V★DEZ

The Case For Independence

2012-02-15T11:33:00.001-05:00

Back in the early 2000s, my friends and I used to loiter on the stoop in front of my college dorm. We’d have our laughs and discussions, and every now and again, a really hot girl walked by. In that moment, the music stopped and all eyes were on her. Only one of us would be the bold moron to chase after her in the hopes of finding “love.” This is the essence of what it means to “chase tail.”

On one such occasion, an incredibly attractive high-roller-looking kind of girl walked past the stoop. Everyone shut up for that moment, but we all had an idea of what she might be like. Yeah, she was dressed high class but she would run you dry. And all of us, being college students, were for the most part broke. Then exited the brave moron to chase said girl. He walked with her for blocks, then scored a dinner date, drinks at the bar and a dance at a club... only to return to the stoop the next day broken-hearted and with an empty wallet. We never asked what happened, because obviously nothing did, but he went around acting as if he was owed something.

The following week, he did it again.

The Marvel/Disney v. Gary Friedrich case definitely has the artist community in a rage. It’s a gray area for sure, and it could really change the way artists (designers, writers, actors, etc.) do business with their patrons (employers) in the future.

The “Work for Hire” clause in each contract signed tends to be overlooked by many. And creators who ignore that deceitfully-dressed sodomy stick will also forget to bring the legal lube later on.

Michelangelo doesn’t own the paintings on the Sistine Chapel.* The Catholic Church does, as with so many other famous Renaissance artworks of the time. However, the artists are given proper credit for their work, and justly so. In my belief, credit for work done can be more valuable than the cash compensation awarded. Credit is a way that many artists, writers, etc., are able to keep their livelihoods and support their families...or cats. So when people like Jack Kirby, Bill Finger, Gary Friedrich and the likes lose that recognition for creating memorable icons: artists should hide their kids, hide their wives, and hide their husbands cause they...you get the idea. Lawsuits like these make a great case for independence and why artists should not blindly submit their creations for a paycheck. When your job is to create for a company, you have to understand that you are legally giving up your creation for the compensation of wages. Artists in advertising, freelancers, and many other artists behind the scenes understand that their work under a “work for hire” contract basically means at the end of the day, they own nothing. Nothing.

As a creator, the last thing I want to see is my labored creation taken from me by a corporation and my livelihood in ruins because of it. Why should/would I give my multi-million-dollar idea to a corporation who’s already got a multi-million-dollar empire if what I’ll get in return is a measly wage with no residuals or recognition? Granted, having a name like Marvel/Disney backing a project would help bring my idea to many more people, but at what cost?

There are way too many creators, artists, and writers chasing tail, hoping that with a gal like Marvel behind their property, they’ll make a claim to fame, but they rarely do. I’ve worked at quite a few independent studios who’d recite that they wouldn’t produce their own short unless they had a buyer. Like saline to a homeopathic tonic, I’ve seen many friends who think grabbing an investor would help make their remedy more potent. But in each case they continue to water down the most crucial part of their creation: ownership.

I’m disappointed with Marvel/Disney for not giving their prolific creators the credit they deserve, but I don’t know if I can wholeheartedly stand with Gary and the gang.

In my own, correct, opinion*, if you’re that invested in your creation...do it yourself. You might not make as much money, or any money at all, but at least it’ll be yours.

.v
*In the interests of practicing what I preach, full credit goes to my lovely partner, Colleen Johnson, for the Michelangelo comparison and the phrase “My Correct Opinion.”

Sargent Study

2011-12-05T18:23:00.002-05:00

Back to Basics

2011-12-04T23:48:00.000-05:00

Thought some life drawing was in order after that Draper drawing.

Don Draper -

2011-12-04T22:56:00.000-05:00

My sad attempt at painting Don Draper.

AMC - Consider an Animated Series for the web with Echo Bridge Pictures

2011-11-29T18:44:00.000-05:00

Fan of the comics, fan of the show. This piece was a must!

2011-11-28T00:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I took some time off, honestly. Spent the last week visiting family, very close friends, trekking cross country, and taking some much needed rest. While on my trip, my head was flooded with all kinds of ideas for things I'd like to do: write a novel, a new screen play, songs, poems, new business ideas, adventurous activities like skydiving and sorts. I wrote many of them down in my sketchbook, and others I'm still planning out.

