The Wiz....

A Dark Wizard I did for a job test! I hope you all like it!!

The Blackest Friday lead to Christmas Memories..

Hey Blog world. I'm Back! Happy Belate Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

I hope you had a fun Black Friday because mine was just well...BLACK!

It rained while I was at work, I found out I have to move from my new place, and I'm not going

to be going to Florida for work at Seaworld. Ugh.. The Devil's startin' up mess again!

Well I heard one of my fave Christmas tunes at the Park. It was a cover of WHAM!'s " Last Christmas". I loved the song when I was kid! My sis was a big WHAM! head back in the 80's.

So I did an illustration/speed paint inspired by the song. Check out the youtube link and listen to the song and look at the pic. To be honest it is a bit true for me. As much as the I love Christmas , I often feel sad about not having a relationship. I would give my heart and only have it turned away and it's been like that since I was young. So related to this song especially with current events in my life after my Mother's Passing. So Enjoy..

-SRS

Wonderland / DTRH featured in Golden Gate Xpress

Wonderland and Down the Rabbit hole where featured in Golden Gate Xpress last week!
I was interviewed for the story!!! So awsome!!! Mad thanks to Kelly Connors andmy bud/ photographer Trina E. :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trina158/

God's doing amazing things and taking me to amazing places!
Thank you Jesus and all my friends who I worked with and supported Wonderland
and DTRH!! Stay believing my friends he will make a way and keep his promises!!

-SRS

Down the Rabbit Hole

Wow! Wonderland has been an amazing project and experience to workon!
It's been a great pleasure working with my teammates Jonathan Fung, Eric Otto, and Monika Jones on this powerful art installation! Wonderland as well as DTRH has been making major
waves in the media. I did the initial concept for the proposal which is the above image. It was great being apart of the production design. Everyone did a terrific job and took the audience into
the eyes of the victims of Human Trafficking. Please come see the show on it's last
week! Here's the info:

“Down The Rabbit Hole”, (YWAM building) - 357 Ellis Street

M-F, 11-3pm, call Katie at 415.885.6543 for an appointment; Sat, 11-3 pm

Also Mad Thanks to all the organizations that supported this installation and this show:

Down the Rabbit Hole Partners

http://www.becausejusticematters.org

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org

http://www.sagesf.org

http://www.sfsafehouse.org

Special Thanks

Alf Pollard

City Impact

Colin Day Photography

Community Benefit District

Fern Silva

Fight Club

Katie Greenawalt

Lance Fung

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte

San Francisco Grant for the Arts

Santa Clara University, College of Arts & Sciences, Dean's Grant

Tim Svoboda

Youth With A Mission (YWAM)

Thanks for stopping by and please check out our exhibit and all the fantastic works

in Wonderland! Please continue to fight the horrible crime of Human Trafficking!

(Production Stills by Jonathan Fung)

-SRS

Batman Snack Sketches continued..

Hey Blog world I'm back from the enlightenment trip at least for a little while. I got the urge to do more Batman Begins/Dark Knight themed sketches. So I went after my fave villain of all the Joker and one Batman Rogue who always messed with me Two-Face. Just for fun I did a chibi version of Joker. I was imagining the Joker as a young, smart, hip and mad Emotional Hardcore Kid. Mostly I did it for the hair, that hairstyle is just so cool and at the same time it's a bit menacing. Two-face I was just trying to get really creepy with it like my previous Scarecrow. Well I hope you all will enjoy these I have more to come soon with a full report about Wonderland and Down the Rabbit Hole. Thank you for all your prayers and support. It's a big challenge to morn a loss, have financial problems, trying to find another job, family challenges, and moving. Yet thankfully they are not to big for God!!! I'll be back this week with more. Thank you all again.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Wonderland hit's San Francisco this weekend!!

