Saturday, February 23, 2008

WHEELIES by Valerio Ventura







Color Pencils on Black Paper 11x17

CREATED by VALERIO VENTURA
All rights reserved. Wheelies ©2009 Valerio Ventura
Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

Friday, February 22, 2008

LA BEFANA

Holiday Card

This is for a holiday card I did last year.
La Befana is a character in the Italian folklore. The character may have originated in Rome, then spread as a tradition to peninsular Italy.

Her name derives from the festival of Epiphany, and she visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the 6th of January to fill their socks with candy if they have been good or a lump of coal if they have misbehaved. Being a good housekeeper, many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The child's family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local. I believe now that la Befana needs to get drunk to forget her miserable life, sweeping everybody’s floors and while dressing like crap. She is usually portrayed as an old lady riding a broomstick through the air (not a comfortable task) wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot (one more reason to get drunk) because she enters the childrens houses through the chimney. La Befana, unlike a witch though, she is often smiling (that good Chianti does wonders after few hundred glasses) and she has a bag or a hamper filled with candy or gifts.

I grew up as a child believing in this story and since I share the Peter Pan syndrome with you all, I like to give you this and thank you so much for reading this ridiculous post.

La Befana ©2007 Valerio Ventura

MUSIC VIDEO

Direction / Art Direction



This was a fun project, although I've directed many live-action TV spots and Music Videos, this was my animation directorial debut. These are the pieces I personally executed to pitch the executive producers; Tommy Lynch and Andre Benjamin. The video premiered on Cartoon Network last September.
Black Ink Pen. Color Inks, Acrylics on Copy paper
Photoshop.
11x17
Class Of 3000 © 2008 Cartoon Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

DOG

Design










Black Prismacolor Pencil on Copy paper
11x17

CITY OF DARKNESS

Development Designs






Ink Pen on Copy Paper
11x17

Thursday, February 21, 2008

GHOSTS

Concept - This project is available for development.



Ink Pen on Copy Paper
16x20
All rights reserved. Ghost Stories ©1992 Lawrence-Ventura
Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

ENGLISH GOTHIC

Live Action Development Designs



Quill Pen, Black and Color Inks on Copy Paper
8x8, 11x17, 16x60





Quill Pen, Black ink on Copy Paper
11x17


My wife Gay and I designed this last piece, and this is my final drawing.
This project was a lot of fun although there wasn't enough time to even get warmed up.
Pencil, on Copy Paper
11x17

LA DOLCE CITTA'

Development Designs


Pencil on Paper
20x24


Acrylics on Cardboard
20x24



Photoshop









Prismacolor Pencils on Black paper
6x9

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

HORROR

Production Design
Production Designers: Valerio Ventura & Gay Lawrence





This was a great project to work on, we met so many great people on this, yeah you know who you are!

Black Prismacolor Pencil on Copy Paper
8x10, 11x17