Tales from the Sketchbook

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'm the ghost with the most, babe.

More pics and art to come in my annual post Halloween post--Stay tuned!

Coop Kaplan: the Last Reporter

2011-10-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

This was a lot of fun. More pictures to come shortly...

Chatty Kathy...err...Kevin

2011-09-30T08:14:00.001-07:00

So recently I've been obsessed with Kevin Pollak's Chat Show. For those of you who don't know, Kevin Pollak is a fine comedian and actor who's been in such films as A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects, and some other crap. He's got a great little online chat show where he interviews actors and comedians--getting to the very core of who they are and why they're doing...what they do...I guess...It's pretty much 2 hour interviews of Kevin and whoever chatting, joking, and bullshitting. Needless to say--Hilarious.

Anyway, unlike most celebrity-kiss-ass-talk-shows, Kevin's approach is very genuine and down to earth which makes for a very enjoyable experience. Not to mention the actors and comedians he interviews are of a rare and humble breed--much unlike your typical god-complex-celebrities.

Check out the archive if you've got some hours to kill. Or check out a live show every Sunday.

Muwahaha

2011-09-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Halloweens a'comin'...

Call It the Day

2011-07-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe I fibbed a bit in my last post. This isn't a Bunnypuss update and it certainly isn't next week. HOWEVER...I do have a few quick doodles that are worthy of an update:

I'd also like to take this opportunity to welcome an incredibly talented artist and friend, Matt Synowicz, to the Ideology Product Development Team. Matt is our newest designer and will be helping me conceptualize and design all that is TOY. Let's hope he fares better than our previous toy designer did...

(We ate him)

Friday Fever!

2011-05-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

There's a fun Friday sketch. Next week: The Bunnapuss Update. Stay tuned ;).

Gettin' Closah

2011-04-28T13:33:00.001-07:00

Tirades, Trades 'n Babes

2011-04-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

Monday was definitely one of those days. But even bad days can harbor good things. Monday I completed a trade with my friend and fellow artist, Luis Mario Sarmiento. He agreed to give his rendition of Rodney and I was asked to illustrate my interpenetration of his own original character, Lucy. I'm very happy with how it came out.

If you're a fan of Luis' work like I am, his DeviantArt page is full of fantastic original characters, illustrations, and comics. He also updates a weekly webcomic featuring his two original characters, Seth and Poncho. Check it out.

As for me, I've been busy working my life away as usual. My friend from work mentioned to me a few weeks ago that we should get a design together and try to make some vinyl figures. I of course jumped at the opportunity.

Behold the Bunnapuss! Half bunny and half Octopuss brought together by pure love...and a staple gun! He's currently being sculpted in 3D by yours truly. And who knows...if I can get the hang of molding and casting you all might see some more vinyl figures down the way...

Maybe ;).

Think of Me as a Friend.

2011-04-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

I've got Nintendo on the brain and I can't quit it. Maybe I'll try some Conker fan art before I run outta steam.

Oh skull kid. You're like a mischievous little monkey...who's made of wood...8|

While I add a few more Zelda characters to my collection, I'll keep plugging away at this monster of a piece.

The Haunting of Donut Plains

2011-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like it's been forever since I posted some process images. So in honor of the 3DS being released just last week, I decided to sketch something Mario related. I came up with this:

A little messy, I'll admit, but I'm incredibly happy with how this piece is turning out. Check back later for more progress shots while I finish it.

On a side note, you may have noticed I've FINALLY gotten around to posting a few buttons linking to my Facebook and my Deviant Art page. So if any of you creeps feel like connecting with me on another site...well...now's your chance!

Fun Sketch Wednesday

2011-03-09T19:07:00.001-08:00

Kooloo-Limpah!

2011-03-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

Well that creative funk didn't last as long as I thought it would, thankfully.

Thanks to the Wii, I've been able to play through a lot of my old GameCube games and relive a lot of memories from the mid-2000's. In doing so, I was inspired to create some fan art for one of my favorite GC titles:

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was such a fantastic addition to the LoZ series. Good story telling, colorful characters, and challenging game play all blended together perfectly in this new cell shaded water-filled world of Hyrule. Best of all, it continued the Zelda Universe's storyline and even brought back some of my favorite characters from previous LoZ titles.

