Inspriration, Cool Stuff, Etc #28

One Per Family - a greener car for the masses.

Nail - a workplace safety ad that was awarded a Bronze Lion at Cannes in 2008.

The Green Patriot Project - a poster contest encouraging sustainability.

NICK WALKER - Statement about the proposed ban of the muslim veil.

Ad for the Apartheid Museum by TBWA/HUNT/LASCARIS

Game Changers - competition to design a came that "forces us to rethink our lives and our relationships."

AfriCOBRA Campaign The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists created a campaign from short documentaries about the artists via Nola Pictures.

Paul Revere on a Bike?!?!

Since this illustration gave me a lot of heartache, I decided to go through some of the process work behind it. It is always positive to reflect on one's failures. It is also nice to be able to take the opportunity of not having a client, to experiment, since time restrictions are non existent.

This image originally began as a solution to the Green Patriot Poster project. The context was equating patriotism with environmental politics through posters inspired by the initiatives of 1940's propaganda.


Part 1
Sketched out the image of an American Revolutionary Soldier using photo references of cyclists and Revolutionary War uniforms. I sketched out several versions of the wheels separately because ellipses are very difficult to draw by hand.

Note:Paul Revere wouldn't have been in uniform. I chose to use the uniform because it was more interesting than the basic cloak or coat Paul Revere is usually depicted as wearing. During the sketching process I decided that this would be an experiment instead of a final piece - also making the historical accuracy less important.




Part 2
Scanned in the inked drawing.

Matched the bike wheels up to the rest of the drawing, merged the layers and converted the combined layer to an editable one by unlocking it.

Took the editable inked drawing layer and set it's blending mode (located in the layers panel) to "multiply."

To fill in colors: created a new layer underneath the inked drawing, picked the paint bucket tool, set the paint bucket to use all layers, and began filling in the colors by clicking enclosed spaces of the inked drawing. If the space was not enclosed I had to use the paint brush on the inked drawing layer to "fake" additional line work.



Part 3
Shading the image. Utilized a pen tablet and a basic round Photoshop brush set to 70% hardness, 48% opacity and 48% flow.

Chose darker more blue versions of the base colors and began blocking in shaded areas of the figure.

Painted back and forth between the base colors and shaded colors until they blended in their respective areas. More info on this technique can be found here.

Finished shading seen on image below.




Part 4
Cleaned up various problems with the figure and added hatching using a pen tablet and Photoshop brushes.



Part 5
Added a background by changing a high res photograph of a forest to 50% threshold under the drop down menu: image-> mode-> bitmap (image must first be set at image-> mode-> grayscale). 50% threshold changes anything darker than a 50% gray to black and anything lighter to white.

Also added type.



Finished Piece
Added texture to the type to erode the barrier between type and image. By sampling textures from the background the illustration is nicely sandwiched in between the two elements.

Added color to the "sky" and a spray paint texture to imply stars.

Added some further shading on the figure to imply that it is behind the type using the Photoshop burn tool.


What bothers me about this image:
The type is a little cheesy, but is maybe appropriate to the subject matter - I still can't decide. The image itself was rushed and isn't as dynamic or natural as it could have been with stronger foundations. Of course, the shading isn't up to my expectations either, but that is to be expected with a first attempt.




In the end I decided to go with a graphic version because it was stronger and better reflected the pre-existing system of the Green Patriot Poster project. You can register and rate this poster at GreenPatriotPosters.org.

Free film showing of "The Take"

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
6:00pm - 9:30pm

At Gallery5
200 W. Marshall St.
Richmond, VA


Potluck at 6:00pm
w/musical performance by
WM Draper, Brennan Chambre, & Jordan Chu

Film showing begins promptly at 7:30pm


Film Synopsis
In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave.

All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act - The Take - has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head.

In the wake of Argentina's dramatic economic collapse in 2001, Latin America's most prosperous middle class finds itself in a ghost town of abandoned factories and mass unemployment. The Forja auto plant lies dormant until its former employees take action. They're part of a daring new movement of workers who are occupying bankrupt businesses and creating jobs in the ruins of the failed system.

But Freddy, the president of the new worker's co-operative, and Lalo, the political powerhouse from the Movement of Recovered Companies, know that their success is far from secure. Like every workplace occupation, they have to run the gauntlet of courts, cops and politicians who can either give their project legal protection or violently evict them from the factory.

The story of the workers' struggle is set against the dramatic backdrop of a crucial presidential election in Argentina, in which the architect of the economic collapse, Carlos Menem, is the front-runner. His cronies, the former owners, are circling: if he wins, they'll take back the companies that the movement has worked so hard to revive.

Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale.

With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century. But what shines through in the film is the simple drama of workers' lives and their struggle: the demand for dignity and the searing injustice of dignity denied.

