Final Context Book

Culture Vulture Pop Culture Design in the 21st Century Colour, Illustration & Composition

I don’t know many jobs where an email will say ‘his head isn’t square enough’ or ‘let’s make his feet longer and knees more knobbly’. I love it.

Andrew Kolb

‘A print based investigation into pop culture with an emphasis on colour and illustration’ The above statement was written almost a year ago, and has remained unwavering. I consider myself fully aware of my design practice intentions, and will not rest until I am following a career path that emulates personal industry icons of mine.

There is reasoning behind this publication being visually driven. Bold, vivid illustrative and type driven compositions are what inspires me on a daily basis.

I understand the importance of bringing context to my work, something I have struggled with. Through researching into freelancers/illustrators I believe to have outlined my future and brought a greater sense of believability to my practice.

However, I will always work in the most aesthetically driven way I can. This is something that will never change.

Or else I wouldn’t be me.

Robyn Makinson

Chris DeLorenzo O’ Brother Where Art Thou? for ‘The Silver Screen Society’ May 2011

Where artists used to endlessly talk about Monet and Picasso, these guys would rather talk about David Lynch or Nintendo.

Jensen Karp on the current trend for pop culture inspired art

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Chapter One

Pop Culture Design The Origins & Recent Success Stories Saul Bass: The Visionary A small bio on the man responsible for the careers of current designers success, most notably critically lauded poster artist Olly Moss.

He has always been a personal inspiration. Other designers have come and gone, and I find myself discovering a new name almost every day. Illustrators are constantly emerging, and achieve varying levels of success. Saul Bass’ success will never be tarnished. He will be remembered forever.

Current Pop Culture commercial work.

Case Studies Ty Mattson

Dexter Series 1-5 Poster Collection

Kyle Hilton Paper Doll Collection

Saul Bass

May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996 The Pioneer of Pop Culture Design 7.

Saul Bass was not only one of the great graphic designers of the mid-20th century but the undisputed master of film title design thanks to his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger and Martin Scorsese.

When the reels of film for Otto Preminger’s controversial new drugs movie, The Man with the Golden Arm, arrived at US movie theatres in 1955, a note was stuck on the cans - “Projectionists – pull curtain before titles”. Until then, the lists of cast and crew members which passed for movie titles were so dull that projectionists only pulled back the curtains to reveal the screen once they’d finished. But Preminger wanted his audience to see The Man with the Golden Arm’s titles as an integral part of the film.

Even before he made his cinematic debut, Bass was a celebrated graphic designer. Bass studied at the Art Students League in New York and Brooklyn College under Gyorgy Kepes, an Hungarian graphic designer who had worked with László Moholy-Nagy in 1930s Berlin and fled with him to the US. Kepes introduced Bass to Moholy’s Bauhaus style and to Russian Constructivism.

After apprenticeships with Manhattan design firms, Bass worked as a freelance graphic designer. Chafing at the creative constraints imposed on him in New York, he moved to Los Angeles in 1946. After freelancing, he opened his own studio in 1950 working mostly in advertising until Preminger invited him to design the poster for his 1954 movie, Carmen Jones. Impressed by the result, Preminger asked Bass to create the film’s title sequence too.

In 1958’s Vertigo, his first title sequence for Alfred Hitchcock, Bass shot an extreme close-up of a woman’s face and then her eye before spinning it into a sinister spiral as a bloody red soaks the screen. For his next Hitchcock commission, 1959’s North by Northwest, the credits swoop up and down a grid of vertical and diagonal lines like passengers stepping off elevators. It is only a few minutes after the movie has begun - with Cary Grant stepping out of an elevator - that we realise the grid is actually the façade of a skyscraper.

To younger film directors, Saul Bass was a cinema legend with whom they longed to work. In 1987, he was persuaded to create the titles for James Brooks’ Broadcast News and then for Penny Marshall’s 1988 Big. In 1990, Bass found a new long term collaborator in Martin Scorsese who had grown up with, and idolised, his 1950s and 1960s titles. After 1990’s Goodfellas and 1991’s Cape Fear, Bass created a sequence of blossoming rose petals for Scorcese’s 1993’s The Age of Innocence and a hauntingly macabre one of Robert De Niro falling through the sinister neons of the Las Vegas Strip for the director’s 1995’s Casino to symbolise his character’s descent into hell. bio from designmuseum.org

Radio madebyradio.com Set of poster’s for AMC’s Mad Men Radio keeps things simple and original. They place emphasis on maintaining high levels of craft across all their work, with a willingness to keep evolving their style. Working out of Cape Town, Radio specializes in illustration, design, type and iconography, servicing advertising agencies and its own clients.

Current Pop Culture Design What’s Hot Right Now Mad Men & Arrested Development 9.

There are currently many studios and freelancers who are being commisioned to bring a fresh approach to promotional material. Film studios and TV networks are slowly realising that formulaic, non engaging promotional material may work as well as it ever has, but doing something a little different works even better. That’s why promotional campaigns are beginning to take on a new life form, in particular for AMC’s ‘Mad Men’.

A pioneer in it’s own right, being the first cable show to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, the showrunners continue this fresh approach to the accompanying promo material. They commision things that create ‘buzz’. Such as the poster set seen on the facing page, by Capetown’s ‘Radio’.

Other current shows following suit include: True Blood, Parks & Recreation, Community, Dexter, Breaking Bad, even commercial successes such as Glee.

However it is with now defunct shows that the real creativity can be seen, particularly Arrested Development and Seinfeld. One might even attribute the current renewal of Arrested Development to the continued interest in the series running gags.

Another reason for the increase in tributes to pop culture could without doubt be attributed to the internet. The vast amount of collectives and networking sites where people with similar interests can admire and even purchase great design, has been an enormous contribution to the design community.

Case Study: Ty Mattson Dexter Series 1-5 Poster Set mattsoncreative.com 11.

The story behind this project is particularly inspiring. What started as a completely self initiated brief, brought on by an appreciation for the Showtime series ‘Dexter’, went on to become something altogether different.

The visual interpretations created by Mattson Creative for fun led to recognition from the people responsible for creating the show itself. Which in turn led to widespread praise and even the opportunity to contribute to the promotional aspects of the show.

‘We designed a series of limited edition silkscreen prints inspired by the critically acclaimed television series. Currently available in a dedicated section on the Showtime website, the posters have received accolades from several design annuals including CommArts and Print Magazine.

In addition to the posters and packaging, we also developed a unique animation sequence. Utilizing the existing artwork, we re-imagined Dexter’s opening titles as if the show had originally aired in the 60’s. Released as a viral video, the intro has been viewed thousands of times over.’

‘Everyone at Dexter loves these posters. Ty’s creative interpretation has managed to capture the essence of our show. I’m proud to have a full set of the prints hanging in my office.’

Robert Lloyd Lewis; Producer for Dexter

Case Study: Kyle Hilton TV & Film Inspired Paper Dolls flannelanimal.tumblr.com 13.

Another inspirational story, in which a completely self directed brief by a struggling freelance illustrator turned into something more driven, and recognised respected poeple within the entertainment industry.

How did you come this?

I wish I had a more original answer, but I just grew up drawing and reading comic books, playing with action figures and all that when I was a kid. In college I studied art and design, but it wasn’t until getting into more “literary” comics-books by artists/writers like Daniel Clowes and Adrian Tomine, that I wanted to specifically become a comics writer/illustrator. I’m currently a freelance illustrator, working on various things for different clients, but my main focus is writing and drawing a full-length book that I hope to publish in the near future.

Where did the initial idea for your paper doll series come from?

Paper dolls of modern-day characters aren’t a new idea by any means, but for me it started as a need to do something in my free time that didn’t require too much thought. Just something fun, but still productive. You know how older 1980s-era action figures looked in their packages, with all the accessories organized neatly and the figure just sort of in this boring, stock pose? I’ve always loved that look, and always wanted to see action figures like that made for shows like “Arrested Development.” So as an illustrator, the result of that came out as a paper doll.

Has it been surprising with the amount of buzz you’ve gotten from the paper dolls? The cast of Breaking Bad wanted you to make some for all of them?

