New Cartoon: A Prank Time!

My apologies for neglecting to update, but I finally have a worthwhile post: a new cartoon!  It's called "A Prank Time".



     Started it a long time ago, then just kept putting it on the back burner over and over again.  Sometimes for months as I kept going off on other projects like "Money Maker" or the TV bumps.  But no matter what, I was determined that this thing I started will be finished.

Never feel dissuaded with a project if it takes a while.  Even if all you moved was an inch, that's one inch more than yesterday.  And in the end, it all adds up.

2015 Demo Reel is UP

     My new demo reel is up and at em!  Check it out and see the progress from my last reel 5 years ago. Its funny, but back when I finished the first reel, I was convinced that this was my absolute best.  That this is like my magnum opus!  But if you keep practicing and keep nurturing your abilities, they'll always keep growing and getting better.  Never stop practicing, and always strive to be better than you were yesterday... better than you are now.  Also finished a commission for "Best Bars in America", so that'll be up when its composited by the others in the group.

New Animation: MadMan Deemo's Pokemon Battles

Here's a new joint for ya: the HD animated intro commissioned for MadManDeemo's rage-filled Pokemon Battles!!!

You can check out his various adventures and battles on his channel, along with other awesome skits and promo cuts Ultimate Warrior style!  Got some more works in the future, so I'll be more active in the coming months.  In the meantime, this'll be a major push for MadManDeemo... INTO THE SKY!!!

   More to come...

Third Annual Bill Plympton Award for Indie Animation WINNER

   

     I'm simply stunned and honored beyond words, as my animation "MoneyMaker!" won the award for 3rd Annual Bill Plympton Award for Indie Animation!  I've always loved cartoons and art all my life, and I always aspired to be good at art as my brother and mom would draw around me and encourage me to try my hand at it.  But it wasn't until I was around 13 years old that I discovered the works of Bill Plympton and became inspired by his work.  "The Wiseman" and "When Push Comes To Shove" were my instant favorites.  It was hilarious and utterly surreal, but his work carried a really humble, down-to-earth warmth in it that radiated with emotion.  

     The way his work was detailed and meticulous, yet completely hand drawn with simple paper and colored pencils made me think "Woah, I wanna make drawings come to life just like that!"  It was spectacular cartoons that made me feel like I could be capable of something like that if I tried.  Like it didn't intimidate you, but rather encouraged you to pick up a pencil and go for it.   Then I actually tried it and soon discovered that this animation stuff was freakin' hard as hell.  I had no idea how to go about it, let alone anything involving lead ins and timing and ease outs.  

     But from that moment on, I knew this would be my life.  Animation is an art form like no other.  It's the one form of art that literally let you birth life into the inanimate.  To give actual breath and life to your art and make it take flight far above and beyond the boring limitations of real life was what made me dedicate myself to animation.  And thanks to Bill Plympton and his art, I looked far beyond the meager limits of my life at that point to see the whole universe in minuet detail through animation.  

     With practice, patience, and determination, anything can become possible.  If I can tell my 14year old self that I would grow up to make cartoons and one day meet the crazy man that makes all those awesome animated shorts you love, I would've shit myself inside out in utter disbelief.  I would've felt too intimidated try.  But I did try, and I kept at it.  And I always will keep at it.  I'm always hungry, and knowledge nourishes my soul.

     Thank you for everything, Mr. Plympton.  For inspiring me and creating in me the aspirations that I pursue.  I'll always do my best to get better in animation and make the most surreal and imaginative cartoons this crazy mind can concoct.  I want to use animation to give the impossible living form and, with it, inspire others just as you've inspired me!  Your animation makes the surreal and unbelievable a reality, and for that, you are the absolute best.  Better than all the rest!

     I also want to thank all my family and friends including (but not limited to): The stellar Mr. Ken Mora, Demetrius and Kieran and Josh (and all me best pals and animation chums from Philly), Heather Madison for the hook up to MeOh!My (I owe you so much gratitude), Mike Egan and all me pals here at home for the friendship and support, and of course my dad and sister for everything.  There's many more, but you know you all have my eternal gratitude for being in my life.  I love you all, and thanks for everything.

