LOU ROMANO

10/26/09

MAGICIAN

Done for the upcoming CTN-X program/sketchbook: a limited edition booklet filled with art and info by animation professionals, that will be available at the convention.

CTN-X Animation Expo

Digital

Preliminary sketches
Ink

10/10/09

PAUL JULIAN

There have recently been posts online featuring the work of artist Paul Julian (1914-1995). I've gathered some examples into one big post. In addition to his work in animation, Julian designed titles for some live action features. Of those films, Dementia 13 also happens to be one of Francis Ford Coppola's earliest works.

PICCOLI (1953)

THE TELL-TALE HEART (1953)

SWAMP WOMEN (1955)

NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957)

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS (1957)

DEMENTIA 13 (1963)

THE TERROR (1963)

THE HANGMAN (1964)

7/3/09

JUNE 2009

ELECTIONS IN IRAN

RIP MICHAEL JACKSON (1958-2009)

RIP FARRAH FAWCETT (1947-2009)

MEGAPIRANHA DISCOVERED
(Megapiranha Paranensis) 4X bigger than modern day piranhas/lived 8-10 million years ago/a link between today's flesh-eating piranhas and their vegetarian cousins, pacu.

COLOR COINCIDENCE
I went to the Georgia O'Keeffe show at SF Moma and saw this lady viewing a painting. I did a double-take...she was the painting.

Digital

6/15/09

UP COLOR SCRIPT

A closer look at the color script (done January-March 2008).

Digital

*ALL ARTWORK PROPERTY of PIXAR/DISNEY*

5/29/09

ART of UP

Here is some of the development & production work I did on UP (2005-2008).

ELLIE'S MURAL
After finding they cannot have children, Carl & Ellie make Paradise Falls their life goal.

Gouache

CARL & ELLIE
One of the goals for the Prologue was to evoke the feeling of childhood and innocence, with story & design.

Gouache

Digital

A DAY IN THE LIFE
Explorations of old age and loneliness. The idea was to keep Carl isolated within the frame and suggest loss with composition & light. The film deals a lot with loss and letting go of the past.

Digital

gouache/digital

CARL IN COLOR
Character Design: Daniel Lopez Munoz
Design Sculpt: Greg Dykstra

I painted and photographed this sculpt to see what Carl might look like in different lighting. Bryn Imagire (Shading Art Director) painted other sculpts exploring healthier complexions. She also made models of the house, plants, and rocks, to impart a tactile quality to the digital work.

cast urethane/acrylic

CLOUD TOWERS

Digital

On UP I made some animated tests using After Effects as a way to take static images further. Using music and sound also helped the tone of a scene or idea.

Digital

Exploring the way light might change in a room as the house travels through the clouds.

Music by Nelson Riddle
Digital

Music by Maurice Ravel
gouache/digital

Digital

DESKTOP DIORAMA
I made these figures then photographed them on my desktop. The smallest figure is the size of a grape. It was a way of arranging and finding interesting compositions in 3D. EFX were added in Photoshop.

Digital
Figures: balsa wood/wire/acrylic

TEPUI STUDIES

Digital

The weather can change within minutes on top of a Tepui, from eerily foggy to sunny and back. This is a moment in the film, when Carl sees Paradise Falls (Angel Falls in real life) for the very first time.

Music by John Williams
Digital

TEPUI RESEARCH TRIP
I had the opportunity of visiting Venezuela with some of the other crew members. Tepuis are large, flat-top mountains that rise out of the jungle basin. They are so tall that certain species of plant and animal only exist at the top, a mile above the jungle floor.

Nat McLaughlin (Environment Artist) left and Ronnie Del Carmen (Head of Story) right. This gives a sense of the topography on Roraima, the highest of all the Tepuis.

TEPUI MAP
This map was made after we returned from Venezuela and charts the course of the main characters and obstacles they encounter. Muntz's hangar lies at the middle of a crossroads, between the bird's nesting grounds and Paradise Falls, an important path Carl must take.

Gouache

TEPUI & JUNGLE STUDIES
After returning from the trip, we were inspired to illustrate what we saw. A challenge in CG is conveying how something feels, over how it looks in reality. Research trips can sometimes be a plus and a minus: the plus in that visiting a place surpasses what you gain from photos alone, the minus in being a slave to the reality.

Imagination and feeling should dictate everything...

gouache/digital

STYLING STUDIES
These were done for our 'looks' test to get a sense of where we were headed stylistically (stylized to more naturalistic).

Digital

We wanted to use light theatrically, as a way to selectively indicate detail.

Digital

Another study in selective detail. The idea was that depth of field could simplify the jungle, allowing backgrounds to go softer and more impressionistic, so the eye could focus on the foreground.

