Angry Art Monkey

Closed

2011-01-13T12:08:00.001-08:00

Well, it's not big secret that I haven't been updating this thing at all. I've been posting some random art stuff over at The Making of Yellow Peril to show some sketches, animations, illustrations, process kind of stuff. So for all the two people who know this thing is here, head on over to The Making of Yellow Peril for more madness. And as always, check out Yellow Peril three times a week for new comics.

Dragon Phoenix Love

2010-08-19T22:58:00.001-07:00

Dragon Phoenix Love, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Print number 2 based on this first panel in this comic is off to the printers! Hopefully, it will get here in time for SPX attack. Now must sleep.

Kane, Ukiyo-e Style

2010-08-13T06:33:00.001-07:00

Kane, Ukiyo-e Style, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I'm planning on bringing two prints with me to SPX this year. This is the first one. It's Kane done in a total Ukiyo-e style. It's inspired from a panel in this comic, Tackle.

I've put in the order so hopefully they'll get here before the con. *crossing fingers* And I hope I have enough time to finish my second one! ACK!

Puppy Cow White Board Thank You

2010-08-12T06:01:00.001-07:00

Puppy Cow White Board Thank You, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

In the spirit of The Chive's quittin' girl hoax, Puppy Cow says "thank you" for getting us past the 50% funded mark. Let's keep it rollin'!

Puppy Cow Plush Kickstarter

Darmacon

2010-07-28T16:24:00.001-07:00

Darmacon, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

My friend Chris (check out his comic unseenllc.com/sledgebunny/) asked for some art to throw up on some fliers for Katsucon 2011 and this is the thing I came up with, a giant Daruma robot.

This is kind of my play on the whole school boy controlling a giant robot super robot theme. Except instead of a little boy I substituted an awesome chick with green hair.

I think they live in the same universe as Great Kahuna Bot V. Someday, there will be comics or toys or both.

And of course, I snuck in Puppy Cow!

Frog Eats Monkey, Char Type 01

2010-07-22T21:24:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey, Char Type 01, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

A bit of Gundam humor here. Char Aznable's Mobile Suit is an MS-06S Zaku II Command type which makes it three times as fast as a regular Zaku II. Okay, so it was three times funnier in my head.

I'm using a new mold which I didn't take any pictures of, but it's essentially a one-piece mold with the back cut out for demolding. This cuts down on sanding and filling, but I still have way too many bubbles. At least the face doesn't have any seams any more.

The white resin is easy to work with. Carving panel lines for the top of the head was fairly simple. The head fin and the backpack skeleton are made with plastic sheets. Instead of building the backpack first and then trying to fit it on the back, I just super glued the frame to the body. I'll be using more plastic card and my favorite mori mori putty to build up the rest of the backpack.

I've got to figure out what to do with the snout and the pipes and the mono eye, but this is a good start.

Puppy Cow Turn Arounds

2010-07-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

Puppy Cow Turn Arounds, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Not the best turns, I know, but this is to give some kind of idea of Puppy Cow's dimensions. Who knows, this might be helpful when it comes time to get some toys/plushes/horrible things made.

PUPPY COW!

2010-07-14T06:07:00.001-07:00

PUPPY COW!, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

The completely adorable, yet udderly terrifying PUPPY COW!

I created this horrifying thing at ConnectiCon 2010. I think he'll be my next art toy after Frog Eats Monkey.

Witness the adorable terror of the PUPPY COW!

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Clear Casting

2010-07-06T09:05:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Clear Casting, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Got some transparent resin with some dyes just to mess around with. The darker one in the background is what you get when you put too many drops of die into the mix. It's been four days since I cast it and it still hasn't set solid. The dye totally changed the chemical composition of the mix so I don't think it'll ever cure properly. But good to know that the dye is super strong.

The version in the foreground I didn't even bother putting in any more dye because there was some residual red in the mixing cup. Turned out fantastically red! It also shows off all the flaws in the rubber mold. I'm gonna sand it all down and fill the holes with super glue and see if I can polish it up smooth. But I think eventually, I'm going to have to pour another mold and work on getting the bubbles out either with a vacuum chamber or vibrate the bubbles out.

