CTNX 2013 – Game Prep!

This will be my third CTN eXpo and they just keep getting better and better! : D

This year I will have the opportunity to see the Getty Art Museum with the incredible Oatley Academy crew. If anything like the DAM trip that accompanied this year's Denver ComicCon, it will prove both fun and educational. Post Getty, I have tickets for the screening of Ernest and Celestine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ1rmOYLr2U - a gorgeous French animation that will be shown in English here for the first time. (Normally I don't like dubs, but I don't understand French at all so this time is okay) At the convention I will make rounds to visit all the super awesome peoples I've been meeting/keeping tabs on and make my purchases – got a pretty tight budget this year so while I want to buy everyone's sketchbooks – I probably will only get a max of 3-5. : / I have applications in to two studios at the moment, so I plan on following up with their recruiters. And I also plan on getting feedback from my artist friends! I didn't sign up for any workshops this year because most of my time is going to be dedicated to the Oatley Academy booth #B51. I have my official Academy Tshirt packed and I'm stoked to represent this amazing school and the Magic Box course!! Some of the students will also be selling their work, but I think I'm going to just take orders this year – that is if anyone is interested. I'm easing myself into more and more booth activity so next year I might have my own CTN New Talent Table. ; ) I will do a full write up (Hopefully with pictures) the Monday when I get back – to encourage everybody who couldn't make it this year to come next year and to share any big announcements that might be coming up – so stay tuned for that!

A BIG THANK YOU to Matt and Brittany, who volunteered to drop off/pick up Raul and I from the airport in Denver, and to our hotel roomies Katherine and Owen. You guys are the BEST. : )

The Last Cat and Some Sequentials

 So here is the finished cat. He's more of a spirit, vanishing like the Cheshire Cat of Alice's Wonderland, a psychopomp who guides the spirits of the dead to the next plane/life. I toned down the Dia de los Muertos theme on the black jaguar, but really wanted to keep the bow tie because I imagine him to be a little playful, a little mischievous while he goes about heralding peoples. I'm tempted to name him Felix.

Below are a couple storyboards: The first is the Angelic War which features the designs I did for Michael and Lucifer. The second is the Public Service announcement that features Katherine and Owl. Obviously one has a more serious tone than the other. (I am not advocating any particular religious belief, nor is this what I believe actually happened, just ran with the story in a way that I thought would be most visually interesting) I enjoyed the challenge of them both. ^^

Still plugging away on story completion. Last 2 weeks worked strictly on portfolio to submit to Dream Job and sent it off this morning...nervous, anxious, excited, hopeful, only somewhat confident. All out of my hands now so back to working on the stories and local job hunt. Enjoyed going to Denver ComicCon, much bigger than I anticipated but not yet as impressive as Armageddon was in New Zealand, especially when it came to the COSplayers. (Thank you, Raul, for going with me even though I know you didn't want to be in those crowds any more than I did) Kudos to all the awesome artists who showed! If I'm still in Denver this time next year I'll see what I can do about getting a booth too. As a last note, I just wanted to say that I'm super excited for Pixar's Brave coming out soon - can't wait to see it!!!