Hey everyone! How goes it? for the past week and through out the year I've been collaborating with film maker Jonathan Fung, Artist Monika Jones, Artist Eric Otto, and Mark Lee on a very exciting art installation called Wonderland. Wonderland is an art exhibit that was created to bring a lighter face towards one of San Francisco's Oldest and Impoverished District's "The Tenderloin". Several Artists from around the nation and globe are working on this landmark exhibit. My team's installation titled "Down the Rabbit Hole", which is a installation that confronts the social issue of Human Trafficking . We were fortunate enough to be donated a room by the good folks over at YWAM in the Tenderloin that was exactly what we needed to make this happen. This past week, we were busy painting the walls before we move in the furniture this week.

Please come join me and my team mates at the opening this weekend.

Here's our blog for down the rabbit hole: http://wonderlandshow-7.blogspot.com/

Wonderland

http://www.wonderlandshow.org/

Opens :October 17th -November 15th 2009

Opening Ceremony: Oct. 17th 2009

Boeddeker Park@ Jones & Eddy st.

San Francisco, Ca

11am-5pm, Opening Remarks 12pm

Oct. 18th 2009: Public Symposium

Warfield Theater 2pm-4pm

San Francisco,Ca

Down the Rabbit Hole

YWAM building 357 Ellis st. San Francisco , Ca.

BTW: we got mentioned in a big UK Publication , SF Bay Guardian and the New York Times!!!

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/whatson/results.asp?id=1111255

http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?page=2&entry_id=9057&catid=85&volume_id=398&issue_id=447&volume_num=43&issue_num

Yeah I'm still in monk mode but I've been working too! LOL, so please come see our exibit!

And if you look below at the pictures you can see my hand!!! ha ha..

see you there friends!!

-Brandon Robinson

Monk Mode aka I'm going to be away .......

Hey Blog world friends! I've been having some hard times as of late and I've come to the decision that I have to get away for a while. I won't be posting up for sometime ( don't worry I'll be back).
I need to take some time away from the net to get things together. If you wish to contact me just email me. Thank you all for your support!

I will see you all soon in the near future with new art,

Brandon Robinson
StudioRisingStar

Switchfoot- The Loser

Sorry for the long pause in posting. I'm working at the LA County Fair this week! Come visit me at Kaman's Art Shoppes I'm the only short guy working!

Well I don't recall posting this song before but this another Switchfoot song I love but, it really got me thinking about the meaning of this song. Being a Loser is a very interesting concept. Commonly we look down at the those who we consider losers because of their personalities, social status, list of mistakes, failings, finacial status, physical features etc. If your an american you know this concept because it's been raised with us since we were children to not be losers in society's view. Yet Switchfoot turn this common idea around to something amazing. What if being a Loser was actually and is actually one of the best positions? Some could take this the wrong way but, they are not making a cynical joke about being successful.

Consider these bible verses:

Matthew 6:20-21 (New Living Translation)
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

1 timothy 6:17-18

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

We're so trained to go after Success. We've been told to get the best educations, jobs, homes, spouces, and other things that we call "Successful" and look down at those who don't measure up to society's standards(Losers). Yet in this song and in God's word he tells us that the Loser's will ultimately be the winners in the end because they have nothing in this world and for that they have a home in the Kingdom of God! They don't have to keep up with the Jones' , worry deeply about status,
or what the world/ people think of them. In a way they are free from the great slavery that so many people in my country are bound to. I've learned and experienced all this in my early 20's and up today. I couldn't measure up to the standards of my parents, my culture, my industry, my religion, and for that matter my world. I'm the greatest of Losers and I have nothing good to offer this world and all the more why I rely on the hope of my Savior. With that hope the Lord has shared his wisdom about life with me that I'm still learning everyday.

So ask yourself today could you loose it all?

Relient K - Getting Into You

I love this song by Reliant K! I heard this when I was 23.
I can play the opening riff on my guitar it seems pretty easy.
But any hoo very deep song about God! I was thinking of this song so much as of late. Getting back into him from a long time of struggle or maybe even when I thought I got a way he was always there..

The Temptations - Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)

One more Tribute to my Mother Carroll Robinson.
A Real Classic for a teen from the 1960's she loved The Temptations and I grew up with them in my life as a child.
These songs made me dance and sparked my imagination to do cartoons!

