A common thing I see in recent grad portfolios is they're loaded up with what are clearly school assignments, which by their nature have an unfinished quality to them. Realizing that students' time is limited, when I taught I'd give assignments that could be spun into something like personal work.

Design took a practical wrong turn when people thought (or were taught?) that turnarounds are the best way to create characters. You’ll be doing yourself a favor if you conjure your characters moving. Doing the things they do. And an even bigger favor if you can doodle them quickly.

don't draw it the way you think it looks best. draw it the way you have the most fun doing it

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the feds denied them access to the scene even after investigators got a search warrant signed by a judge.

Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 24, 2026

@acollierastro.bsky.social says it better than I did. "Everyone can have maximum output while accomplishing nothing." www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pqF...

critter peeking out from the coral / #legoMOC

critter peeking out from the coral / #legoMOC

Lots of classic Sesame Street on the youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMXu...

Did communities once track incidents of kids accidentally hitting baseballs into the windows of their cranky neighbors? Seems like it would be important historical data to have. Like, in terms of the prevalence. If it was an up year or a down year.

Another way I phrased this in the past: expectation: “when I get good enough at art I won’t need to use reference” reality: “the better I get the more I realize I am not using reference/doing research enough”

art is often a lot less about making stuff up from your brain whole cloth and more like arranging observations and editing them into delightful and insightful patterns; worry less about invention and originality and more about sincerity and clarity

Last year, I had the experience of being asked to transition to AI generation at my ongoing illustration job, which was surreal for sure. I wrote a post about my experience and my thoughts about using AI as an artist in the workplace, you can read it on my Instagram bit.ly/3NluzS2

A thoughtful obituary for beloved cartoonist Dan Moynihan by Dave Kierch: www.tcj.com/remembering-...

1980s 'Hypercard' clipart, which I think of as the original clipart, had way more going for it than the minimalist straight-line vector clipart we have today. When computers were novel & new in the 80s, I would go to school library just to print this clipart. src: egardepe.itch.io/hypercardgra...

1980s 'Hypercard' clipart, which I think of as the original clipart, had way more going for it than the minimalist straight-line vector clipart we have today. When computers were novel & new in the 80s, I would go to school library just to print this clipart. src: egardepe.itch.io/hypercardgra...

I recommend reading the whole essay. This excerpt especially clarifies the goal and intention of everything lumped under ‘AI’ and the sparkle icon. Not to unleash a utopia, but to reseed the labor hierarchies of the Industrial Revolution.

If we’re doing insignificant hot takes for 2026, mine would be: The Wilhelm Scream isn’t funny anymore. Any shred of jokey molecular structure evaporated around 5 years ago. Naming it and talking about it ad nauseam on the internet is what killed it.

I'm constantly impressed by the way the old Zagreb cartoons from Yugoslavia would move their characters around in ways that I've never seen and never would've thought of.

I learned yesterday of my friend Dan Moynihan's sudden passing just before the holidays. I can’t believe that he’s gone. And I’ll miss him deeply.

There are some people you meet in the children's book space whose artistry is so genuinely geared towards children, their creative drive so pure and fun and goofy. A lot of us have to do some translation of our adult selves for kids, and others just have it. Dan struck me as someone who just had it.

I sat next to Dan at a Boston kids comic convention once, we chatted all weekend. He really made an impression on me as a thoughtful comics creator and person, I reference his comics often. My heart is with his family today.

Dan Moynihan was a super nice guy, whip smart, and drew amazing comics. He passed away a few days ago. We are gonna miss him dearly and his family needs your help. www.gofundme.com/f/support-be...

Was thinking about time-travel in storytelling after watching the Muppet’s Christmas Carol and came across this fun essay. houstonproductions1.substack.com/p/a-christma...

Anytime you see an article about artificial intelligence, just replace “AI” with “refrigerator magnate poetry”

Uh-oh. My son just watched the Ninjago version of ‘Back to the Future’ style time travel before seeing ‘Back to the Future’. Picture fading and all. Should I worry about the space-time continuum, or are we alright?

