Mike Hernandez

Landscape Painting Workshop

2011-09-05T15:13:00.001-07:00

I will be doing a Landscape Painting workshop again this October for Concept Design Academy in LA. For more info and to reserve please contact the studio at www.conceptdesignacad.comwww.conceptdesignacad.com

Mt Rainier Photoshop study.

2011-09-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

Been a while since I posted on my blog. Been utilyzing Facebook for posts. This one was a study I did in Photoshop from a photo I took last week at Mt Rainier. I like using the bevel & emboss feature to simulate thickness and body in the build-up of paintstrokes. I know there is obviously a better brush feature in Painter but I don't know how to use it.

Mark

2010-10-20T00:21:00.000-07:00

A caracature I did for my friend mark to use as his profile pic for FB.

I sketched it in pencil then painted it in Photoshop.

Workshop demos

2010-08-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

4x6 gouache demos from last weekend's

landscape painting workshop. Bottom 2 from

Vasquez rocks are limited pallette, top painting

is from El Matador beach in full pallette.

Griffith Park Lunchtime sketch

2010-08-17T17:43:00.001-07:00

It's great to be back in town for the workshop.

I also have been working at the Dreamworks office

and wanted to keep up with my tradition of painting local

studies at lunch. This was up in the hills of Griffith Park.

upcoming workshop

2010-08-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder about the workshop coming up

this month. For those interrested there are 6 spots left.

To sign up, please contact the school at

contact@conceptdesignacad.com or

818-669-4657.

More Shrek 4 stuff

2010-06-05T18:36:00.001-07:00

A couple of paintings I did of Shrek and Rumple

in the carriage scene.

Shrek 4

2010-05-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Shrek 4 opens this weekend. I had the privelage of art

directing on this film. This was a concept piece I did for Rumples

Palace in photoshop.

Landscape Painting Workshop

2010-05-01T08:20:00.001-07:00

I will be doing a three day workshop for the

Concept Design Academy in Pasadena Aug 20, 21 and 22.

This class will have a heavy emphasis on color, lighting

and composition as well as some discussion on theory.

Please contact the school at contact@conceptdesignacad.com

or 818-669-4657.

Cannon Beach

2010-03-09T01:28:00.001-08:00

I finally got myself to go painting outdoors since I

moved here to Washington almost a year ago. I felt rusty

but enjoyed every minute of painting. What an incredible

place Cannon Beach is!

Dreamworks trees

2010-02-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

A view of the trees across from Dreamworks on

a smoggy and hazy afternoon.

Merry Christmas and Happy NewYear!

2009-12-23T14:48:00.000-08:00

Santa Ynez Valley

2009-10-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite places in Cali...

Wine Country! This was overlooking the vineyards

at Firestone. Gouache on illustration board.

photoshop beach demo

2009-08-20T07:52:00.001-07:00

My Mother-in-law is visiting with us this

week and loves to paint seascapes in oil.

She was curious about how painting works

in photoshop so I did this painting for her

yesterday as a quick demo. I did'nt have any

reference for this other that the memories I

have of the Oregon coast.

More Monsters stuff

2009-07-07T09:32:00.001-07:00

Some more early stuff from Monsters

of the creatures in their holding cells.

Monsters VS Aliens Early Concept Work

2009-06-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

Some really early work I did on Monsters when it was
called "Creature Feature" a few years back.
I only worked on it for a couple of months before
I went to co-Art Direct on Bee Movie.
Some characters designed by Patrick Mate,

mothership design by Kevin Conran
and alien robot by David James

Moving to Gig Harbor WA!

2009-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

We are moving to beautiful Gig Harbor

next weekend! For those who don't know Gig Harbor,

it is a small forest community out on the Puget Sound

in the Olympic Peninsula just across from Seattle... lots

of rain, trees, ocean, lakes, mountains, bald eagle and LANDSCAPE

PAINTING!! I plan to break out the old easel and oil paints so I can

start painting large again. I will also be set up to work from

home as a remote artist for Dreamworks. These are some

photos I took of our house and the surrounding areas

of Gig Harbor.

Solo Show

2008-12-10T13:27:00.001-08:00

January 3rd 2009 will be my first

solo show! I will be exhibiting my charcoal

dog drawings as well as most of my gouache

landscapes. I will have a couple of small oil

studies too. My work will be on exibit at Nucleus gallery

in Alhambra run by Ben Zhu. Ben used to be a student

of mine at Art Center and is now a very successful

gallery curator. Thanks Ben!

New Paintings

2008-09-29T15:08:00.001-07:00

It's about time! I have been

painting but not posting... so here is a whole stack

of recent works.

Landscape Painting Workshop

2008-07-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

This August I will be doing a three day

workshop for Kevin Chen's Concept Design

Academy. The class will focus on composition,

color, lighting, atmospheric perspective and

shape design.

