Robert Gold

Man in Tights

2012-01-27T23:38:00.000-08:00

I did this for a birthday card for someone with whom my family recently became acquainted who is turning 50 this week. The inside reads, "Here's to another 50 epic years!".

Bedrock... in living color!

2011-11-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

Here is the "Tarbucks" layout, with the final color.

Yabba Dabba Draw!

2011-11-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

So, I've been staying productive with the job, teaching once a week and prepping my work for the upcoming CTN Animation Expo this coming weekend.http://http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/ Meanwhile, here's the final version of the "Flintstonian" Target store. I fixed some of the color on the marquee, and I colored the hat brims on the security guards, which I neglected to do earlier.

I'm also working of ideas for other environs of Bedrock, making fun of more of our 21st century pop-culture and branding. Hopefully, you can make out what's happening in this next piece, and I've also shown you some "process" stages which may give you an some insight into my process, and can help explain how something kind of scribbly can develop into something solid that I hope is pleasing to look at.

Jurrassic "Art"

2011-11-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

So, I am a) getting my work ready for the upcoming CTN Animation Expo coming up later this month, and b) doing some work in the style of the "Flintstones" after hearing about the Seth McFarlane re-boot, and c) giving the blog a much needed update.

I started off by thinking of "Flintstoney" versions of our contemporary popular brand names and corporate icons. Here is a rough (I went through quite a few versions before coming up wiht this one. I decided to play around with some character ideas. As it is today, certain pre-historic people just can't stay off the "shell phone". Note that the security guards don't have any weapons or radios, and are armed only with their wits. Good luck, gents.

Here above is the final rough...

...and below, the final, cleaned up, with all the color of a bowl full of Fruity Pebbles!

Fast & "Fur"-i-ous

2011-08-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

These are a few "rodent" characters which originally sprang from a demo I did for one of the students at the Academy. I got a tip that someone might be interested in some of these guys for a project, and, you know, you just never know about these things. A little sketch can provide the impetus for something big. I'll keep everyone posted. In the meantime, enjoy these drawings.

Hungry Like The...

2011-08-04T18:43:00.000-07:00

I was assisting one of the students at the Academy (who's name, I believe, is actually "Sunday". She's got no blog...yet! Hopefully, that will change). She was trying to put a "Wolf" character into action poses, and I tried my hand at a few (walking in profile, in 3/4, and what looks like a "leaning club bouncer" pose).

"Peace" it together

2011-07-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

A spontaneous piece from the recent "Animation Nation" "Art Jam" last night. The theme, expressed in the title of the post, came from Charles*, who was sort of the "MC" for the evening. for more info, visit www.animationnation.com.
*Charles Zembillas, my friend/mentor/employer who runs the Animation Academy (www.the animationacademy.com), and the "Animation Nation" website.

Plenty O' Horns

2011-02-17T15:39:00.001-08:00

The other night, we were finishing up our weekly Tuesday night class at the Animation Academy, when I was assisting a student who was trying out some designs for "minotaur" characters. I decided to try my hand, and hoves at a few myself, and also included a couple of "satyr/pan" type characters. Here's what I came up with...

...the...FINAL......frontier...

2010-12-25T22:44:00.000-08:00

I thought about adding a few more "sci-fi" type environments to my book, and I thought I would include a few "process" pieces.
I also hope to use this as an example of how to build up a layout with ellipses. Here are a couple of thumbs...

Of course, a ship is only as good as it's crew, these are just a few ideas I came up with...

...and here's the final rough. If you look at the two sillhouettes of in the distance, well, you can see how I struggled with trying to get the scale right, to get a sense of depth.

For the final, I started out with gray tones with the intention of using that as a base for colors, but then I realized that the black and white look kind of lent the piece a feel of an old "Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers" serial (well, I think so), so for now, I've left it like this. I didn't use any "gradients", trying to stick with solid areas of value.

Saloon BG

2010-11-28T00:34:00.000-08:00

The Gold Family Jewels

2010-11-22T01:09:00.001-08:00

Just winding down from this past weekend's CTN Animation Expo in Burank. I updated my portfolio for the occasion and put some of my work into a little book that I distributed to friends, and a few industry people, and some people who are even both! I guess everyone, including me, loves "process" work, which are usually rough sketches done by hand. Here are a few of those for the "front page" of my booklet.
...the finished clean-up...
...and the final, in glorious color!I was going to have my contact info be the thing spelled out on the wall of the mine, but instead, chose to present it as a sort of "Wanted Poster" on the back of the booklet.

