I regret what I did for a Klondike bar...

Ethel & Margot

2011-12-29T16:27:00.002-05:00

meet Ethel

and Margot

the new addition to the mermaid family.

bitchy mermaids don't give a damn.

2011-11-03T01:16:00.000-04:00

happy halloween!

2011-10-26T17:04:00.000-04:00

steve jobs oh no!

2011-10-06T13:55:00.000-04:00

they're coming...

2011-08-02T23:50:00.000-04:00

ariel... eat your heart out.

loki

2011-03-09T01:30:00.003-05:00

that is loki the German shepherd. loki and i have a very interesting relationship. it mostly deals with me be very afraid of her and her barking at me. sometimes loki doesn't mind me and sometimes she does. the fact is i am not very...well comfortable around an animal that has sharp teeth, taller then me, and barks when it hears the very sound of my voice. point in case. loki scares the shit out of me.

i was hit by a car a couple of weeks go. i am fine, i have a broken elbow and a pretty amazing bruise on my knee. but i am making a full recovery and things look like there on there way to getting back to normal. people ask me if i was scared when it happened or if i am scared of cars now. i'm not and i wasn't. what i am scared of is the long term effects... what if my elbow heals weird? what if when i'm 80 my knee will give out because of the accident. all these thoughts have been on my mind.

last night i was combing though the thoughts of my mind. listening to my brain as i was drifting off to sleep land, when it started to go into the world of the "what if's". what if i can't do this now, what if... blah, blah, blah. i realized i was freaking myself out for no reason. i can't change what happened, all i can just do my best to take care of myself now and just get over it. i don't want to be scared of my future...

so. the first logical step to overcoming this fear involves me and a dog.

loki my dear, you will not win this battle.

alan cook

2011-02-21T23:21:00.000-05:00

a very awesome person did this for me while my broken elbow self is getting better.

thanks alan!

mother nature

2011-02-07T01:41:00.001-05:00

so i am trying a new thing when i make art. it has worked out for me just recently. i suggest you try it. it is called the "whatever" technique. where you let go of all the doubt you have when painting and just do whatever you feel like and not care!

here is part of that technique.

scan a cut out piece of the brown paper you use at work as a mat that prevents paint getting on the pretty little desk under it.

feel inspired.

have a dream about mother nature.

and then do this.

i'm back bitches.

Texturing time...

2010-07-29T19:57:00.003-04:00

Busy busy...

So I am trying my hand in the texturing world once again because someone said I was good at it and I believed them. I used a model from the lovely Francesco Giroldini and Brendan Carroll (check them out here) because, let's face it, I would of had to model and UV this sucker myself! So why not let someone else do the dirty work? EH?! I am so nice. Really, I am the bestest friend to anyone ever. O__O . Seriously, if I knew you I would buy you a puppy.

Here are some of the initial paint overs I did.

And here is the final image!

Where am I?

2010-07-02T21:06:00.004-04:00

So my boyfriend is upset at me because I haven't posted in ages. Sorry everyone who cares a little bit about this dumb old blog of mine. Right now this blog is the least of my worries. I have 50 something dollars in my bank account and a dark cloud of loans hovering over my head and no job! I promise I will post more once I get some kind of a job thing. Anyone need a house cleaner? Dog walker? Likes to give money to strangers? Honestly, I don't even care what kind of job I get.

I once wanted to do visual development for movies and such but now I know I am just not good enough or determined enough? I don't know. My dream has never been "oh I want to be the best artist ever." No. I have always wanted to make movies or animations. I want to tell stories about the kids on the east coast that live in row homes. I want to tell stories of the jersey shore summer romances. The people you see on the street that have no idea that you are staring at them and noticing how normally beautiful there existence is. Stories of high school and the occasional fantasy awesome sci-fi movie. That is what I want and for some reason I have had this childish attitude like it would happen for me no matter what I did, I just knew I am going to be a movie maker. But that child like bubble has burst and now I realize I need to work for it. Like super duper sit down write a short story film it submit it. And go crazy... but first! A job.

and here is something I did along time ago... for everyone who needs some gianna kind of lovin in there life. i got you bo.

Give it Back!!!

2010-04-17T23:33:00.001-04:00

a preview of things to come... a.k.a a completely new portfolio by the end of these next 2 months to come! ahhh!

Quick Lighting/Mood Study...

2010-03-28T10:50:00.002-04:00

for a hopefully soon to be finished animatic. yay! for storyboarding.

The one thing (amoung others) that I learned while at Pixar...

2010-03-21T13:09:00.006-04:00

The one most defining piece of information that I took away from my experience being a texture artist at Pixar was the fact that everything has a story. Meaning that weather it be a table or robot, rug, car, pencil or whatever! it all has a story. who's pencil is it? does it have chew marks? does the character use it often? Is the desk use by children.. if so the smudge marks would be half way on the desk not on the very top. Maybe some crayon marks too.

