The Interview is here and he's addressing all of your questions...enjoy
Tell us a little bit about your
background. What led you to be an artist?
I was born in Iran and moved to the
states when I was young.......... grew up in Chicago....lived in Denver...went
to high school in Montana of all places and college in Seattle....now in LA....blah
blah blah......as far as the artist part I've always enjoyed art and for the
most part its always made me happy......growing up I liked a lot of cartoons,
comic books, graff, classic art and I doodled for days! I drew on my homework
more then I did my home work......when I went to school for graphic design in Seattle
I realized I couldn't be creative in an environment like that even though I
learned a lot! I did these art walks in Seattle once a month were local artist
could set up shop and sell work...it was always a good time...made me want to
do it all the time so I made the decision to really work towards that! I built
a name in Seattle doing live paintings and random art show.......the motivation
was always that I enjoyed it and I felt it was genuine.
What is your favorite medium to work with and why?
Life is the medium......I honestly
do so much more then the art these days and the art crosses over so much that I
get to play with a lot of mediums! It's all fun and I try to always look at it
as a new experience regardless or else it gets boring for me! I've been
playing with a lot of resin these days....I paint with acrylic cause I can't
wait for oils to dry lol......I work in waves......one week ill design on the
computer cause that's what I'm feeling and the next week ill focus more on
painting cause that's I'm feeling.
Tell us a little bit about Pocket Full of Monsters, what does this group stand
for? Who is in it?
PFOM was started by a good friend of
mine Mr. Woebots and I'm sure he could tell you more about it then I could lol
. I met Aaron online back in like 2003.....damn...and we talked back and forth
till be moved to Seattle from Hawaii.....he had some heads in the crew from Seattle
already like 2H and other cats.......woes saw the work I was putting in and
asked be to join the collective in 2005 and since then it's been like a family
to me! I took and ran with it and tried to do as much as I could on my end to
help it grow.....I liked where woes was coming from....the whole point was to
have the people involved to feel part of something bigger so it would motivate
them! Sometimes people just need a good reason to step out of the box! I can't
even start to tell you how many peeps are in it now because it's grown so much
including woes ARMY OF SNIPERS ........ I think the group stands for doing your
own thing and enjoying life to the fullest! You only get one!
What artists inspire you most?
The artist around me........honestly as much as I love the art world....I try
to ignore it at times so I don't have others ideas running in my head as I
work...I know it's weird.....but at times it can inspire and other times it
jades it....does that make sense at all? lol I've been studying the works of a Persian
painter by the name of Mahmoud Farshcian .......people should check it out.....I've
been wanting to have my work move into a different direction and his work has
been helping me out with that!
If you could be any video game character who would it be and why?
Megaman.......pocket full of weapons
and you get to choose who you want to battle.......call em out!
What are your plans of the future? Any upcoming galleries? Toys?
There is no future ...the future is now! lol ill be working
on keeping the RONIN.GALLERY up and running...trying new things and showing new
artists! I also have a clothing line named GODS OF GEOMETRY I started this year
that I plan to expand on! as far as the art have been laid back with it cause
like I said I want to move in a new direction.....I plan on showing that more
this year....I'll be in the cult fo classics show at 88 gallery this year and I'm
sure some more toys will be poppin up! I'm a day to day cat!
Comon Cents is all about getting art back into the hands of our youth. If you
could say anything to this new generation of young artists what would it be?
Don't eat your young.......make sure if you continue as an artist that it makes you happy and to trust your gut! a lot of people try to take art away from the youth cause they understand how much of an impact it can have on a free and open mind..........so if you're planning on continuing the road of an artist realize that the world needs us and we have some power! Make it relevant and your own!
Questions from KR forum:
What in life, is beautiful to you? Where do you find inspiration?
Wow what a simple question....but a
hard one to answer.....I find beauty and inspiration all around me.....it's
always there...it comes down to if we are willing to be open to it and not be
jaded by the ugly in the world that surrounds us.........everything has a
balance to it and I find beauty in seeing and understanding that! Even in this
hectic jungle of LA it's nice to look up and on occasion see the stars poppin
through.......
If you did not spend so much money on weed and drugs, do you think you could meet your fiscal responsibilities with the customers that you still owe things to?
This was a funny question but I'll answer it... perception is a bitch...the
simple fact they asked about my fiscal year bothers me....am I a company? A lot
may see it that way but I am an artist and a person not an entity..... I don't
follow protocol and rule books...if I wanted to worry about all that I'd still
have my nice little desk job that paid me just fine.........I am an honest
person and remember every person that hits me up for something and I always get
to it........most companies have a nice face and are shady behind closed
doors.....I'd rather be up front and honest all around...like it or not...that's
why I'm not good at being a business person lol... .as far as the money on
drugs......I reinvest ALL my money into the 3 companies I'm trying to run all
by myself.......I don't line my pockets off this...money was never the point of
my art....nor was drugs....I don't go out and Hollywood it up......I stay in my
gallery and studio and spend my money to help something grow....most spend on
self....ps the person asking obvious doesn't know me nor are they a fan.....but
if haters think ill hide with issues like this they are wrong!
