LOOT CRATE: DEC 2014

While wasting time on Facebook last December, I stumbled across an ad for this company called Loot Crate. Basically you give them 13 bucks a month and they send you a geeky little box of fun each month. Movies, comics, gamer stuff and all in the form of wearable gear, snacks, toys, hardware, art, and other goodies. You get 6-8 items which are kept secret until the box shows up on your doorstep. It's kind of neat and makes the little boy in me all giddy. What I don't want I pass off to my kids and they go bananas no matter what it is so it's a win-win. Here's what I got for December:

Simpsons Paper Wallet
Ghostbusters Door Hanger
Batman Comic
Captain America Air Freshener
Joker/Batman Figure
Tetris Stickers
Guardians of the Galaxy "I Am Groot" Socks... yep, Groot socks.

It's not a bad haul. The Pop! Joker/Batman alone would be around $10-15 and my son is going to love it for his birthday. January's should be shipping soon so I'll post up what I get when it arrives.

PAPER SKILLS

One of the classes I took a year or so ago at WSU was Graphic Materials and Processes. That's pretty much a fancy name for a paper folding class. I made some really fun stuff that spruces up my portfolio a notch or two and I learned a lot about how to professionally fold, glue and build in 3D.

Yet I never really thought it would be applicable to a career unless I went into package designing, which is probably slim to none. But last week I built some handy dandy little Christmas signs for work that were a heck of a lot more professional looking due to that class and the teachings of my professor Jeff Pulaski. I suppose it just goes to show that you shouldn't write things off so quickly, even if it feels like arts and crafts fluff fun time.

NEW GRAPHIC DESIGN JOB

For over a year and a half I had been hunting, searching and scouring every job board, employment agency and shaking down all my Wichita contacts for any kind of full time design work. Applications and resumes galore were seeming to get lost in limbo, time and again. I began to panic as my reserve dough was coming under fire and my school funding from the military was about to run out in less than 2 months time. I had to get something solid and that paid decent before the end of the year, design or otherwise. I only held out as long as I did for the continuity of my resume as I've had only art related jobs ever since the military. What can I say, I'm career driven.

So I decided it was time to change ammo and overhaul my resume and portfolio. After which, I all of a sudden started getting hits left and right! Design jobs and intern positions alike at some pretty rad places were trying to get a hold of me, some from contacts others from simply applying. It very well could have been the natural ebb and flow of the design community here in Wichita but I believe it was due to my upgraded new look. In fact, one of the design firms owners said it was the best resume she had seen all year at least.

One of those hits ended up being at a place that I was extremely hopefully of getting into after they contacted me back for an interview. So I donned my slickest garb and went in for the kill. It wasn't even halfway through this interview face to face time that I just knew the position was mine. My style, design capabilities and personality just seemed to fit perfectly. The funny thing is, this place has a love for grunge, the distressed look and edgy, dark, kick-ass-ness almost as much as I do.

I've have now been working for this place for a little over two weeks and I freaking love it. The fates really had my back on this one. It's official, I am now a graphic designer for Harley-Davidson.

BRICKMOB: NORTH END URBAN ARTS FEST

Brickmob, the art and clothing collective I'm working to get off the ground, has it's first show this weekend at the North End Urban Arts Festival! It's totally free and should be pretty rad. We'll be unveiling a new shirt design at this event so come check out our art wares, meet the crew and talk of revolution!

About the North End Urban Arts Festival
We provide a vibrant, high quality urban arts festival that engages and benefits the Wichita North End community, along with local artists, crafters, musicians and performers. This festival is a free community event, open to the public, where all are welcome to come and experience Wichita’s urban arts!

BRICKMOB IRS LETTER

Brickmob, the artist collective and clothing line that I'm helping found, is really building steam. The first show for us will be at the North End Urban Arts Fest in Wichita on October 4th. That being said, the crew and I have been busting ass to get everything in order. Planning, designing, building... the works.

What did I get in the mail today?

Oh laws... we are an official business/brand.

SUMMER OF SWEAT

Wow, the last time I posted a blog was on Jun 5, 2014. Time really flies when you're... short on time? Anyways, this summer was hectic indeed. I won't barf all of it up in one blog but how about just the top three.

