Dave Au's Sketches and Things.

Morning Warm-up Sketch

2012-02-13T20:28:00.001-08:00

I love Community! I really hope it gets renewed from here until the end of time. This was today's warm-up sketch.

Beatles for Sale

2011-01-16T22:05:00.001-08:00

Here is a piece I recently did as a thank you to Tim Sale, for the beautiful piece he did for me, as well as all the influence he's had on my art over the years. I work digitally most of the time, so it was a great challenge stretching my legs using pen and ink.

Blog Highlight: Toby Shelton

2010-10-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone who looking for inspiration should definitely check out Toby Shelton's Blog.

I'm learning so much from studying his amazing drawings and reading his informative posts. Every now and then you see artwork that just stokes that creative fire.

Hope to meet you one day Toby!

Cafe Sketches and Figure Drawings

2010-10-11T23:42:00.001-07:00

I've been updating my portfolio with new figure drawings. The pirates are fairly old.

Monstahs!

2010-10-09T12:57:00.001-07:00

A few monsters in time for Halloween.

Football

2010-10-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Watching football, drawing football. Two birds, one stone.

I WISH!!!!!

2010-09-05T00:17:00.000-07:00

If it ever happens, I would kill to work on it!!

House

2010-08-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

So Dawn and I are awaiting the close of Escrow on our first home, and just for fun (I know it's a bad idea) we decided to draw up an interior design of our future living room.

But we won't be able to afford half the things in that design for a little while, so I did a more realistic version based on the things we already have.

Sadness.

2010-08-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dancing

2009-09-30T02:04:00.001-07:00

An excuse to watch "Dancing with the Stars?" Maybe yes, maybe no.

Selina

2009-06-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Took a little time to draw for myself the other day. After Darwyn Cooke initially redesigned Selina Kyle, I was really bummed to see the more classical take on the Catwoman costume go; however, the new look has really grown on me over time.

DOGS!

2009-06-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

These are unused character designs for a freelance project I'm working on. Haven't had much occasion to draw dogs in a while so it was a really fun exercise to study some and try to get comfortable with it.

O-Sensei and NOT RUSSELL from Up

2009-06-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a character inspired by Aikido O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, and the other a character based on my chubby asian self. From a storyboard I'm doing about a potentially disastrous Aikido demonstration from my childhood.

Done in Storyboard Pro on a Cintiq.

Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica (and Batman).

2009-04-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

Time for my annual post. Sigh. Done on cintiq, my new best friend. Battlestar Galactica's Bill Adama and the Batman respectively.

Batman Fight Studies

2008-07-11T02:29:00.001-07:00

Bot of the Apolocalypse

2008-05-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

So the newest line of Futurama toys from Toynami came out recently and they look great! Since I have a tiny bit of extra time on my hands these days, I decided to sacrifice a Mezco Hellboy figure and customize the Toynami Bender to resemble my very own HellBender! I know that there are those of you who have mentioned upon seeing this that "my fanboy geekiness knows no bounds..." to that I say, thank you.

Futurama Hellboy/BPRD FCBD

2008-05-04T00:27:00.000-07:00

So I emailed Guy Davis, one of my favorite artists, a few months back about buying some of his artwork. When Guy saw this piece I did of the Futurama crew as Star Wars characters, he offered me some of his beautiful artwork in exchange for a similar piece featuring the Hellboy/BPRD crew. Well lucky for me, Guy liked the piece I did for him enough to show it to his editor Scott Allie at Dark Horse, who in turn contacted me about coloring the piece and printing it in the Free Comic Book Day issue of Hellboy! I was on cloud nine about being in a book with the likes of Mike Mignola, Guy Davis, John Arcudi, Duncan Fegredo and Joshua Dysart. Thanks to all of these gentlemen for letting me be apart of this great book!

Many Drawings.

2008-03-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

So I recently felt the urge to do a few pages that were completely full of drawings. Completely. Here are a couple of those, plus some other random sketches. The Japanese looking ones are studies for my new short.

Fun With Joker

2008-03-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

Had a little insomnia last night, but at least it produced these little drawings.

My Bride.

