Little Creatures - Free Digital Painting Video

Hi all,

Here's a new podcast just before our art show at the Labyrinth Store in Toronto.

Part 1 of 3


Part 2 of 3


Part 3 of3


By the way thanks for always emailing me encouraging me to keep putting up new podcasts...

Bobby

As always for instructional online digital painting classes with me please visit SCHOOLISM.com

Real Life IM Transcript, Fake IM names... Subject: Transformers and Pokemon

It started out innocently enough...

[00:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: butthead
[00:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: ya there?
[00:33] green lantern wannabe: yeah i am
[00:33] AUTOBOT-Elric: i just saw a clip of transformers on david letterman
[00:34] green lantern wannabe: ok so how was the Tf clip?
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: that **** was rad
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: they're giving away too much, which is a bad sign
[00:34] green lantern wannabe: hahahah sure i hear it looks good
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: but
[00:34] green lantern wannabe: hahahah mayybbeee
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: the clip is radddd
[00:34] green lantern wannabe: haha
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: its megatrron cornering spike on a rooftop
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: dude
[00:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: it looked great
[00:35] AUTOBOT-Elric: and its the first i've heard megs talk
[00:35] AUTOBOT-Elric: hugo weaving sounds nothing like himself
[00:35] AUTOBOT-Elric: i can not wait for this ****!
[00:36] AUTOBOT-Elric: seriously dude, this **** is no fair
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: everyone has seen the movie but me
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: WHY GODDDD
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: ???
[00:37] green lantern wannabe: hahahahah
[00:37] green lantern wannabe: its cool man
[00:37] green lantern wannabe: no worries
[00:37] green lantern wannabe: you'll get your turn
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: I WANT IT NOWWWWW
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: HUNGERRRRRRRR
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: I WANT IT SO BADDDD I CAN TASTE IT
[00:37] AUTOBOT-Elric: IT DRIVES ME MAD TO SEE IT WASTED
[00:38] AUTOBOT-Elric: little quote from the og TF soundtrack there, niatch

Then some talk about my tragic dating life lead to...

[01:03] AUTOBOT-Elric: i think instead of dating i'm just gonna buy a DS and become a pokemon trainer
[01:03] AUTOBOT-Elric: sound good?
[01:03] AUTOBOT-Elric: quit everything else
[01:06] green lantern wannabe: dude
[01:06] green lantern wannabe: go to bed
[01:06] green lantern wannabe: haha
[01:07] AUTOBOT-Elric: you know what u need to do
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: make a name for yourself
[01:08] green lantern wannabe: umm surreeee
[01:08] green lantern wannabe: ok
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: and then go thru my favorites on DA
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: and just pick people to hire
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: and then tell me all about it
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: you'll have to txt me
[01:08] AUTOBOT-Elric: cuz i'll be travelling the world, becoming the world's greatest pokemon trainer
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: BOOM... BOOMBOOMBOOM-BOOM
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: I WANNA BEEEE THE VERY BEST
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: LIKE NO ONE EVER WAS
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: TO CATCH THEM IS MY TRUE TEST
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: TO TRAIN EM IS MY CAUSE
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: I'LL TRAVEL 'CROSS THE LAND
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: SEARCHIN FAR AND WIDE
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: EACH POKEMON TO UNDERSTAND
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: THE POWERRRRRR THATSSSS INSIIIIDE
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: POKEMON!
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: GOTTA CATCH EM ALLLL
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: IT'S YOU AND ME
[01:09] AUTOBOT-Elric: YOU KNOW ITS OUR DESTINY
[01:10] AUTOBOT-Elric: YOU NEEED ME AND I NEEEED YOU
[01:10] AUTOBOT-Elric: POKEEEEEEMONNNNNNN
[01:10] green lantern wannabe: okkkk
[01:10] green lantern wannabe: sure you do that
[01:10] green lantern wannabe: yeahhhh
[01:10] AUTOBOT-Elric: dude
[01:10] AUTOBOT-Elric: YOU SAID ITS OK!
[01:10] AUTOBOT-Elric: *packs duffle bag and pokeballs*
[01:11] green lantern wannabe: dude.. you are making me tired
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: dude
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: you have to have stamina
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: if you want to be the world's best pokemon trainer
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: ...
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
[01:12] AUTOBOT-Elric: e_e
[01:14] AUTOBOT-Elric: eh comrade???
[01:14] AUTOBOT-Elric: eh?
[01:14] AUTOBOT-Elric: ;)
[01:15] green lantern wannabe: eh?

