ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 17
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 17
(Or: Running Cycles and Why They’ll Haunt You Forever)
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🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE YOUR SANITY GOES TO DIE 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the most brutal animation truths.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the nightmare of animating a running cycle—because it’s worse than a walk cycle in every possible way.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to cry over a running cycle that looked like my character was speed-walking to the bathroom, you might as well learn from my pain.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy animating a run that looks like your character is floating through space.)
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LESSON 17: THE ANIMATOR’S NIGHTMARE – RUNNING CYCLES AND WHY THEY’LL HAUNT YOU FOREVER
(Or: Why Your Character Looks Like They’re Speed-Walking Instead of Sprinting)
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🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! YOU THOUGHT WALK CYCLES WERE HARD? WELCOME TO HELL.
If you survived walk cycles, you might feel confident about running cycles.
🚨 DON’T. 🚨
💀 Running is faster, more exaggerated, and has more complex physics.
💀 Mistakes are 10x more obvious.
💀 If anything is off, your character looks like a glitchy video game NPC.
🚨 Welcome to your next major animation crisis. 🚨
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🔥 WHY RUN CYCLES ARE 10X HARDER THAN WALK CYCLES
1️⃣ There’s WAY less time to fix mistakes.
• A walk cycle takes about 12-16 frames.
• A run cycle? Only 6-8 frames.
2️⃣ The character leaves the ground.
• Walk cycles have constant foot contact.
• Runs involve “airborne” moments—aka more room for disaster.
3️⃣ Speed creates way more secondary motion.
• Arms, legs, head, torso—everything has to react to the speed.
• If you don’t add proper overlap, the run will feel stiff or weightless.
🚨 THE RESULT:
💀 Too slow? It looks like speed-walking.
💀 Too stiff? It looks like a horror movie glitch.
💀 Too smooth? Now it’s an Olympic-level jog instead of a full run.
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🔥 THE FOUR MAIN POSES OF A RUN CYCLE (IGNORE THESE AND SUFFER FOREVER)
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🚨 1. CONTACT POSE – WHERE EACH STEP BEGINS
• One foot just touches the ground.
• The opposite foot is fully extended behind.
• The arms swing at maximum distance.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Make sure the foot hits the ground with purpose.
✅ The back leg should stretch naturally—not look broken.
✅ Arms should move opposite to the legs.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ The foot barely touches the ground, making it look like the character is floating.
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🚨 2. DOWN POSE – THE LOWEST POINT OF THE RUN
• The weight drops as the foot absorbs impact.
• The knee bends for compression.
• The arms cross the body slightly.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Lower the torso slightly—this is where weight shows.
✅ Keep the motion quick but snappy—too slow, and it looks weird.
✅ Check that the arms match the momentum of the body.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character lands stiffly, making the run look robotic.
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🚨 3. PASSING POSE – THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUN
• The back leg swings forward.
• The front leg is bent and lifted.
• The arms switch positions.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ The knee should be lifted naturally—not too high or too low.
✅ Check that the arms don’t look too stiff or too floppy.
✅ Make sure the character still has forward momentum.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ The character slows down too much, turning the run into a weird power-walk.
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🚨 4. UP POSE – THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE RUN
• Both feet are completely off the ground.
• The arms are mid-swing.
• The torso is at its highest.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Make sure the character actually leaves the ground!
✅ Keep motion fluid—if it’s too stiff, it looks fake.
✅ Ensure the feet don’t “float” before hitting the ground again.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character never fully leaves the ground, making it look like they’re gliding.
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🔥 COMMON RUN CYCLE MISTAKES (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 MISTAKE #1: “WHY DOES MY CHARACTER LOOK LIKE THEY’RE SPEED-WALKING?”
🛠️ FIX: Make sure the airborne phase is exaggerated enough. If the feet are always on the ground, it’s a fast walk, not a run.
🚨 MISTAKE #2: “MY CHARACTER LOOKS LIKE A RAGDOLL.”
🛠️ FIX: Control the secondary motion! Arms, torso, and legs should follow clean arcs.
🚨 MISTAKE #3: “THE ARMS LOOK AWKWARD.”
🛠️ FIX: Arms move opposite to the legs. Overlap their movement so they don’t snap unnaturally.
🚨 MISTAKE #4: “WHY DOES MY RUN CYCLE LOOK TOO FLOATY?”
🛠️ FIX: Add more weight! The character should hit the ground with clear impact, not gently glide.
🚨 MISTAKE #5: “I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT IT STILL FEELS OFF.”
🛠️ FIX: Check the timing. Small timing adjustments can make or break the run’s believability.
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🔥 HOW TO MAKE RUN CYCLES LOOK NATURAL (WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SANITY)
1️⃣ EXAGGERATE FIRST, THEN REFINE.
• Push the bounce and leg extension to extremes, then dial it back.
2️⃣ CHECK SILHOUETTES CONSTANTLY.
• A good run cycle should look readable in every frame.
3️⃣ ADD SUBTLE HEAD AND TORSO MOVEMENT.
• If the torso is too stiff, the run feels robotic.
4️⃣ USE REFERENCE.
• Film yourself running. Slow it down. Study how weight shifts.
🚨 THE SECRET: A great run cycle isn’t just movement—it’s physics, timing, and personality. 🚨
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🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: RUNNING CYCLES WILL BREAK YOU, BUT THEY’RE WORTH IT
Here’s the truth:
🎨 A great run cycle will instantly make your animation feel professional.
💀 A bad run cycle will make it look like your character is glitching.
🚀 Master this, and you’ll never fear animating action scenes again.
And if all else fails, just cut to a close-up shot of the character’s face and avoid showing their legs.
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🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs 👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 18 – Animating Fight Scenes: How to Make Punches Look Powerful (Without Accidentally Making a Slapstick Comedy)
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the worst run cycle disaster you’ve ever animated? 🎨💀😂
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🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 16
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 16
(Or: How to Make a Character Walk Without Looking Drunk)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL DOESN’T WARN YOU ABOUT THIS 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the cruelest animation industry truths.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the absolute horror of animating a proper walk cycle.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to animate a walk cycle for 12 straight hours only for my teacher to say, “It’s stiff,” you might as well learn from my suffering.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy watching your character moonwalk in place like a broken video game NPC.)
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LESSON 16: ANIMATING WALK CYCLES – HOW TO MAKE A CHARACTER WALK WITHOUT LOOKING DRUNK
(Or: Why This Is the First Thing You’ll Learn… and the Thing That Will Break You the Most.)
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🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WANT TO ANIMATE A WALK CYCLE? PREPARE FOR A BREAKDOWN.
Every animation student underestimates walk cycles.
💀 It’s just walking, right?
💀 People walk every day!
💀 How hard can it be?
🚨 WRONG. 🚨
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🔥 WHY WALK CYCLES ARE ANIMATOR HELL
1️⃣ Walk cycles are one of the hardest things to animate well.
• If one little detail is off, the entire animation looks wrong.
• If timing isn’t perfect, the character looks like they’re floating.
2️⃣ It has to look effortless, but it’s actually an insane balancing act.
• The character’s weight must shift properly.
• The arms must counterbalance the legs.
• The head and torso can’t be stiff.
3️⃣ It exposes all of your weaknesses.
• Bad posing? It shows.
• Bad timing? It shows.
• Bad physics? Oh, it REALLY shows.
🚨 THE RESULT:
💀 Too stiff? Your character looks robotic.
💀 Too loose? Your character looks drunk.
💀 Too perfect? Now they look like a soulless AI.
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🔥 THE FOUR MAIN POSES OF A WALK CYCLE (LEARN THESE OR SUFFER FOREVER)
Every walk cycle is built around four key poses. Get these right, and you’re 80% there.
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🚨 1. CONTACT POSE – WHERE EACH STEP BEGINS
• One foot is just touching the ground.
• The opposite foot is lifting off.
• The arms are at their widest swing.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Check that the weight is balanced.
✅ Make sure the foot is actually making contact, not floating.
✅ Pose should feel “mid-step.”
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ The foot is either too far ahead or behind, making the walk look unnatural.
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🚨 2. DOWN POSE – THE LOWEST POINT OF THE STEP
• The character’s weight presses down.
• The foot absorbs the impact.
• The torso drops slightly.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Lower the torso slightly—this is where weight shows.
✅ Bend the knees naturally.
✅ Feet should stay firmly planted.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character walks stiffly because their body never lowers.
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🚨 3. PASSING POSE – THE MIDPOINT OF THE WALK
• One foot is lifting off completely.
• The other foot is directly under the torso.
• The arms are neutral.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Make sure the leading foot is high enough to clear the ground.
✅ Check that the weight is balanced on the supporting leg.
✅ Arms shouldn’t be frozen—there should be subtle motion.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character shuffles instead of stepping properly.
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🚨 4. UP POSE – THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE WALK
• The character pushes off the ground.
• The foot begins swinging forward.
• The torso lifts slightly.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Add a slight upward motion in the torso.
✅ Don’t overextend—too much lift makes it feel bouncy.
✅ Ensure the arms follow through with the step.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character floats too high, making it look like they’re walking on the moon.
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🔥 COMMON WALK CYCLE MISTAKES (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 MISTAKE #1: “WHY DOES MY CHARACTER LOOK LIKE THEY’RE MOONWALKING?”
