Eshwin's Blog

Assassin's Creed Fan Concept Art

2012-01-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned here, I'm working on an Assassin's Creed fan film with stuntman Matthew Lorenceau. Here's the first of the pieces.

I played with some different compositional ideas in this piece, and I was unsure of how the whole thing was going to turn out as I was working on it, but I'm pleased with the action. If there's one thing I would like to improve upon in 2012, it's my colour and my speed.

Again, this is supposed to be Spain, so while I tried to get that across with the costuming of the guards (showing them as it were in the three stages they might exist upon encountering our assassin: dead, dying, and about to die), I also threw in what architecture I could to portray the conflation of both Islam and Christianity, although I will perhaps be able to do that better in the following pieces, when we get a little closer to the buildings.

Pig Mask Concept #1

2011-12-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Xmas, here's the front view of a scary pig mask. It's for a production right here in the T-dot! Yay!

Still just the beginning stages of a concept, but I wanted to put it up. The idea was to create a sexual predator that looked like a giant pig. I chose to simply emphasize how a pig might look depraved or perverted, instead of say, giving him the hint of a messy haircut or whatever. I tried to do this by emphasizing wrinkles and texture and expression in the face, and didn't want to create a surreal or cartoonish pig creature at this stage, but I suppose that may or may not happen as the image develops with the director.

I'll be working on several things at once in the coming month, so stay tuned for an eclectic and senseless mix of images on the blog.

Cowboys and Vampires poster

2011-12-19T00:37:00.000-08:00

I took my time on this poster for Olivier Merckx's Cowboys and Vampires, but here it is. I was inspired by old school genre posters, as well an 80s roster of Star Wars, Indian Jones, Captain EO, etc. posters -- my favorites.

I had so much fun on this poster. I basically wanted to do an image someone could look at for a while, with a lot of little details and 'things' to pick up on. It's something movies posters used to have that they seem to have lost.

The last for Gutshot, Excercises in Understatement

2011-11-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

As I've been attempting to put more of my personality into my work, I decided to combine my love of modern architecture with this exterior of a 'mansion'. The script mainly described a mansion, likely in Malibu or the Hollywood Hills, and set in some kind of canyon. As my most recent trip to Los Angeles allowed me to have a gander at some of these kinds of houses (usually on the way to Zuma Beach), I let myself go a bit nuts.

In addition to that, I also decided to understate the dead body this time around, with the hint of a foot catching the dawn sunlight being enough to suggest what the main character is packing into the trunk of the car. In addition, I threw in the accomplice, silhouetted in scant clothing in the distance (showcasing her detachment and casting her in a dubious role).

And, of course, playing with the palette once again. Subjugating the palette, for me, is most challenging when balancing a sense of consistency with the visual distinction of each object and person in the composition. That's something I can keep working on, I suppose.

New Gutshot Straight

2011-11-05T15:46:00.001-07:00

So being unsure of which direction things were going to go, I held off on doing more Gutshot illustrations, until now.

I love the idea of a grisly scene set during dawn; a relatively warm, womblike scene punctuated with death.

Assassin's Creed Concept Art (for fan film) by Eshwin Dhir

2011-10-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

When Hollywood stuntman and action choreographer Matthew Lorenceau (Iron Man 2, District 13: Ultimatum) approached me for a collaboration on an Assassin's Creed fan film, I was stoked. Following a screening of his first Assassin's Creed film (which was included with the SE of the first Assassin's Creed game), the deal was cinched with our mutual fandom for the franchise, and love of all things French Canadian.

The film will take place in the north of Spain following the disintegration of the Muslim Calif on the borders between Christendom and Muslim territories, and will follow the trials of a lesser known, nomadic assassin who came in between Altair and Ezio, possibly on a mission to spread the Assassin's Creed to Europe.

For the design I looked at my Altair and Ezio action figures (didn't I say I was a fanboy?) and kind of mish-mashed different elements, and made minor adjustments in pattern and decor to give a distinctly North African flavor (as this assassin came to Spain through that region).

Update: Go here for the most recent concept art for the short film.

Tcheiyne: Quest of an Alien Overlord

2011-10-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

I decided to go on 'art vacation' and start drawing things that made me happy, write with images (and words to follow) and start building a fictional world I want to build whether this world chooses to validate me or not. So here's the beginnings of something that isn't quite done yet ... but which I am kind of excited about.

The panels are out of order in some cases or the inks aren't final, but there's enough to at least update a blog with. I'm doing this for me, finally, and I expect no reward or recognition for this work. It exists because I will it, because it's the kind of thing I would want to read or look at.

Excision Artwork

2011-10-11T15:39:00.001-07:00

So this is mostly stuff I put up on my Flickr last year, but I thought I would wait until the production to wrap and some steam to gather on the movie before I posted it here. It's the concept artwork for the film Excision, starring Jeremy Sumpter, Traci Lords, John Waters, AnnaLynne McCord, and Malcom MacDowell.

I wish I could have been there for filming, but from what I have seen of how the sets and pieces of the film match up with the original work I did, I am quite happy with my work as the concept artist.

Get the Death and Cremation DVD!

