One Year Old!!

It was a year ago on the 13th that Skribble started this blog and invited us to be a part of it. It was concieved as a way for us to blow off steam and show what we could do outside the confines of our jobs as story artists at a feature animation company. I for one would like to thank skribble for introducing me to the world of blogging. I had no idea it would be this fun or this rewarding. I'd also like to thank all of the folks who make this a regular stop and have linked to us. Keep coming back, and we'll keep posting drawings and things to look at.
Here's to another year!
-John "Robotaekwon-z" Sanford

Anyone know the Zip Code in Mos Eisley?

Check out this awesome article from MySA.com, whatever that is! People living in the Star Wars set!

Happy Dinosaur!!!

I drew this in a meeting. My mind was wandering. I have no idea what sort of dinosaur this is supposed to be. It's based on a roadside mascot I saw waaaay back in 1976 in DinosaurLand in Vernal, Utah. during a family car trip. They sold little plastic fugurines of the dinosaur. Fun little cartoony ones. I wish I still had it.

Best...Vader...EVER!

What's more Thanksgiving than?...

A big dragon-y, dinosaur-y, crazy creature? I would have made the wings bigger, but I ran out of room on the sheet of animation paper. Like many of my drawings, this one just started and I didn't know where it would go. It ended up here. I want to try to put it up in full color soon. I just had to put something up. We've all been letting skribbl carry the burden of keeping this blog alive too much lately. Of course a lot of people on this blog are working hard on the upcoming movies. It's slowed down for me at the holidays, so I had no excuse. Whee, drawing is fun!

Drawing on Paper!!

I did this at work while I was taking a break from drawing on the Cintiq. I sketched it fast with an ordinary #2 pencil and inked it quikly with a Copic brush marker. I did these as kind of a preparation for the "Afterworks 3" story I'm going to do. I'm trying to nail down Chippy's design. I hope I can get Chippy to look consistantly this good in the story.

Gouache Experimentation

Work has been S-L-O-W. So slow that I got the chance to clean up my room, dust off the gouache and play a little. I haven't painted in three years so I'm a starting out simple. Mmmm. Love the smell of gouache. (it tastes good too!)

In both cases I started with plain illustration board and no preconcieved ideas. Just laying down the paint and seeing what happened.

EDIT: I just added another one but noticed that he has dangly bits. Oops. They're supposed to be those things that stick out on power transformers. Oh well.

A Shameless plug...

Hey folks, a quick plug here for a really cool Christmas video coming out this year. As you can see it's called "The Very First Noel". It's a half hour special about the journey of the three Wisemen's journey to see the baby Jesus. This project has been a long time labor of love for some friends of many of us here at Storyboredom. They developed this at their own company, YCB Animation, and then were able to get it finished this year through a company called Reel FX in Texas. It's a really beautiful looking and charming telling of the story of the three Wisemen's journey. Plus it'll be a great Christmas present at $10. Again, I know This is a Shameless PLUG, but if any of you out there know Yarrow and Carrie Cheney, the creators, you know they are really good people and you'll want to support them. Enjoy!

Seward Street Rises from the Grave

My barmy and former neighbor Jim Hull has starting blogging again after a long hiatus. Go here to view more of his insightful rants from an animator's perspective.

(BTW this photo is of Dr. Jim Hull not Jim Hull animator. I don't have a pic of Jim Hull animator.)

After Screening Caricatures

Roundtable meetings are the best place to caricature. You just tilt back your pad and pretend you're writing down notes.

Screenwriting Expo Pt 2

So I barely survive the parking hell getting to the Expo. I make it to the registration desk and find out that the main lecture hall is full and I follow a former Disney colleague to the overflow room where they have a projection screen simucast. OK. I sit down and get there just in time for Andrew Stanton to begin his journey of pain keynote speech. He's an excellent speaker. Great information and very inspiring. Andrew gets to a part where he shows a clip from a movie and the the camera man or technical director forgets to switch over to the video feed. And this is what we see.



Andrew enjoying the clip for a good ten to fifteen minutes.

I see that he likes coffee.