My student wins a National Gold Key

My Appomattox Regional Governor School student, Keven Zweerink, recently was awarded a National Scholastic Gold Key for his theater poster (seen below). He will soon be traveling to New York for the award ceremony.



More about the Scholastic Awards can be found on their website.

Gallery5's 5year celebration and fundrasier!

Poster by Bizhan Khodabandeh

Gallery5's 5 Year Anniversary
Every Friday in April (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th)

We at Gallery5 believe that Richmond has a flourishing cultural community, home to many great artists. We are proud to be a part of this growing arts community and for being a catalyst for many creative initiatives. Over the past five years, Gallery5 has produce a wide array of art events featuring some of our region’s greatest talents and has served as Richmond’s launching pad for countless emerging artists. We exist to provide them with a space to share their innovations and to engage others.

Gallery5 has received many notable recognitions and awards over the years because of our collaborations with this art community.

Some of our awards include
- Theresa Pollock Award for Excellence in the Arts for “Arts Innovator” 2008.
-“Best Art Gallery” in Richmond Magazine’s 2007 Best and Worst of Richmond Awards.
- Finalist in the Virginian’s for the Arts’ “Rising Star” category of the Art’s Builds Community Awards.
-“Gallery with the Most Attitude” Richmond Magazine’s 2009 Best and Worst of Richmond.
- Featured on the front page of the Travel section of The New York Times in their article “36 Hours in Richmond: A Where to go guide for Richmond”.
- Style Weekly’s Top 40 under 40 awarded to several of our staff members and collaborators.

In April 2010, Gallery5 will be arriving at an important milestone... we will be proudly celebrating our 5th anniversary! We have devoted each Friday in April to showcase some of the best artists, performers and exciting new events that our great culturally diverse community has to offer. We hope that you will join us in supporting these amazing artists who make our city a better place
to live and work.

Each of these Friday events will celebrate a different aspect of our history, culminating in an exclusive Members Appreciation Night on the final Friday, April 30th. Our goal for this month-long celebration is to raise awareness of the arts, highlight forthcoming projects and to expand our audiences and supporters.



Schedule of Events
First Friday, April 2nd
First Friday Opening Reception
Our opening exhibition showcasing photographs from the past 5 years of Gallery5 by over a dozen talented local photographers. Live performances by musical, dance and theater groups will accompany the exhibition. Special outdoor performances by Dj's Reinhold and Conway Jennings with PLF celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Burning of Richmond. Featuring Indoor Performances By: Prabir and the Goldrush, Haints in Holler and Nahuatl Poetry
7PM FREE

Friday, April 9th
An evening of live performances for our loyal music creators and supporters.
Featuring the Ultra Dolphins CD Release Party. Also appearing will be one local and one touring band.
7PM $5

Friday, April 16th
The Science Museum of Virginia Presents:
Gallery5 after 5: A Happy Hour Lecture Series
An early bird music and lecture series geared towards young professionals and local art supporters. This event will feature The Dvorak American Quartet and special guest speaker David Oli from the Science Museum of Virginia presenting The Map of the Stars, a captivating lecture on the night sky and the origins of constellations.
5PM $5

Friday, April 23rd
Boylesque: An all-male variety show
A selection of community members, artists and local celebrities will bare it all in this comically inspired variety show.
8PM $7

Friday, April 30th
Exclusive Members Appreciation Night
Featuring live entertainment from two local bands, DJs, catered food, film projections, and more!
7PM Free with Gallery5 Membership

Galvanized Monstrocities

A three person exhibition of works by James Callahan, Matt Deans and Bizhan Khodabandeh. These illustrators have been highly influenced by sequential art, an art form beginning to receive recognition through long standing institutions such as the Eisner Awards, established in 1988. Galvanized Monstrosities moves sequential art and illustration from their origins on newsprint to the art print and installation.

7-10pm Friday, April 9th
At Black Hand Coffee Shop
606 North Sheppard Street
Richmond, VA 23221-1712

Artist BIOS

El Aquador

James Callahan, creator of Barf Comics, is an artist and writer for a host of international publications including his own graphic novel "Rotting in Dirtville", and the comics Booyah the Oblitorator, and the Barf Comics annual. In addition, he is art director of the skate magazine Born Ugly, owner of Nowhere Skateboards, and lends his skills to a bevy of commisioned illustration projects. Known as a connoisseur of cookouts, purveyor of comedy, and antiquarian of wasted time, the man known as Barf is currently on the "no entry" list to multiple countries and nation states.




Gills And Wings

Matt Deans is a full-time digital printer, part-time screenprinter and part-part-time illustrator. When the world was young in 2004, he started a screenprinting art club with some like-minded friends and it was called Team 8. Under the monicker of Team 8, he has contributed art for several t-shirts, album covers, poster, websites and public restroom stalls. Team 8 currently exists as an independent small business specializing in hand-printed gig posters and art prints. In 2008, Team 8 and Velocity Comics published a series of minicomics, one of those said minicomics being Tom Batten and Matt's La Viande est Mauvaise, which received outstanding critical praise from Matt's mom.




