Baer Davis

UPDATE: Tiffany 2010 Holiday Windows

2010-11-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

Just saw the completed windows I worked on for the first time. Pretty amazing - especially given the turnaround on the project, from initial artwork to fully developed models.

Click HERE for a first look and HERE to see some of the artwork.

DVD Cover Designs in the Works

2010-11-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

-Rich Tola's 15-Minute Fat Burning Workouts
-Boulevard Zen (movie)

-Yoga Survival Single Disk Edtion

-Yoga Survival/Boulevard Zen 2-Disk Collector's Edition

See them HERE.

So, Donald - We meet again...

2010-09-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

Currently working on a project that involves caricatures, among others, of Donald and Ivanka Trump. And so far there's not a single drop of gold paint to be found - unlike the last time I worked on a Trump-related project.

Tiffany 2010 Holiday Windows

2010-09-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

I was called on to help design & illustrate Tiffany & Co.'s 2010 holiday windows - in early September! There's still a mad rush going on behind the scenes coordinating with model builders, etc. to get ready for the rollout to their stores, but I was able to develop a dozen or so designs for their children's book-themed windows to help kick-start this year's grand display.

Squatimals on Parade

2010-09-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'll soon post images from the work I did with Stephen David Productions to reboot their Squatimals animated series. SDE is best known for cable reality shows such as Big Medicine for TLC & Discovery Health, God or the Girl for A&E and Bound for Glory for ESPN.

Yogi & the Baer

2010-08-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Finished design work for Rich Tola's Yoga Survival Guide, a two-dvd set featuring extensive yoga instruction and the independent film Boulevard Zen. The dvd materials and design closely reflect Rich's unique perspective and background, making this a one-of-a-kind collection.

SCBWI Illustrator's Intensive

2010-07-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

A big THANKS goes out to everyone who participated in SCBWI's Illustrator's Intensive. It was a wonderful learning experience as well as an opportunity to talk creative with talented, like-minded people who have a passion for what they do.

I would like to thank Laurent Linn in particular for a very gratifying discussion of the industry.

The attached image is the final 2-page spread from The Tortoise or the Hare done for the intensive.

Tortoise or the Hare Character Concepts

2010-07-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a looong time since I've posted updates. Here's a sneak peak at a piece I'm doing for the upcoming NYC SCBWI Illustrator's Intensive.

Cosdesglamphomonsfxstration...?

2010-01-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

When Stephani(e) Drapeau asked what credit to list for me on her new World of Warcraft-themed image, I had to admit it was a good question. Created for her actor's portfolio, it was part costume design, part photo montage, part glamour, part special effects, part illustration - and not really any of the above.

Suggestions?

www.imdb.com/name/nm3155077/

www.stephanidrapeau.com

Creative Artists Agency

2009-12-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

is representing the children's television series I recently helped develop. CAA is a prominent entertainment and sports agency headquartered in Los Angeles, and includes Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Opray Winfrey among its clients.

Boulevard Zen Premiere

2009-12-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Images from the Boulevard Zen movie premiere courtesy of wireimage.com.

WEBSITE UPDATE IN PROGRESS

2009-11-30T16:58:00.000-08:00

Finally caught a breather between projects for revisions to the website. Changing the home page and also adding a SPECIAL PROJECTS tab for future development. Currently have three projects that will fall into this category - my work on the animated series, an upcoming large-scale illustration project, and a children's picture book in the works.

Boulevard Zen Film Poster

2009-11-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Boulevard Zen, 'A young filmmaker's chronicle of a day-in-the-life of hotshot LA real estate attorney turned modern day yoga master, Bobby D'Angelo,' will premiere December 9th at the Silent Movie Theatre in West Hollywood.

It stars Rich Tola, Troy Titus-Adams, Stephanie Drapeau and Whitmer Thomas.

Children's Animated Series

2009-11-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

Currently working on design/development for an animated television show project for a New York production company. Character designs and world style have been approved, and am putting series bible together. Hope to be able to post some work in January or so.

Two Strike Hitter

2009-11-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

Working on multiple branding projects for Los Angeles production company Two Strike Hitter.

JPMorgan Update

2009-11-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

Four caricature pieces have been added to my online portfolio from the JPMorgan Chase illustration.

JPMorgan Illustration Project

2009-10-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of a pencil rough for a three-part illustration in the works for J.P. Morgan. The final will have 17 individuals spread from coast to coast.

Buzzy Branding

2009-10-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Adding some packaging for Buzzy, Inc. to online portfolio. Not final, more to come, as well as a flash banner ad or two. The design I'm adding today both increases the visibility of the company branding and also tends to attract the attention of a younger market demographic.

In the Works

2009-09-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

CURRENT:

• Packaging for Buzzy, Inc.

• NDA - Design Project.

UPCOMING:

• Blizzard Entertainment.

Logo, Reported Smartly

2009-09-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

This logo was begun, created and approved within 24 hours. There was only one minor revision before final render. Smart Reporting Inc is a new company based in Long Island, New York providing reporting and transcription services to legal firms.

I created a sophisticated, modern logo with the use of somber colors, an intelligent, stylish font, and a graphic based on the usual weapon of choice for the company, a stenography machine.

The steno keyboard caught my eye immediately - it looked like something from The Matrix. It not only provided immediate recognition to those familiar with the industry, but hinted at the intricacy of the services involved to outsiders.

I created a simple, multi-use, flat-color vector version and from there created a three-dimensional model for rendering. Inside Photoshop I made other modifications and produced a final, layered, high-resolution piece that can easily be adapted for future use on the web and in brochures.