But I have no idea what clip he is looking at. The crowd in the overflow room has no idea what clip he is looking at. They begin to get agitated and tell someone to tell somebody to do...something. Eventually it gets fixed and we enjoy the rest of the keynote speech. Just a bump in the technical flow but it was funny timing and staging. Like I said before, I underestimated the attendance at the Expo and I guess the event staff did too.

BTW Andrew does a killer "Crush" impersonation.

Screenwriting Expo Caricatures Pt 1

This past weekend I went to the Pixar Day at the Screenwriting Expo. This was my first time attending and it will probably be my last. One word - CROWDS. I didn't think it was going to be a big deal but as Countfunkula so elegantly put it,"It's like the Comic-Con but without the Star Wars costumes!" There were TONS of people. I saw old friends from Disney, Dreamworks, former students and I even bumped into a friend from the video game industry!!! Yes it was like the Comic Con but without the costumes...and not as smelly thank God. The main lecture room filled up quickly and they had two overflow rooms with video feeds to accomodate the massive throngs. I left a babbling fool with a thumping headache. Understand that I was mainly there to support the Pixar peeps and maybe learn a secret or two about their process. But at the end of the day I learned that assloads of people can only be endured if they are accompanied by comic books, toys, and costumed Star Wars characters. Thanks Pixar peeps for coming down and sharing the secrets of your success.

Here's a little doodle I did of the "Director/Writer Relationship" seminar.
Left to right Andrew Stanton, Dave Reynolds, Dan Gerson, Lee Unkrich, Mike Arndt, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi, and Gary Rydstrom. I tried to get Kiel Murray but she kept looking to her left and I didn't get a good enough look.

Bathroom Identification

This is one of my worst nightmares at work. I actually saw this the other day. I just thought it was funny that the person's ID was in plain view. But fortunately this won't happen to me because I carry my ID in my pocket AND I never use the first stall AND I always lift my feet up so nobody can see my shoes AND I never use the toilet unless it's a life threatening situation.

No Work = Robot Drawing

Work has been slow so I drew a robot.

Better Than The Previous Post

Here's a better caricature I found in the piles of paper on my desk. The lesson learned is just to go for the basic shape and move on. I think the sharpie forces that.

When Caricatures Don't Want to Cooperate

Wow look at the all the cobwebs here!

So this started out as a caricature of a friend but after a while it started not looking like a caricature so I just kept rendering it until it looked nothing like the original victim. Sometimes drawings take on a life of their own (also known as "too lazy to fix it syndrome"). Or maybe you just need to know when to stop.

Martha Benefit Photos

I've been meaning to post these sooner but work and life just keep getting in the way!

So the benefit was a blast and I got to see lots of friends that I haven't seen in a long time. It was a CalArts mini-reunion.

Here's some stolen text from the benefit site to let you know how it went.


We pulled it off! The auction was a big success, and we did exactly what we hoped to do: gave a good friend a helping hand in her time of need. In the end, we grossed $32,226.00. The money will be going directly towards Larry Baxton's care and rehabilitation.

People from the animation world came out in big numbers. Some of us had not seen one another in ages, so the event served as a reunion of sorts, as well. There was a lively spirit in the air, and everybody had a great time.

We sincerely appreciate everybody coming out and spending what they could. You all really made a difference in somebody's life. THANK YOU!
A few key items did not sell at the event, so we are going to be selling them on E-Bay. We will post the information about these items right here on the web site. So if you could not join us at the event, this would be a wonderful way to do your part.

We want to thank everybody who donated their time and effort to this wonderful cause. First off, thank you to Cal Arts for donating the facility, and being more than accomodating with all our needs. To Antran Manoogian and ASIFA for handling the processing of the funds. To Bill & Sue Kroyer for purchasing all the food and drink, plus all the supplies. And to all of the volunteers -- too many to count.

We'd like to extend a special thanks to Character Animation head Cynthia Overman, Glenn Vilppu, Dan Hansen, James & Kendra Baxter, John & Gale Musker, Robert Lence and his mother Ann, former MPSC president Tom Sito and his wife Pat Sito, the incredible artists at Pixar Animation who could not attend, but generously sent their work down, the amazing artists from the Los Angeles area who gave so much of themselves, and the countless others who made everything so very successful.

