...And a Happy New Year.

...Or at least I figure this will be my last post for 2007.
I did this illustration a few years ago while in Spain, just for my personal portfolio which I try to update as soon as I have a chance.
Anyway -as I said- happy 2008 everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hey everyone, ...so it's this time of the year again.
I did this one today for my fellow viz-devers at the Studio and I decided to post it up here as well to send you all my regards for the Season.
Enjoy Christmas and have a great 2008!
Marcos.

Things

And by "things" I mean, a sketch that I did at the beginning of summer of this guy at a coffee shop (he was a sort of biker type), and another one I did in what turned to be my last sketchclub session with the Sony guys, the Friday before I started at the new Studio.
Venice Beach was the chosen place that time. Always a cool choice specially when the sun is shinning as it did that day! (tones in the drawing appear a little darker than that, but that was done just to make the thing a hint dramatic. Welcome to my world...)

"Gotta post something up" Post

Well, the title is pretty self explanatory. No time for more.
As you can see it's an 'old' sketch I did as part of an inspirational bunch for a project of mine.

Three Shots

They are all from the second half of the nineties.
-First comes a close view of the Casino in Catalina Island taken during a memorable trip with my friends Uriel, Tanja and Ludo.
Boy that was fun, the peak of it being our onstage karaoke life performance at a Restaurant where we had dinner one night (¨singing in the rain¨was the object of our musical fury).
-The second one I took back home in Spain around 9:00 am on a beautiful summer morning.
-Zabriskie Point is one of the most beautiful spots in Death valley CA which, at the same time is in my opinion, together with Monument Valley, the most impressive natural sight my eyes have ever seen so far.

Heading North

Dreamworks it is now.

It's been really good at Sony in this cycle of over two years now.
As usual in a professional experience of this type one learns a lot from both an artistic and a personal point of view.

The amount of information that one absorbs every day from all the talent around through the eyes is incredible. A true University with capital letters.
Every project that you work on is a new challenge. I find it fascinating since when I develop my own projects I obviously tend to choose the subjects I personally feel more indentified with. When working in a Studio you get to work on things you might have never thought of yourself, and this is the great challenge, the thing that makes you really push your limits everyday. That's the way you evolve beyond expected.

Besides all that, Sketchclub, with Marcelo as the soul of it and 'the usual suspects', regulars or not has been another landmark of these last two years, together with the life drawing sessions Sony set up for us with Karl there to make it a fun and true learning experience.

Working at Dreamworks will mean another great chance for me to keep in this line, a Studio from which I have a great memory and sure keep many good friends at from the early 'epic' times.

Thanks again all of you guys at the vis dev dept. and outside of it at Sony (I'd rather not get started with a list, it would make this post way too long!) and I'll see you soon.

Have I seen this face before...?

Some characters for a Friday morning post.
(Studies from an old project of mine).

Good Ol' Times

Here are two pieces from my "old" online comic book in their purest, rawest, black&whitest form. Gotta say it still brings a good smile back to my face!

"Lines and people..."

...The two main ingredients for sketchclub drawing.
Here are the results of another session, some time ago now.

Pictures.

Just for the sakes of variety, here are a few shots I took about... two years ago?
Anyway, the two first "public transportation" ones are from a trip to San Franthisco (I feel better now).
The other one is L.A.

-THIS- I call scan quality!

Aah well, they are not really scans as you can tell. It's my digital camera doing its best counting on the fact that the originals are really big...(good job 'Gumersindita'!)

Characters

Nice sunny Sunday morning today here in Southern California.
Anyway, the guy sitting at the table is a few months old, (...the drawing, is). The young lady is a design for an old project of mine that I hope I'll get together some day.
I hope you are all doing fine!

Really really old stuff

My friend Magdalena (she did my website) recently sent me copies of old stuff I kept in my computer in Spain. So it's memory lane type thing today as I'm reviewing some of it.
Good oportunity to update this (lately) rather slow blog.
One of them is a fashion illustration I did shortly after I arrived in Spain in summer 1999. The other a much older piece, a self portrait I did when I was fifteen, rather saturated and impatient as you can see. The original signature bottom left is a total mess, I remember I didn't want to wait for the painting to dry.
That's the spirit!

