About
The project Tai Chi Kid was inspired by one of my favorite actors, Jackie Chan. I have always loved watching his movies and have been fascinated by how effortlessly he mixes action with humor. With that in mind, I wanted to create something just as cool and innovative.
Instead of using a typical kung fu scene, I opted for Tai Chi—a martial art that combines slow, calm movements with quick, powerful ones. To add humor, I chose a cute toddler character as the star of my animation. Can you imagine a little toddler pulling off awesome Tai Chi moves? It is not only funny and unexpected but also highlights the grace of this martial art.
To reproduce his movements, I spent some time watching YouTube martial arts videos. I selected some of my favorite scenes and put them together to create a compilation that fit my animation. I could not be happier with the final result: an entertaining animation and a tribute to the beauty of martial arts.
About
The project I Don't Love You was created for a character animation class. The goal was to produce a dialogue scene. I chose an argument because it is dramatic and expressive, allowing me to explore facial and body gestures.
I found a rig of a couple and thought it was a great fit because an argument between couples is something most people can easily relate to. Initially set in a kitchen, I switched the setting to a car to increase intimacy and tension, as the small space keeps the characters closer.
The audio, originally from Revolutionary Road, captures raw emotion and dramatic tension. For the reference, I recorded videos of my wife and me reproducing this scene, and some solo footage. During blocking, I used pose-to-pose animation and adjusted movements to fit the car’s limited space, making small actions impactful. I planned anticipation, squash and stretch, and exaggeration before splining. In polishing, I refined overlaps, arm arcs, and head and eye movements, focusing on slow in and slow out to increase expressiveness. I also made changes to some poses, and fixed face gestures.
I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I enjoyed creating it.