Another Story for Sara

I boarded a little story for Sara on her Birthday last month. Here are a few of the drawings.

Martha Needs You!

Hey Folks, if you went to Cal Arts, then you know what a wonderful woman Martha Baxton is. Also, you know how much she has helped all of us who went there. If you didn't go there, and you like animation, a lot of the people who make the animated shows and movies you like got a lot of help from this fine lady. She is the administrative assisitant to the head of the character animation department at Cal Arts. Almost anyone who went to Cal Arts in the last I-don't-know-how-many-years has benefitted from her infinite care and generosity of spirit. Her husband recently had a stroke and they took a major financal hit, so some really good folks are putting on a benefit AUCTION to help them out. All the info for the auction can be found HERE. Click this link and get down for the cause. The auction is September 9th, starting at 5:00pm at Cal Arts, in Valencia, CA.

Skrib EDIT: This is also a chance to bid on some RARE ORIGINAL animation art so check out the auction!!!

Love you Martha!

The above poster art is by Elizabeth Ito and Pen Ward.

In Memory of Joe Ranft 1960-2005

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Joe's death. I wanted to post something that remembered not only a great story artist but also a great person. I've met Joe a couple of times and even interviewed with him at Pixar but didn't have the pleasure of actually working with him. But fortunately for me I work with and know alot of people that have and through them I've feel like I know him. This video is of Joe doing a an impromptu magic trick while he was working at Disney in the mid 80's. Joe you are missed. (Sorry there's no audio. It's my first attempt at uploading to YouTube.)

If you don't know who Joe is here's a few links:

Pixar's Artist Corner
Joe's IMDB
Ronnie Del Carmen's blog

Also, if you have any Joe memories, please share them in the comments section.

Artie

Artie Lange sketch from the Howard Stern Show.

Bored Drawings

I just turned in a big sequence and I have nothing to do...but draw little sketchy people.

Just some doodles

Just some doodles while working. Plus, I haven't posted here in forever. Super props to skribbl for keeping this blog alive. It's daunting to post after that awesome series con-folk.

See Ya!

It's been fun doing all of these little drawings but it's time for me to go the San Diego Comic Con. Hope you enjoyed them and I'll do more next year when it's Con time. I might even publish a book.

In my absence, go here to my friend John Sanford's site for even funnier stuff!!

Chippy and Loopus

See ya at the Con!!

ComicConFan: Optimus Prime-Cardboard Edition

The formula for success: red sweatshirt, white sweat pants, cardboard, duct tape, paper towel rolls, and yellow briefs. Optimus Prime rules all costumed characters. He is the embodiment of love for the Comic Con. Come back Optimus! Come back!

ComicConFan: Scared Granny

Without fail somebody brings their grandmother to the Comic Con. Temporary lapse in judgment or just plain stupidity, you make the call. For nine hours the grandmothers are left between the Nintendo and SciFi Channel booths clutching their rosary and wishing for a quick death.

ComicConFan: The Hipster

The Hipster is too cool for school. He speaks in catchphrases that end in a finger point and a wink. If he thinks you are really cool "Super-Freak-Mack-Daddy" he might even give you a backrub. His friends and co-workers that are into the Con always have to coax him in to attending. After days of flip-flopping he agrees to go at the last moment claiming he only wants to see the "Freak Show." He vehemently denies any interest in Geek Culture but deep down inside wishes he was the Silver Surfer.

ComicConFan: Unidentified Walking Fuzzy

Amongst the many costumed super heroes can be found an occasional "Unidentified Fuzzy." Often measuring over eight feet in height, they have no identifying origin or booth that they belong to often miscategorized as the latest Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Neo Pet, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, or highly collectible Urban Vinyl character. Big game hunters have tried in vain to tranquilize these surly beasts only to disappointed when they find that there is no drug strong enough to bring them down. Most "Unidentified Fuzzy" enthusiasts have settled to just taking pics of the beasts as they pose and grope the "Scantily Clad Women Who Have Nothing To Do With Comic Books."