Those objects are a reflection of it's environment and that reflection needs to tell the story of who the owner or owners are. Now I feel when I paint I think about that idea so much. I think about the space and who occupies it. It less becomes about how good the painting is but more about how well I am portraying the character of the object.

Maybe that is stupid. I dunno.

I tried to apply that philosphy in this painting. Maybe not my best, but a good learning lesson. This is a vendor I see when I walk to work the the morning. He always looks bored. I love his little colored rags he puts under the pretzels...

Update your blog already!!!

2010-02-26T12:43:00.004-05:00

i know.. i know. it is hard to update your blog when everything you do you hate or isn't finished... or... god damn it is there a fucking fountain of "you can draw/paint everything you ever wanted amazingly all the time" that I could go on a epic quest to and drink out of and some how save the world by doing it? anybody know of such a place? no... okay. fine.

here is a shitty crappy crap crap from conquest. That is the huntress. she is hot. this is a small little something me and kent are working on.. but kent isnt crap. he is wonderful and moving to nyc to work for buck! yay kent! why did i decide to become an artist?

i went to mexico...

2009-11-19T00:24:00.003-05:00

and this is what i drew.

check back. i am still working on this post. lots more sun burnt white people, birds... and sun burnt white people. btw, mexican men and women look like royalty.

Long over due.

2009-11-07T00:32:00.003-05:00

For anyone that doesn't know me, I love fat cats. No, really, you have no idea, my immense love for these creatures.

and my favorite of them all....

i am incapable of drawing skinny cats.

Stevie Lewis on a Roof in South Philly Somewhere with my cat Jazz and my Mothers Shells.

2009-10-16T08:40:00.004-04:00

That title right there about sums it up.
Still needs some working. Check back and I am sure I will have changed something.

i'm bringing sexy back.

2009-09-10T14:13:00.002-04:00

Well here I am in the land of unemployment... also known as philadelphia. Relaxing, running around, waiting hoping praying for some sunshine so I can spend the last blissful days of summer at the beach. (oh please oh please oh please)

But this isn't the true meaning of this post. This post well... let's just say it is sexy. I have been contacted by some women artist in France to do some freelance work. It is for a short animated film that will be featured along other short animated films... that's genre is not meant for kids. These couple of images where done for a script "plane fear" where a women is going to Madagascar and is scared of planes... and yada yada yada.

I first took the script literally. Doing some really rough mood images of this women on the plane.

Then I was told to do something more abstract and sexy.

BOOYA! I actually really like this image. It isn't something I would normally do. Well I can put on my resume I can do a sexy ladies.

Up next. teashop!

FJORG!!!!!!

2009-08-07T21:20:00.005-04:00

So i just attended the animation competition at Siggraph called FJORG in New Orleans. It was a blast! I got to work with my two good friends Kent and Alejandra. The theme was "Great Expectations" and we had to use a sound effect that the provided to us. It was a very long night seeing how we only had 36 hours and only 45 minutes of sleep between the 3 of us, but 4 cups of coffee, one red bull and a heart palpitation later we made our film! Enjoy!

Ponyo

2009-07-28T01:45:00.004-04:00

I just saw "Ponyo" and got to ask the great director Hayao Miyazaki a question. This is a good day since the other day when I got my wallet stolen. But that is another story. The point is Ponyo is an awesome movie. With one of the most powerful/magical scenes I have seen in a long time. Basically it makes me want my own ponyo.... ponyo, ponyo, ponyo.

Francesco

2009-07-25T22:45:00.008-04:00

i have discovered the best way to draw francesco. after many many stupid sketches that have been scribbled out or lost, or simply will never see the light of day, i think i finally nailed it. he is sleeping on the couch right next to me snoring. i invite everyone to do the same. francesco is a very fun person to draw but not to eat with. all he does is order hamburgers and complain about ihop... which he pronounces i hope. which i think is a very marketable name now a' days with obama and all. enjoy.

and my personal favorite.

Lighting Piece

2009-07-21T01:31:00.006-04:00

Ahh... oh man. this piece really makes me miss home. If any of you philly children can guess where this is I will buy you dinner. Seriously.

I decided to do a lighting piece/environment. Just playing with colors and focus points. I have been busy with my internship, so I mainly get to paint a little on the weekends. It is nice. I hope that I can start something else soon. For all those who don't know I am in San Francisco right now, interning at Pixar. I have met some AMAZING people, from other interns to people that have been working there for a long time. everyone is so humble and caring and super super talented. Pixar really cares about the level of work and their image. it is super intimidating!

I now am addicted to "this american life". everyone should listen to that. it makes you look at every stranger you see in a different light. it makes you realize that everyone has a story. that there are 6 billion stories in the world. that to me is amazing. makes me curious, wide eyed. i dunno. maybe it is just me.

the whole point of this blog post is this. pixar is awesome, this american life is awesome and San Francisco is cold.

the film

2009-06-16T23:10:00.005-04:00

watch my film!

so i never posted my film. you should watch it. it took me a long time.

