Airport study

This is a sketch I did on our return trip back to LAX over the holiday. I liked how everyone was lined up at the luggage claim.

Thanksgiving watercolors

Over the holiday as I was traveling to and from Minnesota, I was able to fill a bit in my sketchbook. I've been inspired by other people's blogs to do a little watercolor. These are some of my first attempts at the wet medium in a looong time.

Costco shoppers...

I joined a couple friends the other day and went "people watching" at the local Costco.

Zoo Sketches...

I was able to get out and head over to the zoo on lunch today with a group from CN and a couple guys from Renegade. Had a good time, gotta love that spoonbill...

Daily Sketch

I did this sketch on the computer and as I was painting it, I accidently discovered that it looked pretty cool with the line layer turned off.

Rough concept design

just for fun...

I was inspired looking at some other people's sites and I opened a blank photoshop document and began sketching. This is the result...

Friends of mine to check out...

I've had such a positive experience with this blog thing that I've told friends of mine to set up their own. Here's a couple friends of mine that have recently started their own blogs...

TIM SZABO


Tim and I go way back. We worked together at my first animation job at Reelworks Animation in Minneapolis. Tim helped my wife and I move out here and shortly after that, he decided to move out here himself. He's currently working at Renegade Animation. Not only is Tim a decent guy, but he's pretty damn talented too. But don't take my word for it...see for yourself

ROB LILLY


Rob was one the first guys I worked with once I got out here to LA. Since then, we've worked at pretty much every studio together at some form or another. He's currently over at CNS, animatin' and designin'. And he's pretty damn good at it too. But don't take my word for it...see for yourself

Noir Study

Quick Photoshop tone studies from the noir classic "Out of the Past". Inspiration for the "Fairfield" short I'm making.

New York, New York...

Just a sample sketchbook page from a trip to NY...

Heads Up!

I was a guest speaker the other night at the Animation Academy's seminar series, and while we were waiting for people to arrive, I sketched out this page. Somewhat based on the students in attendance, but not really. I'm no characaturist and I don't pretend to be. After a small compositional tweak and a quick color pass, this is what I ended up with. I'm always amazed at how fast you can color something in Photoshop and how much it adds to the final product.

*Charles just posted some photos of the evening on Animation Nation. Check them out!. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see me doing a digital storyboard pitch on a rather small laptop, but I think people still liked it :)