HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

(Copyright 2010 Sam Levine)

This was a fun Holiday Card to create. I usually go for something simpler, but I had this idea in mind since last year. Never have enough time to get everything perfect, but I'm happy with the composition and the character designs. Let me know what you think :)

2010 has been so amazing and crazy crazy busy for me. Hoped to post more art and thoughts on this blog this year, but just never got around to it. Hopefully more stuff next year!

Happy Holidays to you and yours! All the best for an amazing 2011!!

~Sam

YELLOWSTONE/ GRAND TETON TRIP

(Copyright 2010 Sam Levine)

Just got back last night from an amazing trip with my extended family to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming. We moved around a lot and had lots of kids to wrangle, so not much time to sketch. But I took a short time to do some watercolor sketches in my moleskine book that my lovely wife decorated for me for father's day (pictured here).

Saw lots of wildlife; buffalo, both kinds of bear, pronghorn, bald eagles, osprey and other cool little critters. The geysers were amazing. My one geyser painting here (Mammoth Springs) doesn't do them justice. I had my five year old on my knee while painting - that explains the lack of structure to the foreground boardwalk -- or a convenient excuse ;-) Maybe sometime soon I'll have more time to try and capture their amazingness.

Standing in front of Grand Prismatic Spring is a life changing experience. Highly recommended.

JURY DOODLES

(Copyright 2010 Sam Levine)

Just finished a civil trial last week. My fourth case. The first three were criminal. This one was so much more civil.

As always, I doodled throughout making lots of caricatures. They all feel like portraits to me, so I'll work them into digital "paintings" and post them here for fun. Not including any names to protect the innocent :)

Will try and post more as I finish them. If I have time....

Once on this Island...

(Copyright 2010 Sam Levine)

Got hooked on this show with the final episode of the first season. Here's my 8-bit tribute to some members of the cast.

3 Piggies

Dug this up on youtube. I did the rough character designs (based on original film designs by Joe Moshier). I wrote and storyboarded the majority of the piece, which was included as a DVD extra. I actually storyboarded two shorts, one of which was really crazy, but only one was produced.

Like the feature, it was directed by Will Finn and John Sanford. Art Directed by Dave Cutler and edited by the great Jessica Ambinder Rojas. I really enjoyed the creative freedom and the random chaotic comedy of the piece. I doubt many know this exists. Thanks Youtube.

Robot & Monster BFF

Happy to announce that the animated series pilot I directed in 2009 was just picked up by Nickelodeon and will be a tv show! Created by Dave Pressler, Josh Sternin and Jeff Ventimilia it will be a crazy awesome and seriously funny show for children of all ages and even old and boring adults. Yippee!!!

The characters were designed and sculpted created by Dave Pressler.

http://davepresslersculpting.blogspot.com/

I collaborated with Dave to translate the designs to the screen, directing a CG Test to establish the look and feel. The Nick CG team is amazing. The show will be CG and have a different look TBA, but Dave's amazing painted resin style is driving it. Did I mention that these characters and this show are awesome and funny?! They are! It will air on Nickelodeon in the Fall of 2011. Watch it!!!

February 9, 1964

(Copyright 2010 Sam Levine)

Missed Seeing this live by a little less than a decade.

These four guys created my favorite music, period.

More updates to follow the lads through the years, coming soon...