Antelope mask

2009-04-15T22:06:00.002-04:00

hello all.

well it has been awhile and time to post some things. i promise i will be posting more often now that thesis is finally done. be sure to check my website sometime this week. I will have uploaded my thesis and have some HD RENDERED STILLS?!!?!? OMGOMGOGMGOMGOMGOGOGM

hmmmm hd.

anyways. here is the lastest antelope mask. I am not to sure how I feel about it. I don't think it is as successful as the last one. I think I am gonna be taking a break from the mask and doing some environment concepts and things like that. hope u enjoy.

Put Your Hands in the Air

2009-02-27T15:09:00.004-05:00

Things i draw at the bottom of my sketchbook.

bwa mask

2009-02-13T21:55:00.002-05:00

♪ cha-cha-cha children, tic tic boom
stamp the broken dance on earth's dusty chest
cha-cha-cha children, tic tic boom
intangle and sing
that of the monkey mask king. ♫

A Moving Picture

2009-02-02T12:16:00.008-05:00

Well one month and a couple of sleepless nights and I have two seconds out of my two minute film done... i hope, maybe, for the most part? Still some tweaks in there. Some color correction. I dunno. All I know is I haven't posted a single thing of my thesis up here and it is about time I do.

I have been really striving for a old timie look. I might even push it more if it doesn't seem to distracting or takes away from the piece. Maybe add a film filter or something. I dunno. Thoughts? Here it is. Enjoy

Click Me!

ps. the compression on the movie has desaturated the colors a bit. :(

mom and her birds

2009-01-11T11:02:00.001-05:00

south philly.

2008-08-13T17:51:00.003-04:00

meet south philly mom. she is a coupon saving, acme lovin', ultra thin smokin', sunday night bingoing, lemon candy sucking, sweat pant wearing type of women. yeah sure. she may look hard on the outside but her scraggly voice and doughy physique will win you over...maybe.

Lawrence of Arabia

2008-08-03T23:54:00.005-04:00

These are some quick color doodles I took from stills of the movie Lawrence of Arabia. I wouldn't call myself an old movie buff but I can see why people start. While watching this movie I knew where so many artsy films like "the fall" or "everything is illuminated" draws there style from. With such beautiful intense flat shots full of color and contrast, who wouldn't wanna copy? This movie is absolutely breath taking and also very long... but worth it. This was a real challenge for me.

Speaking of movies I saw batman (nanannanananananananananan) for the second time today. After seeing it the second time Heath Ledger's performance really impressed me. He seems like he would have been the next Johnny Dept but ten times better. I mean his attention to detail was insane. By licking his lips to the way he walked, his voice, his laugh... He just did it so well. I mean he would be an animators dream. Well. He seemed like he would have been a cool dude who would offer the world a lot o' good time movies.

Speaking of cool dudes. Anyone see Obama at the wailing wall? he seriously is a dream boat.

it is that time of the year.

2008-03-28T19:38:00.003-04:00

well kiddos. i have a new animation for ya. this time it is faster, better, more reliable, and down right awesome... thats right. I have animated myself. Enjoy

i love fat cat.

i like tents

2007-12-08T16:46:00.001-05:00

almost done... almost........ done.

thesisness...

2007-11-17T11:49:00.000-05:00

i like graphic design. i like this song. i like this video. but i don't like how the song is laid over the visuals. it doesn't work/fit. anyways. i want to make my thesis look like this. the end.

but! this song by the same guy has awesome visuals and it totally fits the energy of song. i likie.

time for things that make me happy.

2007-11-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

this is one all us 3d people can relate too...

word brother man... word.

animation kicks my ass...

2007-10-24T22:56:00.000-04:00

so yeah. this post would have be for my in out animation and i would have posted it and you would have enjoyed... but it sucks. it sucks real bad. so instead here is my animatic for my lip sync which will be animated next semester.

the sound is a little bit crappy but you get the point.

http://webspace.ringling.edu/~gruggier/access/cg220/gruggier_final_animatic.mov

this week has been a hard one. this last week i have probably only had 3 hours of sleep each night. Now that the in out is done i can finally sleep a little better. but on a happier note i believe my DFA painting is gonna come out good. my teacher is awesome and has been helping me out a lot. his suggestions have been really good too. anyways here it is. this is my really, really, really, rough color study.

i can't wait to come home.

Once Upon A Time I went to Mexico

2007-08-03T00:22:00.000-04:00

So I went to this little place called Mexico. It was alright.

I saw some stuff...

I took pictures of doors...

I drew some stuff...

Anyways...

I know. This has been long over due. Whatever, deal with it. I have more doodles I need to put on this thing. I will do this. I promise. Forrizzle.