Die L.A. DIE

Work in Progress - Sleequa Model

2012-01-27T12:08:00.001-08:00

Here is the 3D version of my signature character. I'm thinking of calling her Sleequa, but not sure yet. Modeling is not quite done but its 90% there. When she's all modeled and rigged I want to animate her with motion capture and then use it as part of a projected animation.

2011-11-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

These are two 6"x 6" paintings on canvas I made for an upcoming gallery opening. I used contact paper to make masks and then spray painted them.

Rebel Chic

2011-11-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

This is two stencils layered, neon pink on black, that I developed. I like the idea of combining fashion poses with rebel warfare. This is a theme I plan to mine. These stencils coming soon to a wall near you.

C'est Shiq

2011-10-03T11:15:00.001-07:00

This is Shiq, another variation of my Sticknica character. This is the digital version of a masked and spray painted poster I made recently. I'm planning to paste her up a wall near you.

Ghettobird

2011-10-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

I made this a year ago for a group show in Little Tokyo. Finally posted it today. Need to keep up with my blog, yo!

"I can't hear you, the music's too loud!"

2010-06-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

Spec work for a Discovery Channel show

2010-02-09T16:43:00.000-08:00

This is my submission for a possible job on a new Discovery Channel show. Cross your fingers for me! The illustration is based on a real event where a meteorite hit a woman inside her house while she was asleep on the couch. Here is where I got my information on the event: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Hodges

You & Me finished project

2009-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

You & Me work in progress

2009-10-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is work I did in photoshop as tests for an upcoming Shojin show called You & Me.

Recent Work

2009-05-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

IMPULSE Show Piece

2009-05-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

This piece was at my first gallery event! See more at www.cafemode.com.

Animation Doodle

2009-04-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

I animated this a while ago and then abandoned it. I consider it an animation doodle. Now is its time to be seen by the light of day. The song is Stacked Crooked by the New Pornographers.

Final Digital Painting project

2009-03-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

Week 9

2009-03-16T17:43:00.001-07:00

Week 7 Assignment

2009-03-02T17:32:00.001-08:00

Class 6 Assignment

2009-02-23T17:39:00.001-08:00

The homework due this week is 9 color comps. We will be choosing one comp and completing it for the next 3 weeks.

Class 5 Homework

2009-02-16T17:20:00.001-08:00

Class 5 doodle

2009-02-09T23:16:00.001-08:00

I doodled this in class today. I remember in college I would make some of my best drawings during class. Whatever this is I like it.

Class 4 Assignment

2009-02-09T17:02:00.001-08:00

Class 3 assignment

2009-02-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

My homework assignment for the third class was to design an object and paint it. For some reason I thought of a ceramic tree lamp. I don't think its totally successful but thats what practice is for. I hope its not too weird for class tonight. All the guys will make some kind of machine and I made an organically shaped domestic object that I would like to have in my apartment... if it were drawn better.

The thumbnails are more interesting than the final, I think.

Color Practice

2009-01-28T22:06:00.000-08:00

Shapes-in-an-environment practice

Perspective Practice

2009-01-27T16:53:00.001-08:00

I re-did class 2's assignment with what I learned last night. Much improved I think.

Recession Bush Comic (digital painting homework)

2009-01-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about the female financial phenomenon of the the recession bush and thought it would make a good comic. Somehow I was able to combine the idea with my digital painting homework which was to paint geometric shapes with the correct highlights and shadows. The 4th panel has a Magritte feel to it, don't you think? I coined Recession Bush by the way. Send royalties to me when you say the phrase.

Digital Painting class Assignment 1

2009-01-19T14:37:00.001-08:00

The original movie still:

My copy:

I'm taking a digital painting class to get better at drawing my graphic novel. Those of you who wonder if I'm still working on it the answer is yes I'm still working on it. Its been slow going do to recent trips home and a dash of laziness. Plus I need to get better at drawing to execute my ideas for the comic. This class should help me get back on the stick to get my graphic novel done and make the drawings better. In between posts from my comic have a look at my class homework.

Slowly coming along

2008-11-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to keep working on this graphic novel regularly but work gets in the way lately. Also it took me a long time to figure out how to draw a wide view of LA. The panel with LA in it is the reason I haven't posted anything for a while. I think this attempt is mildly successful but I will keep working on rendering the city in my style. Now onto more pages in the story that will bedevil my attempts to draw.

