Recent Work

I did funny drawing that I later made into a more or less finished piece. The drawing plays on the word Mullet, as in the hair style (not the fish), and how it sounds like "mole" is part of the word.

I have also been sketching a kind of silly idea that is a mash-up between Chuck Norris and Charlie Brown. The idea is that Chuck is a nickname for Charlie and that Charlie Brown grew up to Chuck Norris; I think Lucy sent over the edge with her football shenanigans. I also added Nunchucks and Chuck Taylor shoes for good measure. The inked version is below:

First version edited after getting some critique: stance changed, more open shirt

with more chest hair added, and ripped sleeve added.

If I decide to move forward with it I will add color and what not.

Here is the colored version. I changed the chest hair, once again. I also
used a half-tone technique to give it an old Sunday Comic Strip feel.

Can I do it in time?

I have opted to try and create a design for a t-shirt contest for the band Arcade Fire. I had an idea for it, based on something I head said in an Arcade Fire interview, and sketched something about a week ago.

First Sketch 

Then I started drawing it. I scanned the image in pieces then put them together into a composite.

Composite Drawing

Now I have this together, can I color it and finish it by 12:00 EST? The answer is yes. I submitted with time to spare at 11:15. Here is the final colored version:

Detail

If you have time PLEASE GO & SCORE IT NOW.

Recycle Bin Design

I recently came across a design contest to design a recycle bin for Global Inheritance. Global Inheritance is a non-profit that oversees educational and environmental programs at major festivals and events across North America, and the Coachella Music Festival have created TRASHed.

It is always fun and challenging to design for a unique shape or surface. When I saw the shape and the hinge I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Whenever I saw a recycle bin open in the past, I always thought is kind of looked like a Crocodile or Amphibian opening a large mouth. I was lucky that Sculptee comes in a green that was very close to the plastic on the small bin. I used some burlap, a key chain ring, and some grommets to make the sash. Originally I conceived making arms and hands but as I put the piece together the sash idea came to me. I think the sash works better than the arm idea: it adds some texture and extra visual interest.

Here is my creation, "I am a Recycle-tarian," sitting on

my recycle bin at home.

Here is the "Recycle-tarian" with it's mouth open.

Some Music for October

I just updated this Halloween / Monster Mix:

Monster Mix from musarter on 8tracks Radio.

I also just created this Ghetto Mix. This mix makes me aware that things could always be worse and to be thankful for what I have.

Ghetto Living from musarter on 8tracks Radio.

"T"eeny Meany & Miny Moe

Final version for Olive Green tee. I am also going to make a version for general print that will have less green and more texture.

Illustration Sketch

For a calender challenge were artists create illustrations with animals for specific months. This is the start of my entry for June. It is called "Jaxartasarous speaks in circles regarding the his infinite journey delivering Jackalope's Jack Fruit Jam."

I am also still plugging away at "Innie Minnie & Miny Moe" illustration. Updates soon.

GAP "Clever" Contest Designs

I usually don't enter many design contests even though I should. Bucking up a bit, I decided to enter a Threadless challenge sponsored by GAP. I past they tended to print simple one or two color designs. So I did these two designs based on what has printed previously and the prompt "clever." If you have the time, view the links below and vote. Let me know what you think.

Link here too

  

Link here too

New Project Start: Eeny Meany Miny Moe

 Please forgive the poor image. I am having issues with my scanner and just took a photo with my camera. I am imaging Eeny Meeny to be a tiny meany and Miny Moe to be a miner named Moe. Maybe I will Title the piece "Teeny Meany Miny Moe" or simply "Catch a Tiger by the Toe."

A closer look at Eeny Meany and Miny Moe. 

Poor old tiger.

I will post the final version when I finish. As with "Tea Time" it could be a while. Thanks for looking.

Space at the Atomic Level

Here is a quick illustration / design I did after watching a cool science video called "The Power of Ten." Our everyday lives tend distract or make us overlook the reaches of our human understanding of the universe. Even though it is dated, from 1977, I think everyone should watch the video once a year to contemplate the intriguing nature of our universe.