Yeah it was very unexpected. I mean, it definitely has to do with the characters themselves. If I had done a set of “Home Improvement” dolls instead of “Arrested Development,” it might not have been the same amount of buzz, so I definitely know I’m riding coattails for the most part. And the “Breaking Bad” bit was the coolest, most surreal part. The show’s art department had seen the Walter White doll somehow and wanted the rest of the cast made as party favors for their fourth season wrap party. And I jumped at the chance, being a huge fan of the show. I think the most terrifying and exciting part was hearing that Giancarlo Esposito, the actor who plays Gus Fring, was really looking forward to his doll being made. If you know anything about Gus, you know he doesn’t like to be disappointed.

Interview with clutch.mtv.com Wednesday November 2, 2011

by David Dean

Design is one of those things you get so hooked into that you forget to perform basic life necessities like consume food and go to bed.

Matt Chase

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Chapter Two

Personal Inspiration Illustrators, Studios & Collectives Popular Culture inspired organisations such as Gallery 1988, Silver Screen Society and Mondo are detailed and examples of exhibited work are shown.

This chapter also details some of the freelance designers/illustrators who have continued to influence me for the past three years of my design practice.

Interviews with Matt Chase

Andrew Kolb

Dave Perillo Internet Extracts

Tyler Stout Olly Moss Ryan Brinkerhoff Chris DeLorenzo Little Friends of Printmaking DKNG Alex Westgate Alex Griendling Tim Boelaars Mike Mitchell Justin White Derek Deal

The last section of this chapter is an extract from my dissertation. I believe it fits perfectly as it deals with the mechanics of film poster design and how different design approaches can create varying levels of success. It also details the importance, and connotations, of certain colour choices.

Gallery 1988

Pop Culture Inspired Gallery nineteeneightyeight.com 17.

What I Say Since I first came across the artwork created for Gallery 1988 shows, most specifically the annual ‘Crazy 4 Cult’ exhibits, I felt as though I had discovered an endless amount of inspiration for my own design practice. I had always considered myself primarily driven by pop culture, most notably film and television, but thought there was no market for such design. That was until I came across the incredibly varied number of design interpretations of any single subject, including individual film’s (Wet Hot American Summer) or the entire back catalogue of a noted Hollywood actor (Bill Murray). It is indeed my dream to one day be included in a show at Gallery 1988, and after contacting several designers who have participated, the only way to achieve this is by being bold and contacting the people in charge.

What they say “Gallery 1988 has quickly become one of the world’s most talked about art galleries. Opened in 2004 on the famous corner of Melrose and La Brea, by California natives Katie Cromwell and Jensen Karp, the gallery has become the nation’s number one destination for pop-culture themed artwork and the premiere venue to witness the rise of emerging artists before they break.

Openings at the gallery have seen upwards of 2,500 people attending in one night, including celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie, Good Charlotte, Seth Rogen, DJ AM, Paul Wall, Seth Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Jonah Hill, Michael Rappaport, Linkin Park, Swizz Beats and Joss Whedon admiring the walls. An annual show at G1988, “Crazy 4 Cult” receives worldwide press (faced by the show’s hosts, filmmakers Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier) and over 1,000,000 website hits on the day of the opening reception. In addition, Gallery1988 has collaborated with Stan Lee and Beastie Boys to create the annual tribute show, “Under the Influence,” which pays homage to these inspirational icons and their influence on our generation. In 2011, Karp and Cromwell expanded G1988 with a new location in Venice Beach, CA. The galleries have been featured in dozens of magazines including US Weekly, Jutxapoz, JANE, COMPLEX, The Los Angeles Times, FHM, The Washington Post, and The National Post. They’ve also received press from the CNN, G4 network, KTLA, KTTV, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, KROQ, Power 106 and publications in the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, Germany and Italy. G1988 has also created unprecedented partnerships with corporations like The Walt Disney Company, Capcom and Mattel to produce art shows inspired by their products and history.

In 2009, Gallery1988:LA worked hand in hand with Tyson/Givens Design & ABC television show “LOST,” to create a promotional campaign and art show that has changed the face of television marketing as a whole. For the past 6 years, Gallery 1988 has helped nurture and create a collective of artists who call 1988 their homebase allowing collectors to purchase affordable artwork from art stars on the rise, before their price range skyrockets.”

‘1988 X GPK’ Garbage Pail Kids Group Show September 2 - October 1, 2011 The Bungaloo John John Screenprint 18 x 24 inches Signed and numbered limited edition of 40 Inspired by Garbage Pail Kids

‘Suspense & Gallows Humor’ Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock April 13 - 29, 2012 Dave Perillo The Master of Suspense 3 color screenprint on French Speckletone Cream paper 18 x 24 inches Signed & numbered edition of 60

‘Please Post Bills’ Bill Murray Themed Show November 3 - 26, 2011 DKNG William James Murray Screenprint 18 x 24 inches Signed and numbered limited edition of 200

‘Old School Video Game Show’ Inspired by classic video games September 16 - October 8, 2011 Derek Deal Megaman 2 Arcade 4 color screenprint on Lemon Drop Mr. French 18 x 24 inches Numbered edition of 50 Inspired by Mega Man 2

‘Memes’ Internet memes inspired show May 4 - 26, 2012 Philip Tseng Sad Hobo Clown Keanu Giclee print 8 x 10 inches Signed and numbered edition of 30 Inspired by Sad Keanu

‘Is This Thing On? 2’ Tribute to stand up comedians/comedy March 9 - 31, 2012 Matt Chase Pretty Boy 2 color screenprint on French Pop-Tone Banana Split paper 18 x 24 inches Signed and numbered edition of 50 Inspired by Zach Galifianakis

‘I Know You Art, But What Am I?’ Tribute to Pee-Wee Herman July 29 - August 19, 2011 Ryan Brinkerhoff Tequila!

3 color screenprint 18 x 24 inches limited edition of 50

‘Gallery 1988 X Adult Swim’ Adult Swim themed show January 13 - February 4, 2012 Justin White The Crossover screenprint 18 x 24 inches signed and numbered edition of 45

‘Multiplayer X2’ Video game themed posters February 10 - March 3, 2012 The Bungaloo The Greatest Screenprint 18 x 24 inches Signed and numbered edition of 100 Inspired by Mike Tyson’s Punch Out

‘Camp Firewood’ Exhibit

Inspired by Wet Hot American Summer June 10 - 29, 2011 21.

Jensen Karp, the co-owner of the gallery, told the Huffington Post about the genesis of the Camp Firewood exhibit. It all started seven years ago, when Karp and Katie Cromwell opened their Melrose location. Karp made an incredibly “far-reaching promise” that if the 1988 franchise lasted until 2011, they would do an exhibit honoring the decade anniversary of Wet Hot American Summer.

Karp’s favorite movie has been a “weird inspiration for art and creativity.” It evidently wasn’t too hard for him and Cromwell to find artists who agree.

About half of the artists featured at the exhibit are based in LA, Karp told us.

Yet even those who don’t work in Southern California are linked to our city, since LA is the “only place to sell pop culture art.” Karp continued, “even if you live and work in New Hampshire, you can only really sell here.” And within the LA pop art community, Gallery 1988 holds a special place. Their Melrose location is currently hosting a show with art inspired by the Alice in Wonderland video game, American McGee’s Alice, and puts on a Crazy for Cult show every July.

Fans of Wet Hot American Summer will be pleased to know that the movie’s director and co-writer, David Wain, was in attendance. He told us that he was “speechless” in the presence of all the work devoted to his film. He expressed his gratitude for the exhibit, saying, “people come up to me sometimes and tell me they love Wet Hot American Summer, which is great, but to see it in colors like this and talent and time” is just amazing.

Taken from The Huffington Post, Saturday June 11, 2011

Silver Screen Society Monthly Film Poster Collective silverscreensociety.com 23.

‘Silver Screen Society honors the many stories told through the world of cinema each month by bringing a new film and a continuous stream of creatives that carry with them their own unique interpretations and ideas.’ It is currently curated by graphic designers Trevor Basset and Brandon Schaefer.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your work?

I’m a graphic designer and illustrator living in Seattle, WA with my wife and two cats. I started Small Horse Studio with my wife while we were in college and we both graduated in 2010.

How would you describe your style?

Clean and simple, I also prefer using only a few colors.

What would be the dream brief?

I like having some basic guidelines but plenty of room to play around with what the end result could be. I’m a huge comedy fan and I think my current dream project would be designing the cover to a stand up album.

What is your favourite colour?

The more blue the better.

Trevor Basset Interview with mintmagazine.co.uk Monday May 7, 2012

by Ed Schofield

Mondo

Screen Printers mondotees.com 25.