Comic Con Wrap-Up

2010-08-26T23:17:00.001-07:00

The title of the post says it all. Here is my take on Comic Con International, 2010.

Filmation Nation:

I got some shots of some cell set-ups from several Filmation shows that appear to be from the 70's and 80's. (Filmation folded around '88). My friend and mentor Charles Zembillas has a lot of stories about that place, and how he was one of the artists who helped with the inception of the original He-Man series.

"Despicable We":
This Halloween, it looks like you can be everyones favorite "Diablo Rojo", or "Get Your Gru On". I think it's kind of funny that both of these characters have been featured in movies from Universal.
When Stormtroopers have a "friends and family" day:
The question, did he and his wife actually procreate or were the kids cloned?

Boomer-ang!
A piece of Aussie sporting equipment that comes back, or celebrities who keep returning, to the delight of fanboys? There's plenty of room at the "Con" for the latter. This main "atrium" concourse, is designated as an area were celebrities, authors, etc. from the not so distant past, or the present, can reserve a booth and greet their fanbase in person. You might see Malcolm McDowell (who seems to have built a carreer playing sci-fi baddies, going all the way back to "Clockwork Orange"), or Herbert Jefferson Jr., "Boomer" from the original "Battlstar Galactica" series. "By your command", Mr. Jefferson! (okay, so that's what the villains say to the Imperious Leader).

This isn't happening, it only thinks it's happening!

I only think there's finally going to be a follow up to "Tron" released later this year. Most of us have seen the previews, and one of the things I observed is the difference in the color schemes from the original. Gone are the day-glo, 80's pinks and violets that I remember from the first one. In "Legacy", the cyperworld seems to be made up of a lot of blues and pale greens. (Ever since "The Matrix", that "seafoam green" seems to be the unofficial color of the computer world).

On the other side of the screen, it all looked so easy!

I like the look of the light cycles, and how the "rider" appears to sort of "become one" with it. I like the "spokeless" wheels.

Here's a picture of a meeting I had with a documentarian of "Super Sized"
magnitude. Morgan Spurlock who gained fame, and single-handedly encouraged a certain fast food chain to stop up-sizing their meals with the doc "Super Size Me". His purpose for attending the "Con" is that it, the Con, itself will be the subject of his next doc "Comic Con IV: A Fan's Hope". Hmm...making a movie and starting with episode IV! It's a pretty clever in-joke. I think Mr. Spurlock had another reason to attend the Con: I think that Captain America called, saying he wants his underwear back! (to get this, you have to watch one of the "weigh in" scenes in SSM. Let's just say that Morgan is a braver man than me.)

Incidentally, there were warning signs at the entrances to the Convention Center letting everyone know that footage was being shot, that would be used in a "feature film". I was talking to a few people about this, who had not heard of Spurlock. They were certainly the ones leaving the Convention Center and seeking out the nearest Micky D's. Good luck with the new movie, Morgan, and who knows, maybe I will end up in there as an unsuspecting extra. If not, well, I left the "Con" knowing that every person attending was holding a piece of MY artwork!

The people putting together the souveneir program have a really cool opportunity that I wish more of my artist friends would take advantage of. They offer anyone, and I mean anyone the chance to submit artwork to be included in the full color program. They give you a few themes to choose from usually saluting an anniversary of some character, or franchise (i.e., in 2006, the 40th Anniversary of "Star Trek", 2007, the 30th of "Star Wars"). As it turns out, 2010 marks the 75th Anniversary of D.C. Comics, although, just as Walt Disney began making films in the early 1920's, years before he created Mickey, most of the D.C. characters you know were not around in 1935, when "Detective Comics" first debuted. Until this year, for instance, I'd never heard of a character named "Slam Bradley". Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, these characters wouldn't appear until the later 30's.

