The Black Swan

I wish I could have gotten this piece done before the film premiered, but it just wasn't possible. I actually HAVE YET to see this film, but I was so intrigued and mesmerized by the trailer, I had to do an illustration. I mainly wanted to base the imagery on the idea of professions that push human beings beyond their own capacity.

The whole idea of the Black/White swan being played by the same ballerina, having dual personalities, is such a beautiful concept!

Halloween Animation

I apologize for the lack of illustration updates here! Holiday season means I get bogged down with a bunch of stuff at the 'ole job on top of finding gifts for family/friends. I also have a new holiday postcard being printed as we speak.



Here's a lil animation I did a few months ago for Halloween. Back-story: I work full-time creating art assets and Flash animations for a game on Facebook. This was a wraith/banshee art asset that you can obtain for yourself in the game during October. This is what eats up most of my time but I still somehow manage to go home every night and draw. I think animation has definitely opened up a bunch of new ways of thinking for me!

Dr. Sketchy's

I attended a Dr. Sketchy's drawing session earlier today. Our model, Talia, is usually an aerial artist (think Cirque du Soleil) but was dressed up similar to a Victorian Harlequin tonight. Unfortunately it was incredibly crowded and my standing position (with a bar stool to lean against no less) meant I didn't get a very good view of her feet at times. Here's a few of the sketches that came out of it anyhow. I apologize for the quality; they were done on newsprint paper and I just sorta leaned over 'em with a camera. Enjoy!

Work Shirt

Super quick design I came up with for my company. Sadly, it didn't win the competition, so it'll just find a home as an unused design here. Enjoy!

Digital Artist Magazine

A few weeks ago (maybe it's months?) I was asked to show a Photoshop tutorial for Imagine Publishing's Digital Artist Magazine. They requested an image with a boy, attempting to fly a kite, or with a strange contraption (the magazine said it was housing too many pieces with a female as the main component). The task was to explain what "makes successful concept art" without going into the physical step-by-step process of Photoshop tips. It was more about good composition, lighting, researching clothing, etc. Anyhoo, if you purchase the magazine, you can see the step-by-step process through screen shots. But you can view the final product here:


Enjoy!

EXPOSÉ 8

I was contacted a few months ago to be informed that my illustration, Duck 'n Cover would be included in the very awesome EXPOSÉ 8 put out by Ballistic Publishing. SUPER EXCITING! I'm still baffled as to how it got in there, I figure they like choosing more...rendered images over the flat-color look, but HEY. I'm not complainin'!! Here's how it appears in the book:


They asked that I take a photo with it for the site and to shed light on what the artists look like. They requested that each artist go somewhere famous, and important to them. SO. Here's me, with the great view from the roof of my apartment, overlooking the side of San Francisco that generally gets neglected (because it doesn't include the Bay).



Enjoy!

Chicks In Crisis

I was contacted by Alison Leaf from Pixar to contribute to her Mother Hen Project which will have a charity art auction for Chicks in Crisis. This is my contribution piece! It focuses on the notion that both children and adults do things together that can take us by unexpected surprise.

If you live in the San Francisco/Novato area, the auction will take place:

November 20th
The Galleria

135 Tunstead Avenue
San Anselmo, CA
4-8pm

Come out and help raise funds for Chicks In Crisis who helps facilitate the placement of an average of 30 babies per year in open adoptions!

Alabama Social Studies

Two illustrations I've done for Pearson Publishing, out of a set of six. These will be used in 4th and 5th grade Social studies books; these illustrating the Creek War of the early 1800s (also known as the Red Stick War). Apparently they'll also end up being animated some when they're viewed on a website. Kids these days don't just get illustrated text-books, but they're animated to boot! We really live in the future.

Apologies for the lack of updates, more to come soon!

MCGINNIS! - sketch

...Did I seriously just sit down and sketch...Terry... McGinnis real fast?