Later, I continue to be hilarious...

[01:29] AUTOBOT-Elric: ok cool, sounds like a plan
[01:29] AUTOBOT-Elric: i'm gonna get together some supplies and pick out a few pokeballs
[01:29] AUTOBOT-Elric: then i need to email professor oak
[01:29] AUTOBOT-Elric: then its off to bed
[01:29] AUTOBOT-Elric: and i start my journey as a pokemon trainer tommorrow!
[01:30] AUTOBOT-Elric: who should i pick first?
[01:30] AUTOBOT-Elric: i'm thinking bulbasaur
[01:30] AUTOBOT-Elric: dude... ?
[01:30] AUTOBOT-Elric: what do you think?
[01:30] AUTOBOT-Elric: you seem like a squirtle man yourself
[01:31] green lantern wannabe: hahaha
[01:31] green lantern wannabe: umm i dont know'
[01:31] green lantern wannabe: its been awhile since i played
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: lol... i forgot, you actually are really good at it
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: damn dude
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: you and i need to both get DS's
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: and each get a diff version of the game
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: we'll be rivals!
[01:32] AUTOBOT-Elric: this is gonna be rad.
[01:33] green lantern wannabe: im retired
[01:33] AUTOBOT-Elric: dude
[01:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: i can see the heart of a pokemon trainer burning deep in you
[01:34] AUTOBOT-Elric: it never dies man
[01:34] green lantern wannabe: i hung it up for a bigger and more dangerous hunt
[01:36] AUTOBOT-Elric: digimon
[01:36] AUTOBOT-Elric: yeah i heard that brutha
[01:36] AUTOBOT-Elric: high five!
[01:40] green lantern wannabe: ummmm ok
[01:40] green lantern wannabe: have fun with that

Finally...

[02:04] green lantern wannabe: ok, im going to bed, so i can get up bright and early and get to work on the rest of the stuff i need to do
[02:04] green lantern wannabe: oh and
[02:05] green lantern wannabe: pika pika pika
[02:05] AUTOBOT-Elric: LOL
[02:05] green lantern wannabe: pikachuuuuuuuu
[02:05] AUTOBOT-Elric: I LOVE YOU MAN
[02:05] green lantern wannabe: hahah yeah yeah pika yeah
[02:05] green lantern wannabe: good pika.. imean night

The End!


Author's Note: Yes, I am aware that naming Bulbasaur and Squirtle as starting Pokemon shows what an old man I am. That's why I really do need to buy a DS and start training an Infernape or something. Just sayin.

Turtle Power (Part 3 of 4): Does Machines

The next in the series:

click above for larger view

I didn't depict Donatello displaying his mechanical prowess, though hopefuly his pensive pose relays his more intellectual nature, as compared to his brothers. I will be talking a little bit more about these pieces once I post the final one in the series--most of what I have to say involves comparing and contrasting the turtle brothers, so it doesn't make sense to bore you folks until you've seen all four pieces. Then it makes total sense to bore y'all.

Current Mood: Productive.
Reading: The Elric Saga: Part I (just finished it).
Watching: They Live, Hellboy: Sword of Storms, and Danny Phantom: Reality Trip.
Still Listening To: the soundtrack for Transformers the Movie. NOTHING'S GONNA STAND IN OUR WAY!

