ZIMM
Props

Drawger Annual 2016

DECEMBER 29, 2016

Thanks to everyone who believes in this odd place called Drawger. It's somewhat remarkable that we've been at this for (count em) eleven years now.

Many thanks to Jody Hewgill for the 2016 Poster image! She somehow managed to sum up a really weird and disorienting year with a single outragious stroke of flamboyant insight with this piece.
 

Big Changes Coming

For 2017, Drawger is going to see a big update that I'm working on now and I'm looking forward, perhaps slightly terrified would be a better way to describe how I feel about the next steps for this beloved place, to seeing how it floats.

 


 

 


 

permalink | comment
Topical: At Drawger  Props  

My 2012 Drawger Picks

DECEMBER 29, 2012

Year-end thanks to everyone!

I rarely post or comment here, but I'm always lurking at the edges and enjoying the site everyone here has made happen.

This post is to thank the people who made 2012 at Drawger go over the top for  me. Every word, every image posted here makes me insanely happy, but there were a few that really sent me soaring.

In no particular order...here they are:
 

The Uphill Climb
From Robert Hunt
In which Brian Stauffer and Robert Hunt decide it's a fine idea to climb Mount Everest and do some art along the way. Hello up there? Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
 

The Embed in the Stan
From Victor Juhasz
Victor determines that it's an excellent plan to go to Afganistan and embed with troops to do art.  Compelling to the point of no return. I have no words to describe how meaningful this is to me and others I have shared this remarkable story with.
 

Teaching in Mexico and Dia de los Muertos
From Ellen Weinstein
Okay, I'm a sucker for pictures of  people and places I don't know about. Ellen flew me to the moon and back with this one.
 

Hello...
from Marcos Chin
I dearly love how Marcos can devine an image, but his prose is perhaps even more sublime. I've read this post  from him dozens of times and always walked away better for it. I'm glad he persued illustration, but if he ever decides to write, I'll follow him there any time.
 

"I told them ... I love you all very much"
from Ross Mac Donald

I rarely cry. Ross brought tears rolling down my face with this personal and heart-felt message. I sense he brought this terrible tragedy home for all of us.
 

What I did on my summer vacation...
from Bill Mayer
Bill has astounded me over and over in 2012, but his deft writing and images surrounding a simple family vacation with this one really stuck with me, Not many people commented on it at the time, but I enjoyed it a lot and continue to do so. Posted to his The Lab area, which I follow like a hungry dog looking for treats.
 

Mitt Romney for GQ
from Tim O'Brien
Tim posts some of my favorite articles here. They're always full of unexpected detail and reliable fun. I loved this one so much because he delivered up something somehow exactly right for the long days of a presidential campaign summer. I'm not a political person at all, but he captured all my personal misgivings about a popular candidate with one shot, one image. Also from Tim in 2012 was Illustrations from my students 2011-2012, which Robert Neubecker rightly commented was 'a very humble and honest summation of the teaching experience'. Enjoyed this look at his students work a lot as well.
 

The Obama Conquest
from Roberto Parada
One of the last Newsweek covers we'll see in print, hateful comments that Roberto allowed as part of the conversation, this post had a lot to offer, wrapped neatly and with care like a perfect gift. I for one am so happy I got to open and enjoy it. As with many posts here, the comment area was just as powerful as the article.
 

My first piece for The New Yorker
from Leo Espinosa
I always imagined a community that supports and encourages it's own. I love this post for the comment thread that follows it so much. It's exactly what I hoped for when I started this crazy joint.
 

There were many many more favorites for me, but I'll stop here. Have admittedly left out Kroniger's sublime series under A Box of Magazines, which I looked at again and again and enjoyed so much, along with many others who make this place amazing.

Have a lucky and prosperous 13. Many thanks to all who are here and inspire and to those who are watching and care about this crazy illustration racket.

permalink | comment
Topical: At Drawger  Props  

The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies

NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Once hosted here at Drawger, Lou Brooks (with a bit of help from me doing some weekend and after-hours programming) has brought The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies back!

