Matt Killian

Another Bruton Update

2010-09-16T01:25:00.008-04:00

Although he has taken down the last two drawings that I posted about, I keep finding more. This is another stolen piece of art that Mark Bruton STILL has up on his web page . . . despite being called out numerous times.

You'd think after all the embarrassing publicity, he'd go through his portfolio with a fine tooth comb and get rid of ALL the evidence. Instead, like a child, he continues to live in la-la-land where denial, and distasteful ethics are a way of life.

UPDATE - 10/10/10

Mark Buton's web page has been taken down! Was it voluntary or coerced? Don't know. Not sure what it means in the long run, but hopefully, at least for the time being, it means online artists are safe from copyright fraud.

Really, Bruton...really?

2010-09-07T23:14:00.015-04:00

Dear Mr. Bruton,

After all that has happened, sir, you continue to fail at being an artist. Not becasue of your lack of abilities, but becasue of your lack of morality.

It is clear, through your continued malevolent behavior and refusal to comply with the simple requests of your colleagues, that you have no intention of ever changing. It leaves me with a simple question . . . a challenge if looked upon from a certain point of view. Can you, in fact, do any art that is truly your own? Only time will tell, my sad, sad friend.

The sales pitch on your web page promoting your services gave me chuckle:

"There is absolutely no better or lasting gift than a drawing by a caricature artist who can humorously reveal the true character of your friends and loved ones, colleagues and business associates."

Well, here's a line drive right back at'cha:

"There is absolutely no better way of revealing an artist's true character than to make readily available to his friends and loved ones, colleagues and business associates, the drawings he has stolen."

I hope everyone who knows you will eventually come across these posts. Just so they can discover who the real Mark Bruton truly is.

P.S.

Oh, and I figured I'd include your contact information for anyone who'd like to drop you a line and tell you how they feel about your "work":

m_bruton@sbcglobal.net
(620) 339 - 9240

UPDATE - Sept 8th, 2010

15 hours after this post, Bruton's web page was updated . . . excluding the above drawings for the inventory. Only time will tell if things remain this way.

And so the Killian name lives on

2010-07-20T23:00:00.004-04:00

Jodie and I recently learned that we're having a boy. His name is Liam Matthew Killian and as of a few minuets ago I felt my son move for the first time. Outstanding!

Cinema Memoir #55

2010-07-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

Predator 2 (November 21st, 1990)

I had really high expectations for this movie. I didn't see the first one in the theater but I certainly wore out the video.

I was in fifth grade and my good friend Tim Royal and I were huge Predator fans. We would spend most of the day drawing pictures of Ninja Turtles and Predator. Tim's family hardly ever went to the movies, so it was my job (or maybe more my pleasure) to see the movie and report back to him.

This movie came out during a week that my mom was out of town on business and so my dad promised to take me that Friday. The anticipation throughout the week was tremendous. Come Friday I get home full of excitement only to find that my dad had forgotten and wanted to postpone.

This is one of only two times that bawling my eyes got me into a movie (the other being Honey I Shrunk the Kids), only this time I wasn't being bratty about it. I took the news with dignity and saved my tears for my pillow. I guess he noticed and felt bad, because the next thing I knew we were in the truck. I hope he liked it. I know I sure did.

Check out the trailer.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #54

2010-07-20T00:00:00.001-04:00

Home Alone (November 16th, 1990)

A whole lot of people look back at Home Alone and scoff, yet I'll be willing to bet that most of them are responsible for Home Alone being the top grossing movie of 1990.

I saw this movie on Christmas day. I didn't even know the theater was open on Christmas day. After an exhausting morning of opening presents my parents decided, out of the clear blue, to jump in the car and go to the ole Cinema 90 6 plex. I can remember the place being surprisingly packed.

Any movie that can make my dad laugh out loud is a good movie in my book.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #53

2010-07-19T23:30:00.000-04:00

The Witches (August 24th, 1990)

Not a bad movie, although I don't know a whole lot of people who'd agree with that. But that's ok . . . guilty pleasure i guess.

My grandma took me to see this movie, which just so happens to feature a boy and his grandma on a witch hunt. It was a good experience. Every time I see this movie I think of her.

Anjelica Huston is pretty awesomely creepy as the grand high witch. It also features the kid who played Kevin Buckman, the whiny son from Parenthood. He was also one of the lost boys in Hook . . . and that's pretty much it according to imdb. Kind of makes you wonder what these kid actors are doing today.

Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) is also in it, playing a rather straight forward hotel manager.

Here's the trailer.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #52

2010-07-04T00:45:00.000-04:00

Problem Child (July 18th, 1990)

Ugh. I really hated this movie.

If you've ever seen Martin Scorsese's remake of Cape Fear, you may remember the scene where Nick Nolte and his family are forced out of movie theater by Robert De Niro's cigar smoke and obnoxious guffaws. Problem Child was the movie playing in that theater.

I wish De Niro had been there when I was watching it so I'd have had an excuse to walk out.

I will say John Ritter (who died before his time) was underrated as an actor and comedian, and perhaps the only good thing about this movie. He was great in Sling Blade, a movie I wish I had seen in the theater. If I could, I'd trade Problem Child for it.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #51

2010-07-04T00:30:00.000-04:00

Arachnophobia (July 18th, 1990)

Eight Legs.
Two Fangs.
And an Attitude.

A fairly cool movie in 1990 . . . not so cool in 2010. Unfortunately this movie hasn't aged very well.

It's an interesting idea, but in the end makes very little sense to me. How is it they managed to kill all the deadly spiders, keeping them from spreading across the countryside? I know Jeff Daniels kills the general with the nail gun in the wine cellar, but killing the main spider isn't like killing the head vampire, they don't all turn good afterwards. Even at 10 the movie felt kind of unresolved.

Here's the trailer. It's funny how they seemed to market this movie more as a comedy when it comes across more as horror. I was certainly creeped out. One thing this movie sure did right was give me a terrible case arachnophobia. It did for me what Jaws did for so many people when faced with going swimming. I still hate spiders. I don't hate this movie, but I probably won't be watching any time soon.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #50

2010-07-01T23:04:00.009-04:00

Celebrating my 50th movie theater experience. Right on 1990! 50 movies by the age of 10 . . . not too shabby a start, I must say. Although, had I known at the time that prestigious number 50 would be Robocop 2, I might have held out for something a little more impressive. 50 down, 332+ more to go.

Robocop 2 (June 22nd, 1990)

I had great fun watching this movie, all thanks to a mom who was nice enough to indulge her ten-year-old son's twisted desire to see cheesy, "R" rated sci-fi flicks in the theater.

I liked the first Robocop a lot, but I remember feeling slightly uneasy with the amount of violence, and it always seemed to leave me feeling kind of down . . . but I suppose Paul Verhoeven's movies tend to have that effect on people.

The sequel was a lot different. It felt cleaner and a bit more campy (best scene from the movie), and seemed to raise the steaks just enough to get by. It was also directed by Irvin Kershner, who directed Empire Strikes Back. Robo 2 is certainly no Empire Strikes Back, but I can safely say it deserves it's place as a decent follow up to the original.

