theshelleyjgazette

Fan Art: Tygra

2011-09-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Tygra is my favorite Thundercat. I think it's because he is the most like how I envisioned him. I always saw him in his prime, about 30-35. Mature, strong, smart. Just like the cartoon.

My first sketch on the back of a receipt.

Second Sketch

Final Sketch

Next I place him in illustrator.

Kevin and the Griffin

2011-08-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

The second sketch.

Kevin and the Griffin

2011-08-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

Eight year old Kevin lives with his mother, the super of an eight story brownstone in New York. The building was erected in the late 1800s, and as his mother was overseeing some renovations in the basement, a bricked up office was discovered. Decades of flooding ruined everything inside the hidden room, but Kevin found a rusted locket that he chose to keep.

One night while he as playing on the roof, he dropped the locket and out spilled a bright light. A whoosh of air circled him and on the ledge appeared a griffin. Needless to say he was a tad freaked out.

This is sort of a concept sketch for a story that seems to be appearing in my head. I wanted to get it out on paper before I forgot any details.

The griffin isn't a pet, though at first Kevin thinks of him that way. Early communication is stunted at best and the beast gets irritated with the boy, but he does not seem to want to leave him alone. That and the griffin has a thing for almonds, something Kevin seems to always carry around with him.

Origin of Love progress

2011-07-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

This is a project I have been working on since grad school. It was never a grad school project, but I wanted to do an animation to Rufus Wainwright's version of Origin of Love. I have great visuals for it. I'm working on a sequence with Thor now, and have been gutting it to get in some more feeling. I'm liking how it's going, but with all 2D, especially if you are doing it alone, it's slow going.

Fan Art: Lion-o

2011-07-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

I love the cartoon Thundercats. Have for a long time. I have a Thundercats belt buckle on my keychain as I type this. I'm pretty much a dork about it.

I remember watching the cartoon as a kid. Loved it, but even then, I questioned the look of the characters. Lion-o in particular. For those who don't know, when the Thundercats' planet, Thundera was being destroyed, Lion-o was a boy. The cats were put into stasis and found their way to Third Earth, where Lion-o awoke a man. In the cosmic knowledge of cartoon Sci-fi, sure. But what got to me is how this guy woke with all these muscles like he had developed into his body.

I always thought of that growth in the capsule to be stunting. He would be smaller, leaner, almost a runt. What an awesome character dynamic for the lord of the Thundercats, right? I know, I guess I'm reading too much into it, but it was never out of the back of my mind. So I decided to finally put my thoughts into an image.

I know hardcore fans are most likely gonna pick it to death, but what can you do, right?

My version of Lion-o.

Below are some progress images.

The above is probably my favorite passage in the illustration.

To get the sword as close to the cartoon as I could, I took a still shot from the web and did some work in photoshop to get it's angle as close as I could. I then brought it into AI and did the build up to perspective by hand using shapes. Was not easy.

Lion-o has three different faces. Geeze.

While I was doing this I wanted to make sure I paid as close attention as I could to the detail of the character design of the cartoon. I guess I'm a purist that way, but the underwear jumpsuit had to go. Plus ribbed clothing is a great way to add dimension and form to a drawing. I use it a lot :)

Sphinx final

2011-07-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Sphinx progress

2011-07-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Nearly finished. I'm changing the back foot, hence the green sketch.

Freak Show: The Bearded Woman

2011-06-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a new series of portrait illustrations. Slightly gothic, high chroma but dark in value. It will be an adventure with the color palette for me.

I'm starting it off with a Japanese bearded woman. I thought that was a twist.

I've finished the sketch and worked on the color comps. I'm going with the dark magenta one and will do the drawing in illustrator.

Sphinx progress

2011-06-16T00:57:00.000-07:00

Sphinx progress

2011-06-10T01:41:00.000-07:00

Sphinx progress

2011-06-09T02:21:00.000-07:00

Sphinx Progress

2011-06-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Sphinx progress

2011-06-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

Sphinx progress

2011-05-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Noir Detective sketch session

2011-05-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Drawing Club had a great model this go round. When I was drawing my main focus was weight. I like how these have come out. The rest are on my site.

Sphinx progress

2011-04-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Sphinx final sketch

2011-04-20T03:41:00.000-07:00

All dropped into Illustrator and ready to go. Hmmm...Perhaps I should do a color comp first seeing as i have no idea what colors I'm going to use. Yeah, good idea...

The Sphinx progress

2011-04-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

I worked on the sketch. My main concern was the far left arm (her left) and that I curved the forearm enough so that side of her would no seem so straight. Also I did a good blocking in of the limbs (as seen on the tiny sketches). I'm not too sure that's where the tail is going to be, but I do want it with a bit of perspective. Oh man, that back foot needs work. It'll be an easy fix.