Digital

After coming back from Venezuela I arranged pictures to music, to capture how the place felt. It can only be taken so far with a single image. With a sequence you can convey more meaning. After looking at the photos with music the sunrise seemed like a natural climax. The color reel contains a few finished shots.

Music by James Newton Howard
digital/gouache

CHARLES MUNTZ
Muntz was originally based on Howard Hughes, the aviation pioneer who became a recluse in his later years. In an earlier version of the story Muntz was obsessed with the Snipe eggs, which could reverse old age like the fountain of youth.

Gouache

MUNTZ & HIS DOGS
When a story is in early development..anything goes.

Colored Pencil

DIORAMA STUDIES
These thumbnails were done in preparation for our CG 'looks' test. The goal was to solidify our treatment of organic environments as well as make a setting in which the characters could interact.

Digital

DIORAMA FRAMES
This CG test was the resulting work of many departments and taught us a great deal. I brought these frames into Photoshop and added some atmosphere and efx, which the Lighting Department used to tweak the final shots.

Film renders/Photoshop pass

COLOR SCRIPT ACT I
The first pass color script for ACT I. Others were also done for ACTS II & III. These are very simple, but help give a sense of the film's tone, which is taken further with lighting keys.

Digital

FINAL COLOR SCRIPT
This was my last assignment on UP. I tried providing more lighting information than the abstract scripts, which are more for tone. Other artists also contributed greatly to the lighting design of the film and the Lighting Team led by Jean-Claude Kalache did a super job.

Digital

*ALL ARTWORK PROPERTY of PIXAR/DISNEY*

2/27/09

SEX & SCIENCE

This work is a continuation of an earlier posting, ANCIENT MODERN, which is all part of The Ancient Book of Sex & Science. This is my second collaboration with Scott Morse, Don Shank and Nate Wragg and is shaping up to be a very inspiring book and show. There is no Sex here to speak of, but plenty of Science-Fantasy.

Back to Mars

9" X 15"
Gouache

The First Expedition

10" X 15"
Gouache

Martian Lunar Spires

10" X 15"
Gouache

Martian Still Life with Chalice and Memory Stone

10" X 15"
Gouache

Martian Still Life with Light Shard

10" X 15"
Gouache

Studies for Sculpture : Future Warrior

Digital

Quartz Crystal with LED lighting

Martian Concert Hall

Digital

Sci-Fi Toy Concept

Digital

10/3/08

DREAM WARRIORS

A GEEGAR COLLABORATION for a book based on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 : Dream Warriors. The characters have powers in their own dreams. But, most aren't strong enough to defeat Freddy Krueger. Quotes are from the movie.

PETE GRAHAM: Drawings
LOU ROMANO: Color
PAUL MAES: Neck-guts design

ink/digital

10/1/08

ART of THE INCREDIBLES

Here are some other samples of Incredibles work I did (2000-2004): Development, color/lighting design and DVD bonus materials.

EARLY DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE INCREDIBLES
This is more of a gag drawing. But, when it's early days anything goes...

Colored Pencil

BOB AT WORK

Gouache

E SCULPTURE

Digital

EARLY VILLAINS

Gouache

E's WORLD

Gouache

Digital

LIGHTING THUMBNAILS
These were done during and after the color script design and were meant to be a springboard for the lighting department.

Digital

JACK-JACK ATTACK
Lighting studies for the BONUS DVD short.

Digital

MR. INCREDIBLE & FRIENDS
Styling and film aging studies for the BONUS DVD short.

Digital

*ALL ARTWORK PROPERTY of PIXAR/DISNEY*

9/12/08

THE POE GALLERY

A series based on tales by EDGAR ALLAN POE (1809-1849). 15 tales / 30 illustrations / and 15 linoleum-block prints.

METZENGERSTEIN (1832)

MS. FOUND IN A BOTTLE (1833)

BERENICE (1835)

LIGEIA (1838)

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (1839)

WILLIAM WILSON (1839)

THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1841)

THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1842)

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1842)

THE BLACK CAT (1843)

THE TELL-TALE HEART (1843)

THE OBLONG BOX (1844)

THE FACTS IN THE CASE of M. VALDEMAR (1845)

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO (1846)

HOP-FROG (1849)

Thumbnails
Digital

Block Prints 8" X 10"
linoleum/ink

GREEK GODS MONSTERS & HEROES

A series of 40 paintings based upon Greek Mythology.

POSEIDON

ZEUS

HARPIES

All 14" X 20"
acrylic/gouache

8/25/08

ANNABEL LEE

An animated short film based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe (1849) of the same title.