🛠️ FIX: The feet must make firm contact with the ground. If they slide, the illusion is broken.
🚨 MISTAKE #2: “MY CHARACTER LOOKS LIKE A ROBOT.”
🛠️ FIX: Loosen up the movements. Add natural bounce and flow to the arms, torso, and legs.
🚨 MISTAKE #3: “THE ARMS LOOK WEIRD.”
🛠️ FIX: Arms should move opposite to the legs. (Right foot forward? Left arm forward.)
🚨 MISTAKE #4: “WHY DOES MY WALK CYCLE LOOK SO… OFF?”
🛠️ FIX: Watch real people walk. Study real-life reference. Nothing replaces real movement.
🚨 MISTAKE #5: “I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT IT STILL FEELS WRONG.”
🛠️ FIX: Check the timing. Small timing tweaks make a massive difference in realism.
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🔥 HOW TO MAKE WALK CYCLES LOOK NATURAL (WITHOUT WASTING YOUR LIFE ANIMATING THEM)
1️⃣ EXAGGERATE FIRST, THEN TONE IT DOWN.
• Start with an over-the-top walk and refine it.
2️⃣ CHECK SILHOUETTES CONSTANTLY.
• A good walk cycle should look readable in every frame.
3️⃣ DON’T ANIMATE IN A VACUUM.
• Walk cycles must fit the character’s personality.
4️⃣ WATCH YOUR OWN WALK.
• Record yourself walking. Study what your body does naturally.
🚨 THE SECRET: A good walk cycle isn’t just movement—it’s acting. 🚨
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🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: WALK CYCLES WILL BREAK YOU, BUT THEY’RE WORTH IT
Here’s the truth:
🎨 If you can master a solid walk cycle, everything else in animation gets easier.
💀 Bad walk cycles are painfully obvious.
🚀 Good walk cycles bring characters to life.
And if all else fails, just make your character float instead. Call it a “creative choice.”
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 17 – The Animator’s Nightmare: Running Cycles and Why They’ll Haunt You Forever
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the worst walk cycle disaster you’ve ever animated? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE -Lesson 15: The Laws of Light and Shadow – Why Your Art Still Looks Flat
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE
Lesson 15: The Laws of Light and Shadow – Why Your Art Still Looks Flat
(A.k.a. Why Your Drawings Have the Depth of a Paper Towel)
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Congratulations, Your Art is a Pancake
So, you’ve been drawing for years, and yet your art still looks like a crime scene chalk outline. You add shading, but somehow, it doesn’t help. It just looks… muddy. Lifeless. Two-dimensional, like a low-budget mobile game.
WELL, GOOD NEWS! You’re not alone. Bad news? That’s because most of the world doesn’t understand light and shadow. Worse news? You’ve been lied to your whole life—shading isn’t the same thing as lighting.
But don’t worry. By the time we’re done, your artwork will have actual volume, and not just in the “your files are too big to save” kind of way.
And hey—if you like this brutal honesty, subscribe to my YouTube channel for even more self-esteem-ruining animation wisdom!
⸻
Step 1: What Even Is Light? (Besides the Thing That Makes Your Screen Work)
Light is what lets you see. (Duh.) But art-wise, light does a lot more than just let you suffer through Twitter discourse. It affects mood, shape, and depth, and if you ignore its rules, your artwork will look like a flattened potato.
Types of Light Sources (a.k.a. The Gods of Your Art)
• Direct Light – Harsh, dramatic, high-contrast. Think Interrogation Room Before They Bring You Coffee.
• Diffuse Light – Soft, ambient, spreads evenly. Like the gentle glow of regret when you realize you picked the wrong major.
• Ambient Light – The general light in a scene, the reason horror movies use it wrong all the time.
• Reflected Light – The reason shadows aren’t pure black. Light bounces off surfaces like your bad decisions coming back to haunt you.
Quick Quiz: Which of These Have You Ever Thought About?
• A) All of them.
• B) Some of them.
• C) LOL WHAT IS LIGHT?
If you picked C, please sit down. There’s a lot to cover.
⸻
Step 2: Shadows Are Not Just “Black” (Stop Doing This Immediately)
Raise your hand if you’ve ever shaded with straight black.
Now use that hand to slap yourself gently.
Shadows aren’t black—they’re a mix of the object’s color, ambient light, and reflected light from surrounding surfaces. Here’s what actually happens in shadows:
Types of Shadows (Yes, There’s More Than One, You Fool)
• Core Shadow – The darkest part of the object where light just straight-up gives up.
• Cast Shadow – The shadow the object throws onto the ground, wall, or your failed dreams.
• Reflected Light – A soft glow inside the shadow because light bounces, my dude.
• Highlight – The brightest part of an object where the light source hits directly.
If your shadows are just black scribbles, your drawing will look like it was done in a dimly lit dungeon using a broken crayon. Fix that.
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Step 3: Why Your Art is Still Flatter Than Your First Pancakes
Even if you’ve applied shadows, your art might still look meh. Here’s why:
• You Didn’t Pick a Light Source – You need a consistent light direction. Shadows can’t just be wherever you feel like.
• You Used Black for Shadows – We just talked about this. DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF.
• You Didn’t Push Values – If everything is a boring mid-tone, your drawing will look like it’s stuck in a fog of artistic mediocrity. Use strong contrast!
• No Subsurface Scattering – When light passes through skin, leaves, or jellyfish, it glows. If your character looks like a plastic mannequin, this is why.
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Step 4: Cheat Codes to Instantly Improve Your Lighting
Want an instant upgrade? Try these pro hacks:
1. Use a Single Light Source First – Master one before you try anything fancy.
2. Think in 3D – Stop shading like a coloring book. Wrap the light around the form!
3. Exaggerate Contrast – Push shadows darker and highlights brighter for actual depth.
4. Warm Light = Cool Shadows, Cool Light = Warm Shadows – This is real science. Use it.
5. Reference Real Life – Stop guessing. Look at how shadows behave around you.
And if you’re still struggling, just go outside. Look at how light hits objects. If that’s too much effort, watch my YouTube channel instead—I break this stuff down in actual motion.
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Final Thoughts: Stop Making Paper Towel Art
If you actually absorb today’s lesson, your artwork will no longer look like a bad sticker. Lighting is the #1 thing that separates amateur artists from pros, so stop shading like a broken printer and start using real light logic.
And for the love of all that is holy, STOP USING BLACK FOR SHADOWS.
That’s it for Lesson 15—now go forth and shade like you actually know what you’re doing.
And hey—if you actually liked this brutal honesty, why not subscribe to my YouTube channel? I post even more animation wisdom, life regrets, and existential crises disguised as tutorials:
➡️ SUBSCRIBE NOW ⬅️
Your art will thank you. Your past mistakes? Probably not.
⸻
There you go—Lesson 15, fully armed with self-deprecating humor, YouTube plugs, and even more brutal honesty. Let me know if you need tweaks!
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 14
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 14
(Or: How to Make Your Character Talk Without Looking Like a Horror Movie Puppet)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL DREAMS GO TO DIE 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the animation industry’s cruelest truths.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Help you avoid making lip sync animations that look like a haunted ventriloquist dummy.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to suffer through animating my first dialogue scene, you might as well benefit from my pain.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy characters talking with their mouths flapping randomly like a broken Muppet.)
⸻
LESSON 14: LIP SYNC – HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHARACTER TALK WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE A HORROR MOVIE PUPPET
(Or: Why Every Beginner Lip Sync Animation Looks Like a Bad Dub)
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🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WANT TO ANIMATE DIALOGUE? PREPARE TO SUFFER.
Every aspiring animator dreams of animating their favorite characters speaking.
🚨 Then they try it. 🚨
💀 What they expect: Fluid, expressive lip sync that rivals Pixar.
💀 What they get: A character whose mouth flaps open and closed like a deranged goldfish.
🚨 WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE OF LIP SYNC ANIMATION. 🚨
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🔥 WHY LIP SYNC IS HARDER THAN YOU THINK
Dialogue animation is deceptively difficult because:
💀 People are insanely good at spotting bad lip sync.
💀 Mouth shapes don’t match every sound exactly the way you think.
💀 If you focus only on the lips, the character still looks dead inside.
The goal isn’t just “matching the mouth to the sound.”
🚨 It’s about making the whole face FEEL like it’s speaking. 🚨
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🔥 THE SIX MOST IMPORTANT RULES OF LIP SYNC
🚨 Ignore these, and your character will look like a malfunctioning animatronic.
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🚨 1. THE MOUTH DOESN’T NEED TO MOVE FOR EVERY SOUND.
• If you try to animate every syllable exactly, the mouth will look like a chaotic mess.
• The key mouth shapes (visemes) should flow naturally into each other.
• Think about how real people talk—mouth movements are often subtle.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Find the most important mouth shapes (not every single one).
✅ Let the animation flow instead of snapping from shape to shape.
✅ Focus on rhythm, not hyper-accuracy.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character’s mouth pops open and closed for every tiny sound like an insane sock puppet.
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🚨 2. LIP SYNC STARTS WITH THE JAW, NOT THE LIPS.
• The jaw drives speech.
• If the jaw movement is wrong, the whole animation will feel stiff.
• Even if the mouth shapes are perfect, a locked jaw makes the animation look robotic.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Animate the jaw movement FIRST, then add lip detail.
