The MotionArtist Animation Graphics Software by Smith Micro is Fun and Challenging!

Thank you to Smith Micro for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

MotionArtist is a recently launched software from Smith Micro that helps artists bring their creations to life. MotionArtist enables users to make videos using photos, text, and other media. These can be used as interactive presentations, comics, and anything else you can dream up. MotionArtist is a software where the sky is the limit for making amazing animations yourself.

We received a download code for MotionArtist and I was thrilled to use this for my 11 year old, Avery, as part of his homeschool art subject. Avery is not much of an artist in the old-fashioned sense, but he is great with technology so I was excited to add this to his widening list of computer art skills. He was very excited to start and had many visions of what he could create using MotionArtist. Sadly, this was harder to use than he’d bargained for so it’s requiring much more time from him than he had expected, but that’s not to say he’s not learning. It will take a while to completely master the software because it does so much but I have no doubt that he will fully grasp it eventually.

His first couple projects were pretty rough and not terribly interesting, but his third turned out pretty good if you ask me. His silly little “BACON” project is just a fluffy little fun thing he worked on for many hours but it gives a very basic concept of what you can accomplish with some practice.

MotionArtist is a very well setup and user-friendly software, but that’s not to say it’s not complicated. I am pretty good with computers myself and it’s hard for me too. If you have a need for this type of software, I have no doubt that MotionArtist would be great for your projects because it can do many different types of animations and is pretty comprehensive.

The "Bacon" Project . . . 


Their website, www.motionartist.smithmicro.com, has tons of information on what you can do as well as samples and tutorials. We haven’t found any bugs or had any trouble with the software, which is great for something so new. Over all, we have been very happy with MotionArtist and look forward to continuing to learn and eventually master it.

Motion Artist can be purchased at www.motionartist.smithmicro.com and on Amazon.com for $59.99.

Review: Noonbory & the Super 7 "They're Sense-ational!" (DVD)

It has been quite a while since I've seen a new animated series for children on television or DVD that was truly different. I would say that these curious looking characters of Noonbory & the Super 7 are quite different indeed. This small group of residents of Toobalooba each possess a super-sense and can turn into superheros to save their fellow borys during these mini adventures.

This DVD focuses on teaching your preschooler social skills, such as patience, teamwork and helping, and sharing. This is the type of learning that is not obvious to your child, but he or she will pick up the positive examples set by Noonbory and his friends.

I really enjoyed the artwork and how beautifully it depicted nature. The whimsical style brings me back to the days of the Smurfs and the Gummi Bears.

This 60-minute DVD contains four episodes:

"Luky's Bubble Trouble"

"A Honey of a Tale"

"Problem Peach"

"A Rosy Day"

There is even a bonus episode which shows a narrated version of "A Rosy Day".

You can currently find Noonbory & the Super 7: They're Sense-astional on DVD at NCircleEntertainment.com and other select retailers of children's DVDs such as Amazon.com .

Thank you to NCircle Entertainment for sending us a sample DVD free of charge to base this review upon.

Review: Mickey's Magical Christmas "Snowed In at the House of Mouse" (DVD)

On November 3rd, 2009, Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse was released on DVD. I have to say that I have never seen a more exciting red carpet event than this special Christmas show at The House of Mouse. I saw many of my favorite Disney heroes, heroines, and villains, including almost all the Disney Princesses, plus the Beast, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Simba, Pumbaa, Timone, Ursula, Scrooge McDuck, and many more. My children were equally as excited to point out all the Disney characters that they recognized.

This DVD is a collection of five Disney holiday stories, some of which you may have seen before. The collection includes The Nutcracker, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Donald On Ice, Pluto and The Christmas Tree, and The Best Christmas of All. Out of all of these, I think our family's favorite is Pluto and The Christmas Tree. The antics of Chip and Dale make us laugh every time.

The bonus features include the Premiere Episode of "House of Mouse", two sing-a-longs to "Deck the Halls" and "Sleigh Ride", and The Sounds of Christmas-A Disney Sound Effects Featurette, which revealed what everyday objects are used to create some of the sounds that accompany the animation. The "Sleigh Ride" sing-a-long was definitely our favorite. The song was fun, lively, and made our toddlers get up and dance.

Of all the Mickey Mouse holiday DVDs I've watched with my family, I have to say that this one is my favorite. It is entertaining for Disney fans of all ages.

If you'd like to pick up this DVD before the holidays, you can find Disney's Mickey's Magical Christmas at the Disney Store and at most other retailers of Disney DVDs.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing us with a review product free of charge.

Review: Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland DVD

Today, Playhouse Disney's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse's new full-length movie Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland hits the stores. We are already huge fans of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse animated series, so I just knew that my children would love this movie, but I actually underestimated how much. In a 48 hour period, my children asked to watch this DVD three times. Luckily, the movie is only 50 minutes in length, which is a perfect length for younger children.

The adventure began as the cuckoo bird escaped from the clock, which was to be Daisy's surprise birthday gift. Even though this DVD was in a movie format, it still possessed the same features which I love about the show as a parent, which are asking the audience to participate and encouraging logical thinking and problem solving.

What my 5yr old son thought about Mickey's Adventure in Wonderland:

1) My son's favorite character, aside from Mickey and Donald, was the cuckoo bird.

2) His favorite part of wonderland was Upside Down Land.

3) Jake's favorite part of the movie was when Mickey and Donald became lost.

4) Of course, everybody loves the Hot Dog Song at the end of the movie.

You can find Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland on DVD locally and online at the Disney Store and at most major retailers of children's DVDs.

Thank you to WDFHE for providing us with a review product free of charge.