Head Painting and Estefan

I just finished up my last class at BYU!  Woot!  It was head painting, and I didn't suck at it.  Head painting is exactly what it sounds like, you basically paint a portrait everyday.  It was not a class teaching me how to paint children's faces for parties, though if everything falls through maybe I'll have that as a back-up for my back-up.  My primary back-up is bearded lady in a circus side show.  Though despite my patience and loving care my beard is taking it's sweet time to grow in.  But I have faith.  One day I'll have sweet, sweet whiskers to stroke as I ponder life's mysteries. One day...

                                     

I showed my dad these, and his only comment was "they look sad."  Specifically the top two.  After he pointed it out that's all I can see.  But you know what?  That's just how their faces were, and they were sitting in a chair for 3 hours, so I forgive them for not looking super happy.  But maybe the error lies with me.  I could have probably altered some things to make them look happier.  But I'm relatively new to head painting and my focus was "make it look like a face."  And I think I've been succeeding with that.  I guess the next step is "make them look not sad."

ALSO.

My student film Estefan won Siggraph's Student film Award!  And that's super exciting! Because Siggraph is a world famous animation and computer graphics conference and is not easy to get into.  BYU's had some other films get into the Electronic Theater (I think 4?), but Estefan's the first one to win.  And I like winning.  That might make me a terrible person, but winning feels awesome.  Especially when its something you and your friends worked super hard on, like Estefan.

Another also, while looking for an image of Estefan to put up here (I know, I should have a bunch just lying around--especially since I wrote the thing.  But I don't.  And I'm lazy.  And the internet is a thing I have access to) I found this article on animationmagazine.net about the Electronic theater and they had a bit on Estefan, and me!

When BYU student Lauren Oppenlander pitched the idea of “the world’s greatest hairdresser” faced with a bald female client, her fellow animation students were sold. As director Jeff Call remembers, “With her movements, Lauren brought this flamboyant character to life.”

That's really cool.  My movements have power.  Power of life! Mwahahahaha!

My parents are also pretty stoked about Estefan.  To put that in perspective they have this painting of Estefan done by my friend Sam Bragg framed and hanging on our mantle.  Because they feel like he is their grandbaby, a member of the family.

They want one of Clara also, but we didn't really make any paintings of Clara (Clara is the antagonist, and customer of Estefan).

Little Dead Riding Hood 2, now with forest

This was the midterm for Sam's class.  I'm liking it a lot so far.  But I ended up losing 3 days of work on it, so one day I'll get that back.  And one day that flower will have a shadow.  One day....

Little Dead Riding Hood

So I'm taking a digital painting class from Sam Nielson.  Our first series of assignments is centered around a character we design.  But we had to design a character from Little Red Riding Hood, Peter and the Wolf, or Wizard of Oz.  I chose Little Red Riding Hood.  Only mine is dead: she didn't get saved from the wolf's stomach in time.  She is also unaware that she is dead.

Things I've learned so far: digital painting is different from oil painting.  Very, very different.

Not sure what I'm doing yet, but that's why I'm taking the class.

Best Coolest: Lauren Oppenlander

1. Outside of school and your comics, have you written any fiction or non-fiction? Do you like to read prose fiction or non-fiction?

Not really, when I write fiction and non-fiction it's usually outlining/documenting an event. Singular. I love to read prose fiction. And the non-fiction I enjoy needs to either be set up as a narrative or create a tangible person. By that I mean there are biographies that are a list of events, and then there are biographies that you finish and think "I feel like I know them!"

2. Would you say you have a good awareness of the history of American comics?

No. That's why I'm taking this class. I've seen documentaries following the Superman and Batman evolutions from creation to present day. Most of my knowledge about comic characters stems from cartoons and movies based on them. Which is why I didn't know about Iron Man until the recent movie came out, and why my only association to Sand Man was the Spiderman villain.

3. Off the top of your head, could you name 5 artists who worked in comics before 1980? Do you have a favorite?

Negatory.

