Growing

Pretty Profile

Ive been filling my sketchbook since Ive been back on my trip, and I had what I consider a happy accident here.

Many many things on the go at the moment, Im currently working with the Solis brothers doing character layout for the 3rd season of Ugly Americans, we have a really great team!

Digital Paintings

Here is a quick taste of some of the work I did for a great studio before my bicycle trip.

Ive painted hundreds more, just like this. I was fortunate enough to work from home, on a Cintiq of my own. Im ready and looking to put it back to work. Looking forward to getting in touch with you soon!

If you would like to see more examples, they are available upon request.

Tour du Callahan

Above, I am pictured dipping the rear wheel of my bike into the Pacific Ocean off of Victoria, British Columbia in the Vancouver Islands. Let me explain the reason for this with the short version of a long story.

For many years I wanted to ride my bike across Canada, to see our country in slow motion, and get an idea of what it was/ is. Before the summer I was working from home, painting backgrounds for Toonzone Canada, and this allowed me the time to prepare for a trip such as this.

Four years ago, when I was still in Animation College, a neighbor of mine passed away, and I inherited a book from her called Macphersons Canada. Duncan Macpherson was an illustrator for the Toronto Star, and this book was a collection of drawings, sketches, paintings and thoughts that he had collected while travelling across the country. I was enthralled with the idea, and all of Macphersons artwork and opinions.


Dipping my wheel in the Atlantic Ocean, Downtown St. Johns Newfoundland.

Over the past summer I have spent much time collecting reference photos, anecdotes and forming my own idea of what Canada is. Now the excitement of inspiration is over, it is time to get to work.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

So apologies for my long, unexplained absence. Its time to put pencil to paper, Stylus to Cintiq.

Stroll

Just a sketch to anticipate warm weather. Currently painting backgrounds for a kids show, and learning plenty about color as a result. Ive been consistently happy for many months on end.

Toulouse-Lausketch

Soon to be released into the jungle, young James shares some recent studies with the internet. Its refreshing to work with actual paint. (Oil study of Toulouse-Lautrec painting.)

As I finish working on Ugly Americans at Cuppa Coffee Animation, I would like to thank all of the great artists I was fortunate to work with. I've learned countless tricks, animation rules, and "about life itself".

Im proud of the work we created, and excited to apply what I've learned from everyone to my own work- I have some thinks of my own.

Kevin is a Cat

Here is a commission of a friends pet. This is the 2nd attempt, as the first was scraped off the canvas with a palette knife so no one would ever hurt themselves looking at the muddy colours.