Days of Danger

Markerbored

2008-03-27T13:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Drawn! for the tipoff to Markerbored. The site is a series of call and response style whiteboard drawings created by roommates Pat Barret and Todd McArthur. If you're nerdy enough these drawings are pure comic gold. Lucky for me, I am secretly nerdy as all hell. I had a project like this involving stick figures with my friend Walter in 12th grade english. I still remember when he countered my "the whole army from Braveheart" with a stealth bomber. How can I compete with superior technology? I seem to recall I drew in the finger of God flicking the jet. That's kind of a tie really. And that story reminds me of when I used to be woman. What? I don't tell you every little thing.

Markerbored

Daily Videos

2008-03-27T12:59:00.002-05:00

1) Animator vs. Animation. Shit's new and improved.

2) Animated Chinese Painting. I like any animation in this style, especially when it stays so traditional. Via Drawn!

B/D interviews Erika Somogyi

2008-03-27T12:53:00.003-05:00

Beautiful Decay has a nice interview up with Erika Somogyi (mentioned previously). I was going to get a quick interview with her (and I may still), but B/D beat me to the punch. Oh well, I can't even post the interviews I have in the can until the new site is launched. Maybe this weekend. Until then enjoy some professional journalism, not my rinky dink crap.

B/D interviews Eriak Somogyi

Karin Martensson

2008-03-26T13:01:00.002-05:00

Swedish artist Karin Martensson won me over with one image. The one pictured. It was equal parts gross and pretty. That's an automatic win. Of course the rest of her work is just as good, and makes me wonder once again what they're putting in the water in the Nordic countries. How the hell do you people keep pumping out so many great artists? If it wasn't so cold in the Winter you would have a new resident, Northern Europe. But ultimately ice is my enemy so I'll just have to live with experiencing great illustrations like Martensson's over the internet. A poor substitute indeed.

Karin Martensson

Daily Videos

2008-03-26T12:54:00.002-05:00

1) Le le - Breakfast. The song is a tad annoying, although the lyrics are pretty funny. The real treat is the video created by Parra.

2) We Are the Mary Kay Cosmetic People. Get a look at innovators in empowerment, equality, and pure evil. Via Boing Boing.

3) The Growth of Walmart. SPeaking of evil, this is a light map of the spread of Walmart stores across the country in the past half century or so.

4) Elephants as camera operators. In what may go down as the coolest documentary ever filmed, the BBC has shot a series on Tigers that was mostly filmed by elephants. I am not shitting you. I wouldn't do that to you or to elephants. I would probably do that to tigers. I would shit tigers.

Carrotmob

2008-03-26T12:43:00.002-05:00

For those of you in or near the Bay Area this weekend, Saturday will see the launching of the first Carrotmob mission. The CM has partnered with K & D market on 16th and Guerrero in San Francisco to provide the stage for their inaugural attempt. The mission is to go to the store from noon until 2:30ish and buy as much as you can. 22% of the revenue generated from this little shopping burst will be put into energy saving measures and renovations to make the store more environmentally friendly. This is the first of many Carrotmob missions aimed at using the collective buying power of individuals to help small businesses incorporate sustainable and environmentally sound practices. Think of it as becoming a shareholder in the environment. That is damn clever.

Carrotmob

Tara Muller

2008-03-25T13:21:00.002-05:00

Aside from having a nice site design, Tara Muller also kills it with her artwork. Each of her paintings maintains a strange balance between stunted, childlike figures, and ageless faces that appear almost pasted on. Is it her own face played out in all the various roles of being? I don't know, I've never seen her, but it seems likely. The same eyes stare out at the viewer, piercing and questioning at the same time. I could stare all day and never get used to that look.

Tara Muller

Daily Videos

2008-03-25T13:10:00.002-05:00

1) Barry McGee and Margaret Kilgallen. Via Wooster Collective.

2) Between Two Ferns with Zach Galafianakis and Michael Cera. Via Fecal Face.

3) Jurassic Park SWEDED version. Via Boing Boing.

4) Man Grows Back Own Finger. This guy cut off his finger tip and then regrew it with some powdered pig bladder. Yes, he regrew a part of his body. No, you are not going crazy. Yes, I am going to invest heavily in pigs, preferably a variety with large bladders. Via Boing Boing.

Artists Making Art

2008-03-25T12:51:00.005-05:00

Thought I might throw out a quick update on some new art available from some favorites.

1) Ryan Kapp has a new print available at The Beholder. The total print dimensions are 23" square, and it's a limited edition of 35. You might want to get on buying one now since next week it will be featured in TimeOut Chicago magazine. Press coverage = sold out edition. Also, if you're in LA you should make a stop at Ryan's upcoming show at Cerasoli Gallery opening on April 12th.

2) Amanda Visell is set to drop a new collectible toy on Wednesday (March 26th). Eschewing vinyl for hardcore metal, Amanda has created her new toy, the Axephunt (pictured), with the help of Fully Visual. The figure is numbered on the bottom, comes in a sealed tin can, is an edition of 100, and there is even one gold axephunt somewhere in there. Visell will also have some new journals and stationary sets dropping soon from Dark Horse.

I'm keeping you in the know. Don't you forget that when you make your first million. Daddy needs a new set of Klipsch speakers.

Samuel Green

2008-03-24T12:58:00.002-05:00

I don't want to write a lot about Sam Green's work. It's good enough that I shouldn't have to. I will say that I like the recent turn in his style and subjects. All of his most recent works give me a fear of drowning, but that's a pretty strong gut reaction, so it really hit me hard. A+ for the color as well, Sam.

Sam Green

David Scheirer

2008-03-24T12:49:00.003-05:00

David Scheirer's portfolio, Studio Tuesday, makes me want to cry a little. I've never been a huge fan of representationalism, except for maybe the Hyper-realism movement, but his realistic watercolors of everyday objects are pretty badass. I like the simplicity, and I like that the images retain a little of their watercolor-ness. The already zen feeling of watercolors is magnified by the mundane subjects and use of negative space. Clearly he's mastered watercolors like no one I've seen in a long time.

David Scheirer

Daily Videos

2008-03-24T12:43:00.002-05:00

1) How To Make A Button. Miranda July shows us how to make a button. I never knew it was so complicated.

2) ABC3D. The most amazing alphabet pop-up book. Is that too specific of a category? Like best one-armed, Puerto Rican gold-tooth maker? There are probably two of those in the world so it couldn't be that hard to be the best. I don't remember how I got here. This book is amazing. Via Drawn!

3) Zune Arts. The only good thing Microsoft ever did.

4) Forward Through Backwards Time. That is just really well done. Via Boing Boing.

Andrew Holder

2008-03-24T12:36:00.002-05:00

The portfolio of Pasadena artist Andrew Holder is full of simple and elegant work. It puts me in mind of Dutch woodcuts. Or maybe Dutch woodcuts on acid. He has maybe my favorite use of colors ever. I feel like I just got slapped in the face with some awesome; colorful, pattern-filled, awesome.

Andrew Holder

Alexandre Day

2008-03-19T13:27:00.002-05:00

An art Madlib:

The French _____________ Alexandre Day makes _______________ works using graphite on wood. His style is ________________, and is ________________ of Egon Schiele _____________with a little Jamie Hewlett. His compositions are ______________, but full of ______________ and grace. I would eat a ton of ______________(s) covered in ______________ to be able to create works like this. _________________ at its finest. I'll probably need some _______________ to wash down all those ______________(s).

