Calicougar

Animation art, doodles and internet goofery by Tracy C. Reynolds

[sosuperawesome]

Whalefall Light on Etsy

[catgirlbulge]

this might be my favorite tiktok i have ever seen. absolute gold through and through

[thetursithan]

Hunting...

[thepoisonroom]

loudly going "YOU'RE GOOD YOU'RE GOOD" to myself to ward off the memory of every embarrassing thing i've ever done

[elmerseason-deactivated-deactiv]

[ampervadasz]

[calicougar]

Both of my cats do this deliberately. They will walk around the door with a toy in their mouth, deposit it behind the door, and then walk around to "struggle" to reach it.

Somehow, glimpses of it are more tantalizing and fascinating.

[escuerzoresucitado]

[ampervadasz]

[catasters]

[tinybrownbat-deactivated2025111]

Japanese Vintage Lottery Ticket, Kabuto, insect, ladybug, cicada, stag beetle, 1957, Kinki [DETAIL]The 59th Lottery "Takarakuji" of Kinki. Trustee: Nippon Kangyo Bank, Japan.

[marinella-ela]

[tiger-in-the-flightdeck]

There's something so deeply calming about watching megafauna prance and gambol about like they're little lambs

[blatantescapism]

Bison pronking is already so magical, and then the double rainbow and the happy birdsong just put it way over the top

[wizard-of-interesting-failure]

Reblog this post to cast Crumb of Serotonin on whoever you reblogged it from

[eggwraith]

opens box that reads "i wanna draw again". inside lies a note. the note says, "mental illness and difficult circumstances have taken years of interest, accessibility, and skill away from me. i want to forgive myself for that. i want to heal my relationship to my hobbies. i want to feel connected to something that once made me feel good, but the cyclic discouragement is difficult to overcome." i turn over the note. on the back it reads "wannta drawe sexy bodies awooga"

[eggwraith]

seems like this one really resonated with the artists who dont do art fandom

[flagellant]

*plants mint directly in your dash* heehee :3

[cipheramnesia]

🌿🌱🌱🌱🌿AIUUGGG🌿🌿HHHHDKD🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌱🌱☘️🌿☘️🌿🌿AUUG🌿GHHHHHHH🌿🌿HHHSHSJ🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🍃🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🍃🌿🌿🌿

[estrogen-eater-deactivated20260]

🌿☘️🌱🍀🌿☘️🌱🌿🍀☘️🍀🌱🌿☘️☘️🍀🌿🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿☘️🌱he🌿🌱☘️🍀🍀🌱lp🍀🌿🌱☘️🌱🍀🌿🌱🌱🍀🍀🍀🌿🌱☘️🌱🍀🌿☘️

[flowers-and-pollen]

WAIT N-🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🍀🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🌿🍀🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🌱🍀🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿h🍀🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🌿e🍀🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🌱🍀🌱🍀🌿🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌿🌱🌿l🌿🍀🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🍀🌿🌱🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🍀🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🍀🌿🍀p🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌿🌱🌿🌱 🌿🌿🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱m🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🍀🍀🌱🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱e🌿🌱🌿🌱🍀🌿🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🌱🌿🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🍀🌿p🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌿🌱🍀🌱🍀l🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🌿e🍀🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱a🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿s🍀🌱🌿🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿e🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🍀🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🍀🌱🌿🌿🌿🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌱🍀🌱🌿🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🍀🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱🌿🌿🍀🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿

[articulate-anxious-atheist-deac]

A☘️🌿☘️🌿🌱☘️🌱🌿🌱☘️🌱🌿🌱☘️🌿☘️🌱☘️🌱☘️🌿☘️🌿☘️🌱🌿🌿🌱🌿🌱A🌿☘️🌱🌿🌿🌱☘️🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱☘️🌱☘️🌿🌱☘️A🌱☘️🌿☘️🌱☘️🌿🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱🌱☘️A🌿☘️🌱🌿🌱☘️🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🌱🌱☘️🌿☘️A🌿☘️☘️🌱🌿🌱🌱🌿🌱🌿🌿🌱☘️G🌱☘️🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🌱☘️G🌱🌿🌱🌱☘️🌿H🌱☘️🌿🔥🔥Y🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥E🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥A🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥H🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔫 (flamethrower)

WHO THE FUCK PLANTED ALL THIS MINT

[littledigits]

That time when working in animation made me realize I needed therapy

Since we’re on the topic of overworking / being passionate in animation and blah blah blah.  I want to share my story about working on the first season of Hilda (for context I was the animation director), specifically..how completely garbo my mental health got because 

I INSISTED ON WORKING MYSELF INTO THE GROUND. 

This is a story I’ve shared when I’ve had a chance to do lectures or talks, and if there is one really awesome thing that comes with ..weird ..animation clout, its that you can use those powers for good in terms of teaching people about the BS that comes with the job…anyway.

The reason why I like to talk about this is because I insisted on doing it to myself, and that was really got me thinking about the factors that do lead us into over working. Because heres the deal

Hilda season 1 was, without getting into too many details, a heckofatime…especally for the core crew. we were a small group, doing something new because most of us haven’t worked on a show before that included pre production. My entire career up to that point had been working on service work for shows that were created in Burbank, so the new pipeline had a ton of challenges. We did all care, and we all believed in the project SOOOO much. I would tell people not to work over time, because I want my team to leave on time - but I was there…a lot. Leaving the studio by 11pm , working through the weekends..it wasnt an uncommon thing for me. sure , it wasnt all the time, but this stuff spans years sometimes so it went in waves. But whenever the challenges came up, i doubled down. because I super believed in it.