Why does he like new castle (beer) so much?
It's so damn good!!! lol
Check out more of PeekaBoo's Work at these links
Just Some New Yoskay Yamamoto
Benjamin Hurlie Has Comon Cents
Interview Below
More Work Can Be Found HERE!
As a graffiti artist among thousands, how do you separate yourself from the pack?
I try to just do my own thing and work hard. I think those are the two key ingredients. When I look at the writers who inspire me I see original ideas and commitment.
How do you know when one of your works is finished?
I can have a canvas in the studio for two weeks.. I'll look at it every day and know it's not quite there.. Sometimes its only one or two more marks but when its done I'll know. I'm very aware that overworking something can kill it.
Who is your favorite artist right now?
I can't give you just one.. Right now; Emma Tooth, Jason Jacenko, Robert Sample, Sylvia Ji, Ewok, Goonism. And I'm always inspired by my crew the TML Stars.
What is the craziest location you have ever tagged?
Haha, the Bronx NY was pretty insane. My head was swimming with all that history. Belgium is a fun country to paint in. And I have fond memories of train yards with friends in London, where I've witnessed some truly crazy occurances.
How did you get into dunnys and the vinyl industry?
I've collected toys all my life. The first few years of the millenium I was buying Eastern toys when I started to notice the vinyl shift gain momentum. I got a few blind box series one dunnys which set me off on those.. I remember I used to type 'kidrobot' into ebay and get no results.. haha! Fortress hooked me on the teddy troops when they dropped as I'd followed his graf career. I think my TT collection could rival anyones :] Over the years I started buying fewer minis and focusing on show stoppers. One day I'll get around to taking photos of everything...
If you could be any superhero who would it be?
"With great power comes great responsibility..." and I'm really too lazy for all that....
What are your plans for the future? Are there any galleries we can find you at?
No! Haha! If the right gallery comes along then I definitely wouldn't say no, but there are several in London who have more than questionable ethics. I'm happy selling to friends, other artists and private collectors. Art is my sole income though so I guess it would be useful. I'm learning to tattoo, slowly but surely so my plans for the future mainly involve dedicating myself to my art, tattooing oh and finding a hot wife :]
Comon Cents is all about inspiring the youth to get creative, if you could say one thing to all the aspiring artists out there what would it be?
London graffiti legend 'Ser' once said to me "If they hate on you, they're jealous." It's easy to get caught up in all the rubbish.. If you can ignore everything and focus on *you* good things will happen. I promise.
Artist Submissions: Claudio Parentela
Check out Claudio's bio as well as well as his full collection click HERE!
Jared Deal Likes Comon Cents
Artist Jared Deal reps our shirt "It Only Takes 1 to Start a Revolution"
Edwin Ushiro Interview
Lebasse Gallery Opening October 8th
Tell us a little about what events helped sway your decision to peruse art as a career?
Well
ever since I was a kid, I loved to draw. There was no question this is
what I wanted to do for a living. The only question was how.
Most of your works seem to have a distinct lighting or "glow" that illuminates your paintings. How do you accomplish this, and what made you incorporate it into your art?
I have poor vision and you will regularly see me in public wearing glasses. When at times I walk around without corrected vision, light will wash out things I see in the same manner as I portray in my paintings.
Many of your pieces look like they could be taken straight out of some current anime, is there any influence from there? What artists have influenced you the most?
I have a bit of a anime background. My Grandma in Japan would send me videos and manga. It was my connection to another world before the internet became available. I don't have allot of artist influence. Although I can find excitement in the simple and complex patterns in nature during a stroll around town and the sun light upon a building during what photographers call, magic hour.
You have done some work with Fox, NBC, and Float Studio (among others). What has been your favorite commercial project and why?
Many
of them carry portions of things I like. It might be honest for me to
say that the next project would be my favorite or else I would not take
the job.
Your solo exhibition at LeBasse Projects will host a closing reception on the 8th,
what are your plans after the showing? What are you currently working on?
Yep, I will have a closing reception with a limited edition print release and exhibition catalog signing on October 8, 2009 from 7pm-9pm. Afterwords, I have a show in NYC and at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles which I am currently painting for.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I always enjoy my flying dreams. So I guess I will stay with that..
Comon Cents is all about getting art back into the hands of the youth. If you could say one thing to this new generation of artists what would it be?
Don't ever give up.
kaNO
A Commercial Artist Gets Back to His Roots
Kano, tell us a little bit about your
background, what events led you to pursue an art career.