Also, robots fighting robots is kick ass. Only Michael Bay could ruin that.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #49

2010-07-01T22:12:00.002-04:00

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (June 15th, 1990)

This movie had one of the best teaser trailers of the decade. Check it out here if you don't believe me.

I was very excited to see this movie and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in the end. Growing up, Gremlins was one of the scariest movies I had ever seen. For a long time I couldn't get through the entire movie without covering my eyes during the scary parts. I lost hours of sleep, fearful of glowing red eyes in the darkness.

I was expecting Gremlins 2 to be similarly scary, but instead all I got was tongue in cheek humor and cartoon zaniness. I mean, check out the scariness of this scene from the original Gremlins and compare it to this scene from Gremlins 2. Nevertheless, I guess I still liked the movie and still find myself watching it occasionally.

You should definitely check out the DVD commentaries for both these movies. There's a lot of cool info about how this franchise came to be. And for those of you who are like me and prefer the darkness of the first movie, try to find the 2nd draft Gremlins script online . . . the "R" rated version. It's worth a read.

Also, the first movie has one of Jerry Goldsmith's best and most underrated scores. It's also extremely hard to find.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #48

2010-07-01T22:10:00.005-04:00

Back to the Future Part III (May 25th, 1990)

At one point in history, Back to the Future was the 3rd coolest trilogy in existence, following in close succession behind Indiana Jones and Star Wars. I suppose considering now that Indiana Jones and Star Wars are no longer trilogies, it ranks at number one on the cool scale.

This was the first time I had ever seen two sequels shot and released back to back. Today a big budget movie hardly gets made without a 3 part sequel and franchise deal.

This movie was pretty damn good, but as a kid I could have done without the whole mushy love story . . . or perhaps it was Mary Steenburgen I could have done without. Of course now as an adult I realize the whole mushy lover story is pretty much the backbone of the movie . . . but I could still do without Mary Steenburgen.

I can remember being sad knowing the delorian would never fly again, but I think Zemeckis wrapped the story up pretty well. I just hope he doesn't decide to try and remake or add on to these movies like he's doing with Roger Rabbit.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #47

2010-06-30T18:35:00.004-04:00

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (March 30th, 1990)

Perhaps the most anticipated movie of my adolescent life. I can't imagine a single boy between the age of 6 and 12 who doesn't like pizza, reptiles, and martial arts. Putting the three together was a stroke of marketing genius.

Needless to say I was a big Ninja Turtle fan back in the day.

Seeing this movie in the theater was as close to a religious experience as I could get at age 10, although I can't remember much of the experience except for the anticipation leading up to it.

Ninja Turtles was the first (and probably only) cartoon I watched with any kind of regularity, but as soon as I learned about the live action movie, my interests switched from the ink and paint fantasy to the flesh and blood reality.

This is the first publicity image I ever saw from the film. It's from Nintendo Power and I can remember every library day in fourth grade racing all the other kids to the magazine section just to stake claim to this picture.

We didn't have the Internet back then so I spent many an hour staring at this very image. You can't imagine how much time I spent searching for it just for this blog post. It sure brings back some memories.

I also remember when this movie came out on video. My mom bought it for me the day it came out but wouldn't let me watch it until I finished all my homework. It was the most torturous afternoon of my fifth grade life. All I could do was stare at the VHS case, caressing the embossed image on the front from time to time as I trudged slowly through pages and pages of long division.

(Poster from impawards.com)
(Image from Nintendo Power)

The Art of Stealing - Update

2010-06-26T21:18:00.012-04:00

Some of you are familiar with my recent run-in with a character by the name of Mark Bruton who was caught plagiarizing artwork from the internet. I was one of his victims, as he stole a John Wayne portrait of mine, altered it, and was selling it on his web page as his own art.

Following a fairly severe backlash from the online art community, and a cease and desist letter from yours truly, Bruton took down his web page, privatized his facebook, and seemingly disappeared.

Well, it's been about a month and Bruton is back. Two days ago he republished his web page and is back in business . . . and he seems to be up to his old tricks again. Or at least he was until he was called out, yet again.

This time around, the art in question is not mine so I won't post it here on my blog, however if you're interested, here is a compilation of works that Bruton has ripped off, one of which featuring a certain bodybuilder-turned-politician was involved in this current Bruton scenario.

Since it's not my art, I have little control over the situation, but I did email Bruton and assure him that the original artists would be informed. Soon after that he took the questionable works down. I don't know if this was because of my email or because one of the original artists came down on him. Regardless, the images are down and Bruton is no longer using them to market himself.

I'm not sure what it's going to take to convince this guy that stealing another person's art is wrong and illegal, but I can say that I'm beginning to loose patience with Mark Bruton and his childish antics. If anything, perhaps he will realize that he is being (and always will be) closely watched.

I really hope that anyone who is considering making an art purchase from Mark Bruton will come across stories like mine and will be inclined to make an educated decision as to whether or not the art he is selling is legit, and whether or not he deserves their business.

This is a call to all hard working artists out there to please help keep Mark Bruton and characters like him as honest as possible. Spread the word.

Baby Killian - Perhaps my greatest work of art.

2010-06-04T17:04:00.007-04:00

Of course Jodie's doing most of the work.

Love you baby.

The Art of Stealing

2010-05-24T22:04:00.007-04:00

An unfortunate situation has been forced upon me, one I never thought I would have to deal with. Thanks to an informative post here on my blog from artist Bob East, I learned that a person by the name of Mark Bruton was suspected of stealing a digital painting I did of John Wayne. So I began to investigate, and this is what I found:

My initial reaction was that a mistake had been made. It seemed that this person had simply used the same photo reference as I, but upon closer examination I discovered that Mark Bruton's John Wayne drawing was in my opinion an altered version of mine own.

It seems he has taken my painting off of my blog, drawn or painted on top of it, and put his name on it. What's more, he was selling it on his webpage.

Now, had it not been for Mark Bruton's lame attempt to dodge the blame in his response to the cease and desist order I sent him, I wouldn't be spending all this time and energy providing evidence of his obvious infraction against me. Mark writes:

". . . it is a well known fact that all artists [use] reference photos and others works. After comparing these drawings I can see how one might draw the conclusion that they are very similar. However mine has many color differences and others as well. Many artists have done renderings of this photo."

Nice try Lao Che! Here's my retort:

Not entirely obvious until you start to compare the simplified
shapes for the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin.

Notice the highlights on, and the general outline of, the nose,
and the graphic shadow shape of the nasal labial fold.
Also pay attention to the brush strokes in this region.

In my opinion, it doesn't get any more obvious than this.
The brush strokes are exactly the same. Also, notice that
the shirt in the reference photo is red while in both
drawings the shirt is blue.

And in case he still has doubts, here is a video of the two images superimposed together.

Some may say I'm coming down a little too hard on this guy. Perhaps, but take into consideration that I'm not the first artists he's stolen from. 75 percent of the art for sale on his web page was stolen from other people. He even had the audacity to put a copyright symbol on them.

