Critical Role Animation - Detective Nott (Pencil Test)

Dialogue from Episode 30 of Critical Role Campaign 2. Nott explains to Jester how she was able to find them after being kidnapped by Lorenzo.

Places to find me:
Insta: @stephanieanimates
Twitter: @orangeinah

[StephanieAnimates]

Thanks everyone for the love and feedback! I didn't expect this to blow up the way it has over the last few weeks and I truly appreciate all the kind words. I thought I would take a moment to respond to a couple frequent questions and observations that have come up in the comments. Feel free to reply to this with anything you're curious about!

"What's this from?"
The audio is from Campaign 2, Episode 30 of Critical Role, the show where a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. The character is Nott the goblin and is voiced and played by Sam Riegel. Yes she does sound a bit like Winnie the Pooh.

"What do those numbers and lines on the right mean?"
The numbers are the drawing's frame # and the lines are timing charts. Search for "timing chart Toniko Pantoja" on Youtube for more info about what those are.

"What program did you use?"
Toonboom Harmony

"This looks a lot like Stitch."
This is very intentional! I took a lot of inspiration from Stitch's design.

"Milt Kahl head nod!"
If you noticed this you are a true OG ;)

"You should work for Disney!"
I kinda do! I'm a storyboard artist by trade, currently working at Oddbot, Inc. on a show for Disney Jr. I often do freelance animation work as well. My previous credits include Mary Poppins Returns (animation assistant), Muppet Babies (storyboard revisionist), Philharmonia Fantastique (animator), and the upcoming Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (storyboard artist and revisionist). I have a degree in animation from LCAD and studied under several Disney veterans.

"Will you be finishing this or making more?"
I do plan on coloring this scene in the near future. I just wrapped up my wedding weekend and am adjusting to my new role as a supervising storyboard artist at Oddbot, so it will be a bit before I get the time to focus on it again. I don't currently have specific plans to make more CR content, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future. I'm also interested in making some musical animatics so be on the look out for those in the coming months. This will likely never be one of those Youtube channels where I'm constantly cranking out "content", but if you stick around I'm sure I'll have some cool stuff to share over the years!

[dbzVegito]

I’d love to see all the Critical Role characters in this kind of art style. So if the inspiration strikes you, I wouldn’t exactly complain 😉

[cheesygoodness]

This has a real “Lilo and Stitch” feel to it, with the drawing style. I LOVE it!

[IggyTthunders]

You know why this is gorgeous animation? Because people naturally and abruptly gear shift like this! All the little nuances-- Nott qualifying the statement, hyping it up --- the sudden candid dump of facts deflating the hype -- the immediate pick-me-up when the statement dazzles the listener regardless of the humiliating facts--- all of it! Just wonderful.

If I met this artist in person, and they showed me this on their phone, I'd say, 'Does Brad Bird know about you? Because he needs to!'

[damyzs]

Sam: Nott is a disgusting nasty goblin

Entire crit role fandom: How about no

[locomastero]

The way the character says “Yeah” at the end always gets me, so cute 🥰

[thegiantegg]

the little head wiggle nott does when they say "evidence" makes my day

[IlsaTheArtist]

This is the cutest portrayal of Nott I've ever seen! I love this so much!!

[EyebrowsGaming]

Absolutely gorgeous linework <3 well done!

[dbzVegito]

Super endearing! Well done! Could loop this clip forever 😁
Which episode is the clip from btw? Do you have a timestamp?

[dissonanceparadiddle]

The amount of solid drawing and proper in betweening on this is incredible. Your secondary actions are gorgeous

[aduckwithayoutubechannel]

I desperately want an animated short another Critical Role done in this art style.
IT’S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!!!

[TamamaCandyLover]

For a half second I thought James Baxter animated this. This is so smooth and charming. 🥺 I subscribed.

[celesteelka]

OH my god this is incredible!!! You have such a talent for finding the smallest details in the voice and giving them tangible, believable facial movement 😍 I love it, you're so freaking talented

[TheDragonsRose]

300ish frames for 13 seconds. That's amazing and you deserve to be paid for that level of work. Wow!

[sunnysanjo]

The last “yeah!” And the expression gives me life

[AColonDashSix]

The detail on the in-between frames is excellent, makes everything look very fluid

[SnowFox-gvrn]

I just found this and have watched it over and over again, it’s so good!! The way you draw Nott is so cute, and HOLY COW THE ANIMATION IS SO SMOOTH!!!

This might be weird, but I love the way you animate her ears especially. They’re very flexible and light, so they would have that big of drag after they pop out from the hood (and how they move when Nott is expressing a certain emotion is such a wonderful detail!)

Again, you did a fantastic job!!

[aylendexskelington]

that little milt kahl head wiggle on "traced the evidence" i'm in love

[kelwhite]

The head waggle gets a lot of love, but I'd like to also compliment the finger motion on the 'walking døwn the street' bit