No, not him.

Das Funk

2011-02-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

I've been in a funk now (as far as 2D work goes) since about the middle of January and it's really getting to me. I'll draw more once I'm less pissed off.

And now for some good news! I'm going to ~~post every Wednesday now~~ try really really hard to post something new every Wednesday. Hopefully that will break me out of this rut.

And all I have is my work

2011-02-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

These past few months have been full of work. Most importantly of all that work, is this 3D model right here:

And with that 3D information, a rapid prototyped figure was printed:

Maybe someday if I ever get the money I'll get that casted and maybe have some vinyls made. Until then, that 5" figure is on it's way to Toy Fair in New York. Ideology has a booth again this year :O

Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

2010-11-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, being a toy designer is a pretty sweet gig. I'm constantly adding new works of art to my portfolio, the groupies are a great perk, and they pay me in ribs. For the past two years I have been very happy camper...although...every once in a while there comes a project that makes even the burliest man (like myself) flee in terror.

Yes, that image is correct. I, Dennis, World Class Manly Man, was forced against my will to sketch, sculpt, and render a My Little Pony character.

::SHOCKING AWE AND DISBELIEF!!!::

Now I'll admit, when I wasn't trying to lodge a pencil into my frontal lobe, some of these images actually turned out pretty good.

Despite the quality of these images, a six hour long shower of barbecue sauce and motor oil was required after completion.

Nothing Beats the Original

2010-11-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

I should probably just suck it up and buy it through Steam considering my 360 has been collecting dust on my TV stand for about 6 months now.

Welcome Foolish Mortals!

2010-11-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been QUITE the October. I apologize for my short absence, but I've been gearing up for the Halloween event of the year! Needless to say, it was a night of fun, friends, and frights! Speaking of frights, I've got lots of spooky art from this month. That zombie behind you wants to know if you're scared yet... (Zombie moaning sounds)

To start, here's some concept art of a quick animation I created. I had a pretty kick ass cemetery set up; complete with nooses, tombstones, an iron fence, and this spooky couple:

These two were modeled, animated, and projected onto a 6' by 5' homemade screen amongst the graves. Unfortunately, all the videos and pictures from that night came out WAY too dark to see anything. So these stills and the actual animation will have to do. I just hope you don't wet yourself after witnessing these two specters...

Alright change outta those urine soaked pants because I've got more! I held a pretty big Halloween party this year. It was a fantastic turn out and I decorated every room on the first floor of my house. That includes a massive harvest-themed tent outside complete with a giant Ouija board (For drinking games, of course).
Amongst all my interior decorations, I created these creepy portraits featuring a few of my close friends. Stop crying, the scariest has yet to come...

That's right, your ghost host with the most! These spooky beauties were printed out full-scale and hung up throughout my house. If you'd like to check some pictures from the party, just jump over to my Facebook page. I'm too lazy to post them here. I hope you all had a happy Halloween! Oh, and watch out for that vampire behind you...

(BLEEH!!)

Puddin' Time

2010-10-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Oh just working on a TON of Halloween stuff. I'll be posting some progress images of my costume and some home decorations in the coming weeks. Until then., enjoy this hilarious video featuring yours truly!

Thursday is Dumpday

2010-08-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

I've come to the realization that I have absolutely ZERO 3D work displayed. Mainly because all the 3D stuff I've worked on recently is for work, and I'm unable to show it until the licensor gives the OK, the product hits the shelves, or the project is totally canned.

Annoying? Meh...kinda.

Thankfully a few weeks ago, I decided to light a fire under my own ass and get some personal work started in 3D. Here's a small preview of one of my characters, Rodney:

Normally, I hate posting unfinished pieces or ones that are still in process. Especially 3D stuff. Within the short time it took me to throw together that board I noticed every little thing wrong with the sculpt.

Overall I am happy with it, don't get me wrong. Aside from a few very minor changes, I should have him fully modeled and possibly textured by the beginning of next week. Until then, enjoy this illustration dump!

