what do you get when you cross a head with a radio?

Typography class... that was a fun one.  I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did.
Here are a few of my assignments.

Objective:  Create 5 images where the meaning of a word is enhanced by manipulating its features.
I guess I had sin on the brain...

Objective:  Create a portrait of a famous person using only text.  I chose Thom Yorke from Radiohead.

Milk

Final project for my storyboard class.
Be warned.  This story includes an image of a man gagging.  If you have a weak stomach, I suggest you drink a gallon of milk and call me in the morning.

My story takes place in a kitchen...

Milk:  "Ten cents he picks me today."

Orange Juice:  "Here we go again."

Milk:  "Today will be the day, there's no doubt about it."

OJ:  "I don't know why I put up with this."

Milk:  "I can feel it inside.  Something is stirring within me."

OJ:  "Dude, I think that's because you've expired.  You're probably just feeling the effects of your milk beginning to curdle."

Milk:  (sniffs himself) "I don't smell anything..."

Milk:  "...If you're afraid to lose ten cents I completely understand."

OJ:  "Make it twenty cents and I'll even throw in a string cheese!"

Milk:  "Done!"

OJ:  "Shush. I think he's coming."

Milk:  "Ahhh yeeeah!"

Pillow Tie

At what point is someone considered a professional in their field? It is an interesting question. I once won a Taco Time wallet from winning a coloring contest. Does that make me a professional colorer? I once earned 1st place in a billiards tournament sponsored by Aspen Village Apartments in Rexburg, Idaho.  Does that make me a professional billiardist? We'll come back to this.

I am currently providing digital illustrations for a company called Pillow Tie. Earlier this year a friend of mine who knew the company's founders gave them my contact information and they hired me to do freelance work. Thanks Becky. If you're not yet familiar with their product, please feel free to familiarize yourself. It's a genius combination of form and function, sprinkled with a bit of tongue-in-cheek wit. The founders have been kind enough to let me post the finished images for my mini cult-following to see. (Yes I'm referring to all you sneaky viewers of this blog that slide in the side door, browse around, and then jump out the bathroom window without leaving comments. I've got cameras you know.) The company has been recognized by KSL Channel 5, NPR, and most recently on the Today Show, as well as several popular blogs.

I've been tasked with illustrating the many uses of a Pillow Tie. Featured below are the final products, complete with logo and a pithy one-liner provided by the creators.

Let us syllogize. 

A: To be considered a professional, one must meet a determined demand of duties and be credited for it.

B: I have been illustrating for Pillow Tie since April, and have been credited in the form of cashola.

C: I am a professional Illustrator.

If A and B, then C.  Right?

Dawn of Man

Here is my submission for an online animation contest. The rules were to animate 15 seconds or more of a live-action movie.  I chose 2001: A Space Odyssey.  I've realized that it takes a certain kind of person to like this movie.  I can see how one might find it extremely dull or just plain weird, but I see it as a major achievement in film and it's one of my favorites.

If you haven't ever seen it, I'm not going to recommend it to you.  But if my animation peaks your interest, go check out the movie.

And for those of you who have seen it and love it like I do, high five... on the side... down low... where'd it go?   OHHHHHHH!!!

You can see the HD version on youtube here.
Again, pardon the watermark that covers the entire thing.  It only shows that I'm poor and can't yet afford the actual animation software.

A Window to the Soul... or so they say

Speaking of eyes, here's one.  

I got a book in the mail this week called Digital Character Design and Painting by Don Seegmiller.  This quick painting is a result of one of the tutorials found therein.  It turned out quite a bit different than his, but I learned some good techniques about how to lay down color.

I'm sure there is probably a lot more I could have done to it, but it was just for practice anyway.

nude amphibians

Today I was quite fortunate to have a guest model for my figure drawing class.  You may not recognize the face but this is the lead stunt double for Princess and the Frog.  He sat down with us and told us stories of making the movie and how he always wanted to do stunt work.  You wouldn't think it but he's just a regular guy like you or me.  He laughed at all my jokes and chewed gum like anyone else would.  It's refreshing to know that there is still good talent out there that doesn't let the fame go to their head.

Here are a few of the sketches I made while he posed for us.

An alternate version of the story goes like this:  While in figure drawing today, I decided to change things up a bit by making the human model look like a frog.  Since I try to keep this blog G-rated for the sake of all my 0-12 year old fan base, I finally have some tasteful nudes to post on here.

someday i'll look back on this and laugh/vomit

Today's Feature:  My final project for Intro to Animation.
It was mainly just an excuse for me to get acquainted with some animation software.

The assignment was to animate someone diving into a pool.
A friend of mine, Steve Macleod, advised me once to always go above and beyond on my assignments in order to challenge myself.  I definitely went 'beyond' the limits of the assignment, but whether I went 'above' may be questionable.

This was done in Toon Boom Animate with a free downloadable trial, thus the watermark covering most of the screen.  The timing is off in a few places and it gets a little strobey sometimes, but hey.

tribute

For all the many things to which I could pay tribute to my brother, Tag, I choose to recognize one thing that sets him apart from everyone else in the entire world.  Since it's inception, there has only been one individual who had the courage to be an open follower of my art blog.  Now I know there are a handful of you that secretly take a glance here and there, and I appreciate your visit, I do.  But according to my secret blog statistics, my brother stands alone as my 1 follower.  I salute you Taggart Giles.

As a token of my esteemed gratitude I post a rough sketch depicting your majesty.

Some of you may be wondering why the above image is merely a low resolution photo of the sketch taken with a camera phone.  Well my friends, I still have not developed the habit to save my work as I go and my computer loves to freeze on me when I least suspect it.  This is not the first time this has happened, and I suspect it won't be the last.  Does anyone know if Photoshop has an autosave feature?

So in conclusion... I'm a doofus.

beleza pura!

Assignment:  compose a figure drawing of at least three human figures in some sort of environment

I went the extra mile.  Mine has FOUR.  (the other two are back in the trees)

first fruits

In it's most crudely primitive form, I present to you my first animation.
So far, everyone who has seen this asks me if the sandbag is a pig... and no one has yet asked me if it is a sandbag.  It is a sandbag.  Not a pig.  Just a regular bag of sand.  A bag with sand in it.