...no reflection

Quick... before the dinosaurs show up...

2012-02-12T09:45:00.003+02:00

Rounding up the Robin & Backstabbers shooting...

For whatever reasons...

2012-02-10T06:22:00.000+02:00

Don't tell a word...

2012-02-09T08:41:00.000+02:00

For all the books and all the music will be thrown into the fire...

Cleaning up...

2012-01-30T17:26:00.000+02:00

While tons of other things are in the way, I though I can clean up my card.
I quit photography a while ago to follow some other projects.
I had to quit those other projects... to follow... new projects.
So... here's what was last time on my card.

Light Sabering Mono Jacker

mUse Of Force

Some light power

And for me... speed... is better with eyes closed.

See ya soon.

We follow rivers...no end

2012-01-27T08:38:00.002+02:00

In the very beginning of this blogging thing all i could say was :I have no time for this.

It's again the case. I tried to edit the footage of the road-trip back in December - our way to the ski resort in Surianu.
I didn't manage to finish the job - so here it is, posted without a lot of the footage, and without and end... hmm.. maybe that's a good thing :)

Much more happened along the way. Here's how one day looked in 20 snaps - for a page.ro
Thx for having a look... even if nothing much is visible out of what i do these days.
hugs.
Andrei

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T23:42:00.000+02:00

XOXOXO... to all

yet another casual post

2011-12-16T07:08:00.001+02:00

I feel very sorry for not being able to update this as often as usual. I'm on a foreign land, in a far away country, with restricted access to... time. My secret agents are working on preventing the 2nd cold war and me... i sleep less. Hoping that you'll be patient, i'm signing off with the promise to give you updates as soon as i can. OK?

A bit of travel...

2011-11-19T18:07:00.001+02:00

Paris...to guess where to what city is that?a bit around homeland - sea sideMountain...quick stop for a movie some offroading... back to good food and movies, Chisinau (Moldova) an Italian dude leaving his memories in the Bucharest airport... New horizons and so on...

Nov 1st - International Self Portrait Day

2011-11-08T20:00:00.001+02:00

As you might remember, 6 years ago i have initiated the International Self Portrait Day - a day dedicated to artists all over the world.

The rules are simple - make your self portrait on Nov 1st. Post it online on Nov 1st.

See some of the artists here:

1Nov - International Self Portrait Day (Conceptart.org)

more have joined on Facebook.

This year i've also quit my job at Ubisfot on Nov 1st - after almost 10 years with the group - ill miss those guys.

Here's the progress:

thank you.

Mono Jacks - Woman

2011-11-01T14:02:00.002+02:00

I had the pleasure of shooting these guys.
Great work from Vlad Fenesan and Barna Nemeti who wrapped this up in 4 days.
Enjoy.

And while we're at it... here's the last track of Robin & The Backstabbers - i had fun helping out during production.

Robin and the Backstabbers - Cand te-am cunoscut Cristina by RobinandtheBackstabbers

RGBlack

2011-10-05T14:36:00.001+03:00

Here's my last shooting - a bit of a fiasco. I'll drink to that. (what am I saying ? I've been drinking to that since :) )

20 kilos of dry ice, many kilos of fruit, 5 Romanian designers, 2 models, 1 stylist, 1 set designer, 1 artist to manually paint furniture, 1 make-up artist, 1 hairstylist, 1 photo assistant, many many friends to help with setting up, great people waiting long hours for us in the night at the location, many trips to take and such... and... one crazy day where you rush it all up.
Why? Well... sometimes it just happens.
Enjoy.

Fotografii: Andrei Fantana

Assistent Foto: Radu Tancau

Make-up: Diana Ionescu

Hair: Anca Macavei

Styling: Diana Ioana Marasoiu

Scenografie: Ioana Pasca

Mobila Pictata Manual: Loreta Isac

Locatie: Atelierul De Productie

Modele: Daniela Aciu & Sabina Gab (MRA)

Clothes & Designers (excuse the mess - i'll clean it up soon)

Colier geometric “M17 by Alexandra Ivascu” (40 Lei) . Rochie Florentina Giol (600 Lei)

bluza Florentina Giol (440 Lei) Colier “M17 by Florina Farcas” (100 lei) Colanti Asos

Guler Pene Zara

Rochie M17 by Alexandra Ivascu“ (300 Lei)

Rochie imitatie piele “M17 by Florina Farcas” (240 Lei) Ghete Asos

Rochie neagra cu dublura “M17 by Diana Flore” (350 Lei) Guler folosit ca accesoriu pentru cap “M17 by Carmen Chereches”.

Colier geometric “M17 by Alexandra Ivascu” (40 Lei) . Rochie Florentina Giol (600 Lei)

Sacou negru cu rever “M17 by Florina Farcas” (230 Lei), Ham “M17 by Diana Flore” (300 Lei), Pantaloni Imitatie Piele “M17 by Florina Farcas” (100 Lei)

Special thanks to Corina Olaru for the extra gear.

This is actually marking the beginning of a break in my photo field. I'm focusing on other projects for the moment.

Thank you for visiting.
Stand by!

Discover me...

2011-09-25T20:37:00.000+03:00

on Discovery channel...
you know? like the song :)
I've been asked to give a hand to a small program aimed at kids (or more so at their parents) all about... finding a passion and turn it into a job... or such.
It runs on Discovery channel and many other sites and i hope i didn't made too much of a fool out of myself.

dance dans le dans.

2011-09-15T12:07:00.001+03:00

I've been following the rehearsals of a new show based on the notes of Nijinsky.
Here's Monica Petrica - prima ballerina of National Opera and Filip Ristovsky choreographed by Malina Andrei.
I'll come back with more material as the show will pick up.

and fooling around a bit

Broken Lunch Break

2011-09-05T18:46:00.000+03:00

Incredible how human hands get rusty so fast.
I try to remind myself how hard it is to get back to drawing after a break - and nothing better than the lunch break to break the broken habit. Yet things get smoother and tend to perform better when more people get the same mindset - so i have filed a complaint to my friend Dan who's currently in Germany for a ping-pong match.
I started by sending him the very first doodle.. the warm up. I was just loosely splashing colors interested to nail some details in the shadows while a strong light source is around. A things for subtle values. What a mess:

Well, my friend Dan being amazing with his environment started to bark on my about perspective and construction and such - and he was right. This is what he sent me back (the happy guy took what he please from my sketch and had his way with it) Yet, i'm a guy who likes to build and follow along... yet.. i had to fix his colors :) and went on adding some details, changing the proportions and having a good time. This is what i sent back:

Currently he mumbles about how he doesn't like unfinished work - so.. i'm standing by for the update from his side. In the meantime... i fool around and doodle. I should go out there and get myself a model (we all need models in our lives no ? ) and take my hands (my eyes and my brain) on a study or two. In the meantime... fooling around should do (it's crazy how stuck the mind gets when you try to break away from the comfort zone)

Past projects

2011-08-24T22:38:00.003+03:00

So back in October i think... i decided to give acting another try - after 10 years of pause.
For about 4 months i've been involved in this project as a dancer/actor.
It was during this project that i got another audition to the Odeon theater - and i've managed to be part of the "Film of Stage" debut show - already covered here a while ago.
Anyway - i had to drop out of this since things at work were heating up - when it premiered i was out of the country so i never had the chance to see the final version.
I recognize some moves though... and i had fun dancing.

I Got Shot (again)

2011-08-13T14:10:00.003+03:00

I am considering to take a break from photography and focus on other things but i ended up close to a camera again. I had the pleasure to be shot by the young photographer - Martha Sarah - from Butterfly Caught
I will post my shots as soon as i find some time to sort them out.
Thx for looking.

Mobile Round 3

2011-08-02T20:21:00.003+03:00

My appologies for the drag. I'm swamped with work and most of it... i can't show yet.
Here is the round 3 of mobile snaps. (you gotta scroll a while for the previous rounds i guess)
I'm not going to tell the stories here...but i hope you can make your own.
Enjoy.

All pics taken with a Samsung Galaxy S and the RetroCamera Free app. Damn technology :)

Previews...

2011-07-23T00:31:00.004+03:00

oh dear...
I haven't been lazy at all but i wasn't just as lucky.
Here are 2 previews of two shootings that are almost ready for display. Almost...
And i've added another picture of the days i was a half-red-head just to motivate myself to paint some more (i've been doodling lately in lunch breaks but the results are always dull.)