Thank you again Mom and I'll miss you!

-SRS

Thank you Mom I'll never forget you!

Carroll Evelyn Robinson
July 1947- May 2009

One of her favorite songs by one of her favorite singers.
Ben E. King " Stand by me" has been a treasure for many and now it's even more personal to me. Thank you Jesus for allowing me to know her for 26 years! She's now in the kingdom living in victory and free of her Cancer. Thank you and to you be praised!

-SRS

My Highest Lows..

Hey Blog world. Sorry for the long art posting wait! Man things have been busy lately but here is a preview of my work from our show "The Highest Lows". I have more based on this series that I'm working on but due two the limited number of pieces these two I chose. The paintings are based to two of my friends. I hope you like and if your in the east bay area stop by Individual Collective Gallery! The show will be there until June 13th 2009.

-SRS

Super Gem Fighters - Completion - Ryu Part 1/2

This was so cute!! I always wanted to play it!!
Awe my youth! Capcom was such a big influence and shape on my artwork!

-SRS

Individual Collective presents: "The Highest Lows: A lowbrow tribute to fine art"

Just two weeks away is IC's next big art show titled The Highest Lows: A lowbrow tribute to fine art. An awesome list of East bay lowbrow artists take it back to the academy in the Highest Lows. The challenge was to create art using classical fine art techniques with subject matter that is commonly found in Low Brow Art. I've been waiting for this show since Boxed In closed and we're all excited about it! Please come and check out this amazing show from May 16th 2009-June 13th,2009. The opening starts at 6pm-10pm at 419 Georgia st. Vallejo, Ca 94590.
I hope to see you there for our young galleries second big art show!

-SRS

tatsunoko vs capcom gameplay hd

Man this game was beautifully executed!!!
Shinkiro's concepts , the 3/d enviorments and the animation are fantastic! SF4 was kickin' but this game was sweet! I wish they put this out in the US.

-SRS

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom - On the Rooftop of Taiyou HS (Batsu)

Man a remix of an old classic!
I miss Rival Schools and the remake for Tatsunoko vs Capcom is fantastic!! Enjoy!

-SRS

The weirdest/dopest fashion commercial I've ever seen..

I got this like off of Tim Townsend's DA page(thanks Tim!). Louis Vuitton has an anime commercial take a look at it here. I believe the designer of the Visual development was the famous Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. It's a fun commercial!

-SRS

TRDMRC Live on Japanese Radio!!!!!

WOW!! His music was played live and he was interviewed by DJ "Sach" on Japanese Radio Station FREE WAVE (TENJIN) 77.7 FM!! Fukuoka, Japan. Dreams are coming true big time!!
Man I gotta get ready for all his hits to his blog! Someone from japan might stop by to a beautiful letdown in from japan. Get ready, Get ready, GET READY yallz! ha ha.. I'm happy for Marcus all the chats we've had about going to Japan and doing art and he beat me to it! Oh well please visit the video on Vimeo and get Prelude to A.. ! It's a fantastic, artistic, journey through music and sound!

Thanks,
SRS

Trdmrc : Live in Japan(and I'm not there..dang it!)

Please check out TRDMRC aka Marcus B's blog here to check out his awesome posts of his venture to the land of the Rising Sun and the country where dreams are made of (at least to me !) Congrats on your journey to the east brohamma! I wish I was there!

(photo by Marcus B)
-SRS

An Unknown Visionary.....

Will I get my day in the sun? Will my artwork finally be seen in the world?
Will I finally get good money for my hardwork? The struggle continues as I'm stuck in between being a loser and being respected. This is one of the worst places to be and after 2 years of being in this place I can't help but be frustrated. My family is never supportive of what I do unless it's convenient ( like when I was in the town newspaper in promoting this show and our gallery). People support you and are proud of you in the big shiney moments but, they treat you like crud in the not so glam moments. These are such annoying days full of contradiction. Days that are both happy and praise worthy while being hard and trying. When will these times end? When will stability come in my life in all areas? God please send some rain in my life because I'm dying in a spiritual desert...

