Making up for lost time...

Here's another model for an episode of FOP- Meet Bob the clown...

Dirtybeard

Well, again, in the usual tradition, I have to apologize for posting so infrequently, and thank anyone with the stamina to check back once in a while. Here's a drawing from some time ago- a collaborative effort for sure. At the start of this episode, I received a rough sketch from my Art Director (which I wish I still had- I would post it here). I took the basic model, & ran with it a bit...polished it up, & liked the final result pretty well. Hope you be likin' it too! AAAAARRRRRRRRGH!

Foster's Home...

While we were all on hiatus from Fairly Oddparents last year, I had the privilege of working on a couple episodes of Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. What a treat for me! Here are some of the characters I did during that time.

Tango Music & Parlor Guitars

I love old turn-of-the-century American parlor guitars.... my favorite guitar design. When I was asked to design some Tango musicians recently, I gave them... what else? It may have nothing to do with authentic tango music instrument selection, but what the hey? I knew they would be on screen for 6 frames anyway, and you gotta have some fun! I figured I couldn't get away with giving them ukuleles...

Cosmo, Preggers!

This is also from the "Fairly Odd Baby" episode. Some drawings to guide the animators, as they laid out the sequence where a pregnant Cosmo dances joyously through a bucolic landscape, celebrating his impending motherh...er...fatherhood.

Unfortunately the animation of this sequence was really disappointing, and what should have been a very funny animated segment blows by almost before you have time to notice it. That's what happens when you export art to the lowest bidder.

BABY POOF!

Well, Here I am back on FOP (The Fairly Oddparents), and my first assignment when I got back last June was to develop this character that was to be introduced in the season premiere. Cosmo & Wanda were slated to (gasp!) have a baby, and of course the details were all tightly kept under lock and key. Who was having a baby?... is it a boy or girl??... what will it's name be???...

Well, as of last night, the cat is officially out of the bag. Our season premiere, entitled "Fairly Odd Baby" aired, and Baby Poof (a boy), has been introduced to the Nickelodeon viewing world with enormous success!

This was not only my first assignment when I came back to Nick, but also my introduction to drawing on the Cintiq! Here are a few exploration pages- the earliest development of baby Poof. I hope you like 'em!

Mandatory Update!!

A few days ago, a co-worker by the name of Joel Fajnor told me I should update my blog. Yesterday, my sister emailed me to say the same thing. Can TWO people be wrong?? Here's an incidental family I drew recently for an episode of the Fairly Oddparents. This particular family happens to be mine (what kind of dad would I be if I didn't put my kids on TV when I had the chance)?

Incidentally, this is the ONLY way a child can appear on national television, without becoming a boozer, going through rehab, and/or getting pregnant out of wedlock.

Happy Halloween!

THE PUMPKINATORPencil Rough

Final Color

I'm trotting out an old one, but this seemed appropriate for the season. This is the Pumpkinator- done for an FOP Halloween special a couple of years ago. At the time, I was drawing almost exclusively on post-its, adding and removing elements to my designs without sweating ruining a precious drawing. I don't do that anymore, but it was fun while it lasted, and gave 3M stock a nice healthy boost.

Anyone who's been faithful enough to return to this blog, after an extended leave of absence by me, I thank you. Those who sent letters of condolence to my family- thank you too, but I'm not dead, as it turns out.

I have however returned to Nick for yet ANOTHER season of Fairly Oddparents- the show that was canceled twice, but just won't die. Say- that sounds appropriate for halloween too, doesn't it?

"Just when you thought it was safe to get up on Saturday morning.... FAIRLY ODDPARENTS 3- The resurrection!"

Ludwig Van Beethoven

This is Beethoven. He was really, really great. He was the Jimmy Hendrix of his day, and just as divisive, too!


This is from one of my first Fairly Oddparents episodes. Cosmo (magic, as he is) decided to put together an all-star band, including Beethoven on keyboards, and Nero on (what else?)- fiddle.

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Don't you hate it when life gets in the way of your blog??

Chinese Lunar Festival (...and ukulele)

For anyone interested, I'll be singing and playing (ukulele), as part of L.A. Chinatown's Chinese Lunar Festival, this Saturday, February 24th. The festival starts at 10:00am, the Golden dragon Parade begins at 2:00pm, and I, along with several other musicians and performers, will hit the mainstage at 5:00pm. I'll be performing about five songs, and it should be a lot of fun, especially if I don't embarrass myself.

We all know what an important historical role the ukulele has played in Chinese culture.


It's a natural! For details call (213) 617-0396. There should be something for everybody!

More Cowboys

Here are a couple more hombres from that pilot I was designing at Nickelodeon. These two face-off, in a macho contest. Purty tough, I reckon...



Your feedback is always appreciated, ...uh...y'all.

Sherlock Holmes

The World's Greatest Detective, what?
(I'd like to personally thank the guy who invented post-its)



(Comments always welcome)

Crusher

Crusher! The name says it all. Imagine being named "Crusher" at birth, and having to live up to the expectations that must create? No wonder he looks angry.

Here's the rough:



And the final art (The "Thanks for looking!" was added when I made him the last page of my portfolio.):

Incidental Egyptians

Here's a page of incidental Egyptians, done for a shot in a Fairly Oddparents episode.

Good Old Days

For the past couple of years, I've been working as the Art Director for The Fairly Oddparents, while continuing to occasionally do character design for the show as well. These are from one of my favorite episodes of that show, called "The Good Old Days". conceived, written & storyboarded by Dave Thomas, this show was a joy to work on, and everyone on the crew really gave it everything they had. While the character designs here are mine, Gordon Hammond shared character design duties for this episode. Jim Worthy did the amazing background designs, and Dan Chesher painted them with remarkable authenticity. Props were done by Frank Rocco. What we were going for, was a 1930's, Max Fleischer look to the show, which essentially (and reverently) spoofed the cartoons of that era. Of course, the main characters still had to look like the main characters from a very graphic, modern show, which presented it's own set of challenges.











Get a load of this background~ lavishly drawn by Jim Worthy, & beautifully painted by Dan Chesher. Trolley, hydrant, & car by Frank Rocco (who else?)



One of the most exciting things for me, was getting to provide the singing voice (and play ukulele) for this character- Chippington Skylark III


Here are some screen-grabs, from the final episode


Here's a frame from the song sequence


Hear the 1920's Icky Vicky song (with me on vocals and ukulele) here!:

ICKY VICKY SONG


Thanks for lookin'!

Some rough sketches

Here is a little development I did recently, for a pilot show. A rough sketch of some western desperados- COWboys...get it?

A horse...



And a couple incidental townsfolk, who've just discovered the joys of ice cubes and rubber bands.



Thanks for lookin'- Y'all come back, now!

Galactimus

Here's another drawing from my early days at Nick. In this episode of FOP, Timmy had to become a super-villain (an obvious spoof of Marvel's Calactus") in order to get some quality time with his mom & dad, who had become super-heroes. I thought it would be a good chance to slip in some comic-booky style, but I didn't know if the art director at the time (Bob Boyle) would go for it. He did! Here you go, Ben.


Here he is, frozen in ice- the rough, and then the finished model:



And this is about as randy as things are likely to get on this blog:

On The Air!

Well- One of the hi-lights of the year for ME was the fulfillment of two personal life ambitions: To write and direct a radio play, and to sing & play with a red-hot jazz band. In May, I directed an original show called "On The Air!", with local theatre group The Steppingstone Players. Frank Rocco assisted with the writing, and Dan "Soybean" Sawyer did the musical arrangements, and directed the band. The show was a big hit, thanks to a terrific cast, and an amazing band. I'm only a pseudo-musician (at best), but since it was my show, I got to play ukulele and sing a little bit. What a thrill! Here are some shots of the band and cast, from one of out last rehearsals- this is one or two nights before we opened, and costumes were about 65-70% at this point. I'm in the porkpie hat, and that
s Soybean at the keyboards & banjo-uke-



"SOYBEAN, AND HIS RED-HOT VEGANS"

"SWASH-BUCKLING ADVENTURE!"

The Dread John Flintlock, and son.



Allan Hunt (as Desmond LeRoi), advises Matt Rosell (as Jimmy).

Ivan scats.

Soybean wows listeners with his Über-chops, on his Gibson banjo-uke.

The Very First Noel & The Unflappable Cheneys

I didn't draw this, but I'm in this picture (twice)!

Okay, so I've been privileged to be involved with some cool projects in the 14+ years since I moved to California to make my fortune in animation (actually, I initially moved out here to stake my claim in the great Gold Rush, but quickly learned I'd missed the boat on that one), but THIS project takes the cake!!

About seven years ago, good friends Yarrow and Carrie Cheney (they're good friends to me- they're married to each other) got this cockamamie idea, that they wanted to make a 3-D animated film, about the Journey of the Three Wise Men to the Nativity. The cockamamie part is they wanted to do it themselves, that is to say, without outside interference. and without target demographics, focus testing, backward ball-caps, and without being told that baby Jesus needs "more attitude", or the suggestion that- in the interest of selling toys- couldn't the Wise Men travel on skateboards instead?

Well, suffice it to say, that seven years later, through sheer, unwavering determination, and many of leaps of faith, the Cheneys and their support team (led by Carrie's parents- The ever-stalwart Buells of San Diego) have emerged with a holiday video that is sure to by heralded for all time! (Cue the trumpets). With an all-original script by Carrie, imagine a Christmas special, with the heart and Warmth of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, or A Charlie Brown Christmas, coupled with the beautiful, lush Art direction of ...say...well- Yarrow Cheney!

This movie is a treasure. You should get it. In fact you should do what I'm doing, and get it for everybody on your Christmas list. They'll be your friends forever . I'll go one better- if you have a friend that you'd frankly like to ditch- start by NOT getting them this movie. That should go a long way toward putting a rift between you.

Q: What does this have to do with me, you ask?
A: I'm glad you asked! (Here's the privilege part). I was asked to voice the character of Joseph, and also "The Tall Shepherd" for this special, and my lovely wife Cathy voiced the part of Mary. You might say she was blessed among actresses. What fun! And before you go thinking that I'm promoting this so that Cathy and I can retire from residual income, forget it. To the best of my knowledge- residuals for DVD sales (and cable- This special is airing regularly on DirectTV) are still pretty negligible. I'm pushing this special because it's absolutely delightful, and deserves any exposure it can get.

Q:Didn't you promise in an earlier post that you wouldn't be really wordy on your blog?
A: Uh...yeah..sorry about that, but my enthusiasm for this special predisposes me to effusive rambling.

ANYWAY, watch it. You'll be glad you did.For more, go HERE, or HERE, or buy it HERE.

On-Line Waitress

Here's a character I did for my old boss, Steve Belfer, over at Warner OnLine. All bosses should be as cool as Steve. This was for an online game for....some burger place...Hardee's maybe? RALLY'S, I think! It had to be simple, because it would be really small on the screen. Hope you like it.