My portrait demo on sale now!

The sale price for my video demonstration is on for just a couple more days (goes back to regular price Sept 1), buy now if you're interested!



Here's the final drawing from the video.




This last image is a value analysis that I hope those of you interested in portrait drawing will find helpful: it has a noise reduction filter laid over it to remove detail and texture leaving only the value structure. It's nerve wracking to do a live demo like this one, the video crew won't come back another day if you wreck the portrait being filmed so you have to have some ideas about holding the drawing together. My idea is to carefully keep the value structure organized and grouped for a naturalistic lighting effect that is believable and clear, and that lends strength to the composition. I hope you enjoy the video.

My Portrait Drawing Video is Here!

I'm excited to announce that my portrait drawing video is now available for pre-sale! Order before the end of August to get the sale price, it will come online for download the middle of September, complete info and description are here.

Portrait in Charcoal

I'll be on the theme of portrait drawing in my posts for the next couple of weeks, and if you're in the LA area come on out to my Workshop this Saturday, August 18th where I'll show you how this is done.


This one is done with charcoal and white nupastel on strathmore 500 series charcoal paper.

Portrait Drawing Workshop on August 18!

I'm very excited to invite you out to my portrait drawing workshop on Saturday August 18, 12-8pm. To enroll contact The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, (877) MY-LAAFA (695-2232)

For this workshop I'll present a slideshow that will take you through the principles you need know to successfully draw a portrait from life, I'll do a full demonstration in charcoal then turn the time over to you to draw from a live costume model with me as your coach. The workshop will include:

• The fundamentals of constructing the head with the values of light and shadow.

• Principles for creating the illusion of space and volume on a 2 dimensional drawing surface.

• Ideas for portrait composition and creating a likeness.

• Techniques and tips on materials and the drawing process.

• Instructor demonstration from a live model.

• Student drawing time from a live model with instructor feedback.

See you there!

Earth invades Mars on August 5th!

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-Update 08-06-12: Congrats to the JPL team for nailing what looked like an impossible landing! It was incredible to watch events unfold live on the big screen. If you didn't have a chance to see it check out the replay here which includes cg recreation, and this extended version that stays inside mission control and gives a good sense of the suspense and celebration.-

I'll be down at the JPL/Planetary Society Planetfest in Pasadena this weekend for the Mars Landing, it's fun to be alive in a time when people are sending robots to other planets.

No, mars does not have rings, this is actually an illustration of an interstellar probe visiting Barnards Star, a nearby red dwarf I sketched back in '93, it's all I had handy.

And since we do the occasional science fiction reference here, the recommended read of the week is David Brin's new novel Existence. It's a tour de force of life in 2050 and uniquely solves the Fermi paradox but with the appropriate mystery, threat, thrill and horror of first contact.

.This is a painting I did for The Prince of Egypt (1997). Acrylic on Crescent 100 illustration board.

Comic-Con

Here's my Comic-Con demo at the LAAFA/Blue Canvas booth:









It's a great time to connect with old and new friends. Pictured left to right are: John Nevarez, Cecil Kim, Justin Yun, myself and Armand Baltazar

Launching Your Career in Animation and Entertainment Design Workshop

Here's a special event I have coming up on July 28 for art students interested in going into animation and entertainment art:

Saturday, July 28, 2-7pm at MakeSpace Arts 2797 E. Foothill Blvd. Ste 100, Pasadena, CA 91107. To enroll contact Motivarti.org



Here's a 12 minute video introduction for the workshop which includes a talk on the subject for those of you who can't make it.

Comic-con!

I have a couple of demos I'll be doing at Comic-con, stop by and say hi!
Charcoal portrait demo Saturday July 14, 2-3:30pm at the LAAFA booth, #5567  
Concept art demo Saturday July 14, 4:30-5:15pm at the Schoolism booth# 2042.


Here's a step by step for those of you who can't be there:

Head Drawing Course Begins July 9th

My head drawing class begins Monday July 9, 7-10pm. To enroll contact The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (click here for more info), (877) MY-LAAFA (695-2232).
Sure, the class will heavily cover structure and rendering (in charcoal) but in the age of instant digital photography our work needs more than just mindless rendering, so we'll also talk about giving portraits a reason to live through design.


In this lay-in example, I'm carefully finding long lines and shapes that will give the portrait strength and visual interest.


The long line that connects the background to the figure helps make the whole image cohesive and creates a repetition of the triangle shape to give a sense of meaningful relationships between the parts.

"Student to Pro" this Monday

A reminder that my "From Student to Professional and Beyond" presentation is this Monday night June 25 at the Animation Union.
Post script: we had a great time at the workshop, hope to see the rest of you next year!
One of the many subjects we covered was workspace, below is my desk while we were working on The Road to El Dorado back in 1999.


