2D Animation Concept Designs: Background Layout, Storyboard Frames, Characters, Props and Vehicles

2D Animation Concept Designs: Characters.Proof Sheets of work I have done in the 2D Animation space over my career

 

2D Animation Concept Designs: Vehicles.Proof Sheets of work I have done in the 2D Animation space over my career

 

2D Animation Concept Designs: Background Layout, Storyboard Frames.Proof Sheets of work I have done in the 2D Animation space over my career

 

2D Animation Concept Designs: Props. Proof Sheets of work I have done in the 2D Animation space over my career

 

 2D Animation Concept Designs

Background Layouts, Storyboard Frames, Characters, Props and Vehicles 

       Today I am posting some Proof Sheets of work I have done in the 2D Animation space over my career. I started right out of Art Center working in 2D Animation before I really focused into 3D work with 3D Logo Design, 3D Illustrations, and 3D Animations that take up the bulk of my work.  

TV 2D Animation work:
Phantom 2040: ABC: 62 Episodes,Pre-Production, Pilot and Film.
New Adventures of Flash Gordon: ABC: 26 episodes, Pre-Production
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. HBO 26 Episodes

       I really miss the 2D side of my art, and rarely get a paying gig anymore to use that skill. I still do love to draw and miss using this skill set as much as I was able to to in the past. There are some sketches that were not in 2D Animation mixed in for Theme Park work, as well as a few Walt Disney Imagineering pieces too here as well.

Most of the Images in these sheets are posted here on my blog full sized. Here are some searches to try:

Sketching:        https://3dconceptualdesigner.blogspot.com/search/label/Sketching

Napkin Sketches:    https://3dconceptualdesigner.blogspot.com/search/label/Napkin%20Sketching

Phantom 2040:        https://3dconceptualdesigner.blogspot.com/search/label/Phantom%202040

Flash Gordon:     https://3dconceptualdesigner.blogspot.com/search?q=flash+Gordon+

 

     I am currently still doing freelance as I hunt for a full-time place to work at, so if you need a bid for a 3D Illustration or 3D Logo, or a 3D Model feel free to contact me for a quote. I am open to Hourly gig's, Work Retainers, Part-time, and Full Time opportunities [ Open to relocation ] would be best. I have worked remote since 2009, so I am ready to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

2D Character Design Development: TV Animation, Toy Design, Theme Park Anamatronics, Corporate Mascots.

 

A sample of my 2D Character Design Development for 2D Television Animation Series, Animation Series Presentations for Toy Manufacturing, Theme Park Anamatronic characters, and Corporate Identity Mascots.

2D Character Design Development

TV Animation, Toy Design, Theme Park Anamatronics, Corporate Mascots.

One year out of Art Centers Transportation Design Program in the Fall of 1991,  after doing Set Design and a bit of Themed Restaurant Design, I plunged head first into Television Animation mostly 2D at the time, however we had 3D tech which was still emerging back in 1993 and had this incorporated as well into the work I did. I was Art Director and Conceptual Design for Phantom 2040, as well as development of Flash Gordon.

Designing characters, creatures, and fashion might seem distant for an Industrial Designer, however at ACCD, we all followed Syd Mead the pioneer Concept Artist doing all these things throughout ourtime at Art Center, and many of us went directly into Entertainment Design to do exactly that. 

Design is design, and creating full worlds required a multi disciplinary approach to our work, a Renaissance Designer who can create everything around the products we created was ideal, and most of my fellow graduates all have in some way or another done this in there careers as well. Transportation Designers are utilized all through the Concept Artist world, as well as in shoe design and high end products due to our multiple filed we are comfortable in and our advanced surface training hands on clay.

Today I have a sampling of the work I have done  over the span of my career with creating characters and fashion and outfits for these characters. Humanoid animal and Alien, realistic to cartoony, all designs have been a challenge and a joy to create. 

If you need character design feel free to contact me for 2D or 3D. [Future Post coming showcasing 3D Character Designs]

                  Cheers, THOM

NOTE: Blogger has limited the Image size, go here for the full size Image with more detail.

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXXI [121st] Prop Design Sketches

The Ghost wood leaf was seen in about 20% of the series as this was the symbol for nature taking over the ultra-modern futuristic city from the ground up. It also represented the Phantom himself and he is from the Jungle, so the Leaf and the Ghost wood itself is seen here, in my prior posting.

A futuristic square Library Table that is thrown by a B.I.O.T.'s in the show.

 THis semi-=Mission styled chair was used in this scene here.

