August is upon us ...
Just spent a nice summer weekend in Santa Monica, frolicking in the waves ...
A good needed break, reminded me of childhood summers on the italian riviera.
I used to spend hours playing in the water.
The rougher the sea the more fun it was ... body surfing and all.
Only problem is ... my camera ran out of batteries after 2 hours I was down
there
and of course I forgot the power cable X( ... no photos out of this one ...
maybe 2 or 3 ... too bad.
Anyway ... I am back to work now ...
And I have some "Fragments news".
Ronnie and I finally figured out a way to make the book Fragments
available for purchase online ... so here's the skinny:
Thank you all for your support
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: July 22th 2003
Hello!
I am back from last week's COMICON in San Diego.
It was quite an intense convention!
Ronnie and I were down there
from wednesday's "Preview night" to sunday!
A lot of work... a lot of sketching and a lot of fun too.
Met a ton of cool people down there.
Thanks for all of you that came around our table to say hi
and thanks for supporting our work.
A few people I'd love to mention that came by and was a pleasure meeting and
talking to are:
Tim Sale, Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor (love their t-shirts), Tim Biskup,
Gary Baseman
and many more other amazing artists I was surprised and honored to meet.
Also our super neighbors the Maverix Crew:
Jamie Baker, Sho and Robert, Steward Lee, Chris and Bosco (they rock!).
All the sketchbook sessions crew: Sue, Ed, Rick, Paul, Shane, Keith and all
the others I am forgetting...!
You guys are great and your enthusiasm is contagious, even to us jaded older
guys !! X)
I am sure I am forgetting a lot of you that came by, but again ... thank you
all for the support!
Fragments did great and we received a lot of compliments for it.
Since many of you have asked, let me announce that
we are indeed going to be selling it online very soon.
Stay tuned for precise info...
On the Mia front,
it was great to start selling the new Issue1!
And spreading the word about it ...
A lot of you are already eagerly awaiting for issue 2 and it really gave me
a drive boost (kick in the ass) to hear all the interest in it ...
in fact I am already working on pages today!
I am not in bad shape, as I have already in different stages of complition
around 18 pages of the second installment ....
For your information, The Adventures of Mia issue 1, will be in September's
Preview !
So if you love Mia please let your retailer know, so he can order them!
Thank you for your help ...
Other than that I have here a few photos from the long weekend in San Diego:
Later!
E
:: Ronnie and I at the start line....
:: Our neighbors the Sketchbook sessions crew.
:: Celia Calle and her astounding OREO (the cutest dog alive).
:: Ronnie, Sho and Chris from Maverix Studios ...
:: a commission I did ...
:: A massive drawing session at the Marriot! A sea of sketching humans ... quite
awesome ...
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: July 15th 2003
Almost ready and packed for the Convention in San Diego.
Leaving tomorrow morning ... quite excited about going ...
I'll be sure to post photos next week.
But before I go, since today was "Motorama Day" here at Pixar ...
which means a barbeque and a ton of cool old cars out in the lot
... here are 3 photos I just took ...
Later!
:: Bugatti Rossa
:: pistoni
:: Ferrari
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: July 7th 2003
Just a photo for today ...
Taken in Soho, NY.
Live your pipedream.
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: June 29th 2003
Hi, I just added a new gallery for "Fragments".
More artwork from the book to come soon!
The other news is that I got the "proof" back from the printers
for the "Mia issue 1" book and it looks quite good!
So, I gave the ok for print and I should get the books at the end of this coming
week!
Should be fun, it'll be interesting to see how it'll be received ...
since it's gonna be on Previews and all.
Anyway, I haven't posted any photos for a while
and truthfully I haven't taken many lately,
but here's one taken last year at the San Diego Zoo, amazing place btw !
Take care
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: June 24th 2003
Attractive art book, 96 pages, full color, two covers, dust jacket,
looking for a nice place on your coffee table ...
X)
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: June 23th 2003
Fragments has indeed arrived.
The printjob is first rate and Ronnie and I are giddy to say the least.
You should've seen us opening the box,
to take the first look at the product of months of scheming, doodling and tweaking.
We had wiiide grins on our faces, I handed him a book out of the box and he handed
me one.
We skimmed through it like two ravenous kids wolfing down a peanut butter and
jelly sandwich,
actually more than that, more like a brand new sandwich,
never tasted before, with a new kind of jelly ... like I don't know,space Jelly
!
Well, ok you, get the idea, we really were like two little kids high fiving eachother
and all
Embarassing really .... X)
Anyyyway, I am getting ready to show some pages and more ...