The Doppler Effective Logo

2009-09-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

A logo using a famous scientific effect? Let me at it!

Doppler Effect

-noun Physics.

The shift in frequency (Doppler shift) of acoustic or electromagnetic radiation emitted by a source moving relative to an observer as perceived by the observer; the shift is to higher frequencies when the source approaches and to lower frequencies when it recedes.

The biggest challenge in creating this logo was not simply illustrating the effect, but in also making it a strong, graphically pleasing icon for those whose science is a little rusty. Solidity is created by using simple geometric shapes, while a shift of the logo elements create movement towards the bottom right side.

Tunahead Ned Was Very Upset...

2009-09-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

------------------------------------------

Tunahead Ned was very upset,

Goofing around, he was caught by net.

He kicked, he squirmed and he called out for help.

Now it was worse, he was covered in kelp!

------------------------------------------

Thus begins an epic poem about the perils of fish-people who are careless around fishing docks [insert Lovecraft joke here].

I woke up with the first line of the poem in my head and groaned. "Oh, great, now I have to write the whole thing to find out who Tunahead Ned is, why he's upset, and if things are looking up for him in the end."

Fortunately, there are children's magazine publishers around for just such emergencies.

Targeting a roughly seven-to-ten year-old audience, there were certain factors to consider. It couldn't be too scary and it couldn't have a too human-looking protagonist. We have enough name-calling at those ages as it is without inspiring more.

Another consideration is making room for the text, twelve lines in total. This falls neatly onto the dock itself.

Finally, technique. I was tempted to do a black line/watercolor wash-looking piece, but there was a color layering technique I wanted to try. It made Ned's day even more interesting.

UPDATES! GET YER RED-HOT UPDATES!

2009-09-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

It's been busy.

Usually just as I'm about to update the blog something new pops up and I'm off on another project. The completed pieces are starting to pile up, however, and since it's Labor Day, I thought it would be appropriate to mosey over to the blog and post a few. Plus:

COMING SOON TO A BLOG NEAR YOU (this one)!

•More Updates!

•A high-end digital art step-by-step demonstration (as requested)!

•Hints about a major new project!

Blueberry Girl Launch Event & Art Show

2009-03-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

On March 7th, Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess launched Blueberry Girl, their latest collaboration, in an elbow-to-elbow public show at Books of Wonder in New York City. This very beautiful picture book is based on a poem written by Gaiman for Tori Amos's daughter Tash.

I was surprised to discover Charles Vess lives very close to where I grew up in southwest Virginia. It's fairly rare to meet anyone from that region here in NYC - they're [mostly] not what you'd call travelin' folk. He's just completing work on a sculptural fountain based on A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, the site of many a school field trip.

Neil Gaiman did a lovely reading of the book and was a wonderful speaker. Days later I found out that he had been notified of the loss of his father just hours before the event. Everyone would've completely understood if he had cancelled, but he didn't want to disappoint the hundreds who attended. He has since posted that continuing 'made everything proper and bearable and good.'

Our condolences go out to the Gaiman family.

El Pare Noel: Il·lustracion

2009-03-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

Just ran into one of my old pieces on a website. The name of the site is Brushstrokes in the World: Magazine of Illustration in the Child and Juvenile Books if the translation is correct. The site is in the Catalan language.

It's an experimental piece done with digital paint and 3d rendering. It was pretty odd even for a test, and I eventually revised it just to put it to rest. I should post the old and new pieces together for comparison.

UPDATE: The revised piece is now featured in the ILLUSTRATION section of my website.

http://bibliocolors.blogspot.com

An operator is standing by

2009-02-12T22:41:00.001-08:00

not that you'll ever see her...

I've just hired one of my old characters for a new position - web operator. She shepherds lost souls who have strayed from the well-lit paths of my website, back to pixel-populated pastures.

Originally a [nasty] neighbor character, she didn't make the cut for a project I was working on. If you do see her, hurry along, hurry along...

UPDATE: Sadly, the operator did not work well with the new web design and took a voluntary retirement. The picture from her I.D. badge can be seen in the ILLUSTRATION section of my website.

New York Comic Con 2009

2009-02-07T11:11:00.001-08:00

From the age of eleven I had planned to be a comic book artist, but superheroes eventually became less... super. After college I found myself with a degree in advertising and a job at an ad agency, but there was still something attractive about comics. A few years later I attended a class taught by DC's Joe Orlando. My work was very strong but my interest - not so much. Not everyone is meant to be a comic book artist.

Many are, however, and I saw hundreds of them yesterday at my first New York Comic Con. Roaming the floor with Matt Kaplowitz of thefightnerd.com, I saw amazing work everywhere. It was a chance to see iconic faces like Lou Ferrigno & Peter [Chewbacca] Mayhew, and to talk technique one-on-one with illustrators. I was even able to speak with some of the artists whose work I remember from childhood.

The more work I saw, the more I wanted to get back to the drawing table. I still can't fit my artwork into those little panels, tho.

Final Score: Baer 1, DreamWorks 0

2009-02-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

The rough portfolio for the new website went up yesterday, one hour before Superbowl XLIII. There's plenty of tweaks and a lot of site design & art to add, but it's in place.

Aside from enjoying a very good game, I also got a kick out of seeing a commercial for DreamWorks' new movie, Monsters vs Aliens. One thing in particular I noticed was their multi-eyed alien. Since I have a multi-eyed alien of my own (who you'll see featured above), I couldn't help but compare.

Trailer: