Steampunk Shenanigans

March 1, 2017

This past month I had the pleasure of holding a workshop at The Orange Space in Redlands where I talked about concept ideation and composition. The recently opened space is host to rentable work tables and monthly guest talks by creatives and entrepreneurs. It's a cool place to stop by after you've grabbed your à la minute ice cream.

There are two upcoming adventures this month for the time traveler and art collector! The first is the Iron Horse- Family Steampunk Carnivale on March 18-19 from 10am-5pm. It is on the grounds of the Orange Empire Railway Museum, which houses many a historical locomotive, including ones you can ride during the event. There will be live entertainment and Victorian-inspired vendors, which is where you will find me! I will be bringing signed prints, originals, and other collectible items. Both modern-dressed and Steampunked civilians are welcome!

Just a week after will be the bi-annual Downtown Redlands Art Walk on March 26 from 12pm-6pm. The art walk is always free to attend and continues to grow in size. It's a great time to grab a bite to eat and peruse the local artists on State St, Citrus Ave, and 5th St. I will be among several artists exhibiting indoors at the Cope Building, so come inside and find us!

CTNX vs Designer Con: The Aftermath

November 22, 2016

My quest for new, local convention venues brought me to CTNX and Designer Con 2016 this past weekend. I attended for enjoyment, educational value, and to scope out future exhibiting venues.

I went to CTNX on Saturday with a 1-Day Exhibit Floor Plus Pass, wanting to see some demonstrations without paying the higher price for access to panels and workshops. With that said, this ticket is twice the cost of a 1-Day Exhibit Floor Only Pass. Was it worth it? Lets see shall we...

When I arrived in Burbank, I parked at the Metrolink Station, expecting to find a CTNX shuttle that would take me to the Marriott. I couldn't find the shuttle schedule online, so I reached out to my friend I knew was a CTNX volunteer, who happened to have the shuttle times. With the lack of shuttle information online, my expectations weren't too high, but it was still a let-down to find no sign of life at either the Metrolink or the nearby shuttle stop at Nickelodeon Studios. The shuttle may or may not have been running, but the lack of shuttle-stop signage suggested the later.

After my morning workout, I found my way to the Burbank Airport parking lots. I wasn't quite sure where to go for on-site parking (one reason I didn't park closer), but I did see a formidable line of cars that may have been for on-site parking. In retrospect, I could have paid the same price for closer on-site parking as I did at the remote airport parking lot, but I decided not to risk a potentially long wait for parking.

I made my way over to registration and was happy to find no line. I picked up my wristband, but was surprised to find that a lanyard was not included. I thought I was crazy and accepted my no-badge fate, but later checked the What Does My Admission Include? .pdf, which clearly lists "Wristband and Designer Badge" for my ticket type. No badge wasn't a bid deal as long as I got the same access, but I was looking forward to putting my badge design in my lanyard. I made a design as part of the "Design Your Badge" contest, which may also be host to some last-minute changes. The voting period for the contest should have opened almost a week ago, but no entries have yet been posted for public voting.

The morning's experience was a little disconcerting, but I was still pumped to visit some friends in the Exhibit Hall and behold the amazing artwork. Vendors included artists, art schools, animation studios, and artist supply brands like Copic. This was clearly the heart of the convention where aspiring artists met face-to-face with seasoned and emerging professionals in the entertainment industry.

While the quality of work was stunning, the same can not be said for the structure and layout of the exhibitor tent. Floors were uneven in places, creating a funhouse experience while walking through packed aisles. As much as I enjoyed talking with the exhibiting artists and perusing their lavish sketchbooks, the crowded areas made it uncomfortable to stay in any one spot for too long. Perhaps most concerning was reports of leakage and power failures during the rainy weather on Sunday of CTNX.

At the indoor demonstration area, I watched a little bit of digital painting and traditional animation. During two of my "breaks" at CTN, I sat at each of the life drawing stations, which function as little oases for overwhelmed, introverted souls (like me).

The most engaging demonstration I saw during my short visit was for SyncSketch. The online program is like Skype for animators and provides a basic set of tools to draw on top of the frames of an animated sequence for critiquing purposes. I don't see myself using Syncsketch personally, but I liked the fact that the critique was open to the public. Within just a short amount of time, I learned vicariously through the participant whose animation was on display. It made me wonder why other studios and exhibitors weren't doing the same thing. No doubt, they come across scores of student portfolios with the same technical and conceptual weaknesses. By selecting a few portfolios of different ability levels, studios can provide more in-depth critiques that a host of attendees can watch and benefit from. This may also provide more time for studios to do private portfolio reviews for the top candidates. Live paint-overs could work similarly, showing with just a few strokes the difference between "student" work and "professional" work.

Public critique with Michal Makarewicz at the SyncSketch booth.

My day ended with a mesmerizing demonstration by drawing master Kim Jung Gi whose brush pen prowess caused the spontaneous combustion and miraculous re-generation of my internal organs.

Demonstration by Kim Jung Gi at the Talent-Opolis area of CTNX.

Overall, my CTNX experience was worth a first-time visit, but the high ticket prices, challenges with accessibility, and organizational issues will probably keep me from attending in the future. With that said, CTNX is one of few opportunities to meet in-person with studio representatives and will continue to draw crowds of eager students.

