Anthony Andres Blog

Welcome to The Future!

2012-01-29T16:49:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!... one month late! But still in time for Asian Lunar Calendar New Year!

Just wanted to give a couple quick shout outs to get the year going! Both of these blogs are by friends of mine, and are really great reads!

First up... Errant Cluster. Lots of neat posts to check out here, especially if you're into anime, manga, or randomness!

Next, check out my long time art buddy's blog Load Universe Into Cannon. Aim At Brain. Fire., though I think now it's been shortened to just The Art of Luigi Lucarelli. And congrats to Luigi on his recent interview with ArtSketch!

Again, both great blogs! Make sure not to miss them!

Gremlin World 20 Page 4

2012-01-29T16:35:00.000-08:00

It's up at www.gremlinworld.com now, please check it out!!

Art Works

2011-11-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

So, adding a few art works that I've been working on during the last few months... Here you go!!

A Hatsune Miku pic I did for a contest sponsored by Good Smile Company. The theme was "Cheerful Japan." I didn't win but had a ton of fun doing this piece. I used the same technique as the Gremlin World Vol. 1 cover and took about 6 hours from sketch to final. Hope you like it!!

It's Midna from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I did this for an art exhibit in Downtown San Diego, CA in celebration of Skyward Sword. It'll be up for about a week. If you're in the San Diego area stop by and check the exhibit out! Lots of awesome stuff to check out!

A print I did to go along with a custom DIY Gumpy, Plastic Booty Collectibles and I worked on in October. Sadly, this piece will probably never be used for it's intended purpose.

So how about those pics? Designer Con 2011 Part 1

2011-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

I said on Monday I'd have some pics from this past weekend up for show that evening, well... it never happened. This has been a greatly productive week, and I always tried to make time to post them, but it never happened... I apologize about that and here are those pics from Designer Con 2011!

First up are some pics from Scott Wilcowski, whose work you can explore in greater detail here: http://www.scottwilkowski.com/

We've got some custom Sucklord figs:

Followed by a Buffmonster:

Also got a Kozik:

And finally, some customs of Scott Tolleson and Luke Chueh's characters:

Next stop was a visit to HiTree's booth. Hit their link to check out their awesomeness.

Also checked out Ghetto Geppetto:

...and Squid Kids Ink

Rounded out that aisle with a quick stop at Sketchbot! He had some AWESOME custom clear Sketchbots, too bad I couldn't afford one...

So, that's Round 1 of my D-Con 2011 picture decompress, still lots more to come in my next post before we move on to my stop at Gallery Nucleus!

AWESOME WEEKEND

2011-11-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Is Awesome.

Saturday was a big day for PBC (Plastic Booty Collectibles) and the crew and I rolled down to Pasadena for this year's D-Con, though we did show up there a little later than I was hoping, which was totally my fault.

I DID take a ton of pics, though and those'll be going up a little later tonight along with a little commentary and links for the amazing artists who put their toys out there this year! This year's show was incredible motivational for us, so we'll be aiming high for next year! So look forward to that...

We also made a stop at Gallery Nucleus while in town to check out the Justin Sweet Solo Exhibit and the Torchbearers Exhibit, and those were incredible! Very inspirational! I'll be posting a few photos from that tonight as well!

Review: RIOBOT Delphine 2nd Type

2011-09-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Head over to the Rabbit Haul and check out my review of Sen-Ti-Nel's RIOBOT Delphine 2nd Type action figure!

http://www.cooksux.com/2011/09/25/riobot_delphine2nd/

Gremlin World Update!

2011-09-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Head over to Gremlin World to check it out!

Today we've got the villains- The Hierarchy of Twelve! I've literally been waiting YEARS to show off these guys- and now they're finally here and ready to stomp Pai's bunny butt into mulch... or at least try to!

Toy Review: Max Gokin Mazinkaiser

2011-08-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I blogged that I'll be writing toy reviews over at my friend's toy blog, The Rabbit Haul. Two weeks ago I did my first review, taking a look at Max Factory's Max Gokin Mazinkaiser figure. You can check it out here:

http://www.cooksux.com/2011/08/09/mg_mazinkaiser/

Remember This Guy?

2011-08-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Reposted from the Plastic Booty Blog, by 3DJohnny:
Gears have begun to turn, and by turn I mean its time to learn how to rotocast! Those heads are gonna be too heavy if they are solid resin so what a perfect time to learn a new technique and mix it with everything I have already learned. Ill post up some new pics once I get him all ready for the next phase!

And a big shout out to all the people who showed interest in THOR this year so far, I cant thank you enough!

So yeah, the next PLASTIC BOOTY figure we'll be releasing is Kerberus! THOR was well received during Comic Con thanks to everyone, so we're definitely looking at upping the ante with this next release!

