Got a blogger on my finger

I know, I know...

2011-07-12T22:45:00.000-07:00

More LTS stuff. Trouble is this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of work done for this season, and dammit I want to show it all! As that would unquestionably melt your eyes, your brains, and your patience, I'll limit it to these.

In fact, I should probably go back and remove some of the old ones. Crap.

Same story as before. McHugh/Renoni. This guy.

(On a separate note, we just bought a new house AND I'm working on a new gig at a certain studio whose name shall remain anonymous, but whose major property rhymes with The Shmuppets. Cheers!)

Just can't help myself...

2011-06-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

I really should stop putting all these up, as they're not really showing anything different or unique, but dagnabbit! I had fun doing them. So there you go.

Same drill as before. McHugh/Renoni. This guy.

Some non-Looney Tunes Show items...

2011-06-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

These are some rough ship designs for the graphic novel that is (so very slowly) being made. Images in this post are Copyright of Red Tiger Productions.

LTS...

2011-06-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

You know the drill by now. Layouts by McHugh/Renoni. Paints by this guy.

And another one...

2011-05-25T22:18:00.001-07:00

This top image was one of the most fun to paint from the whole season. Yosemite Sam "before the beard."

You guessed it...

2011-05-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

More Looney Tunes Show BGs! This was actually the first episode I worked on back in early 2010.

Same drill as before: layouts by McHugh/Renoni. Paint by little ol' me.

More Looney...

2011-05-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here's another batch of LTS highlights. Layouts by McHugh/Renoni. Paints by yours truly.

Some Looney Tunes Show highlights...

2011-05-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, LTS finally premiered last Tuesday night, so I can at last put up some work examples from the first episode. Many... MANY... more to come.

(Layouts by Dan McHugh and/or Jonathan Renoni. Copyright 2010 WB Animation.)

Some More More Aliens...

2010-11-24T00:10:00.001-08:00

A more recent lineup...

More aliens...

2010-11-16T01:48:00.000-08:00

Insert witty space-related comment here. I'm too tired.

Best to all!

Hulu for the Holidays...

2010-11-12T20:30:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick glimpse of an image I made for an upcoming holiday promotion over at Hulu. Once it's up and running, I'll have some more info to post.

On a totally separate note, Conan was filming at the studio today. If anything noteworthy comes of it, you'll be the first to know!

Looks like we may have a winner...

2010-11-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

Producer picked probable protagonist powersuit!

Practically peeing pants!

Ground Control to Major Madeleine...

2010-10-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Seeing as I haven't posted a single entry on the Bottlerocketeer site since the baby was born, I thought I'd move the only really fun entry over to this site in hopes of getting it seen.

Although it seems unlikely even that move will help its chances. Oy.

Anyway, here are the munchkin's rides, all pimped out ala rocketship style. I really hope to get back to that blog some day. Although my wife will undoubtedly be pretty pissed if I spend time doing that rather than with the actual baby.

Women. Am I right?

And the munchkin herself...

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. ;)

Maryoku motherload...

2010-10-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

Here are quite a few BGs I designed for Maryoku Yummy. Still more to come, if I can find both the files and the time to get them converted and posted. The color versions seen below were painted up by the talented Casey Mitchum.

(All the images of this post are copyright of American Greetings.)

Our continuing mission...

2010-10-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

More designs from the space themed project I've (ever-so-slowly) been working on. I need one of those time turner thingies the gal from Harry Potter has. Although I'd probably just use it to get some sleep...

Some Maryoku BG Examples...

2010-10-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a tiny sampling of the BG designs done for Maryoku Yummy, now airing on Hasbro's Hub Channel. As only a few episodes have come on, I can't show all the fun stuff I want to just yet, but they're coming...

(All the images of this post are copyright of American Greetings.)

Maryoku Yummy...

2010-09-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just found out Maryoku Yummy, a show I designed BGs on a few years back is finally going to see the light of day. Coming to "Hub" (formerly Discovery Kids) in October 2010. Once the show airs, I will probably post a bunch of the designs I did here.

Not really for the adult crowds, but I just sat through some of the clips available online with my 9 month old, and she was totally enthralled.

I don't think I get Discovery Kids though. Crap...

