting an object, the area to the right of your comic strip will display the various manipulations you can perform. These include sending the object forward and back (layers), adding blur and transparency and moving the object between frames, or detaching it altogether. If you’ve ever used photo manipulation software in the past then it should all be fairly familiar.

Text is handled similarly and whilst there’s no font options you can adjust size, placement, bold and italics and justification. Text can also be blurred, much like objects and the speech or thought bubble’s roundness can be user-defined too.

Sharing Your Creations

Once you’ve completed your strip hit Finish at the bottom. You will be taken to a page where you can define a thumbnail, add tags so your comic can be found and last of all give your strip a name. Hitting Publish will publish your work as an anonymous user, and on the next page you will be prompted to either log in or sign up to claim the credit.

You don’t have to register however, and you can remain anonymous if you please. If you do choose to register you will be given a Strip Generator blog, the URL of which will be username.stripgenerator.com.

There are all manner of social buttons and sharing options afoot your new creation, you can even print it out or simply save the image in your browser as you would normally.

Conclusion

Strip Generator is a lot of fun, partly because it’s so easy to use and partly for the near-instantaneous results. If you’ve not got the patience to draw a full strip, have a spare 5 minutes and a great one-liner then Strip Generator is calling for your contributions.

Have you tried Strip Generator to create web comics? Fancy linking your strips? Any other good comic generators you use? Let us know in the comments below!

10 Comic Blogs That Every Comic Book Fan Should Read

Saikat Basu — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:30:34 +0000

Comic books are probably the first things that help us to dream. Through the growing up years, comic books and the capers in them shield us from the harsher realities of the world outside, where there are no superheroes, adventurous reporters, or philosophical dogs. Even when we grow over to more adult forms of entertainment, the magic spell of comics remains.

Most of us might now read them or watch them on TV every day, but who can deny that it does bring back a whiff of the wonder years. But then there are many who follow comic books. After all, the enduring culture of comic books is not due to the kiddie crowd alone. Comic books continue to get fresh leases of life even in this digital age. As these ten comic book websites show, the web has become a portal into the world of comics. Enter this portal and catch up with these ten comic book blogs.

Comics Alliance

The AOL website could be a favored destination if you like to follow everything and anything that has to do with superheroes, villains, video games, graphic novels, manga, toys, comic book conventions, previews, and reviews. A lineup of comic book experts put in their worth every day on this comic book blog. Some of the sections you might like to visit are – Humor, Videos, and Opinion.

Comics worth Reading

The blog comes straight to the point when discussing graphic novels, manga, and comic books. The opinions expressed might help you pick up the right ones to read. The blunt opinionated pieces take in both the good and the bad in the world of comics. Check out the Comics Classics section for some great recommendations.

Comics in Crisis

This is a simple BlogSpot blog, but I like reading it because it dives into the world of comics and discusses what works and what doesn’t, for instance turning comic books into films. The weekly updated blog also has a poll that you can participate in.

Bleeding Cool

The blog covers comic news and movies based on comics in equal measure. Apart from the regular fare of news, the site is also about gossip and rumors spilling out of the genre. The writing is not neutral but individualistic which makes reading all the inner workings of the comic book industry quite engaging. The forum is the place comic book fans can call their own.

Comic Vine

Comic Vine has quite a few interesting sections that make this colorful site a must visit. The site has set out to build up the world’s largest comic book encyclopedia. You can browse through a long list of List of Comic Book Story Arcs. Comic Vine’s podcasts and videos serve up multimedia entertainment. But for some casual fun, I always head to the Play section where there are quizzes, trivia, and superhero battles to be won.

Chris’s Invincible Super Blog

A really nice comic’s blog that’s a humorous take on anything that has to do with comic books. You know that Chris Sims will hit your funny bone when you consider that he also freelances with Cracked.com. What’s cool is that he watches the best and the worst that’s out there and spouts on both.

comiXology

This site positions itself as a one-stop point for comic book buffs. Comixology is a digital comic’s platform which you can use to rate and discuss comics. It is an online community with an interface with retailers. You can use the site to watch for new releases and setup pre-order lists. The site also includes weekly columns, blogs, news and podcasts. The web app has its own Android, iPhone, iPod and iPad apps plus a web reader. Tie-ins with the big names of the comic publishing world like DC Comics allows them to host editions for subscription based reading and download. There are some 538 free comics available for online reading though.

ComicMix

ComicMix is not only about comics but also a bit about comic books inspired television, movies and video games. The blog is a commentary on the happening in the industry by some of its veterans. It’s all about news, facts, discussions, and reviews.

