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Pencil Test Depot

Milt Kahl (Mowgli) from Victor Ens on Vimeo.

I love pencil tests. If you’re unfamiliar with what pencil tests are, think of early rough sketches you create for a particular job. Then multiply that by tens, hundreds, and set the drawings in motion. That’s a somewhat lame attempt to describe what pencil tests are, but for me, it’s like watching the intricate workings of an animator, a “peek behind the curtain”. Seeing the numbers and arc notes in the corners are like a drug to me. To witness the capturing of the soul of a character, early on, in the embryonic stage of development is intoxicating, especially if you’re watching the work of a master. So, if you dig pencil tests as much as I do, then you’re in for a real treat. Animator Jamaal Bradley has searched the internet far & wide for rough animated sequences from various movies and TV shows and has started to put them all under one roof (blog): Pencil Test Depot. As he says on the blog, “instead of going to various place to find them, I hope to add many tests here from some great animators…” From Glean Keane, Ollie Johnston, to Milt Kahl, the tests he’s posted so far are more of the Disney variety, but that’s fine by me. I’ll definitely be checking back to see what else he’s posted. If you have some uploaded on your site or blog, be sure to contact Jamaal.

  • http://faunawolf.blogspot.com/ faunawolf

    Pencil testing was one of my favourite things to do whilst working on my animation, “Affinity” last summer. I still have stacks of paper saved in files.

  • http://faunawolf.blogspot.com faunawolf

    Pencil testing was one of my favourite things to do whilst working on my animation, “Affinity” last summer. I still have stacks of paper saved in files.

  • http://www.apeonthemoon.com/ amathers

    incredible – you’re very right about how engrossing something such as this animation at its very raw stage can be. It also reminds us of how much work goes into a feature length film, particularly the way it was without computer generated imagery.

  • http://www.apeonthemoon.com amathers

    incredible – you’re very right about how engrossing something such as this animation at its very raw stage can be. It also reminds us of how much work goes into a feature length film, particularly the way it was without computer generated imagery.

  • Mike C

    Reminded me of studying 2d animation and spending all afternoon bent over a light box drawing page after page just to pull off 30 seconds (if even that !) Of animation :P

    Makes me appreciate the professionals even more so !

    Great link ;)

  • Mike C

    Reminded me of studying 2d animation and spending all afternoon bent over a light box drawing page after page just to pull off 30 seconds (if even that !) Of animation :P

    Makes me appreciate the professionals even more so !

    Great link ;)