More Bee Movie

2008-06-14T19:07:00.001-07:00

Here are some more concepts and color keys

from the Bee Movie. Most of these were painted

over existing gray Maya models.

MORE BEE MOVIE

2008-03-08T15:06:00.001-08:00

Another concept painting from the BEE MOVIE.

Bee Movie Hive

2008-01-08T23:35:00.000-08:00

Another concept painting for the Bee Movie.

BEE MOVIE

2007-11-04T10:07:00.001-08:00

I can't believe we are finally done!

The movie was released last night and

the book just hit the shelves so get a copy

and see the film! The cover art for the book

was one of a few early concept painting that I had

done for the look of the Bees world. The book has

so many great concepts from so many amazing
artists that I had the pleasure of working with!

Artists like Mike Issak, Ruben Hickman, Rich

Daskas, Peter Maynez, Zhaoping Wei, Paul Duncan,

Tianyi Han, Tony Siruno, Emil Mitev, Kirsten Kawamura,
Felix Yoon,Devin Crane, Brett Nystul, Nicolas Marlet,

Mike Yamada and Christophe Lautrette. I was an

Associate Art Director with Christophe on the film and

had such a great experience working with him.

Thanks Christophe!

More Paintings

2007-07-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

More concept work from the same show. The mill

was yet another version of the previous post and

the two other paintings were different versions

of an old prison. All are done in cs2.

The Mill

2007-06-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Another concept sketch done in photoshop

for the same show. I was inspired by

artists like Van Ruisdael and John constable

for achieving the Dutch-like impression of
light and shape. I also looked at Bierstadt's

paintings for Romantic light and color.

Grimm Acres

2007-05-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

A concept painting that I did 2 years ago for

a show that I was working on. This concept was

cut from the story as well as a few other

locations but it was fun while it lasted.

Industrial Alley

2007-05-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long pause between posts. The show

has kept me really busy but I am getting out

on my break from time to time to sketch these

then finish them in photoshop with some

rough color.

Story Park

2007-02-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

6x9 gouache. This was a quick study done

in Pasadena at story park.

Grace Bay Beach

2007-02-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

5x7 gouache. I painted this in turks and caicos on Grace Bay

while in the carribean. One of the most amazing

secluded beaches I have ever seen.

Glendale Industrial Sketch Wide painted

2006-12-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

Because of the newborn it has been hard getting around to posting artwork
but I finally finished this piece today.... this is a continuation in a series of
pieces painted from sketches that I did on my lunch hour in glendale. Whenever
I get any time between work I finish the color in photoshop and use no reference
other than memory to invent the pallete and the lighting.

Industrial Factory Sketch Painted

2006-11-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

I finally squeezed in some time to color this sketch

in photoshop. I had to do something better than

the scribbled cars in front so I added these trucks

instead. I had remembered them from the

supermarket around the corner from my
house.

Ink Sketch Industrial

2006-11-02T18:53:00.000-08:00

Went out sketching again with Felix and Pete today.

We were doing these five minute warm-up sketches

and of course they turned out better then our longer

sketches. The faster ones have more energy I think.

We should have been kicked out of this place because we

were tresspassing on private property and it was

even gated. Thankfully their security sucks.

Glendale Industrial Sketch Wide

2006-11-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

Sketch in Glendale. Felix Yoon and Peter Maynez joined in

as well for some sketching this week.

Glendale Industrial Sketch 2 colored

2006-10-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

I got some time tonight to paint this sketch

in photoshop . I had fun with the color pallette

using a pthalo turquoise tint for the color scheme

and pushed that acidic green building for an industrial feel.

I also added the transformers to the tower platform

and lettering to the building so that it looked more

complete.

Glendale Industrial Sketch 2

2006-10-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch hour sharpie sketch in glendale

near the 5 fwy. hopefully if I get some time

this week I will paint it in photoshop.

Glendale Industrial

2006-10-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

A sketch I did at lunch yesturday in glendale and finished

the color in photoshop today.

Furniture Alley Burbank

2006-10-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

7"x 14" pencil sketch with photoshop paint. I

sketched this during lunch today at the Glenco

furniture store near Levitz then finished it

with some photoshop paint using a duotone

pallette of warm and cool grey.

Sinbad Poster

2006-10-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

A movie poster comp done in photoshop

back in 2003

Sinbad

2006-10-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Black & white photoshop for the city

of syracuse in moonlight.

More Trees

2006-10-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

8.5"x 11" HB graphite on paper with whiteout.

Went back to the same park (Sonora Park) to sketch more trees.

Tree Sketches

2006-10-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

8.5"x 11" sharpie on paper. I was in the mood for trees

so I sketched these out at Sonora and Griffith park today

at lunch.

