Through the Looking Glass

art dump

2011-09-19T23:11:00.004-04:00

here's some illustrations i've been working on.

you can check out some of my inspirations, thoughs, work in progress/illustrations, and other art related posts on my tumblr.

"crowned"

"drift"

my tattoo design that i'm planning on getting this winter.

"stargazer"

WE ARE LIVE!

2011-06-20T15:01:00.003-04:00

so i'm back from the dead, not really...sort of.

have been keeping busy

i'm currently working at a game studio called FunGoPlay and it's been the most fun and enjoyable place i've ever been in...EVER! i love it there!

we just launched beta on our virtual world last week on the 15th and it's been going pretty well.

i'm there helping create assets for in world, GUI designs, and some animation.

the commercial that i helped work for went on air last week

it's been airing on cartoon network, disney XD, and...a few other channels...cant think of them on the top of my head..

but here's the commercial!!

i'll be posting more work i've been doing the last several months i've been MIA.

illustration dump

2010-07-11T13:12:00.013-04:00

just thought i'd post somethings i've been working on.
been getting artist tables at a lot of conventions to make so extra cash and things have been okay. been getting tons of commissions at the convention but a bit slow elsewhere.
i was working at a children's toy and book company called scribbletown but left the job in may to pursue my career since managing, accounting, and package design wasn't really what i was looking for. thought i had a job with this independent studio but that fell through. no i'm looking towards the game industry and hoping to hear back a from a few places soon.
been trying to work on a new film but thats been looking hard to follow through. hoping i can come up with an idea that actually sticks. :<
this was a practice illustrtion done with copic markers and prisma pens. wanted to draw this so i can practice using markers since i've never really used it before.

digital sketch done for pixcell studios for one of their game characters.

a commission of toothless from How to Train your Dragon done with india ink and watercolor

painting done for my friend. watercolor and gouache

mucha inspired commission of someones original characters. done in pencil

portraits of my my world of warcraft characters. done with india ink and watercolors

will be posting more illustration work in the future :)

alive!

2010-04-03T00:02:00.005-04:00

I AM alive! i just haven't posted anything. Do any of you even read this shit??
so i've been doing an anime convention circuit. i know i know some of you guys maybe rolling your eyes, but it has definitely been keeping me busy as far as drawing and getting artsy. (also the commission and cash flowing in is pretty nice ;D)
so i've been selling cell phone charms, bookmarks, postcards, prints, stickers, etc etc. i'm going to move on to totebags and customized jewelery boxes in the summer. I've been working on cell phone charms (which btw have been going like candy during halloween)

here's some world of warcraft faction leader charms (yea i'm a WoW gamer go sue me)

Sylvanas Windrunner - undead faction leader

Cairne Bloodhoof - Tauren faction leader

Tyrande Whisperwind - Night Elf faction leader

here's some samples of the cell phone charms :) made with shrinky dinks. (yes those are pokemon lol)

i went out and bough some small glass tiles and i'll be making more charms from them too :) i'll try to post more up for them

it's been so long!

2009-12-09T19:04:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time! I'm not dead D:
and I HAVE been working on some drawings. I'm now drawing/coloring Jisuk Cho's backgrounds. So here's some eye candy for you guys D: since I haven't been posting any drawings.
Also I've been working on a gift art for a friend and i'm coloring it now but I'm not done yet >_> I also haven't looked at it in a while. but here's some screenshots! enjoy!
Also good news everyone! So I've been working freelance at this children's toy and book studio called scribble town. I was doing books/package design and assembly. But now i'm being hired as part time. So it's great 8) I'm not completely in the whole now. I'm getting back up on my feet now and it feels great! Hope this will continue to a full time or maybe even to another job. How's everyone else doing? Hope everyone is at least drawing!