Designer Con was a whole different ball game. It should be noted that Designer Con's exhibiting artists target a different audience and industry. Most exhibitors at CTNX were looking to attract the attention of animation studios, while exhibitors at Designer Con attract individual consumers and collectors. There were just a few studio-oriented character designers at Designer Con, which may grow as the convention continues to expand. Most artists had fully-fledged brands and original IP that they applied to prints, toys, accessories, and apparel.

Sunday morning I encountered a small hiccup while parking near the convention center. I planned on parking at a lower rate in the Paseo Colorado parking structure, but it appeared closed. Instead, I followed signs for event parking and paid the $12 fee for on-site parking. I paid a little more than what I did at CTN, but the process was smooth and the walk to the convention hall was a breeze.

Stepping into the exhibit hall was like stepping into Jim Henson's Labyrinth. There was a new curiosity on every corner blending equal amounts of cute and creepy. The spacious aisles allowed for leisurely browsing and ease of conversation with exhibiting artists.

Valency Genis and her creations.

Artwork by Valency Genis

I found myself stopping at every-other booth and met some artists that I had been familiar with through social media. Valency Genis was one of them and kindly answered my questions about her sculpting process. With several artists at Designer Con, I asked about their relationship between 2D and 3D artwork. This was valuable information for my current artistic process, since I'm exploring ways to use my 2D illustrations for other applications, including collectible sculpture.

The degree of creativity at Designer Con was unparalleled. Every artist had a strong voice and displayed unique products that appeal both to art lovers and the average consumer. I would love to see workshops and panels at the event, but close interaction with exhibitors still allowed for an educational experience. I'm pretty sold on exhibiting next year at Designer Con!

Here is a quick comparison of my expenses for CTNX and Designer Con as an attendee. It does not reflect all of the options available for ticket types and parking, just the ones I went with personally when I attended:

Comparison Chart: My Expenses

CTNX vs. Designer Con

November 17, 2016

There are two California conventions taking place this weekend in close proximity: The Creative Talent Network's Animation Expo, and Designer Con. I've made the crazy decision to attend both.

Designer Con is relatively new and one of the fastest growing shows in the design industry. While it can be seen as a rival to CTN, it clearly represents a different facet of the commercial arts. CTNX caters more towards the entertainment industry (animation and concept art for film and television) while Designer Con features art and design for physical products (toys, art prints, apparel, etc,). My plan is to experience both as a casual attendee and compare the two in terms of educational value, vendor interaction, and general observations.

Let the show begin!

If you're looking for my Triptych blog, you can still find it at https://triptychtrio.com/.

Spotlight on the Accompanist

February 14, 2016

Lets take a moment to observe the objects around you...

That's a pretty cool cell phone case you have. Not only is that design captivating, but I'll bet if you ever lost track of it, your friends would be able to identify it because the artwork is so unique and reflects your personality.

What book is that you're reading? The cover really speaks to me. It makes me interested in what fantastic adventure or profound ideas are contained within its pages.

I really like that poster on your wall. Not only does it go well with the decor, but it strikes me on an emotional level. It makes me want to contribute to a good cause.

There is no doubt that visual art is everywhere. It's often called "design" in commercial applications, but has no less creative value than the paintings in a fine art gallery. The biggest difference between commercial illustration and fine art is that illustration functions as an accompaniment to a product. This gives the product the attention it needs, but consequently leaves some mystery as to who creates the artwork.

Contrary to popular belief, sophisticated software like Photoshop does not possess the power to "create" pictures at the touch of a button. In the hands of an illustrator, they are mediums that operate in the same way pencils and paintbrushes do. It takes a skilled human with years of study and practice to create the design on that lovely Starbucks mug you are thoughtfully sipping from.

Who are these invisible creatives in our midst? They are everywhere, but like the accompanists of the music realm, they make it their goal to help the soloist sound amazing. They know when to play softly and when, in those rare moments, to play loudly when signifying a change in mood or narrative landmark. Even then, they are setting the stage for the soloist.

So how do we give the accompanists a spotlight? Well, one option is to give them their own concert every now and then. Those "concerts" come in the form of things like gallery shows, expos, and art-focused publications. One such publication, the anthology, is unique in that it often features a collection of works from several different artists. And who doesn't like the idea of a collaborative picture book?

This brings me to a specific anthology worth giving notice. The SCAD Illustration Anthology is a collection of work by students of the Savannah College of Art and Design that is in the process of being crowdfunded. I know several of the students who are involved and can tell you that you would have trouble finding a more passionate and capable group of artists. Don't let the title of "student" fool you--these are studious individuals whose work is at a professional level. But you don't have to take my word for it. Instead, have a look:

Pretty cool, eh? And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

What if you could give illustrators center-stage and prove to the world that the people who created artwork for the objects adorning your room exist? You. Can. By helping get this sweet piece of visual candy made, you will make the presence of the allusive creative known!

It gets better. Illustrators know that anthologies like this one help get their work seen by art directors. These art directors are directly responsible for hiring freelance illustrators. You could be part of getting these folks their first gig. That gig could, in turn, give them more visibility to other art directors. And before you know it, you are helping make a dream come true that takes commercial artists many, many years to achieve.

How about it? Here's your chance to put the spotlight on the accompanist:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/scad-illustration-anthology#/

Beneath the Tumtum Tree

February 9, 2016

A new collaborative triptych with my composer and writer friend is now complete. Take a walk through the tulgey wood on our blog.