2011-10-09T01:39:00.000-07:00

So the DVD is now out, and you can order it from AJI films at the link above.

For a while there the film had a different cover/poster, but the one I did lasted through all of the many decisions and made it as the cover, for which I am very grateful.

I was hoping that the film would have gotten a wider release, as it is a fresh take on the slasher film and entertaining in a way few films these days are. Who wouldn't love a narrative surrounding badass anti-heroes played by such actors as the illustrious Brad Douriff and the enormously talented Jeremy Sumpter?

Anyway, I am stoked that it's out, and I personally think Death and Cremation is destined to be a film that just catches more heat as more people see it.

A special thank you to my fellow art director Minh-Triet Anthony Nguyen, the director and co-writer of Death and Cremation Justin Steele, associate producer/co-writer Alec Bracero, and producer Ross Otterman. You guys were awesome, and thanks again for deciding my artwork met your standards. Honestly, I feel damn lucky to have been a part of something this freakin' cool.

Hobo With A Shotgun

2011-09-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

I did this little illustration of one of my favorite actors, Rutger Hauer, for another letterhead. Thought I would throw it out there as it may be my last for a while.

Letterheads

2011-09-14T23:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post pictures of some letterheads I made for, well ... letters. Each one has kind of its own tone, and each illustration to suit the needs of the letter (mailed postal, traditionally, not this impersonal email bullshit that nobody reads anyway) and as such, was done really fast, almost as a sketch. The idea was to create atmospheric images -- based on films -- that didn't call attention to themselves, which I seemed to get the hang of by the third go, the Splice one.

I really enjoy waking up in the morning and churning out some fast sketchy illustrations like these. I don't know ... I almost feel like fast is better.

Some Apes I Managed to Draw (Sort of) and a Lizard

2011-08-13T16:40:00.001-07:00

After watching Rise of Planet of the Apes, I was inspired to head to the Toronto Metro Zoo and draw whatever apes I could find in the real world. Though the zoo doesn't have any of the starring chimps of the Planet of the Apes series, I managed to get down a couple Orangutans and Gorillas. I also drew a lizard, because lizards are awesome.

It's not much, I know ... but the Zoo was surprisingly crowded for a Monday, full of screaming kids and people who had no issue with stepping directly in front of me for prolonged periods. There's also the fact that, you know, Orangutans and Gorillas don't really give a shit about staying in any spot for longer than a minute or two for your drawings ... so, what I got were some gestural, fast drawings, most of which were incomplete. Regardless, I love drawing animals, especially apes -- it's incredible how much emotion and personality there can be in their faces. So human!

I will likely head back in September when all the kids are in school.

Morning Meeting

2011-07-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

Back to Gutshot Straight, this is a scene in which the main character follows into a restaurant someone who appears to be the man he recalls accidentally murdering the night before. I tried to get across a sense of unease in the figure, and disparity between him and his environment.

I also resumed my previous process, of doing a tonal watercolor and then coloring it in Photoshop. As this often produces an excessively dark image, I decided to go lighter in places and tried to also push the color saturation. It's a bit of a balancing act, succeeding in some places and not so much in others, but maybe it'll get there eventually.

Eventually, I would like to go purely digital, but I still prefer drawing these more intimate scenes traditionally.

Quonos: Duel Mound of Kahless (Spec Art by Eshwin Dhir)

2011-06-24T01:36:00.001-07:00

After doing a piece for Vulcan, I had to do one for Quonos, the homeworld of the Klingons. As I said before, these pieces take into account the 2009 film, and so, while this is by no means my 'definitive Klingon piece' it is an aspect of Klingon society and culture that I wanted to not only explore, but also resolve with regards to the discrepancies between Star Trek, Star Trek TNG, Enterprise, and Star Trek 09 (check the deleted scenes on the DVD), so in some capacity, I tried to represent all of those universes' ideas of the Klingons.

For example, the focal point statue is that of Klingon legend Kahless, locked into an epic fight with his brother Morath. A smaller version of this statue is shown on the TNG episode "Birthright". The starships are consistent in all of the series, but the architecture ranges, and what little you see here is an amalgamation of Enterprise and Star Trek TNG. Lastly, while I did not depict in any detail the crucial 'ridge' or 'no ridge' issue, which is addressed shoddily as a result of an augment DNA virus by Star Trek Enterprise, I do have very modest depictions of the 2009 Klingons seen on the Star Trek 09 DVD in the deleted scenes.

The idea, situationally, is that on Quonos there are sacred grounds upon which political, professional, personal, and social disputes may be settled as a duel between two representatives. The 'supreme court' of such a duel is the battle mound of Kahless and Morath.

Here, Kirk defends the Federation against Kor, after the events of the Star Trek episode "Errand of Mercy,' in which the Organians make an all-out war with the Klingons at that time impossible. Kor, who was played by the late great John Colicos whom I met when I was a little 12 year old Trekkie at a comic book store by my house (and who was also the voice of Apocalypse on the 90s X-Men), is one of the few characters to be both 'ridged' and 'unridged', but is depicted here as simply bald with a pig tail. Why? Well, legibility, mostly ... but someday, I'll have to do the memory of Mr. Colicos proud with something a bit more 'Kor-centric'.