I came up with the idea that the characters where all flying in Wonder Woman's invisible jet (that is, the ones who's powers do not already include flying, or who don't have their own aircraft), all on their way to the "Con". I tried to insert a few sight gags that might not be too obvious. Aquaman, for instance is more than a little disturbed at the Penguins choice of snacks, the remains of which can be seen of the floor around his seat, and flight attendant Catwoman is reluctantly giving the Joker something which references both airline snacks, and the Joker's mental condition. Of course, some people will find a triple entendre.. and I bet they feel real proud of that.

I've made a tradition of getting my work in the program, with this being my 3rd year in a row, and my 3rd try. I had to have the work submitted back in April, so it takes some advance planning, but it's good for me for a couple of reasons: I have the opportunity to adapt copywritten characters, and also, I get a deadline, which is always a good motivator for me. So to my fellow artists, please, don't let me have all the fun! Next year, don't just attend the Con, like a mere mortal. Use your drawing power and be a part of this "collectible collective"! Well, that does it for this years Comic Con wrap up. As they say in the comics,"my work here is finished!".

(by the way, the shirt I'm wearing says "animationnation.com". It's a website run by the afformentioned Filmation vet, Charles (he uses his real first name as his handle on the site). It's a hugely popular community and forum to discuss what's happening in the industry, and to show of your work. If you haven't yet, give it a look.

A Drawing with "A-Peal".

2010-03-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

This is a piece I did for a friend of mine who is launching a sketch comedy channel on YouTube called "Running Joke". She basically described what she wanted, and I strived to see the vision through. I'll post a link to the channel when I get the info.

"Space Wowboys"

2010-02-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

"The Doctors, you WILL see now"

2010-01-15T18:57:00.001-08:00

"Mings" from another World.

2009-12-18T23:19:00.000-08:00

I'll explain what's going on here later. It's late and I am working early tomorrow, but I'm sure you can figure out that this is an exercise in yet another reboot of the "Flash Gordon" franchise, (albeit an imaginary one)focusing on some new looks for "Ming the Merciless". Sort of like "The Emporer's New Look" if you will.

"One Froggy Evening..."

2009-12-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

He's playing "Star Wars" again! It's another wild night in the Palace of "Louis the Hut" as he prepares to make a snack of "Prince Naveem". Meanwhile, "Princess Leiana" in her new role as Louis' slave girl, is powerless to stop him,... for now!

I've Got My Yellow Eye On You!!

2009-10-30T22:54:00.001-07:00

Anyone see a pattern forming lately in movie/TV/theatre ads? It's like "Half Moon Junction" or something. I guess it's their way of "saving face". Or at least saving half the face. Everyone seems to be saying "peek-a-boo!!". Oh, well! Happy Half-faced Halloween everyone!

Birthday Snake Mistake

2009-10-16T02:34:00.000-07:00

Another little card I whipped up, and another generic one, as far as the recipient(i.e., this could be for a male, female, any type of relative). Also, I posted one of my roughs, so you can see a little bit of my process. The design of the character, with the beard, eyebrows and hair all merging into one shape is something I just tried to be a little different, although I may have been influenced by Yosemite Sam.

How To Draw Marvel The Disney Way

2009-09-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Press Release: With the recent acquisition of Marvel Comics by the Disney Company, a new era of synergy is upon us, as the two entertainment giants now join forces to create a fresh batch of hybrid characters, sure to delight and enthrall both young and old. Attendees at this year's annual "M62D23B52 HIKE!" Fan-Con, were treated to an exclusive first look at these new personalities.

The action starts up in the sky!! They're chipmunks! They're roasting! They're open fires! Meet the Flaming Rodents! Joining them in their mid-air antics are the Silver Stitch, and, with a growing nose and a glowing heart, there are no strings on him! HE IS IRON BOY!