✅ Observe real conversations—people’s jaws bounce with speech.
✅ If a word is emphasized, the jaw should react naturally.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character talks without their jaw moving at all, like a cursed ventriloquist dummy.
⸻
🚨 3. DON’T IGNORE THE TONGUE AND TEETH.
• The tongue and teeth should appear naturally in certain sounds.
• Words like “TH” and “L” require the tongue to be visible.
• A floating mouth with no inside structure looks weird.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ For “TH” sounds, show the tongue between the teeth.
✅ For “L” sounds, let the tongue briefly hit the roof of the mouth.
✅ Don’t overdo it—too much detail can make it distracting.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character says “thank you” but their tongue never appears. (What kind of cursed being is this?!)
⸻
🚨 4. DIALOGUE INVOLVES THE WHOLE FACE.
• If only the mouth moves, the character will look dead inside.
• Eyebrows, cheeks, and head movement sell the emotion of the dialogue.
• Think about real-life acting—our whole face reacts when we speak.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Animate the eyebrows and head tilt along with speech.
✅ Don’t let the eyes stay static while the mouth moves—it’s unnatural.
✅ Use facial expressions to emphasize important words.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character delivers a passionate monologue while their face remains frozen like a taxidermy experiment.
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🚨 5. TIMING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PERFECT MOUTH SHAPES.
• Lip sync should feel natural even if the mouth shapes aren’t exact.
• A slightly exaggerated open mouth can work better than a “correct” one.
• Matching the timing to the emotion matters more than precise phonemes.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Prioritize clear, readable mouth shapes over frame-perfect accuracy.
✅ Time mouth openings to match the energy of the words, not just the audio waveform.
✅ Test the animation without sound—does it still feel like they’re talking?
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character has mathematically perfect lip sync but somehow still feels unnatural.
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🚨 6. SUBTITLES SHOULD STILL MAKE SENSE IF YOU MUTE THE AUDIO.
• If you watch an animation on mute, you should still be able to tell what’s being said.
• If you rely too much on sound to sell the lip sync, you’re doing it wrong.
• Test your animation without audio—it should still be clear.
🔥 HOW TO FIX IT:
✅ Mute your animation and see if the mouth movements still match the words.
✅ Act out the dialogue yourself in a mirror—what do you naturally emphasize?
✅ Trust your instincts—if it looks weird, it probably is.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character is talking, but you can’t tell what they’re saying without sound.
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🔥 HOW TO MASTER LIP SYNC WITHOUT WANTING TO QUIT ANIMATION
1️⃣ Start with simple words.
• “Wow” and “No” are great for practice.
2️⃣ Record yourself talking.
• Your own facial movements are the best reference.
3️⃣ Use key poses instead of animating every frame.
• Find the extreme shapes first, then fill in the gaps.
4️⃣ Watch bad lip sync and learn what NOT to do.
• Bad dubs are a masterclass in what to avoid.
🚨 THE SECRET: Lip sync is an illusion—focus on the feeling of speech, not hyper-accuracy. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: LIP SYNC WILL BREAK YOU, BUT YOU’LL COME BACK STRONGER
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Lip sync is hard, but once you get it, it becomes second nature.
💀 Bad lip sync will ruin even the best animation.
🚀 Good lip sync will make your character feel alive.
And if all else fails, just make your character talk off-screen and call it “artistic choice.”
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 15 – Animating Hands: How to Lose Your Mind While Drawing Five Fingers
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the worst lip sync mistake you’ve ever made? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 13
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 13
(Or: Why You’ll Never Escape Richard Williams’ Ghost)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL LIES GET BURNED TO THE GROUND 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the animation industry’s cruelest truths.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the inevitable moment when you realize Richard Williams haunts every animator.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to cry over The Animator’s Survival Kit, you might as well get something useful from my suffering.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy learning animation the hard way.)
⸻
LESSON 13: THE ANIMATOR’S SURVIVAL KIT – WHY YOU’LL NEVER ESCAPE RICHARD WILLIAMS’ GHOST
(Or: How This One Book Will Make or Break Your Animation Dreams)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WANT TO LEARN ANIMATION? GOOD LUCK.
At some point, every aspiring animator stumbles upon this cursed tome:
🚨 The Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard Williams. 🚨
It’s the bible of animation.
It’s the best book ever written on the subject.
It’s also a soul-destroying reminder that you know NOTHING.
⸻
🔥 WHAT’S INSIDE THIS BOOK (BESIDES ANIMATOR TEARS)
📖 500+ pages of mind-blowing animation knowledge.
🎭 Detailed breakdowns of movement, acting, and timing.
🕳️ An existential crisis waiting to happen.
Every animator goes through The Five Stages of The Animator’s Survival Kit:
1️⃣ DENIAL – “THIS LOOKS EASY ENOUGH.”
• You open the book.
• The first few pages are simple.
• “I get it! Squash and stretch, anticipation, blah blah blah…”
🚨 WRONG. 🚨
⸻
2️⃣ SHOCK – “WAIT, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE FRAME?”
• You hit the section on walk cycles.
• Suddenly, you’re staring at 18-step breakdowns of a single movement.
• You realize animation isn’t about drawing—it’s about thinking like a robot from the future.
• Panic sets in.
⸻
3️⃣ BARGAINING – “IF I JUST SKIP TO THE FUN PARTS, I’LL BE FINE.”
• You flip past all the physics-heavy pages.
• You try to jump straight to acting and performance.
• Then you realize you don’t even know how to make a character take a normal step.
• You quietly go back to page one.
⸻
4️⃣ DEPRESSION – “I WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS THE EXAMPLES IN THIS BOOK.”
• You attempt your first Richard Williams-approved walk cycle.
• It looks like a haunted marionette trying to escape its own existence.
• You consider switching careers.
⸻
5️⃣ ACCEPTANCE – “I GUESS I’LL JUST KEEP ANIMATING UNTIL I DIE.”
• You accept that animation is suffering.
• You realize The Animator’s Survival Kit is your new best friend and worst enemy.
• You start animating, knowing Richard Williams is watching your every mistake from beyond the grave.
⸻
🔥 THE MOST PAINFUL BUT IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THIS BOOK
🚨 1. WALK CYCLES ARE HARDER THAN ROCKET SCIENCE.
• A “simple” walk cycle isn’t actually simple.
• Every step needs weight, balance, timing, and personality.
• If you mess up one frame, your character turns into a glitching NPC.
🔥 HOW TO SURVIVE:
✅ Master the four main poses: Contact, Down, Passing, Up.
✅ Use reference. No one expects you to invent physics from scratch.
✅ Start with a basic walk before you try to add personality.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character walking like they’re sliding on ice.
⸻
🚨 2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING.
• Too slow? Looks lifeless.
• Too fast? Looks hyperactive.
• Perfect timing? Looks like magic.
🔥 HOW TO SURVIVE:
✅ Use more frames to slow down, fewer frames to speed up.
✅ Observe real-life movement and break it down.
✅ Remember: Every frame matters.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character jumps but lands instantly like gravity just rage-quit.
⸻
🚨 3. ACTING & PERFORMANCE > TECHNICAL PERFECTION
• Great animation isn’t about “perfect” movement—it’s about emotion.
• If a character isn’t engaging, nobody cares how smooth the motion is.
• Even a simple head tilt can add personality.
🔥 HOW TO SURVIVE:
✅ Focus on what your character is thinking.
✅ Make poses strong and clear.
✅ Don’t animate in a vacuum—always think about WHY a character moves.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A beautifully animated scene where the character’s face is dead inside.
⸻
🔥 WHY THIS BOOK WILL HAUNT YOU FOREVER
No matter how long you animate, The Animator’s Survival Kit will:
💀 Always be relevant.
💀 Always show you something new you missed the first time.
💀 Always remind you that Richard Williams was on another level.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a student, a professional, or the ghost of Walt Disney himself—this book will follow you.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK WITHOUT HAVING A FULL BREAKDOWN
1️⃣ Don’t try to read it cover to cover.
• Use it as a reference, not a novel.
2️⃣ Start with the basics.
• Walk cycles, timing, weight—master these before getting fancy.
3️⃣ Steal like an artist.
• Copy the exercises and learn WHY they work.
4️⃣ Use it as a reminder, not a rulebook.
• Even pros don’t get everything perfect.
🚨 THE SECRET: This book isn’t meant to intimidate you—it’s meant to guide you. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE THIS BOOK, BUT THAT’S A GOOD THING
Here’s the truth:
🎨 If you’re serious about animation, you need this book.
💀 It will make you question your life choices, but it will also make you better.
🚀 If you keep learning from it, you will become a better animator than 90% of people who give up.
And if all else fails, just flip through the pages and pretend you understand.
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 14 – Lip Sync: How to Make Your Character Talk Without Looking Like a Horror Movie Puppet
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the most painful animation lesson you’ve learned from The Animator’s Survival Kit? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 12
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 12
(Or: How to Ruin Your Life 24 Frames at a Time)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL DREAMS GO TO DIE 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the art school scam.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the painful reality of frame-by-frame animation.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to suffer through my first bouncing ball animation, at least you’ll know what you’re in for.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy spending 10 hours animating something no one will notice.)
