Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters

RMPF in CEBU!

2010-06-17T21:45:00.001+08:00

Big Ape Design Studio and JONASDIEGO.COM
in cooperation with
Super Debil Robot Comics and Kawalo Concepts & Designs presents
The 1st CEBU COMIC BOOK Convention
happening on the 25th of September 2010
10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at the Activity Center in Ayala, Cebu.

Check out the details here.

KOMIKSTRIP 2010 Coverage by FLIPPISH.COM!

2010-02-18T18:29:00.000+08:00

KOMIKSTRIP 2010 Pictures!

2010-02-15T00:31:00.000+08:00

The KOMIKSTRIP: UPLB's First Comic Book Convention is brought to you by the UP BUGKOS and JONASDIEGO.com in cooperation with the 101 Boutique and the Graphic Literature Guild.

The event was sponsored by T-Pencil and Visprint Publishing with exclusive online video coverage by FLIPPISH.COM.

The Komiks Art exhibit was made possible by the Philippine Comics Art Museum Online.

Check out more pictures from the event from the following people!

http://charlz-csweddings.blogspot.com/2010/02/komikstrip-uplb.html
http://aktibongpinoy.multiply.com/photos/album/63/KomikStrip_The_UPLB_Komik_Convention
http://charlz-csweddings.blogspot.com/2010/02/komikstrip-uplb.html
http://picasaweb.google.com/jwed2501/KomiksTRIP#

If you also took pictures at the KOMIKSTRIP leave a comment below with the link to the pics.

Next year uli!

PINTADOS Comics Making Body Painting Contest at the KOMIKSTRIP

2010-02-08T23:33:00.002+08:00

Join the PINTADOS Comic Book Making/Body Painting Contest! Click here for more information.

Only at the KOMIKSTRIP: The First UPLB Comic Book Convention happening this February 13, 2010 Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Presented by the UP BUGKOS and JONASDIEGO.COM in cooperation with the 101 Boutique and the Graphic Literature Guild.

Special guest include Manix Abrera, Gerry Alanguilan, Hazel Manzano, Carlo Pagulayan, Harvey Tolibao, Lyndon Gregorio, Mico Suayan, Carlo Vergara, Ariel Atienza, Komikero Artist Group, Bayan Knights, Ian Sta. Maria, Jann Galino, Gilbert Monsanto, Emil Flores, Andrew Villar, Randy Valiente, Dibuhista Comix Legends, Budjette Tan, David Hontiveros, Michael David, Ace Vitangcol, Jed Siroy, Kevin Ang, Rod Espinosa, Ner Pedrina, Edgar Tadeo, JP Cuison, and Boboy Yonzon.

This event is sponsored by T-Pencil and Visprint Publishing with exclusive online video coverage from FLIPPISH.COM.

Komiks Art exhibit is courtesy of Philippine Comics Arts Museum Online.

Sign up at our Facebook Event Page here.

Sign up for the ARTWORKSHOP here. Workshop fee is Php 150.00 with a maximum of forty (40) participants and will be on a first come first served basis.

For more information about the KOMIKSTRIP visit our official website here.

KOMIKSTRIP 2010

2010-02-07T19:11:00.002+08:00

Take a Trip to the KOMIKSTRIP: The First UPLB Comic Book Convention happening this February 13, 2010 Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Presented by the UP BUGKOS and JONASDIEGO.COM in cooperation with the 101 Boutique and the Graphic Literature Guild.

Special guest include Manix Abrera, Gerry Alanguilan, Hazel Manzano, Carlo Pagulayan, Harvey Tolibao, Lyndon Gregorio, Mico Suayan, Carlo Vergara, Ariel Atienza, Komikero Artist Group, Bayan Knights, Ian Sta. Maria, Jann Galino, Gilbert Monsanto, Emil Flores, Andrew Villar, Randy Valiente, Dibuhista Comix Legends, Budjette Tan, David Hontiveros, Michael David, Ace Vitangcol, Jed Siroy, Kevin Ang, Rod Espinosa, Ner Pedrina, Edgar Tadeo, JP Cuison, and Boboy Yonzon.

