Callahanimation

Pretty Profile

2011-12-13T20:28:00.000-08:00

Ive been filling my sketchbook since Ive been back on my trip, and I had what I consider a happy accident here.

Many many things on the go at the moment, Im currently working with the Solis brothers doing character layout for the 3rd season of Ugly Americans, we have a really great team!

Digital Paintings

2011-09-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick taste of some of the work I did for a great studio before my bicycle trip.

Ive painted hundreds more, just like this. I was fortunate enough to work from home, on a Cintiq of my own. Im ready and looking to put it back to work. Looking forward to getting in touch with you soon!

If you would like to see more examples, they are available upon request.

Tour du Callahan

2011-09-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

Above, I am pictured dipping the rear wheel of my bike into the Pacific Ocean off of Victoria, British Columbia in the Vancouver Islands. Let me explain the reason for this with the short version of a long story.

For many years I wanted to ride my bike across Canada, to see our country in slow motion, and get an idea of what it was/ is. Before the summer I was working from home, painting backgrounds for Toonzone Canada, and this allowed me the time to prepare for a trip such as this.

Four years ago, when I was still in Animation College, a neighbor of mine passed away, and I inherited a book from her called Macphersons Canada. Duncan Macpherson was an illustrator for the Toronto Star, and this book was a collection of drawings, sketches, paintings and thoughts that he had collected while travelling across the country. I was enthralled with the idea, and all of Macphersons artwork and opinions.

Dipping my wheel in the Atlantic Ocean, Downtown St. Johns Newfoundland.

Over the past summer I have spent much time collecting reference photos, anecdotes and forming my own idea of what Canada is. Now the excitement of inspiration is over, it is time to get to work.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

So apologies for my long, unexplained absence. Its time to put pencil to paper, Stylus to Cintiq.

Stroll

2011-02-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

Just a sketch to anticipate warm weather. Currently painting backgrounds for a kids show, and learning plenty about color as a result. Ive been consistently happy for many months on end.

Toulouse-Lausketch

2010-11-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

Soon to be released into the jungle, young James shares some recent studies with the internet. Its refreshing to work with actual paint. (Oil study of Toulouse-Lautrec painting.)

As I finish working on Ugly Americans at Cuppa Coffee Animation, I would like to thank all of the great artists I was fortunate to work with. I've learned countless tricks, animation rules, and "about life itself".

Im proud of the work we created, and excited to apply what I've learned from everyone to my own work- I have some thinks of my own.

Kevin is a Cat

2010-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a commission of a friends pet. This is the 2nd attempt, as the first was scraped off the canvas with a palette knife so no one would ever hurt themselves looking at the muddy colours.

Cousin Mike

2010-06-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

Heres my cousin Mike, probably one of the funniest people I know. Caricature made from sketches I made on a Sunday afternoon in his backyard, some photo reference, and memory.

Laura

2010-06-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sketched, blocked and painted in Photoshop, using a reference from a magazine image. Teaching myself slowly but surely how to paint digitally.

Spring Daydream

2010-05-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Ricky

2010-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Anyone who watches the f****** Trailor Park Boys during the f****** day knows that theres plenty of f****** censorship, so worst case ontario, just f****** watch it after 9.

Corey, Trevor, Smokes!

Musha rain, dummah do, Dum ah Da, Hey Hey!

2010-03-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

At the St. Patricks Day Parade I made a few sketches of an old fella. Although approaching 80, could still run, jump and click his heels the same way he's been doing in that parade for many years before.

Australia - No Shirt, No Shoes, Service

2010-02-25T15:12:00.001-08:00

"Above all else, get abroad and see the light"- J.S.S.

I just returned from a 2 1/2 week adventure down under, and learned almost more than I could handle.

I've also realized that I know almost nothing about the world, so its time to start working again, and making some more travel cash. On top of everything I did while I was away, during my travel time, waiting time, talking to other travellers, in the bars, on the beach, in the city, I almost managed to fill a entire 5.5 x 8.5 sketchbook. (with some help of some other artists I met along the way)

On a side note, Ugly Americans will be Premiering on March 21st on the Comedy Channel, and It would be greatly appreciated if everyone would tune in and help launch the show! (I've been invited back to work on the second season)

Dear Little Brother

2009-12-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

These are illustrations that Ive completed for a Book called "Dear Little Brother"

Its the story of the anticipation and appreciation of a younger sibling from the view of a big sister.

To My Good Friends

2009-11-24T17:47:00.001-08:00

This is a gift I've been waiting to give since August. Two of my good friends are moving downtown into their first apartment together, right down the street from Cuppa Coffee Animation where I am currently working. I've known these guys so long I didn't even use a reference!

D'ananas

2009-10-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

Finger painted Friday night after work. Im working as a Clean up and inbetweener at cuppa coffee, and its a pretty precise job. So i let off some steam but gettin' real messy. All the artist's im meeting advice to me across the board is "stay messy, stay ugly" so Im takin' it to heart!

Have you looked at a pineapple recently? If you havent, you should.

Never Give Up!

2009-10-25T17:18:00.001-07:00

As I was strolling to work early one Monday morning, heading south on Sherbourne St, some middle aged business man whipped past me. This guy was maintaining his cool, hip youth by longboarding to work, and remaining in his casual attire. Avoiding the whole 'suit' look.

