Getting there

The two pages before last. The nightmare seems to be close to over...

LAAFA sessions - UPDATE

Just finished a five sessions course at LAAFA on composition for visual storytellers yesterday based on the book. It was a really cool group of students, some of them already professionals, which were a pleasure to interact with!
I'll be starting another set of (8) sessions on October 9th on the same subject. Hope to see you there!

UPDATE- The classes will start on Saturday, October 23rd. Thanks!

Comics n' movies

More Hollywood trouble, conquistadores and vikings for today.
First, two more pages of the comic story ...two less to go! and getting closer to the end of it.
The two shots of the horsemen in the jungle come from what used to be called 'workbook' in the good ol' days of 2D animation. They are Tulio and Miguel riding Altivo in their search for the mythical City of El Dorado (Dreamworks).
Finally, an interior layout shot I did for 'Asterix and the Vikings' (A-Film). This one belongs to the Chief's kitchen, all drawn in separate layers to make things easier for the animation process.

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.