Do you love overused words like "artisan" and "infused"?  Me too.  Check out today's OUTNUMBERED strip for more!   [link]

I even made up new words for you to use in everyday conversation.  Check out the strip here: [link]

A new OUTNUMBERED strip is up for Monday!  I call it-The Others  [link]

Blah, blah, go check it out!  Love it, Like it, and share it!  Leave a comment even.  THanks!  [link]

It's MONDAY, so there's a new OUTNUMBERED strip up!  And its stinky! [link]

After a late night, I got Thursday's strip up.  I hope you appreciate it.  I'm killing myself for you people~!  Sob.  [link]

Hey everyone.  I've been thinking a lot about art schools and how we learn as artists.  So much so, that I'm at the point where I think I want to start an "online art school".  Why the quotation marks?  Because I'm still not sure if "School" is the right word for this new website I want to create.  Without giving out much information because this is all a bit early, I want to talk about the motivations and goals we're trying to address with this future site.  I said "we" on purpose.  I have a business partner in this and his background is in creating online education (not artistic) schools from the I.T. side of things.  Thank goodness also, because I know nothing about that side of things.  

I guess you could say things started when I wrote my first book, "Creating Characters with Personality".   While there are many, many drawings I would love to redraw for that book, I still like that book and get great responses from it because of one thing: the viewpoint I chose on that book was to teach the THOUGHT PROCESS behind how you approach drawing a character, and lesser of the step-by-step process.  When I went down that road to create that book, for the first time, I really thought about 1) how I was taught art/drawing/character design and 2) how I go about the process of designing characters (or anything).  We artists don't usually look too internally when we draw.  "It's an intuitive process" we tell people.  "I feel it", you also hear.  I know I've said those things.  And its true, because we go into our own world when we draw, and that place doesn't take notes very well.  BUT coming out of that world and retracing those steps you took IS important to your growth.  You will find mistakes made.  Things you could have done better.  You will learn.  I feel strongly, that past elementary school age, you will NOT learn much from those  step-by-step art books/tutorials that say to "start with a circle", add this line, this line, this triangle, and- voilà!- you have a drawing of an OWL" style of instruction!  You will only know how to draw that owl from that angle, with those lines, with that expression and nothing more.  You have not learned the thought process of why those lines and shapes were chosen to create that owl.  The instructor has that knowledge but chose not to share it with you, but instead created a magic trick out of it so that when you follow those six or so steps and before you knew it- you had drawn an owl!  I am going to say it here and now-that is not art instruction.  It can be a hook to get you into drawing at a very young age.  There are extremely simple concepts in that process that you do need to learn when first picking up a pencil and putting it to paper.  The problem is that that level of art instruction has not changed for many people and is still used in high schools- and even colleges.  I wrote a very popular Journal awhile back that is known as my ART SCHOOL RANT.  Some of what we are trying to create is because of what I feel is wrong with SOME art schools.  (Read it here if you like: [link])

This is a bit of a tangent, sorry.  I am just trying to say that I've been on this path for a few years about HOW we learn as artists.  

Is it by LISTENING to a lecture by a pro and seeing the examples he/she shows?  Is it by WATCHING a pro sketch/ paint/ create his/her own work?  Is it by receiving an assignment that is specific in its goals and drawing up your version of that assignment to show and get critiques from the instructor and/or your peers?  Is it the "draw the pirate" style of copying a drawing and/or style as exactly as you can?   Is it by reading all the art instruction books we can?  Is it watching online tutorials by artists you respect/admire?  

But the big question we need to ask is: HOW DO WE ARTISTS LEARN - TODAY?  

I think its elements of most all of those questions above.  What I've found, is that you can sum it up as we learn by: HEARING, SEEING, then DOING.  And then DOING AGAIN.  

