Monday, December 27, 2010

HAPPY HOLIDAYS


I haven't had the chance to do a Holiday post, and I've been needing to work on caricature so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. In case you're not aware, or my caricatures are too terrible to recognize, these are a couple of my favorite Griswold characters from National Lampoon's Christmas vacation.
I was rewatching this movie recently and realized just about everyone in it was perfect for caricature. So, where better to start. I know these are still a little stiff and there are some twinning issues going on, but I'm working with shapes and likeness first. My next round of caricatures will also be from this movie, and I'll do my best to make their poses express their personality more. I'm thinking the two neighbors in their jogging gear. I'm doing these as a break from internship work, so it might be a little while before I do those ones, but I'm hoping they'll be even better than these characters. Enjoy!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

JAMES'S ANIMATION FESTIVAL 2

So I know everyone looks to my blog for the most ambitious and up to date animations of our time, and I'm quite sure my fundamental exercises won't disappoint. I'm presenting you with three featurettes titled "Walk Cycle" "Side Step" and "Step Up." The final feature film is titled "Jump, Drop, and Run" This feature comes complete with a new fangled background drawn with the rarely used blue cole-erase pencil. So sit back and prepare to be awed by these masterpieces.

On a serious note, though these videos are of a small file size they may take a moment to load, so please be patient. Also I'm aware that they're not perfectly executed exercises, and I could fix a lot, but you have to move on to new exercises and understandings at some point. I'm sure I'll be animating many of these again in the future . . . over and over and over. Getting better each time ;)

-James


Friday, December 24, 2010

JACK THE GIANT KILLER: ROUND 2







This is the second round of perfecting my characters for the Jack the Giant Killer fairy tale project. Even though I'm quite pleased, with these designs, I think I may have to go further with them at some point. Even though I more than fulfilled the requirements for this project there are some expressions and details that I feel could be further fleshed out and explored.
A lot of people might not realize that behind the designs I've posted here, there are at least twice as many pictures that weren't working that I had to perfect to get these to the point that they're at. The day a design comes out perfectly formed on the first round is the day I should probably stop working on art, because in my mind it'd mean that I've stopped trying to learn and perfect my craft. One of my teachers said it best when mentioned that "Struggle is good, if you're not struggling, then you're not learning." I couldn't agree more. I've struggled with my work long enough to know the truth in that statement. So keep working hard, never stop questioning, and as always, enjoy!


Saturday, November 27, 2010

HOLIDAY ART FAIRE


That time of year is upon us yet again, and I'll be there in high spirits. Make your way out to CCA for the Winter Faire next saturday (Dec. 4th) and come find me. I'll be selling my paintings at new low prices and will have some new prints as well. So swing by and check out my artwork or just hang out and talk shop. Can't wait to see you there.






Saturday, October 30, 2010

MODELS, AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!







I'm not going to type much about the last three posts at the moment, but I will come in and reedit them at a later point. At least the art is here right? ;) Happy Halloween.


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

MILESTONES, MY 50TH BLOG POST

Well, I've hit some milestones recently. My birthday was last week, I just started school about three and a half weeks ago, and most importantly I've reached my 50th blog post. To be honest this, post is mostly about that last one. It's been a little over a year and 3 months since I first started this blog, and I don't intend on shutting it down or stopping my posts, so there will be a lot more art to come.
In celebration of this occasion I've actually constructed my very own banner, as opposed to just throwing a clipping of art up and having Blogger throw some text up in front of it. I decided to clean up an old piece of my artwork and add extra shadows and design elements to it to showcase the front page of my blog. You'll also notice I took some time and thought into personalizing a new template. I don't know html and did not create the template myself, but I chose something that was close to what I wanted and tried to tweak it as much as possible. I might make small additional tweaks in the future, but this is pretty much it for now. Maybe I'll change the look again for the 100th blog post, but for now enjoy a whole new blog.

Monday, August 23, 2010

ANOTHER 111 MINNA GALLERY SELL FINDS A HOME



I have so much artwork these days that I no longer have space on my own walls for the majority of it, and creating new work becomes bittersweet. On the positive side I have new work that I enjoy working on and sharing with people. An artist also gets better with every piece of artwork he/she makes. On the down side, the original might not get seen much after its completion. I can't tell you how much work I have hidden away, waiting to be rediscovered, and I'm a little afraid to delve back into it all and find out for myself. That's why I always love it when other people enjoy my work enough to take it home.
I just received some pictures of my artwork framed and hung on a wall. This is always a big thing for me, because it means more of my artwork has found somewhere where it will be seen and enjoyed. This particular person is even an incredible artist himself. I was lucky enough to get to take a look at his sketch work last Tuesday only to be blown away by his skills in the medium. It's truly an honor to have my art hanging on his wall. Thanks for the pics Levi, they're perfect.