Check out these blog posts from other's who have caught Mark Bruton stealing from them:

Emily's Caricature Sketchblog
Monty's Muse

The bottom line is that i believe Mark Bruton has stolen from me. This is my opportunity to expose his dirty deeds and hopefully he will get the hint that he is not welcome in the art community as long as he continues with his dishonest practices, especially if he's not going to be MAN enough to admit he's done something wrong.

If he really wants to do the right thing, this is my advice to him. Own up to your misdeeds, give credit where credit is due, and stop trying to profit off of other people's hard work. An apology would be nice too.

Working within the realm of honesty and integrity is the first lesson for an artist to learn. The second lesson is . . . simply redrawing or recreating another person's art DOES NOT MAKE IT YOUR OWN . . . legally, ethically, or artistically.

UPDATE - June 4th, 2010:

I've come across a few more examples of work that Mark Bruton has stolen from other legitimate artists. You may have to get out your Google Translator for some of these, Bruton's gone international:

Colectivo Bicicleta
Wittygraphy
Noticias De Cartoon
Bruton Facebook Fan Club

Also, It's been twelve days since my email and I have yet to hear back from Bruton. No witty retort, no defense, no apology. I guess this shows how "big" a man Mark Bruton really is.

Figure Drawing

2010-04-30T00:44:00.019-04:00

Today was the last day of my Intermediate Figure Drawing class, taught by Marianne Chapel. This was her last day too, as she and I are both moving on to bigger and better things. I liked her class so much that I took it three times. These drawings are some of my favorites from this year.

Character Designs and Modeling

2009-08-01T21:46:00.009-04:00

Here are are some of the characters I've designed and taken through the 3D process. These are excerpts from my current portfolio.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
The images and content in this post are protected

More Digital Paintings

2009-07-30T11:19:00.017-04:00

Here are a few more digital paintings. These are fairly old, all of them are from this past fall or earlier. Unfortunately I haven't been able to do any painting this summer becasue I've been so busy with thesis and other things. Maybe I can squeeze one in before school starts. In the mean time I hope you enjoy these oldies.

This is a poster I made as a final project for a diversity class at
Ringling. One of the benefits of taking liberal arts classes at a
fine arts school like Ringling is how easy it it to substitute a
quick art project for a five or ten page final paper.

I was so excited when all the promotions began for the new
Indy movie I had to grab one of the stills and paint this guy.
It's actually a full body pose but since I didn't finish it I
cropped the lower half out. And by the way, except for the
Tarzan scene, I liked the movie.

This one is probably the oldest of the three. It's also unfinished.
Since she's a faerie I intended to add wings, one of which was
supposed to be broken, hence the despair. I do intend on
finishing this one some day. I used photo reference for this painting.

This one I did for Jodie. It's her World of Warcraft character.
I've never played WOW before but I do know that this is a
Nightelf, and apparently her name is Guen. And yes, this is
one of few paintings that I've actually finished.

Another game related painting, except this one was done
as part of a seasonal mask design contest for Guild Wars
(another game that Jodie plays). This design got second place
so unfortunately it didn't make it into the game, but it did
supply Jodie with some cool Guild Wars merchandise.

Cinema Memoir #46

2009-05-18T23:07:00.009-04:00

Joe Versus the Volcano (March 9th, 1990)

This movie absolutely SUCKS for a 10 year old! At least is did for me. All I remember is going to see it with my brother and being totally bored all the way up until the volcano part at the end - and even then I was so confused that the climax was still a let down.

I saw parts of this movie recently and, although it was slightly more interesting through an adult point of view, I still found myself reaching for the remote after about ten minuets.

Maybe I'll give it another chance once I reach my own midlife crisis - but I'm predicting sitting through it again will make me want to jump into a volcano as well.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #45

2009-05-18T18:05:00.004-04:00

Back to the Future Part II (November 22nd, 1989)

Next to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, this was probably the most anticipated sequel of the 1980's - at least for me it was - and it was well worth the wait.

Back to the Future was probably the first movie to ever have a "To Be Continued" at the end - but it wasn't until many years later that I realized the "To Be Continued" wasn't in the original ending.

Another thing that stuck with me was the fact that they included a trailer for part 3 with actual footage at the end of the movie. I don't think that had ever been done either and I haven't seen it done since.

I was nine and I totally bought in to the whole hover board thing. It seemed plausible and I wanted one so badly - let's face it, I still do. And according to the movie I only have six more years before I can have one - or perhaps a flying car, or shoes with power laces, or maybe some totally rad spandex future clothes - ah, the future.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #44

2009-05-18T17:57:00.005-04:00

All Dog's Go To Heaven (November 17th, 1989)

I don't remember a whole lot about this movie except that I left the theater feeling kinda depressed - I haven't seen it since.

I never was into animated movies as a kid. I didn't see very many animated movies in the theater and I would much rather have seen a live action version - an interesting observation considering I'm currently an animation student.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #43

2009-05-18T16:21:00.002-04:00

Look Who's Talking (October 13th, 1989)

Certainly not the BEST movie ever made, but fairly entertaining. I remember really liking it. I think it's still got some re-watch value.

If I remember correctly this movie did pretty well in the box office. And, like with any successful movie from the 80's, they tried to capitalize on it by turning into a franchise. There were two sequels to follow and they both pretty much sucked. I didn't see either of them in the theater.

(Image from impawards.com)

Sit Stand Animation

2009-05-18T10:59:00.001-04:00

The objective for this assignment was to demonstrate how a character might express thought and emotion through body language and gesture - we were also expected to successfully animate the mechanics of weight shift through the action of sitting and standing.

In addition to figuring out the acting and mechanical elements of these animation we're also responsible for designing, modeling, texturing, rigging and lighting of the characters and set.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
The images and content in this post are protected

CONGRATULATIONS 2009 RINGLING GRADS

2009-05-15T00:56:00.014-04:00

May 8th was Graduation day at Ringling College of Art and Design and many of my close friends from the computer animation department walked. This post is dedicated to them for all the hard work they've done over the last 4 years.

Here are some links to a few of this years thesis films. And for any recruiters out there - Please give them jobs!

Anchored - Lindsey Olivares
Bake and Release - Alejandra Quintas
Cat's Meow - Jorge Garcia
Deng Long Yuheng Chiang
The Dog and the Butcher - Johnathan Holt
EDIFICE - Patrick Haskew & Michael Molinari (Team Bonesaw!)
The Enlightened Monk - Emily Tse
Frank -n- Brains - Mike Hollander
Gretel and Hanzel - Gianna Ruggiero
Heavenly Appeals - Dave Lisbe
Hit and Run - Alex Marino and Greg Peltz
Love Line - Drew Walton
Nuri - Kendra Vander Vliet
On the Level - Mike Rutter
Oxygen - Chris Hendryx
Sacrelicious - Anthony Tso
Space Station - Alex Galuzin
Squeek in the Night - Jae Park
This Side Up - Liron Topaz

Good luck class of 2009! Lot's of love - I will miss each and every one of you, and I'll see you soon!

