Thomas Thorspecken's "The Hub"

Hey guys,

I just wanted to post a link for Tom Thorspecken's sketch from his amazing blog, Analog Artist Digital World, for the opening of Full Sail University's Digital Arts & Graphic Design gallery The Hub. Here is an article about it from Full Sail:

http://www.fullsailblog.com/digital-arts-designs-hub-gallery-returns-with-music-inspired-art/

Thor sketched my co-workers Curator and History of Visual Communication Course Director Kim Lomas, Resident Artist Tom Buzbee, and Studio Artist Avaryl Buzbee. Also at the bottom left of the page, you'll find a familiar figure holding a Nikon camera (as the unofficial photographer) and drinking from a water bottle while chatting up co-worker and Art History Assistant Course Director Jessica Vick.

Thorspecken is an Orlando event reporter except instead of taking pictures, he sketches the event (or part of it) in watercolor. He was a clean-up artist at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida and now teaches in the 2D Animation class at Full Sail University's Computer Animation department. I worked at Disney Florida on "Brother Bear" and although we never worked together, I hold Thor in the highest respect for working at the studio.

Check out the sketch here:

http://www.analogartistdigitalworld.com/2013/10/the-hub.html

Help Art Story!

There are only 4 days left to help fund the Art Story Kickstarter! Please consider donating and sharing the link if you would love to see this short film produced. It's a great way to introduce people and children to the wonderful world of fine art through animation. The directors are my former producer and director on Disney's "Brother Bear", Chuck Williams and Aaron Blaise respectively. Aaron has found a new career in teaching animal & fantasy art in Photoshop here: http://creatureartteacher.com/ but he is still very much involved in animation.

Great rewards at the website and every little bit counts so please help them if you're able! Check out the entire campaign and donate here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/291846368/art-story

Figure drawing post

Drawings posted after the break, these are figure drawings from the Sunday morning class at Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park, FL for 3 different sessions in the last few months. Done with a Pentel Tradio pen and gray Copic Sketch markers (N2, 5, & 8) on Strathmore 500 Series marker paper 9"x12". My scanner computer is still broken and I waited a bit until I could scan a bunch of them from work. 

Warning: if you're offended by artistic nudity, I'd  suggest you not go further and please check out my other work here in the non-figure drawing posts (or clothed ones) and at the Dos Illustros sketchblog instead. If you're not offended then please read on...

Slowing down

Hey guys,

My schedule has been really busy with teaching classes both on-campus and online for the last 3 months but thankfully things have slowed down for a bit and I'm going on vacation next week to recharge batteries. I'm planning to do some personal artwork along with the relaxation before things pick up again so hopefully there'll be more art coming to the blog here. Now that I have at least a working scanner in the studio, I'll be able to post the last Crealdé figure drawing session I went to.

For now I'd like to post a portrait of U2's guitarist The Edge from the Joshua Tree days (photo reference from Anton Corbjin) done recently for my friend Jeff Lang. It's pen & ink on 5"x7" Canson BFK Rives cream paper, click on the image for a closer look:

And here's a photo from my Kleeman and Mike panel at Full Sail's Hall of Fame event since I found at Full Sail's Flickr feed:

Hope everyone's summer is going ok! Florida gets a bit miserable with the heat, rain, and humidity but I hope to make it to the beach soon!

Fangchorman at Redlight Redlight

Come see "Fangchorman" (9"x12" acrylic and cut paper on wood) in person at Orlando legendary craft beer bar Redlight Redlight for the "Hot Puns" art show this Saturday April 27 and for 3 more weeks after! For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/events/376356702478086/

"Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" wins Best Animated Short at Florida Film Festival!

Great news: "Backyard Jam" won Best Animated Short at the Florida Film Festival this year! Now that the short has won a festival, it was necessary for the filmmakers to take it down from the Vimeo and YouTube page in order to submit to more festivals. You can check out a new trailer for the short here:

http://www.kleemanandmike.com/
http://vimeo.com/64579951


Press Release:

Full Sail Course Director Credited on Florida Film Festival Winner

On Saturday April 13, 2013, in Winter Park, Fla., Randall Christopher's independent animated short "Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" won the Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short in the Florida Film Festival. Full Sail University Course Director Hugo Giraud is among the animators who helped make the short come to life.