"Power of Ten" video link

The concept of the design is that elements in our universe, vast and small, tend to repeat themselves. It uses images of our own solar system to make a play on the idea that solar systems, galaxies, and atoms all display similar properties. All photos used are public domain of the NASA.

Since Threadless tends to like scientific, or nerdy, designs, I submitted it there. I would wear it, so maybe I am a nerd too. Please go check it out if you get a chance:

"T" Time: IF (Tall)

Click Image to see a little bigger

Finally, I am finished with the epic undertaking. See earlier post below to get an idea of how much I lagged on getting this together. When I do something for myself, and put the full effort forward, sometimes it takes a very long time.

Closer Detail

Logos: You Win Some, You Lose Some

I decided to post some of my favorite logos I did over the past year not to show them off, but to make a point. The point being that the client sometimes gets in the way of good design. As a designer I try to put my foot down by explaining imagery and good design principles, which usually works, but sometimes that is not enough. Many times there are extenuating circumstances that drive a logo.

Since I like to end on a high note I will start with the loses.

Starting with a design I did for a friend of mine. In the first draft phase I wanted to make a simple / classy design that said high-end yet personified the company name. The client / friend nixed all my first drafts and decided to have a logo that incorporated actual telephone poles from a photo he took. I advised against this but it was his vision. He ended up with a scene, that incorporated a font treatment, that looked good on business cards, stickers, t-shirts, and a van but it was not what I would call an actual logo or identity.

Colt Ford was a client I did some spec work for though a promo merchandise vendor. I saw his t-shirts, slapped together this logo, and thought I could make something cleaner and more classy. The look I was going for fed off the identities for Colt (.45) and Ford Motor Company. In the end his merch style was gritty and dirty looking which probably lead to the demise of this logo.

Perpetual Groove was an odd situation. The client loved the logo and I really liked it too. It was a new clean, more thoughtful direction for their identity. The band Perpetual Groove was ready to move with this when they had a sudden management change and we never heard from them again.

I did this one for my current employer. This was the best design from my draft one phase. I believe the company may have changed names or decided they weren't ready to move forward. I am not sure but I am not always in the loop when such things happen.

Now we arrive at Skoob Press, one of my favorite recent identity designs. This is one where the client trusted my direction and we ran with it. We both agreed that an owl is a great symbol of knowledge and an eye catching element. Since Skoob is "books" spelled backwards we also played of that concept. We both liked the final product.

In the end my job is make clients visions a reality and that is what I do. From a design perspective, you win some and you lose some.

Keep On Keeping On

Update: 4/3/2014

I finished this a while back and I thought I would add the art here. It went in a little bit of a different direction than I it would. In the end, I was happy with the results. I hope it would make Crumb proud.

This one is available at my Society6 store (See sidebar)

Here is the original drawing.

A while back a friend of mine mentioned that she would love a reproduction of a classic retro t-shirt design that she loved that was called "Keep On Truckin'." I like the concept and feel but I felt the art could use some updating, and some of my style, to make it even more awesome. I like the idea of the character looking more care-free and more hippie-like. I haven't heard the phrase "truckin'" in a long time so I thought "keep on Keeping on" might sound better contemporarily speaking. The original "Truckin'" design is below.

I am not sure how many colors to make the design yet. I also might change the text style and even the actual phrase is something better comes up; I considered a the recent pop-culture phrase "Haters gonna hate." If you have any thoughts or ideas to add I would be much obliged.

Thanks for looking.

Looking Back

I was recently compelled to look back through my blog and see how far I have come. Here is a complex vector illustration that was the first piece of my own art I posted. Back in the day, I used to do a lot of realistic vector conversions but I am glad I have moved on from this style. While I feel this is a good illustration I don't feel it has nearly as much life as my more recent work. Keep in mind this is one of my better pieces from 5 years ago; if you saw my other work you would truly recognize how far I come.

