Vintage

This day in age everything looks clean and crisp. I notice that it even happens in my artwork. I like things such as screen printing, printing presses and the like. If done right these things can make things look clean too but I do love how they can appear so vintage and with a grunge sort of look. Most it can also be attributed to the color scheme.

The Wallace Design House has the quality that I am looking for and absolutely love. A design house is similar to a design firm in that they do all your graphical needs. Wallace Design House  does: logos, illustrations, designs, and apparel.

Building Community 

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Do It

Now men, I know you have better things to do like fix computers, unclog the drain, and work on the car. How much more stereotypical can I get today.

Boys get out your thread and needle. No we are not doing sugary. We are going to do some crafts with that needle and thread. In my mind I have this pined as womans work because they have smaller finger but I bet a man could do this art just as well.

Homo Sweet Homo Cross Stitch

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Recycled

Every time I went to my grandmas house I would play with my moms old toys. Most of the toys she had were made out if toys. Today everything has to be made out of plastic.

The artist I found, Dolan Geiman, reminds me of the wooden toys my grandma had. Dolan recycles wood to make crafty man like mix-media sculptures.




If I had the chance I would put some of his artwork in my place to make it look more crafty and manly with the wood. I do enjoy that it is screen printed.

Original Wood Art Assemblage, Paint Sticks Songbird Collection (2010)

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Drugs

I think this guy is on drugs. He is a big inspiration to me right now because this is now I feel right now. I am so wanting to make more art but I have other things to be done.

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What It Is

I did not post yesterday because I felt that this inspiration/post should be put into one. Ever since high school or maybe even college I have considered myself to be an artist. Many great people and scholars as what art is. Marriam-Webster's Dictionary defines art as:

• skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
• the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects

but they define artist as one skilled or versed in learned arts. Like I stated before some of the greatest minds write books and such on this topic.

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Mosaic Smoker

No, this is not about a mosaic picture of a smoker I is about a smoker that does mosaics. Cliff Maynard has some amazing mosaics made out of reach papers or in simple terms paper from when you smoke. Be sure to take a close look.

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Winner

Last spring I was looking at new book bags and I searched everywhere for the right style and design. I wanted something that was "me".  I ended up buying this Lucha Libre handmade book bag.

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Don't Eat The Food

Your parents always told you not to play with your food. As I am on the path to weight loss here are some fun ways that play with food.

With the classics and a more sophistic way try one of these cutting boards.

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What Type Of Artist?

Today, I am still inspired by the Dave Matthews Band recording of Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King. The entire album art has been drawn by Dave Matthews himself.

About a a year a go I went out and bought the CD because I love the music and after that I fell in love with the artwork. Later on I wanted some records to frame. Somehow I was lead back to Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King.

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Where You From?

During the 60's places such as Las Vegas were known for their iconic sign as you enter the city. Today everyone  parodies it. Also many other places were having marquee signs such as this to attract visitors.

Today, ran across someone that redesigned them. Holly Wales takes the image and breaks it down to three colors and turns it into a risograph.

• Risograph is a high-speed digital printing system manufactured by the Riso Kagaku Corporation and designed mainly for high-volume photocopying and printing.

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How short?

Anyone can inspire anyone else. No matter what it is. Take a look at Teodoru Badiu.

The Painted Horse

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Real or Fake

For the most part I like graphic design. It is not that bad. I have issues with printing sometimes. I rather have a real printing press or something comparable rather than an inkjet printer. I want real quality. This is what you will see today.

One Point Oh  A Creative Design Studio has a nice portfolio on the website if you care to take a look as they are today's inspiration. I can say that I have enjoyed browsing through some of the works they have done for clients including Coke.

They have done some illustration for a show titled: The Hairy Bikers Mums Know Best. This looks so real and lifelike to me even though I know it is an illustration and not the real thing.

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Projected

It boggles me that someone did this. Do you know who it is?

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rorschach test

Mazzard,  2010 (detail)

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Who Are You?

Sorry I did not post yesterday. I was in so much pain yesterday I went to the in/out doctor place to get it checked out. I still got the pain but it should get better with the medication.

This one is an oldie but a goodie. How many of us remember Hanna-Barbara? Some of you may be scratching your head and asking who or what is that. Hanna-Barbara is a cartoon company from the late 50s that eventually became Cartoon Network in the early 90s.

