In loving memory of Alfredo (Pops) B. Licudine

In loving memory of Alfredo (Pops) B. Licudine

September 4, 1923 - November 29, 2008

My wonderful grandfather Pops kept talking to me, "I want you to smoke cigarettes and drink alcoholic drinks for me." But I refused and said to him, "How about ice cream? lollipop?" He nodded excitedly and we ate ice creams together. He suffered by smoking and drinking before he got paralyzed and had a brain stroke past few years ago. We kept taking care of him at all times. Today, I didn't expect his last breath and started crying. I wish my grandfather Pops could watch my "Live Your Dreams" animation and other art commissions because I wanted him to feel very proud of his granddaughter and I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. But sadly, he was blind, he couldn't see my paintings.

Past few years ago, I enjoyed taking photos of Lolo Pops. I saw his different emotions: depression, happiness, peace, love and sadness.

Lolo Pops, tomorrow I'm going to smoke one or two cigarettes and drink a few beers as you requested me. I never forget you and love you very much.

Small Stuff 2

During my Live Your Dreams project, I took a break and did my two paintings for the art group show, "Small Stuff 2" Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery in Florida, USA.

Sandalwood's Cat Whisperer
Mixed Media on Wood
(Acrylics + Colored Pencils + Coffee + Charcoal + Dried Leaves)
8" X 8"

Vetiver's Cat Kisser
Mixed Media on Wood
(Acrylics + Colored Pencils + Coffee + Charcoal + Dried Leaves)
8" X 8"

Amanda emailed me that she submitted the image of my commissioned Bear and Bird painting to the Hi-Fructose magazine for the print ad. I ordered it and then, I received it after 2 weeks. I'm lovin' it! I enjoyed reading other articles about Stella Im Hulberg, Tara McPherson, Tom Haubrick and other great artists. Hi-Fructose is just like Juxtapoz magazine. Thank you very much, Amanda! I'm so flattered and grateful! I love you so much, sweetie Amanda! Don't forget to visit "Small Stuff 2" exhibit on this Saturday, there are more great artists! Have fun!

Now I'm busy in doing my newest wood paintings for the next art group show on 2009 in Nucleus Gallery. Wish me luck! I really miss doing my paintings waaahhhhhh! I have to go back to my work and spend time with my relatives! See you guys!

LIVE YOUR DREAMS Campaign (Part Two)

Okay guys, it's time to tell you my story about the "Live Your Dreams" TV commercial. BBDO Guerrero was eager to ask me if I would be interested in doing a TV commercial animation. BBDO really liked the feel of my project and my art. They also really liked the pace in how I work. I was so flattered. It made me realized that it was a great opportunity. I said to BBDO, "I'm willing to do it!" Hehehehehe! I was working with BBDO Guerrero, Director Mike Alcarazen, Holy Cow Animation, Provill (Production Village) and Optimal Digital for two months.

Here's the old treatment and work flow by Director Mike Alcarazen:

THE PROCESS: The Alcazaren Bros. will be in charge of doing the main storyboard for the animation and the direction for the live scene in the end. The board will be very detailed to provide a complete visual flow. The storyboard will already take inputs from May Ann and the animators from Holy Cow. Initial background lay-outs and character designs will also be presented from May Ann. Once these are presented and approved, May Ann can start finalizing the designs. In the meantime, the main animation shall begin. I propose doing a very rough initial animation or an animatics for pre-visualization and timings (not the line test yet). We can set presentations to agency for this step alone. Once the animatics is approved, the artists can commence the full animation while May Ann can begin her backgrounds. The animators shall be broken into teams as we have a concept which requires so many animated elements. These shall be animated as separate elements and shall be composited later during on-line. Meanwhile, the live-action scene can be shot simultaneous to the animation production as it requires a bit of rotoscoping for the final scene (based on an idea I have for the ending; i.e. the last animated frame shall match the live scene). No post effects will be required here. So there will be a major collaboration with the 4 teams: the Alcazaren Bros, Dany Montano and Holy Cow, May Ann and the people from post. Please also ask Danny if he can do pre-visualization via cg. I was thinking of visualizing the action in 3D so the process can be faster.

I worked as a chief designer: background artist, character designer and animator (my gosh, I wish I could be a professional animator hehehe!) First, I started doing my character designs.

Dream Girl (Caucasian). The striped pajama changed into a white one according to BBDO's request.

Seahorse and Karetela (two-wheeled cartlike)
Zamboanga Vinta (Philippine traditional boat)

Philippine Eagle and Hammock

After researching and studying more animals, festivals, traditions, cultures, foods, famous places of the Philippines for two days, I drew the backgrounds on my big sketchpad. Whoa, it was so hard! The sketches were approved by BBDO.

Fiesta / Nightlife Background

Folklore / Nature Background

Beach scape Background
Cityscape Background. This scene was cancelled by BBDO. Those shopping bags have moved to the Fiesta scene.

Under the Sea Background

Thanks God that I finally bought a Wacom tablet before doing the final digital backgrounds on Photoshop. Whoa, it was hardly complex! Please click them to full view.

Details? Alright, enjoy viewing a few pics of my very complex details, colors and textures! Check my character boy Jose Rizal (national hero of the Philippines) below! Is he cute, isn't it?

Director Mike Alcarazen with BBDO team has been doing the direction for the live scene in the end. I got photos from BBDO copywriter Paw Berroya, please check her Multiply account to view more!

