Time to switch...almost

By the end of this week I will hopefully know about a new job situation as I finish off another (more or less). So I thought I'd toss another commission out there for all of you to enjoy. So enjoy...

Requiem for a Rocketeer...

Here's a few more links concerning Dave Stevens: an obituary and a pretty thorough article (though evryone seems to miss the period That he spent at Filmation where we worked in an office together along side Russ Heath and just around the corner from other great artists like Mel Keefer of Rick O'Shay fame) and a place where you can go to leave a note (or longer) at the the official Dave Stevens web-site and a place you can make a contribution to help fight Hairy Cell Leukimia - I just did.

Sad, sad news...

This morning I checked in on one of the blogs that I check daily and was shocked to read the news that Dave Stevens of Rocketeer fame had died. I'm going to post a link to Mark Evanier's blog as he is a much more capable writer than I and sounds like he probably knew Dave much better than I did. Please feel free to go read his thoughts.
Shocked doesn't quite cover what I felt when I read about Dave's death. I'd known Dave since my days at Filmation when we shared a room together while doing layouts on The Lone Ranger. Not only was Dave a wonderful guy with a great sense of humor, but I was astounded by the level of his talent and quite envious. We'd fallen out of contact with one another after I'd hired him to help with Teegra on Fire and Ice. Just recently we had got together again, about three or four years ago, after we hooked up at the last Comic-Con in San Diego that he had a booth. We had lunch and it was like we'd stayed in contact the entire time.
I had last spoken with him to raz him about not showing up to the last Comic-Con when they had scheduled a pannel with him. One of my sons and I waited in the audience of the panel before his (coincidently that panel was with Mark Evanier) for him to show and it slowly became apparent that he wasn't going to show. On that phone call we had made plans to have lunch and those plans unfortunately fell through for one reason or another. I feel bad I never got around to rescheduling.

Just a quickie...

I thought I'd let you all see how that comission of Wanda turned out.

A little bit of self promotion...

...yeah, as if this is the first time I've used this blog for self promotion. Actually I was asked to give an interview and thought that not only would anyone coming here might like to read it, but you also might like to check out the blog where it's posted. It's called the Designer's Depot.



And since you were kind enough to return here again I thought I'd let you see a commission I finished a short time ago.

Mazel tov to the Rat!!

Though I'm not completely surprised I am glad I was wrong about my fellow members of the Academy and they did make Ratatouille the winner of Best Animated Feature. Congrats to Brad Bird and everyone at Pixar that worked on it. Also congrats to the Best Animated Short Peter and the Wolf and everyone else that received an Oscar this year.

Terminated...

That's right - my gig on Termninator Salvation has finished. It was a hectic three months, but interesting as this was my first live-action storyboard job (and hopefully not last). It was surprisingly not all that different then a job working on an animated feature with some elements of TV/DTV storyboarding thrown in as I already mentioned. But that might have more to do with the writer's strike going on at the same time. At least, that's what the other board artists said. The big difference is the speed at which we had to get things done - which is why I felt it had a lot in common with TV/DTV boarding. One of the other big differences that I noticed was the fact that whatever was boarded had to have some foot in reality at all times. Whether it was due to location, the physical realitues of what a camera can and can't do, FX budgets and a host of other minor things when working in animation absolutley anything is possible and the only restriction tends to be schedule and budget to a much lesser degree. But on the other side some concerns in animation - like number of characters on screen - are not such a big issue in live-action. As time goes on I'll probably post more about the differences between live-action and animation boarding, but right now I'm still processing it all in my own head.

So now the big search for a job begins and I do seem to have some possibilities. I'll let you know where I finally end up. Though it's not like I'm just sitting around. I'm still working on a couple of freelance jobs as well as trying to catch up on some commissions (thanks again to all of you who have been so very patient).

The other thing I'm working on - the big secret project - that all of you have been trying to guess at (unsuccessfully I might add) is still a possibility, but is also a long shot though I've got great faith in the project. I've seen a lot of interest in it, but finding the right studio, company, person to take that final step has been dificult. Originally I didn't want to disclose what the project was because of some superstitions about revealing a project before it was picked up, but since that hasn't seemed to help I might reveal it after all. I'll have to think about it.

Since I still get a lot of questions concerning X-Men: Evolution I'll answer them now for everyone. I do not know when season 4 will be released onto DVD. Wolverine and the X-Men is not a continuation of the XME conituity and I do not know when or on what network Wolverine and the X-Men will broadcast. I suspect most of you will know that before I do.