AND IT'S OUT!

2011-08-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

GREMLIN WORLD Vol.1 is now up for order here:

If you've enjoyed GW up till now, please pick up a copy- it's better than ever before with a ton of extras! The book will also be available through other channels soon, but if you'd like to order from Aswembar directly with a discounted price, shoot me an email!

Bandai spams Figuarts, turns Amiami into void

2011-08-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the month (actually it was Sunday night)... that time where it seems the entire world decends upon one particular website turning it's servers into a veritible black hole for hours on end. It was time for Bandai to put up pre-orders for their new Figuarts and reduce one of the best Japanese toy shops on the internet, AmiAmi,to a slow-moving, buggy mess if you could even get to the website at all (9 times-out-of 10 you got a white screen with a 'try again soon' message). It's become a tradition.

And what a haul it was this month. Bandai has assulted us with no less than 12 new items in thier Figuarts series, counting both the S.H. and Zero line ups, coming out across the months of November and December. Last time I checked, the Kamen Rider and One Piece figures have all sold out at AmiAmi, and the majority of the pre-orders have sold out at HLJ. If you're looking for any of these guys, good luck! Here's the run down of what came out:

S.H.FIGUARTS

Kamen Rider KAMEN RIDER 2- November release
Kamen Rider Ryuki KAMEN RIDER OUJA- December release
Kamen Rider Den O KAMEN RIDER DEN O CLIMAX FORM- December release
Tiger & Bunny ROCK BISON- December release

FIGUARTS ZERO

Naruto UZUMAKI NARUTO- November release
Naruto UCHIHA SASUKE- November release
One Piece NICO ROBIN (NEW WORLD VER.)- November release
One Piece TONY TONY CHOPPER (NEW WORLD VER.)- November release
One Piece SENTOMARU- November release
One Piece KOBY AND HELMEPPO- December release
One Piece DON QUIXOTE DOFLAMINGO- December release
Bleach- FINAL GETSUGA TENSHOU KUROSAKI ICHIGO- December release
Bleach- AIZEN SOUSUKE- December release

GREMLIN WORLD: THE BOOK: THE RELEASE!

2011-08-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Here's the ad for the new book! It'll be available for purchase on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3rd!! I was hoping to get it out today, but ran into some difficulties at the last minute. Anyway, this ad gives a good idea of what you'll find in this volume, hope you pick up a copy!!
It'll run $14.99 on Lulu, and $12.99 if you order through myself or the upcoming Aswembar shop!

New Toy Blog and New Stuff

2011-07-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Recently did a blog post over at The Rabbit Haul, a toy review blog that I'll be contributing to a couple times a week. If you're interested in Japanese toys or collecting, I suggest checking it out. My friend's the owner and his articles are pretty amusing. Oh yeah, I'll be posting under the handle GPA, so please visit and leave a comment!

Also, I will be making a major effort to post more on this blog 1-2 times a week about various things; art, movies, music, comic, food- pretty much anything I feel deserves mention.

I'll also be trying to do a weekly art print and we'll have a nice mix of fan art (yeah, finally caving to that) and original content. And new Gremlin World will be starting with new pages on Wednesday, August 3.

San Diego Comic Con 2011 WRAP UP!!

2011-07-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday, July 25. Comic Con has ended again and we're back to the normal pace of things.

This was a good Con, we sold several books and Thor figures; in fact, I think we're sold out of Thor once we take in to account online orders placed on the remaining stock. The Gremlin World graphic novel was well received and many people flipped through it and expressed interest which I hope to parlay into new readers checking out the comic.

I bought a lot of cool things which you'll be able to check out tomorrow. New toys and books are always something to get excited over... especially when you think they're out of your grasp but by some miracle you end up getting them anyway.

It was also an educational Con, we learned alot about our strengths and weaknesses, where we could improve and what worked for us. I think this information is going to be particularly valuable moving forward and that next con, we'll have stepped our game and be able to really get Aswembar Productions/ Plastic Booty out there.

SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2011

2011-07-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Two and a half days down... Two to go! At booth O-06 in the small press area, if you're going stop by and say "Hi!" Over near the Oni Press Booth!

STUFF I BUY: ROBOT DAMASHII/ SUPER ROBOT CHOGOKIN

2011-04-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

For myself and hundreds of other Japanese toy collectors out there, there is one brand name which is synonymous with the trade- Bandai.

Bandai is one of the biggest toy making companies in the world and has a colorful, long running history filled with ups and downs and tireless perseverance to the art of toy creation. They're the company behind the S.I.C. line up of figures I previously posted about and are behind the toy lines featured in this article as well- Robot Damashii and Super Robot Chogokin.

