Death Valley

Quite a place. I had been there several times already in the late nineties (first with my wife this last weekend). On Sunday we were told at some point at the Furnace Creek store, it was 124 ºF (51.1ºC) in the shadow... Who needs the sun anyway!
I remember another time that I was at the same store, I believe it was in 1998, it was even hotter, around 3 pm we came out of the place and got a taste of how a sudden raise of approximately 50ºF (30º C) in temperature tastes like, as we were coming out of it.
Anyway, honestly, ...incredibly beautiful place. The sense of space, silence, and subtlety of color and shape everywhere around you is hard to believe and surpass. We were saying that 'I hope some day they bottle Death valley silence, because I'm going to buy it'.

-(1) Sand Dunes (Stovepipe Wells)
-(2) Zabriskie Point
-(3,4) Bad Water (notice the tiny figure in the horizontal shot)

Corridors of mystery

Her strong will and enduring of all sorts of tricky situations finally starts paying back! will she make it all the way through the end though? ...more to come (but not -many- more) in next posts!!
As far as the sketches is concerned, these were made in Palm Springs and Culver City some time ago now.

Shipment on the way - UPDATE-

I just got this email from Amazon. Exciting! (I ordered my own copy of the book so that I would know exactly when people started receiving theirs)

"We have good news -- the order is now being shipped! You should receive a shipping notification shortly, within the next business day, for the following item(s):
"Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers"

Rock 'n roll! :D
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-UPDATE-
As Brian (cromasketch) is mentioning in his comment the shipping of the book to the people who ordered it from Amazon slows down from time to time. I apologize for this fact, which in itself implies good news as the book is selling fast and they run out of it intermittently, as I see after talking to Amazon last night.
I want to thank you all again for your understanding of the situation. If you guys have the chance, please let me know when you start receiving the copies.
Thanks a lot!

Wait! they are heading for the third actually..

Stakes are getting higher, literally

Second floor it is

More action, plus some of the original sketches I did back then as inspiration for the character an her Hollywood apartment.

Goin' up?

Sometimes taking a step up in life is not necessarily a good thing...

Meanwhile, back in Hollywood...

...Life goes on for Miss Trouble.
Also, I just got the latest issue of CHT (comic / historietas / tebeos) this time dedicated to Hal Foster's 'Prince valiant'. Incredible work by this team, once again, displayed along 100 beautiful pages!
I hope summer is treating everyone nice.

San Diego 2010!

Just back from San Diego Comic-Con. It was great, certainly always an occasion to meet up with friends and also to finally put faces to names I heard so many times or that, so far, I had only been in touch with through blog or email.
So thanks to everybody who showed up and specially the 'Design Studio Press' guys that put together once again a wonderful stand for everyone to enjoy.
The signing of my book went great, and I'll say that today Saturday around early afternoon the supplies of 'Framed Ink' that were available for this festival got sold out. Right now they are taking orders for August, when the book will be finally released.
It was a pleasure to talk with everyone and share the interest we all Comic Con nuts share on everything related to comics and movies in general!

Photos (left to right, at the top): Tinti Dey - Scott Robertson - Alfie

Great news

I just got a phone call.
After all and thanks to the efforts of DSP and the printer, 'Framed Ink' will be ready and available for sale during the San Diego Comic con. So if you guys are around it will be great to see you there, I'll be at booth #1701 on Saturday 24th between 1pm and 2pm, when I'll have a book signing.
Thanks everyone again.

Summer days

The always handy staircase to the top floor...
As far as the car on the road, it's a concept illustration I did time ago for a personal project.

I hope everyone is enjoying summer.

Catching up

It had been a while since the last time I posted any pages of the 'life and miracles' of our customer department attendant turned secret agent in one single night, ...so here are two more!

Book release announcement

Thank you everyone for being with me on the road to 'Framed Ink' becoming a reality!
My publisher, Design Studio Press regretted to announce today that there will be a slight delay in the books arriving to the U.S.
They are phenomenal in making sure they get only the most exceptional products into your hands, and for that I'll say they had to be patient with the printer while they manufacture a book of the highest quality.
Although DSP unfortunately will not be able to provide a finished copy of the book to you at Comic con 2010, they invite you to look through a preview copy there, and receive 25% off of your purchase of 'Framed Ink' while getting an autographed illustration print from the book from me.
So please visit with me during Comic con 2010 at booth 1701 on Saturday 24th between 1PM and 2PM. Any books purchased at the show will be shipped for free as soon as the books arrive into the States in August.
Sorry about the inconvenience and ...I will see you very soon in San Diego!
Thank you.

(By the way, all sorts of news, updates and miscellaneous about the book usually appear in my other blog, exclusively dedicated to it).

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Gracias a todos por compartir el camino hasta el estreno de 'Framed Ink'.
Mi editor Design Studio Press me acaba de comunicar que habra un pequeño retraso en la llegada de los ejemplares a los Estados Unidos. DSP son excelentes en presentar al publico solo los productos de la mejor calidad, y en este sentido hay que decir que el trabajo con el impresor ha sido mas largo de lo previsto con tal de conseguir este nivel que siempre requieren.
Aunque desafortunadamente DSP no tendra disponibles para la venta general ejemplares de mi libro en el ComiCon dentro de unas semanas, os invitan a ver de primera mano un ejemplar final de muestra, un descuento del 25% al comprar alli 'Framed Ink', y una lamina de una ilustracion del libro autografiada por mi.
De modo que estare encantado de veros durante el Comi con en el stand 1701 el sabado 24 de Julio entre la 1 y las 2 de la tarde. Los libros comprados alli seran enviados gratis tan pronto como las copias lleguen a los Estados Unidos en agosto.
Sintiendo el contratiempo, espero veros pronto en San Diego!
Gracias.

(Por cierto, todas estas noticias y mas sobre el libro van apareciendo en mi otro blog, dedicado exclusivamente a Framed Ink)

Movies movies, 2 (& update)

-In 1998-99 we worked on 'The Road to El Dorado' where our cameras followed Tulio and Miguel, through the cities of southern Spain first and the jungles of Mexico later on.
I also did a lot of workbook in that production, but what took the most of my time was leading the team that designed the lighting for the whole film. We used warm gray Pantone markers and whiteout on paper for that, and the only adjustment we could do to our artwork, if we thought we needed to, was playing a bit with the contrast with the use of the photocopy machine. It was definitely a more time consuming process that would be nowadays with all the technology available!
The first sequence of drawings reflects the moment in which Tulio and Miguel make it to the Golden City through a concealed passage, with the help of Chel.
-The shot of the construction site (The Prince of Egypt) depicts the oppressive atmosphere of the people in it, playing with the heavy, vertical shapes of the columns on top putting visual pressure on the 'tiny looking' characters underneath.
-Finally, a workbook sketch for a scene during the 'chariot race' sequence at the beginning of the film, trying to establish the dynamics of the moment and the hot lighting of the location.

UPDATE: My friend Jesus Duce has just surprised me in his wonderful blog 'Pecios' posting up a really old work of mine. A short graphic novel (full story) that dates back from 1985. It was originally published in the magazine 'Creepy' (Toutain Editor).
Thanks Jesus!