UPDATE: I also want to give a really big thank you to an incredible teacher that gave me all the encouragement and hope I could ever want... Bill Martone.  You rock, good sir!

I'm in Your Face

     Three years ago, I and 70+ other animators from around the world remade Bill Plympton's short "Guard Dog".  It was an incredible experiment to see all these radically different art styles carry a single cartoon in one continuous, imaginative stream.  Everything from stop motion and claymation, to flash and crayon and 3D, all intertwined in one crazy cartoon.  It was an experience that was so fun, it had to be done again.

     So it was!  Behold, the Your Face Global Jam! 
This time around, it's gonna be even more interesting as it involves 100+ animators remaking Bill Plympton's Oscar nominated short "Your Face".  And it has no cuts or scene changes, either.  100 different styles of animation remaking a single take of a gentleman's morphing face.

     I can't wait to see how everyone's different approaches to this cartoon will play out in relation to one another.  We're all arranged in order by our medium and art style.  I'm going with old fashioned 2D frame-by-frame flash animation, after vowing to never touch crayons again.  Here's a screenshot of my progress:

     The completed madness will be shown in festivals in the future, so follow all the other progress on Twitter for more!

NEW ANIMATION! "Vegeta VS Mewtwo"

     Behold!  The epic SILVERMANIA collaboration "Vegeta VS Mewtwo"!  Featuring 32 different artists, including moi!



     Truly an amazing and terrifying journey to be had when watching this.  Like venturing head first into the abyss and off the edge of sanity!  When watching this pretty little vid, never before have I muttered "...the fuck?" so many times to myself.

     Here's my part, but I highly recommend you watch/love the SILVERMANIA vid first, then mine.  :)



     As always, there's more to come!

"Money Maker!" is out NOW

Behold the short music vid for "Money Maker!" in its spacious glory!



And be sure to check it out on Newgrounds.com, where the quality is a billion times better, yo!

Commission me for anything, including sweetness like this vid, as well as any other animated/illustrated projects!

More to come....

Scary Gore Flick and Scary Turns

     Finished a new BG and bump for my pal's TV show.  Here's the BG...

     And here's the bump...



     The BG is part of a segment about forgotten Playstation heroes, and the bump is another creepy non-sequiter I wanted to do in the same manner as the first bump.

     And I also made a poster for Midnight Show's diabolically salacious grindhouse flick called "Goregy", and it's about succubuses... succubuss... SUCCUBI!  And blood DEMONS!  Y'know, the good stuff.

     Last I heard, the film is somewhat nearing completion.  I'll update on that as soon as I know more.  Hopefully will start on the next poster.  More later!

Fat Ninja Stump & Such

NEW ANIMATION!



Fat Ninja Stump!  Another animated bump done for "You Might Like This Show", and I gotta say... really happy with the way this came out.  Still working on more content to add to the show, so more to come with that.  With 10 seconds of length, these bumps can be done fast and with nice detail.  Someday, I wish I could do bumps for AdultSwim, too.

Every dog has its day.  Not this day.

Megaman Kick!  Also for the above show, it's Megaman Legend's namesake, booting one of the game's many unfortunate dogs and angering animal lovers on this side of the Pacific.

And Wow!

A gentleman by the name of Kushane got a version of my tattoo inked on him!

 I never heard back from the original recipient of this tattoo, so I'm very satisfied to see somebody enjoy it enough to have it permanently etched onto his skin for the rest of his life!  Man, all that black musta hurt like crap.

Oh yeah, more to come!

A Rundown of What's Gone Down

     Been all over when it comes to projects and such, so very very quick, this is what I got:

     Lovebirds!  Made some progress in animating a scene with two lovers locked in the drool-drenched euphoria of love.  After I finish up this scene, Imma add the purple-ish veins on the underside of the tongues and cover it all in spit.

     Another Tattoo!  Yep, was commissioned to make this lil' diddy that'll be tattooed on the satisfied recipient's thigh.  Makes sense to put it there, what with all the space.  Though I think the back would've been better.  Doing this makes me really want to do a death metal album cover, like the stuff you see from Cannibal Corpse.  If you want a tattoo or illustration done, don't delay!  Commission me today!  Oh, also be careful.  The pic is NSFW!

