ABOUT
Hi!
Welcome to my Blog Man vs. Art.
My name is Raul Aguirre Jr.
I draw, I paint, and I write.
As far back as I can remember that is all I wanted to do.
After high school I entered the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program at The Laguna College of Art and Design where I received 2 years worth of solid art foundation instruction. I was also studying animation at Dave Master’s incredible Rowland Animation.
Then in 1994 I was recruited by Walt Disney Feature Animation where I spent the next 8 years as an animation artist. A nice perk was eight years of free life drawing instruction from masters Steve Huston and Glen Vilppu, and gesture drawing with The Late Walt Stanchfield. And if that wasn’t enough I had the honor of being Glen Keane’s right hand and protégé. That was when my art education began.
A.D. After Disney
After Disney I found work designing characters and drawing storyboards all over Toon Town. Thanks to Frederator and Nickelodeon I made my first animated short called Hero Heights. Recently I did a season on Family Guy and continue doing development and animation work on my own properties.
I have always been a pretty good draftsman but I’ll admit now that there was a time I was intimidated by the paintbrush and therefore shied away from it. Instead of Picasso I studied Aragones. Instead of Michelangelo I studied
Kirby. If it wasn’t a comic or cartoon, I didn’t care. I draw appealing funny expressive characters doing crazy things. In art school I got my ass handed to me during a critique more than once for drawing too “cartoony.”
Europe, Mexico City and beyond!
Hortencia Aguirre.
In 2005, my wife the lovely and vivacious Hortencia had always wanted me to paint decided we were going to travel Europe and in 2006 we did Mexico City. I was amazed at how much fine art had been integrated into daily life. It was everywhere! Seeing the works of the European and Mexican masters in person and experiencing the genuine admiration artists are regarded with in Europe and Mexico inspired me to finally pick up a paintbrush and give painting a shot. Now I see the world differently and am able to paint it with sensitivity and control I could never have dreamed of having as a youngster.
Four years, dozens of paintings, and thousands of drawings later, here I am preparing for two group and two solo shows. I’m animating my own short film, developing and pitching more properties, and now I’m writing this blog!
The goal of Man Vs. Art is to help anyone who wants to become a better artist by teaching:
- technique refinement
- better creative and critical thinking skills
- practicing discipline
- observational skills
- overcoming fear
Man Vs. Art is a place to connect with fellow artists and art lovers, share stories, advice, tips and tricks and most of all PAINT and DRAW!
I am looking forward to some great discussions in the comment boxes ! Everyone is encouraged to join in. Just stay on topic and be cool. Disagreements are part of discussions of course, but rudeness will not be tolerated.
I promise to post informative and fun articles regularly. I also promise to be as honest and open with my writing as I am with my art. This blog is different than rest of the artist blogs out there. I’m 36 years old. I have never followed the herd or been part of “the scene” in any of my endeavors before. Why start now?
VIVA ART!
Raul