This event is sponsored by T-Pencil and Visprint Publishing with exclusive online video coverage from FLIPPISH.COM.

Komiks Art exhibit is courtesy of Philippine comics Arts Museum Online.

Sign up at our Facebook Event Page here.

Sign up for the ARTWORKSHOP here. Workshop fee is Php 150.00 with a maximum of forty (40) participants and will be on a first come first served basis.

Join the PINTADOS Comic Book Making/Body Painting Contest! Click here for more information.

For more information about the KOMIKSTRIP visit our official website here.

How LOLA: A Ghost Story was made

2010-02-02T08:38:00.000+08:00

Check out more behind the scenes goodness from LOLA: A Ghost Story from J. Torres and Elbert Or, published by ONI Press here.

LOLA: A Ghost Story

Story by J. Torres
Pencils by Elbert Or
Inks by Jonas Diego
Grayscale by Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters’ (RMPF) Neil Amiel Cervantes and Katrina Mae Hao

Inking LOLA: A Ghost Story

2010-01-31T07:48:00.000+08:00

LOLA: A Ghost Story, written by J. Torres and pencilled by Elbert Or, is currently now available in hardcover from Sputnik Comics, Druid’s Keep, Comic Odyssey, Planet X and Fully Booked.

I did some inks here and there for the book and my studio Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters (RMPF) did some of the grayscale (some of Elbert’s students took some of the pages in an effort to meet the deadline). It was certainly an interesting project and a delight to help illuminate J. Torres’s story, especially one such as this that highlight Philippine culture and belief systems and spins it into one entertaining yarn.

I hope that we see more of these kinds of stories in the future.

There have been a lot of kind words online on the book and the illustration. In behalf of RMPF, especially Neil Amiel Cervantes and Katrina Mae Hao who did the grayscaling, we’d like to say thank you by giving you guys out there a peek into how a LOLA page got produced.

Let’s begin!

The Pencils

Elbert typically sends the pencils to me online in a 300 dpi, PSD format file.

I prefer to ink via traditional methods so the first order of the day is to convert Elbert’s lines into blue.

I do this to allow me to erase the blue lines digitally in Photoshop later, after I’ve inked over it.

This blue line version will now be printed out on a specialty board I buy that I use specifically for inking works.

With Elbert’s pencils I don’t go immediately to inks.

I spend some time figuring out the intent for a particular page via a script I was provided with. After that I spend some time with a blue Prismacolor pencil adding elements which I feel will help in the storytelling, setting up shadows to help create the mood and ambiance the scene needs, and correct some details in the art.

It is only after accomplishing this that I start inking over the blue lines.

The Inks

Most people probably think of inkers as tracers, content to follow the penciller’s lines and not figuring prominently in the art process.

It’s a common misconception by people not familiar with the comic book production process.

A bad inker can easily ruin great pencils so it is always in the best interest of an art team to get a good inker.

I use different tools for different inking projects.

In the case of LOLA, I used a Sakura brush, Chinese ink, Prismacolor blue pencils, UNI Pin technical pens of varying points, a felt tip pen, and a bunch of rulers, French curves, erasers, and a bottle of correction fluid (an inker’s best friend).

The finished product looks a bit something like this.

At this point, I turn over the page to Neil Amiel Cervantes or Katrina Mae Hao for scanning and cleanup.

They begin by taking out the blue lines, taking out the smudges and dirt found all over the page and making sure that the white are crisp and the blacks are…well, black. They check with me on the cleaned up line art and I go over it to see if we missed anything.

Once that’s done, I give them the go signal to start the grayscaling process.

The Grayscale

Disclaimer: The original mandate for the book was to produce it in grayscale.

It was only when promotions and solicitations for the graphic novel came out did I find out that it was converted into sepia. Consequently, some of the intended effects that were clear on grayscale were lost in sepia mode but I’m hoping the readers would still like it, nevertheless.

The guys used a combination of cell-shading and airbrushing techniques to great effect.

