THE JOKER

Check out a work in progress.. He wanted to tell his story and and pay homage to his favorite super villain.

Etsy Shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=8076014

PERSONAL POWER

This is another piece on one of our Japanese clients who wanted to freak his name with the lettering and stack them 3-dimensionally.

FOR THE STREETS

Check out this collaboration I did with Cope 2 who was visiting form the Bronx. My foundation came from graffiti and I love to do a piece every chance I get. Good lookin out to Toomer TKO, Cope KD, WCA and AWR for comin through.

The Limitations Of Contemporary TV Animation.

There's certainly an interesting discussion going on currently over at John K's blog regarding all of this contemporary trend in (mostly TV) animated characters where the designs are deliberately flat and graphic, with the limitations in movement and personality that are inherent in such design. Needless to say, I agree with John's stance on this and share his criticisms of this unfortunate trend. I believe that there is a real detriment to animation design when one is a slave to the computer software being used today. The examples that John cites from TV shows are all of the Flash cutout (or "symbol" as they call it) variety, where each character is created from an assortment of pre-drawn parts that exist in the computer, with no additional drawing being allowed by the animators working on the show. Instead of actually creating a pose or expression, today's TV animators must contrive it as best they can from the library of character parts they have to work with. Can you imagine - animators being discouraged from actually drawing something!

Additionally, the fact that these characters are all being drawn digitally on the computer to begin with, utilizing a vector-based program like Flash or other likeminded software, means that all of the designs consist of perfect geometric shapes: perfect straight edges and perfect curves. Likewise, the outlines are all vector lines, usually of an unvarying line weight, or occasionally with a contrived thick and thin. All of this unyielding control that the computer has been given is killing all of the potential for fluid animation and, ultimately, personality. It's like trying to draw a character using nothing but a ruler, circle/oval template, and maybe some French curves. Why would any artist want to be given such strict limitations? I'm not saying that the resulting images are totally lacking visual appeal, but they are certainly not designed for animation in the truest sense.

John talks of the functionality of a good character design, and that it must be explored through movement to arrive at a final design that's conducive to animation, rather than just be a series of graphic shapes that only work in static poses. I agree with this assessment, as I also prefer that a character design be "organic" - pliable and capable of fluid movement and full rotations when called for. Even the Hanna-Barbera designs of the early 1960s, though more simple shape based for the TV cartoons of that era than their theatrical predecessors, were still solid in form and designed for pliable movement. Just compare the animation of Yogi Bear or Fred Flintstone to anything of today and you'll hopefully understand what I mean.

One of the most compelling comments following this topic on John's site comes from a commenter by the name Tilcheff, who offers this bluntly honest and heartbreaking assessment of his recent experience in the animation studios:

"It's funny and sad at the same time that every single studio I have worked at makes the same mistakes in the name of efficiency. Business arrogance dominates this industry and people with no love for cartoons produce them. The self-censorship and political correctness strangle every fresh idea before it's even born. Young enthusiastic animators are very quickly disillusioned by a system, which treats them as computer operators and has no mechanism to get feedback, ideas or allow them even the slightest creativity to do visual gags, a system which shows no recognition for their work and appreciation of their skill or talent, a system that kicks them out in the street upon a successful completion of the job. Very quickly they become cynical, trapped in the world of stock actions and expressions, knocking frames day after day, quickly learning how to do things in order to avoid problems. They also very quickly learn to lie that they like the crap shows they work on, that they enjoy the terrible work atmosphere in the studios. There is usually a culture of hypocrisy and backstabbing, generated by the mediocrity, contemporary political correctness and 'post-modern' cool-ness which dominates these studios. The values behind contemporary cartoons have nothing to do with those during the Termite Terrace years. Everything seems to be extremely superficial, hollow and lacking internal logic, reasonable values and weight."

I think Tilcheff sums it up well, and his entire commentary is well worth reading, as this is only an excerpt.

Anyway, that's all I'm saying on this matter, as I've learned from recent experience that stating my opinion on anything animation related is akin to swimming in shark infested waters...

SOUL SUNDAY

Couple weeks ago we brought you Teena Marie, you need to go get her greatest hits. She was discovered by Rick James and here is the Ballad they did together and it stands on its own today.
Who do you think the Rick James and Teena Marie of today are?

TRAILER OF THE WEEK

For those of you that like Thrillers and Scary Movies, these are the films of my child hood that I can remember. Moms and Pops use to take me and these movies impacted my life not sure if it was good or bad but they definitely impacted my life.

BLESSED ART THOU

Here is another one of my clients that came out from Japan.. who wanted to get an old school LA back rocker..

GET YOUR EAGLE ON!

Check out the homie who drove all the way from Tokyo to get this tattoo.. He didn't move at all and was as focused as a Samurai.

