Happy Valentines

Here's a lil lunch sketch I didn't get to color yet, but thought it appropriate for Valentines. Have a lovely love-day today and every day.

Fairy 1

UPDATE: I looked at it earlier today and it didn't seem quite right. I tinkered with the contrasts but just don't know. Are my hues off? Would the shadows be more blue? What is wrong here? Sigh. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I hadn't realized how long it's been since I've tried to paint semi-realistically. It's addicting. I'm addicted.

Lately I've been drawing a lot of pin-up style fairies, and decided to have some fun with digital painting. I'm not sure the values are very correct and it could be a lot cleaner, but I think I like it so far.

Winter Doodle

I had been daydreaming about winter in a foreign city.

Robotic Pin Up

Why? Why not!
This was just a quick exercise.

Green Alien Girl

Meep.

Cruella Deville

Hello, blogland. Weeks into the new year and I'm finally making my first post of 2009 (hooray for sleepless nights!)..These are some ink drawings I did weeks ago at the Drawing Club. It was a rough night to start because Daniella was wrapped in so much amazing costume detail and shapes, I was too nervous and careful, but finally by the last few poses I just went for it straight-on with ink.

Sk8ology

Over 150 artists, celebrities, and skaters mixing mediums to produce one-of-a-kind, rare skate deck canvases in support of ISM: a community project and Now That You Know, two worthy non-profit organizations. The opening is this Sat, Aug 23rd, in Long Beach. Several colleagues and artists that I admire have contributed boards, and I can't tell you how excited I am see this thing come together. I was able to submit one at the last minute, thanks to Kevin at ISM for allowing me. This was a first, and a lot of fun. (Sorry for the horrible shot, it's the best I could do at the moment).

Some Sketchbook Pages

Here's a mish-mosh (where did that phrase come from btw? just kidding)...of heads I drew at a charity poker tournament before the holidays, some quick sketches in Hawaii when I went back home for a visit a few weeks ago, random people at airports, and people I invented.
Oh, and polar bears.

"Good stuff, Maynard"

So I said that today, without thinking, because I don't think I'd heard anyone say that in oh, 10 years or so and I don't know how or why it would've slipped from my mouth, because I don't know anyone named Maynard, and I was in fact talking to my friend Tony about this unbelievable Strawberry and Lime chewing gum I had and I looked at him in shock and thought, "Wow, I wonder where that saying came from."
Well, hold on to your britches, because you (all 2 of you that read this) will be very happy to know that it came from a commercial in the 80's, where a father gets his kid to eat his food by telling his kid's imaginary friend, "Good stuff, Maynard."
And there you have it. Has your day improved? Mine has, because it was something that would've killed me had it not been for the wonder that is google.
I wonder where "hold on to your britches" came from.

Nature of Water Show

-An Art Exhibition Inspired by the Philosophies of Bruce Lee- Opening Night this Sat, Jan 5 at Nucleus in Alhambra. I'll have two pieces up, and hopefully if I'm not still sick as a dog I can make it out. (Drinking my green tea like crazy!) It should prove to be a great first show of 2008 for Nucleus.
Oh, and since I've been such a bad poster lately, Happy Belated New Year!!
Now back to my pillow...and Labyrinth....oh yeah.

UPDATE: Here are my pieces from the show (sorry they're not that large):

"Concentrate"

"Watching Bruce Lee"

tiki heads

These are birthday gifts I just finished today. They are 2 cubes of wood (about 3"x3") with a painted tiki head on each side. This was so fun to do, it may be the start of a series or ongoing theme. The tiki-ness is invading everything.

happy thanksgiving

Hope your holiday is filled with only wonderful things. For some free holiday-themed wallpapers for your phone, check out: www.myxertones.com, where I have a few downloadables available. -This one shown and a few others (just type my name in the search field). I plan to have more up soon, including some MrTiki - themed goodies too. Have a great holiday....mmmmm...cranberries and pumpkin pie. I can't wait!

mrtiki.com !

This is a biiiigggg project that's been in the works, and finally officially launched into the internet-world as of a couple weeks ago!! Here's what it's about:
"MrTiki.com is a FREE, family-friendly online world featuring single and multiplayer games, unique challenges, interesting stories and characters, and just a touch of whimsy. MrTiki updates every week, each time further expanding upon the scope of the island and the variety of the content, creating new and exciting ways for everyone to enjoy the adventure."
From the moment you join the site, your actions affect whether you are aligned with MrTiki and the inhabitants of Tiki Island, or with the power-hungry businessman, Mr. Woo, who sees the magical paradise as an opportunity for tourism, money, and control.
Check it out, make your friends check it out, make your mom check it out. And maybe even your friends' moms.
No really.
I'm very proud of this baby. :)

T-Shirts!

I posted previously a couple shirt designs I did, and now here they are in their printed glory, just in time for the holidays: http://willisclothing.com/ (Pay no attention to my hacked bio on their site, heh.)
Willis Clothing and non-profit org ISM teamed up with 6 other artists for this limited edition shirt line. I think they all came out great and everyone should buy at least 11 of each.

Heads

Here are some random head drawings from my sketchbook, just messing around.

