Illustration Friday: Orange

How's it going out there everyone!? It's been a while since I last posted on the old blog but I thought it would be fin to share with you a recent painting that I created. As some of you know The Illustration Friday website hosts weekly challenges based on topics suggested by artists from around the world. I really like participating in these challenges because it forces you to think and sometimes work outside the box. This weeks topic was Orange. Being a character designer I thought it would be fu to create a lounge singer spokesperson character based on an orange.

Here we have Oscar T. Jones aka OJ not to be confused with a certain former NFL star turned murderer. After a brief stint on the 1968 top 20  list for his popular jazz song : "Orange You Glad its Me" his career, if thats what you want to call it, experienced its share of up and downs. For the past few decades OJ has been found singing in various bars, taverns and state fairs across the country. As luck would have it his popularity picked up and he is currently the headlining act at the Tropicana in the desert oasis of Las Vegas. Ironically, he is also the current spokesman for the Florida juice company Tropicana!

Okay enough goofing around hope you enjoyed this weeks topic. If you have any questions or comments sound off below! Take care everyone!

Sketch Dailes: Two-Face!

Quick Two-Face sketch for today's Sketch Dailies theme...

Captain America: Civil War

I saw Captain America: Civil War last night!!! All I have to say is WOW!!! Such a great film. Fun and light hearted while being emotional, dramatic and compelling at the same time. Well done Marvel... Well done! Oh and Spidey was awesome! I think that Marvel finally got him right. 

Painted this Cap vs Ironman MMA piece to celebrate the new film! Can't wait to see it again!!!

King of the Field

Recently I attended a lecture at BYU by the amazing Cory Loftis. He was the Lead character designer on the hit Disney animated film Zootopia! If you haven't seen this film yet you need to drop whatever you'er doing and go see it right now! Everything about this movie is amazing! The design, the color pallet is a pure visual buffet! The story is cute, super funny and teaches a great moral. I loved this movie!

Cory's  lecture was incredible. He was able to show never before seen art and talked a lot about the process of developing compelling stories with believable characters and environments. It really helped me to recharge my batteries and reset me motivation. 

Also, I'm coaching my son's soccer team this season and Thought it would be fun to do a quick Zootopia inspired soccer painting to bring on the season! 

Batman V Superman!!!

Here's a little something I painted for the new Batman V Superman movie that came out this weekend. I know a lot of people are mad that these two heroes are duking it out. The fact is that they've gone toe to toe numerous times in the comics over their differences of opinions and it all worked out for the best. 

I saw it twice and being a comic book fanboy I picked up a lot of the subtle correlations between the comics and the motion picture that the average movie goer might not. Also, I feel like it was written more for the comic fan in stead of the general public and there's going to be a lot of confusion from those not in the know. 

It's definitely a very dark film and goes to places that most people aren't going to like. Overall I liked it and I'm excited to see where they take the franchise!

The second picture is of my brother and I in the early 80's rock'n our superhero gear!!!

Hazard Hunters

Fire and Electrical Hazard Monster

Slips and Trips Hazard Monster

Falling Objects Hazard Monster

Powered Equipment Hazard Monster

Sharp Objects Hazard Monster

Hazard Hunter: Buck

Hazard Hunter: Viki

What's up everyone one? I thought I'd share my latest work assignment with all of you. As an illustrator, I get asked to work on a lot of really fun projects and this last one is no different.

Recently I was contacted by a client who asked if would be willing to draw up some monsters for a project that he had at work. The project was called Hazard Hunters and my job was to design monsters for potential safety hazards around the warehouse. Also, in addition to the monsters I need to create two Human characters that would be the hunters or wranglers of the hazard monsters.

All in all is was a great project to work on! I mean lets be honest I get to draw monsters for a living!!!  Now on to the next assignment! Take care everyone!

Rest In Peace Goblin King!

Rough Sketch

Anatomy line art

 Rough costume sketch

 Final line art

Color flats

Value and highlight rendering

Final rendering with texture and generic background

 Little tribute painting I did for the late David Bowie. My first real introduction to him was through the movie Labyrinth. I remember when I was a little kid and my cousin brought the movie over when she babysat us one time. I was totally freaked out by the Goblin King and the weird dismembering pink bird creatures. Even though it sacred me half to death I loved every minute of it. Rest in peace Mr. Bowie! 

Made entirely in Photoshop using a Wacom Cintiq 

Final rendering with texture and generic background

Illustration Friday: Nefarious

Sorry I've been away from the old blog for sometime now. I've been so focused on finishing up school that I have failed to post on the blog regularly.

For those of you that know me or follow me on social media sites like Tumblr and Instagram know that I post up a new sketches daily. That's great and all but aside from being super busy I haven't had a lot of time to post up more completed personal work. So, to rectify this I have decided to participate in the the Illustration Friday weekly challenge. Each week a new word or topic is chosen and the artists have one week to come up with something. This weeks work to illustrate is "Nefarious".

Here we have Little Don Vito Cannoli sitting in his study contemplating his next move against his arch-rival Don Tony Ravioli. This was painted in Photoshop CS6 using a Wacom Cintiq 24 hd.

Iron Giant for Sketch Dailies...

Sketch Dailies is a feed on Instagram and twitter that posts a new topic every day and then 1000's of wonderful artists sketch their interpretation of that topic. It's a great challenge and a good way to combat artist block! Today's topic was one of my all time favorite animated movies The Iron Giant!

I've been really into sketching birds lately and I though this was a good and funny way to fuse a bird and the sketch dailies topic together. I know the bird is a little big in comparison to the robot, but hey that what you call artistic licensing. This painting took about an hour and half in photoshop.

See, I told you that I was going to post more often on the good ole' blog! Have a great day everyone!

This years painting for the Primary Children's Hospital!

As some of you know every year in the Spring time I get together with the fantastic artists at UVU to create some artwork specifically to donate to the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Every day these brave boys and girls face challenges that we can only imagine and these noble doctors, nurses and the rest of the hospital staff do all in their power to help them.

This was my contribution for this years donation.... the Easter Bunny himself. My thoughts for this painting were that I wanted to show him painting an egg, carefully paying attention to every detail and admiring his handy work. I chose this concept to mimic the tender care that this amazing hospital gives to these children on a daily basis.

I know that my contribution is small in comparison but, if I can use my artistic talents to bring a smile to just one of these amazing children in a time of difficulty it makes all the time and effort it takes to create one of these images worth it! I can t wait to do it again!

There's Something Fishy...

I have a good friend, Phil Cannon. He creates these awesome monster fish drawings. Being inspired by his work I drew this fish last summer and recently I decided to paint it. I've been on this kick lately of painting old sketches. It's a blast to revisit some of my favorite drawings and give them some more love. Hope you enjoy... Oh and case you didn't guess he is a voodoo fish loosely inspired by the Princess and the Frog villain Dr Facilier.

Mickey's biggest fan!?

Drew this sketch (bottom) of Darth Maul a few months ago. Ever since then I've been wanting to paint it. With the recent news of George Lucas selling his company to Disney, I thought this would be the perfect time to finish it. (ball point pen ink and marker with a little white colored pencil and of course photoshop)