Knowlerdraws Animation & Illustration
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12.01.2012 - Twenty Twelve, the Alliterative Year.

Happy New Year to one and all! It's true, I am still here, and still at the drawing table. I will not be denied! A nice start to the new year as my friends at Cartoon Network have asked me to work on another segment for their excellent MAD Show. I am also working with Jessica Goyder and Alejandra Jimenez to create an animated music video for Jessica's song, End of the World. "But that sounds gloomy for a New Year!" I hear you say; might I retort that from every end, springs a beginning. You may consider that a clue. Here are a couple of preparatory designs I did for said music video.

There is more I'd like to tell you, but cannot. Not until a little more time has passed. So I bid thee a good January!


23.11.2011 - Back from Bristol

Thank you so much to all the Encounters Festival organisers and volunteers for putting up a great show. Congratulations to Animation Grand Prix winner, Dan Ojari. Also, thanks to all the animation film makers I had the pleasure of meeting there; Daniel Chester, Pier van Tijn and Johnny Burns, Paul Rice and Will Ould, Louis Hudson and Ian Ravenscroft.

Cheers for all! Hope to see you all soon. OK, more news about my own animation and illustration to come!


16.11.2011 - Big Fat Update

It's been a busy month, and it looks to get busier. I've completed another animated bit for Cartoon Network's Mad! Show, involving rather large lizards and a certain city - and I'm pleased to write that I will be working on more very shortly.

I have also had an interview with Creative Pool, which can be seen here (thanks Chris!). Finally, there's a possibility of my work getting exposure through MTV, but I'll write more when details are clearer.

Finally finally, I'm off tomorrow to the Bristol Encounters International Film Festival for four days - maybe I'll see you there? Ooh aar.


21.10.2011 - Cartoon Network Halloween Episode

I'm excited to say the animations I've started creating for Cartoon Network's Mad Show are shortly airing: my 'Werewolf' bit goes out on October 24th & October 31st at 8:45pm PST, 5:45pm EST. I'm now working on another monster-based bit, which is always fun-sterous (monsterous... come on!). Looking forward to more of these, it's very liberating!


12.09.2011 - Bristol Encounters International Film Festival + Cartoon Network

Hello again. I come with news of good fortunes! Since the last update I have been hired as an animator for a Cartoon Network show. Hooray! I better not spill too much, so I'll leave it at that for now. Additionally, my animated short, Gorge, has been officially selected to screen in competition at Animated Encounters as part of Bristol Encounters International Film Festival 2011.


22.08.2011 - Juxtapoz Blog

Luna, 'the animation before Gorge', has been featured on the Juxtapoz Illustration blog. Thanks guys!


15.08.2011 - Collaboration News and Taschen's Illustration Now! Volume 4

I and my good friend (and musical mastermind) Darren Bloom have started a collaborative project. After much deliberating, as is our wont, we are gaining momentum. That is all I have to tease at the moment. Well, I will add that it's ambitious.

Next, I have a link to the 'compendium of contemporary Illustrators' that will feature me: Taschen's Illustration Now! Volume 4. Poring over some of the spreads, it looks fantastic and you should pre-order it (or order, if you're late) right now, so it can be laid on your coffee table and impress your friends. Thanks again to Stephen Heller and Julius Wiedemann for giving me a prestigious platform! Exciting!

(PS: Thanks again to Cartoon Brew for letting the world know about Gorge, which has gained ten thousand views on Vimeo)


25.07.2011 - More Cartoon Brew and sea food...

...Or should I say, 'fruits de mer', ooh lala. I've finished a drawing of sea food pasta; how monsterous do aquatic animals look? However, still delicious.
Also, and again, thanks to Amid of Cartoon Brew for adding one of my animation tests to Cartoon Brew Animated Fragments 9! Brilliant. So much support!


20.07.2011 - Cartoon Brew and chopped vegetables

Many thanks to Jerry and Amid of Cartoon Brew (if you don't know what Cartoon Brew is, I sincerely ask you to bookmark it RIGHT AWAY). My short, Gorge, has been posted on the site! What kudos! Also, watch my Tumblr for upcoming pictures of food. Like salad and food on sticks.