Spirit

2006-10-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Some old layouts from Spirit the movie.

All images copyright Dreamworks Animation.

Yosemite Cropped

2006-10-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

This is probably a stronger composition.

Yosemite Valley Revisited

2006-10-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

6"x 7" gouache with photoshop. I painted the piece on

the left at yosemite back in 2000 and retouched it in photoshop

today on the right. The painting on the left was more

visually accurate while the one on the right is what it

felt like. I felt that in order to get that impression for the right

time of day the color atmospere had to be pushed as well

as some shapes.

Glendale Alley

2006-10-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

The painting on the left was an earlier post

that was painted at about the same location

as yesturday's post. Although the painting looks

desolate, this location has to be the busiest spot

i've painted at with cement trucks constantly

moving by every 30 seconds.

Glendale Alley Sketch

2006-10-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

A quick sketch done during lunch

in glendale area.

Penrose Industrial

2006-10-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

9"x 12" gouache. Another older study done in a very

sketchy part of north hollywood in stormy weather.

Burbank Metro Industrial

2006-10-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" gouache and photoshop touch up. An older class demo done

on an overcast afternoon at the metro station

parking lot.

DW Campus Sketch Wednesday

2006-09-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ink on paper. Another sketch from my favorite

part of the DW campus stream rockfalls.

The Neverending Painting Part 3

2006-09-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

Almost done!

Oakhurst Hills Yosemite

2006-09-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

3"x 6" gouache and photoshop. Another older

gouache painting re-painted in photoshop.

This was originally painted back in a 2000

DW field trip to Yosemite.

View From My Office Window day 2

2006-09-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

I got some time today for part 2 of this

painting. Let's see if I get more time

tomorrow to extend even further.

View From My Office Window

2006-09-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

Photoshop. This is the view from my office at DW

looking out towards the 5 fwy and the LA Zoo. I will probably

add more of the left and right view to this piece tommorow

if I get time.

Japanese Garden Huntington Library

2006-09-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" gouache. A class demo that I finished

in photoshop.

DW campus sketches

2006-09-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

Ink on paper and photoshop

Grandview & San Fernando Rd Colored

2006-09-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to roughing in some color on

the Grandview piece today using photoshop.

Pyramid Lake

2006-09-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

9"x 12" watercolor. I usually don't do watercolor

very often because it is so unforgiving but I had this great

Windsor & Newton set and had to try it out at least

once or twice.

Towsley Parking Lot

2006-09-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

8"x 4" gouache. Class demo using lemon tellow,

black and white.

Griffith Park Trees

2006-09-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

4"x 4" gouache.

Stoney Point

2006-09-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache and photoshop. I was never really happy with this older painting so I touched it up with a flat

wedge paintbrush in photoshop today.

Glacier Point Yosemite

2006-09-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache.

Glendale Industrial Twilight

2006-09-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

9"x12" gouache. This was one of my first industrial paintings

done back on 2000 just down the street from DW

and San Fernando Rd.

Glendale Industrial

2006-09-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" black & white gouache. Another

Demo from an earlier class.

Grandview & San Fernando rd

2006-09-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

11"X 5" ink on paper and photoshop. I'm starting

to like this process of sketching onsight then

finishing the black masses in photoshop. I

will probably paint the color in photoshop next.

More Charcoals

2006-09-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

More charcoals of my dogs and a horse.

Dreamworks Boulders

2006-09-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

8.5"x 11" ink on white paper and photoshop. It was

way too hot outside today so I finished up the black

masses in photoshop.

Oil on wet gesso

2006-09-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

6"x 10" oil on gessoed woodblock. This

was a very experimental piece. I was into

trying new things with oil so I painted a thick

layer of gesso onto woodblock then painted the oil into

the drying gesso. The white gesso is water based so

it does'nt mix with the oil allowing more pure color

movement and sculpting.

Head paintings

2006-08-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

I painted these experimental head studies back when I was

taking an independent study with Ray Turner

at Art Center. These were painted on found scraps

of woodblock using mostly mud color left over from

previous oil scraped on the side of my pallette

Grand Tetons

2006-08-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

8.5"x 11" page gouache on paper.

I went on a snowboarding trip to the Grand Tetons

in Wyoming and thought that I should bring along with me

my gouache kit. I had always wanted to paint the tetons and

I finally had my chance so I set up out in the snow and just
as my paintbrush dipped into my water and onto the pallette,

the paint froze onto the brush making it impossible to paint

in 2 degree weather. I had to paint these pieces from my car.

Walker Ranch Lookout Placerita

2006-08-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

24"x 36" oil on canvas

16"x 20" oil on canvas.

I just found out yesturday that this part of Placerita Canyon park

was on fire! Placerita has been a local

hidden gem for that classical California plein eir genre.

