Author: Cedric

31 Mar

Posted at 09:11h in Character Design

On Saturday NBC aired another episode of 3-2-1 Penguins! for which I did some character designs. The plot centered around a malfunctioning time machine that sends the penguins' space ship into the future where they meet their future selves. (The lesson for kids was about respecting the advice of our elders.) The original penguins were designed several years ago when...

28 Mar

Posted at 13:38h in Art & Business, Uncategorized

Here's an interesting article from the LA Times about Deborah Gregory, an author who created "The Cheetah Girls" and sold the property to Disney. Her characters have appeared in two TV movies, sold millions of CDs and DVDs, and have toured in over 80 cities. Her contract with Disney gave her 4% of the gross revenues. She hasn't seen a penny. It's...

27 Mar

Posted at 06:01h in Character Design

As a freelance illustrator I work on a variety of projects, but my specialty is character design. I periodically get calls from ad agencies, design firms, and business owners wishing to hire me to design a mascot to help promote their product or service. Mascots are powerful, which is why so many companies use them (like the well-known brands pictured above)....

26 Mar

Posted at 08:44h in Art & Business
I'm slowly getting over a monster cold, which means work is piling up and my to-do list is growing whiskers. It doesn't help that, like many creative types, my ducks aren't always in a perfect row. Fortunately a few months ago I put a simple system in place that has helped me stay (mostly) organized and will go a long way towards helping me get back on track with minimal hassle. Let's call it a "three folder system", unless I can come up with a cheezier name. I wish I could remember where I got this idea (probably a blog). Using my email inbox as an example, here's how it works: In my email program I've created three folders:
  • 01-Today!
  • 02-This Week
  • 03-Whenever
Since my folders are alphabetized, the numbers in front of the folder names ensure that these three folders stay at the top of the list.

25 Mar

Posted at 00:00h in Uncategorized

Sorry folks, but I've been flattened by a bad cold and fever. So no post today. But before you leave check some of the great art blogs listed over in the left-hand column. Inspiring stuff!...

24 Mar

Posted at 00:00h in Art & Business

I've been freelancing for eleven years and I love it! Despite the high highs and low lows, overall its been a great career choice for me. But freelancing is not for everyone. I've written about the drawbacks and benefits before. Recently I came across a great post written by Chad at ProFreelancing.com that looks at it from another angle: 13 Reasons...