I did finish this piece, but I sort of like it with just the flat color and no effects. I'll post the finished version later.

Can you tell I've been on somewhat of a ghost kick lately?
And this little guy. One of the first drawings I finished in 2010. I need to do more tentacly characters.

To the yellow-bellied, land-lubbing Kong Family:

2010-07-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

During my times, I've come across quite a few video games. Many can be called a favorite of mine, most of which are still played to this day. If I'm lucky, I'll come across a game that hits me both as a fantastic game, and a huge source of inspiration and admiration. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is no exception.

Incredible artwork, style, and design immersed in an atmospheric world full of memorable music and gameplay so challenging it makes most games today look like an expensive pile of crap. This game was an instant favorite of mine and continues to be.

I recently downloaded it onto my Wii and have been playing it for the past few days. I plan on doing a few more DKC2 themed illustrations in the coming weeks. Until then, enjoy this INCREDIBLE MEDLEY I found on youtube that also fueled inspiration for this piece.

Toxic Thrasher

2010-07-02T05:25:00.001-07:00

Quick and fun sketch from late last night.

I hope you all celebrate our nation's independence by blowing up a small part of it! Happy 4th!

Strange Occurences

2010-06-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

I've had a canker sore on my tongue for the past week. I'm about ready to chop it off. Anyone ever feel like that?

I Am Not Dead

2010-01-23T15:49:00.000-08:00

No no, certainly not. Feeling like death perhaps, but certainly not dead. My month-long hiatus from this blog is slowly but surely coming to a end. After nearly 30 days of sniffling and wheezing, I believe new sketches, renders, and even a new layout are in order. Until then, stay tuned!

It's Gonna Be Fun

2009-12-13T11:28:00.001-08:00

EDIT: I should probably let y'all know, I'll be on hiatus until the beginning of the new year. Taking a bit of a break to collect all the work I've been producing in the past month and a half and get it up to a level worth showing. I'd like this blog to become more professional (looking) for 2010.

Frogbox

2009-11-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

This Friday I'll be heading over to Fisher Price in the good ol' Big Apple. Something along the lines of a vendor fair and I'll be at Ideology's booth administering a Maya demo! Should be a fun experience....if I'm awake for it. The 5:45 a.m. train ride out of Providence to New York City probably won't have me firing on all cylinders.
I originally intended to get started on a sweet looking Rodney model, but it was decided a licensed character would be the better choice. :'(

Let Me Show Ya Somethin'

2009-10-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy with how this piece came out. There's a very good chance a full layout design as well as a 3D model will be in the works for the glove gadget.

A lot of the time, I sketch out a drawing traditionally with pencil and paper, then when it's time for final line work and color, it's scanned and rendered digitally. This piece is no acception. The sketchbook I've currently been working in is around 6.5" by 10" give or take a bit. I usually use the digital equivalent to a #2 pencil in the program I use, and I really like how weighted the line is.

Don't get me wrong though, I enjoy sketching digitally, too. My previous post with the warm up sketch was totally digital. My traditional sketches are never that clean, unfortunately :P. Hope you all enjoy!

Music Pa-Pa-Power

2009-10-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

Hey all. These past few weeks have been incredibly busy for me. My apologies for the lack of updates. BUT GOOD NEWS! Lot's and lot's of updates to come within the next few days....including this one!

8O!!!!

Yes yes, contain your excitement. Here's a fun warm up sketch to get you all in the Halloween mood. Dennis over and out.

Been Working...

2009-09-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

Yes...I have. And quite a lot at that.

Sketching has been at the top of my priority list for some time now. That new sketchbook I mentioned some posts back is filling up as quickly as the seasons are changing. Lots of new work to scan in, ink, and render. Oooo I can't wait!

I saw 9 recently. It felt like a breath of fresh air for animated film making. Visually stunning, the story was very nicely done, perfect. A nice break from the hokey Pixar and Disney films. Although it seems like more and more animated films are getting darker. I thought the same when I saw Coraline a while back. Not that I'm complaining. To be quite honest I'd love it if more animated films were geared towards an older, more adult audience. Tastefully, mind you.