Do the right thing: Here it is

permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Whatever  Seen  

Working Surfaces Up Close

SEPTEMBER 3, 2010

I LOVE work surfaces (where the mysterious magic happens) and was lucky enough to snap a few during a recent trip to NYC. Figured I'd share these, for anybody who feels the same as me. Give it up for the work surface, yo!


Steve Broder's work table above. Forty years of hard labor and mad mad love in grisly detail.


Detail of Brad Holland's chaotic and at the same time serene work area, pictured above.  The piece he was working on at the time (inches away from what you see here) was everything you'd expect from the MAN, and then something more, but you don't get to see that.


Tim O'Brien works standing and as such, his board is as straight-up and verticle as the man himself. Here's a small, yet subline detail of his large working surface at the time of my visit. What else do you want to know? BAM!

permalink | comment
Topical: Seen  Props  

Nancy Stahl Studio Glimpse

AUGUST 27, 2010

Nancy Stahl invited me to visit her home and studio during a recent trip to New York. I asked if I could take a few snap shots and luckily she didn't mind. Obviously I'm not a professional photographer, but I think these amatuer pics provide a partial glimpse into how this remarkable woman is able to stay vital, current and simply bad ass by surrounding herself with inspiration.










Thanks much for the hospitality, Nancy!

I wonder if I call you if this thing (left) rings. I certainly hope so!

There's no way that I could show everything Nancy surrounds her life with - just a wee little glimpse is all I can show here. Her space is remarkable and I walked away feeling that at every turn of the head, she's challenging herself  to constantly move forward.

 

permalink | comment
Topical: Seen  Props  

Bite Sized Snack

FEBRUARY 8, 2010
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  

FAS - George Giusti Lesson

JANUARY 30, 2010

I was on the phone with Enos yesterday and we were chatting about his days at the Famous Artists School. The talk inspired me to rummage around in my garage and pull out some of the course books I've collected from the school. If you've never seen one of these, they are large (14 X12) and impressive items. The ones I have are from 1959.

I haven't thumbed through these in many years, but once I started, these was no stopping. One of the books, blue cover, Lesson 18, titled Principals of Experimental Design contained a lesson designed by the great George Giusti, which I thought I'd share with everyone.
 

Other Giusti Resources:
Covers collected Alexander Budnitz
RIT Library

And I've set up an album for Giusti right here that I'll be adding to!

Also:
The collected stories of Enos at the FAS
 

permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  

Christmas Wish List

DECEMBER 3, 2009

Dear Santa, most things that I actually WANT, I can't have. But isn't that what Christmas is all about ... Not getting what you really want?

1. I want to go into the MIKIMOTO Ginza2 building in Tokyo, designed by Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects. I would be satisfied just to walk in once and then I would leave, I promise.

2. I want the Optimus Tactus concept Keyboard from Art. Lebedev Studio, designed by Artemy Lebedev. I don't care that this hasn't actually been produced, I want it and yes I deserve it. Yes, this is the second year in a row that I have asked for this but I'm NOT giving up!

3. The Air Genie is a spherical, full-color video-surfaced, helium airship designed by Tom Shannon. Like a lot of things I want, this doesn't actually exist yet. I want it anyway, and I want it as soon as possible. The idea of flying around and projecting whatever I want on the surface of my airship, it's just exactly the thing I want to do.

4. The Lilypad, a floating ecopolis for climate refugees is a concept city designed by Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Hong Kong. It doesn't exist, but who cares? I want to live there anyway. Who the heck doesn't? Come on Santa! Floating cities are cool!

5. The CH4 Wall Decal by Cody Hudson for Bodega is one of those impulse items I know I'll regret later but I can't help it, I want it anyway. Maybe it's just the idea of art you stick to your wall that appeals to me. I wanna do it! I could always peel it off when I get tired of it, right?

6. The MIT 6-D ImageSystem. I asked for this last year from the Santa at Macy's, so I think he's a phoney. I want this and I've been a very good boy THIS year. Please, please, please let me HAVE ONE!

7. Can Steven Heller simply have a legit RSS feed for his Daily Heller column at Print? I'd like to have his feed in my daily news without having to check the Print Site all the time to read what he's going on about...Santa can make this happen, I just know it, it's a no-brainer!