Hmmm... my background, well it starts off
in Brooklyn like most good things, lol!
You have worked with big companies like
Disney and Nike, which project was your favorite, and which one was the
toughest for you.
I think Nike was my favorite and the
toughest. It was my favorite because when I was young I was a little hood kid
who's life revolved around sneakers and to a big extent that part of me will
never go away. It was one of the hardest gigs because I was designing Michael
Jordan as a comic/animation character and Nike and Jordan brand are very anal
about his likeness and didn't understand the concept of simplifying a design to
make it stronger & clearer for animation design purposes, so it was really
tough to find the middle ground of something sort of realistic yet stylized.
I never look at as if I am competing or
trying to be better then the rest of the pack. I ventured into the urban art
scene because it was my outlet from the competitive nature of the freelance
lifestyle which was really cramping my style.
I think it comes out early October. The Cookies-N-Cream crew are really hard at work on it, those are some hard working dudes and I respect the drive. In terms of my segment, I can't remember what I said, but I it should have insight on the toy game, freelance art game and just some pointers on hustling as an artist in NYC.
Wow, it's tough to narrow this one down
to 3, so I will keep focused on the artist that has made the most impact on the
gallery/toy scene for me. I have to say
that without realizing it, Andy Warhol has a huge impact on what I do, because
I am constantly creating art and merging it with product and consumerism. Kaws is a pretty big deal in my book. He's
pretty much found a niche in the art world where he can exist solely doing what
he likes. I think he is also a big impact for me because he came from the same
NY animation scene that I cam up in. When it comes to toy design, Michael Lau
is by far one of my favorites not just because he's like "the godfather" of the
vinyl scene but because he has a lot of the same urban sensitivity in his
figure that someone who grew up in the hood would have despite him being from
across the globe. His designs are very specific and yet so universal, they are
an awesome balance.
I've worked for Disney but on TV stuff,
none of the classic features that you think of when it comes to Disney. I have
to say that if I did work on any Disney Feature the character I relate most to
is Mickey Mouse in
The one main thing I would say to any
young aspiring artist is to stay loyal to your craft and your talent, it's a
gift that you have been given and a ticket to happiness if you treat it right
and don't neglect it. This means that there will always be someone better then
you, but that should not discourage you, that should inspire you to learn from
them. It means there will be really tough bumps where you will feel like
quitting and feel like you're not good enough to hang, but in reality you're
quitting before even giving yourself a chance to develop as a mature artist.
Artists to Follow: Arkiv Vilmansa
Buggs Bunny Ain't Got Nothing On Arkiv
Tell us a little about your background, what led you be an artist?
Hey everyone, My name is Arkiv, I'm 29 years old. I'm an architecture
degree graduate, and a graphic designer. Being a toy designer has been
my passion and dream since 2002 when I collected my first urban toys,
it was Michael Lau's. During those years, i thought something was
happening, and it's kind of cool that people appreciate and willing to
spend a lotta money for a little form of art like that. I got tired of
collecting it though at some point, and started to remember that I can
draw too, so why not make my own figure I asked, and I did. It was
Arkiv Instant, Ive always wanted to work like what i'm doin now, plus a
little traveling, introducing my art to people and so far, I found it
really fun.
A lot of your subject matter are cartoon characters such as Marvin
the Martian and Mickey Mouse, why these characters?
Inspiration comes anywhere, and anytime, it may come from dreams,
daily routines and accidents, people's characters, music, roads,
films, and thousands other things. What I noticed is that a lot of
motivation and inspirations come from your surroundings, you know
things you see often enough, from time to time, and fortunately when I
was a kid, I used to see a lot of bugs bunny, mickey mouse, and
Japanese cartoons. I always thought those cartoons were brilliant and
they still are. They have grown now, and became something classic. Why
not just play with it.
So you came out with your Arkiv Instant Vinyl figure in June, who
is this character and what does he represent?
Arkiv Instant is kind of a new friend for me now, and I've always
thought it as a real character. Ive spent 4 months to design and mess
with it until you see the one that's out now. It's not that easy as
it sounds though, since when you're a designer, you gotta know when to
stop messing with one character. He represents majority, people you
see everyday, you know, people with beer belly and stuff. Lol.
What are your plans for the future? Any gallery showings that we
could show up to in LA?
I'm doing a lot of random stuff these days, cant remember all at the
moment, but one that im so excited about is preparing for my solo
exhibition in the states. it will happen in NY and LA next year, 2010.
I will also be doin' European tour early next year, not so sure about
the exact date yet though. Apart from exhibition, I and Adfunture
will release a clothing line, so hopefully everything will go
smoothly. As for the toy, I will have a big surprise for you to see
next year, there will be three toys to be released. For art collector,
I will release a number of prints, and one of them is collaboration
with Art Asylum. Wait and see.
