[Mark E]

Hi, My mane is Mark Ervin. I was sent a message from a fellow member and so I logged in not only to find that I hadn't logged in since 2006, I never even posted a single thread...

What I did remember is what I was doing at the time I signed up, explaining the later.
At the time, I was steeped deep in storyboarding on The Simpsons Movie and had recently been hired By Tom Hand, son of Jim Hand and a Dean of Pontiac Performance...

A bit busy you might say. Well I finally came up for air, Ha ha...

I jumped ship in 2012 and have been working on building a new career doing what I love to do, drawing cars... As a Pontiac enthusiast, I have several sample to share and hope that more folks like Mike (a recent client) and Tom will see the difference in my work and contact me, to create for you, a truly unique piece of personal art. (Find me in the Garage Sale area...) I'm not necessarily Cheap and neither is what I create. You be the 'Judge" of that.
From cartoons to fully rendered precision rendering - - - in the interest of full disclosure - - - these, too, are cartoons for grown ups, so to speak...

My wife and I moved from Omaha, NE to LA in '89 where I studied animation, film and character development. The following spring, a brand new animated tv program was signed to 3 seasons and they were looking for people to chain to the many empty desks littered throughout a little studio in Hollywood. This would serve as the original factory producing piles on top of piles of 11 x14" celluloid film sheets blotted with google indwell-eyed characters sporting overbites and spiky hair (those that had hair) and tall blue bouffant hairdos. Well, that went on for about a decade with short stints on Rug Rats, Rocko's Modern Life, The Critic and Family Guy as well as some related comic book art sprinkled in in the spring while other normal folks were sprinkling weed and seed on their slumbering lawns.

At that point, in 1999, with Director credits on tree shows and half a decade as an assistant director (many years of designing, drawing and animating iconic cars and trucks) I hopped onto another brand new production. (they shouldn't have handed me the keys to the shackles) That show would feature the futuramic future envisioned by GM top dawg of design, Harvey Earl as the backdrop for "The World of Tomorrow!"
Yea, it's Futurama...
I directed 6 episodes and got to design lots of groovy rocket cars and mutant characters. I also spent far more time in studio than at home with my wife and 4 babies... Another change had to happen...

This would provide me the opportunity to drive my 1969 Custom S convertible, solo, over the mountains and through the deserts and across the sandhills, full of fresh Colorado peaches (the fruit) to my next destination...

With the encouragement of my ever supportive wife, Jennifer, we embarked on a move back to the big sky of Nebraska with ideas of my beginning a career as an independent contractor, drawing cars for people and doing my own thing. Funny thing, that...
As it turned out, the Simpsons people, after offering me an opportunity to return and direct more shows, offered me the opportunity to work for them remotely from my home on the range... I couldn't refuse. 2012 was the year the show finally outgrew itself and some very difficult budgetary cuts had to be made. Hasta la vista, remote artists...

Well, that brings us to the present. Something I'd begun doing in anticipation of the inevitable end of my service on the show was to begin drawing cars like I'd done before the big adventure west. I've been honing my skills and style with traditional as well as modern media and building a portfolio of gas burning creations to educate the world about the greatest hobby in the world; featuring America's true Art Forms and contributions to the sporting world. Raw, honest, humorous and full of personality...

If you took time to read all that, thank you. Here are some samples of my work and a shot of my car as a reward for you indulgence...

[Mark E]

The Hand Wagon from 2006





And this sample has part of a Pontiac as well as some controversy tied to it. Pontiac aficionados will note that "Goodwill Used Cars" was tied to Pontiac dealerships and "OK Used Cars" with Chevy But, let's be honest, the OK sign wears the neon a lot better....







... and here are a couple samples of my quick work

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Mark E

The Hand Wagon from 2006





And this sample has part of a Pontiac as well as some controversy tied to it. Pontiac aficionados will note that "Goodwill Used Cars" was tied to Pontiac dealerships and "OK Used Cars" with Chevy But, let's be honest, the OK sign wears the neon a lot better....







