Wander over Yonder designs

I was going through some old files of mine when I came across a folder of a bunch of old Wander designs. I forgot how much fun I had doing these. Craig McCracken was still working out the look of the secondary characters in the show so he asked me to design up a bunch of random incidentals that would inhabit the world. His one note was that the designs should be something you would want to see on a t-shirt.

MAD bits

Hi!

A little while back I was lucky enough to work on the MAD series and do a bunch of MAD "bits". They were a ton of fun because my job was to design, board, colour, cut the animatic, and animate each whole piece! It was creatively freeing!

You can check them all out HERE!

BOOK OF LIFE OPENS TODAY!

I'm super excited that my friend Jorge's movie, "Book of Life" opens today. You have to get out and go see it! It's an incredible story with breathtaking visuals that will punch you right in the feelings! You'll never see a more genuine animated feature.

I was very fortunate enough to have done some storyboard work on it. Take a peak below!

Wander over Yonder "The Void"

Wow! First post in 6 years!!! 

Well a lot has happened over the past 6 years, and at some point I'll post something in more detail, but until then, check out a board I did for Wander over Yonder for an episode called "The Void". Man, I love working on this show!!!

Enjoy!!!

WOY the Void Storyboard by ackland_mark

GRUESOMESTEIN'S NEEDS A HOME!

Hi!

A few years back Riccardo Durante and myself made a series of cartoons called "Gruesomestein's Monsters!" Well, as of recently the rights to Gruesomestein's have reverted back to us! So, are you a big shot producer who wants to buy it? We have TONS of monster stories we're dying to tell.

If you want to check out the cartoons, go HERE!

Or check out the blog HERE!

If you want more info, drop me an e-mail!

Thanks!

Mark

SADIE OLIVIA ACKLAND!

Hey!

So, since Sept 21 we've been busy with our new baby girl, Sadie Olivia Ackland. She's amazing and Angie and I couldn't be happier!!! She's so awesome, she's even inspired me to write a book for her...it's all about associating things with the sounds they make. So below is little Sadie with a friend and further below are the first couple of illos from the book.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and a Happy New Year!!!

Just drawings...

POOP TOOTH IS BACK!

More T-show stuffs...

Come and check it out if you haven't already...HERE!

Shane Bernier...

Shane Bernier is a seven year old kid from Ottawa who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of five. His birthday is May 30 and he has one wish. To have the world record for the most birthday cards received for a single birthday. His goal...350 MILLION!!!

HERE is a clip of the little guy.

I'm sure he watches alot of the shows that we work on and that he would absolutely LOVE to have some orginal sketches from you talented artists out there. I'm gonna send him one. If you're interested, check out his site for the mailing address and any other info HERE.

It would also be awesome if you would add a link to your site for his site to help get the word out.

Thanks!

The T-show!

I know! It's been a loooong time! And I will update Poop Tooth soon,

But in the meantime, check out what I'm up to over HERE!

Yin Yang Yo wrap! UPDATE! WITH PICTURES!!!

Here are some pics from the party....

From left to right; Bob's wife Terri, my wife Angie, myself (Mark Ackland), and Bob Boyle.

From left to right, special fx master and college chum Darren Donovan, Exec. producer Steve Marmel, and post fx boy wonder Nathan Day.

Me (Mark Ackland) on the left and Ummm...art director Martin Smith. He usually looks like this...damn hippy.

Happy BG painter (with cool collar) Matt Allen.

Animation Siamese triplets, Andy Gravelle (top), Phil Bonner (bottom left), and Tara Donovan.

These are two of our super duper co-ordinators; Juliegh Nguyen (left) and June Lee.

This is our tech guy and 'Crainiac' mastermind Eric 'The Falcon' Falconer and his girlfriend Jeanie.

These 'cool dudes' are post effects artists, Nathan Day (left) and Ian zamojc

This is co-ordinator Shawn Cookson and his girlfriend
Sibohan. Yes she is actually his girlfriend

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY MORE PICTURES...PLEASE E-MAIL THEM TO ME!

Well, "Yin Yang Yo!" season 1 is just about wrapped! We had our party last Friday courtesy of Elliott animation and it was a blast. Yin Yang Yo creator Bob Boyle, his wife and fellow artist Terri, YYY executive producer/head writer Steve Marmel, and line producer Larry Johnson all made the trek from chilly LA to sunny Toronto for the occasion. We had a ton of fun with them. There is not a finer bunch of friendly, more classy...ok maybe not classy, but at least friendly...bunch of folks in the industry.