Here are a few 'tall-n-thin' bricks as props. These are from the Phantoms lair as you can see a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Textile block in there too from the cave.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXXI [121st]

Prop Design Sketches

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

Today in my 121st Phantom 2040 posting, I am posting a few added props I designed for the series. 

I had a very unique position as the head Concept Artist, and as the shows Art Director, so I had a very free design process in that I approved my own designs for myself quite fast, so all I was left with was two reviews, one internal in LA, and one from the folks in NYC.  

This allowed me to complete a huge amount of work in a short time span and since we had a very low budget this was a lifesaver to get a good look for the show.

Today I showcase a few added props, some may look familiar as they are found in various backgrounds and other props I have designed and posted in the series. 

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXX [120th] Enforcer Hyper-cruiser Development Sketches

 The primary Design for the Hypercruiser was proportioned like a Deuce Coupe Chopped Hot Rod, one of my personal faves' for The Phantom. I did use this for Max's car with the wheels, and the flying one for the Police force of ENFORCERS.

 After we decided to remove all wheels and make it a floating vehicle only for the most part I have this revised sketch I did for it.

 I also did a plate armor overlay as in once script there were B.I.O.T.'s working putting this on so it had to look removable in design.

 Here is the internal color key I have[ alt view here]

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXX [120th]

Enforcer Hyper-cruiser Development Sketches

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

Today in my 120th Phantom 2040 posting, I am posting a bit of the process sketches thst I did for the Hypercrusiers for the Enforcers from the show.

I was able to design out all the futuristic vehicles for the show, and as an Art Center grad from Transportation Design, this was a dream job very early on in my life right out of school.

I first did the body form pass with wheels, then we learned that they are rarely seen on the ground so I focused on a hovering design without the wheels as seen above as well as I progressed forward. I always had a variation or two, usually an armored version,and sometimes a wrecked one too, like this, this, and this.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXIX [119th] More Vehicle Designs

 Micro Cars and Cycle Cars were all over Metropia, especially at the dorms where Kit went to school, and here is a final inked line art drawing I did. The rough is here to see.

 Another micro car I designed and also inked above. The sketch is here.

 A little campus police vehicle I designed for the Phantom 2040 series. A color Key for this is here.

 Here is the internal detail sheet for Maxwell Madisons Hyper-Limo. You can see sketches here, here, and here.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXIX [119th]

More Vehicle Designs

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

Today in my 119th Phantom 2040 posting, and I had found some more scanned in images of vehicles I did so here are a few more today to show.

I had to create unique designs for various vehicles for the show, and for some like Maxwells Hyper-limo above I had a good day to work out the inside and multiple views. But for most, I only had about 30-45 minutes to do the design and move on.

Animation for television, especially a lower budgeted show like this only affords a short time for these background props. They usually are not even designed for most shows and the animators overseas in Korea will just make them up, but we wanted a bit more control of the design.

As a Car Design Major at ACCD, this was my staple sketching subject so I was able to get these designs into production fast and accurately.

I even did the final inks above myself to help out the prop department when they were bogged down with other designs to ink.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXVIII [118th] More Vehicle Concepts

 When Kit Walker becomes The Phantom, his hyper-cycle transforms as well to what we see here.

 Here is the original overlay I did for the HERO mode with everything out and ready to go.

 I took a sedan I designed and with a little white-out[ WHAT!] I removed the top and added a quick interior to it as seen in this Xerox sketched over. You can view a multi-view of it here.

 The Mustang Kit drove in full on COMBAT mode for The Phantom 2040. You can see it color keyed here.

 Here is generic flying vehicle I did to fill up a specific shot we had. I created this with a very unique profile unlike the planes and jets we would see up there as well.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXVIII [118th]

More Vehicle Concepts

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

Today in my 118th Phantom 2040 posting, I have found some scanned in images of vehicles I did for the series to review back in the early 90's. 

As a Transportation Design Graduate we dream of future vehicles to design, and this was a great time in my design career to be able to have the creative freedom that is afforded in sci-fi projects, along with being the Art Director on the project, I also got to approve all my ideas as well!

All of Kit Walkers vehicles transformed when he transformed into The Phantom as well so I have a few of these to share today.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXVII [117th] More Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

 A rough layout move blocking that I did for Jesse Santos to complete of the African Jungle. I blocked the skull cave over on the right, with a tabletop mesa to the left.

 The Maximum Inc Rocket lands in a field out in the countryside outside of Metropia.

 An Exterior of the Lab blocked with foreground vines to part upon truck in.

