Hansel & Gretel Backgrounds

I always find layouts and backgrounds challenging because I don't work on them enough in my life time.

Hansel & Gretel Line Up

Hansel and Gretel sketches

Another project of uncertain future though things are moving along for my client, Pixeries Studio. These are idea developments done for a funding pitch the studio needed last year. Haven't received much updates from the studio for a while now though I have received word that they are already working on the animation needed for their animated picture books, but by another animation studio (Bizarro in fact,my earlier mentioned other client). To Aurelia ([link]) and , thank you so very much for entertaining all of my letters to participating on this project though it seems that I won't be working on it again anytime soon unless Pixeries gives me another heads up after they're done with their current skids with Bizarro. We'll see.

I'm feeling like a hired mercenary right now.

But enough rambling. Hope you'll enjoy the next few series of Hansel and Gretel (what could've been or possible back in the focus) works, folks.

I always find works on backgrounds and layouts challenging.

The making of Critter Chorus

One project that was not scrapped. Thanks Mel for posting these shots from your blog! Now I can share 'em in mine as well. Sketches & development, character designs and key animations by me,....coloring,layout and rendering by Melissa Celestial. Flash animation by Tony Ganem.

Swashbuckler High

One of many freelance projects that didn't see the light of day.
Client : Studio Bizzaro for a Disney Pitch.

Perchance met with my client the day before yesterday during a voice recording session. Wanted to contact him for a long time to ask for permission to use these drawings for display if they have no intention of proceeding with it's production but never got to it. So ironically my client,Brian, happened to be voicing one of my characters for the Saladin project I'm working on that day so it saved me an email to write there n then. Coolness.

Lately...

Heyas everyone! Well, a whole lot of things has been happening lately so I had better get started. Besides my day job and rushing for deadlines,keeping me busy from updating my site regularly as I'd like, this happened. My car kaputted on the highway during rush hour after work. Thank God it stalled right in front of the toll booths where there were some able bodied officials to help me with my predicament. Took 2 hours of contemplating,scrutinising the problem and waiting for the tow truck to arrive and bring me to my mechanic's shop. It was quite an adventure for me to be able to sit propped up in the air in the truck like that while the tow chap slowly lowered my car behind the alley,where the mech shop is. Gave a bit of viewing entertainment to 2 dog walkers for a petshop I recognised just a couple of doors down from the mech.

And on another sad note, last month was to be Steve's last collaboration with us all on working on the Saladin project. But am glad to be able to chip in to give him something memorable from the team to commemorate all those fun moments we've all shared together back at the office. Check out Mel's take on the farewell dinner in her blog at http://kusut-masai.blogspot.com/
Really glad Steve was happy with the gifts he got that evening over a farewell seafood dinner.
Too many to mention here...but from what I can make out in the photo, from left to right :
Bottom : Syed,Steve,Ezat,Chi Ren and Desmond.
The rest behind : Fy,Shahrain,Remy,Shawal,Gecko,Irma,Iman,Hanie, Mel barely seen behind her and finally, Hafez.

Admiring the Cartoon Logic cards created by the magnanimously talented Mel.

Meh, a shot of me at the office. That pile of Nat Geos there on my desk is a great resource for inspiration and ideas and the likes. That be Mel and Irma in the background.Life savers. Mo's kids first visit to the office one fine day. His daughter,Taliel, kept me company almost throughout watching Spongebob and eating Oreos at my desk. His son was the sweetest, always coming back and forth checking in on his sister,even giving her a kiss on the cheek now and then. This shot is of them having a blast coloring their own versions of Saladin characters. I was having a real down time/bad day at the time, so when Mo brought his kids in,they were like a godsend. And contrary to what Mo describes his kids as, they were definitely perfect angels that day.
Me paying a visit to my sister's house where the family's 2 dogs were let loose at the front porch at the time. Oh joy! I don't get to see a lot of animals nowadays as they don't allow us to keep pets in the apartment.
The 2 rascals went ballistics at their moment of freedom with the family.
And something long delayed but am still very proud to mention here. My pal, Chan Ghee upon winning July's 11 second club. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS,Chan Ghee! You deserve it for all your hard work and energy and thought put into this clip.
And my apologies,folks, for the deceptive image below. Clicking at it doesn't actually make it play,it's just a screen shot from the site.
Check out Chan Ghee's submission at the site here... http://www.11secondclub.com/competitions/july08/winner/

And below, something fun to mention. My pal, Matthias Ranheim, shared photos of him posing as an extra in his swat cop outfit for a movie they were shooting in a town where he's at. Hope to see the show when it's completed.



