tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352452238319957842024-03-05T03:16:53.120-08:00A Matte Painting JourneyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-66108965797650492142012-02-13T09:29:00.000-08:002012-02-13T12:11:30.589-08:00Having fun and trying to stay loose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mordecaidesign.com/artdump/eow_lobby_final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://mordecaidesign.com/artdump/eow_lobby_final.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Trying to stay loose.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-71406024424467134012012-02-05T21:03:00.000-08:002012-02-05T21:09:58.602-08:00Practice thumbsThis exercise helped me to develop my brushes a bit farther and find things that work better when trying to work fast.<br />
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I had to slow down a bit and stop doing 1 minute per thumb but I really enjoyed this exercise and will continue to do it.<br />
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There's also a trend in my compositional style that I'm trying to get over but I think it'll just take time.<br />
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Note: the thumbs are in reverse order since I used Photoshop's Contact sheet creator<br />
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<a href="http://mordecaidesign.com/artdump/1minute1.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://mordecaidesign.com/artdump/1minute1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_557727891">In case blogger is being weird...<a href="http://mordecaidesign.com/artdump/1minute1.jpg" target="_blank">click here to view a larger version</a></span><span id="goog_557727892"></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-50828435825650630692011-11-07T22:34:00.000-08:002011-11-09T09:57:00.722-08:00CTN-X, a crazy year, and new work art-dumpI'm going to CTN-X!<br />
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<a href="http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/badges/ctnx_spiritbadge150x95.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm looking forward to networking and hanging out with new friends
and some artists that I've met in real life and a few that I've only
talked to on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/mordecaidesign" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> This year is looking up and I'm becoming more
confident in my skills.<br />
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Here's some of the new work I've done this year that some of you have not had a chance to see (order is newest to oldest): <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZGmOeQyvNCyeO4X-XnRGv_mcY4ISzqOdfrnUpN0Zksv96KBoggWpECIyIdRuxYIffj6sakS0Knnku3ptcntVU9O-vyoAq2KteuXGZB6Mk6f2yCptu2-hi8ZsPlzaR1EugUDEdsqRkbM/s1600/rottingbridge.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZGmOeQyvNCyeO4X-XnRGv_mcY4ISzqOdfrnUpN0Zksv96KBoggWpECIyIdRuxYIffj6sakS0Knnku3ptcntVU9O-vyoAq2KteuXGZB6Mk6f2yCptu2-hi8ZsPlzaR1EugUDEdsqRkbM/s400/rottingbridge.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7DQYVENeonpTUuPixhTn4PUVPG1y4EMsbd-oRFTvyBHeOLuHYZhHwGot15rOLUvugsR4ucjnZRSt8S8_wZNx1wxH7LuImrpk6z8fialtEm_gYVCzMUJIpadELZDVlHr42jKUWSYpjqQ/s1600/wall_final_2100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7DQYVENeonpTUuPixhTn4PUVPG1y4EMsbd-oRFTvyBHeOLuHYZhHwGot15rOLUvugsR4ucjnZRSt8S8_wZNx1wxH7LuImrpk6z8fialtEm_gYVCzMUJIpadELZDVlHr42jKUWSYpjqQ/s320/wall_final_2100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This was a commissioned painting I did for the <a href="http://rune.riverfiction.com/?p=281" target="_blank">Web Comic Rune</a>. <br />
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I haven't been blogging much this past year, and I won't make the typical apology for it. This year was one of the hardest years I've ever lived through. There were big wins, and big losses.<br />
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Times are really difficult for a lot of people, and every news outlet is filled with stories of depravity, suffering, heart-ache, hunger, and greed, so I won't subject you to my personal struggles this year. I look back at some of the negativity I presented in some of my previous blog posts and some of them are embarrassing. <br />
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<b>So instead of presenting you with the bad, I'm only going to tell you about the few big wins this year. </b><br />
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Starting at the end of December of last year, I started using the principals in <a href="ttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/030746363X?ie=UTF8&tag=mordecaidesig-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=030746363X&redirect=true&ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1320735059&sr=8-1&assoc_ss_swlb=1" target="_blank">this book</a>, and I lost 35lbs of fat. I've plateaued, but now I'm back on Slowcarb diet and being more strict about my exercise regiment, and I'm looking forward to losing more. <br />
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My wife and I literally moved to the country (Millions of Peaches! No, Really! There are peach trees out here HA HA!). It means that I have to drive an hour to get to my web-job, but living in Phoenix for the past 10 years, I've already done this kind of commute for at least 7 years. <br />
We now live in the most beautiful rental home in our neighborhood, we have a park across the street, and our area is very quiet. We love living out here, but my wife and I would trade it for the chance for me to work in the entertainment industry IN AN INSTANT. I know that sounds a little weird to some people, but I have a lot of plans for the future that would greatly be helped by getting my foot in the door. <br />
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I was accepted into the <a href="http://www.paperwingspodcast.com/about/" target="_blank">Paper Wings Apprenticeship program</a>! I was one of the first 3 apprentices accepted into the program with <a href="http://chrisoatley.com/" target="_blank">Visual Development Artist Chris Oatley</a>. I've been working with Chris for over a year to help build the Paper Wings program, site, and to help in the development of other sites while learning more about the craft of being an artist from Chris. <br />
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Half-way through this year, I was watching an animated film with my kids, and I couldn't help but look at the backgrounds. They were "melt your face off" good. I told my wife that night: "If they have background artists there THAT GOOD, then I want to work there along-side them". About a month later an open position came up for a background painter <i>on the same franchise.</i> I was ecstatic. I applied for the job. I told a few people about it and one artist told me that I "wasn't good enough for it". About a month later I received an email from a recruiter at the company who wanted to know I was interested in a background painter position on <b>a different franchise</b>. <b>A franchise OF MY DREAMS.</b> This was the kind of gig that I dreamed about as a kid. If I were to go back in time and tell 8-year old Matt, that he'd have the chance to interview for this gig, he'd go berserk. Right away, I explained to the interviewers that I'd be willing to leave my family in Phoenix for a short time while living and working there. I had a phone interview, a skype interview, and a painting test. In the end it was between me and another artist and they chose the other artist. It was a great opportunity, and I really appreciated the chance to interview for the job. It was also validation that I AM good enough to work in the industry.<br />
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I couldn't help feeling a little down after not being selected for the gig, but I rallied and I came back painting/swinging. <br />
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I did a freelance gig with an RPG company. I did quite a few paintings for them in a short amount of time and I'm looking forward to seeing my work in one of their products. <br />
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Well...That's it. I look forward to seeing some of you at CTN-X!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-15464944097183863522011-04-28T22:10:00.000-07:002011-04-28T22:10:15.573-07:00composition study: Robin Hood 1Anyone who knows me knows that I love Ridley Scott's films, and Robin Hood is no different. I especially love the compositions.<br />
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Almost every shot in the film is perfect in it's composition. Every single item, every single object, even people, have been placed with subtle care to push the composition. <br />
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This shot is one of my favorites from the film.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqyVUlxRlHa9qBV5Wx2ykAQLb9U5UAmGZuxuYHTAfjcHW3Ka3Yg2gdxuxe7nshLefzrHzWC4AMCsPsVhVyezOeBKPs471DsuC3kaltCzyztxE0_Y34yGHWco0MAPZwO_cnt1o7Iy6djE/s1600/robinhoodstudy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqyVUlxRlHa9qBV5Wx2ykAQLb9U5UAmGZuxuYHTAfjcHW3Ka3Yg2gdxuxe7nshLefzrHzWC4AMCsPsVhVyezOeBKPs471DsuC3kaltCzyztxE0_Y34yGHWco0MAPZwO_cnt1o7Iy6djE/s400/robinhoodstudy1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-53070197767791347602010-09-16T12:33:00.001-07:002010-09-16T12:33:27.479-07:00What routines/habits/insite would you recommend to new artists wanting to develop into matte painters.
