Dakota Kid sketches...

So besides the modeling in Maya, I've been reworking my design of Dakota Kid. I thought I had him nailed down, but then I realized I wanted to make him more animatable. The design style he was in was more flat Cartoon Network style...I'm going more for a traditional "old school" style. As well as something that has a little more volume to him. Having a small, short, squaty little character (which for some reason I usually design) makes it harder for me to draw some poses; hard to keep him on model..but I'll get it worked out. I'm also trying to get his face a little more concrete...it'll come. But for now..here's where I'm at:



Until laterz!

Look ma..no arms..

and the arms are roughed in. Not sure how fast the updates on this project will be, but I'll try to keep plugging away. I may switch to doing my own character so that I feel like something more then just coping a pattern of someone else. But it's at least good practice.

Here ya go:



Until laterz!

He's got legs...

And yet another stage of the creation. I've now got the torso and legs going pretty good. To be honest, I am not trying to create the perfect model..I'm just trying to further my skills with modeling. But at the same time, this will really help my OWN characters that I've decided it's gonna be cheaper and easier for me to model them..at least if I really want them realized.

So here ya go:



Next time..you have the right to BARE ARMS!!!

Until laterz!

Some more definition...

Hey all!

Here's the latest render for Meepers. I tried smoothing it and it seems I've got some parts that aren't seeming together. We'll see if I can get it figured out and add the legs and arms soon. Looks like this might be a good basic body for one of my current aniamtion ideas...time will tell!

so..here ya go!



Until laterz!

Little by little

So for most of you, you wouldn't really see THAT much difference in the torso from the last post to this one. But believe me..there's differences. And not just one is cubic and the other is smooth. But that's not important.

Anyways..here's the updated image render.



More to come soon!! Hopefully some legs...or an arm...or something..

Until laterz!

Latest Challenge

Hey all!

Even though I still need to blog about my trips to San Diego and San Jose this last month, I've decided that blogging about my animation is slightly more important. If only to keep me on task. I've started to do a little review project in modeling and such, aka. the part of 3D animaiton I don't see as my strong points. So, this is gonna seem really basic to some and maybe amazing or tiedious to others. Basically, this is just what I'm doing right now. I'm following a book that uses the characters from Sony's "The Chubbchubbs" animated short. So, the design isn't mine, but the work is.

Here's what I've got as of now. Isn't it pretty!!



Until laterz!

Prepare Ye for the...SIGGRAPH 2007 conference

Hey ya'll!!

I know, I know...been a long time..and yeah, I have some good excuses for my lack of blogging. And I have a feeling I've lost some of my friends checking my blog out regularly because of that lack. But patients will be rewarded. I've been all over the world since my last bloggings...Taiwan, Rapid City, SD...and various other closer places. I've been busy with my travel as well as coaching my team girls at the gym, playing softball with the guys from church (and taking a few massive slides for the team..at which I was safe every time!!).
But the biggest thing has been trying to get my crap in a pile and getting ready for THE conference for animators, SIGGRAPH 2007 in San Diego, CA this Aug. I leave from Omaha next Sunday and return to Omaha on Friday after. Some of you may remember that I went to this conference while I was still working in Taiwan at "the company we shall not name". I am returning better then ever. Last time, I really didn't feel I had a reel that I could fully push at employers. It was more for the experience and childhood dreams that I'd be discovered...even though my reel did NOT show my true talent (something I think many young animators find before they get into that first job...or at least animators like myself.) This year though, I'm coming guns blazing!! My demo reel is getting tighter by the day (still working on it as of right now!). My biz cards have been redesigned and they look HOT! The nice thing is that my print portfolio has been my strongest part...and because of that, I'm not changing much in that. I just gotta find those extras..UGH! SO anyways...

Anyways..just wanted to send out a note to make sure you all that still occasionally check my blog know that I'm still alive and kicking! I'm just working away at trying to get that animation job that God has in store for me!! It just might be I'll be posting about an amazing oppertunity that God has brought into my life!!! like maybe a job at Disney Feature Animation??? Dreams may come true..in time!!

well..until laterz!

Been a while...

hey readers! It's been a very long time since I've written. My excuses are good ones. First off, I was out of the country for a couple weeks. I was visiting the isle of Taiwan for a good friends wedding. I'll go into that more later. While there, my wonderful laptop of three and a half years decided to once again burn it's logic board (the mother board for those PC users!). This was the second replacement I've had in six months. So when I returned to the states, I decided it was smarter to invest in a new computer...the funny part was that barely having that new computer for a week, the hard drive decides to go bad and I'm once again without a computer for a week. UGH! Hopefully tomorrow I will once again be able to work and catch up on all that I need to.

