Thursday, August 31, 2006

 

Rough sketches for Sir Sagramore...



I'm having a rough time writing the script for Sir Sagramore's Spendiferous Search for Science. Sometimes it helps when I do rough sketches of the characters and set.

 

Playtime at Blue Telescope


I took a trip to Blue Telescope to lend my fancy camera for a photo shoot. I got to stand in as a reference model. I don't think I'll be in the ad- but it was fun to stand and point at a monitor.

 

Mary Blairish Castle


rough sketch of a castle in the style of Mary Blair.

Monday, August 28, 2006

 

Mary Blair Research


I working on doing some things in the style of Mary Blair:
http://www.bobstaake.com/artists/maryblair/page1.html

I need to work on castle images, but I'd rather work with Polynisian themed things.

 

DADA


Saw the DADA show at MOMA
http://www.moma.org/

Create your own DADA Poem- fun online interactives- though creating your own DADA Poem in person in better.

Own Your Create DADA
Interactives in fun
Online your better in person
Through Poem your creating

http://redstudio.moma.org/

 

Play selection committee

A long time ago, I agreed to be on a play selection committee for Rollins College. The Annie Russell Theatre is giving a $1000 grant to Rollins students/alumni to produce a play at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. I must say that I was a bit underwhelmed by all of the applicants, but it's the first year, and I'm happy that Rollins is actually supporting the Orlando Arts Scene.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

 

Rocket Man


I watched a program today about rocket packs and jet packs. They do exist. A rocket pack can only propel you in the air for 20 seconds. A jet pack can keep you in the air for 20 minutes, but is more dangerous.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

 

Crystal Tree Scale Model 2


This isn't the greatest picture of this- it actually looks quite "lovely"- which is really the only word to describe a helix shaped crystal tree, made of snow crystals. The intention is to have a 9' version of this as the centerpiece for a giant crystal event.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

 

big bad wolf


quick sketches of a possible big bad wolf

 

Crystal Tree Scale Model


I was asked to work on a scale model for the Crystal Winter Tree that I want produced for the Hall. I'm about 15% there. The structure took a surprisingly long time to figure out.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

 

Fun with Blik

Blik just announced a new set of wall decal wich I've purchased for the apartment: Iron Vines.

It takes about 3 weeks for Blik to come, so I have plenty of time to design how I want this to look in my humdrum living room. I'm getting it in coco, but for now here are some initial ideas in grey. If you would like to have a go at placing the images, just comment, or email me, and I can send you a Power Point File to play with.







Saturday, August 19, 2006

 

Three Little Pigs


I was inspired by reading an article on Lisbeth Zwerger, a contemporary illustrator of children's books. I've always liked the story of the three little pigs. I may try to illustrate it. My mom used to tell me this story all the time- except she called it Los Tres Piglotos. I haven't used the watercolor pencils in a while, so it was time to break them out.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

 

Pencil Prarie Dogs

I rarely work in pencil, so I thought I'd give it a go- HB and 8HB (though I couldn't tell the difference). These are Prarie Dogs from the Queens Zoo.


Wednesday, August 16, 2006

 

My Humps vs. London Bridge


ME: Hey VE, I'm having a creative dilemma, that maybe you can help me out with. I can't decide which song is worse: My Humps or London Bridge? Can you help me work this out?

VE:
Certainly.
Where are you leaning right now?

ME: Well, I've always felt that My Humps was the worst song in the world, but after hearing the London Bridge in its entirety, I may be mistaken...

VE:
I don't think so. I think My Humps has it beaten by a few marginal points.
For one thing -
London Bridge is shorter
So it's over quicker.

Me:
Right, but London Bridge is also only sung by Fergie, aka "Fergi Ferg, me love you long time." My Humps at least has some vocal variety...the guy who sings, "what you gonna do wit all o dat ass"

VE:
And it's got the guy in the background lovingly crooning "luuuuuuuuuuuuumps." That's a nice touch. Lady lumps might be the worst phrase I've ever heard used to describe the female anatomy. I don't think sex when I hear it, I think cancer and hunchbacks. Hunchbacks with cancer.
And as far as the other "guy" in the song? -
What's he mean "whatchoo gonna do with all that breast up in that shirt?"
Why does she have to do ANYthing with it?
There's an assumptive quality to his inquisition, and it bothers me.

ME: Right, but at least we know where he's going with his inquisition to Fergie. In London Bridge, Fergie says, "How come every time you come around, my London London Bridge want to go done. Like London London London, want you to go down, Like London London be going down."

VE:You don't get that?

Me: Does she want to go down- or not?

VE: Ha - It's true - She seems to be conflicted.
Who's supposed to go down here?
Is this going down a good thing or a bad thing? We can't tell.

ME:
Or is she only going down because "When drinks start pouring, and my speach stard slowing, everbody start looking at you"

VE:
Is that the line? I thought it was "Everybody start looking real good."
I could be wrong.

ME: The Lyrics on the net say "Looking at You. " Also the "Grey Goose got the girl feeling Loose"- now this is from the same girl that said in My Humps- "you can look, but don't tough, or I'm gonna start so drama, no no drama, we don't want no drama..."