Comic Book Resources

One of the better known comic book websites for enthusiasts, CBR is a complete resource if you are looking for comic book news and reviews. The regular columns on CBR like Permanent Damage, Pipeline, Where The Hell Am I etc each take a decidedly different look at the world of comics as well as the world around us.

The Beat

If you like free giveaways then you will like the ones this site has for comic book fans. The site covers news, conventions, comic culture, and less interesting items like the financial health of the comic book industry.

If you haven’t read a comic book in your life, then these ten websites won’t be too much of fun. But I am betting that your child perhaps is reading a comic right now or at least watching a show based on one. If then point him to these as well as these other three posts based on the colorful world of comics.

8 Websites To Get The Inside Scoop On Comic Book Movies

5 Great WebComics you Should Read

5 Great Web Comics You Should Read [Part 2]

Image Credit: Shutterstock

How To Cartoonify Your Photos With GIMP

Jessica Cam Wong — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:31:31 +0000

A vector version of your photo stands out for a number of reasons. The combination of colors and the realistic quality of vector art immortalizes any portrait, instantly making it as distinguishable as a painting.

Not only does vector art look amazing, but it’s also incredibly time-consuming. Just look at any number of vector tutorials on YouTube, and you’ll notice that the price to finish a great-looking piece of vector art yourself involves meticulous work and patience.

Not all is lost, however. Cartoonifying your portraits is actually easier than you think, thanks to built-in plugins and features in GIMP, the premier open-source photo editor.

If you want to achieve the effects of automated photo-editing applications, such as beFunky, (which offers some really great cartoonifying effects and more if you purchase premium membership), what better than first trying with GIMP? Lots of practice can lead to plenty of fun, frameable pieces that you’ll certainly want to share and show off in no time.

If you are new to GIMP, check out the recent collection of hand-picked video tutorials for beginners.

Cartoonifying People: Method 1

Load your photo in GIMP. You can do this by drag and dropping any picture, pressing Ctrl + O, or heading to File > Open.

Now duplicate the layer by going to Layer > Duplicate Layer.

You’ll see a second image in the Layers box, named Background Copy. Make sure you don’t click anywhere else because you want to keep that new layer selected.

Now head to Filters > Artistic > Cartoon.

Move the Mask Radius slider to 50, where it should look least grainy. Move Percent Black to about 0.353 (the higher it is, the thicker the strokes are). You can change and experiment with different values to your liking, which may help you learn about GIMP’s potential particularly if you are new to GIMP. When you are satisfied, click OK.

In a few seconds, GIMP will finish rendering the cartoon effect on your photo. You can repeat the Cartoon effect by pressing Ctrl + Y or heading to Filters > Repeat Cartoon. That’s it!

Method 2

Open up your photo and duplicate the layer. While you have the duplicated layer highlighted (which should be, by default), go to Colors > Threshold.

Now on the dialog box that shows up, move the slider slightly to the left.

The numbers I have are 155 and 255 but it depends on your photo. A rule of thumb is that your adjusted photo should have more white than black. Whenever you are satisfied with the previewed change, click OK.

Back at the Layer box, put this layer at Value mode (the default is Normal).

Here’s what Value mode gives us.

You can experiment with the different modes. I’ve found Overlay, Soft Light, Multiply, Darken Only and Burn to work better than other modes. Here’s Overlay mode, which seems to work well when you move the Threshold slider to the right (as opposed to the left).

Cartoonifying Objects

Regular photos (non-portraits) can turn into art pieces easily as well. You can try the previous methods on non-portraits, but not the other way around because I’ve tried and people in pictures just don’t come out very nice. Basically, pictures of objects or landscapes can be cartoonified all three ways, but if you try this method on portraits, you’ve been warned: your result image will probably just scare you.

Anyway, let’s start the tutorial, which is actually an adaptation of a couple of tutorials from another blog and Youtube, but I’ve included some tips of my own here.

First, load the picture up in GIMP and duplicate the layer.

Go to Filters > Edge-Detect > Edge.

In the box that appears, choose Sobel for the algorithm, Amount of 2.0 and select Black. Press OK.

Your picture now should be in dark tones. Go to Colors > Invert.

Go to the Layers box and change the layer mode to either Burn, Overlay (which gives the same effect as Soft Light mode), Multiply, Darken Only, Grain Merge.

This is the “cartoonified” picture with the duplicated layer in Overlay mode.

Want more tutorials? Here’s how to create cool stereographic projections and wallpapers.

Do you prefer regular photos or do you like them spiced up in vector or cartoon format? Photoshop users, feel free to share your cartoonifying methods in the comments too!