About a block south of where he passed me, I came across a lonely pair of lost business pants, and of course I had a chuckle. "He wont be doing that again! hahaha"

But the next day, to my suprise as I walk south to work, the sound of a longboard comes up behind me! Here comes Young Hip, and persistant Business man, maintaining his cool, and proving me wrong. We could all take a lesson from this man.

Never accept temporary defeat as a failure!

Daily (selected) Compositions

2009-09-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

I Have Plenty more, but these are the ones I'd like to share. I've been blessed this summer, I've been in the greatest of moods for the last few months. So I celebrate Toronto, Ottawa, Meaford, through my pen.

Selected Summer Sketches

2009-09-08T11:24:00.001-07:00

Sketched these while dancing at the same time, to the Mae Cromwell Band at the Beaches Jazz fest. Dancing and drawing during street festivals might be my favorite thing ever.
Waiting For the 29

The Far right is my sketch from Klimt's Hope, my favorite painting that I've ever encountered. What a difference standing in front of the original.
Took advice from Walt Stanchfield, and this summer, I was Drawn To Life. Much Thanks to Omid, Smarthur, Alex, Taras, Richard, TPG, Cousin Mike, Jones, Curtis, Deanna and everyone else who waited patiently for me while I participated in my Joy.

Cant Wait to sketch the summer of 2010 already!

The Morning After

2009-08-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

Who hasn't felt like this before?

on another note, I started at Yowza! Animation Today as a digital painter and loved it

Boy and Girl

2009-08-10T13:03:00.001-07:00

Commission For my friend and his girl celebrating their one year anniversary of being 'main squeezes'.

On another note, last week while walking a dog, i found an authentic zebra pelt near the train tracks. So many possibilities...

Meaford Harbour

2009-07-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Anita

2009-07-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

I worked this up from the life drawing sessions I go to with Taras on tuesday nights.
This model was beautiful, and so much fun to draw!

Easter Island Justin and Curtis

2009-07-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

These are my good friends curtis and justin.

I have to travel all the way to Easter Island to see them

Dundas Square

2009-06-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

Dundas Square is way better than stupid eglinton square.

Sketched yesterday with Omid, Arthur and Taras.
(my three very talented friends, who have blogs similar to
this coming very soon to an internet near you)

Welcome Summer, You may Stay as long as you like

2009-06-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Lucky Henry (for Internet Explorer)

2009-06-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, If you are using Mozilla Firefox, you can watch the animation at the full size to which I expanded it.

(so scroll down to watch it bigger)

But if you are using internet explorer, blogger has a natural size restriction, so here is the downsized version so that everyone can enjoy Lucky Henry)

Color Sketches and Inspiration

2009-06-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

These are some of the color keys i started with in an attempt to figure out how the Bg's would look- check out below for the final results!

Lucky Henry

2009-06-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is my first animated short, from my third year at animation college. Written, designed, painted, boarded and animated by myself, James Callahan. I learned more than I could have asked for, and all along the way I had the instructors and my talented classmates to help me with their knowledgeable input.

The Pre Production was done during second semester, and the production and post- production were all completed in 3 weeks. (animation, painting, editing and synching).

Constructive Criticism is welcome! Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks to Jose Gascon H, my parents, and all my friends!

P.S.S. If viewed on Internet Explorer, half the image will be cut off, Mozilla Firefox will display the enlarged version. I will post it again, smaller, later, for I E

Digital Bg's from Lucky Henry

2009-06-01T10:48:00.001-07:00

These are all the final backgrounds that made it into my film, I designed, painted all of them myself, taking constructive critisicism's into play, and making the according changes.

The opening scene is an homage to my schooling at Max the Mutt, where we learned to work from the General to the Specific.

For inspiration, I scowered West Toronto, Dufferin and King area mostly, looking for colors, textures, windows, brick walls, and any street accessories that I imagined would help me. Also, having grown up in Toronto, I do have a sense of locality, and that all came into play.

Storyboarding for Lucky Henry

2009-06-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

These are a few panels from my storyboard of Lucky Henry, in which I wrote, storyboarded, designed, painted, animated everything that ends up on the final screen. You could just say I Starred in the movie.

I am familiar with Toonboom's Storyboard Pro, which I used to help me with my final film

Digital Paintings

2009-05-29T19:14:00.001-07:00

Above: Layout by Knud Scov, Painted by James Callahan
Below: Layout and Painting By James Callahan

Dorian Gray's Study (for those who have read The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, will know why the big portrait up against the wall is being covered by a shall

Day

Night

Traditional Paintings

2009-05-29T18:51:00.001-07:00

Rembrandt Study
Afternoon sun

Ed and Joy's

Orphan Child

Afternoon Sun

Rembrandt Study

Animals, Cartoons

2009-05-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Above: Character Studies from my final Film Lucky Henry

Below: Gestural studies to Cartooned Finals

Life Drawing

2009-05-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

Three Minute Gestures

One Minute Gestures

Here are some examples of my Life Drawing

Welcome to my Blog!

2009-05-29T17:38:00.001-07:00

Hello! My name is James Callahan. I'm young,living in Toronto, Ontario and looking for a job in the animation industry as a 2D Animator, background painter, or Cleanup and in between Artist. I have a passion for life, drawing and painting (the three are hand in hand). I've recently graduated from the Max the Mutt Animation School, Class of 2009, and was blessed to be able to have such talented classmates. I'm looking forward to making lines, splashing colour, and continuing my own education. If you're interested in my work and would like to see more, a demo reel or my very own self, please feel free to contact me at

callahanimation (at) gmail (dot) com