Keetsie Joy Berbel

A typical resident of Bad News Basin

2008-08-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

I've been rolled off the Golden Axe project (which you should most definitely buy 20 copies of when it hits shelves), and for the last few weeks I've been doing time in game developer purgatory, more commonly known as R&D. Not nearly as dreary or melodramatic as my metaphor suggests, this period has actually been a great learning opportunity. I'm splitting my "research" time between concept art and MEL scripting. Considering this is an art blog, I'll spare you the scripting.

So basically, the most awesome things in the world are Mother Teresa and a cure for cancer. Close seconds are cowboys and Biblical themes, which are easier to draw. I'm "writing" a story about the pale rider of the apocalypse and all the fun things that happen when he loses his horse. This is one take on him. I was fortunate enough to attend an in-house course taught by the concept artist, whose techniques have helped me out a lot.

And here are some "thumbnails" of ideas ranging from deranged medicine man to bandito guapo to bad romance novel. In retrospect, I shouldn't have skipped the real thumbnail stage of scribbling down scores of ideas. I also should've looked up some better Spanish adjectives. But I don't have to tell anyone how long I spent on these, and I don't know Spanish anyway, so hey.

Happy Belated Easter, from a disgruntled Mac fan

2008-03-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

That's right, I now only draw on major holidays. Don't tell my former professors that. I made this card for some friends and was immediately horrified at how the pagan PCs washed out my made-with-a-Mac color palette. So I've cranked up the saturation on this version to satisfy a PC-worshiping world. The downside? Looks like a neon sign on the Mac, now. Oh well.

Monkey Business is DONE!

2008-01-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

Yay! Above is the box art! It's been planned and playtested, and is now fully illustrated! A friend is independently publishing it and in about a month, Monkey Business will be sold at a geek convention near you!

I was never into card games before working at Secret Level... and then I started hanging out with game designers. It's amazing to see people making their own games as regulary as we artists sketch, and how much effort and creativity is required to actually make a game fun. This is Dan's first card game (that I know of, anyway) and our buddy Paul will be publishing it under his independent game label. Paul's made several fantastic card and board games, and I highly recommend checking out his products at www.StoneTabletGames.com.

In anticipation of the coming weather...

2007-12-27T00:21:00.000-08:00

This happened once!

What? An update in the form of WARM FUZZIES?

2007-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! It's been awhile since I've updated this blog and I just wanted to let my buddies know that I'm alive and enjoying work.

I sent this card out to some friends at work. They've nicknamed me the Raccoonicle, for various convoluted reasons. They're a strange lot.

I've actually been drawing quite a bit, but it's been almost exclusively cartoon monkeys. I'm illustrating a work buddy's (monkey themed) card game, and we plan to sell copies at various geek conventions. There are about fifty, count 'em, FIFTY of these guys, and I'm aaaaaalmost done. Behold, a monkey. Behold, an electric shaver. Behold, mayhem.

And then a little something I did for myself. This image has absolutely nothing to do with my imaginary Dungeons and Dragons persona. (Note: This last statement is a LIE.)

"For I am a poor and a wretched boy, the chimbley, chimbley sweeeeeeep." Ah, sweet Decemberists, I only hate you sometimes.

A Little Glowing Friend

2007-09-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

What? An update? Surely this is a sign of the end times!

It's nice to be drawing for myself again.

Drawing and Effects Portfolio

2007-05-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

This portfolio accompanies my effects reel, which can be found here:
http://keetsiejoy.com/berbelReel.mov

Halloween Tree

2006-08-06T09:39:00.002-07:00

It looks like this blog is doomed to the same fate of my past journals. Fear of commitment really does seep into every aspect of life. This really is just a guilt post.

Halloween Tree, ROAR. Work in progress. Based off of Ray Bradbury's kids' book of the same title. The book contains some fantastic (and occasionally ridiculous) imagery. The Halloween Tree grows jack-o-lanterns, as all genuine Halloween trees do. On this particular Halloween tree, the pumpkins represent the souls of the dying. I decided to cheat a little and have a pumpkin vine growing up a reaper-ish looking tree. (Those will look like jack-o-lantern faces, eventually.) I thought it'd be neat if the closer a jack-o-lantern was to the end of the top branch, the closer that particular person was to death.

Bradbury described the tree as a tall, pole-like thing, which seemed boring to me. So there you go, Ray—I've managed to out-cheese you. That is no easy feat. (Admittedly, I can't top swarms of tiny mummies.)

Suggestions and criticism on my progress are more than welcome, by the way. Painting advice would be wonderful.

Banana

2006-07-05T02:27:00.000-07:00

Word of the Week: Banana!
The best thing about this project was that I didn't think of my portfolio once. And, I can go to bed guilt-free tonight.

Some real characters

2006-06-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Finally got out and went sketching in Downtown SJ with JP. Here's what happened.

First, everyone was chill.

Then we met this guy with no hands.

This one guy couldn't stop smiling. Free lesson in caricature.

I respect this woman for her personality.

Hangin' loose in San Jose!

2006-06-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

This blog doesn't know any cool tricks yet. Sorry.