Friday, August 28, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
You are always on my mind.....
These student films just seem to entertain me every time I watch them. And they are ALWAYS in the back of my mind! So I thought I'd post them and share. They all meet my criteria for satisfaction....they are weird, silly, different, entertaining, funny, caricatured, and just satisfying.
Enjoy!
"Story from North America" by Garrett Davis and Kirsten Lepore
"Interview with Dali" by Alex Butera
Enjoy!
"Story from North America" by Garrett Davis and Kirsten Lepore
"Interview with Dali" by Alex Butera
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Jib Jab is awesome.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Flynn's Arcade reveals Tron 2 bike!
Tron 2 bike unveiled at a secret location on July 25th, two blocks from Comic con. I took video of the whole thing too! It's posted at the bottom.
I meet a girl who buys my book "And it Began" at comic con. The book is about a kid who meets Daft Punk for lunch and experiences an adventure after trying on their helmet. Here's the cover and two illustrations from the book. I still have a few available if anyone is interested! $20 dollars plus $ 5 shipping and handling. Email me: captainyolk@hotmail.com
She asks me if I've heard about the underground secret promotion Disney's putting on for Tron 2. I say no. She explains what happens and tells me you can hear some of Daft Punk's score for the new movie. My jaw drops.
Here's how it went down. 9:45 p.m.
You wait in line for 45 minutes. You are then handed a gold token with "Home of Tron" on one side and " Flynn's Arcade" on the other. You enter Flynn's arcade. All the old school games and air hockey are free. 80's music is playing. For 15 minutes you think this is it. Then the lights start flickering, buzzing and static noises are heard. Then the sound of new Daft Punk music!! The Tron game on the back brick wall moves to the side to reveal an entrance way. Everyone gathers to enter into the blackened corridor. You walk down a dark hallway with architectural drawings of the Tron bike on the right wall. They are lit from behind with fluorescent light. You turn a left at the end of the corridor and there it is. New Daft Punk music continues to play as the bike slowly spins around. Two men in suits stand guard on either side of the bike. Everyone is going nuts, filming and shouting and clapping. Probably the coolest promotion I've ever seen for a movie.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Books are for SALE and AVAILABLE now!
Jeremy Bernstein and J.J. Villard at Comic Con 2009
A page from the new book. " Neon Lights in the Golden Hour. "
Acrylic, ink, and marker on brown paper.
56 pages! 28 Illustrations! 28 Original Poems! Full color! Owls galore! 6 x 9.
Limited Edition! Only 200 copies printed. All owl illustrations and poems. Funny poems, dark and twisted poems, sentimental poems, sad poems , and happy poems. Good for your kids too!
An original drawing and signature with every purchase! AND, ANDDDDD.... TWO 3 x 4 OWL STICKERS! FULL COLOR!
Get em' before they're gone!
You can mail me a personal check....just email me here first!
captainyolk@hotmail.com
I'm also selling my previous books. Check out the links below!
"Say Havarti" - a collection of sketchbook doodles, characters, and drawings.
" And it Began " - a boy meets the band Daft Punk for lunch, tries on their robot helmet, and goes on a crazy visual journey.
If you want to purchase any of my books and are interested in prices, send me an email!
captainyolk@hotmail.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
We Conquered Comic Con!!!
A drawing from the new book ~ "Neon Lights in the Golden Hour. "
Prisma color pencils and marker on brown paper.
Jeremy Bernstein and J.J. Villard at Comic Con 2009
My new book is for sale! " Neon Lights in the Golden Hour! " I was inspired by Shel Silverstein, author of "Where the Sidewalk Ends."
All owl Illustrations, silly poems, funny poems, dark and twisted poems, sentimental poems, sad poems , and happy poems! Good for your kids too!
The book includes two owl stickers and an original drawing inside! Email me if you want one!
captainyolk@hotmail.com
And a big THANKS to Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi for giving me a great plug on CARTOONBREW.COM
Monday, July 27, 2009
Comic Con is over!! Sales were excellent! Whew...I'm exhausted.
I take my work seriously. Here I am at the San Diego Comic Con with world famous CG animator Chris Bancroft . We used to work together at Dreamworks animating on some big films. His girlfriend Heather Houghton took the photo of us.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Another page from the new book!
Once again! I must shout out to the world! My new book is done!