New nine-to-fiver as a sign painter
Yep, I now lay paint to wood to create signage. Sometimes it's hand lettering with a fine brush and others it's by stencil and airbrush. It's actually given me quite a lot of ideas for pieces and prints and I get to paint all day which isn't half bad.

My brother and I launched a Kickstarter campaign
Spearheaded by my brother, we have launched a fundraiser to help us start a photo business. But not just any clicky-clicky studio, our backbone is that we will use a high definition aerial drone and support it with ground based imagery. Can you imagine the rad stuff I can video or take a pic of with a flying freaking camera and multiple angles? Click here to jump over to our Kickstarter campaign just in case you want more info or possibly have the desire to assist us to reach our goal. Time is in fact running out but... no pressure or anything.

Brickmob is growing
I have yet to post anything online before this other than the occasional vague Facebook update that I'm working on a clothing concept. I initially wanted to play the whole thing close to the chest just in case all the parts didn't line up. But the gears are really falling into place and it's time to start tapping the vein. The quick synopsis:

Brickmob is a clothing company with it's premiere article of clothing being tactically designed and hyper stylized hoodies based around the graffiti artist, guerrilla art and freedom of expression fueled by the generally pissed off 99%. Each hoodie has a mask to help deter fumes, overspray, the elements and maintain anonymity. There will also be pockets designed to hold aerosol cans but usable for anything from water to Molotov's, though I don't officially condone the latter. It's meant to help art thrive by any means necessary and look good doing. All art will be hand printed by real artists and a portion of the proceeds will go to a charity that has yet to be determined, preferably urban and/or art concerned.

That should do it for now. There will be more to come on all of this and so much more! Oh and I'll also try not to suck and disappear for so long.

LAWRENCE STEAMROLLER PRINT EVENT

I recently had the chance to be part of a steamroller event alongside my fellow Wichita State University printing guild members. We were asked to carve a block of wood that was 4 ft tall and a little over 2 feet wide. This is not really my area of artistic expertise but then again, when have I ever backed down from a challenge?

Most people that revel in this medium use old school hand wood carving tools. I have poopie el cheapo versions that uber suck. So I decided to work smarter and not harder... and snagged my buddy Duane's rotary tool, otherwise referred to as a Drimel.

This still took quite a lot of patience and precision that obviously can only come with practice. I think it's proven quite useful and time saving so in my next attempt at this medium I'm going to really design something with this particular tool in mind.

Then it was off to the main event! It was held during the Art Tougeau Pre-Parade Street Party Friday, May 30 at the Lawrence Arts Center in Lawrence, Kansas. So a quick two plus hour ride from Wichita and I was in the thick of it. It was hot, fun and I made a short 30 second video of the inking and pressing of my piece. Check it out:



It was one hell of an event with many talented artists and people that fight to keep the art scene thriving. I can't wait for the next ink smeared heavy roller happening that I can be a part of.

Ink slathered woodcut

The first print on muslin

BEAD EAR

Today when I got home after picking up my two and a half year old son from the sitter, we began our daily wrestling in the living room. I hemmed him up into a ball and when we were face to face upside down, he whispers "Daddy, bead ear." Thinking he had said bee ear and was being a jokester, I continued tickling and wrestling. Then after a loving body slam he says to me again, bead ear. So I took it a bit more seriously and busted out the flashlight. Upon further inspection, I found the following little treasure lodged in his ear.

Good thing I have mad Operation skills.
Kids man. Kids.

THE PATRIOT

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything. My bad. But I haven't been lazy. In fact, I've been working in a new medium, video. I worked up a mock Showtime series title sequence for my motion graphics class. Here's the scoop:

Retired detective sets out across America finding the scum that slipped through the cracks in our crooked legal system. This aged gunslinger uses his police and military background to add a cold and calculated approach to his methods which is mirrored by old school brutal Louisiana justice.
Enter, The Patriot.

 
The Patriot - Title Sequence from LASTDEVIANT on Vimeo.

INTERNATIONAL TYPE THROWDOWN WINNER

My letter took 1st in the Sanskrit category of the TypeThrowdown competition! 615 to 226 votes… a landslide victory. Endless thanks to ALL OF YOU and your support! http://typethrowdown.wordpress.com/

Posing with the Wichita State University mascot and my art college homie and winner of the Greek category, Christina Jacks.