Monday, August 9, 2010

FISHNET FOLLIES





I finally got the opportunity to scan some new Dr. Sketchy's doodles. This was the second Dr. Sketchy's I've attended in San Francisco and oddly enough Flame Cynder's (the blonde one with the feathery hat) modeled for both of them. To which, you won't find any complaints here. The other girl's name is Mynx d'Meanor. Something tells me neither of these girls used their real names.
I had a drawing buddy this time around, and I believe we bothered the girl in front of us with social banter and art talk. However, she did come late, drag a chair to the front, and popped herself in a tight spot effectively blocking the views of many of us that showed up on time, so she couldn't really complain. Unfortunately due to this girl, I couldn't really see the legs of the models which meant not putting them in or just making up the shapes quickly. All in all this was a good night. I got some good, energetic drawing in, received a drink token and a bag full of free art shwag for showing up early and helping set up, and I even sold a piece of my artwork in the other room. Which means I sold something at Minna three months in a row. Hope I can keep up that streak this month. Until then, enjoy the new sketches.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

COMIC-CON IS OVER AND A SNEAK PEEK




So Comic-con is finally over. When I can't go this turns out to be my least favorite time of the year. I have an account on Deviant Art and this time of the year I get the pleasure of having bulletin updates jammed full of my favorite artists getting really stoked that they are going, and saying things like " Come over to my booth, I'd love to meet other artist and would be happy to give advice, swap info, and hang out."
You want to know where I spent my Comic-con? See the first picture at the top. That's my desk where I worked on art, listened to music, and eventually curled up underneath muttering indiscernible nonsense. Happens every Comic-con.

On a more serious note I thought I'd take a break to share a little bit of my work space, which just so happens to be my living space at the moment. The first picture actually is my desk. Sometimes I feel like I'm staring at that monitor pushing pixels too often, but luckily I've been able to switch that up a bit with traditional artwork this summer. The second is a full shelf of a lot of my favorite books that I constantly look to for inspiration. I wish I could say that was all of them, but I've acquired far too many art books and the collection just won't fit on that tiny shelf. The last picture is a sneak peek at my most recent batch of pinups. I snapped this picture tonight since I probably won't post the full jpegs for another week or so.
So there you have it. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

NEW DESIGN


So I finished this design a week ago and completely forgot to post it. It's a quick design that goes with the story I want to do for another blog. I'm still trying to decide on the name for it so I can stop referring to it in vague terms. Maybe I'll just come up with a temporary name for the moment so people know exactly what I'm talking about.
This design is the first race of beings our main character encounters. For right now lets call the main character Nero (that was one of the names I was debating calling him). This race has nearly done away with all the nature of their world, and Nero is there to help them save their wildlife by taking it to Rift, an intergalactic wildlife preserve.
This species live their whole lives in these robotic suits. They're suspended in a mist that serves several purposes, one of which is the projection of their thoughts for communication. This race is benevolent and regrets the loss of their wildlife, but can't find it in themselves to stop their technological progress.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

DRAWING JIMS





My friend Jim and I have started drawing on location in various spots around Oakland and San Francisco. A tradition I hope we can keep up throughout the school year. I've decided to post some of the sketches here, and will likely post more in the future.
When I draw for myself I typically draw pretty girls and or creatures/monsters. For these drawing excursions I've decided to draw my surrounding environment. It's something I've been working on lately to strengthen my arsenal, and I have to say I'm enjoying it almost, ALMOST, as much as drawing beautiful girls. I've already seen improvements in the few sessions we've had, and I hope to put some of the still life's in my art department and story portfolios.
Also, I'll post my burlesque sketches from the last Sketchy's soon. Most of them are very quick drawings, seeing as I was busy socializing during the longer poses, hah. That was actually a fun night and I even sold a small $25 painting. Which reminds me. Some of you have been bugging me to post the most recent pinups. I have finished the final drawings but I'm waiting until the next Sketch Tuesday to paint them. I don't feel like doing a post just for the drawings this time around so when you see them they will be in their full finished glory. You can expect a mer"maid", a vespa girl, a pulp astronaut, and a homage to Frank Frazetta (who's energetic art has inspired me from an early age) in the next batch. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Monday, June 28, 2010

FINISHED PORTFOLIO COVER


I'm getting three different portfolios ready for next summer's internships. There are so many things I want to do in art and so many different studios in the Bay Area, that have inspired my development and imagination, that I'd love to be a part of and hopefully have the opportunity to inspire new generations through.
This particular cover is for my sci-fi/fantasy concept art portfolio. I plan on applying to Lucas and Tippet along with many others with this particular portfolio. I'm also going to do a portfolio of my cartoon concept art for art departments of that sort, and a story boarding portfolio.
Between now and next summer I'll also be sharpening my skills to take a stab at an animation video portfolio.
I have a rigorous year ahead of me and it's quite possibly going to be the most important year of my life to date. I'm getting these things together now, because the sooner I start the more I can perfect it until I have to send stuff in. So enjoy this tidbit for now, and cross your fingers for my peers and I.

Friday, April 30, 2010

FINALS ARE OVER!!!

This took a lot of time and effort. There's more I want to do to this project, but it'll have to wait until I can get back in the labs next semester. I also need to figure out how to clean up my animations better in these programs. I'm sure all of this will come with time, and quite possibly with learning newer programs. I used somewhere around 700 sheets of paper, including mistakes and redos, to complete this animation, and even though it only runs for around fifty seconds I can't even begin to guess the hours I've put into this. Days blurred together, and music, caffeine, and acting things out in front of a mirror made time disappear more quickly. When all is said and done, I can't wait to see what I get to do next semester. Enjoy!