The others in the series:

• Turtle Power (Part 1 of 4): Leader
  
• Turtle Power (Part 2 of 4): Party Dude
  
• Turtle Power (Part 4 of 4): Cool But Rude

Turtle Power (Part 2 of 4): Party Dude

It's odd that Michelangelo has now appeared three times on my blog, especially since Donatello and Raphael are my favorites. This is the second in a series:

click above for larger view

Umm, not much to say about this. The offset colors I'm using in the backgrounds on all of these is something I'm swiping from old Looney Tunes shorts. I think it's a Friz Freleng mannerism, but I'm not positive. Anyone?

The others in the series:

• Turtle Power (Part 1 of 4): Leader
  
• Turtle Power (Part 3 of 4): Does Machines
  
• Turtle Power (Part 4 of 4): Cool But Rude

Subway Sketches Art Exhibition this Saturday June 30, 7-10pm at the Labyrinth Store

Hi Everyone,

Kei and I are having our very first art show this Saturday June 30th, 7pm-10pm at the Labyrinth Store on Bloor St W just west of Spadina Avenue.

We'll be exhibiting a collection of sketches done in the subways of our beloved city of Toronto. These are original subway sketches taken straight out of our sketchbooks. You will also have the opportunity to purchase original sketches, prints and books as well as meet us in person and ask us questions.

It's going to be very exciting and fun for us so I hope you can come make it. We're also going to be premiering Imaginism Studios' 7th book - Subway Sketches. I hear the Globe and Mail (Canada's national newspaper) is going to be there as well.

Our Subway Sketches book is full of observational drawings, tips and tutorials as well as some killer guest artists!

Guest Artists
Louie del Carmen
Thierry Lafontaine <-- Thierry will also be there to sign books on Saturday
Jason Seiler
Stephen Silver
Dean Yeagle

The Subway Sketches book is a special limited edition out of the Imaginism collection. It's 72 full color pages, signed and numbered (limited to 500 copies).

All of the Subway Sketches books bought at the show or ordered online from now until the end of August will also come with an sketch from both Kei Acedera and I (Bobby Chiu). You can here.

I look forward to meeting and talking with everyone this Saturday!

Please click on the image below for directions to the Labyrinth store.

just a reminder, Subway Sketching is back on..and we have an Art Show!

We will be premiering our new book "Subway Sketches" along with original work @ the Labyrinthh Book Store. If you're in the area, come and check it out!

Book Signing:
with Bobby Chiu
myself Kei Acedera
and Thierry Lafontaine (guest artist)

JUNE 30th
7:30 pm - 10:00pm
386 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON
(2 Blocks West of Spadina Subway)

The bookstore also carries a ton of yummy books from amazing artists and studios around the world!

Hope to see you there!
-Kei

Turtle Power (Part 1 of 4): Leader

I did some simple pen drawings during my recent plumbing/flooring crisis that I liked enough to digitally color and post. Here's the first in a series:

click above for larger view

This is not a particularly strong piece on its own, but I think it works well with the others--but you'll have to be the judge of that as I post the others over the next couple of weeks. No preliminary pencil on these--basically I just sketched out a few rough versions in pen and then drew one final version based on those roughs. Minimal photoshop clean-up.

The others in the series:

• Turtle Power (Part 2 of 4): Party Dude
  
• Turtle Power (Part 3 of 4): Does Machines
  
• Turtle Power (Part 4 of 4): Cool But Rude

Handy Man

Posted early, blahblahblah:

My second entry for the Practice Makes Perfect Art Jam. The subject this time is "The Three Hands of the Dead":

Yeah, I know there are four hands there--out of all my sketches I was happy with four, so I figured I'd throw in the extra one. I had so much fun with my Sasquatch post, that I basically used the same technique again--sketched in purple pencil (Col-Erase is my brand of choice, in case you were wondering), and outlined with a hot pink Prismacolor marker (yes, the color was actually called hot pink) and an ultra-fine black Sharpie.

As for the hands themselves, I think I did an okay, if bland job of it. Check out the other entries at Practice Makes Perfect.

Philadelphia Wizard World ..and talk about huge!