Shabanga...

2010-09-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a NY Times piece from a while back about the show I've been painting BGs for.

It'll be on Cartoon Network this Fall, time TBD.

Via con Daffy...

And another one...

2010-09-02T02:05:00.000-07:00

Some old, some new, some unfinished, but here you go.

Sleep now...

Call off the search parties, I'm still here...

2010-05-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Posting a few more sketches from the space-themed project I'm working on.

Busy busy dizzy me.

Images copyright Red Tiger Productions.

Forever and a day...

2010-04-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well, if not evident by my last post- many months ago- we had a little girl join our family.

Life has not been the same since.

Postings have obviously become a thing of the past, and will remain scarce for some time to come. New job (what WHAT!), new apartment (big ol' studio), a graphic novel side project (it's gonna be badass, quote me now), and an amazing new daughter have my little family spinning with huge goofy grins on our faces. Let me reassure my readers... all none of you... that I'll try to do what I can when I can.

In this posting is the link to a Hulu project I did a while back which just came out. Kind of an extension on all the "Alien Conspiracy" commercials they did for TV.

Watch the whole thing HERE.

There was a whole section involving this cow that gets split up with a funny little 'MOO!" sound effect, but they cut it for time. So here it is.

And here are the TV images posted previously.

Don't be a stranger!

The Rise of the Bottlerocketeer!

2009-12-19T15:07:00.001-08:00

Introducing Madeleine Poppy Martin. 8lbs. 3oz. & 20 inches long. Born this morning @ 3:28AM.

Let the journey begin!

Burn baby burn...

2009-12-11T16:21:00.000-08:00

Here's an image from a BG test for a local studio taken recently. Not sure who did the layout drawing. Not even sure if I'm allowed to put this up. Guess I'll just twiddle my thumbs and whistle a merry tune until told otherwise.

Speaking of babies- nice segue from the title of this post- ours is due any friggin' day now. AAAAH! Was hoping she would arrive today (oh yeah, it's my birthday), but no dice as of yet.

It's been a hell of a week!

Turkey Day Massacre...

2009-11-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd better post this a day early, as tomorrow night I intend to be in a complete food coma.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Been a while...

2009-11-16T11:39:00.001-08:00

Busy little bee lately. Thought I might put up this sample image as a little teaser for a project I've been working on. So many rats, so little time.

More to come when I find some of that time...

TV through the ages...

2009-10-13T13:07:00.001-07:00

Samples from a project I've been working on recently. I only wish TVs were still as cool as some of these.

Rise of the Bottlerocketeer!!!

2009-09-29T03:39:00.000-07:00

I've started up a new blog for the imminent December birth of our baby girl. While we're not announcing her name just yet, we are announcing the blog and linking it up right here and now.

Below are two versions of the new title image I just finished up for her blog- one with title and the other without.

Tune in regularly for updates on the Adventures of the Bottlerocketeer!!

Otter nonsense...

2009-08-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

These are some images I made recently for an otter-related project. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one, because it's a really fun project.

Hope you like...

Insert Jetson's Car Noise Here...

2009-07-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

Some very early design exploration for an Outer Space themed project I'm working on.

All images copyright Red Tiger Productions.

Friday sketcharooni...

2009-06-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Little end of week sumpin sumpin.

Have a great weekend!

Hat head...

2009-06-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

Got some new brushes for Photoshop and did a little sketcharooni. Hasta luego...

What the...

2009-06-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I posted anything, so I thought I might knock out a quick (and weird) self-portrait.

And no I'm not really that funky looking. Usually...

Alley Shmickshmeal...

2009-05-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

Mind the puddle.

Oh grrrrrrrrrr...

2009-05-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Just another big green guy with feelings.

I stole the flowers from my friend Kaelea. I haven't told her yet, so don't say anything!

Cheers!

New Book Project...

2009-05-16T11:30:00.001-07:00

This is a cover submission I made for a possible new book project. Have yet to find out the final decision, but I thought I might post it for the time being. I may have to pull it in the future, but here it is for now.

The title and other text is meant to go in the bottom right corner. It feels a little bare there without it, but you can imagine.

Have a great weekend!

Fool on the Hill...

