A Blast from the Past: Ink Wash Landscape Illustration

An old ink wash illustration from college. This piece got me a plethora of professional illustration jobs after graduation. Nowadays, I tend to stray away from photorealistic renderings and gravitate towards the cartoony and caricature styles.

A Blast from the Past: The Fly Girls!

Cropped detail of an illustration I did in college of the 'Fly Girls' from 'In Living Color'. I was trying to emulate my favorite artist at the time, Drew Struzan. (Painted in dyes and color pencil) 

Many years later I was working with the Wayans Bros. and I showed this illustration to them on my first day. Shawn jocosely punched me in the gut for not including 'DJ SW1' with the Fly Girls! :)

'Batman: The Legend' Sketch Cards for Cryptozoic Entertainment

This one is a sketch card puzzle I illustrated of Arkham's notorious villains! (The card dividers were smooth out in Photoshop)



Here are more of my sketch cards for the set that will be in stores January 11, 2013!

Annie Award Nominations 2012

 40th Annual Annie Award Nominations

 http://annieawards.org
SOURCE http://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/annie-award-nominations-2012-74101.html

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature
Brave — Disney
Frankenweenie – Disney
Hotel Transylvania — Sony Animation
ParaNorman — Laika
The Pirates: Band of Misfits — Aardman Animation/Sony Animation
The Rabbi’s Cat — Autochenille Production/GKids
Rise of The Guardians — DreamWorks Animation
Wreck-It Ralph — Disney

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 – Warner Bros. Animation
Before Orel – Trust – Starburns Industries, Inc.
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – Illumination Entertainment
Disney Tron: Uprising – Beck’s Beginning – Disney TV Animation
Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury – DreamWorks Animation
Justice League: Doom – Warner Bros. Animation

Best Animated Short Subject
Brad and Gary (Illumination/Universal)
Bydlo (NFB)
Eyes On The Stars (StoryCorps)
Goodnight Mr Foot (Sony Animation)
Kali The Little Vampire (NFB)
Paperman (Disney)
Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare (20th Century-Fox)
The Simpsons – Bill Plympton Couch Gag (20th Century-Fox)

Best General Audience Animated TV Production For Preschool Children
Bubble Guppies ‘A Tooth on the Looth’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Chuggington ‘Magnetic Wilson’ – Ludorum
Jake & The Never Land Pirates ‘Peter Pan Returns’ – Disney TV Animation
Doc McStuffins ‘The Right Stuff’ – Disney TV Animation
Justin Time ‘Marcello’s Meatballs’ – Guru Studio

Best Animated Television Production For Children
Adventure Time ‘Princess Cookie’ – Cartoon Network Studios
Dragons: Riders of Berk ‘How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation
LEGO Star Wars ‘The Empire Strikes Out’ – Threshold Animation Studios
Penguins of Madagascar ‘Action Reaction’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
SpongeBob SquarePants ‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
The Amazing World of Gumball ‘The Job’ – Turner Broadcasting System Europe, Ltd.
The Fairly OddParents ‘Farm Pit’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
The Legend of Korra ‘Welcome to Republic City’/’A Leaf in the Wind’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best General Audience Animated Television Production
Archer ‘Space Race, Part 1’ – Weissman Markovitz Communications for FX
BOB’S BURGERS ‘Earsy Rider’ – 20th Century Fox TV
Motorcity ‘Blond Thunder’ – Disney TV Animation
MAD ‘FrankenWinnie/ParaMorgan’ – Warner Bros. Animation
Robot Chicken ‘DC Comics Special’ – Stoopid Buddy Studios
South Park ‘Raising the Bar’ – Central Productions

Animated Video Game
Borderlands 2 – Gearbox Software
Family Guy – Back to the Mutiverse – Heavy Iron Studios
Journey – Sony Computer Entertainment America
Skullgirls – Lab Zero Games

Best Student Film
Can We Be Happy Now – Tahnee Gehm
Defective Detective – Avner Geller & Steve Lewis
Head Over Heels – Timothy Reckart
I Am Tom Moody – Ainslie Henderson
Ladies Knight – Joseph Rothenberg
Origin – Jessica Poon
The Ballad of Poisonberry Pete – Karen Sullivan
Tule Lake – Michelle Ikemoto

