Dedication Table of Contents

Dedicated to two people. First in memory of my older cousin, Introduction by Carlos Huante 04
Johnny Vasquez, who is my earliest memory of inspiration.
Everyone has that cool older cousin or sibling that grabs their
attention just by virtue of their being, well he was that to me.
Biography 05
Whenever he’d visit, he’d take the time to sit and draw. He
never made me feel like it was an imposition. We were just
two guys drawing hot rods and dragsters.
The Artwork of Carlos Huante 09
The second person I must dedicate this book to is Monica
Huante, my wife, my muse. Something must be said about a
spouse who allows their mate to indulge themselves in their Afterword 122
chosen vocation without complaint, without restraint. She is
my inspiration, without whom my life would be a dark hall-
way with no doors.
Contact Info 128

Copyright © 2004 by Design Studio Press

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, xerography,
and videography recording without written permission from the publisher, Design Studio Press.

All illustrations in this book are copyright © 2004 by Carlos Huante. Printed in Hong Kong
First Edition, February 2004
Published by Design Studio Press
8577 Higuera Street Library of Congress Control Number:
Culver City, CA 90232
http://www.designstudiopress.com Softcover ISBN 0-9726676-2-8
E-mail: Info@designstudiopress.com Hardcover ISBN 0-9726676-3-6
 Biography