     Kicks!  Hear the deafening "DAYUM!!!" emanate from your feet with every step you take in kicks customized by me!  Open for commissions on this, too.

     Cammy!  Next, I'll do my best character in SSFIV: T.Hawk!

     This... Thing!  My good pal Kieran (Billy Chops) made an unusually nutty show that you might like.  Appropriately so, it's called "You Might Like This Show".  I contributed this simple bump and some other animated goodness to their first episode, and am working on more future bumps and such.  Be sure to watch the 3 episodes out so far (especially this gut-busting shit right here!).

     More to come, yo...

Music Vid Progress and Custom Converse Sneakers

     S'been a while (again), but here's the progress on the MeOhMy music vid.

Lemme hear y'all SCREAM!  Hey, indoor scream, please.

     And I also got into the business of customizing converse sneakers like I use to.

     Here's the new kicks I made for my sis for Cystic Fibrosis awareness:

     Aw yeah, gonna be the envy of the neighborhood with these rockin' your feet!  These one of a kind, personalized converse sneakers are 100% made to individual specifications.

     If you want your kicks customized, personalized, and unique-ified, email me for pricing, shipping, and details.  Sweet deal!

     In closing, my homemade cake.

     More to come...

"MoneyMaker" Progress and Jojo Art

     S'been a while, but here's the lowdown:  still working on the music video for "MoneyMaker", and it is good.  Finally finished animating the star of the video kicking some angels and landing on Earth, getting ready to stroll our streets and experience the high life.  Still have to do a lip synch before everything I have so far can be put together to form the first quarter of the video.

"Who gives a..."

     Sometimes it sucks doing everything on my own since it takes more time to complete, but it must be so and it can and will be done.  It's tremendously satisfying to step back from the work in progress and see how it all comes together, taking shape into this meticulously crafted, breathing life that became sentient through my very minuet fabrication.  Animating is my whole passion for life, and it fills me with such insurmountable pride to see my work and time take form and flourish.  Sorry for drifting off, but I still have a ways to go before completion.  I still have more amorphous faces to melt into one another, and more streams of jewelry to projectile vomit across famous world structures.

     Also gonna animate some quick cuts for the choruses.  That'll speed progress up a bit, and keep up with the song's upbeat tempo.

   

"So what?"

Can't touch this

     Aside from that, I also made two pieces of fan art for my favorite comic series: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.  What a bizarre adventure it is!

Devo the Cursed, Ebony Devil

     Season 3 (the most popular one in the west) saw Jojo and friends travel across Southern Asia to Egypt in a bid to save his mom and vanquish a long-time foe, fighting dozens of psychotic assassins along the way.  My favorite of the villains includes Devo.  This deranged hitman purposely lets his victims attack him first, thus allowing him to let his raw hatred fuel his powers, possess the doll, and murder at a later opportunity.  Because normal people don't know about Stands (the invisible guardians that grant these powers), everyone assumes Devo's victims die from a curse.  

Rubber Soul, Yellow Temperance

     Another cool villain is Rubber Soul, hired to kill Jojo in Singapore.  His invincible Stand Yellow Temperance eats flesh and grows bigger with every meal.  It can also assimilate other people's forms.  But like all other villains in the series, his downfall comes from his overconfidence in his abilities.

     Getting back to work on this here music vid.  More to come...

It's close...

New Project: MeOh!My's "Money Maker" Music Video

     Right now, I'm working on a music video for incredible rapper MeOh!My and his ass kicking single "Money Maker".  I'm uber excited about this project, the video is a warped take on gold digger madness and has the look of a long, distorted hallucination!  All backgrounds weave in and out of interaction with the star of the video as he gets sucked in with the misleading allure of money and hedonism.

     The song itself is awesome, with a nice flow and great tempo that I don't normally hear in rap songs.  So cool is this song that I want to make the video as far out as possible, unique among all the other rap videos out there.  It's gonna be expressive as hell without the ass-shaking-in-your-face cliche plaguing too much media associated with rap now.  This shit is going to be a mind-blowing surreal trip around a lucid dream world!