Here's the finished painting that's in progress in the workspace photo:


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Upcoming Events!

I have several events in the LA area coming up that I'd like to invite you out to:

From Student to Professional and Beyond! A one evening presentation.
Monday, June 25, 7-10:00 pm. For any student or professional artist seeking improvement (art of any kind, digital or traditional). The presentation will emphasize where and how to focus your efforts as you work toward developing a more professional level of artistic ability. I invite you to take a chance on this one, it will be worth your time! Click here for more detail! To enroll contact The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, (877) MY-LAAFA (695-2232). This event is held at the Animation Union: 1105 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505.

Head Drawing 10 Week Course
Beginning Monday July 9, 7-10pm. To enroll contact The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (click here for more info), (877) MY-LAAFA (695-2232)

Launching Your Career and Animation Art and Entertainment Design
Watch the video introduction here.
How to focus your efforts to successfully prepare for a career in animation art and entertainment design. The workshop will consist of slide shows, lectures and demos that will take you through the design and development process for an entertainment project, showing you exactly what skills are needed for each aspect of the project and how to develop those skills. The emphasis will be on production concept art, including: look development, color scripting, location design, prop design, color keys, lighting design, matte painting, working with your art director and putting together an effective portfolio. If you’re working toward a career in animation and entertainment design, this workshop is not to be missed!
Saturday, July 28, 2-7pm at MakeSpace Arts 2797 E. Foothill Blvd. Ste 100, Pasadena, CA 91107. To enroll contact Motivarti.org

Comicon Demo
Charcoal portrait demo Saturday July 14, 2-3:30pm at the LAAFA booth, #5567
Concept art demo Saturday July 14, 4:30-5:15pm at the Schoolism booth# 2042

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Charcoal and pastel on Strathmore paper, 16"x 24".
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Color class quick-sketch demos

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Lighting studies for Puss in Boots and the Tres Diablos.

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Illustration for Puss in Boots.
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Watercolor on Arches paper, 15"x20".

MicroVisions

I was just informed that the MicroVisions auction has gone live so I thought I'd post the link for you.
Every Year the Society of Illustrators selects 12 artists to do a "micro" 5"x7" painting to be exhibited and auctioned for their student scholarship fund. It's been a real thrill to be in the company of participating luminaries: Scott Bakal, Julie Bell, Scott Brundage, Brian Despain, Rebecca Guay, Scott Gustafson, John Picacio, Dan Dos Santos, Peter de Seve, Chris Rahn and Terryl Whitlatch.

It was tough to paint so small! Sure, I do tons of tiny roughs but nothing that's intended to be a "finished" painting. Nevertheless I'm happy with the outcome and have posted it here for you to take a look at. If you'd like to place a bid you can do so here, it goes to a good cause.

Update: the link is removed since the event is over, and we did well! Raised a good chunk of change for a good cause!

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This is a scene from Road to El Dorado (2000). I painted the environment for this one.
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Composition Workshop, May 19!

Whether you're a figurative artist, landscape painter, entertainment artist or picture maker of any kind, if you're in the LA area I'd love to see you at our annual Composition Workshop on Saturday May 19, 12-8pm . To enroll contact the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art at 877-695-2232. www.laafa.org
Watch the video for some tips and an overview, there's more written info below:











Composition: Design for Dynamic Picture Making:

• Slideshow presentation and lecture, 12-3pm: Lectures on the fundamentals of effective picture making. Discussions on the creation of mood and environment. Principles for organizing complex scenes into compelling arrangements. Strategies for solving compositional problems quickly and effectively. Studies of Composition in history and the modern day.

• Instructor Painting demonstration, 3:30-5
• Compositional exercises, 6-7pm
• Student painting time with instructor feedback, 7-8pm

Compressed charcoal and ivory nupastel on Srathmore charcoal paper.

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A theatrical piece for Puss in Boots.
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This is a background painting from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron (2001). Sometimes I really miss this kind of work.
Below are closeups to show you the kind of overlapping paint textures I'm using.












This last one is the color key. These are all painted in acrylics on Crescent 100 illustration board.

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Location sketch for How to Train Your Dragon.
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Sketching From Life! 10 week course begins April 2

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My 10 week sketching from life course is coming soon! It will be held each Monday night from 7 to 10 pm starting on April 2.
For this class we'll study the head, figure, drapery, costume, animals and still life as well as a weekend field trip to study landscape painting. Charcoal, watercolor and gouache will be demonstrated though students will be welcome to use the medium of their choice. Join us!
To enroll call (877) MY-LAAFA (695-2232), their website is laafa.org