Some may ask 'these are separate lines, why are you writing about them together?'

This is because, in my opinion, these lines aren't really all that separate. In my eyes Super Robot Chogokin (SRC) is more like an extension to Robot Damashii (RD) than anything. The figures are more or less in the same scale, they look well together, and thus far robots that are made in one line up don't cross over into the other. So, in order to have a complete collection of similar sized robots, one would have to buy from both sets. Even the names go together, SRC's parent toy line, Soul of Chogokin's Japanese name is Chogokin Damashii, and its all-plastic sister series is called Robot Damashii. Put those together and drop the 'Damashii' and you get Robot Chogokin, just slap a 'super' on there and you're good to go!

Both lines feature figures ranging in height from 11-16 cm (for the regular releases, though there are some Tamashii Web exclusives that are far larger) and use PVC, ABS, and POM as construction materials, though the SRCs being chogokins also means they utilize metal parts and ratchet joints as well. Both lines come packed with accessories like several pairs of hands to recreate famous scenes, almost any weapon used by the robot in the series, and recently (to keep up with Kaiyodo's Revoltech figures) clear plastic "effect" parts.

Robot Damashii originated in October of 2008 as a way for Bandai to update their Mobile Suit in Action! series of Gundam figures and merge this line with it's In Action Off Shoot! spin-off series of action figures which featured non-Gundam robots as well as the second long running Gundam action figure series, HCM Pro. It introduced better articulation, materials, sculpting, and CAD technology to produce toys superior the In Action! series, and also helped Bandai to compete with Kaiyodo's Revoltech series of action figures, which looked and felt superior to the MSiA line up and featured a wide array of figures to choose from. The first releases for the line were Gundam 00 and Arios Gundam from the then airing Gundam 00.

After gaining success with the Robot Damashii line up, Bandai launched the Super Robot Chogokin line up in August 2010 after much hype-building with the release of Mazinger Z, a call back to the release of the first ever Chogokin GA-01 which was also Mazinger Z. With this series, Bandai built upon their experiences gained from Robot Damashii as well as the previously established Soul of Chogokin line of toys (something we'll be seeing in a later post.)

Since then, Bandai has made good use of the two lines to deliver figures that fans previously had either never seen or robots that fans had waited ages to see, such as Bandai's first Gaogaigar figure, Dann of Thursday from Gun X Sword, and Dai Guard. They've also released obscure robot figures such as Doraemon, Fumofuu from Full Metal Panic and Gear Fighter Dendoh.

With theses toy lines, Bandai has give us two great series that I would very highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a cost effective way to get into Chogokin or Gundam collecting, or for anyone looking to get a series that has all their favorite robots in it. As both series continue to evolve and develop toward the ultimate robot toy line, Bandai has made it a habit of keep their audience and competition in mind and I'm sure this will mean many, many more exciting releases to come!

Images from Tamashii Nations website.

NEW ZSB Preview!!!

2011-04-07T00:23:00.000-07:00

Behold! New proof that I actually have been working this whole time! Here's a look at a new piece of Zombie Shark Bear art that's going toward the Comic Con book.... hope you guys dig it. Also hope you buy the book! And the Gremlin World book too... and COLLAB, also!

GREMLIN WORLD WORLD 19 PAGE 8

2011-04-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

FINALLY UPATED GREMLIN WORLD!

Hopefully, I'll finally be trending this towards the regular, next page should be up on Friday!

THOR UPDATE BY 3D JOHNNY

2011-04-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Cool! New update on Thor from Plastic Booty!

20 THORs almost ready for Comic-Con 2011!

Ok not exactly 20, there were some people that expressed interest when the first wave went out but I didn't have enough made at the time so more like 16 total will be sold at $40 for the assembled and pre-primed version, or $35 for the unassembled garage kit.

I plan to have only 5 of the unassembled versions but numbers are subject to change :D

This will be the only run of THOR for a little while as im pretty much going nuts thinking about our next project and want to actually get started on it. That being said I am excited about incorporating roto-casting into the workflow. I would also like to play with adding silicone parts into the mix as well. some previews should be up after Comic-Con.

Ill have more pics when were all boxed up and of course, pics for Comic Con. I intend to get a lot more photos this year than last :)

ZSB EP 0 Page 5

2011-03-21T15:33:00.001-07:00

FROM ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR Production Blog:

This page stayed pretty true to the storyboard, but I think the idea for this page actually came pretty late in the planning stages of the story. For the longest time I didn't know exactly how I would progress past page 4, I knew what I wanted to get out of the chapter and how it would wrap up, but I didn't really know what was going to go in between page 9 and 4.
Of course, these pages had to illustrate Mirai's predicament in the forest and bring the zombie, the shark, and the bear together to show how these creatures change Mirai. The tricky part was trying to convey alot of action and suspense in three pages.
This event is scheduled to be more fleshed out a little later in the story, this version of the story was meant to meant to create a lot of questions and uncertainty as to what exactly happened leading up to Mirai become the Zombie Shark Bear.

