Mad's Basement

Six Dollar Fifty Man

2010-06-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Checked out a short film called The Six Dollar Fifty Man. All about a little kid named Andy who believes he has super powers, gets picked on in school, jumps off roofs, and likes to draw. Also has a cool song in it that is catchy and I can't find it anywhere.

Six Dollar Fifty Man can be seen on the latest Wholphin DVD (No.11)

Here is a short clip:

Tongue and Pencil #2

2010-05-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Come check out the next Titmouse Tongue and Pencil show. June 2nd @ 8 p.m.

I made the flyer!

Tongue and Pencil this Wednesday May 12!

2010-05-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

Come to Titmouse Wednesday May 12th @ 8 p.m. for the first ever Tongue and Pencil show!

I will be teaming up with TV's Frank from Mystery Science Theater 3000!

Sneek Peek

2010-04-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneek peek of the piece I will be submitting to this years Gag Me With a Toon show.

This photo shows the piece about half way done.

I'll post the final once the show hits!

Ginger Jackoff

2010-03-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Made this for 5 Second Animation Day at Titmouse, March 17th 2010.

A bit about the underlying context to my piece. It's clear that I hate the Parking Enforcement. We have to struggle to park every Monday and Tuesday around Titmouse because of street cleaning. Sometimes if you aren't quick to the draw on moving your car you get a nice fat parking ticket. Handsome Richard is based off and voiced by the accountant at Titmouse. That is also his mouth. Since he is the money man I thought he'd be a good heroic figure to come in and take out the demonic Parking Enforcement. The Jesus intro was an idea I got Tuesday night. Jeremy and I went up to Hollywood Blvd. to get a few super heroes to do intros. However there were no heroes, just Jesus hanging out and then the awesome crazy guy in Jeremy's piece. They were both very nice and cooperative and we tipped them :)

KMD is a cool new insult we like to use, spread it!

My friend, Jeremy Polgar, and I came up with the character Ginger Jackoff. So for 5 Sec. Day we each did our own piece using this character. So you get two of em!

Cintiqified!

2009-12-09T03:44:00.000-08:00

Hah! Scanner??? Forget it! I finally have a Cintiq sitting here on my desk at home!

Got it all set up tonight and my life will be changed from here on out.

Some familiar faces:

That's the first drawing I made on my own Cintiq! I'm planning on a scanner still. Lots of sketchbook pages I wanna share! Shit it's late! Goodnight!

Tirrrrrred

2009-10-19T19:20:00.001-07:00

Cods of the Universe

2009-10-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here they are! The 6 crotch shots of characters from Masters of the Universe I did for the Gag Me With a Toon 2 show!

Who knew they were so easily identifiable just by their underwear?

These guys are 6x6 acrylic on canvas and in yo' face!!!

Soon I hope.

2009-09-30T01:49:00.001-07:00

Dude

2009-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Yo dudes here is a drawing of a dude.

Things are good, I have a new computer up and running at my place. I tried to install my scanner and the booger sniffing clown noses over at Canon never made drivers for my OS. So I have a perfectly fine scanner sitting there wanting to scan so bad. Dude, what a bunch of sad crap. If this is their way of making me buy a new scanner, well then I'll purchase an Epson. I have a lot to scan and show you all. I'll get on it quickly.

For now here is some new stuff.

I've also been busy with a project for my boring closet doors. When that is complete I'll post it up.

Still Standing Around

2009-07-30T22:26:00.001-07:00

Excuse the absence. I have plenty of work to show on here but I haven't fired up my computer since I moved. It's clunky and virus laden. I anticipate getting a new one soon. In celebration of getting that new computer I will scan pages of a sketchbook I have been working in.

Put in a few extra hours at work tonight. We've been super busy. Still found time to do this one.

Critter

2009-06-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

I found a nice brush combination in Flash that worked for making excellent wiry hairs (a.k.a. pubes). Then this thing kind of came from that discovery.

Weekend

2009-05-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

This image pretty much entails multiple things that will occur over the course of my weekend. Make of it what you will.

Show Saturday!

2009-04-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Come check out the Gag Me With A Toon 2 show this Saturday, May 2nd at Metldown Comics. Opening is from 7pm to 11 pm.