We looked at the problems that face art students wanting to "break into" any art based industry.  But rather than assume that there is only one path, the one that says you come out of high school and then attend an expensive art institute somewhere around the country/world, we said what other paths are out there?  And where are the wholes?  What needs fixing?  Let's call these "PREVENTERS"- things that prevent you from having a smooth transition from leaving high school to obtaining that first great job in the arts.  Here's what we've come up with (you tell me in the comments if you agree or not):

PREVENTERS:
- Coming out of high school, you don't have a proper portfolio to get into some of the better art schools.  Some will turn you away and it can take a few years before you can get accepted.  
- Art Schools are EXPENSIVE, yet you graduate and struggle to get even a low paying job.  
- Many leave art school ill-prepared to get the job they want.   Usually, their portfolio is not adequate to get a job.  
- Many art school instructors (not all) do NOT have industry experience and therefore don't know how to give assignments that are pertinent to you getting an "industry ready" portfolio.  
- Online art schools by industry professionals are great, but are ALSO very expensive.
- Many of the better online art schools have a small amount of people they will accept per "class" and you have to be available during those dates- or you miss out.
- Art books are good and inexpensive, but don't give me the projects/assignments I need to build an adequate portfolio; they don't provide input when I do.  
-  I have to work to pay bills/support a family, I need to "do my art" on the side.  I can only do it when I have free time- on my schedule.  
-For PRO  instructors:  Why should I teach?  I either can't because I don't have a BA or MA, or the pay is so low and takes so much time, I could just do freelance and make way more money for half the effort.  

Lots of hurdles to get to do the thing you love and where born to do, huh?  

The PITCH:
What if there was an online destination (note: I am not saying school, schools are accredited and give out degrees), where you could learn what you wanted to in short, project-based snippets WHEN you wanted and for an affordable price?  (Say, between $20-$80 per lesson).    What if it also was an art community that had a peer to peer art critique system built in so that you could comment (nicely) on each others work while also having your instructor view/ comment?  Much like we enjoy here on DA, you can have that in a Lesson based art instruction website.  Only industry professionals give the lessons.  And a wide variety of them from the comic book, comic strip, animation, concept art, video game, etc. worlds.  Not only could you choose a lesson on whatever subject interests you, but you can do it at your pace and no one is going to say you HAVE to have already taken the prerequisite class before you take that one.  (Though there would be ones suggested so you get the most out of it.)  Suggested career paths could be given if you take Lesson 3,  Lesson 14, and  Lesson  39, etc. - you would be in training for a career (for example) in Concept art.  For the instructors, they have a short amount of time that they put into their lessons/ filming (yes, these are video based classes) and they get the lions-share of the profits.  And those lessons live on for as long as the site is around.  But we don't own the lesson material rights, the author does.  We are basically the itunes for your lessons.  You are the artist.  Instructors are encouraged to also hang out in the community because they will also have mini-sites in the destination.  A place where we (as fans now, not just students) can purchase their new books, art prints, and read their blogs.  Its a win-win for instructor and student.  Will we get people that have never taught before, but we all WANT to?  You bet.  We will build the site so it is easy for them to communicate to you.  Even if they still have a hard time doing emails.  

It's coming.   Let me know what you think in the comments.  The next step, if you are interested in this is to go to my (present) site: www.charactermentorstudio.com and make sure I can reach you by hitting SUBSCRIBE, and putting your email in on the top right corner.    We will read all comments.

Thanks!  Tom B.

It's Monday, but it feels like SUNDAY because of my first COLOR Outnumbered strip!  Share the memories of Sat. morning cartoons and sweet cereal!  Share, repost, spread the word!   www.outnumberedcomic.com

It's getting a little hot in here!  Check out today's OUTNUMBERED comic strip!  [link]

ANNNNND....

Cartoon Brew just mentioned the release of my brother, Tony Bancroft (co-director of MULAN)'s new book, "Directing for ANIMATION" check it out! [link]

Traditional animation isn't dead!  Support two former Disney animation artists that are putting together a new video game app!  One is my good friend Dan Gracey who is here on DA ( [link] ).  Go to Kickstarter and BACK THIS GREAT PROJECT!  
[link]

It's MONDAY, so that means there's a new OUTNUMBERED strip up!  Go check it out and share it with every single person you know.  Its the right thing to do.  [link]

The Thursday edition of my OUTNUMBERED comic strip is up!  Share it with a friend!
[link]

Hey all.  I must admit, I'm fairly terrible about "celebrating" pageviews and watcher milestones (watchers more than pageviews), but I know its kind of a DA tradition.   SO, I'm way late, but I did hit 400,000 page views recently and just wanted to say thank you to you all for looking at my work.  As an artist, there is probably nothing more important to any of us than having people see our art (except maybe LIKING said art)!   To me, the people that watch my page are important because they are going a step past just looking at my gallery once, they are saying, "Hey, when you post something new, I want to see it."  I am also "celebrating" over 14,000 watchers!  That's pretty cool, as the SNL Miley Cyrus says.  