New Vulcan - Spec Concept Art by Eshwin Dhir

2011-06-14T00:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to do some concept sketches of what could be in another Star Trek film. Since in the 2009 reboot film Vulcan is destroyed by Nero, the Vulcan race must find a new planet upon which to base their home. Here, Vulcan colonists rebuild the infrastructure of their lost home, as Vulcan artisans etch from the canyons of New Vulcan colossal statues of T'Pau, finder of the Kir'Shara, and Surak, patriarch of Vulcan philosophy.

I'd like to also note that the image of T'Pau, which is in the far canyon, is based off of the actress who played her in the original series, Celia Lovsky, and Surak is based off of the last TV appearance of Barry Atwater, who was the first actor to play Surak.

This is the first in a series I would like to do to revamp my work somewhat and expand my style. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to work on some fantasy or sci-fi that will allow me to exploit some new techniques.

In Security

2011-06-04T01:18:00.001-07:00

Ridiculously overdue, this is a concept piece for another film called In Security. It's about two man children who run a security service in the safest town in America, and as a result, resort to burglarizing the residents as a way to boost business.

While I tried to get a sense of goofiness in the scene, I think I ultimately failed and ended up with a very dry, very direct narrative piece. Stylistically and technically though, I think the piece is sound. Perhaps its time for me to push my execution so that I'm a bit more versatile, as the way I have been working this year has been well suited to the gothic, horror, and noir work I got in the beginning, but not so suited to something whimsical.

Under the Earthquake

2011-05-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

This final illustration for Under the Earthquake is the pivotal scene for the film. With sudden, last minute notice, 24 hours before a meeting with the film's investors, I was told to illustrate the moment of tragedy following an Earthquake in the movie; a smashed house, rubble, and the rather complicated challenge of illustrating 2 layers of devastation.

I used fuzzy screen caps from Fallout 3, which while not very clear, at least provided me with the vague angles I would need to illustrate a bird's eye view of debris through two stories. From there I kind of just formed a patterned approach to rendering wood, metal, and cement rubble. Then I hastened the coloring process by adhering to a strict, limited color palette.

Really the toughest part ended up trying to nail the appropriate expression of anger and sadness on the main character. At the end of the day, it had to get done with very short notice (though ironically, it is the main image of the film).

A Courtroom Scene: What A Drama

2011-05-06T01:49:00.000-07:00

I hate making excuses for why this came os late, but it did. I just hope the drama of the screen, as well as the general situation, met its mark.

Details

2011-04-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

These are fast one-offs I'm doing for a larger piece, so I referenced whatever photos or movies I had lying around for efficiency. Each of these is supposed to be a black and white security camera shot of a crime or something used to defame an individual (in this case a corrupt cop). Although they don't have the typical high angle security camera perspective, they had to deliver a quick punch for effect, as they would be reduced into a larger mosaic of screens in a courtroom scene, so I just illustrated scenes or shots that got the message across instead of abiding to strict realism.

I thought I would show some of them here before they go through a few more filters and distortions and then get reduced down to background details.

I Would Love to Live in Tokyo

2011-04-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

I struggled with how to make this one interesting, since the direction was just to do any person in particular being entranced by a program used by the Illuminati to brainwash people, and that presented few options besides a guy entranced in front of a computer screen in a room. My desire was to do something a bit more spectacular, to entice investors, so I made the setting a luxurious apartment in Tokyo. The program is being used by an associate/enemy of one of the characters in the film, who is a Japanese businessman. I didn't show the computer screen because I thought such an intense experience should be left to the mind of the viewer.

I also got the chance to do another 'japanese print' style piece and throw it in the background. Attempting linework like that really makes you appreciate them in a whole other way, besides their aesthetic qualities.

Overdue Update ... Overdue Website

2011-04-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I last posted, but here's a small glimpse into what I have been up to.

But the real news is the new website.

Let me know what you guys think, if you're still out there.

Aquarian 7

2010-10-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

Here's an ink washed, digitally painted image for Aquarian 7 ... yes, all seven heroes are in there. I'd like to do maybe a few more of these as Vito and I continue into the series, maybe giving primacy to characters who don't get center stage here, like Mariner, Pisces, or SeaQueen.

Limited Sale: Death and Cremation Posters (closed)

2010-10-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

The sale is closed.

Merkel

2010-10-01T07:51:00.001-07:00

Following the note 'make him an old man of the sea', in the creation of the character of Mariner, I created what eventually became this character, whom I've called Merkel, after the Australian Aboriginal idea of a spirit taking the form of man. I may just run with writing him myself if need be, as I already have a pretty strong attachment to him and ideas as to his mythology.

Merkel was a young man of the Murrinh-Patha people, who on his walkabout (the Australian Aboriginal 'Rite of Passage' into manhood) never returned, and instead, following the cosmic beckoning of the Dreamtime spirits to the Ocean, where he believed lied his purpose and calling. He left the shores of Northern Australia on barely a raft with little more than a few days rations.

Hundreds of years later, the now retro-futuristic shaman returns to modern Australia, wearing a retro-fitted, antique diving suit, experienced in the ways of countless ancient and modern cultures, on the same walkabout he began centuries earlier.

Some characters from Aquarian 7

2010-09-23T00:12:00.001-07:00

I've been putting together a superhero team for a weekly web comic with co-creator Vito Delsante. Here's some of the characters so far ...

Death and Cremation Comic Book Cover

2010-08-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

I don't usually 'design' but I felt like doing something classy with the cover which I opted to design. It's the front and back cover images, respectively.

SeaWolf ...

2010-07-25T01:50:00.000-07:00

Concept Art for a comic I'm sketching out with Vito Delsante.

Fast Love page 2 ... I know, I'm slow ...

2010-07-11T21:26:00.001-07:00

I have so, so, so very much to do, I am embarassingly slow with the pages of Fast Love. Ironically I had finished this page a while ago and am getting on to posting it now as I take breaks from coloring and boarding and various jobs and wrap up page 3. I guess I should just show the full comic when its done, but hey, it's a blog, it needs updating.

This is probably my most schizophrenic page yet, that I think I have ever done. I can't decide on anything, but I feel like I'm improving.

Aquaman

2010-06-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

I did this, in the hopes that someday, you'll believe a man can swim.

Death and Cremation Site

2010-05-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

Thought I would direct everyone to the official site of Death and Cremation. That's the movie I co-Art Directed and also illustrated the posters for, the official one of which is pictured here.

Fast Love Page 1

2010-04-30T11:54:00.001-07:00

This is the first page of Fast Love, a comic/graphic novel project I am doing with Mike Faye, alongside many other projects (actually in between). I tried to incorporate some strong images that were decoys from the sexual act at the center of everything, so that the first thought going through the reader's mind isn't 'hey, a porno comic.'

I did not use Manga Studio for this, instead using various tools to find my legging with hand inks again. It's tough, and time consuming, but I think I like the brush pen the best and there's no replacing it, excruciating as it is.

Initially I was just going to pencil the whole thing, but something compelled me to crack down on my inking.

The second page will be coming soon ... hopefully the series will develop more polish as I continue.

Trailer for Death and Cremation

2010-02-23T19:43:00.001-08:00

I have not had a chance to post in some time, as I've pretty much been doing commercials and stuff which I feel has more of a place elsewhere.

I do however have the new teaser for Death and Cremation. Unfortunately I may have to skip the Los Angeles premiere, as I have recently been hired as an editor, of all things, for a company in Montreal.

Aphrodite

2009-12-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

Here's something I did for fun. The reference for Aphrodite is Joan Halloway/Harris (Christina Hendricks) screen captured from a scene of Mad Men, one of my favorite shows EVER. I did that sketch a while back, but then just let it lie around and the cleaning lady found it and told me she really liked it, so based on the praise of my cleaning lady, I decided to turn it into something more finished and I added in a background, smoke, camera, etc.

The Assassin

2009-11-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

This is a really simple looking character I made up in the tradition of the order of assassin's from the Asassin's Creed games, only he is modern day (not Desmond Miles though). He may make it into my demo reel in the beginning for a few seconds.

New Logo

2009-11-26T06:05:00.001-08:00

I decided it was time to finally get on to my rebranding. This is a part of my new motion logo, the part that comes at the end and says my name.

Compiled Motion Graphics (Demo Reel)

2009-11-23T00:13:00.000-08:00

These are a quick compilation of some of my motion graphics and animation, since my motion graphics page is down. The first two are logos for separate clients and the videos that come after are more like moving illustrations. If a video doesn't play, just hit reload and try again. Thanks!

Ninja Dog Corps

2009-11-22T17:42:00.000-08:00

I did this new header for Ninja Dog Corps.

It's a blog I contribute to along with Rey Ortega, Ross Aiken (Buck Gunderson), Ricky Chong, and John Dellomes. We basically just geek out over video games, movies, and comic books. The name comes from the shamed easy mode of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, 'ninja dog', and 'corps' kind of just makes us sound like an official army or something, or it could be from Green Lantern, I don't know. Anyway, the name is cool, and for the header I decided to go with a surreal, slightly awesome/violent comic booky dog eyes beneath a ninja shroud blending into dark blood. YEAH! Ninja dog, baby!

I think Rey and John, both being artists themselves, will also be contributing headers.

Patrick and Molly: And All the Small Things

2009-11-11T04:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a version of a title card I did for the web series Patrick and Molly. It's not my usual style at all, but I guess whatever suits the job, right? And i have to admit, it was refreshing and fun to be working in ol' AE again. I quite missed it.

All Three Finals

2009-10-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

These are the final three, warmer across the board.

Third Death and Cremation Poster

2009-10-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

This is the third poster, and while it seems simpler than the others, I have to say I like it better like this than with tons more going on. I considered adding other things, and I debated whether so much of the image should be black, but this seems best.