Thanks!<p class="formspringmeAnswer">Sorry I didn't answer your question sooner. For some reason formspring didn't email me that you had sent a question. <br /><br />Travel as much as you can. Seriously. Then take a camera with you and CONSTANTLY take photos of the things around you. Concept artists, illustrators, visual development artists, they all have to use reference to create something lifelike, but matte painters have to create something that looks entirely (well...sometimes almost entirely) photo real. <br /><br />Paint plein air, either digitally or in another medium to observe the world around you. <br /><br />Matte painters are known for working on really large paintings, but there's a lot of concept art and traditional skill that goes into matte painting that people don't realize. <br /><br />Work on speed paintings, thumbnails, develop an eye for lighting and value. Dylan Cole once said "...color and composition. These are the two things that are most important to a matte painter. Detail is just time.” A solid composition in thumbnail will work in a larger painting. <br /><br />Don't put too much focus on what I call "photoshop-monkeying". Using photos without any focus on perspective and composition. Become a better painter in general and it will make you a better matte painter.<br /><br />A lot of focus is put on painting, but many of the skills we require as matte painters come from the mechanics of drawing. Being able to see mechanically with our eyes. The better you learn how to draw, to represent the world around you, the better your paintings will be.</p><p class="formspringmeFooter"> <a href="http://formspring.me/mordecaidesign?utm_medium=social&utm_source=blogger&utm_campaign=shareanswer">Ask me anything</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-52191561139531604392010-08-12T09:13:00.000-07:002010-08-12T09:13:28.589-07:00The Creating Worlds Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.creatingworldspodcast.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/creatingworldspodcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.creatingworldspodcast.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/creatingworldspodcast.jpg" /></a></div>Today I am officially launching the creating worlds podcast. You can now search for the podcast on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/creating-worlds-podcast/id386757593#">itunes </a>or <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/creating-worlds-podcast/id386757593#">click here</a>.<br />
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This is an extension of the original idea I had when I started this blog. I want to share my process and my journey as an artist with you. The podcast is focused on matte painting, concept art/design, and visual development. I've already got two more episodes lined up and a few interviews that I'll be doing soon.<br />
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After many false starts, I have finally gotten this going. It's not perfect, but this is my first podcast and I'll refine it as I go. <br />
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As a kid I often fantasized about being a radio DJ, so this is kinda my chance to live that out. <br />
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Please check out the <a href="http://www.creatingworldspodcast.com/">Creating Worlds Podcast website</a> , feel free to comment and leave suggestions<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-3526683677386690972010-08-04T23:48:00.000-07:002010-08-04T23:48:11.740-07:00Using pencils in relative document sizes<div>I could apologize on and on for so many things in this video but I won't. This is an answer to some of your questions regarding using pencils in relative document sizes. Hope it helps!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-EPH7pk2i-A&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-EPH7pk2i-A&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-79544722256196551462010-07-30T11:31:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:20:50.550-07:00The pass revisedBTW this is concept art for an open source game. It's not a matte painting. But I'm using matte painter's techniques.<br />
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Are they really matte painting techniques? I would say yes because the techniques originated from digital matte painters way before even concept artists where using photoshop. I wanna raise a glass to concept artists of the pre-digital age. Some of the work they had to do with prismacolor pens is amazing. Kudos!<br />
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Anyway, I couldn't stay away from this one:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/thepass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/thepass.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-60399888409195749492010-07-26T12:08:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:20:50.551-07:00The passWhen I haven't been working on freelance web work, I've done a few environment concepts for an open source game. Nothing's really set in stone yet so I've just been playing with mood, lighting, and shape. <br />
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When I don't know what I want to create, and I want to "sculpt" painted shapes into something that I can further refine, I use a digital version of a Grey PrismaColor marker. When I know what I want to create, when I have something fairly solid in my head, I like to use the mechanics of drawing and draw-through methods to create what's in my head.<br />
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Until this painting though, I haven't been able to apply typical drawing mechanics to a digital canvas. The size of your canvas has to be the right size relative to your brush. That can be hard to figure out.<br />
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I also had some preconceived notions about actually drawing when I thought I should be painting. I know differently now. No matter how much you paint, the mechanics of drawing are VERY important. You might be painting your heart out but if you don't have the drawing foundation to back it up you'll be lost. <br />
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When I say the "mechanics of drawing", I'm not talking about actually using a physical or digital pencil, I'm referring to the skills you learn from drawing. Seeing the right way, creating shape, and perspective.<br />
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I think I'm starting to get it, and can't wait to do more.I need to learn how to refine less though, and just use large brushes, value, and color to illustrate my ideas.<br />
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I really like the mountains in the background :P<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-89576461077470102252010-07-22T23:51:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:20:50.551-07:00applying new skills to old workI felt like revisiting this piece the second I posted it to my blog a few months ago. I've learned some things and applied it to the painting. I know I've made some dramatic improvements. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/pleasewalkwithme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/pleasewalkwithme.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-26423819682396463252010-07-14T10:54:00.000-07:002010-07-14T10:56:59.063-07:00I write like Dan Brown?<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(247, 247, 247); border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #555555; font: 20px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif; overflow: auto; padding: 5px; width: 380px;"><img src="http://s.iwl.me/w.png" style="float: right;" width="120" /><br />
<div style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); padding: 20px; text-shadow: 0pt 1px rgb(255, 255, 255);">I write like<br />
<a href="http://iwl.me/w/cfe99843" style="color: #698b22; font-size: 30px; text-decoration: none;">Dan Brown</a></div><div style="color: #888888; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><i>I Write Like</i> by Mémoires, <a href="http://www.codingrobots.com/memoires/" style="color: #888888;">Mac journal software</a>. <a href="http://iwl.me/" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 224); color: #333333;"><b>Analyze your writing!</b></a></div></div><br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://iwl.me/"><i>I Write Like</i></a> , I supposedly sound like Dan Brown when I write fiction. I've never read any of Dan Brown's novels so I don't know if I can agree with that. I dunno. You tell me:<br />
<br />
Removing the gun from its holster, he clicked the safety off with his thumb and stared and the matte black of the barrel.<br />
"I doesn't have to be this way, you could join us and emerge a member of the new human race".<br />
