Blue Sky Research

The Legend of Bunny Chow

2009-05-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

A new idea I'm working on, ....I need a 48 hour day....

Check out my new blog! ...

2008-05-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

www.Darkskyresearch.blogspot.com

The King Isn't Dead...

2006-12-13T01:08:00.000-08:00

First off, sorry for my long absense. I've been working like a Trojan horse on a very tight work deadline which will shortly be coming to a welcome end...hence why I've had no time at all to paint. Still, recently having done a few vague concepts for the game cover art, I decided to do a full on paint job for our final suggestion. I couldn't share with you up until now, for legal reasons, but recently marketing decided that we're no longer going with the name 'Hazard 66' ...I'd warmed to it, but I'm glad to be honest. All the same, here was my final concept. I can't really go too much into detail about the game of course, but I hope the image strikes a chord with you all the same :)

Adios!

Charmed I'm Sure...

2006-08-30T01:12:00.000-07:00

Hell's Kitchen : Little Italy

2006-08-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

...Another character from one of many film ideas which never happened. Uncle Freddie...part of the same movie as the Don as can be seen below... Those were the days...would still love to make this stuff!...I need more hours in the day....and a lightbox.............and some animation lessons. Anyone?...

Ciao

Tanked

2006-08-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

...Some tank concepts created over the past couple of days...probably more to come...who knows!

It's an absolute Artrage !!!

2006-07-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

...Well, if there's anyone like myself who can find their way around photoshop, but who haven't had the time to delve into the mammouth world of 'Painter' to achieve that nice painterly look, then help is at hand. Online there is a cool albeit limited package by the name of 'Artrage'. I've had it for sometime and have only just got around to using it. It takes a while to get used to but I think the outcome is worth it...

I decided to paint a Llama as I'd been recently building a model of one for a game, and some of the photography reference I'd found for these animals was really lovely stuff. I worked up a very basic color sketch of the picture in photoshop purely for speed, and then did the final overpaint in Artrage...

I'd encourage anyone to go and try this package; as primitive as it is, what it does have is really quite good, and when it's free....well, who can complain!

Getcha Pull!...

Old School Hollywood Baseball...Take II

2006-07-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

...First proper post in a while I know. This is a rough color palette for what will hopefully soon be a finished piece...

'If you build it, he will come'...

I got no pichez for ye!....but I do have this...

2006-07-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

Fill your boots kids, this is funny as hell... I laughed my sphinx off...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A0rwG39Jzk&search=vader%20sessions

This Is Absolute Genius

2006-06-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XWB2kUrQ3vA&search=lotr

Funniest thing I've seen in a long time...lmao

The Eye-talian Job... (circa: 2000)

2006-06-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, more oldies from my days of 2d anim. at Uni...This was a character that my buddy Boris sketched up for an idea for a feature we were going to propose ( hypathetically as a project ) . The Don...

Boz is a good guy when it comes to drafting and animating character and expression (check my 'Friends' section for his blog) , me?... I'm the sketched hands and color guy...just so you can see who did what. Basically the story was....actually forget that, everytime I come up with a crap idea that I'm gradually moulding into a miracle of motion picture history, I find that someone's already made or making a much better version already. So I'm not gonna jinx it, just incase it rears it's dirty head again one day...I still think it'd be an awesome little film...no doubt Boz will be here soon to protest differently...so a punch to your cock for when you turn up, fugga!...

Big Ben (circa: 2000)

2006-06-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

...Ello all, sorry I've been absent but I've had no time for any new paintings...Mind you, like Oscar Grillo says, there's always time for a sketch a day...Well, once I get some inspiration away from everyday work I will certainly get cracking again. Meantime, this is an oldie I fished out...and a big thankyou to everyone who continues to check back!

ttfn

Christmas came early...

2006-05-18T02:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would make an announcement, for two artists highly commended in their work and throughout these blogs, and both people who I admire very much...