⸻
LESSON 12: ANIMATION BASICS – HOW TO RUIN YOUR LIFE 24 FRAMES AT A TIME
(Or: Why Animators Look Dead Inside After the First Week of Class)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN THE ART OF MOVING PICTURES.
You walk into class, thinking:
🚨 “Animation is just drawing cool characters, right?” 🚨
Your professor smiles ominously.
🚨 “Let’s start with a bouncing ball.” 🚨
What follows is a soul-crushing experience that will break you down as a person.
⸻
🔥 THE HARSH REALITY OF ANIMATION BASICS
Animation seems fun until you realize:
💀 It’s not about drawing—it’s about drawing the same thing slightly differently, forever.
💀 One second of animation = at least 24 individual drawings.
💀 Even the simplest movement requires an ungodly amount of planning.
At some point, every animation student asks:
🚨 “Why did I choose this?” 🚨
The answer? Too late. You’re trapped now.
⸻
🔥 THE 12 PRINCIPLES OF ANIMATION (THAT YOU WILL IGNORE AT FIRST AND THEN REGRET LATER)
Created by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas, these principles are the laws of motion that separate good animation from “why does this look like hot garbage?”
⸻
🚨 1. SQUASH & STRETCH – WHY THINGS SHOULDN’T LOOK STIFF
• Objects shouldn’t move like rigid statues.
• Everything deforms based on weight and impact.
• Even a bowling ball stretches a little at high speed.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Make your characters feel alive by exaggerating movement.
✅ Give weight to objects when they hit the ground.
✅ Use sparingly—unless you want your character to look like rubber.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A bouncing ball that looks like a rock rolling downhill instead of bouncing.
⸻
🚨 2. ANTICIPATION – HOW TO MAKE MOVEMENT LOOK NATURAL
• Before an action happens, the character must prepare for it.
• Example: A pitcher doesn’t just throw a baseball—they wind up first.
• Without anticipation, movements feel robotic and unnatural.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Make characters lean back before jumping forward.
✅ Show a split-second buildup before a punch, kick, or sudden movement.
✅ Even subtle actions (like blinking) have micro-anticipations.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character jumps without bending their knees first. (Congratulations, you animated a superhero with no physics.)
⸻
🚨 3. SLOW IN, SLOW OUT – WHY MOVEMENT LOOKS WEIRD WHEN IT’S TOO LINEAR
• Nothing in nature moves at a constant speed.
• Objects start slow, speed up, then slow down again.
• Example: A car doesn’t instantly go 60 mph—it accelerates.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Ease into and out of movements for a natural look.
✅ Use more frames at the start and end of an action.
✅ If your animation feels stiff, check if it’s missing easing.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character moves at the same speed from start to finish, like a haunted animatronic.
⸻
🚨 4. ARCS – HOW TO AVOID ROBOTIC MOVEMENT
• Most movement happens in arcs, not straight lines.
• The human body moves in curves, not stiff angles.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Animate arms, legs, and heads following natural arcs.
✅ Even inanimate objects (like swinging doors) follow arcs.
✅ Use arcs to make movement feel fluid, not mechanical.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character’s arm moves straight from Point A to Point B with no curve. (Welcome to discount motion capture.)
⸻
🚨 5. FOLLOW-THROUGH & OVERLAPPING ACTION – WHY NOTHING STOPS INSTANTLY
• When something moves, not all parts stop at the same time.
• Example: If a dog runs, its ears keep moving slightly after it stops.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Hair, clothing, and accessories should react naturally.
✅ If a character turns suddenly, their ponytail or cape should follow slightly after.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character stops moving, but their hair and clothes are frozen in place like plastic.
⸻
🚨 6. SECONDARY ACTION – WHY DETAILS MATTER
• Little extra movements make animation feel alive.
• Example: A character sighing and slumping their shoulders slightly.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Think about what body language adds to the main movement.
✅ Use secondary motion to emphasize emotions.
🚨 COMMON FAIL:
❌ A character runs but their hair and hands stay stiff like an action figure.
⸻
THE OTHER SIX PRINCIPLES (THAT YOU’LL ALSO IGNORE UNTIL YOU REALIZE THEY MATTER):
🚨 7. Timing – How fast or slow things move.
🚨 8. Exaggeration – Pushing movement beyond realism for appeal.
🚨 9. Solid Drawing – Making sure things don’t look flat.
🚨 10. Appeal – Making sure characters don’t look generic or creepy.
🚨 11. Straight Ahead vs. Pose to Pose – Two different approaches to animating.
🚨 12. Staging – Directing attention where it needs to be.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO SURVIVE ANIMATION WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SANITY
1️⃣ Start simple.
• If you can’t animate a bouncing ball, you’re not ready for a full fight scene.
2️⃣ Use references.
• Real-world movement is the best teacher.
3️⃣ Don’t over-animate.
• Not everything needs to move all the time.
4️⃣ Be ready to suffer.
• Animation is pain. Accept it.
🚨 THE SECRET: If you make it past your first five animations, you’re officially unhinged enough to be an animator. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: ANIMATION IS A BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Animation is fun… for the first 10 minutes.
💀 Then it becomes a test of endurance.
🚀 If you stick with it, though, you’ll have the power to bring anything to life.
And if all else fails, just make stick figure flipbooks like a lunatic.
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 13 – The Animator’s Survival Kit: Why You’ll Never Escape Richard Williams’ Ghost
💬 Drop a comment: What was your first animation disaster? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 11
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 11
(Or: How to Spend $3,000 on a Career You Haven’t Started)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE EXPOSE ART SCHOOL SCAMS 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Rip apart the biggest art school lies.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Help you avoid spending your entire life savings on a tablet you don’t need.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to suffer through Wacom’s customer service, at least you’ll know what you’re getting into.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy watching influencers convince you that a $4,000 Cintiq will fix your bad anatomy.)
⸻
LESSON 11: TABLETS & DIGITAL TOOLS – HOW TO SPEND $3,000 ON A CAREER YOU HAVEN’T STARTED
(Or: Why You Probably Don’t Need a Cintiq, but You’ll Buy One Anyway.)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN THE DIGITAL ART TRAP.
At some point, every aspiring digital artist asks the same question:
🚨 “What’s the best tablet for drawing?” 🚨
A normal person might expect a simple answer.
🚨 THERE IS NO SIMPLE ANSWER. WELCOME TO THE CHAOS. 🚨
⸻
🔥 THE BIG TABLET LIE: “EXPENSIVE GEAR MAKES YOU A BETTER ARTIST”
Art schools love to act like the right equipment is the secret to success.
🚨 IT IS NOT. 🚨
Here’s what actually happens:
💀 A beginner buys a $3,000 tablet.
💀 They assume it will fix their bad drawings.
💀 They realize they still can’t draw.
💀 They cry.
🚨 The truth: If you can’t draw well on paper, a $3,000 tablet won’t help. 🚨
⸻
🔥 BREAKING DOWN THE DIGITAL ART TOOL OPTIONS
Because you WILL end up spending money on this, no matter what.
🚨 1. SCREENLESS TABLETS (Wacom Intuos, Huion Inspiroy, XP-Pen Deco)
💰 Price Range: $50 – $400
🎯 Good for: Beginners, budget artists, people who don’t mind looking at a separate screen.
🔥 Pros:
✅ Affordable.
✅ Great for building skills without breaking the bank.
✅ Lasts forever unless you throw it out of a window.
🔥 Cons:
❌ Hand-eye coordination is weird at first.
❌ Wacom drivers will randomly stop working for no reason.
🚨 WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
• If you’re just starting out and don’t want to sell an organ to afford a tablet.
• If you want a solid, reliable tablet that does the job without frills.
⸻
🚨 2. DISPLAY TABLETS (Wacom Cintiq, Huion Kamvas, XP-Pen Artist Pro, Gaomon PD)
💰 Price Range: $250 – $4,000
🎯 Good for: Artists who hate looking at a separate screen, people who want a “paper-like” feel.
🔥 Pros:
✅ Feels natural, like drawing on paper.
✅ More intuitive for beginners.
✅ Flexing on people who don’t have one.
🔥 Cons:
❌ Expensive as hell.
❌ Heavy, awkward, and takes up space.
❌ Wacom pens cost more than your rent.
🚨 WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
• If you already know you want to do digital art for a living.
• If you want the closest thing to traditional drawing in a digital format.
• If you enjoy spending your entire paycheck on fancy electronics.
🚨 WHO SHOULD AVOID THIS?
• If you just started drawing yesterday.
• If you think a fancy screen will fix your art.
• If you aren’t ready to deal with the absolute nightmare of drivers crashing mid-project.
⸻
🚨 3. ALL-IN-ONE TABLETS (iPad Pro, Microsoft Surface, Samsung Galaxy Tab)
💰 Price Range: $400 – $2,000
🎯 Good for: Artists who like portability, people who don’t want to be chained to a desk.
🔥 Pros:
✅ Draw anywhere, anytime.
✅ Great for professionals who travel a lot.
✅ Built-in apps like Procreate are game-changers.
🔥 Cons:
❌ Some apps have limited features compared to PC software.
❌ If you drop it, you might die inside.
❌ Apple will release a new one every year just to mock you.
🚨 WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
• If you travel a lot and want to sketch on the go.
• If you love Procreate and don’t need full Photoshop.
• If you prefer touchscreen over buttons and dials.