 Here is the Maximum Inc Rocket in the cargo bay ready to lift off.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXVII [117th]

More Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Tuesday 2D post this week, I have found even more of the small layouts I did to assist in production on the Television Animated Series from the mid 90's called The Phantom 2040.

I did these blocking grids to be used by multiple groups both in-house in the states, as well as for our overseas groups working in France and South Korea.

The background painters, Layout Artists, Storyboard Artists, and Animators all took advantage of these as they would provide that little bit of extra information to help them complete the work on model and quicker too.

I often did plan views, cut away drawings , and whatever detailed sketch was needed to help us make our production deadlines, and simple milestone goals each month, as we did put out 52 episodes in those hectic two years at Hearst Animation.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXVI [116th] More Character Fashion Design for Animation

 I modified a Dry-as-a-Bone Australian riding jacket to accommodate Guran above. I added just some small details of tall and thin magnetic clips up by the lapels.

  

 Here is a generic Butler character that would be seen both at Maximum Inc, as well as serving the Madisons, Maxwell and Rebecca.

 A Tracker outfit I designed a few times to get it right. The hat with the neck cover was in the script as a feature discussed so I had to add that in.

 

 Here is a simple coat that was used in the shots near the dorms, for various students wearing school jackets.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXVI [116th]

More Character Fashion Design for Animation

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Thursday 2D post this week, I have scanned in a few more drawing overlays I did for some character fashion design from the show, The Phantom 2040, and this is my 116th post for the work I did for this property.

I have posted fashion designs before from the show, and as Art Director and head Conceptual Designer for the series, I set the look for the show that I wanted to have in all outfits that were worn by the various characters.

As an Industrial Designer, Fashion Design is something that all designers must consider when doing any thematic design. We look at trends in all of the design word to find what is the movement in the field so we can apply these ideas to our concepts.

I did most of these with a micro mechanical pencil since all the Peter Chung concepts for the main characters was done all with a very thin line style, and we wanted to be consistent with all character outfits as well.

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXV [115th] Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

I often included a plan-view of the scene to help set-up the action as I did in this little truck-in PAN shot from The Phantom.

 A double move shot focusing on a computer in a DATA lab.

Here is a grid layout for Sagan Cruz in her apartment. You can see the pedestal bed on the right.

 Here is that rough gridded out for inside the Phantom 2040s Lair at a Computer center.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXV [115th]

Background Design Mini Layouts and Grids

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Tuesday 2D post this week, I have put up some added background design drawings from The Phantom 2040, a TV Animated Sci-Fi show from the early to mid 90's that I Art Directed for Hearst Animation.

This is my 115th posting for the show, as I was responsible for the look of the show so I had my hand in a whole lot of designs.

In order to get a better perspective background "product' from my resources, I chose to grid out a huge amount of the layouts to give the artist a grid to build over for the finals.

Though I trained the teams in curvilinear perspective, we did not always get the desired results, so I did these mini velums for the background layout artists, painters, and storyboard artist teams we employed to get the look even closer.

I have mentioned this before but designing the production itself, is the legitimate job of the Art Director, and for me doing this little "assist' ,was a key part in our product to get the look we achieved, even though we had the lowest budget at the time for any TV series in animation.[ 1/3rd of BATMAN]

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXIV [114th] More Promo-Pack Layouts and Roughs

The Phantom zooms thru the city in his Hypercruiser in full "Phantom Mode' Skull exposed out front.

The Phantom is exiting the lair via the old subway tunnels as he flys by camera on the hypercycle. If this layout is familiar it's because it is an alt of this.

Vaingloria at a concert, this is my super fast rough in Sharpie on tracing tissue rolled.

Here is that rough tightened up a bit more for the final.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXIV [114th]

More Promo-Pack Layouts and Roughs

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Thursday 2D post this week, I have put up some early design drawings from The Phantom 2040, a TV Animated Sci-Fi show from the early to mid 90's that I Art Directed for Hearst Animation. This is my 114th post for the show.

I've posted my roughs for ideas for the promotional package we sent out to get the show bought by the networks and toy companies early on. I prepared about two dozen images for review and about half to 3/4 made it in the final cut and were added to the Promo Packs.

I also did these first as really fast quick ideas on rolled tissue trace paper, and then I'd take those and overlay them with velum to tighten up the idea or modify it a bit, and to add details and get it closer to on-model.

These did end up as background layouts and we painted the cels in-house traditionally though the show was done with an ink-n-paint software based production[ one of the first for TV].

 If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXIII [113th] More Background Color Key Art Direction

 Here is a main establishing shot painted by Jesse M. Santos while under my Art Direction for the Series The Phantom 2040.