3 Free & Easy Stick Figure Animation Programs

Saikat Basu — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:30:03 +0000

If cave paintings are anything to go by, stick figures could be what man first learnt to draw. They are so simple, we barely pay attention to them, and we move on to make our figures more fleshed out.

But the best thing about stick figures is that they are straight and simple. Even the most artistically inept guy could draw one. Well, a lot of people do draw stick figures.

From toilet door signs to Flash games, from cartoon strips to movie posters, stick figures are there where nothing else quite fits in.

Well, there’s no doubt that stick figures are like universal symbols. You just have to do a search on YouTube to see how virally popular they are.

If it’s so simple then how do we make a few stick figure animations for ourselves? We can use it in a PowerPoint presentation, use it for education, or just do it for animated fun. We start out with an idea. Then we look at the free software available that can help us give it life.

Let’s take a look at three free stick figure animation programs that can help us draw a story in straight lines.

Pivot Stickfigure Animator

Pivot Stickfigure Animator (ver. 2.2.5) is the oft-quoted stick figure animation software when it comes to freewares. The Windows freeware is used to make animated stick figures which can be saved in the GIF format. Stick figure animations can be used in webpages or converted to videos.

Pivot Stickfigure is just a 485KB download and it runs on Windows. It hasn’t been updated since 2004; it remains a pretty good working software for learning basic stick figure animation.

The interface is very simple. It opens with a default stick-man figure. You can create one from scratch using the Stick Figure Builder. Stick figures are easily created by adding line segments for the body parts and a circle for the head. Line and circles can be toggled. Using the handles, the segments can be moved to the positions desired. In the Stick Figure Builder, you can change the thickness and length of the segments. Color and scale are the other things which can be changed with just a click. You can add up to 256 stick figures in each frame.

As in all animation tools, the job is to create Frames where each frame differs from the previous in a way that resembles movement. Pivot supports onion skinning, so drawing the next frame on the basis of the previous one is easier.

You can modify each Pivot Stickfigure Animator frame in any way you want, by changing the stick-man, adding color, or changing the size. Backgrounds can be inserted into the frames but each frame cannot have its individual background.

Hit the Play button and set the speed to see how the animation turned out.

Stykz

Stykz is very similar to Pivot Stickfigure Animator apart from a few differences. The interface is as simple but the stick-men can be drawn in place as Stykz has done away with a separate editor and everything is done on the stage.

Stykz (ver.1.0RC4) is a 3.0MB download and it runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and a Linux version is expected soon.

Stykz and Pivot are nearly kissing cousins. You can import Pivot files into Stykz. Stykz gives more export options (GIF, PNG, transparent PNG, MOV) than Pivot. The one thing it lacks is the feature to add a graphic background.

You might like working with Stykz because unlike the Pivot Animator it has been kept updated. Stykz lacks a help file but it has a pretty vibrant forum.

TISFAT

TISFAT (This Is Stick Figure Animation Theatre) a free stick figure animation tool that you don’t need to install. It comes with a slew of tools, a timeline, and more options that makes creating stick figure animations a more controlled process than the previous two freewares. For instance, the finished stick figure animations can be saved as GIF, BMP, Flash, and AVI movie files.

TISFAT (ver. 0.67) is a 1.2MB download and it runs on Windows and Linux or MacOS via WINE.

The interface may look more complicated at first glance, but it is usable by someone who does not have any animation experience. The software comes with a detailed help file. It also has a community of users.

TISFAT introduces a few enrichments which the previous two freewares did not have ““

Timeline is the stage which holds every component you create and moves it through time to create the animation effect.

Layers are very much like transparent plastic sheets which can hold one object at a time. Layers can be manipulated to hide, reveal, or change the order in which objects are arranged.

Keyframes and Framesets are what the object is at one point of time in the animation. Framesets are a collection of keyframes.

It is the combination of layers, keyframes, and framesets on the timeline that creates the animation.

TISFAT’s tools can be used to create shapes, readymade stick figures, or curved lines to give more definition to the animation.

Added features onion skinning which helps you to see a faint ghost image of the previous frame so you can position the artwork for the next frame make it all the more easier. TISFAT also supports backgrounds and sound support is expected in the next version.

The three stick figure animation programs featured here are great for going through the basics of animation. Pivot and Stykz are dead simple, while TISFAT is a bit more feature laden.

Stick figures are great for quick animations. They can be learnt by kids, by teachers who have no previous experience in animation. Put in some more patience and you can make your stick figures dance to your tune. Would you say it’s a great way to kickstart your animation career?