Alexandre Day

Daily Videos

2008-03-19T13:24:00.002-05:00

1) Hush at Cargo. Via LCSV4.

2) Will Arnett Sex Tape. Fan-fucking-tastic. Via Fecal Face.

3) Sony Foam City Teaser. Just a little video of the new Sony commercial to whet your appetite.

Rene Like Work

2008-03-19T13:16:00.005-05:00

That's a fairly apt title for this portfolio site, because clearly Rene does like work. And I will have to start a sister site called Brad likes Rene's work, because that is another fact. I've been feeling anything made with markers and pens lately, and Rene clearly likes pens and markers just as much as work. Or are they one and the same? Brad likes pointless philosophical questions.

renelikeswork

The Out of Towners @ Fecal Face Dot Gallery

2008-03-18T15:16:00.002-05:00

This Saturday, March 22nd from 5-8pm the Fecal Face Dot Gallery will be having it's second opening show. The show, titled The Out of Towners, will feature new work from Anthony Lister, Erkut Terliksiz, Christofer Chin, Mel Kadel, Cody Hudson, Keith Shore, Tessar Lo and Travis Millard. I didn't get a chance to go to the first opening, but I should be at this one. If that's not reason enough for you to come out, then the good art might also hold sway.

For more information check out the Fecal Face Dot Gallery site.

A Polite Winter

2008-03-18T13:02:00.002-05:00

I can't remember if I mentioned the A Polite Winter project here or elsewhere, but either way there have been some amazing additions over the last few months, all of which you should check out. A Polite Winter is a conversation in art between NY artist Kenichi Hoshine and LA artist James Jean. Both are prolific and powerful painters so you can imagine the results are sphincter-tighteningly awesome. Get on over there.

A Polite Winter.

Daily Videos

2008-03-18T12:55:00.002-05:00

1) Big Dog Robot. In my ongoing watch for newer, deadlier robots, I was struck by this one. Great, a robot that won't ever stop walking, and can't be deterred by terrain. Strap a laser to it, and make it power itself on human blood like those little heart robots, and I'd say you've got a sure shot at the "Easiest way to kill humans" award. Dammit, Science, can't you just leave well enough alone?

2) Tent Cities in LA. Why aren't any American new sources reporting on these modern Hoovervilles?

3) Nomis Footwear - Damn Boots. Director Woof Wan-Bau channels Michel Gondry.

Ray Jones

2008-03-18T12:46:00.002-05:00

Manhattan via Maryland artist Ray Jones blew my mind a little this morning. How is it that I've never seen his work? It boggles my mind. I usually happen upon folks with his talent the day after they get their first portfolio site up. But here's Jones with a solid body of work already on display and me with my proverbial thumb up my actually very sexy ass. Luckily I caught on in time to see his work before he gets too busy/famous to update a lowly website. It happens. For now I get to enjoy his thick, almost dirty lines, James Jean-ish tones and overlaps, and sweet, sweet compositions. In the nick of time, I'd say.

Ray Jones

Stephen Tompkins

2008-03-18T12:31:00.002-05:00

What would happen if you took classic 1920's cartoons and Ren and Stimpy episodes, chewed them up with shades of primary colors, and then horcked the whole thing onto a canvas? Nothing as good as Stephen Tompkins' work, for sure, though that's exactly what his pieces remind me of. It's like an abstract celebration of cartoon body parts in a roiling pop orgy. And yet they still remain sparse enough to seem muted. Now I have the urge to watch cartoons. And porn. Although it's pretty difficult to know if that's caused by Tompkins' work or just standard Tuesday morning libido.

Stephen Tompkins.

Joey Piziali @ Gallery Three

2008-03-17T13:42:00.004-05:00

Artist Joey Piziali got in touch this morning to let me, and thus all of you, know that he's got a show opening this Thursday, March 20th from 7pm-10pm at Gallery Three. Gallery Three is a new gallery operated by The Shooting Gallery (the gallery I visit most). Piziali will be helping to christen the new location with his show Spacial Disruption. If you're skulking around the Bay Area on Thursday you definitely need to stop by. I'll be there scoping the majesty of some new work. I'll be the one wearing the dirty CAT hat, and probably lugging around a skateboard. You don't want to miss a chance to shake hands with me and Joey Piziali all in the same night. God, it's better than when you made-out with your cousin in a supply closet at your sister's batmitzvah.

There's more info at Gallery Three.

Ruby Mag

2008-03-17T13:35:00.002-05:00

I haven't been keeping you up to date on the various issues of Ruby Mag that've been hitting the intertubes, and for that I'm sorry. But don't think that I'm just gonna bow down and kiss your feet in supplication or anything. That shit is gross, and I've seen you walk through some nasty environs. I'll just tell you that issue 27 is online, and we can let bygones be bygones, right? It won't be pretty if I have to ask again. Yeah, you better nod.

Ruby Mag

Cody Hoyt

2008-03-17T13:31:00.002-05:00

Playing to my heightened "color and chaos" sensibilities, the work of Cody Hoyt was a shoe in for a post. I'm more partial to the work that features typography and geometric shapes, but I still dig the rest. Most of it feels like the art equivalent of a barroom fistfight. I could almost taste blood. That spells talent in my book.

Cody Hoyt.

Daily Videos

2008-03-17T13:22:00.002-05:00

1) Andy Martin's E4 Music Idents. That's tight.

2) hello, Interactive. That's the most novel portfolio reel I've ever seen.

3) Virtual Girlfriend. This is pretty much every joke ever made on The Man Show, dressed up in dork clothes and turned out like Elizabeth Hurley.

4) The Beangrowers - Not in a Million Lovers. I'm not a fan of the song, but the video is neat-o.

Phillip Fivel Nessen

2008-03-17T13:05:00.003-05:00

For some reason the work of Phillip Fivel Nessen makes me think of Langston Hughes. I'm pretty sure it's because I used to have a book of Langston Hughes poetry with a cover that looked like his work. It's hard to tell what inspiration my brain has for making connections between concepts. It's like trying to look at the outside of a house from the inside. Damn, I hope that wasn't too deep for you; sometimes I'm just amazingly profound. Profundity aside, I like Nessen's bright colors and contrasting linework; makes his work seem like a rough woodcut. You should also check out a blog called Blow Your Horn Hunter that he's got going with Abe Twist, Max Holyoke-Hirsch, Cornelia O'Donovan, Drew Beckmeyer, Luke Best, Jon Klassen, and Jesse Hadden. That's a pretty serious roster of artists to be blogging with. Some Justice League type steez.

Phillip Fivel Nessen

Just a Little Lazy

2008-03-14T11:31:00.003-05:00

Ok. I'm currently building two websites that I want to have live by this weekend so I'm not gonna run all over the internet looking for things to make your life better. You're on your own for today. I think I've taught you well enough that you should be fine for one day without my help. In order to facilitate your transition today, I bring you the greatest hip-hop video of all time: The Pharcyde - Drop, directed by Spike Jones. Enjoi.