  And the thing was - other people told me to stop. I had a lot of valid concerns given to me by my friends and team members who saw how I was burning myself out at both ends. And I thought like, well , its my *choice*.  Its my chance to have a voice and be creative and try to do something different and we all have to push ourselves and yes its HARD but. THATS HOW YOU DO IT RIGHT? surely if I just make sure I’m the one overworking and my team isn’t.. that’s fine. 

Well, no, I was immensely effecting my team maybe I wasn’t telling them to work late, but they were seeing me get more and more tired and stay later and later.  I thought they would still approach me for help, or if they struggled. But the issues they had they kept to themselves without wanting to put more on my shoulders. Because they *cared* , just as much as I did ..and we all took more on our shoulders then we should have and there were a lot of things that I could have solved had I fostered a better communication environment.  I became really resentful in my head over the smallest things, I actually saw myself becoming a more hateful person and easily annoyed. I came home every day rambling about the frustrations. Now, let me preface this by saying - my mental state did not only have to do with overworking. I had and have things still to unpack, but the control I had over work and the validation I got from it was a coping mechanism for me. I really didnt think i had any worth as a person outside of this job. It basically was a very nasty cycle that didnt stop until …well I had gotten so bad I had to.  By the end of the first season I was actually incredibly close to quitting . I was in big anxiety attack territory because I was so worn thin- I had started therapy but eventually moved onto getting medication as well and that was what allowed me to stick it out. ( I have the same therapist and I am on the same meds, it was very hard to do at the time, but i cant imagine my life now without making that choice ). After it was done I was immensely supported by the studio and worked part time as a trainer, which is what i requested to give my brain a break. (Only a few of my closer friends knew how bad I was getting but it was pretty obvious I needed to rest) I’m really proud of the work we did and we keep doing on the show, ..and some other people may have gone through something similar and found it was worth it, but thats not me. I still struggle not to fall back into that mindset, but it helps knowing that if i keep myself out of it , i can help my team out of it, because I know they care about this show just as much as I do. I’m not a martyr, I am a leader, and its up to me to keep myself healthy so I can keep my crew healthy.   I always strive to be better, but i get to decide what that looks like - and for me ..better has nothing to do with the image on the screen. Its got more to do with the experience of the people around me. Readjusting those priorities has helped a lot with keeping my head above water and not add to the pressure that makes it so hard not to get sucked down in the first place.  I do think its good to talk about though , how our passion and language and drive can lead to a lot of us being a part of this cycle. And if theres one good thing about the challenges, its sharing them so at least others can learn faster then you did ;) . take care of yourself friends.

[calicougar]

interesting

[fridgebride]

‘Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts’

Four animators say unsustainable working conditions are behind the success of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

thought this was a good read……without paywall

[calicougar]

“But the workers are also vulnerable in another sense: They want to stay in Canada. They’re on visas from countries from which they’d ideally like to emigrate. Aspirations to immigrate keep them tied to the studio. They’re underpaid, so they need the OT to pay their bills.“

Underpaid?  Needing overtime to cover cost of living??  Yuck, what a shitty studio to work for :P  I’m very thankful for my situation

[the-zebra-dragon]

[sjbattleangel]

Public Service Announcement: There Is No "CalArts Style".

Can't believe I still have to say this!

Despite everything you might have heard, there is no "CalArts Style." It doesn't exist. CalArts isn't an art-style or animation studio, it's actually a university for art and animation founded by the Disney brothers. (Yes, THOSE Disney brothers)

I know there's this image going around of these cartoon characters sharing the same head, eyes and smile...

but that's deliberate, misleading exaggeration. In reality..

They're actually very different from one another. Sure, they share a few faint similarities but overall each character and their respective series have their own style and identity.

Animation with those similarities? (Round eyes, mouthes and bendy limbs) There're actual names for that style of animation: Rubber-Hose, Bean-Mouth, Noodle-Arm, Fleischerian. take your pick.

But to call all animation with those little similarities "CalArts"? It's stupid, lazy and dishonest. CalArts didn't create or popularize the Bean-Mouth. Like all art-styles, it became trendy following the major success of shows like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, ect. And most importantly, there is no uniform style at CalArts. In fact, here, let me show you the work of noticeable CalArts Alumni:

Just look at the diverse art-styles and animation, all from former CalArts students!

On a side-note:

Rebbeca Sugar (Steven Universe) never went to CalArts.

Ben Bocquelet (Gumball) never went to CalArts.

Nate Stevenson (She-Ra) never went to CalArts either! (Something I find hilarious since She-Ra doesn't look anything like the aforementioned Bean-Mouth cartoons but rather a bold, modernized version of Sailor Moon)

Another reason why people must stop using the term "CalArts"/"CalArts Style"? It was coined by none other than disgusting predator John K. Yes, John K, the co-creator of Ren & Stimpy who used his influence to prey on teenage girls. (TW: sexual exploitation, grooming, gaslighting.) He coined the term "CalArts"/"CalArts Style" to bash works like The Iron Giant, Animaniacs, Gargoyles, Les Triplettes De Belleville (which is also ridiculous since Sylvain Chomet didn't go to CalArts) along with the works of Disney, Warner Bros., Dreamworks, Richard Williams and Don Bluth. In simple terms, he was a toxic piece of work who loved tearing anything that didn't meet his standards of zany, off-model grotesqueness.

Here, a friend of mine on social media explains better than I can:

Thanks for listening. Hope I helped.