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Sanding 01

2010-07-02T06:31:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Sanding 01, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I managed to crank out 8 of these guys before I ran out of resin. I ordered some more so I can do more casts. While I wait for the new materials to arrive, it's sanding time! Sanding is pretty tedious and time consuming, but it's kind of therapeutic and totally zen.

I don't know how well you can see them in this photo, but there are a some pock marks and pot holes that I'll have to fill once I'm done with the initial sanding. I'll probably use Mori Mori putty to fill the holes which is yellow so these guys will look like they have some kinda disease before they get primed.

More to come!

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting 03

2010-06-30T09:36:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting 03, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

After many trials and many errors, I finally figured out the proper amount of resin to mix up and pour. Also figured out how to get the air bubbles out of the feet. I drilled a second, smaller hole in the mold to let air bubbles out which seems to work well. I will know to keep that in mind next time I make a mold of this guy.

It's going to take a lot of work to get them in shape for customizing. Lost of sanding, cutting, filling, etc. But I've been learning a lot from the whole mess. Hopefully next time I'll make better molds so that I won't have to do so much finishing.

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting II

2010-06-28T21:43:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting II, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Success! Kinda. I cut the pouring hole much bigger which seemed to work. No giant air bubble to prevent the resin from pouring in. But as you can see from the final pull, there was some air bubble action at the feet. I think next time I will tilt the mold forward a little to make sure the resin coats that area.

There are a lot of air bubbles that I'll have to sand out even if I cast the feet properly. I'll probably end up making another mold of Frog Eats Monkey sometime in the future, but it'll do alright for now. Smooth Cast 300 two-part resin from Smooth-On sets nicely and its bright white color will make it easy to paint and customize.

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting I

2010-06-28T21:34:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Casting I, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

My first casting was a total failure. The hole I cut in the rubber mold was way too thin and created a giant air bubble when I poured the resin. It made me sad. But I learned a lot from screwing up.

Oh, I'm using Smooth-On Smooth Cast 300 two-part resin. It sets wicked fast.

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Demolding

2010-06-24T06:03:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Demolding, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Demolding was a success! Although, I could have used more Vaseline. The mold stuck together in places that didn't have a thick enough coat. But it all worked. There are a few bubbles at the edges, but since those will be positive bumps in the final cast, I can sand them down instead of filling them which is good. Next, time to mix up some resin and pour.

Frog East Monkey WIP – Mold Part II

2010-06-23T21:57:00.001-07:00

Frog East Monkey WIP – Mold Part II, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Mold making part II! The silicone set without any bubbles which made me pretty happy.

I used some magazine pages on the bottom since I didn't have enough of the gray clay to fill the entire box. Good thing, too, because that clay was difficult to dig out. As soon as I got down to the rubber, though, it was fairly easy to get out and to clean the area.

Use a little Vaseline so the the second half doesn't stick, mixed my silicone, and poured it in. All I gotta do is set it and forget it. Hoping this all turns out. When it's all cured, I'll cut a channel in the bottom so I can pour in some resin and get to making some toys!

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Mold Part I

2010-06-22T23:06:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey WIP – Mold Part I, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Looks like Frog Eats Monkey isn't quite ready for her/his/its closeup after all!

So this is the first half of a two-part mold. Half the toy is embedded in clay. Holes are poked in the clay which will serve as keys for the two mold halves to make it easier to line up properly when it comes time to cast.

When the clay is all smoothed and poked, it's time to put on the higher wall and pour in some silicone. I'm using Smooth-On Mold Star 15. This is the first time I've ever used it so I hope it works. I'm a little worried about air bubbles but we'll see what happens.

Frog Eats Monkey – Primed

2010-06-21T23:13:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey – Primed, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Sprayed on some basic primer to see if there are any more blemishes and dings to sand and fill. There are a few small things here and there but I might leave them. I also kind of like the texture the primer gives the thing. I wonder if it will keep that texture when it gets molded.

Frog Eats Monkey – Sculpting

2010-06-18T19:36:00.001-07:00

Frog Eats Monkey – Sculpting, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I've been kind of anxious to design my own toy line so I've decided to just go ahead and do it.