Image: Beat Machine

How to Learn How to Draw Online With DrawSpace

Simon Slangen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:30:39 +0000

I’ve always wanted to learn how to draw. It’s standing right next to learning C++ and playing the cello in Procrastination alley. It’s not that I’m a total failure at drawing, I’ve just never dedicated myself to it, or left behind the childish doodles that are weak imitations of your favorite comic books.

Like a lot of you, drawing has become a ‘what if’. What if I gave it a little more of my time and dedication? What if I were to take lessons? But life is busy, and surprise, lessons take too much time. So sitting in that dreadful drawing class is no option. But why should that conclude your options? The Internet, with just a bare minimum of time and dedication, can give you everything you need to learn how to draw.

In the free programmes, you’ll miss out on those treasured personal pointers, but all the knowledge is still right there!

DrawSpace – How to Learn How To Draw Technical and Realistically

We’re going to pass right by the amateuristic cacophony of tutorials that make up your initial expectations of online drawing classes. I reckon you don’t want to know how Bill draws the hands or what a cute kitten Sandra has doodled.

In three words, DrawSpace is professional, extensive and realistic. Not to mention incredible. This site teaches you how to make realistic drawings. With hundreds of amazing drawing lessons, you’ll be on your way to become the human camera.

As you can see in the screenshot above, and again below, the lessons gradually increase in difficulty. You’ll first focus on shapes, before going continuing to study the lines, shading and coloring. Although a lot of people don’t prefer this much realism in drawings, there’s far more to it than just ‘copying’ it. There’s an incredible amount of skill involved in being able to draw what you see, or want to see. Once you’ve got a sufficient knowledge base, you can start giving your own spin to your work.

Although you will need to register to view the lessons, there’s no more to it than that. You’ll have to pay for an upgrade if you want download and printing privileges, but that’ll be hardly a botter for most people.

As you can see above, the lessons use Macromedia FlashPaper. Blame the blurred text on the unimpressive copyright notice that shows at the bottom of every page.

This incredible application allows you to browse the document, and zoom in on the details you deem important. As said before, you’ll only be able to follow these lessons online, but Macromedia FlashPaper makes this a small pain.

For the above reasons, DrawSpace stands out as the most incredible online source of technical drawing lessons. In some of the following articles, we’ll take a look at other kinds of drawing sites, including the comic and manga styles, and interesting sites to show and be judged on your work.

Do you know any other great drawing sites? Let us know all about them in the comments section below!

4 Sites to Watch Old & Classic Cartoon TV Shows Online

John McClain — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:46 +0000

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than to kick back, relax, and enjoy some of those classic cartoon TV shows from your childhood. It can really take you back to the good ol’ days of waking up early and just plopping yourself in front of the television on Saturdays for the morning cartoons.

Unfortunately, today’s programming just isn’t the same anymore and animated TV classics are sometimes hard to come by. Before you go out and buy expensive DVD box sets of your favorite toon series, you can still relive your childhood days free of charge thanks to the Web.

There are plenty of great resources available online for free streaming cartoons. Nothing beats the classics! Let’s find out how to watch them again online.

ToonJet “” Merrie Melodies, Felix the Cat, & More

ToonJet is one of the best websites to watch classic cartoon TV shows. If you’re looking for a lot of Tom and Jerry, Woody Woodpecker, Merrie Melodies, Looney Tunes, and much more, this is the place to go.

The site offers live streaming marathons of cartoons via Livestream. Don’t like what’s playing? Check out the Featured section for tons of videos to watch anytime you like.

Internet Archive “” Betty Boop & Popeye

The Internet Archive offers a great collection of classic cartoon TV shows all the way from the 1930′s and 1940′s. Its Film Chest of vintage cartoons includes everything from obscure characters to animation legends like Popeye and Betty Boop.

Each video includes the title of the animation, a short description, and other information like directors, producers, and production companies. Not only can you watch the classics, you can also download them! Just look for the movie files and download as Ogg Video, 512Kb MPEG4, or DivX.

The cartoons may be old, but don’t worry about the quality. According to Internet Archive, all of the videos have been transferred from original 35 film prints and digitally remastered.

Kids WB “” Looney Tunes, Jetsons, Flintstones, Tom & Jerry

I’ll always remember watching Kids WB on Saturday mornings and on weekdays right after getting home from school. Thankfully, the now online network boasts an impressive lineup of full episodes available for your viewing pleasure.

There’s over 30 episodes each of Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, and The Jetsons. Other shows include The Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, ThunderCats, and Tom and Jerry.

