Category: Sketchbook

Ronald McDonald House Event

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date December 11, 2014

This past Saturday, December 6, approximately forty professional artists from the world of comics and animation descended upon the Warner Bros. Ranch studio in Burbank, California, to draw pictures for the kids and families coming to a holiday party sponsored by the Ronald McDonald House organization. It was such a blast to spend three hours of our day putting smiles on the faces of these kids.

It was hard to to draw with some clown looking over my shoulder, so I stood up to pose for a picture with the boss man himself!

You see, throughout the year Ronald McDonald House helps out families that have kids with some serious health problems. Each December Warner Bros. graciously opens their property to a wonderful party for those families who have needed Ronald McDonald House that year. They come and can ride on carnival rides, they are fed all kinds of goodies, they can meet Santa, they meet Ronald McDonald, there is face painting, free Christmas hats made by a senior citizens group, they can meet child actors that come, and they get lots of toys all for free.

The best part is, they come to the artists for free drawings of whatever they would like, or whatever the artist is able to draw. Sometimes the two don’t exactly match. I’m not afraid to tell folks I don’t know how to draw a particular character, but sometimes they pull up an image on their phones which makes me obliged to accommodate their requests.

Enough chit-chat. How about I let some photos do the talking…

I had a few requests for Baymax from “Big Hero 6”. This customer was satisfied with his drawing.

Chris Hubbard, a story artist for Disney drawing a Sulley and Mike for a child.

A trio of ladies with their Disney sketches from yours truly.

This was my view from the end of the table. Next to me there in the hat is storyboard artist Dan Kubat with whom I worked last year.

After I finished this Jack Skellington, Hannah informed me that I had drawn one for her last year, too. She eased my mind by letting me know I drew him differently this year. Whew!

Artists Rafael Navarro & Geoffrey Wheeler.

The crowds around the artist’s tables were enthusiastic, and very polite. You didn’t mind one bit drawing for these folks.

I had quite a few requests for Olaf from Disney’s “Frozen.” Hadn’t drawn him before that day. Olaf would have enjoyed the summery weather we had.

Yes, the kids could get free drawings from the great Dean Yeagle!

Storyboard artist Gavin Freitas working feverishly to meet the demands of his clients!

Art Leonardi (at right), known for his work on the classic Pink Panther cartoons, always organizes the artists for this event together with his daughter Lisa Leonardi-Knight.

More happy customers!

Here is a group shot of all the artists that came to draw for the kids!

And my very last drawing of the day had to be the most challenging. Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen”. Since I had never drawn Elsa before, I had been turning down requests for her all day, until that very last one when this girl’s mother pulled up a picture on her phone.

So, that was the great event! Looking forward to joining the group again next year with the hope that we won’t see some of these same kids again because they healed!

The Mystery Protègè

Several weeks ago on a visit to one of my favorite jaunts, a little restaurant known as Chili John’s in Burbank, California, I doodled a monster on one of their paper placemats. It was just one of those things that happened when a ball point pen met a piece of paper while I was enjoying conversation with the great folks who work there. They liked it, and pinned it up on their wall which in a way is a challenge to anyone else who comes in to do better.

You can see that I am a very neat eater – no chili spills on the placemat.

To “do better” is not very hard in this eating establishment, because cartoonists from all the animation studios sit at Chili John’s lunch counter each and every day. They are always doing drawings, most of which go on display in the back room for the amusement of the owners and staff.

Chili John’s is the second oldest restaurant in Burbank (only The Smokehouse is older) established in their current location in the 1940s. The fare is simple – good solid no filler spicy chili in beef, chicken, vegetarian, and here at Thanksgiving – turkey. You can have it served over rice, spaghetti, beans, a chili filled tamale, or a hot dog. That’s it! The food is good, and the clientele from all walks of life come in to dine. It is not unusual to see their share of famous people past and present such as Tom Bosley, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Grant Show, Roseanne Barr, Greg Proops, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Roebuck, and any number of recording artists who inhabit the hidden studios along Burbank Blvd. Just last week the CBS show CSI was taping two doors down at the hobby shop, and cast & crew kept coming in for some of that good ol’ chili! It got to where the Craft Services cook came and got a supply to put on the buffet outside. Even Guy Fieri featured it on his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. But I digress.