The project was accomplished! The "Live Your Dreams" TVC will release on CNN, CNBC, ANC and other few foreign channels. Thanks to BBDO Guerrero, Direk Mike, Sir Danny and Holy Cow team, Provill, Optimal Digital and DOT! Enjoy watching, guys!

LIVE YOUR DREAMS Campaign (Part One)

Hello everyone, I'm back here in my beloved peaceful province La Union. I want to thank you all for the wonderful comments and greetings. I'm so grateful. I'm so sorry for not replying to all of you because of my crazy hectic schedule. For my clients who emailed me about making art commissions, I'm so sorry, I'm not available this time. I need to take more rest. I'll be open for the art commissions on 2009. Thanks for understanding me!

It's time to tell you my story about my project. Past few months ago, BBDO Guerrero was trying to find the three Filipino artists for the "Live Your Dreams" campaign, The Philippine Department of Tourism. They chose me for the beach theme, Luis Lorenzana for the nature theme and Dexter Fernandez for the nightlife theme. The project was quite interesting.

I started sketching my first rough sketch for the full painting like 4ft by 4ft (48" X 48") according to BBDO's request.

But BBDO asked me to cancel the big one. They requested me to add more serious complex elements and textures like Where's Waldo and make two separated pieces for the vertical and horizontal format.

I was painting the vertical piece for 3 weeks and then, the horizontal one for 2 weeks. The size was 3 ft by 4 ft (36" x 48") and the medium was acrylics and colored pencils on wood. I also made the handwriting font. About the revisions, the dream girl's hair color and cave have been changed according to BBDO's requests.

I like the vertical one better than horizontal one, hehehe. Honestly, I felt incomplete with my horizontal piece because of the few textures and elements. I mean, I lost my focus on my art when I was hurried to finish the painting before the deadline. But it's okay, at least my mission accomplished. Hooray!


BBDO David Guerrero, Art Directors Danielle Lim, Joel Limchoc and others are truly amazingly intelligent, talented, hardworking, cool and wonderful! I was in awe with their brilliance, creative and intelligence so I really liked their ideas and concepts for the "Live Your Dreams" campaign. Tee hee, i took few pictures of BBDO Guerrero team quietly when I was with them.


In my personal opinion, BBDO gave me more serious retakes and requests, it made me realized that I shouldn't complain. Because I think it was so great to improve my art skills and learn new things. Plus their requests and critics were perfectly good. BBDO, thank you very much for everything! You guys are so amazing! WORK WORK WORK!


Anyway, I would like to feature my fellow great talented fabulous painters: This is Luis Lorenzana's painting for the nature theme of the "Live Your Dreams". I'm in awe with his very surrealistic painting. I love his delicious colors! He has numerous exhibits and awards! Please check his dark paintings, murals, shoes, toys and sculptures on his Multiply site out!

And here's the vivid amazing painting for the nightlife theme of Dexter Fernandez. I adore his fresh style! He does graffiti walls, customized designs for the Jansport bags, shirts, more! He has his DeviantART gallery, visit him!

The print ads of the campaign have been featured in advertising like brochures, posters, billboards, more and international magazines: Times Magazine, The Economist, Forbes and News Week. And here's a media feature from Brand Republic.


From the ClickTheCity.com, it says:

"The Live Your Dream campaign has just had its first overseas run through the DOT pavilion in the recently concluded International and Property and Investment Show (IPIS 2008) held in Seoul, South Korea's largest exhibition venue, the Convention & Exhibition Center or COEX. The Philippines was just one of 14 countries where the exhibition’s 70 participating real estate & property, hotel & resort, and construction & property management companies have come from."

BBDO finally chose me to make an animated TV commercial for the "Live Your Dreams campaign. I'll post my animated video after it will be released in Tokyo, Japan.

Tomorrow, I'll meet my deaf friends in SPED and I'll be an art judge for their local art poster contest there. I'm so excited to watch them painting their entries. See you guys!

Find my art on Forbes Magazine

Grab a Forbes Magazine in your favorite magazine / book store right now and search my painting, commissioned by BBDO Guerrero. I can't post the full image here unless you better see it in person... that makes you happy. *Mall smiles widely* I'll post more later when I'll go back to my province soon.

My Last Working Days

My last working days, ahhh.... I enjoyed working as a chief designer ( character design artist, background artist and animator ) for nearly two months. It was so complex but fun.

Sir Danny (animation director from Holy Cow Animation) is quite cool, talented and nice! I worked in his office room. I loved to see his toy collections like Batman, Hulk, etc.

I was with Maryln (Sir Danny's wife, managing director) and Holy Cow 2-D amazing animators whom I was collaborating with. They are wonderful good people! There were more 3-D animators, colorists, inkers, etc. in the other rooms but I didn't take photos yet.

Sigh, I'm sure I'll miss them so I won't forget them. Those photos were taken by Danny Montano and his wife Marlyn. I'll disable comments here now because I don't have time to reply to you guys. But I'll definitely reply to all of you in my previous blog entries, don't worry! Hope the project will be finished soon.

And oh, this is my last old picture of me and my mama where I worked on my complex backgrounds at the apartment. I was so stressed, pale and tired after working. My mama kept encouraging me. Love , Kiss, Support and Hug are priceless, aye? She's such a big sweetheart. Anyway, see you guys on November! Thanks for the lovely comments! MWAH!