And a little something special for any Maya users out there, courtesy of the class of 2009.
The Maya Gremlin

Primitive Theater

2009-05-07T10:01:00.006-04:00

This was my 2nd 3D animation - it's hard to believe it's been 3 years since I did this. For this assignment we were to tell a simple narrative story using a character made from primitive geometry. It has sound so pump up the volume.

Our goal was to include as many of the principles of animation as possible and to explore emotional change in our character.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
The images and content in this post are protected

Cinema Memoir #42

2009-05-06T12:15:00.005-04:00

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (July 28th, 1989)

And as soon as I finish praising my mom for her outstanding parental skills we arrive at this gem of a movie - one that, yes my mom took me to see - but only because I begged her though, I'm sure.

It was fun to watch. It was pretty scary and funny. And it was worth sitting through to see Jason's face at the end. Glenn will certainly appreciate this image.

(Poster image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #41

2009-05-06T12:03:00.003-04:00

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (June 23rd, 1989)

I remember seeing the trailers for this movie quite a while before it actually came out, and I wanted to see it more than anything in the world - which is why I pitched a holy fit when I discovered that my Mom and Brother had seen it before me.

My poor mom felt so terrible that she took me out of town (because it wasn't playing back home) and sat through the entire movie again, just to make her youngest son happy. So I dedicate this post to my mom (God love her) for going out of her way to make her children happy.

Oh, and the movie was totally worth it!

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #40

2009-05-06T12:01:00.003-04:00

Batman (June 23rd, 1989)

1989 was a pretty awesome year for movies, and Batman was probably the biggest movie of that year - I remember it vividly. No one had ever seen a movie like this. It was dark and funny, and full of action.

Seeing this movie in the theater was a really great experience. I remember the theater was packed because it was opening night, and there were actually people sitting in the isles and standing along the walls. I had never seen that before.

I never read comics as a kid, so to me Batman was Adam West from the 60's movie and TV show. This movie opened up new doors in my imagination and afforded me a fresh outlook on visual storytelling. Also, it was freaking cool!

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #39

2009-05-06T11:59:00.004-04:00

Ghostbusters II (June 16th, 1989)

Not the best sequel, but it didn't matter because I was nine and was a huge fan of both the original movie and the cartoon. The only negative part of my experience was being really disappointed that slimer's design had changed. He looked so terrible!

This was the first time I noticed the huge marketing machine behind a movie. I believe Taco Bell handled a large chunk of the marketing.

The release of this movie also prompted me and several of my friends to take on the role of honorary Ghostbusters. Our objective was to rid the neighborhood haunted house of its spectral occupants. We figured a vacuum would suffice as a proton pack, but when we went in to the vacant house the only ghosts we came across where the ones we brought in there with us - talk about being afraid of our own reflections.

Ahhh - to be nine again.

(Image from impawards.com)

Digital Painting

2009-01-23T18:20:00.027-05:00

Here are a few more digital paintings. These two were Christmas gifts for family members in 2007. Both were done using Corel Painter X and a Wacom tablet.

This digital painting is of the nativity scene. I used

reference from the film The Nativity Story.

For this digital painting of John Wayne I wanted
to pay tribute to Drew Struzan's awesome style.
He's one of my all time favorite painters.
Check out the link to his page in my links section.

____________________________________________

UPDATE - 12/30/11

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the comments and support of my work of the past few years, particularly the Digital Painting of the Nativity. As mentioned in the post, I painted it as a Christmas gift for my Grandmother who was in hospice at the time. Not long after that she passed away. That was 3 years ago and as far as I know it still sits in the hospice room where she died, hopefully giving comfort to others… especially during the holidays. A somewhat bitter-sweet story, but I couldn’t think of a better place for that picture to be.

Unfortunately, with all good there is also bad. Since I’ve posted this image it seems to have made its rounds on the internet. After a detailed search I’ve discovered some folks are using it for profitable reasons, and because of that I’ve decided to take the image down for the time being. If you’re familiar with my blog, you’ll know this isn’t the first time this has happened. The same also goes for all my other art. They will eventually be replaced with watermarked versions, hopefully to discourage folks from using them without permission.

That said, I would like to thank EVERYONE who actually went the ethical route and ASKED me BEFORE using this image. Unfortunately, since it’s caused so many problems, from this point on I will not be granting permission for anyone to use this painting in any form… other than for your own critique via my blog of course.

Thanks for understanding.

Matt

3D Ball Bounce

2009-01-22T16:50:00.005-05:00

This is my first rendered 3D animation. Our assignment was to create a scenario involving a ball with personality who interacts with another, inanimate ball.

This assignment was a good opportunity to explore the principals of animation, and was a good introduction to the 3D animation process.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
The images and content in this post are protected

Cinema Memoir #38

2008-12-19T01:03:00.002-05:00

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (May 24th, 1989)

The epitome of total awesomeness! The first ad I saw for this movie was not a standard trailer about the movie, but rather a trailer about the making of the movie. What better way to strengthen my interest in filmmaking? Plus Harrison Ford stapled his fedora to his head, come on!

I do remember getting really nervous at the beginning of the movie when I saw some strange man (not Harrison Ford) wearing the fedora and leather jacket. I thought maybe they had recast Indy or something, but it didn't take me long to figure out what was going on.

Also, I remember the moment when Sean Connery stepped into the frame for the first time in the movie and the audience applauded. That was the first time I ever witnessed an audience react to a movie like that.

Watching this movie in the theater is one of my favorite cinematic memories of all time, and Indiana Jones remains my favorite character of the silver screen.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #37

2008-12-18T23:45:00.004-05:00

Pet Sematary (April 21st, 1989)

One of the most memorable movies I ever saw in the theater - partly because it's fairly well made, but mostly because it was absolutely terrifying. The walking dead people didn't phase me in the least bit, but the scene where Gage got hit by the semi truck scarred me for life.

My mom took both me and my brother to see this movie in 1989. I was 9 years old - 4th grade, mind you. In retrospect she's convinced herself that she was a terrible mother and totally regrets having taken us, but I reassured her that she was a great mother and was, in fact, dealing with 2 manipulative masterminds at the time.

My big brother - 4 years the elder - was a big Stephen King fan as a kid, which inherently made me a big Stephen King fan, as I had to imitate everything he ever did. Being the youngest has many benefits - I always got to do big kid stuff.

So when it came to watching a Stephen King movie in the theater he and I combined our efforts and succeed, and I've got the scars to prove it. Not the "I'll never watch another horror movie again" kinda scar - but more like a Jaws "Let's drink to our legs" kinda scar.

(Image from impawards.com)

Digital Painting

2008-12-18T00:39:00.011-05:00

I figured I'd post some of my more recent artwork. These are some of my first digital paintings. All of these were created using Corel Painter and a Wacom tablet.

This is an unfinished digital portrait that I started
about 2 years ago. I doubt I will ever finish it.

This digital landscape was an exercise I did while
experimenting with Corel's brush library.

This was another Corel warm up exercise. Just some clouds.

Cinema Memoir #36

2008-12-18T00:08:00.013-05:00

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (March 10th, 1989)

Apparently I kicked off 1989 with this masterpiece. This was when it became very clear to me that never again was I going to see another 'quality' Police Academy movie like the one's I grew up watching.