Mondo is the Alamo Drafthouse’s collectible art boutique, with Justin Ishmael serving as its creative director. Its limited edition screen print posters enjoy a rabid following.

What have been some of your favorite Mondo posters?

I was really wild about all of the Universal Monsters stuff we did. That’s like my favorite stuff. I love those characters and the movies. Gremlins by Rhys Cooper, The Thing by T. Stout, Evil Dead by Olly Moss…all great stuff. I’ll be framing my Horkey/ Vania Dracula poster. Not a lot of people know this, but Aaron did a run of 25 variants where he hand drew a bat into the poster. He didn’t do an online sale or anything and I got one. I’ll probably get it when a friend comes to visit for SXSW. The Del Toro series is so cool, too. It’s fun emailing with Guillermo.

Justin Ishmael Interview with coolandcollected.com Thursday August 4, 2011

by Josh Berwanger

DKNG Studios Design & Illustration dkngstudios.com 27.

What does DKNG stand for?

DKNG stands for Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman.

How was DKNG formed?

Nathan and I met in San Diego in high school on the track team, became friends and eventually formed a band. We played music together for several years and once college came around it became increasingly difficult to get together and jam. Nathan was always interested in design and I’ve always been into illustration, so I reached out to him to see if he’d be interested in collaborating on projects.

When you’re designing for a client do you allow them to work with you on developing the piece?

We like to keep our client as involved as possible to ensure they will be happy with the end product. However, on some projects the client asks us to just create something and they trust our judgement. For many projects we prefer to have most of the creative control, but we are very understanding of the client’s tastes as well.

What is your favorite piece; poster, tee, website, etc, that you’ve designed with DKNG? My answer to that seems to change frequently. I feel like a lot of our newest posters are the most exciting. It’s kind of like how a band always wants to play their new songs rather than old. I would say recently the Black Keys and Phish posters have been really fun to create.

You’ve designed logos, apparel, websites, prints, and even music packaging.

Is there any other medium you want to explore?

Definitely video. Nathan has a degree in film from USC, and I know he’s been itching to put it to use one of these days. We would love to pursue title sequences in TV and film. We also want to make music videos.

Which medium is your favorite?

As of now, anything screen printed. I think it’s such a cool process and I can’t see myself getting tired of it anytime soon.

Do you feel like your work is reminiscent to the 1960’s poster art movement?

Not exactly. I mean, not in the sense of style. I feel like the 1960’s was full of psychedelic posters. We admire the style, but I feel like their are so many other styles out their to explore that deserve attention. Idealistically, I’d like to think we are discovering new styles that will one day be seen as classic. One can dream.

Do you ever get starstruck by the music artists you work with?

I used to. As I meet more celebrities I realize more and more that they are

just as human as anyone else, and in most cases like to be treated like normal citizens. But when I meet someone I admire, I admit I still get flustered.

Have you ever had to design for a group you dislike?

It happens. Over time you begin to instinctively know which clients are going to be more frustrating than others. But in order to run a business we have to sometimes bite the bullet and simply do our best to make those clients happy.

What are your favorite colors?

I’m not sure what Nathan’s is. I guess I should since we’ve been best friends and running a business for over 5 years now, but mine has always been black. I know some people will be snobby and say that black is not really a color, but whatever. It looks great with everything and I think it’s awesome.

Now, what are your favorite colors, but in code?

So I guess if I wanted to be consistent I should pick the hex code for black which is #000000 (Also one of my favorite numbers, and again snobby people will argue it’s not a number at all). But I also really like #C12300 since it’s our official red for the DKNG logo. Nathan knows a lot of Pantones by heart, but I will spare you the geekathon.

Is it true that it wasn’t until recently that you started working with a tablet?

Not entirely. I received one as an award for a poster contest. As of now I’ve only used the mouse component, but I have never use the pen before. I still use a external apple track pad to create everything. Most people think it’s insane.

How does designing with a tablet compare to not using one?

Haha. I still wouldn’t know. I guess from what I hear it’s nice since it allows you to feel like your are drawing with a pen. Don’t get me wrong, I love drawing. But I’m a perfectionist when it comes to computer generated imagery and I like to use perfect geometry a lot. If I want a hand drawn style I’ll just draw it and then scan it into the computer.

Who, whom, or what would you really want to design a poster for?

I still would like to do a Dave Matthews Band and/or Radiohead poster. I am also interested in doing more movie posters, but it would be awesome to create more posters that served an inspirational cause. Shepard Fairey sort of did that with the Obama HOPE poster, but I’d like to stay away from politics and focus more on the positive message.

Where do you see DKNG going in the future?

It’s wide open really. I’m ready for whatever comes. In the meantime I’ll just keep doing what I love.

Interview with d-structured.com Saturday July 16, 2011

by Rosie Reese

29.

Little Friends of Printmaking Silk Screen Artists thelittlefriendsofprintmaking.com 31.

How did you decide on the moniker “The Little Friends of Printmaking?”

Melissa: The Little Friends of Printmaking was at first a sham student organization that our friend Joe started so that he could rent vans from the university. James and I came up with the name because we got really sick of people calling us at home to ask if they could join the organization, which they couldn’t, because it was fake. So we came up with the Little Friends name in order to drive people away…to make it sound like something nobody would want to have anything to do with…like a bunch of creepy printmakers in polar fleece vests and lavender jeans who want to be your little friend. And then later, we decided to make it a real student organization that actually did things, because why not?

JW: Ultimately we adopted the name for ourselves. It suits us, I think.

How long have you guys been together? What is like working with your significant other?

JW: We’ve been together for like, eleven years, and married for almost nine.

Melissa: Working together is so easy, eleven years in. The beginning was a little rough sometimes. I think at first the emotional stakes were high because every little design job felt like a make-or-break proposition, and we were married… not just partners. So, it felt really important to agree all the time. Over the course of a partnership, though, everybody gets their own way a little. It works out.

Do you ever get tired of working with one another?

JW: I don’t. Having someone whose eye and taste you can trust is a huge luxury.

There aren’t that many people who I trust that way, and Melissa is at the top of the list.

Melissa: I hate it. It’s terrible. Don’t tell James.

Do you ever create individual work? Or is it collaborative all the time?

JW: I guess that we must, just in the course of making so much stuff, but we don’t make a distinction. It’s not important to us.

When did you first become interested in printmaking?

Melissa: I first did printmaking in high school. It instantly appealed to me, I liked that there was a process and that involved planning and executing a series of tiny steps. I also enjoy vacuuming and reorganizing my record collection. I am very dull.

JW: My high school didn’t offer printmaking so I had to take a graphics course in the school annex, next to the auto shop in a room that intensely smelled of acetone and possibly gave me brain cancer.

What was the first drawing/print you remember making?

Melissa: I don’t know if I could remember the first drawing I made. I refuse to tell you about the first print I made on the grounds that it could incriminate me as a

total loser, but I can tell you that it was shown at the Wisconsin State Fair. It won a blue ribbon, which puts it on equal footing with the best goose blood porridge or best pig.

What is a typical day for you like?

JW: We get up around 10am, do our best to answer emails and take any calls we have to take, and we work until past midnight. I try to take a bike ride, if I can, before the sun goes down. That’s about it. I never leave the house. Come and get me, burglars.

Melissa: We also have food breaks occasionally. We print something every weekend. We used to try to print a small amount every night, but I started dreading it so we backed off a bit.

How would you describe your creative process?

JW: Everything we do is really more concept-driven than not. We’re idea people, not stylists; which I guess makes our process more like a designer’s than an illustrator’s. We feel like we need to be fairly certain about our concept before we start anything, so a lot of what we do is decided upon before we even pick up a pencil. We have a nice, sunny room where we can sit and hash out ideas; we live near the beach which gives us lots of room to pace around and stare into the distance like a couple of idiots. We also do a ton of “research.” Yes, it looks like fucking around on the internet, reading books and watching television, but it’s really work. Really! You have to train yourself to process the things you see into things you can use in your work. You have to always be looking.

Melissa: Research is so important. You can’t operate in a vacuum. And that extra time you put into researching something pays off tenfold in nuance and smart little details that people remember.

How do you pair concepts with your distinct style?

Honestly, we’ll try out anything. We do tend to gravitate towards concepts that give us a lot of opportunities to pack in little details and stuff that’ll give the work some personality or a point of view. But a lot of times it has less to do with the subject matter at hand than just approaching it the right way, finding the angles, creating a subtext.

How do you know when a project is complete?

You might be asking the wrong people. Sometimes they’re done just because there’s no more time left. Doneness is a subjective concept, but you know when something looks overworked. So what we’re usually trying to do is to walk a project right up to that line, and not go over it. But really, given unlimited time, we could (and would) revisit everything we’ve ever made and fix it, like Hergé with the Tintin books, adding and editing in perpetuity. And then we drop dead.

Interview with grainedit.com Thursday September 3, 2009

by Grace Danico

33.

Tyler Stout Illustrator tstout.com 35.

What process do you use for your posters?

The way that works best for me is we do thumbnails and sometimes I present those to the client and sometimes you just kind of pick the best one and then for the stuff that I do, usually I’m referencing photos just because I can’t draw a lot of people out of my mind, so you research the movie and you research the best thing and you kind of come up with a layout. It used to be that I would pencil everything by hand and then ink it in Photoshop and then it gets a little technical, but you take it into a program called Illustrator that’s all vector and you can move things around really easily and that’s not always the way I do it, but now I do have a thing called a Cintiq where you can draw directly into the computer.

What is your favourite design of your poster collection?

I’d probably say ‘The Thing’, just because it’s my favorite movie, so it was awesome to work with those characters. It’s very simple in terms of like the characters are just the best character shot and the colors turned out really perfect even though I originally designed it to be kind of green. I don’t know if you remember online it was kind of green looking, but the poster itself is actually kind of blue.

What movies are you dying to do a poster for?

The easy one would be Escape from New York, which, along with Big Trouble In Little China and The Thing, is one of the 3 best movies ever made. I couldn’t do it justice, but I would like to live in that world for a while.

What likeness has been the hardest for you to pull off to your satisfaction?

So so many. Harrison Ford for one, I have a really hard time with his face. Just one of the many reasons I am in awe of artists like Amsel and Struzan; they capture his face so perfectly. I don’t really hate anyone’s face, I just hate the way I draw them.

‘Best Worst Movie’ and ‘Hell Ride’. What’s it like to actually walk into a theater and see your art?

I dunno, I don’t really consider myself an actual movie poster artist, I do commemorative movie posters for films that I like. It’s a bit like fantasy football in other words. I just happen to get movie studio permission for it. But in a few cases, Hell Ride, Best Worst Movie, The FP, I’ve been privileged to be able to work on actual movie poster artwork, and it is indeed a trip.

In the case of Hell Ride, they sent me scripts and photos from the movie as it was filming, and it was just fun being apart of that. But on the flip side, it took me over a year to get paid for the Hell Ride poster, and I’m going on a year on getting paid for Best Worst Movie, so I gotta be honest, I prefer Mondo movie posters. They’re more professional.

Does it make a difference for you to work on a movie that you really love?

It’s interesting working on a poster for any movie, you being to feel like you’re kinda connected to a movie in some way, which is a completely false feeling. I was 5 years old when The Thing came out. But still, the reason I do a lot of this stuff is to feel closer to these movies I love. Which sounds weird when I say it out loud. But I mean, who hasn’t listened to The Thing commentary and fantasized about being there with Russell and Carpenter, up there in the snow, part of an all guy crew. It just seems so legendary.

How do you feel about your collaboration with Mondo?

They really respect their audience. They respect that people want it and are smart enough to get it as opposed to all of these movie posters you see, you kind of assume that they are thinking “You’re not smart enough to know anything more. All you need to know is Bruce Willis is in this movie,” so you have a big picture of him wearing a military hat or something and you are like “Okay, it’s a war movie with Bruce Willis.” You could show more than that and it wouldn’t turn people off. It’s not like “Oh, I would have gone if I would have just seen a picture of Bruce Willis, but since I see him fighting at the bottom, I don’t want to go now…” It doesn’t make any sense, I just think it’s kind of lazy.

Interview with aintitcool.com Friday May 06 2011

by Quint

Olly Moss Illustrator ollymoss.com 37.

You’ve become so popular so fast, what’s it been like to have this happen, to have people wait 24 hours just to see some of your art?

It’s totally bizarre to me, but also really cool that people care enough about the stuff that I do. And it’s fine, like I understand that these people, a lot of them, are obviously interested in stuff that I do, but are really interested in just the kind of themes that I work with more than that. But it’s awesome. I’m just such a big fan of the themes that I work with. The movies, the video games, the books. I hope that kind of shows thought my art and I hope people connect with that. It’s awesome.

Was it just because you’re such of fan of that that you choose this route as opposed to a more traditional kind of art?

Absolutely. I have no interest in doing anything else. And I know sometimes I get people accusing me of doing popular art just to sell but it’s not that at all. I’m just such a massive fan of this stuff and I really hope that comes through in the art itself. That the love of it is obvious and people don’t see it as transparent to sell pieces.

What’s the longest that you’ve ever spent creating a big poster or a big print?

Usually the ones I spend longest on are the ones that people don’t like. The longest time I guess, I had the Star Wars job for a really long time before I decided exactly what I wanted to do with it. And those, maybe about a week each to do detail and that kind of stuff.

What is your favorite?

Of everything I’ve done? Oh Jesus. I can’t look at anything I’ve done and be happy with it. As soon as I put it up I just see everything wrong with it. I’m sure you’re the same way with writing and stuff. But I guess my favorite idea was the Dirty Harry but then I got an email from someone who sent me a link to one that he’d done that was similar like a month before I did mine. I’d never even seen it but I was like ‘Damn, that sucks.’ Even if you think you’ve got a great idea someone else has probably done it before.

You, Tyler Stout, Ken Taylor and others are sort of leading this movement that Jensen Karp and Justin Ishmael are spearheading of pop culture art. Do you think this has legs or does it have a shelf life? Because it seems to have exploded out of nowhere.

I think there’s definitely a problem with over saturation. I really like doing something like this where I can sort of see myself doing more installation-y type things. But I don’t think I’m ever going to stop working with pop culture. I wouldn’t be interested in doing anything else really, I love it, it’s so much fun for me. I’m totally obsessed. But people always ask how you justify doing work with pop culture. And it’s kind of a pretentious justification but if you look at classic art, a lot of it is religious and mythic iconography and symbolism. Now a days it’s

a similar thing. It’s just instead of having Hercules, Athena and Apollo it’s Darth Vader and Optimus Prime. More stuff that you recognize, stuff that you have an instant connection with, stuff that stands for the same concepts.

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What’s cooler for you? To see someone wearing your t-shirt or to get a Twitpic of someone who has your poster in a great frame?

Oh man this is awesome. I always think a frame because a t-shirt is so disposable. You throw it on, throw it off. If someone is willing to put a piece of yours on the wall in their house and have it there for a long time, that’s always special to me. I remember when I had the Star Wars posters someone sent me a picture of his kid’s bedroom and it was Star Wars everything. Lightsaber night-lite, the X-Wing bedspread, just absolutely everything. And then above his bed, he had the C-3PO Star Wars poster I did and it just blew my fucking mind.

This young kid who fucking loved Star Wars liked my shit enough to put it on the wall.

Has your popularity added more pressure when you approach a project?

Absolutely.

Are there any negatives? I mean obviously it makes you strive to be better.

No, it’s a good motivator to do good shit. Even you were saying earlier that a lot of people were doing minimalist posters and that’s awesome to me. It just means I have to try harder and do stuff that’s a little bit different and push it in new directions.

Interview with slashfilm.com Monday May 9, 2011

by Germain Lussier

Dave Perillo

Illustrator montygog.blogspot.com 41.

Can you recall the first illustration you ever did?

I don’t really remember the first illustration I did, but I do remember being around the age of 4 and making a little mini picture book called “The Bubble Factory” where a mad scientist made a bubble machine. The scientist and a little boy get trapped in a bubble and then float away until it eventually pops and they safely land on the ground. I know my mom helped me put it all together.

It was riveting story that I hope one day will be made into a big budget Hollywood film… maybe James Cameron could direct?

Was there any specific experience you had that drew you more towards the illustration side of graphic arts?

Well, I was always told that if you majored in graphic design that it’d be easier to find a “real” job, which it did. I eventually moved into doing illustration work since it was more up my alley, I always loved “drawin’ pictures” so that’s the way I had to go. I do think that the graphic design background definitely helps when incorporating type and choosing color palettes in my work.