BG for Jisuk
and gift for my friend

mmm still WIP. i'll post more in the future. :S

rusty

2009-08-22T06:09:00.005-04:00

dont hate me! i HAVE been drawing, just nothing completed or worth putting up online since my drawings have been REALLY rusty. but i've been brainstorming a lot about my next film. i've narrowed it down to two but can't decide which would be the best one :T
anyways...i've been working on my website and kinda messing around with it. (it doesn't help that my internets been lagging and running a bit slow..)
but here it is :D

ch-ch-ch-check it out
www.sandyhong.com

inspired

2009-07-15T08:37:00.003-04:00

so i'm still technically "jobless". its tough but i'm man-ing it out now but i've sorta been working for matt archambault (my life drawing teacher, advisor, and of course a great role model) on his website www.drawing-tutorials-online.com. it's not really a full time job or anything but it's definitely easing the pain of recession. i've finally sat down and really watched his videos and man, are they inspiring. i'm going to get myself out of this rut and really pull through. these times are hard and i'm not going to settle for anything less. i'm going to really find a job in my career or at least in the arts. so this means i'm going to really work on my portfolio website, work on my resume, and actually really try to send them out. before i was just sorta contacting people, but i'm really going to try and do my very best.

other than that i've been thinking a lot about my last year in SVA. i know that my film isn't as bad as i keep thinking it is but it really changed me and i felt that it wasn't really done for myself but for other reasons. i feel that i wasn't myself when i was working on. now i'm in a positive light and more motivated to do something that i'm happy about. no rushing, or competitions, or negative energy. i'm going to start a new film. i've had a few ideas in my moleskin that i've worked on while doing thesis so i'm going to get my hands dirty and really rip them apart and find that gem. there are a lot of things i'm going to change while working on this film. no more secrets? i think my biggest fall on "Pathway" was that i was too afraid to share my ideas with others. there were strong competitions and i was afraid of leaking my idea out to my classmates. (how foolish of me) i'm going to put it all out there and i will be more than happy to and even grateful for any feedback and critiques.

i'm going to be helping out jisuk cho on her thesis film this year (check out her thesis blog >>> www.jisuk.blogspot.com<<<) and helping her around with it has really got me on an itch to work on a new film. i cant wait to get my hands on her film and really work on it, it definitely hits my happy buttons and i'm honored to on her film.

so in a week or so i'll post up so thumbnails of what some ideas i've been brewing in my head.

you'll be hearing from me again in a week or two :)

alive and well

2009-06-26T18:23:00.004-04:00

yes i am still alive and doing art. things have been very hectic since graduation, so i haven't been very active on the internet.
but i finally found an apartment after so many stressful weeks, and i've been slowly moving in so until i settle down i wont be posting anything. but i hope everyone's been enjoying their summer, and hope the job hunt has been going successfully because i'm still unemployed and [sarcasm] having a blast! :O [/sarcasm]

completed!

2009-05-14T21:40:00.004-04:00

we are done! forever and ever! well not really. the dusty's was awesome. everyone did such a great job and it was great seeing everyone's film on the big screen. congratulations everyone!

finally uploaded my film onto youtube. (took me long enough) i'm definitely going to go back and fix/add some missing parts and cleaning up all the little things and probably entering them into festivals. we'll see.
so here's my film!

a decent update

2009-04-24T00:31:00.003-04:00

i haven't posted any artwork on here. just a few blurbs. well here's a screenshot from my film. :T i have to go in and add shadows/highlights. i think i've figured out an easy way to do it. i'm not sure yet.
i'm going to be making post cards for the dustys hopefully. so i'll upload postcards on here too when it gets done :)

oh god oh god oh god

2009-04-12T04:08:00.002-04:00

exporting on thursday at 2...i've comped up some scenes...so i'm not TOO freaked out...but AH! 5 days LEFT!

ugh, so i'm doing bitch work now, and going back and cleaning up some work that people gave back to me. such a waste of my time. i need to send out emails D:

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! we're almost done, and the light is right at the end of the tunnel.

oh dear god

2009-03-29T23:47:00.002-04:00

20 days left before we have to hand in our thesis!

the countdown begins

sooo...?

2009-03-12T23:44:00.000-04:00

how are things going with your film?

mahnee

2009-03-01T20:54:00.002-05:00

i FINALLY met my muscian today. i've had a hard time setting up a time since we've had conflicting schedules for a while. but i finally met up with him to discuss the music for my film. i'm really excited. :) we've been figuring out different ways we can tackle this, and he'll be sending me a sample in a week or so. he's quite understanding and reasonable with me. i can't wait. this process is such a thrill. i just have to figure out how i can dish out a few hundred dollars for him...:T that can be an issue...

