How does Chowder make it’s still patterns work. Not just work, but how’d they do it in a way thats so iconic, people forever call the method a “chowder style” even though I’m pretty sure they weren’t the first.
In general when it comes to art, if you wanna break a rule, you gotta break a couple other rules along with it, otherwise it looks more like an accident. The other rule chowder breaks is it’s mixed media. It’s still the only show to use ALL mediums of animation (for REAL unlike a certain blue cat) but this aspect isn’t only in the transitions and puppet cameos, it’s implied from the moment our main characters are on screen.
The Backgrounds are watercolour, not just watercolour, VERY washed out watercolour that bleeds into itself everywhere.
The Lines are hand drawn, but not just hand drawn, they’re intentionally sketchy and rough.
And finally the Colours are done with digital editing. But digital editing that purposefully sticks out as being done after the fact.
Do you see the through line?
Technically all three of these are done digitally (I’M PRETTY SURE) BUT they aren’t at all trying to blend in together. The different methods are all showing off. Painting, drawing, and editing. And they are showing off by embracing the common MISTAKES one usually makes using these methods… paint bleeding. Sketchy lines. And effects that don’t follow.
All of it because chowder is a show that doesn’t follow the rules…
