Showing posts with label plushies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plushies. Show all posts

Thursday, March 5, 2009

WonderCon 2009 Review


Sorry about the late review I came down horribly sick when I got back from the con.

Our Table
The Matted Mini Prints and Mini Color books were a smash hit! In general, the response to my studio’s offerings were good. And due to overwhelming demand KatGirl Studio will be publishing the full length illustrated book Stalking the Elusive Quetzal later this year! We will also hopefully have studio shirts and Kiki plushies by famine since people kept trying to buy the ones we was wearing. If you really wanted one of our items and it A: Sold out or B: you ran out of cash, worry not because most of the items will also be featured in our Etsy shop. I’d like to say thank you to my best pal Sally Rose for being my table rep when I wasn’t there so I could get a chance to walk around.

Mike Mignola
Most of my friends know that as fair a “Super Heroes” go Hell Boy is my fav so I was really exited to be able to meet Hell Boys creater Mike Mignola. There a pretty funny story about how I ended up waiting in line twice to get my book signed and if you want the whole story let me know. But the short story ends with me getting a few things signed and us (me and Mike) doing impressions of our pet cats.

Stan Saki
My roommate owns most of the Usagi Yojimbo graphic novels and the “art of book” and so of course I’ve read all of the ones he has because well there awesome and two train rides become very boring. It’s a not so little know fact that Stan is one of the most hardworking comic artists/cartoonists in the US if not the world. besided getting a few books, posters and the art of book signed I also picked up one of the newer books we didn’t have from dark horse because he (Stan) had sold out already and it was only part of the way through sat.

Tracy Butler
I’ve been following her work since I was in high school and she’s one of the first people I started watching on DA. I really love her comic Lackadaisy and it was a big shock to round a corner and sew one of her characters in sculpture form at a book and then realize she was there and then realize whereas I had admired her for years I had no idea what she looked like. Luckily she was there and I got to tell her how much I loved her work. I also preordered her book because customs has seized their shipment of books for random drug search and they had sold out of the ones they had by 11am on Saturday.

Camilla D’Errico
Camilla among other things is the artist of Nightmares and Fairy Tales. I picked up her book some months back at my friend Anna’s comic store and really liked it. We saw her at APE and I kicked myself for forgetting to bring the book for her to sign. Luckily she was at the con and signed my book. As well her and the writer Serena will be doing a signing later this year at Anna’s store.

David Petersen
David is the artist and writer of Mouse Guard and I picked up a signed copy of his book as well at the con. I’ve only flipped through them a few times at Anna’s store but what I saw made my want to buy it. Who can say no to a book of such cute mice? I’d greatly looking forward to reading his comic.

Other Cool people I met were: Laurie B., Bobby Crosby (writer of Marry Me), Travis Hanson (he drew me a cool cat sketch), Gabrielle Pennacchioli (a Dreamworks animator and he sat next to us in AA), Steph Laberis (cool illustrator who gave me the last of her sold out buttons she found under her table) and many many more.

I’d also like to give lots of hugs to your friend Brian Kolm of Atomic Bear Press who’s father passed away this weekend. Hang in there Brian we’re all here for you.


Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A Day at Pixar


On Monday I had the privilege to visit Pixar Animation Studios for a private tour and portfolio review. A friend of the family, Arun, is a programmer there and was kind enough to take time out of his day to show me around the main studio. Pixar’s main building has a rotating exhibit of the most current movie in the case Wall E and some sections of their older films. It was a great honor to be given a private tour since Pixar is closed to the public and does not give any public tours. People who know me well know I’m a collector of concept and “art of” books and so to see the concept art in person was really exciting and awe inspiring. While we walked around Arun pointed out all of Jay’s (his friend I would meet later) pieces on the walls.

After the tour we met up with his friend Jay for lunch, which was very taste. After lunch Arun had to run to a meeting so Jay, who worked on Star Wars Episode 1 before coming to Pixar 6 years ago, was kind enough the go through my portfolio with me. He offered me some insight on what the directors would be looking for in portfolios and about the hiring process. I know have a better understanding of the difference in what directors look for in book portfolios vs. concept or story artist portfolios. I would like to give a big thanks to both of them and I hope to someday work with them there.

On a different note Pixar has its one store at the studio that sells some special things. I picked up a shirt some Golden books (another thing I collect is children’s books) and this cute plushy box set that was marked at only $10.