@#$@#%!

2009-01-30T23:04:00.005-05:00

i still can't think of a film title... well i have a few ideas being tossed around, but they just don't seem like they fit the film. i've always had a hard time naming/giving titles to my stuff. i hate titling artwork. it feels like your assigning them into a category or an idea. i mean i love seeing great titles on things...but i'm just really bad at it myself.

[edit] path [/edit]
still in the process of thinking :)

the new year

2009-01-10T01:46:00.003-05:00

happy new year :) hope everyone has new resolutions (that they should follow).
I haven't updated this blog in a long time, but here i am. i decided to not follow my once a week update and that's only bc i use this blog more as what i'm doing with my thesis and professional work. but since i haven't had any time to do any "professional" work, and i'm just animating on my thesis, i dont really have much to show. (and plus i dont really want to upload animation unless its my finished film)

so here are my resolutions for 2009
these are both short term and long term goals

10. eat healthy
9. begin coloring animation before feb. 20
8. lose 13 lbs
7. get an apt.
6. get a job
5. build my portfolio
4. build up my professional reputation
3. begin ideas/create a passive recurring income (thanks matt >__>)
2. fix website
1. be better about saving money

i'll be adding and crossing out to this list :) hopefully i'll be able to fulfill my resolution

Graduation

2008-12-22T23:25:00.003-05:00

omg..theres less then 15 weeks of school left.
i am TERRIFIED of the real world. ...well actually, i'm just terrified of that first step into the real world.

well this is just a reminder to myself

class of 2009 graduation

may 15
commencement exercise at Radio City Music Hall

all i want for christmas...

2008-12-10T01:53:00.004-05:00

is youuuuu.
no but seriously there are plenty of things i want for Christmas that is unattainable as of now. but my brother wanted me to make a list.....

so here it is :)

don't judge me
size small please

or a canon/nikon dslr..
or an xbox 360...but i'm not desperate for one
OR copic set A 72 marker set
OR a YSL muse bag...a gray one....or croc skin <3

but yea the last 4 are too much, and i wont be getting that for a long while....
unless it's for graduation....... O_O

it's been a while

2008-12-02T00:54:00.004-05:00

a long while...

a bg for my thesis i did a while back. i wish it were summer...and have my film finished......and working....and making money....

::edit::
hm...the sign came out blurry and weird when i shrunk the size...interesting.....it's more clearer in the bigger image T_T sorry

Election

2008-11-04T23:23:00.008-05:00

barak obama won! i feel so strange right now. this election is definitely history in the making, and i feel so strange being a part of it. it was the same feeling i got when 9/11 happened, and to think that i've lived through such an eventful decade...wow
i have no words to really describe this moment.
btw...
his speech was so inspiring... reminded me of martin luther king. seriously. it was so good

:edit:

this just HAD to come up. YAY! celebration!

i need to pee

2008-11-03T15:19:00.005-05:00

i know, but there's no toilet...we only have a sink in the bathroom.

i'm having a hard time finishing up the last few backgrounds...

background preview

2008-10-21T18:10:00.003-04:00

preview of another background.

this is just a glimpse of another background.

i feel like i should upload more personal work on here (rather then just thesis)
i was going to dedicate this blog for my thesis, my process, inspirations, and just general thoughts but i don't want to get everyone sick of my film before they even really know what it's about.
i will dedicate at least 2 personal work blogs before i post up a thesis post...? maybe that's too planned out. we'll see how this goes :)

done

2008-10-19T16:23:00.003-04:00

I'm done with people being competitive. It's not a competition to be better then one another. And I hate being pushed to become a competitor, so I guess the best way to deal with people like that is to just ignore them? I don't know...I just don't want excuses, or explanations. That is all. Thanks :)

This is an image of my characters Noah and his creature friend from an animated TV series that we have to create for my "creating an animated series" class.
This is not necessarily the style that I want my series to look like. Just an image I doodled during a class.

enjoy, i'll be posting more doodles in the future :)

inspire

2008-10-15T13:25:00.003-04:00

“To be the best artist, animator, filmmaker, I have to be the best human being first before I can be all these things.”
-Mike Nguyen

sidenote:
i want to invest in copic markers...
where can i get a good deal....?