Most of your artwork seems to revolve around pop culture icons. What do you find most appealing about this subject matter?

I guess as an artist you find inspiration on what surrounds you. Monet had water lilies, Van Gogh had sun flowers and I have cartoons, comics, video games, movies and sugar coated cereal.

Would you say that you consider yourself a caricaturist, cartoonist, or an illustrator? What do you perceive to be the differences between the three?

It really is a fine line defining the three, but I would consider myself to be a cartoonist/illustrator. I always think of a caricaturist to be the guy who sits at an amusement park and draws silly pictures of people in a race car or on roller skates.

What kinds of things do you find the hardest to illustrate?

I gotta say feet and hands are always a pain to draw. Also, I once tried to draw the back of my head but could never get a clear look at to see if it came out okay.

How do you go about developing a typical illustration, do you start with a sketch and photo references or jump right into digital?

Sometimes I’ll do a rough sketch and then kind of use it as an overlay when I work on it digitally. Other times I’ll jump right in to digital, it depends on the piece really.

Interview with fuelyourillustration.com Wednesday September 1, 2010

by Rondal Scott

What’s your background?

I have a Bachelor degree in Graphic Design, but I have alwasy been fond of illustration and cartooning.

43.

Describe a typical working day.

I currently work full-time as a illustrator for a medical trade magazine were I do mostly editorial and occasionally medical illustration. In the evenings is when I get to do my fun freelance work like what is seen on my blog.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Finding enough time to create all the art I do and the inspiration to do it.

And what’s the most enjoyable?

I think the reaction of others to my work and having them like it, makes me feel like I’ve accomplished creating art people enjoy looking at.

What do you hope to achieve in 2012?

I will be doing a two-man show in September with fellow artist Tom Whalen at Gallery 1988, so that is what hope to be a great achievement for 2012.

How did your first collaboration with Gallery 1988 come about?

They contacted me about 3 years ago to be in their Crazy 4 Cult 3 show and I’ve been doing shows there ever since. Probably the best gallery for artists like myself to get exposure and out in the public eye. Because of them I’ve had the opportunity to do so many really cool projects.

What would be your ideal Gallery 1988 exhibition to contribute to?

What i’m doing in September for them is really an ideal show for me since we were able to come up with the theme, unfortunately I can’t reveal that til later this summer.

Are there any films/games etc. you have always wanted to design for?

I am a huge Doctor Who fan so I would love to do something involving that.

Are there any fellow artists/designers you have been exhibited with at Gallery 1988 that inspire you?

I really enjoy the work of Olly Moss, Kevin Tong, Scott Derby, Scott Campbell, Nathan Stapley, Israel Sanchez & Tom Whalen.

Personal Interview from: montygog@yahoo.com to: robynmak@live.co.uk Wednesday January 18, 2012

Andrew Kolb Illustrator kolbisneat.com 45.

What’s your background?

I went to school for graphic design (college for a diploma and then University to continue on for my Bachelor of Design). After a few years of illustrating for design studios (when I wasn’t already designing) I decided that I should pursue the part of the job that I dug the most, drawing.

Describe a typical working day.

Well I don’t necessarily have a typical day of work (some days are very drawing-heavy and others are almost entirely taken up by emails and other administrative nonsense). When I can control it, I do try to do a few specific things. I usually start with emailing for half an hour. If I don’t get to everybody I need to then I get back to them after lunch. I try to keep emailing/invoicing/and that admin stuff I mentioned to specific blocks of the day. It helps me get into a groove and then I can stop thinking about it while drawing. With that said, I always live a little admin stuff to do so that I can go back to it if I’m having an illustrative block. Sometimes the drawings just don’t come. If I’m on a deadline then I’ll push through it but usually I can take a break and the change of pace is the sort of recharge I need to be able to get back into the groove.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Well from peers I’ve talked to the biggest challenge is self-managing. Freelance, in my non-illustrator friends’ eyes, means freedom all the time but I find it’s quite the opposite. So for some I would say it’s sticking to work and not getting distracted. Though for me I find the most challenging part of this job is to trust that there’s always going to be more work if you keep at it. Everyone runs into lulls and it’s only just recently that I’ve gotten better at recognising this (and not thinking that my career is OVER!) And what’s the most enjoyable?

Ha. Well I would say pretty much all of it. Layout, character design, getting positive feedback from clients, it’s all wonderful! Though I think what I appreciate most (aside from the crazy awesomeness of the fact that I draw for a living), is the sort of direction I get. I don’t know many jobs where an email will say “his head isn’t square enough” or “Let’s make his feet longer and knees more knobby”. I love it.

What do you hope to achieve in 2012?

Oh gosh! Well I’m working on a few personal projects over the summer that are quite ambitious for me. So I’m hoping those catch and find someone who’s interested in them. I know that’s vague but I’m a sneaky ninja.

Personal Interview from: andrew@kolbisneat.com to: robynmak@live.co.uk Monday January 16, 2012

Ryan Brinkerhoff Illustrator banditodesignco.com 47.

How did you get into design?

I knew I wanted to be an artist very early on. I watched a lot of cartoons, played a lot of video games, and read a lot comics as a kid, and I think those really inspired me to draw, paint and sketch my way to CCAD. At CCAD I decided to go into the Advertising and Graphic design program, where I really developed a style and discipline that put me where I am today.

How do you approach a new project? What’s your design process like?

It is a simple process: Make some objectives, brainstorm some basic ideas, do a lot of sketches, move on to the computer, keep refining and adding interest until you are through! I try to come up with clever solutions that will ultimately tell a fun story or just make someone smile.

Your style is very retro, where do you get inspiration?

I love the work of Alexander Girard, Charley Harper, Charles and Ray Eames.

My work is heavily inspired by mid-century modern design. Simplicity and sophistication are two values I try to reflect in my work. I really like the look of old storybook illustrations also. I think the “enchanting” qualities you speak of come from the whimsical inspiration I pull from old Golden Books and early Disney/Looney Toons Cartoons.

If you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

Charles Martin “Chuck” Jones, American Animator during the Golden Age of American Animation. He directed, wrote, and even created some of the best characters/animated shorts of all time. I would love to have worked on such classic cartoons. The charm and character these cartoons have are truly timeless.

What design tools could you not live without?

Design Essentials: pencil, paper, scanner, Adobe Illustrator Organization Essentials: iGoogle Tasks, Google Calendar, Dropbox Inspiration Essentials: ffffound, Dribbble, Tumblr And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

Don’t settle for that first idea. It usually sucks. Keep sketching, keep searching, keep trying. Sometimes the right solution comes from sketch number 100.

Work hard in Design School. It is what you make of it. Don’t just cruise through it like it’s a class, treat it as a real life design exercise. After you graduate and get a job, you won’t just get a C- on a mediocre project, you just get fired.

Interview with oneminutewith.com Wednesday November 16, 2011

by Conor O’Driscoll

Aaron Eiland Illustrator aaroneiland.com 49.

A texas based illustrator and designer who effortlessly combines texture with colour to create some amazing poster designs. His work definitely has a ‘Vintage Modernist’ feel.

Brandon Schaefer Illustrator seekandspeak.com 51.

Can you tell me a little about your background, when did you first discover your love of art and illustration?

I’m 26 years old, and started stumbling into design when I was in my early teens. I grew up in a family full of people that dabbled in the arts, so you couldn’t escape the influence, even if I wasn’t very good. It wasn’t until I was six that I caught on to the fact that people’s arms didn’t come out of their heads.

Have movie posters always interested you?

My grandfather used to help me put together binders filled with clippings of movie advertisements from the newspaper that I got a kick out of when I was really young. They weren’t anything spectacular, just pieces from silly movies like Young Einstein. My favorite was that art-deco inspired poster for Rocketeer; I tore it out and had it framed for years.

Do your favourite films and favourite posters differ?

More often than not, easily. The brilliant film Dancer in the Dark has a striking poster that plays off of the main character’s poor sight, but the film itself isn’t one I’d want to be stranded on a desert island with. For whatever reason, I could watch Finding Forrester until my eyes bleed, but the giant floating head of Sean Connery that dominates the poster doesn’t get me all hot and bothered under the collar.

You’re perhaps best known for creating a series of alternate posters for films such as Back to the Future and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Where did the inspiration for those come from?

