X-Dance Party

Heartbreak

My son had his first lesson in heartbreak this week when his preschool ended. He loved that school, but it couldn’t go on forever.
It’s an important life lesson to have—after all, everything comes to an end eventually. As a dad, watching him grow up and learn this lesson was kind of bittersweet.

Jake Parker's Spaceskull (and Other Drawings)

Y'all dudes know Jake Parker, right? Comics genius extraordinaire? Well, he's launched a kickstarter to print a book of his beautiful ink sketches--and you should get a piece of that action!

Looking at other artists' sketches is part of what keeps us all inspired, so get yourself some inspiration. If you don't, Spaceskull will probably decimate your home planet with his laser beam.

And if grainy gifs aren't your thing, here's a high-res version on vimeo

Jake Parker's Spaceskull from Anthony Holden on Vimeo.

Giving My All

It was my proudest moment.

How to Get a Job in Animation

You dudes are on tumblr too, right?

This was in response to a question I got on my tumblr (which you can find here).

What are studios looking for? How can I get into a good animation school? What should I be studying?

I get a lot of these types of questions now and again, and I never know how to answer them. I can't be sure of what studios are looking for, I don't control admissions policies to schools, and I have little idea what makes for a current and relevant curriculum. There are a lot of variables in your bid for a career in animation, and it's kind of impossible to control most of them. You must be crazy to want this job!

I find it helpful to focus on the things I can control. Among those things are your study habits and how you spend your personal time. It's good to work hard and have goals—without them we would get nowhere. Study hard and make decisive strides towards achieving your art goals. But in the heat of that pursuit, don't forget to go out and live your life!

If you spend any amount of time looking at artists online, you've probably figured out by now that there are about a million dudes and dudettes in internetville who draw better than you (I relive this realization daily). Once your have done your best to rise to their level, the only tool you have to compete with these crazy talents is your background, your personal character—is you!

Consider developing your whole self with the same raw focus and intensity that you develop a particular skill set. Get focused. Go out, have adventures. Run, jump, skin your knee, fall in love, root loudly for the away team at a baseball game, barely escape a crash of stampeding rhinos, live to see another day. Experience things big and small. Go for a walk. The world is full of wonders.

I know this advice is not particularly animation-specific, but maybe that's for the best. At any rate, it is something I feel strongly about. Animation is great, and there are few things that I enjoy doing more than drawing and storytelling. But in order to have stories to tell, first you have to live them.

Be good, and see you soon!

How To:

Try a new method today!

マーベルの混じったルパン三世

ルパン三世へのファンとしての愛情をどういう風に表せばいいかを迷っていたら、やっと考えついた。銭形警部も入れてメインキャラがちょうど五人いるんだから短歌にしてみました。コイツとコイツに脅かされてマーべルコミックスのキャラも入れたり。

字余ってないのに、流れ等が短歌らしくないのを悔しく思うが、外人なりにこれ程のものしか作れないと言っとこうかな。

気に入ったのなら是非フェースブックのページをフォローしてください。宜しくお願いします！


Dudes, I love Lupin The Third so much that I took a shot at writing a tanka poem. And I got so inspired by my buddies Jake and Jake that I added Marvel characters into the mix.

And in case you were wondering, here is a rough translation:

O, thou noble thief

Picking a fight with justice

Ever in Training

Require but a single shot

To steal whatever you like

Follow the party on facebook if you haven't already!

Paternity Leave

THE BEST PART OF HAVING A SON: GARAGE GUNFIGHTS!

THE BEST PART OF HAVING A DAUGHTER: HAIR STYLIN' TIME!

THE BEST PART OF HAVING A BABY: NEWBORN SMELL!!

Dudes and Dudettes,

Sorry for the radio silence. I've been at home with my family spending some quality time with OUR NEW BABY!! I'm back at work now, but I did get to take a couple of weeks of paternity leave which was amazing. You guys, if you haven't had a baby you should definitely give it a try. I mean after you get married, that is. Let's not get carried away here. Anyway, babies are seriously the BEST.

Things at home are super busy these days, but I'll try to check in with new doodles when I can. Until then be good, everyone!

Mighty Month of Marvel

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Oh, superheroes...you sillies.

Hey, did you guys know that super artist Jake Wyatt is doing Marvel fan art for the entire month of March?! Thank your lucky stars, interneters. We’re only a few days into the month, and already there’s THIS, THIS, THIS, and THIS. Request your favorite character—you won’t be sorry (unless you don’t do it, then you will be very, very sorry).

I have this nasty habit of reacting to the exceptional with the absurd. Sorry about that. If you are a true believer, what you should be doing is making your way over to Jake’s Tumblr. If you want to stay for the silly party, then you’re welcome HERE any time.

More Dudes with Swords

Because I'm nothing, if not predictable.

Part of my new Project: Around the World in 50 Swords (not really)

Seriously though, drawing dudes with swords is like eating rich chocolate for me. Therapeutic and a little bit selfish.

-Anthony Holden

Holiday Sketches

I know this is ostensibly a sketch blog. I thought I'd post some actual sketchbook pages, you know, to keep up appearances. This is how we spent our holiday yesterday. Can't think of a better way to spend a day off.

What do you guys do on your day off?

Hourly Comics Day