More down to earth adventures continue. Beware of the temptations of that seductive blue shapeshiftress, Minnique! Behind her, "It's Beat Down Time" with Stoneleg! And neither visual impairment, nor an irascible temper can hold back Devil Duck! Next, he'll huff, he'll puff, he'll cut you good! Who's afraid of Wolferine!? Whistle while you work...the weather! The anti-dote to global warming, it's "Snow"! Let's not forget canines! Beware the searing gaze of "Hot Spot"! He'd better look out because somebody's after his hide! Right behind you Hot Spot! Can't you smell the smoke? It's Magnetta, the "magnet chick"! She and Hot Spot are the stars of "101 Mutations"! Now things have really gone to the dogs! "Gaaaaawwwwwrrrsh!" He's green and mean! It's Mad Dawg! He's joined by another furry fascinating friend, the Fantastic Elastic Puptastic! Turning our glance skyward again, patriotism was never this funny! You aint never had a friend like...Captain Agrabah! Behind him, that web spinner who's made for you and me! You're friendly Toontown Spidermouse! And beware the discipline of the Punishment Pixie!

We feel confident that these new characters will join the ranks of their classic forerunners to inspire generations to come!

Look for more adventures under the sea with the Submariel! Mythic heroism with the Mighty Thorcules! And strap yourself into a flaming Doom Buggy, with the Ghost Host Rider! And let us say:

EXCELSIORIDOCIOUS!!

The Marvel-ous World of Disney

2009-09-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted anything, so I thought I'd give a preview of a piece that I'm working on to commemorate the Marvel/Disney merger/acquisition. Below, you can see how I combined a classic Disney villain with an iconic Marvel character. For lack of a better name, I'm calling him "Wolferine". He'll be joined by a cast of more Disney/Mavel hybrids by the end of the week, I promise!

"Old West, New Year"

2009-09-03T21:59:00.001-07:00

"RobertCon 2009"

2009-08-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

So I threw this party the other night for some friends and co-workers, and decided on a "Superhero" theme for the invitations. I've included a rough sketch (you can see how I really had to work the drawing searching for the right shapes/compositions). I cleaned up the drawings with graphite, and used Photoshop for the color. The line about "do you...eat?" is a movie reference which the true fanboys/girls will have no trouble recognizing. The rest of you can google it.

Comic Con 2009

2009-07-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

This piece is featured in the program given out to everyone attending the "Con". It is on page 155.

All hail the Dadiator!!

2009-06-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

This was my idea for this year's Fathers Day card. The inscription on the inside reads, "Happy Father's Day, Dad! Enjoy your day of glory!".

"Party Animals"

2009-06-02T02:48:00.000-07:00

This is a birthday card that I designed for my sister, who's big day is on the 3rd. I designed (characters, bg, vehicle) and colored it in about 5 hours. I'm not really happy with what happened in the background, so I may make some adjustments. Thanks for visiting my blog! More stuff is coming.

Land of the Lost - 2009 HD Cast Featurette/Behind the Scenes

2009-05-29T21:38:00.001-07:00

Land of the Lost - 2009 HD Cast Featurette/Behind the Scenes

2009-05-29T21:32:00.001-07:00

"Christmas In May"

2009-05-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

The title of the post refers to a holiday that I have to say that I don't really celebrate, not even in December. But, hey, I like other peoples' holidays sometimes. Also, I'm going to cover my recent visit to Disney's "Christmas Carol Train", which they are using to generate buzz about their upcoming release of this latest version of that classic. Technically, this is more an instance of a film made by the same team who gave us "Polar Express" and "Beowulf", and of Disney financing the film, and putting their name on it, rather than something produced in-house by the mouse. For that, we'll have to wait for the other big Disney holiday release, "The Princess and the Frog". Some might ask, "why do we need another version of "Christmas Carol"? Well, after visiting this exhibit, I'm happy to say that I think we are in for something very familiar, but coming across as very fresh. Like a classic story told by a director and cast who almost seem like old friends. Now, on to the show: One of the posters advertising the show. There is what could be considered a little redundancy in the description area. "See Charles Dickens Museum museum artifacts"? I guess since the first "museum" is capitalized, it means it's a proper noun, with the lower case one indicating what kind if artifacts you're going to see ("museum" ones).

This all took place in Los Angeles' Union Station, the first stop on a nationwide tour, ending up in New York on November 1st, five days before the films release on the 6th.

Some co-workers of mine asked me how I found out about the exhibit. I recieved a flier about it in my "snail mail", but I was obviously only on of thousands who got the word. This show was certainly no big secret.

Something about Mr. Carrey's face in the candle flame (his ghost of Christmas Past look) that reminds me of an ad for Desenex or somethng. (Oh! are your feet hot and itchy? That's because of me). I think my mind was playing tricks on me, which can happen when you wait for 2 hours in a line, which is pretty close to how long I did wait!