I had taken a few years off after I graduated to deliver furniture because my last few years of school burnt me out. When I sat back down to start designing again, I needed a way to get my head in the right place, and movie posters were something I’d done in college for my thesis.

So, I went back to what was familiar, but could be approached differently piece by piece. Movies ask for a more sporadic approach, because most stories aren’t the same.

Do you sketch different version of a poster before settling on a final one?

Yeah. I’ve got a stack of cheap notebooks filled with lined paper that I toss ideas down in. They’re usually fairly small thumbnails, with several on a page, one after the other. I doubt anyone could really decipher them, they’re just a load of scribbles thrown on paper so I can keep my head clear and not get too attached to one idea. It’s like having a portable dumpster that I can dive back into without having to worry about tetanus.

What was the response like to these posters?

I hope that the people that stumbled upon them enjoyed what they saw. I know a few are hanging in places like AMC TV and Rocksteady Games, and there were

plans for a book a year ago, but that fell through. So it’s humbling to know that there were some positive responses out there, but it’s not something I concerned myself about because the posters were done for myself.

Do you think there was a golden age of poster design?

Honestly, no. There were periods when a lot of the art had more going for it in terms of craft, but I think you could chalk that up to what tools were available at the time. People used to paint floating heads, now they Photoshop them.

Granted, there’s more charm in the past, even if the work was less than brilliant.

That stems from being able to see a human being behind the work, whereas today, it’s easier for that to get lost.

It’s important for people to know, though, that a lot of the problems that today’s poster designers tackle are very similar to what Saul Bass faced in his heyday.

Would you like to see a return to illustrated movie posters from the industry at large?

Maybe not necessarily illustrated posters, but more honesty. And by that I mean, a poster created with Photoshop or illustrated by hand can both have their place as long as they communicate something true about a film. I’m sure that sounds a bit broad and open to a lot of interpretation, but…what I’m shooting for is an idea or a tone.

As long as you’re trying to get across something honest about a picture, I think that whatever you create stands a better chance at connecting with people than something that is just clever, or worse, deceptive.

What’s next for you?

If I’m lucky, more film related work. I appreciate what I get to do and enjoy the heck out of it, so it’s something I could easily do for the rest of my life. Or until that bus hits me. Whichever comes first.

Interview with parkcircusblog.wordpress.com Friday August 12, 2011

53.

Chris DeLorenzo Illustrator chrisdelorenzo.com 55.

Did the desire to make artwork come at a very young age for you?

Yes, every since I can remember I was the “art kid” all throughout grade school.

I used to love redrawing comic books and crafting just about anything that my parents told me not to.

What is one of the first things you remember creating?

I decorated a spoon when I was in preschool with fuzzy colored balls and strings and googily eyes, and gave him feather hair. I’d say that was my first experience with anthropomorphizing the things around me. It led me into a strange life, and now everything has eyes and looks back at me.

What’s the story behind becaming Head Designer for Johnny Cupcakes?

I basically wanted to leave my advertising job in NYC so I emailed some companies – thinking I was going to go freelance – and then out of the blue Johnny emailed me 3 months after I emailed him and offered me to take over the head design position. I was only looking to do a shirt or two, I didn’t expect to be given a full time position. I didn’t even know he had full time position people. The main designer before me was Clark Orr and since working for JC he has become a huge inspiration and influence on my work. I didn’t even know the market, I just knew I wanted to design, so I quickly learned the ropes and along with a great team we have been growing the brand and venturing into new territory.

What would you say is a normal week at work for you?

I wake up and either go for a run or hit snooze three times. We have our monday group meetings and talk about good things that have happened and upcoming projects. Then I start designing, and then I start getting distracted and interrupted and then I call it quits for the day. I like to work from home on Wednesday so that I can blaze through some projects without any distractions, (you’d be surprised how much office chatter takes away from your focus on a project.) We always go out to lunch and that usually ends up becoming a business meeting. Then we end the day with some basketball shooting and roast marshmallows by a campfire (ok that doesn’t happen.) But throughout the week there is always some sort of event or photoshoot that we are going to.

Interview with probablybest.co Friday December 2, 2011

by Megan Hutchinson

Alex Westgate Illustrator alexwestgate.com 57.

Alex Westgate is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator & Printmaker that lives and loves in Toronto, Ontario. Born in 1989, he is currently studying at the Ontario College of Art & Design. He spends his days at his desk drawing or in the studio screenprinting by hand.

Can you walk us through a typical day in the life of Alex?

Being a freelance designer/illustrator, student & member of a touring band keeps me busy & all over the place. Somedays I will sit at my desk drawing and working on concepts, only getting up to eat, and others I will wake up in a 15 passenger van somewhere halfway across the country. Lately it has consisted of a lot of Zelda though.

When and how did you first get introduced to art/design?

I was always interested in making things and drawing as a kid and eventually attended art camps in the summer. I didn’t really get passionate about art/ design until grade 8 or 9 when I started my first band. I always loved buying new cd’s and looking at the album art. I figured I might as well design my bands t-shirts/albums/etc. instead of paying someone else to do it.

Describe your style of illustration and design.

I use a lot of characters in my work, I love character design. I feel characters are such a great way to convey a message with emotion. They help people emotionally connect & build a story within a design. I draw a lot of influence from 1950’s lifestyle and illustration and like to keep things simple in terms of shape, colour and type.

What tools are a must for designers?

Pencil and paper. Everything else is dependent on the person. I think a pencil and paper is a universal necessity for any form of design or concept development though.

Can you walk us through your creative process from the conception to completion of a project/design?

I get a lot of ideas when laying in bed before falling asleep at night, or on bus rides. Anytime I’m not actively trying to come up with something I get my strongest ideas. I sketch a lot. I usually will have an idea of my final concept decided on before I touch my computer. Sometimes I start to digitally translate an idea but it doesn’t come across as well as I thought it would, so you have to adapt and sometimes even go back to the sketchbook.

Interview with welovecreativity.com Tuesday January 24, 2012

by Brooks Sterling

Matt Chase Illustrator chasematt.com 59.

What’s your background?

I’m originally from Wichita, Kansas, where I lived for eighteen years just prior to attending college at the University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS), where I graduated in May 2010 with a BFA in Design. I moved to Boulder, CO for a short stint as a design intern with ad house Crispin Porter + Bogusky, and soon moved out here, to DC, where I currently work for Design Army.

Describe a typical working day.

I currently work for a studio, so I have a pretty normal schedule. Not like those folks you hear about who get to wake up at noon and eat french toast on their sofa while they watch Star Trek and get paid to draw pictures of things.

Someday, maybe. One can dream. But no, studio life is great. I can’t really get into the details of how we work or what our process is, but I can say that each day is a new adventure.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Remembering to have a life. Design is one of those things you get so hooked into that you forget to perform basic life necessities like consume food and go to bed. It was literally at a point a few months ago where I was bailing on beer night to work late and I was like, “This is out of control. Time to slow it down.” It’s all about balance; you gotta have that disengage, the time between when the gears turn on and turn off.

And what’s the most enjoyable?

I had a guy in another country email me a photo of one of my prints hanging in his house, and out the window I could see the Baltic Sea. Was the coolest feeling ever. So I guess knowing that there are people out there who like what you do enough to make it a part of their home, a part of their life, that’s probably the best part of it all. Also you meet and get to learn from some really incredible, talented people. The design industry is hyper-saturated with people who are cool as shit. Can’t complain about that.

What do you hope to achieve in 2012?

Make more time for prints. Also finish watching Lost. Those things will probably happen at the same time.

Your re-imagined film posters are particularly relevant to my own design aspirations, how do decide what film posters to re-interpret?

I didn’t really sit down and make a list when I started that project. I’ve sort of always had this running tally going in my head of films I’d like to do posters for, and when I felt like the list was getting to thte point where I might start forgetting some, I finally buckled down and did the first set. It’s kind of an open project; if there’s a film I watch that I really, really like, I’ll jump right into my sketchbook and start fiddling around. Star Wars is one I’ve always really wanted to do, but growing up that’s all I watched, so I feel like the movie’s so

close to me that I could never actually do something I’d be happy with. I must have close to a hundred sketches for a Star Wars series that I know I’ll never have the heart to actually finish.

How did your first collaboration with Gallery 1988 come about?

I literally just e-mailed the gallery and was like, “I love what you do. Can I make something for you?”