Below is a work-in-progress snap shot of the pieces I'll have in the show. There are tons of other great artist in it. Read up about it here:

Gag Me With A Toon 2

See you there!

Quadclops Cop

2009-04-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Last night's South Park episode had these cool looking space police guys. So this is inspired by that.

Arrowed

2009-04-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

GRAAAAWL!!

2009-03-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

A Drawing for SuperKate!

2009-03-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

I did this drawing for Kate, she is a sound engineer at Titmouse. She asked me to do this drawing of an African queen as a prop for a play. It's 18 x 24 and I used the old standby #2 pencil. Then made it more solid with conté crayon. Sprayed some finish on it too so there are no smears. My hand was super filthy when I finished it up, I'm left handed so I smear everything.

So this be it, this is what happened.

One Last Scan

2009-03-14T00:44:00.000-07:00

This is one last scan before everything gets relocated to Pasadena. Time to get out and far away from this noisy ass Hollywood apartment. We better not have an earthquake in the next 12 hours! If a big enough one hits this place is built so shitty that I will most likely die. Probably wind up snagged between a car from the garage below and the upstairs neighbor's bed post or fat calloused foot jammed into my head. This drawing depicts none of that.

Violent Edition

2009-03-14T00:42:00.000-07:00

Non-Violent Edition

2009-03-01T22:45:00.000-08:00

These two drawings are a little less violent. Maybe because they are on two separate pages of my sketchbook. Should they ever meet who knows what she'll do to the poor boy. He does look a little concerned. Probably thinking he may wind up like Jim Class.

SF4 Weekend

2009-02-28T22:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend has involved a lot of Street Fighter 4. Can you tell? I fought my sketch book and pulled off my Ultra Combo Finish and unlocked this drawing. Perfect win. In-daaah-struck-tabaaale!

Wednesday's Mold on a Window Ledge

2009-02-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah there is mold growing on the inside ledge of my bedroom window at my fantastic apartment. Luckily it is hidden by the blinds. Maybe even shielding my lungs from the horrificness. This place doesn't stop delivering the goods. I'll be out of here soon, looks like Saturday is a Pasadena lease signing day!

Aside from that some new stuff! None of which have mold :)

She is in a Catmare. The gym class dodge balls try to claw you. Or soccer with no shins about to kick that thing...ow. Maybe just dwelling along with the animal you feel you can embody the most. In any case you only get maybe two hours of sleep and have to wake up for the next day.
.

This next one I did in my sketchbook. It's about feelings, chain reactions, ultimate outcomes, stuff I like drawing, having fun inking, and Heroes being completely fucking boring and just slipping into being on in the background while making stuff.

Jim Class Beat Down

2009-02-15T20:46:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday but feels like Saturday and that's pretty cool.

Chew!

2008-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

Last night I was hanging around the studio and did some drawing. Below is what happened. I'm handing the pencil and ink off to my friend Jeremy Polgar in return for a cool ass drawing I got from him.

Super Page!

2008-11-12T01:11:00.001-08:00

Pen nibs I love you. You can knowingly pull poetic drawing right from my carpal lobe.

Becoming Death Ray

2008-11-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Death Ray, featured in Eightball #23 by Dan Clowes, is a costume I've wanted to do for a while. It looks so easy to do, yet the pieces are specific which makes it tricky to put together. I did a few weekends of hunting and managed to luck out most of the time. One thing I learned: living in Southern California makes plain long pants and sweatshirts hard to track down.

First off here is all the pieces for the costume:

Panty Hose! American Apparel had the color I needed.

A blue V-neck sweater. I found this at Ross for a couple bucks.

A striped shirt. This piece looks yellow in the comic. This is close, but it's more on the green side. H & M came through on this one.

Blue pants. Finding long blue pants was really hard so thanks Dickies.com!

A red belt that I found at Ross.

Some killer superhero boots I found through Amazon.com

Oh yeah!

Red gloves. I found these at Ozzie Dots, an awesome costume store.

And a ray gun (thanks again Ozzie Dots), a toilet paper tube(thanks bathroom), and a funnel (knew you would have these Home Depot!)!