Did I really just write that?

Yes! Police Academy, as stupid as the series might have been, was an important part of my childhood - This movie, however, was not.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #35

2008-12-17T23:45:00.006-05:00

Cocoon: The Return (November 23rd, 1988)

It's funny that I wanted to see Cocoon: The Return in the theater, considering that, at the time, I hadn't even seen the first Cocoon. What can I say, I liked movies about aliens.

This movie wasn't too bad. It's didn't live up to the first Cocoon, but it seemed to deliver pretty well as family flick.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #34

2008-12-17T23:40:00.002-05:00

Scrooged (November 23rd, 1988)

I really hated this movie when I saw it. I wanted to like it. It had some funny parts. But boy was I bored and oddly depressed in the theater that day.

I think I get more enjoyment out of it now that I'm older, but not much.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #33

2008-12-17T23:33:00.004-05:00

Ernest Saves Christmas (November 11th, 1988)

I didn't see Ernest Goes to Camp in the theater, but I must have rented it a thousand times on video, so when Ernest Saves Christmas came out I was really excited, but it didn't have as strong an impact as its predecessor.

Ok, these two movies really aren't that great in retrospect, but they're a billion times better than the Ernest movies that followed. Even as a kid I would have agreed.

If I've learned anything from the Ernest movies, it's that he's a catalyst hero. Throughout the movies he pretty much stays the same, but when others cross his path their lives tend to change.

As far as my experience with Ernest Saves Christmas - I remember watching the trailers on TV more than watching the actual movie. It's probably been 15 years since I've seen it. Perhaps it's time to watch it again.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #32

2008-12-17T21:25:00.002-05:00

Mac and Me (August 12th, 1988)

. . . or E.T. on Coke and McDonald's.

I'm embarrassed to say that I liked this movie when I saw it. I suppose I'm a sucker for terrible movie ripoff's. Then again, I was only 8 years old.

This movie was a marketing nightmare. I highly recommend watching it if you want to learn how not to market a movie.

"Mac" actually stood for "Mysterious Alien Creature". Apparently they were intending to make a sequel, because there's a title card at the end of the movie that said "We'll Be Back!" I wonder why they never did. I've waited 20 years and have yet to be revisited by another Mysterious Alien Creature.

Oh well, I suppose it's for the best.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #31

2008-12-17T21:18:00.001-05:00

The Blob (August 5th, 1988)

This was a fun movie. It was another family movie adventure and another early R rated viewing experience. By this time I was total loving horror movies so watching this movie in the theater was a lot of fun.

I had seen the original 1958 black and white version prior to seeing this one and was not expecting it to be quite so violent and horrific, so of course I was pleasantly surprised.

Don't get me wrong, this movie is kind of cheesy, but for 1988 it was totally awesome. It also has some really good cinematic pacing.

It was around this time that the turnaround time between theatrical and video release was tightening up. I remember being shocked to find The Blob on the new release shelf at my local video store so soon after its theatrical release.

Just a fun fact about this movie - One of the screen writers was Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption and the Green Mile. He also wrote an early script for Indiana Jones 4.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #30

2008-12-17T21:15:00.002-05:00

Young Einstein (August 4th, 1988)

When I saw this movie I really didn't like it too much. I enjoyed the slapstick because I was 8. I laughed at the jokes, but only because my big brother was laughing at them. The humor was totaly over my head.

The only thing that really stuck with my was the scene when he split the beer atom (he he he, see I laugh now) and blew up the shed, then came running up to the house, burnt to a crisp and looking like an Australian Aborigine.

I watched this movie again about a month again and found myself laughing at the jokes without the assistance of my big brother.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #29

2008-12-17T21:05:00.003-05:00

Short Circuit 2 (July 6th, 1988)

Los Lobos kick your ass,
Los Lobos kick your face,
Los Lobos kick your balls into outer-space!

I was 8. It was fun. What more can I say.

I believe, no matter how good or bad a movie might be, there is always something that can be learned from it (although, in some cases, you do have to look very hard). It could be a moral from the story, a lesson of what not to do as a filmmaker, or perhaps something as simple as discovering a unique or interesting way to deliver a line of dialogue.

And yes, I did learn something from Shot Circuit 2. Johnny 5 is special because "Johnny 5 is alive". Nothing better illustrates this than the scene when Johnny 5 get's arrested and he's in his cell reading Frankenstein. What's awesome about this scene is the fact that, rather than speed reading the book just to obtain input- like he does with every other book in the movie - he's reading it slowly and actually relating to the story.

This scene probably doesn't make this movie any better, but to have made an emotional imprint on an 8 year old who just wanted to see a funny robot movie was an accomplishment.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #28

2008-12-17T20:07:00.002-05:00

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (June 22nd, 1988)

This movie marked a major turning point in my life. I was 8 and was really beginning to become interested in special effects and how movies were made.

Again, another family movie night, and this one really stuck with me forever. What can I say, Roger Rabbit was, and still is, a really great movie.

A year after Roger Rabbit was released the Disney MGM Studios opened. We took a vacation there that very year - I was 9 at the time. I was so wrapped up in the experience that, when we visited toon town, I actually convinced myself (for a split second) that real toons would be walking around the park, just like in the movie. I was at the age when such things still seemed possible.

(Image from impawards.com)

Some Early 3D Work

2008-09-06T12:12:00.006-04:00

Here is some 3D work I did during my Sophomore year at Ringling. For these projects I used a 3D program called Maya, which is pretty much the standard 3D software in the industry. I also used Photoshop for the textures.

This is a 3D model of an mp3 player. It was created using nerbs.

This Han figure was modeled with polygons. A friend of mine
did Greedo and we tossed around the idea of animating
them together. Of course Han would shoot first.

For this project all of the models were supplied, I just
arranged everything, textured them, and lit the scene.
It reminds me of my grandma's kitchen after a
thunderstorm.

Cinema Memoir #27

2008-09-06T09:05:00.002-04:00

Crocodile Dundee II (May 25th, 1988)

As I mentioned before in the Crocodile Dundee memoir, I really dig these movies. This one is not quite as good as the first one, but it works nicely as a sequel.

I really don't remember anything specific about seeing this one in the theater, but I'm pretty sure it was another family outing.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #26

2008-08-23T20:44:00.007-04:00

Willow (May 20th, 1988)

I think Willow was another one of those movies I saw during a summer field trip with the recreation department. I didn't really dig this movie when it came out, perhaps because it was ruthlessly advertised as "a George Lucas movie" but when I finally watched it there were no light sabers or death stars.

This movie had a rebirth in my life after I acquired the VHS at a video store going-out-of-business sale. I watched it all throughout high school until it began to loose its luster - then I packed it away. I have it on DVD now but it's mostly for my daughter. I haven't watched it in probably about 3 years.

It's a good movie, but at some point it falls apart and looses it momentum - this is a common side effect of most Ron Howard films and I'm not sure why. The only Ron Howard film that doesn't loose it's momentum - in my opinion - is Parenthood, believe it or not.