Jon just stared back, burning embers of hatred forming behind his eyes. The blood from his wound slowly trickling down his face and into his mouth. It tasted like pennies.<br />
"What you're doing is genocide. It's murder on a global scale." Jon said through gritted teeth. <br />
Sean turned his head and looked outside to the ice blue landscape. The wind was moaning now, and the thick aluminum of the side-building shivered and shook from the force. <br />
"Every 25 million years a catastrophic event restarts life on earth...I'm just hurrying things up a bit"<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-44306182031504458952010-06-18T12:49:00.000-07:002010-06-18T12:50:36.789-07:00poor me piss party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/share/piratecove.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/share/piratecove.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Haven't posted anything in a-while, this is the first thing I could post. This was supposed to be just a <br />
sketch for a much larger painting but we might just print it and use it instead. My son and daughter are going to be 1 and 3 in July and their birthdays are very close. We're doing a combined party with a pirate theme and I wanted to create a backdrop for people to take their pictures in front of so I came up with the idea of this. It's quick and dirty, only about 45 minutes of solid work (I wish it was FASTER! But I'm still pretty green and slow). Most of this was just black and white till I used photo textures to bring in the colors I wanted. Even though my wife was happy with the result, and I was pleased last night. I think it sucks today. Which brings me to my reason for posting to my blog after such a long hiatus. Welcome to the suck. <br />
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First though, I should give some background. This week has been HARD. My son won't sleep through the night and my day job has been filled with stuff I'm not happy about working on, tons of office menusha to deal with (paperwork), and I feel like I'm in limbo. <br />
<br />
So this week probably isn't the best to use as a reference because otherwise I've been very happy. I moved to a closer office, my new boss ROCKS, and I'm doing less Flash stuff and more design centric work. I finally got a bike and have started riding halfway to work (This week I've been waking up late thanks to my son's sleepus interuptus), I've been losing weight, and I finished my matte painting for the short film I've been involved with, and submitted it to the Director/VFX supervisor. Things have been awesome. <br />
<br />
But I need to have a poor-me-piss-party. So here it is.<br />
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As always, matte painting and concept art have been in the back of my mind. I haven't submitted my info to any jobs, I'm trying to improve my work (I still feel like it isn't good enough. More about that in a sec), but there haven't been very many jobs to apply for anyway. The VFX industry is taking a huge nose-dive. Only top artists have the influence to be hired from out of town. I'm not a top artist. The only way I'm going to get offered a matte painting gig in the vfx industry is if I move to California, and since I have have a family, I can't just go without a job. I've been saving as much as I can in my 401k. When the amount in my 401k reaches a certain limit, I'll cash it out and move to California with or without a job. I want to paint for a living bad enough that I'm willing to use my 401k for living expenses. <br />
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Getting a job in animation or games is equally as hard. Those industries are doing well but artists they're looking for currently more talented than me. I would LOVE to work in either industry but I either need a company to take a chance on me or I need to improve my skills beyond what they're currently looking for. Improving your skills takes time, and the only time I have is every night after work. My wonderful wife has been very supportive but I wish I had 8 hours a day (I enjoy painting during the day) instead of 2-4 hours at night. If I have to wait till I'm 40 to get my first paid painting gig than so-be-it. <br />
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The VFX industry is in such shambles though I'm beginning to doubt that I'll ever work in VFX. I recently realized that I could maybe use my 401k as part of startup fund for a business. I have tons of great ideas on how to run a new type of creative business, and I know quite a few freelance artists who would probably start one with me. I would rather work for someone else than run my own business. Someday that might change, but currently I just enjoy working than having the responsiblity of owning and running a business. So we'll see. <br />
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I'm tired of fighting my art demons. You would think that being in a constant struggle to slay demons, I'd be a more proficient soldier, but instead I just feel cynical and apathetic towards my own art.<br />
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I WANT to get better but because I don't see drastic improvements, I feel down. I know I'll "get there" eventually but I feel like I either need some schooling (aside from books/dvd's/ and a few special classes, I'm completely self taught), or a mentor who would be available to take me under their wing and stick with me through it all (One of the things I would do in my business would be to build a very solid mentorship program). Good artists typically don't have the time to mentor someone so I can't fault them for that. <br />
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To sum it all up, I feel like my art sucks. I'll keep improving, and hopefully I'll do it for a living. If I don't ever get a job as a painter, I won't stop painting. Art is like air for me. I have to have it. It has liberated me. E Ars, Libertas.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-60089682292159016262010-04-12T09:40:00.001-07:002010-04-12T09:40:51.950-07:00formspring.meAsk me anything! <a href="http://formspring.me/mordecaidesign" target="_blank">http://formspring.me/mordecaidesign</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-3522382446393467522010-03-31T13:18:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:20:54.851-07:00Change the VFX industryMost of the people that read my blog are aware of the current state of the VFX industry. Things have finally come to a breaking point and over 400 people recently attended an online town hall meeting to discuss this. In the past two days I've seen a lot of whining, gnashing of teeth, and hair pulling. I've also seen a lot of great artists <b>DOING</b> something and offering solutions to change the the way things are done. <br />
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I also have a few ideas. I'm not IN the VFX industry yet, but I've worked in a comparable industry for 8 years (albeit without the insane hours, but I've never been paid OT either). I don't think it takes a seasoned veteran to offer suggestions. Different ideas and opinions should and can be offered from all sorts of industries. <br />
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I care about VFX and I don't want to start my career in it at it's lowest point.<br />
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In this brief blog post I want to cover a few points regarding studios, facilites, and artists. There were some things said in the town hall meeting that I would like to address and throughout I'll try to offer suggestions. I'm going to leave out names because I don't want this to become a blame-storm, and more importantly, I want to focus on the issues.<br />
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It was said that Studios take the risks on big budget FX films. While this may be true for individual executives, I don't believe that this is true for studios. Studios and distributors make money <b>LONG </b>after the film has flopped in the box office, from DVD sales, music, and merchandise. Unlike VFX facilites, who go-under because of 1 or 2 films don't come into their doors, Studios produce dozens of flops and still continue to pump them out. I have a sickening notion that many studios KNOW when a dud is being produced and use it as a tax write off. I know that many companies have internal divisions that pay each other and when a film that used the sets-division flops, the company gets to write it off. <br />
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It was also said that VFX facilites are the studio's partners. If that's true then pay the vfx facilities like partners. Instead of asking VFX facilities to bid on work, sign a partnership with a facility. A partner would share resources, have more say in the production aspect (less time would be spent in overtime, cleaning up bad film production work) and pay profits when VFX films win big in the box office. <br />
