Sketches - 3/25/2014

Been a while since I've uploaded anything here, so I figured I'd compile a bunch of the loose sketches on my desktop over the past few months:

Just doodling faces one day, loosening up.

Tried visualizing a DnD character of an upcoming campaign. Name's Preskot, goes by Scotty.

Been listening to a lot of Bo Burnham's latest album, "what", and I was particularly inspired by Left Brain, Right Brain, and think it'd make for cool animation fodder. I'll try my hand at it at some point. For now, here's some sketches I did while thinking about it:

Also, I continue to think on my American Sign Language based super hero. Still trying to nail down a look that I enjoy/think fits the material and tone I'd like to strike. I'mt starting to get close to something I like, but they could still do with further simplifying/stylizing. Her name, "Louise Clark", is loosely inspired by Louis Laurent Marie Clerc, "The Apostle of the Deaf" and co-founder of the American School for the Deaf.

That's all for now!

MBMBAMimation: Tim Curry

The latest MBMBaM Cartoon, fresh out the oven:

Updated Demo Reel

I've made another updated reel, consisting largely of projects from last year (with a few of my favorites from school still left in, for good measure).

let me know what you think!

MBMBAMimation: Torsey

My latest McElroy toon:

Call of Booty, Part IV: Incursion

Yo Ho Ho, viewers.

I took a break from this for a bit while working on some other projects, but here's the next installment of Call of Booty, because I had a narrative planned out and dammit if I don't finish it!

'til next time, folks!

Signing Sentai

I did a bunch of brainstorming yesterday for an idea that's been kicking around in the back of my head for a while. Some time ago I was reading some articles about Anthony "Blue Ear" Smith, and I got to thinking about a character. I've always had a passive interest in japanese superheroes like Kamen Rider, Kikaider, or any of the Super Sentai genre, I love the colorful costumes and elaborate poses and such. When thinking about a hearing-impaired character/hero, I immediately turned to these heroes as sources for inspiration:

I though it could be really fun and interesting for a character to use ASL with the elaborate/pose-like gestures of these heroes. When thinking of powers for a hero like this, I started thinking it would be cool if ASL could be directly incorporated. I decided that the fingers on the hero's gloves would have a glow to them, and that when signing, the hero could create constructs (similar to Green Lantern), or summon tools, depending on what sign was used.

I don't have any titles or names or anything yet, but here's where I ended up, as of yesterday, design wise. I'm still playing around with the idea, but I've had a lot of fun thinking it through this far:

I also did a quick animation test with my idea. Here she is using a sign for "switch" or "alter", which is what she uses to change into costume:

And lastly, some tertiary character sketches, trying to find a "look" that I liked, as well as brainstorming an initial villain, "Mandrake", who has a sonic-boom voice power.

Sonic's Vest

A clip from JumpKickPunch 162, "Snack Attack", where the crew weigh the pros and cons of Sonic's fashion.