Sunday, April 18, 2010

Spring Fair


It's that time of year again. I'll be at the Spring Fair selling my wares. It's going to be this Saturday the 24th and it runs from 11am-3pm at the Oakland CCA Campus 5212 Broadway. There will be some new original prints and paintings up for sale, the weather is suppose to be nice, and I'll be there. So stop by. I know I haven't posted new art the last couple of times, but within the next two weeks I'll be posting the Animation 1 Final that's eating up so much of my time, and I'll be working on new art once summer is upon me. Did somebody say BBQ, swimming, and a lot of sketching?

Monday, April 12, 2010

WEEKLY REPORT 9: Animation Homework


I've been doing a lot of drawings over the last couple of weeks. All of which have been for my animation classes. To scan them all in would be a long drawn out process that I'm not up to during my final weeks of classes. I already have too much work, mingled with annoying tax stuff and about a million other things that inhabit my mind right now. I did, however, take a picture of my current workspace. For those of you debating animation take two things from this picture into consideration. First off, this is not an exaggeration of what you'd be in store for. Secondly, I'm considered a tidy person, so this workspace is probably more organized than most. Consider yourself warned. I hope all of you have had a better week than I, and have a good upcoming week.

Monday, March 22, 2010

WEEKLY REPORT 6: Sketch Tuesday Demon Cherubs



Much like Christmas, when you find someone else's wallet stuffed with hundred dollar bills just laying around on the first of December, Sketch Tuesday came early this month. We were all reassured that it would be back to it's normal time next month. Keeping up it's pattern of being on the same night as Dr. Sketchy's so that the handful of us that would like to do both are out of luck. Thanks 111 Minna.
I decided to paint some demon cherub characters for the event, and I'm fairly pleased with how they came out. I might do another one of the male cherub, but overall it looks fine the way it is. I met up with some people there, and was humbled by everyone else's work. Hanging out with other artists and learning from them is one of my favorite past times, and it also means I have people to nerd out with while I paint :-B. These remaining two paintings did not sell, but for anyone that's interested in original artwork they are still up for sale at $30 each.
Finally, there's something I have to get off my chest. As I walk the streets of Oakland these days I've been finding more and more that I have a serious problem. A problem I may need to seek help for before it's too late. Every time I walk by a bakery, I have a strong desire to just walk in and rob them of everything. My problem is that I don't want their money, I just want their confectionary commodities. Anything baked that morning really. I would seriously risk doing hard time for a bounty of baked goods, a dollop of doughy delights, a soiree of swindled sweets, a . . . well you get the point.
If it was just that bittersweet smell wafting through the air I might be fine, but, very much like a jewelry store, they flaunt their merchandise in front windows and behind glass cases, and lets not forget that bakeries are practically everywhere. So, as I'm walking there they are. Lime tarts, buttermilk old fashion doughnuts, red velvet cakes, cinnamon buns, whoopie pies. These provocative pastries lure me in, and cause my imagination to go in the worst place. Their glazes glimmer and their frostings hold delicately hand pumped architecture. They'd lock arms and do a cancan routine to drive me mad if they could.
Now I know you're probably thinking " Oh James, you're just being silly." or " Always joking around, that one." As a matter of fact you are WRONG!!! This is an honest cry for help folks, so please start sending as many baked treats as you can. I'm not picky, but they must be baked the same day as I receive them, the smell alone should physically lift me off the ground and carry my body, nose first, to the packed treats, and they must be good enough for God/the Gods themselves. Please hurry,there's only 7 hours until the closest bakery opens and I feel the hunger creeping to my impressionable hands.

PS if you think I shouldn't just be eating sweets all the time, then feel free to send some mu shu, sesame chicken, steamed rice, and a couple hundred egg rolls along with that pink box that should be teeming with baked treasures.

Monday, March 15, 2010

WEEKLY REPORT 5: Revision


I've been wanting to add to this picture for a while. I finally got a little time this last week to do so. Unfortunately I have a long day ahead of me, so I can't write much at the moment. I hope you enjoy this new version.

Monday, March 1, 2010

WEEKLY REPORT 3: SKETCH TUESDAY


Sketch Tuesday and Dr. Sketchies fell on the same night this month. I chose to paint for Sketch Tuesday. An easy decision seeing as the ladies for Dr. Sketchies were of the bearded variety, and I enjoy making money more than spending it. Here is my remaining painting of that night. i have a lot of sketches too, but maybe I'll leave those for a week with an over abundance of homework.
This painting is up for sale for $30. if anyone is interested in it let me know. It's around 6x8 in. and will look nice on your wall. Alright, signing off for now. Enjoy!

Friday, January 15, 2010


Here's my first illustration of 2010. I won't have a lot of time to do many more full illustrations over the next couple of months. I will still be posting a lot of other artwork though. Maybe even some short animations so stay posted.