STUFF I BUY: S.I.C. (Super Imaginative Chogokin)

2011-03-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Well, this wasn't exactly the type of toy post I was going to do originally, but... it'll work.

So, as large portion of the Japanese toy collector fanbase knows, SIC stands for Super Imaginitve Chogokin- and Chogokin is Bandai's long running line of character and robot action figures that include metal parts in their construction. SIC is a line that specializes in character figures, specifically the collaborative works of Shotaro Ishinomori and Toei. The majority of the line focuses on the Kamen Rider series, but there have been relseases of more obscure Ishinomori Pro properties such as Akumizer 3, Henshin Ninja Arashi, and even a miniture figure of Robocon (hopefully a full size version of this is forthcoming).

The line started in 1998 with slightly articulated PVC statues of Kikaider characters including Hakaider, Kikaider 00, and Bijinder. After making his way through the Kikaider cast, line sculptor Takayuki Takeya switched focus to a few older properies such as Inazuman and Robot Detective K before moving on to the much larger Kamen Rider franchise.

Eventually, the SIC team moved on from statue figures to better articulated action figures with the release of Kikaider with the Side Machine. This was followed by an articulated Hakaider with his motorcycle (it doesn't really have a name, just Hakaider's Bike) and then Kamen Rider Kuuga, first of the Heisei era Riders.

What was unique about this figure was that it inculded option parts that allowed collector's to alternate between Kuuga's different forms of armor. This interesting approach became a hallmark of the series that continues today.

Of course, the real stand out feature of the figures is their look. Head sculptors Takayuki Takeya and Kenji Ando take Shotaro Ishinormori's original character designs and reimagine them with a darker, more realistic look. This approach gives the characters more detail, texture and style.

Add top notch articulation to the figures, and you get an excellent toy line that has the aestehtic of highly stylized art sculpture, superior posability, and a wide range of display possibilities all delivered in a package produced with top notch quality and standards rarely seen in the toy collector market.

TOY REVIEWS/ MORE FOOD REVIEWS COMING!

2011-03-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

As with so many things right now, I'm currently trying to find time in my schedule to update this blog with more content on a regular basis. I certainly have enough things to review and enough to say about them, the only real problems are time and motivation.
It's like, when I'm feeling totally motivated and ready to go I don't have the time, and when I have the time I'm usually spending it on art work or on just hanging out. Well, that's the reason for MOST things, as far as the toys go a big road block on that has just been my disdain for re-posing my figures to take interesting pictures for the review.
All these are things I'm hoping to have solutions to in the next few days, which will hopefully be sustainable for weeks and months and will become habits that can extend over into my art scheduling.
So yeah, let's see how this goes... if you see a post here in the next couple days, it'll be a sign of good things ahead.

ZSB EP 0 PAGE 4

2011-02-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

FROM ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR BLOG

So, this page was pretty tricky and went through more than one draft. The reason for this was because of the amount of information that needed to be fit into just this one page. I had to convey that Mirai was in the situation that she was in because of information she got from her two underlings even if we're not exactly sure what they're saying (and it's implied there may be some sinister intentions). From here we needed to show that Mirai took it upon herself to investigate the information she receieved alone, and that she has gone off into an unknown wilderness.

The last panel illustrates that this was a bad idea, and provides anticipation for the pages to come.

I'm really happy with the way the page turned out and it's obvious it stays pretty close to the final storyboard, which was nice. It took a lot of polish, but I think it was well worth it.

GREMLIN WORLD Vol 1 Cover and late updates

2011-02-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I'd have some time to get back to concentrating on Gremlin World MORE life comes my way! Looks like I'm moving house again, so things have been kind of hectic trying to pack and clean a little when I have the chance. And of course, that eats into my art time.
I've also made a renewed effort to be more active, which of course is detrimental to work that requires little movement and maximum concentration (to achieve best results).
Still, even though the work is coming along slowly, it is still coming along. Hopefully, this week things will die down enough for me to concentrate on art with less distractions (I'm sure playing 3 hours of Street Fighter on Sunday didn't help either, though).

Also, starting work on my San Diego Comic Con projects! The first reveal?

Gremlin World Graphic Novel Volume 1, you can see the cover rough above.

MAI CORRECTION!!!

2011-02-02T21:40:00.000-08:00

That is to say, my collection...

Well, it's official now, I'm going to be moving. Time to pack it all away till I figure out if this'll be the year I'll be getting my own place. Seems like the odds are in my favor this year, but apartments are still pretty expensive and it's all up in the air!

