Truly Thankful
I absolutely love animation and drawing. While I was an editor for the ABC, and lucky to be in the first team to help bring video to Australia on mobile phones, I caught the "Drawing Bug". At that point in time, I had finished my fine arts degree in what was called, "Communications Design" in 2002. YouTube didn't exist and it was the start of becoming a computer graphics bananamator.
Since the Christmas holidays were coming up at the time I scoured the net as to where I might go to learn more about drawing. As I spoke to more and more people, Korea kept coming up. The idea next was to travel to Korea and discover what I could.I knew I had to forget about being an illustrator, and focus on traditional animation. In my eyes, animators are, "hardcore". The animators I knew were always so intense and focused on their commitments. I loved it. I was crazed for drawing and all things animation.
All packed up and in Seoul Korea, I found a comic book academy; I was so impressed and deeply humbled. I then realized I knew nothing after all my study, Accept for this was going to be 3 steps backward, just for 1 step forwards. On holidays I sat their entrance test to the academy and was accepted, plus took a few drawing classes. Honestly, who does that?
Just sitting in those rooms and drawing with the comic book artists, surrounded by incredible comic pages on the walls. That's when I realized I had no choice. I had to sell everything and make my way back to finish what I had started at the comic book academy just to hold a rabbit in 2 hands.
4 of the best years drawing every day with fantastic teachers, working in an animation studio, and teaching English, I needed to do a little more. 2010 I came back to Australia to start a master's degree in animation. I needed to climb that animation beast of a mountain no matter the cost.
Who does a master's degree in animation anyway? Someone who's mad for the love of drawing? So what am I doing now?
After managing a small boutique animation studio for 8 years and covid bringing it to a close. I'm now a part of the Inkscape Vectors (Promotional) & UX Team. Discord moderator for OpenToonz Development, have an ever-growing interest in the Godot game engine, testing development for Blender Grease Pencil Team, my day job now freelance animation using Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate. After Effects, Blender, and spending time with my beautiful partner. I love it.
Drawing is a fantastic way to observe and take notes on life. I'm incredibly happy to spend my life in the language of drawing. So truly thankful.
