new sketchbookery

These are actually some concept designs for a (let's call it a 'flawed') concept, as is most of my design work these days, tho not all of it flawed, but all of it is proprietary (sp?) so I cant really post images.

but here you go for now!

previous stuff

Just a few more from the (now dormant) Kerplunk site. Check back often for new sketches, designs and thoughts on animation in general and 2D animation, specifically.

Sketchbookery and Designs

As of Friday the 13th, Kerplunk Animation has merged with Mongadillo Studios! Mongadillo is an award winning studio where we will be working on commercials, short films, and developing a boatload of cool properties. I am the Director of Animation, I tried for 'Supreme Allied Commander' but that title is apparently taken.

here are some of the files from the previous version of Kerplunk. check out the Mongadillo link to see waht the awesome studio is all about!

Ottawa!

I just returned from Ottawa a few days ago. I went out for the Television Animation Conference and the festival. I had an amazing time, and I have stories to tell! but that requires typing and I just dont have the where-with-all to type that much right now. but I will, I promise. in the meantime, I have to share this. I ran in to Mo Williams, we have met and hung out prior to this trip. we were waiting for the bus to take us to the picnic. she was with her husband, the amazing and funny, funny Richard Williams ( who I had taken a masterclass from years ago and he thought he recognized my name. how nice of him to lie like that) and teh legend known as John Canemaker. we decidec a cab would be faster, so I got the opportunity to taake 2 cab rides and hang out all afternoon with these legends of animation! I was overwhelmed. They will be in Portland soon and I hope to spend more time with them. I took these pictures, firts, of all threee of them, then growled at myself for not being in the picture! but then I got one of me and John later. they were so funny and genuine. and I promised Mo I would have a dead-on impersonation of her accent by the time she arrives in portland.

oh, and these

these were for a few series pitches I had been working on. one idea is mine and one is for somebody else who is not me. they are both sort of shelved for the time being, as other ideas have received some really great interest form network muckity mucks. I'll post images of those soon, if I can.

other projects

I cant really talk about these, as they are for projects still in th' works, as they say, but I like the way some of these are going....any thoughts?

short film

and then there's this: here is a character for a short film I'm doing called "My Daughter's a Girl". profound, I know. I hope to have screen tests up soon, the animation is nearly done, then the assisting will happen. i met an great animator/director from Rio de Janero ( I know I spelled that wrong) last week named Rodrigo ( we met in Ottawa) and we talked for a long time about style, etc. I love to be inspired by cool animators. the trouble is, a new idea has taken root in my head and I am really, really eager to get started on it! where are we with that cloning thing, anyway?

the other images are development sketches for the film.

my take on it

and here is still form my film. Obviously I had to make up a story, which I admit is not really that clear in the film, but that doesn't really matter, does it?
after teh way-too-long process of cleaning the rough animation, I will paint it.
all while working on my Master's film ( My Daughter is a Girl) and several other freelance projects. so you'll forgive the lack of interesting posts here, as its kind of obvious what I am up to.

here is an image from the film:

one of the films

so I am now in the cleanup stage of one of my films. This one is called 'Acquiesce' and its based on a Klee etching I have always liked. His original etching has no official title, but it has come to be known as 'two men meet each supposing the other to be of higher rank'. here is is original first:

and a pinch to grow on

I just thought I'd throw in this hottie naked soccer mom. she has a lure about her, don'cha think?

color thing

I found some time to play around with painter. I know it has a ton of cool abilities, but I never had time to get in the program deep enough. so this is just a color test. I really dont like the drawing very much, but I like the direction the color is going. i think I can come up with some good stuff after a few more tries, but I thought I'd post the first go 'round.

New Images

First, I'd like to say hello to all the folks from The Portland Animator's Group on the Frederator Blog! HELLO! I love it when I find more people in town with cool ideas and mad drawing skills. it makes me want to not work and just sketch and visit all day. and man, do I wish I could spend more time writing on this thing. I'd like to post more shorts and inspirational movies I've found. I think it will happen someday.

but for now, I have a few more sketches to put up.I was able to clear enough off my plate to actually sketch something I liked, so here ya go!

I promise, if you keep checking back, I'll have more interesting things to say than just yammering on about my stuff.

There has been a small outcry for more naked soccer moms, who am i to ignore the demands of the people??

sketchbookery

I borrowed this phrase from Joe! Thanks Joe ! I love it! I am going to write more when I find some time and my studio isn't so bloody hot, but here are some new sketches. any comments?

an homage

I know this is a stretch, but here is a tribute to a favorite painter of mine, Thomas Eakins. I love his sense of light and color. This the Swimming Hole, done in 1884. I studied this while starting a Master's program at the University of Montana and the instructor called it 'Diego and his Friends' because he had a dog named Diego who looked just like the dog in the picture. so many of the younger students still think that is the real name of the painting! I love that he did this and it makes me think of when I tech, what bad jokes are my students taking for real? anyways, here is the inspiration, and my quicksketch depiction of it ( think I need more figures?)

more soccer moms

do you remember that scene in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, you know the one, where Richard Dreyfus cant get the image of Devil's Tower ou tof his mind. I have the same thing with naked soccer moms. I sit down at the Cintiq and these images come to mind. I really don't know what I am trying to accomplish from it, I may have mentioned this all in an earlier post. I am fascinated by the thought of women who were once really hot, but motherhood and time have taken their toll ( hey, were all there at some point) and now they are trying to look sexy again ( for their husbands?) but cant get the essence back in their moods. I love humans! we are so weird. anyways, these sketches stem from that impulse...