(There's probably a less kludgey way of writing that title. Eh...)

2011 was an interesting year in that I made leaps artistically that I had never attempted before and yet stayed stagnant in certain aspects. I certainly feel like I didn't draw as much as I would have liked, though I suppose any artist would think that way. Also there's a lot of stuff that was kind of crappy. Nevertheless, looking back, there are a number of works I'm particularly proud of. Come with me on a journey through time and space. And DeviantArt.

Brian Wilson Mighty Mugg

I've been creating custom vinyl toys for a few years now, but this one is special. I made this while still reveling in the 2010 World Series hangover, but once I was done, I didn't really feel like keeping it for whatever reason. The Sendai earthquake/tsunami happened around the same time, and having an affinity for Japan, I really wanted to do something to contribute to the relief efforts. I had already donated money, but I felt like I could do more. Thus, I put B-Weez up for auction and was able to raise a good amount of money for the Red Cross. Better than having it sit around my room anyway.

Me and the Moon

I'm not going to post a bunch of comics because there are a lot of them. I'm actually rather amazed that I was able to update with regularity last year, which was something I had trouble with in previous years. If I missed one, I had good reason for doing so. Even then, I'd try to at least draw something to throw on the site. I chose this particular one because it shows off my penchant for metaphor and interest in astronomy. It's also one of the few I drew by hand and not digitally.

Tammy Komatsu speed paint

One thing I've always wanted to be able to do was to improve my painting skills in Photoshop. I figured the best way to do it was to do some quick paintings without over thinking it. I did a series of these and meant to do one of each of my characters, but never got around to it. I should pick it up again this year.

馬田的心事

I listen to a lot of music. Like, a LOT of music. Sometimes I come across a song that sparks an animation idea within me. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I'll obsess over it, constructing storyboards and beats in my head to go with the music. Then I forget about it a few days later. For once, it wasn't the case as the perfect storm of inspiration and desire came crashing together. My little airport  is one of my favorite bands, and when I heard this song, I really wanted to do something with it for the longest time because it totally fit my feelings at the time. It had been two years or so since I had animated anything of great length, but I finally felt ready to tackle the project head on. It is by design crudely animated as it fit the tone of what I wanted. I make no claims about the Illusion of Life here. The final product wasn't completely how I pictured it, but I'm glad to have done it all the same.

The Dragon's Cave
[link]
Despite having drawn comics for over a decade, I've never done a full-length comic book before. I've also never done the 24-hour comic challenge before, despite having the desire to do it for years. One day I decided that I needed to just do it. I had an idea in mind, but no clear idea about how it would turn out or end. I spent the entirety of Memorial Day working on this from midnight to midnight. There was actually no point at which I felt tired or lethargic. I only had one Red Bull, and I don't even think I needed it. The only thing that took a hit was my hand at the end. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't solve. While I don't think it's the best story I've written, I'm rather proud that I managed to get it down. I probably could have gone a few more hours. Next time I'll do a funnier story though.

Dance Party

I like this because it's dumb.

Clara C

One of the great things about this era of YouTube stars is the accessibility one can have with the artists. There are Twitter, email, and all sorts of other ways of communcating with them. And of course, you can go to small shows where you have a chance to meet them. I was able to give a drawing to Clara C, one of my favorite artists. It's one of the rare times when I've drawn in ink, so you know it's something special. It lacks a certain punch that I intended for it to have, but hey, she really liked it. I'm going try to follow up on that when she comes back to SF at the end of January.