Working on some spines and gestures from poseamanics.  The Spine has mutated it seems.. MUHAHHAhahahah

This is my current workspace.
Big new website on its way.
oot

"G"

OSWALD COBBLEPOT

The REAL Sketchbook

Ahhh the Blog,  The venue in which my ego blows hot-air. 
Currently I'm obsessed with getting better at drawing. I draw daily, and compiling the progress online with Conceptart.org. I love it! :) It's growing fast, and gets lots of hits.
The dependency on the computer has become a concern of mine. I don't want to be defined by my processor size. Returning to the traditional mediums I think is the answer.
I'm learning so much from my peers on conceptart! Multi-cultural, international its changing my style and perspective on concepts and illustrations. In fact I might even say it's helping me define who I am as an artist. (to early to confirm)
Abandoning the desire to make "the masterpiece" has set me free in many ways. No more stressing out over small errors which I have no idea how to fix. Instead I will just practice for a year or so. When I decide to create from my imagination I should be prepared for anything.  
The return of optimism in my life has made me very happy... The return of $$ would be welcomed as-well, but I wont hold my breath :P

RPM

Reverse. Projection. Mapping.

It's been just about a year since I began this project. It doesn't seem to be going anywhere so the design secrecy is not much needed anymore. Maybe someone out there will see the beauty of this great idea and lend a spark it to move forward.

Every once in a while someone comes to me with a little idea, they ask me to help them express it. Most of the time I don't have the time, or don't want to waste my time. But sometimes, the idea has certain sparkle and you cannot resist it. This idea was was one of those

Adam Roach approached me last year in Toronto about an idea to merge art and advertising. A way to bring art/branding to life on products. We found an method to project animation onto a real object. We could use 3D software to do it.

We began researching our ideas, generating mockups. The initial, prospective clients could be Scion. We felt their "current" campaign suited our urban graffiti inspired ideas and potentially wild graphic designs to be applied to their cars.

I wanted to know how to do it, not just the idea of doing it. All research would happen with light/projector simulations in 3D Max/Vray. Using scale models of all elements we could test without the actual space or elements. I spent a couple weeks in my Toronto based laboratory. There was instant success with test scene and the idea started to evolve. The Baitshop got on-board and we had a venue. The show would center around real graffiti artists as they create/paint on a real-time canvas that would be in-turn projected onto the car in a skin-like graphic. The demo video was created for a presentation to Scion, unfortunately they turned it down.

The research sat on the shelf for a few months. Then sparked again with enthusiasm and inspiration, we turned our sights on a new prospective client A.M.D. (Intel's main competitor) Only this time instead of being a real-time experience, we would tell a story. It would take place in the everyday office and we would transport the viewer through worlds on a 3-dimensional canvas with the power the and focus emitting from the AMD processor. Oh how I was into this one! And with the potential for digital abstract expressionism anything was possible.... But all in vain when it fizzled out.

Just another broken airship that never left the ground. I stack the wreckage in my scrap yard of failures. Most times they can get me down, but sometimes I'm just happy knowing that I do learn from all these experiences, and maybe one day I really will know what a "winning" idea is.

Enjoy the web album . Everything is sequentially ordered, and most have a little blurb to guide you through the process.

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SHELF PORTRAIT

So for lack of finishing anything of importance, I decided to break a mirror out and draw/paint my portrait. I spent around 4 hrs on this and called it done. I like the unfinished aspect of it, its kinda like my life.. Sketchy. My parents don't think it looks like me, but I disagree, maybe the eyes are a little big and face could be more gaunt. It's too bad I didn't save a step between the 1st and 2nd image. Done in photoshop of course and FYI there was no photo used in the production.

Major update to my website

So it's been a couple months since I 1st put my portfolio website online, and I have been quite happy with its performance thus far. The Google Analytics have given me great insight into what people were interested in among other useful info like "resolution used" so I can optimize the used space.

The decision came to expand after a client asked for specific portfolio material that existed on the website but the client had trouble finding. The answer is more categories and more material! Of course the entire website has a cloud based library which I can update easily and quickly whenever I please, and so it constantly evolves. I'm so proud of it :) Next update I'll work on a new graphical presence.
TTYL   

TROPICAL FARM HOUSE

Just finished this piece, as a demo for a video game company in Prague. I didn't quite make the cut but, never the less I was quite happy with it. Here's the stats; Low poly count around 100 000 for the entire scene, (mostly the trees) 15 min render time with displacement and 5 min without, 18 hours to start to finish. I used some heavy Photo-Shop work to give it a painterly look, and finish the image quickly. Setting up a perfect render can be very time consuming, so it's better to fill in the blanks with PS. I would maybe use few levels of filters if I was animating it. If it was a video game level I would bake the textures onto the model. Either way, this is just a 2nd level concept, or background. I was given a rough pencil drawing as reference, so this is not my design.
The biggest challenge of this project was the palm trees! I had no model even close to a decent palm tree and the default 3D Max model sucked (they are the stringy models early in the set). I made a new dynamic palm tree model the same way I made my other trees, I'm quite happy with it, and gained a new tree for my library. I did have a better vision for the volumetric light and fog depth, but , it became overworked very easily and was eating up too much time, I found it detracted from the focus of the image so, in the end I almost eliminated it almost entirely.
In hindsight I feel the project could have been completed allot sooner, in maybe 8 hrs, without making a new tree, screwing around with volumetrics, and the issue I had with my networked render system. For the future I would like re-model the scene into an Aztec type ruins, who knows. It would be nice to decide on one scene and bake all the textures and render a short little film, but which one? I have so many.