Custom sketchclub

Sometimes the Friday routine doesn't work, so we decide to get together some other time, as Craig and I did last Saturday.
I guess I could have called this one "shots from the 'Santa Monica Mall'" or something like that.
Anyway, here are three of the sketches I did during that session.
You should check up Craig's (I don't know if he has updated his blog yet, but he did some reeeally cool ones as usual!)

Gangster types!

-More website stuff! detail and all included, like in the serious places...

-Otro de la web! No da tiempo a mas estos dias... aunque esta pieza sigue siendo una de mis favoritas.
Un saludo!

Yeah yeah...

...I know this one is in my website but, what can I do! no time to do anything new these days.
It must be three years old, and done as a portfolio piece.

Renaissance Faire

Boy that was fun, the Renaissance faire at Irwindale (right at the Santa Fe Dam recreation area) was packed with people from all sorts of reanactment type associations and a definitely dedicated audience.
Medieval Tournaments, all sorts of medieval and renaissance commerces and shops, people in character with their beautiful period costumes...
I have to say everybody was really nice and willing to give all sorts of information about the period they were representing and everything else you were curious about.
I nearly finished a whole sketchpad there, of which you can see three samples in the next three posts.

Mr. Don Tartaglia

Mr. Mattschibler

Mr. Andrew Johnson Mac Colin

More life drawing, what a surprise!

No time these days to come up with new "fancy" stuff. Old is the word!
So, here are two more life drawing type exercises.
'talk soon.
M.

Classic comics

Our friend 'Anguloagudus' has this blog called 'Comics en extincion" (please, see link).
I have to say I'm a regular visitor as it is a pleasure to see pages of all these masters in a row, just for anyone to click on them and see them in detail.
He has everything from Jesus Blasco, to Victor de la Fuente, Alex raymond, Jean Giraud, Frank Robbins and so many others. Worth visiting!


Habeis visitado ya "Comics en extincion" de Anguloagudus (ver link)?
Vale la pena. Un buen repaso por algunos de los mejores periodos de la reciente historia del comic.
Saludos.

By the way

Here is the Sketchclub drawing I did last week. For technical reasons I just can't post it up at its propper blog right now, so here it comes.

Ah waddaheck!

Enough 'comic book nostalgia' type thing for now!
Here is an oil painting I did ten days ago. Out we went: Noelle, Tang, Christian, Katrin (did I spell everyone right?) and myself to the beach with our oil painting tools.
I know it's not what you guys have in mind for a beach, but I swear the water thing with sand and all that was right behind me.
I just didn't happen to have a proper wide landscape canvas on me, and the way things were I didn't feel like painting the beach in this more regular format. So, here is a building.

Hasta la vista

I will have to think now of what to do with this blog as it was originally created with the sole purpose of the publication of this improvised comic book adventure.
There will be the follow up story at some point, although this might take a while.

It's been lots and lots -and lots- of fun, and a unique oportunity for me to develop something completely personal as I had'nt been able to do in many years now... and why not, also a little frustrating whenever I realized that my availabilty to the project was not enough to guarantee the continuity and momentum this kind of story required (things of 'life broadcasting'!).

In the meantime, thank you all for being such great sports and for your interaction and comments all along, and here comes a little something 'Miss-you-know-what' asked me to put together for all of you!

------------------------------

Tendre que pensar ahora sobre el futuro de este blog ya que lo cree con el solo proposito de publicar esta historieta improvisada. Habra segunda aventura, aunque esto no sera cosa de dos dias.

Me lo he pasado demasiado bien con esto y ha sido una ocasion fantastica de hacer un trabajo total y absolutamente personal por primera vez en mucho tiempo. Tambien ha sido un poquito frustrante a veces cuando he visto que el tiempo que tenia disponible para ello no me bastaba para publicar con la continuidad que una historia asi requiere. Cosas del directo.

