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I’m always impressed with how generous artists can be.
We saw that evidence in Totoro Forest Auction a few years back. Now, this one also got many renowned artists showed their beautiful souls!

There are some amazing art created for this show and you better look into it if you are art collectors.
Lots of them are still at VERY reasonable prices. I know I’m going to try to bid on a few!
This charity auction is up only until the end of the week.(3/13)

—-About This Auction—-
As an extension of the documentary BROWNSTONES TO RED DIRT, Copper Pot Pictures has paired with Schools for Salone to hold an online art auction to benefit kids in need in Sierra Leone and New York. The auction includes over 150 pieces created by some of the top names in animation as well as children’s book, graphic novel and comic illustration, including some amazing talents such as Jeremy Gedds, Shaun Tan, and Olivier Tossan!

Each artist was given a blank birchwood postcard and asked to create a unique work based on the theme, “PEN PALS.” All proceeds will be used to build a school for war orphans in Freetown, Sierra Leone and to develop a library for at-risk youth in Brooklyn. Winning bids will be tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Please visit our blog to see all of the cards: http://btorpostcards.blogspot.com/

To learn more about the schools and see clips of the kids from the film, please visit: http://brownstonestoreddirt.com/
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Compared to some of others, mine is rather simple… I’m at least relieved someone bid on it now….:)

Well, not quite a wide release but the book is available at

Stuart Ng Bookstore!

They only carry 40 copies. So hurry if you want to purchase it!

The prices are pretty generous I think.

The standard edition is $25 that includes a nice English translation packet I personally prepared.

20 copies out of 40 are the deluxe edition which include an original watercolor sketch at $50.(which I’ll never be able to do again at this low cost…)

Some of you who have been asking me about the availability of the book, hopefully can get hold of it at last!

The boy is wearing a different shirt in each painting.

It was a lot more work than I expected… (that’s why I needed a drink!)

Phew, I thought I would not be too busy at work anymore since my main duty on Toy Story 3 was over but in the past 3 weeks, I’m back on it full time to help some issues we’ve been having! Late nights and weekends back again… It’s almost there though..

Anyhow, I recently was asked by the family of Joe Hisaishi to do an illustration to celebrate his recent achievement in Japan. He was awarded with a Medal of Honour with purple ribbon by the Government of Japan for his life time achievement as one of the most respected composers in the history. This illustration will be used on several thank you gift packages his Family has put together.

For those who don’t know him, he is most famous for his amazing music he created for every film Hayao Miyazaki directed. He’s also done tons of other films including last year’s Oscar winning “Departures.”

you don’t know how excited I was to get this job. Hisaishi is by far my favorite film music composer and I grew up with his music along with Miyazaki’s animations.

The other day, a package arrived at my office post marked Paris, France.
It was from one of my beloved friends and my favorite artists ever, Rebecca Dautremer.

The package included several of her new books including Art of Rebecca Dautremer.
As many of you artists and art fans love collecting art books, I too don’t think twice about spending my time and limited wealth to pursue art books.
But among the uncountable number of art books I have both at home and at my office, this book could well be my No.1 book.

Besides her genius artistry showcased in every single page, the book is beauuuuuuutifuly put together. Paper, print quality, binding, design, type.. everything about this book is artsits’ dream.

Rebecca has been one of the best selling children’s book artists in Europe for some time.
I remember back in 2006 when we had the first Out of Picture exhibition in Paris, my French illustrator friend Gerald Guerlais asked me, “Dice, since you are coming to Paris, is there anyone you want to meet?” So Rebecca was the first name out of my mouth.. jokingly.
Then to my surprise, I was introduced to her in Paris thanks to Gerald the crazy who found her phone # in yellow pages and called her up out of blue.

Ever since, Rebecca participated Sketchtravel, the project Gerald and I launched and also she generously donated her master piece to Totoro Forest Project auction. She’s one of the most prolific artists I can think of and her work never gets old or repetitive. She keeps challenging herself with something new each time she creates her book.

Unfortunately, not many of her beautiful books are available in the U.S. It is truly a shame since I don’t think there is any children’s book that have that kind of magic Rebecca’s books carry. But thanks to the age of internet, you can order her book from Amazon Canada!

Especially this book, I’d pay whatever to get it before it disappears if I were you.

Hope everyone had a wonderful 2009 and is excited about upcoming 2010!

Looking back at my own 2009, it was just as hectic as ‘08 when I organized Totoro Forest Project.
I consider myself “moderately lazy and mildly hardworking” animation artist but this past year, I did work hard. It was my first film at Pixar and felt like I had to prove myself all over again in the new environment. I color keyed 90% of the film which I had never done in my career. Lots of late nights and weekend hours….

By the way, they released a few of my work on Toy Story 3 if anyone’s interested!
It’s all here>>>>>
It was a bit of a surprise that they released art work so early.

Anyhow, happy 2010! May 2010 be even better for all of you!