Benjamin Chee: Animator / Story Artist

Jeremiah Joanna: A 20.11.2011 Wedding

2012-02-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

I drew this as a comic journal as an experiment of sorts, just trying to note down the people, what they say, on location. Trying to see how different, or how similar I might approach the event from my friend, who's the wedding photographer.
Pencil roughs on the spot, Hero pen to ink back at home and some photoshop tones.

tigerrr

2011-12-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

Something I started but never finished earlier in the year.

No More Nations

2011-11-14T05:35:00.001-08:00

Experimenting how I might approach a coloured comic, taking cues from Ashley Wood and Pascal Campion.

Pencils rough while sitting in a McDonalds' one night after watching Real Steel. I was hoping to draw some robot action, then "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature!" (movie quote - Network, 1976) sort of rang out in the background from nowhere. Then this came out. haha.

musketeer

2011-11-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

an action sequence study. pencil roughs on paper, then inked over with Hero pen, then photoshopped tones.

comics from life

2011-10-11T02:07:00.000-07:00

Like JF said, 24 hours comics tend to have its effects.. Going through withdrawal and starts drawing panels whenever I can.

24 Hours Comics 2011

2011-10-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Open publication

And Why Would You

created in 24 Hours Comics Day 2011 in Singapore, Goodman Arts Centre. 10.00am - 05.55am

Pen and ink on A5 paper / Photoshop tones

It was a great avenue to do something I wouldn't have normally done. While thinking of an idea, I came up with a guy whose response to everything is to question "And why would you?". I just ran with it, and made some fourth wall jokes on the way. Incredibly interesting experience. Can't wait for next year.

I did not plan extensively at first, I drew straight ahead while trying to come up with the story about 2 pages at a time. So I've had about 6 pages inked by dinnertime. After dinner, I decided to just simply rough out the whole thing directly on paper - thankfully. Because by the time I'm inking page 16 - this was way past midnight - my brain had shut itself down, and only my hand kept itself moving. If I still have to think about the story by then, it would have been disastrous.

A Bersih Tribute

2011-10-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

Open publication

About what happened in the Bersih 2.0 Rally in KL on the 9th of July, 2011.

Minerva, 1998

2011-07-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

FULL COMIC HERE

My tribute to the end of the Potter series: my interpretation of the Mcgonagall vs Snape duel towards the end of the last book.

short comics

2011-07-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

"bodhi"

A Giant on the Train

In a Funeral

A Rousing Speech

2011-07-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of rousing speeches yet? Every movie needs one to qualify for epicness....

pen on paper / Photoshop

Singing Lady comic practice

2011-07-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

written by Drew, drawn by Ben.
Pen and ink on white paper / Photoshop

OIC Portrait Day [April 2011] Drawings

2011-04-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ten Days in Taiwan: Sketchbook / Journal

2011-03-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

A journal compilation of sketches, photographs from my trip to Taiwan in December 2010.

Open publication - Free publishing - More journal

OIC Portrait Day [March 2011] Drawings

2011-03-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

and this is my personal favourite of the day:

Counsels of Prudence (24 Hour Comics)

2011-01-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More sci-fi

2D animation compilation

2010-11-24T00:35:00.000-08:00

2D animation compilation benjamin 2010 from Benjamin Chee on Vimeo.

Include:

animation studies (from 2D to 3D) of the monster in Zevastator Gorgaroj (3D model/rig by Elvin Siew),
animation from I'm Sold
game animation work from Dearth
some flash animation doodles

a Bleach fan comic

2010-11-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More manga

A 38-page comic, based on the world of Bleach created over 4 weeks. As an exercise to force myself to use traditional medium only, it was created with 0.5 mechanical pencil, chinese ink, poster colour, and liquid paper on A5 sketchbooks. Edited with Photoshop.

Some select pages, and a works-in-progress photo:

character designs + sketches

2010-10-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

24 Hour Comic challenge

2010-10-04T03:28:00.000-07:00

Double spread from my 24 Hour Comics attempt, Counsels of Prudence. It retells the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinsk with a sci-fi element.

My personal account of the solitary creating experience, and the full comic at its 24-hour-standing, can be found here.

Zevastator GORGAROJ

2010-06-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

and the monsters are...

