Running Into A Wall: ANM 201 – Week 4

Right, I'm taking a moment form my usually happy and fairly upbeat discussion of what I'm doing/learning in Advanced 2D Animation to vent for a bit. We're still working on our run cycle projects – which is fine. Mine is still a ways from being done. The reasons for this are many fold. I get up, get ready for class, drive to school, attend class, eat lunch, drive to work, work, drive home, eat dinner and by about 8pm or so I am finally ready to work on homework. Well, no. Not really. I'm exhausted at that point. Adding to this I've been run through an emotional wringer due to events in my life recently (stress from work/school/finances, not to mention I haven't slept properly in nearly two months). I tried cutting my work time by moving to digital imaging for 2D animation, but it just doesn't work for me. I cannot seem to get the “feel” of drawing with a graphics tablet. Frustrating, but I can switch to pen and paper (traditional animation). It just takes longer AND I don't have a functioning scanner. To make matters worse, I went looking for a new scanner locally. No one carries them any more! To get a proper flatbed scanner I would need to order one online and wait two weeks for delivery. GAH! So, I'm going to work out my animation this afternoon. Ink it, and try to get into class slightly early to scan it (or photograph it on the test stand). One problem with this plan is class I have prior to ANM 201: ENG 260 – Acting for Animation. It's a fun class BUT the instructor is notorious for running long. So, there you have it. I keep getting frustrated, keep coming up with solutions, and seem to get foiled yet again.


It's been like this for a while, and I'm getting fed up with it.



However – and this is a very important addition to everything I've said here – I'm not going to give up. As bad as it gets (and at points it has gotten impossibly bad), I find that I cannot and will not stop. Life is hard and anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or trying to sell you something. I'll get through this animation and it will be up to my standards. End of venting session. Next week, I promise a more upbeat entry based on something new I've learned in class. Stay tuned...