I'll explain it all once i'll post the real photos - As usual there are Models, Makeup, Hair, Set Design, Location, Hand Painted stuff and the rest of the story... i'll say it all with the rest of the pictures.

And this one is part of a mono-light double shooting experiment (yeah.. shut up already)

oh - and the red alert:

That's it for now. Have a great weekend. I'll go busy.

Take a moment. Save your skin.

2011-07-07T10:03:00.003+03:00

I didn't manage to come up with new photos of the final painted sofa exposed in the Ebenist Maler show @ Atelierul de productie.
As i was mentioning below - it's long story about a place where you feel safe enough to save your life and (in case you want to change it all) leave your old skin and start anew.
It's how i try to live, being ok with what i've done during the day - so i can confidently save the progress. If i'm not.. .i'm ready to leave the skin out and... try again.
Here are two small videos of the expo with great art from the artists included in the show. It was a gread pleasure to be surounded with amazing people.

Cotton Candy Asylum

2011-07-04T13:26:00.006+03:00

Here are some other photos I've been waiting to get done/clearence. It was a fun shooting - lots of quick calls and since i love colors - i had a good time smashing the gamut.

Models were romanian fashion blogers - Ioana Liliana Gheoghe & Iulia Burtea. Check them out:

http://www.fashezine.com/
http://www.dreamsize.ro/

The rest of the magic team si listed below. Always a pleasure to work with Diana Ionescu (Makeup) and Anca Macavei (Hair style) as well as meeting new people on each shot.

Enjoy.

There's so much to love about the charmingly pretty Manoush clothes that we dedicated our entire attention to them for this shoot.

For this session of pictures we envisioned an atmosphere within the boutique that at first sight seems detached from a fairy tale, very much dominated by pink, candy, muffins and colorful fashion items. Discreetly flirty, boldly feminine yet childish models, in a dazzling cultural blend and absolutely charming setting induced a surreal atmosphere but with a reminiscent of a vaguely ominous magic for our manifesto.

“It was a fairy tale, no fooling. It was unreality becoming real. This frightened her. Because people don’t care for unreality becoming real. It pricks their well-fed minds, you see, with something like a hunger pang. They prefer the logical stuffiness of expectancy. It is only at certain times that they weaken, letting imagination in.
That’s the time to get them.”— Richard Matheson

Blending elements of the romantic and boho style, promoting an unconventional, free spirit with no imagination boundaries we ended up in an exquisite experience of a fragile territory that swept us right into the heart of a fantasy world. It is an intimate and immersive inner exploration from the models staind point, a sort of otherworldly, dreaming calm expressed euphemistically via photography.

<Cotton Candy Asylum> is sweat, fashion implosion and the match point.

Les Poupees Manoush - The One Magazine Romania

Fotograf Andrei Fantana
Modele Ioana Liliana Gheoghe, Iulia Burtea
Make-up Diana Ionescu
Coafura Anca Macavei
Concept Medina Pop
Vestimentatie Manoush
Locatie Magazin Manoush, Baneasa Shopping City

making of photos here

Retro Adventures

2011-07-01T18:38:00.005+03:00

From Natura Elena

There is magic in the preparation in anticipation for something.
I've been working on these photos for a long time now and doing so I’ve come to love some pixels, here and there.
I've spent my time with the model tuning the light on each shoulder, on each wrinkle on each hair for days. She was my lover for past months and she has no idea.
Yet it’s more than that. I’ve com e to love my team and the time we take to buy flowers for the hair, the hours of makeup, the pushing of furniture around and the authentic vintage clothes, the constant movement of lights and the drive… there is a drive for complex beauty – I love that.
She’s been waiting for these photos. I’ve been waiting to post them too. And I did my preparation.
In the shot she was waiting for … him. And I hope people take the same kind of effort in the preparation of a simple moment, I hope elegance and femininity and all these rules that we don’t seem to need for our survival still hold some ground in some minds, in some hearts.
Authentic waiting brings along timeless moments.
Enjoy... and wait for more

Taking myself too seriously... again...

2011-06-12T15:24:00.002+03:00

My mom’s birthday just passed and as usual I got to take her picture.
From time to time we take pictures to send to one of her best friends in Germany.

(old one)
And since she was the person who got my first painting ever
(this one)

We have decided to send her a photo with my last ones.
I didn’t have the chance to do it though – Gisela died - that day.
So in the same spirit of my “pig painting” I’m posting the photo here – for a full connectivity.

Happy 61 mom...

You see, sometimes it really feels like every small decision is a life and death call. I can’t stop thinking about it and trying to put a meaning in all that I do. That pig painting was based on beauty as a truth revealed underneath it all. It is based on Ouroboros .

When I was invited to paint a sofa I have searched for a meaning. Every time you sit on it, every time you come home or before you go away, I wanted to bring a meaning to that moment and that place.
Russians sit for a while before taking a long journey – sort of like… saving the moment.
Each time you get back home.. you have a chance to save that day.
If something meaningful happens on that sofa… you need to remember to save.
People save their work when it’s safe… when it’s good, before making a risky attempt or just when the progress is meaningful enough.
If people would remember to save more moments of their lives they might be amazed of how many moments they agree with. Salvation is easy if you save before temptation.
Sitting inside the Ouroburos should remind you that a snake drops his skin from time to time.
I don’t have a final photo of the sofa… my car broke down on my way to the opening of the event… here’s a work in progress shot… the final is not too far from this… I had several other shots of my work.. but… I forgot where I saved them :P

P.S. It's funny how people are stuck with a symbol. Nobody's using floppy disks anymore yet this one might remain for a while. Don't forget to save.

Robin & The Backstabbers

2011-06-06T17:10:00.003+03:00

I'm waiting for an NDA clearence for the rest of the photos. In the meantime - here's another lo-fi clip i shot with them a while ago.
Enjoy :)

Un suc

2011-05-30T18:09:00.005+03:00

Well... a while ago i've got to be part of a project at Odeon Theatre called "Filmul pe scena".
It was great to be back into acting - especially since it was a project involving a movie scene and the crew was great.
In the 2nd iteration of this project i was just a spectator.
"Filmul pe scena 2" had a small script and i couldn't wonder how it will be as a challenge for me.
Apparently I was not the only one with questions on his mind.
So... having good friends around we decided to shoot it on a weekend and here's the rough sketch.
Manny thanks to all involved – and the apologies for the underdeveloped result.
It took a while for me to gather the guts and show this (hair color has changed many times since :) ) but I hope that it will boost me to get better and it was a fun day anyway.

In the meantime… my acting had other instances… we’ll see if it develops or not.
(apparenlty i get to draw while i'm on set - see below)

Sketches and Live Session

2011-05-21T14:50:00.007+03:00

Time to drop some more sketches and doodles from another PAF session.
Enjoy

Nightdraw.ro sessions

Self portraits - i turned 35:

Portrait of Daniel Popa (actor and generally cool guy. here, reading on the set)

Live doodles at PAF - Atelierul de Productie

And here is a portrait Dan Ghiordanescu did for me:

Also another drawing from Dan of our model that night: Roxana Paraschivoiu

and Roxana's take on my portrait. It's fun when the model goes against the painter.

Pretty good eh ?
My painting from that night is a mess :)
Thx for looking.

Robin and the Backstabbers - preview

2011-05-03T12:46:00.002+03:00

Here are some shots from the "royal hunt" shooting with my favorite local band "robin and the backstabbers"
More to come. Stand by.

Photo: Andrei Fantana
Asistent Foto: Radu Tancau
Make-up: Diana Ionescu
Stylist: Isabela Hentiu
Hairstyle: Anca Macavei
Set Design: Andrei-Florian Popa
Asistent: Maria Pop
Location: Thomas Antiques

and here's a lo-fi version of a song - private concert at Robin's nest - one year aniv.

Lexus - the after smoke

2011-04-26T14:52:00.002+03:00

Soon after the launch of Lexus CT200 the guys from autoevolution asked me to carry the art drive into some of their photos. Here's the quick take.

PAF - end session - Live.

2011-04-20T18:20:00.002+03:00

So the Print Art Fest closed with a funky party where I had the pleasure to do some livepainting next to a bunch of great artist.
I want to thank all who made it possible and to those who made it to the event. It's nice to see the pixels hanged on the wall and people interested in the visual language.
Here are my doodles from that night.

fighting Dominus on the wall.

yeah.. things got a bit wild...

Thx again.

