Motor City Comic Con

here’s some of the sketches and fun from this year’s Motor City Comic Con.
AOA is planning on doing more local cons this year, so look for us around Detroit and Chicago!

Double Whammy!

Finally, here is my senior thesis film from 09, Code Monkey. I tried to keep it for the festival circuits, but never had the funds to distribute, so here it is. Enjoy!

Also, my website is now up! Check it out at artoftheniles.com

"Oblivion Descends" - Zeratul Fan art

I decided to do a piece to really challenge myself, and after talking to my other half I decided to go with the very character that inspired me to get into art in the first place: Zeratul. The goal with this was to push myself as much as I could through the painting process, give myself a method to work with in future projects, and to get myself to a level I could be proud of. I feel very happy to have come this far with the piece, and now I'd like to put what I've learned from it into practice with my own designs. It's a big step for me, but this piece makes me much more confident in my ability to make art the way I envision it in my mind, and to continue to make things I can be proud of.
The art you see here is my handiwork, but the character Zeratul belongs to Blizzard Entertainment.

3D Animation Reel

3D Animation Reel from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

A compilation of my recent 3D animation tests, as of January 2011, compiled here for easy access.
Musical Accompaniment is "Tricky Turtle" by Blockhead

Sneak Cycle

Sneak Cycle from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

Another cycle test using the Boris Rig. This time it's the sneak!
-With shifty eyes-

"Fish License" Dialogue Test

Fish License from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

Here is a 3D animation test I've done using the Norman Rig, to take advantage of its really nice facial capabilities. The dialogue is from the Monty Python sketch "Fish License."
It's really quite wonderful to practice from wittily written dialogue like theirs. Hope you enjoy.

The Confident Walk

Confident Walk from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

A confident walk cycle test using the Boris Rig, from Jason Ryan Animation.

Golf Swing Test

Golf Swing Test from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

A 3D animation test of Boris swinging at a ball that goes through a window. Then hits a baby. Then lights the house on fire. Then ...

Boris Rig by Jason Ryan Animation

Turn and Reaction Test

Turn and Reaction Test from Niles Bontrager on Vimeo.

The robot is contemplative. The robot doesn't like you standing on his cat.

Took me approximately 26 hours from start to finish.
Boris Rig by Jason Ryan Animation.

The Busy Semester

This semester has been quite a busy one, seems right for the last hurrah though. Well, here's a giant chunk of what I've been working on aside from my senior film: a concept project that re-associates all the players involved in WWII to a dirtier version of the Sci-fi genre into a story based loosely on the events of the war. Here are all of the sketches that I have scanned in so far (there's just a few left unscanned) and even one that I put into digital paint. The goal for the project in the class is to leave with a full pitch-book for the project, and that is exactly my intent. So enjoy the mass imagery you've been missing out on while I was away!
Also, I included a quick little space-painting that I doodled up during class.

D.O.A. --Dead On Arrival

Well, here's a collection of images from my final project in Environments & Characters called D.O.A. The story will follow Maxwell Adrene and his search for himself after suffering an amnesiac spell and waking up in front of a destroyed home, assumed to be his. With nothing to necessarily live for, as far as his memory recollects, he is convinced into joining the military and putting himself in line for military weapons experiments, thinking he should at least get a kick out of life, if he doesn't know what he's supposed to live for. Eventually, more and more of his past comes to light... and in the end he has quite the reason for joining the military.
This is, really the first time (except for an expressions project in this same class) that I have drawn the same character more than once, let alone several times in different poses and expressions. It presents quite a challenge for me, but not one I'm unwilling to take. It was really fun, I just wish it wasn't during finals... I would've taken a little more time, and done more than what was required. I am definitely considering this to be the beginning of my senior project as well. I think I could have a lot of fun fleshing this out.

Poeira, the Tribal Girl

here we are with a good ol' progression piece, her name's Poeira. I really needed to post this... oh the day after I started this blog. I've been wonderfully distracted lately though. This isn't exactly fantastic, but it is cute, so it's worth posting. This is more the concoction of several different styles by artists I've found across this vast internet, but all from artists that influence my creative path.