Palm trees, gang graffitti, and show biz, all in the shadow of Union Station. Nothing is quite like L.A.

If you recognize any of the carolers, I'm not surprised. A co-worker of mine happens to know the guy on the right, and another one knows the girl in green.

No fast-pass here. And that wait time is pretty close to what it actually was. I was undaunted, and determined to see the show.

That thing in the background with the film's title is a giant inflatable theatre with a killer sound system and 3D projection system, where we were treated to some finished sequences of the film after visiting the train. It's hard to believe that we have a whole Summer, and most of the Fall ahead of us before the actual release date.

Once inside the train, the wait seemed worthwhile as the staff allowed us time to savor all the details at our own pace. Here's a portrait of the boy Ebenezer, who really looks like, well, a really young Jim Carrey.

I guess you would call this a "zits and all" portrait. Mercifully, it looks like he only has the skin condition for his adolescence.

Even the most sophisticated CGI feature involves a lot more than just, as they say in "Tron", "nothing but a lot of cold circuits". It involves traditional skills, like costume design. Each character had actual costumes made to help with realizing what would eventually be created in the computer.

As good a Mr. Carrey is, you just know that the great performances in this film will come from the Brits, like Colin Firth as Fred, Scrooge's nephew. Note the wallpaper, lanterns, picture frames, etc. This part of the trains interior was themed to Victorian opulance, almost like the "Lilly Belle" train at Disneyland, or the "Wanderer" from "Wild, Wild West". The Wanderer, as you recall, actually concealed a series of James Bond like gadgets. Likewise, the Christmas Carol train also contains some high tech wizardry (which you'll see later) underneath the elaborate furnishings.

He "channeled" Sid Vicious in "Sid and Nancy", hijacked "Air Force One" and morphed into a dog as "Sirius Black", and now, Gary Oldman plays both Tiny Tim, and his father Bob Cratchit. I'm not sure how he's going to lift himself onto his own shoulder, but if anyone can do it, it's Gary.

People remeber Robin Wright-Penn from "The Princess Bride", a movie which I'm sorry to say, never really "did it" for me. Sorry. But Robin is a veteran of other Zemeckis projects like "Beowulf" and "Forrest Gump".

Some people find this image kind of creepy, but I think Bob Hoskins looks like he'll be a great Fezziwig. In this picture I really think it looks like he's posing to have his image engraved on paper currency of some sort.

All I can say about this display is: it truly is "better than one". I think Jim Carrey as the older Scrooge looks like a cross between his "Count Olaf" from "Lemony Snicket" and the old hag from that movie that came out of the Netherlands, "The Day The Earth Froze" which is maybe best know for it MST3K version. (Sampo! Saaampohhhh!).

Save the clocktower! Robert Zemeckis seems to have a thing for time travel, clocks and clock towers under construction (think Back to the Future III)

I'm anxious to see how the clock tower (sometimes called "Big Ben", though that is technically the name of the bell inside, rather than the tower which is sometimes called "The Palace of Westminster) is used to tell the story.

Now, on to the hi tech stuff. Again, even the most sophisticated computers do not rule out the use of traditional stuff, like building little models out of foam core to help stage shots and scenes.

One thing about mo-cap. I think it mainly works with bipedal human characters. I don't know how willing a horse would be to wear a mo-cap suit, so I think four legged animals like horses (of which there must have been many in Dickens' London) are examples of characters that probably have to be "keyframed".

The Spirit of Christmas Future? One minute we're looking at Victorian Wallpaper, the next we're on a stage that looks like something from "2001: A Space Odyssey". Note that the figure in the chair is half a figure in half a chair, with the other half a reflection in a mirror.

It looks like he's in pain. I would be to if I was breaking out in little black dots.

The exhibit cocludes with a little interactivity, where you can take a digital photo of yourself, and morph it into a character of your choice from the film.

After viewing some finished frames of film, you pass this tableau with some very real looking food, and an animated scene outside the windows. (the snow actually appears to be falling).

