VIGNALI STUDIO

¡VIVA! LA DEVOLUCIÓN

Just because...I'm a huge fan of the original Planet of the Apes. And, who doesn't like a good revolution poster? Only, in this case, a good devolution poster.

It's a vintage era propaganda poster from the apocalyptic future.

Sorry for the low res JPG, but a print of this image is available at Society6. Just click the link and it will take you to their site where you can purchase a variety of print sizes of this image. If it does well, I may continue this series and make three different prints available.

Enjoy!

An Oldie, From the Vignali Vaults!

I drew this one years ago when I was working for Disney. 1996, that's also the same year my daughter was born, and now we're looking at colleges for her. Boy, time sure does fly.

Another Sketchbook Completed...

We have a club that meets every Friday for some sketching fun. We eat lunch, and watch passersby as we "inconspicuously" eye them and sketch them out. I think the people-watching is half the fun. People, of all shapes and sizes, really are beautiful.

Steven Silver and I started the club in August of 2005, and I've been attending ever since. Sure, sometimes we have to move the club to Thursday because of a meeting or something, and sometimes I'm on vacation, but aside from that my sketch club date is non-negotiable. If I have free time, I'm going to the club.

There were times the club dwindled down to me, alone, eating and drawing. But, still I wouldn't miss a week. And then there were times attendance would grow to 18 people. 18 artists packed into a restaurant, laughing, drawing, and sharing their art with each other.

Over the years I've been blessed to have some of the biggest names in the So. California's animation industry sitting and drawing right next to me. Other times I've been surrounded by young, enthusiastic talent -- yearning to stretch their horizons.

As artists came and went from the club, I began to really appreciate each and every one of them. Each artist unique, distinct and honest with themselves -- searching, just like I was, for that voice inside them that speaks without words.

The friendships I've been able to cultivate with this collection of artists has been immeasurable to me. I thought I had been filling pages in my sketchbooks, but I've been filling pages in my life. To all of you who have attended the club over the years, thanks.

Pages From My Latest Fractal Book...

Here's a couple pages from my latest fractal book. It has the intro, and one of the pages from the gallery portion in the back of the book.

Coming Soon: FRACTAL METHOD II

I've just finished the latest booklet on my figure drawing Fractal Method. Whereas the first book discusses the basics of the Fractal Method, this second book discusses balance, and proportions. In total, it will be 32 pages.

These aren't human anatomy books, but rather books describing the method in which I draw. It's a method I developed to hone my design skills. It's a designer's approach to drawing.

This is much more useful for designers than the traditional approach to figure drawing. Painters have their method of drawing, fine artists have their method, now designers have the Fractal Method.

The reason I didn't include anatomy lessons in these books is because I think the study of anatomy should be independent from design. That's why I don't go into a break down of muscles and muscle groups, instead what you get is a concentration of rhythm and movement, the core elements of design.

This book will be ready for sale at CTN. I'll also let everyone know when I get come copies off to Stuart Ng.

I'll be at CTN again this year...

I'll be at CTN this November 15-17 in Burbank at the Burbank Airport Marriott® Hotel & Convention Center. The address is:
2500 Hollywood Way
Burbank, California 91505 USA

I'll have my latest booklet on life drawing with the fractal method. It's a figure drawing system that is specifically tailored to being a designer. I'll also have my usual wares in tow, original artwork and such.

Sony Pictures Animation - Visual Development Portfolio Tips

Click this link to see our Youtube Video.

'Nuther After Effects Test...

To see this image move, click this link. I was playing around in After Effects, trying to learn how to cut up an image and make it move using this program. Again, a special thanks to Todd Pilger for technical support.

The musical group is Christian Thrash-Metal band Haste the Day.

After Effects Illustration

I'm a fan of Argentine folk poetry, and a huge admirer of Jose Larralde's work. I made an illustration to accompany one of his beautiful poems.

My grandmother Maria grew up in the countryside of Argentina, and would often share with us amazing stories of what life was like for her back then. It was an amazing life, filled with inspiration, I'm blessed to have had her in my life.

I created the image in layers using Photoshop, and then moved those layers using After Effects. My good friend Todd Pilger helped me with the AE tech side. A special appreciation goes out to him for his help and know-how.

More Snow Queen

Here's another drawing from my time on Snow Queen. With Disney's release of Snow Queen quickly approaching, I thought it would be fitting to see some development work that took place a dozen years ago.

The drawing was done in pen and ink, and watercolor. There is no digital manipulation, it is as I painted it all those many years ago.

A Couple Roughs...

While working on the Snow Queen in 2001, I did a variety of various drawings as we were all searching for a style for each of the sequences. In this case, I wanted to create a more naturalistic approach, and then contrast that with a stylized approach when the character falls in love -- hence the stave church in the background, nestled among the trees.

These drawings were looser and rougher than the previous drawing I posted, but drawing this way allowed me to cover more territory quickly. If the directors wanted me to I would work up these sketches into a more polished drawing, but I guess these drawings were sufficient and they remained this way.

All of these drawings were done as freelance work, while I was living and working in St. George, Utah. I would email them to the studio, at a time when emailing a file would take over an hour. It certainly was difficult when I had a lot of sketches I was trying to email in. Sometimes I would start sending files around 8:00pm, and keep sending files until 2:00am! Ah, the good ol' days.

These drawings were drawn in graphite on ledger paper.

Snow Queen 2001

In 2001, I did this drawing for the Walt Disney Studio. I had lost a copy of this drawing, but just recently discovered a CDR with various images -- and thought I would post some of the artwork.  I'll be posting artwork from that bygone project. Gosh, 12 years ago!!!

It must have had some effect because I've seen other images based on this drawing of mine. 

A little history: I was working freelance for Disney at the time, and I worked for nine or ten months on the Snow Queen project. However, It was a strange time for the industry. After the dot.com crash in 1999, and the attack on September 11th in 2001, the studio tightened its belt and dropped my contract. It was also the beginning of the end for 2D animation. Shortly afterward, the studio began selling its animation desks.

There was no Photoshop done to this image, it is as I drew it -- sans, of course, my name and the added respective copyright.

The good news is that Walt Disney is still planning to release the Snow Queen, but in CG and with a different title.