What would be your ideal Gallery 1988 exhibition to contribute to?

There was a show called “Required Reading” not too long back that I would’ve loved to have contributed toward. Eric Tan did an Alice in Wonderland piece that blew my mind. I look for it almost every day on eBay. A Wes Anderson show would be really cool, too.

Are there any games/films/television programmes/music artists etc. you have always wanted to design for?

Would be pretty incredible to do something for Nintendo, for the Zelda franchise maybe.

Are there any fellow artists/designers you have been exhibited with at Gallery 1988 that inspire you?

All of them, to be completely honest with you. The great thing about the shows there, or any similarly collaborative show, is that you get to see how everyone interprets this one thing, but it’s never the same. To see 100 different takes on something is just great.

Personal Interview from: matt.chase@swbell.net to: robynmak@live.co.uk Tuesday January 17, 2012

Alex Griendling Illustrator & Designer alexlikesdesign.com 63.

What are your thoughts on the movie poster design world? Mondo, Tyler Stout, Nakatomi, etc.

In a lot of ways, official movie posters have failed. An emphasis on quick turnarounds and endless iteration has eclipsed the importance of a good-looking final product. I think this failing has gone a long way toward fueling interest in the great work being done by artists such as Stout and everyone else working with Mondo. It’s great that Mondo has the ability to release officially licensed work while remaining outside of the absurdly complex and lengthy creation and approval process that theatrical one sheets are forced to undergo. This, I believe, is exactly why Mondo is able to release such consistently great work.

As an engaged member of the design community, what do you think about Dribble, Behance, and Flickr? Are there other sites people should be using?

Because design is meant to speak to everyone, I find flickr to be the best platform to post work in progress due to it’s broad range of users. Dribbble and Behance are great communities for designers, but I talk and share my work with enough designers. I like Flickr’s ability to reach out beyond that demographic.

Interview with opplol.com November 21, 2011

by Robert Haynes

Tim Boelaars Illustrator timboelaars.nl 65.

How did you get started as a designer/illustrator?

I used to draw a lot when I was a child, like any other kid I guess. When I was about six years old I used to visit my grandpa. My grandpa made beautiful illustrations and paintings, but was always very shy about his work. When he was younger he worked at a bank, which was a choice made out of safety rather than pleasure. Surrounded by books on art, sitting at his immense desk, he told me stories about pioneers like Goya, Michelangelo, M.C. Escher and Picasso. He taught me how to sketch, paint and find joy in the act of creating.

These lessons went on for a few years until he was too damaged by a stroke that took away most of his capabilities. This somehow, feels like a key-moment.

My grandpa never got to see my current work, but his influence is one of my biggest motivations to keep on creating.

When I was a teenager I felt like rebelling and started doing graffiti. I was intrigued by the secrecy of this movement and started buying spray-paint and markers. The most striking aspects of graffiti to me were the dynamics, colors and the play with letterforms. I never thought about the damage done, it just felt good. Soon enough I stopped doing this because of the risks involved.

All this time, from when I was young up until now, I’ve never stopped drawing.

It was mostly an act of fun or boredom, rather than knowing I could make a living out of it. More and more I started to notice progression in my work. This progression easily became one of my biggest drives to continue. By looking at, and learning more about, design I knew it wouldn’t be a passing thing. I mainly taught myself, and I’m getting better at it. I’d like to just continue to be able to express myself as best as I can.

Where do you get your inspiration and motivation?

Most of my inspiration comes from looking at old work, both art and graphicdesign focused books. Next to that I get inspired by everything around me, which sounds cliche, but I think most inspiration comes through subconsciously.

With that understanding I’m never really actively looking for inspiration, but try to let it come to me as the days go by. My strongest motivation would be the satisfaction of finishing a piece of work.

Are you a full-time freelancer or do you work at an agency part time?

I’m currently full-time freelancing and am working towards partnering up with a friend of mine to create a more interesting environment. I enjoy freelancing, but can’t imagine doing it the rest of my life. I’d like to be able to work on projects with other people as soon as I can. Doing so will help me create more curious and interesting results.

Your illustrations really have a recognizable and unique style. How did you come to this style and are you aware of the uniqueness of it?

I’m not sure if I would describe my own work as unique or recognizable. On the

other hand I have heard this more often, so I guess it must be true. To be honest I don’t really think about it that often because I’ve grown in to it. I think it’s most enjoyable when I’m able to push this ‘style’ in a new direction, or do something completely different, without losing my signature.

Do you have a process for the amazing illustrations you create?

Most of the time I start by sketching ideas onto a piece of paper. After that I have a more solid idea of where it’s headed. Finally I use Adobe to digitize this idea.

There’s no real procedure, protocol or plan I follow, I just love to fight with shapes, sometimes I win.

In our line of work, we spend a lot of time on a computer, making it very tempting to procrastinate. How do you deal with procrastination?

Sometimes I turn off the internet to avoid any distractions, which can be great at times. When it’s on I frequently check on twitter and have chats on IM. Which is, I think, is not that big of a problem as these distractions can help me wander off so I can get back to work with a fresh view. I also try to plan ahead, and take my time for projects, this way I’m able to make something good instead of rushing it. Then again, rush- jobs can be great, as it pushes me to think and act quickly.

You’ve been around the design community for quite some time now. What do you think about the current state of the design community in comparison with the past, and what do you think will become of it in the (near) future?

I think the community is fantastic and one of the coolest things in our industry.

There are so many talented and friendly people out there that are willing to have a chat or help out. This is unique I think, because at the same time we are all competitors, but this is never reflected in our conversation.

The community has created the solution and is constantly sustaining itself by helping one another. Through the years I’ve come to meet, online as well as face-to-face, some amazing people. From drawing stuff up in my room, I’m now able to get my work out there for everyone to see. The feedback and support has been fantastic so far, and I’m continually amazed by the warmth within this great community.

What the future may hold, I don’t know, I just hope that it will continue to grow and stay or become even more amazing as it is nowadays. But the one thing I’m sure of, the future will be amazing.

Do you have any final tips for the readers?

Strive for progression rather than perfection.

Interview with yassinebentaieb.com Friday June 11, 2011

by Yassine Bentaieb

67.

Mike Mitchell Illustrator sirmikeofmitchell.com 69.

Where have you been lately?

Well for about 3 years I had a cushy salary job which took up most of my time, but I recently ditched that glamorous lifestyle for a much more volatile freelance career, which rewards me with more free time, so I can do things like submit to Threadless!

The cushy job was doing concept art for a couple different video game studios.

Sounds awesome right?! WRONG! Every day was like Frodo’s journey through Mordor, only with Air Conditioning, and Youtube.

Why’d you quit, other than your job making you miserable?

Well aside from the obvious perils of working for “the man”, I really wanted the chance to do my own thing, and having a full time job creating someone elses vision turned out to be quite the bummer.

What’s up with Coco?

Yeah that was kind of a big moment in my life. The “I’m with Coco” portrait just started as a fun piece to show my support, and within 12 hours it had gone completely viral, penetrating every social networking site. Before the end of the day I was getting e-mails and calls from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, TMZ, etc. it was ridiculous. I was able to harness all this energy into a Facebook fan page, where we able to have rallies across the country.

Since then, I was lucky enough to meet Conan and all of his crew on more then one occassion, and I still keep in touch with them. Obviously meeting Conan was a dream come true.

It’s also been great for my career! It took me up a couple notches, and has allowed me to get some higher profile jobs, and at the same time turn away some of the lower profile jobs that I would have only done for the money.

Interview with threadless.com

by Rachel Gottesman

Justin White Illustrator jublin.com 71.

My name is Jublin, but it’s also Justin White. Currently living in California, I work on freelance illustration and design but am also looking for a full time position.

How does your work from five years ago compare with your current work?

Five years ago... Five years ago was 2005! How weird. Well I mean it makes sense mathematically, but I tend to forget it’s already 2010. Let’s see, I joined Threadless in 2005 and it was right around the time I started really getting into working digitally. Prior to that I was using mostly pencil/paper and a bit of watercolor. So five years ago a lot of my artwork on the computer was probably pretty hard to look at. Throw it in the trash!

I was new to the whole “tablet” thing and it took a little while for me to get used to it. I think working digitally has helped evolve my style into what it is today, but it’s always nice to get back into the traditional mediums.

Interview with threadless.com

by Rachel Gottesman

Derek Deal

Illustrator/Designer derekdeal.com 73.

