10.06.2005

Ava Thursday: Ava adds her touch again


Click on image to see the faces up close. You'll need to scroll right -- it's 1500 pixels wide!

Remember when Ava came by my work and added her touch to one of the poses on a model sheet I had taped up on my desk? Well, during that same visit, my dear daughter had done the same to many more items around my office.

What you see here is a copy of page 445 in Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston's bible to animation, Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life. It is a series of sketches showing how much emotion you can get just out of the eyes -- how they can squash and stretch with the same forces as real eyes, as well as showing how much expression you can get from opening or closing the lids ever so slightly. I photocopied this set and had it taped up at the top of my animation desk, right next to Frank's words. Something for inspiration.

Ava went in with a pencil and added mouths to each and every one of these sets of eyes. Not one mouth is the same. And she must've taken her time with it, as every mouth looks like they really belong to their respective eyes. I love this. It amazes me how much more emotion she was able to add. I love how she would make an "o"-shaped mouth for the eyes that are very wide and surprised. And how all the sad eyes have down-turned mouths -- but each one different.

She must've had fun doing this. I keep it taped up on my desk because she, like Frank & Ollie, are a constant source of inspiration for me.

16 comments:

  1. WOW. they really are brilliant. especially the triangular ones -- she got such varied expression out of them!

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  2. Ava is a genius. She never ceases to amaze me. She's my hero!

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  3. that's really great Ward. I'd like to see what my daughter would do if presented with the same task. :D Very very cool...

    ~jason

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  4. Your daughter is awesome. My kids draw with me all the time and it is amazing what they come up with sometimes. Ava is a true talent.

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  5. honestly, when I first saw this, I couldn't figure out where the 'ava thursday' was... can't believe she did those mouths! sometimes I underestimate how perceptive she is...

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  6. I wouldn't be surprised if Ava ends up being an animator just like her dad!

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  7. !!!!!!

    I'M IN LOVE!

    This really reminds me of myself when I was a kid.

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  8. I thought I was being ripped off with the Ava Thursday. I couldn't tell it was an altered picture. I can't believe she drew those mouths - and she's only 6 or so? Wow.

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  9. Amazing. They really do look like they belong!

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  10. that is SCARY AMAZING! (in a good way)!

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  11. same thing happened to me, at first glance I was thinking, "okay now where's the Ava addition?", not sure I'd have ever figured it out if you hadn't explained, just incredible!

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  12. Ward, that kid of yours is a natural artist. Incredible!

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  13. Thank you, everyone, for all your nice comments about Ava and her talent. I'm a very proud dad indeed. One of the things I enjoy about Ava Thursday is that I get to tell Ava what everyone says about her artwork. She gets all sheepish and wants to hear more.

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  14. this is genius! She some sort of savant? Man, I just picked up some great lessons myself (by looking at her addition!)

    ~paige p

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  15. this would be a great art exercise for anybody, well done ava!

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  16. Wow. Your daughter is very talented. I never would've guessed a 6 yr old did it. Amazing.

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