8. I wanna be Randall Enos for ONE DAY. I understand this may be unreasonable, because he values his own body, but I PROMISE to return it (his body) after 24 hours. Image pulled from The Mocha Dick Project.

permalink | comment
Topical: Seen  Props  

Ohger - For Students

NOVEMBER 1, 2009

  Did this finally after many stops and starts: Ohger, a site for students and recent grads in illustration.

  What happened: I've been wondering for two years solid whether I could (or even should) do something for students of illustration, to help them find out who each other are, provide them with a site where they can learn about best practices from professionals and quite possibly get exposed to a few art directors along the way.

   Pacing back and forth on the idea, that's what I've been doing. "Yes I should do it!", "No way you dope, it's a really really lousy idea!", "Yes indeed, I must make this happen if I can!", "Get a freakin' grip dude, it's the lamest idea since melba toast."

  I finally stopped pacing and struck a semi-heroic pose in the mirror. Said,  Yes, " I need to make this happen if I possibly can"

  Why oh why: If illustration hasn't yet crossed the border into the Wild West, where the rules no longer apply and the law is nowhere to be found East or West of the Pecos, it looks to me like that unhappy horizon is rapidly approaching.

  Free is becoming the new normal. 

  Sure thing, most working professionals delivered a free piece of art when they were fresh out of school, in exchange for dubious exposure. Perhaps they did a piece for chump change to get a client listing as well. Today, those opportunities are much more pervasive and abundent  enough to start looking like free is gearing up as the new normal. What are the newcomers supposed to do, except to hopefully band together if they can and take a stand? I'm hoping Ohger will be a buttress in that defense.

  I figure that if illustration (which is the only thing I actually like besides kids playing baseball) is going to hold some ground, I can at least help get these students talking in one place if I can. Hopefully the pros will stop in to offer encouragement as well.

  OHGER.COM - for students of illustration and recent grads (one year out only). Hit me!

   Like everything else I try to help with, it may well be dashed to bits on the rocks below. If that's the case, so be it. I'm giving the idea time and effort  now and at the very least I don't have to pace around any more thinking about it.



permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  At Drawger  

Publishers Picks 2008 at Drawger

DECEMBER 3, 2008
poster by Marc Burckhardt


In which the unlikely publisher of Drawger points out some personal favorites from the year 2008 in no particular order what-so-ever. Thanks to everyone who made 08 one heck of a great read here. I love this place!
To my personal picks without delay:
Drawger launched into 08 with a fabulous post from Richard Borge where he documented his Jessica Hoop Video. This post remains one of my all-time favorites. Borge is the man in my book.
Okay, so I'm a real sucker for any type of detailed documentation of process. My favorite series of the year was back in July and August when Chris Buzelli posted his documentation on the Trophen Museum work. Chris gave us a really great look behind the curtain. Here's July posts on Trophen and here's August. Thanks Chris!
Anybody who didn't appreciate the Mingering Mike the Soul Supa-star post by Laura Levine back in February is just a bummer. I loved it and so should everybody else!
Zina Saunders caused HUGE traffic spikes at Drawger all year. Her Sarah Palin Bags a Big One may well have been the single most popular post at Drawger in all of 08. I liked it plenty myself, but my personal pick from Zina was her marvelous Marshall Erismon Profile. Simply yummy.
It's a given that Edel Rodriguez posts extreme coolness at a pace that makes the average bloggers head spin. His A Show in Spain documentation from January was one of my personal favs of 08 until he posted All About My Father in June which had me bawling like a baby. I also really appreciated his send-up to Tom Trapnell.Thanks Edel, I love you man!
No doubt about it, Steve Brodner has created a real show-stopper with his Person of the Day series. Traffic arrives here from far and wide to gobble up the brainy antics of this thoughtful master. His 4000 Persons of the Day was my personal favorite from 08 - as well as Steve's righteous and mighty Support Barry post which almost brought our dear server to it's knees. Thanks for keeping my brain buzzing this year Steve! I don't know what I'd do without you at this point.
Like I said, I'm a sucker for process posts. David Goldin's The Fruit of Our Labor post back in March was just coolness with a cork. I loved it and even got to taste it!
Fernanda Cohen's Illustrator Travel Kit. Nuff said. Too cool.
For the past three years, Tim O'Brien has documented his New York Marathon experience with the same degree of bravery and thoughtfullness as the amazing run itself. This year was no exception and it was his best run and his best post to date. Marathon is a great read and an amazing accomplishment. It also needs to be said that Tim's Cover of Rolling Stone post was easily one of the most viewed posts at Drawger this year, and for all the right reasons. Totally amazing.
Anita Kunz had me at hello with My new intern (I loved this too much for my own good) and Burn Baby Burn remains one of the most mind-bending posts I've ever had the extreme discomfort to witness. Thanks Anita!
Hanoch Piven does for Drawger what Captain Kangaroo used to do for me when I was two...keep me waiting for the next episode of wonder and delight. His Garbage Mountain post and his Keith post were both real keepers in my book. A world without Piven at this point is simply unthinkable. I salute you sir!
Rob Dunlavey has brought us some of his thoughts and insites into the state of affairs in Zimbabwe over the past few years. I really enjoy his contributions on this subject. Here's a look back at some of my personal picks from 08 - Hey Buddy Can Your Spare 50 Billion Dollars, Mugabe.
Harry Campbell (the undisputed king of spots) doesn't post a lot here, but when he does it's always some of my favorite stuff. His Op-Ed for Wednesday was my favorite from 08. I love to see the doodles that lead to the conclusion. Harry gives it up!
Linzie Hunter's Left or Right Brain? hooked me bad and her Back by Popular Demand! was a tastey treat as well. Thank God for the Brits!
Way back in January, Adam McCauley started a great conversation with his What is it article. I really love this kind of post. Represents the best of what Drawger does. Thanks Adam!
Do you like to get really close-up details of work, see all the brush strokes and cracks? Me too! At Drawger, Marc Burckhardt is your man. He posts a piece and then lets you see it up close and personal. BLAB! Show Los Angeles. Mmmmmmm.
Donald Kilpatrick was probably a journalist in a previous life. His posts are always a solid read. His touching tribute to Joseph Solman was a real stand out for me this year. I loved it and if you haven't read it, read it now.
I like childrens blocks, always have. I have a small collection of them. It should come as no surprise that I also liked the ABC post by Greg Mambly a LOT.
If Joseph Fiedler wasn't the worlds greatest living illustrator he'd probably be a documentary film maker. He has loaded Drawger with some amazing accounts of travels, events and studio tours. The one that really hooked me in 08 was his Marin Studio Visit: John Hersey in May. Cool details, expert timing, just what I needed.
Bob Staake has a way of writing his posts where the reader feels like they are getting a personal tour of his ever-expanding brain. One of my favorite examples from 08 was his super-cool Roomy Enough For Two Cockroaches And Up To Eighteen Deer Ticks article. And, being a complete sucker for any post that documents process, you can't beat My Odd Way Of Working from January! Thanks for memories Bobster!
Felix Sockwell occassionally stops in here to give us a lot to think about and I for one sure do appreciate it. His Tour De Force explanation of his iphone icons in his new iPhone nytimes GUI article was just solid amazing. I also love it when someone at Drawger sends out props to out-going art directors and Felix's send-up to Brian Rea was really cool.
Stephen Kroninger uses Drawger to talk about other people and show us what inspires him, which is cool. Very occassionally he will give us a peek at his own process and that's when my ears really perk up. His Nation Cruise for The New York Times post from February was one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing Stephen!
Robert Hunt cleaned his brushes in April and built a model of a dragon so he could paint it in November. Both of these posts had me blinking in disbelief and awe. Unreal.
For one reason or another, Drawger inspires some collateral activities. One of the funniest this year was Nancy Stahl's Drawger Scrabble Tournament which was documented here all the way to the winner. Another very cool contribution from Nancy in 08 is the Women's Work show which gets a TON of traffic and has over 200 brilliant works on display. Yeah Nance! Woo Hoo!
Carl Weins uses Drawger to talk about his family life, his sons, his brother, his life at home, his travels. I love that stuff and it's a really cool use of Drawger. His Last skate post from March is a great example of letting people see Carl in his natural habitat.
If Drawger has any lasting historical value, internet archaeologists will almost certainly point to Randall Enos' widely acclaimed My Life on the Slanted Board series. This year, we only got one instalment, but it may well be the best one yet. MY LIFE ON THE SLANTED BOARD...Chapter 28, "Stripping For Playboy". Brilliant!
If Drawger had a face, it would be the face of David Flaherty. My favorite stuff from David is his documentary work, whether it's an opening, a pool party or just a simple trip across town. His Quest for the Wacksman's Passage is best of show in 08 in my book.
An 08 highlight for me was Peter Kuper reporting from Mexico. I felt like we were getting a direct feed from the dusty streets. I'm really glad he took to time to document and post Mexico Street Art especially. I love that kind of stuff. Keep em' coming Kuper!
I'm a real sucker for babies. Gina and Matt let us have it with New Employee. Loved it loved it loved it.
A. Richard Allen tends to show just about everything that he can squeeze in. I love that. I especially love all the process sketches he shows. How To Live to be 100 was just one of my favorites from 08 - especially the annotated sketch on drag, which was hilarious!
In April, Leo Espinosa posted Friday Pencil Fiesta, in which he just started collecting and posting pencil drawings people would email to him. All of those drawings got relocated to here, and that single post resulted in the ongoing Pencil Fiesta gallery here at Drawger, which Leo bravely manages and edits. Yeah Leo! I love you like a rock!
Brian Stauffer has really put together a string of hits this year at Drawger. I really appreciated the insight into his thinking process with The Tough Ones in February and in March his Spitzer OP-ED post really showed how quiet and confident art direction (in this case from Brian Rea) can lead to amazing results.
Lastly not leastly, Lou Brooks uses Drawger to mostly post up things that inspire him, tracing his roots to jazz and pulp. It's always great stuff. Every so often he lets us in on a good inside story as well. The You and Your Turntable article was a cool insight into how illustrators can often effect smart editorial decisions and that's the kind of stuff that really gets me going. In June, Lou posted that his Art Supply Museum Tops '100' Mark!, referring to his Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies show here, which continues to be one of the most visited areas of Drawger. Way cool. Lou is the man.
. . . . . . . .
That's it for now! I probably left some of my favorites out, but I can definately recommend all of the above as a sample plate of what Drawger does best. Look forward to 2009!