🚨 WHO SHOULD AVOID THIS?
• If you need industry-standard software like Toon Boom or ZBrush.
• If you hate paying for Apple products.
• If you don’t want to drop $1,000 on a machine you can’t upgrade.
⸻
🔥 THE BIGGEST DIGITAL ART TRAPS TO AVOID
🚨 TRAP #1: “IF I BUY THIS, I’LL DRAW MORE.”
💀 No, you won’t. The motivation to draw comes from YOU, not the tool.
🚨 TRAP #2: “I NEED THE MOST EXPENSIVE TABLET TO BE A PRO.”
💀 Plenty of pros still use old Wacom tablets from 2007.
🚨 TRAP #3: “BRAND LOYALTY MATTERS.”
💀 It doesn’t. Wacom, Huion, XP-Pen, Apple—just pick what works for you.
🚨 TRAP #4: “I NEED A MILLION SHORTCUT BUTTONS.”
💀 You will use three of them. Maybe four if you’re feeling fancy.
🚨 TRAP #5: “A BETTER TABLET WILL FIX MY ART.”
💀 No. Practice will.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT DIGITAL ART TOOL (WITHOUT GOING BROKE)
1️⃣ Figure out what you actually need.
• Just starting out? Go screenless.
• Want something portable? Go iPad or Surface.
• Want a professional setup? Go Cintiq or Kamvas.
2️⃣ Don’t buy hype.
• Just because your favorite artist uses a Cintiq doesn’t mean you need one.
3️⃣ Set a budget and stick to it.
• Expensive tools don’t guarantee better art.
🚨 THE SECRET: The best tablet is the one you’ll actually use. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: A TABLET IS JUST A TOOL, NOT A MAGIC WAND
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Your art will not improve just because you spent more money.
💀 Your skills matter more than your hardware.
🚀 If you practice consistently, you can make amazing art on literally ANYTHING.
And if all else fails, just use pen and paper like an absolute madman.
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 12 – Animation Basics: How to Ruin Your Life 24 Frames at a Time
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the worst tablet purchase mistake you’ve ever made? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 10
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 10
(Or: How to Trick People Into Thinking You’re a Genius)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE TEACH YOU THE THINGS ART SCHOOL MAKES OVERLY COMPLICATED 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Destroy the biggest art school myths.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Show you how to use visual tricks to make people think your art is more impressive than it actually is.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to write a ten-page essay on “visual semiotics,” you should at least get something useful out of my suffering.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy making art that nobody understands.)
⸻
LESSON 10: THE PRINCIPLES OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION – HOW TO TRICK PEOPLE INTO THINKING YOU’RE A GENIUS
(Or: Why a Well-Placed Circle Can Make You Look Like a Design God)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO SPEAK WITHOUT WORDS.
Your professor walks in and says:
🚨 “Visual communication is the foundation of all great design.” 🚨
You think:
“Oh cool, we’re learning how to make our art clear and effective.”
🚨 NOPE. WELCOME TO A FOUR-HOUR LECTURE ABOUT THE GESTALT THEORY. 🚨
⸻
🔥 WHAT ART SCHOOL TEACHES YOU ABOUT VISUAL COMMUNICATION
💀 “People perceive objects as part of a greater whole.”
💀 “The mind instinctively organizes shapes into patterns.”
💀 “Negative space can be just as important as the subject.”
That’s all technically true—but also completely useless if you don’t know how to apply it.
Let’s skip the theory jargon and get to the actual useful stuff.
⸻
🔥 THE SEVEN CORE PRINCIPLES OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION (THAT ACTUALLY MATTER)
🚨 1. HIERARCHY – WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE NOTICE FIRST?
• People read images like they read text—left to right, top to bottom.
• Bigger objects = more important.
• Brighter colors = more attention.
• Faces will always steal focus from everything else.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Make the most important thing the biggest or brightest.
✅ If you want someone to look at something first, make sure nothing else is competing with it.
✅ If your composition looks confusing, check if your hierarchy makes sense.
🚨 HIERARCHY FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A movie poster where the main character is tiny, but the sidekick’s face is enormous.
⸻
🚨 2. CONTRAST – MAKE YOUR ART POP (WITHOUT OVERDOING IT)
• Contrast = difference. Light vs. dark. Big vs. small. Warm vs. cool.
• If everything stands out, nothing stands out.
• Low contrast = soft, subtle, calm.
• High contrast = bold, energetic, intense.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Want drama? Use high contrast.
✅ Want something soothing? Use low contrast.
✅ Make sure your subject and background have enough contrast so people can actually SEE what you drew.
🚨 CONTRAST FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A dark character on a dark background with no lighting to separate them.
⸻
🚨 3. BALANCE – HOW TO STOP YOUR ART FROM LOOKING AWKWARD
• Symmetrical balance = formal, stable, professional.
• Asymmetrical balance = dynamic, interesting, and natural.
• Every element in your design should “weigh” something. If one side is too heavy, the whole thing feels off.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ If something feels “off,” try mirroring the weight on both sides.
✅ Use asymmetry for movement and energy.
✅ Don’t let all your details clump into one area while the rest feels empty.
🚨 BALANCE FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A character’s face is detailed, but their body is an empty void of nothingness.
⸻
🚨 4. ALIGNMENT – WHY THINGS THAT “FEEL OFF” USUALLY ARE
• The human brain likes order.
• Things that are slightly off will subconsciously bother people.
• Random placement = messy, unprofessional, and confusing.
• Good alignment = clean, clear, and confident.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Keep things lined up. Margins exist for a reason.
✅ Make sure your text and elements follow a grid (even an invisible one).
✅ If you’re placing elements randomly, make sure they look intentional.
🚨 ALIGNMENT FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A title that’s just slightly off-center.
⸻
🚨 5. REPETITION – WHY GOOD DESIGN HAS PATTERNS
• Repeating elements create consistency.
• Too much variety = visual chaos.
• Smart repetition = makes your work look polished and professional.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Keep fonts, colors, and styles consistent.
✅ Use repeating shapes or patterns to unify your composition.
✅ Don’t introduce 15 different fonts in one design.
🚨 REPETITION FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A website where every section uses a different font, color, and layout.
⸻
🚨 6. NEGATIVE SPACE – THE POWER OF “NOTHING”
• Empty space is just as important as filled space.
• Cluttered compositions = overwhelming and hard to read.
• Negative space guides the eye and creates focus.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Don’t be afraid of empty space—it makes your design stronger.
✅ Use space to highlight what’s important.
✅ Make sure your art isn’t so crowded that people don’t know where to look.
🚨 NEGATIVE SPACE FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A comic panel where the speech bubbles cover all the characters’ faces.
⸻
🚨 7. FLOW – HOW TO GUIDE THE EYE THROUGH YOUR ART
• Good design controls how people look at it.
• Leading lines = invisible pathways that direct focus.
• If there’s no clear direction, people don’t know what to look at.
🔥 HOW TO USE THIS:
✅ Use lines, shapes, and composition to guide the eye naturally.
✅ Make sure the most important thing is the easiest to find.
✅ If your viewer has to “work” to figure out what’s happening, you’ve lost them.
🚨 FLOW FAIL EXAMPLE:
❌ A comic panel where the speech bubbles are in a random order, making the dialogue impossible to follow.
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: VISUAL COMMUNICATION IS JUST STRATEGIC CHEATING
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Good art isn’t just about looking nice—it’s about clarity.
💀 If your art is confusing, people won’t engage with it.
🚀 If you use these principles well, you can make even simple work look professional.
And if all else fails:
🚨 “WHEN IN DOUBT, ADD MORE NEGATIVE SPACE.” 🚨
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs 👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 11 – Tablets & Digital Tools: How to Spend $3,000 on a Career You Haven’t Started
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the biggest visual design mistake you’ve ever made? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 9
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 9
(Or: Why Red Makes You Hungry and Blue Makes You Sad)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL GETS EXPOSED 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Rip apart the biggest art school myths.
✅ Teach you how to actually use this stuff.
✅ Reveal that color isn’t just about looking pretty—it’s about brainwashing people.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to learn why yellow makes people anxious, at least you can use that information for evil.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy making unintentional horror posters when you just wanted a happy color palette.)
⸻
LESSON 9: COLOR PSYCHOLOGY – HOW TO MANIPULATE THE HUMAN BRAIN WITH A CRAYON
(Or: Why Every Fast Food Logo Is Red and Yellow)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN HOW COLORS CONTROL HUMAN EMOTIONS.
You walk into class, expecting a simple lesson on color choices.
Your professor instead says:
🚨 “Color is POWER. It affects emotions. It can influence behavior.” 🚨
Wait.
🚨 IS THIS WITCHCRAFT? 🚨
Yes. Yes, it is.
⸻
🔥 HOW COLOR AFFECTS THE HUMAN BRAIN (A.K.A. HOW TO SUBCONSCIOUSLY CONTROL PEOPLE)
🚨 RED: THE COLOR OF POWER, HUNGER, AND IMMINENT DANGER
• 🚀 Increases heart rate (makes people feel urgency).
• 🍔 Triggers hunger (why every fast food brand uses it).
• 🔥 Associated with passion and aggression (perfect for “BUY NOW” buttons and war propaganda).
• 🚨 Warning color (blood, stop signs, emergency alerts).