VE: Well, obviously, she hadn't had any Grey Goose during that song.
Otherwise, she'd be all, "feel my lumps."
You know what we should do?
We should get two roosters.
Two huge, man-eating roosters with big talons.
Name one "London Bridge" and the other "My Humps."
Throw them both into a cockfighting pit, watch them slash at each other.
Whichever one is left standing is the worse song.

ME:
Well in that case My Humps would clearly kill London Bridge. London Bridge is a far weeker song

VE: Well, there you go - You just answered your own question.

ME:
I guess I did.

VE: Maybe we'd luck out and the two cocks would kill each other.
And then - through some kind of magic rooster power - both songs would be eradicated from our memories and our cultural landscape.

ME: Is it the songs that need to be eradicated, or Fergie Ferg?

VE:
Fergie has promised to give me love you long time

ME:
Well Mr- Are trying to start some drama- we don't want no drama...

VE:
My head is going to explode.

Maybe it's just retrospect - Maybe London Bridge hasn't been around long enough yet for me to loathe it as much as I loathe My Humps.
That being said - Fergie is releasing an entire album soon.
I am praying to every God I can think of that London Bridge is its only single spawn.
Damn it.
You made me relisten to London Bridge and My Humps.
Thanks a lot.

ME:
I think peroxide in the ears could clear that up

VE:
I'm going to have to listen to Billy Idol's "Eyes Without A Face" 15 times to get Fergie out of my head.


 

bottle

Roommate: Hey Marcos. Do something creative with this bottle:


Monday, August 14, 2006

 

Snapping Turtles



 

Crystal tree in exhibit


Thursday, August 10, 2006

 

Crystal Tree Concept


This is a rough (really rough) concept for a large Crystal Christmas Tree that the museum wants me to work on. It tells the story of water molecules forming hexagonal chains, and then becoming large prisms, which link to form snowflakes.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

 

Some Great Finds

Our Science Library was having a book sale. I found some amazing things that were creeping around the back of the collection:

The Complete History of the Japanese Car: 1907 to the Present (which is 1986 in this edition)- Great renderings with airbrush detail (back before they had computer graphics).

Stained Glass From Medieval Times to the Present: Treasures to be seen in New York- Great Shout Out to the Hall of Science for being the largest dalle de verre in the world. There's some amazing pieces at Kennedy Airport in the Protestant Chapel- has anyone ever been there?

Interaction of Color- A great black and white book about color.

Lorries, Trucks and Vans 1897-1927- Fun Pen & Ink Illustrations of cars. Great Marker work.

An Artist's Journey of Discovery by Constance del Vecchio- Great portraits of famous explorers (Balboa, Columbus...). The book in interesting because it shows her process and models for each portrait (it's also a signed copy).

 

Blick in the office 2


So here's what my design looks like. It does brighten up my tiny little office in the basement.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

 

Blick in the office


I finally got the chance to put up Blick Wall Decals in my office. This image is a place holder- I wish this is what my office looked like. I'll add a real picture from my office later. My design is not as loopy, but this gives you a good idea what the decals look like. Blick has a lot of cool decals: www.whatisblick.com

Monday, August 07, 2006

 

Pen & Ink final


so here are the things I think about Pen & Ink work...
1. I suck at contour lines with a 102 nib pen. My hands are just not steady enough to this type of work

2. I'm bored of hatch/cross hatch

3. I really like stippling. I'm a stipple fanatic.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

 

Hansel & Gretel 2

I changed the picture up a little to make the children more gloomy.



 

Hansel & Gretel


I sketched this quickly from a Golden Book. The illustrations in the book were terrific- but I forgot how horrible the story of Hansel & Gretel was. Any story that ends with a child murdering someone via an oven is pretty terrible.

Friday, August 04, 2006

 

More Contour Drawing


I think I'm drawn to this right now because I've been so stipple/cross hatch crazy lately.

 

Piggy back


quick contour sketch.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

 

Green Dress Rough


So Mr. Willard illustrated a few panels of a short comic/story I wrote back in January. He gave them to me to ink- unfortunately I could only print out a small 8 & 1/2 X 11 which was hard to detail and contour. Go to his link on the side to see the originals.

Here is part of the story:

When Alison felt the cold butter knife in her kidney, she realized she had borrowed Kristen's green coat for too long. Her eyes, watering, glazed over her oblivious date salting his bread across the table. What was his name? This had been her third date wearing the green coat in a week, and in her pain Allison couldn't remember if it was Chuck or Steve. Who salts bread? She needed to scream out something, so she tried Steve. Chuck looked over his shoulder. Idiot. Her knees buckled, forcing her onto the cold ceramic tile. The fall, pushed the knife deeper into Allison's side, and she grasped at her chair; the green coat draped over the back. As her eyes started to close she focused on the coat for one last time. "If only I had worn the light blue dress instead."

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

 

The Stevie Snail Sessions


Nothing like working on Stevie Snail at 11 pm. Thanks to Vinyl Edition for coming in with a spot on Woody Allen impersonation, and S&TG for a playing a terrific French Sparrow. I had to play the Ant.



 

Chemistry Dragon


Yes, this is for work- I don't draw dragons for fun. Every stipple was placed with love.

 

Socrates Sculpture Garden

A recent walk through Socrates Sculpture Garden ...


 

Stippled bulb...

...and flower

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