Flight of the Helgon - Before Gargoyle - A Journeyman Artist Timeline Tale

Long before I was co-producer/director on Disney TV's Gargoyles, the animated series, I created the Helgon, an original character I used for promo art in my freelance career, and my own original fantasy/adventure story. Here's a video of my collection of my Helgon sketches and art. Enjoy.

ExoSquad Jump Troop Pod Assault

This sequence is from the ExoSuad 2nd season Episode, "First Step", from the storyboard panels featured in the slideshow. My first attempt at posting a video was block for copyright issues. The blocking can be hit or miss. But, with the advance in AI, it seems to be getting worst. Music was the main reason for problems, now AI is tagging visuals more, too. It’s a real slap in the face when you help create the source material, as I did with the storyboard art and directing the episode. I have to resist the impulse to just stop making content for ExoSquad, or other projects, that I worked on, but didn’t control the rights to. Time will tell.

My Valiant Comics - Nintendo Comics - Captain N

Here's a video of my comic book work for Jim Shooter's Valiant Comics. When I was at the Toronto Comicon last weekend, I stopped by one vendor and he asked if I was looking for anything. Taken by surprise, I blurred out, "you have any Nintendo Comics?" He said, "no, but he wished he had, because they were valuable" WTH? It seems some of the Valiant Nintendo and Captain N comics I do pages for are modestly collectible. (Worth more than Image Comic Wildcats#1 - LOL)

Thundercats Tuesday - (Day late ,again) - TC #125, TC #126

Here's a batch for Show #125, and #126. This is a special posting for me since I wrote "Shadowmaster" and designed him and his shadow creatures. It was a thrill to see my script and designs come to life. Enjoy.

"Story Saturday"? - Revised Journeyman Artist Saturday art prompt.

"Story Saturday?" My crazy timeline graphic helped me remember that I did a lot of personal creative stuff during an involuntary gap year after I graduated from high school and before entering SVA. That year, I discover Conan paperbacks with the Frazetta covers, and started doing sword & sorcery art which led to my Blackwolf character. Plus, there were several written out ideas, and scripts for my comic art. Now, I think of giving Saturday the prompt title: "Story Saturday" to explore those old writing, Yes, some are a just as horrible as you a can imagine for 18 yr old nerd, with questionable writing skills, and an overused dictionary and "Word Finder". Well...you know, "Jack of all trades...", etc. 

                                       

                                        

Rock Raps of the 70s - Revisited - Book Cover Design

For Throwback Thursday (I used these daily prompts to keep me from slipping into inactivity), here's a Rock book cover I did in 1972. It was one of my first professional jobs. The color separation had to cut with rubylith (remember that tech). I didn't do the best job, but they used it. I found the Sly Stone pic and two pics close to the Alice Cooper and Janis Joplin ones. I'm thinking of doing a digital update, at some point, just for fun. (or just another Dime-A-Dozen idea) Enjoy.

Thundercats Tuesday - TC #123 and #124.

Hi, I'm Dennis J. Woodyard. I was the staff artist who designed the secondary characters, props, and backgrounds for last season of the original show's episodes #96 to #130. I thought I might start sharing my designs on what I'll call "Thundercats Tuesdays". Here's a batch for Show #123, and #124. The first image is the title page of the script, which was marked up to tell me which elements needed to be designed. Enjoy.

Better late than never.  Here's my monthly musical tribute to jazz artists who have a birth in January. Jazzy Birthday is a tune, written in 1978, with the original title "More or Les". The "Les" in the title refers to a old friend of Les Bernstein, not Les Paul the great guitar player, and father (inventor) of the solid body electric guitar, although it could, also. This jazzy tune was inspired my a jam session I have with Les (B.) when we work together at an animation company back in late '70s. The tune was my early attempt at jazz chord melody, It laid dormant until I posted a video in 2009. I wrote the lyrics Jazzy Birthday about that time. Actually, it was the first lyrics I'm wrote since the 1980's. It seems I could never pull off playing the tune and singing it at the same time. Finally, technology solved the problem.

"We Got Nothing" CBTV - Comic Book Television Video - Rankin/Bass Lost Pilot

Spoiler Alert. "We got nothing", was the first comment from producer Arthur Rankin after the pilot was reviewed.  

Hi, I'm Dennis J. Woodyard. I was the staff artist for Rankin/Bass for the last 30 episodes of the Thundercats for which I designed the secondary characters, props, and some backgrounds, (plus, I wrote two episodes, "Shadowmaster" and "Well of Doubt"). I also handled post production duties on the Comic Strip shows. In 1988, after the completion of Comic Strip, Rankin/Bass looked to develop a new show to present to new owner, Warner Bros. CBTV was that show that need to be produced at lower budget due to the cratering of the afternoon animation syndication market. CBTV was the show to fit the bill. To his credit Arthur Rankin, still pitched the show to Warner Bros. His "we got nothing" remains my most memorable quote of my animation career from any executive. My comic book loving friends will enjoy the seeing the indie comic books selected to be featured in the show. 