 I designed the brownstone , and had Jesse do a worms eye angle up on the home for the key layout artwork done for The Phantom 2040.

 

 A Color Background Layout for Animation done for The Phantom 2040's main character Kit Walker, this was his dorm room.

 

 Here is the layout that I did for the shot. I also even did freelance over the weekends on the project ant this background was faxed over so all I had was this copy[ a re-post]

 

 The tip of the Mile High Maximum Inc in Metropia Painted by Jesse M. Santos as well.

 Here is the design sketch I did that was the basis for the variation colored above.

An interior of Security at Maximum Inc. due to the green colors this was inside the headquarters. 

I am still looking for the layout to this one, and I'm sure I saw it over the years...

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXIII [113th]

More Background Color Key Art Direction

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Tuesday 2D post this week, I have scanned a few more of the photos I recently found showing the painted background layouts that I Art Directed for the TV Animated Adventures of The Phantom 2040 back in the middle of the nineties.

Today is my 113th post for Phantom.

I designed a majority of the locations for the series based in , and around the city of Metropia which had a Ghost Jungle hidden underneath the huge futuristic city where the Phantoms Lair resided. 

The city had many layers similar to what was seen in Demolition Man, with the lower ground levels being where the poorer folks lived, while Maximum Inc. rose to a one mile height above the city, and these layouts above show four more locations along with my re-posted sketches for the various sites.

I had a good team of painters in house, as well as a great team in the South of France who seem to be able to paint right from birth, so a few color keys and they matched the palette wonderfully!

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review:The Phantom 2040-PART CXII [112th] Character Design Adjustment Overlays

Rebecca Madison the head of the evil Maximum Inc. had many bodyguard B.I.O.T's here is one design I did.

Sean One lived in space and was about 12 feet tall,and this was one of his alternate outfits, like a tight speedo with a bit of a wrap over the shoulder. The little sketch to the side of his knee is how he floats in the show .

 A Tracker character with some modifications done to the head, hat, belt, gun, and shoe details. All sketch overlays are 8.5 x 14 xerox with tracing OL's.

A enforcer with a RIOT shield from the show.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXII [112th]

Character Design Adjustment Overlays

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

For my Thursday 2D post this week, I have some more character design overlays that I did while at Hearst Animation in Studio City California, back in the 90's working on the TV animated series, The Phantom twenty forty.

When I was hired on, the team had started some added characters but without an Art Director or theme for the series it required adjustments to the details to fit into the Art Nouveau look I was to get established.

I made sure that the belts and shoes would wrap around the person or B.I.O.T.[ Biological Robots] to mirror the Ghostwood vines constantly poking into the city[ like the Phantom himself!].

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review The Phantom 2040 PART CXI [111th] Perspective Grid Background Action Layouts

 Cyberville was a B.I.O.T. based city in the later episodes of The Phantom 2040, and this is a layout blocking I did for the team to follow.

 This was a fun shot to design, Mr Cairo was on an operating table looking up at the ceiling so I put some strong fish-eye on the shot along with a tilt-rotate pan of sorts as he looks up to his reflection.

 For this blocking I did this for the layout and the storyboard crews to help set up our truck in pan shot here.

A shot of the curved walls inside the space station where Sean One lived with a scaled blocking for the characters.

Project Review
The Phantom 2040
PART CXI [111th]

Perspective Grid Background Action Layouts

Client: Hearst Animation Productions.
Art Director: Myself.
Project Date Spring 1993.

So today for my Thursday 2D post, I have here my 111th post covering the Conceptual Design and Art Direction work that I did for the TV animated series, The Phantom 2040 from in the early ninety's, and I am reviewing some episode Direction Scene Blocking that I did for the show.

As Art Director on the show, I blocked out in simple grid format a whole bunch of shots to assist the multiple teams with staging in fish-eye. Getting folks who have only drawn straight edge perspective to move over to curves was a difficult one, as most students I meet do not understand the concepts behind why we see in perspective in the first place[ parallel lines projected onto a sphere will converge]so they had difficulty with the fish eye, let alone just an accurate straight edged perspective, so I did these grids to help them.

They were all small sketches, so as to fit on the storyboards themselves, and we taped these originals to a board pages to give the animators a clear understanding of some shots along with the various other reference.

Trained in space planning at both CCS, and ACCD, this was a skill I never thought would be used in TV animation, but it was a great help in staging these shots.

If you are a FAN of The Phantom 2040, and on FACEBOOK, there is a group for that....  here.

There is a TAG on the list to the RIGHT for other Phantom 2o4o entry's, but you can click this as well.

Cheers, THOM