So the shirts, pants and boots help me to at least be halfway there. I started working on the mask.

Panty hose on head: Successful!

Not being see through: Fail!

Painful: Success!

So to get the mask to work I had to get two layers of hose on my head. That helped out enough. Then I had to figure out the eyes.

I tried making a light charcoal outline while looking in the mirror. Pretty hard to do. After that I took the mask off and used white acrylic paint and a sharpie.

Eh not quite working. Kind of rushed it too.

Sticky eyes maybe?

Death Raytarded.

Later on when I wore the costume to work my friend Jackie traced the eyes on lightly with pen. Then I was a little more careful with the white acrylic and sharpie approach. It worked out fine.

I was thinking red kitchen gloves had to exist but I found nothing. I was facing having to spray paint some yellow ones red.

I had a feeling the gloves would chip and shed red paint all day. That would be lame. Luckily I found those red gloves at Ozzie Dots and they did just fine. If anyone needs household gloves I have some in my closet now if you want them.

The gun, as you saw, involved 3 parts. I did a little modification to the gun by taking off the nozzle. This made it easier for the funnel to fit insde.

Then I cut the cardboard tube down a little less than half. The little glue rings made it easy to track and keep the cut even. Then I fused them all together with hot glue.

I used yellow glossy spray paint and soon had my very own Death Ray! POP!

Finally pulled off the Death Ray costume! Here is a group shot of some Titmouse staff dressed up for Halloween.

I hope to be getting more pictures of my costume from friends and I'll post them up here.

If you haven't read Eightball #23 you should it's an awesome story. I also read that Jack Black's production company, Black and White Productions, has a movie in the works. So there is probably a Hollywood warehouse that, this whole time, had everything I needed.

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

Well I hope to be hearing from the New Yorker now.

2008-09-26T00:59:00.000-07:00

He Had a Booming Voice.

Launching Fatties

2008-09-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

Developing new ways of launching fatties into space. Paint and lines below.

A Few Things from My School Days

2008-08-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 animations I did before I left college in 2006. One is 2D, all hand drawn and inked then scanned and completed in Toon Boom. The other is a 3D piece and I was also experimenting with match moving. That made it possible to put my 3D guys into live action footage I shot.

Prepare to have your brain exploded into deli meat...

A Late Nite New One

2008-08-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

I stayed at work late, could have left a little early but wanted to draw something. Here's what happened. It's midnight I'm outta here.

Monkey Gone To Heaven

2008-06-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Rockband is releasing the entire Pixies' Doolittle album today. In anticipation for it I got on a giant Pixies listening kick. Then I made this lil' guy.

Slice up some eyeballs and I'll see you later.

Monster Dahmer

2008-06-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

I just drew a guy and for some reason it looks like Jeffery Dahmer. So in comes a monster that is probably about to meet his cannibalistic doom. All fear Dahmer.

W.H. McGonagall

2008-05-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

William H. McGonagall, a creepy looking guy.
He'd stand and wait on sunny days and watch the girls walk by.

He never did no wrong to them, he'd keep a distance, shy.
With their noses in the air, the girls passed quickly by.

Afraid of his messed up eye and pants too high,
They'd scurry, point A to B.

William H. McGonagall. Scary little dweeb.

Pizza's Tomorrow Gas

2008-05-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

They Say the Chase is Better Than the Catch

2008-04-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Now Here's Something You'll Really Like!

2008-04-09T00:50:00.001-07:00

Field Trip Day

2008-02-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

The cartoon below was created for 5 Second Animation Day at Titmouse. I teamed up with Jeremy Polgar and Junpei Takayama. We got to stay up late.

Here are some screen grabs as well!

Yes the kids on the boat are peeing.

Listen close to the song to hear the one kid misbehaving.

A Lesson in Bugs

2007-10-23T18:22:00.001-07:00

Here's a stab at the lesson John K recently posted up on his blog. He also had some really cool video tutorials. Check those out! It's worth it alone to watch him draw.

Here's just the construction lines too.

Also Dethklok is touring!!!! The dates are below. It'll be a metal punch to the face and an animated kick to the balls. So go if you can!!!