From Batman Beyond? Okay. So... there's a story that comes behind this. It wasn't just, 'oh I'll scribble Terry from Batman Beyond randomly." No no. A friend of mine commissioned me for a Batman illustration (which I still intend to do) and his rule was it could be anything 'from the Batman comic time-line.'

Understand that the majority of my knowledge for Batman comes from the awesome Batman: The Animated Series from the early 90s (where they didn't even NEED to put the title of the show in the intro, it was THAT good of an opening sequence animation). I did dabble in a bit of the comics but found I couldn't handle the hilarity of them from the 1960s and 70s (like the Batman papa-spank thing). Or his strange relationships with all of his Robins. I do still love Batman though. Which is why I read up on the current DC timeline (I am majorly geeking out here). And that led into a co-worker asking me, 'HEY, remember the Batman Beyond opening? That was the best ever!' and suddenly I was immersed in Wikipedia and found all these crazy cross-overs and things and discovered every Robin (all...3? No wait, now there's 4) has basically gone insane at one point. But now I'm all caught up in the Batman world up to 2010 within the span of two days...aiya.

However, today I found myself looking up an episode of the Justice League cartoon because Terry McGinnis appears in it as an older adult and I cringed at his facial design. I finally settled: lets give a small nod of the head to the younger Terry because he looked great and why oh why did they have to mess with his face...

...Or because I think I secretly had a crush on him. And I really should have no excuse as Batman Beyond came out when I was well into the midst of High School...

WIP - Drain

Just a piece I'm in the middle of. I have a ton of work I'm doing, I swear! I'm just not able to post any of it until it gets published, probably in October and then further on. 'Til then, enjoy this sketch.

I like the idea that someone can become so despondent, their very skin turns on them.

3G SHOW PRINTS!

AVAILABLE AT GALLERY 1988!!!

These are super, super high quality Giclee prints, a limited edition of 10 prints, for Ghostbusters, Goonies, and Gremlins.

Also, huge thanks to Regretsy for featuring my Darth Vader BBQ print on their facebook page. There were at least a ton of people clicking the 'Like' button to make me feel not-so-awful for creating such a fun/absurd image!

Girls on Film

FINALLY. FINISHED. A PERSONAL. ILLUSTRATION. This took how long?! Aiya! 'Girls on Film' for those who love taking photos. ...Or Duran Duran.

Many things are happening. I'll be in a show with the Autumn Society as I mentioned. If you're in the LA area September 3rd, head over to Gallery 1988 from 7-10pm for the amazing 3G show premiere! I will hopefully have prints available for sale there as well.

Thanks goes out to Chris Ellis from the SF Station. He hooked me up with a promo job - a super-quick design I did for Chrome Bags. One lucky subscriber will get this image sewn as the panel of their Chrome Messenger Bag. I originally had the talented Rick Kitagawa try and screen print a design I had done onto the bag. We quickly discovered that water-based inks + water-resistant bag material = not gonna happen. Soooo, I ended up going over the panel one night with acrylics and sharpies to come up with this:


A bit different than I'd intended, but really, nothing wanted to stick to that panel. Chrome makes some mean bags and I didn't have any vinyl paints on hand. Ahh!!

In other news: I may be doing some album artwork for the very talented group Tangents in the near future. They're currently talking to Sony. Fingers crossed!

Sorry about the lack of updates. Silent nod of the head/thanks to stumbleupon and a slew of other sites that are posting me, including geek-art. More posts to come soon!

"...We'll All B Flat."

PHEW. Last piece for the Autumn Society's 3G show! Goonies finally make their appearance on my blog. Out of the three films for this show: The Goonies is by far my *favorite* of all time. I still find it hilarious, and I still want to go underground, travel through caves, dodge 'booty traps' and save my skin by ridiculously awesome inventions even in my late-20s. Needless to say, Data is my favorite and gets to be in the foreground of this image ("Guys, they are coming, they're coming and they look really, really pissed off!")

