Monday, February 25, 2008

Quick Digital Sketch of a Power Plant


Today I came across this power plant hidden in the middle of the city, how cool is that! I painted it in about an hour and the sun went down in the first 20 minutes, so I had to finish it from memory. I tweaked the Levels and Unsharp Mask setting (Photoshop) later. Now I can turn this piece into any futuristic concept.

Check my previous post to see how I paint from life.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Laptop + Photoshop + Wacom = Live Sketches



Painting from life is essential for anyone who wants to become a better artist. Back in a day I used to carry a sketch box with oil paints and brushes, now with the power of technology, I can paint directly on my laptop, which helps me focus more on the process of painting, thus work effectively, because of convenience.

Thanks babe for helping with making of this video.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The Truth Will Come to Light


How about going little dark for a change. I'm not a fan of horror movies, but some of them have profound style. This piece was inspired by "The Ring" and the name came from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, 1600:
LAUNCELOT: Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son: give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man's son may, but at the length truth will out.
Thanks to gelund and autowitch for pictures of real abandoned houses, it added extra layers of creepiness.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Cloverfield Story Explained 1-18-08


Cloverfield is a unique experience inspired by Youtube generation. There is no "stop and explain" in this movie, we don't know what is happening and or why and it keeps happening fast and furious. So I went online and collected a few story clues based on movie viral marketing. Warning, contains SPOILERS:

Origins of the monster:
The Japanese oil company TAGRUATO's satellite (Chimpanz III) crushes into the ocean (shown at the end of the movie when Rob and Beth were on the Ferris wheel). TAGRUATO works with SLUSHO (a slush company), as the main ingredient for SLUSHO is found in the deep ocean. It awakened Cloverfield (the monster) from an underwater trench.

On the right side of he screen you can see tiny splash on the water:
[youtube.com]

People who were at the party in the beginning of the movie, were seen wearing SLUSHO shirts. Rob apparently was going to be the Vice President of TAGRUATO in Japan. Slusho is a very addictive drink, with signs of steroid drug like effects. Makes people stronger, constantly happy.

The main ingredient of Slusho apparently turns a tiny fish into a HUGE whale in Ganu's (he found the nectar) dream, which explains the size of Cloverfield. The main ingredient is a deep sea nectar.

Monster first attacked Chuai oil/seabed nectar drilling station, then followed the tanker to New York:
[youtube.com]

For animals/fishes/insects to survive in the deepest ocean (very high boiling temperature), they naturally have very high heat resistance. This explains how Cloverfield is able to withstand numerous bombs and attacks from the army.

Actually Cloverfield is a codename for the military operation and refers to the field formerly known as Central Park. Clovers are usually prone to grow at places after bombing. Thus the term "Clover" and "field" referring to park.

In reality Cloverfield is named for the boulevard in Santa Monica where the Bad Robot offices were located during the мaking of the film.

Marlena's death (the chick that blew up):
The parasites on the monster have a way of feeding of it. They have an agent that bursts blood vessels. On something the size of a skyscraper - it would have the impact only on the localized capillaries - using the same agent on a human - probably every blood vessel in the body will burst - explains the bleeding from the eyes and the dizziness.

Before she "blows up," a dead soldier with his stomach already burst passes them as they first enter the military HQ. Then a captured spider creature is shown, so that's a foreshadow to what happened to her.

Camera battery:
The events take place over less than 7 hours and the whole movie is 84 minutes. So 84 minutes of film over 7 hours means the camera was off or not filming at some point. Lithium-ion can last a long time. Probably more like 4 hours tops on a stock battery. More than the light or night vision it's the LCD viewfinder that flips out on the side of cameras that drain the most, and it appeared that Hud was using the scope viewfinder.

H.U.D. is also short for Heads-Up Display, much like the way the film was shot.

Last words in the movie after credits: "It's still alive...help us"
[youtube.com]

About movie concept:
Think about how much isn't solved in the movie and then think about how much information they have put out there for viewers to research and either make their own conclusions or find the definitive answer (assuming there is one)... people get online to find out things about movies, before and after they have watched them, that it's genius to have created this online world within a movie world. Disregarding all the information: Slusho, Taragato, the anti-Taragato organizations would be dismissing what half the concept is about.

Here are the official Web sites affiliated with "Cloverfield." Click at your own risk. Hours seem to vanish navigating these pages:

www.cloverfieldmovie.com -- Not much content, just a trailer, a cryptic plot synopsis and a link to the film's MySpace page.

www.1-18-08.com --Here, things get more interesting. Although this appears to be a random assortment of photos, you can click and drag them to dig for clues.

www.slusho.jp -- Slusho is a fictional beverage that contains a secret ingredient scooped up from the ocean floor. Don't be fooled by the cute graphics and music on the Web site, there's something sinister about this "happy drink."

www.tagruato.jp -- The evil parent company of Slusho, Tagruato drills the deep sea for oil, jeopardizing ocean habitats in the process.

www.tidowave.com -- An environmental activist group, Tido Wave is dead set to stop Tagruato from plundering the globe's natural resources. They may or may not be involved with the destruction of the company's drilling station near the Bermuda Triangle.

www.jamieandteddy.com (Password: jllovesth) -- Jamie is one of the movie's characters and she sends a series of increasingly hostile video messages to her missing boyfriend, Teddy.


[Cloverfield wiki]

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Self-Portrait


I felt like I had to reflect my current state of mind and this is what I've got. A stone bust staying in tranquil misty forest, motionless, undisturbed for ages, preparing to release greater potential. Hopefully, the next portrait will be more "alive"

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Free Microsoft Zune 30GB Skin Design


I was looking for portable media player for my workouts and I got the Zune (dig the large screen). I just couldn't settle for stock plain color, so I designed the funky skin and decided to give it away. All you have to do is have it printed by DecalGirl.com or any other company, it's usually around ten bucks. I put instructions inside along with the matching wallpaper, so it looks like the skin continues from the screen. Send me pics if you use it!

[Download Size: 7.83 MB]

I'm also accepting custom skin design commissions