Anyway, just thought I'd snap some pics of these guys before they go away for a little while.

FIGMA (and Starscream)

S.I.C.

SQUARE ENIX PLAY ARTS

GUNDAM CHOGOKIN

VINTAGE

ROBOT DAMASHII/ SUPER ROBOT CHOGOKIN

Updated design for Pai

2011-01-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at Pai's updated design from GREMLIN WORLD World 20 on... till I decide to update again.

GREMLIN WORLD WORLD 19 PAGE 7

2011-01-17T22:52:00.001-08:00

NOW WITH WORDS!!

FOOD REVIEW EPISODE 1- GEORGE'S AT THE COVE

2011-01-17T12:24:00.000-08:00

GEORGE'S AT THE COVE
858 454 4244
1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

So, those of you who are my close friends all know that I am a huge foodie. I love food, and for the most part meals are kind of the defining moment of the day for me. Every once in a while, I come a cross a restaurant or food dish that is truly noteworthy, and I have decided to share these experiences here on my blog.

Last week in San Diego wrapped a local tradition called Restaurant Week.

What does that mean? Well, two weeks out of the year a good number of restaurants (the website for the event says over 160) have special 3 course meals for $20, $30, or $40. With this you get an appetizer, salad, or soup depending on the venue, a main course item and desert. Typically, the restaurant will feature three or four of their signature dishes from each category to choose from and may even have optional sides or alternatives available for a small (relative to the regular item cost) extra fee.

In order to kick off this week of new culinary experiences, my friends and I decided to try George's At The Cove of La Jolla, located right next to La Jolla's famous cove (the one with the seals) on Prospect St. The venue was very nice and the decor of the restaurant was modern and stylishly minimalistic.

ON THE MENU

George's is a high class eatery and ranks up there in price as one of the $40 restaurants to be featured in Restaurant Week; it's also well liked among Yelp reviewers and boasts a 4-star rating. Did my experience live up to the hype? Keep reading, true believers.

DRINK- PEAR BLOSSOM (jasmine pearl infused Grey Goose Vodka, lemon grass, ginger, candied orange zest, and pear)

I started my meal with a pre-dinner cocktail called the Pear Blossom. It was delicious! The drink (as described on the menu) is a blend of jasmine pearl infused Grey Goose Vodka, lemon grass, ginger, candied orange zest, and pear; the sum of which is a slightly fruity sweet drink that escapes being to sugary and has a great dry finish. Also the orange zest was a great touch and didn't have the over-powering dry/bitter taste I normally associate with citrus rind.

Some of my friends ordered drinks as well, which I had the pleasure of sampling- the Tango and the Wisecrack , both of which were fantastic as well.

APPETIZER- SWEET POTATO SOUP (apple, ginger, curry and coconut)

For my appetizer, from which there were PLENTY to choose, I decided on having George's Sweet Potato Soup. When brought to the table I was give a bowl with a base for the soup that consisted of apple, ginger, curry and coconut , to which the sweet potato broth was added. The resulting flavor was magnificent, the creaminess of the broth was superb and velvety, while the sweetness of the sweet potato was given an extra zest by the tartness of the ginger and curry, and balanced by the texture and mild flavors of apple. Truly, one of the greatest bowls of soup I've ever had the pleasure to eat.

DINNER- BRAISED COLORADO LAMB SHANK (feta salsa verde, sweet onion raisin relish, butternut squash risotto)

So, going into this meal I had never had the Italian dish Osso Bucco; but had heard about it many times from my friend, Raymond. While the name is different, this was indeed the fabled dish along with some excellent sides. Now, really, words fail to properly illustrate this meal. It was good; really, REALLY GOOD.
The meat fell off of the bone at the slightest touch of the fork and was perfectly braised, the seasoning was perfect and the sides definitely complimented the main course well.
I love risotto alot and in many cases will order a dish if it's offered as a side just to get the risotto. I love butternut squash, too. This side was perfect- plenty of flavor, complimented the entree well and really the only complaint is that there wasn't enough of it.
The relish and salsa I can't really say I remember too much about unfortunately, other than the sweetness went well with the richness of the meat.

DESSERT- PEANUT BUTTER RICE PUDDING

Finally, to round out our special meal we got down to dessert. For starters, Rice Pudding is one of my favorite desserts, period. I love it alot and am very, very thankful the Lolita's by my house keeps a regular supply of it on hand. I also love peanut butter, so mixing the both is a no-brainer- it's gonna be good. And it was, though at this part of the meal there were some minor complaints to be had, but the dish was delicious none-the-less.
The first gripe is that this dish is mostly about texture rather than taste. It's served with crispy wild rice, graham cracker streusel and roasted banana sorbet- all of which, while lending many different flavors to the pudding, take away from the core part of the dish. The sorbet's flavor was really strong and cold and over powered the much milder taste of the pudding. I was sad about this- not because it was bad tasting but because I wanted rice pudding.
Again, it was delicious, but I'd much rather have it as a simple pudding than as a an accompaniment to it's garnish.