Something did come to mind though while I was out just the other day: every hour I spend surfing the net, watching TV, facebooking, or what have you; are hours that I could have spent writing or drawing, creating or producing something worthwhile. That every hour lost to consumerism, I lost an hour to make my life much more enriched. Granted, we all need reasonable downtime, but I guess I'm coming to an age where I really begin to value my time... especially when we see it moving by so rapidly.

2011-11-16T13:31:00.000-05:00

Been listening to a lot of Charles Mingus this week. Incredibly inspiring :)

Weekend Update

2011-10-21T18:54:00.000-04:00

You might have seen this floating around NYCC this year:

My good friend (and writer) Keith Miller and I put together this little comic book project called 'Aspects.' From what I've been told, it was received fairly well that it's attracted some very promising prospects. When I was younger, I had always dreamt about doing comic books, but after producing my own short films in college, that passion sort of faded off. But after doing animation for nearly a decade, I have to say that I really had a great time working on this. We got a few more issues to go, and hopefully this little dark-side comedy will be easily accessible to those interested in reading.

What I Been Up To Lately

2011-09-28T17:54:00.001-04:00

Been busy at the studio. You can keep up with all the goodness on the blog!

http://echobridge.tumblr.com

Hitting the Shelves

2011-09-24T18:54:00.000-04:00

Some artwork for a comic book project I've been working on with ever-so-brilliant-and-witty, Keith Miller.

Press Release and stuff..

2011-09-14T16:52:00.000-04:00

So.. we finished up the short and I'm pretty 'happy' with the results. Lots of things I do want to tweak, but its out in the world now... no point in going back unless necessary. Anyways, in a hopeless attempt, here's the press release that we put out for it:

NEW YORK, New York — Echo Bridge Pictures, a new, independent animation studio, has just released its first animated short film, “It’s Been Ten Years,” a tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The film is part of a fund-raising effort organized by Gideon Amichay and AniBoom, benefitting 9/11 survivors and their families.

The story follows a survivor of the Trade Center collapse back to ground zero. Mentally distressed and physically ill, she stands at the edge, unable to escape the effects of that life-altering day.

Artists from all over the world contributed 15-second animation clips expressing their personal impressions of 9/11. Any proceeds generated by screenings on television or other media will be donated to the Twin Towers Orphan Fund and the Tuesday’s Children Organization.

2011-09-12T11:03:00.001-04:00

Here is the 'Final' product!

About this project:

We were asked to produce, along with other artists, animators, etc., a short 10-30second film in commemoration of 9/11. The objective is/was/I don't know to help raise funds for the Twin Towers Orphan Fund.

The concept behind this piece is that a survivor of the 9/11 event still suffers internally from that day. She, like many others directly impacted, has had to live with all kinds of mental, emotional, and physical health issues, nor has she had any help from the government. This is a comment towards the neglect of the State of New York and the US congress have shown towards first responders and victims. So even though its a cool September day, she is not physically well has is wrapped up in a scarf, her nose red and stuffy, etc.

Another thing to notice, is that every single person that shows up within the present day scenes, is not looking around or interacting with each other, rather, are preoccupied with their mobile devices. This is a sort of commentary on how we've all become a disconnected from our reality and each other.

This short story was based off the experiences of friends who were directly impacted by 9/11.

Echo Bridge Pictures, LLC crew

Andrew Embury - Post Production Artist
Charlotte McCormack - Assistant
Colleen Johnson - Voice
Esteban Valdez - Animator / BG Painter / Editor
Gabriel Bryant - Assistant
Jason McArthur - Animator
Jonathan Woodard - Sound Design

Poem written by Keith Miller
Written, Directed & Produced by Esteban Valdez

2011-08-25T14:39:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd share some pre-post work for this short. I wrote a bit about this on the studio blog, but why keep it in just one spot ;)

2011-08-25T02:20:00.002-04:00

Working on the BGs for Echo Bridge Pictures' short film, '10 Years Later'.

2011-08-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

Working with my buddy Gene Fowler of Loogaroo, we cooked up some designs for a show they're looking to produce.

Selling Out

2011-08-15T10:00:00.003-04:00

Did this short comic story in about a day. It was for an anthology called Pulpo my buddy Gabo had published. The main purpose of this was to try and tell the story without dialogue. I produced this on an old iBook with a 4x6 wacom tablet. Was I successful?

Another shot!

2011-08-14T23:26:00.001-04:00

Here's another finished shot from the 9/11 short my studio, Echo Bridge Pictures, is producing.