One of the oldest cities in the US, Philadelphia is rich with so much history and art. Almost everywhere you looked, there was a wall or building covered with beautiful murals! It was the perfect city to visit and showcase our art. We'd like to thank everyone who came by to our booth --we really appreciate your encouraging words and kind purchases :P Sorry we didn't bring enough books and prints for everyone, we'll be more prepared next time!



We arrived at Philadelphia passed our bedtime, but were very lucky to see the Beachhouse Row at night--but unlucky coz my camera was out of batteries! So here's a picture courtesy of another site of the beautiful view we saw:




A view of our 32 foot table!






And this...This person wins the weirdest (funniest) costume getup ever! HE was just so odd I HAD to draw him. Bobby couldn't even look at him.



..It was a very sucessful con and we had a ton of fun!

Switchblade Sasquatch

Posted early...

I needed a last minute emergency post, and asked Hammers what to draw. He said "sasquatch" apparently because of the Tenacious D movie. I haven't seen it yet, but I came up with this:


The switchblade was my idea, but I still felt it needed some more zing, and Hammers suggested a gleam or a star.

My plumbing problem is fixed and my sewage carpets have been replaced by hardwood laminate. Also, apparently, I'm the only person in the universe who does not like hardwood floors. At any rate, my woes have come to an end (knock on hardwood), and we will be returning shortly to the robust posts of extreme dorkiness that you have come to expect from this blog.

**EDIT**
When I typed up this post, I was a little under the gun and forgot a few things I wanted to mention--the sketching was done in (obviously) blue pencil, the thick outline was done with an orange Sharpie, and the thin outline was done with a black ultra-fine-tip Sharpie. After scanning the sketch, I adjusted the blues and oranges separately to achieve the hues and contrast that I wanted. The natural color of an orange Sharpie is considerably darker.

Philadelphia Wizard Con June 15-17

Hi everyone!

Paradise Comicon in Toronto is over now. Thanks to all those that came by our booth.
The few people that were there were very friendly so it made up for the lousy attendance.


This weekend we'll be in Philadelphia for the Wizard Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center June 15-17. So if you're in the area, come on by and say hello!

This also means that Subway Sketching will be cancelled this Sunday and will resume the following Sunday.

Art show: Our Imaginism art show will be on June 30th at the Labyrinth in Toronto. We'll be signing books and answering questions as well as displaying tons of original art. Come on down because it's going to be a great event.

Here are some more beautiful links...
Jason Groh
Labyrinth Store - our favorite bookstore in Toronto
Jeff Astolfo

I thought I'd end off this post with some lifedrawing scraps. I'm always interested in seeing people's initial sketches so I thought I'd post some of my own. Here's a page of unfinished lifedrawings I did last week.

See you in Philly!
Bobby

The Bare Minimum

Posted WAAAY early, so that I can concentrate on other BS.

Ballpoint pen and red sharpie, done in one shot, no preliminary pencils. Minimal Photoshop cleanup:

click above for larger view

I don't show it much on this blog, but I do play around with different styles a lot when I'm sketching. In the midst of my on-going plumbing/garbage-carpet crisis, I have focused on doing simple pen drawings to keep me sane. Doing these minimalist pen drawings without making major mistakes is a zen-like exercise that helps keep me from moidalizin' everything around me. With this particular comic, I think I was subconsciously swiping/homaging the style of my good friend Annie, of Ape Kabuki. However, her comics are simultaneously better, funnier, and more enigmatic. Stop looking at my crap, and go look at her blog!

Digital Painting Classes, Comicon, Subway Sketches Book and Links

Hi Everyone,

Lots going on so here's a bunch of updates.


Registration OPEN on Schoolism.com for Digital Painting Classes with Bobby Chiu
Classes Start August 07, 2007.
There are 12 seats avalible. Sign up HERE


Today is the first day of the Paradise Toronto Comicon. The convention will be at the Direct Energy Centre @ Exhibition Place, Hall C
Open this
Friday 3-8pm
Saturday 10am-6:30pm
Sunday 11am-5pm

OUR BOOTH #CA34 (We should be just by Artist Alley)
If you're in the area, come on by and say hi! Kei Acedera and I will both be there.

