The Art of Joseph A. Wraith

Stardust Glows (TM) 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith     I think I spend most of my day on contract work testing animations prior to going to final renders.  It can be a real pain when you are trying to get a job out on a designated deadline and yet you still need approvals on motion prior to going forward with the final output.   Plus, you have to make sure that the renders look great not only in the motion, but also lighting, textures and what not.   Most of the time you end up with surprises if you don't test which can later lead to reanimation and re-renders.   No fun.   Rendering alone can take up to 2-4+ minutes a frame sometimes. Yes, you can do small renders without textures, lights and so on, but there are still possible issues that may occur that you didn't see doing them that way.   I do on occasion render like that, but I prefer the full on approach, I don't want any surprises at all....

Jovian Trader Copyright 2016, Joseph A. Wraith    Winter is here and it is probably the busiest season for all of us.   With the stresses of trying to get work completed prior to the holidays, finding the right presents, doing the parties, decorations, the weather and jeez everything else life throws at you this time of year, it's a wonder we get anything done.   I know I sleep a lot less this time of year.     I also know that if I don't get at least one personal piece of work done a week I feel like the week isn't finished.   So add that to the holiday mayhem and sleep isn't allowed.   Ok, maybe just a wink.   I usually spend my weekends if not at the beach partially at least in front of my computer doing something new.   Right now I just finished the above image over the weekend and next weekend I have a new Monsterling character planned and after that a new Grossters character will be cr...

Attack on Kortel 11 Mining Colony 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith    I have probably been drawing and doing art since I could hold a crayon and have yet to put it down.    Although I have traded in my crayons and paper in for a Mac and Wacom Cintiq, I still often employ paper and either a pen, or pencil to draw on when I want my art experience to feel truly organic.   Sure there are more than plenty of applications that can give that organic look, but the feel of paper under my hand and the scratchiness of a pencil on the texture of the paper can not be reproduced. That unique and interactive experience just can not be duplicated by a computer.     The same goes with painting, or sculpting, sometimes you just want to get your hands dirty.  Then there are times when you don't, especially when you know you will have a million changes regardless of how great the art might be.   Some clients have a need to feel like...

Fortune Favors the Bold 2016 Copyright Joseph A. Wraith  As a Freelance Creative nothing bugs me more than indecision, even I get under my own skin when I can't decide how to make a proper move toward something, or not.  Clients can also be like this as well.  I've been blessed with some really good clients and some... ehhh, not so good, but what Artist has not?   Sometimes to save your own sanity you just have to let them go regardless of the pay on the job, or even how much you may enjoy the project.   As for me when it stops being fun I stop doing it.  When it becomes stressful, or they can't make a decision on what to do next and it holds up production and in-turn keeps you from paying the bills on time, then something needs to be done.    Now you can ho-hum around and hope they finally move on the project, or you can take matters in to your own hands and put the client on the shelf and move onto the next project.  Wh...

The Fuglie's 2013 Christmas Card 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith   So every Winter I do a Fuglie Christmas card, or poster.   I don't make any money on this and it's not for anyone special, I just do it for me and I'll post it at my various social sites.   I could say I do it to promote my Fuglies' Brand, but that's not really what it's about.   It's actually just a fun thing I like to do, no other reason at all other than to have fun.    What I do has to be fun for me, or I'll lose interest and I wont be able to give the emotion to the project that it needs to be successful.   Money is not a true motivator for me either, although it helps pay the bills and feed myself and my family.   It's my creativity that is motivated by an idea, or a feeling, at least that's how it starts.   Of course I don't work for free, except on my own personal projects and I do expect to be paid well for my talent....