56 pages! 28 Illustrations! 28 Original Poems! Full color! Owls galore! 6 x 9!
Limited Edition! Only 200 copies printed!
An original drawing and signature with every purchase! AND, ANDDDDD....A STICKER! FULL COLOR!
Get em' before they're gone!
I'll be selling the new books at comic con starting TODAY! I'll be there with the famous J.J. Villard, who is also selling his books. Come say hello to both of us and buy books for your granny and kids! Booth C05. I'll also be selling two of my previous books.
"Say Havarti" - a collection of sketchbook doodles, characters, and drawings.
" And it Began " - a boy meets the band Daft Punk for lunch, tries on their robot helmet, and goes on a crazy visual journey.
If you want to purchase any of my books and are interested in prices, send me an email!
captainyolk@hotmail.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
A page out of the new book!!!
All systems goooo!!!
My new book is done! I know! I can't believe it either!
56 pages! 28 Illustrations! 28 Original Poems! Full color! Owls galore! 6 x 9!
Limited Edition! Only 200 copies printed!
An original drawing and signature with every purchase! Get em' before they're gone!
I'll be selling the new books at comic con starting this Wednesday! Come say hello! Booth C05. I'll also be selling two of my previous books.
"Say Havarti" - a collection of sketchbook doodles, characters, and drawings.
" And it Began " - a boy meets the band Daft Punk for lunch, tries on their robot helmet, and goes on a crazy visual journey.
If you want to purchase any of my books and are interested in prices, send me an email!
captainyolk@hotmail.com !!
I also share a table at the con with J.J. Villard! He'll be selling his new book too! More details to come about it soon. Check out the cover!
My new book is done! I know! I can't believe it either!
56 pages! 28 Illustrations! 28 Original Poems! Full color! Owls galore! 6 x 9!
Limited Edition! Only 200 copies printed!
An original drawing and signature with every purchase! Get em' before they're gone!
I'll be selling the new books at comic con starting this Wednesday! Come say hello! Booth C05. I'll also be selling two of my previous books.
"Say Havarti" - a collection of sketchbook doodles, characters, and drawings.
" And it Began " - a boy meets the band Daft Punk for lunch, tries on their robot helmet, and goes on a crazy visual journey.
If you want to purchase any of my books and are interested in prices, send me an email!
captainyolk@hotmail.com !!
I also share a table at the con with J.J. Villard! He'll be selling his new book too! More details to come about it soon. Check out the cover!
New Book......and a tease. More to come.
"Stained glass crystals catch my eye..."
Prisma color, pen and marker on Brown paper.
Prisma color, pen and marker on Brown paper.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Man, today was rough watching the memorial....
But I bought this T-shirt and it made me feel better. Such a cool design.
By the way, I listened to this song non-stop in high school on my walkman cassette player. At lunch, on the bus, sometimes in class..ha!.. and at home...so perfect for a dance party. And that intro to the song.....soooo goooood!!
And this is fascinating... just watch. Behind the scenes of recording Michael with Bruce Sweiden...
Recording and Mixing "Billie Jean"....
The year is 1982. The song is "Billie Jean". The sonic image of Michael Jacksons' "Billie Jean" is a perfect example of what happened, when I sat around dreaming awhile, about combining different recording techniques to produce a unique musical canvas with a tremendous 'sonic personality'.
Of course I was comfortably ensconsed in Westlake Audio’s beautiful new Studio ‘A’ on Beverly Boulevard, with my good friends Quincy Jones, Micheal Jackson and Rod Temperton. We were doing our favorite thing... We were making music!!! We had just started recording Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller”...
We were recording Michael’s song “Billie Jean”.....
I recorded the drums,(played by the fantastic drummer, N'Dugu) with as tight, and powerful a drum sound as I could come up with. Of course I put N'Dugus' drum set on my plywood drum platform. Also at this time, I had a special kick drum cover made that covers the whole front of the kick drum. There's a slot with a zipper in it that the mike fits through. When the kick drum mike is in place, in the slot in my drum cover, I zip the opening tightly shut around the mike.
I brought in my old pal George Massenburgs' spectacular sounding, portable, 12 channel recording console and used it to record the rhythm section. With it I recorded the bass, drums and guitars on my analogue 16 track, with no noise reduction equipment in the way of that fantastic sound!
