I'm a fan

I'd like to own all of the American Volumes that Cash did with Rick Rubin.
I'm on a mission.

Looking Forward

This is gonna be a favorite show of mine for a long time.

Ray Herbel

On Thursday I was informed that Mr. Herbel, my art/history teacher in elementary school, had past away. I've been contemplating his many contributions to my life these past couple days, it's been a very sober time. Mr. Herbel was always kind. My every memory of him is of him smiling or about too. I always knew that he was on our side, even when disciplinary things had to happen. These are a few of the many things I learned from Mr. Herbel:

-I learned how to make shadows with charcoal
-How to keep a broken arm straight until the ambulance came when Mandy fell from the swings
-How to take led out of my hand when I jammed the pencil into it when I fell on the sink
-That tying string from the door knob to your tooth doesn't really work when its loose, you need huge papa bear hands to squeeze it and pull
-Christmas means finding every way of detailing the gift of Jesus by any art means possible
-Time capsules rule, we buried one down by the huge tree behind the playground
-ALWAYS wear a helmet when playing baseball, I got hit once in the head wearing one and I still saw stars
-Tell the truth
-Be giving
-Share that you're proud of someone
-Listen to your wife even if you can't hide your sarcasm
-Chuckle out loud
-Make art with everything

It's an interesting time of him passing away and me reflecting on his life & gift during this season of me getting on my feet in the design world. Who knew my life would take that direction? God did, and He plugged Mr. Herbel into my young years specifically. I'm blessed to have known him, to appreciate and make art, and that knowing the love of THE Creator allows you to be truly loving.

The Head & The Heart

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The Upper Room commissioned me to do some identity work for them. This is the first public poster featuring the poster template I created for them. After several design sessions we decided to reflect old Penguin/Pelican press publications for the composition. This is my 3rd poster featuring my pen work. It's been a joy creating this way. I've enjoyed the time/effort it has taken to produce something I think solid in combining these 2 theories. The Trevor Davis & Pablo Trucker/ Young Lions pieces really helped me refine my approach. Now that I've done a couple pieces I may explore other theories or return to refining my approach to the Deco/Cubist movements that I admire greatly.

It really sucks doing posters for shows I can't attend. This is gonna be such a solid show! High Five Katrina Ong for all your hard work at Upper Room, this is legit!

Give my boys Paper Astronomer & The Head & The Heart a listen, and then do it live!

YOUNG LIONS / PABLO TRUCKER

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Josh of Young Lions gave me a shout 2 days ago about doing a poster for em. I'm a huge fan of this gent as well as the Pablo Trucker chaps. Earlier in that day I had started a drawing project of this deep sea diver wrestling an octopus and as soon as I got the call I decided that somehow the poster would reflect this. It took me WAY to long to draw, but as soon as I scanned it in I saw the time was justified. 2 colors off set from each other for a tip of the hat to my screen poster love and then I made the type presence as little as possible outside of the band names. I also thinned out the staple 11x17 specs to put a little more visual pressure on the image. I really dig it, its probably 9.5x17 now. I darkened the khaki on the sea diver to pull it off the page and kept the octopi light like the background so it kinda has this feeling that he's squishing him on the page, in my head i imagine a dude duck taped to a wall. This is my second drawn poster and I'm excited to see where and how this flourishes in other projects I pursue.

Sometimes an idea comes so quick and when it does I usually like it completely without many revisions. It might be that the turnaround was soon and that I like the challenge of short time lines. I wonder why some things take a taxing deliberation w/ test & trial, and why some are effortless. I'm going to examine my methods closer and take note on what happens in both situations.

I really want to be at this show personally, so if you can make it, do it, it's gonna be a sweet gem.

Embassy

I can't stop listening to The Ecstatic. This is my current on the record, he plays a kit while delivering. Pat on the back Mos Def.

SKATE SNEAKS

These are 3 pairs of current skate kicks i'd sport. 3 diff. models. 1) The Osiris pair would be great trainers, great for walking the street beat. 2) The VOX ones are a swell mustard color that in its great '09 saturation never really made it down to the kicks. 3) The red C1RCA's are a perfect summer shoe to wear with cuffed khakis or fitted & worn blue jeans. YUM and HIGH FIVE!

TYPE EXPERIMENTS

NO THEFT x Trevor Davis

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I love working for the Q cafe. Have I said that enough? I just finished my first all hand drawn poster. This concept came to me while I was looking at my old 1st grade lunch box that I littered with outer space stickers and decided to draw a couple planets and this space ship. I then saw in my head a special 70's type treatment and the colors worked perfect. The whole time I was bringing in the drawings into illustrator I was thinking to myself 'what would my friend Malachi do?' 'how would he do the composition?', this was an experiment of sorts that I had no idea of the outcome. After a couple friends looked at it and gave me their thoughts, I decided to commit to it, EVERYTHING would have to be drawn.

I'd say the oddest thing about this piece is that outer space is suppose to be dark! BUT I like that at the same time. I've started to keep little odd things in my work, things that kind of bother me, things that I wouldn't think perfect because it adds new character & it makes me look at the print in a diff way. I know it will expand my design perceptions as well. I'm always in for buffing up my theory.

Give Mr. Trevor Davis a listen HERE !

BOW TIE MANUAL

Janelle Monae pulls off the best bow tie since the rat pack days, check her new video for 'tight rope', sweet delight! Here's how to get the swank around your neck to match them dancin kicks.