Here's, for now, a funny "teaser ad" that Ronnie did.
cheers
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: June 17th 2003
Things are good lately.
Work is going very well and my own projects too.
I am now rushing to put together a new Mia book.
It 's gonna be an official issue #1 of "The adventures of Mia" in english.
It features the first two stories I drew, Mia1931 and Mia 1921, plus,
and that is what I am busy with now, a special two new pages!
"Mia's Pioneers of Aviation"
Don't want to tell you much more, but I am almost done with it.
BTW We're supposed to receive the printed order of "fragments" this week !
I'll keep you updated on that.
Quite excited about all this ...
As photos go, I thought I'd show you some of my paintings ....
Been getting into it lately, it's a lot of fun and also strangely intense.
I get really immersed in it, a whole day can pass by ....
There is also one thing I noticed, there is nothing
like and apartment with wall covered with paintings !
All the color is truly uplifting ...
Ok, take care...
E
:: Blu
:: Kaze ga...
:: Ame
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: June 6th 2003
This week we got back the proof book from the printer,
Looks good and colors are great, so we gave the ok for printing.
Delivery date june 20th ... can't wait.
Also made all reservations for the trip to San Diego... we're almost all set for
the con.
Work has been picking up lately, it's hard to focus on
personal projects when the day job kicks in high gear...
Trying to get back into laying out new pages for the next Mia,
hope to do some work on it tomorrow ...
On the photos side I have 3 to share, they are a little old...
I took them a couple of years ago in Japan in the Izu peninsula.
Hope you like them
cheers
E
:: Izu peninsula
:: Japanese duck
:: Sunset at sea
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: May 29th 2003
Apologies for the long break here ...
Been quite busy, especially with the new art book I am selfpublishing
with Ronnie del Carmen ... We are close to the finish line,
as we shipped files to the printer yesterday.
Out of our hands now...
I am excited and I can't wait to see the finished printed book,
but I have to admit I am glad I'm done with it ...
I really need to go back to Mia ....
Anyway, me and Ronnie will be in San Diego at Comicon ...
Hope to see you there ...
Oh and expect an update soon on the site for the book,
which btw is titled "Fragments".
Ok ...
Here's 3 photos I took this weekend ...
cheers
E
:: Door
:: Door2
:: Red valve
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: April 18th 2003
Quick turn around this time ! Here I am already ....
I have some pictures to share ... I picked 3 that are very different from eachother
...
One is even retouched in Photoshop ...
Hope you like them ....
Have a very nice easter weekend everyone !
Buona Pasqua.
cheers
E
:: Excusez-Moi, can I have some ?
:: the Bay Bridge
:: Figura d'oro
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: April 17th 2003
I have to keep up with this blog a little better ... been too long since last
entry ...
Anyway, yesterday I had a good life drawing session,
So today I decided to take a picture of some of the results ...
I find drawing the figure liberating and inspiring, a breath of fresh air ...
I never do it as much as I want or should ...
There's certainly good days and bad days in life drawing, but the secret is to
just do it for the sake of it,
and not for results or pretty drawings ... just let that charcoal go where he
wants and have fun... try different things!
Just do a lot of it! The good days will come ...
Here at Pixar we're ridiculously lucky, not only we have a weekly free session,
but we also get free lunch if we take it.
Crazy uh?!
Interestingly enough not that many people take advantage of it ...
oh well ... ok then,
later
E
:: figures on floor
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: March 30th 2003
Been a little busy for the last couple of weeks.
Only news is that I just bought a motorcycle,
I hope to do some traveling with it around here.
A drive to Yosemite could be in the cards soon...
It'll be a great opportunity to take photos ...
Anyway .... here are three more pictures from Paris...
later
E
:: naked tree
:: sitting at a cafe'
:: poggioli
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: March 14th 2003
My March has been a strange and interesting one ...
For some reason last weekend I found myself in Paris.
Sounds a tad crazy uh ?
Well, "Don't do tomorrow what you can do today" is a good motto for my March ...
It seems like a good philosophy to go by, doesn't it ?
Especially with the way the world is going lately ...
As you can imagine I have a ton of photos to share with you ...
Here's a start...
E
:: hazy moon
:: pattern
:: innaffiatore
:: Rue Montergueil
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: March 5th 2003
A few more photos ...
Hope you are all having a wonderful March ...
I certainly am ...
E
:: stairs (Cole Valley SF)
:: ventilatore
:: rearview window (Cole Valley SF)
:: blue sand (Anno Nuevo CA)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: February 26th 2003
I have a few more photos to share ...
The first one is the view from my bedroom.