The second image is distorted and used in the third poster, in which it is barely visible as you see it dimly in the bowling ball. I figure I should post it as well, because otherwise it probably would never be seen by anyone, and because while its rough, it's still sort of fun. I tried to meld the prop head with the features of the actor. Since I had to do it in my head, it's not as photorealistic as the others.

Second D&C Poster

2009-10-19T00:13:00.000-07:00

Here's the second poster ... same overall method as the first, although as you can see a much different tone and feel.

New Death and Cremation Poster

2009-10-14T01:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the new poster. Ross Otterman, the producer of the film, wanted to use an image I had done a year ago. Well, I've come a ways since that time and thought I would give a new rendering a shot.

Same basic concept as before, but obviously, much, much better. At least I think so.

Here's a before and after. I think its funny ...

Death and Cremation Comic

2009-09-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

In case some of you are wondering why I post so irregularly, it's because I'm working on the Death and Cremation comic book as the colorist and cover artist, and it is somewhat long term, at least for the next few months.

I thought I would share a page I recently colored. The comic is basically the storyboards which were drawn by Saida Temofonte. Since they weren't penciled or inked with the intention of publication, but were such lively drawings in their own right that they deserved to be in a comic form, I was asked to paint in a little bit.

It's actually only my second job coloring, so I am kind of learning as I go. Saida's work is a real joy to color, though. I am more looking forward to some ambitious covers, which I will post as they're completed.

Dave Lanphear is working on doing the layout and lettering so the boards work like a comic book, and Anders Jensen Sved is the writer who adapted the script.

Above is a picture of me with Jeremy Sumpter(Peter Pan, 2004) who plays Jarod, and Brad Douriff (Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2003), who plays Stan, holding the first issue of the comic series.

Exercise with Industry Standard Processes

2009-08-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Using photoreference, I went about trying to create a comic book using very traditional, by the book methods of penciling and inking. The inking process reveals a lot about how you draw, because suddenly you need to simplify shades into blacks.

The most difficult part was training myself to ink entirely with a brush! Talk about control ... I messed up a few times, but I think overall for my first attempt, things turned out pretty decently. Again this was my first time doing something like this using photos, so you can kind of see how the first page is far less decisive in terms of the line and blacks than the third, where I think things really came along nicely, when I had kind of gotten the hang of it.

Special thanks to Justin Wragg and Seth Laird (the ADs on the Death and Cremation set) for being the leads in this. I know you guys went through some discomfort, and we were technically 'on the job', so I appreciate it. It took me a while to get around to doing it, but here it is. At some point I'll throw in dialogue and color and throw it in to a collection of future comics I plan on publishing.

Please stay tuned ...

2009-08-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

I am really caught up in the middle of things here in Toronto, trying to get some work done. I will have some updates ready soon.

If you're new to my blog, please feel free to scroll down or click on the links to your right for samples of past work.

And On We Go ...

2009-06-28T01:47:00.001-07:00

Here's some doodles I did at a bar after I had had a few drinks with friends and they, hoping to score, dragged me to some crap dance club I was in no mood to be in. Bored, but fortunately equipped, I sat in a corner with my drink and began doodling hoping I would generate something cool for the ninja comic I'm going to get back on in the fall, and maybe even an image for my new business card.

2009-06-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

So pre-production on Death and Cremation is well under way in Los Angeles while I color in the comic book on my end over here. You can see the development of the D and C comic and movie here.

The comic features the art of Saida Temofonte Abott, a storyboard artist and letterer for DC Comics, with layouts and lettering by Dave Lanphear, colorist and letterer for such famed titles as Wildcats, X-men, and the Long Halloween.

The Happily Never After show is also coming up, this Wednesday as a matter of fact, June 10th, Keep Six Gallery in Toronto.

I hope to see you guys there.

फिनल फॉर थे शो

2009-06-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

For some reason, all of my titles, instead of becoming question marks, have no become sanskrit. So be it.

Anyway, here's the last of the Happily Never After pieces. Everything all got wrapped up in time for me to get on the Death and Cremation comic book.

Speaking of comics, wasn't there a ninja one I was working on? I will get back on that, I promise ...

:P

2009-05-24T23:49:00.000-07:00

Played endlessly with the colors but in the end, I settled on something pretty conservative and straightforward. Gotta move on.

Preview

2009-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the preview for the second image. I tried to expand on the formula of the first and go a bit farther with action and detail and such. It's about a merchant whose two greedy brothers were turned into dogs by a fairy ...

I think I'll keep in the theme of animals who used to be humans ...

Working less and less from photo reference, my work is taking on an exaggerated, cartoonish look, but it's more alive. I know no other way to get the kind of 'extreme' angles I am into these days.

Final

2009-05-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here's the final for the first Arabian Nights piece.

Below is the official artists' 'statement' I wrote last night for the Happily Never After show. I'm posting that here so other members of the group show can read it and so anyone visiting my blog gets a heads up ... it will be in mid June.

What makes a ‘Fairy Tale’? We all know one when we see it. They are stories, usually brought to us in the form of an illustrated book or lavishly animated film that we may remember as our first true moment of escapism; the first moment a childish dream was given form. And yet, fantasy never felt so familiar, did it? Whether as moral indoctrination, or simply as a means to entertain, the Fairy Tale is something both shared by and bestowed upon us by a previous generation, at the core of which lies an inherited system of symbols, meanings, and values.

