{"id":818461,"date":"2025-01-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/?p=818461"},"modified":"2025-02-20T09:36:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T17:36:53","slug":"venom-spider-verse-zach-mulligan-animation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/venom-spider-verse-zach-mulligan-animation\/","title":{"rendered":"Venom Meets The Spider-Verse: Zach Mulligan&#8217;s Innovative Animation Experiment\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a groundbreaking fusion of traditional and digital art, animator <a href=\"https:\/\/zachmulligan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zach Mulligan<\/a> has created a mesmerizing animation that reimagines the Marvel Comics character Venom in the distinctive style of the 2018 animated film <em>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse<\/em>. This unique project showcases the power of blending old-school techniques with cutting-edge technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulligan's vision was to capture Venom's essence as if the symbiote had spilled onto the pages of a Spider-Verse comic. Rather than relying solely on digital effects, Zach embarked on an ambitious journey to hand-paint each frame, resulting in a visually striking and tactile interpretation of the iconic character.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"What would Venom look like in Spider-Verse? [Animation Breakdown]\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i-po_f7vEEk?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Artistic Process\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hand-Painted Frames\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using a mixed-media pad, India ink, and a standard paintbrush, Mulligan meticulously created approximately 90 hand-painted frames. He carefully aligned each new frame with the previous one using painter's tape and a flashlight for tracing, ensuring fluid motion in the final animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"607\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/screenshot-1-1080x607.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-818463\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/screenshot-1-1080x607.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/screenshot-1-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/screenshot-1-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Digital Previsualization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulligan leveraged the Wacom Cintiq Pro 22 and created a dynamic previsualization in Blender. This step was crucial for mapping out the animation and exploring creative possibilities before committing to the hand-painted frames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Zach-Venom-Drawings-1080x608.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-818470\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Zach-Venom-Drawings-1080x608.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Zach-Venom-Drawings-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Zach-Venom-Drawings-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Blending Techniques<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After scanning the hand-painted frames, Mulligan incorporated them as layers in his final digital composition. This seamless integration of traditional and modern techniques resulted in a unique aesthetic that stands out in digital animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Wacom_Cintiq_Pro_22_front_view_display_flat_without_stand-1080x608.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-818465\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Wacom_Cintiq_Pro_22_front_view_display_flat_without_stand-1080x608.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Wacom_Cintiq_Pro_22_front_view_display_flat_without_stand-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/Wacom_Cintiq_Pro_22_front_view_display_flat_without_stand-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Power of the Wacom Cintiq Pro 22<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Cintiq Pro 22 played a pivotal role in Mulligan's creative process:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Precise Pen Control: Enabled intuitive artwork creation\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>4K Resolution: Provided high-fidelity visualization\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customizable ExpressKeys streamlined the workflow\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ergonomic Design: Reduced fatigue during long creative sessions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/venom2-1080x608.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-818468\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/venom2-1080x608.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/venom2-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/01\/venom2-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Return to Tangible Art\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulligan's project serves as a reminder of the value of physical art creation in our increasingly digital world. By combining hand-painted frames with digital tools, he demonstrates how artists can push the boundaries of their craft and rediscover the joy of creating tangible art.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zach Mulligan's Venom animation is not just a visual treat; it inspires artists to explore mixed-media projects and reconnect with the physical aspects of art creation. As the animation industry continues to evolve, experiments like this showcase the endless possibilities when tradition meets innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the artist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zachmulligan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zach Mulligan<\/a>, known online as No The Robot, is an animator, artist, musician, writer, and director based in Los Angeles, CA, and is the founder of  <a href=\"https:\/\/zopstudios.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ZOP Studios<\/a>. To learn more about his work, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/zachmulligan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">his website<\/a>, his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NoTheRobot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube channel<\/a>, or check him out on social media on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/no_the_robot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/zachmulligan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">X (Twitter)<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@no_the_robot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tik Tok<\/a>. You can also support his work <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/notherobot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on Patreon<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a groundbreaking fusion of traditional and digital art, animator Zach Mulligan has created a mesmerizing animation that reimagines the Marvel Comics character Venom in the distinctive style of the 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":818469,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2438,2326,2481,2318,2337],"tags":[5529],"class_list":["post-818461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3d","category-animation","category-artist-feature","category-creative-inspiration","category-media-arts","tag-zach-mulligan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=818461"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818461\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/818469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=818461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=818461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=818461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}