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Much of the nickel-and-diming began when studios realized that they could farm out VFX work to external companies instead of keeping a VFX company in-house. So many of the resources, the buildings, cafeterias, render farms could be shared if studios would realize that the VFX people are an integral part of their system.<br />
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For "ground breaking visual effects", facilities pay a lot of money to buy rooms full of render farms. This is supposedly one of the two ways that facilities lose money. I say that if the studio wants ground breaking vfx then they should buy the render farms. Studios have the technology partners like Dell and HP that a lot of facilities don't have and could buy the hardware at a fraction of the costs. <br />
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Another thing that I see as very wrong with the system, is that individual artists and even facilities are not allowed by the studios, to release breakdowns for vfx work, sometimes 6 months after a TV episode has aired, or 9 months after a film has been released. By giving the artists and facilities more flexibility, they will be able to better bid for work and show-off what they can do. <br />
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The thing to remember though, is that studios have the money and the pull to keep vfx facilities in business. <br />
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This might slowly change as vfx facilities become their own studios and start releasing their own films. An entirely new platform is available for the taking if vfx facilities would use the resources they currently have to make compelling content. On a brief side note, someone said that most vfx artist's true passion is film-making or screenwriting and that these people would be great filmmakers. I briefly heard a vfx artist start to speak up and I wish he wouldn't have censored himself. VFX and matte painting is my passion. If given the chance I would take art direction over feature film directing any day. <b>I WANT to be a matte painter/artist. That is my passion.</b> Please don't cheapen our craft by assuming that we all want to be Directors/Writers. <br />
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It was also suggested that more vfx facilities stop low-balling themselves and present better bids. An exec said that he would have no problem paying a higher price, but I don't believe that studios would be able to choke down the actual price it would take if a VFX facility presented a reasonable price that would fully cover all the costs of the facility. I think vfx facilities need to continually try to raise their price to get it to a reasonable number and be more transparent in their practices. Show the studio where the problems are.<br />
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A panelist asked what is one thing we could do to help the situation of the VFX industry. Here's my recommendation: Demand that as many artists as possible are listed in the credits. Never again do I want to see a credit with just the name of the VFX facility listed. Artists used to be recognized on films in the <b>OPENING</b> title sequences. The other night I enjoyed watching Swiss Family Robinson with my family, in the first 5 minutes of the film, Peter Ellenshaw, a matte painter, was listed in the opening credits. This is nothing the individual artists can do, this isn't even something the vfx facilities can do. This is up to the studio to do. <br />
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Facilities can start doing more to promote their artists as well. I haven't found a vfx facility yet that has the names and bios of anyone but their top executives and vfx supervisors listed on their websites. If a company is proud to have the contract or salary teams that they do, show them off. I know what matte painters and what compositors work at what companies because they list it on their own websites. It should be the other way around. Facilities need to present studios with a list of their top talent, not just the work they can do. <br />
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When an artist does something special on their own, a company should be the first to say: "Check out what one of our guys did outside of work!" There are many vfx artists writing tools, creating shorts, and doing extraordinary things on their own dime that benefits the vfx facility in the long run. <br />
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When news organizations approach vfx facilities, about the work they did, I think the VFX supervisor should be the last one to talk about their work. There's a saying that "the best boss is the one that cares more about the work of his employees than the work of his own". VFX supervisors should be the champions of artists. They should be shouting from the mountain-tops how great their teams are. Every chance they get they should do make their team look good because in the end, it is their team that makes THEM look good. <br />
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The second biggest reason I want to get into VFX is because of the people. When I started working in web almost 8 years ago, only 1 web artist ever gave me the time of day. <a href="http://www.pergustafson.com/">Per Gustafson</a> . He gave me a few tips, talked in general about design and art, and listened. 8 years. In the 3 years that I have been an aspiring matte painter I have been totally blown away by the people that have contacted me out of the blue, or been very generous in the information they have given me, or how they've helped me out. VFX artists have taken precious time out of their personal time with their families to write me 3 page emails about what I need to do in a particular matte painting. <br />
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Some artists have contacted me without any prior emails or contact, some of them required only a brief introduction from myself. All of them have pushed me to keep working at it and to tell me I'm almost there. The list of their jobs is <b>CRAZY</b>:<br />
<br />
Academy Award winning Art Director<br />
2 VFX supervisors <br />
Animation Supervisor<br />
Senior Art Director<br />
Senior Compositor<br />
2 Art Directors<br />
3 Compositors<br />
4 award winning matte painters<br />
Concept Artist<br />
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(These people know who they are. They all recieved a Xmas card from me).<br />
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So. Let's look at the scales. 8 years, 1 designer. 3 years, 16 people. VFX for the win. <br />
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(BTW this is not to discount the countless web artists that I have gotten jobs alongside. I still work with a lot of you and you guys/gals are awesome. A few of you have told me that you too, want to get out of working in the web industry.)<br />
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So you can see, VFX people are just awesome. It's where I belong. <br />
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Yet facilities in the US continue to work as if we're just like any normal employee at any other industry. Every single one of those 16 people can't get me a job because they don't have the power to. It's up to a recruiter. In most industries a recruiter knows nothing about the job their recruiting for. <strike>If your recruiter is a vfx person then you're lucky </strike>Most recruiters working in the VFX industry are/were working VFX artists, that makes VFX people VERY LUCKY. <strike>Most artists know other great artists and if you are in a position to hire a recruiter, ask your artists if they know good people instead. </strike><span style="background-color: #e06666;"><span style="background-color: #073763;">(Update 04-15-2010: Talking with a lot of vfx artists, I found out that many VFX artists DO get asked by their supervisors for hiring recommendations. VFX FTW! I also remembered how great the recruiters were at Siggraph 2008. VFX people are very lucky to have recruiters that know what they're doing. I can't say the same for other industries and I still maintain that in other industries, recruiters have no idea what the people really do in the job they're hiring for)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>Instead of hiring outside of your company, promote within. Foster a good relationship with your artists, help provide any tools they need to become better educated in VFX. You have more buying power than individual artists do to provide good education. As artists become more acclimated to your pipeline and software, they become more faster and can give you a better return on your investment. By not hiring from within, or not hiring people current people to work on the next picture. You are throwing money away. Let me repeat that. Facilities, you are throwing money away. <br />