While I had originally wanted to come up with witty images for this show, I couldn't help but feel there should be a feeling of evoking memory. There's got to be reason why we can keep watching these films over and over into adulthood. I took scenes that really let me think about the film's characters, that grabbed hold of me and shoved me into the character's point-of-view. But zooms my consciousness back in time, planting me down with my memories to when I first saw them. Probably with my brother and sister, actions and things we said when we were really little. Maybe jokes and quotes my parents passed back and forth that went waaaay over our heads because we just didn't understand any of them yet. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

If you happen to be in the LA area on September 3rd, get yer butt to Gallery 1988 and check it out! Here's the poster by the freakin' awesome and all powerful Tom Whalen:

Light Bright, Light Bright

Next piece in line for the Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Goonies show that'll be in LA next month. Here's my submission for Gremlins.

I re-watched this recently with the Boyfriend for reference. I could have picked so many different scenes, but I found myself laughing hysterically when Billy is running after 'Stripe' into the YMCA (right before the gremlin cannonballs into the pool). I found so much delight in this scene because he has his house's sword strapped to his backpack when he runs up to the building. I don't know why, but a backpack filled with an electronic-puppet/Mogwai, and a sword strapped to it just seems far too entertaining... Enjoy!

Ray, When Some Asks If You are A God....

...You say... 'YES!'

This is for a gallery show in August that focuses on three particular films from the 80s. This one being Ghostbusters. Everyone kept telling me to do the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, but frankly I was way more interested in Gozer (Stay Puft is still ridiculously awesome though!).

They show Gozer for what, less than two minutes?! As a kid, I was extremely puzzled by her/him/it. Mainly for the fact that it looked like the costume was constructed out of clear Christmas ornaments, hot-glue gun sticks, and spider-webs. Also, I couldn't figure out of it was Gozer's skin considering there were claws on her/his/its hands along with high-heels attached to the feet. ...Were those heels shoes or was that part of Gozer's body? ...I'll never know.

Yeesh. This one took me forever to crank out because so much stuff was going on. Thanks goes out to everyone who came to the Alien/ation show at Space Gallery last weekend! Also, much thanks to Rob Greenleaf for interviewing me on the artprojekt!

ALIEN/ATION

This is a bit last minute but hey, I'm in a show! There are nine illustrators total, and it will be at the Space Gallery in San Francisco, this Saturday July 10th.



I'm super-stoked! I have 6 illustrations framed and hung up by the great Rick Kitagawa and Eve Skylar from Paper Hat Productions. The reception starts at 5pm. Hope people can make it!

Huntington's Chorea

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been swamped with the full-time job.


This illustration took me weeks to produce because it strikes such a personal chord and I found I couldn't stare at it for long periods while working. One side of my family had a history of Huntington's Disease, which sadly is a neuro-degenerative disorder with no cure. However, I discovered my company donated about $130,000 to Huntington's research, so I was quite touched to hear this.

Some history: With Huntington's Chorea, the body begins to lose control of the nervous system first. 'Chorea' is based off a word for a type of dance in Greek. It refers to abnormal, involuntary movements, so patients can't control their limbs or muscles. It's common for someone with Huntington's to lose the ability to eat solid foods, or drink a glass of water, and be unable to speak, amongst many other things.

Star Wars Barbeque

I was recently contacted for the use of my Star Wars Sith BBQ illustration. I'll be honest, aside from Josh Frost's book that it's used in, I never thought in a million years that this illustration would see the light of day to be used for anything else. But I've been proven wrong. Sergej Grigojrev emailed me with the request of using the illustration for none other than his Star Wars Barbeque in the festival named "Let There Be Night." All six films will be screened with him and his friends cooking up some delicious foods. How fitting is that!

He quickly sent over the final poster and it came out thus so:



Super awesome, I'm glad to be a part of it!

Graphic design © Sergej Grigojrev

WIP - Girls on Film

Just some in-progress stuff. I've got a gallery show coming up in July that I'm spending some time on. I apologize for the lack of updates!