On a related note:  I just heard that the extremely talented "Loish" (Lois van Baarle, you'll know her work when you see it) has LOST about 90% of her watchers!  She had well past 125,000 and now only has 572 or so.  I know, for some of you that still sounds like a lot, but when you are someone that has worked for 5 years (like her) and post regularly, as she has, she has WORKED for those numbers.  SO- if you used to watch her, go back and re-watch her.  DA has not responded to her requests (I assume they will since she is a DA heavy-hitter) but its not clear if they can help anyway.  If you don't already follower her- do it!  [link]

Okay, enough about the demise of Disney's traditional animation department (see my last journal), onto more fun stuff!  New OUTNUMBERED comic for Monday is up!  Because its Monday!  [link]

A very nervous animation student (he didn't say, but I assume he is studying 2D animation) asked me about my opinions on the state of animation these days.  What are the companies thinking with laying off all the employees, not doing 2D animation, canceling great TV series, etc.?  Are the business people just evil?  AND the even bigger question: Is John Lassiter a jerk (or worse) for letting all the 2D animators at Disney go yesterday?  

MY ANSWER:  I have a slightly controversial (for an artist) perspective on businesses and business people.  Over all, I like them.  At times, I have even been grateful for them.  (Steady paychecks should never be taken for granted.  Wait till you don't have one one day, then you'll know!) Remember, we live in a world where businesses are expected to make money to stay alive.  It's called capitalism. Others call it "business". That means, the animation world isn't any different from any other job/company. I see the other side of the equation since I owned my own company for about 8 years. It was a small studio, but until you work "out in the real world" away from mom and dad's money and/or a companies' steady paycheck, you have no idea how hard it is to stay afloat as an artist. I don't suggest it to people right after art school by any means. That doesn't mean I think that studios are run poorly at times.  They OFTEN are.  Its is near impossible to find a person that understands creative people AND knows business well enough to run a studio.  That person was NOT Walt Disney, as many of you think.  Walt had his brother Roy, to handle the money side of things and make sure Walt didn't destroy the company.  And he would have.  Imagine a world where Disney animation only made "Snow White".  That's the Disney company with Walt as the sole head.  You need both sides and I admit, the Disney company of today (and for years now) is short sighted.  They want quick money and are not looking long term at investments and legacy, as they should.  They say they are, but its obvious they are not.  

Has power gone to John Lassiter's head?  Is he an evil businessman now?  Not evil, that's for sure.  More business minded than ever before, yes, he has to be.  Its part of his job.  It was when he was just creative head of Pixar, but it could take a back seat a bit in that job (there were other "Roy's" that could do that heavy lifting).  Now, he has MUCH more on his shoulders and he's spread very thin.  As far as the 2D animators that just got laid off?  He was the guy that KEPT them there for the past couple years when they (largely) had very little to do.   They were making money for YEARS and not doing much.  Ask them, they will tell you the same thing.  Its not what they wanted, and they have been fighting to get some 2D projects going the whole time.  But don't think that any other studio/ studio head would have kept about 20 highly paid (based on years of service and compared to some of the younger CG guys for sure) for years without an actual production for them to work on!  No way.  Only at Disney and only under John's eye/hand.  They were his friends and he wanted them there.  At least until the Board couldn't stand the bleeding ink on the stocks, etc.  I don't know the whole story, few do, but this is how these things work.  Believe me, Lassiter is not a saint, but he knows talent and values good people.