One day last week I left the blinds open at night and I ended up
waking up to this beautiful view ...
Quite a nice surprise my new apartment had in store for me,
makes waking up much easier and cheerful.
I am usually darn crabby in the early morning ...
Certainly not of late though ... it'd be hard to ... X)
The rest of the photos are all of Elephant seals ... one is even saying "hello!"
...
E
:: Good morning (Cole Valley SF)
:: Elephant Seal (Anno Nuevo CA)
:: Hello! (Anno Nuevo CA)
:: Elephant Seal (Anno Nuevo CA)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: February 24th 2003
X)
But enough of my nonsense...
Here are some photos from a wonderful small trip I took this weekend.
E
:: waves (Anno Nuevo CA)
:: Elephant Seal Sea Gull (Anno Nuevo CA)
:: sand and stones (Anno Nuevo CA)
:: Elephant Seal (Anno Nuevo CA)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: February 10th 2003
Hello, I've gotten a few interesting e-mails from some of you.
One pointed out that the last 3 photos I posted are indeed quite sad.
It might have been obvious to most,
but I hadn't even realized that, until it was pointed out to me.
I picked the photos, I thought, randomly among many I took in NY,
but my choices wee instead obviously dictated by my subconscious.
I look at those 3 photos now and it's so clear ! My gosh they ARE sad, all 3.
While quite simple and understandable I find this to be very fascinating, furthermore
I find this to be a good reason to keep at this photographic journal.
Even when photos seem unrelated to one's life, the mere act of shooting them
or even just picking them among others makes them intertwined and unique to that
life ... and thus, I think, of interest.
One e-mail also said:"I hope to see happier pictures on your site soon" ...
Well, I hope so too ...
Cheers and thank you all for your, especially appreciated, feedback.
E
Two photos today ...
:: @ Laguna St (San Francisco)
:: Totoro (Bookshelf)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: January 27th 2003
Long time no update ... sorry about that ...
Unfortunately life has thrown me a bit of curve ball, two weeks ago.
In fact that might be a bit of an understatement,
considering that the woman I loved has decided she's in love in someone else.
Now, that can be a bit of a problem in a relationship, uh ?
X( ... kidding aside, it sure made for 2 tough weeks to go through ...
but I am starting to pick the pieces and move on.
I certainly can't let this stop me from posting photos!
So here are 3 more ...
To lost love ...
E
:: Twin Towers (East Village)
:: Bottle and her (Brooklyn)
:: Candle & Mike (BastaPasta Restaurant-NY)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: January 6th 2003!
We had the luck of a white Christmas in New York!
It was amazing, so beautiful and quiet ....
Here are some photos taken in Brooklyn on the night of december 25th.
I sure wish I had a tripod for these ... oh well.
Grungee photography ... X)
E
:: South Portland Ave 1 (Brooklyn)
:: South Portland Ave 2 (Brooklyn)
:: South Portland Ave 3 (Brooklyn)
:: South Portland Ave 4 (Brooklyn)
:: South Portland Ave 5 (Brooklyn)
one more, from a rainy day in Brooklyn ...
:: Red Flower (Brooklyn)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: January 3rd 2003!
Happy New Year everyone!! Akemashite Omedeto!
I just got back from New York, where I spent my holidays,
felt great to be back in the city!
I took a lot of pictures there but
before some NY photos I wanted to share something different:
I have this strange Idea that "Mess" is interesting ...
so I have been taking pictures of my mess for a the last few months ...
The messier the better, the more stuff in the shot the more interesting.
Snapshots of pieces of life ...
scattered on a coffee table, a desk or just the floor ...
The more time passes the more I find them interesting,
since they tell me exactly what I was snacking on,
what I was drawing,
what I was reading
and what I wasn't reading 'cause it was under a pile of stuff at that time ...
X)
ok ... so here are some of these photos ...
E.
:: floor
:: Coffee Table
:: Home Desk
:: Work Desk
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: December 20rth 2002
It's been a little while, sorry for the delay...
Here's 3 photos.
Interestingly enough the 2 pictures of flowers,
are of the same flower. Pretty different uh?!
Well, I hope you all have a Merry Xmas! and wonderful holidays!
cheers
E.
:: Bright
:: Dive
:: Dark
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: December 3rd 2002
A little more NewYork for you ...
X)
E.
:: Lafayette & Spring (Soho::New York)
:: Saint Patrick's Cathedral (5th Ave::New York)
:: South Portland St (Brooklyn::New York)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 29th 2002
I have 3 words for you today : DEEP FRIED TURKEY!
