Once again I delve into the not-so-distant past to catch up on some posts that I never got around to making about some show appearances and chalk art. So lets hop on the Way-Back machine and have Mr. Peabody teach us a condescending lesson, shall we?
We return to the distant, mythical land of Chicago, where I was asked in April to make my first ever appearance at the Anime Central Convention. I was to create a mural of the Anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica for Aniplex of America.
First off, the show itself was fantastic. I had a great time (not counting the fire drill at the hotel that spilled thousands out into the street for a few hours in the cold and caught me without my coat JUST as I was coming down to the lobby for dinner), met tons of wonderful people, and had a blast creating my mural artwork. Madoka Magica turned out to be incredibly popular at the show, and the fans were awesome! Add to that the DJ spinning music right next to my floor space for the weekend, which meant me NOT having to hear the same company/game/movie trailer music on infinite repeat like I normally do, and it was just about a perfect weekend.
Anime can be tricky to draw. There is such a perfect placement to every line and shape that it creates a realism in form while still being both highly simplified and very exaggerated. I am a huge fan of anime art, and making a piece like this gives me the time to really examine all of the details and break down the image piece by piece. People who think anime is “easy” to draw, or kids stuff, has clearly never tried to draw it themselves.
Clothing is also incredibly intricate in most anime pieces. Fashion is a huge part of the culture, and with a lot of people out to recreate functional, wearable versions of anime, video game, and comic book clothing and costumes in a cultural movement called cosplay, you better be sure that your clothes are accurate in your art.
In the end, Anime Central was a wonderful experience. The people putting on the show were accommodating, gracious, and crazy helpful whenever I needed something. The crowd was HUGE, and everyone seemed to be having just such a darn good time. I can’t wait to go back to the show in the future and make more art for everyone in Chicago!
My time lapse video from this mural is also one of my favorite, maybe it is just the way it synched up so well with the Madoka Magica theme music. Go to my YouTube channel to check it out.