A New Drawing...No Thanks to Late Night Productivity!

2007-08-29T00:17:00.000-07:00

Its like a comic where nothing has to change...

FIRST panel: she's dancing

SECOND panel: OOH! Don't move that way!

THIRD panel: Ah! She broke her neck dancing.

Bosko Dances All Hose Like

2007-08-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a little study I did of Bosko dancing. This was recommended by John K on his blog. It's one loop out of 3 in the entire dance.

And as promised here are the next two loops in the dance!!!

Giant Head Kid

2007-07-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Giant Head Kid was created today between going to Meltdown Comics and finishing up some animation. He now resides here.

I Met the Robot Chicken and other stories...

2007-07-16T00:21:00.000-07:00

Titmouse and Shadow Animation had a great ping pong tournament party a few weeks ago. It took place in the parking lot of Shadow Animation. We won the tournament and now the trophy sits upon the receptionist desk at Titmouse. Bad ass!

So myself, another Metalocalypse animator, Travis, and my buddy Jeremy who is hard at work on Space Balls got to tour Shadow Animation. We got this great pic of us with the Robot Chicken himself!

Yep we're all totally geeking out right there. It was an awesome studio to tour.

And now a space man!

Beware! The Crabminal!

2007-06-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

He's out there...somewhere.

Now I've Gone and Done It

2007-06-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

I kicked off my summer by getting a joB! I now work at Titmouse and animate for Metalocalypse. It's the kick ass job I wanted and now I have it. Sweet. I guess that can happen. I thought I'd have to put up with at least 5 more years of grunt work. I feel like I ran above the bricks and found the warp to level 5.

I'm currently waiting on my layouts so I can get started on the new episode. So I did some drawins!

Drawings from a Movie Set

2007-05-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Ok so I've been helping out on a feature movie with the art and set design stuff. So we set up everything and once they start shooting we have a lot of down time. It's the whole Hurry Up and Wait way of the movie making business. So with the downtime I draw and these are some of the drawings I did on the set.

I inked in red because it was the only ink pen I had on hand. I really like how it jumps and how it reacts when I ink over areas I shaded with pencil. It takes on an almost black shade with hints of red tones. I just might continue to work with it more.

Illustrations for the April Commentator

2007-05-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Smoke

2007-05-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

Just....

2007-04-19T01:05:00.000-07:00

I Saw Yewwww

2007-04-04T01:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a comic I submitted to I Saw You. Check out the project at:

http://missedconnectioncomics.blogspot.com/

New stuff from March

2007-04-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hey here are some new illustrations I did for the Chicago Kent School of Law's Newspaper, the Commentator.

A Comic!

2007-03-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hey, here's a little comic I just finished up today called Mow Past Midnight. Enjoy!

Yay!

2007-02-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

Hey check this out.

Here's my blue pencil sketch of a lovely gal singing, shouting, doing whatever.

Next I cleaned that up with a charcoal pencil.

I decided to take that on into Illustrator and ink it up. I do like my charcoal clean up but Illustrator gave me smoother, bolder, and cleaner lines. The charcoal really helped out as a guide and kept me from straying too far from the truth.

Then I colored it in Photoshop :)

Hey leave comments if you want, I like feedback!

Check it, don't be square

2007-02-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

New Illustrations

2007-02-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

Here's the most recent illustrations I did for the Chicago-Kent School of Law's newspaper, the Commentator. They include candy, hot cheerleaders, 40 year old college party creep-Os, and debt!

Have a happy stinkin' Valentine's Day!

Allergic to Bees

2007-02-09T16:04:00.000-08:00

My friends back East, enjoy the cold weather while it lasts. For when it becomes warm again, bees come out and they'll sting you. This drawing is to help you remember what that feels like.

Suddenly the sting of winter ain't so bad eh?

Hey Folks!

2007-02-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hey,

Have a happy weekend all. I'd like to share an old animation of mine. Not the best, but things started coming together for me when I did this last Spring. Enjoy.

The Girls of Saturday

2007-01-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

These are some girls I drew today. They were fun and I may do a few more tonight. I posted the pencils followed by the inks. I'd like to know what you all think. Thanks!

