Up Next...

New poster/flyer work for GMI and DGC.

Can anyone say Kirk?


In Judaism Today (9 Iyar 5768):
Omer 25

Brilliant

Random flickr finds as I was doing some research...

Extremely clever composition, and a great title, "Washington, DC on $85 a Day."


An excellent shot of French electronic group Justice's show setup. The symbolism, the power...


...and this will only be meaningful if you've ever worked in IT (or a related department)...

I have been told...

...that this is a good, if not 'upsetting,' graphic novel. Worth checking out.

China, in the news

An amazing experiment conducted recently in Dafen, China, has produced an even more amazing commentary on just how much we as human beings are influenced by what we engage ourselves in.

In other news (and also related to China), well,... $500,000. It would be amazing to live in a world where this was the best thing we could do with our money, but we don't. I mean, that's special, having the means to be able to do this, but... Couldn't do it. There is too much hurt, too much need in the world.

I gotta go represent now. Time to work. Been waiting for this for much too long.

Influences: Coats of Arms

Similar to banknotes, I love a good crest/seal/coat of arms. Particularly on a national level, these images can be rife with deep symbolism, representing untold ages of history, and can be a visual representation of a country's heritage. This aside, not all are created equal. Some of my favorites (click the images for larger versions):

Watch this one completely through... some amazing stuff

Auggghhhh!

Terrence Howard is an amazing actor, and arguably my favorite, but what really got me on this one was the fact that lack of a solid establishment of the film's premise. That the protagonist's (Hayden Christensen) anesthesia failed (leaving him was awake, completely paralyzed, and yet still able to feel pain) during his entire heart surgery was only vaguely explained, meant that one could have walked into the film not knowing this and found Christensen's dialog quite comical. To hear him begging, "No, no, stop - auggghhhh!" throughout his operation, yet see in the closeups of his face that not a muscle moves, well, hahahaha. Brilliant.

Now, on a different topic (and for those unaware) All City is, to the best of my knowledge, the only graffiti shop in all of Dublin (Ireland?), and quite a fine one at that. I've been able to hop in there a few times recently, and always love the atmosphere. While small, it has just about everything one could ask for. If you're an art-head and are in the city (it's located in Temple Bar), it's a must-visit.

Thursday Evening Update, buuuut...

Needing a case for the new toy? This might be the place to start. Amazingly beautiful, buuuut... a little bit out of the ballpark. Hahahaha.

It's always amazing finding a design studio with some fresh visuals, buuuut... it smarts a bit when your Spanish isn't up to par. Three years' worth is no match for being out of the game another three. Ah, well, Mexico is still on the list.

...and holy moly! All the MTN Limited Editions I could want, and in one place! Buuuut... hahahaha.

Shoutout to B!

Influences: Handwritten Text

Handwritten text can be one of the most beautiful, most personal interpretations/declarations of one's identity. Just as amazing are the plethora of ways in which one can engage the medium.

While researching Japanese (or more generally, East Asian) signatures, I created for myself this fanciful (but wholly worthwhile) pathway through the digital annals of written language, spanning the globe, as well as many continental cultures (Asia, Oceania, Europe...).

I had no intention of doing a full-out entry on just what captures me so about this medium (Perhaps a 'Part 2' is in the works for the future?), so I am content to merely share with you three of the more interesting styles from my hunt:

Hebrew Ashuri Alphabet:

More generally, Hebrew scripts:


Chinese Zhuwen- and Baiwen-style seals:


In terms of more Western fare, I happened upon a brilliant (English) calligraphy studio owned by one Mrs. Alison Furminger, who also happens to be a Christian. Very encouraging.

Art done by those at the top of their craft is one thing; art created by those who pursue Yeshua faithfully is an altogether much more beautiful and driven labor. It's done right. Whatever your vocation, if it is not done with Yeshua as the Lord of your life, it is meaningless, like chaff in the wind (as warned of in Ecclesiastes). When you become a Christian, the work finally has sense and meaning and a literal purpose behind it.

France, Mauritius, England, Ireland, Alaska

Love & War

Wow, interesting stuff in Chicago.

Ever wondered why there are two completely separate graffiti paint companies called Montana? Well, here's the answer.

Taken from Wikipedia's page on Calvin and Hobbes:

"Watterson later stated in the "Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book" that he liked the fact that his strip was a "low-tech, one-man operation," and took great pride in the fact that he drew every line and wrote every word on his own."

That is my vision for animation.

Lightboxes are amazing

Awhile back, Good Charlotte lead guitarist Billy Martin put up a blog on his deviantART page dealing with sketching, scanning, and coloring digital pieces. Artistically speaking, we're on different ends of the spectrum, but it had been awhile since I heard some of that stuff, and it felt good to reminisce. Kyoto seems like it was so long ago...