permalink | comment
Topical: At Drawger  Props  

All the Art That's Fit to Print

NOVEMBER 3, 2008

 In 2004, Jesse Sunnenblick interviewed Jerelle Kraus for The Columbia Journalism Review. When I read the article, I thought to myself: There's a book here! In fact, I thought: There's one heck of a GREAT book here!... Little did I know, the book was already well underway.
Four years later, the lucky folks who attended ICON 08 got a small taste of that book, dished out from Jerelle herself.
Now  you can bite into the whole thing.
All the Art That's Fit to Print (And Some That Wasn't): Inside The New York Times Op-Ed Page, by Jerelle Kraus
Stepping boldly out on a limb here: This may well be the most important book ever written on the subject of editorial illustration to date. It's a chronicle of where ediorial illustration has been, how it got to where it is today and shines a bright light on where it should go from here. But don't just trust me, the esteemed (is he a Knight yet?) Ronald Searle said it's "Certain to become the illustrator’s bible". Everybody's in it - recognize any of these names?
In or around NYC? Attend the book party at the Strand, November 13th. She'll sign a book for you! Buy one for a friend. Buy one for your least-favorite art director. Buy two for you favorite art director, for sure!
Not around NYC? - Buy it online
Oh and - Jerelle has agreed to do an interview with me over at illoz, so look for that coming soonish. Should be fun!
 

permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  

The illoz Angels

SEPTEMBER 2, 2008
Meet the illoz Angels!

This is a team of 8, 9 and 10 year olds playing this fall in Western North Carolina, corporate home of illoz.com.