Use red if:
✅ You want to make people hungry.
✅ You want to grab attention instantly.
✅ You need a villain to look intimidating without even doing anything.
🚨 DON’T use red if:
❌ You’re designing a calming spa menu.
❌ You don’t want people to feel stressed.
⸻
🚨 BLUE: THE COLOR OF TRUST, SADNESS, AND TECH COMPANIES
• ☁️ Creates a sense of calm (why social media apps use it—so you stay longer).
• 🏦 Symbolizes trust (why banks and corporations love it).
• 😭 Linked to sadness (why it’s called “feeling blue”).
• 💻 The default “tech” color (because nobody trusts a neon pink banking app).
Use blue if:
✅ You want people to trust your brand.
✅ You need a serious, professional look.
✅ You’re making a sad, atmospheric movie about lost dreams.
🚨 DON’T use blue if:
❌ You’re designing a restaurant logo. (Blue suppresses appetite—when’s the last time you saw a blue burger joint?)
❌ You want something to feel warm and exciting.
⸻
🚨 YELLOW: THE COLOR OF HAPPINESS, WARNING SIGNS, AND EXISTENTIAL DREAD
• ☀️ Associated with joy and optimism (sunshine, smiley faces, happiness).
• ⚠️ Also used for danger warnings (caution tape, hazard signs).
• 🤯 Can create anxiety in large amounts (why too much yellow feels “off”).
• 🍟 Paired with red to trigger hunger (McDonald’s mind control at work).
Use yellow if:
✅ You want something to feel energetic and happy.
✅ You need a warning label that people actually notice.
✅ You’re making a children’s show.
🚨 DON’T use yellow if:
❌ You’re designing a serious business logo.
❌ You don’t want to accidentally create a panic response.
⸻
🚨 GREEN: THE COLOR OF NATURE, MONEY, AND SUSPICIOUS SLIME
• 🌿 Associated with health and the environment (why every “organic” brand is green).
• 💵 Symbolizes wealth and success (money is green in the U.S.).
• 🤢 Can feel sickly and gross (why animated monsters and toxic sludge are usually green).
Use green if:
✅ You want something to feel healthy and natural.
✅ You’re designing a financial product.
✅ You need a gross, slimy villain color.
🚨 DON’T use green if:
❌ You don’t want people to associate it with sickness.
❌ You’re designing a luxury brand (green doesn’t scream “expensive”).
⸻
🚨 PURPLE: THE COLOR OF ROYALTY, MYSTICISM, AND QUESTIONABLE ENERGY DRINKS
• 👑 Historically tied to wealth and royalty (because purple dye used to be expensive).
• 🔮 Associated with mystery and magic (fantasy books, psychic readings, spooky cartoons).
• 🍇 Can feel artificial and unnatural (there are very few naturally purple foods).
Use purple if:
✅ You want something to feel luxurious or mystical.
✅ You’re designing a fantasy or sci-fi aesthetic.
✅ You’re making a villain look elegant but dangerous.
🚨 DON’T use purple if:
❌ You want something to feel down-to-earth or relatable.
❌ You’re designing a food brand (purple makes people skeptical).
⸻
🚨 BLACK & WHITE: THE CHEAT CODE COLORS
• 🕶️ Black = power, elegance, and mystery.
• ⚪ White = purity, simplicity, and peace.
• 🏁 Used in high-contrast design (why every luxury brand keeps it simple).
• 🔥 Black and white together = instant drama.
Use black and white if:
✅ You want something to feel classy and timeless.
✅ You need high contrast for maximum impact.
✅ You’re designing a minimalist brand.
🚨 DON’T use only black and white if:
❌ You want something to feel warm and friendly.
❌ You’re designing a kid’s show (unless it’s Tim Burton).
⸻
🔥 HOW TO USE COLOR PSYCHOLOGY TO MANIPULATE PEOPLE (FOR FUN & PROFIT)
1️⃣ Match colors to emotions.
• Want excitement? Use red and yellow.
• Need calm? Use blue and green.
• Designing a horror movie? Add unsettling purples and sickly greens.
2️⃣ Use color contrast to grab attention.
• High-contrast colors make things pop.
• Low contrast feels softer and more relaxing.
3️⃣ Don’t just copy what you see—think about why it works.
• Every successful color scheme is doing something to your brain.
4️⃣ Experiment with unexpected color choices.
• Want something unique? Break the rules—but do it intentionally.
🚨 THE SECRET: If you understand color psychology, you can control how people FEEL before they even know why. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: COLOR IS MIND CONTROL, USE IT WISELY
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Color affects people way more than they realize.
💀 The best designers and animators use this to their advantage.
🚀 If you master color psychology, your art will have WAY more impact.
And if all else fails, just do what most companies do:
🚨 “WHEN IN DOUBT, MAKE IT BLUE.” 🚨
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 10 – The Principles of Visual Communication: How to Trick People Into Thinking You’re a Genius
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the weirdest color trick you’ve noticed in branding or animation? 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 8
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 8
(Or: Why Mixing Paint for the First Time Is a Traumatic Experience)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE ART SCHOOL’S WORST LIES GET EXPOSED 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the art school scam.
✅ Teach you the stuff that actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the existential breakdown that is learning color theory.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to cry over the difference between warm and cool grays, you will benefit from my suffering.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy making every character you draw look like an awkward Sims model.)
⸻
LESSON 8: COLOR THEORY – HOW TO EMOTIONALLY DESTROY YOURSELF WITH A RAINBOW
(Or: Why Art School Will Make You Afraid of the Color Wheel)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT COLOR.
Your professor walks in and draws a big, beautiful color wheel on the board.
🚨 “Color is simple,” they say. 🚨
🚨 They are lying. 🚨
⸻
🔥 COLOR THEORY: A BREAKDOWN IN THREE STAGES OF GRIEF
STAGE 1: THE LIES THEY TELL YOU IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Back in kindergarten, you learned that:
✅ Red + Blue = Purple
✅ Blue + Yellow = Green
✅ Red + Yellow = Orange
🚨 THIS WAS A LIE. 🚨
You excitedly grab your paint set and try to mix purple…
…and it turns into mud.
You add more red.
More mud.
You add blue.
🚨 Somehow, EVEN MORE MUD. 🚨
Welcome to the nightmare of color mixing.
⸻
STAGE 2: THE “ADVANCED” COLOR THEORY DECEPTION
Art school takes this already confusing mess and makes it so much worse.
Instead of teaching you practical color use, they hit you with:
🎨 “Split-complementary schemes.”
🎨 “Tetradic harmonies.”
🎨 “Triadic palettes.”
You nod like you understand.
You don’t.
🚨 You are drowning in color theory jargon, and you are too afraid to ask for help. 🚨
⸻
STAGE 3: REALITY PUNCHES YOU IN THE FACE
At some point, you realize:
💀 There are no “true primary colors.”
💀 Digital color mixing is not the same as traditional.
💀 CMYK, RGB, and RYB are three different color models, and none of them agree on anything.
💀 The way light and pigment interact is basically dark magic.
Your professor tells you: “Color is subjective.”
YOU WANT TO SCREAM.
⸻
🔥 COMMON COLOR THEORY FAILS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 FAIL #1: “WHY DO MY COLORS LOOK SO DULL?”
🛠️ FIX: You’re over-mixing. Try layering colors instead of blending everything into mud.
🚨 FAIL #2: “MY SHADOWS LOOK DIRTY.”
🛠️ FIX: Shadows aren’t just black—try using cool colors like blues and purples instead.
🚨 FAIL #3: “WHY DO MY SKIN TONES LOOK LIKE ZOMBIES?”
🛠️ FIX: Skin is not just one color. Use warm and cool variations to make it look alive.
🚨 FAIL #4: “WHY DOES MY ART LOOK FLAT?”
🛠️ FIX: Add contrasting warm and cool tones to create depth.
🚨 FAIL #5: “WHY DOES THIS WORK FOR OTHER ARTISTS BUT NOT ME?”
🛠️ FIX: Because you haven’t done 10,000 color studies yet.
🚨 FAIL #6: “WHAT THE HELL IS COLOR TEMPERATURE?”
🛠️ FIX: Warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) advance. Cool colors (blues, greens, purples) recede. It’s the law.
⸻
🔥 WHAT ART SCHOOL WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT COLOR
🚨 COLOR THEORY IS NOT A MATH FORMULA. 🚨
• There are no exact “right” colors for any situation.
• Great artists break the rules constantly.
• The best way to understand color is to EXPERIMENT.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO ACTUALLY MASTER COLOR THEORY (WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SANITY)
1️⃣ Study real life, not just color wheels.
• Look at how light actually affects colors.
• Observe the world, not just art school textbooks.
2️⃣ Use limited palettes at first.
• Too many colors = chaos.
• Learn to create variety with just a few hues.
3️⃣ Learn warm vs. cool contrast.
• Shadows and highlights look best when they contrast in temperature.
4️⃣ Steal from the masters.
• Analyze great painters and animators.
• Borrow their color choices and see why they work.
5️⃣ Break the rules.
• Once you understand color basics, start experimenting.
• Some of the best color schemes completely ignore traditional rules.
🚨 THE SECRET: Color theory is not about memorizing formulas. It’s about training your eye. 🚨
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: COLOR THEORY IS A NIGHTMARE, BUT IT’S WORTH IT
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Mixing colors will always be chaotic.
