Off to China

Julie and I are off to China.  Specifically Beijing, Xien, and Shanghai.  We will be in each city for 3 days each.  We have never visited this side of the world and cannot wait to get there.  So please forgive me for not replying, emailing, or getting in touch until early December.  I will have an update and photos when I return.  Happy Holidays to you that have them, if you don't, just have a good couple of weeks.  I'll leave you with some of the photos I took on my last adventure to Africa last year.  I urge everyone to go on an adventure.  A place you know nothing about.  It broadens the mind, your art, and your life.

Xie xie

-Brett 

My CTN 2012 Report

So a great convention and time was had.  Tina Price and company always provide a great atmosphere charged with eager young talent to grizzled veterans and everything in between.  It was a perfect time to see old friends, get new ones, and connect with people I had no idea paid attention to lil ol me.  I was blown away by the love.  So with no further delay.

Our new booth has been evolving and changing over each con.  This is where we are at right now and I'm sure more changes to come.  T Shirts, more books (out in January), prints will all need space as we expand.  Julie and I are planning on splitting a booth next year at Comic con.

Next up:  I go to do a demo in the main digital space.  Super fun and as each year I do it I try a different approach to hopefully engage someone new.   Just like teaching you can't reach them all but hopefully one or two fellow artists go "awww, I never tried that"

 The Demo in 45 Minutes.  The pressure sensitivity was dead so this was all just basic shapes, gradient, locked layer and a round hard edge brush.  Gotta roll with the punches when technology doesn't work.

THEN:

I fooled many people into letting me babble.....  

UNTIL:

I got to be on a panel with some terrific artists. A panel called Some of the BEST Characters Behind Some of the BEST Character Designs Each one of theses fellows are exceptional.  If you do not know them, check out the amazing work of (From Left to right)

• John Nevarez - Development Artist USA | Pixar Animation Studios
• Me
• Torsten Schrank – Character Designer Germany | Owner
• Jose Lopez - Character Designer USA | Hasbro
• Tony Siruno – Character Designer USA | Dreamworks Animation Studio

All very nice people and talented artists.  It was truly an honor to be up there with such esteemed folks.  Our moderator Tenny Chonin is a sweetheart who made me feel at ease and did a great job.  Hopefully the audience got something from the talk and I would love love love to do another one next year.

AFTER THAT:

We had loads of fun.  Here are just  a few highlights of shenanigans.  Most of it off camera.

Marks ready to go!

Justin and Rachel ready for their first Expo

and they're done...

Kirk Thatcher, always a great time, just being Kirk.... 

My book haul this year

- I got to finally sit and talk for a spell with Greg Baldwin and Dave Guertin of Creaturebox  -

- Shook hands and spoke to Doug TenNapel

- Finally met the talented Florian Satzinger and Christophe Lautrette

- Joked with 2 of my personal favorite artists  John Nevarez and Marcelo Vignali

- I missed Glen Keane and Michel Gagne (hopefully next year). 

- Nice talks with the always artistic Brian Ajhar and  Chris Ayers

For all the new friends I made, art peers, students.  Thank you for the support and great weekend.  It truly means a lot to hear such positive feedback and meet faces instead of just online avatars. If I reviewed your portfolio or we spoke about art, I hope it helped in some small way and I thank you for trusting me in some capacity to listen to my words.

K, I'm going to go rest, I may add names to this post as I think later on, but I'm exhausted.....  Then finish up some deadlines and then off to china for 2 weeks.  I'll try to post something else before I go on that adventure.

Cheers,

-Bean

 

Prime, a new art collection from 3DTotal

 I got the opportunity to be in a really cool book called Prime the definitive digital art collection.  A huge collection of artists and nothing but awesome nice folks at 3D Total so win win on who to give your money too.  ( I'm a big proponent on spending money on people I believe in...ugh, too many cool people on kickstarter ;)
 

You can pre-order it here

 PRIME 

 First 200 preorders get a cool card game too

CTN ANIMATION EXPO! Booth T-25

There are too many cool people to name walking around and having booths and I know I will forget someone so just...just see them all.  Trust me, everyone who goes, exhibits, or speaks at CTN is awesome...guaranteed.

OMG more slugz?!

 Some more slugs and just a smattering of thumbnail ideas I put together for Slugterra.

Check out the show on Disney XD http://www.disneyxd.ca/shows/slugterra/

Think Tank

This weeks Think Tank.  Make sure to check out Justin's and our past think tank ideas here

http://thethink-tank.tumblr.com/

I give you: Fennock Holmes, Watsig, and Moriotter

3 different art prints.

And next up, Constabull Clark....maybe Insector Lestrade

new Dino print

So What's Next?

 So much is happening that I'm just going to type it all out here.  I really started this blog for me to keep track of myself and then all of you decided to join me.  And I thank you for it.

 So We had an amazing Designer con

It was a one day event in Pasadena Convention Center.  We met lots of great new friends and found some amazing art and toys.  Please check out Cody Williams and his Yetis at these cons.  You won't be sorry.  I have 2......  And he's a great guy, so win win.  http://www.yetisandfriends.com/

We had a wonderful APE con as well.

I got to hang out with some old friends, meet some new ones and even shake hands with some people that have somehow been influenced by my art.  It's very nice and humbling to know that I've helped a fellow artist out along their journey.  They do all the work but man, it's nice to know I helped in some small way.

The very next day after Designer Con, Julie debuted her Jewelry line.  A smashing success at the Patchwork Indie faire.

She did amazing and I am so proud of her.  Her art has come a huge long way and she puts in work hours that are astounding at times.  And then on top of all of that, has to deal with me all the time.  Hard, hard work.


AND ONTO THE FUTURE!

Next up is CTN Animation Expo! Nov 16th-18th in Burbank CA.  It's probably my favorite convention out of them all.  I will have a booth with originals, prints, art books, and myself.  I will be doing a couple demos that weekend as well as a guest panel with the amazing artists; Torsten Schrank, Jose Lopez, John Nevarrez, Tony Siruno and then lil' ol' me on Saturday.  It's always a good time if you can make it.  Link to the panel http://m.guidebook.com/guide/2806/event/678916/



Other news:

- I am still hard at work on the original graphic novel and on goal to get a kickstarter happening the first week in January.

- I got to be a lead Designer on Slugterra which airs on Disney XD.  Go check that out so there will be a season 2 with even more cool slugs!

Well, that's about it.  Thanks everyone who visits, tweets, instas, shows up, facebooks, talks, buys, and supports this crazy journey I call a "career".  It really does mean a lot to both Julie and I.  So stop on by, say hello so I can keep putting names to avatar faces and I will see you online or in person.


-Bean