I'm trying something called constructive procrastination. This is where I at least accomplish something while I put off homework. In this case, updating this again.

Red Car illo- in progress - photoshooop



reference:




gee. i'm not so fond of cars.
why can't i have a prof who's ridiculously fond of puppies or something.

Croc 3

this was before i decided to give them teeth and back ridges..



i know! those don't really look like wings.



this one is dedicated to my friend, who has managed to be a Marine without the ability to swim. it's actually quite an accomplishment...

Texture Practice again!

There is only about 3? weeks left of school....and considering how much I have left to do, I should be at my 90% stress level right now...eek.

But I just finished submitting stuff for an internship so I just can't get into the work-like-mad-and-get-it-done zone. I spent class working on more texture practice today:



Bark this time. I walked around a few weeks earlier just taking pictures of random textures. There's something about this one though...I think maybe it's just the brush settings I have but the color seems a bit desaturated. Also, it's not...jagged...enough. ah well.

Attempting to work!

ha. everything looks better when it's smaller!

Up late working on my portfolio, so here! have a tree!



my scanner naturally butchered the colors. they're pretty off. :C

R.I.P Ollie Johnston ):

While I was working on homework tonight I felt like having waffles (try waffles with ice-cream! pretty much like a waffle cone except...flat.)



Whenever I have maple syrup (God bless the Canadian cousins) I'm always reminded of stories in which kids make maple syrup candy by pouring it onto the snow. I tried to draw it:


my sister said it looked like the dog had gone on the snow, since it looked so pleased with itself. errrgh.

so I added the can. but maple syrup candy is surprisingly hard to draw -.-

After this one I decided I had better things to do--

Croc 2

Croc 1

He lives on Drury Lane!

FRUSTRATION

Learning to color in photoshop is hard.

Tree

This post is dedicated to the homework I was supposed to do...but didn't. Instead I was inspired to try Earle's style, after watching a little blurb about his process.

Photoshop, Hard edge brush, various sizes, texture 45%, flow 64%

Process:
















It ended up being so messy because it got really tedious. Earle must have masterful patience.

Kinda messed up with the colors, too. I should try it with traditional media.


AGH. SO BUSY.

Eyvind Earle and Sleeping Beauty

Took some time off and watched Sleeping Beauty this morning(I swear, the best thing about these "out-of-the-vault! editions" are the special features/making-of documentaries). I used to think that this movie was boring when I was a kid, but it's pretty much one of my favorites now. It's just absolutely gorgeous, truly a "moving illustration" as Walt wanted. I'm especially in love with Eyvind Earle's backgrounds. I can't imagine how long they took, they are so complex and lovingly crafted.

















Influences from gothic tapestries, van eyck landscapes







Ghent altarpiece and detail


I think, for me, it's a lot easier to appreciate this kind of work these days. Technology may have simplified things, but I think it also removed some of the need? to develop this kind of skill. There is still incredible work being produced today, but I hardly ever see anything like this on film anymore (at least, not that I know of).

I guess it's just the change in medium. The backgrounds in, say, Cars and Ratatouille are no less impressive--they are so well done that the audience is immersed in the environment--but I really admire the insane research and traditional skills that go into creating those old backgrounds.

Watching the commentary on certain scenes also reminds me why I love animating (despite the fact that I actually do not like animating). I wish I were much better at it (yeah, lots of commitment and endless practice, i know) because I'd love to create stuff like this. As much as others howl about Disney cliches and the cookie-cutter "Disney" type characters/animation, there's something about classic Disney that really appeals to me. Maybe I'm blinded by my childhood, but I prefer it to much of the cartoon animation on TV these days. No offense to the Spumco/Kricfalusi crowd.

all artwork (c) Disney
several images taken from http://animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com/


extra! Earle's color work in: