Merry Christmass Yo

Halo Adverts

I've tracked down a clip of the 3 halo commercials cut together to form an uber military sci-fi geekfest. You get to see a lot more of the Warthog that I worked on, and also some of the overlaid motion graphic (HDUs, security cam footage, Warthog camera systems, and Satellite/Chopper tracking Systems, and also the tracking system locking onto the falling asteroids) that me and a friend produced for the folks at Origami to integrate.

All up, I reckon it looks awesome. As always, there's a lot more work put into everything than will ever be seen (especially at you tube res), but I'm getting used to that.

Illustration Experiments

I've been posting a bit to my Concept Art sketch book here, and came accross a way for producing a watercolour like effect in photoshop using the heal brush to blend colours.

I've had a brief play, the results of which you can see below (painted under a quick life drawing sketch from the previous week). I intend on playing around with some other methods to see what comes out, so expect a few more iterations soon.

Scott Spencer Workshops

One of the wizz kids of digital sculpting came and visited us here at Weta Workshop last week. We spent three hours every day for a week while he showed us Z-brush tricks and taught us various nifty things. He showed us a lot a things he's learnt but also some personal methods of his own that he will gift to the wide world in the form of a book written by the man himself.

I'm not sure when it's due out, but I expect it to be awesome.

The classes were interesting, I felt comfortable enough because of my 3d background, some of the traditional sculptors had to find their feet with the computers, but more than made up for it with the awesome sculpting skills and control of form.

Anyway, enough jibba jabba - here's what I did in one of the classes - I need to do more.

Weta Work: The Red Star

And here's even more stuff I've been up to at work (suddenly it's in a rush to get public eh?) - the latest edition of the uber-indi Red Star comics - The Sword of Lies issue 2 has just been released and is available at comic retailers now.





















Here's how Wikipedia describes it: "The Red Star is a graphic novel by Christian Gossett set in a sci-fi/fantasy world described by Gossett as "Mythic [Soviet] Russia". The "Lands of The Red Star" were inspired by both Russian folklore and military history. The series is thus heavily reminiscent of a post-WW II Soviet Russia mixing technology and sorcery."

Myself and some of the designers here cranked out all the digital painting work, working with the lovely pencils of Mr Gossett. I has been an awesome experience to work on a graphic novel and one of my life-long ambitions. I was very lucky to have been involved and hope that it will lead to more work in the comic industry in the future.

And did I mention that it was oarsome? huh?

Weta Work: Automaitre'D

Okay, so here's something I've done here at Weta Workshop. And you can see it finally... I've been wanting to show this to people for fricken ages.











And a hi-res image:





















He's a mechanical butler from the Rayguns universe - an Automaitre'D. He was designed by Dr Broadmore and 3D modeled by myself and is possibly one of the most complex 3d models I've created. I shouldn't show any images that haven't been posted on line already, but let me say that the back of this dude is a right jumble of extravagant detail and steam-powered, cog driven antics.

He joined the team at Comic Con in standee form, serving up comics and collectible for all and sundry. Hopefully one day he may join Weta's impressive set of collectibles.

Weta Work: New Raygun Revealed

This little puppy is my favourite Raygun to be revealed so far, the 'Victorious Mongoose 1902a'. I have held it in my arms and wish to caress it's sweet metallic finish again and again. ohhhhh baby.

"...despite its humble proportion, the pistol packs quite a whollop. Able to project a conical emission for up to seventeen yards, the Victorious Mongoose will obliterate four pounds of Budgerigars in three fascinating seconds."

For the Wetapage and details go here.

Weta Work: Comic Con 07

So we've got this bug at weta, she's called the 'weta bug' and she often dresses normally, but in light of the geekeness entailed in a comic convention she's dressed up. As her character - Weta Bug. But she doesn't really look like a weta or a bug, but she has antenna or antennae or whatever.

It's complicated.