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I hear alot of talk about computers being cheap, everyone's outsourcing, and that certain work can be done remotely. Why not hire college students in places like Phoenix and Ohio then? You could pay these people a bit for their time (a little goes a long way) by making them interns, and then when they're ready to work for you, you have a workforce that is already acclimated to your pipeline, living in the US, and ready to step in the door of your US office and begin working! Work can be done remotely with ftp, vpn, and remote desktop. <b>Other, less technically savy, industries ALREADY do this.</b><br />
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VFX facilities could also be selling some of the software they've written and <b>RENT OUT</b> portions of older render farms to other smaller vfx facilities. <br />
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A lot of focus was put on the arists being better at promoting themselves and sticking up for themselves. I totally agree with this. Every vfx artist should have a website and show off as much quality work as they can. PERIOD. <br />
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offer to teach in your downtime. Be a mentor. Do whatever you can to be a honest, forthcoming, well known vfx artist. <b>BLOG!</b> Share whatever you can.<br />
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When you write tools, share them (I'm guilty of this too...trying to change that). I know of a matte painter working at one of the big 5 vfx facilities that has written a lot of tools, but has NEVER offered to share them with anyone in his company. Tools don't make the artist. It's how you use them.<br />
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We need to change. If we continue down this path of self destruction, the American film industry will continue to decline.<br />
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Last night I joined in on a followup to the town hall meeting. One of the things said was that the legal fees for getting a union or guild set-up would be very high. Give us a donation button! I'm sure that facilities and even a few studios would be willing to put up a little cash to get this going. We're all in this together.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-66003973230350472122010-03-26T02:12:00.000-07:002010-03-30T16:38:19.558-07:00warming up againI felt that I needed to do a warmup, since I've been staring at the same two matte paintings for over two weeks and while I'm not tired of them, I wanted to approach some of the changes I needed to make with a fresh eye.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWATJlSXKJZusLSPNyctnPxBLOMOT-eXodqwCoMTGWFQtdy29Yn-Kr1kBjBOESqY87X6p-NrtB01sDsMSefFyCSr9iDUmMH_FnAjqyGwtwy37pip5Fs5pUwEdOJMgXBaeU1bBmGGKXLow/s1600/classicmatte.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452868542395849330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWATJlSXKJZusLSPNyctnPxBLOMOT-eXodqwCoMTGWFQtdy29Yn-Kr1kBjBOESqY87X6p-NrtB01sDsMSefFyCSr9iDUmMH_FnAjqyGwtwy37pip5Fs5pUwEdOJMgXBaeU1bBmGGKXLow/s320/classicmatte.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 219px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>This is a copy of a classic matte painting by Rob Stromberg<br />
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Update: Look...I know this painting is uber saturated. It's subpar. Will try to do better<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o8bdTmU8F0s&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o8bdTmU8F0s&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br />
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Later I checked to see if the film was on Netflix streaming. It is, but as luck would have it I don't think the matte painting shows up in the film.<br />
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I was trying as much as possible to replicate classic matte painting techniques in Photoshop. Just used brushes and tried to have fun.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-19501919806229488352010-02-11T21:15:00.003-08:002010-08-04T10:21:08.774-07:00BA Gun ChallengeHere's the final for my BA Gun challenge. The version I'm posting here is of course a fake ad for the conceptual gun, showing off it's various functions and parts<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/bagun_for_site.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.mordecaidesign.com/mattejourney/bagun_for_site.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-33081721025003286342010-02-11T08:00:00.000-08:002010-02-11T11:31:45.549-08:00Top 10 cinematic scores of the decade (2000 - 2009)<div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I started writing this blogpost in Dec, of 2009. When a friend asked me my opinion of the top 10 filmscores of the decade, I decided to release it, in unfinished form. Better to have something out there than nothing at all.</span><br /><br />You may notice that I decided to call this post the Top 10 "cinematic" scores of the decade, instead of using the word film scores. The reason for this is really very simple. There are several video game, TV scores, and even "trailer" music albums that belong in a musical library if you love cinematic music.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many of you may know I'm a film score junky. Out of the 11 GB of music I own, 73% of that is cinematic scores. Sometimes I feel guilty for buying an art book because I feel that I need to catch up on some of the scores I want to own.</div><div><br /></div><div>My criteria for this list is:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The album has to have strong music throughout. 1 or 2 really strong tracks don't make-up for the rest of the tracks.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The music has to elicit some emotion. If it uses a lot of gimmicks or is a strong piece of technical work, it still has to hook me in some way.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It can't be too repetitious. Some of my favorite scores repeat one theme over and over, but for the sake of this list, I wanted to include scores that had many themes and a variety.</div><div><br /></div><div>and now for the list.</div><div><br /></div><div>10. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000639BZ?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0000639BZ&adid=0N3XXWP39EHPDW2VAZEE&">The Time Machine - Klaus Badelt - 2002</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Klaus Badelt is one of the most overlooked composers in Hollywood in my opinion. His score for the first Pirates of the Caribbean film is absolutely stunning. The themes are memorable and the music is beautifully performed. So you can realize my frustration when I heard that Klaus's mentor, Hans Zimmer, was picked to compose the music for the following films. I have nothing against Hans Zimmer, I just really liked Klaus's score and would have liked to see him score the next films. On a side note I liked only 1 track from Dead Man's Chest.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Time Machine score has moments of beauty, wrapped in intrigue, and sweeping melodies of bittersweetness. In the track Emma, we get a sense of Professor Hartegen's love for Emma and we feel the loss of her through the tragic accident. The whole score gives lives in the spirit of adventure, and it is no surprise that several of its themes have been used for the Jules Verne festival (a convention of sorts to celebrate and give tribute to timeless films and filmmakers representing the Jules Verne traditions of adventure, exploration, and imaginative flights of fancy. ) Tracks like The Time Machine and Professor Alexander Hartegen both have "preparing" openings and then start you on your epic journey. Klaus uses the full orchestra to his advantage, and the quality of the symphony hall it is recorded in produces a rich echo.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've painted quite a bit to the track I Don't Belong Here. I can start to feel my head bob as I listen to it. Listening to it, you can really get a sense of epic wonder and exploration. It crescendos in voices and cymbals in a way that makes you want to join the space program.</div><div><br /></div><div>Montage pictures of the human race, the earth, and all the animals in it. Do it in your head as you listen to Eloi and Stone Language and in the end of Godspeed. You'll strongly believe that it's all worth fighting for.