After adding grayscale, we go over the page again for a final check and then we e-mail it back to Elbert who will send it to ONI Press for lettering and whatever else that needs to be added.

Overview

Click on the image below to see the entire process

LOLA: A Ghost Story

Story by J. Torres
Pencils by Elbert Or
Inks by Jonas Diego and Elbert Or (with assists from some of Elbert's students)
Grayscale by Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters' (RMPF) Neil Amiel Cervantes and Katrina Mae Hao

Go buy our book now!

KOMIKSTRIP

2010-01-17T10:40:00.001+08:00

KOMIKSTRIP is an event we're organizing in UPLB.

KOMIKSTRIP: The First UPLB Comic Book Convention is presented by the UP BUGKOS and JONASDIEGO.COM in cooperation with the Graphic Literature Guild.

Click here for more information! Click here to sign up at our Facebook event page!

Big in Japan

2009-01-18T21:32:00.003+08:00

Check out the illustration RMPF did for Big in Japan to help promote
their Shop Savvy app for Google’s Android mobile phone platform.

Screencap of biggu.com's homepage.

It's always a pleasure working with Big in Japan. The project
always tends to be creative and fun, whether it's marketing
collateral or promotional material and the Shop Savvy project
is no exception.

Get in touch with us to see what we can do for you!

M: +63.906.574.6779
E: admin(at)jonasdiego(dot)com
Skype: robomonkeypixelfighters
YM ID: jonas_diego

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T01:00:00.001+08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-25T00:30:00.001+08:00

A Merry Christmas to you all!

BEHIND THE SCENES

2008-11-19T15:04:00.002+08:00

I have been working for the past four weeks or so now with Yellowasp / Netbooster for the launch of Dark Temptation, the new fragrance from AXE. I conceptualized the four viral videos as well as concocted the recently concluded Blogger's Event last Friday (click here for more of that adventure).

Aside from the thrill of seeing your concept brought to life by no less than Henri de Lorme, producer and director of Camera Cafe, one of the other perks of being the Creative Consultant was getting to see the shooting for the videos.

Why? Because where there is AXE there will be girls. Lots of girls.

This was shot in UP Diliman where we had the ladies dress up as school
girls...in really short skirts. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger image.

The girls have just finished putting on their make-up and their costume and are headed
to the set for the first shot of the day. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger picture.

We had Filipinos, Norwegian, Brazilians, French, and Venezuelans models on set.
Some of the girls didn't really understand what I was saying (heck, I couldn't understand what
some of them were saying) but I didn't really mind. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger picture.

The next day we shot the AXE Dance Club video and the girls were in their hot and sexy party best.

Click on the thumbnail for a bigger picture.

AXE Dark Temptation Bloggers Event

2008-11-13T01:27:00.000+08:00

It was certainly a night to remember as nine bloggers, armed with lab coats and AXE Dark Temptation (of course!) participated in the AXE Dark Temptation Blogger's Event.

We toured three of the Metro's hottest dance clubs: Ascend in Boni High Street, Fiamma in Makati, and Alchemy in Pasig. The objective? To get as many girls' numbers using wit, charm, and AXE Dark Temptation.

Sige na nga...isama na natin ang good looks. He he he!

I actually thought that we were going to start up slow but the bloggers were off and running at full throttle from the get go. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Marcelle won the night with 50 number and contact details.

Marcelle insists that Fritz had it better because he actually got a response from one of the girls he approached during the course of the night.

Ronald Guanzon was a scant four numbers away from a tie with Marcelle.

We, the organizing team, were in the background most of the time...but that didn't mean we didn't have some fun ourselves. It is a party after all!

Me with Sebastien, President of Yellowasp / Netbooster

Me with KS, our Art Director

Me with Valerie, our Event Organizer

Well, everyone had fun, come to think of it!

My only regret was that I never got the chance to get a certain girl's number being so busy helping keep things running smoothly.

Oh, well. Maybe next time, eh?

