Leo Blanchette, Illustrator

JesterArts Blog now on Wordpress.com

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:02:24 -0700

This blog is being moved to Wordpress.com http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/

Thanks for following thus far...things are really gonna get fun now. Be sure to subscribe to the Wordpress blog for all sorts of tutorials and cool JesterArts updates!

It can also be viewed from http://www.jesterartsillustrations.com/

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JesterArtsIllustrations.com -- Redesigned. Thank You ClipArtof.com

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:16:51 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

A special thanks to Clipartof.com (Kenny Adams, Jamie Voetsch) for helping in Redesigning JesterArtsIllustrations.com. The new layout works beautifully, and now like ClipArtOf.com, collections are available for download for the customers who require more images at a reduced bulk price. Without a doubt a lot of special programming had to be accomplished for certain functions of the website, and Kenny has been one awesome problem solver! A special thanks to ClipArtof.com!!! Screenshot below.

Jester Arts Illustrations, New Website Layout

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Orange Man Color Changes -- Tutorial in Adobe Illustrator

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:40:31 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

A little known fact is that Orange Men are like little chameleons -- they can change color according to your design needs!

...they just need a little help.

Thank goodness for the Adobe Illustrator Magic Wand and Eyedropper tool, which this tutorial will teach you how to use!

First, why don't you swipe this little picture goodie below: A color pallet of the default design mascot color variations. A tutorial on how to change orange men to other colors follows below.

Orange Man Color Changes

This is an easy tutorial. It uses pictures!

Step 1: Have a vector orange man ready. If you don't have any, you can find them at www.Orange-Man.com or www.JesterArtsIllustrations.com

Step 2. Look at picture below. It shows where our essential tools for this operation are located.

Click on the picture if you need to see closer. It works on all the pictures. Be sure to use back button afterward on your browser!

Step 3: Add the color pallet you swiped onto your Adobe Illustrator work area. Picture Below:

Step 4: Change the settings on your magic wand tool from default number to 0. This is done by double-clicking the icon on the tool tray. Pic below. (After this I'm going to stop saying picture below, ok?)

Step 5: Use the Lasso Tool to draw a selection line around the area you want to operate on...which is usually the orange man/woman. Sometimes the orange men have props and objects separate from them. We do not want these to be affected, so we will lock them in the next steps.

Step 6: Lock inverse. Start by going to the menue items Select/Inverse. When you've selected inverse, then go to object/lock, thus locking all that other stuff you don't want to touch in this operation.

Step 7: Magic Wand tool, selecting colors. Click the magic wand tool on the tool tray or push "Y" on your keyboard. Then click the shadow/dark oranges of the orange person you are working on.

Step 8: Eyedropper color change: Having done that, now click the eyedropper tool on the tool pallet push "i" on your keyboard to bring up the eyedropper tool. The darks of the orange person should still be selected as shown above. Now click the dark blue on the color pallet to switch the color from dark orange to dark blue.

Step 9: Deselect by clicking somewhere on the empty workspace, and then repeat the steps previous on the mid-tone of the orange person. Magic wand, eyedropper, sample. Same with the highlight.

Step 10: With your design mascot completed, unlock the rest of the objects on the canvas to free up the illustration for further editing/access.

Of course, you do not have to use the color pallet. You can, if you wish, just magic-wand color areas then bring up the color options menues to switch them to whatever you wish. I don't mind!

Learn Actions

If your a designer that intends to use A LOT of orange people, then something else you may wish to learn is how to use ACTIONS. That will GREATLY reduce the clicking involved in this operation. I would not be able to generate so many color variation orange men without them. A simple search online: "Adobe Illustrator Actions Tutorial" should get you started.

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http://www.orange-man.com/ A Special Home for the Orange Man

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:07:42 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

The orange man has his own website! Thanks to the unsung heros at www.ClipArtOf.Com, this cute little hub of orange man activity now exists on the internet! This site is special! It will exist specifically for the purpose of making orange men available to the internet in much broader supply!

Curious? http://www.orange-man.com/ is where its happening. Most people don't know this, but if you put your nose to your computer monitor and smell the orange man, you can actually smell the citrus-ness eminating from the little character. Stop what your doing and smell this picture below:

Orange Man Dot Com

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AO-Maru Used in Popular Science Magazine!

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:56:35 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

AO-Maru was used in Popular Science Magazine!

http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416085264&o=int&prev=si&p=6

It was an article about medical robots! I never figured AO-Maru to be much of a doctor, but I guess he is just full of surprises! Screenshot below.