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005LNC2?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00005LNC2&adid=0FSRSJM33EES7S5PDQ4E&">Final Fantasy - Elliot Goldenthal - 2001</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I feel that because of the film's low reviews and box office earnings, Final Fantasy is often overlooked.</div><div><br /></div><div>Elliot uses low brass to present a dystopian landscape and voices that seem to come from a different time. Right away Race to New York ups the adrenaline with strings that literally sound like they're racing, and then flow into a melody that sounds very classic. Much of the score doesn't sound like modern science fiction, it sounds like classic science fiction. The score has a Golden age feel to it. Death rays, tesla coils, and Flash Gordon come to mind, and yet it still works with the futuristic imagery.</div><div><br /></div><div>Toccata & Dreamscapes sounds like a nightmare, a cacophony. While I usually shy away from music like this, I can listen to this and other tracks like it because Elliot weaves mystery into them.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Eighth Spirit blends mystery and magic. Far off voices join strings perfectly before brass and drums chime in to say: "something epic is going on here! We better see what it is."</div><div><br /></div><div>Dead Rain uses previous themes but presents it on top of electronic percussion. It really pushes the futuristic feel without getting into a tone that will be outdated in 10 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Zeus Canon sounds like something Wagner would write if he was doing a piece on an evil professor and his sonar death ray. Blue Light continues this by sounding like another tribute to the villain's evil weapon. Shaky strings, bright brass and bells crash upon wallows of voices that really seem to symbolize the amount of destruction the Zeus Canon can achieve. Adagio & Transfiguration starts slow and beautiful, but then takes it up a notch from Blue Light and presents music fit for the end of the world. </div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001Z920NA?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B001Z920NA&adid=1KMABMA8GE5T4B6X9NY5&"><br /></a></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001Z920NA?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B001Z920NA&adid=1KMABMA8GE5T4B6X9NY5&">Star Trek - Michael Giacchino - 2009</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Michael Giacchino really surprised me with Star Trek. The thing is...I shouldn't have been surprised. The music sounds like Giacchino, and it reminds me of the theme he wrote for the Black game score. I think what surprises me so much is that Michael was able to write an entirely new theme and score for a well established franchise and come out totally shining. That's true talent. He does use the classic themes and puts a bright twist on them in To Boldly Go and End Credits, so he doesn't leave classic fans of Trek in the theatre, expecting to hear their fanfare.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enterprising Young Men has a theme in it that is used throughout the film to drive the action. Even when characters are running through the ship, it is an undercurrent that seems to say: "time is of the essence". </div><div><br /></div><div>Nero's music throughout the score fits perfectly with the brooding, screaming, Romulan and it comes at you with blaring brass and percussion. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall the score is surprising. Even after its third listen.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/black-original-soundtrack/id132646805">Black - Chris Tilton - 2006</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Chris Tilton is one of those composers that you know is going to be booked solid in the coming years. He's young, ambitious, and uber-talented. He's currently composing for the TV show Fringe. I can't wait to see what he does next.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Main Theme and Main Theme (reprise) where written by Chris Tilton and Michael Giacchino, but the rest of the score is pure Chris. Michael and Chris do share some aesthetics, but what I like about Chris's music is that it hits it's target dead on. He doesn't overuse the dissonant and shuddering strings and droning brass the Michael seems to so much in Lost. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tabla drums, strings, sharp brass and snare drums mix in a score fitting for America's black operators and their missions. </div><div><br /></div><div>Treneska Border Crossing gets into the covert and direct conflict action quickly and puts you into the mood quickly. You'll want to grab some black paint and NODs (Night Observation Devices) and get into the action. </div><div><br /></div><div>The score rises and lowers into murky waters appropriately, and like any good action flick it has it's quiet points and points of cacophony.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bridge Too Close is one of those high points, woodwinds rise sharply and snare drums beat out a military cadence that is stopped short by strings or loud horns.</div><div><br /></div><div>Madhouse mayhem runs with reckless abandon and ends with the main theme notifying us that while we've made it out alive, the action isn't over.</div><div><br /></div><div>The track Ambush is a horrific, anguishing take on the main theme that will really make you wonder "who's been hit!?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Black is in my opinion, the best score to tell the story of a Black Ops operative, fighting for the freedoms we Americans enjoy so much. The main theme is weaved throughout and it carries strong tones of patriotism in it. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is a travesty to me that EA hasn't made a sequel to the Black game and hired Chris to work on it. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00020HEG6?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00020HEG6&adid=1CGAJPDTTY7KA3H7HNZC&">Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabahn - John Williams - 2004</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Many of my friends know that Sorcerers stone is my favorite Harry Potter film. The film has so much wonder, innocence, naiveté that the later films don't. The later films get edgier, grittier, and scarier. So much of the Harry Potter franchise has changed, that it no longer resembles what it once was. I enjoy all the films and their scores, but they lack the sense of awe and magic, yes magic, that I saw in the first films. </div><div><br /></div><div>John Williams wasn't brought back for the 4th film, subsequent scores stopped using many of the themes from the earlier scores, and they didn't use Drew Struzan for the second film or any others. </div><div><br /></div><div>So it may be no surprise that I love the first few Harry Potter albums. The best of John Williams Harry Potter work is wrapped up in the Azkabahn installment. Hedwigs theme and pieces from Harry Potter's Wonderous World are touched upon but Williams adds Double Trouble and ups the ante. </div><div><br /></div><div>Drums battle in horrendous syncopation in the first 20 seconds of Buckbeak's Flight, and what follows is nothing short of flying. This theme will really make you close your eyes and imagine yourself flying over a crystal lake. </div><div><br /></div><div>Patronus Light sounds more like a Brian Eno track than Williams but it works beautifully...especially near the end of the album.</div><div><br /></div><div>The evil that creeps in literally converges in Dementors Converge and extends it's horrific fingers into the Finale. The horror is subsequently fought back by the theme from The Patronus Light. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mischief Managed is a wonderful sign-off to the Harry Potter series from Williams. If you own one track from ALL of the Harry Potter scores, own this one. It has just about everything you could want. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/transformers-the-score/id265018176">Transformers - Steve Jablonsky - 2006</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Autobots introduces us to the Transformers universe with deep, patriotic, rising horns. Much of this track reminds me of some of Hans Zimmer's work for other Michael Bay films. The voices in this track are somber, respectful, they almost sound like a salute to our armed forces. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next track is also a theme. Decepticons eases in with electronic drones followed by deep chanting voices that seem have a low harmonic distortion. It breaks into a driving beat, moves for a bit, and then brings the voices back in. The track ends with fastly plucked strings and moves right into The All Spark. The All Spark, another theme, starts with more plucked strings which echos and mysterious voices that seem to reverberate through bottles of glass. The All Spark is a sad theme. The frail notes of this theme is mostly made up of a lonely cello, a single warrior against the backdrop of a long war. A squad of brass and voices join their compatriot and help carry the theme to completion. </div><div><br /></div><div>For me, a good score has several themes for characters, relationships, objects, and places. The themes are repeated throughout the score. Every composer in this list is great at this. The Transformers score has 4 memorable themes and a few others that fade in and out. </div><div><br /></div><div>Optimus, through all of his incarnations, the comic books, tv shows, movies, is a seasoned warrior, leader, compassionate hero, and upholder of justice, righteousness, and protection for sentient lifeforms. The track Optimus embodies this very well. It reminds me of The All Spark in a lot of ways, but instead of the single cello, a flute echos over a landscape of plucked strings. It's another introspective theme.</div><div><br /></div><div>You're A Soldier Now, Sam On The Roof, and No Sacrifice, No Victory have great examples of a theme I call The Human Race Theme. What's great about the first Transformers film is it's ability involve many human characters in the struggle against the Decepticons. The human theme represents this. The Human Theme had me really excited for the next film in the series...</div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewing the Transformers score without talking about Scorponok wouldn't be a complete review. I saved this one for last because it's my favorite. Even watching this scene in the theatre I thought "this is the best commercial I've seen for our armed forces". Even in the chaos of a vicious battle, the soldiers and support crews perform their tasks with efficiency and precision. Every time I hear this track I can see the Warthogs, the AC-130 gunship, and the phrase "BRING THE RAIN". The theme isn't gimicky, it's full bodied with clear strings and keeps going till the battle is over. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U788SY?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000U788SY&adid=07VJZW877TD3YD9ZCFDT&">Stardust - Ilan Eshkeri - 2007</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Like most scores, Stardust is around 20 tracks, but it feels like wall to wall music. I think it's because the cues play at the perfect time. Again, like all of my favorite scores, the score has strong themes that are presented, echoed, and modified. </div><div><br /></div><div>The score starts out with the beginning of the film, it follows Tristan through the wall in Prologue (Through the Wall). The tracks first notes are total magic, the bells and strings are hard to separate because they mix so well. In the later seconds of the track, a very cultural shift happens and we're enveloped by the sounds of the marketplace. The score moves on to Snowdrop, another magical track surrounded in mystery. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tristan, our main character, is a naive young man, unsure of himself, who clearly has something special deep inside of him. Tristan, the track, sounds like this, word for word. The theme is echoed in later tracks, I'll touch on those in a moment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shooting Star is my favorite track. It's epic. The track builds and builds until it breaks into awe inspiring choir voices. In this track the human instrument shines.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">THIS IS THE POINT WHERE I LEFT OFF. SORRY.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Captains at the helm features the adventure theme that is just as iconic as the Mastage drag from Stargate. Followed by the best rendition of Jacques Offenbach's <b>galop infernal</b> in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Orpheus in the Underwold </span></span> (the can can song) I've ever heard. Describing that scene to someone sounds very juvenile but watching it is pure comedy timing and genius.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/unearthed/id39436966">Unearthed - E. S. Posthumus - 2001</a></div><div><br /><ul><li>Epitome of Trailer music </li><li>Nara - Cold Case </li><li>rock out with eastern themes</li><li>great epic, adventure, spy music<br /></li></ul></div><div><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dreamfall-original-soundtrack/id161856912"><br /></a></div><div><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dreamfall-original-soundtrack/id161856912">Dreamfall - Leon Willett -2006</a><br /><ul><li>Hospital Room is my ringtone</li><li>Best game score in it's time<br /></li><li>Casablanca is an intoxicating eastern theme I've listened to 300+ times</li><li>Leon Willet = a young John Williams</li><li>I REALLY want to write more about this album<br /></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004STPT?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00004STPT&adid=0C5TG3VYJ58SREBE3XXF&">Gladiator - Hans Zimmer - 2001</a><br />&<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000058TJG?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000058TJG&adid=1SVNHA76FTSGT0V2FPX3&"><br />Gladiator: More Music From The Motion Picture</a><br /><ul><li>memorable themes</li><li>multiple themes</li><li>Slave Who Became a Gladiator gives me chills</li><li>Might of Rome and Slaves to Rome - very underrated.<br /></li></ul></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-64870726082184963882010-02-09T07:00:00.000-08:002010-08-04T10:21:08.774-07:00decisions decisionsTrying to figure out whether or not I should use the 3d model I've done (I'm no 3d guy but I think what I've got works pretty well) and paint off of that or if I should do just a side and front view.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Did the thumbnail silhouettes first so that I wouldn't have to choose what I wanted, but rather, what I didn't want</li><li>pulled what I liked and put it together into one gun</li><li>created 3d model</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRqLw_B7AdsxB48ih_JBks_T-xfT6BBZSa1pyGb86OV9vfiiiFYZBntQVoqn_vKWCIR_T0XOz-f_5Ck4X1vm94GvOwTvwoXiWnKpuxc7THG4H-hDuUhXBLvroEJNbyUJyZ3iuDaP-U3M/s1600-h/gunsilhouettes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRqLw_B7AdsxB48ih_JBks_T-xfT6BBZSa1pyGb86OV9vfiiiFYZBntQVoqn_vKWCIR_T0XOz-f_5Ck4X1vm94GvOwTvwoXiWnKpuxc7THG4H-hDuUhXBLvroEJNbyUJyZ3iuDaP-U3M/s400/gunsilhouettes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436261109364370194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SpVPiaGTjKfNlb2-8ijYSgzN98OZSo_vbRYcDXAtpjn4LnlygKmlFBakBqKMLd4YzOMhtjnotsHxxgdeLiPXI2oNAuVJGGPld7xF8fru2VwbJQ-Zok5T3eKMxDrq7S30jYvTZfbmAdc/s1600-h/bagun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SpVPiaGTjKfNlb2-8ijYSgzN98OZSo_vbRYcDXAtpjn4LnlygKmlFBakBqKMLd4YzOMhtjnotsHxxgdeLiPXI2oNAuVJGGPld7xF8fru2VwbJQ-Zok5T3eKMxDrq7S30jYvTZfbmAdc/s400/bagun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436261120713707906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzSPfDRhmCxA21vjSsPgGaOoSZgElpw4kLVRlRPXN_Gf4QngOnBkVmZwAVcwwvzZtiO3usryj5LGXy-rldbXxFYynqw68p-lldprIPLhyphenhyphenmuswXQehvaa3rF6eMdEgj2iy3Eyj3Y0Xdcs/s1600-h/sketchupgun_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzSPfDRhmCxA21vjSsPgGaOoSZgElpw4kLVRlRPXN_Gf4QngOnBkVmZwAVcwwvzZtiO3usryj5LGXy-rldbXxFYynqw68p-lldprIPLhyphenhyphenmuswXQehvaa3rF6eMdEgj2iy3Eyj3Y0Xdcs/s400/sketchupgun_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436261122104530418" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-75119406298452609782010-02-05T23:42:00.000-08:002010-08-04T10:21:29.241-07:00Planet concept for possible matteI'm not feeling very verbose at the moment (I'm working on a lot of things), so I'll just outline a few of my thoughts as bullet points:<br /><br /><ul><li>Always wanted to do a matte painting of a planet. The opening shot of The Thing is my favorite.</li><li>I can't really consider this a full matte yet. The original painting is 4k, scaled to 2k, and then outputted here to my blog at 1k.<br /></li><li>I would really love to composite a spaceship flying in on this, so that's why I left it pretty bare on the left side</li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdKAcv_tgTtO8EouDksR3koil7H_by3NhIKXEdXDon0YjotX2glKK0e0QvGj4c4Cy94wL2Y2CP-ilA5xZJqIQmZ9m7ADiYmE-olXQKNesFIBGyN095cwWuNxYzK27a95Nzg5c1tw2Krg/s1600-h/planet_1000w.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdKAcv_tgTtO8EouDksR3koil7H_by3NhIKXEdXDon0YjotX2glKK0e0QvGj4c4Cy94wL2Y2CP-ilA5xZJqIQmZ9m7ADiYmE-olXQKNesFIBGyN095cwWuNxYzK27a95Nzg5c1tw2Krg/s400/planet_1000w.