In my estimation, the the result of the song “Billie Jean”, is a perfect example of what I call “Sonic Personality”. I don’t think there are many recordings, where all you need to hear is the first few drums beats, and you instantly know what song it is.
Great albums always start with great songs....
"Billie Jean" is just such a superb song! Of course, Michael wrote "Billie Jean"..
Quincy says that the lyric that Michael wrote is highly personal. I’m sure that’s true. Michael told us... it was about a girl, that climbed over the wall at Michael’s house, and was lounging out there, by the swimming pool.... she was laying out there, near the pool , lounging... hangin’ out... with shades on, her bathing suit on. One morning she just showed up! Kind of like a stalker, almost. She had accused Michael of being the father of ONE of her twins... Is that possible? I don’t think so....
When it came time for me to mix "Billie Jean", it was business as usual... When I am working with Michael, Quincy, Rod, Jennifer, Sergio and so on..... I am allowed total ceative freedom with the sonics of the music... In other words, I am always left to myself when it is time to mix. My mixes can take hours, days or even weeks.... I firmly believe that a mix is not finished, until it is on a Record for sale at Tower....
So I had been mixing "Billie Jean" for a day or two. I’d do a mix. ..... Say I was up to mix number 2.... (At that time I was mixing onto 1/2” analogue.) I thought it was killer!!!
I called MJ, Quincy and Rod into the control room and played mix 2 for them. They loved it!!! They were all dancing and carrying on like crazy!!! Smiles all around! Then Michael slipped out of the control room, turned around and motioned to me to follow him... Then he whispered to me, “Please Bruce, it’s perfect, but turn the Bass up just a tiny bit, and do one more mix, please....” I said to him...”OK Smelly, no problem”...
(When we were recording “Off The Wall”, Quincy gave Michael the nickname of “Smelly” because when Michael liked a groove, he’d call it “Smelly Jelly.” Also Michael doesn’t curse, and when MJ wants to say a bad word he’ll simply call it “Smelly”... The name has stuck...)
Then I went back into the control room to add Michael’s tiny bit of bass to my mix... Quincy pulled me over into the corner and said “Please Svensk... “(Svensk is Quincy’s nickname for me. It means “Swedish Man” in Swedish... When you have a genuine Quincy Jones nickname like ‘Svensk” - You are truly honored....) Q said to me.... “Add a little garlic salt to the snare and the kick. Just a squirt!!!”) so I went back into the control room and added a little garlic salt to the snare and the kick. Just a squirt!!! Now I was up to mix 20 on "Billie Jean".
Well, this went on for about a week. Soon I was up to mix 91!!! I had a stack of 1/2 inch tapes almost to the ceiling!!! I would do a few mixes, we’d listen... Then do a few more. We had it PERFECT!!! We thought we had a really ‘HOT’ mix on “Billie Jean”. I played Mix 91 for the boys... Everybody smiled... but Quincy had one of his funny looks on his face...
I thought.... Hmmmm.... Oh, Oh....
Quincy said “You know Svensk, just for the fun of it, can we listen to one of your earlier mixes???” My heart jumped because I knew that my earlier mixes were dynamite!!! Then Quincy said, “Let’s hear mix number 2!!!” Oh WOW!!!! Hallelujah!!! I love mix 2!!!!
We listened to mix 2... IT WAS SLAMMIN’!!! EVERYONE IN THE STUDIO WAS GROOVIN’ AND DANCIN’ and HAPPY, and actin’ IGNORANT!!!!
Well, here’s the deal. When “Thriller” was released to the Whole World by Epic Records, on Tuesday, November 30, 1982, it went to Tower Records with MIX 2 OF "Billie Jean" on it!!! AND, when the single of "Billie Jean" came out it was MIX 2!!!
The REAL Story of "Billie Jean"...
Bruce Swedien
By the way, I listened to this song non-stop in high school on my walkman cassette player. At lunch, on the bus, sometimes in class..ha!.. and at home...so perfect for a dance party. And that intro to the song.....soooo goooood!!
And this is fascinating... just watch. Behind the scenes of recording Michael with Bruce Sweiden...
Recording and Mixing "Billie Jean"....