Some might even say that Fairy Tales are most people’s first experience of modern mythology. Morality could never be more clear, evil so hideously obvious or goodness so modestly endearing. Sympathies lie with downtrodden heirs and valiant heroes, the distressed damsel, a charming prince … and so on.

In a world where the validity of convention and tradition remain dubious at best, we turn to different kinds of stories, those of forgotten eras, cultures, and in so doing we uncover ‘tales’ that the principle distributors of social convention find too obscure, too strange, or too morally ambivalent, to popularize in films and on the sides of lunchboxes.

In Happily Never After, these ‘forgotten fairy tales’ are explored by works from an eclectic group of illustrators. Employing a diversity of media, styles, and approaches, ranging from commercial sensibilities to retro forms both novel and haunting, the exhibit offers pieces that explore not only the gamut of forgotten myths and stories, but of styles and mediums. Whimsical photographed sculptures tell their tale beside the moody, antiquated textures that tell another. Through each individual exploration, these tales of morality and amusement, mythologies telling an era’s fears as well as their hopes, find rejuvenated voice in Happily Never After.

Happily Never After

2009-04-28T16:10:00.001-07:00

These are the final inks for the first of three images I am doing for the 'Happily Never After' show, which could also be called Forgotten Realms, Untold Fables, or something else ... who knows?

The theme is 'forgotten or lesser known fairy tales' and I am doing some very obscure Arabian Nights stories, in particular, a group of three stories which are told as one, in which, in every case, a human is turned into an animal. They don't all end as horribly as this one, in which an innocent woman is turned into a cow to be slaughtered by a servant who knows its her but for some reason just does as he is told. It's actually a small part of the story, and is told through second hand account, but it seemed like it could be a cool image, full of questions, if it wasn't explained, which is what I wanted. I saw no point in telling the whole story, and I don't have time for that either.

I also like that it has a wierd 'pro-vegetarian' vibe, as I kind of try to focus on the fear in the cow's eyes and the reluctance of the butcher. I'm not vegetarian at all, but I totally dig The Smiths.

I'll get on the colouring tomorrow.

Sequence

2009-04-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

This is the sequence so far, without any words. i am essentially just uploading this so I can have a smaller file size ready online to post elsewhere.

Two more pages.

2009-04-07T02:19:00.000-07:00

Because these pages were not in my original layout, they have a bit of a haphazard aspect to them, which I don't mind. I wonder if I can maintain continuity and yet, not give such minor characters (the girl and the old man who throws her into the bedroom both only had one page, now they have four) major character attention. I say this because in DC or Marvel, or even a lot of Japanese manga, the storytelling is at times very elliptical, side characters or 'regular' people usually pass in and out very quickly, usually to make a point about the main character, and less to express any character themselves.

Anyway, as a result of my giving these minor characters a couple extra pages, the process was very difficult, and I some very aggravating obstacles on the way. I tried, at the last moment, to convey more pathos than spatial or narrative continuity between frames. The narrative in these pages is really meant to be carried by more by the internal dialogue, especially from the main character whose face we see a bit more of. Things are a bit more fragmented, reduced to a series of emotional notes, hopefully.

stuff

2009-03-18T02:09:00.000-07:00

This is the updated page five and page six of my gn, in sequence.

New Comic Page

2009-03-03T10:40:00.001-08:00

Meh, why not.

Interiors

2009-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

This is the first interior space, and its also the first non-ninja scene (it comes just before the girl in the lower post makes her appearance). It also marks the first appearance of the main character, of whom not a great deal is shown. I don't know how much more of him I will show before he reveals himself to the ninjas.

Going for a calm, meditative feel.

Interesting Journey

2009-02-23T23:13:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, failure is a hidden blessing. It's an old Anthony Robbins idiom, that a problem is really just an opportunity to grow. I think nothing in my life has exemplified this best as the problem I have had to find a voice, and an audience.

The past year has seen me do a lot of things I haven't done before, and while I don't yet feel grown, and I still seem to succeed only in failure, I am seeing different things happening in my work. Life has proved fairly unpredictable, though, so I've learned not to be too optimistic. The journey is interesting, but I don't know where it will take me, good or bad. But I'm on it, so like Toshiro Mifune tossing a stick at the fork in the road at the beginning of Yojimbo, off I bloody go to wherever ...

Anyway, this piece is a frame from my graphic novel, and that little preamble was meant to be about how I feel about it. It just feels like a step in a direction I've never been before, formally speaking. It's unusual, so here it is.

Tired

2009-02-19T19:24:00.001-08:00

Its taking me a while getting through these pages, I guess because my hand is tired from Ninja Gaiden ...

This is a page out of sequence, it doesn;t come before or after anything I've posted.

Goddamn you dragon sword, I can barely type.

First page ...

2009-02-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

So after a lot of planning, writing, sketching, and procrastinating in between, I finally began final art for the as-yet-untitled graphic novel I'm doing. Here's the first page ... not much, but it's a beginning.