17th Page

2008-10-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Next Chapter in the Die LA Die Graphic Novella

2008-09-25T17:45:00.001-07:00

Here is the start of the next chapter in the Die LA Die graphic novella. Don't worry, Sticknica and Wex are still in the story. Be patient for the next page.

One-off Comic

2008-07-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Next Chapter

2008-07-28T16:02:00.001-07:00

2008-07-24T13:53:00.001-07:00

Start from the bottom of this post

2008-07-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

Die LA Die graphic novel?

2008-06-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

This is the first page of a long form comic I'm currently working on. Dare I call it...a graphic novel? Lets call it a graphic novella for now. I'm making it up as I go along and don't know how long it will be. I will post pages as I finish them.

Stabby

2008-06-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

I spent time on this one

2008-05-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

This is a pen and ink, real live painted Die LA Die comic. I spent lots of time on it to enter it into an open submission gallery show. This photo doesn't do it it justice at all but it will do for now.

Anthropomorchic Land

2008-04-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

What Am I Doing?

2008-04-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

This one I drew by hand to prove to myself that I can still draw by hand.

I'm drawing again!

2008-04-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

For the longest time I thought I'd forgotten how to just let go and draw something with actual pencil and paper. I'm happy to have proven myself wrong.

Dances with Landscapes

2008-03-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ipods have changed me

2008-03-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Where are the comics?

2008-01-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

People are always asking me why I don't have any recent comics. They come up to me on the street wondering, begging for a new comic. They ask "Why!? Why are there no new comics?". Then they shake me until my brain hurts.

To justify my comics silence here is a look at my short animation. Its a work in progress. Keep in mind that this looks especially crappy on youtube.

The Fluid Beast

2007-11-26T22:45:00.000-08:00

Another project I've been working on. The Fluid Beast is a very long work in progress. Here is the first animation.

Yoga in Traffic

2007-11-26T21:58:00.001-08:00

Its kind of amazing that I finished this comic tonight after the day I had. In the past I would have blown it off. High five for me.

Cactus

2007-11-07T15:03:00.001-08:00

I did this the other night at the coffeeshop. For once I've enjoying my time off.

Veterans Cemetery

2007-10-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

It seems unfair that a fraction of Americans have to sacrifice in war. The consequences are too high for us all not have a stake in it. I'm not saying there should be a draft, but if we all really had to care about this war maybe we wouldn't be having it anymore.

9/11 Everywhere

2007-09-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

MSNBC was broadcasting their live footage of 9/11 two weekends ago. Why were they broadcasting it weeks after the anniversary? That's what I wondered as I watched transfixed as I always do when I see 9/11 footage. That night I woke up with the image of the smoking towers in my head. Still being half asleep I saw the towers and I was shocked as if seeing it for the first time. I startled awake and felt in awe of the audacity and inhumanity it would take to pull off the biggest stunt in history. I still can't believe that its possible and that it happened. When I see different parts of LA now I imagine the towers superimposed on the skyline. I might make a series of these. I feel a need to make them.

Super Busy Stickwoman

2007-09-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

This comic is based on the short time I did two jobs a few weeks ago. It turned out to only be 2 days before they realized that people I needed to work with did not also want to work as late as I had to. Therefore they relieved me of my second job. PHEW! The silver lining of the whole episode was that I was inspired to make this comic. Can I get a amen from the hardworkers out there?

Small earthquakes are fun

2007-08-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

I think there's something wrong with me. I'm excited by the thought of a natural disaster happening around me. I guess because it really shows what's important and it shows you what you're made of.

I was in Manhattan on 9/11 so I know what its like to be close to a disaster. A part of me wants to relive that because it was such an intense, primal, collective feeling. There's something euphoric about it. Does that make any sense?

I have no tact.

2007-08-06T23:49:00.000-07:00

This isn't something that actually happened, but its definitely something I think about. I do put my foot in my mouth a lot. One friend told me I say "inappropriate" things. He was being very kind.

Coffee is Magic

2007-07-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

HOP Comic

2007-07-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

I'm getting my braces off tomorrow morning. Its been 1.5 years since I got them on. Time to see my new teeth!

Close up of a scary face

2007-06-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

I don't think he can smile.

We recommend you have the body

2007-06-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

My alternate punchline was going to be "Dude, I thought you were a bomb!" Dick Cheney has his finger on the button and he's ready to push it. Can anyone keep Mr. I'm-not-part-of-the-executive-branch-Cheney in check?

