I've been watching a lot of UFC tourneys and I noticed that none of the fights ever take place in the 2nd gate territory. Here's a quick definition of what I mean. The 1st gate is your fists, the 2nd gate is the elbow distance, and the 3rd gate is the shoulders. It's just another way of explaining the layers of defense (gates) before you get to the body.

That being said, why do all the fights skip the 2nd gate entirely? Is it because we're not allowed to pin the opponent's arms? It seems to me that after a few strikes, they move in for the grapple, or their comfort zone. And if they miss, they back up and reset. Why? Why not move in and eat up the opponents space? Or is it because they lacked hand technique to fight in that area? Most of the fighters only train at striking and grappling distances, and nothing in between. I don't know if it's just me, but I see a lot of missed opportunities in the fights and I feel the fighters can become better if they cover all bases, especially the 2nd gate distance which is Wing Chun territory.

I'm not saying that WC is better than other arts by any means, but it's a good tool to have if you want to dominate the 2nd gate distances.

Loki-Ish Minion... who knows?

FIXED:....
K, I polished this painting a bit. I wasn't too happy with the anatomical errors from the previous one, so here's the newer version. It's still not as nice as I would want it to be but it's still a good practice piece.

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Thanks Yam for reminding me to finish this painting. His latest blog entry got me motivated to practice characters as well. In fact, this piece was collecting dust for the past 4 months, and now I finally took some time to refine it a bit. I admit there are still a ton of anatomical errors. Even the pose looks iffy. Oh well, guess I shouldn't have rendered it before nailing down the pose. My bad.


Also, special thanks goes to Fred (GameArisans.org) for providing me with some much needed reference.

Here's a progress video I put together that roughly explains the steps I took in completing this piece.

My new bike!... and a brief update...

I finally got the guts to buy a real bike (Suzuki SV650)... with gears and them thing you call a clutch. My 250cc Honda Reflex scooter just wasn't cutting it. It's great during slow moving traffic and in the city, but it picks up too slow on higher speeds. Passing other vehicles proved to be difficult, especially when the speed starts to pick up. There were times when I was almost sandwiched between cars, or when drivers intentionally block my path when I'm in between lanes. I'm sorry bud, you can cut through traffic too if you're willing to put your life on the line. The worst was when this crazy ass bitch in an SUV tried to change lanes into me without checking her blind spots. The car was so close that it actually nudged my shoulder. And to top it off , she honked at me. WTF? Anyway, here's the pic of my new moto.


WORK UPDATE:
Work has been awesome. I'm finally loving what I do... for once. Art was never my thing... even though I'm an artist by trade, my true passion is coming up with game ideas/mechanics, or ideas in general, and let someone else take credit for them:)... that's just the way it is... don't ask. I guess this passion of coming up with clever ideas goes way back to the early stages of Ratchet and Clank. Back then, I used to come up with weapon ideas, gadgets, and gameplay mechanics. I'm even surprised that Insomniac used my disco ball idea for their next RC for the PS3. How cool is that?! Those were the days. So now my new job at SCEA is essentially jamming with the designers on game mechanics and problem solving. This new step can hopefully shave off some R&D work from the developer's end, thus saving time and money.

"CALLING ALL CARS!" has gone GOLD (PS3)

Hey Guys and Gals,

The game I Art Directed... well was the acting Art Director, has finally gone GOLD! That's right, GOLD! It has some pretty good reviews considering it was a small game that focus more on the multiplayer/party game smack talk kinda game. Nonetheless, it was a blast working with David Jaffe, the GOD game desiger, and his super Senior Designer side Kick Adam Orth.

The game will be coming out only as a Playstation downloadable (PSN). For a couple of bucks a pop, I think the game is darn worth it.

Check out the reviews at:
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/783/783536p1.html

Interview with 2DArtist

Here's an interview I did with the online magazine 2DArtist, published by Zoo Publishing. Their questions were geared towards my career as a video game artist, and why I chose the gaming industry in particular. However I must warn you that there are some typos because the publishers never got my edited version... I think their servers were swamped. Nonetheless, it should still be a fun read.

Enjoy...
On another note, here's a painting tute I created for a friend. It's just a 10 sec anim of the dumbed down steps I take to paint. Nothing spectacular since it's only a demo.

Painting_101

Crossing Hands Completed!!!

