Man vs. Art Episode 17! Giving your art as a gift, Tips for Drawing people in public, plus an interview with Steve Sievers and Dahveed the creators of Supa Pirate Booty Hunt!
By Raul | March 7, 2010
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:29 — 51.7MB)
Salabration Time!
Recently my friends the Cartoonistas and myself celebrated the birthday of our good friend Sal Felix the owner of Geeks comics in Whittier California. It was good times all around! Literally a cartoon Carnival!
The lovely and vivacious Hortencia, the Man vs. Art, and Sal Felix
The usual Gang of Locos! Los Cartoonistas
A group of escaped cartoon loving lunatics that run around drawing funny pictures!
Back row from L to R John Narcomey, Geo Brawn IV, Javier Hernandez, Luis Escobar. Middle row Man vs. Art Raul Aguirre Jr., Grasiella Rodriguez, Rene, Jose Cabrerra Front Row Michael Aushenker, Jim Lujan
We all busted out self portraits on a big poster board and presented it to Sal! Part gift, part vain self promotion! Yipee!
Another Cartoonista shameless promotion!
Here we have a bevy of beauties known as the Cartoonista Groupies!
Pretty ladies to inspire the cartoon madness we put out!
Man Vs. Art busts out an Epic birthday present!
I unveiled a painting that I made as a gift for Sal. I really appreciate his generosity towards the Usual Gang of Locos!
The artist unveils his creation!
Sal Felix, The man, the myth!
Sal Felix by Raul Aguirre Jr.
Life imitates art and art imitates life!
This scene from the classic movie Airplane! with Lloyd Bridges inspired this piece.
Looks Like I picked a bad week to quit smokin'!
My version of the gag!
Looks like I picked a bad week to quit reading comics!
Sal takes the Cake!
Cake makes everyone happy!
Moving right along…..
Some tips when sketching in public.
When you are drawing people in public, it’s a good idea to be discreet. You never know how some folks might react. Especially the ladies and vain guys. You know “Metro” guys. Try to be tactful also. Save the mean drawings to do at home. And for the love of god, if you are going to let people flip through your sketchbook make sure there isn’t anything in there you don’t wouldn’t show to your mother!
I recently attended a wedding where this lady fell victim to my pen.
A lovely young lady I recently sketched.
Steve Sievers and Dahveed! the creators of SUPA PIRATE BOOTY HUNT!
Steve Sievers (l) Dahveed (r)
Some great design work folks! Supa Pirate booty hunt is off da’ chain! Check out the tattoo some chick got! Now that is what I call FAN DEVOTION!
Supa pirate booty hunt RAWKS!
check out the animated shenanigands from the warped minds of Steve Sievers and Dahveed creators of Supa pirate Booty Hunt at www.supapiratebootyhunt.com
So keep those pencils sharp and keep those sketchbooks flipping!
Ciao!
Raul
Man Vs Art Episode016 The essence of drawing and the meaning of appeal.
By Raul | February 9, 2010
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:21:00 — 74.2MB)
3 reasons why you the ARTIST must simultaneously be your biggest pimp and worst critic:
1. No one cares or will ever care as deeply about your art as you do.
2. Only you can make choices that define and propel your art.
3. You know your business best and what’s best for your art.
It’s All About Love
No one else but you takes your art home and dwells upon it at dinner, in the evening, during the wee hours of the morning or when you wake up.
It is sheer passion, intensity and insane drive that separates Artists from hobbyists. When all is said and done, the artist is the master of their artwork.
You truly have to “get it” and have it “within you” to succeed in art when it’s “you” who encapsulates the brand.
This takes love, time, dedication and a willingness to look at your art from all angles to improve upon areas that are in need.
A good understanding of the fundamentals of drawing will go a long way in helping you achieve your goals as an artist!
The 5 P’s of drawing.
Proportion:
The ratio between the three dimensions. It is very important to get proportion correct if you are doing a representational drawing. Even the untrained eye can point out a proportion problem.
Placement:
How large or small and how far away objects are is called Placement.
Perspective:
The point of view the artist has chosen and how it relates to the horizon line is called perspective. Once this viewpoint is chosen it must be followed throughout the drawing. In other words you can only have one viewpoint for your perspective to be correct.