In this shot, she's looking at the remains of the towers and falls into memory. There are several elements that I wanted to get out of this shot... The main character has an illness that has resulted because of the towers and hasn't had any sort of medical (financial) relief and she is still traumatized by the events of that day. Seeing as its hard to show some sort of cancer externally, I copped out and just made her nose all stuffy and red.

The second thing that I wanted to pull off was in the background characters attitude. Trying to give them a callous or indifferent attitude, I attempt to do this by having EVERY single character that shows up in a shot either plugged into their iPod, on a cell phone or carried away on a some mobile device (which after taking this snapshot, I forgot to turn the headphone layers on.) So, instead of having people walking around looking at each other, or looking around their environment, people are isolated within themselves.

Metaphoric at best I suppose... I mean, I wonder if any of this is going to come off... it's only 10second after all.

2 more shots to go!

Animation Tutorial

2011-08-14T03:03:00.002-04:00

Today I'm going to show you how to pragmatically approach classical animation.

Step 1. Understand You Shot/Cut/Scene/Sequence/whatever...

Call it what you will, you have something to animate at the end of the day. Take at least 1minute to review the CUT; how long is it? Does it hook up with the cut before or after? How many characters, FX, etc... Study it. Know it. Take notes if you have too.

Step 2. Find Your Keys

These are the acting or narrative frames of the cut and there are two ways of approaching this:

Just fill in the blanks between the storyboards/layout drawings.. OR...
Using your notes; act out the cut.

If you were told to draw a paper bag, you'd probably do just that. Chances are, it'll look nice, but it won't look a live. Seeing as you're in the business of making things come to life, that's kind of an important part of the job. Now, if you approached the bag and looked inside, you might see apples or some other object(s) in it, and when you drew that bag, you'd give it a bit more weight, maybe some bulging areas of where the contents might be.

Same rules apply here.

(click to play)

Here, I've acted out the shot, taken off my shoes and bent them respectfully to get a better idea of how things are functioning.

When I first moved up to Lead Animator, I didn't quite understand how key drawings worked. I would draw the most extremes, then the breakdown and leave the rest up to the Animator working after me. what I would get back would be inbetweens that were poorly drawn, sliding features, and horrible timing. Keys are the narrative or acting frames of animation; you need to put in the work if you want the acting results you're looking for. Never leave things to chance.

Step 3. Clean Your Mess

At this time it's a good idea to clean up your rough drawings and start writing down your timing. It saves time, and it also makes the next process that much simpler.

(click to play)

Here I'm plotting out where the inbetweens will go. Seeing as I've done many key drawings, I won't need to draw as many inbetweens.

TIP: In my studio, we use a Japanese/Korean system for handling multiple layers of animation. By labeling your drawings according to hierarchy of the composition, it will make it that much easier to organize and composite in Post.

Step 4. The Important Drawings

Whatever your stance might be, inbetweens can make or break your cut. If you've done the work with your keys, this part can be a really zen like experience. Its the time to focus on draftsmenship and focus on the details. Be aware of what's going on from drawing to drawing. Something that I found helpful is to off set the background color in order to see each drawing clearly.

If things are getting a bit blurry, zoom in! Get into the details a bit more and really get 'inbetween' the lines.

Step 5. The Result

(click to play)

Hopefully you found this informative and insightful... maybe inspirational and motivating. After having looked over this tutorial several times, you'll come to realize that there isn't any hidden magic trick or special top secret formula. It's a way of seeing and thinking about things, its a philosophy that certainly can't be bought. Although places like Animation Mentor and many other institutions have good intensions, the reality is that after you've paid the thousands of dollars for a lesson, there is no guarantee that you'll ever have employment. The way I learned to think about working in a progressive manner was through the mentorship of incredibly talented leaders that I head while working at many different studios.

Serious mentorship is something that's severely lacking in our animation system today. Taking it a bit further, in just about every industry that requires training. The problem stems from insecure people trying to hold onto an insignificant position rather than passing the torch and improving the craft. Rather than take a young talent under their wing and possibly move up in the studio system, they grip with everything they have and play gate keeper to anyone who comes knocking at the door. And if people do manage to get in, these individuals will do anything it takes to keep their own secrets under wraps. But blame also comes upon the young talent who enters the field with either a chip or an over inflated head on their shoulders unwilling to toss pride out the door and ask someone better than themselves for advice.

We've all had a part to play in the downgrading of our industry... so lets start trying to make it better.