The Oscars Are Dead to Me

2009-01-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking: "Another Fanboy is upset that his little comic movie didn't get nominated."

In a way, you're right. That's all any of us angry Batman fans are. But on another level, we're the last bastion of hope right now in saving your world from the super-villainy of artistic pretension that serves as the merit idol of your sad, spoonfed world.

And I'm not another fan boy. I hold a degree in both art criticism (which includes film) and another degree in commercial illustration (which includes sequential art/comics). I know my business when I tell you, the mostly lay reader who ponders the higher points of films such as Slumdog Millionaire or Frost/Nixon, that The Dark Knight is not only worthy of a Best Picture nod, but of winning the award itself.

Popularity counts, but isn't the only decisive factor. Why something is popular matters as well. The Dark Knight didn't have the biggest and best special effects we'd ever seen, nor did it have the biggest stars (although one of its main stars had not only passed away, but had given the performance of his career). No, the reason people, many of whom weren't fans of the comics, had gone to see this film more than once is because it held something much deeper. It engaged us emotionally and psychologically at a level that most blockbusters miss. The Dark Knight was the first film in over a decade that people of diverse backgrounds, of both genders, and of varying generations, had, collectively, unanimously praised.

And that matters. Why shouldn't a work in a mass-consumed medium such as film, be awarded for captivating the masses at such a level? Especially when it was also the first huge commercial success in over a decade to be as well received by critics, earning a higher rating on rottentomatoes.com (the barometer that collects reviews across the country from a variety of established and respected newspapers and newsources) than any of the films currently nominated for Best Picture by the Academy Awards.

The reason a film this well received both commercially and critically, and of this caliber of filmmaking, didn't get a best picture nomination is best explained by its lack of a nomination in another category which it deserved, Best Adapted Screenplay.

As even the most clueless of you must know, The Dark Knight is an adaptation of the Batman comics. What perhaps very few of you know, is that it takes its source specifically from those comic books that exemplify the best of the medium, such as The Killing Joke, Batman: Year One, and The Long Halloween. The difficulty in distilling the characters and themes of these 'funny pages' is likely not something any of the fogies voting at the Academy considered, let alone the film's absolutely splendid, faithful, yet undeniably cinematic treatment of those sources in The Dark Knight. The reality is, The Dark Knight was not considered for an Oscar for one reason alone: It was not based on a play, or a great literary work by someone dead, but a comic book. It may have been far more relevant to where we, as a society, are right now in history, but it wasn't based on a long dead president or obsess redundantly over the moral horror of the holocaust. Hence, its accomplishment as a film was undervalued.

And it is important that this provoke some outrage. The Oscars are the biggest award ceremony not only of film but of, one could argue, civilization itself. Most people couldn't tell you who won the last Pulitzer or Nobel peace prize. But every kid working a taco stand knows who won Best Picture last year. The medium it rewards each year, film, is the definitive art form of the modern era. It is made for and by a mass of people, is part of a greater economic and ideological machine that all of us intuitively understand yet none can aptly put into words. Film is the defining art form of our time and the Oscars are the mass event, televised globally in a multitude of languages, that recognizes the most achieved works.

So when we fanboys cry "Injustice!" we are, in a sense, arguing for the legitimacy of a machine that serves you and the rest of society, at least in terms of offering artistic validation, in assessing work which every one of us experiences. When that machine becomes so overrun with pretense, with conformity to the point of compromising reason and taste, its time for more than just the fanboys to boycott. It's time for all of you to make yourself heard.

Recent interests ...

2009-01-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

The above image is for 'Gimme Shelter', an animal shelter benefit concert happening at Sneaky Dee's this coming Saturday, the 17th of January.

I enjoyed doing this image, it was like my head was in just the right moment and I kind of went with my instincts, letting things be loose and organic and alive and not worrying too much about styles or verisimilitude ... completely abandoning the superego cacophony that sometimes kills an image.

In other news, I recently got a PS3 and have now gotten totally into video games. As a new dimension of popular art, video games are still somewhat young, but are undergoing a very exciting time, especially when one considers the depth of play and realism now compared to when I last owned a console in 1994, a Sega Genesis. The Sega CD I had had some good games, but was in retrospect just a victim of the FMV (Full Motion Video) hype of the mid 90s and even though there was tons of memory on a CD, 16 bits can't quite take advantage of it. Don't even get me started on the 32X ... I get angry just thinking about it. Maybe someday I'll blog about it here so I can do true justice to the feelings of betrayal and humiliation that came with owning this crime-against-the-consumer product ... *clears head* ... at any rate, the PS3 is not the systems of old. It's an awesome product so far, and I will, at some point, have to review some games for it here.