2010-05-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

a compilation of the designs of the monsters and explorations of their behavior. We have to keep in mind that these designs are practical to execute within scope of a 16-week project.

I mainly did the illustrations, while 3D models/sculpts are created by Elvin Siew.

a monster movie that isn't

2010-05-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

after a week of concepting, we decided to throw in a twist and add some spice. So, instead of a Singaporean dad trying to make his son the next 5-year-old Phd., it became a story of a giant monster teaching his baby to become the next destroyer of worlds (How to Train your Dragon haven't come out yet)...

some first drafts

some of the final boards:

Final Animatic:

parent / child story development

2010-05-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

developing a story about over-achieving parents who "train" their sons and daughters to be top scorer in every. single. thing.

and a portion of the initial storyboards:

Making of... "Zevastator GORGAROJ"

2010-05-02T13:40:00.001-07:00

salesman movie: I'm Sold

2010-03-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

A conceptual animation which highlights the issues of marketing that causes our exploitation through consumerism.
It is about how we are being constantly sold an ideal lifestyle, a dream, a promise that we are suckered into, so that we will buy advertised products.
The irony behind this: we are actually aware about the truth – that these promises are empty and the dreams will never happen – yet we still subscribe to them.

Created and Animated by Benjamin Chee
Project Time: August - November 2009

salesman movie concept 2

2010-03-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Confirmed character designs:

The city and the poor farmer's room:

salesman movie concept

2010-03-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

Developing ideas for a movie about consumerism, featuring a sly salesman.
Initial story sketches and character doodles:

Expanding thoughts on the setting:

GAMBIT: Dearth Concept Art

2010-01-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

I was involved in the development of Dearth as an artist on a 9-man team. Full credits listed on the website.

I am primarily responsible for creating concept art, art direction, character designs, in-game animations and illustrations, and this poster:

Play the game here.

Here are my concept art for the game:

alchemy

2009-04-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

painting is never the same again with alchemy!! only the 3rd one is not derived from an alchemy sketch. it was based on a theme of "man-eating carrots"

alchemy, photoshop
march 2009

dances

2009-04-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

paintings based on dance poses

practices in march

2009-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

sketches and lighting and colour practice

Immortal Child Supplementary

2009-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Prelim sketches I did in development for Immortal Child - and a maquette I sculpted in 4 nights.

Character Design Project: Immortal Child

2009-04-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Development process of Immortal Child, from concept art to finished, rigged and animatable 3D model.

The Immortal Child is an old martial arts overlord housed in a little girl's body. Accidents in her youth caused her unable to grow normally, forcing her to spend the rest of her days with the stature of a little child. As such, she displays a blend of characteristics of an old woman and a little girl in her body structure. Her agility is unmatched, nor is her martial arts. Her palm techniques are widely circulated to be of legendary status – she is said to be able to kill anyone, anything in one hit.

Jan-March 2009
Photoshop, Maya

the first and the last. happy new year!

2008-12-31T22:25:00.000-08:00

it's a new new year everyone! be happy.

ok. i know she doesn't look too happy...oops. photo ref. first painting of 2009. finished abt 3am.

and here is the yearender for 2008.

film colour study

2008-12-28T22:08:00.001-08:00

warlords film colour study

merry christmas

2008-12-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

i thought my pet dog would like this for a gift...

a speedpaint dragged into the midnight because Photoshop crashed 3 times...

1.5 hour paint late night, got lazy and overlayed the colours on...

benjA wishes everyone a merry christmas.

Demo Reel 2008

2008-12-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

Recent Practices

2008-12-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

compilation of sketches done in one morning in comic form

some random concept for a future film...

developed from a sketch of a child perched on his mother's lap, instantly reminded me of Empress Dowager Ci Xi...hence the name "the proud puppet"

nude study...possibly the best flesh tones i did up til now, though still not good...

The Making Of... 'til Death, I Fought

2008-11-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

A documentation of workflow in production of this semester's short film, 'til Death, I Fought.

The film is about a retired warrior recounting his glorious past - a battle against a giant that won him everything he has today.

FLASH Game

2008-09-25T03:23:00.000-07:00

RING RING RING...

Flash interactive animation built over 3 days as school project, it aims to be a prototype of a game level design.