Carlos Huante was born in East L.A. in 1965 to Carlos, Sr. and layout. More importantly he discovered there was a department
Amada Huante, the third of four children. From the very get out devoted exclusively to designing characters, called the Models
of the womb, the arts were in him. Both his parents were from department, and that every animation company has one.
creative families, one conservative and predominantly musical,
the other eccentric and intuitively creative in everything from He left Filmation and started work as an assistant layout artist at
drawing to music to costume-making. With his father keeping the sister company to Hanna-Barbera, Ruby and Spears. There
Introduction Carlos’ interests in the sciences and the real world, his mother he worked under Cosmo Anzolotti and learned all about layout
enjoyed the fantastic, which included monster movies. for animation. But Carlos still hadn’t found what he was looking
for. The next season Carlos landed a job as a character designer
Some of my earliest memories are of drawing. I remember my camera and puppetry work. Unfortunately I also heard that the Carlos’ first grade class was given a course in Mexican mask- on the Ghostbusters animated series, a dream job. Carlos consid-
cousin, Johnny Vasquez from Phoenix, Arizona, who would visit cost was not so perfect, but man did that thing look good! All making. This first experience with clay was all it took for Carlos ers this the true beginning of his career.
us in the summer sometimes. He was at least 13 years older than this being said, I’m no “special effects guy”. I’m just an illustra- to realize how much he liked it, and how much other people
I, and I remember us sitting on the tile floor of the entryway to tor who has worked in the film industry for the last 10 years and enjoyed him doing it. They photographed him and his first After two years in the animation industry, Carlos realized that
my house in East Los Angeles, with red pencils in hand and a have seen its changes, some of which are not necessarily good. sculpt for the local East Los Angeles paper. being an artist required more than just good drawing skills. The
stack of paper. We would draw hot rods, dragsters or anything politics of the job were almost more than he could handle and
with half the engine sticking out of the hood and the exhaust All I’ve got to say is, “Where are the monster movies!?” There His interest in music grew side-by-side with his interest in art. after the Ghostbusters job ended he stopped pursuing art jobs
pipes peeking out in front of the back tires. Man, that was some are none. There are lots of action-adventure movies, some super- He received awards for music and art during his grade-school and nearly quit the industry. Carlos held odd jobs off and on,
good fun. I thought his drawings were magic. They had strong hero movies, but really no monster movies. It’s a dead genre. years, so his focus on a career as an artist (illustrator) did not more off than on, but never stopped drawing. Two years into
shadows and sharp highlights, mind-blowing to a four-year-old Unfortunately, the people with the money tell us things must be become completely clear till he was faced with having to decide what would become a three-year hiatus, Carlos met the love of
kid. All I knew was that I had to draw better than him the next this way. Blockbuster “B” movies are all the rage in Hollywood whether to go to a 5-year tech private high school or to a public his life, Monica Martinez. Carlos and Monica were wed a year
time he visited. I knew it was ambitious but I was determined, these days—bad movies with big budgets. Part of the reason, I high school where he could study what he pleased. He decided later on June 2, 1989 and have been happily married ever since.
and though I never had the chance to show him what he inspired think, is that audiences have been starved for so long for some- to attend the tech private school to study architecture, but as the Also in that time, Carlos’ faith in Christ matured and he decided
in me, and that I actually make a living drawing, I know he’d thing fresh and original, that they’ll flock to see any hyped-up school would have the final say as to which profession would to commit his life, and has been a believer ever since. In the
get a kick out of the things I’m doing now. big budget film...at least the first weekend. best suit him, they decided to make Carlos a printer. After only month of March of 1989, Carlos, inspired by the fact that he was
one year he decided that this school was not for him. about to be married, decided to give the animation industry
Besides chilaquiles and Yerba Buena (mint tea), I grew up on What does all this have to do with monster movies? Well, it another try, and ended right back on the Ghostbusters animated
“stop-motion” monster movies. As everything is new when means that Hollywood won’t be changing its tune anytime soon. His sophomore year Carlos enrolled at Schurr High School in series. From that time forward he has worked incessantly, all
you’re a child, I don’t remember which one I saw first. I do Formulaic films will rule as long as they are making money, and Montebello, California, where he involoved himself with music. over the animation and film industry. He’s worked for Rick
believe King Kong was the first, then Mighty Joe Young and all innovative, inspired science-fiction stories with great monsters It wasn’t until his junior year, when he saw the school’s annual Baker, Rob Bottin, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Guillermo
the Sindbad movies, including Jason and the Argonaunts and will take a back seat, (actually they’re not even in the car yet). art show and noticed how serious some of the art students were Del Torro and the very significant Chiodo Bros. who, through
Mysterious Island. Obviously Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon I’m hopeful that the day will come when Hollywood stops giv- about their art, that he decided to finally enter the school’s art his new friend at the time (in 1992) Miles Tevez, gave Carlos
Chaney and Lon Chaney, Jr. had a great deal to do with my ing into fear, and allows some talented director to make another program. He received trophies and honorable mentions during his his first live-action job.
early memories of film, but Ray Harryhausen was the embodi- great monster movie like the first or second Alien, American two years in the program, and some of his drawings were pur-
ment of cool for me as a child. As an adult I can see clearly that Werewolf in London, The Thing, Predator, or any of the classics chased by the school. He graduated from high school in 1983. Carlos’ professional career in animation lasted for 8 years before
his work is still the mark to measure by. I mentioned earlier. Until they do I’ll just continue drawing, he decided to jump with both legs into the film industry. Today
painting and sculpting for myself, and sharing the art with you Carlos attended East Los Angeles College for a year. While taking Carlos works for Lucas Digital and is part of the creature
A lot of people get caught up in celebrating the technical in books like this. night classes in life drawing at Art Center College of Design in development team.
achievements in special effects, and forget about personality, Pasadena, he met Mike Spooner, a successful illustrator and great
life. I don’t know if the hyper-realism being achieved in CG for Carlos Huante draftsman, who worked at Filmation, an animation company. It
spaceships and matte paintings is the solution for characters. Autumn 2003 was there, thanks to Mike Spooner, that Carlos started his career.
There are few who have given personality and life to fully CG Like most young artists, he started off as a runner...running lots of
characters. I thought Go-Motion, which was used in Dragon errands. A year later he was working as an artist in the Layout
Slayer for the dragon, was a perfect combination of computer, department, where he learned a lot about politics and a little about