(Image from impawards.com)

Traditional Animation

2008-08-23T11:32:00.003-04:00

As the banner suggests, this blog is about Artwork, Movies, and Animation. Artwork and Movies have been covered so now I suppose it's time to post some animation.

This is a traditionally animated walk cycle I did sophomore years at Ringling. If you look closely you can tell the character is Gerty from the previous maquette post.

I'm not a huge fan of this - or any other of my traditional animations for that matter - but other people seems to like this one. I think it still needs a whole lot of work, but unfortunately, like most other abandoned works, I'll probably never revisit it - so it is what it is.

Enjoy for now, more to come later.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

The Maquette

2008-08-22T10:52:00.017-04:00

An important part of the character design process is the creation of a maquette - a small, 3-dimensional study of a larger character. Until recently, maquettes have generally been sculpted in clay, but it's becoming more and more common to see digital maquettes created in 3D programs such as Zbrush.

This is Gerty - a maquette I did for my traditional animation class my freshman year at Ringling. She's made from Super Sculpy and miscellaneous other materials.

I haven't had the chance to do any digital maquettes yet, but I hope an opportunity will eventually present itself, as I really enjoy the 3D modeling process.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Cinema Memoir #25

2008-08-22T10:45:00.005-04:00

Critters 2: The Main Course
(April 29th, 1988)

Yup, that's right, I dig the Critters movies - all of them. Of course, they progressively got worse as they went along, nevertheless I still enjoy watching them - they're on my list of guilty pleasures.

The first Critters has always been a favorite, not only for me, but also for my long time friend Jeremy Farnell. As kids, when I'd spend the night at his house it was customary to watch Critters.

When the sequel came out I made my mom take me to see it. I'm sure she had a terrible time but I had a ball.

One a side note - The Tremors movies fall into the same "guilty pleasure" category as Critters. But the first Tremors is by far superior to any of the Critters movies. I didn't see it in the theater (1990) because I was so freaked out by the previews. I'm a little bummed about that today.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #24

2008-08-22T10:40:00.005-04:00

Police Academy 5:
Assignment: Miami Beach
(March 18th, 1988)

For the record, I really love the Police Academy movies - well parts 1 through 5. My brother and I spent many an hour watching the Police Academy movies on video, but part 5 was the first of the series we saw in the theater, and as far as I can remember it was a fun experience.

This is the first Police Academy movie that didn't star Steve Guttenberg as Sergeant Carey Mahoney, seeing as he flew off into the sunset in a hot air balloon with Sharon Stone at the end of Citizens on Patrol. Perhaps it was Mahoney's absence (I seriously doubt it) but Police Academy 5 seemed like a step down in quality.

Yeah, I know - "Police Academy" and "quality" aren't usually seen together in the same sentence - but for an eight year old these movies are totally RAD! (It's okay, "rad" was big in '88)

On a side note, Citizens on Patrol is probably my favorite Police Academy movie because of the awesome theme song and the skateboard scene at the beginning (Tony Hawk). Of course, Back in Training did introduce Zed and Sweetchuck as the dynamic duo, so it comes in a close second.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #23

2008-08-22T10:33:00.010-04:00

*batteries not included
(December 18th, 1987)

It seems that because I generally watch moves so many times on video or DVD all the viewings tend to blur together. This is certainly the case for *batteries not included.

I don't remember a whole lot about watching this in the theater but I do remember wanting to see it. The poster and trailers totally sold me on this movie. I was getting to the age where I started to recognize names like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas on movie posters.

Also at this age I was beginning to notice the impact of great poster art. This poster was created by none other than the great Drew Struzan. I didn't know that at the time but looking back I can see how much of an impact his art had on me as a kid and still has on me as an adult. (Check out the link to his page in the My Heroes section)

I can't say this movie is great - it's a little dry at times and kind of tedious to watch. The effects are pretty awesome though, especially for 1987.

(Image from impawards.com)

Figure Drawing

2008-08-20T22:23:00.003-04:00

Here are some figure studies I did my freshman year at Ringling. I really love doing long poses, but seeing as the quick gesture is much more beneficial to animators (or animation students like me) I have to really make extra time to sit down for a long pose.

I don't really consider these drawings long poses - probably no more the 10 minuets each. Hopefully I will be able to add some more "actual" long poses to my portfolio as the year goes by.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Cinema Memoir #22

2008-08-20T19:20:00.007-04:00

The Monster Squad (August 14th, 1987)

What can I say -- one of my very favorite movie experiences of all time. 7 years old was the perfect age for this movie, and it still remains one of my all time favorites.

My memories of this movie are very vivid. At the time, I was playing on a T-ball team -- well not exactly playing since all I ever did was stand in the outfield and kick up clay with my cleats. We (the whole family) were on our way to a game the night Monster Squad opened when out of nowhere my parents U-turned and took me and my brother to see the movie instead.

I'm not sure what provoked my parents to turn the car around like that . . . but it was one of the best decision my parents ever made for me.

Perhaps that was the day my film career began -- who knows? I do know for a fact that was the end of my amateur T-ball career. I never played T-ball again.

UPDATE: May 24th, 2010

Looks like it's time, yet again, for another remake. I guess I don't have a huge problem with remakes. I always like to give them a chance. The odds are I will enjoy them, but always end up going back to the originals.

And for all those people who spend countless hours online bitching about how Hollywood is threatening their childhood memories every time a movie is remade, just remember . . . you don't HAVE to watch the movie.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #21

2008-08-20T19:08:00.008-04:00

Masters of the Universe (August 7th, 1987)

He-Man was cool, but I never REALLY got into the cartoon. I had some of the action figures, yes, but simply because of their necessity in the childhood repertoire. But when this movie came out I was totally jazzed! Like all kids, I enjoyed cartoons, but I’ve always been a realist at heart and in my opinion nothing could be better than seeing these cartoons come to life.

Dolph Lundgren was pretty good as He-Man. He's always gotten a lot of flack but he managed to carry the movie pretty well. And I didn’t realize Frank Langella played Skeletor until recently -- and he did a really awesome job I think. I've gotta give props to the make-up guys and gals, because Skeletor's make-up really worked.

The movie is still pretty good. A little cheesy for today’s standards of course, but I think most kids today would still dig it. I’d like to see what they'd do with this movie today, and the way things are going it won’t be long before someone in Hollywood get’s the same idea.

Thundercats would be a pretty awesome live action adaptation I think, as long as it doesn't turn into a furry-fest.

UPDATE: May 24th, 2010

Evidently I wasn't far off in my original post. It looks as though a remake or re-envisioning of He-Man / Masters of the Universe is on the way. And it looks like Sony Pictures is producing, so I suppose there's a slight chance I might get to work on this one . . . if it ever comes to fruition.

(Image from impawards.com)

More Gesture Drawings

2008-08-20T18:05:00.008-04:00

Here's another compilation of Gesture Drawings. These are more recent than the previous ones, so perhaps there is a slight improvement -- you be the judge. These are all 30 to 60 second poses.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Gesture Drawings

2008-08-19T20:23:00.009-04:00

Considering I've only been posting Cinema Memoir stuff for the last month I figure it's high time I posted some more art.