All in all, the train is worth looking at if it's in your area. Here's a link to Disney's official site
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/christmascaroltraintour/

From the look I got of this movie, it looks like a blend of high technology, with traditional filmmaking, and a very faithful, respectful adaptation of a tried and true classic, with the dialogue deviating very little from Dickens. The finished product should be very impressive, and I think, will join the ranks of the other classic versions.

Link, Love and the Loch

2009-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

This is the finished piece with "Link".

N'Link

2009-04-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

This is my own version of "Missing Link", one of my favorite characters from Dreamworks' 'Monsters Vs. Aliens". It's intended to be used for a larget piece to be posted in a couple of days.

2009-04-03T00:13:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've been posting a little more frequently lately. This "blog" technology is a gift, and not one to let go to waste. So here are a few items, showing my way of getting through the "stages" of a drawing. I'm still working on my clean-up line quality, and still doing it with graphite pencils. Any tips on what type to use would be great. My goal with my work is to make you feel good, and hopefully, I've succeeded. (These poses will be an element in something else I'm working on. To find out what, keep checking back!)

Pan Pacific plussed

2009-03-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a new version of the Pan Pacific layout. I made a few corrections, like darkening the forground elements and adding some hilights. I actually got some art direction from none other than David James, the art director for "Monsters vs. Aliens", which is out in theatres in the U.S. this weekend. (for more on David, scroll down a few posts).

2009-03-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

"Unscripted"

2009-03-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

The title of the thread refers to a couple of animation related events I had the pleasure of attending at Samuel French's Theatre Bookstore in Studio City recently. Samuel French is best known as a publisher of play scripts, and these were a couple of book signings for animation and "Art of" animation books. This first event was last Thursday. It included Disney animator/producer Don Hahn, signing copies of "Alchemy of Animation" and legendary animator Eric Goldberg, signing his instructional book "Character Animation Crash Course"(a catchy title that only Eric would think of). Here's a window display in front of the store. If you don't know the alligator character, you soon will. He's Louis, Eric's character from "The Princess and the Frog" opening later this year around the holidays.I apologize for the focus, or lack thereof in these pictures. My digital photography needs some work. Anyway, here's a picture of Don Hahn examining the "Art of Monsters vs. Aliens" book, from the upcoming Dreamworks movie. Don has another book of his own, a retrospective of the notes of Walt Stanchfield, which is supposed to be hitting the shelves on March 28th, the same day that MvsA arrives in theatres.

Here's Eric holding a book which I think is about music in animated films. I think he actually ended up buying the book.

Eric: "With my foolproof system outlined in this book, you too, can become an ace animator, or you can just work in the front office!"

One of the unusual things about this event was the low turnout. You could pretty much count the people there on one hand, and that's almost counting Eric and Don! I ended up giving a member of the staff urls and info for animationnation.com and ASIFA Hollywood so that in the future, they can tap into the huge pool of enthusiasts in and around Los Angeles. In the meantime, I got a little one on one time with Eric.

It is really something to meet people face to face whom you mainly only knew from DVD special features, specials, etc., and to find them to be really down to Earth and easy-going in person. That is the case with Eric and Don. See the people outside the window holding scripts? There is a casting agency in Ventura right next door to the bookstore.

Eric and Don were kind enough to autograph their respective books. If you visit Samuel French's in Studio City (not to be confused with their Hollywood store on Sunset), they may still have some autographed copies available for purchase while they last.

A sign of a truly great artist, Eric is drawing one of his signature characters, the Genie from "Aladdin" which he created almost two decades ago. And with a sharpie! (i.e., no rough sketch first).

"We're Hahn, Gold & Goldberg, and we'll fight for you!"

The same venue, but with a slightly different vibe...

2009-03-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

Just this past night, I returned to Sam French's for another event, a book signing for that "Art of Monsters vs. Aliens" book that Don Hahn was perusing. Here's a shot of the films art director, David James. To hear him speak about the film go to http://www.monstersvsaliens.com/, go to "behind the scenes", then to "the crew", then click on "David James", then click on "watch the interview". You got all that?Here's David with Linda Sunshine, who wrote the text for the book.

Here's a shot of the cover. The jacket artwork was created specifically for the book, and the size range of the characters supposedly made for quite a challenge to show them all in a group shot.