Barnaby Barford

2008-03-13T11:51:00.003-05:00

Thanks to It's Nice That, I got to find out that UK artist Barnaby Barford has a new show that just opened up in London. Barford's new show, Private Lives features witty ceramic figures with even wittier titles, featuring all the pop characters we know and love. Think of it as Pop ceramics. The above piece is titled Stick that on YouTube!, if that will give you any idea of what his work is like. Barford's work does what any good, modern, pop art does: it satirizes our idolizing of popular characters in a culture that can barely wipe its own ass anymore. Something like that.

Barnaby Barford - Private Lives

Daily Videos

2008-03-13T11:48:00.002-05:00

1) Joe Higgs - There Is A Reward For Me. If you've never heard of Joe Higgs you've never really listened to Reggae.

2) Ted Talks - Jill Bolte Taylor: My Stroke of Insight. I heard her talk about this on NPR a while ago, and it was absolutely fascinating.

Richt

2008-03-13T11:33:00.002-05:00

Bristol artist Richt describes himself as "an illustrator", but, judging from the array of work on his Flickr site, I'd say he's more than that. I feel like once someone starts doing canvases or walls they've moved beyond being just an illustrator. Richt's work is mainly character-based with some brilliant, and curving organic elements. I like the colors he uses, bright and simple; using different shades of one base color and black for some of the linework. I like that there isn't a lot of variation from his street art to his other works. A lot of artists try too hard to vary their style between those realms and end up with the work in one or both suffering. Richt's got it good across the board. Someday I'd like to see one of his walls in person, or hell, work on one with him. Getting a passport is a good first step.

Richt

Standing By Their Men

2008-03-12T13:11:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to point out this amazing photoset over at NPR. It's called Standing By Their Men, and it features photos of scandalized politicians and their wives at press conferences explaining the scandals. The array of faces the women display is what makes it all worth while. I especially like the Hillary Clinton picture, because she's smiling lightly but her eyes seem dead. She might make a great leader, but I don't like her at all as a person. It's impossible for me to understand what these women are going through, but my natural reaction would've been to beat my husband to within an inch of his life and then light all his stuff on fire. And that's all before I try to destroy him in the divorce. It's cute how full of rage I am.

Standing By Their Men

Santogold

2008-03-12T13:03:00.003-05:00

It's been a minute since I've posted about any new music, but this morning, thanks to a Fecal Face video I came across Santogold. The group is made up of singer Santi White and producer John Hill, and can best be described as "What MIA should sound like". I never really caught on to the MIA sound, but then Santogold came along and changed all that. Her voice is better, less shrill, and the songs are a little more laidback. I don't feel like someone is trying to give me a cocaine epidural by the middle of a track. My luck being what it is, Santogold is New York-based, meaning it will be a while before I get to see them in person, especially since I won't shell out the cash to bake in the desert at Coachella. It's just as well, I'd hate to have to break out my dance moves again. It's impolite to arouse that many women at one time, and some of them probably have boyfriends. Damn my amazing hips to hell!

Santogold

Daily Videos

2008-03-12T12:58:00.003-05:00

1) Common - Resurrection. Back when he still had that weird sinus problem. Still tight though. Via B/D.

2)Skittles - Pinata. I don't know what company is making these but I want to start a treehouse with them. Via NotCot.

3) Prince Rupert's Drop. Science is so badass. Via Boing Boing.

4) Do The Test. Via Form Fifty Five.

Jeroen Allart

2008-03-12T12:47:00.003-05:00

What is it with the Netherlands that makes them produce such great artists? It's like how Iceland is crawling with amazing musicians. It's no surprise then that Netherlands artist Jeroen Allart is such a brilliant painter. Simple lines and colors, smooth shadows, huge blank spaces; they're just incredible paintings. Maybe there's just something in me that loves anything reminiscent of mid-century design or the subtle geometries of Art Deco. Allart has both, but coupled with a modern flair. It's the best of all worlds, and it makes my eyes go funny. I want an entire wall painted by him.

Jeroen Allart

Hope Gangloff

2008-03-11T12:55:00.003-05:00

We lived in an apartment in Williamsburg for 3 months when I was 8 years old. My dad had a job in New York and we went with him rather than stay home during the Summer. All I really remember is that it was weird not having a yard. This was before Williamsburg became the current hipster haven. Hope Gangloff's colorful creations are a slice of that modern Williamsburg, with enough hipness to warrant only an Ed Banger records soundtrack. Her images are hashy, and built on primary colors. Not to mention, the intricacy of the background detail is much appreciated. It makes me long for the house parties and late nights of my collegetown past. Only a little though; there's a limited number of times that you can throw up in a trashcan and want to try again the next night.

Hope Gangloff

Jörn Kaspuhl

2008-03-11T12:46:00.002-05:00

Jörn Kaspuhl isn't even out of school yet, and he's already got a killer portfolio going on. His work puts me in the mind of a more exaggerated Chris Ware, which is a pretty big compliment since Ware is possibly my favorite comics artist of all time. Looking at Kaspuhl's personal work, I can see that he's got some other styles in him, and who knows what shape his work will take by the time he graduates. He's built a pretty big client list so far, and I can't imagine why it wouldn't get bigger judging from the quality of his work. I'll be keeping an eye on his path for sure. Not in a creepy, stalker way.

Jörn Kaspuhl

Daily Videos

2008-03-11T12:31:00.003-05:00

1) Modular Snake Robots. This is the first of two robot videos that I came across today. I'm generally a pessimist when seeing robots gain more autonomy, and this snake robot immediately made me think: "Of course, why wouldn't you want to give a robot the ability to strangle, climb, and possibly burrow directly into the anus?" C'mon, Scientists, do you hate other humans that much? Via Core 77.

2) TankPitstop. The second robot today is a robotic arm that pumps your gas for you. Giving a robot arm control of anything flammable around deliciously docile human meatbags seems like a bad combination to me. Watch the video and try telling me you don't think that robot arm could just as easily strike a match. Via Ibid.

3) The Roots - Get Busy. To take our minds off the impending robotic doom, here is a video from the new Roots album. That is a truly tight song. P.S. is that a fropick USB thumbdrive?! Radtastic. Via Lifelounge.

4) MasterCard: Studious Pupil. Creepy and pretty cool.

Adam Haynes

2008-03-11T12:14:00.002-05:00

It's part of the process of anyone looking at art to compare the artist to other artists they've seen. Hell, that's part of pretty much everything we do if you subscribe to the standard "schema" model of cognitive science. So, of course, one of the first things that I thought when I saw the work of Adam Haynes was that there are a lost of similarities in style and subject to some of Evan Hecox's work. In general, my next step is to completely ignore that, because I don't really care. I try to remind myself as much as possible to let the art stand alone, like I've never seen anything like it before. This helps me to get closer to my instincts, my gut reaction to the work. My gut reaction to Adam Haynes? Good. Really good. His linework is precise and dirty at the same time, which impresses the hell out of me. His composition for his Nike ads is fucking incredible. It's almost unheard of to have a first person viewpoint in an illustration, and, with the added "wide angle lens" style, the images come out complex, interesting, and dramatic. In short, Haynes needs to hurry up and get some available artwork up on his site, or send me a postcard sketch in the mail. Someway I need to get a piece of his work up on my walls.