Gesture drawing is something that I seriously suck at, mostly because of how terribly inconsistent my technique is. Nevertheless I've picked a few gestures to showcase my incredible lack of skills. More to come later.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Cinema Memoir #20

2008-07-19T01:05:00.003-04:00

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
(July 24th, 1987)

There's not much to say about this one. I just remember thinking this movie sucked, and I liked Superman III. Even at 7 years old I thought Nuclear Man was retarded. This was the first time I left the theater disappointed - what a letdown.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #19

2008-07-19T01:00:00.005-04:00

Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
(July 10th, 1987)

Revenge of the Nerds was one of those movies I watched constantly when I was younger. It's the epidemy of underdog stories and, because I always felt like an outcast, it was strangely motivational. What can I say - I'm an optimist.

Nerds II didn't have quite the same effect on me. It's not nearly as terrible as the two sequels that followed (I couldn't even make it through those), but it's not even close to the original.

It was a lot of fun seeing this movie during another boy's night out with my brother and father. That was the last one of those we had as far as I can remember.

(Image from moviegoods.com)

Cinema Memoir #18

2008-07-19T00:40:00.006-04:00

Harry and the Hendersons (June 5th, 1987)

I was the perfect age when this movie came out. I think it holds up pretty well today - the animatronics are amazing - props to Rick Baker who took the Best Makeup Oscar that year.

This is another really great family movie that I still love. It has a good story - it's really funny - and the characters have great arcs - even if the movie is a little cheesy at times.

I don't remember much about seeing this movie in the theater, but I do remember watching it a thousand times on video. I watched it recently with my 12 year old and she loved it.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #17

2008-07-19T00:25:00.005-04:00

Creepshow 2 (May 1st, 1987)

Now we're talking! This was my first big screen R rated movie. The original Creepshow was my favorite scary movie at the time - even though I hadn't yet been able to make it through "The Crate" segment without covering my eyes. The sequel isn't nearly as good as the original but it does have its merits. The killer oil slick always freaked me out!

Oddly enough, watching this movie was another family event. My parents were pretty confident that I could handle movies like this - and they were right. Ever since I can remember I've loved horror movies. The only movie that ever really gave me nightmares was Gremlins and that was just from the trailer.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #16

2008-07-18T11:14:00.006-04:00

Mannequin (February 13th, 1987)

Oh yeah, this movie. I would have omitted this one except there's a story behind it. If memory serves, my brother went to see Platoon that night and I was forced to watch something else - something that was more suitable for a 7 year old.

To be honest, I think Mannequin messed me up more than Platoon would have - so much in fact that I think I actually saw Mannequin Two: On The Move in the same theater four years later (coincidentally, the same year JFK came out.) But because all this is sort of speculative - and slightly embarrassing - I've chosen to omit the sequel from the list. However, Mannequin will remain my 16th big screen experience.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #15

2008-07-15T10:12:00.006-04:00

Over The Top (February 13th, 1987)

Another underdog story, and a fairly original concept - well the arm wrestling I mean - the story was pretty cookie cutter I guess. I do remember wanting to see this movie because of the trailer. A great movie for age 7, but I'm sure my mom (who took me to see most movies pre 13) could have done without Over The Top.

I remember really digging the scene where Sly's son arm wrestled some bully kid for money and won. The only thing better than an underdog is a kid underdog.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #14

2008-07-13T01:30:00.010-04:00

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
(November 26th, 1986)

This was the first Star Trek movie I ever saw - not a great introduction to the Star Trek franchise. I had Star Trek II on tape (right before Star Wars) but I could never get past the scene with Kahn's pets - too scary - plus STAR WARS!

My brother and I watched this movie in the theater with our grandparents. They really loved when Kirk used his colorful metaphors - double dumb ass on you.

The poster rocks too!

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #13

2008-07-13T01:22:00.010-04:00

Crocodile Dundee (September 23rd, 1986)

This was one of those "family night" movies. We all went, which was a rarity. I still like movies like this - I'm a sucker for family films. Perhaps this is because they tend to bring families together, who knows.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #12

2008-07-13T01:14:00.012-04:00

Flight of the Navigator (July 30th, 1986)

I don't think I actually saw this movie in 1986, but rather at one of those summer kid's movie shows a few years later.

All I remember is being really depressed because everyone thinks the main character is dead. I haven't seen this movie in probably 15 years. I don't plan on watching it anytime soon.

Oh and Paul Reubens did the voice of the ship's robot pilot.

UPDATE: May 24th, 2010

Evidently there's a Flight of the Navigator Remake in the works. I was able to watch this movie again recently and it was just about as depressing as I remember it.

Also, I was at Disney's Hollywood Studio (always MGM to me) last week and saw the space ship from this movie on the back lot tour. It's always really cool to see movie props even if the movie sucked.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #11

2008-07-11T16:24:00.011-04:00

The Karate Kid, Part II
(June 20th, 1986)

I just remember really looking forward to this movie. I was 6, practically a ninja in my own mind, and I was a huge fan of the first Karate Kid.

I love the first two Karate Kid movies - nothing beats a good, old fashioned underdog story, but I swear Ralph Macchio was on coke in Karate Kid III.

This movie still kicks ass, and of course I'm still in love with Kumiko. Every time I drink hot tea I think of her.

(Image from impawards.com)

The Modern Day Shaman

2008-07-10T19:04:00.019-04:00

It's hard being an artist in the world today, especially when my vocation seems so insignificant - almost wasteful - while so many terrible things are happening all around us. I'm certain many artists out there have had similar feelings on this matter, which is why I've decided to post this inspiring quote --

Being a storyteller and/or animator is not only fun, it is an honorable thing to do with your life. The world needs shamans now more than ever...

- Ed Hooks

Perhaps today's artists, writers, and filmmakers are modern day shamans. After all this time questioning the importance of my vocation I really would like to believe what I'm doing is honorable.

Here is a link to the entire article, "Animators vs. Storytellers" which I highly recommend to anyone who is questioning their artistic vocation: http://www.actingforanimators.com/News/

(The quote goes on, "...and it is way past time that we started making animated movies for adults." But that's an entirely different post best saved for later.)

Cinema Memoir #10

2008-07-09T14:15:00.009-04:00

Poltergeist II: The Other Side
(May 23rd, 1986)

Watching this movie was a really great experience. It was the first time I was so scared I covered my eyes. That, of course, was during the scene where Craig T. Nelson puked up a slimy quadriplegic zombie.

This sequel isn't nearly as good as its predecessor, but it's freaking Citizen Kane compared to Poltergeist III.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #9

2008-07-09T14:13:00.010-04:00

Eliminators (January 31st, 1986)

Yes, that's a picture of a half man/half tank, it's okay though because it's a Charles Band production. And you can't beat a movie with a tag line like...

"Mandroid. Mercenary. Scientist. Ninja. Each one a specialist. Together they are...ELIMINATORS!"

