CONTEST FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!

Congrats to Christelle Chan, Kevin George, and Kunal Saikia!

Visit the Contest Voting Page to see the entries that will now move on to the finalist round.

I want to give a big thanks to everyone who participated in our first contest. Unfortunately, not everyone can win the prize. :( I was so incredibly impressed with all your efforts. It's cliche to say it, but the true value comes from participation. By completing the entry you had the chance to improve your skills as an artist. You also showed that you have the strength to see a difficult task through to completion.

I'm so proud of all of you. I will be putting up a gallery displaying everyone's work with their name. If you'd rather not have your work displayed or want me to use a different name, please send your request to david@dmcumbo.com

Contest Voting Page is live!

Head on over to the contest voting page to take a look at all the amazing entries we received in the first D.M. Cumbo coloring contest! If you've voted already, thanks for your support! 

The voting period ends next Friday, March 6th at 5:00 PM. Then, the top three finalists move on to the finalist round! A winner will be chosen by three pro video game artists, including folks from Blizzard Entertainment and Insomniac Games. More to come soon... stay tuned!

Make Your Own Papercraft Dreamprism!

I hope everyone is having a good Valentine's Day so far. I've made a special treat for you! Head over to the downloads page to grab a template for a Papercraft Dreamprism. The above video will show you how to put it together.

As I mentioned in the video, people have been asking if there are plans to produce Dreamprism necklaces like Sarah's. While I think this is a great idea (and very possible in the future), my company just isn't quite ready to take on that sort of manufacturing process. So for now, I hope this will be a good enough substitute ;)

The Dreamprism is a symbol of hope for Sarah and it can be for you as well. I'd love to see pics of your Dreamprism once you put it together so please feel free to share here or on the D.M. Cumbo Facebook page. Happy Valentines Day!

...And Part 2!

This video wraps the two-part Let's Draw! featuring Sarah from Dreamside. This one is all about those Copic Markers! Watch as I take a rare break from digital painting to test my rusty skills with this always fun traditional medium. This was a total blast to make and I hope the enjoyment I had shows in the video.

It's in timelapse (sped up 3x) and cuts together portions of my drawing to keep things interesting. After some back and forth with Facebook followers, I've learned there's a fair amount of people interested in a longer form Let's Draw!. So, over the next couple weeks, I'll upload full-length versions of this two-part video with narration so you can learn more about the process.

I'm still figuring out a lot of this as I go. I want to know what you think and what you'd like to see differently in the future. Leave comments here or on the Facebook page.

OH! And come back tomorrow. I have a little Dreamside Valentine's Day surprise for you ;)

A new Watch Me Draw Video in two parts

I took a bit of time away from Chapter 6 to put together a sketch of Sarah. I always enjoy seeing how other artists construct their characters, so I thought you might be curious as to how I draw my own.

I think Sarah is a wonderful character. I've worked hard over the years of Dreamside's development to make sure her poses and expressions have feeling.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. I'll upload the second half next week and you can watch as I color it with markers! Come back soon!

D.M. Cumbo's Dreamside Chapter 5: The Nest of the Gryndalwing

After four chapters preparing Sarah for her first adventure in Dreamside... 

...she finally gets to spend some time in this beautiful new world. Keep reading for some brief production notes. Some of it may be spoiler territory, so make sure you've watched before reading.

Whew! This was a challenging chapter to complete. Despite dedicating more hours than any other chapter, I still missed the deadline by two days. I want every part of Dreamside to be the highest quality work. Sometimes that means pushing a deadline or two. Ultimately, I'm happy to have spent the extra time. I feel it's reflected in the work.

There are two major story points introduced in Chapter 5. First, Sarah learns one of Dreamside's few "rules." She is able to see a vision of her own grow into existence. Then again, maybe it was always there waiting for her to find it.... What do you think?

Secondly, did you notice the longing in the Dream Girl's eyes as she spoke of the Heart of Dreamside? It looks like we've finally learned a little something about Sarah's mysterious friend. When Sarah asked the Dream Girl to explain just what the Heart is, the answer came in somewhat confusing terms, didn't it? Well, some things are difficult to explain in words.

Moving on to music, you may notice there are two themes in Chapter 5. First, the main theme you hear throughout will be a central theme in the series, Since this is Sarah's first adventure in Dreamside, I wanted the music to reflect the feeling the world gives her. It's a sensational, romantic, and completely overwhelming experience for her. Sarah is seeing something very personal about herself become real... at least she thinks she is. For this piece, I worked closely with Michael. Since Dreamside originally came from my imagination, I felt it was important to be as involved as possible in the writing of this piece. Fortunately, Michael is very patient and allowed me to contribute.

The other song, however, is one of Michael's sole creation. It plays for only a short time while the Dream Girl speaks about the Heart. It's has such a gorgeous, warm progression. Since both songs are very important to the story, they will be returning at different points. Michael is pushing so hard to create powerful and memorable music and I continue to be thrilled with the results.

Thanks as always to Paul for another great editing job on the text and to Lilly for her consistently impassioned narration. 

And, of course, thank you for watching! There's plenty more to come. If you enjoy experiencing this story, please help spread the word!

Come back soon!

Coming soon...

I'm working as hard as possible to fix a few quality issues on Chapter 5. This one is filled with complex imagery, so it's taking longer than expected. Please be patient and I'll update as soon as the chapter is available.

In the meantime, here's a sneak peak:

Chapter 4: Dreamside!

A long time coming...

As most things do, Dreamside has changed over the years since its initial concept written back in 2003. I still remember the mental picture that would develop into a much more complex story: a child stuck in a hospital waving to a mysterious flying stranger outside her window. Something about it resonated with me and I've held fast to that feeling, ensuring it stayed a part of Dreamside no matter how much the story might change.

Chapter 4 is the first yet to fully exhibit this fundamental side of the story. At its heart, Dreamside is many things. And, it's about some deep concepts that go far beyond joyful whimsy. But, in order to appreciate them, I want to first fall in love with these characters and this world.

There's no feeling quite like leaving it all behind. The freedom. The carefree reverie. It's great, even if it only happens in our own mind. Chapter 4 is the start of this experience for Sarah, the ultimate daydreamer. Dreamside is a vast, impossibly wonderful place. It will be the setting for Sarah's transformation. I can't wait for you to see what's in store...

Some quick production notes:

Orka Veer has once again written a gorgeous, fitting score. Several months ago, we discussed ideas for this chapter's music. Eventually, we decided to try something unusual: a "four-on-the-floor" dance beat. When I lived in Los Angeles, I got to visit some exciting dance clubs. It was a powerful and energizing experience to lose myself for a night, dancing until the morning hours. In a way, it's a sort of escape from the stresses of everyday life. So an exciting, driving beat felt right for the chapter. To a lesser but notable degree, it also serves as a sort of homage to "Bastian's Happy Flight" from The Neverending Story, one of Dreamside's primary inspirations.

I feel like I say this every time, but I just love Lilly Bridge's amazing narration. She does such a great job capturing the nuances of each scene. Her passion for her work is evident and the project is so much richer because of it.

Paul made some strong editing suggestions in this chapter's prose. I'm still learning an awful lot about writing. I'm particularly pleased with his refinement of the wording at the end of the chapter. 

Please let me know what you think of Chapter 4. Your thoughts are important to me. Please share with your friends and family. Sarah's adventure is just beginning. I feel like my own is as well. I hope you'll come with us for the whole journey!