I started this thing months ago and am just now getting back around to finishing it. The base is milliput which is a two-part epoxy putty that dries hard as granite and is terribly hard to work with. The white stuff is magic sculpt which is much easier to carve with a knife. And the yellow stuff is mori mori putt, a two-part putty that is easy to carve and sand and is just so much fun to work with. I've heard of it for years and only now have started to use it. Believe the hype. The shit is amazing!

A little more sanding, some hole filling, some more sanding, and maybe a coat of primer here or there and then it's mold making time.

Say hello to Frog Eats Monkey.

Making Of Self Portrait

2010-04-01T21:45:00.001-07:00

Making Of Self Portrait, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

It's self portrait time! I wish my desk was that clean.

Beware the Hannya

2010-03-12T00:03:00.001-08:00

Beware the Hannya, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Today marks the completion of the first chapter of Yellow Peril.

I'm actually happy with the way things are going so far even though I'm still screwing around with how I draw the damn thing. But it's been really satisfying keeping to a schedule, scripting, and posting regularly.

So if you haven't yet, check it out and read through the first chapter!

Dancing Designs

2010-02-28T21:52:00.001-08:00

Dancing Designs, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Some really sketchy designs for a possible animation I'm working on with the Pixel Perfect crew. I think we're going with the penguin in the tux, but I thought it would also be fun to see an octopus dancing. Might stick him in the background if there's time.

Had a lot of fun playing with a more clean, animated style. Might mess around with it a little more.

Kamen Akuma

2010-02-18T19:07:00.001-08:00

Kamen Akuma, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

The masking of everything continues with Kamen Akuma! I sketched this lil guy at Katsucon to kill some time. Decided to put on a coat of paint and I kinda got a little carried away.

Sagat's Year

2010-02-10T16:03:00.001-08:00

Sagat's Year, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

It's the year of the Tiger! So here's some Sagat for ya. Another warm up sketch that I decided to throw on some color. Screwing around with some brighter tones than I usually use. Not sure about it all, but it's a thing.

Kamen Fighter Colored

2010-02-06T21:02:00.001-08:00

Kamen Fighter Colored, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Colored version of Kamen Fighter, the ultimate in Kamen Rider and Street Fighter fanarts! Playing around with some brighter colors and colored lines. Not terribly happy with the background. I should have probably drawn something in there, but this was just a sketch to mess with.

Kamen Fighter

2010-02-05T17:53:00.001-08:00

Kamen Fighter, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

How can you make Street Fighter and Kamen Rider more awesome? By combining them into Kamen Fighter!

"RAIDA TATSUMAKI-SENPU KYAKU!"

Old Hairy Man

2010-02-05T17:48:00.001-08:00

Old Hairy Man, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Trying out some new ink and a looser method for holding the brush. Wanted to see what kind of hatching and texturing I could get with just some random brush work. Turned into a wrinkly looking old dude.

Narutaki Triumphant

2010-02-03T19:56:00.001-08:00

Narutaki Triumphant, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

More warm up sketching.

I really loved Kamen Rider Decade. It was a really fun trip down memory lane for the Heisei Era. But there were a few things that kind of irked me like our boy, Narutaki.

Throughout the entire show, he pops up to yell his famous "Onore Decade-Oh!" I kept waiting for a big payoff with him, some big reveal that would blow my freaking mind. But we get nothing. No explanation for Narutaki's hatred for Decade. No explanation for his powers. No explanation for him at all.

Worst. Villain. Ever.

Still, I loved the show. And despite his suckyness, Narutaki is still kinda of awesome in a lame way.

Philip and Shotaro

2010-02-03T19:50:00.001-08:00

Philip and Shotaro, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I've decided to do warm up sketches before I draw comics so what better time to do fan art!

I love Kamen Rider Double. This is my crappy interpretation of Philip and Shotaro doing their thing. The likenesses are terrible, but at least the costumes are somewhat close.

Yellow Peril #1 Snapshot

2010-02-01T05:41:00.001-08:00

Yellow Peril #1 Snapshot, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

My new comic is ready to believe you! Head on over to http://ypcomic.com to check it all out. Well, only one comic right now so you might want to come back later in the week. But the shit be updating!