And now tonight is the 80th Academy Awards and I'm curious to see if the films I voted for (especially Best Animated Film) actually win. My guess is that the film I voted for Best Animated Film, Surf's Up, will not win and that it will be a toss-up between Ratatouille or Persepolis. I give the edge to Persepolis and not because I liked it better - I didn't - but because it seems to be an important film in the way that Crash, Babel and Happy Feet did. But in my opinion none of these were important films in the way Academy voters thought.

Another thing I'd like to point you all to is a fairly new blog put out by an old friend of mine, Tina Price. She was right there at the beginning of the CG movement at Disney and has quite a bit of history to share with everyone and is worth checking out if for no other reason to see me slimmer and with less gray in my hair. It's also a place where other animators and artists can post their memories and thoughts. It's called Drawn 2gether and I think you'll enjoy it.


Well since you made it through that long 'catching up' I think you deserve something a little new. This is a detail from a commission I finished awhile ago.

Finally -- a breather!

Sorry about the long delay since my last post, but I've been busy and it's taken me a wee bit to get my equalibrium.

Besides the usual chaos of the holidays, I've also started a new gig and it's different in many respects then what I've done in the past. I'm helping to storyboard for a live-action feature...Terminator 4. I think the official name is Terminator Salvation. It's taken me a little time to get my legs under me, but the further I go along the more I realize it's not too different then storyboarding for an animated feature in many respects. What's mostly different are the people (all of them seem great) and the process is somewhat different.

Anyway we're off for this coming week, so I'm hoping to get a jump on a couple of freelance gigs and several commissions as well.

I also appreciate all your well wishes concerning the 'secret' project that I'm pitching. Hopefully after the new year that will start to move forward again. During December very little starts to happen in this business and the town starts to shut down until after the first. Some of you claim to have an idea what it is...I'm curious if you do and how you figured it out. You can just e-mail me to help preserve the secret...

Here's a rough for one of the commissions I've been working on...

It's amazing how popular those Evo girls still are.

Peak Oil - How Will You Ride the Slide?

This is a video put together by an old friend and colleague Bruce Woodside. I thought it was well worth sharing with everyone.

Just in case...

...you didn't notice I set up a PayPal button for my new Sketchbook over on the right. I also added buttons for overseas purchases.

here's another little taste...

This is a one of several pitch/presentation designs I created for a new Mask TV series - the show never went too far from what I understand. Hopefully it had nothing to do with the art...

Ooops...

I've just been notified that my original plan for the temporary way to sell my new sketchbooks won't work as I thought it would. Apparently there isn't a place to notate that you want my 2nd book when you click on the PayPal icon for my 1st book. So let's go to temporary plan B: just go to PayPal and use my e-mail address steve@stevenegordon.com and fill it out for $20 (assuming you want only one) and indicate that it's for E&A 2. Hopefully by this weekend I will arrange something a little more permanent.

Don't forget....

Bidding ends Sunday! There's still lots of good deals to be had - including my drawing....

Most Excellent News!

It seems odd to have such good news while most of Southern Cailfornia is burning - including the town of Running Springs that we used to live in (for 11 years), but I do. Actually two good pieces of news.

A little more than two weeks ago we finished the first draft script for the feature project I've been hinting to all of you and I sent it to the famous writer, whom I optioned it from, to get his blessing. Despite my confidence that what we had written was a really good first draft I do admit to starting to get somewhat nervous as time went on. Did we take too many liberties and change too much?...did we leave something out from his book that he really liked?...did we take it in a direction that interfered with some of his other writings?

Well, this morning I received an e-mail, via his lawyer, that he approves our first draft. Needless to say I was pretty damned excited and relieved. So, now I can move forward and send it to all the studios that have shown interest in it. Rest assured it went out pretty damn quick. Now I just have to wait to see what type of reaction we get from the people with all the money....

I apologize for still being a little cagey as to what the project is (I'm not usually superstitious -ptoo, ptoo, ptoo), but about this I am a wee bit. I thought I could at least show you an image that my good friend, Francesco Francavilla created and my son, Eric painted. If you're ambitious there is some info floating around out there - if you know where to look...