God help us all if someone decides to remake Fritz the Cat.........::shudder::...

Yo Batter Up!

2009-09-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Quick sketch of the day:

Surprised it's not some sort of whacked out fuzzy critter? Yea, I am too.

Antagonism Part 2

2009-09-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

Well, it's 1:45 a.m., my ipod is nearly dead, and I think if I sit at this computer any longer I'm going to go stir crazy. Oh but how it was all worth it...

There's something I find respectable about a well dressed villain. Bad guy's who don't take pride in their appearance most of the time fall flat with me. Show me an evil doer that's armed to the teeth with bling....Now THAT'S something to cower in fear of. I felt like I was wasting a fortune just sketching his ensamble.

Antagonism

2009-09-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Feel free to boo and or hiss the villain.

Happy Friday

2009-09-04T18:43:00.000-07:00

Ah Friday, how I missed you! Looking forward to a nice 3 day weekend as well. The tablets home with me so hopefully that will ensure a lot of productivity this weekend :D.

I never usually power through a drawing like this, but I was having so much fun with it I couldn't stop.

This was a character I originally conceived in 3D last year. I believe old renders of him are still posted on my site. He was such a cool character, I decided to give him a redesign. Case and point, new design beats the piss out of old design.

Dump the Dump Day

2009-09-01T14:50:00.001-07:00

I figured it was time for one of these. COMMENCE DUMP!

Ahh, that feels better.

Big in Japan

2009-08-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Well I think I can safely say this years birthday was a complete success! Lot's of laughs, stories, and good times had by all. And thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, it sure did make it a joyful one :D

I'm getting that yearly itch again. The itch to dig deep into my closet, dust off my Nintendo 64 and play the slew of games I've squirreled away over the years. Especially Conker's Bad Fur Day. If you've never played it, you're missing out (And I couldn't stress how much I mean that).

No matter how old I get and how advanced video games become, I'll always revert back to those gray 64 bit cartridges I love so dearly :).

Whiskey Coma

2009-08-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Some close friends of mine are throwing me a birthday party this coming Saturday.

Apparently, it'll be the 21st birthday party I missed out on last year. I think it's safe to assume I'll be out of commission all weekend.

Let's Get'em, Fellas

2009-08-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

Well I've watched the trailer for District 9 about 20 times already. Yea...I guess you could say I'm excited...... XD

It looks incredible! At first when I saw Peter Jackson's name, a weird little town and aliens, I immediately thought they remade Bad Taste, but this looks much better. Although it would be fun to see a bit of dark comedy in there :D.

Death Becomes my Sketchbook

2009-08-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Crawling from the depths of some hellish nightmare prison, I give you....a vulture ghost!

Alright I haven't thought of a name for him yet, but I'm working on it. Although figuring out a name has been the hardest part of this character's development. I've already got a few ideas swimming around on how he'll intertwine with my story; and of course conceptualizing him was a no-brainer. This name junk is absolutely KILLING me. Any suggestions?

New work soon, I promise. Just need to bang out these renders and I'll get some new sketches posted ASAP.

Wayward : The Rabbit that Just Won't Quit!

2009-08-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Wayward's one of the many characters that have been floating around in my head for years now. About 5 or 6 years ago I conceptualized him in 3D. Nothing more then a rabbit-cyborg that looked cool and was fun to draw as well. I never really flushed out his character until much later.

I envisioned him as a very old and knowledgeable weapons specialist with a Scottish accent. At some point in his life, possibly during a war, he had the misfortune of stepping on a landmine which annihilated the entire left side of his body. Luckily, he had already built his prototype robotic appendages. Then it was just a matter of attaching his new limbs and eyes, and of course saving his life. He now secretly runs a weapons and gadgets shop that you'll find out more about later. Think Q from the James Bond movies....if he were a small Scottish rabbit-cyborg.

Hopefully soon I'll be building my new PC, so there should be a surge in my 3D work. Wayward is first on the list for a model and texture job. We'll see about rigging and animation much later, but it's a possibility ;)

The Great Bronze Blur

2009-08-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'd like you all to meet my new ride to work:

There she is. 80cc's worth of pure, unleaded horsepower strapped onto a vintage bronze frame between two 20 inch white wall tires. She tops off at about 35 mph and kicks like a mule. In short, she's one sweet ride.