2009-05-05T17:21:00.001-07:00

A good friend loaned me a copy of the book Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff. It's definitely a fun read and worth checking out.
I started this piece after reading just the first few pages, but I'm thinking I might have to do a few more based on the book. The author's imagery is just too much fun!
The images below are just variations on the one piece. The first includes a villain rat character in the foreground, though I excluded him in the second version and on my portfolio site. I removed all the characters from the third version to highlight the foliage and lighting. I was trying to take a page from the books of artists Robin Joseph and Jon Klassen.
The final image is a really quick pass on the design of the sprite characters.
All righty then...

Cornelius Q. Candysnatcher...

2009-04-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

First in a round of Scum & Villainy characters I plan to make over the foreseeable future.

Sketchy Sketchy Book Book...

2009-04-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of random drawings from numerous sketchbooks. They can't all be masterpieces, as the saying goes, but each has a little something something that I found interesting.

And, when you mash them all together, you get... a big pile of crapola!

Best wishes...

When Peeps Go Bad...

2009-04-12T10:21:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!

Getting closer...

2009-04-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Still trying to solidify the designs for the book I'm (ever-so-slowly) putting together.

These guys are getting pretty darn close, but still not quite there.

More to come...

Some Chinese-themed Monster Fun...

2009-04-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this one on-and-off for a while now, but I think it's pretty much done. As with all of these pieces, I may go back and pick at it, but I'm pretty happy with where it is at this state.

I've included several detail shots below to show some specific areas that I enjoyed doing. The silk image on the lady's dress, the texture on the monster (modeled after the "lions" seen in sculptural form and also in the martial arts dances on the Chinese New Year and other times), and the guard wall that protects the village beyond- I had a lot of fun figuring out these areas, and may revisit them in a new piece down the road.

Thanks for stopping in!

Happy (Early) St. Patrick's Day!!

2009-03-14T19:06:00.001-07:00

I finished it early, so I'm posting it now.

Happy Green Beer to one and all!

A few more random sketches...

2009-03-10T19:08:00.001-07:00

Just some quick sketches done a few days ago...

Finished version...

2009-03-10T18:53:00.001-07:00

I think I'm done with it. Might tinker a little here and there, but I'm setting it down for a bit.

A few highlights:

Arctic Scene Work-in-Progress...

2009-03-05T17:17:00.001-08:00

This is a piece I've been working on for the past few days based on the lost Franklin Expedition of the 1840s. The ship in the foreground is the Terror (like the book by Dan Simmons which inspired the piece) and the one in the BG is the Erebus.

I'm a nut for these types of stories. Ernest Shackleton and his Endurance, the Whaleship Essex on which Melville based Moby Dick... these are all just fascinating tales of Man vs. Nature, and I eat them up like candy.

This piece has a ways to go, but I haven't posted in a bit, so I thought I'd put it up now and post the final version when it's done.

Hope all are well!

This be quick frisbee chick...

2009-02-26T19:53:00.001-08:00

A quick salute to the (hopefully soon?) return of warm weather.

Cleaning house...

2009-02-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

Thought I might throw up a couple old heads I did a while back.

Head in a Box...

2009-02-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

This is the first of (hopefully) several delicious varieties of the newest taste sensation that's sweeping the nation:

HEAD IN A BOX!

This one is pretty much the standard head. Good for traditional head-based broths, etc. I'm experimenting with a version of Cool-Ranch Martian Princess, though those are very hard to come by.

Stay tuned!

Note the bite warning on the label! I don't want anybody losing fingers.

Happy Birthday, Wallace!

2009-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday- yes, I missed it- marked the 100th Anniversary of Wallace Stegner's birth. Hands down my favorite author, I credit his book Angle of Repose with winning back the heart of my (now) wife after she dumped me a month into dating back in 2002.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Stegner.

Happy Valentine's Day...

2009-02-14T14:22:00.001-08:00

Bugs and fishes to one and all!

Some doggy sketches...

2009-02-12T17:02:00.001-08:00

These are just a few sketches done for a children's book my Dad and I are trying to put together. I'll be posting quite a few visdev pieces for the book here in the future.

test.com...

2009-02-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

These are just a few test images I did recently for a prospective new j-o-b.

10 minutes to kill...

