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| hollydgilliam.blogspot.com |
Terry Gilliam's daughter has started a blog called Discovering Dad about the treasures she's finding in her father's personal archive. Need I say more?
Showing posts with label Creative Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creative Inspiration. Show all posts
Creative Inspiration: Discovering Dad
Terry Gilliam's daughter has started a blog called Discovering Dad about the treasures she's finding in her father's personal archive. Need I say more?
Creative Inspiration: Animalympics
Whenever it's Olympic season, I always remember an old animated TV special called the Animalympics that first aired sometime around the 1980 games. I fell in love with it back then, and can note it's influence on my drawing, cartooning, and humor now.
I even quote lines from it once in a awhile. "Not bad for a fatso" said in self-deprecating humor is one I often say.
The Animalympics were originally two separate TV specials, the winter games, and the summer games. When released later on VHS, the two specials were edited together as one and is the version most know today.
Thanks to YouTube, here it is below in 8 parts for your enjoyment (but more so mine). If you've never seen before, it's well worth your time. By the way, the "fatso" line I mentioned is in part 3.
Watch in-between London game events. I'm pretty sure anything Ryan Seacrest might report will not be better than this.
I even quote lines from it once in a awhile. "Not bad for a fatso" said in self-deprecating humor is one I often say.
The Animalympics were originally two separate TV specials, the winter games, and the summer games. When released later on VHS, the two specials were edited together as one and is the version most know today.
Thanks to YouTube, here it is below in 8 parts for your enjoyment (but more so mine). If you've never seen before, it's well worth your time. By the way, the "fatso" line I mentioned is in part 3.
Watch in-between London game events. I'm pretty sure anything Ryan Seacrest might report will not be better than this.
Creative Inspiration: Battery Recharge
Watching an old TV special from my youth featuring behind the scenes film "magic" always recharges the creative batteries. Below, in four parts, is not only the first "Making of Star Wars" TV special that I remember seeing, but I'm pretty sure was the first ever made about the galaxy far, far away.
Creative Inspiration: H.R. Giger
Just discovered this fantastic mini documentary from 1979 about artist H.R. Giger's production design for the original ALIEN. It's narrated by Giger himself and thoroughly follows the creation of his now iconic works for the film. The behind the scenes footage is amazing - from first sketches to the sets being torn down in the studio.
In three parts.
In three parts.
Creative Inspiration: Perfessor Evil
Back in 2005, when I was art director on HGTV's Outer Spaces, the executive producer asked me to help research, easy but impressive looking, decorating projects for a possible Halloween special on the DIY network. That show never happened, but in my web searching I discovered Perfessor Evil's HauntProject.com and was instantly a fan of.
What I enjoyed most was the simple layout that was Pinterest before Pinterest. Photos of great projects to scroll down and look at, each linked to their origin site (and by the way, just celebrated adding it's 1000th project). Perfessor Evil had created a portal to the vast world of Halloween prop makers I never knew existed.
A few years later, I stopped by the site as I often did and was happily surprised to see that not only one of my prop projects had been found and posted, but Para Abnormal was also added to Haunt Project's web comics link page. It made me feel I was now a legit member of the haunting community.
Perfessor Evil was actually Rik Cary. Rik unexpectedly passed away this weekend. He made Halloween decorating even more creative for me as a consistent source of inspiration.
What I enjoyed most was the simple layout that was Pinterest before Pinterest. Photos of great projects to scroll down and look at, each linked to their origin site (and by the way, just celebrated adding it's 1000th project). Perfessor Evil had created a portal to the vast world of Halloween prop makers I never knew existed.
A few years later, I stopped by the site as I often did and was happily surprised to see that not only one of my prop projects had been found and posted, but Para Abnormal was also added to Haunt Project's web comics link page. It made me feel I was now a legit member of the haunting community.
Perfessor Evil was actually Rik Cary. Rik unexpectedly passed away this weekend. He made Halloween decorating even more creative for me as a consistent source of inspiration.
Here's a fun video of Rik's 2011 home haunt.
Creative Inspiration: Eric Hart
If you want to know everything and anything about being a professional prop maker (and discover countless tips and tricks making props) start following Eric Hart's Prop Agenda blog.
Wait, one more thing. He recently wrote a book - The Prop Building Guidebook.
I'm pretty sure it will become a paint stained, plaster dripped, dog-eared, and spine broken tome from constant reference to at my worktable within a few weeks.
Wait, one more thing. He recently wrote a book - The Prop Building Guidebook.
I'm pretty sure it will become a paint stained, plaster dripped, dog-eared, and spine broken tome from constant reference to at my worktable within a few weeks.
Creative Inspiration: Ray Harryhausen
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| Poster image via www.badazzmofo.com |
I can only explain why this was so recalling being hypnotized by his work at a very young age. When any giant monster movie came on TV, I'd look for his name in the opening credits, like some mark of quality and worth watching.
One "monster kid" weekend afternoon, just as The Valley of Gwangi came on TV. My mom called my name from the other room needing help with some chore. I yelled back...
"Pleeeeease Mooooom, can I do it later?