Los Muertos - Characters

2011-08-12T10:00:00.001-04:00

Some character concept for sprites for the game. Really pushing the silhouettes for these guys.

Los Muertos - Animation Stuff

2011-08-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

This is some animation for the intro to my game "Los Muertos".

2011-08-10T02:11:00.002-04:00

Working on some BG characters here. There's a ton of them in this shot.

2011-08-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Tossed down some rough pencils... Just testing out some things time wise.

Employing the Employed

2011-08-06T15:12:00.000-04:00

I actually read and seen about this practice happening all around the country. Essentially, if you're already employed, you're most likely to get a job. If you're not employed... good luck.

Maybe we should make being unemployed a profession?

Link Whore

2011-08-06T00:34:00.002-04:00

Aside from drawing and producing awesomeness, I also play bass guitar in a band called 'Unchecked Aggression.' It's been a pretty fun project so far, and one of our band mates, Travis (Trumpet) has graciously uploaded our latest performance that I share with you now:

(Side note: This was a song I wrote along with Ryan - our drummer/trombonist)

Master Artist Studying

2011-08-05T10:07:00.002-04:00

Did some master studying at the MFA in Boston. Definitely a great way to improve your drawing ability...

For the Have Nots

2011-08-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

Sick and tired, my health rots
Working a job that benefits not
You or me or our community
But fills the pockets of greed

Good clean food's for the rich elite
Believe that cause I ain't got no food to eat
Sleeping under over passes
Cause the Texas Miracle turned out flaccid

Deep cuts to my social programs
Leave me desolate, hungry and abandoned
And just when I can't get no rest
SoCal cops went and beat me to death

Figure Drawing

2011-08-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

Some sketches from a studio session. Haven't done these in a while... should try to get on that some more. Figure drawing definitely lets you know where your skill level is at.

2011-08-01T17:02:00.002-04:00

Another shot that's being worked on... For 10 seconds, it sure looking like feature work here :D

Video Game Design Test

2011-08-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

This was a test for a studio in Ottawa. I wasn't able to take the position due to some family issues, but all in all, these came out ok.

2011-07-31T19:38:00.000-04:00

Finally getting to the end of this shot. Lots o' people, but it's NY, so its only appropriate.

Box Commercial

2011-07-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

My best, long time, buddy Andrew Embury and I whipped up a quick commercial for a sports gear company based in Ontario Canada. The spot never made it to filming, but it was really fun to work with Andy again.

2011-07-27T13:47:00.002-04:00

This guys got a bit more acting going on. Really liking how this shot is turning out too.

2011-07-27T12:03:00.002-04:00

Here's another shot I did last night. This one is the 'quake' scene where the room starts shifting around, crackings in the walls and debris falling. Or, as they would call it, 'Money Shot'.

Up and coming Project

2011-07-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

A concept piece I did for my friend Bryan. He's got this project that I'm suppose to be helping out with, and I feel incredibly bad that I haven't had the time to work on it for a couple of months now... :( Sorry Bryan.

1 Down...

2011-07-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

I know it's a bit small to see, but here is the finished animated shot. I'm really happy with it :) Now, I can't wait to see this through to Post. But for now... onto more shots!

Riot

2011-07-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

Illustration concept for a graphic novel/animated series that I wanted to produce... Just one of those things that ends up on the back burner.

Adobe/Apple Tensions

2011-07-24T17:46:00.003-04:00

I'm really hesitant to upgrade to the new Lion OS X. After reading this article, it makes me very weary to make the move.

Yeah, they'll fix the bugs as time marches on, but if you've got projects in the hopper, the last thing you want to do is risk your workstation. And with the Adobe/Apple tension, it makes for shaky confidence grounds.

Though I haven't upgraded just yet; for those of you who are about to, here's a link to the Java plugin to fix Adobe CS5/Lion compatibility. If anyone did make the Lion upgrade, and something happened to your Adobe CS5, let me know how you resolved.

The thing I like about Apple is its a solid machine. Never had problems since making the switch in 2002. In fact, my old G5 is still in use at the studio and operates just as nicely. Windows... But with the way both companies have been heading, I'm not a fan of either one at the moment.

2011-07-22T14:45:00.000-04:00

Portrait of my good friend Jason 'Groovy' McArthur. Cause ya asked so nicely :)

Another Unused Piece

2011-07-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Was contacted by a band in LA to create some artwork for a pitch they were giving to Cartoon Network. Another project which I'm not sure ever took off...