I finally completed Gary Lam's Crossing Hands training, otherwise known as Level 1. This level covers all the fundamentals of the Siu Nim Tao (1st form), Chum Kiu (2nd form), Biu Ji (3rd form), all the crossing hand techniques, the Wooden Dummy form, and a ton of Chi Sao (sticky hands). What's also cool about receiving this plaque, is that it gives me added hit points in a real fight:)... simply slip it underneath my shirt and voila!... more HP to my body:). But seriously though, the certificate is pretty much useless, unless I ever plan on teaching one day. It's just credentials, and it doesn't make anyone a better fighter.

New Image Added... It's about time.

Wing Chun Baby! This image was inspired by the show 24... I'm sure it's obvious.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

SHAWEEEeeeet! RCF is finally getting some press. I left that project during pre-production for my current gig... but I must say that the RC universe has always been a blast to work on. Check the kinda brief FULL ARTICLE!

Installed my WOODEN DUMMY!!!! Finally

I finally had the chance to install my wooden dummy. The project has been delayed for a year because of budget offsets. First it was a $2K massage chair that got in the way, and then a giant Sony TV... and later my scooter, which I LOVE... Anyway, this project has been long overdue. So I finally ordered the damn thing from China, which took a little more than a month to arrive, and got it installed. There were several trips to the Home Depot for parts and such, and an electric saw borrowed from the Yamster (Brian Yam), in all the job took approximately 6 hours to do. The next step is to pad the thing with duct tape and carpet.

What's this wooden dummy?
Well, it's used as a Wing Chun training partner. Sometimes it's hard to find a partner to train with, so this thing is the next best thing. Granted it doesn't fight back, but it does help correct bad body structure, positioning, sensitivity, and overall fighting mechanic. If you find yourself getting knocked back after giving it a palm strike, then you know you're doing something wrong. To find out more, go to the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooden_dummy

DOMINANCE WAR!!!

Think you've got what it takes to compete in the world's most badass game art challenge ? I know I don't, but maybe you've got some mad NextGen skillz and wanna put it to the test. Submit your work to the DOMINANCE WAR II website, and go kick some ass!

John Wu's 2006 Demo Reel

2006 Demo Reel of John Wu, a 2D/3D Artist in the video game industry . Works included are from the Playstation 3 game "Resistance: Fall of Man" and from his personal works. Art, Video Games, Science Fiction, Concept Art, Design

Saw Rocky Balboa

I saw the last and final installment of the movie Rocky Balboa over holidays. It was actually a pretty good movie. The story focuses more on the drama side of his life rather than the fight he has between Mason Dixon. The film was set in a chronoligical fashion with every moment building up to Rocky's last and final fight. I find that this movie ended the series well.

Thumbs up!

Wing ChART!!!

Here are some mini sketch notes on some random Wing Chun stuff. If you know, or have experience with WC, then you may already understand the details behind the moves, if not, then tough:).

From Left to Right:

Jut Sao: Great to draw opponent's arm in and has a clear line towards the center. It's also in a ready position to launch a punch, palm strike, biu (eye jab), and fung hao (throat chop)... my fave. Ends a fight in a second. No need to wrestle in the ground:).

Gum Da: One hand traps the other's elbow while the other strikes from the inside gate. The one pinning is only there temporarily and can stike after the other hand is clear. Think E. Honda from street fighter. Bam, bam, bam!!! Or bam, bam, fung hao... lights out! To correctly use it, one has to step in and pin. Both elbows should be down. Now wandering elbow kinda shit or you'd be using your arm muscles instead of your structure for power.

Jut, Bong, Tan: Just something I though of adding. There are a few types of Tans but I won't go into details incase my Sifu kicks my ass. There's an illustrated explanation in the bottom right though... just showing the basic usage of it and not the super detailed description on how to properly do it. Wing chun is an art that you have to feel and experience, otherwise, you'd be immitating it and will be chasing hands all the time.

Line of Attack: Top Right. Simply put, it's some of the lines of attacks. These principles are unique to Wing Chun since we fight square to the opponent as opposed to fighting one sided. Choosing a correct line of attack is crucial. Change your line of attack when there's resistance. Don't change for the heck of it though, or you'll create too many openings for the other guy to capitalise on. Keep it simple and direct.

What's this about BJJ vs Wing Chun???

Here's what I think.

First, both arts are very different. BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) focuses on ground grappling techniques, while wing Chun is all about stand up fighting.

Second, it's all about the individual. It's normal that there's always going to be someone better than you out there, and fighting is just the same. The more you train and understand your art, the more your probablility of winning or surviving will be increased.