2009-02-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

Had a few minutes to spare before heading out with the Mrs. to see some friends, so I threw this weird little dude together.

Second thought...

2009-02-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

I went back to look at this one today- just a day after posting it- and I believe my initial thought was correct: those characters are freaking me out! So here's a toned-down version without the characters.

Maybe I'll take another pass at them in the future to come up with something considerably more fun.

Fun Foggy Fantasy Forest...

2009-02-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

Thought I might try my hand at a little outdoorsy, fantasy stuff. The characters are feeling a pretty stiff (bordering freaky?), but I think I like it overall.

Some tighter detail shots...

50th Anniversary...

2009-02-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly (and Richie Valens and the Big Bopper). STILL probably the biggest thing to come out of my hometown of Lubbock, TX.

Give his music another listen if it's been a while. See if you don't break into a smile and sing along.

More art very soon!

Zombie Claus...

2008-12-24T22:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everybody! Make sure you're tucked in way under your covers, because somebody's coming to town!!!

Hope you get everything you want this year.

Sad girls...

2008-12-14T11:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a group of crying little girls done a while back, just in time for Christmas.

Table top design...

2008-11-12T23:20:00.000-08:00

So this is a quick pass at a design for the top of a friend's new... let's say... gaming table. The final table stands about three feet tall, and is eight feet long and four wide. I'll be sure to take photos of the work in progress and some final shots of the finished painting. When not in use, the plan is to hang the table length-wise so it serves as some decoration on the back porch.

Possible Holiday Card...

2008-11-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

Found this old photo a few days ago and thought it might make a fun holiday card. Maybe I can convince Betina to send it out. BEST. TIME. OF YEAR. EVER. Whoo whoo!

Some Concept Stuff

2008-11-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

These are a few examples of a (failed... grrr) concept artist test taken recently. It was all done after hours over the course of a little less than a week. They're all at an early development stage, and done in a style I normally avoid, but I had fun doing them.

More soon...

Some color thumbnails and stuff...

2008-09-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some images I made up for my little mini-pitch for the Cartoonstitute Shorts Program over at Cartoon Network. The thumbnails especially are really rough, but you can kind of see what I was going for.

The story itself is called (tentatively) "Big Sky", after the term Big Sky Country, and is a sort of cowboys-aliens-steampunk-mishmash of fun.

Anyway, hope you like. All the best to you and yours!

2008-08-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

So here's some more older stuff. This time a bunch of random shots from The Granny & the Grizzly, my MFA thesis project from a few years ago.

Some are definitely better than others, but here you go.

It's Filler Time!

2008-08-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

So, here comes the portion in every young blog's life when it gets the leftovers... the stuff no longer in the portfolio, but still coddled by the artist in a somewhat nice environment. These are, in short, the older pieces moving to the new retirement village. And the staff at this village will have their hands full, because I got a lot of this stuff coming.

This first batch is a bit of VisDev stuff done for a project of several years ago, based on Erik Larson's excellent novel
The Devil in the White City.

They're mainly digital photo collage with a bit o' painting mixed in.

All right, all right...

2008-08-13T22:50:00.001-07:00

After much trial & tribulation, we put up a new version of my portfolio website different from the design below. Although I was pleased with the look of the TV image, it just didn't allow enough space for the actual artwork being displayed.

Oh well.

The art shown is from "The Granny & the Grizzly", my MFA project from a while back.

Be sure to check out the new goodies:

www.justinbmartin.com

Aside from that, work continues well, new posts are on the way, and I wish anyone who might actually be stopping in here well!

-J

W.I.P. Portfolio Site Layout

2008-07-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the new look for my website. It's still under construction, but the effect is there. Images will be shown, obviously, on the TV screen, with categories (e.g. BGs, Characters, etc.) in the knob section on the right. The little door on the bottom right opens up to show personal and contact info. Should be up soon...

A couple sketches...

2008-06-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

These are just a few digital sketches done recently.

Veev been ekshpektink you...

2008-06-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

After much procrastination, here's the beginning of what I hope will be a kick-ass blog.

This is a little piece done over the weekend. The head was drawn in a sketchbook a while back, but I only recently scanned it and worked on it digitally.

Keep coming back for more, more, more!