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Friday, March 20, 2026

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.





Want a deeper dive? Check out this video:




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!



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




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.





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.
 




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




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:



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. Share these resources with your friends!


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


Thanks, and stay blessed.

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Sunday, January 4, 2026

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.

 


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