(photo by TRDMRC, thanx G!)

-SRS

Success and a future music legend visits Vtown!

Individual Collective Gallery's opening was fantastic! We opened to a whopping 300 people that evening! What made the day even more sweet was the attendance of my close friends Marcus "TRDMRC" B. and and my buddie Shamara "Super Shamario" ! They had a great time seeing the works of IC and eating a Elaudio's Mexican Restaraunt across the street from the gallery. It's really good to know and have friends of yours who have a genuwine interest in art come to see your work. I was glad to see them there and enjoyed riding with them to the show and taking them home after. There was more great art from the show that my friends did but unfortunately my camera sucks ! So check out my bro and fellow IC member Albert's professional photos from that night at Alamphoto.com!

Thanks my friends and viewers for your support!

I Will Run - Freddy Rodriguez

Some mo Worship for Sunday Morning!
Got run back after God after such a stressful and worry filled week!
I hope you'll run after him too in your times of struggle.

amen,
Brandon

Nothing Compares - Champions Live

I can't wait to play this song for Easter!!!!
Freddy Rodriguez rules! Enjoy this worship moment!
" All my past is gone".... amen!
-SRS

Run Dmc - Mortal Kombat

Same video but it's remixed with the Mortal Kombat theme remix.
This really taking it back seriously!!! It's just right to where I'm going.

It's Like That

yeah boi! It's like that for reals!

I had to post this up cause I'm makin' a declaration.
I'm taking my art back to when it was really real. yeah I'm working on my graphic novel that I shelved a while back and I've got some recent inspiration as well as the pop cultural forecast is tellin' me I got to take my 2000's creativity and christian experiences back to the 90's...

Thanks Jason Nevis for this sick remix that got me strutin' and breakin' in high school!

ha ha.. more Jesus and art coming soon..

Individual Collective's new show Boxed In

My friends and I are having a new art show at our new studio!
Come check us out on March 21 6pm-10pm 419 Georgia st. Vallejo,Ca 94590.
Show ends Aprill 10th same time, same place.
We have long list of artists joining us and some way cool bands from Vallejo!
Please come out and check out what the East Bay Art scene is repin!

-Brandon

Reprogrammed @ Wondercon 2009: Success!

Wondercon was fun this year! I was with my company Charter Road Productions promoting the Reprogrammed Project at the Academy of Art University Booth. That's where we debuted my month long comic book project for the series. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. The Comic (especially the animated version) was received very positively and there might be a chance that it will continue . I'm very happy with what Jesus did this weekend! I was happy to see many of my old Art School friends and Industry Pro-friends that remembered me from previous conventions. The comic will be up on this blog for yallz to read and I will also put on the portfolio blog too. Thanks for stopping by!

-Brandon

SRS vs Cheeks: "insert title here"

Sup Blog world! I know it's been quite lately and I've been busy working on an animated telvision production. I finished my comic for my company! wooohoo! But man did it take it's toll on me!
I'm so pooped I barely got through my concept project I had to do. Any hoo had to post up a color job I did of the legend Sean "Cheeks" Galloway's awesome piece for Spectacular Spider-man. I hope he likes it. I had fun and I wanted to do something fun for once after doing such major work.
Enjoy and more to come.

ps: I was trying to think of a catchy title but got stuck. Here were some I thought of:

" Muddy Waters", "I hate Monday's", " Pete. You Hecka Late!", " Litter buggin' " ( a play on cheeks original title). If you can think of something funny please post it up!

-Brandon

Caricature Snacks....

Hey Blog world! It's been a hectic start of February! I've been really busy working on Reprogrammed's promo comic for WonderCon this month so sorry for the no posts in a while.
Here are some caricatures I squeezed in for some fun. Hope you like. I'll post up more new stuff soon. I've been thinking a lot about very personal new works and my book I want to create. I'm excited. Also Individual Collective finally got a new studio! We're fixing up the place as I type this kidz! So more to come soon enjoy my fun caricatures of these 2 beautiful ladies!