I'm thinking about entering the 11secondclub contest next month I believe. Should be fun I just don't want my ass handed to me.

New illustration: The Sphinx

2011-04-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

I decided to draw a sphinx. I envision them almost like a big great cat in posture, but with a more womanly shape. I think of them as a step above animal mentally, but nearly human in intellect, but will switch into instinct rather quickly.

I don't care for the ones with wings, too much like a griffin to me. This is just the VERY first sketch. I'm thinking of adding jewelry if not armor of sorts.

Marionette completed.

2011-04-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've finished the illustration and posted it to my website.

The next thing I want to do is make an animatic staring this character.

Marionette progress.

2011-04-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ninja Sheep on YouTube

2011-04-12T11:25:00.001-07:00

Marionette progress.

2011-04-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

A detail of the foot. I really like how the transparencies look on this part of the illustration.

Marionette progress.

2011-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Marionette progress.

2011-04-08T14:13:00.001-07:00

Marionette progress.

2011-03-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

Marionette progress.

2011-03-19T18:19:00.001-07:00

Just tweaking the head.

Marionette progress.

2011-03-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

Marionette color comp.

2011-03-15T04:10:00.000-07:00

Final marionette sketch.

2011-03-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

I've finally made the final sketch for my marionette concept. Now I'm going to drop it into AI and build a final illustration from him.

More marionette.

2011-03-11T03:15:00.000-08:00

A few more thought sketches of my marionette character. I'm thinking on color, but I'm also getting quite pleased with his form, especially his face.

He's an unfinished marionette that has been put away half painted in a cupboard and he wonders why and if he will ever be completed. So he dreams of that time when he will be finished and able to preform, but what he does not know is that the shop where he is stored has been shut down for years.

Doin' some doodlin'

2011-03-01T03:35:00.001-08:00

What's been going on here?

2011-02-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

I know, right?

I haven't been on this site in over a month. Well, there are often gaps in projects but I'm working, trust me on that.

Ninja Sheep has been getting some great replies, so thanks to all those who have watched. Also, I'm learning After Effects! It's been taking up a lot of my time. I'm planning on doing a lot of my animation in that app to see how it compares to Flash, which...saying nicely, is an acquired taste.

Also, I've been doing some more research on my marionette figure I posted last and I'm thinking on colors at the moment.

Don't fret, more soon!

Marionette Sketches

2011-01-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some very early conceptual sketches for a flash animation I've been thinking on for about a year. Its more about movement and mood than anything, and the character with his elongated arms and wooden face will be in a lot of darkness.

Its up.

2011-01-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

I've put three different sizes up for your viewing pleasure.

Please spread it around, thanks all!

Ninja Sheep is FINISHED!!!!

2011-01-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

I finished it like 3 days ago, but my phone line went down so no internet! I hate ATT. I'm working on posting the final animation by the 11th, as planned, so stay tuned!

Screen Shot

2011-01-04T11:27:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2011-01-02T14:21:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2011-01-01T22:04:00.001-08:00

It's Up!

2011-01-01T10:21:00.001-08:00

It's a working print, half of the first episode. I'm about 3/4th finished with the second half and it looks mighty kick ass.

Check it out!

Screen Shot

2011-01-01T09:13:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-31T18:48:00.001-08:00

Okay....

2010-12-30T18:11:00.000-08:00

Ninja Sheep is not going to be completed by the first. Well, all of it anyway. The more I work on it the more I'm currently adding and it's taken me too long to half ass this. I'm going to do a part one of NS and release that on 1/1/11, and the final half I'm going to release by 1/11/11, if not sooner.

It's real close, people.

Real close, like 3/4th close.

Screen Shot

2010-12-30T07:56:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-29T09:54:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-28T18:42:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-28T13:04:00.001-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-24T13:26:00.001-08:00

Sheep Slaves Component Screen Shot

2010-12-24T07:54:00.000-08:00

Their eyes are masked. Its easier to do it this way than rely on Flash.

Sheep Slaves

2010-12-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Screen Shot

2010-12-21T13:21:00.000-08:00

New Blog & New Work

2010-12-21T00:11:00.000-08:00

Those that have been interested for a while will be pleased to know that Ninja Sheep is at last on progress for its 1/1/11 release. I've been working on this animation for a while, and it's been side tracked by freelance and other projects, but I'm getting my ass into gear and completing this flash short.

Two weeks to go. Why not go ahead and get familiar with the characters now? What can it hurt?