The Comic Odyssey Blogsite

2008-10-08T13:45:00.001+08:00

I would like to proudly present the Comic Odyssey Blog created and maintained by RMPF with the permission and blessing of the Comic Odyssey Management.

The site right now is basically just a mirror of the Comic Odyssey site but it will be featuring it's own unique content in the days to come.

Why a blog site, you may ask?

It's an experiment for RMPF in creating blogsites (an affordable alternative to websites) and it's a way for Comic Odyssey to increase their online presence.

So, please check it out and help spread the word! Click here!

RMPF Workshop Series in Mandaluyong

2008-09-30T21:54:00.000+08:00

We're happy to announce that aside from the previously announced locations for the RMPF Workshop Series (click here) we've opened up another one over at Mandaluyong together with one of our partner institution, Euphony Music and Arts School.

You can now avail of the workshops we're offering at the following address:

Euphony Music and Arts School
2nd Floor Market Place Mall
General Kalentong, Mandaluyong City

Contact Details
(02) 531-6351
Look for Gina Dy

Remember that we also can take the workshop to your location if the current places where the RMPF Workshop Series is being offered is still too far from where you live.

All you have to do is ask.

Check out the workshops that we're offering here.

NEW PROJECT

2008-09-27T00:28:00.001+08:00

ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTERS has just started work on a project for it's newest client, Trend Micro (for their Philippine branch).

Trend Micro is a global company, headquartered in Tokyo, that develops software and services to protect against computer viruses, malware, spam, and Web-based threats.

Click here for more information about Trend Micro.

RMPF WORKSHOP SERIES

2008-09-25T20:25:00.005+08:00

ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTERS is proud to announce the RMPF Workshop Series.

Together with our partner institutions, Euphony Music Studio and St. Vincent Tutorial Center (both located in Makati City) we're offering the Cartooning for Kids Workshop and Cartooning Workshop.

Click here for more information about the workshops.

For inquiries you can get in touch with us here.

THE RMPF BLOG NETWORK

2008-07-31T00:27:00.003+08:00

A few friends have been complaining that it's quite a chore trying to keep up with my blogs.

Considering that there's about 15 blogs in the RMPF Blog Network to date it is admittedly challenging to go through all them just to find out which has new updates. I set up another blog (not again) as a simple solution of sorts just for this particular scenario.

Actually, it's really just a collection of links and feeds (with some ads, of course) so that you can check at a glance which blogs have new content.

Click here to check it out!

There's RSS of course but hopefully this will be easier for some of you folks out there who keep an eye out for new stuff on the RMPF Blog Network.

ANIMATION

2008-06-04T12:57:00.010+08:00

Activenture Inc. and Bigbros Workshop, the guys who brought you Offpiste: In the Land of Kustaa Saksi, created a Multiply page where they uploaded pictures and videos from the event and the exhibit for the public at large to see.

Click here or on the image on the left to visit the site and view the video.

The video is one of three short animation created by ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTER's Laya Garcellano based on Kustaa Saksi's body of work.

This event is co-presented by Havaianas and Epson.

TALK AT TAGAYTAY

2008-06-02T22:58:00.005+08:00

Good buddy Gerry Alanguilan and I was invited by Sir Hugo Yonzon of Mango Comics last Saturday to give a talk about Comics in the Philippines: Wakas na ba at the Tagaytay Multi-media Workshops and Festival held last May 24 to June 1, 2008.

The talk was conducted at the local Figaro with an audience of 15-30 people, give or take a few. The atmosphere was very intimate and relaxed with some of the seminar goers sipping their lattes and coffees while Gerry and I talked about our views regarding the local comic book industry.

It was a very interesting talk, certainly one of the better ones I’ve given, and Sir Hugo was a very gracious host. I’d like to thank the Yonzon Family for welcoming and accommodating us in their beautiful home.

I managed to take a few snapshots of the whole experience. Click here to view them.

PHOTOS FROM THE KUSTAA SAKSI EVENT

2008-05-29T16:54:00.005+08:00

It was a very interesting night at the Kustaa Saksi event as it saw ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTER's first foray into animation.

