February 2012
2 posts
January 2012
3 posts
6 tags
December 2011
2 posts
November 2011
3 posts
August 2011
3 posts
July 2011
12 posts
Welton Colbert returns from the dead.
Years ago, I did a regular comic about a crotchety old former cartoonist named Welton Colbert who reviewed comics. I haven’t used him in a while, but people are trying to talk me into bringing him back. To aid in his return, artist Ronnie Tucker and writer Maxwell Patterson of somnambulations.com made this guest comic about the reason for Welton’s long absence, and his return!
I made a tutorial for how I travel so cheap!
Enjoy!
PlusGoog
I joined PlusGoog like I’ve done with every social network. With a lot of eye-rolling and thoughts of “why do I need this?” But I noticed one unintended feature that may make this the best place for cartoonists.
^ All you have to do to add a multi-page comic, or an entire graphic novel to G+ is drag the pages into your photos tab. Google will order them and place them in a viewer for you.
...
The Complete Ryan Estrada Collection
While you may have missed all of my many announcements over the long holiday weekend… the free release of my newly-complete graphic novel, the Expeditions: Africa movie… there’s no need to worry!
Now with just one click, you can download every single ebook and movie on my site to your computer, iPad, smartphone, e-reader, or whatever else you kids are using these days and catch up...
WatchA while back, I took a trip to Africa to film a series of adventure videos. Now, I’ve cleaned up and reedited the entire season into one 25 minute movie. Here’s the description:
When you travel the world solving missions from viewers, nothing goes as you might expect. A simple walk in the Maasai Mara gets me almost being eaten by lions, a liesurely balloon ride turns into an afternoon hunting...
May 2011
1 post
The Alias Men Update
There has been many a cry of ‘where’s the dang movie?’ lately.
The fact that it keeps getting delayed is exactly why I always try to get projects done under such ridiculous deadlines. As soon as the deadline is over, life gets in the way. And oh, have I done a lot of living since January first. Some good, some bad. (Though life is always good, even when bad happens)
The most...
February 2011
1 post
January 2011
8 posts
I don’t like to write characters that are irrefutably villains. Characters who do evil because they think they’re right, written by a creator who can get inside their head and understands where they’re coming from, are far more interesting. But if there’s a villain in the making of this movie…
It’s Final Cut Express.
Yes, the software I’m using to...
5 Things I learned trying to make a one month...
Greetings from Panama! I’m orchestrating an international move while compositing in a hostel. My busiest month of the year has bled into my second busiest month of the year, making this month very busy and awesome. I want to give you an ETA on the movie, but I’m waiting to hear from Jessica what’s the scoop with the scenes that are on her computer in Chicago.
So since the whole...
Just to keep you guys updated, I’m going to get back to finishing the movie this weekend. This week I have to work. My ability to take last month off was dependent on my finishing a 20 page commission this week that will cover my income for December and January.
So this weekend, I’ll jump right back into it! A few things (editing-wise) might have to be redone because of what is...
Quality over punctuality.
Well ladies and gentlemen, I didn’t make the deadline. But you know what I did make? About 90% of a pretty awesome movie. I’ll have it to you just as quick as I can!
There are still a handful of scenes to composite, but there’s no way we can get them done, uploaded, downloaded, edited, rendered and posted in time.
Jessica and I both have to get back to work on Monday, but...
We’re all still hard at work! We’re running a little late, but we’ll still have a great movie for you on Monday! Maybe I’ll post a clip or two later today!
In the mean time, here’s some reader art from James Nelson.
December 2010
59 posts
The ticking clock
This ever-knowing portrait of Orson Welles (as he appears in The Alias Men), courtesy of Brian Carroll, reminds me that the clock is ticking. This is the last day of work.
It’s all about compositing now. Jessica’s compositing Smithee, Stevens, and Manning, Brian, creator of that lovely drawing above, has come on board to composite Doe’s scenes, and I’m working on Nom...
I don’t want to bump down the exciting news that all of the animation is finished, but many people have been asking a question that needs answering! Folks want to know when is the deadline if you want your art of the characters to appear in the credits? Friday morning. Yikes, it’s scary how close that is. I got a movie to finish by then! Yeesh!
Speaking of reader art, here’s an...
Animation is complete.
Miyazaki once put every production drawing from the making of Spirited Away and put it in one big pile. It took up an entire wing of a museum. My sad little pile of sub-Hanna Barbera holds that move sometimes isn’t quite as impressive, but I’m proud of it.
Well, now to do post production a LOT of post production.
(How can I be so sure I won’t feel the need to do any more...
Whew! I’m very close to wrapping up animation, so I can jump into full on post production. Jessica sent these colored images of the inside and outside of the ship. She sent me another really cool image that I wish I could share, but alas, it’s the most spoilery single frame in the whole movie, so I can’t show it to ya.
Here’s some more reader art. This is David Manning...
Meet the Alias Men: Nom de Guerre
I should be really freaked out by now, but I’m confident! Here are things that should be leaving me in a panic but that I’m totally okay with because of my ridiculous optimism.
- I have two of five characters to animate still in the next 4 days. - I haven’t actually pencil tested a single shot. Besides the gifs and youtubes I made for this blog, I have no idea what this stuff...
Since I’ve been posting so many pictures of myself working in the sun, Jessica sent along a picture of herself working in the snow! She’s been a huge help, and I really would have been in huge trouble if she hadn’t come along and offered to help! I sent her the animation and edited video for half the film, and she’s coloring and compositing it while I wrap up the other...
Yikesers, you may not hear as often from me this week, as I’m battling valiantly against this deadline, and my poor jungle internet is struggling just to move files back and forth.
I have three characters animated, and off to Jessica with their respective video clips to be colored and composited. (If my dumb internet will upload them, that is. 12 hours per scene!? Sheesh) And I’m...
Merry Christmas from OMAFhq
My Christmas Cactus.
How are you spending your holidays? I'll be-
This happens during all my challenges.
Wow. Well, yesterday was kind of a rollercoaster! Yikes! I know many of you are following this just to find out when I crack and lose it. Well, that was yesterday. It was a sloppy mess of panic attacks, sweating, exhaustion, collapsing into long, unplanned naps and general worrywarting about the insane amount of work I have to do this week. Then stumbling back into my office in a haze and...
Okay guys, I just remembered that 2d is dead. So from now on, The Alias Men will be known as The Alias Men: a 3D Digital One Month Animated IMAX Experience.
Just kidding. This is actually some hilariously awesome art I just got from my boy Gandhi Bazan over in Mexico. He’s always been incredibly supportive of my crazy projects, and there’s a rumor on the street that he might be...
Some Jonathon D. artwork from Jonathon D. (Dalton drawing Doe, that is.) Jonathon Dalton draws some way super neat comics and you should totally check them out.
I can’t thank you all enough for the e-mails, links, words of encouragement and drawings. It’s like clapping for Tinkerbell during a production of Peter Pan. It keeps me from dying!