Western North Carolina Fall Baseball is a BIG DEAL around these parts and I thought "what the hey...", if a $325 sponsorship will guarantee that a bunch of kids can get dirty and hit some balls, then we're in! Right?

Today was opening day for the Angels.  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Seeing them take the field in those little illoz shirts....I can not EVEN begin to describe the excitment of it. I wish everyone could have seen it like I did.

Our illoz Angels went up against the highly favored Astros and came away with a narrow defeat, backed by solid defense and swift base running. When the game was over, team drinks were immediately poured down each other's necks and they went and played in the creek, the narrow defeat forgotten ... immediately.

Ah, to be a kid again...
When you look at kids like this...how can you POSSIBLY not want to help them play ball?

Glad that illoz had a few bucks left over (thanks so much to everyone involved) to make this happen for the Angels. They are one chill team of characters.

Great parents too! As the illoz Angels slipped in the 4th inning to hand over the game to the Astros, parents calmly chattted amoung themselves about how hard the team was trying and how the next game might be better. Parents make a huge difference in youth baseball and the Angel's parents made it all good in the end, the way it should be.
The Angel's dugout was really the place to be. These kids hung the fence every minute and chewed a lot of gum.
Thanks to Coach Yohon Whitaker and his assistant, Ronald Blackman. I happened to snap this pic of them while they were making out their lineup and not exactly sure if they were all that happy about me wandering around on their field at the time...Like I said I was a bit excited, perhaps a bit too excited.

These guys really do have the best interests of the kids in mind at all times and I'm SO PROUD to be able to help them field a team this fall, with the help of everyone involved with the illoz project.

illoz mousepads shipping out

MAY 29, 2008
The official illoz mousepads designed by Mr. Gary Taxali are on the docks and ready for first shipment tomorrow! These have been a long time coming, but I assure you they are worth the wait!

These fine and highly collectible items are available only to art directors with registered accounts at illoz. So, if you are reading this and suddenly look down and realize, "Hey I'm an art director without an account at illoz"... then what the heck are you waiting for? Get an account right here and get a mousepad. There are plenty to go around!

As an added bonus, art directors also get the Official Art Director Owner's Manual, which is a handy booklet, capable of guiding any art director through the best use of the illoz system. As you may know, illoz is a lot more than a pretty portfolio site, folks. Indeed, it's filled with lots of handy tools for getting jobs done and this invaluable illoz Owner's Manual will make all these fancy gizmos easy to understand and start using right away.
Hey what is this place? A mail room? Envelopes are everywhere! Get this stuff outta here!
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

MAGS Talk

MAY 6, 2008
The illoz and Drawger crews got lots of well-deserved props in my talk to the Magazine Association of the Southeast today, which centered around using illustration to start conversations and boost circulation. A great association, these MAGS people are and a terrific design block set up by board member, Lisa Sparer. I really enjoyed these people - they run a tight ship, which in the conference racket is a tough thing to pull off well. They did it flawlessly.

Lisa brought in myself to talk about illustration. Luke Hayman was there to talk about his current work over at Pentagram and past work at ID Magazine as well as New York Magazine. Mitch Shostak did a really cool presentation on all his current projects and showed a huge amount of illustration work he's commissioned, to boot. And lastly but not leastly, D.W. Pine was there as well to talk about his past ten years at Time.

This talk I did was an hour and a half. That's a long time to talk about something! It would not have been possible without a lot of help from others. Edel provided me with some great information from his years at Time. Brian Stauffer was a big help as well when I needed some extra insider details. Eddie Guy, Brad Holland, Anita Kunz, Ross MacDonald all also sent in stories and antidotes that were a huge help to me as well. And, I also have to thank Drawger itself, as I lifted several success and horror stories straight from these pages, including from Harry Campbell and Tim O'Brien to share with the conference.

The bonus dinner with Mitch, Luke and editor Bruce Anderson last night was a real treat for me. I got insider details on the secret Smooze Society, it's untimely demise and Shostak's covert plans for it's revival. I hope to be lucky enough to be included...
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

Marc Art Mine

APRIL 19, 2008
Yesterday by FedEx - a reMarcable treat arrived.