... and here are a couple samples of my quick work

These are GR8 Mark! To spread your branding - Would you mind posting that Can Am on the ABody board here ==> http://users.boardnation.com/%7Eabodysite/ too?

Suggesting you do the same on POCI ==> http://www.poci.org/

GTOAA, etc.

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

These are GR8 Mark! To spread your branding - Would you mind posting that Can Am on the ABody board here ==> http://users.boardnation.com/%7Eabodysite/ too?

Suggesting you do the same on POCI ==> http://www.poci.org/

GTOAA, etc.

Will do Alvin, thank you for the suggestion.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Mark E

Will do Alvin, thank you for the suggestion.

My pleasure Mark. I did also reply to your PM (rec'd it x3 due to ongoing PY site issues) the more the merrier board postings to spread your brand is my

Looking forward to seeing more of your great creations.

[Alvin]

Great story. I'd love to hear your insider view and any info on the following cars:

[Alvin]

[Alvin]

[Alvin]

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

I don't recall this one. Not one of my scenes.

I animated scenes of:

Bart and the cops chasing Jailbird int ht red Charger

The Charger leaving a house with cows in the front yard in the beginning of "Homer's Triple By-Pass", parodying "Cops"

Johnny Carson juggling an Oldmobile Cutlass Calais 4dr

The Firebird 400

Almost every scene where Homer and his car appear in the New York show. My favorite scene being whet he drives off with the rhino boot on the car. Also the previous scenes with all the tickets on the car as well as the chase down in Central Park.

All scenes of Homer and his drunk buddies ripping up Springfield Elementary, 10th season in "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken"

and many many more...

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

I made this and animated it. The cars were designed very quirky on the first few seasons, this one from second season. It was my first show, "The Way We Was" in '90. I was a background artist at the time but I told the director I could animate the car. Ended up designing it, Arty Ziff's station wagon and Marge's Gremlin. The gremlin and Roadrunner were my ideas. Script called for a beat up 70's era muscle car. I added a cheap ass looking metal wing. It wa s a call back to a friend's '73 Charger R/T. He wanted a rear wing (Not a Superbird type) I suggested he get a deflector wing from an older full size MoPar wagon. Thought the brushed metal would look pretty cool on that car, at the time... ( he was just a sophomore, I was a Junior.... who cared what people tight.)


This was my sketch of his car painted silver (over the metallic brown) with a black, rather than white vinyl top and more MoPar touches to make it more muscular looking. From 1980-81
(It had a choked out 318 and the kid threw out the u-joints one night after running the car up to 70 then throwing the shifter into reverse. Still don't know what he could have possibly been thinking... what a dope. Hmmm, maybe it was dope...)

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

I made this and animated it. The cars were designed very quirky on the first few seasons, this one from second season. It was my first show, "The Way We Was" in '90. I was a background artist at the time but I told the director I could animate the car. Ended up designing it, Arty Ziff's station wagon and Marge's Gremlin. The gremlin and Roadrunner were my ideas. Script called for a beat up 70's era muscle car. I added a cheap ass looking metal wing. It wa s a call back to a friend's '73 Charger R/T. He wanted a rear wing (Not a Superbird type) I suggested he get a deflector wing from an older full size MoPar wagon. Thought the brushed metal would look pretty cool on that car, at the time... ( he was just a sophomore, I was a Junior.... who cared what people tight.)


This was my sketch of his car painted silver (over the metallic brown) with a black, rather than white vinyl top and more moPar touches to make it more muscular looking. (It had a choked out 318 and the kid threw out the u-joints one night after running the car up to &0 then throwing the shifter into reverse. Still don't know what he could have possibly been thinking... what a dope. Hmmm, maybe it was dope...)