Sharing Drawings Before the Ice Age Hits.

2007-01-19T01:45:00.000-08:00

Hey here are a few things out of my sketch book.

I can relate to this one...I drew it while on the toilet.

A self portrait.

Loony isn't he?

A typical sketch book page of mine...messing with some Preston Blair here.

Inks...

...and an ape

Have a good weekend all!

Me and my storage...er...I mean studio space.

2007-01-14T01:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of me working out of my storage space in Studio City. As you will see right now I have an animation desk from a branch of the Hanna Barbera studios that closed down a few years back. It's a cool place to go and work. Right now this basement I'm in off of Sunset Blvd. just ain't big enough for the two of us. So storage it is until I can find the poor kid a place to stay with me.

-"Mad" Matt Taylor

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T01:05:00.000-08:00

Hi all. The theory on how to spot a hack computer artist is in the "Working Like Mad" at the bottom.

And as promised here is all the juicy detail on the controversy on my protestor illustration!

The Complaint:

While I know all about freedom of the press, I would request that some kind of pseudo-retraction be printed in the next article. I'm concerned about potential backlash - our article was not meant to be a make-fun-of-name-calling-hate-all article, but rather a discourse on the reasonableness of the JAG protests. In no way were we calling anyone stupid, nor suggesting anything about the rather interesting-looking character with the bullhorn.

Editor:

I just put copies of the newspaper in the mail for you. You should know that there has been an uproar about the "protestOCI" illustration I had you draw for the article criticizing the students who protested the JAG recruiters on campus. I've forwarded the email I got from one of the authors, and some people who are involved (on either side) have agreed that the cartoon is offensive because of the phrase "I'm with Stupid" (because the article doesn't resort to name calling). I've decided to print a clarification in the next issue, along the lines of the fact that the authors did not endorse the illustration (don't have time to get permission from the authors about printing graphics, and this is the first time I've had negative feedback!) and that it mischaracterized/exaggerated the arguments that the authors were making.

Do you have any take on this? I never had a policy regarding permission to include illustrations with stories, but maybe I should...as much of a pain it would be. The newspaper also cannot be insensitive to the stories we cover.

My Reply:

I guess in the subtext of it all it isn't simple name calling. It's a reflection of my own personal experience attending some of the large Chicago protests back in 2003. I'd see many people there that seemed to understand what message they wanted to get across. I'd also see a lot of people that would express about as much excitement as if their girlfriend had just taken them to the ballet, or their boyfriends dragging them to see Star Wars. I got a sense that not a lot of people were sure why they were there and had probably brought a long a few people that weren't sure why their unsure friend brought them. They probably could have just explained themselves with a sign along the lines of "I'm with stupid." I'd be highly entertained to see a sign like that within a mob and could probably relate in some instances. So essentially that article made me imagine that this situation could be going on there and the illustration could finally place the sign in the hands of the friends of uncertain protesting friends.

As for the girl with the bullhorn, oh well. Take what they will from that. Maybe she is confused about more than why she is protesting, or not. I dunno, I didn't really confide sexuality in her, she's a cartoon and can be who she likes and take on different roles. Plus I probably would have drawn a doo-rag on her if I wanted to imply more of that sort of thing. Maybe she is screaming "The eggs, bacon, and toast is ready!" in the wrong place at the wrong time. We don't know.

Well at least attention is being paid and it's healthy for some to have opinions. I'd rather not see everyone have to carry that kind of sign.

As far as policies go don't impose those. You run a great paper that allows for free speech and it should be kept that way. Soon you'll all be pointing an "I'm with stupid" sign at me and others with those policies. I'll double check on anything that may be insensitive, but I hope I had a strong enough reason for this one.

The Dehumidifier Must Be Emptied, but First...

2006-10-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

Hot off the scanner press these are three recent illustrations I did for the Chicago Kent School of Law newspaper, The Commentator. In last month's issue my protestor cartoon caused controversy. I'll post the correspondence in my next blog. These should be ok though, unless someone dislikes voting, Mexican, religious, fetuses in the uterus of America.

