Alvin

Ok, So this isn't the right photo for this post but it's what I found.

I am heading West-er for Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakqual!

If anyone else is going to be out there be sure to drop my a line!

GORE-IL-AHHHH

This is real fun.

Sulpting is fun!

Super Fun!

Mill Creek

I went with friend up Mill Creek Canyon here in Salt Lake and got some sweet weather photos! Being out in the rain is the best!

Thought I should finally upload this.

Hope ya dig!

Heros of Hard Work

We here at Blue Sky have found ourselves in the all too common place we call crunch time. People are working 14 hour days, their shots are getting changed multiple times at the last minute, children are crying women shutter in horror (and then get promptly back to work) and I haven't bought groceries or done laundry in 3 weeks. Crunch is a crazy thing. People don't sleep.... they put on weight, they dis-guard all after work activities in order to get the work done!

I just wanted to take a second while we are all thinking about the last time we saw the sun and mention some things I forget. I have a tendency to think that I am the only one working hard.Well, there is a long line of other people in other professions who are getting things done with as much passion and dedication as we are!

Take a second and appreciate this photo. Trains are heavy! and bridges are usually built over cold water! I'll bet the dudes that built this sucker worked hard!




What!? The Parthenon!? I can't imagine! And what a result! It's still hangin out, right there.

I remember flying for the first time and seeing this kind of stuff from the air. Mind Blown! What is that?!? How did they...? wow. The execution is incredible, let alone the engineering of such a colossal puzzle piece.

So, when I start thinking about how little free time I have, it always helps to remember how incredible the results will be. Even is no one notices.

-Andy

Confrontation over Coffee

I thought it was time to show you guys some stuff I have been workin on after hours here at Blue Sky! This has been such and educational experience! I hope you all dig!


Keep Smiling-

Richard Williams

Hey! I almost forgot to post this up!

A couple weeks ago we had Richard Williams drop by for some very good animation talk. He was a super funny guy and as we all know has tons of good knowledge to share with this young industry.

Here is a pic from the event!
Proof that I am not broadcasting from my parents basement! did ya see me!?

A Mentor and a Friend

Mr. Patrick Welch,

He was a friend and a teacher. He was my greatest creative influence.
"It's all about problem solving. Animation is creative problem solving" That was the first thing I heard him say. That stuck with me, along with so many pearls of wisdom. I think about that statement and so many others everyday.

Patrick, you did a lot for a lot of people. Your words with be with me the rest of my life. I thank you for your contribution to so many young students and to myself.

Thank you,
-Andy Conroy

My arms are far to long.

just an update

Hey All,
I just wanted to drop in a line to anyone who checks this blog. I am still very much alive!

I have all kinds of cool things to post up here as soon as I get the chance. Drawings, pencil tests, shots! As soon as life slows a bit and I get a scanner I will start posting some of that stuff!

As far as Blue Sky, Holy Crap! I can't believe the stuff I have been able to work on and the people I have been able to meet. This is a trully incredible experience!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to have some cool stuff for you in a little while!

So, anyway...

I kept reading what I had up there and trying to figure out a way to say what I meant without it getting confused... as it did.

I can't

SO, here is some killer animation from the Emperor's New Groove!

Pack'n My Bags!

I will be moving to New York! gonna spend a couple months work on Ice Age 3!

I love the muppets

This has been the most fun clip I have ever worked on! I am excited to get a chance to go back thru and polish some more stuff but here it is as of right now.

side note:
This is a clip from The Muppet Show. I have been inspired by there ability to go and and just have fun. that stuff is so unrelentingly silly and it really makes for a good time. I hope to remember that in the furture.

Due to my own personal inability to do anything web based other than write on this silly blog, my good buddy Jason Stansell hooked me up with a simple yet totally great website! Thanks Dude! The problem is still that the animation quality doesn't improve based on the host.... I do have a problem with that.... JASON!

anyway, I would love if you would check it out!

Late Night

I am taking a break after a long day and hopefully before a long night. I am writing this mostly because I am lonely here at work all by myself... in fact that's the only reason I am writing this and what good is a post without some kind of animation or drawing right? It's give and take. If you read this you want to see something after that made it all worth while. I know, I read blogs and thats how I feel. So here is a little do-dad I did a couple days ago in some spare time. if you think it stinks , well, your right. I only posted it because I had to.

I've seen all kinds of folks

Alright, This kinda stinks but the only way I could get this do work right is to force you all to download it... again, sorry. i know downloading stuff sucks but thats the way it is right now.

Preperation

Ok, so I have been thinking... it's rare but this is for real.

I used to do "tests" before all my animations, whether it be rig tests or small weight tests or whatever it always made a huge difference between animations. I do have the chance to do those kinds of tests at work but I rarely get the chance to do tests like these. So, I thought I would take some time between the last animation and the next animation to manage my work flow and try to get things working faster and clearer.

This first test is a quick-y I did after work this week trying to get the mechanic of a piano player.... I know it's rough still but the point was to get some ideas out there so that when I take on this next animation I will be bored with just getting the animation and will push the ideas of playing the piano.




I felt like the above test was lacking frame by frame refinement so
I did a quicker, smaller test pushing the face and the timing and refining my process.
(I know my mouth shapes are weak and I pledge at this moment to have better stronger mouth shapes!) Crits welcome!

After Another Polish Pass

well, It is time. I am posting this officially! What do you think?

I Hope You Can Realate.

When did animation become a vessel for fame? Maybe I am the only one who thinks this but it seems like so much of why people put in long hours at there computers isn't because of a passion for personality or movement but to get to a point were they (not there work) can be seen by others.

When I first got started doing animation back in school I never thought about who was going to see my stuff or knowing more professional animators then my classmates. I just wanted to trick people into feeling something. I felt that threw animation I could express a part of myself that was so graphic and true and raw that you could never say it with words. I hoped to open a part of myself that not even I knew about, that was deep inside of me and that even if no one ever saw it at least I had.
I am not sure were all of this went but I do know it is easy to get wrapped up in the who is who end of this biz and forget about the enjoyment that comes from constant learning and challenging and discovery.

I Think that it is easy to experience a loss of direction and to feel that animation is about being in a big studio and having people know your name. When in fact animation should be about that passionate discovery of life. Observing what is around us and expressing it threw a medium that we enjoy. I am trying my best to remember what it is all about.