Adam Haynes

Robert Burden

2008-03-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

Recently I got an announcement for Robert Burden's upcoming show at Seattle's Roq La Rue gallery (opens this Friday, March 14th). I wasn't really familiar with Burden's work even though he's a Bay Area res., but I liked what I saw from this new show. Burden has taken the action figures from his (and my) boyhood and painted them in all the majesty that they had in his young imagination. I understand this work completely, since one of the largest sources of grief in my life is the death of the complete, reality-altering imagination that I had as a child. My toys were real, complex individuals who had missions and lives outside of their work. Now I'm lucky if I can even convince myself that the Lego men in the bathtub are a submarine crew lost at sea. The old toys that I had seem like lifeless plastic now. Burden faced the same problem and decided that he would create paintings of his toys seen through the window of youth; as powerful, mysterious, and dramatic figures of ultimate glory and evil. I think that whatever effect he intended for his audience, he's successful in one thing at least: I want my toys back, and a quiet place in the front yard for the next mission.

Robert Burden

Josh Kenyon

2008-03-10T15:49:00.002-05:00

I saw Josh Kenyon's work a while ago. Why didn't I report on it then? The world may never know, but some kind of brown liquor was probably to blame. It'll just have to be good enough that I'm telling you about him now. His work covers a fair range of styles, most of it involving hand-drawn elements, and one or two coordinating colors. That's sort of the ikebana of illustration. You don't really need more than that to make something beautiful. I'm seriously all about hand-drawn in illustration, and this is some of the finest. And after seeing those DC's, I'm gonna buy some blank, white shoes and track him down. It's about time the internet started paying off with some cool shoes.

Josh Kenyon.

Daily Videos

2008-03-10T13:28:00.002-05:00

1) Make Love not Zone. A+ for the massive street art action. Via Wooster Collective.

2) Heavy Petting title sequence. I don't know anything about this movie, but I would go see it just based on the opening credits. Via LCSV4.

3) MGMT - Time To Pretend. Strange that I just heard about these guys and then magically I was sent their music video. The universe is mysterious. Via Fecal Face.

4) HBO Intro: Behind the Scenes. Do you remember that awesome intro that HBO used to have with the city and the crazy zooming through space ending? I do. It was the opening sequence to the first television vagina I ever saw. When I was five. Via Drawn!.

5) Candle Cannon. Just so fucking awesome. Via Core 77.

6) The Avalanches - Since I Left You. Probably one of the most underrated groups of all time.

7) Simon's Cat. On a lighter note.

Matt Stuart

2008-03-10T13:16:00.002-05:00

Photographer Matt Stuart shoots people. His work focuses on the strange and wonderful interactions of people and their environments. Think of it like a candid look at small moments of synchronicity. They're photos of the human condition, caught unawares, at its finest. Each photo seems to be looking back and smiling, probably with a mischievous wink. Stuart's work is one, big, mischievous wink with an arm around your shoulder. What more could a photographer want than to show humanity that we're all human?

Matt Stuart

Ahren Hertel

2008-03-07T13:52:00.005-05:00

Ahren Hertel shares some stylistic elements with Levon Jihanian. You see how I brought everything full circle today? We call that continuity. Words like that are what make me a writer. That, and believing my own bullshit. Hertel's paintings are simple and quiet, with just enough symbolism to not overpower things. They seem like short stories to me rather than novels, which works well with his style. I'm surprised he uses oils since most artists have forsaken them for the ease of acrylics. The oils add luminosity to Hertel's paintings though, and give them a soft quality that creates extra dimension with the subjects. Am I getting too technical? Tough shit. How's that for simplicity?

Ahren Hertel

Daily Videos

2008-03-07T13:16:00.002-05:00

1) Beatbox. Now that's entertainment.

2) Kermit the Frog for Supreme streetwear.

3) abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.

4) Sesame Street - Visual Thinking. I mourn the death of amazing kids programming like this.

5) The worst product demo videos ever. Was there a retard convention that they just pulled up to with a bus and said, "ok, we need a few of the most retarded people here to film some promo films"? If I were a retard I would be mad at this company for making my people look bad. Ha, only joking, retards aren't people.

5) Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others.

6) Adidas Original Games. Bringing the Olympics back to the people.

Levon Jihanian

2008-03-07T13:06:00.002-05:00

As promised, Levon Jihanian is the second member of Igloo Tornado that I'll be featuring today. There's a pretty drastic difference between his work and art partner Scot Noble's work, but no one ever said friends have to do everything the same way. My best friend draws robots, I draw monsters, but we're still kickin' it live. Jihanian's work is softer, more planned out, but with a sense of humor. It seems like he would be the kind of person to buy a painting of a unicorn just to paste in a photo of himself riding it, brandishing a fiery sword. I can relate.

Levon Jihanian

Scot Nobles

2008-03-07T12:56:00.004-05:00

losergoes1st is the work of Scot Nobles, an LA artist who is one fourth of the Igloo Tornado art collective (stay tuned for another I.T. artist in a few minutes). It was pretty much a guarantee that I would like Noble's work since it has both nature themes and bright colors, but I also enjoy it because it seems more stream of consciousness than most of the work I see. There seems to be a lot of active creation involved instead of planning and sketching. Not to mention there are dinosaurs in some of his pieces. Dinosaurs! Automatic win.

Scot Nobles

Allesandro Gottardo

2008-03-06T14:30:00.002-05:00

Allesandro Gottardo aka Shout Illustrations is an Italian illustrator who just made my day worthwhile. I pretty much instantly fell in lust with his simple illustrations that make use of empty spaces and a soft color palette to soothe. But there are also clever little visual jibes thrown in to make each piece mysterious or confusing or whimsical. Unfortunately for me and my finances he's got a slew of prints available at Thumbtack Press. I've got to quit seeing so much good work everyday. Or just resign myself to forever eating ramen.

Shout Illustrations

Daily Videos

2008-03-06T14:15:00.002-05:00

1) Making of a soda can. I just wish this video didn't talk to me like I was 4 years old. Via Core 77.

2) Schweppes: Burst. Just totally fucking awesome.

3) Water PSA. Just a nice little piece of motion.

4) Honeyshed. This isn't just one video. It's more like an online version of Home Shopping Network as seen through the eyes of Maxim magazine readers everywhere. Pretty clever.

Will Scobie

2008-03-06T14:06:00.002-05:00

Will Scobie's work puts me in mind of Doze Green's, what with the single line style of drawing, but that's pretty much the end of the similarities, so don't even think I'm implying plagiarism. Scobie's collages and drawings are flat out awesome. As usual I'm disappointed that there aren't more of them to look at, but I know how hard it is to keep a site updated. Scobie combines his simple line drawings with complex patterns and aged, torn textiles to create intricate meanings in his collages. I always appreciate collages built around self-created work. Not that I think collages are cheating or anything, but it's nice to know that the artist created some work and then built an environment for it so that it would be complete. I just like it more is all. Don't get your panties in a wad, other collage artists. Geez.

Will Scobie

Zachary Rossman

2008-03-05T13:53:00.002-05:00

Artist Zachary Rossman has captured my attention with his sparse and strange drawings. Each one is like a little piece of a story that someone told me in my sleep. I don't want to be the kind of person that talks about use of negative space, but Rossman uses it well. In many cases the majority of the paper is blank, which makes his work seem a little more mysterious. Unbeknown to me he currently has a show up at Giant Robot 2 in LA. If you're in that area you should get a gander at it before it comes down next week. Did the phrase "get a gander" ever have anything to do with geese? Mysteries within mysteries.

