Time for tea.

Illustration Friday theme of 'Tea'.

Bandai Characters

I've been working on these little pixelated character icons for Bandai Japan for a few weeks. Here are my favorites of about 45 characters I had to create at 32x32 pixels in a nice chunky clean pixel style. They actually wanted the pixelated chunky feel so the final art was 32x32 CMYK files at 72dpi. That's a first.

They'll be used in a card game called 'Zu-Oh Brain Card Battle'. Don't ask me what that means or what some of the characters mean because frankly I couldn't tell you? Why they insisted on a tongue for the Sumo guy I didn't understand but it did make it goofy so that was ok. The art direction I got on some of these was pretty strange but I guess they know their demographic?

Did you see that?

My art rep is doing a promotion this year with the theme 'Did you see that?'.

This is for some t-shirts they'll give out at the HOW Design Conference. That is if it's picked.



Colors are a bit off on this gif.

Go Native with your Desktop!

I've been teaching a 'Digital Illustration Class' at the local college and came up with a fun assignment for the students. They have to illustrate a 'Totem Pole'. Since I have grown up in the Pacific Northwest I've always loved the artwork of native americans and specifically the totem poles that can be found all through out Washington and Alaska even.

Here is the totem pole artwork I created to show the students how it can be done.



If you'd like to download the file the create your own you can get a step by step pdf from my illustration web site at: www.vonster.com

Oops! Wrong species

So an agency hires me to design a character for one of their clients products. They want a 'Tiger Cub' character. So I proceed to sketch out a character design and send it off.

Problem is the character I sketched is a 'Bear Cub' and not a 'Tiger Cub'? What the? Why did I do this you ask? Uh....don't ask me my brain somehow got stuck in 'Bear Mode' and this sketch popped out.



A little while later I get a confused email back from the creative director. Funny thing is he isn't saying "Why did you draw a Bear?" or "That's a #@$ Bear not a Tiger!" No he's too polite and is making comments like this:

"Kind of looks like a Bear."
"I don't think Tiger tails are that short."
"It would look better if he had some stripes."
"I think sharp teeth would look good too."

LOL, hello there chief it's a Bear! (With a somewhat hinky mouse type nose, but I won't go there)

At this point I realize my brain fart. I have to admit it's a first. Drawing the wrong animal that is. So I shoot off a quick email and tell him I'll be sending a new sketch shortly. Here is the second round sketch.



The creative director calls me and says "I was getting worried. At first I thought maybe you couldn't draw a Tiger or something?" He approved the sketch and I proceeded to the final version.



If any of you are wondering the pose he's in was requested. In context of it's final use it makes more sense then it does on it's own. Any how thought I'd share that funny little story.