Now, if both fighters, BJJ and Wing Chun are equally advanced and fit, then Wing Chun will win. Think about it. Wing Chun specialises in the first (hands), second (elbows), and third gate (shoulders) of fighting, while BJJ only focuses on taking someone to the ground. BJJ guys have very basic first and second gate fighting techniques. Most of their stuff is past the third gate, so you tell me how can a BJJ guy enter those first two gates of an advanced Wing Chun guy if they can't even compete at those distances. Their only way is to rush the WC guy below the waist or knees. Granted most people don't know what to do in those cases, but believe me, it's not hard to keep your stance if you've got good structure, footwork, and sensitivity. Mind you that I'm still talking about equal body types. When someone rushes low you should follow and sink/widen your stance. Don't widen your stance with one leg in front and the other in back, because you'll give away your front leg to the BJJ guy. Instead, lower your stance while applying forward/downward energy to the BJJ's neck area. Your legs should be behind you, out of reach from the BJJ guy, and you should be somewhat on top of him. This by default and a little guidance, bring his head near your elbows giving you access to a choke or a kill.

Through my experience in sparring, even though I'm no pro fighter, chasing center and chasing head is the best way to keep your attack/offense pointing at the right place. In most cases, people will generally want to tackle you. What has worked for me in the past is to always have your intensions or energy pointing towards the centerline. That doesn't mean touching the other dudes chest or face or anything, but the intension should be there. Once the guy sinks for a waist or below the waist attack, sink your stance and keep your arms near the person's head. It should be similar to a low Bong Sau and should come naturally. The result is a neck choke. So what if they manage to move your stance, if you have good structure, it would be hard to make you off balance. The bottom line is, where the head goes, the body goes. So if you have the guys head wrapped around your arm, then you have the advantage. You can choke or snap their necks at any sign of movement. Wing Chun guys should be good at that, given their ultra sensitive nature.

So there you go, just follow the head, and tighten your grip. Of course this might not work agains a pro UFC/BJJ guy who's twice your size because their reach and mass can overwhelm your structure. Just be smart about it break their rythm and balance. Always be one step ahead of them.

Update on the Stones...

News of a good friend passing away kept me off this blog for a while.
...
Crappy celphone images below! Don't say I didn't warn you. The concert was great. Mary managed to get us floor seats so we got to see band up close and personal, say 20 feet away. It was awesome. As for the songs, well, all I can say is that it gets repetitive. And only a few of their songs were memorable.

ROLLING STONES!!!!

Not that I like them, but I'll be going to their concert tonight thanks to the wonderful perks of Mary's job. So here I am, at the Residence Inn, updating my blog. Jaffe let us go early cuz our game kept crashing. So I left earlier hoping to get to Mary's hotel but got stuck in traffic for a friggin hour. Pico SUCKS! Fucking LA drivers.

OK I'm off to see the Stones... :P

CASINO ROYAL!!!!

HOLY FUCK! The movie was good! Back to the old classic Bond feel but with cell phones. Lots of it. The art direction is superb and the use of Le Parkour Stunts were impressive... French word that means free running... or PK for short. Not to be mistaken with the HK PK meaning:). Anyway, think Jackie Chan stunts... which BTW is were the inspiration of Le Parkour came from.

The fighting was also good. It's more down to Earth fighting. None of that wire work and over the top shit coming out these days. This is like a James Bond makeover which caters to the the Jack Bauer crowd. The JB in this movie could probably be comparable to Jack Bauer on 24. Both have very good melee skills and kick major ass. But Bond gets more chicks... sorry Jack.

Anyway, I'm no film critic, but it's a movie I just had to talk about.

Game I'm working on "CALLING ALL CARS!"

Here's the game I'm currently working on. It's by the guy who brough you God of War, Mr. David Jaffe. You could check out his blog at www.davidjaffe.biz. But here are a few images for your viewing pleasure...

Originally this image was meant as a concept piece, but I think Dave liked it and made it the cover... at least for now.

Here's one of the levels in the game. Below are other high level game art.

To get the latest on the game, just visit dave's site.

I figured it out!!!

Okay, took me a while but now the colors of this site is more like what I want it to be. I find that these sites aren't very intuitive. Anyway, with much tampering I think I pretty much got it. As another test, here's a link to my website.

And as another test post, here's a pic I did of Littlepoop and Rudy. Seems like everyone's doing animal drawings these days:)... hint, hint.

LITTPOOP:

RUDY:

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...

Just joined. Have no clue how this thing works...