Dragons and Otters

They have such a similar appeal,
Dragons and Otters.
Don't you think?

Nnnnnnnnnext.

Here's an update!
Oh what a weekend can bring. I went to the Nissei Week parade in Little Tokyo this weekend, it was a pretty good show. What did I come away with? A renewed interest in Taiko drumming and Akita dogs.
Akita fur is like a dense, soft brush. They have some angularish features and look bitchin as all get-out in a neck kerchief. Like if Dean Martin in 'Rio Bravo' were a japanese dog. I know the possibility has crossed your mind.
Taiko drumming is (apparently, mind you, I've done no research yet) a manner of beating a huge drum and looking as intense as possible doing it. Even when the dudes and gals would dance about as they beat the drums, it was intense.
If there is one thing I love, its intensely beaten drums. Don't ever think otherwise.

Oh, and then I got back to work and turned out this new pic of Rock. He looks more in line with the other characters now, while still feeling fluffy and reasonably un-roosterish. I like it way better!

Neil

Rock's humble beginnings

Rock here is a ptarmigan. He's Herb's best friend and roommate.
The design is still rough. Up until now, he looked much more like a rooster, which isn't gonna work. NOW, he looks more like a ptarmigan, yet less like the other characters. So the design is still in progress..

The ptarmigan is the state bird of Alaska. In the winter their feathers go white and the ridges on the males' foreheads pop up all bright red. This is in the interest of simultaneously hiding from predators and attracting the attention of mates. A highly nuanced maneuver to be sure.

Herb Again!

Herb's back.
He's a little happier here. Much more inline with reality. Herb's the kinda guy who, despite the hardships life may hand him, remains inexplicably, maniacally happy. Certainly there are bouts of confusion (often), and even fits of rage... but Herb is ever kind-hearted.
And he would very much enjoy a glass of egg nog.
You can see, he wears snow shoes. It's because he's so small. Without them, he'd get lost in the snow!

Hope y'all throw some love about for ol Pops this weekend!

I love Winston

Oh yes I do. Winston is, so far as i can tell, the pinnacle of Persian cat perfection. Belligerent, gluttonous, stupid and affectionate.
And I don't mean any of that as an insult. All of those can be very charming traits and I've never wanted a Persian cat of my own more.

Octo pie

Some octopuses can camouflage themselves pretty dang well. Like chameleons, only faster.
So, I'd wager that the young octopi run around with all sorts of designs like ponies and butterflies on their skin.. to look cool.
I left a little space in the center of its head, in case you want to print it out and make your own fun designs!

Herb!

Hey everybody! Its Herb!
Herbert Jones, that is, the star of Mooseheart Jones. He's sad right now. Lets let him have some silence.

BTW, there's an amazing moose over here, too.

Plane Ride!

I'm going on a plane ride.
To scenic Seattle. Everybody say hooray!
I'll bring back sketches. Should be fun.

Melini!

This is Melini. She's a deer.. Probably looks a little more like a green chihuahua to most folks, but she's actually a deer.
Melini is the new girl in the forest, hailing from forests further south. She wants a more peaceful place to practice her artwork and breath the fresh air.
Lets see if her love of atmosphere can help her look past the tremendous idiocy of her new neighbors.

Tank VS Dragon

A tank and a dragon do battle. Who will win? I dunno the tank's model number or anything, but as you can see, it has a gun, and probably little rocket things on its turret. Also, the Tank is the character, it has no pilot.. The dragon, he breathes fire.
Cold, calculating machine versus blistering reptilian rage!
Place your bets!

Vaughn!

Here's Vaughn. He's a caracal. A sort of wild cat, native to Africa, that can jump to impressive heights to catch birds. And whats even better is that they use the long tufts of hair at the tip of their ears for communication!

Vaughn is Herb's best friend. He's enthusiastic, optimistic, occasionally violent.. but on the whole, a great guy.
Originally, Herb lived in Africa with Vaughn. Now Herb lives in the frozen north, and when Vaughn visits him he needs a parka.

This set of scribbles was on a post-it note.. I like how when you zoom in it has a nice mottling.

Bear and Mantis

This is a remake of an image I drew in school. We were talking about the perfect tattoo.. and I wanted either a polar bear or a praying mantis. Couldn't decide. My buddy Pen Ward suggested I just have both. Kissing. The original turned out really sensual.. I was kinda taken aback. I dunno if this lives up to the original's romance, but I like it. Kinda underlines the idea that as artists, we can take any subjects at all, and wrench whatever emotion we want out of them. Thats a really liberating idea for me.










So, I've added the original.
Passionate, no?
I'm glad its not plastered acrosst my calf. I'll tell you that. =]

Fizzy

Fizzy is Stu's Stock manager, First mate, and Best Friend. He has a bit of a whistle in his voice, from his overgrown baleen. He is a cheerful, buoyant soul. The kind to skip and whistle about the boat as he swabs the deck.
On a design note, his head may become more convoluted over time. I've been looking at humpback whales online, and they are shaped really well in the wild.. it'd be sad to lose that in the cartoon character. =]











And here's the happy pair together. Stu's gettin all worked up over the big haul of frozen underwear they found floating in the ocean over Norway, and Fizzy is imagining the ocean air tickling his tummy.

Stu!

So here's Stu. The first character I've put up that is actually from the Mooseheart Jones universe. He won't be in anything too soon.. I just put him up because I like the drawing! Anyhow, he's an Orca what runs a black market around the frozen north with his pal Fizzy. Can you see the lil mustache? I can't. Only because I know its there. Thats achin for a redesign, lemme tell you. =]

Darnley

This is Darnley Hamilton. He's a Clydesdale Giraffe. I created him to play the role of Captain of the rescue team at Great St. Bernard Hospice in a lil film I wrote a few years back. He's named Darnley after one of the first fine examples of a Clydesdale ever bred, back in Scotland in the 1800s. I would've assumed they were an older breed! Anyhow, who better than a hearty giraffe to clomp through the snow and espy distressed travelers in the snow? Nobody. I'm proud of how he's so stout of brisket that his back legs don't even touch the ground, due to balance... ahh. It takes so little to make me happy. =]

Dragon

Rawr!
er.. Snore!