Merlin & the Dragon - Opening and Flipbook

Here's a short video of the opening for my Merlin and the Dragon. Here's how Wikipedia describes it, "Merlin and the Dragons is a 1991 animated film adapted from a story by Jane Yolen and illustrations by Alan Lee. It was directed by Dennis Woodyard (as Dennis J. Woodyard) and Hu Yihong and includes a musical score by composer Michel Rubini. The production is a retelling of the Arthurian legend, with Merlin the magician, based on material from Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth.[Yolen is a prolific author of Arthurian-themed texts, and this production continues her series of retelling of the Merlin story. The half-hour film is narrated and voiced by Kevin Kline and was originally broadcast as an episode of the PBS program Long Ago and Far Away, which first aired on November 9, 1991". I'll have to do a fuller, personal blog about it sometime. I erroneously thought it aired on Levar Burton's Reading Rainbow, but I guess I was wrong. Enjoy.

Rebranding myself: Journeyman Artist and proud of it, or You don't know "Jack".

jour·ney·man

/ˈjərnēmən/

Learn to pronounc

noun

noun: journeyman; plural noun: journeymen

1. 1.

   a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding.

   "a solid journeyman professional"
2. 2.

   HISTORICAL

   a trained worker who is employed by someone else.

   "a journeyman carpenter"

As I enter my 70s and I look back on my creative life and career in commercial art, I come to embrace the term: "Journeyman Artist" as a fair description of my career, my creative life's journey, with a sense of pride, not as an insult as some might view the term.  Considering that from that time in junior high school when I was asked by my guidance consulter to decide on a career path (they did that back then) I choose to pursuit my hobby of drawing and art as my career path, to become a commercial artist  (actually, astronaut was my first choice, but failure at math derailed that pipe dream).  I think I remember one book in the school library on commercial art, and it wasn't encouraging. Thinking back, I realized I had no back up career in mind.  So. I'm glad to say, all things considered, I achieved my goal in a round about way, with many starts and stops, and side trips, which didn't end when stepping away and retiring from the animation business in 2008. Making art is too much a part of me to totally abandon it.

 

Someone, I had once met, once referred to me as a "Renaissance Man" when he found out I was an artist (illustrator), played guitar (never above hobbyist) and wrote songs (again, nothing beyond a hobbyist).   Plus , I wrote stories (original comic book Sci-Fi adventures, at the time). I always liked that image of myself, as a Renaissance Man.  But, in my darkest moments of an introvert's self-doubt I'd think of it as being a "Jack of All trades..." and the lesser used ending of that saying "...and master of NONE". In any case, I'm hoping to continue pursuing my interests in all the creative areas of my life that have atrophied over time as I pursued a professional  career, which causes you to specialize in one area to be marketable, and into retirement.  I plan to use my Youtube channel and my blog to showcase my past, present ,and future endeavors.  Stick around, maybe "knowing "Jack" isn't a bad idea.

Here's the banner for my Youtube page:  https://www.youtube.com/user/DragonflyEnt

Lincoln's Gettyburg Address - A tribute.

This is a video tribute to Lincoln's Gettyburg address. It was inspired by finding this picture book in the trash bin of a Balboa Elementary School in Glendale, Ca. I had to save it for the wonderful James Daugherty paintings. Try to forgive my narration. Also, I used an original tune, "Farewell". It's actually a rough sound sketch that I hope to develop more complete at some point. Enjoy.

Inktober 2022 - first weeks of prompts #1 - 7

 I'm committing ro doing Inktober 2022. It's the online artist event where artist post daily drawing from a common list of one word prompts.

Here'a my first week's group of drawings.

#1 - Gargoyle.  I have to do a Goliath for the Disney TV show, since I was co-producer/director on the show.

#2 - Scurry.

#3 Bat.

#4 Scallops.  Most people when with shell fish.

#5 Frame. 

#6 Bouquet.

#Trip.

So far I'm not feeling inspired by most the prompt, but I get working at it.

Thundercats Tuesday - ( Continued ) - Thundercats Storyboard and Episodes Reviews.

Thundercats Tuedays, returns.  This video features Thundercats storyboards, cel art, and screenshots of the two episodes I wrote, "Shadowmaster" and "Well of Doubt". I was also the Thundercats series art director for the last 30 episodes, designing all the secondary characters for the last 30 shows. I also reviewed storyboards, work pictures (animation dailies), and final cuts.

An 'Extra Feature" is review quotes from the highly recommended 'Hear the Roar - The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to the Hit 1980's Series Thundercats' by David Crichton for the complete story.

I plan to revisit my Thundercats Tuesday blog posts and turn them into videos, just the the fun of it, an increase exposure for sharing.

More ExoSquad videos, Comic Convention Presentation Book and Character Color Models.