2008-03-04T02:33:00.001-08:00

So on a glorious Monday night of listening to music and drawing each other, I drew this sketch of Dawn. I believe we were listening to the new Killers album which has a great new version of "Romeo and Juliet" originally recorded by Dire Straits.

MARRIED!

2008-03-04T02:26:00.000-08:00

So I got married recently. The wedding was a dream come true to say the least. Here is the wedding cake topper that I sculpted and my wife painted.

Simpsons Movie

2008-03-04T02:21:00.000-08:00

Here's my favorite scene I worked on as Character Layout Artist (animator) on the Simpsons Movie. Since its been out for a while, I can finally show some of my stuff.

Star Wars Futurama

2008-03-04T02:18:00.000-08:00

A Christmas gift for my buddy Kyle.

More from the Sketchbook

2007-08-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

Another long period between posts. BIIG suprise huh? To update anyone interested, I'm currently on Futurama doing character layout and having a great time. These drawings are from my recent sketchbook. Please enjoy.

Come Fly With Me

2007-04-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

So I've had two reasons I haven't been able to post much. One is that the Simpsons Feature is in crunch time and I can't post any art from that because of NDA's, and the other is that I've secretly been animating a film to propose to my fiancee Dawn. I got it to play in a local movie theater after a screening of TMNT. With our friends and family in the back row, I proposed to Dawn, she said yes, and now Dave am happiest man on earth. Here it is complete with crappy compression, for your viewing pleasure.

Note, YOUTUBE wont let me post the video with the music I had chosen (John Williams' Flying Theme to Superman) so you'll have to imagine it :(

Huntington Library

2006-11-26T22:26:00.000-08:00

In probably what has been the longest period of time in between posts, I managed a few drawings outside of work. I'll start off with just one that I did at the Huntington Library, and soon as I scan in my other doodles (mostly cafe sketches and the like) I'll post them. The Huntington Library is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, and everywhere you look, there are things that beg to be drawn. What's more, the gardens are so beautifully designed that it seems like you never have to look very hard to find perfect compositions. This is one I like to call my "Bento Box."

Sketchdump

2006-09-30T03:19:00.000-07:00

And here are a few new images from my latest sketchbook. Can you tell I like drawing Hellboy?

Sketchcrawl

2006-09-30T03:13:00.000-07:00

Worldwide Sketchcrawl 11 was the first that I attended, and it was an awesome experience. For those who don't know about WWSC, several times throughout the year, a sketchcrawl is announced and people all over the world meet with local artists in their towns and spend a whole day walking and sketching, and subsequently post their results. Check out www.sketchcrawl.com for more. Here is a smattering of what I did that day. I met SO many talented artists and we all walked around drawing people and places from Old Town Pasadena until it got too dark and cold to do more.

Eve Painted

2006-08-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I started painting Eve with more traditional warm spring colors, but it just bored me to look at. I thought in keeping with the snake theme I'd have the feel of the piece be more ominous by using the compliments of all the normal colors I'd normally use. Adam is next.

Eve.

2006-08-29T01:54:00.000-07:00

Forgive me Blogger for I have sinned. It's been 2 months since my last post, and in penance I present to you, my tiny viewing audience the subject of my next painting. "Eve" (presented here in its current pencilled-work-in-progress form).

I can only offer my apologies to anyone who has actually been checking this blog and not finding updates, and also to share the news of my good fortune: that I've finally "broken in" to the animation industry, as a Character Layout Artist (animator) on The Simpsons Movie (coming summer 2007). I will do my best to continue to post, and I hope you all like what you see.

ARTPAD! UPDATED!

2006-06-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Oh man is this program addictive. http://artpad.art.com is a program that records your strokes as you draw, so you can watch and send videos of yourself drawing and painting.

Here are a couple of links to mine:

Superman: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1g39z1kfo4g

Lobster Johnson: http://artpad.art.com/?j1go7q5kens

X-men Gag: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1iimzkqhgg

Hellboy: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1igw312y2m4

Iron Giant: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1ihalgsbms

Mr. Incredible vs. Superman: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1igdm4lvu4

Rogues Gallery: http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?j1iedjkpqg8

(If the links don't work by clicking, please copy and paste into your browser.
Everyone should do this and post your links because you can't search on the site for one anothers! Just imagine how much we could learn by watching our favorite artists sketch on this program!

