Art of MandyLazers...

Project Ron Saks: Proposal

2012-02-22T08:07:00.000-08:00

My idea is to make an animatic for a 3-5 minute music video! I love music and while I listen I love to think about how music videos for certain songs would go. :)

I would need about 6 people for this, 2-3 artists to do storyboards/cleanup work, perhaps someone to add some color or shading and 1-2 people to work in either AfterEffects or Storyboard Pro (preferably Storyboard Pro as I know that much better but if someone knows a lot about AfterEffects I'm willing to learn)!

I love all kinds of music and haven't settled on a song, I figure we can do that as a group. Anything from something as mainstream as Lady Gaga or LMFAO to lesser known like The Kooks or Library Voices. I love it all, really!

The best songs to use would probably be ones that are a little more obscure and can be interpreted in many ways. I prefer cartoony/comedic concepts but we can discuss the plot of the video after we settle on a song.

Here's some quick sketches of some silly ideas that can obviously use some expanding on.

But it's always subject to change!

And of course, here's an example of what I'm thinking by one of my favorites ever. Gorillaz!

and here's an example of one I did myself last year, much more serious than what I plan on doing for this project and in a very experimental style (that I don't plan on using again anytime soon) but you get the idea.

That's all! Fun times!

The Fun Art Times

2012-02-21T18:43:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to do a post with a few things I've done in my free time recently! Haven't done one in a while.

A Zooey Deschanel for a dear friend who loves Zooey Deschanel. Yay!

And again as a pony because he loves ponies as well... he is silly.

And a quick one of me party rocking hard (I tend to do that on occasion) mainly so I could have an excuse to use ridiculous colors... don't look too long... it will burn.

And another extremely quick one in honor of Justin Bieber being so sweet. I maybe need better ways of showing my affection...

Project Hiroshi: Final Adjustments

2012-02-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Okay! I dealt with the font a little better this time, making it a little less blah and more form-fitting. It definitely looks nicer but I really need more practice with fonts and kerning and such.

Just so everyone knows why I chose not to include the other band members in my composition I have included that version here for all to see. It looks very awkward but I suppose as far as the assignment goes, this one is actually more appropriate.

Looking at it now though, I'm sure a horizontal composition and again, better font, would have helped immensely. But anyway! Colorful poser is colorful.

Design for Media: FINAL

2012-02-15T22:48:00.000-08:00

Well, it vaguely ended up how I planned but I am happy with the finished product!

Here were some of my original compositions in my sketchbook.

And the basic outlines. I was so bummed, I really wanted to use ALL the band members because Ben and Andrew are really the only ones who ever get attention but it just didn't work. Maybe it was my drawings, maybe the composition but they just didn't fit properly in the background. So they were abandoned. It made me sad.

Here was some progress on coloring the frontmen.

And here is the finished product! Designed to make it look like they are performing in Columbus... I want to go to there.

Pretty! I also had one with slight colorization that I preferred but everyone I asked didn't.

So that's it! Fun times!

D4M Update

2012-02-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

So I've finally settled on the band idea but I'll probably end up coming back to the other in a later project. Here's some examples of my renditions of that band members with this picture that I honestly found AFTER I drew the caricatures. Pretty close, maybe?

So here are a few random things I have thrown together while brainstorming. A few compositions and Andrew and Ben as doggies...

I think a lot of my first compositions were more focused on fancy backgrounds which is good for me (I've never been one to think too much about those) but bad for the project since is supposed to be character-based. Here are the ones I thought had the best design but all may not be appropriate for the project. The design that gets chosen will obviously influence the characters' design complexity as well as the color scheme.

So in case anyone doesn't know, MGMT is basically a band from the future playing music of the 70's... or is it the other way around? Either way, the colors used on the final product will be very reminiscent of a 70's style. Here's a few examples I made.

That's all for now! I feel like it will come together really fast once I get my composition down.

D4M Update

2012-01-30T17:29:00.000-08:00

Still torn between my 2 ideas. Part of me wants to be creative and come up with a whole new cast and story and go all out. While another part just wants to draw the MGMT guys because they are so much fun. Also, I think I would be a lot more motivated to work on a project involving them, they are just my favorites ever. But here's what I have so far.

And in case you don't know what a bearcat (binturong) looks like, kind of like this only much darker.

And here's the MGMT parts I have so far, no color yet, just sort of getting the caricatures down first. But I can tell you this, the end result will be very colorful (use your imagination for now).

Andrew Vanwyngarden (sporting some sweet shades)

EDIT: And colored.

Ben Goldwasser

and Matt Asti (looking slightly hungover AND using an invisible chair!)

Of course this is only 3/5 of the band, I will update as I progress because this is more than likely going to be my choice. I like them a lot.

Design For Media

2012-01-25T20:10:00.000-08:00

First post for Design for Media and I think it's safe to say I have the "failing" part down pretty well.

In my case, the assignment was to come up with a concept for multiple characters that work well together in the same environment... Too many ideas, too less execution of them. I can never stick with one idea because I always think of one that could be better (until I draw it) but then I change my mind completely and well, here are the results...

At first, I had the idea to make up a band. I enjoy music and making music so I can relate, but I also like dancing so why not make a dance group? But I know more about music than dancing (you can only learn so much from a Kinect) so back to the band.

