I drew Paikea in 2012 and then painted her in 2014. Here’s my most recent version of her. I love love love this film. Whale Rider came out in 2002 and is based on a historic figure in Maori history. It was written and directed by Niki Caro and starred a new comer named Keisha Castle-Hughes. This time I leaned into the emotion more as this scene from the film was VERY emotional. IYKYK.
What other Maori, Polynesian, or Pacifika films have you seen that you enjoyed? One of my other favs is “Merata” about the pioneering director Merata Mita who was the first Maori woman to write and direct a feature film in New Zealand.
I even once did a film study of whale rider which you can check out here.
Last winter I got a chance to do a school visit in Daly City, California. Although I’ve been visiting schools and libraries for yearrrs this is only my second time reading out there so I was excited. Shout out to Ms Young who brought me out to Bayshore Elementary.
This was a quick one with a workshop about character design. We talked about facial expressions, line of action, body types, personality, and all the places character design is used such as the games they play and the shows they watch. Lots of fun!
I got to read to them as well which was also fun because they were an older group that appreciated seeing some of the behind the scenes work. Shout to Ms Young who took photos for me,
Dig this? If you were wondering if you can invite me to your school or library, I can answer that for you. Yes, you can and should 🙂 Check out some of these other schools and libraries I’ve read at:
Rather than analysis of the current situation in Minneapolis re: ICE white narcissist terrorism (raids, bomb threats, kidnapping, hunting, murder) I made this as a reminder to myself and anyone else who needs to hear it. Look out for and stand up for your neighbor. They’re counting on regular people like me and you to look the other way, mumble something about it not being our problem, be cynical, fall apart, cower, or do nothing but if its one thing that has come out of all these cities facing the latest capitalistic white boy tantrums its that “the people (of all types)” can and will prevail when we work together. Love and resistance.
Dig this? Check out all this artwork you can download and share to give ICE the middle finger or to uplift our spirits.
Happy New Year! Busting out some new new for 2026. Here’s a character of a girl dad and his daughter dancing 🙂
What’s this? This is from a long series of character drawings, paintings, and doodles to stay loose. My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent picture book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco” published by Lee & Low. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
This summer I got to do two presentations at the 81st Ave branch of the Oakland Public Library. One was about art books and one was about character design. These photos are from a huge room of students and families doing an exercise in character design.
I have done this workshop several times but never to a room this large. It was organized by Aspire Education in Oakland who provide tutoring, mentoring, and support to public school students in the Bay Area.
When I start the workshop I talk to them about “line of action” and how to make characters seem calm, or dynamic. I demonstrate figure drawing to get them to warm up, then I have them model for each other. Librarian Isaiah Hurtado brought a bunch of cool books for them to see examples of what they were learning in practice!
Here you can see kids drawing. While they’re doing that I typically talk about how character design and how its used in the media they use like films, video games, animation, and more. These kids are freaking awesome!
The topics I talked about:
Figure drawing
Fan Art
Group work
Remixing existing characters
Film, Gaming, Animation, Theater, etc
Art career
Aspire hit them with a double whamy of food, snacks, and lots of books so families went home with bellies full and lots of books. Hopefully some inspiration too.
I ran out of time on this one, but we still got some fan art, drawing, and group work in during the workshop before folks had to leave.
Early in the afternoon I spoke to some teen students about the power of art books. Its always hard to tell if they’re feeling the topic, but there were a few students who came forward to ask questions about careers in the arts and I definitely had fun talking about ART!!!
Dig this? Check out some photos from other visits:
I just took a Loish class online which was inspired by Eliza Ivanova and a few others and tried out what they do using pencil and smudging or shading and it came out dope. Using her reference I made this and thought of sister opening a portal.
This is Stoney played by Jada Pinkett Smith in the 90s film Set it Off. There are four main characters in the film which I’ve painted here : Frankie, Cleo, and TT. But, the film centers around four friends but the story is really Stoney’s as she was the heart of the film, her brother, relationship, etc. Jada did a phenomenal job in this classic film.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica,Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca
This is Frankie, played by the incredible Vivica A. Fox. Frankie in the film Set it Off was brave, traumatized, enraged, strategic, and fierce. She had lead her team, with her own flaws, and a comradery for her girls that was inspiring to see. One of Vivica’s best performances. The captain, the ring leader, the one to set it off.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica,Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca
This is Cleo from the 1996 film “Set It Off” played by actor and emcee extraordinaire Queen Latifah. I try to do these characters as my fan art, for fun in between books and other projects to practice. In Set it Off Cleo is a lowrider, a masculine queer woman, a get away driver, and a big source of strength within the crew of friends. In order to escape poverty, she and three of her friends pull off multiple bank heists. Stay tuned for more.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica,Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca
This is Tisean or TT from the 1996 film “Set It Off” played by actor Kimberly Elise. I’ve been slacking on my characters and its nice to stretch out by doing this illustration of TT. In the film she was quiet, timid, a single mother, but a fierce ally and team member of the crew. In order to escape poverty, she and three of her friends pull off multiple bank heists. Stay tuned for more.
On the film: I saw Set It Off when it came out. I think it was shortly after F. Gary Gray did “Friday” with Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Chris Tucker. I loved it back then. You never got to see 4 Black women wreck shit in a heist film back then so I was excited. I loved all of their characters, how they struggled, cared for each other, and I think writer Takashi Bufford who wrote the screenplay did a great job. I know he’s mentioned there are things that he’d change if he could redo the film. But I think it still stands up today. Shout out to Jada, Latifah, Vivica,Kimberly, and all of the cast and crew.
About me: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an author/illustrator from the Bay Area and my most recent book is “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco”. Get it at your local public library or independent bookstore.
Dig this? Check out my throwback drawings of three characters from the 90’s film Mi Vida Loca