💀 Understanding color takes time and practice.
🚀 If you experiment enough, you’ll stop second-guessing your choices.
And if all else fails, just do what half the industry does:
🚨 SLAP ON A GRADIENT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. 🚨
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs 👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 9 – Color Psychology: How to Manipulate the Human Brain with a Crayon
(Or: Why Red Makes You Hungry and Blue Makes You Sad.)
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the biggest color disaster you’ve ever had?
(Or, tell me what color you irrationally hate using!) 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 7
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 7
(Or: Why Every Art Student Ends Up Crying Over One-Point Perspective)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE TEACH YOU THE STUFF ART SCHOOL MAKES WAY TOO COMPLICATED 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the art school scam.
✅ Teach you what actually matters.
✅ Prepare you for the absolute nightmare that is perspective drawing.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to suffer through drawing perfect cubes for three months, at least you’ll learn something from it.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you enjoy struggling to draw a simple box.)
⸻
LESSON 7: PERSPECTIVE – HOW TO PRETEND YOU UNDERSTAND 3D SPACE (UNTIL SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO DRAW A CAR)
(Or: Why This One Topic Has Made Generations of Artists Question Their Life Choices)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN THE DARK ART OF PERSPECTIVE DRAWING.
Your professor slaps a ruler and a T-square onto the desk and says,
🚨 “Welcome to perspective drawing.” 🚨
You, foolishly optimistic, think: “Oh, this can’t be that hard.”
HAHAHAHAHA. NO.
⸻
🔥 PERSPECTIVE DRAWING: A NIGHTMARE IN THREE ACTS
ACT 1: ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE – THE BEGINNING OF THE END
• You draw a simple box.
• You extend the lines toward a vanishing point.
• You add shading.
• You feel like a genius.
• Your professor says, “Good! Now do the same thing with a city street.”
OH NO.
🚨 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:
• You realize you have no idea how to space buildings correctly.
• Your road looks like a Slip ‘N Slide into the abyss.
• Everything warps like a Salvador Dalí painting.
• You erase the whole thing and start questioning your career.
⸻
ACT 2: TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE – TWICE THE VANISHING POINTS, TWICE THE PAIN
• Your professor says, “Now let’s add a second vanishing point.”
• More lines. More rulers. More suffering.
• Your cubes look like they’re melting.
• Your vertical lines are tilting for some reason.
• Your drawing turns into a disaster movie in real time.
🚨 THE TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE EXPERIENCE:
• Your first attempt looks like a 3D glitch.
• Your second attempt is somehow worse.
• Your professor walks by, nods silently, and moves on.
• You stare at your paper, contemplating your entire existence.
⸻
ACT 3: THREE-POINT PERSPECTIVE – ABSOLUTE MADNESS
• Your professor, grinning like a villain, says:
🚨 “Now let’s do three-point perspective.” 🚨
• You laugh nervously. They are not joking.
• A third vanishing point is added.
• Your cubes start collapsing in on themselves.
• Your paper looks like an Escher nightmare.
• Your soul exits your body.
🚨 THE THREE-POINT PERSPECTIVE EXPERIENCE:
• Every line is going in a different direction.
• Your brain physically rejects the concept.
• You look at the person next to you and they are WEEPING.
• Your professor says, “This is how skyscrapers are drawn.”
• You vow to never draw architecture again.
⸻
🔥 COMMON PERSPECTIVE DRAWING FAILS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 FAIL #1: “WHY DO MY LINES LOOK LIKE A CUBIST NIGHTMARE?”
🛠️ FIX: Use a ruler. Trust me. Freehand perspective is an Olympic-level skill.
🚨 FAIL #2: “MY BUILDINGS ARE WARPED LIKE A FUNHOUSE MIRROR.”
🛠️ FIX: Check your vanishing points. If they’re too close, the distortion increases.
🚨 FAIL #3: “MY CUBES LOOK LIKE THEY’RE COLLAPSING IN ON THEMSELVES.”
🛠️ FIX: Make sure your vertical lines are actually vertical. They shouldn’t lean.
🚨 FAIL #4: “WHY DOES EVERYONE ELSE GET THIS BUT ME?”
🛠️ FIX: THEY DON’T. We are all suffering together. It just takes time.
🚨 FAIL #5: “I’M NEVER DRAWING A CITYSCAPE AGAIN.”
🛠️ FIX: That’s fair. Just become a character artist and avoid backgrounds forever.
⸻
🔥 THE ART SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE LIE
Art school will make you suffer through perspective drawing. But here’s what they don’t tell you:
🚨 PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS CHEAT. 🚨
✅ They use digital grids.
✅ They trace over 3D models.
✅ They copy real-life reference.
✅ They don’t freehand skyscrapers like insane people.
If you’re struggling, don’t worry—everyone does.
And if you see someone drawing perfect perspective lines freehand, congratulations! You’ve found a robot.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO ACTUALLY GET GOOD AT PERSPECTIVE DRAWING
1️⃣ Start with simple cubes. Master those before you move to buildings.
2️⃣ Always check your vanishing points. If they’re too close, your drawing will warp.
3️⃣ Use perspective grids. No shame. Pros use them constantly.
4️⃣ Copy from real life. Perspective makes more sense when you see it in action.
5️⃣ Don’t be afraid to trace 3D models. Animation studios do this all the time.
🚨 THE SECRET: Perspective is NOT about memorizing rules—it’s about understanding how things exist in space.
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: PERSPECTIVE SUCKS, BUT IT’S WORTH IT
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Perspective drawing is hard for everyone at first.
💀 No one “just gets it” instantly.
🚀 If you practice consistently, it WILL click eventually.
And if all else fails, just become a character artist and let someone else draw the backgrounds.
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs 👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 8 – Color Theory: How to Emotionally Destroy Yourself with a Rainbow
(Or: Why Mixing Paint for the First Time Is a Traumatic Experience.)
💬 Drop a comment: What’s the worst perspective drawing experience you’ve had?
(Or, tell me how long it took before perspective finally made sense for you!) 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 6
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 6
(Or: Why Every Figure Drawing Session Attracts One Creepy Old Guy)
⸻
🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE TEACH YOU WHAT ART SCHOOL WON’T 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the art school scam.
✅ Teach you the things that actually matter.
✅ Prepare you for the existential horror that is gesture drawing.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I had to suffer, at least you’ll learn something from it.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you want to keep drawing like an awkward middle school anime phase forever.)
⸻
LESSON 6: GESTURE DRAWING – HOW TO DRAW A HUMAN IN 30 SECONDS OR HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN TRYING
(Or: Why You’ll Never Look at a Naked Person the Same Way Again)
⸻
🎨 CONGRATULATIONS! TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN THE ART OF GESTURE DRAWING.
You walk into class, ready to finally learn how to draw people.
Your professor is smiling ominously.
Your classmates are already defeated.
At the front of the room is a naked stranger who is way too comfortable.
🚨 WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST FIGURE DRAWING CLASS. 🚨
⸻
🔥 THE HORROR OF GESTURE DRAWING: A BREAKDOWN
STEP 1: THE FIRST 30-SECOND POSE – PURE CHAOS
Your professor yells, “GO!”
• You panic.
• You stare at the model.
• You forget what a human looks like.
• Your hand betrays you.
• You finish with a scribble that looks like a broken stick figure.
• The professor yells, “NEXT POSE!”
Repeat this process until your soul leaves your body.
⸻
STEP 2: THE REALIZATION – “I CAN’T DRAW”
At this point, your entire self-esteem implodes.
🚨 THOUGHTS THAT WILL HAUNT YOU DURING GESTURE DRAWING:
• “Wait… I thought I was good at drawing?”
• “Why do all my figures look like melted spaghetti?”
• “Have I been lied to my entire life?”
• “How is that guy next to me drawing full-on masterpieces in 30 seconds?”
• “Is that a TEAR running down my cheek?”
CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE HIT THE ART SCHOOL BREAKING POINT.
⸻
STEP 3: THE OLD GUY IN THE CORNER (HE’S ALWAYS THERE.)
🚨 WARNING: Every figure drawing class has at least ONE of the following:
✅ The student who only draws anime faces on realistic bodies.
✅ The perfectionist having a full mental breakdown in the back.
✅ The overachiever drawing every muscle like they work for Marvel.
✅ The person who refuses to make eye contact with the model out of fear.
✅ THE CREEPY OLD GUY WHO IS WAY TOO INTO THIS.
💀 WHO IS THIS MAN?! WHY IS HE HERE?! HE DOESN’T EVEN GO TO THIS SCHOOL! 💀
⸻
🔥 THE PURPOSE OF GESTURE DRAWING (OTHER THAN TO BREAK YOUR SPIRIT)
THE LIE ART PROFESSORS TELL YOU:
🖌️ “Gesture drawing is about capturing the essence of movement.”
🎨 “It’s about expression, not accuracy.”
👨🏫 “It’s okay if it looks bad—it’s part of the learning process.”
THE TRUTH ART STUDENTS LEARN IMMEDIATELY:
🚨 You will feel like you forgot how to draw.
🚨 You will question your entire existence.
🚨 You will make lines that look like they were drawn by a malfunctioning robot.
BUT… if you survive the suffering, something magical happens:
✅ Your figures get more fluid.