Planes:
Surface appearance as defined by light and shadow. Every change in tone is a new plane. So those closet to the light are the light planes, those farthest away are shadow planes, in between are half-tone planes.
Pattern:
The deliberate arrangement of the tones of your subject.
The Five C’s of Drawing:
Learn It, Love it, Live it.
Conception:
The rough sketch or thumbnail of an Idea.
Construction:
Establishing your forms in space following the model or from knowledge.
Contour:
The outline and edges of forms in space in relation to your POV.
Character:
The sum of all things that distinguish one subject from another.
Consistency:
Having all of your elements working together and following the same direction or logic. Plus the ability to reproduce successful drawings and knowing why you can.
In the podcast I mentioned some books you might want to get.
How to draw comics the Marvel Way!
This book is a great way to start. If you look past Stan Lee’s blabbing, you can really learn alot from John Buscema’s presentation of drawing fundamentals.
Must have book!
The Five C’s of Cinematography.
A great book for Storyboard and Animation Artists. It’s old school, but also mandatory for any film maker to know. Good tips that can be applied to drawing and painting as well!
another must have!
Fun with a pencil by Andrew Loomis.
This is a great fun book that has been out of print for a long time. If you click the pick you can download a PDF version.
click the pic for a pdf of this cool book!
Remember, practice! Study your fundamentals! Then practice some more.
One more thing!
Check out my interview on the Ghettomation Podcast with Jim Lujan and Kevin Cross for some more insight to the process of drawing and cartoons!
This time Man vs. Art is on the other side of the microphone! You’ll dig it! Good times!
Mad Man Raul!
Man vs Art Episode 015 Jim Lujan and I recap the Animation Getdown Plus A Man vs. Art look at the mindset of the artist, and some tips on how to hold your pencil.
By Raul | January 26, 2010
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:52 — 63.0MB)
Who's this Jim Lujan character? Security!!!
The Animation GetDown at Geeks Comics in Whittier California was a total blast We had a full house and the cartoons were awesome! I’d like to thank the following people for helping make the 2010 Geeks Animation Getdown making the Animation Get Down a sucess, Jim Lujan, Gracialla Rodriguez, Steve Sievers, Dahveed, Scott Essman, Kevin Cross, Nuvein Foundation for Literature and the Arts
Enrique Diaz and Renato Aguirre. Who I believe has the coolest last name I’ve ever Heard. I’m Just sayin’.
Sal Felix the owner of Geeks Comics.
Sal Felix the the owner of GEEKS Comics provided us with the wonderful venue and refreshments!, Geeks Comics the best place to scratch your comic book itch! 6747 Greenleaf Ave. Suite A ,Whittier, CA 90601. 562 – 696 – 9393
My lovely Wife Hortencia completes me.
My wife the lovely and vivacious Hortencia Aguirre for providing candy grab bags for the audience and her expert photography service!
Thanks to my Brother Ricardo for showing up! Is it just me or do we look like….
This means something.
I’d also like to thank everyone who attended the show.
- What a great time!
What should mindset as an artist be?
I say you need to be enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated. Most importantly you must have the love. If you don’t love drawing, I mean really LOVE IT! You won’t last. Sorry. Look, creating art is hard. You must love your art enough to get through the tough times.
In the art world you’ll encounter mainly 2 types of negative people. Douche Nozzles and Dumb Asses. How do you spot who is a “Douche Nozzle” and who is the “Dumb Ass” depends on who you ask. One person’s “Douche Nozzle” might be another person’s “Dumb Ass”.
It sometimes happens that when a person disagrees with us, we want to label them either an uppity “Douche Nozzle” or a Lowly “Dumb Ass”. They are too stupid to see things “our way”. Or, they are too stubborn and “uptight” because they refuse to appreciate something we admire. But are these people really a Douche Nozzle or a Dumb Ass?
Everyone entitled to an opinion.
It’s how you express it. Be polite and gracious that’s all.
How to hold your pencil when you draw.
Some useful pencil wrangling tips!
2 Books that are Man vs. Art required reading.
1. The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaïdes
THEE BOOK!