I'm watching a Ray Harryhausen movie!"
I'm watching a Ray Harryhausen movie!"
By then, she knew how I loved his movies and let me be. But I suspect she also knew, which I didn't realize then, how he inspired my creativity and she allowed me to fuel it.
When I was around 8 years old, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad was in theatres. It was Harryhausen's newest movie. I begged my parent's to take me to see it. It turned out to be the first movie I remember my Dad and I going to see alone together. During the drive there, I discovered he was a Jason and the Argonauts fan. He told me all about the night he saw it in a NYC movie theater and how the skeleton fight was his favorite part.
Suddenly, our trip was no longer just a father taking his son to a kid's movie. We were now two Harryhausen fans going to see the newest monsters!
Goodbye Mr. Harryhausen. Your work was an essential ingredient in my youth to make who I am today.
Creative Inspiration: Studio Prop Dept. Photos from 1937
Wonderful photos by Margaret Bourke-White inside the Warner Brothers and Paramount Prop Depts. back in 1937. Found these (and more) on the LIFE magazine gallery site.
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| Break-away club and prop filled pockets. |
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| Old time practical effects - unicorn horn for a horse, turtle on wheels to move, knife stabbing gags. |
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| Martha Raye marionette. |
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| Mosquito prop on thread of human hair to make fly. |
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| Spinning faux spider webs. |
Creative Inspiration: Ralph McQuarrie
How much inspiration and joy has the work of Ralph McQuarrie given me over the years since I first saw Star Wars at the age of twelve in 1977?
How's this for an answer...
When I discovered some of his original concept art on display at the Star Wars Celebration convention here in Los Angeles back in 2007, it was such an exciting nerd moment for me, I actually called my mom to tell her what I was looking at. She above many knew what a huge artistic icon he was for me growing up. My brother, who was there, thought this so funny and unimaginably dorky that he captured the moment on his camera phone.
How's this for an answer...
When I discovered some of his original concept art on display at the Star Wars Celebration convention here in Los Angeles back in 2007, it was such an exciting nerd moment for me, I actually called my mom to tell her what I was looking at. She above many knew what a huge artistic icon he was for me growing up. My brother, who was there, thought this so funny and unimaginably dorky that he captured the moment on his camera phone.
The art was amazingly small. Making it all the more impressive. What I marveled at most was how clean his use of paint was. Nothing seemed sketchy, loose, random, or corrected later. His skill as an draftsman was evident as many of the finer implied technical details on spacecraft and such were just dark, ruled in, pencil lines on top of the paint. I loved that you could even catch light reflecting off the graphite at certain angles. It really brought home the fact that it was the actual painting in front of you.
Out of McQuarrie's entire body of work, this one is my favorite. It captured my imagination when I first saw it in '77 and still does today.
Invasion of the Immense Insects
Over the weekend, we visited the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden. I thought it was just going to be a pleasant (maybe a bit boring) afternoon looking at flowers, but was surprised to discover giant wooden insects had invaded! These wonderful sculptures by artist David Rogers were on display, installed here and there, throughout the acres of trails.
It gave the hike a bit of 50s monster movie suspense never knowing when one would turn up around a corner.
It gave the hike a bit of 50s monster movie suspense never knowing when one would turn up around a corner.
Creative Inspiration: John Wolfe
John is a well known Halloween prop artist and haunter.
I was introduced to his work years ago when my October decorating started to become an obsession. My old friend Rene e-mailed me that I should check out John's Seasons of Shadows website.
John's work intimidated me. I was blown away by his dedication to creating things of such quality and style that were only seen once a year. Beyond his own props, John often showcased other people's work and helped open the door to a larger world of talented Halloween creatives who, like him, elevate decorating to true art installations. I became a regular reader.
John unselfishly shared prop making techniques and even streamed live video feeds as he worked. This lead me to add more "how-to" posts on my blog.
When Para Abnormal was less than a year old, John wrote a wonderful and complimentary post about my silly webcomic. It was one of Para Ab's first shout-outs on the Internet and it kept me doodling when I thought no one was seeing the cartoons.
Sadly John has become extremely ill and has written a last and thoughtful post.
I wanted to take a moment and express my sincerest thanks to him for the all inspiration he has given.
I was introduced to his work years ago when my October decorating started to become an obsession. My old friend Rene e-mailed me that I should check out John's Seasons of Shadows website.
John's work intimidated me. I was blown away by his dedication to creating things of such quality and style that were only seen once a year. Beyond his own props, John often showcased other people's work and helped open the door to a larger world of talented Halloween creatives who, like him, elevate decorating to true art installations. I became a regular reader.
John unselfishly shared prop making techniques and even streamed live video feeds as he worked. This lead me to add more "how-to" posts on my blog.
When Para Abnormal was less than a year old, John wrote a wonderful and complimentary post about my silly webcomic. It was one of Para Ab's first shout-outs on the Internet and it kept me doodling when I thought no one was seeing the cartoons.
Sadly John has become extremely ill and has written a last and thoughtful post.