The concept is based upon my personal response to the hour between 5am to 6am, of which to me is the struggle to wake up early and important the role of the alarm clock.

Wasn't built for web per se, hence the oversight and lack of a preloader, of which I apologize for having the viewer/player to wait.

Flash 8
Interactive Animation
22 September-25 September 2008

Fighting The Giant WIP: Concept

2008-09-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

in search of ideas, exploring the mood.

the final giant design:

the centerpiece:

THE ANIMATIC!!!

More Paintings...

2008-09-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

i still believe that Cissnei should be the female lead of Crisis Core.

1 hour practices done in school

seriously, watch Band of Brothers

and the occasional dark humour:

Holiday Practice

2008-09-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

selection of digital paintings done during the break...

Ink Sketches

2008-09-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

pen, marker, inkbrush, milo, coffee, A5/6 sketchbooks from May-July 2008.

Bai Jiang Part 2

2008-09-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Bai Jiang means defeated general (as in, army leader) in Chinese. This is the work of my entire July 2008.

Bai Jiang Part 1

2008-09-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Rite Deception

2008-05-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

the major animation project for level 1/ sem 2.

Rite Deception
April 2008
Independent Animation Short
Photoshop, Final Cut Pro

The Archivist

2008-05-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

time and equipment constraints forced the project to be only playblasted.

did all the way from Character Design, Modelling, Rigging, Animation to Lighting.
will be posting progression pieces later on.

The Archivist
April 2008
3D Animation
MAYA

Chris' Sexy Arm

2008-05-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

as a rigging and animation exercise, modelling by lecturer Chris Shaw.

Chris' Sexy Arm
April 2008
3D Animation
MAYA

MTV+ME Channel ID

2008-05-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

Render Image

Video

MTV Channel ID
February 2008
3D Animation
MAYA

Asgard: The City of Gods

2007-11-15T00:25:00.000-08:00

ASGARD: The City of Gods
November 2007
3D Animation
MAYA

Asgard WIP

2007-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Asgard
Maya WIP
2007

Modelling, Camera test

"Calling"

2007-10-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

Calling
September-October 2007
Graphic Novel
Photoshop, Watercolour

The fruit of five weeks' labour.

Enjoy my first graphic novel.

"Calling" Part 3

2007-10-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

page17-18

page19-20

page21-22

page23-24

"Calling" Part 2

2007-10-07T05:41:00.000-07:00

page7-8

page9-10

page11-12

page13-14

page15-16

"Calling" Part 1

2007-10-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

cover

intro

page1-2

page3-4

page5-6

Metamorphosis

2007-10-01T07:32:00.001-07:00

Metamorphosis
October 2007
Poster colour, Photoshop

Turning into a werewolf, I'm sick and tired of bursting fabric type of transformation, so I tried to pull a 'Kabuki'-style stunt.

Salvation

2007-09-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

Salvation
September 2007
Photoshop

Cover page for the illustration project at school.

Project Pieces

2007-09-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Fuchikoma
2006
Theme: Toys
Photoshop

Conscience
2007
Theme: Poems
Pastel on Paper

School projects. First was digital and second hand-drawn.
"Conscience" was one of my favourite piece in Foundation Year.

Illus2006

2007-09-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Precious Treasure
Smile
Breathe Again
2006

Photoshop, mouse.

My favourite is obviously "Breathe Again"- sort of the style I would like to pursue.

Dr. House

2007-09-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

House, M.D.
2006

Pencils on A3 paper

My all-time favourite TV character. Pity I miss the 3rd season altogether...

2006 Yearender

2007-09-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

Novena Yearender
2006

Photoshop, mouse

Final piece of CG in 2006.

Charcoal Reduction

2007-09-25T23:40:00.000-07:00

Katie Leung
2006

Charcoal and eraser on paper.

A4AK-First Movement Cover

2007-09-25T23:30:00.000-07:00

A4AK 1st Movement-"Who We Are"
2005

A comic page done in high school days.

Pencil, ink, Photoshop.

About "Fruits of Labour"

2007-09-25T23:28:00.001-07:00

Hmm...I'm in an animation arts course, but somehow I grew to like illustrating more=)

Here is a place where I post my artworks-illustrations in a "myself" place...haha.

Of course, you can also find me in http://zhaomeng.deviantart.com

See ya around.