New SRM toon in the works, and other stuff!

Hey everybody!

I've been wanting to get to tons and tons of Flash lately. I've got a really great project I did for storyboarding, involving a baby and a tommygun. I've also got a really cool one I'm working on for the same class which is about an amazing invention I thought up. On top of that, I've got SRM Transformers 5, and I've got a sponsorship from Machinima.com to make some video game related Flash. If this wasn't enough, it's crunch time at the end of my semester, so I've been just SWAMPED with work.

I feel sort of like I owe Newgrounds one, since the last Flash I submitted, Warhammer 40k: Dawn of Awesome 2, was a godawful flop. The first one has a goddamn 4.00 at the moment, which shocks me more than a little, given it's quality. Lightning doesn't strike twice, I guess. Anyway, I figured my next Flash should go straight to Newgrounds while I mull over what to do for Machinima.com.

Here's a frame from my upcoming SRM holiday toon. I won't give away what it's all about yet, but it's a pretty simple little story. Storytelling wise, I'm winding it back. I have a lot of superfluous dialogue in some of my toons, and it can really bother me to be so wordy. That's why SRMTF5 isn't done yet. I figure if a line isn't exploring a character, telling a joke, or advancing the story, it probably shouldn't be there. However, the major departure in the upcoming toon is the art. I've been told my style was lifeless before, and I can understand that given my very 2D, line tool-spawned symbol-based animation. Well, I'm going in the complete opposite direction and using the hell out of my tablet. Backgrounds are drawn with my tablet, and characters are drawn frame by frame. I think SRM Transformers will stay in the older style so it meshes with the older episodes (and because I don't want to fbf draw 5+ minutes of animation on a script I don't like) but this is a new style I hope to keep fluent throughout most of my new work.

Here's a teaser of the new Flash. My graphic designer buddy TheL1st helped me pick and desaturate the colors. My old cartoons were a tad garish at times, and dulling the colors really goes a long way towards making the Flash look better. The animation is a little choppy at the moment, but you really can't tell that from this nice static .jpeg:

Anyway, stick around and tell me what you think! I should have this new toon out around Christmas, if all goes according to plan. Thanks for reading my massive walls of text!

New SRM toon in the works, and other stuff!

Comments

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ElmoMadness 2009-12-01 04:01:01

From what I'm seeing here, it looks like you're trying out some new styles with your animations? I could be wrong but I can't wait to see it :D

Battosai810 2009-12-01 04:01:01

Yeah, it's detailed in the big ol' post up there. Should be out by the end of the month!

MCWood666 2009-12-01 07:54:56

I remember 40k being at a 3.99 for a few days, I fixed that lol. School sucks but hey when its all said and done you get to do what you want. :P Lookin forward to new toons man.

Battosai810 2009-12-01 07:54:56

Thanks, shouldn't be too long now!

Hulalaoo 2009-12-01 09:59:11

look cool

Battosai810 2009-12-01 09:59:11

THANKS

PantsForHire 2009-12-01 20:01:41

YAY! You're alive! Christmas special... FTW!

Battosai810 2009-12-01 20:01:41

Took a while, didn't it? Good to be back.

TheL1st 2009-12-05 23:31:09

u knwo what i noticed? whenever i make something of quality , you decide to be credited , because u voice act in all my things and may pick and choose your quality as u please. I FEEL SO ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYYYY

Battosai810 2009-12-05 23:31:09

BEEEJAAAY
You stole 12 cents from me by voice acting in SRM Transformers 4!

TheL1st 2009-12-06 00:12:01

and you stole .001 cents form me voice acting in march of the giraffeys

Battosai810 2009-12-06 00:12:01

I actually didn't. A flat zero there, my friend.

Clam-Thingy 2009-12-07 01:10:09

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'll miss the old animation style a bit. Also, just checking out the new profile pic you have there. I smell a tablet behind that. And just because I can, do you remember that one idea I PM'd you about? Might be a good final project, might just fade into obscurity, but either way, can't wait to see what the tablet can produce. PS-It's COLD OUTSIDE!

Battosai810 2009-12-07 01:10:09

I detailed in my last blog post about getting the tablet, so you're right on that! I would never try something like this if I didn't have a tablet. Mousedrawing an entire cartoon frame by frame would be a ludicrous undertaking. I'm really hoping that once everyone sees the new Flash in motion they'll enjoy it though! I'd hate to go through all that work for something that nobody enjoys. While it was nice having that level of detail (and having it be that easy to animate) I REALLY want to branch out and advance in the animation world. Just imagine watching something like Egoraptor's work - it would lose all it's energy if everything was a flat, static, 2 dimensional image. Drawing it again gives it a lot of life that has always been sorely lacking in my work.

Anyway, I'm just ranting for my own sake now. Look for the new cartoon soon!

Clam-Thingy 2009-12-07 08:12:38

I sense anger within you. Lets get all that tension out of the way. Inhale, Exhale, Inhale, Exhale...Ah, who am I kidding. And just to clarify, I wasn't complaining about you using a tablet, it's just I got used to your old style. The frame for the holiday special looks A-Ma-Zing!
Anyho, just wanted to clear the air...OH! Idea! A Big Lebowski themed SRM cartoon for the future. Just a thought.

Battosai810 2009-12-07 08:12:38

There's no anger or anything in my post - don't worry about it. As for a Lebowski toon? Maybe. Glad you like the look of the new toon!

Dapper 2009-12-07 14:30:05

Oh, well done Battosai! I am liking that new style, Mel's grumpy face compared to SRM's happy - festive season smile is hilarious.

I can only imagine what will happen. BTW, you are using the brush/pen tool, rather than the line tool, which as you know, I dislike! Line tool makes it look so plain. I'm glad you've developed this new style of yours.

It reminds me of Catoblepas' style for some reason, he's a great animator on Newgrounds, despite what actually HAPPENS in his flash movies.

Good luck!

Battosai810 2009-12-07 14:30:05

I'm familiar with his work, and while I'm nowhere NEAR as good at frame by frame as he is, I definitely appreciate the comparison :)

I'm working in the brush tool exclusively for my artwork this time around, and it's really liberating considering how static the line tool made my work.

Thanks!

TheXenomorph1 2009-12-13 23:47:07

Good... what's not nice is that SRM's quality drops to his 2006 version again.

Battosai810 2009-12-13 23:47:07

It's not as detailed, but it's going to be a LOT more lively. Wait til you see it in motion!

Dapper 2009-12-20 05:52:03

BTW, with W40k: Dawn of Awesome 2, I wouldn't be surprised if it failed to meet what you had expected, it's a spammy flash (on purpose, I know) but maybe some people thought that it wasn't meant to be like that.

Battosai810 2009-12-20 05:52:03

Surprising since people liked Dawn of Awesome 1 just fine and it has a way too high score for how hilariously bad it is. Lightning doesn't strike twice I guess!

dailyderek 2009-12-22 13:42:44

Oh yeah you said you'd change the style once you got your tablet, looks good can't wait, btw looks like actuall Christmas, not Quankamas. Maybe I'm wrong. I donno, anyways I'm excited.