keynote speech background art

The Goal:  

Add some pop to a keynote address presented at EMC World 2012 using “graphic novel” style images.

It was agreed that all “types” and costumes should remain generic in order to be an immediate read.  The main parody reference was the "Matrix” films. 

The Process:

I met with my art director to discuss his ideas.  These were translated into a handful of character designs, thumbnails based on a script and a finished “test panel” to get everyone on the same page with finishing style.

Given the super tight deadline it was decided to keep the images black & white and use the company’s iconic blue as an accent color (though green managed to slip in just under deadline).   The finished images were prepared for a PowerPoint presentation and projected across three massive screens on stage with the speaker.

Below are some final panels - and some WIPs.

Photoshop CS5, Cintiq

Apologies as I had mentioned a Transformers piece coming up this week.  I'll have to sit on that for a bit and post at a later date . . .

marvel CCG storyboard

Storyboard for a proposed Marvel CCG.  

The goal:  to show the game in action and get the right people excited to move the project to the next phase on its way to actually being produced.

A few quick ideas for a composition.  Image size is 11 X 17 so I try to keep things interesting within the format.  Experimenting with portrait and landscape ideas.

"D" gets the go ahead for further development.  I know 'where' to put stuff - this more detailed thumbnail helps confirm 'what' goes in there.  I typically draw in blue (or red) first.  If other drawing problems need solving I'll go in with another color before final inks.  

Final inks.  This level of finish is all that's required.  I absolutely love drawing Hulk - even if only his yelling mug and a fist.

All the above was done in Photoshop CS5 on a Cintiq with a few cups of coffee.

Next Up:  Transformers

communities and jams

Drawing "just for fun" has many advantages outside of the immediate satisfaction one gets from messing about with crayons.

Online communities are a fantastic way of building friendships and getting exposed to new things (techniques, a new online music site - whatever).  

Third Rail Design Lab (R3) is one of the good ones with artists at all levels discussing comics, film, music and art (among other things) in addition to hosting a weekly jam open to everybody.

This was recently done for one of the jams . . . I'll continue to post these weekly sketches here.

Thumbnail is Col-Erase blue pencil drawn in a sketchbook 

(during "Big Bang Theory").  

FInish is the scanned thumbnail inked and shaded in Photoshop on a Cintiq.