Bennett Slater - Official Blog

I left my Art in San Francisco! - Prologue

2011-05-29T21:11:00.001-04:00

Here's a video put up by the chaps at Society6, which captures the setting up and opening of the "Superheroes" show at D-Structure in San Francisco! I was lucky enough to participate in the show with my "The Cap" piece, alongside many insanely talented artists.

I wish I could have gone down for the opening.. but there will hopefully be others! I think I love San Fran, and I've never even been.

I left my Art in San Francisco!

2011-05-15T23:39:00.002-04:00

If you're in the San Francisco area, you should ABSOLUTELY check out the "Superheroes" show put on by Society6 and D-Structure Gallery. I had the wonderful opportunity to be involved, alongside many artists I have looked up to for years. It's really cool to have a piece up next to guys and ladies that I idolized all through school.

The show opened on May 7th, and runs for the month. You can get more information about the show and the artists involved, check out the details at Society6.com

Go for the art, and stay for the awesome!

Friday I'm In Love!

2011-03-12T00:30:00.004-05:00

Work, work, work.. I mean quite literally. I'm working on three different pieces this evening. I've been on a quest to thwart oil drying times. The solution, it seems, is to work on multiple pieces at a time. I only utilize this method of working, however, when I already have the paintings blocked in - never when I first start the piece. I do this, because the only way I can begin a new painting, is when I've had a spark of inspiration. When I decide what I want to paint, I work through the night in a Jerry Maguire-esque tornado of clarity, until I've blocked everything in. This is where I'm at on my "Heart Of A Monster" piece. I hope you enjoy!

"Heart Of A Monster" Progress

I'm really excited to be on my way with this one. This is also the first time I've shown a piece this far along completion-wise from the new series I'm working on. SPOILER ALERT!

Here Comes The Bride!

2011-02-06T00:41:00.004-05:00

So this feels weird... I mean, posting progress shots for a new piece without posting the other finished pieces?. I know, I know... I promised myself that I would save up all the work and unveil it as a completed series. As I mentioned before, I'm going in a slightly different direction as far as subject matter and technique goes. So, I figure releasing a new piece here and there and simply folding them in with my previous work may extinguish some of the impact that I'm trying to achieve in drawing a distinct line between the old and new. This isn't to say that I don't care for my older work anymore, or that my new work is better (I mean... I hope it IS. Every piece should be better than the last, in theory), but you know what I mean. I apologize for seeming really cryptic in all of this. I promise, I DO have a plan here. It may not make sense right now, but it will when the work is done.

I've also been working on improving and cleaning up my website- making it better, faster and stronger. Keeping up with technology and social media is tough enough when your not trying to design a site around it. ANYHOO, where was I?

"Heart Of A Monster" Early Progress

Ah, yes. So this is just a quick progress shot to wet the appetite (and convince you all that I AM actually working). This piece is actually part of a tryptic that I'm creating alongside two others that will also be monochromatic. I forgot how much a monochrome palette changes the way I work. I mean... I apply the paint in the same way, but when colors are involved, I find myself achieving tonal values with slightly more ease. In monochrome (because everything is on the same scale) the lights and darks need to REALLY be built up to achieve the depth and form I'm looking for. Cripes, I sound like art school. Regardless, here she is!

Go West, Young Man!

2010-12-20T03:54:00.000-05:00

Look at how long ago I posted an update... It's despicable. I feel just AWFUL about it too. I understand if you want to see other people... I just hope we can still be friends.

On THAT note... there are SO many interesting things happening in the world of Bennett. I have moved to Vancouver (basically on a whim), I'm working on a whole new direction as far as my paintings go, and I am discovering entirely new avenues that my work can take me... It's a very exciting time! I don't want to bore everyone with a self-indulgent diary entry here, so I'll make this brief. We aaaaall want to get back to looking at kittens on youtube.

Having sold off most of my pieces before moving out to Vancouver (some DO still remain... if you're interested), I have taken it upon myself to start with something all together new to me! I'm really challenging myself with more realistic figures and forms, while still keeping things the way I do them (I hate saying "style"). I'm working much larger than I ever have before, and I'm attempting a large scale series based on a single subject matter. Everything I'm doing right now- I have never done before. I am SO excited to show everyone what's happening in the studio, but you'll have to waaaait. Instead of releasing pieces one at a time as I finish them, I am releasing "teaser" shots of the works in progress and the finished pieces will be released together as a package. I don't mean to be like those Hollywood studios that market a huge blockbuster two years prior to release... but I would like to build a LITTLE bit of anticipation.