Junior's First Kill

2010-01-15T06:28:00.001-08:00

Junior's First Kill, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

It's celebration time for the Monster Cuties of the forest. Junior just bagged his first kill!

I recorded a ten-part video series on the creation of this painting from digital sketch to finishing touches.

ArtRage Cutie

2009-12-11T07:10:00.001-08:00

ArtRage Cutie, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Last night I recorded a test drive of Art Rage 2.5 where I painted this little cutie.

I'm really impressed with all the features Art Rage offers at only $25. Not going to replace Photoshop for me, but it's fun to mess with.

It's Raining Rain

2009-12-08T10:17:00.001-08:00

It's Raining Rain, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

My second test strip for Yellow Peril. Worked out a lot of kinks so I think I'm ready to go.

I like the invisible border thing and the shrunken border in panel two. Also going to be using some simple shading. Turns out I color much faster in gray scale than in color.

I also recorded a video of me inking this thing for Monster Cutie so you can check it out if you're interested.

Yellow Peril Test 01

2009-11-16T06:11:00.001-08:00

Yellow Peril Test 01, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

This is my first test strip for my next project. I'm probably going to do a few more of these to work out some kinks (especially the lettering). For once, the coloring took no time at all. Man, I should have done this earlier.

I'm sort of documenting my progress and thoughts about what this all means at the Making of Yellow Peril podcast which is a bit cart-before-the-horsey, but whatever. It's the interwebs!

Amu's World Fanart

2009-11-13T05:41:00.001-08:00

Amu's World Fanart, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I entered the Amu's World fanart contest in celebration of their first full year online. Had a lot of fun doing the bunny. Gonna try to throw some color on there when I have more time.

Shenami Cutie

2009-10-16T05:28:00.001-07:00

Shenami Cutie, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Here's the final toy design that I submitted to Patchtogether. His hat comes off as another monster that flies around and his arms are removable so you can do your own tattoo design. He needs your votes!

Shenami Tattoo

2009-10-15T23:12:00.001-07:00

Shenami Tattoo, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

While I wait for approval, here's the tattoo that will go on the cutie little monster's arm. Clearly inspired by Hokusai's waves.

Psyche's Chest Piece

2009-10-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

Psyche's Chest Piece, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

A more detailed study of a possible chest tattoo for Psyche. As a jilted lover, I think the Hanya mask theme works well.

Psyche's Side Piece

2009-10-13T20:41:00.001-07:00

Psyche's Side Piece, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Tattoo design for Psyche's side and chest pieces inspired by a lot of Japanese imagery.

Psyche

2009-10-07T21:04:00.001-07:00

Psyche, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

My take on Cupid's ex-wife, Psyche. Okay, so in the myth they kind of live happily ever after depending on the version. But in my version, she divorces him. I really like the wave tattoo on her right side. Gonna have to spend some time really designing that.

Dee Dee

2009-10-07T21:03:00.003-07:00

Dee Dee, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

More studies of Cupid, Elite Tactical Love Commando and DeeDee, my version of Aphrodite. Cupid's shirt has a cute monkey, Luv Mun, that will make the same expression as he is. I think.

I was going to do more studies of DeeDee, but I really love her aloof expression.

Cupid, Elite Tactical Love Commando

2009-10-07T21:03:00.001-07:00

Cupid, Elite Tactical Love Commando, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

One of the many crazy ideas I've been kicking around on the subway. These are some pretty horrible character studies for a crazy, Shonen-style take on Cupid. See, instead of using arrows to make people fall in love, he kinda just chucks them at each other. Love can be messy and painful. Whubam!

Cutie Tattoo WIP

2009-09-28T21:31:00.001-07:00

Cutie Tattoo WIP, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Clearly, the cutie has yet to get inked. But this is a design I'm working on that I'm hoping to submit to Patch Together. Ideally, his arms would move and the hat would come off to be its own monster. All that's left is to design the tattoo and he'll be ready to go.

Go NaGundam Pinup

2009-09-23T22:03:00.001-07:00

Go NaGundam Pinup, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

So here's what I came up with. No fun action lines. My friends have this awesome idea to create a convention style guide for their wedding and are including some of their favorite artists based on a theme of giant robots, Japanese maples, and girls with glasses.