So, back to the monster sketch! Someone DID decide to pick up a pen and meet the challenge. In my absence, Delilah – age 8 – came in with her mother, saw my monster sketch, and decided she was going to draw him, too. She studied and concentrated and came up with her own beautiful version of my beast. She also one-upped me by giving him a name – Lumpy!

Delilah has an eye for monsters, but also a taste for excellent chili!

I LOVE IT Delilah – whoever you are! Well done! Please keep drawing and drawing so that one day I can copy your work, ok? Hopefully sometime we can meet each other there at Chili John’s. We can enjoy a bowl of hot chili together and laugh at each other’s placemat doodles. Then maybe Anne Hathaway will have to follow in OUR footsteps. 😉

Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

2014 Monster Month: Day 20 – Freaky Faces

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 28, 2014

Sometimes it is just fun to sit in a comfy chair and let your hand and mind go nuts on a page in the ol’ sketchbook. Such is the genesis of today’s Monster Month offering. Purple pencil, blank page, and some unhinged mental musings…

Best to get these out of my head BEFORE going to bed.

Art: Colored Pencil Art: Drawings Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

2014 Monster Month: Day 12 – Salty & Sweet

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 16, 2014

One of my favorite places to eat is at the Colington Cafè in the Outer Banks (OBX to the initiated) of North Carolina. It is a classy joint at the beach in an old house set back off the road amongst some giant old and twisted trees. It is just a little bit of beach elegance.

I, of course, had to bring it down a notch by drawing on the tablecloth. Care for a little Old Salt of a monster with some sweet dessert?

Sailor monsters always come ashore for fresh chocolate cake.

Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

2014 Monster Month: Day 9 – The Hitchhiker

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 13, 2014

When your wings get tired, sometimes you just gotta set yourself down on the nearest pedestal, even if it happens to be on the horns of a fuzzy species of unknown origin. Who knows, maybe you’ll become friends.

Let’s see if he is still smiling after the bird leaves behind a little something something.

Tomorrow’s come see a source of my inspiration!

Art: Drawings Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

2014 Monster Month: Day 5 – Purple Non-People Eater

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 7, 2014
2 Comments on 2014 Monster Month: Day 5 – Purple Non-People Eater

Today comes a purple creature from the depths of my sketchbook. He doesn’t really care one way or the other about things. He minds his own business, keeps his teeth clean, and combs his beard once a week whether or not it needs it. Just your average, run-of-the-mill purple monster.

Despite his purple color, this critter is not a people eater – mostly because it would take too much effort since they are so boney.

Art: Drawings Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

2014 Monster Month: Day 2 – Fang Fish Face

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date October 2, 2014

Ah yes, the ol’ FFF creature. I think this one was inspired by my 5:30am wake-up routine while I was employed earlier this year. I would get up at 5:30 to beat the rush hour traffic on the long commute to the animation studio I was working at all to avoid looking like yesterday’s monster on a daily basis. Guess I traded yesterday’s look for today’s with the lack of sleep I was getting. Here’s hoping my next animation gig is closer to home!

Whatever the inspiration, hopefully you look better than this in your morning mirror!

A lack of personal hygiene seems to be a recurring theme with monsters. Maybe this guy at least eats breath mints.

One more monster is coming your way tomorrow to finish out this week!

Art: Drawings Character Designs Monsters Random Doodles Sketchbook

Fun With the TSA

Post author By Chad Frye
Post date September 29, 2014

It has been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been wandering the country seeking new opportunities and connecting with old friends. Of course, I always take my sketchbook with me because you never know when inspiration will strike. It struck in the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport.

While waiting for a flight, I found a nice cozy spot near a TSA checkpoint and proceeded to break out a pen to document the wonders that lay before me. There were so many to choose from, which made it difficult to concentrate on any one subject. However arduous the task, I managed to plow through and came up with this page of life drawing doodles.

Only two people on this page were passengers walking through the airport – the rest were airport/airline employees.

You stay classy Dallas airport.

Of course, now that I’ve posted these, I will likely be targeted for the full search every time I fly. Sigh.

Life Drawings Sketchbook