Batman fans should definitely not miss out on Kids WB’s DC Beyond site, which offers loads of episodes from the superhero’s cartoon series. Also, be sure to check out the Kids WB on SlashControl for additional free episodes and clips.

Hulu “” Rocky and Bullwinkle, Speed Racer & More

While Hulu’s Animation and Cartoons channel is mostly full of modern stuff, there are some classics in the mix. Some of the cartoon series featured include Woody Woodpecker (new), Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, The Pink Panther, and Speed Racer.

Can’t find your favorite cartoon? Your best bet would be to search YouTube for clips and maybe even full episodes if you’re lucky. It’s the only place I’ve been able to find old Nickelodeon shows online.

Where do you go to watch classic cartoon tv shows? What are some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit : Walt Wabsco

Creaza – An Online Toolbox For Creative & Educational Fun

Saikat Basu — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:01:18 +0000

Creativity is a lot of fun for those with that streak. Now add a pinch of learning to it. No, the mix doesn’t turn sour, in fact web apps and multimedia have combined to make learning not only creative but also fun. The result has been that these web apps appeal to the casual set and also those who want to make something serious out of it.

Creaza is a web based tool designed for learners and educators. But spend a few moments with it and you realize that Creaza has scope beyond that. All of it underlined with fun.

What if I gave you four tools that inspire creative, fun ideas ““ a mindmapper, a cartoon creator, a movie editor and an audio application and asked you to let loose your creativity. I am sure you could come up with a lot of creative and fun ideas. That’s the canvas Creaza gives you to play around with.

Creaza is a suite of four apps for making planning, creating and publishing digital content, or for the fun of it, let’s say digital stories. The four creative apps are :

Mindomo ““ Organize Your Thoughts

The first step for any creative process is the organization of thoughts or ideas. That’s why you need to start with a mind mapping tool. Mindomo is a Flash based mind mapper. Like any other mind mapping application, you start with a central idea and branch it out to associated ideas, linking them to each other with relationship connectors.

Mindomo is a simple but rich mind mapper which lets you add images, hyperlinks and symbols to beautifully render your thought process on screen. Like a versatile mind mapping utility, it lets you select from a variety of map style and layouts.

Cartoonist ““ Artwork for Your Thoughts

The hard work of putting your ideas into shape starts with the cartooning tool. Cartoonist is a simple tool with a very short learning curve. The first step lets you select your cartoon theme from the eight provided. For instance you can go for a Manga look or take the one which resembles the classic cartoons of the past. Each theme comes with its own characters, backgrounds and props.

Combine all the artwork in the cartoon editor. You can tell a whole story using sequential cartoon slides. Change the mood of the characters with a single click, change day into night, give the characters dialogues using speech bubbles or do a bit of freehand drawing – just some of the things your creativity can play around with.

The inbuilt player lets you playback the frame where each frame gets displayed for four seconds. You can print out the work or show it on the web.

AudioEditor ““ Sound Bytes for Your Thoughts

Podcasts have made listening to audio clips cool. The AudioEditor lets you do just that. Make your own audio clips, edit uploaded clips on the timeline or record sound and re-use it, the editor lets you do all that. The audio application also comes with a library of default clips and sound effects.

MovieEditor ““ Motion Clips for Your Thoughts

If a cartoon is not realistic enough for your story, move to the MovieEditor. The MovieEditor has the same feel and look as other online movie editors (except that it starts with two themes). The Library hold many default video clips as well your own uploaded bits, the Timeline where you drag film, sound, or music clips, as well as your still shots and arrange them into your final movie, and finally the Media Window is the inbuilt player to see how things are shaping up.

Sound effects and special effects have their place on the timeline. The provided media clips might not stretch your story, but the editor gives you the option of uploading your own.

Creaza gives us lots of flexibility to make our own multimedia shows. There are some limitations like the free membership on Creaza entitles us to only 25 MB of storage space for personal media files. But even that’s sufficient for publishing a few stories. The only minus is that the finished product can be shared through a URL – there’s no provision to export it as a finished Flash file.

The full version though opens up many more import and export options for the multimedia content and provides more themes.

Creaza is mostly geared as a teaching aid. The free tools make it easy to translate ideas through easier to understand multimedia presentations.

For instance, take a few cartoons or a video clip and put together a small show on global warming. The cartoon strips can be used to explain anything from eclipses to ethics.

The web application also seems to have collected some recognition for itself as a teaching aid. But its possibilities are limited only by the word we started our post with ““ creativity.

What uses can you put this tool to? Let us know in the comments.