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Afterword

Many people have asked me why I like drawing such dark A few words on how I work. Models are good for study, but unless you want to be a copy show. The work will always look substandard. Now for the
subject matter. “Why don’t you glorify the good?” they ask. In machine, you better learn to draw out of your head. design stage. Let me give you an example, when I drew con-
high school I remember my art teacher—before she realized she "Imagination on paper" is the key. If you haven’t learned to cepts for the Mikey character in Men in Black, I used no refer-
had no chance of swaying my interests—suggested to me that I I really have no single approach, except I always start with pen- draw out of your head, what will you have to offer the client? ence except for what was in my head, my imagination.
should explore more pleasant subject matter (flowers and such). cil on paper. I draw with black Prismacolor pencils on rag layout You can’t offer them a figure drawing when they’re asking for a
My response is that I don’t see aliens and monsters as dark marker paper, made by Bienfang. For color I’ve used everything plant creature with three mouths and ten legs. When the design stage for Mikey began, I decided to make him
subject matter, but as the contrary. from markers to acrylics. Sometimes I use an Iwata Hp-c air- "frog-like". I pulled out reference photos of different kinds of
brush to draw or to lay down my base color, when painting with How do I approach a design? Well, after the client has given me frogs, looked at them, and then put them away. This is a good
Life is full of good and bad. Some of the scariest things I’ve a traditional brush. Sometimes I’ll scan in a traditionally an idea as to what they want, and/or I have read the script, I usu- way to train your memory, which is the food for your imagina-
ever seen or heard of are people’s actions toward one another. approached color rough, and finish it in the Corel Painter pro- ally get an idea. Sometimes it’s clearer than others, but either tion, and not merely to copy what you see. Ninety percent of the
The artwork I do is fantastic, it’s science fiction, it’s not real, it’s gram 6.03 or higher. way at least I have a feeling for what I’m going to draw. What time I use no reference—but when I do, I often find inspiration
imaginary, so please don’t take it so seriously. Although some of I’ll do is take what they asked for and add it to the feelings I got in the shapes of plants, parts of animals, insects, or machines.
my pieces are metaphorical depictions of real life, artwork of It really doesn’t matter how you approach color, as long as your from the conversation I had with them. It’s a little like mind
this nature should not be judged as dark, good or bad. drawing is solid. If you have good taste in color, you can make a reading, I guess. There’s really no science to it. When I look at the work of artists like N.C. Wyeth, Frank
good drawing sing. Remember though, good drawing is the most Frazzetta, and Stanislav Szukalski, I use their work and that of
And to the artists...there are lots of art snobs out there so don’t get important thing. Concept is the stage where you invent and draw multiple ideas. other great artists as the mark to which I aspire. I think it’s
discouraged. A lot of the artsy-fartsy types, as I like to call them, Design is the stage where the best of those ideas are taken to the important we measure ourselves as artists against established
don’t respect what we do in production (film or animation). These Nowadays it seems that because of computers, some artists have next level. Let’s talk about concept first. For concept I try not to masters; to try to walk along the path they have forged, to at
are the people who appreciate a square on a blank canvas. become lazy about drawing. Computers are great tools, but are use reference. First of all there’s not always the luxury of time least keep our eyes fixed on something solid. If you look at my
not the be-all and end-all. If you cannot draw, then really what and second of all I like to exercise my imagination. I believe it’s drawing area at work, you’ll notice among the mess are my John
Artists can make a good living working in film, but as far as indi- good are you? The computer can’t do it for you, just like the the only way to create work that is unique to yourself and that Buscema and Nicolai Fechin drawings. They keep me focused
vidual expression goes, don’t expect too much. Film is a collabo- pencil can’t do it for you either. doesn’t look derivative. That’s why I think the best training for on what good drawing is, so I don’t get lazy or bleached by the
rative effort. It’s like being in a rock band with an egotistical gui- artists is drawing from their imagination. Life drawing is great days. This is not reference but inspiration to remind me of the
tar player and an exceptionally spoiled, lead singer. As an artist, training and is necessary but what happens more often than not beauty of drawing.
you usually get treated like a roadie, even though as the artist you is people that have done the bulk of their training in school get
are probably the one leading the project creatively. You might locked on the human figure and things they see, and have a hard
think that this is a jaded view of the industry but unfortunately it’s time trying to be inventive. They’ll draw great costumes but
just the plain truth. It’s what we do after knowing these things that have a hard time escaping the human figure. I’m not saying that
makes us either a cynical, miserable husk of a person, or a strong, life-drawing has no value. I am saying that the bulk of training
self-inspired creator who is resilient under pressure, and can con- should be from drawing at home from your imagination because
tinue to produce new, fresh ideas as well as inspiring others. you love it. If you don’t love drawing or being creative then it’ll

