George Lucas! 'Nuff said!

New Vector Harry Potter

Here is a vector piece that I have been working on for my wife, who is a Harry Potter fan. The final movie comes out in about a month and a half, so I thought it appropriate.

My background

I think it is time to re-examine my background. I had the great opportunity to work in Los Angeles as a Visual Effects Artist/Digital Compositor for over 7+ years. I worked primarily in broadcast television, with one movie credit to my name (something I am very proud of). My current interests have moved more into the animation side of things (particularly traditional), to upgrade my skills. My knowledge gained from my time in LA (VFX, commercial acting, editing) is priceless. Here is my demo-reel from that time:

My current position as a college instructor/professor at the Southwest University of Visual Arts has also taught me some valauble skills. I have learned even more about film making, editing, pre- and post production, and I  have taken a couple of animation classes this last year to study the 12 principles of animation! Here is a sample of basic skills:

Being an college instructor is a lot like being an art or creative director. You manage people, assist them in learning new skills, and give them opportunities to grow and learn.

Storytelling/Storyboarding

MCU: Jackson T. Blacktail listens warily

The art of visual storytelling is something dear to my heart. I have been honing my skills in this department, utilizing my artistic talent and knowledge of film making. TUMBLEWEED is a current personal project that I am working on right now, and may completing it for my interest in an MFA degree. The storyboards are almost done and grayscaled. The animatic is the next step. To the left is a sample, and if you check my other blog, tumbleweedstory.blogspot.com, you can get updates on my progress!

I'm Baaaack!

Yes, it has been far to long since I have last blogged. I want to rectify this, and start posting again. I have been working on two different stories, in various points of pre-production. I have created a new character, and a new concept based on something I have loved, since I was a little kid:  Monsters!
I do not want to disclose much, other than the main character is to be a pre-teenager with a unique look and outlook on life.  I am embracing the inner visual storyteller, as I begin work on a MFA this year! Here are some character designs and a storyboard panel.

Motion09 Conference

I have a great opportunity to visit Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have been asked to participate in a conference for animation called Motion09!!!! I get to go to panels and sessions to learn about new software, take drawing classes (we get to bring our sketchbooks), and listen to some fantastic teachers and speakers. I am truly excited to go! I am looking forward to hearing such talents as Phil Young, a former Disney animator, who is teaching animation at the Albuquerque Art Center campus! I also look forward to seeing Andrew Orloff, co-owner of Zoic Studios. I have met Andrew on various occassions, in California. We have had the same circle of friends, and both of us worked for the company Modern Videofilm. His background is in 3D, whereas mine is is digital visual effects.

I am ready to go!!!!

Yet Another Blog

For those interested, I am working on an animation project for personal reasons. I am currently ironing out the treatment and working on the character designs. You can check it out on tumbleweedstory.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

Storyboarding is Fun!

When I worked in Los Angeles, I had many unique opportunities. Once such opportunity occurred when I was freelancing for Complete Post. My supervisor asked me to help out with a production called 12 Days of Terror. It was a made for TV movie about a shark that traveled up a fresh water river and attacks a small town, in the early 20th century. From what I understand it was loosely based on a true story.

I met with the director and found out that I was storyboarding for some pick up shots, so the production would be able to wrap up. They were actually filming in South America at the time, if I can recall.
I spent the night before searching for images of sharks on the internet, and sketching them from all angles. As the director and I met, I was to produce 9 new shots that would assist the story. Here are examples of what I created. Caution: they are a bit bloody.

This project was a great learning experience, and I was able to work with the visual effects team, as well!!!

One of my favorite storyboard artists is Jeff West! He is ultra-talented and, fortunately for me, one of my best friends. He has worked in the entertainment industry for many years, as a visual effects artist and storyboard/concept artist. Check out his website!!!

There be monsters!

It may be a surprise to some, but I have been a monster movie fan for over 30 years! I love to draw monsters, so here is another vector piece that I did for fun. It's based on the 1980 hit American Werewolf in London. I spent a Sunday afternoon allowing myself to be creative and relax (before finals begin this week). I had a lot of fun working on this.

My son the Jedi

To demonstrate rotoscoping for After Effects, I devised a quick demonstration, and used an image of my 12 year old. I created a quick mask, with a low res image for the background. I then used the effect Vector Paint to create the lightning and the glow. The alpha channels were then nested into the original comp and effected with glow and color correction

Classic Monsters in Vector Form

Hello All,

It has been way to long since my last post. A student razzed me for not having anything new to show. Since the spring semester is coming to a close, I have some artwork to share. Here is the Modern Prometheus, drawn in Illustrator.

My VFX Reel

Hello All!

This reel demonstrates my abilities as visual effects artist/digital compositor. There are a lot of digital matte paintings and rotoscoping involved. I primarily used Inferno (Discreet Logic software) for each effect. I don't think I have any Quantel shots on this. This was my all time favorite career, and maybe someday I'll return to it. In the meantime, I'm am immersed in the world of animation to further increase my knowledge base. 

Thank you Max!

Max Fleischer was a technical genius and possibly an unsung hero in animation. What Walt Disney achieved in Hollywood, Max and his brother David worked hard on the East Coast. At a young age, Max worked as a technical illustrator for Popular Mechanics in the early 20th century. He went on to invent and patent the concept of rotoscoping, a way to trace animation from live action film to create a more fluid movement.

 He and Dave went on to animate such popular characters as Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman. Their first "breakout" character was Koko the Inkwell Clown, animated by filming and then  rotoscoping Dave's antics. 

As a visual effects artist, I am no stranger to rotoscoping, by erasing wires, or drawing directly on top of the digital film. My hat comes off to Max. He may not have had Disney's publicity, but his efforts in animation do not come unnoticed!

my favorite medium

My favorite illustration tool, as of late, is Adobe Illustrator. Five years ago, the program intimidated me, but with practice, research and hand on training, I learned to love the program. I now teach Vector Graphics, to pay it forward. I try and challenge myself with each new project I come up with. Here is my illustration of Dr. Frankenstein running into his creation. This took a lot of layers and a few passes with the Pathfinder tool. I do an initial sketch on paper with a trusty Col-Erase blue pencil, scan it,  make it a template and start planning out color schemes.

Why Animation?

As another semester wraps up, I am encouraged by the animation students who have completed the History of Animation course. We try to show the students that their idols or heroes in the field started out young, impressionable, and hungry, just like them. It is hard to wrap your head around the idea that an icon like Walt Disney started out in animation before he was 20. Consider who your favorite animator is, and why? Then consider who influenced him/her. The answer may influence you even more so!

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to The Jackalope Den. This is my blog to talk about my favorite subjects: Animation, Animation History, and Visual Effects. This is also a place where I am able to display my artwork and the artwork of friends. Being an instructor of an Art College grants me access to great information and a vast array of inspiration!