This is a must for anyone serious on learning how to learn to draw. Get it? This book teaches you how to approach your study of drawing. This book is a solid beginning and only for for the dedicated. NO POSERS! Do the exercises, the best you can but more importantly draw. Draw everyday. Some will complain, “Awe man it will take me years to do this!” What do you plan on retiring your pencil the day you learn how to draw? It doesn’t take years, it takes a lifetime of hard work to learn how to learn to draw.
Chuck Jones followed it, as well as Shamus Culhane who wrote the next book.
2. Animation from script to screen by Shamus Culhane
No. B.S. approach to making cartoons!
During my internship at Walt Disney Feature Animation in 1994 my first Animation Mentor Dave Zaboski recommended this book by Shamus Culhane, and it was a blast! Shamus animated the famous Pluto and the Flypaper sequence and “Honest John” Foulfellow the fox and Gideon the dopey cat on Pinnochio. He worked at Warners and UPA and is considered a master. He makes it possible to learn animation from a book. Covering every aspect of film animation, from basic mechanics to giving creativity full play, and including writing, recording, acting, dialogue-even how to mange an animation studio of one’s own, Culhane fulfills the promise of his title-”from script to screen. This book contains more than 130 illustrations, graphic exercises, and sketches for an honest hands-on experience for the novice.
Man vs. Art animated promotional video.
Man Vs. Art Episode 014! So you want to be an artist? 5 Unavoidable truths about being an artist.
By Raul | January 9, 2010
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:37 — 50.0MB)
Drawing is a skill ANYONE can learn whether or not they possess “natural talent”.
And I do mean anyone.
Yes. Even a guy like Bernie Lipshitz.
Bernie Lipshitz Rookie Artist at large.
If you are serious about learning how to draw, there are a few things you need right off the bat.
The desire to to learn, education, patience, dedication, and most important of all,
you need tons and tons of practice!
Before embarking on your lifelong quest to master drawing, you must be aware of what I call ” 5 unavoidable truths of being an artist.” If you can’t accept ALL of these, perhaps you should try something other than art.
Let us face up to what to many, is “un-face-up-to-able.”
UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH #1
Never underestimate how dopey we all can be.
You are going to screw up.
Repeat. You are going to screw up both royally and often. It’s part of the process. Don’t beat yourself up if your drawing of Marylin Monroe looks more like Marylin Manson. Chin up! A good artist quickly learn to recognize his mistakes and learns from them.
Avoid being too self-critical. No one can be as good as Michelangelo on Monday morning at nine am their first day as an artist! It will take time for you to develop. Which brings us to the next truth.
UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH #2
You must dedicate a significant part of your time to practicing how to draw.
If you aren't making funny noises with your mouth, you are not drawing HARD enough!
People always ask me, “Raul, how do you get to Disney ?
My answer. ” Practice.”
Every single artist has at least a zillion crappy drawings within him or her. The sooner you get them out of the way or “exorcise” them the better. Get it? I myself am already on my two zillionth one.
UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH #3
You must learn to accept criticism from EVERYBODY.
Ignore the douche nozzles!
You must learn to accept criticism from EVERYBODY.
Always accept a critique with a smile and a thank you. Even if you think the critic is blind or high.
It’s up to you if you follow up on the criticism or not. Arguing with a critic is like arguing with a drunk. Pointless. Use logic not emotion to determine your reaction. That’s being a pro.
UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH #4
Competition between artists is a waste of time.
Don't waste energy on being competitive. Be the best you can be.
You feel jealous towards your artistic rival, your Lex Luthor, because he just sold a big painting, that you know sucks. A Unicorn running on a rainbow?!! In outer space?!!! Forget Lex Luthor! What the heck does he have to do with you becoming the best artist you can be? Competitive behavior is a waste of time. Use that energy on your projects! Besides, everyone has a different background, as well as tastes, and visions! We are all unique and special. Like little snowflakes!
UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH #5
It's not the pencil that makes the drawing.
I hate to break it to you all, but in the early stages of an artist’s career, the quality of the drawing implement has little if nothing to do with the sucess of a drawing.