Zachary Rossman

Daily Videos

2008-03-05T13:49:00.002-05:00

1) Eric's Really Good Idea. British people are like aliens to me. Via Core 77.

2) Man fights crime with robot. Seriously. This guy built a remote controlled robot with a spotlight, built-in video camera, and a water cannon to chase drug dealers out of his neighborhood.

3) USB "virus" creates gravity on MacBooks. I don't even have th first idea how they managed this.

Angie Lewin

2008-03-05T13:43:00.002-05:00

I came across the prints of Angie Lewin today, and liked the similarities they have with the work of Charley Harper (the greatest illustrator of all time). Her work uses some great color combinations, and has a vintage 70's-ish look to it that adds kitsch value to an already wonderful piece. The prints are a little out of my price range, but if you've got money to burn you might consider picking one up.

Angie Lewin

Mikael Kennedy

2008-03-04T14:17:00.002-05:00

I love good photography, probably more than any other art form, which is why I don't report on it much here. I'm picky as all hell when it comes to photography, because it has to be great for me to pay any attention to it. Mikael Kennedy can be proudly added to that list of great photographers in my head. The first image I saw on his site was a photo in the forest, and I'm missing the South pretty hard right now so it immediately kicked me in the feelings. It's not just nostalgia or homesickness that makes the photos mean something, but more that he captured what it feels like to actually be in the woods; not what the woods look like, but being there. That feeling is difficult enough for me to describe in words, so it must have been pretty tough to capture on film, and yet he does so over and over again. I'm looking out a window at a gorgeous, blue California sky with an ambient temperature of 65 degrees or so, but one look at his photos and I want to be back in the freezing, slumbering forests that I grew up in. That to me is great photography.

Mikael Kennedy

Daily Videos

2008-03-04T14:07:00.002-05:00

1) isoe - Berlin 2007. A little live painting from Australian artist isoe. First person to identify the song and band gets my help making a very small wish of theirs come true. Via Wooster Collective.

2) As a follow-up to yesterdays Star Wars credits, here is a selection of Saul Bass Title Sequences. Via Drawn!.

3) Animals Save the Planet. A short clip created by Aardman studios for Animal Planet.

4) You might've heard that there's a new Gnarls Barkley album. Now you can experience some of the new majesty with videos for Run and Who's Gonna Save My Soul. The second video is just ?uestlove's homemade jam. I didn't even know he had a YouTube account. Via Lifelounge.

5) The Eternal Children pt. 1. A great documentary about various artists in the "freak folk" movement including Cocorosie and Devendra Banhart. You can get to the other five parts from the first one.

John Slade

2008-03-04T14:00:00.002-05:00

UK artist John Slade is making my day brighter with his oddball illustrations. My favorites are the ones that don't seem to have any point behind their creation (personal work is always the section I check out first in artists' portfolios). I dig the simple pen lines, and the basic color palette. I would get his work tattooed on the palms of my hands and then shine a bright flashlight through from the back. That seems about ideal.

John Slade

Erika Somogyi

2008-03-04T13:44:00.002-05:00

Maybe it's because Spring is imminent, but lately nature imagery and bright colors are the two features that have been catching my eye. You might have noticed. Brooklynite Erika Somogyi's work features both beautiful, bright colors, and is rife with nature imagery, so it was love at first site. Not to mention that I have a thing for watercolors. They just seem to carry so much more weight with fewer strokes. And goddamn does this girl know how to use them. Her paintings look like dreams of Ryan McGinley photos dipped in a liquid prism. These are the kinds of images that appear in my head when I listen to Animal Collective while riding my bike through the quiet streets of a Sunday morning sunrise. It's nice to know there are still people out there who believe in magic.

Erika Somogyi

Neil Gaiman for free

2008-03-03T13:31:00.003-05:00

All of you Neil Gaiman fans out there, and those who haven't yet tried him out, can no smile a little wider. His publishers have released a free, online copy of his best-selling novel American Gods for the entire planet to download. It's sort of a test to see if free copies online will translate into more people buying physical copies. So, read it, and if you like it, go buy it. It's that simple. I've already worn through two copies so I appreciate the online version as something I can't drop in the bathtub; not without electrocuting myself anyway. I can think of worse ways to die.

American Gods - Online version

Neil Gaiman

Nate Wragg

2008-03-03T13:13:00.002-05:00

It's people like CAL ARTS grad Nate Wragg that keep me fighting to be first in line for every Pixar film. I have yet to come across an artist that works there who isn't fantastic. Wragg is no exception. Clever, well-balanced, and perfectly drawn, his work embodies the illustration style that I think of as my ideal. It's certainly not my style, but that's great because I hate my style. Wragg has a style that I equate with a new form of sumi-e, using fewer lines, generalizing shapes, and letting the colors create the rest. Those are the same reasons that I can never get tired of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends and Samurai Jack. You can bet I'm about to drop some dimes on a couple of his prints. Sleep well, Nate, knowing that your art will be watching me make sweet, tender love to the mother of my not-yet-conceived offspring.

Nate Wragg

Daily Videos

2008-03-03T13:07:00.002-05:00

1) Jesse Jackson reads Green Eggs and Ham.

2) Star Wars credits in the style of Saul Bass. Dead on.

3) Botched. Why I hate cats.

4) Del tha Funkee Homosapien - Workin it. The first video from Del's new album. He just gets better.

5) My Paper Mind. I have literally never seen anything like this. Fucking amazing.

6) Justice - DVNO. I keep trying to hate Justice, but I can't. I could only identify about 1/3 of all the companies spoofed in the video.

Jeremy Forson

2008-03-03T12:47:00.003-05:00

Apparently Jeremy Forson and I are neighbors, or as good as, since I live on an island and he lives on the mainland. Yeah, I now say "mainland". When I find out about any good artist living within 5 miles of me it makes me a little more sure that moving to the Bay Area was a good choice. Not that I have a lot of doubts considering how well everything has gone so far. Forson is ridiculously talented, and he's cultivated the kind of horror-obsessed style that I need a dose of every week, although it's not all zombies, which I appreciate. Judging from the work he has online there isn't a subject or style that he can't handle. That kind of talent so close by is like a warm blanket to my kind. My kind being something between a smaller, thinner, Caucasian Barry White and a panther.

Jeremy Forson

Salva López

2008-03-03T12:26:00.003-05:00

I think I've pretty much decided that I need to visit Barcelona soon. The graffiti there is amazing, the people all seem like they're never rude, and there are tons of great artists living in and around that area. Case in point: Salva López. His work is simple, sometimes strange, and totally versatile. In the handful of images on his myspace page you can see a variety of styles, all done perfectly, and with a clean, delicate aesthetic throughout. My only gripe is that his portfolio site isn't up yet. I need more of the work, man. Oh, and can I crash with you when I come to Barcelona?

Salva López

Johan Björkegren

2008-02-29T13:53:00.004-05:00

Aside from having a last name that makes me want to cut my own tongue off, Johan Björkegren creates some amazing illustrations. There are lots of hatchings and cross-hatchings for me to get lost in. It makes all his pictures seem slightly hairy, which I'm groovin' on. Yeah, I said groovin'. I'm taking that shit back from the hippies. You can't have it, you dirty motherfuckers. I'm gonna sit here and groove on Björkegren's work some more, because I can't figure out how it's dark and yet not at the same time. I'll need a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to power through this enigma. What?

