Free Stuff 2026

Hey everybody. Hope I'm not too late with the Annual Free Stuff for 2026.
Let's see what we've got.

ART / ANIMATION

Want to learn anatomy? Check out artist Veil's YouTube.

The artist extraordinaire discusses the differences between Real Anatomy and
Artistic Anatomy.

This Anatomy Routine Completely Changed My Art

Want a deeper dive? Check out this video:

Simplified Anatomy - Everything I Wish I Knew

Professional artist Dave Greco from Proko has an interesting approach to

                                 Drawing Characters Without Freaking Out

Here are tips for drawing animation backgrounds from the guys at Bam Animation. Covers the full process with excellent examples. A must-see.


                                           Tips for drawing Backgrounds!

Want the Ross Draws version? Here you go!

ROSS DRAWS BACKGROUNDS in 2 Easy Steps

Master Animator, John Pomeroy, discusses his approach to designing believable characters. Research and sketching.

The #1 Trick To designing Believable Characters!

A look back on Syd Mead and his art process: 
   The Man Who Designed the FUTURE (and you didn't know it)

Master artist Christian Maymo' discusses how to master Animation Clean-up.
Animation Clean-up with Christian Maymo'

A cool artist you may want to check out is Ben Eblen.
Portfolio Page Here.

He has some interesting portrait tips. 
Portrait tips by Ben Eblen

COMICS

Comic composition by Bruce Timm. What can we learn?
8 Pages That Can Change Your Life

Comic art style breakdown from Good Joe, and he knows his stuff!
Comic Artist Style Breakdown - Round 2

 

How about a look at the evolution of John Romita Jr's art style?
The Evolution of John Romita Jr's Art Style

Of course, we can't overlook the late Great Jack Kirby. A must see!
Jack Kirby's Impact

Mastering Visual Storytelling. Mike Hawthorne, Marvel Artist extraordinaire, discusses the process and what it takes to tell a story visually.

Mastering Visual Storytelling - Angles, Shots, and Camera Work for Comics

If you enjoy links like these, then check out our Cartoon Production Resource Guide, which has even more good art resources.

AI

Not a big fan when it comes to AI art generation for some obvious reasons.
AI uses the artwork of others artists as its data base without permission, citing or compensation. 

But I came across this TED talk by Brian Sanderson that goes into the AI debacle with more gusto.

Check it out.
 

We Are The Art/Brandon Sanderson's Keynote Speech

John Pomeroy takes on AI in a battle of artist vs technology, with some interesting insight.
Besides speed, what are your thoughts on this?

I Challenged FOUR AI Models to Design Hand-Drawn Characters

VIDEO / AUDIO

In the past, we have relied on the usual sources for video and audio assets/tips, and tutorials. We thought we would switch things up a bit.

Have you tried Etsy or Reddit for resources? Please note: check reviews and feedback, and always scan your downloads with antivirus software. That said, here we go!


Etsy has some truly affordable bundles such as..

Video Editing Bundle with Sound Effects


Speaking of sound effects how about this? 

Sound Effects Bundle

The Reddit community has some cool loop packs if you search the subreddits properly. They normally have strict rules on what to post, which is great. A good start might be here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/loopsandsamples/

Let me know what cool packs you've used in either Etsy or Reddit. Shoot me an email (jon@tripleadude.com) and put Audio/Video Resources in the subject line.

Hope you find these resources useful. Shoot a donation my way and click the donate button to help keep me going. 


If you missed previous free stuff posts, check these out:

Free Stuff 2025,   Free Stuff 2024,  Free Stuff 2023,  Free Stuff 2022

Thanks, and stay blessed.

The Late Bloomer Flex: It’s Never Too Late to Find Your Purpose

 

We’ve all been there: You come across a famous somebody who knew their calling, made all the right choices, and found success early in life. Or, scrolling through your feed, you see someone you went to high school with, just landed a Director role or launched a startup that’s suddenly worth millions. You’re left wondering if it’s too late for you to totally pivot your life.

There’s this unspoken pressure to have “figured it out” by your 20’s and “conquering the world” by 30. We’re bombarded with “30-under-30” lists that make us feel as if we haven’t hit that home run, and we’ve somehow struck out.

But here’s the truth: The “early peak” is overrated. If you feel like you’re still in the “messy middle” while everyone else is at the finish line, you aren’t failing. You’re just a “late bloomer”. And honestly? You’re in a much better position for long-term success than the person who peaked in their twenties.