It was delicious, juicy and not a bit dry; it's the way to go! X)
My advice does come a little late, doesn't it ... well, for next year !
Anyway, turkeyday aside, I have one photo today to share,
and it's actually a self portrait! "How self absorbed of me!" you're thinking
... X)
eh eh, well, it's a San Francisco kind of self portrait ...
a little different from your usual selfportrait ... I hope.
anyway, have a wonderful post Turkeyday weekend!
bye.
E.
:: 1562 Grant (Telegraph Hill::SF)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 25th 2002
Just came back last night from a wonderful weekend in New York
I lived there for almost 8 years, so it still sure feels like home.
Seasons there are so much stronger than out here in SF.
Also in New York Christmas is already in the air ... chilly air at that.
I took a lot of pictures there ... so here's a few...
E
:: Grocery (Soho::NY)
:: Lafayette St (Soho::NY)
:: Spring St (Soho::NY)
:: Halley off of Lafayette St (NY)
:: Wonderful Brunch (Brooklyn::NY)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 20th 2002
Good morning! Today it's a special day, in fact it's my first day of belonging
to the "31yearsoldship". I am really just an amateur at it ,being that I just
started
today of course ... so if any of you 31 yearsold professionals out there
have any tips or suggestions please drop a line ! X)
Anyway ...
I have 4 photos for you.
Hope you enjoy them!
cheers
E
:: Glass&flower
::Oval Glass
::Leaves and Tatami (Japantown::San Francisco)
::Yellow Glass
oh I almost forgot, I have one more photo I wanted to share.
This one says quite a bit about me ... coffee and sketching ... uhm ...X)
::Joy (Luna Park::San Francisco)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 16th 2002
Today I have one photo to share.
I took it last april in Genova, the city I grew up in.
This interestingly menacing guy was sitting and smoking by the fountain in Piazza
De Ferrari.
I was barely able to sneak a couple of photos in, before the guy started growling
at me!
Quite the character uh?! What a face ...
I realized lately how much I like people watching.
I find capturing people (either sketching or snapping pictures) quite priceless!
We are all truly interesting: postures, walks, gestures, faces and a ton of other
quirks make us all so unique.
Sitting at a cafe's window observing people going by can be more entertaining
than a summer blockbuster movie!
I really wish I had an invisibility cloak though, since as in the case of this
photo,
capturing people without them noticing can be a seriously difficult !
X)
well, ok then ...
later MinnaSan !
::Scary old guy (Piazza De Ferrari - Italy)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 11th 2002
Had a super busy weekend ... but not in a good way X(
Spent it all driving around all over San Francisco looking at apartments for rent.
It sure sucked ! I looked at more then 15 apartments ... too much info to process!
My brain crashed last night around 5:30 ... had to re-install enricOS.1 ... X)
Aaanyway, I thought, for the first time, I'd share some photos from San Fran.
Here they are:
::Aki no hikari (California St - San Francisco)
::Foglie (Hayes valley - San Francisco)
::Traffico (Van Ness - San Francisco)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 5th 2002
10:40Pm, still at work, should really be home by now ...
intead here I am, picking some photos to share.
Come to think of it I might have a thing for sharing, I mean ...
I like it, I might even be addicted to it, it gives me a high.
For example , cooking a nice meal for a few good friends at my place
is one of my favorite ways of spending a nice social evening.
I guess I am a sharing kind of guy uh?
Then again, you could also say I am not the most social person, I mean sure
I can be sociable,
but I don't tend toward it by nature. I can actually turn quite easily into
a bonified bear!
I'll close myself at home for a whole weekend just as if in a cave for the winter
! (Just give some paper and pencil!) X)
I am a drawing bear I guess ... ah well, enough of my silly late night brooding
.
My Apologies!
Ok, tonight I picked 3 pictures that for some reason seem to belong together
...
see if you like them ...
buonanotte!
E
:: Cherry tomatoes (Kamakura::Japan)
::Iced Latte, RED straw (Tokyo::Japan)
::Flying saucer (Mitaka::Tokyo)
A few words on these pictures!
Cherry tomatoes ::
This was at a wonderful, warm but stylish "traditional japanese dessert place"
In Kamakura.
They had these great dried cherry tomatoes as ornaments on our table (they have
such great taste in decorating establishments in Japan)
If you ever happen to go there, drop me an e-mail! This shop is a little out
of the beaten path
But a great little stop.
Iced Latte::
Great looking iced latte uh ?
Flying saucer::
If you've been to Ghibli Museum, you certainly recognize this,
it's water fountain and, watch out, a powerful one.
