Things I am learning about Woody Woodpecker

Original above

Just something really quick that I started on my lunch break at work last night. I will probably revisit it when I can. Again, this fattening phenomenon. I squished everything and pushed his head-feathers forward way too far. I started the baby but ran out of time.

The eye on the right is completely off the head. I'm wondering if I have a mental deficiency.





John K has been gracious enough to offer me a lot of help recently. He even gave me a specific assignment. I'm flattered and really motivated.

Anyway, to get started on what John wants me to do, I need to study Woody Woodpecker. I've been watching the theatrical shorts. Pausing, rewatching. Studying walk cycles.





I didn't upload all of them because the other frames aren't as well-drawn on my part. I need to get over this timidity thing; I think as I improve it'll take care of itself. I like this third drawing above more than the others. The line of action works.



This one not so much. Hands look stupid because I rushed them too much, even for a quick practice doodle.

I like the character used design here, so I think it's the one I'm going to stick with when I animate him. These are from a walk cycle in "Solid Ivory" (coincidentally John posted it today).

These are just quick, very quick, studies of the parts of a walk cycle. I drew them Monday night. I scanned in all of my studies and put them together but they animated very choppily. I guess it is my first actual flirtation with character animation, though, so I'm not discouraged. I'm just not showing you.

Fun things I've noticed:

- He is a dick and is primarily interested in food and haranguing people. Awesome.

- He looked more interesting with fat legs, but moved more wonderfully when he started to even out a bit but kept a really prominent, pointy beak and somewhat stout stature. I don't like the pinchy-legged Woody of the 50's and onward nearly as much.

- I don't think his head is an oval. It tapers on the bottom, like an upside-down egg... unless I'm not reading it right. I can't seem to get head construction under control as much as I'd like.

- I really like the openings to the cartoons where Woody pops in, says "Guess who?", laughs, and immediately there's a cut to Walter Lantz' name. When it fades it's just not as snappy.


This is a (sort of large-- which is why it is a bad photo instead of a scan, sorry) sketch for what will be something for my landscape drawing class. I am figuring out the colors first, but will paint it soon.