Jose Lopez has released his first sketchbook 'Mariachi Samurai Vol:1' to the tune of a limited 1,000 copies (so hurry everyone!)

I recently recieved my copy and it is worth every penny, and a great inspiration to me.

For more information on Jose and how to get your own copy of his book, then visit his blog here:

http://www.desoluz.blogspot.com/

...Another great artist and well known to many of us is Uwe HeidSchoetter, a very talented German guy who has finally immortalised his girl sketches in a new book, coming soon, entitled, 'Augenblick'. I personally can't wait! ...But you have to be quick, there's a 'very' limited run of 150 numbered and signed, so be quick! Details can be found at Uwe's blog here:

http://heidschoetter.blogspot.com/

As for me, I have nothing to show yet, sorry guys...I'm snowed under at work, but soon as I have time then I'll be posting some new stuff :)

Adios!

Blossom In The Storm

2006-04-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

...Ok, Sir Bobby of Chiu has gotten the better of me, and I've decided to post what I have so far. This was just one idea I had, and although I'm very fond of the character, there's definitely something lacking....and so, it's to decide whether I keep working this piece with the girl, or scrap this idea and go for something else...I kinda like Boris's cheese idea to tell the truth, or at least something a little surreal. I'll be thinking...in the meantime thou, I hope you like this one so far. Work has ramped up so what time I can paint, I am :) ...Thanks to Bobby for the kick up the arse ;) ...

Strength & Honour

M

The Blues....

2006-04-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

...Oooo, we've missed having a Friday 13th by one day!...Lets celebrate!

I 've decided that finished or not, something new is going up. I'm working on a new painting inspired by some cool photos I found, listening to lots of Devin Townsend and ...well, the Orient. Not immediately obvious I grant you...but all will become apparent... This is a work in progress for the backdrop...kind small, kinda rough....I may even leave it rough, I'm not sure yet. The character which has yet to go in is getting finished as and when I'm finding the time!

So, in conclusion, here is a work in progress if you like. Please critique all you like....make comments, suggestions. Hell you may even influence the final outcome. So all ideas welcome :)

...ttfn

April 13th 2006

Oldies: (circa 1999)

2006-04-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

...p.s. I will post something new as soon as I get the time :)

Oldie: (circa 2000)

2006-03-27T00:03:00.000-08:00

...Couple of animal studies from my animation days :) ...I'm currently working on a new piece at the moment, but work has just ramped up again, so it's gonna take longer than I imagined. Anyhow, watch this space ;) ...I'll just keep topping up with a few oldies in the meantime, so bear with me....

Mar 27 2006

Oldie: (circa 1999)

2006-03-21T03:17:00.000-08:00

...Ever wondered what Santa does when all the elves go out livin' it up?...

Created 1999/Posted Mar 21 2006

2006-03-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

...I've found some brilliant inspiration recently looking through the blogs, and recently I came across a very cool guy by the name of Alberto Ruiz ( http://scribblettes.blogspot.com/ ) ...He has some wonderful offbeat life sketches which I love, and as a tip of the hat to him, I've painted up one of his sketches...Alberto, if you're reading this, thankyou for the inspiration, and keep up the sterling work :)

Alberto's original sketch can be seen here: http://homepage.mac.com/deepfriedcandy/back2_big.jpg

March 14 2006

A Hit Show

2006-03-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

Finished!...Last day or so was a bit slow as work picked up. Just got myself some time this last hour to tie up the loose ends...Hope you like it.

March 08 2006

2006-03-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

....additonal characters are roughed out now. I think I'm going to keep some of the roughness, and I think tidying it too much will take some of the life out of it...

...Cheese Whizz !!!....

2006-03-06T04:39:00.000-08:00

...Fastest blog update ever... Things are going well this morning :) ....more to come...

...Me an' Frankie Avalon...

