Pencil to Brush

I finished my final drawing. About to transfer it to the wood panel (24 x 36). Will probably do a quick color study to figure out if the color scheme in my head will actually work. 

Still working out my painting process. There are so many ways to paint. I stoppped reading and watching videos on it. Decided I know enough to make intelligent mistakes and eventually find my way.    

#2 pencil on plain white paper (8.5x11)

 #2 Pencil Sketchbook 

Picture Book vs Short Film

Winnie (my wife) and I were talking about my painting class. 

"I like it when you are painting," Winnie says.
"Why?"
"You seem more relaxed... happier"
"Well painting's fun"
"You should continue painting"
"I need to finish my short film"
"Why"
I stare blankly at her for bit. "I want to tell my story"
"Why don't you tell it through a picture book?"
"Because... "
"You animate all day at work in front of the computer. You want to go home and do the same thing?"
"But..."
"When you paint you're moving around"
"Well..."
"There are no technical or creative hurdles to worry about when painting"
"aahhhhh..."

"Man you are so lucky you married me," I told my Winnie.
"What?"
"If you didn't marry me who would you say these smart things to?"

Basically I will not be making a short film for my MFA thesis. Instead a picture book. I will be telling the same story through painted images -think of a comic book filled with paintings. 

Here is one of the characters from a film that could have been. I used Photoshop, Mudbox and Maya to model and texture.

Rough Sketch of my next painting.

 

Life

A lot of things have been going on:
- I've taken a painting class which has renewed my love for traditional art.
- I'm working on a short film that I will slowly show you all.
- Going back to school for my MFA, there are many reasons why. I will not bore you now but will later.
- Just shipped another game (Elder Scrolls Online).

As you can see I will be posting a lot more.

Here is what I turned in for my final in the painting class. I can't say enough... the class has been inspiring! I don't think I can put down my paint brush again.

Acrylic on 24x48 inch panels

Learning with beers and bugs

I'm trying to learn a storyboarding software. So many buttons, trying to learn the logic of the layout has been tough. I was going through the tutorials last night. I was doing fine then I had a beer. Now I was really cooking things began to click. I had one more beer. Things started to slow down. I began to wonder why is the guys on the video tutorial talking to me like I was a child. Felt like he is belittling me, stretching out his words, repeating phrases unnecessarily. Then I had another beer. I stared at the video tutorial and the invisible teacher. Deciding I don't need his condescending words I will learn on my own. Who is he to tell me what to do, he doesn't even show his face on the video. So I drunkenly fumble through the interface. Hitting buttons at random wondering what they did, opening and closing windows like I would a kitchen cabinet looking for food.  10 solid american minutes of this the layout is unrecognizable. In my drunken state there was only one thing to do. Shut it down and go use the laboratory.  

Tonight there will be no beers during the tutorials. Maybe one or two after.

Here is a drawing I did a couple of weeks ago of my producer talking about all the bugs in our game. This was what I saw when words were coming out of his mouth.

Pencils are made from trees

Took a break from working on my short film to do this watercolor. Really needed the break. The story is kicking my butt. I don't want to rush the story process but at the same time. Am I overthinking it? Time for another beer.

Inspired

I was looking for inspiration a month ago or so. Needed something to help me attack that plain white sheet of paper. Came across this. Jim Capobiano's talk on how he made his short film Leonardo. This guy is amazing! Watch it if you need a kick in the buttocks. It was what I needed. I was able to pick up my pencil and draw some lines.

https://vimeo.com/23599762

Pencil vs. Rock

This is something my pencil did maybe a month ago. It was for my portfolio blog 'under construction' because I was redoing my demo reel. 

Right now though it reflects how I feel. Just beating away at a rock with my pencil. Yesterday I was trying to design a character for my short... had to throw it away after two hours of work. I put her next to other characters that were done. She just looked bad... really bad. The next three hours was a nightmare. Had to step away. 

Anyways picking my pencil up today. Hopefully I will have a better result.