Goodbye and Farewell

2008-10-06T07:21:00.008-04:00

Goodbye to my fixed sleeping schedule, which lasted for about a month and a half. Once again my insomnia strikes back with a vengeance. I can't sleep. I laid in bed for 4 hours tossing and turning with thoughts flying by at a million miles per hour. I finally just got out of bed at at 5am and made myself some coffee, only to realize I don't have milk or sugar in my room. so I'm drinking (what was once hot) Vietnamese coffee....BLACK. Yea. It burns like hell. It tastes like I'm downing some pretty gross cough medicine. Blech...

So I figured out reasons for my glitchy website, (thank you Shannon). I went back and fixed it..(partially) and now I'm going to have to go crawling back to her to ask her about style sheets, because that would be awesome.
If you're interested check out my sad little space that I call my website (for the time being...)
www.sandyhong.com

I've been listening to Mozart all day (would this be my reasoning for insomnia...? yes/no?) and it makes me want to work. Specifically his Requiem Mass. I'm in LOVE with it! Been playing it on repeat for some time now. And after listening to his stuff for quite some time, I think I want to have the word requiem for my thesis title..? It's a nice word.

req·ui·em (rěk'wē-əm, rē'kwē-) n.

Requiem Roman Catholic Church
1. A mass for a deceased person.
2. A musical composition for such a mass.
A hymn, composition, or service for the dead.

I want my film to be visually AND musically driven. So maybe if I can speak to my musician/composer, i'll ask them to write a requiem, which would be really nice. Ah, i'm still unsure.
((((side note to myself: 진혼곡)))))

hope I didn't lose anyone in my rambling...<3>

almost there

2008-09-27T22:46:00.005-04:00

my lack of sleep/stress is killing me

this is a background for my thesis that i finished a few weeks ago.

more to come...

(i still can't figure out a good title for my film...T_T)

sylvia ji

2008-09-24T11:43:00.003-04:00

Inspire me

2008-09-08T13:00:00.006-04:00

some photos/illustrations that inspired me for my thesis film...

Vengeance

2008-08-17T02:33:00.003-04:00

i just re-watched OldBoy today with a few friends. the more i think about it, the better the movie gets.

"be it rock or a grain of sand, in water they sink as the same"
-oldboy

so i've decided to rewatch some really old animated films that i've seen as a child. but you always get a different perspective on a movie when you watch it as a child.
here are a few movies i've seen as a child that i THOUGHT were good....

and

yea.....pretty bad movies....

so here are the next movies in my line up..hopefully they wont disappoint as much as secret of nimh and all dogs go to heaven...

1. balto
2. an american tail
3. an american tail: fivel goes west

i mean...GEEZ the animation weren't even good enough for me to give it some slack..what a shame...

words flowing like endless rain...

2008-08-08T16:49:00.006-04:00

my current love affair

audrey kawasaki, how i love thy art for they show so little but yet so much
i love..

background peep show

2008-08-02T23:45:00.001-04:00

sneak peak of one of my backgrounds for my thesis
enjoy

deadlines

2008-07-31T01:12:00.000-04:00

August

character analysis
first draft of storyboard
first draft of character design lineup with color treatment
background designs with color treatment
production method/ sound treatment (statement of copyrights and clearances)
proposed work schedule

September

one sentence story description
revised storyboards
revised character design with color
revised rough backgrounds with color treatment
revised schedule
rough animatic

October

final storyboard
final character designs
final animatic

my baby

2008-07-28T16:22:00.000-04:00

i love him
i cant live without him!
:')

WIP

2008-07-25T02:17:00.000-04:00

finally got my confidence up and my fear of failing down. :)
here's a wip of my first colored background

i have to color the water and the bottom/opposite
side of the barrel.
um.......

yup!

Progress

2008-06-02T07:50:00.000-04:00

Some B+W thumbnails from my storyboard for my thesis. Whoopee!

I'll probably post a few pages of my storyboard sometime this summer.

its early and its not because i woke up early

2008-06-02T07:35:00.001-04:00

...more like insomniaaa! yayy~
some figure drawings I did this past semester...

I finally finished coding the main page for my website which I'm psyched about... even if it's really simple. Now I have to save up some money to get hosting. whee~

blah

2008-05-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

boopboop beeboop#@~