fantastic-fables-blog

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Day 1. #swift for #inktober2017 I know it's late. But I got a late start. These are two characters of mine, Chuck and Cassie. Cassie is a shy and timid monster and Chuck, a boisterous pilot with a strong yearning for adventure. I'm hoping that this #inktober can be little events with them. Lemme know what y'all think.

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Running late tonight for #inktober but I'll be posting later the drawing for day 1. In the meantime, enjoy this oni guy I did near the end of this summer. Oh yeah, sorry for my absence. I'm back. #fantastic_fables #onikid #ink #watercolor

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I have class today...

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“Thus ends The Adventure Zone: Balance, the story of four idiots that played dnd so hard that they made themselves cry”

-Justin McElroy

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1. Mood 2. I loved Frog and Toad as a kid. I want this.

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This is the only day you can reblog this

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reblog and make a wish! this was removed from tumbrl due to “violating one or more of Tumblr’s Community Guidelines”, but since my wish came true the first time, I’m putting it back. :)

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Reblog and you might save someone’s life, especially with all our Black Girls going missing #ProtectBlackGirls #SaveLife

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@retrospacepunk , a dear friend of mine has pushed me to jump back into Instagram. For that I am truly grateful. Sorry it's been so long guys. This past year got really weird, really quick, and coming out of it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Hopefully I can get back to posting on a daily/bidaily basis again. As for the contest that I totally goof'd on. I'll be holding some form of re entry but further details are to come. Thanks for your patience guys. This is actually a little self portrait I did on New Year's Day. Lemme know what y'all think. #fantastic_fables #pentelpocketbrushpen #ink #selfportrait #backatit #cartoonified #screw2016 #2017

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Notes for a young character designer

Dear E. 

Thanks for your email.

I don’t work at Cartoon Network any more. But I’m going to give you a very quick portfolio review in hopes that you find it helpful! Here are some things I noticed when looking at your stuff - lessons I learned from brilliant people while working on AT for two years: 

 1) AVOID SYMMETRY. Humans are organic, randomly shaped animals. Perfect symmetry rarely exists in nature and if it does, it’s conspicuous - it’s the exception rather than the rule. Find interesting ways to throw your characters off-balance. 

Don’t repeat objects in twos - (buttons or rips or whatever) - it feels prescribed - cluster things in threes or fives if necessary. 

 2) AVOID CONCAVITY - I don’t know what else to call this. But it’s those lines that go “in” rather than “out”. You are using inward sloping lines to describe many of your characters. As an exercise, try using outward, rounded, voluminous lines to draw EVERYTHING. Humans are fleshy lumps connected together by other fleshy lumps. Each mass is either in front of or behind other masses and as a designer, it’s your job to tell the animator where it is. As a designer, you are providing a technical blueprint for the location of masses. 

Only occasionally allow a concavity to connect two convexities. Look at the work of Robert Ryan Cory (spongebob), Tom Herpich (Adventure Time) or Phil Rynda (AT / Gravity Falls) - master character designers - for examples of this. If you need to, trace a couple of their drawings and you will see what I mean. 

 3) AVOID GRAPHIC DETAILS - Some shows use a graphic style; it’s very appealing and looks clever when done right. But in animation, everything needs to move in space - so if you use a graphic element - it needs to correspond with an actual 3D thing that can move. Therefore it is better to start with a voluminous style and then revert to graphic elements where appropriate. Art directors will look for this. Do not jump straight to graphic representation if you do not yet know what you are representing.

Look at the work of Tiffany Ford and Jasmin Lai for amazing examples of volume expressed graphically.

 4) STUDY JAMES MCMULLEN - To truly understand volume, and fully respect your subject, you should read very carefully High Focus Figure Drawing by James McMullen. Slow down and think about drawing “around” your subjects. It’s a truly meditative experience when you get there. Think about the weight and mass that your characters, props and effects are experiencing. Many students from SVA - Tomer Hanuka, Becky Cloonan, Rebecca Sugar, James Jean - studied under McMullen’s philosophy and you can see this common richness in their work. 

Jeffrey Smith, a top student of McMullen’s now teaches life drawing at Art Center. These are two of the best illustration schools in North America - anyone who is interested in drawing living things, should probably read his book. Also look at the work of Andy Ristaino or Danny Hynes - two other character designers’ whose work is seething with volume. 

I hope this is useful and I hope you have a wonderful career. 

Warmest,

Matt

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Whoops

reblog if you’re def the kind of person who

says “cool beans”

does finger guns

says “coolio”

“my guy”

“my dude”

ironically said “get rekt scrub” and now can’t stop

“ayyeee” 

makes a lot of weird faces

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A people watching drawing I did while out to lunch a few days ago. This man was very particularly dressed and groomed, yet sill looked kind of silly. A reminder, later tonight I will be picking a winner of my giveaway. Remember to repost a work you like, tag me, and use the hashtag #95fantastic_fables #sketchbook #drawfromlife #ink #southerncharm #pentelpocketbrushpen #fantastic_fables

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Alright guys! It's time! I hit 95. I know that's a small number for most, but I really am happy about it. Thank y'all so much! So this is the best time for you to try and get your hands on a custom piece made by yours truly! Remember to tag me and use #95fantastic_fables #fantastic_fables #giveaway #sketchbook

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Happy #nationaltalklikeapirateday guys! I'm really proud of this one. I feel like it's one of my better ones. And a side note... WE REACHED 95 FOLLOWERS!!! Thanks so much guys. I'm gonna be doing a give away (details soon) #talklikeapirateday #pirate #oldseasalt #saltofthesea #rum #jug #beerbelly #anchorarms #anchortattoo #hearttattoo #bigbeard #sketchbook #spectrumnoirmarkers #ink #pentelpocketbrushpen #fantastic_fables

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Another day of #inking ✔️ I'll post more progress on this one. #charlestonscene #upandcomingartists #charleston #charlestonchurches #fantastic_fables #watercolors #wip #pentelpocketbrushpen #latepost #lateupload

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Another one of my #charlestonchurches this time it's #stjohnthebaptist . (Yes I have over filtered, I am planning on making prints so I am protecting the piece a bit) I only have 2 more to go and then I'll have my complete collection ready. I'll be looking into printing and talking to galleries downtown and souvenir shops. I may also talk to the churches themselves and possibly do fundraisers. Lemme know what y'all think of them and lemme know if you think you'd be interested in a print. #watercolor #charlestonlocalartist #lowcountrylife #charlestonartist #ink #fantastic_fables #upandcomingartists #charleston #charlestonstrong #charlestonscene