And not too long ago, Joe was back in town to get some work done and Leon and everyone from Imaginex gave him a warm send off dinner and pub crawl at Bangsar after Joe's week long stint here.
Left to right : Joe,Gavin,Alex,Mike,Leon and Luca. A lot of the other guests were gone by the time this shot was taken.
And finally, me working hard fulfilling my aunt duties as photographer for my nephew's 5th birthday at his party held at the KL Bird Park last month. Check out all the shots taken that day at my Flickr....http://www.flickr.com/photos/81755819@N00/

And finally....

The very inspiring,very talented Carl Barks. Happen to chance upon this clip while perusing through YouTube. In it, our very own Jerry Becks from Cartoon Brew. Enjoy,folks!

Simon's Cat and some more sketches

I just can't get enough of Simon's Cat animation clips. Enjoy!


Also, some ol' sketches from my trusty sketch journal.

Cheers,folks!

28 today!

Birthday dinner treat from the guys at MnU. Thank you so much for chipping in for my the dinner and for my birthday gift,everyone! I'm so touched by the thoughtfulness and kind generosity shown by all.
Raaymond and Jase helping themselves to Ed's dish of mushrooms. More images in my Flickr blog on the side,folks.
My sis's family came by to visit early this month and my niece got a little high.....
A lil sketch I did but never made to print.
And I'll be posting a whole lot more goodie clips here to share with everyone my sources of inspiration.
Vive la Herge!


And very interesting to see the master actually drawing out Tintin.





And a dish I'm currently addicted to. Locally, it's known as Pecal Leleh. It's a set meal of grilled catfish with a side of raw salad,eggplants,tofu and stuff with tongue singeing sambal, white rice and a small bowl of chicken soup. Not bad for RM6 only. Do drop by and peruse around my food blog if you're a foodie. The link is on the side.
I can't hardly believe I'm older by another year! Time does catch up on you.

Cheers,folks!

Loud hints and a quick sketch

There's apparently a huge amount of YouTubers putting in a lot of effort in coming up with movie trailers they desire to see in the upcoming movie bill. There's one good way for movie goers to drop loud hints to movie makers out there of what they want to watch. I've seen a couple already, including an unexpected Voltron trailer. But I think Knightfall182's 'Justice League of America' trailer is one of the best efforts in movie editing I've come across so far.

And a Joker sketch I've as yet to add color to.

Jean Giraud & some watercolors

Loustal

Loustal
Caricato da VeenyW

And check out Coconino Press Blog here .... http://coconinoitalia.blogspot.com/
And their site here .... http://www.coconinopress.com/mainebase.htm

Wishing I was in Annecy right now.....

Walt Disney's A Story of Dogs

The Lady and the Tramp,Oliver & Company,The Fox and the Hound,Sword in the Stone...all these wonderful Walt Disney cartoons helped to inspire me as a kid to want to draw for animation indefinitely. Thank you so much to 'Freedogshampoo' for sharing these memorable clips for everyone to enjoy. This chap seems to have single-handedly uploaded a treasure trove of Walt Disney goodies in his YouTube gallery here...http://www.youtube.com/user/freedogshampoo

A quick ink and watercolor piece of Dog with Lil' Pee & Poo.

Cheers,folks!

Sylvain Marc clip & The Adventures of Claude and Chunkie

Another animation clip which I'm pretty sure you've all seen already but I wanted to add in here as one of the many inspiring animation clips I've found in YouTube. The ever brilliant Sylvain Marc's Fertilizer Soup.
And an idea I realized last year as part of my contribution to our MnU mini pocket book series. My story about an ever hungry wolf named Claude whose fervent endeavour to procure food led him to accidentally become the adopted father of an orphaned albino cougar cub in the forest.
Here are some preliminary artworks I've done before the final look.

The rough layouts....
....then watercolored....
....before photoshopping the inks,dialog,more colors and details in.



Hope you all like it.