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BORN AGAIN ADOLESCENCE
This subject has been visited for hundreds of years. Why should I attempt it after so This is a piece that I first attempted at the age of 18. At the time, I didn’t quite possess the
many artists better than I have done so? Well, this subject matter is very personal to me ability to pull it off, but the idea was strong enough for me to want to revisit it now. For this
and I wanted to speak of it as one of my generation. piece, I did the drawing and painted rough on masonite, in acrylics. I then scanned the paint-
ing in pieces because the size of the acrylic rough is about 36”L x 24”W, maybe bigger, I’m
The meaning: The crowd rages en masse, driven by their hatred of the truth, unbe- not sure. I then assembled the pieces in Photoshop and finished the piece in Painter.
knownst to them. They represent all of us who, before knowing Christ, are opposed to
Him and His Word. Notice all the figures are deformed except Christ and the man to the The meaning: Starting with the four heads down the middle, the blue head represents the
right of Him, which in scripture is the one who chooses to trust in Christ. gloomy expectation of what is to come, in this case, adolescence. The green head is fear and
all that comes with it—jealousy, envy, insecurity—fear turns and invites anger & rage (the
The skull on which the three are crucified is the historical hill called Golgotha ("the red head). Anger and rage settle in to complete the attitude with apathy (the yellow head).
skull"). The arrows embedded in the Christ figure are the curses that the crowd is
yelling out. The four heads together represent all the confusion that occurs during this period of our lives,
and all the rage, joy, excitement, and apathy that accompanies adolescence. The chemical and
bodily changes are represented by the abstract organic shapes.

The surrounding figures represent the pressures one feels during those formative, sensitive
years—the pressure of peoples’ expectations, the pressure from peers and from yourself. If
you look below the fourth head (the yellow head), you’ll notice the hint of a figure that looks
THE STAND like it’s moving upward. This represents his spirit moving upward toward what finally res-
"The Stand" is a song by the band, The Alarm, which inspired me to think of this piece. cues him/me personally, Christ.

The meaning: The man standing on the rock represents anyone who, against all opposi-
tion, makes a stand for what he or she believes...in this case, his faith in Christ. The
rock on which the man stands represents Christ. In scripture, Christ is called the Rock
of Our Salvation; he is the cornerstone.

The crowd represents the religious, the legalistic, the politically correct, and the people
VOCATIONS
who are so deeply rooted in their traditions that they blindly follow those traditions,
This might sound strange to some of you but I have dreams (yeah, I know). Anyway, I
without understanding the reasons those traditions exist—all of which are contrary to
dreamed I went to a bookstore looking for a particular book, but while looking for this book
Christ and contrary to the truth.
I instead found a book of my own artwork. This piece is my first attempt at trying to realize
one of the many pieces of artwork I saw in this book (in my dream).

The meaning: No matter what your personal life’s story is, whether you are a mechanic, min-
ister, murderer, politician, or simply a man or woman in love, we are all fuel for the
Machine. The Machine that feeds on us is of our own creation. It is the World System, the
Media, the Entertainment, the Government, Social politics, Tolerance and Intolerance. Our
lives, whether good or bad, feed the Machine and perpetuate its life and make it strong.

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VICES
This piece was done after being bedridden for four days with the flu.
I could take it no more. "Carlos can I get you anything?" "Uh yeah, my brown drawing
pad and the 3b pencils and some more Thera-flu please. Thank you." Yeah, it’s nice hav-
ing someone take care of you when you’re sick.

The Meaning: People being scooped up and eaten and spit out and eaten again and
again by their own vices. That’s pretty much it. You know I could leave the meaning of
these pieces up to the viewer or to the critics, but then someone would come along and
make up something about the work that has nothing to do with the piece or me. That
would be unfair to you and to me. I find it really interesting when I read what an artist
was thinking about when he/she did a particular piece, as long as it’s not some made-up
blather. If it’s real and true, then it gives poetry to the art. It gives it thickness, and I
think that’s edifying to the viewer.