Since you are into cartoon characters, which one is your favorite and why?
I always love cartoon that looks classic, it added an extra value to
the character. My fave is bugs bunny, I just think its brilliant, one
hell of a character.
What artists has moved you the most in the past 5 years.
This is a difficult to answer, because there are so many. Well, they
may not have directly influenced me to my personal style though But i
would say is Dalek and Takashi Murakami. I love their style.
Comon Cents is all about getting art back into the hands of our
youth. If you could say one thing to this new generation
of artists what would it be?
All you gotta have is a dream. You gotta know what you want to be, and
stick to it man! By projecting and seeing yourself in the future, and
as long as you keep focus, trust me it will happen! Just trust your
instinct and do everything with a smile. haha enjoy what you do, stay
positive, and more importantly draw til' your eyes bleed.
That's all. Cheers.
Brett Hess Interview: Master of Surrealism
First off, we thank you so much for your time and commitment to the
interview. Artists like you help us to help the youth. We need
influential artists to help our movement in getting art back into high
schools and middle schools."Hey, no problem, I couldn't imagine school without art. That's what got me through high school. There were a lot of great classes back then like Photography and Jewelry Making as well as the general art classes, and I took em' all. You have to use the right and left sides of your brain in school, or you'll be outta balance."
In your bio you stated that you found your "Style". At what moment did you know that you had this breakthrough, and what did it take to get there?
"It was more of a style I kept going back to, lots of detail, lots to see, it just kinda felt like what I did, or "my style". I went through a few different phases of experimentation, but always went back to my same crazy world. I love to give the viewer a lot to look at, and still have them discovering new things in the paintings months and even years later."
"My latest transformation brings me to a more classical style of surrealism with lots of color. I still love to put a lot of details into them, but they're a lot less busy. Less overwelming. I think it's more pleasant for the eye. I've gotten a lot of positive response on the new work. The new work also has a happier vibe to it, it's my way to brighten up this crazy world we're living in."
You recently had a showing in the opening of "Scientific Evolution" at the distinction gallery. What elements did you add to your paintings that were not in your previous
works?
"The Queen-Mother of Cellular Regeneration." She was a turning point. I wanted to do something really cool for this show because some of the proceeds from that show went to stem cell research which is something that facinates me. I had sketched out this mother and child that I liked, and when I heard about this show all these ideas started flowing and she became the "Queen-Mother". I wanted to step it up a bit so I decided to make it more of a straight forward surrealist style, and I think it turned out beautiful. It started me in a new direction of painting which is very cool."
You have a surrealistic art style, what artists have motivated you to move in this direction.
"Let's see, there are many: Salvador Dali, H.R. Giger, Ivan Albright, Hieronymus Bosch, Max Ernst, Peter Bruegel, Joe Coleman, Robert Williams, Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr and probably quite a few others I can't think of right now."
What has been your biggest project in the past year, and what do you have planned for the future.
"This whole year has been a project with my style changing, so it's been a fun ongoing project. I now have a cool little permanent space at M Modern Gallery in Palm Springs which is cool because it always gives me a space to hang new work. In November I'll be in a group show at M Modern called "Broken Promise of the Flying Car" (opens Nov. 21st). In December I'll have a few pieces in the "Sub 1K" show at Distinction Gallery. For more info on either of these shows: www.mmodern.com www.distinctionart.com
What got you into painting custom vinyl toys?
"I've actually only painted one Munny a couple of years back, it was fun and different to paint on a surface like that. I'd love to do more in the future if the opportunity presents itself."
What was your favorite gallery showing so far and why?
"I love all my shows because I love the feeling of people being able to see my work in person. All art really needs to be seen in person to get the full effect. I also love meeting the people and other artists at the shows."
"The Batman tribute show at M Modern was fun because Adam West and Julie Newmar showed up, and I loved that show as a kid."
Comon Cents is all about inspiring the youth to get creative, if you could say one thing to the young artists of this generation what would it be?
"Just keep cranking it out, be inspired and pushed by each other. Learn from the old masters and new masters, they can all teach you something about art. Have Fun!"
Aaron Martin's Pandas Could Beat Up Our
Pandas
Comon Cents interviewed Martin a while back however we never posted it because we diddnt have any pics to go along with it. We are so glad we had the experience to check out Aaron's work in person, it truly is a sight to behold. His paintings are wild; they have so much motion in them. Although many of you guys know Aaron from Angry Woebots and maybe even Army of Snipers, what lies behind his paintings really brings new light on Martin's artwork. You can read is bio somewhere else though, its all over the web, in fact here is a link Aaron's Bio.
But what you really want to know is what he is working on right now.
As you can see in the pics Martin just did a limited collaboration with Disney and completed a set of Lilo and Stitch Munnys
that look pretty incredible. Click the link to check out more on his
blog Army of Snipers. Aaron is also in the works on a collaboration
with Converse working on a new shoe.
The
most interesting part of Aaron's most recent aspirations is the fact
that he wants to go back to art school. He wants go and learn the
basics of fine art to see if he can find a new take on his street art.
"I think that if I can go back to school and get a good base in fine
art I can take my current work to the next level" explained Martin. We
really love this idea too! We would also love to see Aaron Sculpt. "I
really love working with clay, I felt like it really came naturally to
me after painting and I want to start sculpting some new stuff." We
will be interested to see what comes out of this new artistic turn.
One of the coolest parts of checking out Aaron's workspace was his collection of Vinyl toys. He wanted to keep most of the collection private to the public, however he let us take a couple pics of his collection which included some of Kaws's rare collectibles. The cool thing was many of the toys that he had he actually took part in designing himself.
We will try and keep you
updated with Aarons future works but until then stay current with
Martin's work at his Angry Woebots Blog.
Jared Deal Interview: A great Deal of Information on an amazing artist
Tell us a little about your background. What led you to take on art and jump into this risky career choice?
As
a child I was always drawn to art. I remember rushing home from school
and trying to finish my homework as quickly as possible so I have time
to draw/color in my
sketchbooks. It's funny because I remember always
trying to incorporate my art in to my school projects even when it
wasn't necessary. I was always looking for an outlet or an excuse to
draw. I studied architecture for 3 years in high school and thought
this would be the avenue I would take.
After I graduated high
school, I had a close friend enroll at the Art Institute of
Philadelphia. He suggested that I check it out. Philly was only a
short drive up from the town I grew up at in Delaware, so I took the
drive up, portfolio in hand. Until this point I had never thought of
attending a specialized art school, and I had really never considered
an other major other than architecture. Suddenly I had options... It
was inspiring to see all of these creative people studying different
forms of art all under one roof... graphic design, photography, special
effects, animation, etc.
After leaving my interview at the school, I
knew this was what I wanted to do. I enrolled in the next semester and
decided to major in animation.
The school itself was year round and
I was able to complete my courses/credits within 2 years at the
school. Luckily my school had a close relationship with MTV Networks
in New York. After graduating, I took a design test for a show called
"Downtown" and a few months later I was working at MTV Networks, New
York at the age of 20.
You just recently finished new custom Munnys. What inspired you to start working on vinyl collectibles?
Being
an animator I have always been drawn to toys, characters, and good
design. A few years in to my animation career I was inspired to start
pitching my own show ideas. My business partner and amazing designer
friend Garnet Syberg Olsen and I pitched an animated property called
"The Carneys" It was well recieved, and the company we teamed up with
on the project decided that they wanted to make an animated trailer.
During
this time I had met a guy by the name of Eric Nocella Diaz who is an
amazing sculptor, and has probably sculpted some of your favorite
designer vinyl. I asked if he could sculpt me the Buzz figure as a
maquette to help in the animation process. He did, and I sent one up
to the studio for them to use when animating. Eric had also sent me a
casting for my collection. After having this sculpt sitting on my
office desk for a year I decided to see what it might take to turn this
Buzz maquette into a vinyl collectible. Long story short, this became
the birth of our 1st vinyl toy "Buzz Carney". Since Buzz we have
released other toys in the Carney series... Harriet the Bearded Lady,
Pierce the Human Pincushion, and Nathan the Dog-Faced Boy. These are
the toys that broke me in to the industry and from there I started
doing resin and custom vinyl.
If you could choose one artist who has impacted you the most, who would it be?
There
are too many to list honestly, I draw inspiration from many people and
places. I have always enjoyed design that really pushes the envelope.
I am drawn to characters with lots of expression and personality. Many
of my influences come from the animation world... Tex Avery, John
Kricfalusi, Craig Kellman, etc.
You'll find a lot of great toy
designers have had a close tie to the animation world at some point in
their career... Tim Biskup, Gary Baseman, Jesse Hernandez, kaNO, I
think even Kaws dabbled in animation toward the beginning of his career.
What separates the art scene in NY from other places?
I
think the biggest thing is volume... there are just so many places...
galleries, museums, toy stores, etc in such a concentrated space. It's
easy to stay inspired when you constantly surrounded by such great art.
What are you currently working on right now?
I
am currently animation supervisor for a new children's show airing on
Nickelodeon this January. In my free time still making toys! I have
been freelancing animating commercials quite a bit as well.
If you could say one thing to the artistic youth of this generation what would it be?