So, do you go into animation/ stay in animation school or not?  Well, if you can see yourself doing ANYTHING ELSE and still be content, then maybe you should look into those things. Your life will be easier. If you can't imagine drawing and being creative every day, then go for it. Your life won't be easy, but it will be happier. Its really that simple. Also, keep in mind, time moves forward. Things change. When some companies close, others open up that you never thought would. So, pursue what your dreams (with some 'safety measures, like learning computer animation also, perhaps) and have faith that life happens weather you are happy or not, so choose to be happy.  There's nothing wrong with doing a "boring day job" if it pays the bills for your family and you stay up late doing your creative dream project.  That may happen too.  As long as you flex those creative muscles, it might be nice to not have deadlines and pressure of paying bills with your artwork.

It's THURSDAY, so that means a new OUTNUMBERED is up! Find out one of the big differences between males and females exclusively at my website. Doctor approved!

[link]

Hey! I'm on Tumblr! Why? I don't know. I'll post my strip and other sketches there so follow, friend, or whatever it! Let me know if there are things I don't know that I should know.  Thanks!

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NOTE:  Okay, newbie Tumblr question:  How do I get my artwork ON there?  I was able to put my Outnumbered strips on there because my strip website has a way to link to Tumblr, but how do I put (for example) an iphone snapshot of a sketch onto Tumblr?  Facebook doesn't send stuff to Tumblr either!  I do NOT want to have to create an Instagram account to get stuff to Tumblr.  Help!

UPDATE:  I figured it out!  Thanks for your help!

Hey all.  I hope you are well.  I thought some of you would enjoy this.  Its an interview I did recently for a Spanish online animation/comic art centered magazine called "Pegs Magazine".  It was published in Spanish so many of you probably didn't see it (or could understand it if you did see it).  So, here is the original ENGLISH version.  The questions are a little bit broken English, but hopefully you will understand them just fine.  Talk soon, Tom B.


Interview with Tom Bancroft.

1.- When did u decide that u wanted to become an Animator and why?

Tom :  I kind of "fell" into animation, though it was always a part of my life even as a young boy.  I loved TV animation and went to all the Disney films, but back in the late 70s (when I was a child), you didn't hear stories about how animation was created.   I had never heard of an animator, but I had heard of a cartoonist, so that was what I was going to be- a comic strip artist like Charles Schulz (creator of PEANUTS).  I have a twin brother (Tony) and we grew up drawing together.  We both created comic strips for our high school and college newspapers.  One day in college we met a fellow cartoonist who had made a Clay animation short film with a Super 8 camera.  Seeing that film made the "lights" go on in our brains and we discovered we could use our drawing ability and combine that with movement to become an animator.  

2. - Where did u study art or animation?

Tom :  I went to California Institute of the Arts, which is an art school that teaches animation.  Walt Disney founded it and many of the teachers there work in the animation industry during the day.  My brother and I went there for a year and a half around 1987-1988.  

3.- What did u do to go to work at Disney?

Tom :  At Cal Arts the teachers announced that people from Disney were coming to look at portfolios to hire some people to come to work as interns.  It was only going to be a 9-week internship, then they would pick the people they wanted to ask them if they wanted a job.  Disney went to at least 8 different art schools around the US to find the people for this internship.  My brother and I were chosen to be a part of the internship and then at the end of it were offered jobs to move to Florida and join the Disney studio they were building at Disneyworld.  (It opened in 1989, and was called the Disney/MGM Studios but is now called The Hollywood Studios theme park.)  

4.-  How was your time at Disney?

Tom :  In short, I loved it.  There were so many great artists in every department (layout, animation, clean up, background painting, etc.) that there was inspiration everywhere you looked.  It was also a great time to be at Disney since I was able to work on some of the NEW Disney classics like: "Beauty and the Beast", "The Lion King", "Aladdin", "Pocahontas", "Tarzan", and "Mulan".  I enjoyed every moment of my 12 years with Disney animation.  

5.- Did u started as an animator?

Tom :  No.  Coming out of art school as I did, everyone starts in the clean up department.  That means you are working under an animator and making his drawings ready for ink and painting.  You place a blank piece of paper over his drawing and create a new, clean lined drawing and add the details that he/she may have left out.  Then in-betweens are added between those drawings to smooth out the action.  It's a good place to learn some of the animation principals, but it is a bit more technical than animation.  I was in clean up for about a year and a half, then moved into the animation department as a beginning animator.  