A rookie will get the same results
whether he uses a chewed up golf pencil he found under the couch.
or the $375.00 Porsche Design P3150 Collection – Black Leather Pencil. That’s right i said a Porsche pencil. It comes down to the skill of the artist weilding the pencil.
I wonder how fast this Porsche pencil can draw?
Eventually you’ll want a couple of decent wire-bound sketchbooks.
A good wire-bound sketchbook is essential for an artist!
This will help you keep organized and most importantly help you chart your progress. At this stage you don’t need anything fancier. In fact I highly recommend you not buy any fancy pencils, pens, paper or leather bound sketchbooks. There will be plenty of time for that later when your Draw FU is stronger. You’ll be too afraid to screw up with the fancy stuff and it WILL affect your drawing.
Speaking of STRONG DRAW FU…
Back in my days at Walt Disney Feature Animation, a good friend of mine, The openly Canadian Supervising Animator Mike Surrey used a yellow #2 pencil to animate his scenes.
Here I am with Mike Surrey at the Walt Disney Feature Animation TARZAN Wrap Party
He’s the guy that gave us Timon, Clopin on Hunchback, Terk on Tarzan, Commander Rourke on Atlantis and Buck on Home on the Range. One of the most brilliant animators ever. He was my mentor for the four years prior to my working with Glen Keane. It was thanks to his teaching and patience that prepared me to be Glen’s assistant.
Mike is a great dude with a killer sense of humor, who was always willing to give me a few minutes to go over my scenes. He taught me how to approach animation with confidence! I found his lively and expressive drawings to be quite an inspiration! Yet he drew these Disney masterpieces with the same pencil you take the SAT with.
Mike Surrey Master Animator!
Here is a recent audio interview with Disney Animators Mike Surrey and Mark Henn.
PRX THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG: Disney animators talk to Andrea Chase
http://www.prx.org/pieces/43057-the-princess-and-the-frog-disney-animators-mark-h
Check out the 2D traditional animation demonstration Mike did here!
For those that don’t believe me about Mike’s penchant for Yellow number 2 pencils, check out what he’s drawing with in the vid.
During my 2005 trip to Europe I had an interesting encounter with a rookie or “rook” as I like to call them.
- This kid was determined to be an artist.
I was befriended by a German kid thatwas really interested in what I was doing.
The kid ran into me while I was sketching fellow passengers aboard this ferry on the Aegean Sea. We sat and talked for quite a while. IT turns out I was the deciding factor in his choosing to become an artist. I guess announcing his decision to me made it official or something. BTW His voice wasn’t as dorky as my ” dramatic reenactment.” But as you all know, here at Man Vs. Art, we like putting extra salsa on the tacos!
GEEKS COMICS PRESENTS:
ANIMATION GETDOWN 2010!
Everyone is invited to Geeks Animation Getdown 2010! I teamed up with my friends and fellow animation artists Jim Lujan, Graciella Rodriguez, and Scott Essman and we are are putting on a show! Sal the Owner of Geeks Comics in Whittier CA, has been kind enough to provide the venue! Once you watch our cartoons, you can’t unwatch them!
Check out the promotional video I made.
How to draw an Elf going postal for Christmas with The Ramones! Plus a 2D animation of a dancing girl.
By Raul | December 24, 2009
A little holiday revelry!
Lily Feliciano at The Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood runs a website called Sketch Theater.
They celebrate the process of sketching! Can you believe that?! So awesome! They invite professional artists and film them from above as they draw. Then they speed up the footage and add some cool music making a performance video out of sketching!
Lily just posted my Postal Elf sketch and I thought I’d share it with the Man vs. Art minions for Christmas! Because you guys rock and deserve nothing but kick ass stuff!
Great Christmas tune by The Ramones perfectly complements the sketch I made of an elf going completely postal.
Also here is a little animation test I did of a girl dancing. I used ToonBoom and a Wacom Tablet. Which turned out to be easier than I thought. It is myfirst rough pass, but I think it works pretty well. Now I just need to clean it up and color it!
So sit back with your tequila and bourbon eggnog and enjoy!
My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-cf20e0e90b3d212e4e1724ec753eed3c}