Special Thanks

GRACE & JUDGMENT

This piece was sketched on Masonite, then scanned in and painted in the Corel Painter First of all, I must thank God through Jesus my lord for such a and all of you who are still out there pushing the walls down.
program. The medium for each piece is determined by the personality of that particular gift, I am truly grateful. Thank you to my wife of 13 yrs. Thank you to all those artists who inspired me from childhood,
work. On most drawings I’ll use black Prismacolor, but there are times when I’ll use Monica, you are my every day inspiration in everything and I Willis O’Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Dick Smith, Rob Bottin, Phil
graphite or Colorerase or Derwent colored pencils, etc. It all depends on, well, on two am so lucky to have you in my life. Thank you Mom and Dad Tippet, Dennis Muren, Max Fliescher, Walt Disney, Chuck
things. One is the emotion of the piece itself. What is it that the piece is saying by virtue for the gift of life, of love and drawing and always supporting Jones, Jack Kirby, Richard Corbin, Gaetano Liberatore, Tex
of its design? What is the subject matter? The second is the emotion you have for it. me. Thanks to all my family Janet, Blanche, Ed, & my Nina Avery, Alex Toth, Otomo Katsuhiro, Wayne Barlow, Philppe
What emotion does the subject matter stir up in you? Do you feel rage or gentleness, Chela and Nino Rafael for always believing, Margaret thank you Druillet, Bernie Wrightson, John Buscema, Frank Frazzetta,
anger or kindness, indignance or apathy, pride or hatred? You know what I’m saying for all the prayers. Thanks Simon, Bertha, David, Joe, Janeci, for Juan Jimenez, Cam Kennedy, Beksinski, Giger, Moebius, Burt
here. Whatever I feel when I think of a piece I’m about to work on is pretty telling as to the undying hospitality, and to Johnny Vasquez to whom, with Silverman for "Breaking the Rules of Watercolor", Stanislav
the medium. I know this sounds abstract but it’s the only way I can describe the reason my wife, this book is dedicated. To all those who inspired me Szukalski, Syd Mead, Ralph McQuarrie, N.C Wyeth, Howard
I’ll choose different mediums for different pieces. with their talent and friendship, here are just a few: Mike Pyle, Leyendecker, Dean Cornwell, Joseph Clement Coll, Z
Spooner for getting me started, Jose Fernandez and Miles Teves Burian, Bill Sienkiewicz, Arthur Rackum, Brian Froud, Jeffrey
The meaning: The feminine figures represent Grace. They are all that is feminine. If you my first meeting with excellence, Matthew Codd thanks for Jones, Rockwell, Sargent, Dali, Rodin, Mucha, Klimpt, Nicolai
are fortunate enough to find a woman who loves you anywhere near the way you love showing us all how to use markers, Ricardo Delgado, Mike Fechin, Turner, Velasquez, Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros, Posada,
her, then you understand that a crude character like man has definitely been shown Elizalde, Eric Robles, Moto, Jordu Schell, Dave Lowry, Steve Rembrant, Carravagio, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Bernini, and
grace to have such a beautiful being in his life. Thus the feminine figures represent Wang and Matt Rose thank you both for Predator, Mitch Clint Eastwood, Bruce Lee, Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurasawa,
grace. The masculine characters represent Judgment, as we men have behaved as judges Devaine, Jim Kagel, Chiodo Brothers, Tyrone Williams, Charles Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Ridley Scott, George Lucas,
over each other for thousands of years. Country judging country, race judging race, gang Stanley, Rev. James Taylor of Richmond, Calif., Darren and Ira Spielberg, Errol Flynn, Harrison Ford, Arnold, U2, Radiohead,
judging gang. This is the base of what men are truly capable. I don’t believe we have "the nut" Gilford, Ken Ralston, Stephan Martinaire, and Neville Jane’s Addiction, Rage Against The Machine, The Alarm, X,
come even close to the potential for good that we as men are capable of. Thus man in Page, Melissa and Scott Robertson thank you for believing in Rachmoninov, Giant Robot, Gigantor, War of the Gargantuas,
all his rage, represents Judgment. me, Jon Foster, Iain McCaig, Rick Baker, thank you for the kind Godzilla, DaiMajin, King Taco, Mambo’s café, "Papa’s con
words, Zhaoping "the background king" Wei, and to Jeff Mann, chile" and Yerba Buena, and this is just to name a few of the
Nak, Bconn, Andrew Cawrse, "Lungfish Aplin", Frank Gravat, people and things that have inspired me.
Eric Tiemens, Ryan Church, and all my friends at ILM, you
know who you are. Thank you to Kent Williams, Jon J. Muth,
Phil Hale, Chris Cunningham, Travis Charest, Michael Gagne,
Justin Sweet, Sebastian Kruger, Craig Mullins, Ashley Wood,

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 Carlos Huante Contact Info:

kletos1@yahoo.com

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