Nong Toom

Bizhan Khodabandeh is a visual communicator who moves freely across the professional boundaries as a designer, illustrator, artist and activist. His works vary from small graphic art projects to major public campaigns such as the internationally recognized, "I Dream of a Richmond . . ." project. Khodabandeh is particularly facinated by how art and design can be a catalyst for social change.

He was recently honored as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" Class of 2009 by Style Weekly Magazine. The descriptive article included....."In a town filled with noteworthy visual designers, Khodabandeh is one of the most influential — and prolific."

The work included in Galvanized Monstrosities, exhibits some of his illustrations and fine art prints. These prints exhibit frustration as dissent and surrealistic environments as escape. Most of the work is a combination of traditional and digital media, walking the fine line between commercial and fine art.

Khodabandeh is currently working on a graphic adaptation of Samad Behranghi's, The Little Black Fish, a children's story about questioning authority and finding the answers through exploration.

He teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University and Appomattox Regional Governors School. He is also the Design Director of Gallery5 and freelances under the name, Mended Arrow Design.

Fight Cyber Censorship!

Today is the international day against cyber censorship, an initiative promoted by Reporters Without Borders.

To know more about the campaign, please read the official statement "Enemies of The Internet"

To aid them in their fight against internet censorship, they are asking people to spread the logo around on facebook, your website or any other internet forum. The logo is available at the Reporters Without Borders website.

May Day RVA website launch!

MayDayRVA.org


I recently helped contribute a modest amount to the development of this website. The site provides photos, information, history, and an up to date calendar of related events for this years May Day Parade scheduled May 1st, 2010 in Richmond, VA.

Inpiration, art, cool stuff, etc #27

Typographic animation from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about the future of US health care.

1 Hour Design Challenge - a challenge for architects to design short-term emergency shelters specific to Haiti.

This week is Global Ignite Week. More info here.

Carry Hope challenges designers to create a design for tote bags to be sold on MyDesignShop.com. Porceeds will benefit the cause of their choosing.

Crumpled City Maps an article about maps designed to be easily crumpled up instead of a complex folding system.

Z Magazine Campaign- Z Magazine is a publication that German homeless sell to generate revenue.

Model Citizen opening this Friday

I have a T-shirt design in the fashion art exhibition, Model Citizen, at Gallery5. The exhibition opens this Friday, March 5th. The shirt, Indigenous Resistance, is available for purchase on Team8 Press' website.





Gallery5, Rumors and CECO Studio Present:
Model Citizen
Gallery5 is excited to announce the first annual, Model Citizen. This two-day event and month long exhibition will showcase the best of Richmond’s fashion industry and seeks to inform the audience of the abundance of local talent and offerings. This exhibition is created to encourage our community to support their locally owned businesses by shopping locally. The event will feature runway shows, student design work, exhibition openings, craft vendors, musical performances, and more - highlighting our favorite boutiques and fashion designers. According to show coordinator Casey Longyear from Rumors, "I wanted to really display elements that are the heart of this city regardless of age or interests. This fashion show recalls the history of the city, recognizes the beauty of the river and parks, pays attention to the dirtiness of the streets, and showcases the ability to express yourself.

Model Citizen Facebook Page / Ceco Studio


SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
FREE Friday, March 5th
7PM - 11PM First Friday Opening Reception

We kick things off Friday during the First Friday Art Walk, with multiple exhibition openings in each of our gallery spaces.

Featured work will be exclusively from Richmond artists and designers and will include fashion illustration and photography. Original textiles and accessories will be showcased by Live Models throughout the evening. These live mannequins will also display looks from the winners of our Young Designer competition, showcasing the best fashion design work from area students and recent graduates. Vendors will be located both up and downstairs selling handmade designs and Gallery5 will feature a wall of local T-Shirt designs that will be available for easy sale by local artists such as Barf, Thief and Bandit, Flux Rad, Bizhan Mended Arrow and more! Live music will take place on both floors!



$7 Saturday, March 6th
Doors 8PM, Fashion Show 9PM
Dance Party 10PM and on
Model Citizen Fashion Show
Sponsored by: RVA Magazine and CECO Studio

The main event continues Saturday night with runway shows from Richmond’s best boutiques, a juried show with looks from the Young Designer finalists, hair and makeup provided by CECO Studio, raffles, and more with music provided by some of our favorite local DJs. After the show, the excitement continues with the official after party held right here at Gallery5.

Participating boutiques include:
Need Supply Co.
Dominion
Pink
Eurotrash
Halcyon
Exile
and others.