Derek Deal is a Central Florida grown, Brooklyn based graphic artist and motion designer with a BFA in Computer Art from Savannah College of Art & Design. Coming from an extensive advertising agency background, Derek has since become an accomplished freelance illustrator.

If someone was to look up Derek Deal in the dictionary what would it say?

I’m pretty terrible at talking myself up but I guess it would say something like, Florida raised illustrator/designer known for creating t-shirt and album art for rad bands.

Your work can be seen across merch stalls for some of America’s most amazing punk bands. How do you approach different designs for each?

Every job is a little bit different but I almost never have anything laying around that’s prefab. I’d rather do something original that fits the band and their fans.

Sometimes they’ll come at me with an idea that I can take and mangle and put my own spin on. That collaboration of ideas usually bears the best results and can make what I do a lot of fun. I get a lot of requests to just do my own thing too, at which point I grab a pen, crank the band’s tunes as loud as possible and just kind of see what shakes loose like a freaky science experiment.

Whose work do take inspiration from?

To name a few I guess, Tex Avery, John K, Frank Kozik, Jim Philips, Ragnar, Gunsho, James Callahan, and Godmachine. All those dudes make me want to cut my hands off and give up.

Interview with thunderchunky.co.uk July 13, 2009

by Mike Ng

‘The On Screen Representation of Women in the Films of Pedro Almodovar’ Dissertation Extract 75.

‘Throughout the entirety of the course I have felt an affinity towards movie poster design. My dissertation gave me the opportunity to explore the technical aspects of poster design in much greater detail, whilst simultaneously inspiring a renewed interest in foreign cinema and the work of Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, even going so far as to incorporate his cinema into my design practice with a DVD packaging brief.’

The extract below is the fourth chapter taken from my completed essay, focusing on the promotional poster artwork that was designed for 1999’s ‘Todo Sobre Mi Madre’ (All About My Mother). The dissertation as a whole was written to analyse Almodovar’s aversion to the ‘male gaze’ and archetypal female representation.

However the final chapter dealt specifically with design principles.

With the often bizarre and averse experiences attributed to almost every one of Almodóvar’s characters, both male and female, accurately portraying them in a singular, still frame becomes an incredible artistic challenge. It is here that the prevalence of traditional printed film promotion becomes a problem, and the necessity of moving image advertisement becomes apparent. How is it possible to successfully represent such intricate plot development and an array of multi-layered character creations, such as Almodóvar’s, in a single image?

With promotional poster inception dating back over a century, introduced to ‘advertise a new form of cheap entertainment to the working classes’ (Edwards, 1985, pp. 13), most notably the circus, it becomes obvious where the need for bold and eye catching design originates. With little time for the viewer to analyse what is being presented in the poster design, what becomes of paramount importance is to catch the eye and hold it for as long as possible.

Enough time to plant the film at the forefront of the viewer’s conscience. This concept was exploited further during the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood, when plot and setting appeared the least important factor and instead the ‘stars’, such as Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow, became the primary focus of the design.

Companies such as MGM and Paramount realized it was the featured actors who where attracting an audience, producing money and in turn determining the degree of the film’s success. It is with this attitude in mind that complexities of the Oscar Mariné designed poster for ‘All About My Mother’ become more significant. Though Cecilia Roth is no household name, a photorealistic interpretation of her would at the very least establish a basic connection with an audience.

Having continuously worked with designer and photographer Juan Gatti since the mid-1980’s, collaborations including the ‘Funny Face’ inspired ‘Women on the Verge’ poster and the Saul Bass homage ‘Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!’ design, it was a clear case of self-progression when Almodóvar actively pursued an alternative approach to promoting his latest release. Almodóvar and Gatti’s collaborative successes are vast and it has been noted that Gatti has a unique

talent for grabbing a ‘potential audience’s attention and conveying something that is much more than a one-liner’, his work is ‘instantly seductive whilst remaining highly ambiguous’ (King, 2003, pp. 182). As to why Almodóvar would decide against working with Gatti on what was his most publicized release to date is indeed a mystery, but the success of the poster speaks for itself. With all his releases Almodóvar intends for his posters to be of such a high standard they communicate to all nationalities and can be distributed worldwide without alteration. It was with Marine’s poster that this happened for the first time. No alternatives where released and in every location of the film’s promotion, it was the original artwork on display. This now recognizable, yet once unknown, incarnation of yet another Almodóvarian ‘mother’ was the only connection a potential audience had with the film. Something many may consider a big risk paid off and paved the way for all future Almodóvar releases.

The poster itself appears aesthetically minimal upon first inspection. Bold primary colours are the first component of the design to catch the eye. Blue, red and yellow are used in distinctly different sections of the design. For example a block of vivid blue is used as the background colour in place of where the sky or objects of secondary importance may appear in less considered poster design. Perhaps this is symbolic of a clear future with no foreseeable issues for the featured female figure to overcome, though knowing it is an Almodóvar feature reduces this likelihood significantly. The yellow seems to have been used solely for practical purposes as it frames all the necessary information at the base of the composition. Lest it wasn’t clear already the ‘Un film de ALMODÓVAR’ tagline, written in black to ensure maximum contrast, declares to the viewer the possible plot complexities of a film that uses such a simplistic poster for promotional purposes. It is with the application of a vibrant red across different sections of the design that subconsciously communicate a much more important message. The shade of red in question is featured in the female’s shirt, on her lips, and most importantly, to highlight the word ‘madre’. Why these three applications? Are we as the viewer supposed to establish a connection between the three, are we supposed to also make the connection between the traditional meaning of red and why it’s been used here? Being one of the most complex colours, contradictorily denoting both anger and warmth simultaneously, we wonder why it’s been used here. The colour itself could also indicate a connection with confidence, passion, or at a most primitive level; blood. All of which are possibilities when considering an Almodóvar feature. However, this is simply a question that cannot be answered without further investigation into the film and the events that take place therein. All that remains for a more detailed analysis, and possible insight into the film’s intentions, is the illustrated figure.

The figure is in a similar vain to that of Picasso’s later depictions of his second wife Jacqueline Roque. Bold, haphazardly placed, continuous lines are brought together to form the basic features of a female face and body. The body language of the figure is without doubt cold and unwelcoming; folded arms and pursed lips indicate a stern woman. Perhaps the reasoning behind red was to bring a sense of life and vitality to the character. Perhaps without this injection of intensity the character would have little to no appeal and therefore not attract an audience. Though I highly doubt this to be the case. What I do consider to be indicative of Almodóvar and Marine’s intentions with the poster

is a connection with the viewer through the use of fundamental mechanisms. The primary colours, the choice of a bold, sans serif font, and the obvious Picasso influence, one of Spain’s most famous and respected artists, come together to imply modesty. It is with this freedom from vanity that Almodóvar has thrived throughout his career. A large portion of Almodóvarian characters may originate from personal life experiences, but it is not a narcissistic urge that drives him. It is a desire to portray ‘real life’ through the medium of film, the ‘real life’ that Hollywood either chooses to ignore or alter beyond recognition. A poster of such candor helps Almodóvar further these intentions to a diverse audience. His decision to have the illustrated figure look directly at the audience is perhaps a discouraging nod to early Freudian theory that women in film are nothing more than objects to be sexually desired. The crossed arms refute this notion, they communicate the film’s intention to take stereotypical gender conformities and re-imagine them in a typically Almodóvarian fashion. The poster warns the potential audience they are not about to witness the gender assigned roles they have become familiar with in mainstream filmmaking. They will instead absorb something entirely different, something revolutionary and unable to fit within one-dimensional restraints.

Edwards, G. J. (1985) The International Film Poster. Columbus Books, London, pp. 13.

King, E. (2003) Movie Poster. Octopus Publishing Group Ltd., Mitchell Beazley, London, pp. 182.

Acknowledgements

Illustrators Dave Perillo Andrew Kolb Matt Chase websites grainedit.com changethethought.com slashfilm.com fuelyourillustration.com threadless.com flavorwire.com omgposters.com superpunch.blogspot.co.uk g1988.tumblr.com thedieline.com lovelypackage.com

Phantom City Creative Sons of Anarchy for ‘Gallery 1988 at Paleyfest’ March 2012

Monet had water lilies, Van Gogh had sun flowers and I have cartoons, comics, video games, movies and sugar coated cereal.

Dave Perillo