A logo for The Bar Review:

This illustrates an article on some of today's political issues:

This article dealt with Wiki's and, whaddya' know, blogs:

The Influence

2006-09-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

No this isn't a blog about this guy here:

After reading John K's recent posts I figured I'd fish around in my head and bring up who 3 of my influences are and share them with you.

Bill Peet is a great influence. My dad used to get me his books out of the library to read and I loved the illustrations in them. Those books always felt very unique to me. He wrote an autobiography aimed at pre teens/teens that was full of his illustrations and covered a lot of personal moments. One of which I'll never forget, he had to draw Donald Duck so many times that he stormed out of the studio screaming "No more Donald Ducks!!!!"

Sam Kieth can take anything and make it rock. He recently did the Batman:Secrets series which is full of some awesome Joker muggs and has another one for Oni Press called My Inner Bimbo. I started reading the Maxx by the time issue 12 was out. I can still see the cover of that issue. A very bitter looking, splattery, thumb shaped, severed head of Mr. Gone. Wow. I was a young lad and that story was kind of intense. Check out issue 32, you'll see a letter of mine in the back. Me and one of my best friends drew hundreds of Maxx drawings, it was such an interesting looking character to begin with and Sam could really get the most out of it.

Here I found the cover of issue #12!

Mike Patton influences me through his music. It's very encouraging to a mind that has desire to generate cartoons or weird imagery. The Faith No More stuff is great but it is structured and travels somewhat of a straight path. If you want to hear Mike Patton's mind and voice go free check out Fantomas, Tomahawk, and Mr. Bungle. Wow! I don't know if the guy is a fan of cartoons or not, but some of the things in that music flip a switch in my head. I hope he is a fan because I'd like to collaborate. The last Fantomas album to come out, Suspended Animation, takes it all over the board with cartoon sound and music as it's spine.

And in regards to the top picture. I love the rogues gallery of Dick Tracy villains. I will honestly say I never read a full Dick Tracy story, but I'm familiar with the art. For Gould to reach me with just that, he's really got a gift. He's well on his way to being an influence to me, I just need to learn more about him. Anyone know of a good Dick Tracy comic collection to pick up?

Riding the swift weekend horse (they always go so fast)

-Mad Taylor

Withmic Stwains of the Hawnting Refwain

2006-09-26T23:04:00.001-07:00

Hello out there,

Here's a few cartoons that I did for a law school newspaper based in Chicago called The Chicago Kent School of Law. I've had the duties of cartooning for the paper for about 3 years. I did the layout for about a year and a half too. These are the most recent cartoons completed this weekend.
The first has to do with banned books. Next we have a lame couple of protestors. They had me do a logo for the Restaurant Review portion of the paper. The final has to do with annoying sports announcers on tv. Feel free to comment and if you have cartoons you're throwing up on this thing, lead me to em'.

Thanks,
-Mad Taylor

Cartoon Gold Mine

2006-09-26T02:05:00.000-07:00

Evening all,

I've been given some animation magazines from the early to mid 90s which contain priceless articles and essays, between these and the ASIFA Hollywood Animation Archive, I truly have come to California and struck gold. All through college I wish I had this stuff to reference. Maybe this was the right time to get these though because they are scraping out all the scum that tends to grow in your brain from 4 years of art fart school.

This picture of John K and Bob Clampett was in one of those magazines. You know that picture of President Clinton shaking JFK's hand? This in the animation world is eqivalent to that only these guys are smart and know better than to run for president and instead make the best cartoons ever. Bob was a great mentor to John, and through reading John's blog and some of his writings in these magazines, he's shaped up to be a damn good mentor as well. Listen to John and research Bob's legacy and maybe 23 year olds in their friend's garages will come across animation magazines that cover the resurgence of cartoon animation in the early 2000s and there you might be next to John.

Later on I'll share some newspaper cartoons I just finished up for a law school publication all the way over in Chicago. See you then!

-Mad Taylor

One Friday Evening

2006-09-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

More changes requested today on our project. Our client proved to be a little narcisistic and didn't like his caricature throught the piece. Also we were told to throw in some humor...finally! So it won't be up this weekend yet like I was hoping...sorry.

Here's the picture I promised yesterday that was inspired by The Ghost Dance Sequence from the Adventures of Goopy and Bagha.