Sheridan College Digital Painting Classes - CANCELED.
Unfortunately I've had to cancel my digi painting classes at Sheridan College. I will not be starting anymore classes at Sheridan. It's too far of a drive and I just don't have enough time in my schedule to drive out there every week. Thanks for the great time Sheridan! I'll miss all you Oakvillians.

Last bit of news: Subway Sketches Book coming June 30th. We'll be having an art show for the release of our book at Spadina & Bloor. More info coming soon.

Now for some killer links:
Sebastian Kruger
Scott Morse
Ted Mathot
Nick Sung
Aurelie Blard-Quintard
Alex Woo

Legal (Pad) Hi-Jinx

This is the doomsday scenario, people. I have been dealing with twelve-plus hour workdays, backed-up kitchen sinks, an apartment that now smells like garbage, and the usual BS. And yet, so unswerving is my fanatical devotion to the way of the blog, that here I am posting a dorky sketch of an 80's cartoon character. It ain't pretty, but it's new, it's in color (technically), and it's here:

click above for larger view

Doodled this on an actual legal pad quite some time ago, scanned it in, added the shadow, type, and red eyes in Photoshop, and stored it away for a rainy day. Little did I know that the "rain" would be filthy, disgusting water, being regurgitated by my kitchen sink's drain like vomit. Good times.

Gray skies are gonna clear up
Put on a happy face
Wipe off the clouds and cheer up
Put on a happy face

OH HEY, I ALMOST FORGOT...
Remember this post? Well thankfully, Charles got his computer in order, and he posted the mystical fish's extensive background story, entitled "The Children of the Gods"!

• Check out the blog of Charles AKA Lord Shen
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Act I
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Act II
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Act III
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Act IV
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Act V
  
• Read The Children of Gods, Appendix

Go read it! Go!

June 26 Online Digital Painting Classes FULL

Hi everyone,

The June 26 Class on Schoolism.com is now full.

You will be able to sign up for the August class this Friday June 8, 2007.

There will be 15 spots avalible.

Please leave your questions in the comments or email me at
bobby at imaginismstudios.com

Thanks,
Bobby

AGGRO

Posting a few hours early...

This squirrel looks aggravated:

click above for larger view

Colored using techniques from an excellent tutorial on Deviant Art. It was nice trying something a little different, and while I don't think this piece was a complete success, the process did give me an idea of how I might integrate this kind of soft lighting into my normal coloring style (which is not so drastically different to begin with).

Subway Sketching cancelled. We'll be at the Paradise Toronto Comicon

Hi everyone!

Subway sketching is canceled this Sunday 10th because we'll be at the Paradise Toronto Comicon June 8-10, 2007 Direct Energy Centre @ Exhibition Place, Hall C Toronto, Canada FRIDAY - 03:00-8:00 SATURDAY - 10:00-06:30 SUNDAY - 11:00-05:00

Here's a couple of great links and a page of subway sketches. Sometimes I'll redraw the same design over and over. The pic below is an example of this.
Alex Cote
Marko Djurdjevic

Lifedrawing at TSA

One of the things I love to do and teach is lifedrawing.

Here's a 15min drawing I did last night at TSA in Toronto.

It was done with a Col-erase pencil. Paper is 9x12inches. Then I dropped it into PS to spice it up a bit but the drawing was unaltered.

Bobby

Here's some more must see blogs that I should have linked long ago.

It's great to see more talented studios in Toronto.
Check out House of Cool

Life drawing junkie and one of the best blogs
to find news and other random stuff about
the animation industry Alan Cook

A friend of mine I haven't talked to
for much too long. Robin Joseph

Amazing animal designer! Andrew Shek

Super talent - Bill Presing

A Ninja.

Something has alarmed this ninja:



Perhaps he's alarmed that this is such a lame post? However, I am happy with the background colors on this. What can I say, folks, the day job has been awfully busy recently. O_O