As you can see, the turnout was little higher this time, but it still made for a very intimate evening. (i.e. it certainly was not Comic Con).

This is a movie I'm really looking forward to. It was nice of Samuel French to hold two animation events over the course of less than a week, and very nice of Don, Eric, David and Linda to be so generous with their time. As they used to say in my Navy days, "Bravo Zulu"!

A Bygone Classic...

2009-03-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

This has always been one of my favorite buildings (L.A.s "Pan Pacific Auditorium) that is no longer with us. I had this idea to show it from a high angle, and from behind, with those flagpoles and art deco things in the foreground. Here is a reference photo, probably taken in the mid 80's. (the building was closed in the 70's and destroyed by fire in 1989. It lives on though, in movies like "Xanadu"). This is a rough sketch from my sketchbook which I did at the school in Burbank where I am an instructor. (www.theanimationacademy.com).Below is a more refined version. It's a basic 3 point perspective, with the flagpoles, light posts and other strong verticals, going to a third vanishing point below the picture plane.+

And below is the "cleaner" version, with some tone I added in photoshop. I'll be refining that in the future, as well as adding some figures (I may set the scene in the 60's). For the cars, I researched classic "Woodies" as well as "Edsels" and the Ford Fairlane.

A Classic lives on...

2009-03-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Visitors to Los Angeles looking for the location of the old Pan Pacific wil find this Rec Center in it's place. You can see the influence of the design of the original.And if you've been to Walt Disney World in Florida, you may know this place. You can see how th imagineers borrowed the design for the entrance to the "Studios" theme park (originally "Disney/MGM Studios").

I'm no Drew Struzan, but I thought I'd have some fun...

2008-08-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

So, my Mom's birthday recently came to pass. I designed this as a card that I could market to other people. I'm just now getting the hang of photoshop, although I still have a LOT to learn.

2008-02-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

An epic of Biblical proportions!

2007-09-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

This is me attempting to assist a friend of mine in illustrating the "David and Goliath" story. Ready when you are, C.B.!

2007-09-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

2007-09-20T23:38:00.000-07:00

2007-09-20T23:36:00.001-07:00

"...and he shall appear!"

2007-09-20T23:30:00.001-07:00

Just having some fun. I modeled the nose partially off of my own (every drawing has an element of a self portrait, don't you think!), so he is indeed a handsome...well you know.

2007-09-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

It's been five(5) looong months since my last post. Far too long. So, in commemoration of the New Year (5768), here's what I hope will be a long post which I hope you'll enjoy. Here's the rough drawing for my High Holiday card:

2007-09-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Here's the "clean" version.

2007-09-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the completed image with color. The inscription inside reads "Shofar, Sho good":

"A NOTE OF THANKS"

2007-04-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

The task: To create a "thank you" card for my friends and family in Israel who were so kind and generous to me and my family on a recent visit over there earlier this month. The challenge: I was faced with the option of getting the card done quickly, or of sending them store bought cards provided by my mother. I was determined to avoid that at all cost, and to give the Israelis a card that would be unique, something specific to me. The result: A card created, drawn up, and printed, all in the course of about ten hours. (I was doing other things during the ten hours too, like unpacking, and recovering from jetlag).

2007-04-21T21:37:00.001-07:00

As you can see, this all took place on April 16, 2007. After much brainstorming, for about 30 minutes, I came up with the brilliant idea of showing the words for "thank you" in Hebrew, but make it appear to be made out of ancient stone, weathered, and with clumps of grass growing from the cracks, like something in the old city of Jerusalem. Think of the "Ben Hur" poster. On top would be a non-descript figure, holding the Israeli flag. What could be more "me"? Here is the initial rough sketch, scanned directly from my sketchbook. Yes, Hebrew reading bloggers, it is spelled incorrectly. You can see me working out the correct spelling in the upper right hand corner. BTW, "Imcrazywonderful" is the handle of a Hebrew speaking girl whom I stumbled onto on MySpace. I made a note to check her out later.

2007-04-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

Non-Hebrew speaking bloggers, did you know that Hebrew is written and read from right to left? Well, you know what? Hebrew is written/read from right to left! In the background on the right, is an "ancient" skyline, inspired again, by old Jerusalem, and by the port city of Jaffa (Yaffo). I think Mary Blair would like it. (Do a search on her). Getting there, but something isn't quite working...