Last Great Act of Defiance   © 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith       Sometimes it's all about the attitude, or emotion, art for me carries my emotions even if it's just work-art. It still is created with emotion and feeling.   Sometimes it is a given emotion from a client who wants to relay it into the design, be it happiness, anger, sadness, or just plain blah.     These emotions may not be my own, but that of the client only, something they want the artwork to speak of.   I still have to feel it, like an Empath feels the world of emotions around them, I too have to feel the emotional value of the art I am creating in order to pay it forward, or it will end up flat and meaningless.   Emotions are dynamic and art can be the bullhorn if the feelings don't speak loud enough.     As an artist and animator I am usually tasked to deliver the key ingredients of a design, which in my notebook represe...

Monsterlings Logo © 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith Note: Some of my images may be missing from this blog depending on syndication.   The Monsterlings project is a wonderful concept my brother, (award-winning writer - R.W. Hahn) and I came up one dark stormy night... nah, just kidding we came up with it over a phone conversation when he saw my little monster characters, and at the time I had an idea that I wanted to pursue with him on a new children's educational project, he loved them so much that he and I decided to collaborate and create a world within a world. This project will combine botany, science and humanity into one ongoing story, with a unlikely tiny little hero of great magnitude. Telior peeking © 2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith   Monsterlings is an illustrated children's book series using traditional and 3d illustrations to help tell the fictional stories of tiny peaceful Earth bound creatures. These minuscule denizens live in the n...

There's Always Someone Bigger. ©2016 Copyright, Joseph A.Wraith     Well I made it through another Thanksgiving and my stomach didn't explode, I didn't strangle an obnoxious family member, and I didn't wake up with a hang-over, so all in all a successful holiday indeed. I hope everyone had a great celebration of gluttony and lies. On to the next...   I decided to work today and avoid all Black Friday traffic, nothing like spending a nice, peaceful day and evening at home doing what I love best. I guess I can't call it work if I love it right? I think officially I have to have something to complain about to call it "work". Let me think on this... Ok, my Mac is really fast, no complaints there. My clients are pretty cool, so no complaints there. I have a water cooler, food and snacks available, so that's good. Hmmmmn...  Nope, I guess it's officially not work... but, wait... I have to do it to get paid, so maybe it can be consider...

Molo loves his morning mushroom caps. ©2016 Copyright, Joseph A. Wraith Happy Thanksgiving all!    I personally enjoy this time of year, and not just because I get to cook my yummy wino-turkey and eat the leftovers for the next several months, but because it's fall and the weather gets really beautiful here in Pompano Beach. I love the colorful Halloween season, the cool creepiness and the early dark evenings. Plus, the sunsets rock!    I'm also very thankful for my life and the way I have been able to live it. As a freelance artist, I'm my own boss, I get to spend my time at home working at my own schedule and it's a wonderful freedom... ah, hem... sometimes, unfortunately my boss is also a creative, workaholic, slave-driver who expects me to be busy working 12-16 hour days. Athough he does give me time-off to enjoy the beach, or catch a flick during the day. Sometimes he even wakes me up out of a dead sleep in the middle of the night to work on some...

   O K, this is where I spew my art works and words of wisdom upon you, better get an umbrella, raincoat, and a couple rolls of visqueen, maybe a pair of galoshes while you are at it, and don't track that smelly stuff into the house! I'll also be giving you my art pointers and pipeline that I personally do when completing a project. First off, I never went to art school for my art, I'm basically self-taught in everything I do.  So if it doesn't jibe with the corporately-taught way of doing things, oh well...  there are a few ways to skin the cat should we say and this is my way. I may also rant on how artists are treated professionally on occasion, especially when that artist is me, or friends of mine. Living in beautiful Pompano Beach, Florida I am close to the main hubs of the Southeastern Art World and there comes a stinketh from below. We will get to that later. On an up-note, I just joined Directory of Illustration and I have them to thank for starting...

  Avalanche Control Crew   I live near the beach, this is the closest I will ever get to snow, thank God! Yes, I also know that penguins and polar bears do not live on the same poles, but that doesn't mean that they can't be hired to do work together on an Avalanche Control Crew. Am I right, am I right, am I right? I think so!