It would be sad to see it all burn down. I painted these pieces

from the Walker ranch trailhead a few years back.

Figure Drawings

2006-08-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Charcoal on paper

Natalie and Brian

2006-08-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

"Foul Mouth"

16"x 20" acrylic and prismacolor pencil on canson paper.

"Natalie"

16"x 20" acrylic and prismacolor pencil on canson paper

I did these Illustrations back when airbrush was big.

I used my sister and my nephew as models for these pieces.

Charcoal Sketches

2006-08-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

30"x 40" charcoal on paper. I thought that I would post some

of my older work from the Art Center days. I love working

with charcoal like paint and getting very messy with my hands.

You can let the process lose control a bit, kind of child like,

then gain control moving in and out of technique. The bottom

three are of my first great dane Bacus. He was one of five

great danes that I once owned.

Placerita Mountains

2006-08-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

30"x 40" oil on canvas. I painted this piece in three

sessions when I was living in Acton, so I would stop

on my way home from work and set up right off of

the 14 fwy because the view was so good from the

offramp. Pleineir painting should be a reletively

safe outing but sometimes you can go to extremes

to get that incredible view.

Dreamworks Campus Sketch 3

2006-08-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

9"x 12" sharpie extra fine on paper.

Dreamworks Campus Sketch 2

2006-08-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

9"x 12" sharpie extra fine on paper.

Dreamworks Campus Sketch 1

2006-08-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

9"x 12" sharpie extra fine on paper.

Highway 126

2006-08-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" gouache. This spot is a hidden gem

located behind Magic Mountain at the

begining of hwy 126.

Fillmore Grape Vineyards

2006-08-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" gouache. I painted this piece in Fillmore off of

the 126 just after a rainy week. Hwy 126 has some

of the best scenry in california but there is almost nowhere

safe to park and set up. I painted this piece right on

the highway with cars whizzing 3 to 5 feet from my

easel.

Industrial Area Burbank

2006-08-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

5"x 12" warm and cool markers. This place has some really

cool abandoned factories and industrial buildings but it is

a really unsafe area. I sketched in my car with the doors locked.

Snail Rock

2006-08-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" black and white gouache class demo at Vasquez Rocks.

Zoo Drive Trees

2006-08-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

4"x 4" gouache. Another speed study at the L.A.

zoo and Jean Autry parking lot.

Baron Parkinglot

2006-08-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

4"x 12" warm and cool markers and white

prisma pencil. The Baron shares this lot

with Levitz as well. Most of the industrial

studies I do are within this area because

it is all right down the street from

Dreamworks.

Maersk Trailers

2006-08-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

3"x 7" warm and cool markers sketched

in glendale across the street from Dreamworks

on Grand Central ave.

Glendale Building

2006-08-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

4"x 10" marker study. It helps to have a slightly

dry marker for a more textured and

painted look.

Industrial Alley sunset

2006-08-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

3"x 5" gouache limited pallette 5 min speed study.

Sonora Park Trees

2006-08-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache. Notice how much that tree in the

back leans to the ground. There are a few of

those leaning trees at this park which

make for great angles in composition.

Industrial Building Glendale

2006-08-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

4"x 10" gouache black & white.

Disney Studios

2006-08-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache. These are the old disney buildings

that surround Dreamworks studios. I painted this from

the DW parking structure.

Ed Davis Park

2006-08-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

3"x 4" gouache color study.

Griffith Manor

2006-08-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache.

Borman Steele Building Burbank

2006-08-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache limited pallette.

Industrial Glendale

2006-08-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

4"x 10" gouache limited pallette.

Griffith Trees Grouped

2006-08-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

3"x 5" gouache. I painted this study with a one inch flat aquarelle brush.
A bigger brush on a smaller size study is a great way to learn how to get
strong graphic ballance shaped. It's also a great way to simplify the masses.

El Matador Beach Sunset

2006-08-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache class demo.

Art Center Demo

2006-08-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

6'x 9" gouache. I almost cancelled class on the day that I did this demo because of the
rainy weather. We met up at Art Center and decided to try painting outside on the
wet lawn. Of course everyone was discouraged not only by the drizzle but the lack of
direct sunlight as well, so I did this demo. It's really nice to paint landscape in overcast
lighting rather than sun because the light really never changes much and the suject is
more pure rather than being all about the sunlight. You also can achieve much richer
color as well.

Griffith Park

2006-08-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

6"x 9" gouache. I usually avoided painting in locations like this because of
the complex reflective and luminous lighting, as well as the dappled effect of
light and shadow. Once you get past the first attempt it opens up a whole
new look to your paintings.

Vasquez Rocks

2006-08-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

4"x 6" gouache.

Cold Journey

2006-08-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Photoshop. I just felt like painting something

with snow and mountains.