Beauty - Music for Sailor Moon

2011-04-19T23:28:00.002+03:00

It's beena while... but here it is. The last of the trends. Thx for looking. There's more on the way.

Photo: Andrei Fantana

Make-up: Diana Ionescu

Hairstyle: Anca Macavei

Model: Madalina

New contest

2011-04-12T11:05:00.004+03:00

Someone enjoyed the Gameloft art race and decided it's time to set up another one, one block away. The theme was " A thief".
Now... such an undefined definition is open to a lot of visuals and in the same time does not present enough specificities for the concepts to be compared.
If you want to read "thief" the moment you see the image - one is forced to go to the cliché.
Looking at the most renowned thieves , they look just like ordinary people.
Hence… in order to define if the visual isa good interpretation of a concept – one must know the concept.
There’s no harm in letting the artist come with a concept of his own – but how do you compare the concepts ?
Since I was drifting in my thoughts like this I just started to doodle – some high fashion looks and some dynamic poses.

I couldn’t make up my mind on which one to detail further so… I went doing all of them. Also made a portrait for each.. just for fun. I told myself I’ll have enough time yet I ended up in the story with the rabbit and the turtle.

Oh.. and since I wanted to attach a concept to the images – I googled notorious thieves. On pole position were the two that sad next to Jesus on his cross.
I went for a 2nd coming and added another one – and these guys they knew they were to be crucified the moment He arrived.

This is the classical fantasy thief – without much gear. More like a burglar.

This is the one that knows about His coming. Religious fanatic looking forward the day he’ll be crucified. I gave him a cleft lip to add to his charm . I enjoyed doing the tattoo on his back – in that twisted position was a quite a challenge – this one was without any reference and hence.. it’s not quite “all right” but none the less.. very fun to do.

This was meant to be a girl – parkour hi-tech and all. Not sure why the parkour reminds me of thieves :P

Umm.. no i didn't win. :)

Lexus... is art.

2011-04-11T19:52:00.001+03:00

Lexus launched the new CT200. The event required a silent artistic approach so they have commissioned some art. Part of it is here, some was live and other 8 versions went offline ;)

It was fun working with both the client and the agency. How bizarre, right ?

Enjoy.

When you don't know how it feels...

2011-04-02T15:09:00.002+03:00

Just doodle. Pick up a pencil, a brush or.. this.. and .. doodle.
Don't be surprised at the end. Most probably you feel like shit.

Beauty - Cotton Candy

2011-04-02T14:44:00.001+03:00

Photo: Andrei Fantana

Make-up: Diana Ionescu

Hairstyle: Anca Macavei

Model: Diana Rosu

Beauty - Deserted Journey

2011-03-29T16:11:00.001+03:00

Here's the next part of the beauty project i mentioned earlier.
Same team - different model - all fun.
Enjoy.

Photo: Andrei Fantana

Make-up: Diana Ionescu

Hairstyle: Anca Macavei

Model: Alexandra Ion

Filip Ristovski - by request

2011-03-29T15:26:00.004+03:00

Well... it seems there is a certain need for more Ristovski.
Some... "acquaintances" even asked me for nude pictures. Should i? :P
Enjoy.
(no worry guys, i'll have more ladies on the page veeeeery soon ;) )

Now.. take the opportunity and go to see his one man show called "Nijinski"

Nude Samsara

2011-03-24T14:01:00.005+02:00

A while ago... bits of a beauty session regarding the new trends.
This is sort of a nude make-up by the amazing Diana Ionescu.
The hair magic by the one and only Anca Macavei :)
More coming. Way more.

Photo: Andrei Fantana

Make-up: Diana Ionescu

Hairstyle: Anca Macavei

Model: Stefana Cindea

oh.. an here's one that didn't made it - i've messed up the colors, ruined the makeup and all.. but well... i like to do that :)

Filip Ristovski (actor)

2011-03-16T19:20:00.001+02:00

I shot my friend last weekend. Pictures soon. Thx.

Long Pose - Short Time

2011-03-09T15:19:00.003+02:00

The nightdrawres set up a long poze evening last monday.
Excelent moment to hook up with my friends. Dan has been away for years and now he's for a brief period back in town. We used to stare at the wall arguing about the exact nouances of "white" at 5 am. Drinks and passion for art will do that to you.
We ended up at a Drum&Base party and we painted all night on the piano of that club :)
So... it was a blast to see him again yet... after drawing beautiful Corina we didn't had that much time to share. My 5am was booked for a shooting the next day... and that photo shoot lasted 10 hours. (very fun though... stand by ;) )
So.. here are the remains of that late monday - the lovely talks i can't share - you had to be there...
Loose start... messy... everytime when i start working straight on digital i trend to drag... and drag.. and lose focus.. and... structure .. and.. i loose it :)

After 40 minutes of drift... i decided to clean it up.
And this is where the time with Corina was over.

But the art debate continued and me and Dan started to stab eachother - taking turns in holding the pen and messing the colors on the piece.

"Oh.. look what you've done here... you call this a good stroke ? "
"You know what i'm going to do ? I'll erase this face.. and i'll go with complementary color on those highlits"
"Reealy? Give me that pen.. let me sharpen those edges for you... and noooo.. don;t touch the nipple.. noooooo"

Thx for looking.

Mountain Gods & Good Friends.

2011-03-08T19:12:00.006+02:00

Well... i don't know why we have to go big distances to realize truths about daily life. I have no idea how it works when you fail to go or when someone dear goes and things just resonate with you.
Yet... sometime best revelations come when you go big distances with good friends. Sometimes when you fail to do so too.
Here is some of us fooling around in that mountain trip - for me was a walk in the past - i grew up on that mountain. Also - it's the first shooting of the new camera- it has done its share since - stand by. (i'm digging in too many gigs)
What i regret was that i was not able to take the shots i wanted - the wind was not too kind that day :) and in front of me the gravity shifted - you should have been there.... it was... unearthly
Enjoy.

oh.. and.. i love you... happy birthday... i'm sorry i missed it.

here comes the journey... enough with the grim mood - good happy friends is all you need.

even that sometimes... they hurt too... or .. the drink is too strong :) :)

Have you ever seen a happeir and more colorful brother ?

he can't even frown :)

This is how the doctor becomes... "the l'animal of prey"

He was hunting...
the creature with 3 belly buttons...

and than.. it attacks everything...

aaaand... my serie with the Egyptian... gathers more and more meanings :)

There... that's not all... but.. a good glimpse :)
See you next time ;)

Mobile Snapload- part 2

2011-03-07T11:56:00.003+02:00

Well.. the good part of having a camera attached to your phone - you get to snap more of the things that snap at you.
I'm looking forward snaping sleepy drunken morning shots of snappy beauties... that i might not post :)
In the meantime here's a look at the late shades of winter. It might trouble you but i enjoy the late snow... like this.

Even the trees got addapted and produced even bigger ice fruits.
Global warming? I already love it :)

(you might get the reasons from this one ;) )

Every day in my way to work i see this store. The owner has no ideea of the truth displayed in his window. I kept saying it... this Eco ... concept is.. SO... :)

Now.. let's get back to those models in the morning... no coffe for me but i'll take a tea...
hugs.

Bansko - 103 km/h

2011-03-06T13:09:00.003+02:00

All good natural fun... all good speed. (thx to GPS googles skiing got more gameplay :) )
Had a lot of issues editing this - several layers did not render- so.. the result is shameful but i don't have time to work on it more.

Heroes and charactrer design.

2011-02-28T13:01:00.004+02:00

Few days ago i stumble uppon the news that my friends from Gameloft are putting up a character design contest.
It was all about designing a videogame hero. Now.. anyway you look at this, the challenge is good enough and the subject quite... debateable.
Willing to put my skills and creativity to the test - i quickly came up with a fake name and roughed up some sketches. As the last Disney hero said: A fake identity is everything a man has :)

This was my first hero - a take on the styled New Yorker.
I figured that the costume, the outfit is mostly what visualy the characters stand for these days - and i haven't seen many "suits" clothing the heroes. I also wanted to apporach this in a graphical style to match.
That same day however i wanted to push the ideea of the costume/character and decided to expand my hero's world with "function suit based characters".
The hero moved to london and shifter to a 2D paltformer - this is what he's up against :)

Since i know that the jury will also look for some good rendering skill in the contestant - i threw in the generic character - bad ass girl - and spiced the sketches with variations in outfits - for fantasy and urban.. etc.
Tell me if you've seen this before :)

here's a close up on the portrait and some stages of the making of.

