Here is another character sketch that I’m working on.  I’m working on several ideas right now, but some of my favorite characters are my bird drawings.  What could possibly make a bird better?  Make it a ninja bird.

I created this pencil drawing for the “Draw a Dinosaur Day” Group/Set on Flickr.  I will be developing the sketch into digital art over the next couple of days.  Check out my friend Sara’s drawings on Flickr or her blog.  She is the creative force that invited me to the group, a wonderful artist, and a friend.

“road trip” – a collision of animals, rubber bands, sharpies, and imagination.

Here is the short bird animation that I created on Career Day, after I ran out of the drawing paper I was using with my handy Sharpie marker. I was already using my laptop to display a slide show of drawings, paintings, and illustrations, so I got out my Wacom tablet, opened Adobe Flash, and created this rather rough looking animation. Thanks again to everyone who stopped by my table at Career Day.

I attended my daughter’s Career Day this morning at her school, representing the career of “artist.”  I had a blast answering all of the questions the students had and sharing my inspirations and drawings.  I created 80 little mini zines/comics on why I choose to be an artist(pictured above) to hand out, and wished that I had been able to create 5 times that many to give to everyone.  I then ended up drawing and handing out 50 pieces of art, which was all of the sheets of paper in the art pad.  We then turned to the laptop and I drew a simple flip book style animation using Flash and my Wacom Tablet.  I will share the animation later today or tomorrow with everyone.  I would like to say a big thank you to the staff and students for having me.  I would also like to tell the students, that now matter wether your passion is art, sports, writing, the military, science, or a million other things, follow your passion and pursue a career that makes you happy.  Thanks again everyone.

ps.  If anyone that I drew a picture for at career day wants to send me a picture of you with your drawing, I would love to post it here on my blog.  Email me at:  andy@calexstudio.com

Meet Hello Robot.  I believe his real name is A5T1E, but everyone calls him Artemas, or sometimes Arte.  He is one of my newest illustrations.  Artemas can’t help but bring smiles to everyone he meets, with his brightly colored paint job and friendly attitude.  He is a wonderful friend and exceptionally kind, caring, helpful, happy, and loving.  I want to be more like him.

I’m in the process of making a few short stories with him in it, and making some designs with him saying hello in many different languages.  He is a robot after all, and can learn new things with both speed and ease.  Above is the original sketch for Artemas.  He was originally just going to be advertising my art work on my sites(thus his hand up, holding a sign), but after visualizing who he was and his personality, I realized that he was destined for more, like so many of us.

Starting the new year off, with memories from years long ago.  The image above came in my mind very vividly, while drawing with my daughter.  While working in Illustrator to create the vector version of the drawing, I recalled a cat from when I was a boy.  I was probably about six or seven at the time, and some neighbors had some kittens.  I proudly purchased one for five cents, one shiny nickel, which was a small fortune to a small boy at the time.  Proudly, I marched home with the kitten, and proclaimed that I had paid for the cat and could not return it.  My parents where good sports, and let me keep the cat.  UT, the cat, remained a faithful family pet for many years.  He was the best five cent purchase I ever made.

Originally, I did not have the text characters in the drawing, but rather a simple fish skeleton.  Being the creative type, it occurred to me to wonder what message a cat might want to relay to their family.  I figured it would most likely be a meal request.  Texting for animals will be the next big thing in 2010, or Twitter for pets, perhaps I could be wrong, but it’s highly unlikely.

December 7th is always a special day for me.  It was the day that my Grandfather, Elihu Rigsby was born.  There have been many important men in my life, that have shaped who I am today including my father, step-fathers, and my father in law, and all of whom I’m so very thankful.  I may have not had the opportunity to spend as much time with my Grandfather as I would have liked or should have, but he is still teaching me things after all of these years.  I still learn from his example, from reflecting on my memories of just hanging out with him on his farm, when I was a boy.  My visions are perhaps clouded by great love, but in retrospect the time spent on the farm with both he and my Grandmother, where like being  in Shangri-La.  No one is perfect, but there are some who come much closer than others.  I’ve never meet anyone in my life, who knew my grandfather, that did not tell me a story about his generosity, thoughtfulness, kindness, and goodhearted nature.  Even after several years now, I miss him more than words can say.  Happy Birthday Granddaddy.