The year is 1982. The song is "Billie Jean". The sonic image of Michael Jacksons' "Billie Jean" is a perfect example of what happened, when I sat around dreaming awhile, about combining different recording techniques to produce a unique musical canvas with a tremendous 'sonic personality'.
Of course I was comfortably ensconsed in Westlake Audio’s beautiful new Studio ‘A’ on Beverly Boulevard, with my good friends Quincy Jones, Micheal Jackson and Rod Temperton. We were doing our favorite thing... We were making music!!! We had just started recording Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller”...
We were recording Michael’s song “Billie Jean”.....
I recorded the drums,(played by the fantastic drummer, N'Dugu) with as tight, and powerful a drum sound as I could come up with. Of course I put N'Dugus' drum set on my plywood drum platform. Also at this time, I had a special kick drum cover made that covers the whole front of the kick drum. There's a slot with a zipper in it that the mike fits through. When the kick drum mike is in place, in the slot in my drum cover, I zip the opening tightly shut around the mike.
I brought in my old pal George Massenburgs' spectacular sounding, portable, 12 channel recording console and used it to record the rhythm section. With it I recorded the bass, drums and guitars on my analogue 16 track, with no noise reduction equipment in the way of that fantastic sound!
In my estimation, the the result of the song “Billie Jean”, is a perfect example of what I call “Sonic Personality”. I don’t think there are many recordings, where all you need to hear is the first few drums beats, and you instantly know what song it is.
Great albums always start with great songs....
"Billie Jean" is just such a superb song! Of course, Michael wrote "Billie Jean"..
Quincy says that the lyric that Michael wrote is highly personal. I’m sure that’s true. Michael told us... it was about a girl, that climbed over the wall at Michael’s house, and was lounging out there, by the swimming pool.... she was laying out there, near the pool , lounging... hangin’ out... with shades on, her bathing suit on. One morning she just showed up! Kind of like a stalker, almost. She had accused Michael of being the father of ONE of her twins... Is that possible? I don’t think so....
When it came time for me to mix "Billie Jean", it was business as usual... When I am working with Michael, Quincy, Rod, Jennifer, Sergio and so on..... I am allowed total ceative freedom with the sonics of the music... In other words, I am always left to myself when it is time to mix. My mixes can take hours, days or even weeks.... I firmly believe that a mix is not finished, until it is on a Record for sale at Tower....
So I had been mixing "Billie Jean" for a day or two. I’d do a mix. ..... Say I was up to mix number 2.... (At that time I was mixing onto 1/2” analogue.) I thought it was killer!!!
I called MJ, Quincy and Rod into the control room and played mix 2 for them. They loved it!!! They were all dancing and carrying on like crazy!!! Smiles all around! Then Michael slipped out of the control room, turned around and motioned to me to follow him... Then he whispered to me, “Please Bruce, it’s perfect, but turn the Bass up just a tiny bit, and do one more mix, please....” I said to him...”OK Smelly, no problem”...
(When we were recording “Off The Wall”, Quincy gave Michael the nickname of “Smelly” because when Michael liked a groove, he’d call it “Smelly Jelly.” Also Michael doesn’t curse, and when MJ wants to say a bad word he’ll simply call it “Smelly”... The name has stuck...)
Then I went back into the control room to add Michael’s tiny bit of bass to my mix... Quincy pulled me over into the corner and said “Please Svensk... “(Svensk is Quincy’s nickname for me. It means “Swedish Man” in Swedish... When you have a genuine Quincy Jones nickname like ‘Svensk” - You are truly honored....) Q said to me.... “Add a little garlic salt to the snare and the kick. Just a squirt!!!”) so I went back into the control room and added a little garlic salt to the snare and the kick. Just a squirt!!! Now I was up to mix 20 on "Billie Jean".
Well, this went on for about a week. Soon I was up to mix 91!!! I had a stack of 1/2 inch tapes almost to the ceiling!!! I would do a few mixes, we’d listen... Then do a few more. We had it PERFECT!!! We thought we had a really ‘HOT’ mix on “Billie Jean”. I played Mix 91 for the boys... Everybody smiled... but Quincy had one of his funny looks on his face...
I thought.... Hmmmm.... Oh, Oh....
Quincy said “You know Svensk, just for the fun of it, can we listen to one of your earlier mixes???” My heart jumped because I knew that my earlier mixes were dynamite!!! Then Quincy said, “Let’s hear mix number 2!!!” Oh WOW!!!! Hallelujah!!! I love mix 2!!!!