2011-07-22T02:31:00.002-04:00

Here's a 'cleaned up' version of this with adjusted time.

2011-07-21T23:30:00.003-04:00

Just whipped through the inbetweens on this. Coming together really nicely.

Trying to out some 'post' looks.

2011-07-20T11:31:00.000-04:00

Using 'Stumpy Pencil' brush that I found via Google+ :) Absolutely love it :D

Los Muertos iPad Game

2011-07-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

This is an illo for a game that I'm currently "producing" for the iPad2. Hopefully when things lighten up it'll get some more love :)

2011-07-20T02:52:00.000-04:00

Key animation now complete! Now onto inbetween and paint.

Rough sketchy lines have always appealed to me, and it's something that I'm going to keep through this process. 'Cleanup', rather, 'On Model' process is next to keep things consistent. Maybe in my next production I'll take the sketchiness to a new level.

2011-07-18T20:42:00.000-04:00

The shot before that. One of the things I take a lot of pride in is compositions. Getting those dynamic angles in is always a plus :) Just that animating those perspectives can be a challenge.

2011-07-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

Working on one of the last shots for this short. It's almost done!!

Some of the ground giving way. This one's a fun one. Still got to add in other debris falling and then I think the whole thing is ready for inbetweens, paint, then compositing.

Some more BG Designs

2011-07-18T10:00:00.001-04:00

Some backgrounds I had designed for a short film that was to be entered into a film contest hosted by Nickelodeon.

Crazy Campus Designs

2011-07-15T10:00:00.002-04:00

These were some character concepts for the game Crazy Campus for Gameloft. Some of them ended up in the game, others not, but all in all I was pretty happy with some of these.

Smackdowned

2011-07-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

Some more character designs I did for Gameloft. These were suppose to be for a wrestling game that never saw the light of day.

Fight Like Gentlemen?

2011-07-11T10:16:00.000-04:00

Forgot why I did this one... I know it was for a laugh though. :)

これそれ

2011-07-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Some designs I had produced for a project that I'm still trying to figure out what its all about. Based these designs, and the story, off a conversation that I had with a long time friend of mine, Chuck Collins. Eventually, when time permits, I'll get around to hitting up the pilot.

Investing in Yourself

2011-07-07T22:16:00.003-04:00

I've been following artist + activist, Favianna Rodriguez for about a year now and absolutely love her works and words on social issues. I just finished reading her latest blog post in regards to investing in ourselves.

She writes about becoming a life long student in the arts and I found most of these ideas very practical and encourage others to take a glance.

Here are a few tips for other artists around the practice of being a lifelong student in the arts:

1. Take art classes in field that interest you, and treat them as labs - places where you can experiment, open yourself up to new techniques, and learn from others. I let go of the idea that I will produce finished pieces, and instead, go crazy trying everything out. I also time myself so that I don't get attached to what I make.

2. High quality art classes are often in the range of $300-$800, so I set aside a budget every year to take workshops at least once a quarter. You can start small, and set aside the price of going out to eat, it's not food for the stomach but food for your heart. Even if you don't take a class, you can use the funds to pay for the time of a master teacher, or studio rental for 1 day. Of course, there are free classes too, but I am not going to focus on those in this blog, because I haven't had great experiences with free workshops.

3. I recently realized how important it was for me to leave my home to take a class. If possible, you should leave and go to a place where you can treat it like a vacation. Take time off work to do your class.

4. Sign up for e-newsletters of places that offer classes so that you are in the loop around special offers. Often, the best classes fill up fast, so its important to stay updated on things in your area or your field of interest.

5. Read books. I hardly learn from books, but recently, I started reading about Chinese woodblock printing in preparation for a woodblock class I'm taking next week. I realized how incredibly valuable it is to prepare for workshops by reading up on the material. In fact some people can learn entirely from books.

6. Reach out to your masters now! If you know of someone you admire, reach out to them, ask them to mentor you in a particular area. Maybe you need help with color theory, or maybe with learning how to cut a linoblock. I recently reached out to one of my masters to ask him to help me hand print on Japanese paper. Whatever you do, do it now. I say this because, masters are not around for ever. One of my favorite teachers of all time, passed away a few years back, and I often wished I had spent more time with him.

7. Thank your masters. I always try to give my masters pieces of my work and to express my gratitude to them, because their lessons are real gifts to me.

