Articles, tutorials, and production notes by David Shepstone on animation, Maya tools development, technical art, teaching, and production workflows.https://shepstone.ca/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-15-keyoverlay-v0-2-0--windows-preview-release/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-15-keyoverlay-v0-2-0--windows-preview-release/KeyOverlay is a lightweight Windows utility that displays keyboard presses, mouse clicks, scrolling activity, and cursor highlights in real time. Version 0.2.0 introduces a customizable interface, improved positioning controls, optional keystroke sounds, and several performance and reliability improvements.Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-12-introducing-log-my-time-simple-time-tracking-reports-and-invoicing/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-12-introducing-log-my-time-simple-time-tracking-reports-and-invoicing/Log My Time is a streamlined, offline-first web app for tracking work hours, organizing clients, creating reports, and preparing invoices.Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-11-introducing-fraction--decimal--millimetre--a-visual-workshop-converter/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-11-introducing-fraction--decimal--millimetre--a-visual-workshop-converter/A free interactive web tool for quickly converting between fractional inches, decimal inches, and millimetres using a visual ruler graduated to 1/64 inch.Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-10-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-3-released/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-10-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-3-released/Animation Tool Kit v1.1.3 adds the Blue Pencil Flipbook Manager, smarter toolbar docking, improved viewport thumbnail capture, persistent Maya hotkeys, and a new website shortcut.Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-04-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-2-update-now-available/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-04-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-2-update-now-available/Animation Tool Kit v1.1.2 is now available, bringing rebuilt tools, one-click toolbar actions, Maya hotkey support, cleaner installers, and toolkit-wide stability improvements for animators using Autodesk Maya.Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-02-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-1-update/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-07-02-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-1-update/Animation Tool Kit v1.1.1 is now available, with an updated Onion Skin tool focused on cleaner scene handling, improved ghost alignment, and better timeline marker support for Maya animation workflows.Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-06-13-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-0-release/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-06-13-animation-tool-kit-v1-1-0-release/ATK_v1.1.0 is a production-focused update for the Animation Tool Kit that improves tool reliability, UI consistency, and Maya animation workflow stability. This release includes major updates to Bookmarks, Inbetweener / World Tweener, Noise Generator, Character Snapshot, and Mirror Controls, with stronger timeline handling, safer undo behaviour, cleaner Qt-based interfaces, and a new Character Snapshot source-of-truth workflow for mirror matching and rig data.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-05-06-bringing-animation-to-skills-canada/https://shepstone.ca/blog/2026-05-06-bringing-animation-to-skills-canada/This week, Conestoga College Animation joined Skills Canada to demonstrate 2D animation and character design, connect with students, and share the creative process behind bringing characters to life.Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://shepstone.ca/blog/animation-tool-kit-release/https://shepstone.ca/blog/animation-tool-kit-release/Animation Tool Kit is now live: a production-focused set of tools built to help animators move faster, stay organized, and spend more time animating.Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT