I love layout. Sometimes I like shaking things up a bit, and giving myself small projects just to test out some of my skills- both in design and atmospheric perspective. Here's on for the 'folio.

Star Wars Tarot- The Emperor

I admit, I've been dragging my legs posting my art since the beginning of the year. Truth be told, I got contracted to work at another studio, and it's been the focus of my time, so I forgot to update blogger. I wish I had some sort of script that would let me post to all my internet mainframes, and update them all at once. :) Anyways, onto the card! This card is super strait forward. It was also one that was completed in one sitting... and when I finished, I was thinking to myself "well, that's that". I usually fiddle with the cards and tweak them endlessly... and this one just didn't. Strait forward to the end. Originally I had included the eyes, but on a second glance I really did not want such an ominous look to it. The Emperor card isn't a bad on necessarily, so I wanted to alleviate any more-than-necessary negativity to it. And that's that.

Star Wars Tarot- Ace of Swords

They are BACK! After along hiatus, I resumed making the Star Wars Tarot cards. My goal is for one a week. I was deliberating multiple aspects of this card. First, I originally drew a Padawan/Knight figure holding the sword, but opted to remove any figures for the "Ace" cards simply to avoid any confusions with the "Master" cards of the same suit. Second, was the color of the card- I originally wanted a darker blue color but wanted the Ace card to reflect the "general dominant" color of the suite. After reviewing my previous cards, the dominant "Purple" color prevailed [coincidentally the color of Mace's Sword, who is also the Master of the suit]. When designing this card, one of the images that banged through my head was using the symbol for the Order of the Knights as the actual base concept. I simply punched out a rough concept of fleshing out the symbol to its more physical form- Mace Windu's sword being utilized for the lightsaber of choice [he IS the Master of Swords, after all], all the while the wings reflecting the 2 said of the Force Users. I opted to use Green instead of Blue [for the wing] because of a color theory purpose, more than anything else. The blue made most of the card uniform in its visual presentation, and almost "invisible". Now, my major issue is how to use the same concept with the other suits. Sadly, some of the logos that fit the visual side will not fit the symbolic side, or might imply that the suit is either "good" or "evil". Time to crack that drafting board!

Back with a BANG!

After 6 months of studio work, purging my room and studio, I can finally bring up to date my blog!
I admit, I tend to neglect this place when I'm under contract simply because of the time restrictions... but when those finish, I deliver!
Going back to catching up some of the past content:
I'm notorious for a few things.
The relevant things for tonight are; I will get seriously ill twice a year. These will be done within intervals of 5-6 months. And when I do, I usually turn to making fan art and indulge in non-employment projects to pass the time [and the symptoms] in peace.
Since I have been suffering a serious sinus infection, and upper respiratory irritation for the last 3 days, guys what I did to pass the time?

I've always wanted to make a layout using the "dry brush" technique. Since I had a sketch of Qui-gon and Obi-wan in my "Tarot" style, I figured I'd take the time and create the "spread" layout I had in my "sketches" folder.
That's a lot of quotations.

One of the concepts I was fancying over the last few years was to be able to see my art in the "Star Wars Insider" magazine. I would also indulge this little fantasy by adding that it would be in "Insiders" because of some 2D short or film I would produce with the SW character of choice.
Well, life has its own agendas, and while I might not have been able to make that short just yet [I always have idea on the back burner... who knows?], I figured I'd indulge myself and create the spread anyways.
Boy, I did say "Indulge" a lot in this post. And yet again, more quotations!
I'm on a feverish role.

Anyways, one of the things I would often imagine is how it "felt" to be in the Jedi temple. You know, those weird sentimental memories one has of specific ways the specific seasons would reflect in one's home? Like, how the sunlight hit a certain room, or the way the twilight would feel in a specific season... I wanted to try and capture those kinds of moments within the Jedi Temple. So when recreating this interior, I wanted to have a layout that was deeply atmospheric.
Drawing upon a lot of the Buddhist temples, and medieval castle interiors, I wanted to have a "fire lit" corridor. Considering that SW is set in a technologically advanced galaxy, I figured that the torches or fire pots would be replaced by in-wall illumination of the same color.
Gives the same feel, but for a galaxy far far away.

Rose Marie Promotional Flyer

Back in April I worked for a local Opera Production Company for their theatrical feature "Rose Marie".
Amongst the art done for the production [like the stage prop totem pole], the promotional flyer was also designed by myself. I decided to approach it in a very different stylized manner to help reflect the more contemporary edge the Opera was set in. :)

Wish Opera

On April 29th, the Opera "Rose Marie" debuted. I had the AMAZING pleasure of working on the production with some insanely talented people... and now that it's over, I wanted to post a visual process of creation; I summarized my carving of the Totem Pole stage prop from start to finish.



Working for the theater is the most stunning experience for me; as I said before, I am an avid traditionalist, and the theater is truly the setting for the classic arts... also demanding a different thought process and approach then most media. This totem pole is a perfect example of that- because I had to construct what would appear to be a pole made of wood, but factually an impossible task to be done in the short period of time I had. Foam was the perfect solution- I could work on every figure independently, and also care to make the cuts in the foam look like wood.

Funny when we attended the actual opera, we were so taken aback we actually forgot to take a picture while watching it unfold... so lucky me that the production staff actually did. :)



That's 10 feet of foam right there folks.

Godric- Meeting the Light

Originally this was a Birthday Portrait for Allan Hyde (Actor who plays Godric), which was drawn out on a Canson board roughly 16" x 20".

I had saved the picture until I was notified that the gift was delivered... I originally posted this on my birthday, earlier this year.