RMPF collaborated with Kustaa in animating his work along with other top animators Team Manila and Robert Quilao. The final product was then projected into the facade of the CCP and was one of the highlights of the event as people celebrated Kustaa's work.

Aside from seeing our stuff projected on the CCP's facade using six overlapping projectors creating a wide screen effect we also had a blast meeting Kustaa himself and former first lady of the Philippines and patron of the arts Imelda Marcos.

You can view more pictures of the event here.

RMPF AT THE CCP WITH KUSTAA SAKSI

2008-05-28T22:00:00.002+08:00

We're going to be at the CCP tonight for the invitational cocktail, book launch, and exhibit preview of Offpiste: In the Land of Kustaa Saksi brought to you by Activenture Inc. and Bigbros Workshop. This event is co-presented by Havaianas and Epson.

An excerpt from the invitation...

Top Filipino animators Team Manila, Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters, and Robert Quilao (Cutting Edge Productions) have collaborated with Kustaa in bringing to life his highly acclaimed Offpiste landscape across the 70 meter facade of the CCP Main Theater using a network of 6 powerful LCD projectors in a projection bombing activity of a scale never before seen in the Philippines.

WANT WORK?

2008-01-24T21:52:00.000+08:00

I Want Work is the newest addition to the RMPF Blog Network.

I get an unholy amount of job postings, classified ads, and events notices on my mailing lists (like you wouldn't believe) and I thought I might as well make good use of them and put it out there via the I Want Work blog, hoping that someone can make good use of the information.

Just doing my bit to bring down the unemployment rate. Every little thing counts, after all.

With that said, feel free to re-post the ads there on your own blogs/sites or forward them to other people who you think might be interested.

Spread the word, people!

SUPER PIG!

2008-01-23T05:00:00.000+08:00

During the height of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) epidemic back in the early 2000, The AusAID/FAO/FMD Control and Eradication Project commissioned a mascot for the national information campaign to heighten awareness of the disease.

Super Pig was one of my first projects and despite being an admittedly generic looking character, the mascot was used in billboards, posters, collaterals, and various other materials used in the media blitz.

Fast forward to the present.

I was browsing through several past clients websites and I came upon an article about Super Pig in DA-BAI's new spiffy website. Here's an excerpt:

Super Pig also appeared in national television channels such as Kapamilya’s “Magandang Umaga Pilipinas” and Kapuso’s “Unang Hirit”. He’s been to a number of public markets not to shop but to remind meat vendors to be responsible and honest enough to sell only quality meat to their loyal customers.

Click here to read the entire article.

A slight correction must be made however: Super Pig was created sometime in the year 2000 which would make him 8 years old instead of the 2 Doc Karen mentioned in the article.

Aside from that very minor oversight, it makes me glad to see one of my characters still alive and kicking ass (FMD-wise).

IT'S MOMMY-LUSCIOUS!

2008-01-16T05:00:00.001+08:00

We got a new blog on the ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTERS Blog Network and it's going to be all about mommies and the joys and tribulations of mommy-hood.

Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for Laya Garcellano-Florendo and her spanking brand new blog...MOMMYLUSCIOUS. Laya is ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTER's Assistant Head Robo Monkey (read: den mother) and the proud mother of a beautiful baby girl.

An excerpt from her blog...

Ten years later, I’m dry-heaving into a toilet bowl. Not quite the picture I saw in my head. The toilet bowl was a familiar sight on Saturday mornings after a Friday night’s drunken debauchery. Things were different this time though as beside me was the number-cruncher I married two years ago and I was dry heaving for an entirely different reason aside from too much alcohol.

So, go check her site out! Click here.

THE MONKEY'S FIRST ADV!

2008-01-05T05:00:00.001+08:00

ROBO MONKEY PIXEL FIGHTERS first print ad will be gracing the back cover of The Police Tribune Magazine coming out soon (I have no idea as to the exact date though).

Click here to check out a bigger image of the ad in our DeviantART account.

If you guys have a DeviantART account add us up!