Why the “Slow Burn” is Better

If you’re “blooming” later, it’s because you’re doing the heavy lifting that early achievers skip. Think of it as building a skyscraper versus a shed; the shed is done in a weekend, but the skyscraper needs months of digging just to set a foundation that can hold 100 stories.

• You’re Stacking Skills: You might have spent your 20s bouncing from marketing to retail to freelance design. That’s not a “lack of focus” — it’s building a T-shaped profile. You’re gathering a mix of experiences that will eventually become your unique superpower.
  
  
• The Trial-and-Error Phase: Late bloomers take the time to deconstruct what they actually like versus what society told them to like. You aren’t just chasing a paycheck; you’re chasing a fit.
  
  
• The Resilience Factor: By the time you hit 35 or 40, you’ve survived bad bosses, weird breakups, and financial crunches. When success finally hits, you have the emotional grit to handle it without spiraling.
  
  
  
  
  Image by Freepik
                                                     
  
  

The Legendary Pivot: Turning Your “Past Life” into a Superpower

Sometimes, “blooming late” isn’t about waiting for a lucky break — it’s about using your previous life to build something the world has never seen. These icons prove that your 20s and 30s are often just “research and development.”

• James Cameron: Before he was the king of the box office with Avatar, Cameron was working as a truck driver. He saw Star Wars and suddenly realized he was in the wrong occupation. He spent his “trucking years” studying special effects and physics at the USC library in his spare time. He didn’t direct his first real feature until he was 29.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Stan Lee: He spent twenty years writing generic stories he didn’t even like. At 39, he was ready to quit. He met his collaborator, Jack Kirby, and everything radically changed with the creation of The Fantastic Four. With Kirby’s help, he didn’t create Spider-Man or the X-Men until his 40s.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Julia Child: She didn’t even know how to cook until her 30s. Before the kitchen, she worked in top-secret intelligence for the US government during WWII. She didn’t enroll in culinary school until she was 37, and didn’t hit TV screens until she was 51.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• J.R.R. Tolkien: A busy Oxford professor, Tolkien didn’t publish The Hobbit until he was 45. He spent his “quiet years” building languages and mythology in the cracks of his schedule, finally publishing The Lord of the Rings in his 60s.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Edgar Rice Burroughs: A serial “failure,” he tried being a gold miner, a cowboy, and a pencil sharpener salesman. He didn’t start writing Tarzan until he was 36, simply because he was broke and realized he could write better than the magazines he was reading and the rest is history.
  
  
  

How to Reframe Your Past

If you’re feeling discouraged, change the lens through which you view your history:

• The “Wasted Years” are “Field Research”: That soul-crushing admin job taught you how organizations function. That failed project developed your emotional intelligence.
  
  
• “Behind Schedule” vs. “High Quality”: A fine wine isn’t “behind schedule” compared to a can of soda; it just requires a different process. Your path is artisanal.
  
  
• Inventory Your “Invisible Assets”: Make a list of everything you know now that you didn’t know at 22. You aren’t starting from scratch; you’re starting from experience.
  
  
  
  
  Image by Freepik
  
  

The Late Bloomer Toolkit: Get Started Today

We live in an era where the barriers to entry are lower than ever. You don’t need a gatekeeper’s permission to begin your second act, and you have the tools to help you.

Learn a New Skill — Coursera / Udemy: Professional certs for a fraction of a degree’s cost.

Start a Business — Shopify / Etsy: Launch a store in an afternoon.

Substack: Build an audience for your expertise.

Creative Projects — Canva: Professional design for non-designers.

CapCut / Riverside: High-end video production from your phone.

Networking — LinkedIn: Use your “non-linear” background as a conversation starter.

Lunchclub: Meet people in your new field via AI matching.

Your Timing is a Superpower

The idea that you have an “expiration date” is a lie. Your life isn’t a race against a 22-year-old on TikTok. Your 30s and 40s aren’t the “beginning of the end” — they are the years where you finally have the tools, the grit, and the self-awareness to actually enjoy what you build.

What is the one thing you’ve been putting off because you felt “too old” to start? Go sign up for that class, send that email, or use one of the tools above and create something. Your timing is perfect, exactly as it is.

Follow me for more articles like this, or you can subscribe at the top, so you’ll know when my next post is out.

 

Must See Animation - 4 Reasons to Check Out "Klaus"

Now that we are in the holiday season, this is the perfect time to check out "Klaus" on Netflix.

Why, you ask? Here are the four reasons you should check it out.