FOR NAMES SAKE

The Dope when the ladies want to keep it classy.. This is one of our clients who wanted to get here name in classic script lettering..

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Here is a recent piece on a client from Holland.. He wanted to keep it small and simple for his first tattoo.

RESTORED WITH PRIDE

I was in the San Gabriel Valley today making my rounds through D & D Customs, Mario's Auto Works and Top Stitch checking on all my current projects.. But my first stop was
"The Chevy Shop" in El Monte. I was really impressed by the quality of the finished show cars and the owner Bert and his huge collection of raw Chevrolet's some for restoration and some were parts cars. Bert has recently had five cars featured on the cover of Lowrider Magazine this year and he has a massive collection of hard to find GM accessories. His shop builds cars to show room condition or a custom Lowrider with hydraulics.
They specialize in 1955-1957 Chevy Bel Airs, 1958 - 1964 Impalas. What ever your budget can handle
"The Chevy Shop" has something for you.

SOUL SUNDAY!

Here is a Classic Soul record that you might have heard covered and sampled a couple times since 1969 when it was recorded..

The Friends of Distinction
"Going in Circles"

INSTANT CLASSIC

Chuck Jones: Louvre Come Back to Me! 1962

Ronald Searle filtered through Chuck Jones= Cartoon heaven. Gorgeously expressive and stylized drawings (and movement) from the Pepe Le Pew cartoon Louvre Come Back to Me, 1962.

IN STORE

Join us today 5-7pm. 5060 Whittier Blvd, East LA at the MetroPCS store.
(Between Clela and S. Vancouver)In addition to the airbrush demo, I will also be signing limited edition posters.

The Lily & Flinch Sketchbook

New printing from Brand Studio, larger format, on better paper, hardcover and with a couple new pages of artwork. And all for LESS money than the original softcover from Lulu.
This book came out beautifully, I'm very proud of it.

Order here!

10.25x8.25 inches, 104 pages Full-Color, Full-Bleed, Hardcover, Case Bound, sewn pages
Price: $29.95 US Dollars.

JUST A LITTLE PATIENCE!

Patience!! Something Mark Ballas from dancing with the stars knows alot about. Mark while training his latest dance partner out here on the east coast came through to get his wrist tattooed.

VINNIE STYLES

The New York tour ended with a visit from our good friends over at www.vinniesstyles.com Jacob and his Bro came into to continue the collection of sick Tattoos. Good Bye NY and we will be back in NOV to kill it for 2 weeks !! keep up.

TAYLOR NOT SO SWIFT!

MTV Shows

I was in New York City watching the VMa's Live.. I thought Russel Brand was funny and different but by the looks of the faces in the crowd, I could tell he went over everyones head.. Lady Gaga is dope especially her Christmas wreath face mask. Thank God someone is original! Beyonce once again killed it and shook every R&B chick watching (except Mary J. Blige).. I thought it was funny when Kanye West jumped up on stage, cause he disrupted a boring moment. He was correct in saying that Beyonce should have won, but his Ego and Timing over shadowed the Truth. Taylor Swift needs to stay at the Country Music Awards cause she has no Swag, Rhythm, or Street smarts to survive a simple altercation . My 4yr old Daughter would have not let him walk away with out saying "My Daddy is going to kick your ass..." She should have told him" Don't be mad at me, You should be mad at that barber who cut your hair.." Taylor Swift isn't so swift, she stiffed. Seventeen or not Taylor came off ungrateful and selfish for Not Thanking Beyonce for doing something she didn't have too. Thanks Jay Z and Alicia Keys for the Hottest song of the Year. Unfortunately for us the Night was ruined by Corn Ball, No hit having," Lil Mama".. Thank God Jay turned his back to her. I think she jumped on stage cause she thinks she is miss New York, but miss NY moved to Hollywood for a measly check. If Kanye would have not jumped on stage, no one would have been talkin about it. God Bless Alicia Keys and H.O.V the God..

Final Day in NY

One of my long time clients came in to get the rest of his sleeve done and his lady got their children's names on her lower back. Here are a couple more fliks to trip out on..

Sunday Session has begun

The week is almost done but we have a full Sunday of appointments so its going to be along night. Stay up and stay tuned. Toon$

SOUL SUNDAY

For those of you that think Alicia Keys is old school, you might not know Teena Marie or her music..
So here is one of her records to start you off.

Late Night NY Style

Trey  came through for a traditional rocker piece its 3 am and we got 2 more appointments in the house.

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS....

Last Night I tattooed the homie Pecas and Tommy Guns from NYC, We pulled an all
nighter. At 6am I had to go down and design the room for the VMAS official
gifting suites, check out the 2 canvases I did and the window I had to take
it to the old school and bust out my brushes and bust out my logo across the
hotel windows so people know were they are at. The house of hype is doing it
big, with the hotel Rivington being a great a host. Thanks again to Gab's And Pecas.