I'm still jetlagged as I post this sketch...
I just got back last night after an amazing two week jaunt around France and Spain...
My beautiful wife and I went for the Out of Picture 2 gallery opening at Galerie Arludik, a place that embraces artwork for film and comics. Being with friends and artistic collaborators in one of the world's most beautiful cities for this was beyond words. Jean Jacques and Dianne were incredible hosts and friends, and much fun was had. They are incredibly enthusiastic about the art we do for movies and books, and the welcome we felt in Paris was as genuine as it comes. We also caught up with co-conspirators Gerald, who many of you know as the co-creator of Sketch Travel (and who also braved an outing despite a bad flu) and his wonderful wife, Sophie.

I did this gouache sketch in a little Moleskin watercolor pad from our hotel window, using a tiny (007 style) Windsor Newton watercolor kit with a folding palette.
Dice had turned me on to some great water-reservoir brushes which made it easy to wash the brushes and wet the paper without too much hassle. Thanks, Dice...you were there in spirit, man!

It was right at sunset and the colors changed quickly, so I decided on a small vertical sketch. The charm of the shape of the buildings and chimneys in the neighborhood that we stayed in was incredible. (Hopefully that's conveyed in the study.)
There wasn't much time for other sketches, although I love the medium, and this sketch got the fires burning again.

I just got back from an amazing weekend with my wife and some of her family in Newport RI, and I participated in a Wet Paint festival that benefited the local museum and it's educational programs. The rules were simple. Complete a painting on site (plein air) anywhere in the Newport area, and finish it by 3 pm on Saturday. I planned to complete two canvases, and although I began both, I only completed one (a morning session) It sold in the auction for a pretty good price, so I was happy...

It was a beautiful area called Prescott farms, and the red house was built in the mid 1700's. It was originally part of a larger house that was built around 1730, and was rumored to have been the place of capture of the British officer, Richard Prescott in 1777 by the American forces.

The windmill was built in 1812, and yes, it still works! It is in the process of being re-shingled, but I could still see the old weathered color of the wood just under the dome of the windmill cap. I decided to paint it as it was before the renovation. I was also lucky enough to peek in and see the engineering that went into it. It really is an extraordinary machine!

I hit the painting between the hours of 10 am and 1 pm, both Friday and Saturday.
The painting was about 80 percent finished at this point, and it was broiling outside.
I also brought a cheap umbrella just before we made the trip, which by complete dumb luck just happened to fit in the nook at the top of my easel. I was able to keep my palette and my painting out of direct light, which kept the mixing of colors and my value range from being out of control in bright sunlight. There was no escaping a sunburn, though.

This is a quick sketch I did on the platform waiting for the B train. Hats are in fashion this season. (or maybe I'm just noticing them more...)

I only had a minute or so, so it is more of a gesture than anything else. I've been trying these great Japanese HI-TEC-C pens. This weekend I'm off to a "wet paint" festival in Newport, RI. It's a plein-air paint auction. It might rain, so it just might live up to it's namesake in the literal sense, too. I'll post the results and some pics.

Yep! I carved out some time and got out this weekend to paint...
I spent the weekend with my wife and her family up in beautiful Newport, RI.
Great times, and beautiful weather.
As usual, I could use another hour or two on the color study, but time doesn't always permit...
The light was great, as well as the architecture. The quaint little building was built in 1771 (!), and a member of my wife's family lived in it for a spell (this century, though!)
(I took the pict with my iphone, because it was too wet to travel)

I was reminiscing about my tenure in the TV animation world in NYC, and I wanted to post this for posterity sake. I miss these guys...We were shooting for an aesthetic somewhere between the '69 World's Fair and scientific illustrations from the 50's and 60's.
They are on their fourth season of the show, and more to come from what I hear.
I drew the Venture Compound for the pilot episode of Venture Brothers back when I was at Noodlesoup. (They are called World Leaders now! Check them out here!)

http://www.wleaders.com/

Venture Brothers is led by Jackson Publick and co-written by his co-conspirator Doc Hammer. They keep one-upping themselves every new season. Brilliant...'nuff said.

Wow. It's been a while, blog...I missed ya...
As my friends can attest, it's been a busy couple of weeks!
(I got married to the love of my life, folks!)
I'm back with a sketch, and busy working on personal projects.
I finished up my tenure on Ice Age 3!!! It will hit theaters in JULY

Hoping to post more soon...

Leave it to the Totoro Auction to bring together more artists from around the globe.
Tonight I had dinner and hung out with the brilliant Oren Haskins, who was in town for a few weeks.
Twice as nice of a guy as he is an artist, which is saying alot! He popped by Blue Sky, and then we all headed into the city to Patsy's pizza to grab a bite. Mike Knapp, Willie Real, and Petey Ngyuen were in attendance.

Great times and some fun sketching afterwards at a coffeeshop...