Monday, June 11, 2012

SMELLS LIKE OLD SKETCHBOOK

So while you're waiting for me 
to finish my latest book of sketchiness
why dontcha take a look at
this big fat sandwich
of an old school sketchbook
instead:


Yes, 
I'm proud to say that this one,
circa 1998 to 2000 or so,
earned itself a Caldacott Medal.
And when I say
"earned"
I mean
stole from Mo Willems' office.

Regardless,
this baby is packed
with all sorts of 
late 90's
photos:


Wishes...


and odd doodles...


At this time in my life
I was working as a director on 
Sheep In The Big City:





And all the while I was waiting to see what would happen
with the pilot I had recently made at Cartoon Network.
Something called 
Codename: Kids Next Door.

So the book has a lot of early 
KND ideas in it:


There's even a sketch of Numbuh Two 
by Maxwell Atoms:


And then one day it happened.
KND was greenlit to series.
 I left for a two week vacation 
to Japan the next day:


Production began when I got back.

Here are some rough ideas for the KND's 
snow gear in Operation: ARCTIC:








After a year of having Mr. Willems 
abuse my Sheep drawings,
I didn't feel so bad making 
fun of his KND drawings:


I really like
this early sketch of 
Numbuh One and Lizzie
I did:


But when
supreme storyboard artist 
Guy Moore
drew stuff like this 
I crapped in my pants,
ran home to change,
and then promptly 
crapped my pants again:


Here's an all-mighty ratings report:


Here's an example of a storycard we'd hang on the wall:


The ATT represents 
one of our story types:

ATTACK - The KND are attacking something
DEFENSE - The KND are attacked BY something or someone
BUDDY- Focus is on two characters
TEAM - A story with all 5 characters as a team
SOLO - A story that focuses on one character

We always tried to spread the stories out 
so we didn't get too many of the 
same type too close together.

The other side of the card had a brief synopsis of the story:


I always LOVED how hyper-mega-awesome 
storyboard artist Kim Arndt 
drew the characters:


I could go on and on.
This books is just 
PACKED 
with fun stuff.

Literally:


Look...
I know I say it all the time.
But you should keep a sketchbook.
Seriously.
Just shut up and do it.
You'll be glad you did 
when you dig it out years later.







5 comments:

  1. pinkandorangesunsetJune 11, 2012 at 10:53 AM

    Mega super awsum sketches you have here tom :)
    I love seeing the early knd sketches too :3 and that one of numbuh one and Lizzie is adorable!

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  2. KND + Sketches + Storyboard = EPIC AWESOMENESS =O
    You don't know how much I love to look at this kind stuff that you post, it just makes me want to go to a random cartoon studio and get to know about everything and get sketches from everyone there!
    Seriously, next year (because this year is kind busy for me) I'll do what you say and start a sketch book =]

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  3. I begged my mom to buy me a sketchbook and she did and drew characters based on my life and decide to make them comics

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  4. I followed your advice and kept a sketchbook. I'm on my second one now! Your sketchbooks are AMAZING!!! I would love to see more of your sketches :)

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  5. LizziexNigie drawing......ADORABLE :3 And I crapped my pants when I saw those drawings too! Man,they're AWESOME Mr.W. ��

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