Influences: Banknotes

I get inspiration from lots of places, and I don't think it possible to leave such sources out, so I'll be throwing up shout-outs to artists/mediums which have particularly influenced and/or impressed me. This is will be my first occasion to do so.

Bright colors and patterns which intermingle well always catch my eye; I've often found myself buying CDs back in Alaska solely because the album art speaks to me (which is a task in itself - this is the case for maybe... three or four albums out of an average of probably 500+ I search through on my routine Best Buy hunts).

Traveling internationally has given me chances to mingle with new people and cultures, but it has also helped to reveal the aesthetics of world currency to me. The USD bills never really impressed me much up until their recent color changes (their new subtlety is brilliant), and the EU Euro is arguably the most generic, elementary currency I have seen, but there are gems.

Of course, I'm being predictable by saying that the Japanese Yen is a favorite (for a roster of Yen bills from today and yesterday, check this, but beware - it's a pretty sizable PDF file), but the vibrant geometry, unsaturated colors, and sharp details make it a standout. This collection of factors also (in my mind) evokes parallels with traditional Japanese woodcuts.

Also on the faves list is the First Series of the Israeli New Sheqel. Vidid colors, breathtaking geometrical creations (on the back side of most of the bill denominations), and images that jump off the paper. What's not to love? The Second Series unfortunately dresses a bit too much in Euro-bland (しょうがない？), but that's why I'm not showing any pictures of it, hahaha.

Grace and peace tonight.

Security Sold Separately

Anyone who appreciates graffiti (and/or is familiar with the methods its creators employ) is probably aware of the fact that artists often don't lay their pieces in easy-access areas... Hahahaha. This makes sense, after all - it gives them a measure of stealthiness, protects their anonymity, and is a common-sense alternative to tagging in high-traffic areas. However, such areas put a strain on graffiti photographers, and make shooting pieces exponentially more difficult. Fortunately, I've been blessed to have two capable and absolutely mad compatriots (G-Town and J) to share the fun with.

The amazing thing with regard to our circumstance is the unmerited level of risk we put ourselves in merely by (completely legally) chronicling these pieces. Merely by virtue of photographing graffiti, we are placing masks upon ourselves; everywhere my colleaues and I have photographed work in Dublin, it has been assumed that we are graffiti artists, which does not cease to merit reactions from passerby ranging from amusement to keen interest to disdain. Ultimately, I feel as though we all have found the risks to be worthwhile.

Tart berries and flaming limbo sticks

Ever been completely knocked off your feet by the candidness and spontaneity of your day? This is becoming more of rule for me than an exception. My brother and friend G-Town (you can see him in his own blog here) and I are both fans of well-done graffiti, so dismissing the fact that we both are vocal followers of Christ (and the thousands of other ways we are uncannily alike), we will always have a common ground. With it being a weekend, we had one of those oft-hoped-for days to roam Dublin together (G-Town is the Turk (or better yet, Dr. Cox) to my J.D.), but things never go as planned. Like I said, we can't have normal days. It's the Twilight Zone here on out.

This was one of those days when ducking onto trams at the last minute and evading security cameras seems to be the norm, even if only to be precautious. Hahah, yes. The image of the two of us running dow-... Ah, well. Back in the car (and safely on the way home) after our long day out, I made the comment that I had crawled through (and under) enough fences and been honked at by trains enough that day to last me for awhile. Much more needn't be said than that, hahahaha.

In the J & G blog, we commented on a prevalent graffiti artist by the name of DBC (word on the street has it that DBC is a Polish girl), and it was ultimately her who caused our day to turn into a rabbit trail. In fact, it was a string of her pieces which ultimately extended our hunt for several hours longer than expected (and ultimately concluded at Rathfarnam Castle).

You've gotta love this, on so many levels. Hahaha.

Major professional crush going on here. We're kidnapping her; it's already been decided. Hahahaha. As soon as we find out who old girl is, she's going straight in the boot. Hahahaha. In any case, much love for the brilliant work.

In Judaism Today (16 Adar II 5768):
Shushan Purim

ついに、今夜「Juno」を見ました。

ようこそ。This page has been oft-planned and remains relatively unpolished, but at least now the Play-Doh is out of the can. We'll go from here. これから。。。

Juno. It was good to finally see this one. Spoke to me of thoughts past. Nostalgic.

Lots of amazing stuff is on my plate right now... Steadily working through projects, planning the summer itinerary, finalizing deals for some new clients. When pieces are finalized, they'll be up here first.

For those not already aware, I'm right in the middle of a collaborative (and pretty comprehensive) examination of the Dublin (Ireland) graffiti scene, along with one of my Irish associates. Busyness is inevitable, but you can catch our occasional insights here.

The company website should be up closer towards summer time. A lot of the graphic work is nearing completion (It's tough going as a one-man team!), and I'm in the process of narrowing down some of the business details. Praise G-d for His faithfulness and mercy in this (rapidly) concluding season!