In addition to being a full-time instructor at Full Sail, Hugo is an animation industry veteran whose work has appeared in productions by Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, MTV Animation, and Cartoon Network. "Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" is the third film Hugo has worked on that has made it to the Florida Film Festival and the first winner. He previously represented the first "Kleeman and Mike: Animated Short" film and supported the Walt Disney Feature Animation documentary "Dream On Silly Dreamer" at the festival in 2005.

About Hugo Giraud:

Hugo Giraud is a Central Florida-based illustrator, animator, fine artist and instructor. He is currently the Course Director for the on-campus Design and Art Theory class in the Digital Arts and Design and Graphic Design programs at Full Sail University. Hugo attended the famed Barbara Bassett Art Workshop in Winter Park and the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. He is a 15-year animation industry veteran with former clients including Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, MTV Animation, and Cartoon Network. His fine art has been exhibited throughout Orlando at OMA, Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Full Sail University, Überbot, The Peacock Room, Substance, Thee Grotto, and craft beer bar Redlight Redlight.

hugogiraud.blogspot.com
www.imdb.com/name/nm0320783/

Twitter: @HugoGiraud
 

About the Florida Film Festival:
The Florida Film Festival is the premier showcase in Central Florida for American independent and international film. Celebrating its 22nd anniversary, the Festival debuted in 1992 and is a core program of ENZIAN, a nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1985. ENZIAN and the Florida Film Festival have served more than 1.5 million guests and hosted hundreds of notable celebrities including Paul Newman, Christopher Walken, Oliver Stone, Glenn Close, John Waters, Emma Stone, Campbell Scott, James Caan, Ed Burns, Jason Lee, Gena Rowlands, William H. Macy, Jon Voight, Barry Levinson, and Edward James Olmos. The Festival is funded in part by national and local businesses including Primary Sponsor Full Sail University and receives support from United Arts of Central Florida and the State of Florida, Department of the State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. In addition, this project is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.

For additional information:
www.floridafilmfestival.com
www.facebook.com/floridafilmfestival
Twitter: @FloridaFilmFest

About Full Sail University:

Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in the entertainment and media industry. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has been recognized as one of the Top Five Game Degree Programs by Electronic Gaming Monthly, one of the Best Music Programs by Rolling Stone Magazine, and one of the Best Film Programs by UNleashed Magazine. In 2011, Full Sail received the “21st Century Best Practices in Distance Learning Award” from the United States Distance Learning Association, was named the “School/College of the Year” by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Social Media Colleges by Studentadvisor.com.

Full Sail offers Master, Bachelor, and Associate campus and online degree programs in areas related to animation, art, business, education, graphic design, film, marketing, web development, music, recording arts, sports, and video games. Full Sail graduate credits include work on OSCAR®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, ADDY®, MTV Video Music Award, and Spike Video Game Award nominated and winning projects.

www.fullsail.edu
www.twitter.com/fullsail
www.facebook.com/fullsailuniversity
www.fullsailblog.com

Kleeman and Mike THIS WEEK at FFF!

"Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" will screen as part of the Florida Film Festival's Animated Shorts program: this Wednesday 6:45pm at the Enzian and Friday 9:45pm at Winter Park Regal Cinema. I'll be there on Friday, come say hi... there'll be Q&A! Buy tickets soon, that screening sells out!

http://floridafilmfestival.com/films_events/film_guide/backyard-jam

http://floridafilmfestival.com/films_events/film_guide/shorts-program-5-animated-shorts

Also of interest for animation lovers is the International Animated Shorts program, Sat. 4/13 @5:30pm and Sun. 4/13 at 2pm both at the Winter Park Regal:

http://floridafilmfestival.com/films_events/film_guide/international-animated-shorts

How to buy tickets:
http://floridafilmfestival.com/tickets/how_to_buy_tickets

Hope to see you there!