Might do a color version when I have more time.

Go NaGundam

2009-09-22T17:58:00.001-07:00

Go NaGundam, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

This is my attempt to draw a Gundam in the style of Go Nagai, the creator of Mazinger Z. It's a study for a piece for a friend's wedding. Hope I have time to finish.

Hanya Halloween

2009-09-21T07:27:00.001-07:00

Hanya Halloween, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I'm entering in this year's Design By Humans Halloweek contest. This is my entry. The design is based on the traditional Hanya masks in Noh theater, but with a little twist.

If you like it, you can vote for me here!

stuckAtTheOffice

2009-09-20T22:04:00.001-07:00

stuckAtTheOffice, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

More silly ballpoint pen experimenting. I got kinda bored with the office thing so I started drawing the back of the head of the dude sitting in front of me on the subway.

Commute Of Freaks

2009-09-20T21:59:00.001-07:00

Commute Of Freaks, originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I found this old sketch book from 2002 that still had a boat load of pages to fill. So I grabbed a big stonkin' bag of cheap ass Papermate ballpoint pens at the CVS and decided to work on some shading on my morning and evening commutes. This is the first thing I spewed out.

When the Wife's Away (page 1)

2009-08-29T23:36:00.001-07:00

When the Wife's Away (page 1), originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

A short 4-page comic about what happens when my wife leaves me home alone.

Batman vs. Mikey (color)

2009-08-20T22:36:00.001-07:00

Batman vs. Mikey (color), originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Hawk challenged me and Fred to draw Batman vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I wimped out and just drew one turtle.

This is the colored version. I think I may have done too much.

Batman vs. Mikey (BW)

2009-08-20T22:34:00.001-07:00

Batman vs. Mikey (BW), originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

Hawk challenged me and Fred to draw Batman vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I wimped out and just drew one turtle.

This is the black and white version. Used a brush to ink the outlines and rendered with pencil and ink washes.

Hot Doggin' (Part II)

2009-08-20T08:50:00.001-07:00

Hot Doggin' (Part II), originally uploaded by angryzenmaster.

I recently started reposting my old webcomic to Flickr. Trying to figure out a way to integrate it with my blog, but for now, you can check out my albums to see my old stuff. Right now, Angry Zen Master Vol.1 is all that's up there, but there will be more. Oh yes, there will be more.

Comfy Cutie Brush Holder

2009-08-07T05:55:00.001-07:00

I have recorded another video tutorial! This week, Monster Cutie shows you how to make a comfortable brush holder for artists who like a thicker handle.

Shin Mister Angry

2009-08-06T20:22:00.001-07:00

I'm working on redesigning my main blog, Angry Zen Master, and I wanted to start with some identity work. After a few years of doing the thing, I really felt I needed a logo or icon or both of some kind. So this will be my new ident for AZM when it's all finished.

Jimmy the Murderdog

2009-07-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ross Nover of The System asked me to draw some fan art of his one and only character, Jimmy the Murderdog. I thought, every puppy needs a cute little girl for an owner. So there you go.

Hope you like my interpretation, Ross! The System kicks all kinds of ass. A webcomic MUST read!

Zombie Panda

2009-07-22T08:44:00.001-07:00

Here's a cute but horribly depressing one page comic I did for the Fat Chunk Volume. 2 collection. I like doing these one page comics. I have half a mind to do a series of cute but horribly wrong comics, but I'll let that one simmer for a bit.

More Watercolors in Space

2009-07-01T09:40:00.001-07:00

So here's another batch of illustrations for the 40th anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 launch. Done with ink, brush, and watercolors.

Watercolors in Space!

2009-06-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

Here's some stuff I've been working on at work. Finally got an opportunity to bust out the brush and watercolors. These images will be cut together for an animated comic to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch.

Manji

2009-05-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

More inking with brush. Here's Manji in a contemplative moment which is so unlike Maji. Oh, I'm using a #2 sable hair brush.

Sakura Does Akuma's Hair

2009-05-21T21:05:00.001-07:00

I'm working on inking with a brush so I thought I'd do some fun fanart. So here's Sakura giving Akuma his trademark ponytail. Who knew she had such awesome hair skills!