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Animated Effects in an Animated Production
Andrew Nawrot, Joe Gorski, Grant Laker – ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Andrew Schneider ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton – Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation
Bill Watral, Chris Chapman, Dave Hale, Keith Klohn, Michael K. O’Brien ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Brett Albert – ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jihyun Yoon – ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Joel Aron – ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
Stephen Marshall, Joseph Pepper, Dustin Wicke ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ – Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation
Sue Rowe, Simon Stanley-Clamp, Artemis Oikonomopoulou, Holger Voss, Nikki Makar, Catherine Elvidge ‘John Carter’ – Cinesite
Willi Geiger, Rick Hankins, Florent Andorra, Florian Witzel, Aron Bonar ‘Battleship’ – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Dan Driscoll ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Jennifer Dickie ‘Justin Time: Yodel Odel Day’ – Guru Studio
Keith Kellogg ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
Forrest Savelen ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Shi Zimu ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation
Sihanouk Marinona ‘Before Orel: Trust’ – Starburns Industries, Inc.
Teri Yam ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation
Yan Jiazhuang ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk’ – DreamWorks Animation

Character Animation in a Feature Production
Dan Nguyen ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
David Pate ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Jaime Landes ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Phillppe LeBrun ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Pierre Perifel ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Travis Hathaway ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Travis Knight “ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Will Becher ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations

Character Animation in a Live Action Production
Erik de Boer, Amanda Dague, Matt Brown, Mary Lynn Machado, Aaron Grey ‘Life of Pi – Orangutan’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl ‘Life of Pi – Tiger’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
Jakub Pistecky, Maia Kayser, Scott Benzu, Steve King, Kiran Bhat ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
Mike Beaulieu, Roger Vizard, Atushi Sato, Jackie Kochler, Derek Esparza, Richard Smith, Mac Tyrie – Columbia Pictures – THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN – Sony Pictures Animation

Character Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Andy Bialk ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Alvin and the Outcasts’ – DreamWorks Animaton
Andy Suriano ‘DC Nation-Plastic Man: The Many and the Fowl’ – Big Hair Productions, Inc.
Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ryu Ki-Hyun, Kim Il Kwang, Kim Jin Sun ‘The Legend of Korra: Welcome to Republic City’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
“C” Raggio IV ‘Kick Buttowski: Petrified’ – Disney TV Animation
Derrick Wyatt, Chap Yaep, Steven Choi ‘Ben 10: Omniverse: The More Things Change, Pt. 2’ – Cartoon Network Studios
Gordon Hammond ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Dudley Do-Wrong’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Robert Valley ‘Disney Tron: Uprising: The Renegade, Part I’ – Disney TV Animation
Thaddeus Paul Cauldron ‘Secret Mountain Fort Awesome: Secret Mountain Uncle Grandpa’- Cartoon Network Studios

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
Bill Schwab, Lorelay Bove, Cory Loftis, Minkyu Lee ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Carlos Grangel ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Carter Goodrich ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Craig Kellman ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Heidi Smith ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon, Colin Stimpson ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment

Directing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Howie Parkins ‘Jake and The Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns!’ – Disney TV Animation
John Eng ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
Mark Cabalero, Seamus Walsh ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a Spongebob Christmas’’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Mic Graves ‘The Amazing World of Gumball: The Job’ – Turner Broadcasting System Europe Ltd.
Michael Chang ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Never Say Xever’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Zack Keller ‘Dick Figures: Kung Fu Winners’ – 6 Point Media

Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Genndy Tartakovsky ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux ‘The Rabbi’s Cat – GKIDS
Remi Bezancon, Jean-Christophe Lie ‘Zarafa’ – GKIDS
Rich Moore ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Sam Fell, Chris Butler ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features