After coming back to the states from Asia, I had a week of coaching at the gym and then went to the BEAUTIFUL Black Hills for a week of High School Camp. In a word, it was AMAZZZZING!!! To be in God's beauty and wonder was again great, but just to see him work in those kids was even better! Plus, we had the best kick-butt cabin, Cabin 12!!! I'll share more about that when I get my computer and photos back!!

well, that's about it for now. Gotta start getting ready for SIGGRAPH 2007 in San Diego!

Until laterz!

Cartoonist Exhibit

I talked a few weeks ago about a Cartoonist Exhibit I was asked to be a part of. I had a blast getting ready for it (well..after I figured out what I would create for it!). I used the time and "project" to work through some character designs for two projects of mine. One being my company/personal identity character, Dakota Kid. I've had the image of him in my brain, and just couldn't get it out on paper. A problem I tend to have with many of my great ideas! :) Anyways, I was finally able to be inspired to create what I think is pretty close to a finished design. But I know that even great characters evolve in design through the years, so Dakota Kid could find more changes, but for now, this is what I've got! Look for him on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs to mud flaps...well..maybe not the mud flaps!

a little visitor

I was gonna post about this a couple weeks ago, but hadn't gotten to it. I was taking a break from working at my computer and looked out my window. Normally, you would see some of the wild cats (not REAL wild..but no one really owns them) or the cute little bunny wabbits...the same ones that mulitply like..well, rabbits. ha! anyways, back to the story. So you can understand why I grabbed my camera when i see this little fella (or girl) bounding around our backyard.

Until laterz!

13 Going on...

Current projects

Hey all!

I figured I should probably post an entry, so you guys don't think I've jumped OFF the bloggin bandwagon. I've been frantically trying to get some pieces ready for the "Sioux Falls Cartoonist Exhibit" that is happening here in May. My stuff is due to the people by May 1. That's not too long from now. Plus then add to that trying to get some things done and ready for my friends, Campbell and Linda's wedding, as well as, trying to get some "HELLO...HIRE ME!!" animation created and ready for the people at Disney to take notice...and then there's the work at the gym (ya know..the stuff that pays the bills!) and you pretty much have my whole life right there!



The image above is one of the pieces (I think) that I'll have in the show. (For some reason the image looks blue..that ain't right...but the true image is yellow!!) If I get another piece finished, this one might get bumped, but we'll see. After the opening, I'll post more on what I did put in, and how the show went.

Until laterz!

Cartoonist Day Exhibit

Hey all!

For those of you that are in the Sioux Falls area, the week of May 3-9th there will be a local cartoonist exhibit in Sioux Falls, SD. It's being held at Dunn Brother's Coffee on east 10th street. Myself, along with about 10 other professional cartoonists will be showing some work. If your in the area during the exhibit, check it out!

Where've I been??

Hey all!!

I realized I have tried to post a few times in the last couple months and for one reason or another, I didn't get it done. So, just to make sure you all know I'm still alive..here's a quickie. I've been pretty busy with work and coaching. The gymnastics season is coming to a close, so that's gonna make life a slight easier. I've had a few clients that have wanted some animation done, so that's taken most of my time. Now, I'm focused on a few personal projects and getting ready for a few trips this summer. I'm heading over to Taiwan for my wonderful friend's, Campbell Chang and Linda Way, wedding in June and then go to San Diego for this years SIGGRAPH 2007 conference and to catch up again with my friend Julie. I'll be posting more about these trips and about my next push to get a job at an animation studio (get ready Disney!!)

Until laterz!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Today is New Years Day in the Chinese and other Asian cultures, the YEAR OF THE PIG! Happy New Year all! I missed posting on my birthday..then I forgot to post something on my MOST HATED holiday (Valentine's Day...yeah..well, do you blame this single guy???) and then realized that TODAY was Chinese New Year, so I drew up this image to celebrate with my friends in Taiwan! ENJOY the Holiday and week off!! Please tell me what all you guys did for the break!

Until laterz!

Oscar Noms Announced!

Early this morning, the Acadamy Award Nominations were announced. I'm excited for the three Animated Features (Cars, Happy Feet and Monster House) I have to admit I haven't seen "Monster House" yet, but will before the awards are handed out. But I am still behind "CARS"!! In my opinion it may not be Pixar's best flick, but it is the best of the year from these three.

I was also super happy to see "The Little Matchgirl", a Disney short. It was wonderful and if I remember right, it's been in production for a long time. I saw some of the pre-production stuff and LOVED the look of it. If you haven't seen it yet, you should try to find it. The AWN showcase has a clip and some stills. http://showcase.awn.com/showgallery.php?cat=778

In other Oscar news, even though "Dreamgirls" received 8 noms, it was shut out of the Best Picture catagory. But Jennifer Hudson was recognized (and my bet to win a golden trophy) for Best Supporting Actress as Effie White in Dreamgirls! I'm also happy that Meryl Streep was nominated for "Deveil Wears Prada" and Will Smith for "Pursuit of HappYness". The Oscar nominations always show me the movies I need to try to catch up on before the awards. And besides "Pan's Labyrinth" (which has yet to get to my neck of the world!!), I wanna check out "Half Nelson" with the Best Actor nom for Ryan Gosling. He's an actor that some people may know, and other's will as he gets more and more exposure. Gotta love those ex-Mouseketeers!!

