Learning Animation and 3D

So I painted in my free time in 2006, but what then did I do with the REST of my time? Easy. January-April I tried to get into the Animation program by drawing and animating a lot. Here are some of my anims from Intro class:

In April I weaseled my way into an Animation position at my work. I had previously been working as a design assistant which meant I did a lot of editing and gopher tasks. The animation position had me working with Maya and After Effects. These jobs were at BYU Independent Study. I still work at Independent Study today and will continue to work there until we have completed the Caveman commericial.

I cannot say enough good things about IS or about my boss, Glenn Anderson, who has provided me countless hours of freedom to learn on the job, direction, guidance, TONS of flexibility (as much as any man could want), and of course money necessary to pay for my daily needs. Glenn said yes when I pitched the idea of hiring another animator, and Steve Glauser started working there in January 2007. We spent about 6 months getting used to each other and the software and then in the summer we decided to pitch a commercial idea to keep us busy. It was approved, surprisingly.

About the time Steve was hired I completed the following animations which are introduction "tags" (titles) for various videos that had been created for a high school foods course. I thought the idea of a foods course was fantastic. Who wouldn't want to learn about food?

So I created Molly the Minicow. She gets abused, but no one seemed to mind the abuse, I guess because she's just a cartoon. Or is it because she's just a cow?

I think these animations show some dormant feelings from my high school days when I was vegan for a month and vegetarian for 8 or 9. I am now ominvorous again but sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't see a psychologist because I always seem to side with the vegetarians in conversations. But in the Philippines, where they would literally starve to death without animal meat, I definitely side with my Filipino friends and declare that even eating my own dog is appropriate if it means myself and my family will live another day.

For those interested (which probably none of your are), I had zero guidance at IS. I was THE only 3D animator there so everything I learned I learned on my own. I was on the internet forums a lot and I spent about $500 on tutorial DVDs and books to get me through it.

PS - Sound NOT done by me.