COLOR STORY REEL (2:25)

Performed by Basil Rathbone
Music by Igor Stravinsky

"Annabel Lee" from The Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection by
Edgar Allan Poe, performed by Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price
(p) & (C) 2000 HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
Used by Permission of HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

"Orpheus - Ballet in Three Scenes/Scene I: Orpheus"
Performed by Esa-Pekka Salonen and The Philharmonia Orchestra
Courtesy of SONY BMG MASTERWORKS by arrangement with
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

"Orpheus - Ballet in Three Scenes/Scene II: Dance of the Furies"
Performed by Esa-Pekka Salonen and The Philharmonia Orchestra
Courtesy of SONY BMG MASTERWORKS by arrangement with
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

THUMBNAIL STORYBOARDS

Ink

COLOR STUDIES

Digital

INSPIRATION

Pebble Beach, CA.

7/29/08

ABSTRACTS

NO. 1

NO.2

6" X 6"
Gouache

7/18/08

YETI

This piece was part of a group project with Scott Morse, Don Shank and Nate Wragg. We each did a monochrome, sci-fi inspired painting from which prints will be made and sold at Comicon. Next year we'll release more sci-fi work in The Ancient Book of Sex & Science, a companion book to Myth & War.

8 3/4" X 11"
Gouache

7/8/08

SOLO JAM II

These were done for fun. I started with the mermaid, which was based on an acrylic painting my friend Rob Gibbs and I were jamming on July 4th. I was trying to recall what we had painted the next day with this digital study. Then, I started drawing and painting the other ideas, stream of conscious.

INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL

DOH-NKEY

JOKER

DANCER

WALKER

MAITRE D'

FRIENDLY

MATADOR

ATOMIC BLAST

MERMAID

Digital

7/1/08

3X4

These were done for a group project with Scott Morse, Don Shank and Nate Wragg. Each of us agreed to do 4 paintings using the theme of 3. In this case, 4 illustrations of 3 organic things. We're planning on putting all of them together in a book.

3 GEMS

3 FORMS

3 PLANTS

3 FISH

All 10" X 15"
Gouache

6/3/08

BB & ME

This was my submission for the Totoro Forest Project. The proceeds from the art show and catalogue will go towards saving the Japanese forest that inspired Hayao Miyazaki's film, My Neighbor Totoro. totoroforestproject.org

If I was a kid, I'd want my totoro to be a giant bat that could fly me around. I love bats, they are the only mammals that can fly. Flying squirrels don't count, they glide. But they're cool too.

10" X 15"
Gouache

2/1/08

PHOENIX

10" X 15"
acrylic/gouache

1/12/08

BUGS : PART II

BLACK WIDOW

10" X 15"
acrylic/gouache

GREEN BUG

7 1/4" X 15 1/4"
Gouache

THE CYCLE

9 1/2" X 14 1/2"
Gouache

1/11/08

OLD DRAWINGS

I found these the other day. The Tony the Tiger drawing was taken to final paint (previous post). I did these for my friend Nate Pacheco, who was pitching 50th anniversary ads for Tony and Toucan Sam.

10" X 12"
Pencil

12/13/07

ICARUS

7 1/2" X 10"
pencil/colored pencil

10/25/07

BUGS : PART I

THE BACK DOOR

8" X 14 3/4"
Gouache

MANTIS & ANT

8" X 14 3/4"
Gouache

PIGGY-BACK

8" X 10 1/4"
Gouache

10/19/07

STAGE DESIGNS

ink/pencil

Digital

PLUTONIAN ICE STORM

8 1/2" X 15"
Gouache

Preliminary sketches

10/5/07

ANCIENT MODERN

Some artwork for a future book and show: THE ANCIENT BOOK OF SEX & SCIENCE. I'm doing some small 3D pieces and paintings, the idea being that these (below) could be art or relics from an ancient Martian civilization.

MARTIAN SCULPTURE

15" tall
foam core/hot glue/modeling paste/acrylic/gouache

MARTIAN CARVINGS 01 & 02

9" X 12" X 1"
balsa foam/acrylic/gouache

These are insect studies from a previous post and an upcoming bug-themed show. But here, they have also worked as ancient Martian hieroglyphics.

STEP BY STEP

Final foam core construction.

Build up of Light Molding Paste. Lays down like whipped cream, dries semi-hard and very light in weight.

Course Pumice Gel was applied over the dried paste (to add more grit/rust). Then, the piece was painted with acrylic and gouache.

Preliminary sketch

9/24/07

CYCLOPS & CRUSADER

Finished paint (before final detailing)

EFX studies
ink/pencil

Cyclops 4 1/4" tall / Crusader 3" tall
sculpting foam/acrylic/gouache/feather/glass/metal

9/19/07

ALEXANDER GIRARD

Alexander (Sandro) Girard (1907-1993) was a designer of textiles, graphics, furniture and exhibitions. He also had a passion for collecting textiles and folk art from around the world. In 1963 he designed and made these wooden dolls to decorate his home. They have been reproduced by the Vitra Design Museum based on his originals.