My scanner is currently in a box on the other side of the country... being used as a scratching post, no doubt. So if you'll just bare with the low resolution progress photos, we can get on with things. Ladies and gentlemen- for your consideration, here are a few teaser shots of a work in progress.

"Puddin" - Early Progress

"Puddin" - Later Progress

"Puddin" - Even Later Progress

FanExposé

2010-09-04T02:35:00.004-04:00

Sorry for being a little tardy to the party, so to speak. I have just undergone the nightmarish process of relocating from southern Ontario to Vancouver, BC, but I'll get into all that hilarity in another post coming to you soon! Right now, however, I'll just throw down a word or two about all the Fan-tastic sights and smells of the weekend that passed.

As I mentioned before, I attended/exhibited FanExpo last year, and had the greatest of times with a couple of friends. This year, the crew doubled in size and the laughs doubled too. The event was actually oversold, so there ended up being SO many people in attendance that it was physically hard to get around, but I think everyone there would agree that it was TOO worth it! The large installations were as impressive as ever, with the "Tron: Legacy" installation being particularly rad. The special guests including Leslie Neilson, Adam West, Burt Ward, William Shatner and THE Stan Lee gave everyone something to lose their MINDS over. But the cosplay, especially, at this year's expo was worth the price of admission alone. Everyone that dressed up had something awesome about themselves. Whether it was the idea or the execution there were so many that stuck out in my mind... but I won't bore you with nerdery.

What you REALLY came here for (alright fine, but just bear with me) was to check out the piece I created JUST for FanExpo!

"The Cap" (16" x 20" oil on wood)

I've been wanting to tackle "The Cap" for about 2 years now, but always got sidetracked with other projects. With FanExpo 2010 soon approaching (as it was only June then), I decided that the time was nigh! I spent a loooooong time researching previous Captain America costumes and variations throughout the ages, but continued to get lured back to the original costume. I LOVE the aqua-ish blue from those older comic versions, and I have always loved the classic shield design. Keeping with the theme that I had going with the Baroque-style Batman and Robin that I created for last year's expo, I wanted to shine The Cap in the light of a different era. I still wanted to play up the soldier aspect that makes him so great, but didn't want to simply paint him in WW2 fatigues. I gave him a damaged marine helmet, but used small dove feathers stuffed in the helmet band to reflect the wings on his original mask. I then put him in ripped jacket with old leather straps and buckles. I wanted to give him a sort of guerrilla soldier look (potentially Vietnam), but keep the time period ambiguous enough to make your own conclusions. If you're asking why he has white sleeves and red stripes on his stomach, SHUTUP. Also, although I completely redesigned a new costume for him, I kept the colour pattern and arrangement the exact same as the original costume (with the exception of the logo on his shoulder).

I received a lot of great feedback at FanExpo about "The Cap" piece, and can't wait to do more! I'm working out of Vancouver now, and don't know when I'll be back in Toronto... But I am definitely signing on (in pencil at least) for FanExpo 2011!

Yes We Fan!

2010-08-24T21:57:00.000-04:00

The dawn of FanExpo 2010 is finally upon us! That's right, its time for you ladies to slide into your Emma Frost costumes, as a sea of acne-riddled Batmen claw their way into prime awkward photo position. Oh, I love FanExpo so much! Last year was the first time I had ever done it, and I could NOT have had more fun. Between the laughs shared with fellow artists Darryl Graham and Andrew Patterson, and the amazingly fun people I got the chance to meet; needless to say, I was definitely down for this year!

And so the time has come to peddle my goods to fellow nerds and bask in the sights of Costumed Business. Darryl and Andrew will once again be joining me in artist alley, alongside some familiar yet new faces to the expo: Irma Kniivila, Bryce Huffman and Dave Murray. I'm excited to see what unexpected hilarity presents itself this year, as I hope you will be joining me for the insanity.

The Expo runs from Aug 27th - Aug 29th, so make sure you make it down! For more information on times and ticket prices, check out the official site HERE.

Ladies and Gentlemen... The Custom NRG Drum Kit!

2010-08-23T17:22:00.000-04:00

It's been over half a year since I was asked to create a custom drum kit for NRG Drums, but I can FINALLY show you the pieced together drums! I am currently cropping hundreds of 360 degree photos of the drums to create a slide show of sorts... Its taking some time. A special thanks to Nick for doing a great job constructing the finished kit and for giving me this amazing opportunity. I can't wait to do more!