     Still a lot more to be done before the video is completely done.  I'm not cutting any corners on this great piece of art.  I'm just getting started with the weird on this.  In the meantime, check out the artist's website for more of his wicked material.

     I'll continue with the music video production until it's nice and perfect.  And I can now also be followed on TWITTER now!  Follow me there, yo.

     More to come...

Koth of the Conans (pt.3): Breath and Some Villains

Pt.1

Pt.2

     Last time, I talked about Koth and his sidekick Hank, as well as one of his many adversaries.  The planet Girth is a savage land of constant turmoil, swarming with bloodthirsty maniacs that Koth has to defeat in his quest for greatness!

     To help him traverse the landscape quicker, Koth travels by flight.  He accomplishes this with the help of Hank shooting him through the air...

     And now, on with Koth's next ally: Breath.  

     The tall yellow one from the promo type vid, he's the more educated member of the group.  He's not as strong of a fighter as the rest, and at times scared of fights, but he's a great at strategizing and analyzing many situations.  Because of his royal background as the (former) king of an empire, he's knowledgable in many cultures, something that helps him and Koth as they travel Girth.

     He use to be the emperor of a spiraling empire for the sun people.  He was marveled by his followers for his booming voice, imposing leadership, and height.  Mostly his height.  His people capture Koth and try to sacrifice him to prove Breath's power as The Sun Emperor, but is exposed to be a fraud as Koth pummels him and escapes.  After being spared by Koth, Breath follows him to redeem himself as a warrior.  

     My original idea for Breath was simply to make a character with a disproportioned body.  Small upper body, long mid section, and long legs.  Someone funny to look at and very tall and imposing, all at once.  He'll tower over you, but you 'll laugh once you reach his face.  Since he's an emperor of high stature in the Kingdom of the Sun, his color scheme and clothes are modeled after an Egyptian/pharoah feel.  My friend Kieran named him a random one syllable name.  The hieroglyphics on his atire (in the first image) actually means something.  It means "death to foreigners".

     Last time, I showed designs for the evil shaman, now named Muguzorrat, the necromancer that uses children for his black magic.  He's not alone, as all good villains have their henchmen to help perpetrate evil.

     This one is named Hibi Chibi:

     A created monstrosity of Muguzorrat, this homunculus is the main supplier of the evil shaman's desire for children.  That's because Hibi Chibi is equipped with a purifying gem that lets him shoot people with his amazing "youth-a-nize" ray.  Anyone hit with it is instantly turned into a kid.  No one has been able to stop this monster, as he revels in attacking vulnerable infants and kids alike.  Can Koth stop this demented child killer?

     His design was meant to be as repulsive and perverted as can be.  He's to look like something out of a kid's nightmares, an awkward boogie man of sorts.  

     And then there's Straw Man:

     Like Hank, Starw Man is also a shape shifter.

     Unlike Hank, who's a polymorph, Straw Man specializes in morphing into other people.  He uses confusion and backstabbing attacks to get his prey.  There's no limit to who he can mimic.  His sole purpose is to find and kill Koth and Hank.  His one weakness, however, is his namesake.  The longer he assumes a different form, the more he becomes mentally unstable.  He'll eventually delve into unflattering mockeries of his forms that give him away.  This is why his attacks are quick and unpredictable.  

     That's all for now.  More to come.

Catching up with times.

     I finally decided to get with the times and did away with drawing with a mouse for good.  From now on, I'm doing all my work with my new Cintiq.  I feel really stupid for putting it off for so long.  Productivity has increased tenfold, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

     I've been commissioned by Deviantart user greatdragonad to do a bunch of loops and such for a bunch of his characters.  It's coming along very quick, and with the power of the Cintiq, animation is a snap!  Here's the first completed loop.

   
      For this loop, I did a simple stance, like in fighting games.  Nice exercise in timing and physics.  Good start for the series of loops I'll be doing for this client.
     I was also commissioned to do a Spongebob illustration for another client's girlfriend, who's a big fan.

   
      In the coming weeks, I'm getting my bundle of demo reel cds ready to make my rounds in NY again to apply for work with the studios there.  One's gotta be the right one!

