"It's fun to draw for me and explore what's there." To create a drawing and see it "come alive, (that) you've caught something, something unique."

Happy Birthday, Joe Ranft!

Joe Ranft (March 13th, 1960 - August 16, 2005) was an American screenwriter, voice actor and animator most known for his work with Disney and Pixar. Ranft was inspired by art, magic and comedy from a very young age. His success with art both in school then in college led him to pursue it as a career. Ranft was lifelong friends with Pixar creative officer John Lasseter and his brother Jerome Ranft also worked at Pixar. Ranft's best known films include Oliver and Company, The Rescuers Down Under, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lion King, and Fantasia 2000. Ranft appeared as a voice actor in Finding Nemo where he played French shrimp Jacques and also in A Bug's Life where he played Heimlich the caterpillar. Ranft died in a car accident in 2005 but his name and memory lives on in the stories of now classic Disney and Pixar films.

When I Grow Up is a two minute animated short film about childhood, ambition and wonder. It reminds us of all the silly things we wanted to do when we were little, and nudges us into remembering that we still can. Directed by Colin Hesterly and not based on the Pussycat Dolls song.

It reminds me of Dr. Seuss's classic Oh, The Places You'll Go!

From your kitchen sink to a Japanese waterfall to your mouth to the sky: a drop of water travels many miles. This short pop-up book animation tells the story of a water droplet's life cycle. I could have really used this in science class. Stop Motion by Chris Turner, Paper Sculptures by Helen Friel and Animation by Jess Deacon.

Animator Minkyu Lee imagines the story of the first ever friendship between a man and a dog. Before Adam found himself with all those problems with women, the original man might have had a loyal partner in another curious creature. 

Paperman is a new Oscar-nominated short film from Disney director John Kahrs. In this six minute love story, two Manhattanites fall head over heels for each other and spend the day chasing each other's attention through the busy city streets. A cute and beautifully animated distraction to your day.

Growing up, Bill Plympton dreamed of someday working for Disney. After his animated film, Your Face, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1987, Disney offered him a million dollars to animate the genie in Aladdin. Plympton said no. Disney wanted ownership of all his work and Plympton wasn't willing to give that up. Plympton has remained independent ever since.

Whether you zip around via bike, car, bus, train, tram or jet-plane, you'll appreciate this beautifully animated video called "World of Motion".

Created by director Colin Hesterly.

This is the story of the universe and its components, but it's told through animated food, which is in essence what keeps us alive - woah. Watch Encyclopedia Pictura's short motion piece "Micro Macro" below.