Comic Con Fan: Table Toad

The curiously androdgynous Table Toad can be found around the noon hour, eating, reading or sleeping at one of the scarcely available tables near the food court. They haul their morning purchases to the table and set up their base camp leaving only to add relish/mustard/sauerkraut to their eight dollar hot dogs. Trying to communicate with this beast in hopes of sharing the table will only lead to frustration as they only reply in a series of mumbles, raspy breaths, eye rolls and the occasional bodily function. Approach at your own risk.

Comic Con Fan: Hardcore Dad

Hardcore Dads are a rare breed. So determined to attend the Con, they ignore conventional wisdom and take their brood, at any age, through the tightly packed convention floor aisles. Barreling through with their strollers, they stop often in the middle of any walkway to peruse the booths at their leisure. Maybe the Dads hope to instill the sense of wonder in their own children that they have experienced at the Con. My guess is that they are training their children at an early age to become their own personal pop culture scavenging bellhops. A legacy any parent would be proud of.

Comic Con Fan: Security Zealot

If you're worried about getting your #0 special foil cover issue of Jim Lee's Wildcats pinched, don't. Because the Con security is on the job. This eternal warrior's main duties include but are not exclusive to: keeping the stairways clear, expediting the autograph lines, and making sure no freaks enter the main showroom floor.

Comic Con Fan: Man-Tiger

Fig.1

Bob here is a computer programmer by day, and a tiger enthusiast by night. He loves tigers. He can't get enough of tigers. He dreams of tigers. And on occasion, he dreams of being a tiger.




Fig. 2

Bob has taken his dreams and made them a reality. He has saved up most of his programmer salary to pay for plastic surgery that has transformed him physically into a tiger. Nails extended and striped, facial/body tattoos, cat eye contact lenses, whisker implants, dental implants/teeth sharpened, ears cut and pointed and upper lip split.

Bob is living his dream.

You go Bob.

Comic Con Fans: Super Troopers

What's a comic convention without Stormtroopers? Who wouldn't want to don plastic armor, march around in the heat of summer and unconvincingly look threatening? They come in many flavors. My favorite is the Elvis stormtrooper. Go ahead and Google him. You know you want to.

Comic Con Fan: SCWWHNTDWCB

"Scantily Clad Woman Who Have Nothing To Do With Comic Books." Not really a fan but more of an object. The admirers line up by the thousands to have their pictures taken with them. I wonder what they'll do with the photos when they get home??

Comic Con Fan: Grizzled Pro

The "Grizzled Pro" returns year after year to sift through the millions of portfolios that are presented to him by the eager "Portfolio Lads." Why he does this, he doesn't know. Normally the GP is cloistered in his studio trying to pencil out the latest issue of "Gore Hole." The Con is his one chance to see the outside world and hopefully get some recognition for the hours of intensive work spent for little pay. His real reward is seeing and posing with the SCWWHNTDWCBs (Scantily Clad Women Who Have Nothing To Do With Comic Books).

Comic Con Fan: Goth Girl

For those who've always wondered:

Goth is a contemporary subculture prevalent in many countries around the globe. It began in the United Kingdom during the late 1970s to early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture is remarkable for its longevity compared with others of the same era. Its imagery and cultural proclivities show influences from nineteenth century Gothic literature, mainly by way of horror movies.
The goth subculture has associated "gothic" tastes in music and fashion. Gothic music encompasses a number of different styles. Common to all is a tendency towards a “dark” sound and outlook. Styles of dress within the subculture range from death rock, punk, Victorian, androgynous, some Renaissance style clothes, or combinations of the above, most often with lots of black attire, makeup and hair.

Comic Con Fan: Portfolio Lad

Ah the ubiquitous portfolio lad. As you see them walk down they aisle they emanate an energy that is so pure. So raw. So innocent. They line up by the dozens to have their portfolios reviewed in hopes of being discovered, handed their own comic title, and eventually heading up their own artist driven company with toy, feature film, television, videogame, and internet divisions. Although few make it, most are chewed up and spit out by the grizzled industry veterans who flip through their portfolios nonchalantly. If they aren't broken the first year, they may try again the next. And the next, and the next, and the next....