Anyway, she's cranking out some youTube updates for all of us about the San Diego Comic Con. And they go like this:

Weta Work: Halo Warthog

Well, it's on the Weta Workshop site, so I'll take that to mean I can show you the images. Now if you think this looks cool, it's cooler. It's real, it has a turbo motor, it has 4WD, it 'Crabs' and it has a frickkin massive gun on the back. A frickkin gun!

Trust me, it is a thing of green beauty. The Weta details are here.

Weta Work: Halo - Arms Race

Well they released this earlier than I expected them to, but here's one of the projects I've had my little finger stuck into recently here at Weta Workshop. Note that my finger was only one of many (much more talented) fingers here also inserted into the pie that is the Halo: Arms Race thingie. I think it looks pretty tight, congrats to all fingers involved; Bungie Studios, director Neill Blomkamp, WETA Workshop and Origami Digital LLC

Rad.















And here's a dodgy youTube version:

Book my Face

I'm on Facebook, come and kick it like tae bo with me here.

Titles Special

Some cool title sequences from the land of Japan:

Handle the Jandle Titles

These are the titles for Wellingtons 'Handle the Jandel' DIY music video competition 2006. I helped out with a schodey illustration and played the drummer and other parts in the bands. The project was coordinated by me mate Jerry, whose website you can see here.

Alive and Kung Fu Kicking

Yes, I'm still here, and still working on the Moth-City line (I've come up with a nice idea for the packaging I believe).

I've also been finishing off some projects here at Weta that might be released soon - everything you work on here takes so long to come out from the pre-production stage that you can't show anyone for ages... but soon I think, soon... maybe comic con... maybe

And to prove that I'm still alive, here is a photo of me doing kung-fu in a tuxedo, cause, you know...

Fallout 3 Game Trailer

There's a new trailer up for the long-awaited Fallout 3, one of the first games that I played that had a sense of humour and a nice sense of style. And it's post-apoc and stuff. The quicktime is here.

Rayguns Promotional Transmission

Broadmore and Weta have quitre currently released a Rayguns Promotional Transmission to be discovered here. It is rather splendid, and I do rather recommend that you commence to check it out... what. You can even download it and share it with friends - I say!

Ex Machina Trailer

The sequel to Appleseed, Ex Machina has a Japanese trailer just out. Check it out here.

Sigg Jones

An awesome animation by 3 students from France - if you haven't seen any cool 3d ani for a while this is well worth watching, even at 7 minutes long. (In case anyone is not aware, 7 minutes is an obscene length of time for a 3d animation piece, even if there were 3 of them)... their website looks like this

Rayguns in Wired magazine

Wired magazine has published a lovely article about the Weta Rayguns with brand new images here. Lovely...

They Only Come Out in Heels - Rantforfood

Here's another poster for RantForFood, check out the pitch - where surely, all hell will break loose!

rantforfood spoof movie pitches

Hey all, this is just a little rant for another little project of mine that I'm working on with a friend, it's a spoof movie ideas pitch blog, to be found here.

Users (that's you) submit their silliest ideas and we post 'em up. If your pitch is the raddest of rad myself, or my mate, will design a poster for it. Yay. If it's even radderer than that, we'll steal it and sell it as our own :)

This is a poster for one of my movie pitches involving Space Arabs, chrome dragons bad special effects.

So if you want a chance to have your stupidest idea in magnificent poster form, go check it out and submit something.

Limited Edition Toys - VG Cats

Nice little comment on the subject here.

superdickery.com

Here's a cool little collection of comic images with oddities. Lots of oddities. Go here for more.

WIP Moth-City Villian

Introducing a mysterious new villain, Red Visor. There are many more developments to come in the art-deco, film-nior, retro-futuristic horror world of Moth-City.

Mmm Cool Suit

This is apparently an image from the new Ironman movie. It looks geektastic.

If this movie is of the same caliber as Fantastic 4, Catwoman or any movies with Ben Afflek in it comic sellers need to begin macing any suited hacks with sunglasses from Hollywood, trawling for 'brand' material. Can't they just stick to Disney World rides?