8. Cross the sea to find your master. I have a dream of going to Japan to connect with masters of the Mokuhanga tradition, which is a Japanese style of printmaking. So every year, I apply to a fund that facilitates exchanges between Japanese and American artists. I've applied at least 5 times now, and have not gotten it. But I don't give up, because it is my dream to learn this craft.

9. Be committed to your "schooling." This is definitely what I've had the hardest time with. Usually, a few days before my scheduled class, I will realize I have to much work to do, so I sometimes consider cancelling my class. But thankfully, my mom reminds me to view this as an investment in myself, and to make sure to treat my learning as sacred time.

10. Investigate scholarships or fee waivers for your classes. Many of these art programs offer scholarships. Also, many cities around the country have funding for artists who want to take workshops (usually around $500). Investigate.

11. List your classes in your resume.

Pirate Mini Golf Revolution Designs

2011-07-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

These are some character designs I did while at Gameloft in New York.

2011-07-05T19:43:00.000-04:00

Really liking the way this shot is coming through. Has a very larger than life feel to it. :) Instead of animating it in Flash, we decided to take this to PS. Despite what some might say, I actually found this to be a lot faster.

PS animation has a very traditional feel, you focus on the drawings in front of you, then you flip through them with the animation option. Unlike Flash where you draw a few things out, then scrub the time line, and constantly going all the way to the beginning then all the way to the end... you draw the frames that are needed, then go back to see how it all plays out.

Of course, the one thing I find annoying is that you have to label EVERYTHING or you'll forget and get lost within the piles of layers that accumulate.

9/11 - More Roughs!

2011-07-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

Some more progress on this shot. Still got lots to do, people, cars, etc...

Damn...

2011-07-04T13:50:00.000-04:00

C'est conception d'animation

2011-07-04T10:00:00.001-04:00

These were some designs I did for a Paris-based animated production. Whether it was ever produced, I'm not entirely sure.

10 Years Later - More Roughs

2011-07-04T01:38:00.000-04:00

This shot is a slow push-in, and character reacts to a distant memory. Gotta key out the people walking behind her and maybe add in a few cars, trucks, etc.

10 Years Later - Roughs

2011-07-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

This is a project that my studio, Echo Bridge Pictures, is currently producing. It's a "micro" film for a fund raiser to help with the Twin Towers Orphan Fund.

Balance

2011-07-01T16:41:00.000-04:00

After many years, I've realized that life can not be a one track course. Some would profess other wise, but to spend your life drooling before vanity is a life poorly lived. For artists, in order to create inspired, fulfilling, well-versed works, we have to live life. Doesn't say anything about being rich or happy or full of recognition - many artists and writers before us lived lives of poverty and neglect - but that we must live life.

This "business" has a way of changing people and not always for the better. Everyone flocks to LA or NY, hungry and desperate for success, often adopting the philosophy that "you got to step on if you want to step up." Young bloods entering into "the game", get so engulfed in this passion that it consumes them... with nothing and no one standing in the way. The only thing they tend to gain is emptiness and a bottomless stomach for celebrity.

Facts are facts; success can't be measured. There is no way, it's too subjective so stop worrying and get on with life.

Family n' Friends

2011-07-01T16:09:00.001-04:00

The idea behind it is that if you nurture your family and friends, they will help to keep you grounded in life. Designed for my dearly-beloved-much-missed-friend, Cyn. Hope you like it, cause I might get this one for myself too :D

2011-07-01T10:00:00.006-04:00

Unused sketches for concept pieces that I never painted. Though I really did enjoy whipping these up.

Red Giant - Plot Device

2011-06-30T17:48:00.001-04:00

Did some animation work w/Andrew Embury for Red Giant Software. You can see it after the credits roll.

Plot Device from Red Giant on Vimeo.

Here's one of the model sheets we did for it:

2011-06-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

This was a BG I painted quickly for a 30 trailer I created in 24 hours from boards to post. There's a video of it on YouTube... but I refuse to show it out of shear embarrassment :P

Abandoned City

2011-06-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

Just some concept art pieces I did a little while back. Not incredibly difficult to do when you find a proper technique.

Dead in the Night

2011-06-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

Some video game concepts for an indie game. Really enjoyed knocking these guys out; who doesn't like zombie games?!

Unused Character Designs

2011-06-23T21:09:00.001-04:00

These were some designs I created for a project. During the course of production, the direction changed, so these guys ended up needing some love.