13.07.2011 - ‘The Drowned World’ Animated Illustration Part 2/5

After some stalling, diversions and plain-old-business, the second ‘animated illustration’ for JG Ballard's ‘The Drowned World’ is now on Vimeo.

As I've written in an earlier post, I'm calling these short scenes ‘animated illustrations’, because they are illustrations for an electronic version of the novel (tablets or colour e-readers). Certain frames could act as stand-alone illustrations too. When all 5 shots are completed, I will create a ‘mock trailer’, for a possible ‘The Drowned World’ feature film animation.


08.06.2011 - Bee Screening

Artsadmin have announced that they are launching 'What on Earth'; a new series of short films by artists considering the future of the planet. The screening is on Monday 13th June. Here's a link to the event which is free - but booking is required.

The film I provided animation for is called Einstein and The Honey Bee (Directed by the lovely Lucy Cash):
"The honey bee is a much loved insect that has inspired and provoked us humans in equal measure. Einstein and the Honey Bee takes a sideways look at the honeybee and what it means to us, discovering that there are some things that science just can't predict.... The film, echoing the labour of the honey bee, has been created using hand-drawn animations by Thomas Knowler and was shot on S16mm film and digital stills camera."

It's part of a really exciting week of events - many of which are free - and which might be just the thing for a rainy June day / evening!


10.05.2011 - Einstein and the Honey Bee

It's been very quiet on the website, which means I've been very busy outside of the website! I have just finished working on an animation with Lucy Cash, about the myths surrounding the Honey Bee, my favourite insect right now. You can see a tiny sample image of what's to come. It was fun combining hand drawn and stop-motion animation together... You'll have to wait and see as the short is in post-production for a couple of weeks!


23.03.2011 - Jetting off to the Monstra Animation Festival

I'm going to Lisbon, Portugal, as one of my animations, Gorge, has been shortlisted at the Monstra Animation Festival. Maybe I'll see you there?


17.03.2011 - ‘The Drowned World’ Animated Illustration Part 1/5

I've finished the first ‘animated illustration’ for the excellent short novel, ‘The Drowned World’ by JG Ballard.I’m calling it an ‘animated illustration’, as these scenes could act as illustrations to an electronic version of the novel (on tablets or colour readers). Also, every frame could act as stand-alone illustration itself. When all 5 shots are completed, I will create a ‘mock trailer’, for a hypothetical ‘The Drowned World’ feature film animation.


26.01.2011 - Monsterous Monstra Festival 2011

And it's the first shortlisting of 2011: Gorge has made it to Lisbon's Monstra Festival 2011! 'Obrigado', as they say in Portugal. Maybe I'll see you there?


23.01.2011 - Totally IMDb'd : 30 second clip of Gorge now open to public

It's official; my thesis animation 'Gorge' has been granted an IMDb page. Find the 30 second clip here. The short will be released in its entirety in early summer.


15.01.2011 - Thanks to Stephen Heller

The internationally acclaimed Stephen Heller (designer) has very kindly mentioned me and the British Museum films I worked on; Mugshot Films commissioned me as the animator. Don't forget to check my gallery whilst you're here!


01.01.2011 - Two Thousand and Eleven

A whole New Year! Think of all the things to come. I'm starting with a drawing.


17.12.2010 - British Museum, Christmas, New Year 2011

All the British Museum Young Explorer's videos I made animated spots for, are now online. I wish you all a very Merry, Happy, Season's Greetings.


30.11.2010 - Congratulations Bill Plympton!

Bill Plympton has been shortlisted for the 2010 Best Animated Short Oscar! Whilst studying my Masters at SVA, Bill was my Thesis mentor, and offered me a lot of help and advice. The shorlisted film is 'The Cow Who Wanted To Be A Hamburger', which I will crudely describe as a satire on the meat industry. I was privileged to witness some of its develoment whilst visiting Bill. Good Luck Bill!


15.11.2010 - British Museum Young Explorers

Working with the really enthusiastic production company Mugshot Films and the British Museum, I am currently creating animated spots for 4 educational films exploring 4 themes. The first film, Time, is up on the British Museum Website. Check it out!


23.09.2010 - 'Gorge' to be screened in Canterbury

I am pleased to say that my animation Gorge has made its first step to World Domination. It will be screened as part of the Competition Selection.


19.09.2010 - First Official Posting

More things to come, watch this space.
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