Sharkie Cutie Attack

2009-04-24T08:30:00.001-07:00

Recorded another video tutorial for Monster Cutie on how to paint this little guy. I've never seen a red shark so I wanted to paint one.

After Effects CS3 Has a Puppet Tool!

2009-04-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

I don't know what rock I've been living under, but apparently, AE CS3 has a freaking puppet tool! I did a short walk cycle with this cute pinky guy.

Cutie Flash - Design and Animate a Character in Adobe Flash

2009-04-17T08:28:00.001-07:00

I recorded a tutorial of how to create and animate this character in flash for Monster Cutie. Check it out here.

Enjoy!

Concept Cutie!

2009-04-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Recorded another video tutorial on concept art where I painted this little cutie jumping out of an exploding building, Michael Bay style! If you've got an hour to kill, check it out.

Pacman Horror Concept 3

2009-03-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

More concept work for Horror Pacman! It's never a good sign when your tummy starts a growling, especially if it's growling from its mouth!

Cutie Painting Demo

2009-03-27T10:49:00.001-07:00

Last night I recorded a digital painting tutorial/demo of this cutie guy for Monster Cutie. I've been meaning to do more with my tutorial site and now I think I might be on the right track. It's an hour long so you can see every step I take to paint this little cutie.

Pacman Horror Concept 2

2009-03-26T10:38:00.001-07:00

More concepts for my Pacman horror idea. Wanted to get some more details for the mouth and all. Long tongues are always a good hallmark of creepy horror monsters. A few more of these concepts and I'll be ready to paint something up nice and proper.

Pacman Horror Concept

2009-03-24T05:34:00.001-07:00

So I have this creepy idea for a short horror comic reinterpretation of Pacman. Wanted to get some ideas out so I spat out this little concept drawing on my DS on the way home.

Akuma

2009-03-05T21:40:00.001-08:00

Not entirely happy with this thing, but I had this idea on the way home from work and I wanted to mess with some face veins. I think I could have pushed the expressions a bit more, but it's okay for about two hours of work.

Time to Vote!

2009-03-05T06:31:00.000-08:00

Voting is open for the War General Portraits mini challenge! Vote for me! I'm hoping to get into the top five of the CG Society team. Voting ends March 8. Not sure how many times you can vote.

Stay tuned for the main challenge announcement!

General Portrait Final

2009-02-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

And I'm done! Voting starts on March 5 so I'll be sure to pimp some more soon. Had a lot of fun with this challenge.

General Portrait WIP 6

2009-02-26T00:25:00.001-08:00

Pretty close to done now. I added more details to the face and head bones and added some overall texturing. I think I'll take one more pass and call her done. Need to think up a name.

General Portrait WIP 5

2009-02-24T22:30:00.001-08:00

More detailing and contrast. I'm trying to keep the focus on her face so I'm attempting to avoid over rendering.

General Portrait WIP 4

2009-02-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

Blocking in some color and some facial details. Gotta figure out where to stick the clan logo.

General Portrait WIP 3

2009-02-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

More build up. Starting to finalize some design elements here and there.

Dominance War IV - General Portraits

2009-02-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

I'm throwing my hat into the ring and entering Dominance War this year. They're starting with some mini challenges so this is what I've got so far for the General Portrait challenge. I'm going for a classic Presidential, Civil War general portrait type painting. Nothing too firmed up in terms of design, but I'm starting to work up some decent values.

Bonus - Hammy Time

2009-02-20T11:13:00.001-08:00

This is sort of a tech test of a Photoshop web demo I'm planning. I captured this painting of a cute hamster while I was working on a design for a new Erfworld website. The webcast turned out okay and I was able to capture this high def timelapse. Enjoy. It's HD 1280x720 so it looks AMAZING if you check it out in fullscreen. You can even see the settings I use to make the chalk brush (my current fave).

Erfworld is written by Rob Balder and illustrated by Jamie Noguchi (me!).

Self Portrait FIN

2009-02-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

And I'm spent! It's me as a crazy golden lion tamarind. This is my final post for the CGTalk Imaginative Figure Workshop #001: Self Portrait As A Creature. Lots of fun work on the thread.

