About

Thinking… thinking… Thonk!

(The sound of an idea when it collides with your brain.)

‘Thonk.net’ is a portfolio Web site and personal Web-log for Steve Dorchester (your trusty narrator) — an individual who is in pursuit of creative growth, fruitful collaboration, and productive opportunities within the realm of animation, design, storytelling, and content creation.

The onomatopoeia moniker ‘Thonk!’ is my effort to put a memorable branding around the skills I strive to develop within myself and to promote through this site. Final results always begin with ideas!

What’s ‘Thonk! Motion Pixels’?

For my personal animation projects, the virtual production studio name I use is “Thonk! Motion Pixels.”

My aim is to foster a personal, versatile, manageable workflow, and an appealing style of animation for use within a variety of formats. I aspire to offer a dependable and desirable service to folk who have a use for, and an appreciation for, this particular niche in design and animation — and as such, I work hard toward developing a particular niche of skills that folks will appreciate!

I categorize my general artistic output as "tradigital artoons & kinetic hypermedia", with an animation style that’s rooted in cut-out designs & movement, often enhanced by painterly textures. Elements are, at times, literally cut out with scissors, and the motion is animated and output using computer-based software tools, especially Adobe’s Production Suite.

Thonk! Motion Pixels is currently headquartered in mighty Green Bay, Wisconsin — animation metropolis of the universe. (which everybody knows)

It’s my intention to seek out other animated film makers who work in similar styles to mine, and I’m considering possible ways to spark a creative community (virtual or localized) with this interest at heart. A few years ago I had a film in competition at the Annecy Festival in France, where I was able to meet and spend time with so many inspiring individuals — before we scattered to the winds. What if we had all been there to work?! What if we were all stranded there indefinitely, in a giant hothouse?! :D

If you’re an artisan in the realm of illustrative cut-out animation, watch your inbox, because you might receive a ‘Howdy there!’ from me one day. Conversely, I’d really appreciate a ‘Howdy there!’ from you, if you’ve happened to find your way to this site!

Hopefully Thonk.net provides a simple showcase platform for the presentation of creativity, capability, and personality.

Enjoy your stay at Thonk.net, and please come again!