SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERY INCORPORATED Has Kept Me Busy This Past Christmas...

Hello all! I have not been neglecting my blog on purpose but work here has been busy as hell of late. I am still working on Kung Fu Panda 2 work and that is getting close to finally being done and I have been working on the FIRST licensed project for the new Scooby-Doo show called simply Mystery Incorporated. The first 13 episodes have aired and the early phases of WB getting the new show and it's new look out to the public in other venues is moving along slowly. This piece above is from the style guide, which is around 70 pieces and is pretty much the only thing out there right now besides the actual cartoon. This show has a slightly different art style from the classic look but it's kinda the same in spots when you start working on it. I will say that the style guide art is more exaggerated than the actual look of the cartoon so I've been finding a happy medium trying to combine the two. I got the gig back in late August or knew it was coming, but didn't start till late November (the week of Thanksgiving actually and after I did an audition piece for it) and it's been a deadline rush from the first day since there is no real set direction for the look of the license and I'm kind of creating the look for it since it's the first thing being done for the show. I am trying to keep it as faithful to the look and tone of the show as possible and I'm mighty happy with the results thus far and feel it's some of my best work I've ever done for Scoob. Also, after the initial pencil roughs that I drew by hand, everything after that stage is completely digital! The backgrounds have been the most fun to digitally paint and I've been moving between Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop in creating the work.

I had to work on the project as well while I was away down south for the Scott Innes event so that I could stay on my tight schedule but I've created a workflow that makes it easier to pump the stuff out now and it's moving along rather quick. I should be done by the end of January and I'll post some stuff then.

Also, since I had no time to really shop for people for Christmas I created a beautiful 11 x 15 print that's a piece that I've done for the gig and gave that out to a lucky few that I know as a Christmas gift. I kept it simple this holiday season... so the deadline rolls on and I'm back to Crystal Cove and getting some gas for the Mystery Machine as I approach the end of this adventure.

After that, I have another Scooby project lined up... Booyah! I've been so busy that I had to turn down a Phineas and Ferb job a few weeks ago. I hated to do it but it was another tight deadline and I just couldn't get it in. I hope to do some new work with the boys soon though!