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