2006-03-06T02:28:00.000-08:00

... Ok, new painting starting off today...I've got some downtime at work, so I'm trying to use the time productively.
I'm a big fan of the whole, 50's atomic age, thing...and I have a strange totally unexplained attraction to baseball....probably becauswe when I think of baseball, I think of the world series around the middle of last centuary...I think of the classic old uniforms as opposed to the garish one today...I dunno, there's just something about it. Plus, 'Field of Dreams', is a great little movie ;) .... Anyway... inspired by this and the old little labels/pictures shown above...I've began sketching...

Mar 6 2006

Turning the Tides

2006-03-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

...I'm working on a new PSP game right now, nothing which I can really discuss unfortunately... but of course as you may have gathered, it has something to do with war simulation. Recently we went for a new look and title for the game, and to that end, a new splash screen was needed. This is the painting I did yesterday...(title ommitted, obviously) ....and er.........yeh, thats about it...hope you like it. Well........the 5 of you that visit this blog anyway ;)

March 2006

Old School Hollywood Baseball...

2006-02-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

I recently decided it was high time I pay more attention to personal my creative outlet, so...I began sketching... and came up with a loose idea for a little short about a kid, set in the 50's all about baseball... course by the time I'd written some thing, it'd grown into some stupid sized epic production.....I think I'm being unrealistic...so back to the drawing board for a smaller, and simpler idea.....nonetheless, here's a handful of concepts I did for the kid.... GUNG HO!....

2006-01-27T04:11:00.000-08:00

I've given the face some attention and decided the whole thing was far too brown.....really obvious now I think about it. Anyway...

2006 Jan M

2006-01-25T01:12:00.000-08:00

...I'm trying to find some time to still work on an old game idea I've had for a while now. Here'a quick character idea which I'm going to start adding some color to soon. Criticism please!...otherwise I learn nothing ...

2006 Jan - M

Thicker than water....

2006-01-12T02:42:00.000-08:00

An old photo I found from the early seventies ... Boris and I had a mutual love and respect for eachother, even then. I think Stephen would always come to feel left out, but it was for his own good ... In those days, anything seemed possible ...

(2000) Left 2 Right: Markus F Norman, Stephen Delany Simmons & Boris T Hiestand. M

2006-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

And another. And just to explain ... It's 2 squirrels making a mole machine out of ... metal stuff. Ok? .... good ...

2006-01-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

Another concept from the same project ...

2006-01-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Oh, and this is the Sushi Bar ... This piece, The Sushi Chef and The Sewer were all concepts I did for a game back in 2003. It never made it to publication unfortunately ... but it was great fun to work on. Set in 1950's America, one of my favourite style periods. And no...they never had sushi bars back then ...

2006-01-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's a sewer... whaddaya know...

(2002) M

2006-01-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

It's a f**kin' Sushi Chef Firchrissakes....

(2002) M

2006-01-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

Mr. Craig Mullins ( www.goodbrush.com ) inspired me to start speed painting...so here's my first attempt (2003). It's great practice for loosening you up...It's not as easy as you might think. Be strict with yourself I also limited myself to just a plain round brush also... set yourself a time and go for ye life!

(2003) M

2006-01-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Concept of a character from a game I worked on....

(2005) M

2006-01-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Benson the Dog ... this was a commission job for a friend of the family, whom I've never met. So he ain't no friend o' mine ...

(2005) M

2006-01-05T08:16:00.000-08:00

Just a little something between jobs at work. He's also begun life in 3d, and if I get enough time to dedicate to it then you'll see him soon aswell...

(2005) M

2006-01-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

OK well I'm gonna start this all off with some old bits and pieces being that I've been far too busy at work to have anything particulary new for you. So ... here is a study I did from a Lucy Liu photoshoot in photoshop. If I say anything else I'm sure I'll end up lying to you...and you, my audience can rest assured that I would never do such a thing...so, let the blogging begin...

(2004) M

Hey dere!

2006-01-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog fuggas!...hopefully I'll work this out soon and get some posts up.

Check BEK soon.....