Sankofa Animation Network Podcast

👍🏽 Please SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHARE for more great content! ✨ Social Media: @sankofaanimation & @aliciadianneart Watch on Youtube: youtube.com/@AliciaDianneArt Website: https:// www.aliciadianne.com Drawing References: ArtStation (Manuel Cadeño) SketchFab (model by HEC) Music: Incompetech We’re kicking off our new Master Drawing the Face workshop series by going back to the foundation of...

👍🏽✨ Be sure to SUBSCRIBE, Rate our channel, and Share with a friend for more great content!! ✨ What does it take to create an animated film from the ground up? 🎬 In this episode of the Sankofa Animation Network podcast, I sit down with the team behind Pose2Pose Animation Studio to talk about their very first animated project, The Fire —a short featuring their original characters, Goofus and A...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! A great story can entertain us, make us laugh or cry, and take us somewhere completely new—but the stories that stay with us often leave us with something to think about. In Week 8 of Sketch to Story VIP Drawing Workshops , we're exploring the moral or "theme" - discovering what your story is really trying to say. Your theme is the de...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! A world becomes truly interesting when it has rules . In Week 7 of Sketch to Story , we’re taking our world-building a step further by exploring the laws, limitations, and systems that make your fictional universe work. Whether you're creating a fantasy kingdom, a futuristic society, a supernatural world, or a story grounded in re...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Your characters are starting to take shape—but where do they live, work, dream, and face their biggest challenges? In Week 6 of Sketch to Story , we’re stepping beyond the character sheet and into the world around them with an introduction to world-building . A great story world is more than just a pretty background. The places your c...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Every great protagonist needs a challenge—and sometimes that challenge comes in the form of a character who is determined to stand in their way. In Week 5 of Sketch to Story , we'll turn our attention to one of the most important characters in storytelling: the antagonist . We'll look at popular antagonists from film and explo...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Every memorable hero has someone who helps shape their journey. Whether they're the comic relief, the voice of reason, the loyal companion, or the reluctant skeptic, sidekick characters often become some of the most beloved personalities in a story. In Week 4 of Sketch to Story , we'll explore how supporting characters strengt...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Who is your story really for? One of the first decisions every storyteller makes—whether they realize it or not—is choosing an audience. In this week's Sketch to Story: VIP Drawing Workshop , we'll explore how the age of your protagonist often reflects the age and experiences of the audience you're hoping to reach. Through...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Where do great story ideas come from? This week in Sketch to Story: VIP Drawing Workshop , we continue our exploration of inspiration by looking at one of storytelling's most powerful creative tools: genre . Together we'll discuss how genres shape the stories we tell, influence character design, and inspire the worlds we creat...

✨ Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE & SHARE for more great content!!! Where do your best story ideas come from? Sometimes inspiration isn't found by staring at a blank page—it's found by looking around us, listening to the stories passed down through generations, and paying attention to the world we're already living in. In Week 1 of Sketch to Story , we'll explore two rich sources of cr...

Be sure to like this episode & SUBSCRIBE for more great content! There's only a limited time & space available to join for FREE workshops during the KickStarter campaign for Sketch to Story:Creative Writing for Visual Artists! Join me HERE!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOacXe1eevp7errFEZi5Y7ha7sO3EMZvNe6lKafTBlyhYNWA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=101613106762086632253 Fol...

Ever struggle with the blank page for story ideas? You may have a character and even a setting but you don't know what to make happen? This is the episide for you! I'm sharing 5 hacks to get you going with ideas from your own life experiences! No uncomfortable vulnerability or exposure required!

Ever wonder why or even if you need to incorporate secondary characters into your comics, animations or other stories? Here's why you definitely SHOULD include them and why!!!

What does it take to survive—and evolve—in the animation industry for more than 50 years? In this episode of Sankofa Animation Network , we sit down with legendary animator and character designer Dan Haskett for an honest and insightful conversation about animation history, artistic growth, industry challenges, and the legacy of Black artists in animation. Dan reflects on the iconic projects he’s...

Ever feel like your work is all over the place? There's no cohesiveness between your paintings, drawings, or even practice studies? Here's how to change that TODAY and begin creating cohesive work that SELLS in the Arts Marketplace!

Do you hate competition? I did too before I saw the benefits of HEALTHY competition and learned how to avoid the unhealthy ones! Here's what I've learned...

Find freedom in your work instead of repeated frustration. Here's how!

Insight, tips and insights on simplifying background design for hassle-free props, composition and layout for animation and illustration.

What does it truly mean to answer a calling—and build something that lasts beyond you? In this episode of Sankofa Animation Network , we sit down with Khy Traylor , founder of Khy Traylor Ministries , to explore his journey from the corporate world into full-time ministry and global community-building. Apostle Traylor shares how he navigated that life-changing transition, supported his family thro...

Ever feel like your spinning down a drain in the complex world of the animation and illustration industries? Not sure how to deal with set-backs, bad contracts or the rise of AI? This talk is for you!

For over four decades, wildlife watercolor artist and educator Deborah Ross has combined her passion for art, teaching, and travel—working with students both in the United States and across countries in Africa. In this conversation with Sankofa Animation Network hosted by Alicia Dianne, Deborah shares insights from her long career as a professional watercolorist and educator, including her experie...

What does unity look like in creative practice? In this episode of Sankofa Animation Network , we sit down with artist and designer Krystian Rutledge to Explore Umoja —his new creative platform centered on unity, collaboration, and intentional design. Krystian shares the inspiration behind umoja.figma.app , his creative process, and the importance of building spaces where Black and Brown artists c...

Ever feel like your being tested in your life? Ever ask God "Why!!??" Here's some insight into the questions we receive in life - our career, art making, and goals - and how to approach and overcome them feeling empowered and ready to take them on! Let's go!

Sankofa Animation Network exists to uplift Black and Brown communities through animated film, faith-centered storytelling, and creative education—building a global community where underrepresented voices are nurtured, empowered, and seen.