6.- Which was the first movie that u worked at?

Tom :  The first thing I worked on was a Roger Rabbit short cartoon called "Rollercoaster Rabbit".  The first feature film was "The Rescuer's Down Under".

7.- Did u created some of the characters form the movies that u worked on?

Tom :  I worked on many characters through the years, but it wasn't until the film MULAN that I was given the opportunity to design a character.   It is the job of the Supervising Animator of a character to create the final design of the character he/she is working on.  On MULAN, I was asked to be a Supervising Animator on the character of "Mushu" the dragon, voiced by Eddie Murphy.  It was a joy to design and animate "Mushu".

8.- What take u to publish a character design book?

Tom :  After I left Disney in 2003, a publisher contacted me and asked if I would like to create a "how to" book on animation.  I said, "YES", but thought about it and thought that there had already been many great animation books.  How would mine be any better than the others?  The more I thought about it, I thought that there had never been a book just on Character Design.  It was a part of the animation process, but it is also part of the process of creating video games, comic books, comic strips, and children's books.  Many people would want a book like that, I knew I would too!  So, I pitched the idea to the publisher and they loved it.  I then took about 6 months to write and draw my first book, "Creating Characters with Personality".  That book has gone on to be the best selling book on the subject of character design and is used at art schools around the world!  About a year ago, I did my second book, "Character Mentor" and it is a sequel to my first book.  

9.- Have u seen some Mexican animated features?

Tom :  No, I haven't seen any.  I have seen some trailers for Top Cat and a few others.  I know a few people in the animation industry there in Mexico though.  Raul Garcia worked with us at Disney, he is a fine animator and director.  Humberto Ramos and Francisco Herrera are great character designers and comic artists also!

10.- What would you say to all the people that want to make animation?

Tom :  I would say follow your dreams BUT remember that anything worthwhile is worth working hard for!  I am often asked, "How do I get into animation?"   I always answer that question with a question: "Do you draw everyday"?  If they say they do not, then I ask them how do they expect to work professionally as an artist?  I cannot become an Olympic swimmer if I don't get in the pool every day.  

11.- Was it hard for u?
Tom :  Yes and no.  When you love something it is work that goes by quickly.  I have never counted the amount of drawings I have drawn (and thrown away) or how much time I put into drawing over the years.  If I did, I am sure I would be depressed!  Disney is like any place that is the best at what they do: It is competitive!  To work there and move up in the company takes hard work and talent.  

12.- In what projects are you working on?

Tom:  Many things.  My day job right now is as Lead character designer on a Christian TV series called "SUPERBOOK".  It is a remake of an anime series done in the early 80s.  We redesigned it and are creating it in CG animation in China.  I also do animation direction and storyboard revisions on the show.  On the side, I am also doing many things.  I have an online comic strip I am doing once a week called "Outnumbered" (www.outnumberedcomic.com) and I have a Kickstarter project for my comic book series "Opposite Forces" that just successfully ended, so I am busy fulfilling those promises!

13.- Have you come to México?

Tom: Only when I was very young.  We lived in California so it was an easy drive into Mexico but we only went to Tijuana.

14.- Would you like to come sometime?

Tom:  I do not think I saw the best part of Mexico when I went to Tijuana.  I have heard there are many beautiful areas of Mexico though.  I would like to see them one day.  I have many Mexican fans and friends that are wonderful.  


Thank you for your time and for the interview.

To all that enjoy a good ebook: my Disney buddy, Andrew Simmons, has a great new fantasy series about a pastor who uses his faith, some huge guns, and his skills to fight the vampires that killed his wife. It's called Pastor Tiller. I am proud to say I wrote the forward. It's inexpensive and would make a great film!
[link]

ALSO-

It's Monday so that means there's a new OUTNUMBERED comic up! Went out on a limb today, so please let me know if you liked it, or got it at all.
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For my Spanish speaking friends (Hola Costa Rica!), here is an interview I did for a great digital magazine to view online or on the Ipad. It's called Pegs Magazine and its all about animation, comic strips, comic books and all things wonderful. You can also find it in the Itunes store for iPad.
[link]