Cali the Explorer

(move over Boots, Dora has a new bff!)

Yesterday was my first official day interning at Nickelodeon and I am almost embarrassed to admit how excited I was for it. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at me while I was there though. I think I kept it in pretty well. On the outside, I was eager yet courteous, friendly and efficient. But on the inside... on the inside I was all smiles--the giddy kind.


On the inside, I was a total Kenneth... I guess in more ways then one. Like him, I am smack at the bottom of the television totem pole but I couldn't be more excited to be doing my part (no matter how very small it is).

I think I had a bit of a moment while I was hole punching paper and binding storyboard thumbnails and I realized that I was helping out at an actual animation studio. And I remembered how much I have always wanted to do that ever since I was just a little kid. And here I am trying to get my foot into the animation industry. I think that is where the giddiness comes from--my sheer LOVE for cartoons and tv. Almost felt like a teenage school girl again (it's a complicated history of mine...)
To be honest, I am perfectly fine with being an errand boy for now. I know some day (probably sooner then later) I'll want to have a job where I am actually an artist, but I have a feeling this is going to be a very positive experience. And well--I have a thing about freshly copied paper. I love the way smells and how warm it is when it comes out the copier--whenever I make my own personal copies anywhere, they are usually promptly removed and placed directly on my face...

And I think Dora is great for the kids. and on the plus side, Mexicans haven't had a good leading lady/heroine since... well....

A little known secret about myself (the internet is a good place to keep secrets, right?) I have seen my fair share of episodes of Dora the Explorer. Rosie, my little sister, was a big fan when she was younger and I would sit and watch it with her. And I found myself playing along with Dora even when Rosie had already left the room for other activities.

And you know who else likes Dora?

Lily does.

So maybe it will score kudos points with her. But chances are she wont care as long as she gets to break my stuff, she seems happy...

Anyways, there will be so much more for me to take in within the coming weeks. More holes to punch, copies to makes, papers to scan. And I will do it the best I know how. Then I will reign as KING of the office equipment!

(apologies to Frazetta)

Back to Basics

So I have been drawing from Preston Blair lately. Mostly because I've been feeling like if I really plan on improving, I need to hit the fundamentals (and I have to hit them hard). I think I like drawing from the web images I can find from the internet more then the book--probably because of Tom & Jerry...

(But the book switched them for this more generic cat and another mouse.)

There really is a lot for me to learn there, but right now my main focus is on CONSTRUCTION. I really feel like that is what is holding me back the most. Other things I am focusing on include line of action, exaggeration, and posing.

I feel like I have really cheated myself out on my foundation. But in a way I thing it just might be a fear, panic, and disdain with my current skill level (which may be due to a poor foundation? This is getting me no where....)

I'm going to have to draw my way out of this one.

Nick News

So today was the Nickelodeon orientation for all the interns. And they gave me all kinds of cool swag AND lunch (and I loves me a free lunch!). I haven't spent too much time there, but I already know I like it. A lot.

It looks like I am going to have lots of stuff to keep me occupied with in the coming weeks. There will be lots of after-hours events for interns like drawing classes and portfolio reviews that I will definitely be taking advantage of. Then I have to mix in school and work into the equation and I am back to my usual full days and long hours.

I've decided I am giving up t.v. and video games. Except for 30 Rock and the last Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (I'm so glad I've got to see a live taping before he left). Movies and cartoons are okay--because they are still beneficial. Then I'll apply all that wasted time towards drawing (and maybe a little more reading).

This is going to be tough. But no more goofing around...

Abstract of the Final College Semester Revisited

So it turns out that there was a change of plans after all. I have decided to keep Advanced Digital Illustration and I have replaced the others with:

Special Studies in Animation

Internship in Art

School will be starting up again in just a few days. And it will be over in no time (or more accurately: a 16 week period of time)

Late Night Vector

Quick late-night vector.
It is likely the fox is a result of being inspired by Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Or maybe it is just the bastard child of the Firefox logo and Tails...

I think I will blame this bout of unoriginality on being up all night (mostly just reading and drawing). Questionable genetics aside, the boring pose and ghostly eyes may mean it isn't salvageable...

Maybe I'll give it another shot after I get some sleep.

Death Valley '09

The camping trip to Death Valley was a lot of fun.


We had a nice camp site nestled in the hills.


Day 2 was met with a 8.4 mile hike up Death Valley's second highest peak. We were quite optimistic here at the start.


Then it just started getting cold...


We still made it to the top in the 20°F breezy weather.
No matter how tired, hungry, cold, and sweaty we were.


Day 3 we hit up the sand dunes.


It was the warmest we would be all trip (about 50+°F) .


Salt Creek


Golden Canyon
We saw some rocks that looked like steps. So we followed them. They went no where. And I almost fell to my death. Good times.


But that didn't stop me from climbing more rocks.


There was something about this place that made me think: Tatooine.
I just can't put my finger on it.....


Then we went to Artist's Palette for sunset.
It was quite a view.


I made a sculpture by stacking rocks.
A random man complimented it and said it looked like a duck.
I proceeded to knock it down by throwing more rocks at it
(contrary to his advice of leaving it be).

I think I made a bigger statement by not letting him tell me how to make my own art.
Also--they were stacked rocks for heavens sakes.
(my intention was target practice anyways)

All in all, it was a great trip. Had lots of fun. Saw lots of wild life. It was a great way to end the year. I didn't get a chance to water color like I wanted to, but that was because our days were quite eventful. I only got a page in a my sketchbook in, but nothing worth mentioning.

The night sky was absolutely wonderful. The moon is incredibly bright--you really can't appreciate it in the populated places with so much light pollution, but it casts so much light. It really makes it easy to see at night. And once the moon was gone--the stars were AMAZING.

2009 in Review

This year caught me by surprise and it was the good kind of surprise (like a Sunday morning when you wake up and its raining). I had no expectations for '09. For some reason, this time last year it was in my head that this year was going to be a lot more of the same; that couldn't be further from the truth.

Of course my adventure with the Imagineers played a big part in making this an exciting year, but I feel like I have talked great lengths about that. And maybe I should just shut up before my stories grow too old for re-telling.

I had some commissioned work this year. It was my first time freelancing and it was quite an interesting turn of events and I did make some decent money from it.

I definitely see a huge improvement in my work and I am definitely happy for that even though it is still not enough in my eyes (but when will it ever be?). In many ways, I feel like the things I have been learning and working on are beginning to click (especially since last year was particularly frustrating for me). I have been thinking about it, and I would say that I feel more like a knowledgeable artist vs. a skilled one. This of course is owed to the great program I have at my school with very talanted professors as well as my own personal efforts. Which isn't so bad I guess--the skill will come with time and practice and if I can set my impatience aside, maybe just maybe I'll get there...

If could boil down this year to one word it would be: progression. I think that serves a justifiable overall theme for everything that has happened.

2010 is sure to be an interesting year. So much to look forward to: interning at Nickelodeon, graduating college, and spending a month in Europe just to name a few. Not to mention the loads of job hunting I will be doing... (yaaaaaaay)

Resolutions:
-Write more short stories
(and actually finish one this time)
-Time lapse video of me growing my beard
(currently a work in progress)
-Storyboard my April Fools story and Rocky Raccoon music video
(potential portfolio pieces?)
-Work on stand up comedy routines
(look into amateur nights-signing up optional this year but mandatory next)
-Epic road trip
(this one may get skipped due to Europe trip)