1.  The Story is Solid!


                   

The story pulls you into this very interesting world where a somewhat lazy son and postmaster, Jesper, is given an almost impossible task of bringing much-needed happiness to a town to keep his inheritance. This task has him running into "the man in red". The movie has both laughs and touching moments, which have you rooting for Jesper, who has to inspire "a certain someone to get back into the saddle".


2. The Design and the Animation are top-notch.


                            

Before the look of shows like Arcane, Klaus was a first. Sergio Pablos, a former Disney animator who also worked for Universal Pictures and Illumination Studios, tried a different approach in his directorial debut with this movie. He wanted to keep Klaus traditionally animated with a 3D look. 

Using specialized proprietary tools from the French company- Les Films Du Poisson  Rouge, the team created a unique visual look to get away with flat coloring on the animation. 

Check out a behind the scenes clip on the process here.

The movie won seven awards at the 47th Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.


3. All-Star voice acting.

  

J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Norm Macdonald, Joan Cusak and Jason Schwartzman round out the cast.

4. It's a Cool holiday Flick.
Nuff said.

Check it out before the holidays are over. A definite must-see!

Into storytelling, comics, and animation?
Then get a copy of these must-read guides.

Click on the links below     
       

Idea Genesis
Generate solid story ideas at lightning speed.



                                 

Cartoon Production Resource Guide      
200 + top resources for artists, comic creators & animators.

Audio Production Resource Guide
400 + resources for musicians, producers, and filmmakers.

Subscribe in the upper right box for more cool posts to come.

You may also like these links:

Must -See Animation - Disney's Fantasia

Must-See Animation - Marvel's "What If"

Must-See Animation - Netflix "Wish Dragon"

Must See Animation: Walt Disney's Fantasia Was a Game-Changer

So, you think you know Disney? Let’s talk about a movie that wasn't just another film—it was a full-on groundbreaker. Released in 1940, Fantasia was a mind-blowing experience that shattered all expectations for what an animated film could be. It proved that animation could be a serious art form, not just for kids. If you've never watched it, you are seriously missing out.

Here are six reasons why this movie is a total must-see:

1. The Sound System was Next Level

Way before we had fancy surround sound, Disney developed a groundbreaking stereo system called "Fantasound." It was designed to completely immerse the audience in the music, making you feel like you were right there in the orchestra pit. Remember, we are talking about 1940, and the first motion picture with stereophonic sound. Talk about next level. 2. The Multiplane Camera Was Pushed to the Max You might have heard about the multiplane camera. A camera set-up that allowed you to film through 4 layers of moving artwork placed on glass. Fantasia took it to a whole new level. They used it to create incredible depth and a three-dimensional feel that was absolutely stunning. It gave the animated worlds a sense of realism and immersion that was totally new for the time. 3. The Artists Were at the Height of Their Game It had taken the Disney artists 4 years to produce Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Quite the learning curve. Fantasia and Pinocchio were worked on simultaneously and released three years later in 1940. Nuff' said.

         

4. The Anthology Format Was Genius. Instead of a single story, Fantasia was a series of awesome animated shorts, each set to a different classical song. This anthology style let the creators explore all kinds of artistic styles and moods within a single film, making it a unique cinematic journey.




5. Audacious Abstract Animation While most of the animation segments were about telling a clear story with no dialogue, Fantasia fearlessly went into the abstract, especially in segments like "Toccata and Fugue." It showed that animation could be used for pure visual and emotional expression, moving beyond simple storytelling to create art that was just wonderful to watch. 6. It Blended Art with Music, Making Pop Culture History The boldest move of all was fusing classical music by composers like Bach and Stravinsky with animation. Fantasia introduced these complex musical masterpieces to a huge audience, proving that high art could be for everyone and showing animation’s true artistic potential. Note: Disney was thinking of music videos way ahead of his time. Fantasia is a powerful statement about Walt Disney's vision andthe incredible talent of his studio. To this day, few animated movies can compare to this masterpiece. It's a film that remainstimeless and continues to inspire everyone who watches it.

This is number one on my top ten list for animated films.

 Ramp up your storytelling, comic creation, and animation!
Get a copy of these must-read guides now.

Click on the links below     
       

 

Idea Genesis
Overcome writer's block and generate
 solid story ideas at lightning speed.



                                              

Cartoon Production Resource Guide      
Over 200 top resources for artists, comic creators &
animators to go next level.

Audio Production Resource Guide
Top 400 + resources to make music / audio production
easy and seamless for musicians, producers, and filmmakers.

Subscribe in the upper right box for more cool posts to come.

You may also like these links:

Must-See Animation - Marvel's "What If"

Must-See Animation - Netflix "Wish Dragon"