-Brandon

Nightmares On Wax - Les Nuits

This song is brilliant! From back in my high school years!
Enjoy it! I love this genre of just beats!

Black Kids - Look at me (When I Rock Wichoo) -OFFICIAL VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67nZeSkz3zE

This video by Black Kids is SICK!!!!
Challenge everyone try to name as many of the 80's cartoons refrenced in this video! I'll post my answers too!

-Brandon

A dope quote pt 2

"Genius is more often found in a cracked pot than in a whole one."

E. B. White -

Man this E.B. White quote is real.

Hope you all enjoyed Obama's Inauguration!
It was fantastic! All those people!

Lupin the 3rd ...

Hey Blog world! I wanted to post up something that I did for a warm up before working on my comic book job. This is the fame Manga/Anime character Lupin the 3rd. I did him in his suit from the movie "Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Caliostro". It's the first Lupin movie I saw and by far my favorite. Hayao Miyazaki directed the film. I loved it because Lupin shows more heart and heroicism than in his television series where he's usually a suave, cunning, funny, and raunchy. I had fun doing this and will do more in the future. Please watch The Castle of Caliostro it's a fantastic Anime!

-SRS

" Your So Talented!... but we won't give you a job"...

Criticism and Praise. Two powerful forces based on an opinion and speech.
Since the last time I updated, I've gotten 3 rejections from 3 different companies.
Since I've graduated school I've gotten a total of 17 rejections and peppered in those rejections were some sort of criticism or a half hearted excuse why I didn't get the job. On the other side of the coin, normal people and common folks will say things like " Your So Talented!", " You should be working for Lucas!", " Wow such a gift!" etc. I've been in the middle of these two fields for almost 2 years now and to be honest I'm totally confused!

Basically what this means is (for lack of a better term) I'm the Lukewarm Pro/Vis. Dev.-Artist i.e The "Nutrasweet/Equal/Sweet n' Low/Diet" of the artworld. Tastes great but, not like the real thing. It's really great to be recognized for your gifts and talent in art but , it sucks to have them constantly dismissed or rejected by the Entertainment Industry money driven standards. Well, I'm just blowing off steam and laughing at the same time about my cool quip I thought of.

A Beautiful Letdown: the low calorie substitue to your fattening Art & Entertainment Industry!
LMBO!!! Well God is still in control and he's making a special place for me in life and after this life!
He'll open a door that no man can shut, and that likes Diet for a change....

-Brandon

The new name A Beautiful Letdown , inspired by Switchfoot

I'm sure you've not only noticed the new layout and colors but, new header title of my blog. No didn't ditch studio rising star it's still my online studio name. This blog has changed in focus from being just about my art to being about my art and life. So I felt it would be the right thing to be honest about who I am here. This title is not a negative thing be any means but, it's an honest title for the person I am today. I went through many struggles and challenges in my short 26 years. This Switchfoot song really describes the past 9 years of my life and I identify with it's message.

For most of my life and even now I've struggled to find my place. I've had dreams of being cool, attractive, and being highly successful for my own selfish gain. That was until I met Jesus Christ and took seriously identifying myself as a Christian . In my Art School years I vowed to take my salvation seriously and I went through challenging trials where I found out that I wasn't the person I believed I was. I found out how much of a letdown I was to my family, friends, teachers, and others. Yet Jesus was the only one who called a foolish, slow, unattractive, uncool, naive young man beautiful. So walk in my everyday life a lone man who has no place in this culture, who waits for his home with his savior.

As you listen to this song, Please read this passage from Hebrews 11:13-16:

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

I will also be working on an art book based on this title for sometime in the future.

Thank you for visiting,
Brandon Robinson

Japanese spiderman

This kinda fresh g!

-B

The True Adventures of Odewap - Official Episode # 1 (Me She Likes)

Odewap Rules!!! This is a fun short by multimedia artist TRDMRC. Something nice and fresh for the 09!

-Brandon

The Remodled Blog or 2009!

What do you all think!?
I've wanted to make a change this year so why not the blog eh?!
Let me know what you think. New stuff on the way!

-Brandon Robinson