​This is the first in a series of tutorials I'm doing on my work for the web series, PlotQuest. This one goes over some tricks for creating a quick pixel art look in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. So if you've ever wondered how to take a piece of art you've already made and make it look like pixel art without having to actually redraw it as pixel art then you may wanna check it out. 

If you have any questions, comments, or just wanna show off what you've made using this trick please leave a comment. 

More about PlotQuest at http://www.PopcornSundae.com and on the Popcorn Sundae channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5k7XLDT8KRQ-J12TVkRVug

The Popcorn Sundae team and I have been really busy working on the show. Lots of concept art up on our site now. http://www.popcornsundae.com/production-blog

Just a quick holiday sketch inspired by my Thanksgiving.

Momentum continues to build! Tommy just finished some new concept art for Amy and Pltnm06Ghost has been busily boarding Episode 2. For my part, I've been working on animation and setting up our social media so we have a YouTube channel ​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5k7XLDT8KRQ-J12TVkRVug, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. now.

​You can find all the concept art and video of Ghost's storyboarding process on our Production Blog. More to come very soon!

Sorry it's been so long since I've given any sort of update. After the panel at Archon my team and I had a LOT to process, discuss, and figure out how to implement. Thank you again to everyone who was there for your great feedback, it's really been helpful! We're now in full production mode on  PlotQuest so updates will be coming much more regularly now. 

The storyboards for Episode 1 are up as well as some more concept art and info on our heroine, Ivy. You can find all on our production blog. More art coming soon!

For the past few months a couple of my former students and I have been working on creating a pilot for an animated series. I can't say too much about it at this point but what I can do is show you a couple shots from the pilot.

We completed the animatic back in January and it debuted at the ARTrepreneures Showcase hosted by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Cortex Innovation Community. The animatic was very well received so we decided to move forward with finishing the show. Because this is a passion project right now, we've mainly been doing this in our spare time, however, I'm happy to report that the pilot episode is in final editing at this point and we'll be scheduling a screening soon. More on that as things develop.

Credits:
Me: Animation, Camera, Clean-up & Color, Sound Design, Backgrounds
Pltnm06Ghost: Character Designs, Storyboards, Backgrounds
Tommy Benoist: Storyboards, Clean-up & Color, Backgrounds
Taylor Gooden: Character Designs, Backgrounds
Music: "Nontinde Vendor Theme" by RoccoW

Students from the Graphic Arts Association will be selling their work at Anime STL this weekend. The students have spent the past year working under the guidance of Neko Pilarcik-Tellez to produce original T-Shirts, Prints, Buttons, Stickers, and Video Game Controller skins. Anime STL is the region’s largest anime convention, drawing over 5000 attendees. Their Artists’ Alley is a juried space and the students beat out some stiff competition to be accepted in. Neko and her students will be there all weekend, so if you happen to be there, stop by and say hi.

The Graphic Arts Association, Fine Art Club, and Photography Club partnered up for a whirlwind tour of Kansas City last Friday. 26 students boarded the bus at 5:30 in the morning to spend the day visiting art museums, galleries, and film / animation studios.
 
In the morning, the students toured the campus of the Kansas City Art Institute and visited the Kemper Art Museum and the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. Many of my animation students were excited to see the animation and illustration spaces at KCAI. Julia Welles was kind enough to lead our tour group and spend time answering the many questions of my two students who will be transferring to KCAI in the fall.

That afternoon the groups split up to explore downtown Kansas City. Michael Quintero and Christine Giancola took students to the Crossroads Arts District to visit art galleries and photograph the city. Neko Pilarcik-Tellez arranged tours of two animation studios: Wide Awake Films and Intake Studio. At the studios, students got a behind-the-scenes look at how animation is produced for big-name clients like the National Geographic Channel and AMC Theaters. It was a fun day, packed with new experiences for all.

Intro Animation for our 2018 Game Jam game, "Fright Knight". Brett Bravery has slain the vile Lady Antagotha, and saved the kingdom. Too bad you’re Lady Antagotha. Now, get your revenge by haunting him in his own castle. Transmit your message from beyond the grave and SCARE HIM TO DEATH.

​Full Game: https://globalgamejam.org/2018/games/fright-knight

Credits: Caitlin (writing, editing, sound)
Jason (lead programmer)
Jen (project manager, artist)
Joel (music, sound)
Jordan (artist)
Mandy (programmer)
Neko (animator, artist)