Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Shark Animation

This was the first project I had the privilege to art direct.
When the client proposed the idea, it was supposed to be a simple, 5 second intro for a toy commercial. The action opens on a shark swimming towards the camera. Jaws open wide. Right before he devours the screen a red cage engulfs him. Then it would cut to a live action toy shark being pulled out of the water.
The piece was short and simple. It seemed like a perfect moment to use stop motion animation! I love directing stop motion. It consumes me and is a really enjoyable process. I pulled out the crumply sketch paper and began figuring out the wire skeleton for the shark puppet. I built miniature models to test the tail and was experimenting on how to achieve practical caustics. These are all things that make stop motion so much fun - the problem solving.

The storyboards were simple and I was busy away figuring out the technical details. The client on the other hand was a little uneasy with the look and timing of the animation. We've only shown them rough storyboards. I didn't have much time before a phone meeting and I started getting nervous they weren't sold on the stop motion idea. I quickly animated a animatic to give the look and tone of the animation. We were thinking about using pieces of metal or ear rings for the small fish because we didn't want any other toy conflicting with the shark (legal stuff). Here's what I whipped together:


I know the bubbles are hideous, but quality had to suffer for the sake of speed. Thankfully it worked! The client was really happy, they took it to their meeting and everything was signed off on.

And then, like with every project, a wrench was thrown in. The client was so happy they wanted even more animation! The idea completely changed to a complex, 4 shot scene. The new scene included the toy playset as well. The action is of the shark inside of a water filled elevator. The elevator is falling down a shaft with a car driving in circles around the shaft. The shark bursts out of the elevator and eats the car.

Sadly, the new action was too much for a stop motion budget. The idea had to be abandoned. But! Adaptability is the name of the game. Just in case of this scenario, the shark was already being modeled in the computer for 3D animation.

Since this was the first project I was leading, I had the control to do dailies. I literally had a cut of the shark to show every morning in the studio. Everyone gave feedback, things I would never have thought of. Besides the fact I was working with such talented people executing their jobs to the best of their abilities, it was their input and ideas in the dailies that allowed us to keep packing in more and more to the scene.

I've talked it up way to much and it most likely won't seem impressive now, but I am proud of this one.


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Friday, November 2, 2012

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Bar Drawing


Drawing my friend Adam while we discuss simple things.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Judgement


This Commander of the Knights lives within the Terrorroh story. He was a soldier under the "Good King." His last battle was a fool's errand. He helplessly watched his men die around him by his ruler's command. His pain and torment is more than psychological, there's a festering wound within that armor. He will be the last solider to return to the Kingdom.

The King cannot find forgiveness in man but hopefully he will find Judgement!

Friday, October 26, 2012

I still play with action figures


They are just 2D now.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Human's Beast


Discipline, moderation and will power may sometimes feel impossible. It's a skill that some learn and many have learned in the past. It's a battle worth fighting for and one that can be won!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Edgar Payne Exhibit at PCMA


Landscape sketches done from Edgar Payne. His color, composition and mark making are great.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Terrorroh


This is a story about a godless King. He desired to be a great ruler. In order for his Kingdom to prosper, he chose to sacrifice the people closest to him. After his Kingdom found peace, he began to search for peace within himself. Unfortunately, he didn't have a God to ask for forgiveness. God is merciful while man is spiteful and holds grudges. When he cast the mirror of judgement on himself, the only thing he saw was contempt and disdain. This story is a tragic one.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Muscle Memory is funny that way



Read in pirates voice:

"This is a story of a man. He was once a poor boy that slept in a small bed with a beautiful girl. Eventually his greed lost him everything on his quest for wealth. Through the perils of darkness he became a rich man that now sleeps in a big bed with his earned treasure. His riches do give him hope for true happiness but the price he paid was the understanding of real suffering.

This story has nothing to do with money."