Here's a preview video of my planned ExoSquad Comic Con presentation book. I keep considering putting together materials for renting an artist table to local comic cons. This video includes xerox copies of animation art produced by the animators at Akom Studio in Seoul, South Korea for the 1st season when I was the Oversea Animation Supervisor. The character color models are ExoSquad characters I designed for the episodes I directed for the 2nd season as co-producer/director. My favorite piece is the storyboard for the unproduced Ultor - Neo Lord (Neosapien Warrior) Video Trading Card. Plus, miscellaneous art. I've made a separate video of color models, and plan one for the animation art. Enjoy.

Here the separate video highlighting the ExoSquad character color models. These videos are an attempt to organize and so how declutter my art material from years of professional and personal work.

Stay turn for more videos, soon.

Warrior in the Mist - Flip book Preview 1988

Here’s a early Warrior in the Mist flipbook made from Amiga computer graphic frames. The transformation at head was an efx in Deluxe Paint an great early graphics and animation program for the Commodore Amiga. Some how I passed putting in my Dime-A-Dozen Project for Warrior in the Mist and the Dragonfly Flipz Books videos.

Dragonfly Holiday Flipz Books

For Flip Book Friday, here are three of my Dragonfly Flipz books that were planned for the Holiday Season. The Alien Parade Flipz book Part 1 was produced and I still sell them on my eBay page. I still think of finishing the Part 2 to completed the set, someday.

 Enjoy.

Inktober 2020 - #26 to #31

 Here's my last six Inktober 2020 drawings.

#26 - Hide.

#27 - Music.

#28 - Float

My first idea was to use the Mohammad Ali quote, "Float like a butterfly...sting like a bee." But, I change my mind, as I already use a boxer for another prompt this month. I'll save this for another time.

#29 - "Shoes"

#30 - "Ominous"

#31 - "Crawl.  Thanks goes to my wife for suggesting a caterpillar.  So how Mothra popped in the mind.

So, that it for another Inktober.  Overall, I think it has been my most successful as far a good drawings.

Jimi Hendrix Tribute - 50th Anniversary of his passing.

 Jimi Hendrix died on September 18, 1970. Usually, I don't like to commemorate deaths, I prefer to celebrate the birthdays of living, and departed. But since  so many remembrance popped up in news outlets and social media the event was hard too avoid.  Jimi Hendrix was one of my main early rock guitar hero (followed by Eric Clapton with Cream, and Jeff Beck). Sadly, I never got to see him play live. I was in the Basement Coffee House, a SVA and Baruch student hangout in the basement of Lutheran church on 22nd off 3rd Ave, NYC, when I heard of his death. I was stunned and shocked. Our illustration instructor assigned us to do a memorial album cover for him. I did a black on black portrait for my cover (flat and glossy acrylic paint) I still have somewhere. It's incredible how his impact is still being felt in music today, and not just an oldies Rock way.

So, Here's are my personal art tributes to Jim Hendrix, from old files.

Jimi asked "Are You Experienced?" After listening to his music we can all say, "I am".

Sunday Music Muse Day - John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Warped Sky Stray Clouds

 This Sunday Music Muse Day start with a rainy morning and gloomy touch of the coolness of fall. Just the day for some jazz to lift the mood.  My first is John Both Direction at Once: The Lost Album.  Which is kind of embarrassing for me, since I bought the CD two years ago when it was released, and some how never posted about it. I realized my omission when I included Coltrane in the gallery of September Jazz birthday video (more on the later).  Historically this is interest set of recording, from a set tapes left in the hands of Coltrane's first wife Naima's family.  So how the session fell through the cracks of the recording studio and record company management. It  contain  several known Coltrane titles and several untitled pieces and alternate takes.  Well worth listen for Coltrane fans.

My second is Chick Corea & Friends Remembering Bud Powell.  This Tribute CD finds Chick and stellar group of jazz heavy weights celebrating the music of Earl "Bud" Powell considered "the  most influential jazz pianist of his time".  Setting "...the standard for post-Art Tatum players."  Sadly he had mental difficulties later in life. (The central character in the movie "Round Midnight" play by Dexter Gordon was base on Powell;'s later years in Europe).  This is a solid outing honor Powell music in splendid fashion. 

Next is another Warped Sky Stray Cloud tune. Finally, I can get this song out of my system. So, rough edges and all, here is the song, "Jazzy Birthday (More or Les) with vocal". Jazz Birthday is a tune, written in 1978, with the original title "More or Les". The "Les" in the title refers to a old friend of Les Bernstein, not Les Paul the great guitar player, and father (inventor) of the solid body electric guitar, although it could, also. This new version was made with my vocals (with jazz singer Giacomo Gates as my inspiration). Actually, it was the first lyrics (and last) I've wrote since the 1980's. It seems I could never pull off playing the tune and singing it at the same time. Finally technology solved the problem.

I like the way this new version turned out so much I plan to do a monthly video celebrating Jazz musicians birthdays and add it to my Sunday Music Muse Day blogs. Enjoy