We listened to mix 2... IT WAS SLAMMIN’!!! EVERYONE IN THE STUDIO WAS GROOVIN’ AND DANCIN’ and HAPPY, and actin’ IGNORANT!!!!
Well, here’s the deal. When “Thriller” was released to the Whole World by Epic Records, on Tuesday, November 30, 1982, it went to Tower Records with MIX 2 OF "Billie Jean" on it!!! AND, when the single of "Billie Jean" came out it was MIX 2!!!
The REAL Story of "Billie Jean"...
Bruce Swedien
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Michael
Found this photo online and it makes me smile. You'll be missed Mike.
I found another great clip too. Check out how slick this moonwalk is and holy moly bamohley....the pop lockin'..... simply amazing.
I found another great clip too. Check out how slick this moonwalk is and holy moly bamohley....the pop lockin'..... simply amazing.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A legend is Gone. RIP Michael Joseph Jackson
This is one of my favorite performances from the BAD tour.
And here he is with James Brown. Incredible dancing!
And here he is with James Brown. Incredible dancing!
I Love Pencil and Paper
This is a great little video about the return of hand drawn animation ... and my Cal Arts buddies Mario Furmanczyk, Eric Fountain and Joe Pitt make an appearance as well! And where's Jen Hager? Jen, you should complain!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Friday, May 08, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Comic-Con Nerds try and protect Cincinnati! HA-HA!
"They surely won't recognize us because he's blind, BUT...
I'm sure he'll recognize the taste of a good meal."
- Shadowhair
I'm sure he'll recognize the taste of a good meal."
- Shadowhair
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
It's rainin' burgers!
Another image Sony's released from "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs". C'mon Sony Marketing!!! Let's show more of the goods!!
You can also go to the website.
You can also go to the website.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
This Drawing
is sick! So good! It's by Dick Briefer. Found it on John K's blog. I love how you can feel the energy in the pull of the alligator's mouth.
And this one has such great caricature.
Wow.
And this one has such great caricature.
Wow.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Not yet!
I wish I could show you a scene from this movie!! But I can't! It's top secret private none of your beeswax before the release date shtuff! Wow. It's looking gooooooood! Mouth watering goooood! Ok...that was kind of lame! But seriously...you're gonna want to eat the screen after you see this movie!
P.S.
I'm working on the opening sequence right now with the main character, Flynt.
P.S.
I'm working on the opening sequence right now with the main character, Flynt.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
work work work
Work work work
I'm here all day
I never sleep
I work work work.
I never shave
I'm such a slave
I work work work
Up all night
drinking Coke
I youtube lots and lots
of jokes.
I'm animating on a movie based on this book below.
I'm here all day
I never sleep
I work work work.
I never shave
I'm such a slave
I work work work
Up all night
drinking Coke
I youtube lots and lots
of jokes.
I'm animating on a movie based on this book below.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Cheese rant.
When ordering a burger today, I was asked if I wanted Cheddar, Swiss, or American cheese on it.
I had to pause and think...that's like asking me if I wanted boring, boring, and boring on my burger.
I like cheese. I like good cheese. I'm bored of those cheeses.
One more thing...unrelated to cheese.
Garfield is real.
Well...actually Garfield does love Lasagna.So it kind of relates.
I had to pause and think...that's like asking me if I wanted boring, boring, and boring on my burger.
I like cheese. I like good cheese. I'm bored of those cheeses.
One more thing...unrelated to cheese.
Garfield is real.
Well...actually Garfield does love Lasagna.So it kind of relates.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Friday, February 06, 2009
I like this quote...
From Neil Gaiman ( creator of Coraline )
“Someone asked me last week if Coraline would be an appropriate film for their six-year-old son. I don’t know. That’s like asking me if their six-year-old would like mushroom soup. I don’t know the kid and so I have no idea what is appropriate for him.”
Brilliant!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
New Paintings at Littlebird Gallery
Opening Saturday evening at Littlebird Gallery.
A Star is Born
Acrylic, Ink, and Prismacolor pencil on brown paper
9" x 12"
A Star is Born
Acrylic, Ink, and Prismacolor pencil on brown paper
9" x 12"
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