The other good news I have is that the new books have arrived! It'll take me a little time to setup a special ordering system for them, but in the meanwhile you can use the other PayPal order button and just indicate in the notes section that you want to order Expressions & Attitudes 2. They sell for $20 within the US (just like the first book) and I will try to include a sketch inside - for as long as I have time to do that. If you want it shipped outside the US let me know and we'll figure out the price.

For all of you that are threatened by fire our hearts go out to you and please excuse me for my moment of joy.

Wonder Woman Day 2007

Just a quick update and a promo for a worthwhile event. Woman Woman Day is good chance to bid on some great artwork by some world class artists (including one of my personal favorites Adam Hughes) and to do some good for a couple of charities. I contributed a piece last year and was asked to do so again this year.

As the first non work-related drawing I've done in a long time it seemed like a good way to get my feet 'wet' again. Hopefully you'll all check out the auction 0n Oct. 28 and bid on some nice art...hopefully mine included.

I'm Baaaack!!!

I know it seems like forever since I last posted and I want to thank all of you for sticking it out and still checking in to see if I'll ever get off my lazy ass and post again. I'm shocked at how many of you did stick it out waiting for me. I don't know that I would've, but I'm kind of the easily distracted type of guy - as if you couldn't tell.

As, I'm sure you all assumed, my day job has been keeping me busy beyond almost anything else I've ever done before. But I think the results will be worth it and everyone should be thrilled when they see the show. That job is now coming to a close and I should have more free time ahead of me, but hopefully not too much. At least I might be able to make my wife happy and clean-up my desk at home. I'm starting to look around for the next gig so if anyone knows of anything - I do windows!

In the meantime there's lots of news to share. As I said earlier my day job, Wolverine and the X-Men is wrapping the first season post production and it's looking good. The publicity poster has made it to the web (I'll let you find that on your own) and there seems a lot of positive reaction to it). One of the things that has also kept me busy has been working with a writer on the first draft to a script of a property I optioned and we should have that first draft wrapped within a few days and sent out to all the people that were interested in funding the film. the script is turning out to be really good -really, really good - especially for a first draft. Hopefully the author I optioned it from and the studios will think so as well. If things go well i should be able to be less vague in the very near future. I will tell you what I told the author when I was asking for the option on his book. "This will not be your daddy's' animated film and it will have more in common with EC Comics and Anime films like Graveyard of the Fireflies and Akira then anything done in this country yet".

If this happens this could be my next gig, but I suspect I'll have to find some work in the meantime - maybe some storyboards or some presentation and design work (actually a studio has already contacted me about doing some presentation/design work for a new show, but that's still in the early stages of discussion).

More big news: after a huge misstep in publishing my next sketchbook, it should be available within a couple of weeks. My original printer had gone out of business and I had to find a new one so, on the recommendation of a friend, I went with a new printer and I got nothing but delays and excuses from them even to the point where I couldn't even get them to respond to my e-mail or phone calls. I stupidly gave them a deposit when they asked for (thankfully via PayPal) and finally had to ask for my money back (thank you PayPal) - and finally I did have that money returned. Word to the wise: never give a printer a deposit until they've at least sent you a proof. So, in the meantime, the original printer of my first book (Dreamweaver Press) went back into business and I just looked at and approved the proof the other day. So it shouldn't be long before I get a couple of boxes of books. I'll keep you updated.

Anyway thanks again for all of you sticking it out with me and I promise not to wait so long between posts and, though I'm hesitant to promise, I intend on trying to post at least one new drawing a week if not more often.

I also thought that since I'm starting receive the Academy screeners I might also include a few mini-reviews for the films I watch - especially some of the more obscure ones. But I will not give away any suggestion of how I might eventually vote.

With that in mind I saw Once. It's a small film that my wife and i both thoroughly enjoyed. It took a few minutes to get used to the accents, but it was worth the effort. I reminded me a little bit of the commitments and maybe that was just because of the location or because it involved struggling musicians. The music was wonderful and a couple of the songs found their way onto my I-Pod. The main actor's (Glen Hansard) voice and singing style remind me of Cat Stevens. The story was not typical -as is the case with many small independent films - and did not end the way I expected it to, but it was definitely satisfying.

Well, that's it for now...hopefully I'll be back soon.

Still trying...

I realized I had started a little late with putting my new sketchbook together for SDCC, but it still seemed as if there was enough time when I remembered how quickly they were turned around last year. Unfortunately I didn't count on the original printer going out of business (or so I was told) and the new printer having problems with weather and their equipment (I'm not sure what could've happened...did they have their equipment outside?)

