Cactoid Jim! The Lost Episode

Hey guys!  Here's a little tribute I did for The Thrilling Adventure Hour and one of my favorite characters on the show, Cactoid Jim.  If you haven't checked it out, you should get on it!  All the shows are archived at www.thrillingadventurehour.com.  Enjoy!

Spitpaints!

Hey all!  It's been quite a while since I last posted here.  I've recently discovered the power of Facebook as a freelance tool and have been spending a lot more time posting work there.  If you're not already a liker of my page, jump on it!  There's a link over on your right!

But I thought I'd try to update on here as much as possible.  So....one of the things I've been doing a lot of is "spitpaints".  30 min.  No photo ref.  Follow the theme.  Its a group on Facebook that host it and it's been lots of fun.  Here are some I've done recently...

 

"Key Master"

 

"Forest God"

 

 

"Thorns?"

 

"Foggy Bridge"

 

 

"Mushroom King"

 

New Friend Illustration...

Hey all!  My latest Friend Magazine illustration was published this month.  Hope you like!

Ace: The Pride of Tempra cinematic

It's not that often that I get to post freelance assignments here on my blog.  But today I do!  For about a year now, most of my freelance work has been with animated 2d cinematics.  I create the assets, the client animates.  It's been pretty fun.  For the last few months, I'd had the privilege of working with S2 Games, creating cinematic assets for their upcoming game Strife.  The first of several projects was a motion graphic intro to one of the main heroes: Ace.  Here's some art used for the animation... and then the cinematic itself.

 

 

 

I'll try to post more of my S2 cinematics as they become public, as well as other cinematic work I've done in the past.  So stay tuned!

 

A great weekend at CTNX...

What a fun weekend!  So many cool artists!  So many great lectures! So much great art to buy!  This weekend, I had the chance to go to Burbank, CA to attend the 5th annual CTN Expo.  It was a great opportunity to network with other animation professionals and mentor those that are trying to get into the industry.  I can't count how many portfolio reviews I did.

Anyway, I was asked to speak this year and I my workshop was themed around coming up with Big Ideas.  For our employers and for ourselves.  The workshop sold out, which was awesome, and I think those who attended got a lot out of it.  I also did a digital painting demo and a print signing of the new P&P teaser poster.  Overall, it was a great experience and I met a lot of great people!  Hope I'm invited to come again!

Here are some pics from the weekend.  Photos courtesy of some other nice people...

 

 

P&P plans and a Farmer's Head...

Hey everyone!  First I want to thank everyone for their kind encouragement after the announcement of my short film.  The support has been great! 

So...moving forward!  Still making some adjustments on the story with some guidance from a friend, Hugo Award-winning Lou Anders (namedrop!).  As soon as the story is completely resolved, I'll move forward with storyboards.  In the meantime, I'm also working on concepts and reference gathering.  This last weekend, I decided to do a sculpt of my protagonist's head for ref.  It will be very useful in the months to come and it was lots of fun!

Plain and Precious: An Animated Short...The Teaser Poster is done

Hey all!  I finally finished the teaser poster for my upcoming short film Plain and Precious.

Plain & Precious is the story of a poor farmer who discovers the last remains of an old magical forest once filled with amazing fruits.  It's a story of hardship and courage that helps us remember that great things can come from small and simple sources.

My plan with this story is to create a short motion graphic film to be finished in mid to late 2014.  After finishing the storyboards and some additional visual development, I'm going to take it to Kickstarter and try to get some additional funds that will allow me to dedicate full-time work to the project.  So please check back often.

In the meantime, I'm in the process of printing a run of 18x24 posters.  I have a poster signing scheduled for 4pm on Saturday at the Stuart Ng booth.  Posters bought at the event cost $10.  After the event, I'll try to make more posters available to purchase through my site. 

Anyway, thanks for your support!  More to come!

It's almost ready...

The teaser poster for my animated short is almost finished. 

I even got to do some hand lettering for the occasion.  Be back soon with a final image!

CTN Expo...

Hey all!  I'm pleased to announce that I will be speaking at the upcoming CTN Animation Expo held in Burbank, CA on November 16-18.  The title of my lecture is "The Conceptual Mind" and will be take place at 1pm on Friday.  I'll be talking about the resources and strategies artists can use to help create new and original ideas in design and storytelling.  I won't have a booth there this year, but I will have a scheduled print signing at the event, where I will be selling posters for my future animated short, Plain and Precious.  For more info about mine and other workshops visit https://ctnx2013workshops.eventbrite.com/



Hope to see you there!

Illustration Friday...ONOMATOPOEIA

Trying to use Illustration Friday as an excuse to do more quick personal stuff.  Weekly deadlines.  Interesting topics.  Should be fun. 

So this last week's topic was ONOMATOPOEIA.  Did some research on the meaning of the word and then thought of this...

???  Just something simple and quick.  Did it in an evening.  Hope you like.

The Wit's End Studios has a new logo...

Now open for business!  Just need to paint a sign and hang it by my door.

The Wit's End...

The English have a cool tradition of naming your homes.  When I was a missionary there in the late 90's, I would come across a variety of interesting names.  Most reflected the nature of the property or said something about the owner.  Dairy House, The Laurels, or The Vicarage. 

One day I found a house that stood out over all the rest.  It was called The Wit's End.  I knew that if I ever had my own studio, that is what it would be called.  So, fast forward 13 years, and I'm now fortunate enough to have that private studio and it needs a name and logo.  I've been messing around with different styles and themes but have really been inspired by more classic vintage labels.  Here are some of the ideas I've been playing with.  As soon as the final is complete, I'll post it here!  Enjoy!

Finished!

Feel free to print and pass along to any of your art director friends!

It's Postcard Season...

Being a full-time freelancer, I have to devote a fair amount of time to marketing.  And for an illustrator, that means postcards.  It's amazing how simple the delivery is, yet it still remains the preferred form of contact for most art directors in the publishing industry.  I've been gathering names and addresses for months now and I'm almost there.  Last thing to do is create the postcards.  Below is a peek at one of the unfinished pieces I'm designing specifically for this marketing campaign.  Still a ways to go, but when it's done, I'll post the final.

I'm not yet an expert in postcard design or marketing strategies.  But as I learn from my successes and failures, I'll surely pass along any valuable nuggets of info I find.  In the meantime, check out the work and advice of Jeff Szuc.  He's a great artist with some valuable thoughts on the postcard marketing season.  Enjoy!

Robert Henri and the Sketch Hunter...

I was reading The Art Spirit by Robert Henri this morning and came across the passage that prompted the title of my blog...

"The sketch hunter has delightful days of drifting about among people, in and out of the city, going anywhere, everywhere, stopping as long as he likes --- no need to reach any point, moving in any direction following the call of interests.  He moves through life as he finds it, not passing negligently the things he loves, but stopping to know them, and to note them down in the shorthand of his sketchbook, a box of oils with a few small panels, the fit of his pocket, or on his drawing pad.  Like any hunter he hits or misses.  He is looking for what he loves, he tries to capture it.  It's found anywhere, everywhere.  Those who are not hunters do not see these things.  The hunter is learning to see and to understand --- to enjoy."

While it's been many years since I was able to "drift about among the people...going anywhere, everywhere", I still see like the hunter and keep my sketchbook with me at all times.  At meetings, at church, even open while driving in my car  (Thanks, Sheldon!).  Stopping and taking note when the need arises.