And that was it.
I wrapped those images up and sent them as Mr. Evil Zeal (for those who played HAWX2 for Wii - YES.. i was advertising :) :) )
However, either my skills and creativity are not strong enough or they did not came out of the images i sent... or maybe it's just my failing mood... the bottom line... i didn't pass the pre-selection.
Not much trouble thought. can't stop the flow :) Since i sent those .. my mind started to wonder and think trough the problematic of an authentic game character.

There are mainly 3 categories - the bad ass (pictured below), the cute character (mario, ratchet, etc) and the japanese hero/antihero (and that is a mix - slightly more feminine features, can turn into comic/cute if needed ..etc - think all the Final Fantasy crowd, Dante, etc)

However, originality is a bitch.

separated at birth as the guy who did the selection said - it's kinda clear that the rest of the unicity comes from the costume and non visual traits (abilities, voice, attitude, setting.. well.. CHARACTER :) )
for the cute one i thought the ones from above classify - however... i wanted to explore... the explorer - since i find it a good .. recipient.
skip this :)

also... talking about costume and japanese/asian typology - i tried a small test - starting from the latest Givenchy couture collection - that to me seems very MMO able :) i wanted to sketch the male part.

go check the colection up if yo uhaven't - it's amazing.
So... here we are.. the explorer - i quickly arrived to this: north american mountain dude - i could already picture the rest of his tools, pickhammer, snowpads, small metallig whiskey bottle, backpack and all.
Also his enemies and the monsters are easy to imagine.

Yet i wanted to throw in a bit more character - so i shifted him to the gipsy side - that allows for more color, bigger moustache :) and a hell of a better speach :)

I had to rush those up since i have a ton of other things to do.
But before i wrap this up.. i'm tossing in some other sketches just to clean the closed.
First sketch of the hero and my new red haircut -

random

Life drawing at NightDrawes Sessions @ Lente

Other realms

2011-02-21T15:06:00.002+02:00

Here i go with some quick shots from the realms i've been roamning lately.
More substance to the stories soon.

Don't worry. I'm working on it.

New Post. New camera. Old places.

2011-02-18T12:41:00.002+02:00

For a while now, i kept on waiting for people to ask me about my gear. I mean, i keep getting questions about what tools i use when i paint, draw etc but nobody gives a damn about my photos - that's probably because they suck :)
Anyway, since you're not asking, i'm telling ya. :)
I have one camera and one lens:)
Canon EOS 300 - 6 Megapixels with the 18-55 (default) lens. It was 300 usd a few years ago, 2nd hand, form a friend of mine.
I knew my photos are not at the right level but i kept on finding excuses - and most of the time - i was conforting myself with thoughts that my gear is not strong enough.
Well... i got bored to find excuses and after more than one year of savings... i made an investment. Ladies and gens... my new camera:
5D Mk II

Here's a versus shot - both equipped with the cheap 50mm (the lens on the right is broken :) )
And another one to spot some differences :)

Now.. the problem is... the new one feels cheapper while it costed me a fortune.
Also.. the first tests i did... were horrible.
I had 2nd thoughts about taking the new camera with me on my next trip but in the end... i just tossed it in the backpack and took it out on some extreme conditions - just so it learns the environment of the owner :)
Most of these are out of focus and just out of place - but i hope you'll celebrate with me my lack of excuses.
(surely the 50mm it's not for these kind of shots.. but let's not start again :) )

and a pseudo panoramic to give you a hint of the view.

it was a trip trough terrible cold winds of 200-250 km/h.
The shots are taken when we were out of the peaks since we could barelly walk there - taking photos was impossible. the reward however is slightly pictured above.
I know it's not the kind of shots you ussualy see on this blog but i promisse i'll make it back. The rest of the pictures from this trip should do the job. ;)
thx for looking.

From the archive

2011-02-18T12:30:00.003+02:00

Here's a small update - unfortunatelly from the past experiences.
It's not that im not doing things.. is that i don't have time to document them all.
These are some shots from a voice recording session in Hollywood. Good times.

Stand by for more.

Echoes... from the drunk

2011-02-01T12:37:00.005+02:00

Try to spot this one. I know it's a shot out of a serie that i'm doing with my friend up there. Scrolling trough the blog you might be able to sift some of the other pics of the serie.
Here he goes again:

And if you're at it... see if you can spot this serie too - in fact - those two go a long strech in time - and most of the photos aren't posted on the blog - but one day... ONE DAY... i'll gather them all and if you get just 1/1000000000000 of the fun we had - you'll be smilig up to your ears.

Now the real question is: What the hell were we doing in the subway ???
Surely we were drunk but... there was always a greater purpose. We were searching for little gods.. and we found some.
Here is how you shoot strangers and worship them after... just for good times.

here's the whorshiper

and more vibe :)

get this one ?

critical

Also, somehow related (it's difficult to keep on the road when you're under.. influence ;) ) my brother(s) got a new garage.

And still related - this guy... i met him on the offroad rides first and on a fashion workshop later.

Check out his blog.

and one final shot with DeeDee because i miss her and i have to clear the card of pics from December. ;)

January ? What January ?

24 Jan

2011-01-24T23:28:00.002+02:00

Today my father would have turned 80.
Somehow the last image i have of him is a drawing i made while he was in the hospital.

Oddly enough i realized that all the portraits i did of my family were in hospital beds.
Here's my brother completely still - with his spine broken in 2 places doe to his para-gliding tricks. I was just beginning to draw and it was a good way to spend time with him and practice my pencils.

don;t mind the lines and the black eyes and swaloed faces he was doing for me by default.
He's fine now - if you want to see what he's up to, follow this blog.
My father is also fine. If you want to know how he's doing, follow this blog.

P.S. - if you were looking for a reason to drink a glass of wine, i can give you some.

Nightdrawerzzzz

2011-01-22T23:35:00.004+02:00

There's no other Zen and sometimes no bigger frustration than drawing from a live model.
Some old friends managed to set up the weekly event that makes Mondays cooler than Sundays.
NightDraw
Hopefully i'll keep on going and on dropping whatever i scribble. Here are some sketches from the last time i went. I messed up with them playing with the new version of my software. I also added a small movie i edited for them (a bit low on the content but you'll get the picture).

I have no idea why i got into the goof mode, fooling around on the sketchbook but i had fun. Hope you will too.

photos & video: marius costache
edit by me.
some random tits i made while i was in a meeting (ups...)

and here's another doodle on the graphic side.

EDIT: I keep drawing old people and portraits looking to the left (the past as they say). I have no bloody idea why.This one got away with the USB connection - i think the future is coming :P :P
bye bye.

The last...

2011-01-20T14:51:00.007+02:00

It's been a while since i posted... work. In fact i never post real work since my work is posting me like a stamp on a chair for long, long hours and i'm not allowed to show you what i do there :) I was speaking about pleasure. It's been a while since i posted pleasure. Wait, pleasure is not posted... it's sponged, soaked, pulsed all the way inside.
So... what i post about it's fun.. since fun is ussualy spread and this is what I want to do and what remains when there's no reflection... not even in the camera mirror.

This fun is about the last shades of the last shoot of the last shape, last hue of the last year.
As usual it was a rushed job, an early call on a Sunday morning.
The good part of a Sunday morning is that, while most people sleep, you can shape the world around you so much easier.
Lucky enough i knew the collection and i knew what kind of shapes i needed in my background to match the volumes of the clothes - what i didn't know was how cold it was going to be.

Here are some attepts at finding a style in the post-process.
I was busy as a junior bee at the time so DeeDee stepped in an took over the hard part. Here's her view of the day.

And here are my insecurities. What a mess.
As i was saying - creating the shapes around the subject is easy - seeing the beauty cry.. out of cold... that's when photography becomes evil - so maybe why i'm doing it.

i wanted to explain what i was looking for on the color side but i'm currently under a lot of fire so i'll have to do that some other time.
anyway, things were going a bit out of hand :)

and more on the portrait cut

Hairstyle beast:

And more color.

That was it. Looking forward what 2011 has in store on this side.
Thx. for looking.

Model: Alitia
Hairstyle: Anca Macavei
Make-up: Diana Ionescu
Clothes: Diana Nita

A normal blog post...