As
cheesy and cliche as it sounds... follow your dream. There is nothing
more rewarding than waking up every day and doing what you love... and
then to get paid for it on top of everything. It is a lot of hard
work, don't get me wrong, and there will probably be times when the
work isn't always flowing. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
To be happy in ones career is not something many people get to
experience, I feel very privileged. I would also say to explore as many
avenues as possible. The great thing about the art field is that if you
are a good enough designer you can find yourself work in multiple
fields... animation, toy design, comics, illustration. etc. Always stay
humble & have a willingness to learn. When you think you are too
good & stop learning, that is when you will stop improving and
become stagnant.
What sets your artwork apart from other artists?
I
try to keep my artwork lively and full of expression and emotion. I
think my influence in animation definitely shows through my work,
paintings, and toys. I believe studying in animation has made me a much
stronger designer. When designing for animation you have to think about
how things will move, how your design will look from all angles, how it
will be rotated, etc. It forces you not to cheat and to really think
about your design before you put pencil to paper.
Most importantly, if you could be any super hero, who would it be?
Ahh... I love to surf, so probably gonna havta go with the Silver Surfer... but you know the good/post Galactus Silver Surfer.
Huck Gee Interview!
Tell us a little about your childhood. What really lead you to becoming an artist?
A vivid imagination, a pencil, a pad of paper, and a wonderful mom that encouraged me
to draw at an early age. But I don't think I really found art until I rediscovered my own talents after hooking up with an inspiring bunch of graffiti artists in LA in my late teens.
Many years ago I found myself fascinated with the toy culture and pop design that was coming out of Japan and Hong Kong, and around that same time I stumbled over Kidrobot.com. It was one of the only places I could find the imported figures that were inspiring me, long before Kidrobot was anything more than an offshoot of a company importing minidisk media & components to the states. Through a common friend I got an introduction to the owner Paul and we hit it off. He loved my character designs and I was inspired by what he was doing. We've had a great personal and business relationship ever since. J
Tons of new toys, illustration projects, prints, etc. It's a never ending cycle over here.
That list is incredibly long. I have a bad habit of chewing up and digesting a lot of artists, then moving onto whatever next catches my ADD. ;)
I didn't attend that overpriced, overcrowded, ridiculousness this year. They've outgrown themselves. I'm done with Comicon. At least until they move it to Las Vegas.
While my style is heavily influenced by Asian culture, I was making the point that it's my own view of said culture. I really don't feel like I'm trying to do it in any sort of traditional manner. I simply don't have the roots. I feel as if I'm butchering or bastardizing the whole mess.
Maybe Tony Stark... he can fly, knows how to party... & gets the ladies. I see nothing wrong with any of that. :P
"Do what you love and the rest will follow."
We stopped by to check out the LeBasse Projects and check out Dave Flores and Lisa Alisa's work. Pretty cool stuff. We will interview Dave down the line. For us, we really Liked Lisa's anime inspired art. Its eerie, and colorful at the same time.
Good luck to Lisa and David, we loved the work and wish them the best
Brief Bio: BrokeSneakerHead is a 19 year old graphic designer from Austin, Texas. His tools of his trade are pencil, pen and Photoshop. He's inspired by Japanese anime, American cartoons, good hiphop music and of course sneakers. A majority of his work consist of bright colorful characters that often mirror the real world conceptually and aesthetically . You can check out more of his artwork at myspace.com/brokesneakerhead454 and brokesneakerhead.wordpress.com
Got interested in art as teens and studied graphic design ...
You "create re-usable pixel objects and take them to build complex and extensible artwork". Can you put this into basic terms for those who don't quite understand the lingo?
Basically we create small parts of a picture separately. These parts are then combined to form complex pictures.
You could compare it to a room full of toys (parts). We sit down and play with these toys on a huge carpet (canvas). If we need new toys,we make them on the fly -- or we modify an existing toy. It's a paradise -- everything we want we can create -- and use it from there on.
2.How did you come up with the name Eboy?
Boys working with electronic gear .... that was the idea -- and we love the Beastie Boys .... maybe that played a role too ...
3.There are 3 members that make up Eboy, what part do you bring to the table.basically everyone does (nearly) everything -- there are some differences like in a band -- but all major decisions are made together.
4.What inspired the pixilated art that you do?
We loved the idea to be able to endlessly copy and distribute
originals. First we saved our stuff on diskettes and gave them away to friends -- who themselves could make copies for their friends. It was natural to work with pixels since we worked for screens only. We fell in love with the technique and never lost the lust ...
5.How did you get into toys?
we always loved toys or beautiful objects in general -- our early work is full of virtual toys and packages. At some point we started to do research and try to define a toy series we would love to do. Blockbob was the result -- Peecol came later as the result of our collaboration with Kidrobot.
6.What was it like to work for Kid Robot?