Mientras tanto, muchas gracias a todos por el interes y los comentarios, y aqui viene una sencilla despedida que "Miss-ya-sabeis-que" me ha pedido que publicara para todos vosotros.

And 38.

. . .

37

Last page on Monday!

La ultima pagina este lunes!

-"Si es un 'Jack in the box' (como se dice esto es castellano? es este juguete que consiste en una cabeza, generalmente de payaso, que salta con un muelle al abrir la caja que lo contiene...) te mato con mis propias manos."
"Has venido para que te lo devuelva?"

-"En absoluto"

-"Realmente te lo has ganado... Lo abriste ya?"

36

Alright so, according to planned, Monday I'll be posting the last two.
See you guys soon.


-"De modo que por lo que veo consiguio conservarla..."

-"Le dire una cosa, 'Hombre - Misterio...'"

35

-"Señorita, espero que no se moleste si le digo que es Usted un peligro publico...!"
-"Menos mal que le dejamos bien claro que mantuviera la operacion en estricto secreto"
-"Y por cierto, de donde carajo ha salido Usted?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-"..."
-"Nos esta señalando a nosotros?!"
-"Ire poniendo el coche en marcha"

Coming to an end.

So, progress is looking good!
Looks like -to play it safe- either next Wednesday or Thursday I'll be able to post up pages 35 and 36, and next weekend at some point (Monday the latest) 37 and 38, and we'll be done!
..............................

La cosa va bien! Parece que para mediados de semana podre poner las paginas 35 /36 y ya para algun momento del fin de semana que viene (lunes como tarde) las dos ultimas 37 y 38.
Un saludo!

New Post

As I'm working on the last pages of "Miss Trouble and other people's adventures - up and down the Hollywood nights" (and this would be the short title) hopefully to be posted up in a reasonably close date from now, here come some more life drawing pieces.

More life drawing

A couple of 'year old' pieces for Wednesday morning.

Palma & Cap Blanc

Two pictures from last summer in Mallorca.
-The first one is the courtyard of a senior house in the old town.
Lots of italian looking buildings there, aparently they brought over many architects from our neighbor country during the 1700's.
-The second one is the lighthouse by the cliffs of Cap Blanc, south of the Island (Cabrera far away in the distance).
By the way, if you find the seagull in this one you'll gain my respect and admiration.
................................................
-Patio de una casa señorial en Palma de Mallorca
-Faro cerca de los acantilados de Cap Blanc, al sur de la Isla (Cabrera al fondo).
Si veis la gaviota os ganais mi respeto y admiracion. Ahi queda eso.

L.A. at its best.

-Quite a view. I was lucky to have my camera with me.

-Fue una suerte llevar la camara encima. Parece una escena bastante trivial pero una composicion asi yo no la veo cada dia! (o se dice noche?...)

34

-Well, as it happened a couple of months ago I'll need some time now to work on the next few pages so, again, in the meantime I'll try to post some other things to keep this running.
Here comes thirty four.

-Como paso hace un par de meses, voy a interrumpir temporalmente el comic mientras me pongo al dia con las paginas siguientes. Mientras, ire colgando otras cosas.
.......................................................................


-"De modo que -esa- era la ultima ventana"
-Aha
-"Dime que no aterrizo sobre la patrulla"
-Pues mira, no lo hizo.
-"QUE??"
-De hecho aterrizo sobre un sin techo que intentaba dormir cerca de unos contenedores.
-"No me digas, el sin techo esta bien?"
-Me parece que si...NO! Espera!... aaah si si, el tipo esta bien.
-"A veces puedes ser tan gracioso..."

33 & system update

Looks like I'm not hanving any more beta-problems for now!
Anyway, given the fact that the whole thing is for free I guess it really ain't so bad.

So, here is some more Miss Trouble action for the week!
. . . . . .
-(Radio): "Entre alli y salte por la ventana AHORA!!!"