Earmint Album Art

This is a downloadable album image I did for the talented Mistah Earmint. You can download his new album for free and check out other artists' album cover versions, here. Fun stuff.

airplanes, pineapples, and websites!

Been meaning to share this the last couple weeks but kept putting it off. I guess I've just been too shy. I've never really shared anything too personal on the blog before. Never know how much to share, in fear of boring people, or in fear of my blog turning into something I hadn't intended. But, I have a lil story to share and I think/hope this post will be appropriate. So here goes.
Well, from a quasi-beginning....my mother moved my sister and I to hawaii before I started high school, she and all of her side of the family being from there.

I am 5th generation of my family hawaii-grown. My grandma's grandparents were on the first ship of immigrants to Hawaii from Puerto Rico.

[This is mi abuela hermosa, as Miss Puerto Rico-Hawaii. I just love these pictures.]
My sisters and I were raised on the west side of Oahu in Waianae.
I attended high school there.

[This is the view from the football field bleachers. Yes, the school's right on the beach. Lucky yeah?).
And I attended the University of Hawaii college system, for art/animation.
One year, I passed by a bulletin board at school and saw a flyer for a design contest put on by Disney. I was extreeemely excited about it and entered as an individual. It was the Walt Disney Imagineering Competition, and U.H. happened to be one of the schools that participated in it nationally. So I wrote my own movie idea and built a theme park concept based upon it, with pitch boards, a storybook, a model, and other props.
After weeks of waiting on-edge, a very large envelope was delivered to me at work with a Disney return address. (Receiving an envelope like this, addressed to me personally, was the greatest feeling).
I opened it in front of all my coworkers and customers.

I had been chosen as a national finalist and would be flown to LA for 5 days to pitch my ideas, receive portfolio feedback, network, get behind-the-scenes tours of Imagineering, go to the parks, etc etc. I cried like a baby in front of everyone. :) So, I went, and I tied for 2nd place Nationally, in the individual category.

[me with the 2 big bosses]

And to top it all, I was honored they sat me next to Disney legend, Mr. John Hench, at the reception dinner.

He was such a lovely man and told me stories of he and Walt and his experiences at Disney all through dinner (and cheesecake dessert). I couldn't help but take his table nametag after it was over....

Too bad i was chicken to ask him to sign it for me.

The entire contest and trip were one of the greatest experiences of my life and one of my proudest achievements. It reconfirmed what I always wanted to do 'when i grow up,' and made me want to work even harder.

The next year the movie Lilo & Stitch came out, and I took my lil sisters to see it in the theater. I didn't know what it would be about, other than it was set in Hawaii and I loved how beautiful the watercolor backgrounds were. It turned out that the premise really hit home to me, as my family had been having similar turmoils, and being that I watched it with my sisters, it meant even more.


It was at that point, well within that year, that I made my mind up to try my luck on the mainland. I wanted to move where it seemed would be more opportunities and I could gain experience in the field I wanted so much to be in. Not just for myself, but with my family, especially my sisters, in mind.
So, I moved to L.A. a couple years ago.

Moving was exhilarating...

and terrifying.
-It took me about 6 months to build up the courage to drive on any freeway (on Oahu, there are about 3. In L.A, thousands!) AND not to mention the homesickess...family, friends, the beach,......food.

But I have been lucky enough to meet some of the most amazing people and talented artists, and have built some incredible relationships. That in itself is priceless to me. Along the way, I've been lucky to work on some of the coolest projects I could've only dreamed about years ago.
Which leads me to this introduction and the point of this now novel-length post! In some odd/crazy/amazing twist of fate, I was introduced to the creator/director/writer of Lilo & Stitch, Chris Sanders. I'm excited to announce his new website, and very proud to be a part of it.


When I got the opportunity to help on this project, I was in denial. Then I did a cartwheel. And then I was in denial. And did another cartwheel.
I am just remembering the little girl in Waianae who dreamed of such an opportunity.

And thought it would be nice to share (and freak out my sisters at the same time). I'm just sentimental and thankful...
The End!
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

Hi

Just a quick hello to internet land! I've been so distracted from posting here this summer. -It is time for me to dust off the cobwebs and put up some fresh goodness! Lots of news and things to share, so I will be posting again very very soon.
To get things rolling again, here's a lil design I did, "unraveling," for an upcoming t-shirt line....

Power in Numbers Benefit Show

These are my entires for the P.I.N. show at Nucleus Gallery, opening May 18th - 28th (I'll post up a flyer with more info soon). All entries for the show are 5x7" and will be sold from $50-100, proceeds will be going to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. I wanted to do a set of drawings or paintings that go together, and had the idea of royal face cards as these silly characters. The paper is tea-stained to give it an aged look, and I kept it limited colors of red, yellow and black as you would normally see on cards. I kinda want to play poker while watching Alice in Wonderland now....

New Identity

This is so funny, I've been dying to post it. Good buddy and amazing artist Vince Musacchia says this is what he sees when he sees my icon. It's disturbing/odd/cute and I absolutely love it! I may just have to change my icon to this (and see if anyone notices...that doesnt read my blog) Thanks Vince.