DRAWING CLUB - MEN IN BLACK

Some of the drawings from Thursday nights Men in Black themed session at the Drawing Club:

HOW DID I DO IT?

A nice young lady e-mailed me and asked -


"You have such an impressive list of motion pictures you've worked on that I just had to ask - how do you do it? How did you get there?  I'm in my final months of college in the film/animation production program and I'm looking for inspiring role models to tell me their story about how they worked up to the position they hold now."

It's a good question because everyone's response will be different - Here's mine:

How did I do it?
It's all about looks. If you're good looking you can go really far in animation AND its EASY because there are A LOT of not so good looking, nerdy people in this industry!

 no, I'm kidding, The fact is I'm a not so good looking nerd. :(

..........seriously now -

How did I do it?......

Edison said it best - "The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work."

The not so glamorous answer is I worked really really, hard for it. I took art classes in high school.  Took as many art classes as I could at an art college (figure drawing, sculpture, ceramics, painting, etc.) Got accepted into an internship at Disney Feature Animation during my junior year - Didn't go back to school and worked really hard to keep my job. Along the way I had some really amazing mentors to learn from and I worked hard to improve but also demonstrate to my mentors I could do it. I decided I wanted to tell stories for a living so I made a choice to be a story artist and worked until I was doing what I wanted to do. Again, more classes, more training, more education and the whole time I've never stopped drawing. I committed myself and never stopped working at it. So I guess it's because I worked really, really, really hard......I believe, if you work really hard good things happen to you. You don't have to say anything at the end of the day because your work speaks for itself.

BUT

The true answer to your question, sadly, is I've never been happy or satisfied with my work. I've always been confident but never satisfied. I'm passionate and love it and a have a strong desire to improve and grow everyday. I'm an ARTIST which means I'm an emotional beast. I've been drawing my whole life and I'm still chasing that emotional charge it gives me every time I draw a line. I pour my heart into everything I do and seek out things around me to refill it. Wether it's the simple sound of laughter, the memories of people or places I miss or even something as pure and beautiful as standing in front of Degas' ballerina sculpture, they fill my heart with energy.  Trying to capture that energy and translate it is what keeps me going.

So work really, really HARD but more importantly LIVE because it's what gives your work meaning.
You're about to begin a journey that may take you directions you never thought you would go but, its exciting so ENJOY it! ;)

Best of luck!
PB

MY BOYFRIEND IS AN ENGINEER

I'm not sure what to say about this......

http://myboyfriendisanengineer.tumblr.com/

 I kind of feel dirty now that I've contributed to it.

Here is the Prometheus snowball that the incredibly talented Normand Lemay started rolling down the hill.

SUMMER KNUCKLE BALL

STEAMPUNK WARM UP

Steampunk, What? I've never drawn anything steampunk before but this morning I said "draw steampunk for a warm-up," and, this is what I ended up with. Feels more Wild Wild West to me than steampunk but, oh well...it is what it is!

CURRENTLY INSPIRED BY

Lee Bontecou - love her work from the 50's and 60's

BYE BYE BIRDIE

I was in the great State of Texas last week visiting family and had the opportunity to attend the musical Bye Bye Birdie put on by a local theatre company. My niece played Ursula Merkle in it and I was so impressed with her performance, she's really talented. I brought a legal pad with me and sketched during the performance. Here are the results:

I love Texas. It's where I was born and even though it's hotter than hell the vast landscape and sound of cicadas and fireflies in the evening remind me of good times during my childhood. We spent a lot of time on ranches in the hillcountry and I saw moments for stories everywhere - I wish I had drawn more animals but the only creature I drew was this little pot bellied pig named Wilbur:

 A great place for an owl to live.

......Everything is bigger -

Including the gas stations....... Buc-ee's, the worlds largest convenience store. Oh, Texas.