Anyway, at this point it doesn't look very likely that the sketchbook being ready in time for ComicCon is a likely, but since I wasn't planning on setting up a table and selling them there I guess that's not a serious issue. I was hoping to have them available for Bud Plant to sell though, but I guess they'll have to sell them through their website instead and I'll also try to sell them from here as well. I'll let you know when they're available.

In the meanwhile here's a look at the cover (I hope...)

Despite not having anything to sell, my family and I will still be going to San Diego this coming week and wandering around the convention for awhile. I'll try to connect with as many friends and fans as possible, but anyone who has ever been to the SDCC knows just how difficult it is to locate anyone there - even those with tables or booths, but I'm hoping for the best.

Just a brief update: I'm still knee deep in work on Wolverine and the X-Men - all is going well and I'm positive fans will be thrilled when they see this new incarnation of the mutants - and I thought I'd clarify again that I am currently NOT working on any of the DTVs for Marvel/Lionsgate. My directing chores on Wolverine made it impossible to do what I felt was necessary to accomplish what they wanted. I assume sometime in the future that will probably change and I'll let you all know at that time.

The Latest...

...well, sort of.

Although I'm still real busy (getting tired of hearing that? so am I), I've found a little time to put together my second sketchbook. I'm hoping it'll be ready in time for this year's Comic-Con International in San Diego, but I'm not counting on it. Either way it'll ba available through this blog and, I'm assuming, Bud Plant. I'll keep you all informed as we get closer to July 26th.

Speaking of the SDCC, this year I decided not to setup a table, but to let the professional sellers do their thing and do what they do best that way I can wander around and just schmooze with everyone.

I was hoping I might have some big news by this Comic-Con concerning the 'special' project I'm developing, but it won't be this year - maybe next? These things always take longer than we hope. We're getting closer all the time...

...in the meantime here's a sample from the new book to whet your appetite (I hope)...

Kudos!!

I'm still really busy right now, but I definitely wanted to give a big Mazel Tov and cogratulations to Chris Miller, Raman Hui, Aron Warner, Andrew Adamson, Jeffrey Katzenberg and to all of the great film-makers that helped make Shrek the Third a huge success (as if they're actually reading this blog...).

I like to think that it probably wouldn't have been such a big success without the big push my HarperCollins Children's books gave it...don't worry I'm just kidding. But if you're interested you can purchase these books via Amazon through the links on the right.

just a quick update....

...for those that are interested.

I'm still very busy these days with my directing duties on Wolverine and the X-Men. In fact I'm so busy that I had to remove myself from doing character design for the Marvel/Lionsgate DTV that I had started on. It was a job I had wanted to do, but I felt I just couldn't devote the necessary time to the project. Maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to rejoin them on a different DTV.
I still can't divulge any secrets about W&XM, but I can just about guarantee that all X-Men fans will be more than satisfied. Besides plenty of info seems to be leaking out from the voice actors and IMDB.
I wanted to give a public congrats to an artist I admire and a friend of mine, Sean "Cheeks" Galloway, for landing the gig of character designer on the new Spiderman show. He's got an awesome amount of talent and they really made a great choice - I wish him the best of luck!! You saw a little bit of that talent on Hellboy, but hopefully you'll be able to see even more on Spiderman.

Well, that's it for now - it's time to get back to editing my latest show, but in the meantime I'll leave you with one of my sketches from one of my 4+ HarperCollins Spiderman3 books (available at a store near you or through the links to the right)...

The Book Look...

This coming Thursday, April 19th, I'll be involved in a book signing sponsered by CTN (The Creative Talent Network) and held at the Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks. I'll be signing copies of my sketchbook and many others (most biiger names than myself) will be there as well. So if you're in the neighborhood come on by and say "hi".
To find out more about the event you can click on the Book Look logo above.

I'll et you know how it all went after the event and maybe even tell you about how I used to own a gallery.

I'd also like to say "thanks" to all those who had some kind words about The Condor and also to alert you all to the fact that my HarperCollins books for both Spiderman3 and Shrek the Third are available at bookstores (and grocery stores, for that matter) as well as at Amazon if you click the link to the right.

I'm starting to put together materials for a second book that I should have ready for sale in a few months - I'll let you know more as soon as I do.