2011-01-09T23:01:00.003+02:00

i hate people taking photos of their food. i really do.
I mean... who the fuck cares what you have in your belly? your mom ? maybe. The real reasons they take those pictures is to remember what they had - i mean.. for fuck's sake if they love food so much.. they should just remember it.. not take a picture - it's got no taste if ya know what i mean. Anyway who would want to remember having this amazing duck when will get back to the usual lunch sandwich? No, really, who would ?
It's all because of those new "mobile phones"... i mean it. Everybody has these new phones that do everything these days. These guys take a photo of every bloody thing. Man i hate people staring into their phones all the time like it's a book or something.
Fuck.. i hate people staring into the books too. But you see... i've got myself a new phone, and it's got books in it too, lots of them and it fucking takes pictures... and boy this duck with slightly caramel pineapple, olives and "herbes", cranberries and potatoes "du village" ... i mean... not to be a phony or anything.. but.. its like i wanted to see how it's like and...
pff.. don't even get me started... i mean... let me start with the beginning...
you see.. here i was in this Bansko/Bulgaria.. for some skiing...

Man i love skiing... i mean.. the classical skiing it's the best. Fuck those board people and the fancy clothes and all... right? At the end of the day a lot of people are just sliding on the slopes.. but the ones you turn your head to... the ones that really ski like a damn alien... those my friend are very few. I'm not one :) but i slide in my way... and always keep getting there. On another note.. some of those boarding girls are really cute to tell you the truth. I know one. So there I was until i had to go. Honestly... i love to go.
So.. i took this old bus that was from a different place and a different time - it was really struggling to fit in Bulgaria.

and got to Sofia - where a cab driver tried to get 5 times the price of the trip from me. Boy.. i let him take me to the airport and you should have seen his face when instead of 100 i gave him 20... boy he was mad as hell... but i asked for the police and in the end... we got a deal :)
Now.. it didn't struck me at first - i thought its just an accident but later on... i stared to realize - the Sofia airport is one of the dirtiest airports i've ever been to - and, my dear.. i''ve seen my share. Now... i love Bulgaria and all.. but this airport was really really dirty.
You start notice these things when you have a new phone... with a camera and all...

I was about to show you the bathrooms too but.. man those were sick.
The Budapest airport.. well.. i couldn't see much of... except that i have been checked by security like never before - i mean the dude reached under my pants man... and asked me to sit and touched my feet... i almost lost my connection...

And here i was in my way to Geneva - already a long day and the day was not to be over yet.
Have you noticed how everything in Switzerland is ... SWISS ???

And boy they love watches... and chocolate.. and ... branding all the shit with SWISS.
It was time for me to move to France and i got to the place where... hmm.. how can i put it? The day i got my phone... it opened up with a background image. It's where i ended up.

Now... i'm not sure this whole story has any meaning, i mean... everybody has a phone that does all the crazy things in the world... and yes.. the duck was great, even the wine... as she recommended it... she said it will go with the duck... and it did... i mean... hell.. i think i photographed that meal just because i was shy to ask her name - so maybe i'm ok with photographing food... for the brain.

(this was on a military fence with electric wire and stuff)

PAF

2010-12-25T14:35:00.007+02:00

Last week i had the pleasure to be part of a painting expo - my first :)
PrintArtFest
I never expected to have a showing - ever. When i started drawing/painting i thought i will be able to enjoy this at retirement, out in the garden with a paper hat on my head and the grandchildren too noisy around me. Lucky enough i have been enjoying painting since the first day i started - well.. exclude the frustration that comes along and hits hard.
All thanks to new friends. I was fortunate enough to discover amazing people in the pursuit of fine arts who thought me the joy of... seeing in colors i guess.
It's why, maybe, later on, i picked on photos - again with no expectations.
So PAF was a surprise.
I got lucky again at the PAF since i didn't have to put up on the wall any major statement.
I was given the opportunity to promote the Self Portrait Day (Scroll down for about a month :) ) and so i did.
Next time i will actually have to think of what i want to put up the walls - i'll have to give a heavier meaning to my pixels.
Well... enough ranting - here are some photos from the expo - courtesy of fellow artist at PAF and good friend Dominus.

SADDO

Dominus

Buzu

PAF

Detail on one of the self portraits and me facing myself. What a clown.

Thx for looking.
Next time... we'll have a message - ok ? ;)

It's time for me to take another trip - not sure i'll have the time to update - so see you next year.
Here's a look at the last shooting of this year.
Diana Nita
Thx for looking and have a great 2011.

Pre-Christmass Christmas at Odeon Theater

2010-12-25T13:05:00.004+02:00

As i mentioned a while back, it's been 10 years since i quit the theater/acting activities. I got back this year for a very short shot and i have enjoyed every minute of it. Lovely team and sweet project.
Here are some photos courtesy of the great Adi Bulboaca.

Oh.. and Merry Christmas!

Vice infusion...

2010-12-19T12:39:00.008+02:00

I do adore the small and self conducted experiments each goes to. There were so few vegetarians when meat was hard to get ;. I keep hearing: I dropped the bread. I don't eat sweets anymore. We quit drinking sodas - we're on tea now.
And tea was the subject that day... swirling the mind without a teaspoon.

Every little shift comes from a bit of self love, a sense of sacrifice and a hint from... well... each time i made a change in my life was due to a muse.

Madalina owns a small tea shop. I now love tea and small shops :)

I still drink a lot of crap but i hope the vice of better myself will never leave me.

Model: Madalina Ivascu
Hairstyle/Make-up with real, good tea: Diana Ionescu
Location: Deemers Teahouse - Academiei

ah.. it's just a scratch...

2010-12-05T18:41:00.003+02:00

i mean... a sketch...

on a side note - it's been 10 years since I've been on a theater stage.
Las Thursday i've performed along with a great team in a small project at Odeon Theater.
There might be more to it ;)

Small trip

2010-11-28T10:22:00.004+02:00

Few weekends ago we found time to escape - and this round we left the rides at the bottom of the mountain - a tribute to our past youth.

Up... is high

Tribute to "Buza" who didn't made it. I've carried you on my back... like I always will :)

Green Peace is full of... plastic. Peace!!!

Perspective shifts with altitude... and mind goes round around...

Yet if you go high enough.. you get to the moon - right ?

This is a growing series:)

Thx for visiting...

I'm releasing November

2010-11-20T08:38:00.007+02:00

It takes 9 months to make a baby.. and much more to make a game. It's been several years my mind was clogged in projects i couldn't show or talk about.
This month two of them are released and while joy is natural so is this retrospective feeling.

I hope you enjoy this one :)

I know you will - everybody does :)

The other one that kept me enthusiast for much longer is however one title you will not hear much of.

If you have a WII - give it a shot.
HAWX 2 Wii just released in US for 30$ - it's a steal.
There is a lot of love poured into this one.
It features voice work by these guys (among others):

It's written by this guys:
John Zuur Platten and Flint Dille
It's been a blast working with everybody on this project - and in time there was a lot of everybody :)
With art from Igor-Alban Chevalier Blackfrog and concepts from Massiveblack

Music by Tom Salta
and featuring the Postmarks "No one said this should be easy"
:)

here is the review you'll not find. Nintendo Okie

EDIT - extra - gameplay only.

Thx for looking. Now.. i won't be able to talk about work for another set of years. :)

On night @ the garage

2010-11-13T13:21:00.003+02:00

One saturday evening in the old garage of the Dojo Motorsports.
I filmed about one hour and mixed with photos from their blog.
You can find more about the guys and their projects at:
http://suzukidojo.blogspot.com
Hope i'll have to time to visit the new garage and spend more time with them.
Music: Silencide - Fairground art museum, Paul_Westerberg - Looking Up in Heaven, David Byrne - My Fair Lady, Spoon - Revenge
Production: Lidia Teasca (happy birthday !!!!)
Guys on spot: Costin Fantana (Tuparu), Ionut Trandafir, Cornel Zamfirescu, Crinu Andanut

Working with furious Papoi... is love.

2010-11-08T19:49:00.003+02:00

Well.. here's some more of that shooting.
We had great fun.

On Maral we went for a traditional african influence on the makeup - just to mix with her Mongolian features.

On Simo' we went full color.

Makeup: Nami Yoshida
Model: Maral & Simona
Production: Lidia Teasca
Assistant: Alexandra Boanta

Thx for looking.