2007-04-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is more like it! Of course! Put the skyline on the left, so the letters lead to it rather than away from it!

2007-04-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Finally, I added some colors that would suggest old stone, using, fittingly enough, some old markers. Note to self: learn photoshop already. I used some lighter values for the background elements.

2007-04-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

I then scanned the image, with the "Gold's Greetings" logo upside down, with the copyright and blog info, to create the back of the card. A trip to the printers, and I was done. Kind of crude, but effective. And most importantly, like nothing you could buy in a store. If it suits your purpose, feel free to print it yourself. It will need a little trimming, but should fit a 5"x7" envelope.

2007-03-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but thank you for coming by and visiting. Sorry, but I didn't get around to a Passover or Easter card this year, but as consolation, I've uploaded some of my other work that I dug up, and I've included some "process" pieces from the "Leprechaun" card. I hope you find them inspiring. It's my goal to make you feel good with my work. I would be remiss without mentioning Charles Zembillas and The Animation Academy, where I got a lot of my instruction (www.theanimationacademy.com). Also, for the latest buzz on the industry, from those inside it, or fans like myself hoping to break in, there's no better place than www.animationnation.com.

2007-03-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

This is a piece that went over well with friends and colleagues. It incorporates 3-point perspective, with a curving horizon, character design posing and staging. (I act like I actually know what I'm talking about). On the "Falcon" building, you may notice references to the Chrysler building, as well as the Pan Pacific Auditorium, which no longer exists.

2007-03-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

A cleaner version of my superhero, with some tone.

2007-03-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

My tribute to B-movies. An attempt at "retro" futurism.

2007-03-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

Here's how it all started. This is a rought sketch of the leprechaun, (which I just noticed got mirror reversed somehow) in col-erase blue.

2007-03-31T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an experiment with tone using col-erase blue. I'm trying to get a balance of darks and lights throughout the piece. These blue tonal studies always remind me of tiles on a Dutch fireplace or something.

2007-03-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here's the clean line version of the leprechaun. The circle and square that you see on the final card were done with the computer. This image was done with graphite. As you can see, I started experimenting with color on this one.

2007-03-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a better version of the Davinci leprechaun. The first one has some unsightly "stains" on his vest, which I was able to remove for this one.

St. Patrick's Day card

2007-03-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Here it is! My St. Patty's card, which, for the time being, you can print for free! I'm still in the process of getting used to this "blogging" thing, but I found that it's best to print these in "landscape" rather than "portrait". The first image is the inside of the card, with the second image (Da Vinci Leprechaun) being the front and back. Got it? After printing, cut along the green dotted line, fold in half, and you've got it! I hope my Catholic friends are still my "friends" since I'm having fun with one of their holidays, and "The DaVinci Code". Now, I've got to start working on Passover and Easter.

2007-02-12T21:10:00.000-08:00

My first post this year. If you're reading this, it means you're visiting my contribution to the, what is it, the blogsphere? In appreciation, and just in time for Valentine's Day, you are welcome to make use of my first "printable" Valentine. To make your own, (two(2) actually), just print out the image below, (you might try saving it to your computer first), then print out the text page below on the back side. Cut along the dotted line and "voila", you're own caveman Valentine! (Thank you, Samuel L. Jackson). No charge for the use, but feel free to leave a comment! (one note: you don't have to use my text! Feel free to leave the inside blank and inscribe it with your own sentiment).

2007-02-12T21:08:00.001-08:00

2006-12-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

2006-10-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

2006-04-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

This is an environment called "The Cave Of No Return"(which also happens to describe my bedroom, good luck finding your way out of there). It's a cave...from which..you don't return. It's all perfectly clear now, right? It's a location for a project that I may be involved with later this year.

2006-03-21T17:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my first post.
Rosebud. Call me Ismael.

This was a piece I did a couple of years ago, based on "The Wind in the Willows". It's supposed to be Toad Hall, which would make these characters "weasels". (Note the graffitti on the wall in the background near the stairs).

Wow, you mean anyone in the world with an internet connection can see this? I'll admit, It's scary!

2006-03-21T16:52:00.000-08:00

First post. testing/