4. Could you name 5 artists who work or worked in newspaper comics?

Bill Watterson (calvin and hobbs), Darby Conley (Get Fuzzy), Gary Larson (The far side), Dan Piraro (bizarro), Charles Shultz (Peanuts) and Jerry Van-something-or-other does Ballard Street (Van Amerongen). 6 BABY!

5. Could you name any contemporary cartoonists from Europe? Do you have a favorite?

Nope.

6. Could you name any contemporary manga artists from Japan? Do you have a favorite?

Negatory.

7. Do you read European comics?

I don't think I even know any European comics...WAIT. The guys who did Monster Allergy, W.I.T.C.H. and Sky Doll...they're French I think (Wrong, they're Italian). I've read those. Well, only the first Sky Doll. And...I think Three Shadows is French as well. So...I've read some French ones.

8. Do you read any manga?

Uh. I've read the first 2 or 3 Naruto books. So. No. Not really.

9. Do you regularly draw in a sketchbook or write in a journal?

Yes! Bring it! My first "Yes" is on question 9!

10. Would you say you have a good working ability to drawing with brush and ink? If so, how long have you used a brush? What types?

I've used a couple of brush pens before, and I like them a lot. But I've never used a brush and a bottle of ink. Sounds cool though.

11. Which magazines or websites do you regularly read in order to get comics news?

None. I get all my comic information from friends. Though I do like online comics.

12. Which magazines or websites do you regularly read in order to get news of current events?

BBC and LA Times online, Newsweek and Time magazine. And by regularly I assume you mean every month or so (for the magazines at least)

13. Do you go to comic book conventions or festivals? If so--which ones?

No, but I'd I wouldn't be opposed to it.

14. Have you ever sat through a portfolio review with a professional editor? If so, could you briefly sum up their message for you?

No. But they'd probably tell me I suck and should look into a career of selling shoes at Sears.

15. Have you ever had your work published? If so, where?

Nein.

16. How long have you been drawing?

Uh, since I was a kid. Parents do that, give drawing utensils to small children who don't know what to do with them yet. And I was no exception.

17. Do you like to go to museums? Do you have any favorite "fine" artists, either living or dead? Film directors?

Yes! I love museums! Art, Science, History, bring 'em on! One of my favorites has always been Pablo Picasso--especially his blue period. I'm not really sure why. And I also love Sargent. I don't know his first name. But he has a painting in the MOA. OH! AND NORMAN ROCKWELL. I have a book that has all his Saturday Evening Post covers.

18. Would you think it could be useful or beneficial to watch a film or films as a group and discuss it afterwards as it may relate to comics? Do you have a recommendation for such a film?

Yes, Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

19. What ethnographic background do you have and how confident are you in acting as an expert of resource of that background?

I've got you covered for North Orange County, California. Lived there all my life.

20. What comic or book or movie have you read/seen at least 5 times? And 10 times?

Movies (5-ish): Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Canadian Bacon, Iron Man, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Kung Fu Panda

Movies (10-ish): Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 101 Dalmatians, Little Mermaid,

Books(less than 10): The Dragonback series starting with Dragon and Thief, The Book of Mormon, The Bible (Beginning until Ruth, Book of Job, The Four Gospels), Harry Potter Series.

Estefan Pitch

About three months ago I wrote a story about Estefan, the world's greatest hairdresser. I later submitted and pitched it to my class for consideration be our senior film.


It won!

ONION!

This is my first assignment for my shader programming class. It's a red onion, and not a pomegranate. For a while it was kind of hard to tell. It also didn't help that 5 days before it was due, I lost my file. But despite that it turned out well. I want to do more with it, and I think it's a tad too dark. But it looks like an union and NOT a pomegranate, so win.

Oil Paintings

I'm taking Bob's oil painting class. I've painted in acrylic and watercolor, and this is my first time in oil. It's interesting, and I've relearned how deeply my hate for ellipses truly is.

Suddenly everything is underlined and blue....I accept that. This is my first oil painting attempt. That jar was full of peaches, and was the devil to try to do anything with.

This is my third oil painting, and my favorite so far. I'm finding I struggle with making smooth look 3D. Like the pear in the first attempt.