A signed and numbered print by Marc Burckhardt, of Robert Johnson - all for me!

It's impossible to explain how fine this print is. The brilliant colors, the luxurious paper, the exceptional quality of the print itself are all simply breath-taking. This is one truly exquisite work. The man is a master, done deal, game over.

Luckily for everyone, Marc has the same quality of prints for sale at his illogator shop, which just opened for business this week.
Check it out! Marc has his own tape!

How cool is that?

I mean, how many people have their own tape? Gimmi a break!
Off to the framer! I have the best in town!
permalink | comment
Topical: At Drawger  Props  

Anita Kunz Interview

APRIL 16, 2008
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

Anywhere USA

JANUARY 17, 2008

A couple of years back, my daughter Lila got the idea that she needed to take a semester out of high school to work on the pre-production of an independent film, being shot in our little town. She convinced me to also get involved by naming and designing some bogus products to be used by the cast. Being that it was my daughter asking, it was an easy decision to make. The film made a remarkable journey after Lila went back to high school. From very humble beginnings, with no budget to speak of, a complete cast of non-actors and guided by the single-minded and brilliant vision of director Chusy, Anywhere USA has landed itself in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

My small contribution was branding and designing products to be used by the cast. They needed a beer for starters. Since the film had a South of the Mason Dixon Line tilt, I wanted a name that would sound good in the unique drawl of a Southerner. I decided on Kegger. I wanted the beer to look cheap, but distinguished at the same time. Something that looked like ordinary folks would buy, feeling they were getting high quality at a very low price. Here's what I ended up with, accompanied by a cast shot with the actual phony product. Here's a better look.
The next product they needed was a soft drink. The requirements here were that it had to look and sound like a low-level bargain brand. In other words, it had to look cheap and it had to sound cheap. Again, I wanted the name to sound good rolling off the southern tongue. I settled on BUB cola. I really enjoyed the challenge of branding something that looks and sounds like complete crap, but that you could believe would be popular at the same time. It was actually a lot harder to pull off than I thought it would be.
Finally they needed a fake dating website that was geared towards plus-sized singles. Once again, it had to look and sound cheap, but believable. I settled on RealBigLove.com. Incorporating some advertising for BUB cola and Kegger into the site just seemed like a natural thing to do. Director Chusy also wanted part of the site to feature a dramatic close up of a penis, which I am not going to be subjecting anyone to here, but I will say that sitting with the director and retouching that photo was a uniquely unsettling and hilarious experience. I may never live that down...

Fortunately for me, my cameo appearance in the film as Manudo, the bitchy and dreadful fashion designer ended up on the cutting room floor. With any luck at all, it will stay there.

16 films will be shown in the dramatic competition at Sundance, culled from 1,068 entries. It's a remarkable achievement for everyone who was involved. A lot of heart and a lot of guts went into this and it was an honor to be involved.

permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Whatever  

illogator

DECEMBER 11, 2007

I'm very pleased and proud to release illogator.com for the perusal and pleasure of the illustration collecting public.

The illogator is designed specifically for illustrators who are selling original works, whether they be original paintings, prints, objects of desire for the home, or unique apparel items. Online shops at illogator are available to illustrators by invitation only.

My personal hope is that illogator's primary contribution will be to give art collectors a place to purchase original works that they have seen on book covers, magazines and other print mediums. The art from the cover of Time Magazine, the art from the cover of a latest best seller, the art on the annual report from IBM - these are arguably more influential to our culture than any works that hang in our museums on any given day. I'm pleased to be able to trumpet that notion and to provide a website where those original works can be made available for purchase.

The world of illustration has changed dramatically over the past decade. More and more, illustrators offer their own lines of unique merchandise and illogator.com provides professionals with a place to sell and promote those lines as well.