For now here are some recommended titles for any gamers out there:

Ninja Gaiden Sigma - arguably the best damn combative adventure game I have ever played. Playing this in the morning is better than coffee. It's like shooting yourself in the chest with andrenaline. As intense and difficult as any other Gaiden game I've heard of, NG Sigma is so gorgeous, well animated, and thrilling to play that no matter how many times the game beats you, you'll come back for more. It's so good that as hard as it is, you want to be the best Ninja you need to be to meet the challenge.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe -- you've likely heard the criticism levelled at this game regarding the uneven character powers ... and I don't care. Mortal Kombat is probably my favorite 'big game' of my early years and even 3D, I enjoy it. The fact that, within the world of Mortal Kombat, I can rip through as BATMAN is just about the most insanely awesome geekgasming thing I can fathom. The game is fun, intense, polished, and has infinite replay value, especially if you don't just love the video game franchise but are also a fan of DC comics. And the coolest thing I am discovering about my PS3 is the option to find you peons out in cyberspace and challenge you to Kombat ... oh man ... what fun.

Little Big Planet -- I really enjoy this title when I am in the mood, which is usually when I want to just mess around and not worry about beating my fictional opponents to the ground. I still haven;t made any of my own levels.

Those are the games I own, and I have criticism for them, but then this thread will get too long. Other titles I recommend are Prince of Persia and Motorcross: Pacific Rift.

Of course, with the PS3, came the ability to play Blue-Ray, although I don't yet own a High Definition TV. Still, picture quality is much improved -- The Dark Knight looks AMAZING!!!! -- and I can't even imagine how some of my games will look. Just on my regular old TV they look CRAZY!

My name on the Playstation Network is 'NinjaShwin'. Look for me if you want to play sometime, or in the Kombat rooms for a Batman ass-kicking!

BWWAAAH

2008-12-03T16:40:00.001-08:00

drawings

2008-12-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

Now here are some drawings of things.

Revisions

2008-12-02T20:41:00.001-08:00

So not long after I sent these to the director revisions came on the poster. I took his orders and tried interpreting them a couple times over as new ideas arose in four versions.

I think they improve the closer they get to the closely cropped version.

Death and Cremation

2008-12-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some colorized concept sketches for Death and Cremation, as well as a promotional image of Brad Douriff as 'Stan'.

The colorized images are really very early explorations with the inky style I have been using lately. The work got me wishing I had a better program to paint in, so I may try out Corel Painter sometime.

I am very excited to be on set with Douriff himself. He's one of my all-time favorite b-actors and it will be totally surreal. I don't know if this poster idea is too abrasive, or too red. I'm also concerned that the eyes are a bit dead for Douriff, but maybe its appropriate for the tone.

Update

2008-10-03T04:15:00.000-07:00

Not happy with it, but I'll let it go for now.

Funeral Home

2008-10-01T01:47:00.000-07:00

A funeral home, for the film I have been working on. I don't feel its quite done yet, but I am afraid to clutter the space too much so I'm going to look at it tomorrow morning with fresh eyes. I need to work on my trees. Finding an opaque white acrylic ink that didn't dry gray would be nice too, so I don't have to push my levels/curves/contrast to high hell and eradicate any detail or colors I had intended to portray.

Anyway, I haven't posted anything new in a while so ...

One Night ...

2008-09-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

These are part of the same series of 'experimental' storyboards. They have a loose energy and some cool parts, though they make lack consistency and get muddled in places. Some things happened in these that I am pleased with.

Stumbling is Learning

2008-09-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

On this sketch I played more with the subtractive line I see guys like Mignola and Toth use quite effectively. However, since my style has never been that graphic, and I am obsessively compulsive with details, the problems I face when making the attempt become complicated. The graphic, bold force of blacks perhaps calls for a more understated approach that I am used to. I feel balance and focus are really off on this piece, but I think as long as I myself know that, it's ok -- it means I discovered something I can solve later and improve upon, making me a better illustrator in the long term.

Tracking the evolution ... getting closer?

2008-09-16T14:22:00.001-07:00

So, I got around to doing a revision for a concept sketch for a client, this time employing my new explorations and after cramming my head full of comic books by artists I am falling in love with. Obviously, I am still practicing, still searching. But I think from this example alone, I am better than I used to be. Mind you, this concept sketch was never meant to be a fully realized illustration, just an idea, like most sketches. But I still think the improvement is clear, in spite of the obvious mistakes, flaws, and problems with the updated 'after' version.

Before

After

Trying something new ...

2008-09-13T01:49:00.000-07:00

I have had a real desire to radically change how I draw, stemming from a state of boredom with my own work, a lack of recognition as an artist instead of a pair of hands for shampoo commercials, suggestions from respected peers to try other things, and a renaissance in my life of comic books thanks to The Dark Knight, leading me through old favorites like Sam Keith, Jim Lee, and Neil Adams, to newer influences (for me) like Mike Mignola, Paul Pope, and Sean Phillips.

Below is a sample of some first attempts. The client for these storyboards was cool with me giving him something that didn't necessarily reflect what I have in my portfolio. I used the assignment to develop an approach which I may carry into other work.

As you can see ... not my best storyboards!! At times illegible, at other times, just plain sloppy ... have to be honest about that. If the client wasn't so cool with me exploring, these probably wouldn't fly ... or would they?

Introduction

2008-09-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

So ... if you have found this, you likely knew about the old blog, 13th Hour Studios.

Well this one is a reboot. I wanted to completely start all over. Get fresh, clear my head.

That's it for now.