-Dave.

Pinocchio

2006-04-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a frame out of my storyboard test for Dreamworks, in which Pinocchio is trying to convince Gingie to help him with a scheme.

Master Sam-kutu

2006-03-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

This is a Jedi character design I did after seeing some tribal masks at a shop in Santa Monica. I figure he's a very old and wise Jedi, with a very rich echo-ey voice like an ancient earth god.

Colossus

2006-02-22T00:19:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I'll allow myself to draw a superhero for dessert. Colossus is fun to draw because I have to try to balance chrome light logic with muscle man anatomy. Anybody ever see the old X-men cartoon "Pride of the X-men"? It's one of my absolute favs. "It's alright leetle one, Colossus like rain!"

Witchblade for Fun!

2006-01-04T03:11:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, just like the subject line says, here's a painting I did of Witchblade for fun. My best friend gave me the generous gift of a new Wacom Graphire (FINALLY I HAVE PRESSURE SENSITIVITY!), and I had to break it in. -Dave

Final North Wind

2005-12-17T18:35:00.000-08:00

Well I've been through alot with the North Wind concept, and here he is, finally done.

Norse LineUp

2005-12-04T03:51:00.000-08:00

Here are the Wind Gods all together. Not all of them are final, but this should give you guys an idea of what I'm going for. The Spring Wind is only half shown here, her final form includes a jellyfish-like bottom.

Final Version of Autumn Wind

2005-11-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post this image showing my final colors for the Autumn Wind. I thought the purple clouds fit better with the rest of the color scheme.

Christmas Card Commission

2005-11-22T04:03:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share a commission I did over the weekend for a Pet Care business that needed a Christmas Card illustration. It was fun to do.

Autumn Wind, about Half Way Done.

2005-11-11T04:23:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to update on my Autumn Wind piece; I'm about 50 percent done (i think) and here's what it looks like at the moment. I need to do some more shadows on the dress, paint the cape (instead of just photo collage), do a highlight layer, and of course create a background.

Next Painting

2005-11-10T03:44:00.000-08:00

These are the pencils to my next painting. Who knows how long that'll take.

When Sally met...uh Who is that?

2005-11-08T03:25:00.000-08:00

Dawn and I watched When Harry Met Sally for the thousandth time last night, and it still holds up. I know it's not the manliest movie, but it's well written and beautifully acted. Inspired by the movie, I wanted to draw Meg Ryan, so here's a semi-successful caricature of her, as well as a rather unsuccessful caricature of Rachel McAdams that I like as a drawing anyway.

Happy HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-10-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

Here's my latest punkin. Mike Wazowski. Woohoo. "Now put that thing back where it came from."

Winter Wind

2005-10-28T01:23:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest draft of the Winter Wind. Any crits?

Fat Lady Wind

2005-10-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

This is another preliminary Wind design for my Norwegian folktale "East of the Wind, West of the Moon." Obviously I'm riffing on the "fat lady singing" idea, but I think she's a fun contrast to the more serious buff version of the North Wind (see below). I actually like the drawing in the background alot more, what do you guys think?

Hellboy Punkin!

2005-10-21T02:26:00.000-07:00

Hellboy Pumpkin. I made this last night using my new power carver. I like him, but I don't think he'll last too long; some of the parts are really thin and I don't know how long he'll hold his own weight. Oh well. Apologies to Mike Mignola.

Gnomon Character Design Class

2005-10-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

I am taking a character design class taught by Flight Artists Kazu Kibuishi, Chris Applehans, and Khang Le. These are initial designs exploring characters for an adaptation of the Norwegian Folktale: East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

First Blog!

2005-10-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this is the first of my blogs detailing my quest to break into the animation industry. I'll update whenever I can, with posts of my sketches, storyboards, and character designs. Hope you like my stuff, and thanks for checking out my site!

This first image here is my first painting in a long time, but I think it's a decent start.