I know what you're thinking. "But Dennis, how can you possibly tame such a mighty hog?" The answer? You give me a vehicle with a tank that needs to be filled every 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, and I'll ride just about anything. Especially considering my commute to work everyday is 2 maybe 3 miles :P.

This summers been so unpredictable I haven't been able to ride it to work much, but I DO ride it just about everyday. Exploring the strange and twisted back roads around my house. I figure once the summer begins to fade and the weather seems to even out a bit I'll ride it to work more. Nothing like a bike ride on a nice fall day :D....ugh fall.....I can't believe I'm already talking about it.

Cactus Attack!

2009-08-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

Damn fine band, check them out if you get a chance.

Also, next time you're thinking about getting some KFC for lunch....don't.

Black Lung

2009-08-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered the joys and wonders of cigars.

I'm still learning, I'm not yet the cigar connoisseur I'd like to be. Not to mention one made me sick :X. Curse these virgin lungs! But anyway, I enjoy the casual smoke. Especially with friends. Now to find a Sunday that's nice enough to smoke outside, drink whiskey, and feel the like the 70 year old man I really am at heart.

Ball-Stomping

2009-08-07T07:18:00.001-07:00

I had my first experience with a nasty client Wednesday. Let's just say it was a situation I would've been fine with never experiencing.

In lighter news (literally) the weather around here seems to be taking a turn for the better. I can finally break in my lovely new sketchbook while enjoying the sunshine 8-).

I love Natalie. You'll hopefully be seeing a lot more of her once I get some new sketches. She's turned into quite the awful bitch, as far as my story goes.

Spook Central

2009-08-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to love Ghostbusters a little TOO much?

The answer: FECK NO!

Playing Ketchup

2009-08-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

I feel as though this summer was somewhat wasted. Not because of work, more so because of this funk our state seems to have been stuck in for the past 4 months. Everyday rain, clouds, 60 degrees, gray. Typical Massachusetts weather....for November.

Just a week of sunny weather for my birthday, is that too much to ask?!

Let's Kill Us Some Monstiz

2009-08-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

Plenty of personal work to upload. I've been quite the busy bee this summer.

These guys were originally going to be somewhat of a company mascot for my work, but due to scheduling and higher priority work, they sort of fell on the back burners, unfortunately :(.

BUT! Good news is they're fair game for my portfolio :D. Enjoy!

He, along with the others, will be finished eventually.....eventually.

Old Habits

2009-05-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

Well, so much for consistency. I should have known I would get tired of posting after the first week and this blog would slowly fade off into obscurity. Although it's not laziness that keeps me from posting, I generally just hate talking about myself.

Anyway, enjoy these old blue lines from last year. Newer sketches in my next post.

In the Swing of Things

2009-02-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

It's certainly been a while since my last update. I'll try and keep them more consistent this time. A lot of projects at work are hush hush, so updating about them would probably not be the best idea, but know that I'm enjoying work to the fullest and I've never had more fun and been THIS happy at a job before.

Any-hoo, I've got a lot of new work to post that I've been working on in the past couple months. I haven't felt this positive about showing off my work before. I look back on it now and I can say sometimes, "BLUGGH I used to draw like that?!" But I digress. I'll post more new work shortly.

Struck from the Records

2008-09-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to Empire Prototype and Development Production's newest designer/2D Artist/3D Artist.....ME! Yea that's right, they hired me. It's been fun so far. The price is right as well. More updates to come.

A Toymaker's Cream-Dream

2008-08-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

I've currently been working with a client who has asked me to draw up some designs for a children's talking toy camera.

After a few sketches and designs, we finally decided on the art-deco-influenced piece I posted below. Probably have to come up with one final clean draft until production begins. I've also been told he's setting me up with an interview this week for a Senior Artist position at his company. Here's hopin'.

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-08-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

21st today. I figure I'd treat myself by creating this blog. It'll probably just be used to update my current job status and post new work. Enjoy!