Nov 1st - Self Portrait Day

2010-11-01T23:46:00.003+02:00

Few years ago i have declared the Nov 1st as "The International Self Portrait Day".
Since... every year hundreds of artists join in a celebration of art and self discovery.
Here is my contribution for 2010.

progress

Links to the event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184590342078&index=1

and
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=199075

(scroll few pages more - explore the links for past events)

Anchored Crow

2010-10-30T11:15:00.005+03:00

Makeup: Nami Yoshida
Model: Maral
Production: Lidia Teasca
Assistant: Alexandra Boanta (She shot me, dammit !)
Hugs to all.

1 Nov - Self Portrait Day

2010-10-28T23:28:00.008+03:00

Once again hundreds of artists will gather for a great internet event.
Self portraits will pour into the web from across the globe - all created on Nov. 1st.
Looking back over the years i had to pay tribute to the guy who started it all for me, my brother Andrew Jones.
Here is some inspiration.
Enjoy. (watch HD full screen - turn your pad/screen/head if you want.. it's not required ;) )

Sketching Time

2010-10-24T17:05:00.004+03:00

Funny how the meaning of painting time is shifting... both during the process and also... in the gaps. It always feels too long since i last took time to draw.
I wonder how it will be like painting in the garden when grandchildren noise around.
Meh... too much to do in the meantime ;)

Friendly...

2010-10-24T16:31:00.004+03:00

Makeup: Diana Ionescu
Production: Lidia Teasca
Acting: Iulia Lazar, Isabela Neamtu

See you tonight...

2010-10-15T12:17:00.001+03:00

International animation festival - all night creepy movies - two interventions of live music and life painting/drawing...
Good friends, good movies, good music... we'll see about the drawings :)
See you there

Interview with Randy Greenback

2010-10-03T10:24:00.003+03:00

I promised more interviews. Here's a light, short one with Randy Greenback, game designer at Red Storm/Ubisoft - on how he got into gaming.
Enjoy.

Basic Rules of Friendship

2010-09-28T21:37:00.006+03:00

You know... in France .. the customer is never right.
Like they would say "We're not satisfied until you're not satisfied".
So easy... I'm not satisfied until you're unsatisfied...
So simple... come... closer... much closer my friend, i want to cause you some pain.

Likewise, the closer you become the deeper the hole.
You put your head inside the hat and hope for all the sounds to radio silence.

Always shoot old friends with an old camera.
You'll get the point... and plunge it you should.
Hope everyone has fun.
Thx for looking.

Actresses: Iulia Lazar & Isabela Neamtu
Make-up: Diana Ionescu
Production: Lidia Teasca

The Undeleted

2010-09-26T23:47:00.003+03:00

Somehow.. i drifted in older folders.. and i had to re-scratch some shots.
It's crazy how much i forget.. and how my values change in time. Speaking about values... here we go:

Make-up art... at work...

Next: Autentic Photo Shoot
Model: Lavinia Sima
Clothing: Raluca Damian

Working on the beauty shots i learned so much .. that i want to do more :)
Make-up: Diana Ionescu

and just because

since i just got back from a trip Annency-Geneva, few hours ago.. i decided to post some pics from some past euro-trips
Hello Jim... Barcelona...

Hello London

Thx for looking.
I'll post more soon.
See ya!

After hours - Post shooting fun

2010-09-20T22:39:00.003+03:00

Few weeks ago i had the pleasure of shooting 2 actresses.
Yet.. after the shooting we carried out the fun...

Makeup&Hair: Diana Ionescu
Producer: Lidia Teasca

Small preview :)

umm...

No nose...

Enforcing the style...

The youngest works harder...

In any artistic fight...

the producer wins...

but only together we're stronger

and another one from the actual shooting - stand by...

Saturday Morning - Sketching Time

2010-09-18T11:39:00.003+03:00

Let's see if i can hold on to the habit.
It's been too long since i had time to sketch/draw/paint... etc.
I was supposed to be at the office today.. but... well... i'm not :)

Model: Ioana
Styling/Makeup: DeeDee

Suzuki Fest 2010

2010-09-16T22:30:00.004+03:00

My brother and the dojo crew are setting up each year few days of fun for the suzuki offroaders.
I managed to give a hand this time.
Here's some snaps.
More info here

The cook: :)

Intermezzo

2010-09-14T21:17:00.001+03:00

My 50mm lens broke that day...
Technology is failing me.

Salvaged

2010-09-08T23:04:00.004+03:00

I was wrapping up the series when i accidentally deleted the whole thing.
This is what i managed to salvage...
Still have a ton of other things to process and to post but it just doesn't seem to be my rolling time these days.

Make-up: Diana Ionescu.
Model: Adela (secret 2)
Production/Styling: Lidia Teasca

Lights, Makeup, Action... FUN

2010-08-26T00:27:00.005+03:00

Once again I have to apologize for the lack of updates - it' s only because I've been doing so much, i just didn't had time to .. post :)
And the things i was sweating on... well.. are not public yet :)

Here's a quick lights test I did for DeeDee.

Make-up: Diana Ionescu
Model: Adela (secret 2)
Production and flashlight: Lidia Teasca

Stand by for more.

No camera, No time

2010-07-10T16:33:00.005+03:00

Yet i managed to work some of the photos i couldn't make time for before.
Next week i'm starting the press tour for my game and soon i'll be able to show you what i was so busy for...
In the meantime... i hope you enjoy these and i hope i'll be able to write some more stuff too.
Thx again for looking.

Makeup: Diana Ionescu
Clothes by: Nela Todorovska
Model: Ioana..."secret" :)
Production: Lidia Teasca

Told you i was busy...

2010-07-08T16:23:00.001+03:00

somewhere around these lines...

Video Games | HAWX 2 | Exclusive Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Still Here

2010-07-06T01:04:00.004+03:00

I think you've figured it all out - i'm a very busy monkey.
I had no time for any other stuff than my job - working long hours and full weekends.
One half weekend however i managed to slide out of town.
My car is rigged to go anytime - the trunk is full with the gear for the sea side so, after some hours at the office - one Saturday i pretended i go to buy some stuff and... gone i was.
(on another set of news i crashed my bike but.. it's nothing serious)
Here's a bit of the trip
Thank you all for still visiting this rusty-dusty blog and for taking me out.. for being such nice friends :)

Oh.. i don't have my camera anymore - so all these are taken with a point&shoot... hence.. "the point" ;)

Oh... and in the same yellow tone - check out what the guys are doing.
They are working the weekends just like me... so it's no surprise that we escape together :)
http://suzukidojo.blogspot.com/2010/07/fzj-80-xi-outside.html

Regression... duh...

2010-06-07T19:46:00.004+03:00

Umm... i'm still loaded with work.. so... here's some stuff from the past...

Mom turned 60. Freud would be happy.

Quick visit from a quick friend...

(i hate green...)

scribbles...

2010-06-05T17:21:00.003+03:00

managed to squeeze some drawing time yesterday...

and also... it seems i can't escape my project .. the one keeping my busy all this time..

soon more about it...

Just a reminder...

2010-05-21T00:57:00.005+03:00

No time for magic

2010-05-04T00:30:00.003+03:00

This whole shooting is still waiting for me to rub the colors until the magic comes shining... but... i'm riding a different train now.
Hopefully... i'll make some more soon.

Makeup: Diana Ionescu
Clothes by: Nela Todorovska
Model: Ioana..."secret" :)

Drops - No color.

2010-04-25T01:41:00.005+03:00

More to come out of this shot.
I'm a busy bee.
I love my game.

Quick Sketches for...

2010-04-18T00:52:00.004+03:00

...busy days.

Saturday Morning

2010-04-03T18:26:00.005+03:00

Just got back from Paris straight into the studio - all was set, lights, camera .. action... the shooting was finished at 11 pm. That was last Wednesday... few more days of intense work and here comes Saturday.. for a rest.
7:30 am - shooting time :)
Dora wanted form beauty shots, Mika was in charge with all the calls.. so here i was...
Enjoy.

Old Stuff, Older friends

2010-03-21T16:54:00.002+02:00

Kinda busy lately, no time for mumbo-jumbo. Here i am Sunday evening at the office, taking a break to post some stuff. Old shots i found - probably among the very first photo sessions i ever did.

Filip & Delia

Green head

2010-03-12T18:17:00.002+02:00

I colored my hair again - springtime days ahead - and while at it, I asked Rodica for a pen and some paper and took advantage of the great mirrors in her studio.
Once again... she did wonders. I hope you'll be able to see some of her magic in some shootings to come. It was also the last day for my big mustache.
In the meantime...