FINAL THOUGHTS-

In the end, this dinner ended up being far and away the best meal I got out of Restaurant Week. I have a review of Nobu's coming up but really, George's took the cake right out the gate, not only for myself but for my friends as well. The regular prices are high but not exorbitant, so I think I will be planning a return at some point and if you're in the mood for a unique food experience this might be the place to look up.

ZSB EP 0 PAGE 3

2011-01-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

From ZSB Production Blog

Page 3

Here you can see the process behind how a page of ZSB is completed. I normally draw a rough sketch of the layout and then in Photoshop refine the design of the page and then do the final drawing. One of the big things about ZSB is that I've been experimenting with doing panels or scenes in different styles using the pacing and character design to tie them all together.

For example Mirai's grandfather, King Cadillac, is supposed to exude an aura of majesty and classical romanticism, and so his panels are made to have a more painterly quality to them. So far, this take on the art in the story has been very successful and eduacation for me, and has pushed me into new territory as an artist.

ZSB EP 0 Page 2

2011-01-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

From ZSB Production Blog

Page 2.
With this page I wanted to get something that resembled my friend, Cheeks' art style. His style has a really loose, active feel to it and he has really subdued, deep color palettes.

For the most part I think that came out well on this page. I had also previously spent alot of time going back and forth between stylistic vs. realistic looking zombies for this story. Right now, I'm going with the stylisitc zombies because I think they can be just as creepy as something that is photo correct, it's just all about the set up of the image. Hopefully, I've succeeded on that end as well.

In the end, I was really happy that I was able to get the end result to resemble the storyboard so closely. You can the storyboard below.

ZSB EP 0 Page 1

2011-01-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

FROM ZSB Production Blog

Page 1

So, I've been kicking the ZSB idea around now for a couple of years. Jed Desuka, the editor/ webmaster of GW and me came up with idea one day while I was visiting him, which was inturn based off of a completely random topic of conversation developed by two of my best friends while they were at work. The idea of "Zombie Shark Bear" was so cool I knew I had to run with it somehow.

So, while we had the concept and the barebones version of the story down, how the story would actually be told was something that was up for debate; as was the art style of the comic. I knew I wanted something different from Gremlin World, but what I knew I wanted to get out of it was beyond my grasp at the time. It wasn't until I saw a friend from Deviant Art's digital inking tutorial that I had the epiphany that brought it all together.

Below is one of the early drafts of the first page of ZSB, while it does have some stylistic similarities to the final version, I don't think it has the cohesion of the final piece, which I'm quite happy with and think it has a nice, dreamy kind of quality to it.

ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR EP 0 COVER

2011-01-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

From ZSB Production Blog

Here is the cover of Zombie Shark Bear Episode 0.
This page was really simple to make, actually, it's pretty much just the old "Coming Soon" image on a black background. Since I wanted the artwork in the chapter to speak for itself, I decided that a simpler cover page would work well. I also like the way Mirai's eyes contrast with the rest of the image.

The original teaser illustration I took Mirai's picture from is below.

Some of my figures

2011-01-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

So lately I've been following one of my friend's blogs where he posts some really cool toy reviews and toy improvement tips. Think I might follow suit soon, cause I've got alot to post about on that topic!

GREMLIN WORLD WORLD 19 PAGE 6

2011-01-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Posting it here since the website isn't cooperating...

4 MINUTES OF BREAK LEFT QUICK POST

2011-01-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

So, I really wish I was at home working on an art project or something. Also, I really should be posting more about things on here... I've got toy reviews I could do, food reviews, movie reviews, all kinds of things to speak my mind about, and I think it'd be a good New Year's Resolution to try to make at least 3 new entries a year. Heck, let's make that 4...

Okay, so for something good to announce here, looks like I'll be trying to get a few graphic novel collections out by San Diego Comic Con this year. We'll be doing prints this year, but to make it really special how about we finally finish up on GREMLIN WORLD GN Vol 1 and ZSB GN Vol 1? More to come soon, so check back often!

Q

2010-11-22T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at the illustration I did for Pixel Drip's gallery during their last SF tourney. If you like it, I think it's still for sale and you can contact them at pixeldripgallery@gmail.com about it!

ZSB AND THOR UPDATES!

2010-11-18T18:50:00.001-08:00

ZSB BLOG UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY FOR EPISODE 0 COVER AND PAGES 1 and 2!