This could be good though.

Weta Links 4

Weta-ian Lambert's website is here. I don't like Lambert much, he's good at things... lots of things, things he's never done before. You know those guys, the one's you pray never get interested in the things you're good at, lest they supersede you at them. If he starts designing toys I'll go CG Geek postal on his ass.

Weta Links 3

Weta-ian Pearce's website is here. Like everybody in this building he likes robots, guns and dinosaurs. I sense a pattern...

Dead-Guy is Getting Boned

Hey y'all, I've been rigging Dead-Guy with a digital armature so that I might pose him in a variety of oarsomeness. He'll be way more oarsome than other things, like climate change or making bears dance for money.

I'll make more sense when I've finished rigging the little bugger, it's a very tedious job.

Sculpture WIP 2

There's actually texture in there, not that my camera phone wants to show it.

Sculpture WIP

Just for kicks...

Jordu Schell at Workshop

So we've got a masters of sculpture and monster design hanging out with us at Workshop currently, Mr Jordu Schell. Understandably, I've been hanging out in the sculpting room picking up tit-bits like a bum picks up butts.

Anyway, his website is here.

Concept Artists: Tim McBurnie

I came accross this guys work today, and it's simply stunning, from the forms through to the colour and brush work.

yummy... taste it here.

Negadon Attacks

It's been a while since this crazy project started, but it's certainly worth checking out. It's called Negadon, and is inspired by Japanese monster movies and Tokusatsu films. I've heard it is being created by a very small group of folks, which if you look at the trailer is just plain astonishing. Go to the English website here.

Weta Links 2

Just thought I'd draw your attention to Weta-ian Beck and his website here.

He's really just a big kid - who no doubt dreams he's racing the A.P.C from Aliens in a demolition derby against '67 Mustang Fastbacks, while a 60-foot mechinoid jumping-spider (with machine guns embedded in it's legs) blows up explosive barrels near by... Nice guy tho'

Malajube "Montreal -40°C"

It's another oarsome music video:

New Weta Links

I've added some links to some of my Weta Workshop workmates for your perusal. They all insist that the websites haven't been updated in eons and that they are way cooler, more talented and better looking than their sites would suggest... but you know, whatever.... geeks...

So, in no particular order, here's Weta-ian Greer

Classic Cars

I went for a little trip to Nelson in the weekend and visited the classic car museum... I had forgotten how much I liked cars... I'm not trash or anything, I mean, some of my best friends are cultured. I have decided to incorporate 1930's -1950's car imagery into my line of designer toys. It's gonna be hot. Like a hot-rod.




































And me living my childhood dream:

Dead-Guy Updates

STRONGER, FASTER, BETTERER!
Here we have have Dead-Guy's remodeled body. The main aim was to bring the sculptural style of the torso closer to the beveled facets of the head. More goodies to come...

Gun Porn

Grizzly Tang in no way condones or distributes pornography... but if we did it would look like this:













On the off chance you didn't believe the press, the 'Rayguns' are indeed full-size, and quite weighty might I add. wooorrrrrr..... peeeowww-peeoww

More images and details here.

Kiwi Film Watch #2

Black Sheep (sans Chris Farely)

Weta Workshop did some choice-a creature effects on this film about monster/zombie/genetically altered sheep. How could it not be cool?

The Website with images and trailer is here.

Kiwi Film Watch #1

Eagle Vs. Shark has a teaser site to be found here. It's an indie rom-com which looks right up my alley. If it's not up you alley it should be. So put it there - now.

It is directed by Taika Waititi, the Kiwi who infamously pretended to be asleep at the Oscars when his film was nominated for Best Short Film. 'Caused a bit of a fuss... I thought it was classic personally. Har har and all that.

CRIME!!!

You can tell it's got 'suspen' in it because of the wavey type.

Casshern Trailer

Now, this isn't a new trailer, hell I think it's out on DVD (I heard it was a bit blah-de-blah) but dang it looks interesting. Have a look at the trailer here.