✅ Your drawings stop looking stiff.
✅ You start understanding form, motion, and anatomy like never before.
GESTURE DRAWING IS ART BOOT CAMP. IF YOU GET THROUGH IT, YOU GET STRONGER.
⸻
🔥 COMMON GESTURE DRAWING FAILS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)
🚨 FAIL #1: “WHY DOES EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE A STICK FIGURE?”
🛠️ FIX: Loosen up. Use big, sweeping strokes. Stop worrying about details.
🚨 FAIL #2: “MY DRAWINGS LOOK LIKE A PILE OF SPAGHETTI.”
🛠️ FIX: Focus on the flow of the spine. Build from the center outward.
🚨 FAIL #3: “WHY DO MY FIGURES LOOK LIKE THEY’RE HAVING A SEIZURE?”
🛠️ FIX: Slow down just enough to make clear decisions. The goal isn’t speed—it’s efficiency.
🚨 FAIL #4: “I’M SO BAD AT THIS, I WANT TO QUIT ART FOREVER.”
🛠️ FIX: EVERYONE sucks at gesture drawing at first. Every pro was bad at it too.
🚨 FAIL #5: “WHY DOES THAT OTHER STUDENT MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY?”
🛠️ FIX: Because they’ve been doing it longer than you. You’ll get there.
⸻
🔥 HOW TO MASTER GESTURE DRAWING WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND
1️⃣ DON’T OVERTHINK IT.
• The goal is NOT perfection. The goal is movement and rhythm.
2️⃣ START WITH THE SPINE.
• The body follows the spine. Get that right, and the rest is easier.
3️⃣ USE BIG, CONFIDENT STROKES.
• No scratchy, timid lines. Commit.
4️⃣ PRACTICE DAILY (EVEN FOR 5 MINUTES).
• 10 quick drawings a day will improve you faster than a single 3-hour study.
5️⃣ ACCEPT THAT IT WILL LOOK BAD AT FIRST.
• EVERYONE’S gesture drawings look bad in the beginning. The goal is progress, not perfection.
🚨 GESTURE DRAWING IS PAINFUL. BUT IT WORKS. 🚨
If you stick with it, you’ll start drawing figures with energy and confidence.
⸻
🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: EMBRACE THE SUCK. GET BETTER ANYWAY.
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Gesture drawing will make you feel like you can’t draw.
💀 That feeling is part of the process.
🚀 If you push through it, your figures will improve faster than you ever thought possible.
And yes. There will always be a creepy old guy in the corner.
Nobody knows why. He just… is.
⸻
🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 7 – Perspective: How to Pretend You Understand 3D Space (Until Someone Asks You to Draw a Car)
(Or: Why Every Art Student Ends Up Crying Over One-Point Perspective.)
💬 Drop a comment: What’s your worst figure drawing experience?
(Or, tell me how long it took before gesture drawing made sense to you!) 🎨💀😂
⸻
🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 5
ANIMATION ANARCHY: THE ART COLLEGE CRASH COURSE – LESSON 5
(Or: How to Strategically Attach Yourself to Future Success Like a Parasite)
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🔥 WELCOME BACK TO ANIMATION ANARCHY – WHERE WE TEACH YOU THE TRICKS ART SCHOOL WON’T 🔥
This is Animation Anarchy. The blog where we:
✅ Expose the art school scam.
✅ Give you the actual secrets to surviving in the industry.
✅ Teach you that networking is less about talent and more about clinging to the right people like a desperate barnacle.
I wasted six figures on an art education, and now I’m giving it all away for free—because if I have to suffer, you might as well learn something from it.
🚨 SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs
(Unless you’d rather let your career die before it starts.)
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LESSON 5: NETWORKING – HOW TO BEFRIEND THE ONE STUDENT WHO WILL ACTUALLY GET FAMOUS
(Or: Why Talent Matters Less Than Knowing the Right People)
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🎨 SO, YOU WANT A CAREER IN ART? GOOD NEWS: TALENT IS OVERRATED.
If you think getting hired is all about “being the best artist,” I have some bad news:
🚨 The industry doesn’t work that way. 🚨
Instead, it works like this:
💀 80% of jobs come from who you know.
💀 15% come from being decent enough at what you do.
💀 5% are handed out by blind luck.
And the first group is where the real magic happens.
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🔥 HOW NETWORKING ACTUALLY WORKS (IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)
Art schools love to use the word “networking,” but they never tell you what it actually means.
WHAT YOU THINK NETWORKING IS:
✅ Going to industry events.
✅ Talking to big-name professionals.
✅ Handing out business cards like a corporate try-hard.
✅ Cold-emailing recruiters with a perfectly crafted portfolio.
WHAT NETWORKING ACTUALLY IS:
🚨 Befriending your classmates (because one of them will “make it” and drag you along).
🚨 Casually hanging out with the right people until one of them gets a job and remembers you exist.
🚨 Becoming the “cool, reliable” person that people want to work with.
🚨 Getting hired by someone you met three years ago at a bar because they vaguely remember you as “that fun guy who animates.”
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🔥 HOW TO FIND “THE CHOSEN ONE” (A.K.A. THE FUTURE SUCCESS STORY IN YOUR CLASS)
In every art school, there is one student who is destined for greatness.
Your job? Find them. Stick to them. Never let go.
🚨 HOW TO IDENTIFY THE FUTURE SUCCESS STORY:
✅ They’re already working on real projects while in school.
✅ They have a work ethic that makes everyone else look lazy.
✅ They never complain about assignments because they’re too busy grinding.
✅ They somehow already have industry contacts, and nobody knows how.
✅ They talk about animation jobs the way normal students talk about drinking.
💀 WARNING: If you can’t find them, it might not be that there isn’t one—it might just mean IT’S NOT YOU. 💀
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🔥 HOW TO STRATEGICALLY ATTACH YOURSELF TO FUTURE SUCCESS
So you found the chosen one. Now what?
You need to latch onto them like a remora fish on a great white shark.
🚨 HOW TO BECOME INDISPENSABLE TO SOMEONE WHO WILL BE FAMOUS:
✅ Be useful. Offer skills they don’t have. If they animate, offer to do backgrounds. If they write, offer to storyboard.
✅ Be reliable. Always follow through. No flakes allowed.
✅ Be fun to work with. People don’t hire “the best.” They hire people they like.
✅ Help them with their personal projects. When they get big, they’ll remember you.
✅ Stay in their orbit. You don’t have to be best friends, but you do have to exist in their mental Rolodex.
🚨 DON’T BE A CLINGY WEIRDO. This isn’t about stalking. It’s about being a valuable part of their creative circle.
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🔥 HOW TO BUILD YOUR NETWORK WITHOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL
Not every artist is lucky enough to sit next to a future Disney director in class.
If you don’t have “The Chosen One” in your immediate circle, here’s what you do:
1️⃣ Be a consistent presence in art communities.
• Online or in-person, show up, comment, contribute.
• People remember who shows up regularly.
2️⃣ Don’t just “network” with famous people—connect with people at your level.
• Everyone tries to befriend industry legends.
• Instead, befriend the up-and-coming artists who are at your stage.
• They will be the ones hiring in a few years.
3️⃣ Work on group projects (even unpaid ones, sometimes).
• Not all free work is bad.
• A small, passionate project with other talented nobodies can lead to real industry connections.
4️⃣ Help people without expecting something back immediately.
• Be someone who supports others.
• The best way to get people in your corner? Be in theirs first.
5️⃣ Be a fun person to work with.
• 🚨 THE INDUSTRY SECRET: People would rather work with a “good enough” artist who is fun than a “flawless” artist who is an unbearable nightmare.
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🔥 HOW NOT TO NETWORK (AKA: DON’T BE THAT GUY)
🚨 COMMON NETWORKING FAILS THAT WILL GET YOU BLACKLISTED:
❌ Only talking to people when you need something.
❌ Name-dropping to look important.
❌ Forcing your business card on people like a telemarketer.
❌ Thinking “networking” means “asking for jobs” (it doesn’t).
❌ Being an arrogant jerk who thinks they’re above collaboration.
Networking is not about “collecting people.”
It’s about building relationships that naturally lead to opportunities.
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🔥 FINAL THOUGHTS: NETWORKING IS JUST MAKING FRIENDS, BUT STRATEGICALLY
Here’s the truth:
🎨 Success in art is 50% skill and 50% who you know.
💀 Your classmates are your real network.
🚀 If you’re likable, reliable, and helpful, people will remember you when they get their big break.
If you only focus on getting better at art but ignore who you’re meeting along the way, you’re missing half the game.
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🚨 THE SOLUTION: JUST WATCH THIS SERIES INSTEAD.
I wasted six figures so you don’t have to.
🔥 Next lesson drops soon!
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss it:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@mrbraylabs👈
💀 COMING NEXT: Lesson 6 – Gesture Drawing: How to Draw a Human in 30 Seconds or Have a Mental Breakdown Trying
(Or: Why Every Figure Drawing Session Attracts One Creepy Old Guy.)
💬 Drop a comment: Who was “The Chosen One” in YOUR class?
(Or, tell me the weirdest industry networking story you’ve ever heard!) 🎨💀😂
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🚨 ANIMATION ANARCHY STARTS NOW. 🚨
🚀 The revolution will not be graded.