-"Las Cajas! AQUI ESTAN!!!
Oh Dios mio, esos dos me estan pisando los talones otra vez!"

-"Mierda"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-(Radio): "Salte, salte ahora!"

-"Dijo la ultima ventana???"

-"HEY!"

-"QUE?"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-"Que esta pasando alli?!?"

-"Oh, fantastico!"

-"La ultima ventana??"

-(Radio): "Si!, la ultima ventana!! SALTE AHORA!!!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-(Radio): Salte ahora y la ..."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

-MIS GAFAAAASSS!!!

-(Radio): "...SALVAremos......"

The new system

Alright guys, I just took the step to go "new generation" blogger, doing the upgrade thing.
I just checked on the comments for 'Page-31' and realized some people's comments that used to appear with their propper "I.D.name" and direct link to their blogs, DO NOW APPEAR AS ANONYMOUS.
I don't know if this is normal or not but I just want to say your comments might not appear in a way in which I might be able to identify who said what anymore.
Does it obey to a certain to-me unknown rule? Is it the effect of some sort of random and mysterious cause?
We might never know.
Have a good weekend.

32

-Pemiso?
-No.
BLAM

-En esta tampoco.
BLAM

-Aha, interesante pero, tampoco.
BLAM

-Por favor no se levante
BLAM

-Dios mio...
-Yo quiero irme a casa con mi mujer y mis hijos.
-Interesante... alguna otra opcion?

-(Radio): "Escuche!! Estamos exactamente debajo de lo que es la ultima habitacion de todas a su izquierda en el pasillo!!
Me recibe??"

31

-"Aparta de mi camino estupido!!!"

-"Ayyy mis costillas!!!"

-"Levantate!!! RAPIDO!!!"

-"Tercer piso, siga hablando... Que aspecto tienen esas cajas??!!!"

-(Radio): "Son de plastico verde oscuro.
60x60x90 centimetros!"

-"Diosss!! Voy a tener que mirar en cada habitacion !"

30 -Weekend Extra! Two for the price of one!

-"Voy subiendo al tercer piso!!!"

-"QUE???"

-"YA TE TENGO!!!"

-"YA LA TENGO!!!"

Sessions

-Here are two more drawings from the sessions with Karl over at the Animation Guild building.
The "colorless" one is rather abstract, but if you guys can figure out what's going on there...well, that'll be quite remarkable.

-Otros dos dibujos de las sesiones con Karl en el edificio del sindicato de animadores.
El de blanco y negro reconozco que es mas bien tirando a abstracto,...si conseguis ver lo que hay alli ya os podeis dar por satisfechos (yo aun lo sigo intentando...)

Robert Valley's new book

This great artist has just put a new book out there with a lot of his personal work.
Check it out because it's really great. His style is unique, dynamic and clean for the eye to follow. Perfect for storytelling of which he definitely has a fantastic sense.
http://robertvalley.blogspot.com/

29

-(Radio): "Dios mio, esto se ha ido a la mierda!"
-"Ahi ha estado acertado!"
-(Radio): "Muy bien pues, ahora busca una pila de cajas de plastico!!!"
-"QUE???
-(Radio): "Necesitamos saber si estan en el edificio!"
"Cincuenta cajas con falsos logos de las Naciones Unidas!"
-"Pero como voy a...? Ahora si que estan llevando esto demasiado lejos!!!"

28

-(Radio): "Salga de ahi. AHORA!!!"

-"Estoy en ello!!"

-(Radio): "Vuelva a la entrada principal, nosotros vamos a entrar por alli"

-"Voy a subir al piso de arriba! No tengo otra opcion!!"

-(Radio): "Que?? -NO!!!-"

Area Map

Shuku just left an interesting comment about the geography of the area where all the action is happening.
So here comes a sketch that hopefully will clarify the situation if needed.

27

-(Radio): "Puede oirme?"

-"Hola de nuevo...joven señora..."

-(Radio): "Repito!. Puede oirme?!"

-"DIOS!"

26

Happy New Year!