I wanted to take a moment and express my sincerest thanks to him for the all inspiration he has given.
Creative Inspiration: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Back in 1977, there was one scene in Spielberg's Close Encounters that helped influence who I am today... outside of all the UFO, alien and conspiracy theories that I now believe in that is.
I know when Richard Dreyfuss is seen having completely destroyed the inside of his home working on a model of Devil's Tower it was meant to make the audience gasp at his lunacy, but I felt inspired to create something.
Ironically 35 plus years later, my career did let me live that scene a hundred times over. Many apartment security deposits were forfeited in my younger days after landlords discovered paint and glue splotched walls and floors from making stuff while I lived there. I'll even miss Days of our Lives since it's been cancelled. Whenever it came on TV while working on some crazy project, I always smiled recalling this Close Encounters scene.
I've also been known to sculpt my mashed potatoes at dinner. But only while waiting for the gravy to be passed around. Not by alien influence... unfortunately.
While on the subject of Close Encounters, this moment from the movie is one of the scariest I've ever seen in any movie but nothing is actually seen. I miss this Spielberg.
I know when Richard Dreyfuss is seen having completely destroyed the inside of his home working on a model of Devil's Tower it was meant to make the audience gasp at his lunacy, but I felt inspired to create something.
Ironically 35 plus years later, my career did let me live that scene a hundred times over. Many apartment security deposits were forfeited in my younger days after landlords discovered paint and glue splotched walls and floors from making stuff while I lived there. I'll even miss Days of our Lives since it's been cancelled. Whenever it came on TV while working on some crazy project, I always smiled recalling this Close Encounters scene.
I've also been known to sculpt my mashed potatoes at dinner. But only while waiting for the gravy to be passed around. Not by alien influence... unfortunately.
While on the subject of Close Encounters, this moment from the movie is one of the scariest I've ever seen in any movie but nothing is actually seen. I miss this Spielberg.
Creative Inspiration: Hunka Junk
So I'm sure you've heard Star Wars Episode VII is filming, but what you may not have is it's director JJ Abrams has been having a friendly social media war with Zack Snyder, the director of another highly anticipated big franchise film, Superman Vs Batman. Both their camps have been going back and forth posting images "mashing up" the two franchises.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, Abrams wins with this video.
As much fun and brief as the clip is, what really thrills and inspires me is the overall attention to detail and love that the set craftsman have obviously poured into recreating the Millenium Falcon. I've watched this a hundred times. Every bolt, rivet, pipe, gizmo, greeble, and chipped section of paint was obviously made with care. Especially when, odds are, most of it will never be seen up close.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, Abrams wins with this video.
As much fun and brief as the clip is, what really thrills and inspires me is the overall attention to detail and love that the set craftsman have obviously poured into recreating the Millenium Falcon. I've watched this a hundred times. Every bolt, rivet, pipe, gizmo, greeble, and chipped section of paint was obviously made with care. Especially when, odds are, most of it will never be seen up close.
Creative Inspiration: Life Sized GODZILLA Statue
This is seriously a daydream I had as a kid become reality.
I've always loved statues or monuments in public places. I was in 5th or 6th grade and recall playing my small NY suburban neighborhood park wishing it had a statue like the ones in Central Park (in the big city). I remember imagining that statue should be a life sized King Kong or Godzilla.
And to my fellow Halloween enthusiasts, tell me this picture doesn't make you want drop everything your working on and start creating a giant monster for the front lawn this year.
I've always loved statues or monuments in public places. I was in 5th or 6th grade and recall playing my small NY suburban neighborhood park wishing it had a statue like the ones in Central Park (in the big city). I remember imagining that statue should be a life sized King Kong or Godzilla.
And to my fellow Halloween enthusiasts, tell me this picture doesn't make you want drop everything your working on and start creating a giant monster for the front lawn this year.
More details and photos about this amazing Godzilla project at Dread Central.
Temple of Doom - 30 Years Ago This Weekend
30 years ago this weekend, I returned home from my freshman year at RISD.
I walked in the door, tossed my bags in my room, and grabbed the newspaper to see what the next showtime was for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Minutes later I was off to the Movieland Cineplex in Yonkers NY.
Yes, seeing that movie was what I did on my first night home from college. I could not wait another moment for the next chapter featuring my favorite movie hero.
Below are a few videos to celebrate Temple of Doom's 30th, hope you enjoy.
The very first teaser...
The official trailer...
The "Making Of" in three parts...
And this movie featured one of my all time favorite movie posters ever made (Illustrated by Bruce Wolfe)
I walked in the door, tossed my bags in my room, and grabbed the newspaper to see what the next showtime was for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Minutes later I was off to the Movieland Cineplex in Yonkers NY.
Yes, seeing that movie was what I did on my first night home from college. I could not wait another moment for the next chapter featuring my favorite movie hero.
Below are a few videos to celebrate Temple of Doom's 30th, hope you enjoy.
The very first teaser...
The official trailer...
The "Making Of" in three parts...
And this movie featured one of my all time favorite movie posters ever made (Illustrated by Bruce Wolfe)