Paul from Kidrobot met us in Berlin and wanted to make something with eBoy. He liked the characters we had been creating for our cities. So we started to evolve a concept for a platform toy that would be flexible enough to create a lot of different characters. We had tons of freedom -- on the other side there was good creative and professional input from Kidrobot. It has been a wonderful cooperation
-- we totally love Peecol and the guys at Kidrobot..
7.You have some big clients, what is your next big project?
We are starting to work on city picture of Marseille -- and have multiple other projects running. Blockbob is being evolved and a new figure should be available soon.
8.What is E City?
Huge isometric cities or landscapes built of parts -- which are built of pixels ... ;)
9.If you could say something to the artistic youth of this generation what would it be?
Be authentic, keep having fun, work hard and try to learn and evolve. Use your talents -- but also learn to use your weaknesses -- being able to capitalize on those can make all the difference!
Ready to take the world by storm
We Visit Yoskay at the warehouse to talk art
Exclusive Interview Here!
There are many ways you could describe artist Yoskay Yamamoto. You could say he is a trend setter, an entrepreneur, or even a master of his craft. However, the first thoughts that came into my mind as he led our team into his warehouse in Downtown LA was that this was a guy you felt completely comfortable around. His attitude was humbling and we all instantly felt at ease in the presence of a great artist (something that is very rare to come across). Comon Cents got some time to sit down and talk one -on- one with Yoskay to get some more depth on what his art is all about.
Tell us about your background, what kind of atmosphere did you grow up in?
I grew up in a small town in Toba, Japan until I was 15. I
am really influenced by the Japanese Manga comics and am somewhat of a nerd
when it comes to that kind of stuff. You can see that in a lot of my work. I moved to the US where I lived in Santa
Barbara and attended the SB City College. I actually skated a lot in high school
and was really into the graphic design. I did a couple of boards back in the
day so that was fun. I met one of my good friends JJ who was into graffiti and
he really got me into that scene. At the end of SBCC I interned with Shorty's Skateboards
with my mentor David Flores and he helped me enter into the Los Angeles art scene.
So what's up with all the fish?
The fish I have been drawing for a while and it was
inspired by the death of my old pet fish tuna. I am known for my
characters and Koibito is definitely the most popular one. When Patrick
from Munky King approached me with idea of making one of my characters into vinyl
toy, I decided that character should be my fish head. I I didn't
even have a name for this certain character when MK asked me about it so we
worked together to create something cleaver. We came up with Koibito. It has a
double meaning if you look at it closely. Koibito actually means boyfriend/girlfriend in
Japanese, but we liked how it also had Koi in the name so it stuck.
What was it like to have Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park commission you for their concert posters?
I was really awe struck, but at the same time it was really cool to see that people appreciated my own work. It was an amazing experience. I believe it did help my career a lot after he put my name up online; I got a ton of views on my blog that day haha.
What artists have made the greatest impact on your own work.
Some of my current influences include Taiyou Matsumoto, Inio Asano and Yoshitomo Nara.
What are you working on right now and what are your plans for the future?
Right now I am really into sculpture. I have been doing painting for a long time now and wanted to try something different. I am also doing Baby Tatooville in October. It is a weekend retreat that allows people to hang out with some of their favorite artists for the day. We usually get lunch and talk art. It's a pretty cool (and strange) opportunity for me as an artist to have somebody actually pay to talk with me. I am also working on a collection of figurines based on pop culture icons. I already have Pikachu, The Green Giant, and Tony the Tiger. I am hoping to have 30 total. I just take these popular figures and put a Yoskay twist on them.
Comon Cents is all about getting art back into the hands of the youth, where do you see the art world going for the next generation of young artists.
I think that the cliché that everything has been done in art isn't true. I believe that what I am doing is original, and many of the kids out there have new ideas as well that haven't been explored.
Thanks Comon Cents for the interview as well as a big thanks to my family,friends, and fans for all the support.
For more info about Yoskay and his work you can visit is website at
http://yoskay.com/home.htmlor his blog site Here!
Hey
guys thanks for submitting your comments, here are the artists that you
wanted featured for the month of July. Keep posting, we love to here
all your opinions!
Kandinsky
So what do you guys think of Kandinsky? Personally we love the color use and even if it is completely abstract you can really feel movement in his work. Its pretty amazing how he can capture that by using such flat shapes, but that is truly what set him apart from the others.
Comments Anybody?
KRIS SEARLE-Light My Fire UNPLUGGED.mp3
KRIS SEARLE-Everything Can Break UNPLUGGED.mp3
KRIS SEARLE-Chasing Cars UNPLUGGED.mp3
Check out Kris Searle's music here. He has some amazing stuff on his new album. More to come soon.
01 Slowly Diabolical.wma
04 My Way.wma
06 Honestly.wma
"Searle's music touches the heart and stimulates the soul, and deserves industry support and placement in a myriad of shows and movies. Searle is ready for the big time now!"