A list of notable productions can be seen here. I hope you have a fun time traveling down memory lane.

It is always hard to come up with a new idea to market it something that people will want to watch. This must be why they stood the test of time and even made a few movies and spin off of their productions. In art it is always starts with an idea or a concept; that little doodle on the page. Think of how many spin-offs or spoofs they had throughout the years. This must mean they did something right along the way.

Comment and let me know what your favorite Hanna-Barbara production was and why.

Next time you see Birdman tell him I said "Hello".

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Horrifying

All I can say is that I can not do justice to this wonderful artist. He will scare you but gross you out at the same time. Take a look at Matthias Seifarth. Be sure to comment and let me know if his portfolio inspires you.

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Remember the 90s

If you care to check out some illustrations that are so fresh you should consider French designer CUYPI . This artist has a flare for the 90s. Yes, that decade is now coming back in style by many.

CUYPI has a flair for the high gloss and you only though that could be done in paint. You may have to be with the "in-crowd" to understand some of these piece of art.

This piece screams touch me! It looks so squeaky clean like the sound of you finger against a balloon.

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Growing up Blank

We thank Kid Robot for introducing us to one of the most urban canvases out there, vinyl. Today we have the Munny. For those of us who do not know what I am talking about lets look at some finished pieces.

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UGH

Bet you remember this famous cat and dog combo but you do not remember or even know the artist. Does John Kricfalusi bring to mind anything? How about his famous cartoon Ren and Stimpy?

John Kricfalusi happened to be a co-founder of one of the lesser know cartoon studios Spumko. Sad to say that Spumko ran its course from 1988 - 2005. I wish they were still in production but every one has a reason for quitting.

I like this style of art that the company produced. The style as you see reminds me of various art styles from the '50s and 60's. Spumco had that kind of touch. Even thought the company had many adult themed shows it did have an audience of kids.

Every day I look to this guy as an inspiration, as I do some of the lesser know super heroes. Thanks for Powered Toast Man.

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Styled

Remember the last election where everyone had artwork. When you saw a red, white, and blue Obama you knew who the artist was and you could tell his pieces automatically Shepard Fairey is one of the many artist that contains an individual unique style.

Today we have another artist that has an individual style among many different types of medium. Take a look.

Jamie

18″ x 24″

Graphite on 100 lb. Bristol

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The Rainbow

What do you think it is? Any guesses. At first glance most of us just see strokes of paint. Normally, strokes of paint make up something bigger. Today they make up my inspiration.

This artist like many others such as Claude Monet made a delightful painting made up of almost every color possible. When done, you have to look beyond the stoke of color to see that we were looking at a dog. It is amazing how they blues, pinks, and purples can not detract from the piece.

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Print It

A town near me, Michigan City, they had First Friday. First Friday is where the art district is open for a few hours on the first Friday of the month. To me, this is something similar to what they do in Chicago. I hit up about four art galleries. These galleries included: various types of paintings, photographs, drawings, and prints.

Out of all the galleries that inspired me was the Walnut Ink Gallery. This was the gallery that had the prints. I am not talking a copy of a work but rather works that were possible made on a printing press. The only way I know how to describe it would be to have you think of Andy Warhol and the art movement he started.

My dad stopped me from taking my camera. He thought it would be frowned upon if I took pictures. They had some nice giant prints of single birds, and some creative images of Chicago.

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Crazy Drunk

If you drink wine you will notice all time that goes into a label or maybe not. In my opinion, some of the best labels are the ones on the more expensive bottles.

Since I am not a wine drinker I might collect it for the bottle. This inspiration will not be shown here today because I feel you need to visit three websites to get the full effect.

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Drowning in color

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How many degrees?

When you sketch out an object what angle do you start with? Most of us tend to start with the front view as seen here.

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Tartan

In some part of the world it is known as a tartan and in other parts of the world in is known as plaid. Recently plaids are not just for kilts or lumberjacks. The design is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors.

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oh so smooth

                Handy Man | Posca pens and acrylic on cardboard

The artist known as Camellie inspired me for many reasons today. As you can see that this piece is not computerized but it is acrylic on cardboard.

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Floranova

I think this was my first spring break when I was going to school in Chicago. My aunt and I went to visit Macy's and the theme was Floranova. I mean when they do a theme the windows are decorated and so are the many floors of the department store.

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