Over the years I've looked at various ways of creating and animating a digital avatar, from simply creating a character for Cartoon Animator and voicing and animating it myself, to creating a live motion capture ready Vtuber avatar puppeted and voiced by me in real-time.In the last year or so, making photographic images talk, using AI and AI voice cloning has really progressed. To the point ..read more

The Emo Girl Character created by Start Animating. AI generative video isn't new but it is the next big thing in the visual imaging space as various development teams work to perfect the generated output. Just like generating still images AI video sometimes struggles with physics, arm and hand movement, and the general structure of things.However it is getting better and, as is the catch cry ..read more

Daz AI Studio uses 3D content to influence2D text to image generations.Better known for their completely free, 3D animation studio, Daz 3D have launched their own browser based, AI text to image generator, Daz AI Studio.All you need is a Daz 3D account to get started for free. Upgrade to a Premium plan for a small monthly fee for additional features. At the time of writing Daz AI Studio is ..read more

Straight Outta Oregon: Old Man Puppet Design.Puppetry is, perhaps, one of the original forms of character animation. In many ways we've come full circle with both 2D and 3D computer based animation making use of digital 'puppet rigs' in order to animate characters more efficiently and allowing computers to do more of the grunt work of 'tweening'.In this feature interview I take a look over the ..read more

Even though I should be further away from the cameraDollars Mocap MONO still does a good job of tracking my arms, hands and fingers.Ever since I wrote my series on becoming a VTuber, discovering it was possible to do full body motion capture, including hands and fingers, with just software and a webcam, I've been on the look out for any motion capture software that can bring that ..read more

This is the final post in my four part, 2D Animation Side Hustle series on Selling in the Reallusion 2D Marketplace. I'll look at how to package up your content and upload it to the Marketplace, how to optimize your listings, price, and how to sell through your store backend as well as off site through social media and other channels.If you haven't read previous articles in the series click these ..read more

In part three of my 2D Animation Side Hustle series on selling in the Reallusion 2D Marketplace I look at deciding what to sell, your unique selling proposition (USP), and look at a key strategy to keep people coming back to your store.If you missed part one on Starting Your Side Hustle and whether you can earn real money, or part two on Niches and how to find ones in demand, I ..read more

Continuing my series on your 2D Animation Side Hustle, Selling in the Reallusion 2D Marketplace, in this article I'm going to take a look at niches and why they're important to becoming a successful seller.I'll also look at some indicators, specific to the Reallusion Marketplace, that can help point you in the right direction of finding niches that are in demand.What is a Niche and Why Are They ..read more

Have you thought about starting a side hustle selling your original Cartoon Animator assets in the Reallusion 2D/3D Marketplace? In this article, the first in a series on selling in the marketplace, I'll give you an overview of what's involved, why you should give it some thought, and whether you can earn enough to quit your day job (or at least have a worthwhile side hustle).If you're an artist ..read more

Random character head, Biro sketches drawn by TET (left). Render by Prome.ai (right)using Prome's Sketch Render tool set to 'Comon:Cartoon, Render Mode: Outline'.While I don't do New Year Resolutions, one of my plans for the year ahead is to do more of my own art. Specifically character design drawn in an actual, physical sketchbook. To that end, I have been spending the last half hour of ..read more