I made this comic til past my bedtime.

2007-06-18T01:06:00.000-07:00

Parking tickets are a way of life in this town. Its a lifestyle, in fact. You're born that way. Born as a parking ticket magnet.

Decidedly lighter fare

2007-06-03T22:29:00.001-07:00

Ever see a parent act like a giddy schoolgirl in love? It's weird. Not that I'm not happy for my mom, but its still weird... and ripe for lampooning.

Lovable, Cuddly Bums

2007-05-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a real experience. One Day I was just driving along, minding my business. I look to my right and lo there is a clearly very troubled homeless man trying to saw his head off. Quickly I drove off, ditching my original plans, to go find Mommy in CA (Andrea) so she could reassure me that everything is going to be okay. While I was at her place of work I told my other friends there about the event I had just witnessed. One of them (Aaron) told me that I needed to make a comic about this. If it wasn't for his suggestion I probably wouldn't have made that into a comic. Thanks Aaron! In a related note, another friend of mine pointed out that I should have called 911 for the guy. Since then I have felt guilty for not calling 911 for the homeless guy. I had a dream the other night that a stranger was injured and I called 911 for him. It doesn't really relieve the guilt but what can I do now for suicidal homeless man?

Moving along...slowly

2007-05-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Progress on my comic/animation has been very slow since I've been working full time. Plus I spend too much time socializing and not enough time making art. No more staying out too late on Friday and Saturday night only to spend the next day sleeping. Now I have deadlines to meet! Alex from LA Taco (link at right) discovered my comic and now I'm going to be contributing regularly to his site. I'm really excited about it. Now all those ideas I considered making I will actually be making. But Alas, my progress on the comic/animation will be even more glacial. Never fear, I will continue to work on it and I plan on finishing it no matter how long it takes. Here is the latest board from the project. Its not much further along from the last one but its something. The action is just about to start...

Comic to animation

2007-03-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is a frame from the comic/storyboard I'm working on. I plan on animating this comic. Its basically about a Stickman's nightmare. More to come...

What's missing from this scene? Oh duh! a shadow underneath Stickman. Oh well I haven't figured out where the light is coming from yet anyway. I guess its right after sunset or is the light really diffuse? I'll figure it out.

I'm not the best draftsman out there. I see lots of art and I think "I can't draw that well, why do I even bother?" But I can at least draw well enough so that I can understand what I'm saying. Maybe I'll update this image with a stickman shadow.

My friend Andrea thinks that the color palette of black, white and red is so ubiquitous in the LA art scene right now. She's so over it. It's okay, though, I'm still doing this in black, white and red.

Ummm...yeah...I'm emotional

2007-03-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sooooo, I expose myself a lot with my comics. This one makes me feel especially vulnerable. My comics are illustrated diary entries. All this crap has been conspiring to challange me and make me cry. But as my friend Behn and my uncle Micheal have told me, life is a struggle and no one is going to hand the things I want to me so get out there and freakin do it! Don't sit at home feeling sorry for yourself, Jessica. One of the ways I'm combatting the woe-is-me's is this blog. So here goes...

My first friend to have a baby

2007-03-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

One of my good friends had a baby in September of 06. Actually we didn't even become good friends until after the baby was born. When I first met Sara's baby, Joia, she was only 2 months old and was skinny and lacking in any personality. I was totally disturbed by the stories Sara told me about being a mother. It was like she had a parasite constantly attached to her boob, sucking the life out of her. It freaked me out to the core. Now Joia is fat and adorable and I can make her laugh so I'm not disturbed by motherhood anymore. But, man, my eyes have been opened. I'm sure my eyes will be opened more when I actually have a baby. But that can wait. There are comics to be made!

Second comic...

2007-03-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

So this is the second comic I ever made. I'm still exploring the environments, themes and titles I want to use.

The first comic I ever made...

2007-03-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

I went to art school to be a 3D animator. Now that I've been doing it professionally a while I find 3D to be a really tedious and slow medium for expressing myself. One day I was really pissed about something (someone actually) and I imagined a scenario that I thought, at first, would make a good animation. Then I thought "yeah, like I'm really going to finish this idea that will take weeks to complete", so I decided to make it in comic form instead. I'm proud to say that I actually completed the idea in one afternoon and discovered that making comics is a fast and easy outlet for my art i.e. intense emotions. I've been making comics about things that piss me off or disturb me ever since. Enjoy...or...commiserate!