Fearless - Colored

Granted Illustration Friday! has moved onto a new topic, I got 'Fearless' done nonetheless!


Enjoy!

Fearless - WIP

Saw this week's Illustration Friday! topic was 'Fearless' and is it strange that this was the first thing that popped into my head?

This is obviously in progress (I only saw the topic yesterday... a bit of a late start!). The finished product will be posted here later this week. And if anyone asks, I've said this before: during the zombie invasion, my weapon of choice will always be a sword. Can't run out of bullets that way!

Childhood

Where did it go?


This was actually inspired by a conversation I had with some co-workers last Friday on how "youth is wasted on the young." Two individuals who have far more experience in life than myself felt they would have lived their lives differently if only they had the knowledge they have now. Saved more money, made less foolish decisions, and so on.

Makes me wonder, all the choices I made in childhood and how I've shaped myself into who I am today: will it end up coming back to bite me?

- After creating the initial sketch 'n inks for this, Randy asked if I was inspired by Andrew Wyeth's very famous painting since we were just talking about him earlier that day. It definitely came out unconsciously!

Over-Confident

I've been thinking a lot about how people will generally choose beauty over practicality.

Just a personal piece on feeling a bit too confident and falling great, great distances... into failure.

Directory

I decided to try out the Directory of Illustration this year. This is my ad page I've put together in my very slight spare moments of time. Think it does the trick? Lets hope so!

Comic Stuffs

No new artwork in awhile?! I'm rapidly realizing how draining having a full-time job is once again. Sorry for not posting more often! I'll probably put together a bunch of the work I've been doing at the full-time thing; I've created artwork and animations used in a game on Facebook titled, Treasure Isle. With over 7 million users, it's pretty exciting knowing my work is being seen. ...Wish we could have updated the look of the avatar though.


Anyhoo. Here's the cover to my neglected (this week anyhow) comic, Plastelyzed for issue #2 that I'll have to pencil and color sometime. Once I summon up the energy to create more work, it'll be done, I swear. Looking after my health and my sanity comes first though!

You've Out-lived your Use

Really. When all is said and done, at the end of the day, what else can Mega Man do after defeating all the master robots? It's not like he can go home and clean the house/laboratory... that's Roll's job. It's actually quite a sad thing, when a machine outlives it's usefulness. To be replaced by something newer, grander... .......harder, better, faster, stronger.

I wanted to edit Mega Man's costume a lot because it's just so darn simple in the 8-bit version. But it seems to become ridiculous in the later versions, as if Capcom was compensating for this fact. I tweaked his knees and maybe his shoulders and that was about it. Enjoy!

Photoshop Creative Magazine

A few weeks ago, when I was still in the midst of moving to San Francisco, I was contacted by Photoshop Creative Magazine to do an interview. The goal of the discussion was to go over my process of using Photoshop, as well as providing basic tips and tricks for anyone interested in using the program. Obviously I don't create extremely intense/advanced concept art in the program, but I've been questioned numerous times on my process.
A shot of the current issue of Photoshop Creative with my interview inside:

The actual interview is also available on podcast here: http://photoshopcreative.co.uk/podcasts.php

I'll be honest, it took place at roughly 7 or 8 in the morning (as Simon Skellon, my interviewer, was located in the UK). I apologize if I sound completely incoherent while talking. To paint a picture: I had been sleeping on an air mattress in the middle of an apartment with absolutely no furniture in it. The echo was so terrible, I sat on the floor of my bathroom as it was the only place that I was able to be heard. Pretty crazy, no?

Springtime

It's Spring. Time for the token-seasonal-illustration for this... seasonal-time of flora 'n fauna and all that.


Enjoy!

FIGHT!

I'll be honest. I secretly love the idea of office-brawls. There's something extremely exciting about seeing everyday people, in business attire, just taking out their aggression on one another, down 'n dirty. It's just so much fun.