Gotta start getting ready for my annual Oscar Party!! Whoo hoo!

Until laterz!

Yeah-but...

So the NEW YEAR is upon us and I decided I should make a post. This is a little illustration I just did today. It's a commissioned piece by a guy from church for one of our pastors that is leaving to go to a church plant in Custer, SD. I know, it took me a lot to create a NON-DISNEY character, but it's a paying gig! I do what pays the bills! :) It's actually an inside joke between the men that commissioned the drawing and Pastor, so I can't really tell you what the meaning of it is..except that the Pastor is most comfortable in his cowboy boots and hat.

Until laterz!

Bring back the "SHHHHH!" campaign

I went to see the latest Ben Stiller movie, "Night at the Museum" last night. All in all, a really fun movie with some GREAT effects and animation, as well as good comedy from Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson. But this post isn't a movie review. No, it's a rant about how people these days (specifically tweeners—those inbetween childhood and the teen years) don't have any theater ediquate. At first, we thought we had it made with open rows in front and behind us. As for my friends from my time in Taiwan can attest too, I don't like being around people I don't know when I go to a movie. At least if it can be avoided. Well, after an awesome "Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer" and a "Transformers" trailer that brought me back to my childhood(KICK-ARSE trailers by the way!!), these three pre-teen girls come in and sit behind my group of movie watchers. I thought to myself, "It'll be fine. They'll get settled and then allow me to be immersed into the fantasy of the film. But NO! Throughout the entire film, they would talk "quietly" (input sarcasm here!), slurp loudly on empty drinks and open candy package after candy package. Now most of the time, I can fight through the urge to turn around and glare continually at the little movie goers. But this time I was numerously pulled out of my film experience to turn around and try and give them that "Shut the Frick UP!" look; hoping they would see it and fear in terror. Which i think happened once. If that wasn't the worst, these girls picked the quiet, intimate points of the movie to do all of this. WHAT THE FRICK!! I even try to find a loud part of the movie soundtrack to open up my bottle of Coke Zero so that the fizz sound doesn't disturbe my fellow movie fans!

After this expereince, I longed for the days of the dancing hotdog singing "Let's all go to the lobby..." and the "Shhhh! Please no talking during the show" movies or title cards. I know I have been known to talk a little in a movie, but I try to keep it to a whisper and SHORT! If you want to chat with your friends, why the heck did you just pay $8.25 to come into a dark theater and carry on the conversation instead of a local restaurant or your own home??? well..I'm glad you have taken the time to read my ranting and hope that we can work together to end this needless, noisy chit chat. So that we may all be transported into the far off galaxies or distant lands we paid good money to be taken too. Not to be reminded how rude some people in this world are!

Thanks for your time!
Until laterz!

Northern Lights

Last night I walked outside from my room and looked toward the northern sky high above the town lights of Brandon to watch the faint dancing lights of the Aurora borealis! It was kind of amazing. It was tough to see them and not as clear as I'm sure it is up in Alaska or Canada, but I couldn't help think about the Disney film "Brother Bear". This film might not be on most peoples top animated film lists, but there was something simply magical about the story and the look of this film when I went to see it. And each time I pop in the DVD, I get the same feeling. In college, I took a Native American art class to fill an Art History requirement for my degree. One of my favorite regions of Native American art was the Pacific Northwest and this film brought those studies back to my memory. I'm not sure if last night was the only night the lights could be seen from my part of the world, but if your awake at around midnight..and you don't live in a brightly lit city..run out and check it out. You might be plesantly surprised at the glory of God's creation! (yes...I know there is a scientific reason for the event, but God created that scientific reason!!)

Until laterz!

Networking...

Hey all!

Some of you readers may know that I have been waiting to get an interview with a studio here in town since about August of this year. I was told Nov/Dec would be when they were getting to the interviews. It's a small company that I don't want to name (not that you'd know it) but they are owned by a BIGGER company (still that you probably wouldn't know). They said it takes longer to hire then when they were locally owned. Anyways, I got an email today telling me that another guy that had applied about the same time as I did was most likly going to be hired instead of me. I was told that basically it was because he had a loose association with someone at the company.

My main reason for this little rant is how I've discovered how important networking and "who you know" is in my chosen biz. I'm both bummed and happy that my work was good enough to hire me, but that it was the fact these guys didn't know me more then they personally know Walt Disney and that they know this other guy a tad bit more. Ultimatly, the chance of getting hired at this place is still there. Even though I didn't get an interview for THIS position, I was told the company would proabably be hiring again in six months.

But that's what freelance and coaching team gymnastics is for, ain't it! To fill the void between rejections and that ever eloosive "YOUR HIRED" email!

Until laterz!