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

I didn't animate this scene but I did draw the '79 Trans Am in Apu's Driveway as he washed it in it's debut on the show. I specified red with a gold bird. The director asked me to do the drawing which, if I remember correctly, was in the script, "T-top Trans Am" I think. I picked the model year and the drawing was used as the model sheet. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details though...

(From the Movie Car Data Base) (Probably swiped from a scene grab... I didn't do it, nobody saw me, you can't prove anything...)

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Great story. I'd love to hear your insider view and any info on the following cars:

I designed and animated that car for a show I was assistant Director on. The following is the original animation pose for the frame you posted. I had to flop the action and redraw a few poses so the car could hit the right curb at screen left. I kept a few of my drawings.
The second drawing is one of the drawings sent to the producers for approval. I requested to design the car the second I read Homer buys a "Muscle car" and knew instantly what he'd be buying. As Snake's (Jailbird) car with the 'engine sticking out of the hood and side pipes" I went 70's streak freak all the way. A 'Bird just seemed right...











This was one of my alternative ideas, a '70 GTX. It was my hope to make it green as a call back to Homer's High school car. Another one I got to design on my first show.

[Verdoro 68]

Welcome! Awesome story - love all those shows. Wasn't sure anyone remembered The Critic. Not sure if there's any truth to it, but I heard it was really expensive to produce due to the background illustrations.

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes (nothing can beat El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer). "No pizza, only khlav kalash"

Is it coincidental that 'Lil Bandit kinda resembles your Custom S?

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

Welcome! Awesome story - love all those shows. Wasn't sure anyone remembered The Critic. Not sure if there's any truth to it, but I heard it was really expensive to produce due to the background illustrations.

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes (nothing can beat El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer). "No pizza, only khlav kalash"

Is it coincidental that 'Lil Bandit kinda resembles your Custom S?

I'll have to double check the bill of sale. It may have still been my buddies car at the time. That was, however, right around the time I bought the car from him. It is quite possible but I had no say in it ( ) The director, another good friend and car guy probable instructed the color dept. to mark it up that way. (probably was me... In one of my shows, I have the Custom S, followed by a blue and grey '92 Dakota extended cab with a white topper panning through a scene. The car was Jimbo's, the truck, mine.)

[cuz68]

Welcome to PY, Your 69 has some 68 parts on it.

[Chris65LeMans]

Welcome. I've seen every Simpsons episode multiple times.

This is the year I've finally admitted the quality is going downhill.

[Mark E]

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

Welcome. I've seen every Simpsons episode multiple times.

This is the year I've finally admitted the quality is going downhill.

Naw, it's gone down hill since 2012. Not because I left but because the scripts are unreasonably complex for the crews to pull off (though they do) We used to have far more in-house control of the animation (not the writing) ant they've basically been writing 28 minutes worth of material which then has to be edited and condensed down into 21 minutes. What isn't cut is tweaked in editing and many gags no longer work because the content or the timing have been compromised. Either way, my hands are clean Ha Ha...
Thanks for the welcome.

[Chris65LeMans]

Originally Posted by Mark E

Naw, it's gone down hill since 2012. Not because I left but because the scripts are unreasonably complex for the crews to pull off (though they do) We used to have far more in-house control of the animation (not the writing) ant they've basically been writing 28 minutes worth of material which then has to be edited and condensed down into 21 minutes. What isn't cut is tweaked in editing and many gags no longer work because the content or the timing have been compromised. Either way, my hands are clean Ha Ha...
Thanks for the welcome.

It's taken another significant dip more recently:

1. The 30 minute long Legos commercial.
2. The anti-fracking show.
3. The Simpsons-Family Guy (which I refused to watch) and Simpsons-Futurama episodes.
4. I'm not sure that every episode needs a celebrity guest.

I hate to think what we're going to see when the presidential election rolls around.

Over 20 good years isn't bad. There are only a handful of TV shows that I can watch for a whole season.

This is one of my favorite scenes: Can you imagine a world without lawyers?