Smoke Stacks

Here is an update on an older design. I added texture and entwined money symbols of the world into the smoke. Click on the image, right click, view image, to see the detail better.

Discussargumentor

Here is another Literyacyhead design I am working on. The idea is that this is a Venn Diagram of a discussion and an argument. The kids would put characteristics of discussions in the soft guys head, argument characteristic in the strong / block head, and characteristics of both in the body. This was a fun drawing project and I think it is one of the coolest Venn Diagrams I have ever seen. Instructions will be added later.

Another Knit Design

Thought I would do one more since I had a little time. Now I need to get back to the exoskeleton whale art and actual work. Thanks for looking.

A Companion to Carry Around

Threadless is having competition were you can design knit products. I liked the idea of designing a scarf and thought about objects that wrap-around things. I came up with the idea of a snake which I felt was a little ironic considering snakes would not survive in the cold weather a scarf requires. Maybe the snake needs the scarf wearer to keep warm more than vice-versa. Carry your companion in cold weather.

New Project Preview

You may ask, "What is that?" It is a Wright Whale in a robotic exoskeleton wearing a squid as a hat. This a preview of an illustration I doing to hopefully add to my illustration portfolio. Below is the original sketch which is pretty close to the composition I want to create. The drawing (above) is just the whale on the right. I still need to draw the other two whales, the background, the giraffe golf clubs, the pangolin balls, and then color the whole thing. This illustration is pretty complex, so it may be awhile before it is complete.

Dah-vid (Post-post Modern Art)

14.5 x 7 inches or 10 x 22 inches. Pencil converted to digital color

Here is an illustration I did to show the silliness of internet culture. A bit of a jab at what is visually popular, what people actually look at, and what is considered art these days. It begs the question "What is art?" Did that sound pretentious enough?

ChaDes Challenge LXV: Highlanders

This is my return to the ChaDes Challenge set forth by honorable Austin Madison. I have been absent from the challenge for too long. In anticipation of the movie Brave, challengers are creating Highlandish character designs. This is Crannog Mackinnon the highest of the Highlanders from the Isle of Sky; please excuse the bad pun.

I have another illustration / design based on an older ChaDes Challenge that I did not participate in, but loved, that I will post soon. Keep yar eyes peeled.

Brain Wash

Here is a recent illustration I did for a client presentation. It is a good example of working with a client and adjusting an illustration to meet their needs. In the initial concept meeting we discussed using an image of a brain taking a bath. After I did some pencil sketched, which I wish I could find as an example, we decided to go forward with the illustration pictured below.

I thought it was a clever illustration because it implied both brain bath and "Brain Wash." When I mentioned this to the client they rethought the message and said they really wanted to imply a bath of chemicals. To me this implied a negative impact on the brain which lead to memories of Bugs Bunny bathing in a hot cauldron unaware that he was being cooked. We decided to go with an image of a Brain bathing in a cauldron filled with a chemical broth.

Although I like the double meaning of the original illustration the final art was a much clearer communication of the clients message. I also like the art in the second version more, so it's a double win.

Visual Vocabulary

Here is some more work I did for Literacyhead.com recently. As usually these were done super fast. I enjoy doing these little studies because they get me thinking differently about visual communication.

These are all intended for web viewing and are pencil sketches with digital texture / color.
All images ©2012 Literacyhead, LLC.

Finished "Reading Opens Doors"

 I recently got a printed copy of the "Reading Opens Doors" flip-book I completed a while back. It turned out great. If you refer back to my previous post, you can see there were some changes in the cover illustration which I think were for the better.

Click for detail

  

 Here are a couple more examples of the layout inside the book. As I mentioned before, each chapter had a door with art that represented the age group discussed in the chapter. Every example below is pulled from a different chapter to show how each chapter has a different color code. I also wanted to post an image that showed the page icons and general layout.

Click for detail

Click for detail

I know it has been a while since there has been a new post here. I have neglected this blog but I plan to post new work weekly in the future. To be able to post weekly I am going to start posting more Graphic Design work. If you have any objections please let me know.