Wanna help me out?

Then go ahead and rate my design on threadless so I can pay my student loans. The design still needs approval so you won't be able to rate it for a couple of days.
Thanks stranger.

Score this design: "Love is in the Air," to help it get printed on Threadless!

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Trader Joes Song

I like Trader Joes. I like this video. If you go there a lot, you'll understand.
Found this on someone's blog and had to share it. It's so catchy.

I didn't make this, but I wish I did.

A Pirate's Shop For Me!

Arrr!
I thought I'd let you all know about my new shop on CafePress.
You'll find an array of piratey goodness from t-shirts to tote bags. Aye, even pirates gotta have tote bags matey.
Keep a weather eye out for many more designs to come. Good sailin' to ya!

The Island

So I've been working a lot on story stuff so far this summer. Overall I'm trying to sharpen all of my skills in whatever way I can, while remembering to just have fun, because...it's summer.
I picked up a project I started a long long time ago and abandoned. I'd almost completely forgotten about it but I took another stab at it. I just went in with a completely fresh perspective and had a lot of fun.
I storyboarded the first scene of this story, and made a little animatic. Please excuse the silly iMovie sound effects. I miss you Sound Miner!!! I miss you After Effects!!!!! We only just got to know each other!!!!
Ahem.
Enjoy, and I'd love to hear what you think.

The Island from Michael Herrera on Vimeo.

A photo journalist awakens on the shores of a mysterious island.

Wanna see a Grizzly bear do a trick!?

Well hello there. I realized that I never posted my film I made this semester. It's really something to distract you from the lack of more interesting things I could post that I'm not posting because I'm too busy trying to find a job. Anyways, here it is. Maybe I'll post some new things I've been working on later this week...or not. Peace love and pencils my friends!

Theo from Michael Herrera on Vimeo.

The story of a daydreaming Grizzly bear in a zoo, who longs to perform for an adoring audience.

This is the work in progress cut of my first year film at Cal Arts.

It all starts here...

First year at Cal Arts is over.
This is the start of something good.

Disney Inspire Days=Awesome

On Monday I went to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank for the first time in my life. I was there for the Disney Inspire Days, a day for animation school students to visit the studio for presentations from artists and attend tours to get a better insight to the studio process. It...was...amazing! It was probably one of the greatest days of my life. Since I was so inspired, I should probably go work on my film. I'll talk more about that day later. For now here are some pictures. That top floor corner office used to be Walt's!

Chefs a plenty

I know I know, you're getting sick of me drawing chefs. Well tough. They're fun to draw. Muaha ha ha.
Thank you Life photo archive!
There were some really great picture of chefs on there and they're all so goofy and amazing looking. I tried some new things here technique-wise. I'm still trying to get photoshop to work like traditional drawing materials for me. It's a slow but steady journey, getting computers to do what you want them to do.

Ratty Rats

This was from an assignment for a character design workshop with Rick Maki. The first fella is a conman with a sharp tongue and a wicked temper. He dons the accessories of action figures to symbolize his authority. He has a gang too, but I've only drawn one of his goons below.

Water Nymph

Just a new addition to the ol' portfolio.
Inspired by a photo.