Johan Björkegren

Yes + Me

2008-02-29T13:43:00.003-05:00

Why do I like the work of Yes + Me? Is it the color-packed, playful style? Is it the touch of oddness that gets sprinkled on every project? Is it the fact that it's just some friends having a good time designing things? I'm gonna go with all of the above. Where do I sign up?

Yes + Me

Daily Videos

2008-02-29T13:37:00.002-05:00

1) What if.... Video for Pangaea Day.

2) BLF hits AT&T. An AT&T billboard in The Mission gets a more truthful makeover.

3) Favorite Color. Some great motion work from New York design studio Favorite Color.

4) AgainstAllOdds. More good motion, this time from AgainstAllOdds. Pay special attention to the Coke Zero spots.

5) The Edible Martini. Possibly the coolest kitchen technique I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot.

6) Uganda Skateboard Union. This pretty much sums up the way I feel about skateboarding. Plus, I've found my new favorite charity.

Tommy Guerrero Interview

2008-02-29T13:27:00.003-05:00

One of my skate/music heroes, Tommy Guerrero, has a quick, but interesting interview over on SFGate. He covers a lot of ground in ten questions. If you get a chance you should check out his new album Return of the Bastard; there's an online stream of some of the new tracks over here, or if you're in the Bay Area you can drop by the release party at 12 Galaxies next Friday. I'm probably going to try and squeeze that one in. First Fridays are always busy.

Science as Art

2008-02-29T12:52:00.006-05:00

I know that I often have a strange mix of art and science posts throughout the week, even though I generally consider this an art/design site. That's because I honestly can't see the difference between the two. I love art and design because they allow me to see joy and beauty in the world, and I love science for the very same reason. Everything I learn, every new discovery I read about, just serves to make the world seem that much more beautiful and intricate. Did you know that bats create tiny vortexes on top of their wings? That was just discovered recently. I react to that in the same way that I react to the first Goya painting I ever saw in person. It makes me want to shout, because I don't know what else would be a strong enough reaction to that kind of joy. I pretty much feel like shouting all the time.

The most amazing parts of my week are the moments when I find something that blurs the line of art and science in a way that everyone else can understand how I feel when I look at clouds. Recently I came across two such things, and I figured they warranted a nice long post to themselves.

The first is an image gallery on the website of Aqua Design Amano for Aqua Forest Aquarium (a Bay Area business that I'll be visiting very soon). The images are all of simple, glass aquariums. The beauty comes from the design of the aquarium environment, an "amano" style. Each tank is designed to be a natural, aqueous environment for plants and animals. This is basically the aquarium version of bonzai. Each element, and there are never very many, is delicately placed with respect to its height, relation to other plants, and overall effect on the sense of perspective in the tank. Then fish are added, usually one species to maintain simplicity. The CO₂ levels are very carefully maintained, and the light sources are designed for maximum plant growth, as well as light for viewing the environment. The photos are great, but imagine seeing the tanks in person. Tell me that's not art.

The second item I came across is the flickr page of Reciprocity. He creates the most amazing images using shaped and textured plastics. Each image is shot using a focused light beam aimed through the plastic object. The lens of the camera is removed and replaced with the object so that the light pattern is captured directly on 35mm film. The images change with the shapes, textures and colors of the plastic, and the colors and intensity of the light. Each image comes out looking like some multi-colored photo of microscopic organisms or maybe the smoke from some Lewis Carroll caterpillar. Refraction and reflection, spectra of light, texture, all scientific realms, but here their captured as beautiful images. Tell me that's not art.

Every structure, every pattern, every tiny scientific fact that I encounter in the world adds depth to my life, and the way that I view the world. Art and science enrich everything around me to a degree that is indescribable. I hope I've managed to capture a small part of that here.

Perpendicular Dreams

2008-02-28T13:44:00.002-05:00

Perpendicular Dreams is the work of Collage artist Julien Pacaud. It seems like a cross between a more subtle Terry Gilliam and Henry Darger. I have never been a huge fan of collage, but these make my nose tingle like static electricity. I just kinda want to stare at them until my eyes go crossed.

Julien Pacaud

Daily Videos

2008-02-28T13:40:00.002-05:00

1) Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy. I think I might have posted this already. I like it enough taht I don't mind it being a repeat.

2) A History of Evil. Good animation.

3) Cart Whisperer. No cart left behind.

Kelly Vivianco

2008-02-28T13:26:00.002-05:00

I've been going through a bird phase recently. It started when I was walking back from the park and I noticed a canary in a cage on someone's windowsill. It sang as I walked by, and that made me really want to let it out. Maybe that's what it was trying to say to me, or maybe it was trying to tell me that "hey, I'm a bird I'm a bird I'm a bird!" Then I started noticing how many different prints and paintings there were cropping up with birds as their subject. Is 2008 the year of the bird? I was hoping for year of the giraffe, but that one has let me down the last five years running. Birds are everywhere lately, and so it was a big drop in the bucket when I found the artwork of Kelly Vivianco. I liked them at first, then I saw that the first bird's name was Russell. Now I love them. If I had $150 to spend on anything other than food and rent I would gladly put Russell in the center of, what I have begun building in my head as, bird wall. It's an imaginary collection of prints and paintings, culled from the internets, that would go in our living room. That imaginary wall makes its blank, real-world counterpart an eyesore. Kelly, your work is great. My imaginary wall wouldn't be as good without it.

Kelly Vivianco

Lindsay Lohan and Bert Stern

2008-02-28T12:49:00.005-05:00

Most of us are familiar with the iconic last photos of Marilyn Monroe shot by Bert Stern. You might not know that Bert Stern was the photographer, but you've seen at least one of those photos if you've been alive for more than 4 years.

WARNING: Children four years of age and younger should not be reading this site. Go outside and play you angelic little fuck-trophies.

The photos that Stern shot were of a drunken, downward-spiraling Marilyn Monroe. Though she's smiling and playful, she seems to have lost the sparkle and sultriness that once made her a national sex-symbol. It seems fairly fitting then that Stern has re-shot the Monroe set with Lindsay Lohan, who is about as seductive as 2x4. All of Lohan's recent partying and various media fiascoes draw a nice parallel between her and Marilyn, and I think Stern emphasizes the similarities by caking on the make-up. Lohan trying to recreate Monroe's poses and sultriness is laughable, but that only magnifies the irreplaceable loss of an icon like Marilyn Monroe.

I never saw Marilyn as a sex symbol. She seemed to overwork what would have been attractive in a simpler form. But she was an alluring, and beautiful woman who was coming into her own as an actress when she took her own life. I've never seen Lindsay Lohan as a sex symbol either, more just a pretty girl with a nice rack. She could be a very sweet person, but she mostly just seems like the kind of girl that says "We should totally do that" a trillion times a day, but never does anything. I wonder if she even realizes the subtle tragedies that Stern is recreating with her as the model.

Bert Stern Shoots Lindsay Lohan

Daily Videos

2008-02-27T14:14:00.002-05:00

1) Project Grizzly. Sometimes it amazes me that Canadians even survive to breed.