PALACE ROYALE

From the archives this week, a architectural visualization and animation from 2008. I was working with Envision Architecture in Halifax, and I was so excited to get this project. The team consisted of Architect Peter Connell and myself. We were just a small firm of 4 people at the time, we decided to give commercial 3D visualization a shot. To start we had rough 2D structural plans to work with, and absolutely no design direction so we designed everything together from scratch. I was sole modeler and I did it all using 3DS-Max and REVIT, photo-shop for the texture creation. Using 3 dual core machines I rolled on my chair between them all day. I had to make a 2 month deadline, and it was down to the line. I learned so much on this project it was a real trial by fire, I really figured out the V-ray settings, and composting layers, not to mention "light texture baking" which served some benefit if not a hindrance. At the time I remember not being to satisfied with the final, I wanted to do so much more, but now I really see the achievement of quality and quantity I achieved in a short amount of time, with "weak" work stations. I remember cutting textures and models to run the 3DS-max file in the 32 bit 3 gig RAM environment! MAN! whole days wasted, and I was frustrated..Heee good times. Anyways.. I'm very proud of it now, and I even remixed that sound track. I really got through this one on pure determination.
The final presentation is the last file in the presentation folder, its been down sampled but it still looks good! enjoi!

The artificial intelligence navigation system's holographic representation.

New character design!

"Sylvia" The Friendly Stranger's A.I. Navigator
"De Craven" The Smuggler, and Captain of the Star-ship "The Friendly Stranger" Are Infamous throughout the galaxy for their unbelievable escapes from the authorities. The truth behind his genius is this fantastic navigator. It's military designation is Sv-0080, but De Craven named her "Sylvia". Her bottom half moves around on biped hind legs. The top half is a projected hologram. Her original programming is military "Soviet Revial" technology but adapted to suit De Craven's lifestyle. (mostly) Sylvia still speaks with the Russian accent.
Smuggler Ship - The Friendly Stranger

The decommissioned "Grasshopper" Class heavy recon star-ship, Was stolen by the infamous smuggler "De Craven". It's "Soviet Revival" technology has been upgraded considerably, except it's exterior and the A.I. navigation system, which the Captain has a grown to depend on.

Just did these a couple weeks ago as a set. The designs had to reflect on each-other, and be finished in about 3 days. I'm quite pleased with my efficiency, and the unique design. If you have noticed, the heavy line-work has been minimized and true light rendering has been stronger. I'm ready for another!
Link to "Sylvia"
Link to "The Friendly Stranger"

ARCHANGEL

The Archangel Power Suit or A.P.S. was developed during the Drought Warslate 2030. Praised in the battle field, for it's life saving devices, the laser scalpel, plasma suture and all important shock defibrillation. "The hand of an angel saved me" was heard from many delirious wounded soldier. Also equipped with a light weight jet-pack and wings allowing the medic to get to almost any situation needed. In addition the APS was quite adept at offensive tactics, with its twin automatic .357 pulse handguns. As-well the same life saving devices mounted in the hands could also take lives very effectively.
--- the Cadeuceus symbol on its wings signifies it's medical abilities.

This is my entry on the "Character of the Week" or CHOW on the Conceptart.org forums. I love doing them! It keeps me busy, learning, and having fun.
The process I use in this is what I like to call my "comfort lines" or "training wheels" It uses heavy line work to establish the form and shape. It allows for minimal/poor light shading to work in final. My hope is to increase my shading/form abilities and stop using the line work in final all-together

Scene from Bloodtaps (working title)

It's been a while since I posted. The truth is I've been busy and lazy at the same time.
Anyways..
This is a project currently in production. I'm building scenes for a script I have an idea for. It's currently called Bloodtaps which is a literal description of the story. My belief is I will retain the main idea behind the script in order to finish this monster. It's allot of work.
So this is a real gritty shop or shed, weathered with time. There is a gramophone which holds a large part of the 1st scene. That is about as far as I have got so far.
I hope to be inspired soon to continue. :)

The QUILTED FOX

This is a piece I began in October of 2010 and finished around January 2011. I started then got sidetracked for a little while. The original photo is Amy Belanger's from her trip to Mexico. It's so cute! I fell in love with it, and I wanted to add something. The quilt is also Amy's one of a kind textile art, I thought I could join the two and blend it with a brush. I started in 3D Max using a textured plane and a cloth dynamic modifier. Then draping the quilt over a proxy child model and rendering with simulated light, I had a real good layer to composite in PS. Next step was time consuming blend, blend, blend. Some days it was quite relaxing to feel out the form and colors. So anyways, check it out start to finish.

My Blog is 1 year old

Its true! I just noticed.
Happy Birthday little blog

C C C Changes

Its been a year since I started this blog and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere
sooo.
Im making improvements with my web presence. New ways of organizing my life, new ways of presenting my work, because my life is my work :) and I'm working away, on a nice easy to update online system, so I don't have to be bothered with this web stuff and keep working!

I'm not erasing the history, but I'm certainly going to update it. The new system incorporates dynamic albums which can be updated, so picture sets could be subject to change anytime.

Halite Life

My latest design work with Sheridan Alumni Patricia Shraven.
Over this past week, I have been developing the images for Patricia's Masters Thesis in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It's been a real treat!
The Halite City concept for a Utopian society on the earth after global warming has flooded it entirely. Patricia has taken everything into consideration for her design. Building materials derived from the desalinization of sea water. Sustainable farms based on various seaweeds and fish. Waste systems that reclaim nutrients. I provided my talents to visualize these fantastic ideas. Submerging New York was a challenge that excited me and I'm pleased with my results.