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435036526576294738" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-85295844375896681122010-01-27T01:48:00.000-08:002010-08-04T10:21:29.242-07:00Assignment 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In order to push myself and get out of my comfort zone, I've decided to take part in <a href="http://www.davidmattingly.com/">David Mattingly</a>'s <a href="http://mattepainting.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=11">matte painting course</a>. He provides a lot of his info from his "brick and mortar" classroom in his mattepainting.org classes. Here's images I did from the 2nd assignment. </span></span></span><div style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For this I tried to stay within the confines of the plate we were given.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:arial,serif;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:arial,serif;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/?action=view&current=plate.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 544px; height: 407px;" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/plate.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've seen quite a few matte paintings that are painted to match a full 2k res, so I figured that's what David was having us do. I don't agree with David's notion of having us design while painting. I seperate the two. And while I don't agree, I totally understand it. The design of the castle gives us our own original design, gets us to think about the process of designing while painting (which can be hard sometimes, but sometimes HAS to be done) I designed the castles as silhouettes first<br /><br /><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/?action=view&current=castle_sills.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 469px; height: 249px;" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/castle_sills.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then I applied the silhouettes to the plate and painted on it.<br /><br /><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/?action=view&current=castle1.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 537px; height: 402px;" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/castle1.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/?action=view&current=castle2.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 533px; height: 399px;" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/castle2.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />On this one I went with more of a fantasy, LOTR feel to it. Tried to keep the castle classic though.<br /><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/?action=view&current=castle3.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 539px; height: 403px;" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/mordecaidesign/castle3.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-46450250309437796462010-01-10T10:47:00.000-08:002010-08-04T10:21:29.243-07:00silhouettes while holding my sonHolding a baby, while you do your daily warm-up you are limited to what you can paint. I find these silhouettes to be very fun, and achievable while you only have one hand available.<br /><br />I'm trying to get into the habit of painting in the mornings, when everyone's asleep, so that I am assured the time I need to paint everyday. 6 days a week hopefully.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZbaRAj21HKyhAk6Cbas4M4QtZOTHpjfUYwaHphGqS0ok_NxXdHq_NCYU6KmjZT-PQsrhwbzFqklCoJNbF59WzAdE67GVSuaGN31UUKAjbo_oNuDyBAeY26NsjgawRdav2sNo_XLTVII/s1600-h/sillouttes2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZbaRAj21HKyhAk6Cbas4M4QtZOTHpjfUYwaHphGqS0ok_NxXdHq_NCYU6KmjZT-PQsrhwbzFqklCoJNbF59WzAdE67GVSuaGN31UUKAjbo_oNuDyBAeY26NsjgawRdav2sNo_XLTVII/s320/sillouttes2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425185814756264018" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-44297076909580970772010-01-08T07:07:00.000-08:002010-08-04T10:21:29.243-07:00Structures sillouettesI recently received <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0972667644?tag=mordecaidesig-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0972667644&adid=15Y60H7QPD4SK4S43NCJ&">The Skillful Huntsman</a> from my sister and her husband for Xmas. So when I haven't been working on freelance I've been reading that. It's seeped into my subconsciousness.<br /><br />I just sat down to sketch in order to warm up to do some logo sketches for a client, and these just started to come out. I've circled my favorties.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMDwRs-ge8-DQwWB2oe7hELG1F7FI9mbKXlOAuGbWphEm6rv_T4HkwZol_YGMjIVR-fBlUP9PNBA2F6j1TKRyssWbP4o-gEZ9OY9S4uGxYFzZWlTpJMi83l7iSjoEQ7gV5kKuzC4DccI/s1600-h/sillouettes_cities.jpg"><br /><br /><br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMDwRs-ge8-DQwWB2oe7hELG1F7FI9mbKXlOAuGbWphEm6rv_T4HkwZol_YGMjIVR-fBlUP9PNBA2F6j1TKRyssWbP4o-gEZ9OY9S4uGxYFzZWlTpJMi83l7iSjoEQ7gV5kKuzC4DccI/s320/sillouettes_cities.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424387448784542498" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-31508901336442017592009-12-31T00:36:00.000-08:002009-12-31T00:43:14.448-08:00The journey aheadSometimes, as I'm about to fall asleep, I'll close my eyes and see flashes of imagery. Typically some crazy landscape or environment, sometimes a scene, like 2 spaceships in the midst of a battle.<br /><br />At this exact moment I curse my brain for shooting these images into my conscience, right before I am past the point of no return and always when I'm too tired to get up and commit the ideas to digital paint.<br /><br />Rarely do I have the time or the faculty to paint one of these pieces but this was an exception.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpC90rCB2OvAzKWFI5-qbPqx42ffHZS05shdEdFbw2h4-Aa7opDS-jW7Q9lEV0XZ11bYEz8JhmxQqpQQ7jdJwKBRNS4GejxbzHOtOWJnDleKTTXDP2tzS3Hwj0sYAUuJeoUiakoaeCxk/s1600-h/lighthouses.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpC90rCB2OvAzKWFI5-qbPqx42ffHZS05shdEdFbw2h4-Aa7opDS-jW7Q9lEV0XZ11bYEz8JhmxQqpQQ7jdJwKBRNS4GejxbzHOtOWJnDleKTTXDP2tzS3Hwj0sYAUuJeoUiakoaeCxk/s320/lighthouses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421317936829746210" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-91956062391013335882009-12-21T12:18:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:19:57.568-08:00Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! 2009.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLkro2-hF-93tYiIaZ460qkmrVuyl-pG2ReGXkLixOPj3WQhUdUq5zTAPFDQMUjZjan3HfUH4Av7pNMrb8dULuZJzRzBZB80zsU91dnWdMIcD40Q36BUnL9zhCYYHJV6Gxtr6aXJFSv4/s1600-h/50914236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLkro2-hF-93tYiIaZ460qkmrVuyl-pG2ReGXkLixOPj3WQhUdUq5zTAPFDQMUjZjan3HfUH4Av7pNMrb8dULuZJzRzBZB80zsU91dnWdMIcD40Q36BUnL9zhCYYHJV6Gxtr6aXJFSv4/s320/50914236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417786718525969106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Santa's Village<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-735245223831995784.post-60900740414789702982009-12-02T01:59:00.000-08:002009-12-02T09:17:36.621-08:00Please walk with meRecently I had the joy of doing the Gnomon Master classes and Craig Mullins blatantly told us "your artwork is gonna suck at first after these classes. Artwork tends to suck at first when you experiment."<br /><br />I wanted to go back to some of the methods I was putting together, before I did so much experimentation. The great thing about sketching and experimenting though, is you still get sharper and you pick up little things that you can apply to your "good" work when not experimenting.<br /><br />I honestly feel like this is my best concept artwork to date.<br /><br />This one felt like it EXPLODED out of me in 3 hours. No photos used, just custom brushes. Honestly I don't have anything against photos, I was just blazing through this one so fast I didn't stop to look for photos<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x4Yu6OZ8Jq_di-0KgDQyyqh6QunbvR0_z8Yr3VV-t02eDyBmg5rWeGg9JCnEuP9cUVCkrd2QhKJScbpeR3xDRelc7YRSinohzavC54KBeFDx0OGm3kntWpRMe15a81aWFK5svcT4Jiw/s1600-h/pleasewalkwithme.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x4Yu6OZ8Jq_di-0KgDQyyqh6QunbvR0_z8Yr3VV-t02eDyBmg5rWeGg9JCnEuP9cUVCkrd2QhKJScbpeR3xDRelc7YRSinohzavC54KBeFDx0OGm3kntWpRMe15a81aWFK5svcT4Jiw/s320/pleasewalkwithme.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410579059003356354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(Update: Looked at this on a PC screen at work and it has lost some of it's pizazz. I either need to calibrate my macbook screen at home or get an external monitor. I really think having an external monitor would help so I'm gonna save up for that. )<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright 2005-2011 Matthew Scheuerman | Mordecaidesign.com | Mattejourney.blogspot.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9