Okay gang, this weekend PLASTIC BOOTY and ASWEMBAR PRODUCTIONS will be rolling up to LA to attend 2 art shows in one day!

The first show is going to be D-Con 2010! This show is going to be the biggest West Coast showing of Vinyl, Resin and Designer Toys from now till SDCC 2011! And to celebrate, PBC is going to be selling the very first THOR of the Pantheon figures at this show! If you're interested in these guys, they'll be coming boxed, assembled and primed just for you at the SPANKY STOKES booth!

And there's only going to be 4 available.

The second show we're going to be hitting up is going to be Pixel Drip Gallery's GENERATION V show is going to feature artwork from myself, Robert Dizon, Raymond Griegoand Fransisco, who have all done crazy awesome artwork with Aswembar!

If you're going to be ANYWHERE near those shows, find us and say what's up!

THOR PICS FROM SPANKY STOKES

2010-11-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

FROM PLASTIC BOOTY BLOG:

Last Monday, Spankey Stokes posted these pics of the the final Thor resin figure on his website. Just wanted to share them with you while we get a set of our own ready to go. You can check out his article and some more pics on Thor here:

http://www.spankystokes.com/2010/11/plastic-booty-collectibles-thor-figure.html

THANKS SPANKY!!

COMING SOON TO THE ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR BLOG

2010-11-13T14:02:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I have a new plan!

This upcoming week, I will be posting ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR Episode 0 and Episode X over on the Production Blog and will giving some commentary on each page with each update! I'll also be showing the storyboards for some of the pages and may even include alternate versions of scenes if I still have those available! Please make sure to check out these updates!

MORE UPDATING

2010-10-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

So, I realize I haven't been posting that much at all; in fact, my last post was way back in April. That being said, going to try to be much more active here and will be writing about a variety of topics ranging from food to the robot action figures I collect. Of course, there'll be art as well, hopefully lots of it. Some by me and some by others.

Tomorrow, I'll be back with some info on my latest anthology project I undertook with my art friends, COLLAB. It'll be on sale later this month at the Long Beach Comic Con and then sometime afterword on www.lulu.com .

So, here's to tomorrow.

THE LEGEND CONTINUES...

2010-04-29T17:01:00.001-07:00

The second half of the origin of Zombie Shark Bear begins now!!

So, after sometime was spent thinking about a project that'd be a nice aside to Gremlin World (which you should all go read here: http://gremlinworld.com) I decided I wanted to do something that was over-the-top violent and could deliver a high body count in its action scenes.
After some self imposed brainwashing with films by studio Gainax, I emerged from my room with an idea for a samurai epic where one man could contend with a whole army himself and come out unscathed. But it was missing something... an edge... I guess you could say.

After talking about the topic with my friend Jed, I suddenly remember the idea for a story featuring a Zombie Shark Bear! It was a topic that lent itself to violence, it was an idea so ridiculous it could ONLY be super-over-the-top, and having a zombie girl for a heroine seemed like a great idea, especially since Pepper from GW is so popular!

And from this conversation, ZOMBIE SHARK BEAR as it is today was born!

NEXT TIME, we take a look at the development of the main character, Mirai Samekuma!

ZSB BLOG LAUNCHES!

2010-04-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

After nearly 3 years of work, the newest project from Aswembar Productions is nearly ready to launch!!

How did Zombie Shark Bear come about, you ask?

Well, to tell the truth, I wasn't ever originally part of this story, and I heard it from my friends when we were hanging out one night. So, as legend has it, the story goes that these two friends of mine were talking at work one day and one asked which was scarier, a shark or a bear? After a moment's pause, the other said "a zombie shark bear."

After hearing this, I thought this would be a great idea for a comic... and thus Zombie Shark Bear, or rather, that's the first half of it.... but we'll save part two for next time!!!

COMIC CON 2009

2009-07-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it's July again and in San Diego that means Comic Con! (Also my birthday)

This year should be a big year for Aswembar and Plastic Booty, we'll be debuting our Thor figure at Comic Con, with two versions on sale. We'll also have several sketch books on sale from myself and some of my friends, and a completed and painted version of the Pai garage kit we released last year.

If you're going to be at Comic Con, please check us out at booth O8 in the small press area!

New GW and Massive Hook Up!

2008-12-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

Been a little while since my last post, sorry about that! But I'm back with alot of news to share! First, the biggest news- PLASTIC BOOTY Collectibles (the brainchild of myself and sculptor extraordinaire 3D Johnny) has finally touched down in a really big way! Following our second show outing at Vinyl Toy Network, we have been featured in blog postings on the BLOCKHEAD BRIGADE blog as well as at SPANKYSTOKES.COM !! Thanks a ton guys! Also, for those of you following the vinyl scene, be sure to check these guys out, as they've got some really sweet figs of thier own out there! Also, SPANKYSTOKES.COM is a great source for industry news, so check it out!