OK, that's it ... 11:10 darn! I am getting out of here! Bye!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: November 2nd 2002
Lazy saturday ... thank god, I had the longest week at work ...
Anyway, thought I'd give you a change of pace with the photos:
today 3 black and white photos I took in Italy in the "Cinque Terre", Vernazza
to be precise.
The Cinque Terre are 5 five small towns on the italian riviera, close to Genova,
where I grew up.
They are also the setting for my comic Mia-1931-.
The interesting thing of the area is that there is only sea and mountains, nothing
inbetween.
So the towns are climbing over the rocky and steep seaside, like seagulls nested
on improbable cliffs.
It's truly beautiful there,
it absolutely deserves a visit if you are in the area!
:: Caruggio (Vernazza::Italy)
::Vecchia Porta (Vernazza::Italy)
::Il Gatto (Vernazza::Italy)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: October 31th 2002
Happy Halloween MinnaSan.
I has been a crazy week for me at work, been very busy up till today.
So I finally have 20 minutes to load up some new photos
Today I have 3 for you, all from Yokohama.
::blue sky (Yokohama::Japan)
::Under the freeway (Yokohama::Japan)
::Sunset on the city (Yokohama::Japan)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: October 27th 2002
One photo for today.
:: Aruku Inu (Asakusa::Tokyo)
I actually took this pictures a couple of years ago, in Asakusa.
I always liked it, it has a nice nostalgic feel, good for a sunday morning.
Well, whoever you are, I hope you are having a nice cup of coffee sitting by your
favorite window,
as sunlight catches the steam lazily rising from your cup.
That is my kind of sunday morning. X)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: October 25th 2002
Today all pictures from the "Museo d'Arte Ghibli" in Mitaka, Tokyo
and a few more memories of my visit there.
::Donguri (Mitaka::Tokyo)
::Stained glass window (Mitaka::Tokyo)
:: Sunset & the Laputa Robot (Mitaka::Tokyo)
First off a visit to the Museo D'Arte Ghibli is truly memorable.
You owe one to yourself, buy a ticket to Tokyo now!
Just go ! X)
The new Laputa exhibit ,that has taken over the Sento Chihiro's exhibit rooms,
and the fun new short that is screening with it were a fantastic surprise.
The short is probably around 3 minutes long and it's about the history of
flight (in a Laputan kind of world I guess).
The animated host of the short is no one else than Miyazaki San, as his pig
self !!! X)
The interesting and strange part is hearing his voice (acting and all) in a
Ghibli animation ! Very amusing ...
Spoilers ... not much of a story to spoil ,
but if you're heading to the MUSEO D"ARTE GHIBLI in the near future,
you might as well go see it for yourself instead of reading on ...
::
::
::
::
::
::
ButaMiyaSan takes us on several different airships and (I assume) talks about
their functioning and such...
The strange flying machines look like the machines in the opening titles of
Laputa ...
some are totally new designs and are actually computer generated ...
One of these big ships that ButaMiyaSan flies on gets even attacked by a giant
octopus (ala Verne) ...
The aviation's progress take us all the way to a modern era of overcrowded airliners
and past it ...
As a final beat we see a postapocaliptic world of the future covered in water
(of course!)
and a young boy, similar to Pazu, putting finishing touches on a small primitive
plane of his design ...
He then takes off on it ...the end.
It's a really short film, very cute and certainly geared toward a young audience
...
The exhibit in the rooms is full of Laputa artwork and also the fullsize
small flying machine that the boy flies in the short ...
Also amazing is the new wonderful short "Mei to konekobasu",
that is playing in the main teather ... It's just a great feel to see Totoro
again!
It's really like seeing an old friend whom you've really missed.
Well, that's it for today ...
later!
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: October 21th 2002
Just photos today.
::
Cooks resting (chinatown::Yokohama)
::
Yellow (Chinatown::Yokohama)
::
Traditional wedding (Kamakura::Japan)
More to come soon.
E
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: October 18th 2002
Ok, trying to get back to work after such a wonderful vacation is just brutal.
It's sooo hard to do. My head is so not into it ... just can't shake the post-vacation
blues.
Other than that the only news is that I just moved to a new office, a nice green
office.
At first I thought the green was so-so, but it's already growing on me.
This office is certainly warmer and more welcoming than the white one I was
ine.
I'll have to take a picture of it soon. Before it gets too messy.
(Even though I like organized chaos, I think it's very telling of a person;
you can find so much in a snapshot of somebody's messy desk.)
Ok, enough rambling, here's 3 more photos...
out.
E
::
Grandparents and grandson and pidgeons too (Sangenjaya::Tokyo)