2) Retna. A nice profile of graffiti artist Retna. Too bad it's by Boost Mobile. Via Juxtapoz.

3) Bullfrog Ballet. The most ungainly predator alive. Via Boing Boing.

4) Sound of Color. Five great videos for five different colors. You were right, Matt.

5) Todd Francis. A look at Todd Francis, designer for Element Skateboards. He's been in the game for ages.

Golden Book of Biology

2008-02-27T14:08:00.004-05:00

In my daily design sojourn I came across this flickr photoset featuring images from the Giant Golden Book of Biology with illustrations by Charley Harper, which combines my love of kid's books with great illustration. I've never met a Harper image I didn't love, and these are no exception. If you're ever at a lack of ideas for gifts to buy me, any Charley Harper illustrated book is a winner. I never get tired of looking at them.

Giant Golden Book of Biology

Neil Doshi

2008-02-26T14:09:00.002-05:00

Canadian Illustrator/Designer Neil Doshi is right up my alley. Did you ever notice how dirty that phrase sounds? But Doshi's work is anything but dirty, in fact it's as clean as they come. It's got the solid expression that fortifies the work of artists like Geoff McFetridge, but without such a rigid style that things seem monotonous. I'm especially digging the design that he made for the new The Quiet Life t-shirt. Mothers, lock up your daughters, he seems unstoppable.

Neil Doshi

Kristina Collantes

2008-02-26T14:00:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I should just skip over the artist's bios on their sites. I stared incredulously at Kristina Collantes' bio because it says that she was born in 1987, making her five years younger than me. It's hard to fathom so much talent coming from someone who was born when I was just getting out of Tonka shirts. Regardless of her age, her work is great. I love the color, the intricate patterns, and the delicacy. It's like lace made from those dots that float in my vision when I stare at the sky. Seeing that she's tattooed herself with her own work makes perfect sense. Who wouldn't want those elegant spirals twisting across their body? If I had a piece by her I would definitely get it tattooed, probably onto my right arm; incorporate it with the beehive pattern that's on my shoulder. If only.

Kristina Collantes

Oliver Munday

2008-02-26T13:53:00.002-05:00

Aside from having a sweet Victorian name Oliver Munday also has some clean, well-thought-out design. It figures that he's designed decks for Stereo skateboards; he's got the perfect style for them. I like that his work is both playful and simple, not something that most designers manage to balance well. His work for the New York Times is a whole other level of awesome. Damn good stuff.

Oliver Munday

Sweet GIFs

2008-02-26T13:49:00.002-05:00

I'm a little late in posting this one, but Sweet GIFs is giving the animated GIF a makeover for the 22nd century.

Sweet GIFs

Daily Videos

2008-02-26T13:39:00.002-05:00

1) TSA Ganstaz. Since TSA can apparently steal your laptop and make you give them the password for it, this thug parody is far from the truth.

2) Wind Turbine Explosion. That is just spectacular. Via Boing Boing.

3) Growth of a Venus Fly Trap. The camera rig used to capture this video is equally as impressive. Via Ibid.

4) Italian Spiderman. More amazing than I can even describe.

Garfield Minus Garfield

2008-02-26T13:36:00.002-05:00

Without the fat, orange cat this comic strip is nothing short of amazing. I never realized how much of an existential journey it was. Who knew Garfield was just fucking up the brilliance all along?

Garfield Minus Garfield

Hunter S. Thompson at M+B Gallery

2008-02-25T14:35:00.002-05:00

With the anniversary of Hunter S. Thompson's death having just recently passed (February 20th), a day that preceded a lunar eclipse, a day that was both storm-ridden and sunny, it's a strange coincidence that I should stumble across a set of photos from a show at M+B Gallery from over a year ago. No single author has been so influential to my own style, and what's more, my own life than Thompson. I have to wonder about a person that can create so many changes in so many people, but then be reduced to a series of images and words, fragments of memories floating through our collective subconscious. I'm staring out a window at the same California sky that Thompson walked under for a better part of his life, looking at pictures of the times and places that he thought important or just vivid enough to need a reminder of, and I'm not questioning my mortality or anything as trite as that. I'm just enjoying a sky that a friend of mine once enjoyed, a friend I never met.

Hunter S. Thompson at M+B Gallery.

Wayne Harris

2008-02-25T14:26:00.002-05:00

Illustrator Wayne Harris has a really straight-forward site design, and I think it's the perfect compliment to his work. His characters are so vivid and expressive that the site around them doesn't need any dressing-up. The work speaks volumes for itself. Harris has that flat-plane 3-D vector style that never fails to look good to me. It reminds me of an updated version of the classic Golden Books illustration style that I grew up on, but with a dash of Saturday morning cartoons thrown in. I could side-scroll this stuff all day long.

Wayne Harris

Daily Videos

2008-02-25T14:10:00.002-05:00

1) Coraline Teaser. If you haven't read the book by Neil Gaiman yet you should probably get your ass up and go get it. Let's hope this movie turns out better than fucking MirrorMask. Via Drawn!

2) Annual Report. I guess "life caching" is the next trend. It's impressive that someone can keep such meticulous track of their life for a year. I think the better question is who really gives a shit? Via Core77.

3) Trunk Monkey. That pretty much explains itself. Via Boing Boing.

4) iBand. One Nintendo DS and two iPhones. That's pretty rad.

5) Live Action Gmail. Video to promote Gmail in Russia created by Saatchi & Saatchi.

6) Post Comment.

7) The Pyrotechnic Imagination. Gunpowder drawings.

ArtSkills Updates

2008-02-25T14:01:00.003-05:00

My favorite art/design blog that I can't read, Artskills.net, has recently updated its page design. Nicely done, french guys. You are, however, making me look bad because I haven't touched my new layout design in a couple of weeks. I guess now I have to get back to that. Blog guilt rears its ugly head.

ArtSkills.net

Oliver Vernon

2008-02-22T14:01:00.002-05:00

Oliver Vernon's work is so full of chaos and and form that at first I thought I might throw up. I fought the urge and kept staring until eventually I realized that I like the curving lines and chaotic backgrounds. It makes me think of some graf pieces that I've seen taking over back alley walls. Vernon's work has the same flow and madness, but taken in an abstract direction without the usual constraints of the graf world. Is it intentional or just a coincidence? How in the hell should I know. I just know what I see, and in this case my eyes are pleased. My brain is having a pretty good time, too. Mission accomplished.

Oliver Vernon

Joey Piziali

2008-02-22T13:51:00.002-05:00

I love the geometry and color of Joey Piziali's work. I am always astounded that motion can be conveyed with simple pattern and intense color. Couple that with the strange, worn collage that surrounds the paint and you've got a recipe for perfection. If it were possible to tattoo something like this I would cover my whole back in it. These paintings make me feel like life is blinding.

Joey Piziali

Daily Videos

2008-02-22T13:47:00.003-05:00

1) Mike Mo Capaldi sets the world record for 360 flips

2) Blur - Coffee and TV. I was thinking about this video on the way to work, and then there it was. Serendipity.

3) Fog-rise in San Francisco.

Jose Mertz

2008-02-22T13:42:00.003-05:00

Miami-based artist Jose Mertz needs to hurry his ass up and put more art on his site. I clicked desperately on a bunch of things that weren't links hoping for a miracle. I want more, dammit. The sun just came out as I was typing that. It's a sign, Jose. God agrees; more art.