I purchased some LED lights and played around with lighting and photographing a few of the dolls. The resulting colors were achieved in camera using different combinations of the multi-colored lights. The tallest doll of the three is only about 10 inches.

WOODEN DOLLS by Alexander Girard (1963)

LED lights purchased at IKEA

8/28/07

HANSEL & GRETEL

This artwork was done for an upcoming group show based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. The show will exhibit at the Gallery Met in conjunction with The Metropolitan Opera's production of Hansel und Gretel (1893) by Engelbert Humperdinck.

IM WALDE (IN THE WOOD)

11 3/4" X 23"
acrylic/gouache

DEM HAUSCHEN (THE HOUSE)

16 1/2" X 20"
acrylic/gouache

HEXENSCHUB (WITCH'S SPELL)

14" X 20"
Acrylic

Preliminary sketches
All 8 1/2" X 11"
pencil/ink

8/17/07

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS

I worked on The Powerpuff Girls from 1999-2000. I didn't work in-house during that time but would come into the studio as much as possible to run these thumbnails past Don Shank, who was the Art Director. Once he and the directors approved them I would do more finished keys based on the layouts, which would then be sent over-seas. It was a lot of fun.

Layouts by Dan Krall

All various sizes
gouache/pastel

*ALL ARTWORK PROPERTY of CARTOON NETWORK*

6/27/07

BUG JAM

Bug studies for a future group show at Nucleus Gallery (2008).

All 5 1/4" X 6 1/4"
pencil/ink

6/26/07

THE NEW YORKER

As a result of The Ancient Book of Myth & War (see below) the art editor of The New Yorker magazine (Francoise Mouly) invited Scott Morse, Don Shank, Nate Wragg and I to submit ideas for covers. We were given a list of holidays and a lot of freedom to come up with concepts. After submitting thumbnails and receiving notes I was asked to do a final illustration, which was approved for print. The whole process took 3-4 weeks.

Final original
8 1/4" X 11"
Gouache

Color studies
Digital

6/8/07

JAZZ QUARTET

A music major at Northwestern University (Josh Moshier) saw my blog and asked if I would illustrate the CD cover of his debut album. The group liked #3 which I worked up into a final painting. Good Luck, Josh.

Final original
7 3/16" X 7 3/16"
Gouache

Rough layout drawing

Cover concepts
Digital

5/16/07

SPANKY VS. SAMURAI

Confronting the BEAST.

"Wake up! Do not try to humiliate me, Beast."

ZZZZzzzz

"I will come back when you are ready."

5/10/07

COHEN JAM

I was asked to participate in this art jam with a young boy named Cohen. His Dad sent me his watercolors in the mail then I added to them and mailed them back. I hope you like them, Cohen.

8 1/2" X 11"
watercolor/colored pencil

5/7/07

NERO

This is my piece for SKETCHTRAVEL a sketchbook that is being passed from one artist to another across the world. When completed it will be exhibited at a gallery in France then sold at a charity auction.

Final original
8 1/4" X 11 3/4"
Gouache

Rough drawing

Thumbnails

4/20/07

SOLO JAM I

These drawings were done one right after another without any plan in mind. Then they were scanned and painted digitally in the order in which they were drawn. The goal for me was to get ideas out of my head, on to paper and into color as fluidly and as quickly as possible.

PLAYGROUND

VIKING

DRAGON

BABY DINOSAUR

FUTURE HOME

NIGHT WITCH

SPECIAL EDS

CIRCUS ELEPHANT

THE FALLEN

MAN & MONSTERS

FISH TANK

CONCERT

SODA JERK

DRUNK

RED EAGLE

FIGHT

WARLORD

ENGLISH RACE CAR

SWISS RACE CAR

AMERICAN RACE CAR

FRENCH RACE CAR

COMEDY

WHITE BABY

IRON HORSE & SNAKE

GERMAN BANDIT

STONE HORSE

FALLEN CREATURE

HORSE HEAD

DINOSAUR ROCK

All 8 1/2" X 11"
ink/digital

4/19/07

GORGON SPHINX

11 1/2" X 16"
Tempera

4/3/07

MYTH & WAR

(L to R) Don Shank, Lou Romano, Scott Morse, Nate Wragg

Thank you ALL for coming to the opening and for your support.
An extra special thanks to NUCLEUS for hosting a great show.
Visit their WEBSITE for photos and updates (see link).

3/21/07

CLASH OF THE DORKS

A dvd cover I made for my copy of Clash of the Titans using the art of Alice & Martin Provensen and Steele Savage. Ray Harryhausen signed it for me...but said that the cover was "terrible".