AO-Maru Robot On http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416085264&o=int&prev=si&p=6

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Custom Robo, Created for your Business

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:49:50 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

I get many inquiries asking me to create "custom robot mascots" for people's businesses, often "like AO-Maru" the robot I sell through microstock libraries. Here are some basic questions answered, if you ever wish to have a custom 3d robot mascot created. After the questions, see some examples of custom robots I've recently created for people.

Q: How much does a custom 3d robot mascot cost?
A: 1,500 on average, depending upon complexity. First four renders are free, then $90 a pose/render afterward.

Q: Do I own the 3d model file itself, and can I manipulate it and re-render it myself?
A: Yes, after the model is complete you get the Blender 3d file (download free program from www.Blender.org) and you can do whatever you want with it, including use other designers to create renders! Wow, cool huh?

Q: How long does it take to create a custom robo for my business/mascot needs.
A: About two weeks. May take longer depending on busy-ness. Depending on my situation, you may be on a waiting list, but be sure to contact me -- I may have an open time slot.

Q: Do I have to put money down?
A: No -- you pay after project is complete. Copyright is transfered at time of sale. If you choose not to pay or project is terminated, I simply keep the robot for my own use.

Q: Can my robot be animated?
A: Yes, simple animations. I create the robot for basic still posing, and is not optimized for animation. Also, animations cost different depending upon complexity.

Q: Can you supply a list of people you've done projects for of this nature so I know what I'm getting into?
A: Yes. No point in having all that money on the line and not know what your getting into!

Q: Will this be a fun project?
A: YES!

See past examples below.

http://leoblanchette.vox.com/library/post/jesterarts-project-round-up----tuba-robot.html

http://leoblanchette.vox.com/library/post/jesterarts----mindsystems-project-overview.html

Mindsystems - The Business Productivity Experts

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Shiro Maru -- New Robot to be Added to AO-Maru Series

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:31:16 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

I've just completed a new robot for the AO-Maru series! Since a hard drive crash some time ago, I had lost the original model for a webcam robot that had gained some popularity, so this new robot will be replacing it! I was going for "Clean" and also wanted to create a few variations simulating sketches and technical drawings. He will be a good friend for AO-Maru!

10009

40009

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JesterArts Project Round-Up -- TUBA Robot.

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:37:41 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

Here is another project off of the JesterArts render pipeline! The results say enough -- description below!

A robot model done for http://www.tubagearusa.com/. This was a fun project with very creative art direction. Explanation of character below.

TUBSTER (Pronunciation: \ˈtyü-b-stər\) the robot is a mascot for the European TUBA GEAR brand. TUBA is the biggest horn in the band :) but it stands for The Ultimate Bad Ass – “A person whose extreme attitude and behavior is admirable". TUBA GEAR is a new lifestyle brand that celebrates those who carve their own path in life and leave a mark on this world on their own terms.

Influenced by the fusion of music, fashion, art, and sports TUBA GEAR is something of an anthem for survivors, adventurers, sports enthusiasts, active lifestyle followers and fashion lovers overall.

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Acme Sound -- Sound Effects and Music to Accompany Your Projects

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:45:59 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

Many people use clip-art for interactive purposes, such as flash, powerpoint presentations, icons, etc. I'd like to refer a new player in the Microstock community -- Acme Sound! If you download an orange man or robot and need, say, a helicopter sound effect, this guy has them! See his portfolio here: http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=4819534

Acmesoundlogo

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NEW: Orange Man Super Batch.

nobody@vox.com(Leo Blanchette) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:01:00 -0700

The JesterArts/Leo Blanchette Design and Illustration blog has moved to WordPress: http://jesterarts.wordpress.com/ Check it out for designer tutorials and JesterArts updates!

TONS of new orange men now available! See www.JesterArtsIllustrations.com

Its been quite a while since I've revisited the world of the orange man for creating new illustrations. The orange man series is indeed the most popular of all of my illustrations. I feel kind of like the musician that creates a hit album and after he is known for his style, goes off and explores with new inspiration, only to find "the old stuff" is what everyone is into, and asking for more of. So here I am, back with a new hit album: The Orange Man Super Batch!

Preview Below -- click photo to see larger versions:

Orange Man Super Batch

As you can see, they cover a wide variety of subjects, from business to play, essential and non-essential, not to mention separate props which are also sold as stand-alone illustrations. A LOT of work went into this batch. Each one is also available in nine color versions!

Are you among those who have been faithfully keeping up with the series? Contact me or www.Clipartof.com to see about getting the entire batch update for a reduced, bulk price.

And of course they are also available on all of the standard sites I use, such as Istockphoto, Shutterstock, Stockxpert, etc. As a HUGE bonus, any one of these latest ones you download on Istockphoto has an zip file containing the other 9 color versions! Click Here.

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