Let's go for a more stylized route though, let's focus on making the characters vary in shape and style rather than personality... never mind... back to the band. But why do they look like a Maroon 5 cover band? Why not make them resemble the musicians I mainly listen to.

Now we're getting somewhere... kind of. Why not completely go out on a ledge here, just ONE more time.

Small kids dressed as wild animals, where have I seen that before? I'm going to continue to work on the costumes as well as the children to make them more unique and develop stronger personalities. With color and better drawings I think this may end up being the winner. If not, I'm thinking the band will be my plan B. I'm sure that once either of these ideas get some tweaking (and color) they could both be acceptable.

Also, I love bearcats.

A lot.

The end.

The New Semester Times

2012-01-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It's the new semester and just so everyone is aware, this blog (which has always been a general dumping place for all my work) will now mainly contain work from Animation as well as Design for Media! So be prepared for a lot less finished art and a lot more failed attempts. Anyway, why not start the new semester by posting things I never got around to last semester?

Here's that animation I promised!

Here is another silly animatic for Time-Based Media Design, again using an audio clip from "The Mighty Boosh" only this time, it's the radio show!

And last of the videos is another TBMD animatic in which we had to put visuals to a piece of music. I am ashamed to say that I completely disregarded the fact that I used an MP3 and therefore the video is detached in a few parts due to the compression, but you get the idea. Also, clearly using a different style here, it was worth a shot.

And here are a few drawings I have done recently.
This first is for my friend, Livi, who asked for her and Maurice Moss from The I.T. Crowd.

This one is pretty darn old... The Mighty Boosh again.

I like Raichu a lot, this is marker on canvas.

This is a character I must have made in 7th grade or so, I resurrected her and she's looking MUCH better than ever.

And this last one is my puppy who tends to show up in my art a lot...

That's all! Enjoy the new year and semester!

The Koala Times

2011-10-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already time to start our animation finals. Sweet! Our final has to have every aspect we've learned so far (walk, gesture, morph and anticipation) and I think I've got them all down pretty well. I'm using a hilarious sound clip from my favorite show "The Mighty Boosh" and putting it to my little koala guy here. His name is Fulcher (don't remove his tie) and he's kind of a spaz.

This is the clip which I edited down to a 20 second mp3 and will be playing throughout the animation.

And here's the storyboard! I still need to think of a title, something along the lines of Marsupial/Mug or Koala/Cup or something. Haha! Suggestions welcome!

I hope it turns out as good as I'm picturing it!

The Birthday Times

2011-10-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

My little brother's birthday is on Halloween and right now he's finishing up his football season. He's a pretty cool kid... but my dog is cooler as you can see.

Once again, done in markers because I still haven't replaced my stylus. Hope he likes it since I have no moneys for real presents!

Since I'm posting this, I may as well post past-sibling gifties!

Here's my other little brother who actually said "Hey, you should draw a picture of me." and since I forgot his birthday I drew this as fast as I possibly could. He still looks pretty rad even with a miniature poodle while wearing a pink shirt (which he does frequently).

And my sister with her ~~terrible~~ adorable dogs. (I LIKE DOGS, OKAY!?) This one's extra old, btw.

Can't wait until Halloween!!!

The Animation and TBMD Times

2011-10-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is what I've done in Time Based Media Design so far. They don't make much sense if you don't know the assignment criteria but at least they're cute. My first one is meh, my second one is a bit better and the one I'm working on now is going to be righteous! I can't wait until it's done! I do need to put more time into this class though, you can kind of tell that I rush through the drawings... oh well.

For this one she gave us a scenario and we had to work out the details. Done in Prismacolor markers that breathed their last breath as I was using them. Tear...

And this was an opening for a TV show I ~~completely ripped off of Neil Gaiman~~ made up.

Also animation! This was my character I used for my first real animation. I named him Ransak and he is terrifying.

And Noodle from Gorillaz was my lovely model for my walk cycle.

I'm sure I have more to show than these but for now this will suffice.

The YGG Human Times

2011-10-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Who am I writing this for?

Midterm weeks are officially over so I thought I'd reward my rad accomplishments with some well-deserved drawing fun. Unfortunately, my dog ruined another stylus of mine (chewed at both ends, I can't even look at it it pains my heart-guts so much) so for the time-being I'm stuck with a very limited amount of markers. Despite that and the many inconsistencies among these dudes, I like them overall. I really like humanizing non-human characters, it's great for character development (and Yo Gabba Gabba is the bomb). Fun fun!

Brobee: ...just hopeless.

Foofa: She's adorable but I had the OPPOSITE of what her outline color should be and I had to go over it about 3 times to make it dark enough.

Muno: Razzle dazzle!

Plex: I was sad. Plex is my favorite and the same thing that happened to Foofa happened with this one. Causing me MANY problems when editing. Cuuursessss...

Toodee: Strangely she looks... just like me (maybe a little more fit).

I think I'll post school work some time later, though I don't have much to show. I'm taking mostly Liberal Arts courses this year so, unless someone wants to read philosophy or look at an anatomy test you might be out of luck.

When I get some readers, I will thank you for reading. Actually, I'll thank you right now! THANKS, READERS.