Jose Mertz

Vacay

2008-02-15T14:21:00.013-05:00

As of today I'm on vacation until next Friday. I've got people coming to visit and I'd rather spend time with them than with you, internet. I know that's harsh, but I need to be honest. We've got to have communication. When I come back I expect that my hits will have fallen drastically since most of them come from Google image searches. The four of you that read this will, I'm sure, find something better to do with your time. To tide you over for the week I leave you with these pictures that I have taken recently. I don't expect that to help for very long.

Sincerely,
Management

Palm trees outside

Scraggly bark

Her earrings

My living room, featuring plants in a cage!

Me, looking lurkish

The new woman in my life

Ben Newman

2008-02-14T13:46:00.004-05:00

UK illustrator Ben Newman and I have pretty similar backgrounds; similar in that we were born in the same year and read comics. I'm pretty sure he didn't mirror my "take 4 hits of acid every day for two years, and 10-20 on weekends" phase. His art is crazy, but it's not that kind of crazy. It's more like a cross between Matte Stephens and a schizophrenic Good Humor wrapper. It tastes like pop rocks and Mike and Ikes in my brain. So that's another thing that Newman and I have in common: we never stopped seeing the world from the point of view of a sugar covered cereal binge. If the US dollar was worth a damn I would buy this Swami print of his immediately.

Ben Newman

Daily Videos

2008-02-14T13:33:00.003-05:00

1) Tickle Party. Via Fecal Face.

2) Funny, But No: Rejected Valentine Cards. A collection of rejected Valentine's Day cards from Shoebox at Hallmark. Did you know there are some amazing motherfuckers working there? Did you know I randomly insert the word motherfuckers into sentences more often than I should? Via Drawn!.

3) Kung Fu Panda. I am stuck halfway between loving Jack Black and wanting to force feed him some Quaaludes to just get him to calm the fuck down. Via Ibid.

4) The Pearce Sisters. Is there anything that Aardman studios touches that isn't pure gold. They touched me and look at how I turned out. Shit, they told me never to tell. Well....it's been nice knowing you unraped eyesockets.

5) Kanye West - Flashing Lights. Um...damn, Yeezy.

Cabanon Press

2008-02-14T13:23:00.002-05:00

Tom Gauld and Simone Lia are the brains behind Cabanon Press, which makes comics that are nasal-milk-explosion funny. Their work is similar in composition to Perry Bible Fellowship, but without the twistedness that makes me question whether or not I should actually laugh. That was a lie. I never question it. The style of Gauld and Lia's work is simple, and well-presented. In short these are exactly the kinds of comics that you should all buy me for birthdays and Hanukkah. Just throwing that out there.

Cabanon Press.

Amplive - Rainydayz

2008-02-13T14:37:00.002-05:00

Oakland Producer/DJ Amplive has created a remixes album of Radiohead's In Rainbows. Initially he was contacted by Radiohead's reps asking him to cease and decist, but he met with them and now everything's kosher. Good thing, too, because this album is too good to pass up. It's available as a free download on Amplive's site.

Amplive

Daily Videos

2008-02-13T14:28:00.002-05:00

1) Creature Comforts - Art. Oh, Aardman. Via Fecal Face.

2) United States Artists. A great set of videos about artists working in the US. Via Design*Sponge.

3) Le Cadeau du Temps. It was animated by using screenshots from Photoshop images. Nice. Via Drawn!.

4) What would the world look like from underneath?. Via I Love New Work.

5) Me telling you motha fuckas off. I'm pretty sure this girl has fetal alcohol syndrome.

Shaun Tan

2008-02-13T14:17:00.002-05:00

I came up with almost nothing today while trolling for art-booty, but I did hit upon on gem: Shaun Tan. Tan's work is everything that I like about illustrated children's books. There's innovative text, imagery that borders on visual hyperbole, simple stories with big meanings, and a good rhythm to the whole book. I've mentioned before that my favorite books are children's books, not because I shun contemplation, but because I don't like messages being dressed up. I like books that want to entertain you and share a little joy. Even the sadder children's books just want to hold your hand. Irvine Welsh is great, but his books would break my hand rather than holding it. The fact that Tan writes and illustrates his books makes him a powerhouse as far as I'm concerned. Looking at some of his other paintings and murals I see that I'm proven right.

Shaun Tan

Overqualified

2008-02-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

Joey Comeau, one half of the brilliant duo behind A Softer World (over there in the sidebar), has a project titled Overqualified, where he sends resumes with the most hilariously depraved cover letters to various companies and organizations. You only have to read one to understand what I'm talking about. You will not be able to read just one. My favorite point so far is when he refers to women's vaginas as "unflushable pink toilets". I want him to speak at my wedding.

Overqualified.

Oliver Hibert

2008-02-12T13:13:00.000-05:00

If The Beatles' Yellow Submarine took peyote in the desert for six days this is what it's vomit would look like on the morning of the seventh day. Why do my compliments always come out sounding like insults? Oliver Hibert and I should probably be internet BFF.

Oliver Hibert

The State of Things

2008-02-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Heiko at The State of Things creates drawings that are like Lisa Frank sticker packs on booze and downers. They're cute, but they don't sear my retinas with pink and purple unicorns dancing on the clouds at sunset while eating cupcakes. I will never forget the pain you caused me Lisa Frank. You're probably the reason I wear glasses. Heiko's work is tastefully fanciful, and sometimes a little twisted. I can support that.

The State of Things.

Daily Videos

2008-02-12T12:48:00.000-05:00

1) john.he.is. Another candidate inspires. Via Dehumidifier.

2) Jaws in 30 seconds. Roy's dead, and all I can do is laugh. Via LCSV4.

3) Room in a box. I can't imagine it's very sturdy, but think of how easy it would be to furnish temporary housing or even a hole in the wall dorm room. Via Apartment Therapy.

Jeremy Fish - Barry the Beaver

2008-02-12T12:32:00.001-05:00

San Francisco artist Jeremy Fish, who I haven't met yet for some reason, has created possibly the greatest vinyl toy of all time. The design is innovative, the character is cute, and it's a vibrator. Yeah. If you couldn't tell from the picture, Ol' Barry there is a battery-powered tang toy for the ladies who want to put their poon playthings on a pedestal. Is this alliteration selling it? So you can proudly display the toy when your folks come to visit, and then with a turn o' the tree stump base you can forget all the ways that they make you feel like a little kid. Or hell, get one for your mom if you're from that kind of family.

Barry the Beaver.

Adam's Apple

2008-02-12T12:26:00.000-05:00

A cute story about the New Genesis. The illustrations are awesome, and the rhythm is perfect. Plus there's a lot of cartoon wang...for the ladies.

Adam's Apple

Marcus Oakley

2008-02-12T12:20:00.001-05:00

The portfolio of London artist Marcus Oakley is full of great work, but it's more than just great work that draws me to it. There is simplicity, a wonderful color palette, but most of all a feeling of niceness. All his work makes me feel nice, like he's a nice person and so am I. Am I overusing nice? See, I wouldn't even have been worried about that without this nice feeling. Normally I would've told you all to eat a chode if you don't like my words. Oakley's work is going to ruin my reputation as an asshole.

Marcus Oakley