A few days ago I saw Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and really, really enjoyed it. It's been a while since I did a fan art after seeing a movie, so I did one now.
I have no idea why I decided to attempt this in the "Simpsons" style. I have no idea how successful I was at capturing that style this time (or the overall look of the characters for that matter), but here you go! (Also, I've included pencil art of the same drawing in my own style). Enjoy!
--Andrew
So here they are in order, my favorite movies of 2007.
(Keeping in mind this only relates to the movies I got to see this year...there were plenty I missed that I'm sure might've changed this list).
1. Ratatouille
This one is the best of the year without competition for me. It's got everything you need: Great story, great characters, great acting, beautiful animation, etc. One of Pixar's best ever.
2. Pan's Labyrinth
Technically this came out at the end of 2006, but I didn't see it until the first of this year, so I'm counting it. Very dark, very brutal, but a beautifully told fairy tale nonetheless.
3. Children of Men
Another one that technically came out at the end of 2006, but I didn't see until early 2007. And another really dark one! But I thought it was a very unique execution of a very old concept.
4. Lars and the Real Girl
I don't know why, I just really enjoyed this movie. Very simple and understated. Darkly funny, but a lot more sentimental than one would ever expect, given the plot.
5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
It's a very well-made movie--stunning visuals (if a bit...erm...violent) with great performances by all involved.
6. The Darjeeling Limited
While The Royal Tennenbaums remains my favorite Wes Anderson movie, this one didn't disappoint. To me his movies all have a way of being instantly recognizable as one of Anderson's, yet they're all distinctly different.
7. Enchanted
Yeah, it's got that chick-flickish vibe underlying, but this one charmed me, what can I say. Maybe it's just that I've grown up a fan of all the old Disney classics, so I appreciated the parody. It was great just for the overall "fun" factor.
8. The Ten
It was quite irreverent, but also possibly the funniest movie of the year.
9. The Simpsons Movie
This could have been good enough to sit much higher on the list. Still, it was enjoyable and packed more than a few laughs, so it makes the top 10. A fair enough big screen debut for the yellow family that's been on TV nearly two-thirds of my life.
10. Blades of Glory
Sometimes I like a good, dumb comedy, and sometimes I like Will Ferrell. So there you go.
Honorable Mentions:
Spider-Man 3, 300, Walk Hard, Pirates 3, and even Harry Potter 5 was surprisingly enjoyable (even though I typically only go for the books when it comes to HP). Also Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D when in made it's return engagement to theaters.
So there you have it.
What were YOUR favorite movies this year?!
Here are Jenn & Bueno, happily making Christmas cookies. Not content to use the same old cookie-cutter designs, Bueno has gotten creative!
According to this sketch, Jennifer apparently thinks Bueno's creation is delicious. Buneo, on the other hand, seems to be a little uncomfortable watching his likeness being devoured.
And all of this art was inspired by the real-life Bueno cookie! Katie was recently preparing a large batch of Pillsbury cookies that were pre-cut into Christmas shapes. I took the excess dough left over after all of the shapes had been removed and made this Bueno cookie.
As you can see, after it cooked it puffed up a bit and kind of messed up the shape...but still, it was a fun little spontaneous art project! Also, it wasn't Jennifer who was the first to eat Bueno's nose, but Katie!
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, all!
--Andrew
P.S. My dream journal has been updated, for those who follow that. This time around, it's a boring dream with an exciting title!
Here is the art for my Christmas card this year. Obviously Bueno is a tad skeptical of Jenn's ability to capture likeness in snow.
--Andrew
Here we have a recent fan commission from a returning client. (I posted the first commission of these characters a couple of months ago, if you remember.) The characters are of the client's creation. I was given the basic scenario with suggestions for text and worked from there. Enjoy!
--Andrew
As an added bonus, here is another commission I did for the same client a couple of months ago and forgot to ever post here.
I've noticed this particular art meme going around on deviantART lately, and I finally succumbed and decided to fill it out for myself. It was actually quite a fun little waste of time...so whatever. Enjoy!
--Andrew
Even though I seem to do a lot of holiday-themed Jennifer & Bueno illustrations, I've never done one for Thanksgiving. One reason is that I've never had any ideas for one that I really liked. This year I actually got an idea that I liked...but then someone else suggested one I liked even better, and that's the idea I ran with here. And somehow this drawing just doesn't seem complete unless you're hearing "Yakkety Sax" (the Benny Hill theme music) in your head as you look at it.
For all you blog-o viewers in the U.S., have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
--Andrew
Halloween is upon us again, and that means an obligatory illustration of Jenn & Bueno in costume! Actually, this year it means two such illustrations. Obviously the pair have opted for a Star Wars theme this time around. Equally obvious is the fact that they had a little trouble narrowing down their choice of character/wardrobe. Enjoy, and have a happy Halloween!
--Andrew
Here is another two-page comic that was done for U Magazine (Fall 2007 edition). In it we join Bill the Bill as he earns and saves money for his upcoming trip to the U.S. Mint. The client was Big Blue Dot.
And here are a few of the rough conceptual sketches I did beforestarting work on the comic.
A friend and I visited a pumpkin patch last weekend, and that inspired the latest Jenn & Bueno illustration. I had already done a picture of the pair picking pumpkins several years ago (it was actually one of the earliest J&B drawings ever). Since the old art looks pretty hideous to me now, I decided to revamp it. And here we have the new-and-hopefully-improved results! Enjoy.
--Andrew
Here we have a recent fan commission. The characters are of the client's creation, a superheroine and supervillain who are a bit more friendly with each other than their antics might make it appear. I was given the basic scenario with suggestions for text and worked from there. Enjoy!
--Andrew