     Next time, I'm talking about Koth of the Conans again, this time going in depth with another of Koth's allies.

"Hey fellas!"

     More to come!

Koth of the Conans (pt.2): Frederator Features Koth & More Art

Pt.1

     Frederator (makers of Fairly Oddparents, Danny Phantom, Adventure Time, etc.) did a video highlighting a bunch of neat cartoons on the topic of barbarians and manliness ala Conan the Barbarian.  These badass cartoons of pure testosterone exploded absolute rage, and Koth of the Conans was featured!



     It's incredible to actually see Koth get recognition and have views from freakin' Frederator!  It was also cool to hear someone else say Koth of the Conans. :)  Although to be honest, I havent seen the old He-Man cartoon much.  I've only seen that cartoon once and I remember cracking up at the theme song repeating "He-Man!" 50+ times in a 15 minute episode, though I did like the animation style.  I do remember seeing a couple of episodes of that reboot Cartoon Network had of He-Man back in 2002.  I'm more influenced by The Herculoids, and (in my opinion) the much manlier Thundar the Barbarian!  Tons of thanks to Channel Frederator for the mentions!

     And as for the giant floating head...

     That is the wise and powerful God of Knowledge Korn.  He's the god everyone on Gerth pray to for guidance and advise.  He hears all prayers and answers all inquiries when he can find the time to get up and reply.  When in a perplexing pickle, Koth enlists the aid of the Mystical Shaman to summon Korn for an instant audience.

     I originally wanted Korn to be made in 3D, but because of time constraints with the project at the time, I had to improvise fast.  So I painted my friend Josh's face and goggles, glued mosaic tiles on him, and put him through AfterEffects to create the awe-inspiring god you see here!  And since he didn't move his lips, I recorded mine and put them in as Korn's mouth.

Inching closer down the path to glorious battle, here's more Koth artwork...

   ...and more of his faithful aboriginal sidekick, Hank!

     And I'm working on the animations for this new villain plaguing Gerth:

     He's an evil Shaman/Necromancer with plans to use the dead to conquer the lands.  What he lacks in physical abilities, he more than makes up for with his immensely potent magical powers.  He specializes in the black arts and forbidden mysticism.  Adding to his fiendishness is his penchant to use dead children (preferably babies) for his dark rituals and summonings.  Society is beyond horrified by his taboo practices, and that's saying a lot about a planet full of perpetually fighting savages!  Koth hears legends of this twisted practitioner of magic, and has nothing but utter loathing for him.  This evil shaman in turn knows of Koth, and knows that his evil plans can never truly be completed as long as Koth lives.

     I wanted to make a magical villain with a revolting design that just oozed hate.  Someone that posed Koth with a huge challenge, as he's weak against magic and it always presents unpredictable scenarios for him.  Demetrius made the colors for him, and I liked it: the pale, powdery skin, the cowardly yellow garb, it all blended so well!

     Can Koth find a way to defeat black magic - a force that can't technically be punched!?

More to come!!!

New Tattoo: Me A Zombie!

     I was commissioned me to make THIS badass tattoo of a zombie!

     He a zumbi an' he eat out ya brain!  Once the tattoo is actually made (and healed), I'll have that picture up.  I only did the line because another (dumb) tattoo dude told me shading fades over time.  Apparently everybody that ever got a tattoo begs to differ, but either way I kept this one simple and did just the lines.  Later I'll go back and do the colors, both in this drawing and in the tattoo.  It's also cheaper to tattoo lines for now.

     Had a blast with this as I love over-the-top violent artwork, like Cannibal Corpse album covers.  This was one previous tattoo I did that I'm not fond of:

     I did this for an emo girl that wanted this on her shoulder.  That's pretty ridiculous since she was thinner than a rail and there's no way in hell this would fit.  If you scaled it, the details would be lost.  Man oh man were there a lot, from the questionable (rats choking on the roots) to the cliched and obvious (moon, dead tree, skull, roses and a sword).  All of this was what she wanted, but it felt cluttered.  Near the end she wanted to randomly add a snake eating money and a heart at the base.

     I'm convinced she still didn't get it tattooed.

     More to come...