Workshop at DreamWorks Animation

Yesterday I gave a slide presentation at DreamWorks Animation about imaginative realism and worldbuilding. 

Afterward, about 18 DreamWorks artists joined me in the Artistic Development room to pick up some art supplies and we headed outside to do some plein-air concept art. 

Each artist brought a toy figurine of their choice, and the challenge was to enlarge the toy and place it in a real-life scene. 

Jasmine Truong did this drawing of a giant cat, quietly overlooking one of the other artists. 

Hejung Park with Beargguy on the Jack-in-the-Box

The artists were from various departments, including visual development, lighting, story, and matte painting.

Nicolas Weis with a Collecta Guidraco popping out of the Jack-in-the-Box

We sat in the shadows of an alley behind a fast-food restaurant and exchanged sketching tips. I think I learned just as much from them as they did from me.

Visual Development Artist Iuri Lioi's frog giant rules the drive-up window.

This is a famous Jack-in-the-Box, referenced by Frank Zappa in the lyrics of the song "Billy the Mountain." According to Zappa, it is positioned "right over the SECRET UNDERGROUND DUMPS —right near the 'Jack-In-The-Box' on Glenoaks..."

Onesimus Nuernberger's giant mech outside the Carl's Jr.

"...— where they keep the POOLS OF OLD POISON GAS, and OBSOLETE GERM BOMBS." Perhaps that explains the where the oversize fantasy characters are coming from.

Sondra Verlander's plush bear waiting for takeout.

A few local business owners and residents came over to check out what we were doing as we worked for about an hour and a half.

I brought along my little stop-motion character named Otis the Ocelot, propping him just above the sketch easel so that he'd be in the same light as the background.

Here's my demo painting in gouache over a casein underpainting. 

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Thanks to all the artists for sharing your amazing creativity and sense of fun, and thanks to Anneliese of Artistic Development for making this dream-working magic possible.