I want to catch the Jackass movie this weekend...and it's possible I may be getting my own animation desk. I think once I get that it's going to change my life. I've gone pretty much my whole life without my own true drawing board. 4 years of art school and not a single drawing board, can you believe it??? My computer took up the one they furnished in the dorms. When I was young I got to use my dad's. When he had to sit at it though I was given a splintery wood board to draw on, which sat on my lap. I hope finally having an inclined surface, with a light underneath to boot, will finally get me speeding down the path of true animatordom.

One Friday Morning

2006-09-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I'm currently in the Santa Monica studio working away at 1:30 am. I think the deadline for this thing we are working on is tomorrow, but it seems they'd rather make changes too it all the time instead of letting people see it.

I think a good artist knows when to stop, and doesn't make changes anymore on whatever project he or she may be occupied with. I think we could have stopped a while ago. Some of the changes we made were of use, others are just time killers. The worst ones are the ones I know are crap, but they just want to "see." I still put time into it with hopes they like the sight of their own crappy idea. It will be forgotten that they suggested it to you and all of a sudden it's your crappy idea. What a world.

As an artist I got that tinge and that tug on my sleeve from my conscience saying "that'll do, move on." I think this is the green light that goes on in an artists head. I think a crappy artist can't stand to walk away from something and always has the yellow light. "Should I stop or go" they ask themselves. Change change change all the time because whatever it is they work on still reveals their true identity of a crappy indecisive artist.

Take an ax to horses head and make a fatal blow, but keep hacking away at the poor animal and you won't make it any deader.

Wow I need to go home and get some rest. The 10 freeway at 2 am is sure a fun drive, no one is on it really. With some good music it becomes a nice reward after a hard days labor.

I watched a really cool video clip posted by Stephen Worth on Eddie Fitzgerald's blog. I drew a cool picture inspired by it that I will put up here later. Check out the clip here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7177775270814014324

Lots of good movements and had me thinking of how good silhouettes can really translate well. Did they have to make changes in this? Maybe not, I like to think it was all improvised and what they got was what they got. Pretty bold.

-Mad Taylor

Working Like Mad

2006-09-20T23:48:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I just got a job as an animator over in Santa Monica. We work in Flash and our first project should be up on the web soon. I'd love to reveal the details, but you'll just have to wait until the link is up here (which should be soon hopefully).

Flash is a great animation tool and I enjoy using it plenty. I wouldn't just rely on Flash as an animator though. I think it's important that to be considered a cartoon animator you can draw. I'm sick of these computer clans claiming to be artists. They just mastered the art of hacking, only instead of getting into people's bank accounts, they got into the animation world. Now that's not to say computer animation sucks, there's some great computer stuff out there and it has opened up a new world of animation and spawned great talents. These people I address use the computer as a means to cut corners, important ones. They go so far to cut corners that soon after they aren't artists anymore, it's too far gone from art when you cut corners on a computer. No animator I ever respected just filled in the right numbers in an empty box or knew what boxes to check mark for that matter. It's easier for these folk to impress crowds as well because computers can hand off some pretty dynamic looking things very easily. Pay attention to who is showing you this crap though. These computer hack personas are easy to spot and here's how you'll know:

#1 They will annoy you. They tend to get too hyper active when talking about all the amazing things computers can do. That's because it will help them to cheat more and look better when they actually suck.

#2 They at least like to watch cartoons, sure. Try to ask them anything about animation history though and they won't really know much. Try to discuss it, they won't care.

#3 Have them try to teach you something they do on the computer. They can't explain their process very well. They mumble. They also move very fast with the cursor and click too much. They are simply magicians, who if assigned to teach a magic class, can only wind up putting on a magic show.

#4 If they went to art school ask what classes they took. You think they'd say anatomy and figure drawing at least. Most don't. Tell them to go jump in the lake. They may also spout out to you classes that qualify them more for a job at Best Buy than in animation.

So beware the computer animation hacks. Oh and here's #5:

Ask to see their storyboards. They'll either not have any, or they will, but bird shit on your shoulder will become more inspiring.

Here's a drawing I did the other night before bed.

-Mad Taylor