The site launches today, with a small group of  remarkable people who have helped me test out the site and make this idea come to life. I'm very grateful for all their efforts on behalf of this project and hope it serves them well for very many years to come.

go there
permalink | comment
Topical: At Drawger  Props  

Pratt Bound

DECEMBER 30, 2006
My daughter, Lila just received her acceptance letter to Pratt. She'll be entering the creative writing program there as a freshman in fall, 2007. This is pretty big news around here for a few reasons. One is that she was born in New York City and has wanted to go back since I hauled her down South when she was 4 years old. The second is that it's the only college she applied to. The last reason is that it gives me pretty solid bragging rights, which is cool for dad. Proud pop. She's rockin it, solid.
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

My Mayforth!

DECEMBER 8, 2006
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

The Original Google?

SEPTEMBER 6, 2006
It's still seems a bit unclear whether Billy DeBeck created the word "Google" with his remarkable strip Barney Google, but one thing's for certain, he sure did make the word popular. Without a doubt, DeBeck did indeed introduce a few other popular phrases along the way and influenced many that doodled along afterwards. DeBeck in the Drawgerpedia for fellow Drawgers to edit and update as knowledge allows.
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

The Plankton

AUGUST 26, 2006
I've been coaching youth baseball for about eleven years. The past two seasons, I've done things a bit differently. The main difference is, I don't coach. I don't sit in the dugout. Sometimes I even leave and go do something else during games. The results of this non-coaching approach have been fairly amazing. The players themselves decide who plays where, what the batting order is, who pitches - the whole thing is up to them. They win. They actually win a LOT. Last season, they were undefeated. My favorite part of this is the reaction of other teams and especially the coaches. They'll be over there in the dugout or on the field, looking at this team of kids that is absolutely hammering them - and there is no adult anywhere to be seen. The only thing I really do is name the team. I think next season I'll leave that up to them as well.
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

JD King and the Coachmen - American Mercury

AUGUST 3, 2006
Pkg Design ( for reasons that baffle me) by David Greenberger. Illo © JD King.
The eclectic beat soundscapes of JD King and the Coachmen, American Mercury CD arrived unexpectedly by post recently. The sonic caliopy of the Coachmen, I've since discovered, is best appreciated alone in a car driving on lonely mountain roads at night. Expands the experience to a disarming sound track for life. Thanks JD! Sample the Coachmen
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  

Garage Band

JULY 30, 2006
Probably not suitable for Drawger and more in my own peculiar personal world, but I need to send some props to the kids of Lose This Gun, who played in my garage (really) this afternoon. 15 year olds that R O C K, yall. Watch for these names in the near future: Robert Adams - Vocals and rhythm guitar Quinn Kimsey-White - Lead Guitar Corey Abshire - Bass Daniel Coombs - Drums
Photos by JZ
They had perhaps 40 or 50 kids show up in my garage. Nobody knew who this guy was but he had a rockin time, no doubt.
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

Frazier's 98

JULY 28, 2006
©2006 Craig Frazier
Late tag-on to theLeo Espinoso note on Craig Frazier's 98 sketch book. Just received an imprint of 98 today in the mail and wanted to send out a "YO DUDE THANKS" to the Craig Man! .... The book is sublime. Should be "mandatory looking" (if there were such a thing) for everyone. . . . . .
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen  

The Gourd Lady - Margaret Sparkman

JUNE 29, 2006
I try to visit Margaret Sparkman once a year to buy her fabulous painted gourds. She just turned 90 and I missed her birthday party. I have perhaps 200 or so of her painted marvels.

Here's a great little movie slideshow about her.

I would post a few pictures of her little goard crittters but my digital camera went snorkling with me recently...
At her house with some gourd penguins.
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

Major props for Chronicle Books

MARCH 25, 2006
Just finished my third game project with Chronicle Books and I want to send a shout out: These people are the best. It's never easy working with the book publishing world - they are all slow, they all take three hour lunches, and they are brutal when it comes to the bottom line... but Chronicle somehow has managed to maintain a crucial mix of dignity, fun and flare . My hat is off to them. They wore me out and made it cool and profitable at the same time.

I'm not going to wax ecstatic over just any publishing house that writes me a check. I've had some mighty hairy dogs in that world shed on my carpet lately and Chronicle Books is Best of Show in my book.

. . . . .
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  

Russell Tate - Wuz Up?

FEBRUARY 14, 2006
permalink | comment
Topical: Props  Seen