-hugo

New look!

I was designing a business card for myself so I decided to place the same aesthetic here so that they match. Got it cleaner by using the same template of our Dos Ilustros blog (which I like), Blogger's "Simple". The header graphic's typeface is the elegant Neutraface by House Industries. Thank's to my talented friend Jeremy Rosario for the recommendation!

Fangchorman

Fangs + Ron Burgundy = Vampire Anchorman

("Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy" without fangs done for the "ICONS" show on February 2013)

Jacob & Bailey

Last year I had the great pleasure to do an illustration for my friend & co-worker Jacob Kaplan's Save-The-Date wedding postcard. The final illustration was painted on an 8.5"x11" gessoed illustration board with Golden acrylics. The wedding just got recently recently featured on the wedding website "Style Me Pretty" and since they posted a picture of the final postcard, I wanted to show how it was printed: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/picture/930969

Click photo for bigger version 

Photo by Jessica Leigh Bozard

Here's a shot from my Instagram of Bailey and Jacob with the illustration in the background: http://instagram.com/p/REpzHIgsXK/

The entire wedding was beautiful and nicely styled! If you'd like to check out more shots of it, you can do so here: http://www.stylemepretty.com/gallery/gallery/11906

Congrats Bailey & Jacob!

Kleeman and Mike at the Florida Film Festival 2013!

Great news! The Florida Film Festival will be screening "Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" as part of their Animated Shorts program this year! This program is one of the most popular at the festival and it's actually Kleeman and Mike's second time at the festival, the first being the "Kleeman and Mike: Animated Short" back in 2005 (which I represented).

Creator Randy Christopher will be flying in from San Diego for the event and I will be there as well showing support. I actually go every year to both of the Animated Shorts and International Animated Shorts programs as there is always something interesting to see every year. It'll be great to see the short on the big screen. Hope to see you there, make sure you say hi!

You will be able to buy tickets soon at the Enzian box office or the website: http://floridafilmfestival.com/

Also check out Central Florida's Enzian theater if you like independent movies: http://enzian.org/


If you haven't checked out the short, see it here:

http://kleemanandmike.com/
or
http://vimeo.com/53638798


ps. I will also be doing a presentation of the short and it's process at my school, Full Sail University, during their "Hall of Fame Week 2013" in the 2nd week of February. You'll be able to get in if you're a student or staff member!

ICONS tonight!

Doing this art show TONIGHT! I'll be there from 8ish-11, come say hi & check out some cool art! It's $5 before 10pm, $10 after.

Here's a preview of my piece at Instagram (follow me: girson26):

http://instagr.am/p/U4i2mJgsUm/

ICONS +

Doing this art show next Sat. with friends +Ernie Turner, +George Frei, &+STEVE PARKER. Come check out some great art & music at Thee Grotto in downtown Orlando, my latest piece "Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy" will be on display! Images coming to the blog soon, go to the Facebook event page for details:

http://www.facebook.com/events/472730879457330/

I also want to remind everybody that the FROSTED 3D anti-bullying Kickstarter campaign is still going at 20 days left and we'd love your help to make it happen! Please donate and share the link if you can!

http://kck.st/X1EQ0f


Here's a recent 20s'/30's cartoon character from my sketchbook at Dos Illustros:

http://dosillustros.blogspot.com/2013/01/20s30s-animated-character.html


And if you haven't seen "Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam", the latest animated short I worked on, then head on over here to check it out! We entered it at the Florida Film Festival for 2013, crossing our fingers!

http://vimeo.com/53638798


Peaces!

-hugo


UPDATE at 4:10pm:

I was just informed that "Kleeman and Mike in Backyard Jam" was featured in YouTube's Network A Skate channel! Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NetworkASkate
http://goo.gl/WtlrS

ps. Fun fact: comedian Paul Rodriguez's son is a pro skater featured on the channel!