So long and thanks for all the Fish (and Chups)

So I've moved to Korea. It's random, I know...

The work that I was doing was great fun, I'd been doing Concept Art at weta for the last year or so, and was getting better every day. But I felt like my life needed a change. Apparently a big change.

Moving to Seoul is that change, and I'm feeling pretty good abut it. I have a lot more free time now to work on my own projects. Moth-City and Dead-Guy are progressing very well and I expect to have more time to work on personal illustrations and designs. Moving to a new city, especially one so different from Wellington, has really opened my eyes - like only traveling can, and I expect it to have a big influence on both my life and my work for years to come.

Have spotted some extraordinary pieces of design and architecture and I will post these up as soon as I get sorted.

Updates soon :)

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.

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...

James Cameron and Dead-Guy

Now, before you get carried away, James Cameron has never seen Dead-Guy and probably never will... unless I mail it to him inside a sponge cake (considers). But the real connection is that I haven't been able to crank out many updates for youse fullas lately 'cause the workshop's been taking up my precious time - and I blame James Cameron...

These young upstart directors and their quaint little films, I mean 'science fiction'? Who's interested in fiction nowdays anyway? Not me, give me Fox News anyday...

But in case I lose my job, may I say that I was very excited to stand in the same room as the director of Aliens and Terminator. Hopefully some little part of his success might rub off on me like a cat leaving hair on your new black sweater. Or something.

Dead-Guy News

I have some very good news about Dead-Guy and my plans for World Domination (trademark pending) that I can't tell you yet, but can tell you soon...

Dead-Guy Redesign

The little fulla is going though a bit of an overhaul at the moment, I'm refining nooks and filling crannies - generally spitting all over him and then polishing him up till he's good and shinny. More teaser images coming soon. Oh yeah!

Vinyl Toy Design

So I'm thinking about changing some of the forms in the body to bring it closer to the head's style - blocky, simplified shapes. Mainly just straightening some lines here and there and removing some detail on the back and such. I guess the best way to describe what I think needs to be done is making him look more like a 2D illustration sculpted up than a 3D model.

Dead-Guy WIP 360

This is still a work in progress, he requires a weapon, and he has a niffy iris-lens surprise on the way, but check it yo (EDIT: I have now extended the length of the video):

Dead-Guy Has New Goggles

Having a bit of a play with the goggles and strapping in maya.

50 Dead-Guy Cards at Popup

Popup Gallery has 50 numbered 'Dead-Guy is Coming' cards in-store as of today. If you're in Wellington, go get 'em before they're all given away. Their website is here.

World Domination via Vinyls

Well I don't think this is normally done on blogs, but my quest for World Domination (tm) seems to require some assistance.

As you can see, here are my locations of blog visits:













While not bad for the first 15 days of scheming, you may notice that World Domination (tm) is not yet assured. There seem to be some rather large pockets of resistance to the wily charms of my toys. Below I have outlined a plan of attack. If you know anyone in the following 'red states' (connotations not intentional), do be a chum (patriot term there) and flick them an email. And don't you penguin farmers o' Antarctica think I've forgotten about you (like the google map) - this is merely the first wave...

Toy Card Details

Some details.



















A little something for someone who took the time to comment. I don't think I can post you one of the real cards, but here's a digital one, just for you -it's super-exclusive.

Other Fun Ways of Wasting Money

Ok, the cards are printed and looking pretty fly. As I took them round Weta Workshop and touted their exclusivity, labeling them 'collectors cards,' some smart fellow misunderstood and went "are there stats on the back?"

Damnit. Now it seems that I shall (at some later stage) have to release a small series of Dead-Guy wrestling cards. Ohhhh yeah. Wins, loses, special powers, finishing moves, their idea of the perfect date. You know, cool shit.

Anyway, card numbers 100-300 should be jet-setting their way over to London in the next week. So, if Flameo can make it though Customs with his smuggled Dingo steaks, they might be in Soho the following week. But who knows with that guy. He may have already eaten all 200.

The Toy Render

Here's the render of the Dead-Guy himself, straight outta Maya. As you can see, this is the render that was used in the teaser card.

The Card is Done!

Okay, I do believe that I have finished the first piece of Grizzly Tang paraphernalia. "The Dead-Guy is Coming!" cards. I expect to get these printed in a few days so that Flameo may take some to London.

So far it seems that the only places you'll be able to get these suckers (FREE no less! it can't help but be a bargain) will be London and Wellington. Not bad places to start world domination I guess. Better than Fiji for instance. he he

And yes, you may have noticed the pygmy 'no.' text in the top right corner. That's because my dumb-ass expects to spend some of my precious gaming time to write small numbers with big markers in tiny spacers. 'Why?' you ask, well I don't frickin' know.
























Why do I have the feeling that I will wake to find a crowd of Fijian pygmies banging on my door tonight... shivers...

Too Much 'Real' Work

I'm afraid I haven't been able to do any more work on the Dead-Guy for the last couple of days as I have been overcome with an extreme case of 'real life,' thus preventing me from spending my after-work hours tweaking verts for your pleasure.

I do, however have a self-imposed deadline for my 'dead-guy is coming' cards, because a friend is, very generously, taking some to London with him to give away to toy freaks, shop owners and passing miscreants. Or something... He'll probably smoke them.

Anyway, if anyone knows of good vinyl related shops/galleries around London that he should visit leave a comment or flick me an email.

Dunny Club

Woo-hoo, another mention on a vinyl blog!
Dunny Club has posted a short snippet in which I'm called Tim Bison rather than Gibson, but I'm such an attention-ho I don't care.

Dead-Guy 'coming soon' WIP vol.2

Here's an update of the teaser image:

Toys are Evil

Uber toys news blog 'Toys are Evil' gave Grizzly Tang a plug today, which is dang cool. Maybe this blog thing isn't so hard after all. He has requested a 'Kung-Fu-Chop' arm function, I don't think that'll happen on the first edition, but maybe later eh?

I'm not expecting the orders to flow in just yet (I have the feeling I need to do more work before that happens), but so far all the feedback has been really positive. Which reminds me, if anyone has any thoughts, questions or comments on this blog or on Dead-Guy and any future characters in the line, feel free to leave a comment or send me and email.

Toys are Evil can be found here.

Dead-Guy 'coming soon' WIP

This is still a work in progress, I spent some time on it tonight after work. I've been looking at a lot of old comic-book covers and illustrations. It still needs to be roughed up a lot, and generally sewn together a bit more. I'm happy with where it's going though.