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Horsey drawwling


I went sketching at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena today. The Norton Simon is one of my favorite museums. It's small but with a great collection of Degas, a few Rembrandt's, Picasso's and a Ruebens I like a lot. This sketch is from one of many sculptures by Edgar Degas.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Intelligentsia Coffee

A pretty barista and some drunken slob.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Monday, September 3, 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Bogie


When I retire, I dream of being hooked up to an amazing virtual reality machine. Like the Matrix.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Little boo hoo dude

I' have a cold this weekend.

Friday, July 27, 2012

The Master

Rembrandt van Rijn


To celebrate a 3 month streak of drawing 30 minutes everyday. Here's a study of the main master himself, Rembrandt!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012

Comic Con Swag

The best things I bought at Comic Con were some awesome sculptures. They are probably the two coolest things I own - including my cats.

Super awesome skull sculpture with magnets for the jaw and vertebrae.

"Disgusted" Expression from a display with 8 sculpted expressions!



The goods.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Charcoal portrait of a girl


I'm not thrilled with the outcome this time around.



I went back in to rework her. Kind of looks like I channeled some Anne Hathaway. I wasn't too into Anne Hathaway, but her as Catwoman turned me into a believer.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Copy of Vase with Zinnias and Other Flowers

Vincent Van Gogh

Studying the color green.

Monday, June 25, 2012

30 minute Master Copies

Mats Gustafson

Mats Gustafson

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh

A great fashion designer ignores all the rules, defies nature and exaggerates beauty to create an appealing image that contains a message. Now that's hard to do! 

And of course, studying color from the color man himself, Van Gogh.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Memories in negative space

Not quite sure how I went to a figure workshop and created a sad drawing. But whaddya know?

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Los Angeles Zoo


LAzooo. It must have been "animals in love" day at the zoo. The Visayan warty pigs were especially cute and gross. Laying there in their own filth, in love, not judging each other. Their devotion was admirable. The otter husband and wife were the complete opposite in their hygienic practices but their affection was comparable. Those guys fighting in the upper left hand corner were not at the zoo, but were in my MIND.

Another trip to the zoo is in my near future. I spent too much time drawing pigs and I didn't even get a chance to see any terrifying beasts. Like hippos.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Thursday, June 7, 2012

E3 2012


I saw this guy at E3. He looked happier than anyone I've ever seen before. The joy on his face made me stop in my tracks. It felt like that moment in the How the Grinch Stole Christmas, when the Grinch looks down on the love in Whoville and his heart grows 3 times its size. My whole day got even better. I'm not a Grinch, but compared to this guy I'm at least a monster.
He was playing Pikmin 3 on the Wii U. It must be a wonderful game or else this guy was on some serious drugs.

Life in rectangles


I like to draw a box and organize my space.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Lana Del Rey is too pretty for me


I came to one of those realizations, where I can't draw well enough to capture the essence of my subject. Not like this is first time I've realized that, hahaha. But in this case, I just couldn't draw Lana Del Rey (girl singing into the mic). At least I have something else to work on improving.

You should just go ahead and watch this :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9zj3EAZAzg

Monday, June 4, 2012

Trailer Park Boys


"Ricky there's more to life than getting drunk and eating chicken fingers" -Julian

Randy: Mr. Lahey is that you or the liquor talking?
Mr. Lahey: Randy....(gulp)(gulp)(gulp).......I am the liquor.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

A new era of sketching has arrived!

I feel the same way most people feel when it comes to drawing: I want to draw more. In an effort to better myself I've decided to stop wanting and to start doing. I commit to drawing at least 30 minutes a day for the next year.


And it has begun!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

iPad sketches

Some fast sketches on the iPad using the free version of Autodesk Sketchbook. I'm having a lot of fun with this thing!
I did this rainy dude while watching Les Miserables.Going for a sad martyr feel.
I want to take the iPad to figure workshop and play around with it there. I bet it would be a lot of fun. 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012