The answer to most of my current grumpy and very real frustrations is: 'somebody wanted to make more money off a thing'. That's basically it.

I love the Grinch, don’t get me wrong, but why is he everywhere all of a sudden. Huge inflatable outdoor decorations, plush, every type of Christmas clothing imaginable. Was there a discount on a licensing deal 5 years ago? It’s nearly always the Seuss version (not Chuck’s design)

Now, the animation is split between Preston Blair (Junior leaves and slides down banister; CU of Wolf outside; Wolf as Santa down chimney, whole exchange with Junior) and Ray Abrams (Junior calls to Santa and Wolf appears; Wolf dons Santa disguise). Ed Love's work is at the end ("SUCKER!").

More Ed Love animation, with some of Ray Abrams' work interspersed: Abrams does the knife reacting to Junior's gun, and the following scene where the Wolf gets struck by a vase. Fun fact: Ed cranked out footage so quickly that he kept at least 3 or 4 assistants busy at MGM!

Split second timing only possible in animation. Me Musical Nephews (1942) #popeye

Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...

"Did you think when you were a child that when you grew up you would have to spend time convincing adults to care about other people?" I've been watching Angela's videos on science communication to the public. This one about fluoride. @acollierastro.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gefw...

I always thought of Rudolph, Charlie Brown, and the Grinch as the ‘Big 3’ Christmas specials as a kid. I’ve likely seen Rudolph the most, easily over 100 times (I taped it off TV). I know every line in every voice.

So many of these smart gadgets are sold on a gimmick. I guess that’s good marketing and advertising (?) But isn’t the point of having a bird feeder to watch the birds while they’re feeding? Or is it more like Pokemon Go? Catching the same Pidgey over and over again.

I already can’t stand the little surveillance elves, but I just learned parents are taking photos of their kids asleep with the elf placed next to them and are using AI to generate a video of the elf coming to life (jumping on the bed, and yes even kissing sleeping child on the cheek.)

I already can’t stand the little surveillance elves, but I just learned parents are taking photos of their kids asleep with the elf placed next to them and are using AI to generate a video of the elf coming to life (jumping on the bed, and yes even kissing sleeping child on the cheek.)

Please everyone STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and make these shrimp ornaments RIGHT NOW!!!! ✨🦐✨

Videos will not allow character voices or human actor likenesses. (But we know people will crack into workarounds)

Disney+ is free now, right? In a world with intelligent AI that works (it doesn’t) wouldn’t I be able to ask it to generate all 90 min Pinocchio for me in the chat window? Or better, save me the computing energy waste and just load it up, because it’s been fed the whole film. It’s in there.

I love the Grinch, don’t get me wrong, but why is he everywhere all of a sudden. Huge inflatable outdoor decorations, plush, every type of Christmas clothing imaginable. Was there a discount on a licensing deal 5 years ago? It’s nearly always the Seuss version (not Chuck’s design)

I’ve never understood the push to get kids in front of screens as early as possible, so they can be ready for the digital world. We had a computer lab when I was in middle school (not kindergarten), no laptops. One family computer at home when I was 16. And here I am living and working just fine.

okay NETFLIX listen up. y’all should order a FULL SEASON of MYSTERY CUDDLERS. now.

Turns out that while horses are famously hard to draw, their mouths are actually quite fun!

Imagining myself traveling back in time. Say, 1982—not far. And people ask me what it's like? And I tell them about how this thing called the internet exists where people (especially people who run big tech companies) say laughably dumb things hourly, and the entire world then has to talk about it.

Hey guys! I just wrote an article about the best cartoon witches throughout animation history (tying in with WICKED: FOR GOOD). It's got old rubber hose weirdness, Disney classics, anime, oddball indie shorts and more! Check it out! www.cartoonbrew.com/cartoon-stud...

Donald Duck balloons from Macy's past. Evil Donald is the first Donald, from 1935. The other from 1962, I believe.

Happy Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade! Today day we celebrate giant balloons, Broadway musicals, KPop Demon Hunters, and pharmaceutical commercials!