I think the hair is a little helmety and I completely wussed out on the background. But overall, I think it looks like a crazy monkey me.

Part 1 - sketch
Part 2 - value blocking
Part 3 - color blocking

Headline DS Edition #26 - A Relationship That Works--Except in Bed

2009-02-10T05:47:00.001-08:00

"A Relationship That Works--Except in Bed" is from the February 10, 2009 edition of the Express. Poor Battlecat. All he wants to do is snuggle with He Man. Granted, with his new rhino armor (I totally forgot what Battlecat looked like so I stuck a horn on him), the extra weight would probably crush the bed. Oh well.

[VIDEO]

Self Portrait Part 3

2009-02-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

Probably should have come up with a common naming convention for these posts, but ah well. I threw some color on my self portrait as well as more hair. No eyebrows yet, but I have plans. Oh yes, I have plans.

Part 1 - sketch
Part 2 - value blocking
Part 4 - final

Headline DS Edition #25 - The Bright Side of Unemployment

2009-02-09T05:42:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "The Bright Side of Unemployment" is from the February 9, 2009 edition of the Express. The article talks about a number of so called perks to being unemployed including spending more time with your spouse. I think it's a pretty sad commentary on working life that you have to lose your job in order to spend more time with your family. Sure, work is important. But if you spend more time during the week with your co-workers than your husband or wife, that just seems like an imbalance of priorities. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Self Portrait update

2009-02-08T23:07:00.000-08:00

This is my second update for the portrait as a creature workshop. I wanted to start building up some volumes off of the sketch so I started painting over. Tried not to get too detailed, wanted to concentrate on light and value. But I think I can push it more. Hope to finish by Thursday.

Part 1 - sketch
Part 3 - color blocking
Part 4 - final

Headline DS Edition #24 - Labor Pick Put on Hold Over Taxes

2009-02-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

"Labor Pick Put on Hold Over Taxes" is from the February 6, 2009 edition of the Express. I'd be a little pissed if I were President Obama right now. Who's vetting these people? Hilda Solis's husband failed to pay liens on his auto repair business for 16 years! Sure, he's not nominated. But it looks horrible for her. I hope Obama can catch a break soon.

Self Portrait as a Creature Workshop

2009-02-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in a workshop over at CGTalk. You have to do a self portrait of yourself as a creature. Could be an actual creature or something made up.

I chose a golden lion tamarin, my most favorite monkey. I think my left eye is drifting focus a bit, but I'll fix that when I get to the real painting.

Part 2 - value blocking
Part 3 - color blocking
Part 4 - final

SUMO Paint

2009-02-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

This looks like a pretty robust online painting program. No pressure sensitivity, but more features than your typical Oeakaki kind of thing. Looks like a lot of fun to play with.

[SUMO Paint]

Headline DS Edition #23 - Hot Stove Turns Cold

2009-02-05T05:31:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Hot Stove Turns Cold" is from the February 5, 2009 edition of the Express. "Hot Stove" must be a baseball reference because this is the second cutie stove I've sketched off of a sports headline. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #22 - Tax Errors

2009-02-04T05:26:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Tax Errors Sink Obama Picks" is from the February 4, 2009 edition of the Express. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination as did Zoe Baird who hired illegal immigrants and neglected to pay their social security taxes. The good news is that they're both out. But how did they get nominated in the first place? Is Obama's "change" really just lip service? Or does everyone in DC have some dirt laying around? Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #21 - Daschle Grilled

2009-02-03T05:41:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Hill Grilling for Daschle" is from the February 3, 2009 edition of the DC Examiner. Tom Daschle's tax "mistake" is irritating enough. But his lobbying activities on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies is really troubling. The fact that he's not a registered lobbyist just doesn't cut it. As much as Obama says he's about change, Daschle's nomination feels like business as usual. Still feel weak on my caricatures, but I keep on trying. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #20 - Disgraced Governor

2009-01-30T05:51:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Ill. Ousts Disgraced Governor" is from the January 30, 2009 Express. I think even Martin Luther King, Jr. would balk at Blagojevich likening his struggle to that of Civil Rights leaders like Ghandi and Nelson Mandela. Corruption doesn't even rhyme with civil disobedience. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Extra Edition - Gouki

2009-01-29T06:07:00.001-08:00

Gouki, or Akuma depending on your country, is one of my very favorite Street Fighters. Just love his character design. So with this little sketch I was trying out a new rendering style, all cell shading with just a big outline around the entire figure. Could be fun to see it animated.