Game Over... 14 years ago ... ?

2010-03-12T17:32:00.005+02:00

Boy i feel old... and creepy in my head. Lucky enough some folks keep reminding me of my early days.
Few days ago I was supposed to celebrate the birth of one of my biggest projects - Game Over magazine.
To all the fans out there... if any still alive,
here are some pictures of those days.
For the non gamers visiting.. bare with us.. we have this sickness... AND WE'LL TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!

Cover of the first issue.
Funny thing, i met one of the designers of Command & Conquer only few weeks ago.
I'll post soon an interview with Randy and even a head to head with on e of the designers of World in conflict
(destructive minds.. are we not... pfff.. where is the love ? )

Here are some pics of the guys involved... you should see them now :)
Some are reaaaaly unchanged - i mean.. you can find them exactly in the same position, on that same chair wearing that same shirt... :P

Bugs... in the first trip to ECTS. As you can see.. we're in a pretty pretty industry.

Roger

max

Lula

Me... right after the decease of the project... dreaming of being a great designer... for Impale Ent :)
E3 2000 i think...

and right there... i met Oleg Maddox - doing flight games... just like me :)
Here he is... moving his hardware :)

and .. while scouting in the old photos i found something for the nostalgics.
A photo of the dude who wrote Dos Navigator

and this guy

i don;t remeber.. he was from Hexen or .. something.. and after the day was over Paul met with the demon in the bathroom - he was washing hes feet in a sink :)
Nasty paint... you see?
Well... that was my small trip back in time... as a way to thank to all who believed in us back than.
Sorry i couldn't find pics with all of us... and surely you remember more things than we do... since we're so old.

EDIT - if you want to read it.. some nice guys scanned the whole collection and shared the old mag. with the rest of the Internet. FREE THE INFORMATION... :P

Unblow a kiss

2010-03-07T14:28:00.004+02:00

Two weekends ago, i found out that a building close to the office was going to be destroyed - by controlled explosion.
To take advantage of the event - i wanted to take a shot of a kiss with the falling building on the background. So i call up friends, find a model willing to kiss the old me, makeup, lights the whole gear. Everyone was in terrible party mode the night before so early Sunday i was gathering sleepy yet enthusiast friends from around the town.
Half way trough the makeup the news comes: there will be no more explosion.
Well... since we were there we went on with it anyway...
here's how Alin captured it.

photos: Alin Popescu
Make-up: Diana Ionescu
Model: Corina Ifrim Allure
the rest of the story on Alin's blog.

My shots:

Here are some shots Cristi took - i went on and messed with them since he finds reasons every time not to work on his raws.

And some from the one and only Diana "DeeDee" Ionescu
http://deedee.ro/
Sorry Dee... i messed with yours too :P

So that's about it. Another failed concept, another morning of fun. Hope you enjoyed (it was cold up there :) )

EDIT - more Cristi

and Lili

From Bulgaria with love

2010-03-07T12:39:00.004+02:00

Just got back from a ski session in Bansko - Bulgaria. After years and years of break i got to ski again with my brother - he's bloody fast!!!
Anyway, the trip took me back a while, when i used to live in Sofia - here are some pics from the making of a music clip that i got to direct while being there. Ski pictures and all... maybe later if my friends will send me some - i forgot the CF card at home remember ?:)

younger me at work...

my kinky side coming out... pfff

and my tribute to conceptart.org

to playstation and good wine

and hot chicks supporting gamers... right ? :P

so visit Bulgaria .. the land of a better choice ;)

Old Interviews

2010-03-03T01:08:00.008+02:00

“Don’t set your goals based on what you think you could achieve. Set your goals on what you wish you could achieve, and then believe you can.” - Lorne Lanning

Hey - once again - sorry for the lack of updates - i was away (again) - and even taking my camera with me... i forgot my CF card at home.
(Maybe i can gather some pics from my friend's camera.)

Anyway - i'll start posting some interviews with cool people. This one goes more than 2 years back - i forgot about this series but it seems people dig them up.
Here's one legend :)
If you ever liked Oddworld take the time and listen to Lorne Lanning. I love the man.

And soon enough .. hopefully - i'll get back with fresh interviews i took this year - good stuff :) (i only need the time to edit them...)
And thx to Jaunty for digging this stuff up...

EDIT --> ...and the word is spread...

I Ubi Ubi...sometimes

2010-02-17T19:43:00.003+02:00

It feels really good to be challenged from time to time... i've spent the last two weeks in a "chateau" close to Paris, along with 20 great minds, and lovely characters.
The Academy of Design - a secret program, on the verge of pioneering... we felt damn good to be part of it and i wish the same feeling to the next generations.
Here's a bunch of photos of my new friends.

Canada, US, Japan, China, Sweden, France, etc... there are great people all over the world and it's fun when they all get together... drunk!

Yet... we also worked... kinda like this...

game design.. is magic..

Thx. for looking.
See you soon.

Catching up

2010-02-13T14:15:00.007+02:00

Sorry for the late update... i was... well... in fact too much happened so i'll just drop stuff here and talk about it.. some other time - ok ?
I'll start with some more shots i did at the last session... and more of Alin's work.

Make-up: Diana Ionescu.
Model: Roxana Ioana
and some of Deedee

DeeDee

And a bunch Alin took in the same day.

Fotos Alin Popescu.
you know the rest (models, makeup..etc)

her's another batch of photos from the holiday trip

[edit] more on dojo
and...
here's one teaser of the last journey... i'll get more of this veeery soon.

thx for looking
hugs.

Sketches

2010-01-28T18:42:00.004+02:00

Someone has been complaining about me not posting enough "art" on the blog.
Well... if i was doin any.. maybe i would. But it's been so long since my drawing/painting days... i got all rusty and all.
I still scribble from time to time in my sketchbooks but there's nothing good coming up.
Here are some doodles just to please my friend... and some life drawings - as i'm trying to get back in shape... (frustrating activity)

don;t ask... long story

those 2 were done at the office - we used to have a great model and a lovely time afterhours :)

this one is very ugly but it reminds me of a character i was working on... maybe i'll revive him.

This is a recent one - i was coloring my hair (green and blue) and i've done this in the mirror of the hairstyle saloon. It's good to have designers and stylists as friends.

Life drawing gestures, Corina (great friend and model) plus a doodle at a concert that i continued at a party.
Thx for the visit.
oh.. & more holiday pics on dojo

I've got shot!

2010-01-12T13:28:00.004+02:00

by a friend...
We went out saturday for some fun session - called few girls and took over the Dojo Garage.
We'll get back with more.
In the meantime - visit:

Alin Popescu (more pics)
Diana Ionescu
si...
SuzukiDojo aka Atelierele Harniciei:)

2k9 to 2k10

2010-01-06T17:30:00.006+02:00

My brother Andrew did that.
Check him out:
http://androidjones.net/

In the same time... i was out of the radar in the same company:

Jesus was demanding attention - and here we were.

cleaning our monsters out...

out in the wild

So we took a shot...

that went across the world

and time stopped being our border

So our eyes got open

and we had some fun.

and losing color again... we thought we reached home...

yet ... home... usually bends and takes the shape of the owner...

like our mugs bend as we grow one more year older.

Three mages and three bottles of whiskey

2009-12-25T15:32:00.003+02:00

I've been a good girl. I am a good girl... and i'm happy like child... i'm going to be a mommy. My boyfriend is so excited, mom doesn't know, his folks neither, none of our friends yet, but i feel so in love, like we're the primordial couple, we're really really blessed.
Tonight i'll call her... my mom i mean... i'll give her a riddle. I'll play with her mind a bit. I'll help her if needed and then i'll wait to hear her happy cry on the phone - YESS... mom you will be a granny. It's probably the best news i'll ever bring to her. And then i'll tell her about our marriage, me and Sacha that will take place in spring, and that we are just in front of her place.
That's the way to do it.
Yes.. i'll call her from the car. This way i'll send my torpedo to her heart and i'll see the impact on her face... just at the right time. Perfect. Wait... i already see red butterflies around my dreams.
You see, my mom raised me alone, she was always so serious, and every time i delivered her some news, good or bad, she was just giving me the cold look: "There are more important things in this life, Lulu". Maybe they were... but no more.
This time, i'll crack her defense out. There's no way she will resist me tonight. And there are no other things more important this time... it's life itself. My news, my smile and my army of butterflies can open any heart.
She doesn't leave far from here.
Then we'll drink champagne or... whatever Sacha is bringing - i'm hoping for champagne... it should be... he's in charge with the presents tonight, he'd better not screw up.
Over the drinks i'll tell her the details, about the doctor and the baby room and all and later, i'll send Sacha away, to do the dishes (he's a sweetheart) just to have a little talk with mom. We two have a bit of a history together on some subjects. It's funny how once you become a mom, you're just like your mom... and... there should be no more secrets... no more ... parent attitude. It's the final triumph of a child, right?
She never said who my father is...
I'm not even sure if i missed him. It would be nice to know... right?
At this moment... i think, i'm entitled to know, not for me... for .. the baby.. you understand?
Uh... am i becoming .. my mom? Pff... what a strange feeling.
I already know, her face, her reaction, we had this conversation for countless times, about dad i mean. She will have to give me at least... no... wait... i have a better idea.
Thank you butterflies.
This time i'll ask for her diary and for the photo albums. I'll wait for that moment of silence when all is said.. after a glass of wine, or champagne, or.. whatever Sacha is brining... and i'll say... what i've always wanted to say in fact. Ah.. pretty butterfly.. will my child speak to me like that too? Uh... pretty pretty wings...

