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Monday, December 19, 2011

Iridescent Blessings!

No matter what plateaus we reach as artists we are always thinking of the next one to get to.  At least that's what happens to me.  I am constantly racing and competing with myself to accomplish more artwork and career work! 

The minutes become precious through out the day as I worry about how many I can dedicate to reaching these higher planes.  Art is always subjective and it's incredibly personal but I can't help but strive to be better.

I'm convinced that is the life of an artist, or at least this artist.  Although we have to be mindful of one thing...stop and smell the roses!...once in a while.

It's those little (or Big!) iridescent blessings that we need to notice!  These are the things that feul our well of resources from which we pull from to create what we do.  It's your friends, your siblings, your family members, or maybe even your pet that inspires life into our work. 

I give one hundred percent credit to my wife for stopping me and showing me all the beautiful iridescent flowers around me.  I'm lucky to have her with me otherwise I'd be missing out!

We all need to take a moment this holiday to be thankful for all the plateaus we've reached this year, smell the flowers and get ready to fill 2012 with more Love, Peace, "Art" and Happiness!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sunday, November 20, 2011

What we do is Magical

The artwork that is born from our minds is an amazing gift that we get from the great beyond. I like to think that we are blessed souls who get to create something from nothing like magic.

There was a producer that my friend Jenny and I know who used to always have that sense of magic and wonder to her reactions every time she viewed our boards our any artwork on the walls. She would marvel at the amazing artwork and always had that sense of looking at the work for the first time. Her reaction was equal to a childs response to the quarter behind the ear trick.

She was a complete inspiration to me. I believe some artists like me who've been doing this for a while need to view the act and experience of art as blessed magic! This is how I want to feel about art and the experience of it. It's just simply "Magical"



Wednesday, November 16, 2011

EVOKE with an original sketch.


Between now and December 31 all orders of my EVOKE art of book will come with an original 5x7 sketch and a limited edition numbered print (while supplies last on the print)

Click on the "shop" button above to buy!!!

Monday, October 24, 2011

While I waited...

This little lady dug through her bag constantly while we waited to board our flight from NY to LA last week.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Congratulations to Jim, Megan and Dave!!!

The 2011 Story Initiative is complete!  The team pitched their final boards and they all did an amazing job!

Jim Hull,(center) Megan Dong(the girl) and Dave Wolter (far right) will be a force to be reckoned with as they go into production.

The guy on the far left is Aaron Cimity our production sup, we couldn't of done it without him.  This was my first time tackling the DW intitiative, judging by my big smile in the far back-I had a blast!

I wish them all the best!


ART IS GOLDEN

A fellow artist asked me "What keeps you inspired to do the job, what keeps you going"? 

This is what I told him.

Think of production as the settlement of the earth.  All the meetings, schedules, deadlines, various departments and opinions are like the layers of earth that all add up to the big globe of obligations.  But there's a fine layer of gold in the midst of all that compacted pressure.  It's bright shiny and full of luster!  It's your ART!  Your art is Golden!

It's that simple act and ability to bring life to a sketch or painting that never existed before.  The lines, strokes and decisions you chose to express in your work will always be yours. 

We usually have others  supervising, i.e. Directors, Heads of studios, and even our loved ones but none of them can make that exact choice you have.  So I finished my answer to my friend as "You are an artist and your art is GOLDEN"!

Interestingly that artists' name rhymes with golden.

Here are some of my quick gestures from Monday's class.  Take care!





Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Angel in Heels

Here's some quick sketches from last monday.  Rachel Bailit really helped us out with her wings.  We were talking about commiting to shapes and caricature!  
















Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Con 2011 Drawings

I had Jennifer Fabos Patton from the GalleryGirls joined me in my Booth at the Con.  She's one of the best models in the Biz!  Have a good day!


Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Gorilla love


















Yup! Saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes and I loved it! Plus I was inspired by Jeff!

Friday, June 10, 2011

straights "AND" curves

I know we ALL know it, but straights against curves is always thrown into the ears of my students constantly.  I can't emphasize it enough!  I believe it's one of the cornerstones of art and design.  In my small example here I took one of my sketches from my class and drew over it with various lil' examples of where this applies.

To say straights against curves may only conjure up one design to the theory.  But if we say straight "AND" curves it may open up our mind to more variation.

Let it be a psychological "click" in your mind! Straights "AND" Curves!





Friday, April 22, 2011

Stripey socks

As I've said before, the inspiration of the class inspires me to sketch a few.  The first two were drawn with sharpee - the blue ones were done with a dying copic on a card stock that I found in the room.




Friday, April 08, 2011

Artist in animation V.S. Animation artist



















I've recently been having great discussions with my pal Ben Balistreri about striving to be a better artist in storyboarding and in animation as a whole.  We talked about staying hungry to learn more and more as we go on in our careers.  As we spoke it really began to strike me that we need to believe that we are artists in animation not just animation artists.

As an artist you should always want to get better.  We are on a constant road of evolution with our art.  I believe that true artists aren't satisfied with where they are on that road of evolution.  They are always searching for inspiring visuals, books, films, paintings, drawings, or anything to help them learn and get better.    It's a double edged sword for artists who feel this way because you want to feel good about your current work and yet you should be self aware as to how you want to improve it.  The day we stop striving to be better artists is the day we become stagnant and stop growing.

Psychologically believing that you are an artist who works in animation will benefit your animation career.  Reason being you will not just be completing a trade on a daily basis but you will see the artistic facet of your trade whether it be animating, storyboarding, modeling, character design,,,etc.  Realizing that artistic facet will help defeat mediocrity.

The opposite mind set is solely being an animation artist.  this is someone who will not create outside the realm of their job description and will not create any art after they have left the building of employment.  I respect everyone no matter how they feel, but that way of thinking means that that artist is a tradesman.  Someone who is crafting a particular skill and that skill only.  These artists or tradesman if you will do not create any art at home.

The psychological effect can turn into an animation artist who does not grow or doesn't care to grow in their career because they don't see themselves as artists first.  Thus the career dictates the amount of art done and the hunger to improve is suppressed.  Some may be totally fine with that or some may say they don't have time to create art outside of work.  I've even heard many say that they draw enough all day and the last thing they want to do when they get home is draw.  Sad.

My rant here is meant to give support to all and any who believe that they are artists working in animation and not just animation artists.  It's for those people who want to learn and get better on their evolutionary road of artistic development.  It's for those who love animation and apply their passion for art into what they do on the job.  I believe animation is Art!  But that art is part of the bigger picture (literally).  Your personal art not only can support your daily grind on the job but it lives on it's own outside of the silver screen.

I guess I'm saying have fun being an artist first! Let that be in your heart and mind as you create the great films to come.  It can be drawing, painting, sketching, sculpture, comics...anything!  Believe you are an artists and never settle for mediocrity!

Godspeed!

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Appetizer

An uncomfortable first date.

3 GTO's

These are drawn from the cool model named Jee Teo.  He's fun to draw.  The time on these are about 20 seconds, 2 minutes and 5 minutes.  I used a big fat Marks-O-Lot marker for them

Square Dance

You can dance if you want to, you can leave your friends behind.....















Monday's sketch.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Ogre

This little guy walks around searching for some nice ribs to eat...human ribs.  Bwaaa haaa haaa!