And you will never meet a more humble guy who has two of his own shows in production than Bob Boyle.

Thanks to Bob, Steve, Larry, Lisa Salamone, Mike Moon and the rest of the Disney gang for being so awesome to deal with. Also, thanks to George Elliott, my co-director Ted Collyer, assistant director Todd Kauffman, animation director Evan Steacy, our production manager Jason Boyer, all the supervisors, designers, board artists, animators, co-ordinators and everyone else at Elliott Animation for all of the super hard work that you put in to the show. You have made YYY a hit and it has not gone unnoticed.

So, looking back, here are some title cards that YYY art director Martin Smith and myself put together!


YIN YANG YO!!!

Sorry!

Thanks everyone! I know I have really been lacking posts...and posting comments on your blogs. I have been checking them out though! I 've just been really busy trying to wrap up Yin Yang Yo, but now it's wrapped so I should have much more free time. Thanks for checking back!

Gruesomestein's Monster's...

...Hey y'all. Look what's on You Tube! "Gruesomestein's Monsters!" For those of you who don't know, a couple of years ago, myself and my partner in crime, Riccardo Durante, co-created, co-wrote, co-designed, and co-directed this series of animated shorts. Check 'em out!!!

Shady characters...

Almost done! I just need to put mattes on these. Sorry for the horrible pics. The only camera I have is the crappy one on my cel phone!!!

Shady characters show!!!

My pal Jared Deal invited me to be part of an art show in New York at "Live With Animals" art gallery which he is curating. The theme of the show is "Shady Characters", so I put together some...well, shady characters. Below is a sneak peak. Some may question whether or not these characters are ACTUALLY shady, but I figured anyone coughing up blood is probobly a good person to steer clear from. These are obviously digital, but the final versions will be completely made of felt, construction paper, japanese paper and googly eyes. I know some of the colours do look a little funny in these images and contrast weird...that's a result of me trying to match the colour of the felt and construction paper as close as possible in photoshop...things actually stand out better on paper as opposed to these digital images. And yes, for those who care...that is Jugle!!! well, a young version of him anyhow. Not sure which colour version of him I like the best. I always pictured him as the orangey yellow version, but I like how the bluey version seems to glow on that background.

Enough rambling!!!

If you wanna see the show, the opening reception starts Friday July 28th at the "Live with animals" art gallery. Here's the address...

210 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Yin Yang Yo! Premieres online!!!

Hey y'all...check out the online premiere of the Disney series that I've been working on..."Yin Yang Yo!"...created by Bob Boyle, and written by Steve Marmel. You can watch the entire first 11 minute episode, "Dojo Oh No!" right here...

http://tv.disney.go.com/jetix/video/index.html

The episode was co-directed by myself and John Fountain. The boards and animatic were done in LA, and design to final animation was done in Toronto.

Currently it can only be seen in the states. sorry fellow Canucks and others!!!

Check this promo site for Yin Yang Yo! as well...

www.rabbittakeover.com


AND...Check out John Fountain's blog here...

www.johnfountain1.blogspot.com


AND...Check out John's AWESOME artwork for sale right here...

http://fountainspenproductions.blogspot.com/





'Hope you enjoy!!!

Wayside!!!

Last year I worked on a straight to TV feature produced by Nickelodeon and Nelvana called "Wayside" based on the "Wayside School" books by Louis Sachar. My partner in crime Riccardo Durante directed the show, and I assistant directed and acted as posing and character design supervisor. YES posing...in North America!!!! I will tell you right now, there is nothing easier than posing a 'board that was 'boarded by Nick Cross and Warren Leonhardt.
Recently "Wayside" was picked up as an animated series and is being directed by Riccardo and he has got himself quite a crew together...not only have Warren and Nick come along to 'board, but add the likes of Jamie "Hobo divine" Mason as assistant director, Ian Hastings (our art director for Gruesomestein's Monsters) as art director, and Andrew Wolf and Dermot Walshe as layout/BG artists and this show is going to kick some serious ass!!!
Here are just a few scenes that I posed. I will post more in the fuuuuttuuuurre....

BURN OOOOUUUTTT!!!!

Wow! How cheap...all this time and only one lousy drawing!!! Sorry, been busy, but thanks for checking back, and leaving comments! I need those comments to make myself feel liked and popular!!! I promise that there will be some big pooptooth news, well relatively big pooptooth news, coming soon!