- Mom, uh.. how can i put this? i couldn't be more grateful on the life I've had so far... you raised me so... SO good, i learned to be happy and to love people and life... you did ... an amazing job. I want to be able to understand more, to know more of you, to get some of your strength. Pretty pretty wings... She'll turn a bit colder and say:
-There's nothing good to learn from my past, Lulu. And not to mention, my diary is just a notebook filled with crap. Nothing useful at all.
- So give it to me! Please! Please mama, if i ever made you happy, just give it to me. It's just symbolic anyway.
- Ok, you suborn little weasel. And as she will be giving it to me, she'll say "You made me the happiest mom in the world"

It's going to be a tiresome evening. Reading that will probably feel so... old and strange. The green flamingos on the cover, the pink pages, the handwriting... I managed to read some of it when i was 13... i had the feeling i grew up so much that day, but i couldn't find any clues... She had details and phone numbers there.. i know that much. I have 9 months to find the truth and deliver myself a father for me along with my child.
From those numbers, addresses, names, i will get to her old friends, and .. oh wait... here ... all those notes... it must be... wait .. i gotta call... pretty pretty wings...
- Hello, excuse me ... i'm looking for Doctor Loom, my name is Lala Scotch, and i would...
- Ah... finally, an old voice said, the whiskey girl.
- ...
I meet the old lady. She invites me in the library room, and examines me with small round black eyes from underneath her glasses, while she tries to crack open a bottle of scotch. She's handling me the bottle... i help her open it up and pass back the heavy thing.
- I don't drink, i say, I'm with my car...
- You will darling, you will...
- You're very kind but...
- This bottle has been waiting for you in that corner for... oh dear... too many of years. You'll drink with me if you want me to tell you a damn thing or, if not, I'll have a glass, or two, or three.. or how many it will take and you'll be on your way the same way you got here.
I sit and hold my glass on the table for her to pour. She's pouring way too much.
- Don't worry, you'll want to finish that. She sits down, under a yellow lamp, takes a big sip, holds it a bit, and as she breaths out the strong reaction, she's looking around her study room, lets her head on the back of her armchair and gives room for her eyes to grab a watery shine. I take a sip on my own and wait.
- I've delivered a lot of babies, says the doctor. I performed abortions too. It was my job and i did it well. It was a cold and snowy day, close to Christmas, this couple...
- My mom ?
- listen, i'm sorry if i can not hold up for you here for a friendly talk. The end of this story, is for you to write, now.. just hear me, please, for i have been waiting a long while to say all this and it's not that easy... I'm an old woman now.
- ... please
- they were not so young, i mean, around 30. He had blond hair, looked more like an office guy, she was dark, red lips, had few piercings and a small tattoo on the naked shoulder. With a weak voice he tried to explain to me that they were there to set up an appointment for an abortion. She picked up from there, very serious, mature, detached. None of them wanted the baby, it was sort of an accident and i was supposed to inform them on how things will go and all. She asked some questions, i asked them if they were sure as i was doing this every time. She was more than determined he was a bit embarrassed, quiet and... guilty. She asked if she could do it in the same day. I had the time but i felt like they need more time on this and the best i could do was to set them up for the next day.
Pouring the second glass of scotch, takes her time... breathes with sound, and continues. Later that day, i've met another couple. It was the very mirrored image of the first two. He was an artist, strange dark haircut, piercings and tattoos, she was blond and delicate, elegant. They were holding hands and smiling, so happy and in love, warm and beautiful. She was scared, shy and blushed, he was protective, and smiling. They made the test, she was with child, and they wanted to keep the baby. Excellent news, i said. They were visiting to have some analysis, a check up, a friend of her recommended me as her doctor.. etc. It was a very nice meeting, and to celebrate he brought a bottle of whiskey - as he said to me at that time, he was hoping for a boy.
- ha, tough luck... uh.. excuse me, please go on.
- I refused initially, i said i don't drink, as actually i wasn't drinking at the time and he insisted.
- Keep the bottle until the baby gets born, he said. I took it, thinking that I have friends who would have loved to drink that bottle way earlier than nine months past. The results of the analysis were to be ready the next evening. I would see them than.
Another big sip of her whiskey, and the old lady continued, with her eyes fixing a point on the floor, her voice going lower, more inside her.

The next day, i was waiting for the couple with the abortion. The buzz rings, i open and the happy father from the other day, the whiskey guy, my tattooed artist comes inside and asks if we can have a small conversation.
- So you want a girl now, my dear? i asked, have you changed your mind? want the bottle back?
- Oh, i had a lot of that lately, doctor, but not now. You see... things are... complicated. I'm in love...
- Um... oh good, i said, anyway... you got the wrong doctor, i don't fix matters of the heart.The buzz rings again and i tell him i have an appointment to attend to. He jumps and gets me with my back to the wall, sticking his face in front of me. In a single breath he explains to me that he loves another girl, that the girl from yesterday would have the child anyway because she's just willing to become a mother, even a single mother in fact. She loves him from hi-school and... well... he tried to go along and accept all that... to see about his life and let her have the child too... but.. well.. he just can't... he can not live his life ignoring his child that someone else wants of him. His life was about to change and he was not willing to, not to mention he had not much choice.The buzz ringed again.
- I push him back and said. Not my problem... what do you want me to do?
- Think of that child, doctor. Those analyses could come out problematic and the issue will be over. She can find out that she needs to try again, later, when true love would bless her and the child. This baby is not too well. He's sick... just like you're sick when you're in love with someone that doesn't want you. If that goes away in time for you and me... when you're born with it... it does not. My life, her life, and the one of the kid are about to get fucked up... all for the sake of a maternal feeling and a conjuncture of some too lonely parents. You're the magic man, doctor, the fairy and i'll let you decide the fate now. I've done my dance. If you need me... i'll be in that bottle of whiskey. He made few steps back, fixing me with a deep look. He turned around and opened the door to leave, only to face the other couple. They have exchanged a long look before he moved away... never to appear again.

I was a bit dizzy as i got inside my room with the dark hair girl for the abortion. She didn't wanted to be asleep during the procedure. Her shy friend went outside for a smoke. As she got on the table, undressed and holding her purse, my mind was trying to focus, cursing the previous guy for the whole thing. The girl from my table grabs me, takes a heavy package from her purse, places it in my hand, looks me in the eye, and says:
- I want to keep this baby. Please... that looser will never know. I'll disappear. This is just to set the poor guy free. I want this baby...
Now... the old lady, stares at the empty glass in front of her and a long, long silence was pushing my heart up my throat.
- In that heavy package was a bottle of whiskey.

.....

- Baby ?
- Sacha?
- I couldn't find champagne. Your mom drinks whiskey... right?
- Ah.. damn... i just had this... could you ask those butterflies to stop whistling, please? Uh.. and do you want this child ?
- you're pregnant?
- fuck! Merry Christmas Sacha.

My New Santa

2009-12-25T15:26:00.003+02:00

Merry Christmas to you all.

Sese's Birthday...

2009-12-16T12:47:00.006+02:00

Ca c'est Sese...

He gathered some friends and we went out for a ride.

Yet things got carried away...

so things got twisted and the dolphin came to call the day.
I got her glasses on and things got philosophical

like...

then...

and the weekend was over.

From Peris