I saw this movie on my very first date with my kindergarten girlfriend, Tara Payne and her parents. Nothing spells romance like mandroids.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #8

2008-07-08T22:44:00.005-04:00

The Jewel of the Nile
(December 11th, 1985)

Perhaps one of the worst sequels of all time (Not a Robert Zemeckis movie) . I was and still am a huge fan of Romancing the Stone, but this movie was a total letdown. There wasn't even a jewel, at least in the first movie there was a jewel. That was how I saw it at the age of five.

The most memorable part was Danny DeVito's line, "Your ass is grass and I'm a lawnmower." I've been waiting 23 years for the perfect opportunity to say that to someone, and one day it'll come.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #7

2008-07-08T22:21:00.003-04:00

Rocky IV (November 27th, 1985)

I watched this movie with my dad and brother; a boy's night out because my mom was hosting a baby shower.

This movie doesn't stand up so well today. It's an hour and a half of musical montage and Rocky's speech at the end kinda misses it's mark. But none of that really matters to a 5 year old. All I knew was that Rocky kicked that juiced up Russian's ass.

One of the redeeming aspects of this movie is the scene where Apollo Creed gets killed. This was one of those terrible yet wonderful movie experiences. I knew it wasn't real but the shock of seeing Apollo's body twitching on the mat was pretty poignant.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #6

2008-07-08T22:19:00.006-04:00

Back to the Future (July 3rd, 1985)

Memories are strange things. The only thing I remember about watching this movie in the theater is Marty McFly riding behind cars on his skateboard, fun but certainly not the most memorable part of Back to the Future. I think this movie made a greater impact on me in VHS form because when the sequels came out I was ready for them.

Robert Zemeckis is one of my all time favorite directors. His movies are always on the cutting edge of technology and he seems to be constantly reinventing his approach to storytelling. Back to the Future was one of those innovative movies.

On a side note, every time I see a Delorean in real life (which is quite rare) I get butterflies in my stomach and kinda giggly. I saw one in Sarasota about a year ago and I followed it into a parking lot and ogled at it for a few minuets. The license plate -- Back In Time

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #5

2008-07-07T22:15:00.006-04:00

The Goonies (June 7th, 1985)

Perhaps one of the best kid's movies of all time. Of course I've seen this movie a thousand times on video so my big screen memories are kinda hazy. I remember Data being my favorite character at the time because of all his cool gadgets.

I have to give props to Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus for coming up with this idea. I guess Richard Donner did okay too. This movie was really fresh for it's time and it's become a cult classic.

I had the pleasure of catching a special screening of The Goonies a few years ago in Orlando. The theater was packed and we knew all the lines.

There has never been another kids movie quite like The Goonies, and there probably never will be, but my fingers are still crossed.

(Image from impawards.com)

More Conte' Drawings

2008-07-07T19:23:00.009-04:00

Here are a few more conte' drawings that I've done over the last 3 years.

A still life drawn from life and photograph.
It was an assignment my first year at Ringling.

This is a portrait I did of Alabama football coach
Bear Bryant. It was a Christmas gift for my dad a few
years back. I used photo reference for this piece.

This is actor James Caviezel in his portrayal of
Jesus Christ from the film Passion of the Christ.
I used photo reference from the film.

Cinema Memoir #4

2008-07-07T11:37:00.008-04:00

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend
(March 22nd, 1985)

Ok, so I was on a roll there for a little while, but trust me, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend is certainly not the worst movie on my list.

I haven't seen this movie in probably about 15 years. I do remember thinking the dinosaurs were real, but that's not much of a stretch for a 5 year old.

For some reason the image of the baby brontosaurus with a pair of underwear stuck on it's face pops into my head.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #3

2008-07-07T10:15:00.011-04:00

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(May 23rd, 1984)

The thing I remember most was walking out of the theater wishing I was Short Round. I suppose most kids wanted to be Indy, but this was the first time I'd seen a kid with the power to thwart evil. This was the genesis of my love for "kid's movies".

Much like Return of the Jedi, Temple of Doom generally ranks as the least favorite of the original three Indy movies. I would recommend watching this movie again with someone who's never seen it (ideally a child).

Indiana Jones was my childhood hero. My desire to be a filmmaker can be directly attributed to the Indiana Jones movies and the impact they had on me as a child.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #2

2008-07-05T12:23:00.003-04:00

Return of the Jedi (May 25th, 1983)

When Return of the Jedi came out I was already a huge Star Wars fan. I was 3 years old so, like E.T., I don't remember much about my experience, but I do remember having a Biker Scout action figure with me.

On a side note, A New Hope was the very first VHS movie I remember watching. Darth Vader really scared the crap out of me.

Return of the Jedi has a reputation for being the worst of the original trilogy. Perhaps, but competing against A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, third place ain't too shabby.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir #1

2008-07-03T01:38:00.019-04:00

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
(April 11th, 1982)

This was my very first big screen experience. I was only 2 years old at the time so I don't remember much, but I do remember watching it at a drive-in, and my older brother crying when E.T. died. (Sorry for the 26 year old spoiler)

E.T. didn't get a video release until 1988. Six years is a long time for a kid to wait. Fortunately my uncle had a bootleg copy that I'd watch every time we visited.

Today E.T. remains one of my all time favorite movies. I can't imagine a better first big screen experience.

(Image from impawards.com)

Cinema Memoir

2008-07-03T01:35:00.010-04:00

While suffering from a recent bout of boredom, I decided to make a list of all the movies I've ever seen on the big screen. 332 was the total as of July 11th of last year; a rough number because surly there's some movies I've forgotten about (or omitted out of sheer embarrassment, i.e. The Care Bears Movie.)

I've decided to post each movie on this list - in chronological order - and write a little bit about my experience watching them. This is my Cinema Memoir.

Enjoy

(Image from blogs.trb.com)

Conte' Drawings

2008-06-26T13:16:00.022-04:00

My favorite traditional medium is black and white conte'. I really love working on black paper and building up with white. Here are a few drawings I did before starting at Ringling.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Self-Portraits

2008-06-25T17:57:00.012-04:00

Here is a series of self-portraits. All of these were done using traditional media. I never did a real self-portrait until I decided to go to Art School.

Copyright © 2009 Matthew J Killian All Rights Reserved
All images and content in this post are protected

Entertainment News

2008-06-25T12:49:00.007-04:00

Sad news in the entertainment world. Creature creator Stan Winston died last week after a seven year struggle with cancer.

For anyone who might not know Stan Winston's work you don't have to look very hard. He created some of the most memorable characters in movie history including The Terminator, Predator, Edward Scissorhands, and the Jurassic Park Dinosaurs.

I've been a fan of Stan Winston's work since I was a kid. Innovators like him inspired me to want to be a filmmaker. Stan Winston is one of my childhood heroes and he will be celebrated and greatly missed.

Here is a link to an article about Stan Winston. If you're a fan you'll probably enjoy reading the interviews with some of Stan's proteges like Steve Wang and Greg Nicotero.

(Image from latimesblog.com)

Begin at the Beginning

2008-06-20T09:31:00.002-04:00

Every great adventure has a beginning. It seems appropriate that my very first post should involve this fine work of art. I was 10 years old when I painted it - sadly enough my painting skills haven't improved much, even after 18 years.

More to come...