Writing Partner

This is a character design for one of many projects that I developed with my writing partner, Victor Bumbalo.  I am lucky to have the opportunity to work with such a funny and talented guy.  Together, we have developed a number of projects, written for Nickelodeon and Fox Animation and completed three of our own scripts.

Snowmen

I drew these story panels years ago.  They are fun characters from an earlier version of an animated film.  It's difficult for everyone when a project that people are invested in suddenly goes away, but it's something that often happens in this business.

Minnie and Daisy

One of the projects that I got to draw classic Disney characters for was "Carol of the Bells."  This was a  short animated piece directed by Peggy Holmes.  Before I began storyboarding, I needed to develop a basic set design and do some character studies for myself.

Event Horizon

One of my dream jobs was working for Boss Films.  This was one of the biggest visual effects companies around at the time and was headed by Richard Edlund.  Through connections that I made there, I got quite a bit of work developing visuals used to get films "off the ground."  This piece is one of several I did for the director to build enthusiasm for "Event Horizon."

(pencil, pen, paint)

Steam Locomotives

When my son asked if we could have a model train set up with a roundhouse and turntable, I got inspired to build a layout in my garage.  I started finding photo research, pulled out the old airbrush and set to work.  A fun combination of disciplines is required to pull one of these things off.

Sculpture

I love building things, so sculpture kind of falls into that category.  I did this little guy in Plasticine over a wire and wood armature.  He has a pair of glass Bobcat eyes that I got from a taxidermy supplier.  Unfortunately, he has not aged well and is crumbling in my closet.

Development Art

Early in my career, I worked on a number of television shows.  Each show, movie, project has its own look.  I always try to broaden the styles that I can work in.  It's a challenge to learn something new, but to make it your own.  This is a piece of development art that I did at Sitting Ducks Productions.

(pencil on paper)

Brother Bear

Some of the sequences in Disney's first "Brother Bear" movie had a real action-adventure feeling.  I had previously boarded on the "Dinosaur" movie and was very influenced by the amazing storyboarding of Thom Enriquez.  I drew this story panel on real paper!  My story art is generally much looser now.

(Pilot pen, pencil and pastel)

"Wildlife"

I worked at Disney Feature Animation for many years.  I started as a Vis Dev Artist, but quickly moved into Story.  It was a bit of a "trial by fire," because the level of talent there was so high.  I learned a lot.

I was lucky to be able to do design and development work along with my work as a story artist.  This Prismacolor drawing was for a movie called "Wildlife," that was never to be.

Sitting Ducks Productions

I worked with Michael Bedard and Elizabeth Daro at Sitting Ducks Productions, on the lot at Universal Studios.  We created many funny and touching stories based mostly on characters from Michaels' wonderful paintings.