so, I just wanted to let you know that I love the internet…

Here’s what happens, somebody makes a video rant, posts it on YouTube, it gets millions of hits and then the internet turns it into a song.

Here’s the original video. He drops the “F” bomb at about 1:00 into the video, so you can just watch it a bit to get a feeling of what the video is all about.

THEN… Here’s the SONGIFIED version of it!  Thank you internet

While I love to find a good discount, I’m disappointed to announce that Star Wars products will no longer be available on Zazzle.  I have been extremely fortunate to have been one of only 5 artists included in the Star Wars Artist series, and was able to produce new products for Zazzle.  I am still in communications with the team at Zazzle and hope to have some new projects to announce soon.

When I learned that all Star Wars products would be pulled on May 17th, I asked if we could have a sale to celebrate the end of the series.  So Zazzle is offering 30% off ALL Star Wars Merchandise, by using the code: STARWARS2012 at checkout (expires 5/16/2012).  Click on the link below to check out some of the wonderful Ralph McQuarrie prints that are available, or check out THIS gallery of my illustrations. Use these referral links so that I can earn some credit for sending you to the store.

McQuarrie Art - Jabba’s Palace - Star Wars Poster by starwars
View more Star wars Posters

Here’s a new ShadowBox Commission of Han Solo blasting out the communications controls in the detention center. I like to take the scenes and look at them from a new angle, so I reverse angle of the scene from the original Star Wars movie.  You too can commission a shadow box or some other original art work from my online store.

I graduated with a Fine Arts Degree in 2007, but I could not/did not/know-how-to find a job in the art industry.  I ended up working as a Flash animator building graphics for online training courses.  At the time, that seemed to be as far away from my art career as I could get.  What I’ve come to realize is that the experience I gained by working in THAT industry has set me up for the opportunities I now have.

A friend of mine kept saying that I REALLY needed to make the trek out to the San Diego Comic Con and take part in the massive comic/geek cultural event.  I finally went in 2006 and walked shoulder to shoulder through the crowds for a couple days, and was SO overwhelmed I vowed that I would not return.  (Highlight of the event was meeting Erin Gray, and going to a panel where Sean “Cheeks” Galloway was talking about the character designs he did for Hellboy Animated.)

So why did I go back?  Well, I was invited to be an exhibitor and make a limited edition print for the Star Wars Celebration in Japan AND I was a finalist at the Atom Films Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge AT the San Diego Comic Con.

This time around I made a LOT of new friends.  After the show, I talked to superstar artist Jeff Carlisle, about some of my concerns.  Here’s the conversation. (Read more…)

Originally released in 1999, Star Wars The Phantom Menace introduced me to the word “Prequel”.  I never really spent a lot of time wondering where Darth Vader came from, or how did the Emperor come to power, but I was THRILLED to have new Star Wars movies.  I remember collecting game tokens from Taco Bell to try and win a prizes, and heading out for the midnight showing with family and friends.

Thirteen years later, the movie is being re-released in 3D.  This time around, I’ll be packing up the mini-van and introducing my kids to Star Wars on the big screen.  I may not be as excited as I was the first time, but watching the movie through their eyes is going to be the BEST!

Here’s a drawing that I did to celebrate the release of The Phantom Menace in 3D.

My friend Dane Ault published a book called “Captain Dan Takes a Day Off” last year.  He is preparing to make a second book about the adventures of the Pirate Captain Dan and he has asked me to do a illustration for the back of the book.  Traditionally this contribution is called a “Pin-up” but it felt a bit odd to think of this pirate as some sort of a calendar girl… 

A short time back I stumbled across Jamie Benning’s fantastic Star Wars Filmumentaries, and am thrilled that he has released one for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.  These Film Documentaries are the ultimate behind the scenes look at the making of the movies.  As you’re watching the film you’ll hear voice over interviews with the cast cut in with on-set footage.  It really is a perfect way to re-watch these movies.

Jamie asked if I would be willing to make a poster for the release of the film and I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.  You can see the image below as well as the 2 hour 23 minute long film!

Raiding The Lost Ark: A Filmumentary By Jamie Benning from jambe davdar on Vimeo.

I like to use my children as an excuse for all the toys I have and the cartoons I watch, but the truth is that it’s for me.  I love them, and I can’t hardly wait for the new shows to start up again.  We save up our shows and watch them on Saturday in between making Waffles and cleaning up the house.  Most of the shows have been on mid-season breaks, so I thought that I would start to make a list of the their start dates.

Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes    ~    April 1 on Disney XD
Ben 10 Ultimate Alien    ~    February 4 on Cartoon Network
Clone Wars    ~    Started on Cartoon Network
G.I. Joe Renegades    ~    Not returning.
Green Lantern the animated series    ~    March 3 on Cartoon Network
Kung Fu Panda Legend of Awesomeness    ~    5 more episodes in Season One TBA
Lego Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu    ~    ??? I need to find out more information about this one
My Little Pony    ~    Started on HUB
Napoleon Dynamite    ~    3 episodes have played, but I haven’t watched any yet…
Scooby Doo mystery incorporated    ~    Season 2 starting in May on Cartoon Network
Ultimate Spider-man    ~    April 1 on Disney XD
Thundercats    ~    Second season confirmed, air date TBA
Transformers Prime    ~    Feb. 18th on Hub
Young Justice    ~    Titled Young Justice: Invasion, an air date is TBA

In addition to these titles, Disney XD will launch an all-new Marvel Comics dedicated block called Marvel Universe.  It will include the above mentioned Ultimate Spider-Man and the return of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as well as new animated short-form series and some live-action parts.

Not to be out done,  Cartoon Network will launch an entertainment block called DC Nation.  It will include the above mentioned Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series, as well as a series of animated shorts.  The theme for the shorts and other series will be about Plastic Man, a possible live-action Blue Beetle, chibi versions of The Teen Titans, Amethyst Princess of Gemworld (I have no idea what that is), Lego Batman, and some other Batman shorts.

It looks like I’m going to be starting my Saturdays earlier to get all these cartoons in. 

Last week I was invited to take part in the ForceCast Roundtable discussion about the Clone Wars TV show.  I am thrilled that they would invite me to be on the podcast, and I don’t want to screw it up, so I spend some time preparing for the show.  It’s pretty tough work.  I have to watch the episode 3 or 4 times, and then look at all of the characters involved and their history.  Then I have to watch any related episodes too.  It really is a lot of hard work. 

Watching the episodes of the Clone Wars in this way can be a lot of fun, but it can also lead to quite a bit of work.  In last night’s episode (season 04, episode 14) titled “A Friend in Need” the show re-introduced us to a group called “Death Watch”.  I enjoyed the episode, but I wanted to refresh my memory about this group.  That “required” me to re-watch the episodes from season 02 when we were first introduced to them (S02E12 “The Madnalore Plot”).

In this episode, Obi-Wan Kenobi  arrives on the Planet Mandolore to investigate rumors that the Duchess Satine is secretly building her own army to fight for the Separatist cause.  Satine explains to Obi-Wan that she is not involved, and as they are walking in the gardens, there is an explosion, and the symbol of Death Watch appears claiming responsibility.  An observer from the crowd flees the scene and Obi-Wan gives chase, but the man jumps to his death.

The leader of Death Watch is seen communicating with Count Dooku and expressing his concern of the Jedi interference.  Dooku tells him not to be concerned because the people will rebel against this outside involvement and will rally to support Death Watch.

Well, apparently, Count Dooku was correct.  In the top part of image below, you can see the man who ran from the scene of the bombing.  Note the woman to his left shocked by the scene.  Well, in last night’s episode, we see some of the members of Death Watch with their helmets off, and this woman from the crowd is with them, and is now sporting a scar.  So there’s more to her story.  How did she come to join this group?  Where did her scar come from? Or maybe, the animation studio simply reached into their library of characters and they just reused an old 3D model. 

ShadowBox Comics has been on my mind for a few years now.  I’ve written a few other articles laying the groundwork for this project, but it’s moving along a bit slower than I would like it to be.  So here’s the story.

I’ve been an exhibitor at comic book conventions for 3 years now, but I’ve never worked on a comic book.  I’m am so thrilled that I’ve been able to work with Lucasfilm and make new art for Star Wars, that I figured that comics would be the next big hurdle for me to conquer.  When I looked into what it would take to be a comic book artist, I was completely overwhelmed.  There are so many talented artists and writers out there I felt like I just couldn’t compete with them.  So I decided I would have to figure out a way to stand out in the crowd.

I’ve had a good response to the ShadowBoxes that I make, so I figure that I could try and apply that attention to a comic book reader.  Most digital comics are simple image viewers and don’t really take advantage of the device to show off the comic.  So I looked back at the traditional animation technique of using a Multiplane camera to create a multiplane comic on the iPad.  Check out the video below to see a sample.

You can see another video where I explain a bit more of the history of the multiplane camera and how I came to create ShadowBox Comics here, and a demo on the iPhone here.

 The iPad application launched right before the San Diego ComicCon in July of 2010 followed by the iPhone version in November.  So far it has been well received.  Like I said earlier, there are so many talented artists out there, perhaps I can now use ShadowBox Comics as a platform to launch other comic titles.  We’re working on a new site now with an online store and hope to start launching individual comic apps within the next few months.