Music in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Adam Berry ‘Penquins of Madagascar: Private and the Winky Factory’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Alf Clausen ‘The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIII’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
Frederik Wiedmann ‘Green Lantern The Animated Series: Into the Abyss’ – F. Wiedmann, Composer
Guy Moon ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Really Big Mission’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
John Paesano ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: How to Pick Your Dragon’ – DreamWorks Animation
Michael Rubin ‘Bubble Guppies: Bubble Puppy’s Fin-tastic Fairytale!’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Music in an Animated Feature Production
Alexandre Desplat ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Bruce Retief ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Saltzman Communications
Henry Jackman ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
John Powell, Adam Schlesinger, Ester Dean ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
John Powell, Cinco Paul ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment
Mark Mothersbaugh ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Patrick Doyle, Mark Andrews, Alex Mandel ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Production Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Alberto Mielgo ‘Tron: Uprising: The Stranger’ – Disney TV Animation
Ian Worrel ‘Gravity Falls – Tourist Trapped’ – Disney TV Animation
Lynna Blankenship, Sean Coons, Hugh Macdonald, Debbie Peterson, Charles Ragins, Lance Wilder, Darrel Bowen, John Krause, Kevin Moore, Brent M. Bowen, Brice Mallier, Steven Fahey, Dima Malanitchev, Karen Bauer, Eli Balser, Anne Legge – ‘The Simpsons: Moe Goes From Rags to Riches’ – Film Roman
Nick Jennings, Martin Ansolebehere, Sandra Calleros, Ron Russell, Santino Lascano, Derek Hunter, Catherine E. Simmonds – ‘Adventure Time – The Hard Easy’ – Cartoon Network Studios
Peter Martin, Chris Grine, Ira Baker, Ramon Olivera, Scott Brown ‘hoops & yo yo’s Haunted Halloween’ – Hallmark
Scott Brandon James, Lee Keith ‘Justin Time: The Rubbery Dumplings’ – Guru Studio

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, Shannon Jeffries, Lindsey Olivares, Kenard Pak ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Marcello Vignali ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Nash Dunnigan, Arden Chen, Jon Townley, Kyle McNaughton ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
Nelson Lowry, Ross Stewart, Pete Oswald, Ean McNamara, Trevor Dalmer ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Norman Garwood, Matt Berry ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animation
Patrick Hanenberger, Max Boas, Jayee Borcar, Woonyoung Jung, Perry Maple, Peter Maynez, Stan Seo, Felix Yoon ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Rick Heintzich ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Steve Pilcher ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Andy Kelly ‘Doc McStuffins: Righty-On-Lefty’ – Disney TV Animation
Cole Sanchez, Rebecca Sugar ‘Adventure Time: Lady & Peebles’ – Cartoon Network Studios
Doug Lovelace ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man’ – DreamWorks Animation
Holly Forsyth ‘Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess’ – Disney TV Animation
Irineo Marramba, Ciro Nieli ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman’’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Robert Valley, Kalvin Lee ‘Tron: Uprising: The Reward’ – Disney TV Animation
Ryan Kramer, Paul Linsley, Kenji Ono, Le Tang, Alice Herring, Mike Mullen, Aaron Hammersley ‘Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Enter the Dragon’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Tom Herpich, Skyler Page ‘Adventure Time: Goliad’ – Cartoon Network Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Emmanuela Cozzi ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Johanne Matte ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Leo Matsuda ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Lissa Treiman ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Rob Koo ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation

Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
James Patrick Stuart as Private ‘Penguins of Madagascar: High Moltage’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Jeff Bennett as Keswick ‘T.U.F.F. Puppy: Pup Daddy’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Jessica Walter as Malory Archer ‘Archer: Lo Scandolo’ – Weissman Markovitz Communications for FX Network
Kevin Michael Richardson as Willem Viceroy ‘Randy Cunningham:
9th Grade Ninja: Gossip Boy’ – Disney TV Animation
Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines ‘Gravity Falls: Tourist Trapped’ – Disney TV Animation
Mae Whitman as April O’Neil – ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rise of the Turtles’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Sam Witwer as Darth Maul ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
Tom McGrath as Skipper ‘Penguins of Madagascar: The Otter Woman’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Adam Sandler as Dracula ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Alan Tudyk as King Candy ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Atticus Shaffer as “E”Gore ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Catherine O’Hara as Weird Girl ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations
Jim Cummings as Budzo ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Saltzman Communications
Jude Law as Pitch ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Kelly MacDonald as Merida ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production
Doug Langdale – Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Kung Fu Day Care’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Eric Horsted – Futurama: The Bots and the Bees’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
Gabe Garza – ‘Penguins of Madagascar: Endangerous Species’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Ian Maxtone-Graham, Billy Kimball ‘The Simpsons: How I Wet Your Mother’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
Kacey Arnold – ‘Robot and Monster: The Blimp’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Mike Teverbaugh, Linda Teverbaugh – Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
Stephanie Gillis ‘The Simpsons: A Tree Grows in Springfield’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
Trey Parker – ‘South Park: Jewpacabra’ – Central Productions

Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Chris Butler – ParaNorman – Focus Features
Gideon Defoe – The Pirates! Band of Misfits – Aardman Animations
Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa, Karey Kirkpatrick – From Up on Poppy Hill – GKIDS
John August – Frankenweenie – The Walt Disney Studios
Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi – Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee – Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Editorial in an Animated Television Production
Bret Marnell ‘Puss in Boots: Three Diablos’ – DreamWorks Animation
Chris Hink ‘Robot and Monster: Cheer Up Mr. Wheelie’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrik Waeden, Otto Ferraye ‘Kung Fu Panda: ‘Monkey in the Middle’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrik Waeden, Otto Ferraye ‘Kung Fu Panda – Enter the Dragon’ – Nickelodeon Animation Studios
Jason Tucker ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revival’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
Lynn Hobson ‘Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House’ – DreamWorks Animation
Pieter Kaufman ‘Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess’ – Disney TV Animation
Steffie Lucchesi, Matt Steinauer, May Blaisdell ‘Dan Vs Monster Under The Bed’ – Film Roman

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
Catherine Apple ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Joyce Arrastia ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Mark Rosenbaum ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
Nicholas A. Smith, ACE, Robert Graham Jones, ACE, David Suther ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Tim Mertens ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS
Winsor McCay Award – Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn
June Foray Award – Howard Green
Ub Iwerks Award – Toon Boom Animation Pipeline

HOW TO FEEL FULFILLED AS AN ARTIST

Someone posted this on facebook and I thought I'd share.

HOW TO FEEL FULFILLED AS AN ARTIST ( OR HOW TO GET OVER YOUR SELF-SABOTAGE )

1. NEVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER ARTISTS.

2. KNOW THAT YOUR FAMILY IS BIASED. WHETHER FOR OR AGAINST, THEIR VIEWS ARE SKEWED AND DO NOT REPRESENT AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF YOUR WORK IN THE WORLD.

3. BASE YOUR SUCCESS ON HOW YOUR ART HAS ENRICHED YOUR LIFE AND HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU CREATE IT.

4. CONSTANTLY PUSH YOURSELF TO EXPAND AND LEARN.

5. KNOW THAT ART CAN NEVER BE MEASURED IN DOLLARS AND WILL ONLY EVER APPRECIATE IN VALUE.

6. TRUST THAT WHEN YOU ARE MAKING THE WORLD MORE BEAUTIFUL, THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH. HONEST WORKS IS NOT A COMPROMISE IF IT SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF ART.

7. REMEMBER, IT IS THE JOB OF THE ARTIST TO CREATE NEW CULTURE, NOT SIMPLY TO REGURGITATE WHAT EXISTS.

8. NEVER EXPECT YOUR FAMILY TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ART, BUT DO YOUR BEST TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT IT, PATIENTLY.

9. WHENEVER A CLIENT/GALLERY OWNER/PATRON OFFERS THEIR ADVICE, SMILE AND NOD. THEN CREATE YOUR ART AUTHENTICALLY.

10. REMEMBER WHAT DALI SAID: " HAVE NO FEAR OF PERFECTION. YOU'LL NEVER REACH IT".