This image was actually inspired by a pretty harsh memory of mine. Way, way back in the day (er...of 2007), I once had an Art Director who gave me the 'You'll Never Make It, Kid' speech when I said I was thinking of leaving my job to pursue my career/dreams in the Gaming industry, which would be located in NYC.

Her actual words were, "Why would you do that? You'll never make it. NYC's so expensive, you'll just struggle." I'm not sure why anyone would tell a young, barely-out-of-college person these words. She might have been projecting her own life onto mine most days. Needless to say, that speech fueled me to prove her wrong, and drove me to work as hard as possible. I quit days later, interned, learned Flash Animation from a ridiculously awesome Lead Artist, and created artwork for games. I then moved to San Francisco to further this dream, creating artwork for Facebook applications. In a twisted way, I suppose I should thank her?

....At the time, I secretly wanted to do what's pictured in that illustration to my old Art Director. Just about everyday. We didn't have cubicles, and I don't think she ever wore business attire. But hey, who hasn't pictured doing something like that?

Hotel des Arts

If anyone is in the San Francisco area for the GDC, you can view my illustration of the Legend of Zelda's Link (We're Gonna Need a Bigger Rucksack), framed and mounted on the wall of their Into the Pixel show (all thanks goes to Gallery 1988!). I've been getting emails about today from people, and finally tracked down a quick snapshot of it via Gamer Syndrome (as well as Joystiq) here.

New illustrations are in progress(too many sketches to complete this week..)

I leave you with a sketch of the Violinist. Does he really think he'll soothe the savage beast with that??

Umbrella Sailing

When I was a kid, I always imagined I could turn an umbrella upside-down and sail on the ocean inside it as a boat. I logically thought, if I'm a really small child, the umbrella would be able to hold my weight and not sink or capsize.

Just a personal illustration so I don't go crazy that the only time I'm really drawing is at work. Always make artwork for yourself from time-to-time to keep you satisfied, I always say!

Enjoy!

Status Foe

Back in December, while moving, I did an illustration for Bitch Magazine, regarding an article about people who lurk on Facebook. There's a study out that says people who tend to post less information about their own lives on Facebook will secretly look at other peoples' profiles a lot more. They feel embarrassed about their own shortcomings, or feel that they haven't gotten where they want in life versus their friends who have graduated, gotten married, are having children, visiting amazing vacation spots, and so on (which is all constantly being posted on Facebook's Feed). Pretty interesting stuff!

Enjoy!

Tweet tweet

Long time since I posted! There's good reason for that: I finally got my belongings (after a 2 week delay) and set up my studio in my new apartment. For the last 2.5 months, I was working full-time for Serious Business (most famous for 'Friends for Sale' on Facebook). Within that short time, I was incredibly happy to work with extremely talented, fun-loving individuals. Never have I literally jumped out of bed, EXCITED to begin a work day before that company.

Needless to say, we've all been acquired by a gi-normous company of which you will instantly recognize and can read up on the result here.

...Not sure how I feel about working for such a large corporate company but lets give it time, shall we?


In the meantime, here's to Twitter. I don't post with it nor do I follow anyone's tweets but it was a fun image in my mind. My buddy Ra is depicted as he was one of the first people I knew to actively use it. It's pretty incredible how social applications have dominated the world. You see a tiny blue bird or an 'f' for facebook on nearly every advertisement, the news, anywhere. Enjoy!

Giz Mag

Thanks to Giz Mag for featuring my work!


FINALLY, I have found an apartment in San Francisco. However, none of my belongings will be out here until February 1st. Aaaagh. ...Thus is the way of life.

Hopefully you'll start to see new illustrations posted here mid-February!

Geek Out

My co-worker, Frank Harmon, pointed out that my Zelda piece was on Geekologie a few days ago. Where everyone can comment on whether they like it or not!


Needless to say, it's always exciting to find my work is still making its way across the internet, even if the show was back in August!