-Bob Leggett, Music Connection
Kris Searle wants to show the world through his music what he has learnt from his life so far, from the moment his Dad gave him a guitar...
The album you can view and will be listening to is the product of all his experience from that moment on... and in the future.
Kris aspires to record, in music, something for others to listen to so they can relate, and feel like they're not the only one in this world going through trying times because, lets face it, those are the times we need to be lifted up.
This album is in honor of the people in your life who you live for and who you would do anything for. INSPIRE someone.You can check out Kris Searle's music on his website http://www.krissearle.com.
Comon Cents is in full support of you endeavors Kris! We know you will make it to the top.
Check out 2 of AYO's tracks right here, they are legit!
ayo, chany & myles - biznes.mp3
ayo feat. chany - i got you.mp3
El Maz was one of the first visual artists to catch our eye. To check out a full interview from this new artist, go to the link below.
Check out Simon Riley, his stuff his pretty haunting when you first
look at it. We got a hold of him through banksy forum and wish the best
of luck to him. Check more of his work out at http://www.hanguppictures.com/artists/portfolio/Simon-Riley/68
Born 1970, Silver Spring Maryland. The son of hippies and youngest of three siblings.
Spending most of the 90's traveling the globe as a muralist and theatrical designer, Jason joined MTV's Special Events department in 1997 as a freelance designer. While there, Jason helped design and create stage sets, props, and custom artwork for MTV Networks live events and trade productions worldwide. Jason's most recognizable contributions were his custom trophies created for MTV's "Rock-n-Jock" series and "TRL Awards" televised events.
In 2002, after the birth of his son, Jason surrendered his messy, toxic studio for a nursery and went digital. A year later he took a staff position as a toy designer. And while that only lasted a year, the stylistic influence these two events had on his creations is apparent, spawning a surreal mixture where innocence clashes with maturity.
Armed with a youthful, overactive imagination, Jason creates smart, intricate illustrations that tickle the deviant intellect through a mix of hard graphics, pop iconography and wit.
During the day, Jason works in Manhattan as a mild mannered interface designer. At night, after the kids go to sleep, he can be found hunched over his computer developing works of candy colored madness.
Jason aspires to one day drop the daytime gig..
Thanks for adding another great topic. Ever since I bumped in to your site, I've been heading back continuously to see the new stuff.
Heyy, Awesome post! I will definatley be coming back soon!=)
Hey very nice blog!!....I'm an instant fan, I have bookmarked you and I'll be checking back on a regular....See ya
Intimately, the post is in reality the freshest topic on this registry related issue. I concur with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your forthcoming updates. Saying thanks will not just be enough, for the wonderful clarity in your writing. I will immediately grab your rss feed to stay abreast of any updates.
Hey thanks for posting this, found it to be a interesting read after finding it on Lycos searching for similar topics and i will pass the link on to severa friends.
Hey - nice blog, just looking around some websites, seems a really nice platform you are using. I'm currently using Wordpress for a few of my sites but looking to change one of them over to a platform similar to yours as a trial run.
Very informative post. I've found your site via Yahoo and I'm really happy about the information you provide in your posts. Btw your sites layout is really broken on the Kmelon browser. Would be really great if you could fix that. Anyhow keep up the good work!
my take on the spreading of (popular) culture as a good force in that it’s only positive if it’s two-way. If one civilisation just subsumes some other, then something has been lost, whereas if both cultures can take and benefit from each other, then the human relationship is not simply mutually positive but collaborative. So, for instance, Japan’s social interaction with the West (pre- and post-war) has been two-way to a medium extent: Japan has not solely taken Western technologies and traditions (e.g. clothes, schooling systems), it’s kept its own to a fair degree and has actually developed on Western technologies, while Western nations have taken in elements of Japanese civilisation into their own in turn. Some Other, less fortunate countries and peoples have to some degree wasted their separate culture to Westernization, without very much if any of said culture passing into that of the West (this is in all probability accurate for portions of Africa, for example).
Many thanks for sharing the link - but regrettably it seems to be down? Does anybody have a mirror or perhaps one more source?
Many thanks for sharing the link - but sadly it seems to be down? Does anybody have a mirror or perhaps an additional source?
solid post , really good view on the subject and very well written, this certainly has put a spin on my day, many thanks from the USA and observe up the good work
Heyy, Found your blog on Yahoo and I will definatley be recommending and coming back to the site! =)
Debugging: Removing the needles from the haystack.
Thanks!
I just tried to grab the feed for the RSS for this website but it is not displaying in Google Chrome. Does anyone have any ideas?
Very nice site!
I visit this blog pretty frequently, although I rarely comment, and found this article terribly interesting. Thanks.
Super-Duper web page! I am loving it!! Will come back again - getting your feed too, Thanks.
Awesome post. Thanks!