PregAlien

Having some fun on a friends project.

Paxton Quinn Stewart

Paxton Quinn Stewart is my new little nephew...making me an uncle for the first time! So exciting! He's awesome and is just starting to smile regularly. I can't wait to spoil this guy rotten. Congrats to my sister and her husband!

So...update time....

I've been busy...mainly working on PUSS IN BOOTS. I've just been in a working groove for the better half of the year on it. Learning lots, teaching lots, and really enjoying LA. Another 5 weeks and we should be wrapping.
I've flown to Tennessee three times this year already, and can't wait to go back again in a few months.
I know I haven't posted for a long while, but have been keeping up pretty steadily on Twitter. A lot of what I use to post, I've just been quickly throwing up over on that feed, if anyone hasn't notice.
Once PUSS wraps, I'd like to jump back into some of my projects and hope to have those polished before the en of year...so look out for the completion of the shark and creature sculpt.

Greys

So, I've been pretty busy with work and unable to really contribute in my Creature Design class. Though I've still been attending and learning tons about the concept side of the industry.
Appropriately, with the release of PAUL this week, one of the assignments is to design a bunch of "Greys". Above is a quick stab at one. Will try and have more up throughout the week.

P.S.
Saw PAUL tonight. It was alot of fun. Paul looks AMAZING! He is seamlessly integrated into every shot he's in. He's so well done, it seems as though critics of the movie are completely over looking the fact that he's not real and just accepting him as one of the actors. I wasn't sure about Seth Rogan's voice at first...but it works. This little guy deserve some major props. Bravo to all the talent artists that brought him to life. Check out the high res stills below.

Puss in Boots!!

Well...yet again, it seems as though I'm working on another film that features talking cat-people. ;)
The teaser trailer for Puss in Boots hit the internet yesterday. The project is fun and the trailer tells you that this time it's all about Puss. I actually did all the skies in the trailer, simple for the most part, but I was able to squeeze in some photo reference I shot in Monument Valley on the sunset shot.
Download the High Res Trailer from Apple to see all the detail.
http://www.facebook.com/pussinboots
http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/pussinboots/

Creature Design Week 3 WIP

Well....There are some ideas and elements I'm kind of liking here, but I'm not feeling it 100%. It's a bit sloppy, especially the colored one. I mostly stumbled around trying to find a strong design. I like the vented, hooded crest. Perhaps ideas developed here will overflow into other future designs.
NOTES: Make head a little smaller. Focus just on creature...pass on environment. Feels design is strong enough to get in there with photo reference and color.

Creature Design Class at CDA

I'm taking a Creature Design Class at the CDA taught by Jerad Marantz on Saturday mornings, so my Friday nights are a bit tamed. I know I haven't posted in awhile, but I've been busy with work and had to fly home due to a death in the family. I'll post progress from the class here so you can see how some of these designs are coming about. The creature he wants me to focus on for next week is the squid head guy.
As for my sculptures....I'm currently looking for air compressors to power my airbrushes, but may need to hold off until this 10 week course is over.

1. Woodland Demon: Elements of pumpkin stems and antlers are incorporated into horny growths . The color-key helps define my layout for the antlers so you can see how he can move about.
Red-Head
Green-Shoulders
Blue-Spinal
Yellow-Elbow and Forearms
Notes: Instructor feels the antlers are all too similar in girth. Fears mobility might be hindered. I somewhat agree. In an orthographic side view that could layout the antler structure, I think I could argue that this guy could be quite agile.
2. Werewolf: Focused on slender-greyhound-like elements from thumbnails. Bat influence in the face. I wanted to stay away from having large claws. Real wolves can be extremely aggressive and fearsome and they don't really have large talons for claws. I'd like to explore one without the trilateral leg, but more of a human foot. The beast is sort of a halfway transformation when comparing it to other Werewolves in cinema.
Notes: Too lanky, not strong enough... Though likes the starkness of the pose/stance.
3. H.P.-Lovecraft-ian-type-beast: Chosen elements by instructor from thumbnails have been merged.
Notes: Instructor likes this one best. Need to really find a strong pose and add some asymmetry. Need to lose head spikes or down play them so his head has better mobility. Also add some crustacean like appendages around mouth area.

Final Sculpt!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!UPDATE!!! Here be a picture of the final sculpt, BAKED! You can see the final forms of the feet and legs. Next step is to get a mold made, so I can make a copy to paint and one to sculpt armor over.
Been busy lately. Lots of traveling over the holiday break....lots of stories to share. I won the winning bid on a piece of Crash McCreery concept art from Jurassic Park. Can't wait to share.
Hope everyone had a great break and are geting the new year off to a great start!