On the GREMLIN WORLD front, it's the time of year again for me to make my usual tweaks to Pai's design- but this year I'm pushing farther than ever before for a streamlined, more expressive look that should prove for some awesome, dynamic art in the coming comics! Check her out, I hope you dig!!

4 YEARS OF GREMLIN WORLD!

2008-11-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

This week marks the 4th anniversary of Gremlin World as a web comic!
Though I am very proud of this accomplishment, I know that as an author and artist there are still many ways for me to grow and give my readers a greater presentation. I am doing my best to help you enjoy GW even more!
I thank everyone who has followed the adventures of Pai and co. from the bottom of my heart, and hope you will look forward to the future of GW!!

GW This week

2008-09-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at this week's new GREMLIN WORLD updates, with another page coming up on Friday.

Recently, I've been adding black/ gray shadows to the GW pages, and while this does give them an extra feeling of depth, the process takes a long time and has been a big factor in the lateness of certain pages. In fact, the shadowing process can take longer than inking and shading combined on some of the pages!
However, I think that to do away with this process would be a disservice to my readers, and so lately I've been trying to figure out a way to speed up the shadowing process, but save that extra depth that the shadows have brought to the pages thus far.
It's been a trying problem, but it's one that I'm confident I'm on the verge of solving. Please look forward to more GREMLIN WORLD, and the continuing evolution of it's art and story!

BAMBOO

2008-05-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well, after weeks of trepidation, I have finally brought my WACOM BAMBOO out of it's box and experimented with it a little... and it is freakin' awesome! While my tablet sketches aren't as clean as my usual art (yet), I found it pretty easy to draw well with and I have a feeling my storyboarding time is going to be cut down by a pretty good percentage. I'm going to be trying to finish two animatics this week, one is a remake of an older project, the other is a music video for... well, it's GW related, and that's all I'm going to say.

ALSO! For those of you in the San Diego area, I highly recommend that you check out the band DENY THE SILENTS, they freaking rock, and after a smokin' hot show at DREAM STREET in Ocean Beach a couple weeks ago, they're playing again next week at CANNES BAR AND GRILL right on Mission Beach!! I'll be there, so if you're going to be going, let me know!

Sketch book ONLINE

2008-05-08T23:32:00.001-07:00

Yeah, it'd probably make more sense to call this post "Online Sketch Book", but whatever. And even if you didn't think that right away, you'll think it now and say "yeah, that makes sense." Anyway, here's a small selection of my literally very large collection of illustrations, these tend to be more on the cartoony side, I'm working on getting a better variety together soon.

GREMLIN WORLD REVIVAL

2008-04-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well, those of you who are following my manga-esque web comic, GREMLIN WORLD may not have really noticed a lapse in content, but Part I of Gremlin World ended with Chapter 14, and so the world and primary characters have now all been fairly fleshed out. Now comes the fun stuff.

Part II of GREMLIN WORLD will have tons more action, a better worked out storyline, better art, and some great new (and varied) supporting cast members and villains! Starting with World 16, titled SIDE B, Part II will open with a bit of a recap on the GW world and reintroduce the characters to new readers. All the art is new and features the updated designs on the regular cast, whom all appear.

GREMLIN WORLD World 16 will begin its online run on Monday, May 5th, and as the entire chapter is already finished should run smoothly into World 17. Please be sure to stop by the GREMLIN WORLD site and check it out!

The Day to Day of an Unemployed Artist

2008-04-15T11:32:00.001-07:00

Since graduating from the Art Institute, I have little substantial work on my hands save Nyamo, Gremlin World and the assignments from my current internship. Sounds boring, but surprisingly every day has been quite busy. I wake up at 9 and go to bed at 1, I do the dishes at home, play with my dog, Heidi, eat lunch with my friends, and find a few minutes to check up on what's going on with my hobbies. Somewhere in-between these things all my time is ticked away, a few minutes here, an hour there... it is tragic but enlightening.

And time is not the only thing being eaten away, my finances are also approaching their last legs. I need to find a job soon and say good-bye to the security and freedom of student life. I have the talent, and I have the time to do something great- if only I don't give in to the slowly growing sense of dread that comes with being bankrupt.

Storyboarding Demo Reel

2008-03-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
Here is my storyboarding demo reel. Enjoy!

Resume

2008-03-05T19:19:00.001-08:00

Resume and Storyboard Sample.

Anthony Andres' Blog ONLINE

2008-02-27T21:01:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Aswembar Blog!