Headline DS Edition #19 - Pigging Out

2009-01-29T05:57:00.001-08:00

http://www.headlineds.com -- "Pigging Out on the Stimulus" is from the January 29, 2009 edition of the DC Examiner. Piggies are so fun to draw! So the House passed President Obama's $800B stimulus package with absolutely no Republican votes. Gonna be a long four years. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Ninjas Love Pirates

2009-01-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

I was asked to do the program cover art for Katsucon 15 which takes place this February, Valentine's Day weekend. So I thought I'd do a really geeky love theme. Everyone thinks pirates and ninjas are bitter enemies, but that just isn't so. I had some room so I thought I'd throw in some more geeky love imagery.

Took a very loose pencil sketch and colored it all up in Photoshop.

Extra Edition - Funny Face

2009-01-28T06:46:00.001-08:00

Another in a series of girls with funny faces.

Headline DS Edition #18 - "Octuplets"

2009-01-28T06:12:00.001-08:00

"Healthy Octuplets Born in California" is from the January 28, 2009 edition of the Express. I know octuplets are eight kids born at the same time, but I thought it would be funny to draw an octopus couple with a baby. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #17 - Fannie Mae Wants $16B More

2009-01-27T05:57:00.001-08:00

"Fannie May Says $16B Aid Request Could Be Coming" is from the January 27 edition of the Express. Obviously, the bailout annoys me to no end. Banks are being rewarded for extremely bad practices. If any individual tried the same things, they'd be in jail for a very long time. So whenever I hear about my money going to the banks, I always think of a greedy exec lining his/her pockets just because they can. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS Edition #16 - "Stimulus"

2009-01-26T05:46:00.001-08:00

"Dems Warn Stimulus Will Take Time" is from the January 26, 2009 Express. I can't help myself, but whenever they talk "stimulus," I think Viagra. Ah well, at least I get to start the week drawing a stripper. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Hanya Love

2009-01-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

It's lovin! Creepy Hanya mask style!

Another tattoo design for a character in a cover illustration. I liked it as a stand alone so I stuck it on a shirt as well.

Crossbone Love

2009-01-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

It's pirate love! With hooks and skulls! And stuff.

This is a design for a tattoo that I stuck on one of my characters for a cover illustration. Decided to stick it on a shirt as well. I sketched it out in pencil and did some loose shading. Then I hit it with some Copic markers for tone and finished it off with a little Photoshop.

Headline DS - "Wait, This Isn't The Demolition Derby?"

2009-01-23T06:13:00.001-08:00

"Wait, This Isn't The Demolition Derby" is from the January 23, 2009 Express. If you ever have the misfortune of driving on the Capitol Beltway (495 as we call it), you will be filled with the growing desire to slam your car into the one directly in front of you. You see, our Beltway was designed for giant sardines, not cars as it typical for most highways. You will find yourself packed nice and tightly along side other motorists who have the same growing desire to smash something. This is why everyone who works in DC is freaking insane. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Headline DS - "Fed Plans to Buy More Fannie, Freddie, FHLB Debt"

2009-01-22T05:54:00.001-08:00

"Fed Plans to Buy More Fannie, Freddie, FHLB Debt" is from the January 22, 2009 DC Examiner. Am I the only one who thinks of a stripper when they refer to "Fannie" on the news? The bail out really annoys me because basically, corporations are being rewarded for bad behavior. If any individual tried to pull what the banks did, they'd be rotting in jail for a good long while, not getting millions of dollars of tax payer money. I would almost prefer my money go to a stripper. At least then I'd know I'd be putting someone through college. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Monster Pencil Tests

2009-01-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

I found an animation program for the DS, Animanitee, so I thought I'd work out some monster animations. I blew up the file size so it would be easier to see. I'll probably clean some of these up in Flash when I have some time.