New Creature Design - Kartack

March 8, 2008

This creature is called a Kartack. It's deadly can opener shaped mouth is it's primary hunting method.

Whatever world it is from it's prey are larger slower moving creatures that I would say resemble a hippo or elephant. The Kartack can charge it's prey with short bursts of speed. It's legs are not designed for speed. They are designed to pivot the head and neck up with tremendous force. The idea for the Kartack is to charge from the side connecting with the ribs or pelvis. It lowers it's head like a bull and when in position rams it's head upwards jabbing it's lower hooked horn in-between ribs. Then It immediately thrusts it's head back down connecting the top hooked horn around more ribs. Thus locking the the prey from going anywhere. From there it uses it's powerful front legs and neck to more or less rip out the side of the rib cage killing or injuring the prey enough to resist fighting. From there the Kartack has easy access to the innards for a meal.

This is a sketch I started a few years ago for a character/creature design class with the intentions of taking it to a full rendered picture. I finally came across the sketch last week, scanned it in and finished it. It took roughly 4 or 5 hours to complete scattered over a weeks time. It was done in photoshop with a wacom tablet.

A Comic Strip Rant

January 14, 2008

Every so often I get an idea that seems to fit best as a comic strip. Sometimes I even act upon them and create them. This one below is actually a few years old but I thought it would be nice to post it.

My passion to do cartoons has actually been around for awhile. In fact I may have already peeked in my career. I actually have had two cartoons published when I was 13 (note: error in paper says age 11).

_{Comic from "out of your eyes" series published in Kids World Tribune}

Since then everyplace I tried to publish cartoons ended up stifling anything creative about it. I understand there are restrictions and guidelines. They were not edgy adult cartoons by any means. Many were fashioned after the Far Side style. By complete random luck I got the job of being the college newspaper cartoonist. I was sitting on a bench in the art department when I was approached by an editor. He explained how he wanted to gain readers by having funny cartoons. I described to him a few of strips that I had already rough sketches for. He loved the ideas. He asked me to create finalized ink version in their print format, hand them in and then attend the meeting the following week. I show up to the meeting where it had nothing to do with me. Finally at the end of the hour I mentioned my strips and why I am here. While the editor loved my comics it appeared the chief in editor did not share the same enthusiasm. She tore me a new one about my comics. Then asked me to go to the upcoming German club and create something funny that happened there. The editor did not warn me what the chief in editor was looking for. Which I found out was told to him the day he recruited me. All the while he did nothing to defend my comics. I had been betrayed. I had half a mind to come back with sketches as if the German club was celebrating a famous Hitler speech. Then the caption would read "Many Join the club while enjoying free appeasement cookies". However I knew best not to burn bridges. So I told the editor this was not for me and if they do go in another direction look me up. My tenure as the school cartoonist came to an end only after one week.

All that and a few other experiences left me bitter. However now with the internet it allows one to share and express exactly what they want when they want. So maybe now and again I will post some comic strips if the mood hits me.

creature concept

August 8, 2007

It has been awhile since I have posted. Life has just been busy and keeping me from working on animation and the website. Got a little free time to update and throw down a sketch from awhile back. I hope to get back on track soon for the short as I am much farther behind that I was hoping to be at this time.

Soda Animation Walk Cycle

May 30, 2007

Here is walk cycle done from a project that I was working on a while back. I still have plans on finishing it one day but I had the wind knocked out of my sails. Someone (albeit badly animated) had beaten me to the punch. Not once but actually twice. Two animations came out around the same time with a short similar in concept. One was an opening for spike and mike and the other was just on the web somewhere. The worst part I have been working on this project "intermission" for quite some time now. The idea was created far back as 1994. The reality is, you snooze you loose. I kept restarting the project for either new found technology or simply knowing my skills had grown and I could do it better. However it was a monstrous project to take on for one person.

ink and marker drawing of hands

April 5, 2007

ink and marker sketches of some hands.

Dance Dance Revolution!!!

March 10, 2007

Here is a faux poster I created. While it is more of an inside joke It actually is based off of true events. I was at the local Dave and Busters with some friends and noticed this guy standing off to the side watching two 20 something on the Dance Dance Revolution video game machine. The two playing were rather good. So much so there was a crowd gathered. That's when we showed up wondering what the fuss was. We happen to be standing next to this guy. He had a very smug look on his face. He then leaned to the guy next to him that I could tell did not know. He stated " I can take the guy on the right no problem. The guy on the left would give me a run". After hearing this I had to see this guy in action.

^{Click on image to see a larger version in the gallery.}

He had to be the local DDR hotshot. I figured he had to be good. However he was not your usual DDR player. He was a bit overweight and in his mid 30's. The two 20 something were thin, fit and very active. Quite a contrast. Finally the time came where he went on to take the challenger. It was quite a spectical. I was mesmerised by this guy. He was so white when it came to dancing but he was doing very well score wise. He looked more like a three year old throwing a stomping fit. After a few minutes he was sweating like crazy but kept going. I knew I had to draw this guy. He was too interesting to pass this by. So I started taking mental notes so I could draw him when I got some time. He ended up loosing to the first guy we saw. He kept his smug look and In the same tone as Ice man from Top Gun he told the other guy "your good". A few hours later I passed by again and saw him beat his opponent. He literally threw his fist in the air ane whispered "Yesss". It was at that moment we noticed we were witnessing a movie moment. This was the final scene. Victory from under the multi color lights that illuminate from the city of video game screens.

Victory from under the multi color lights that illuminate from the city of video game screens.

He knew the hours he had spent that day had payed off. He was going home a champion. I think he took comfort knowing it will start all over again next week end. Once again he will get to prove to himself and the Dave and Buster patrons... he is the Dance Dance Revolution champion.

I was originally going to just do a sketch and call it a day. After recalling all this for the sketch I got the idea to make a poster. I figured making the poster would give me some good coloring practice. Below is the rough sketch.

Illustrator/photoshop piece

February 26, 2007

This is an art piece I did over the weekend. It is a piece that evolved as I was working on it.

My Original plan was to have it more graphic design in style like below. I chose to crop in on the body to give it a slight abstract feel. I wanted it to be about shapes and how they fit into an overall larger shape. However as I continued to work on it I ended up rendering it more than I intended to. Through a happy accident when cleaning up layers in Photoshop I saw what looked like a water drop. This I saw as a challenge. Could I make it look as though the skin was wet. So above is what I ended up with. To see a larger version of the image above [click_here] then again on the image to zoom in.