"Move Along"

2010-07-29T18:01:00.003-04:00

Behold! The final product. I had a fantastic time creating this piece and know I will continue in this vein of graphic meets classical with a dash of geek. There isn't really a preliminary sketch for this deck, as I attempted to just go with the flow, so to speak, and have the image move in the space. This Deck is going into a Skate Deck show at the Loose Cannon Gallery in Hamilton. Opening night is August 13th at 7pm. There will be a DJ, some art, and some laughs on site.

All Decked Out!

2010-07-22T23:44:00.002-04:00

On this long and winding road to my new home in Vancity (September), I have spent my summer traveling across the country with my hometown mates, heading next to northern Africa (Morocco) with my family, and capping off the summer with an exhibition of my work- shoulder to shoulder with my besties from the old alma mater- at FanExpo 2010 in Toronto. This "Summer of Bennett" has, so far, provided for much merrymaking and jollity; and I expect much more hilarity to come! At times along the way, I have been working on a few projects around my temporary base camp in Sarnia. One such project is a skate deck piece that I'm contributing to a show in Hamilton, at the Loose Cannon Gallery. This is a progress shot to keep you up to date with what's happening. Enjoy!

P.S. Big thanks to Bryce Huffman for putting together all the artists in this show and organizing/ordering all the decks for us.

Project Astronomo!

2010-07-14T14:14:00.002-04:00

From time to time I am overjoyed, confused, or just plain furious about things that can be as trivial as, let's say, the length of Thor's beard in the new Avenger's franchise (its too short, by the way. It needs to be far more unruly) or surprisingly crucial things that have lasting impressions on the way we view our most beloved films (the tragedy of digitally adding Hayden Christensen into the end of "Return of The Jedi"... just referencing it gets me upset).

Due to this compounding stack of rantings, ravings, reviews and highlights that I have collecting dust in my mind; I have decided to create a blog to bring some new points of view and interesting arguments to an already over-saturated market of bored and picky movie, comic, video game and music nerds (such as myself).

So, why should you bother to read this? Well other than a delightful read, "The Astronomo" offers interesting takes on breaking news in the script and screen world, as well as some fresh scope of all things nerdy featuring regular contributions from a select band of hilariously geeky (yet astonishingly good-looking) writers.

Cool kids do it. You should too! Check it out HERE

Business Card Upgrade: Half Man, Half Robot, All Cop.

2010-07-13T00:11:00.002-04:00

So it came to pass... The Bennett Slater franchise has been rebooted. This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy my old site/blog/card design from when I was in school, but in the new year I decided that, as much as I liked it, it wasn't working with the work as well as I would have hoped. A newer, cleaner, better, faster version had been in the works since about January, but I needed to get the site and blog launched at the same time to avoid confusion. With that, my matching business cards have finally come in the mail and a delightful design package is my reward.

P.S... the cards (when aligned) make limitless patterns... Like actually. I spent about an hour making crazy things, as the edges of the image match up in a few ways. SURPRISE!

Adventure Is Out There!

2010-07-12T13:54:00.016-04:00

And so, my dear readers, I have returned from my adventure across Canada, and have many a story to tell. However, I feel I must start by going on record to declare that I have always considered myself a proud Canadian, but only now do I fully understand what a loaded term "Canadian" really is. I could sit here and prattle on and on about how much I "know" now that I've done the drive, (like those people who go to a country and come back as self-proclaimed wizards of philosophy and anthropology and forever one-up you with why it's better somewhere else) but I won't go down THAT road. Instead, to any wide-eyed adventurers ready to take on a new perspective with a sense of childlike wonder and amazement (as I was/am), I say "try it". As someone who has grown up and lived in Ontario for 24 years, Canada has always held the image of adorable cities peppered into hilly/forested landscapes with scenic gems such as a few waterfalls and rock-cuts along the highways. This isn't to discredit Ontario in any way either. Northern Ontario is absolutely beautiful and offers so much to those visiting, (there is a reason they call it "God's Country") but as an apt definition of Canada, it is not.

My experiences with Canada up until this point have, for the most part been narrow in scope, as I am born and raised in Sarnia, with most childhood trips to Thunder Bay, and the odd train trip to Montreal to see Habs games. My family and I drove out east one summer when I was just a pup; camping in the maritime provinces and deep-sea fishing, which was absolutely unique, but I was young, dumb and unable to really drink it all in. However, those trips did trigger in me the idea that perhaps Canada is more than the Ontario that I'm used to. I feel, by the way, like my earlier promise to "not prattle on" has been broken, and for that I apologize and will wrap this thing up before you get a headache from all the eye-rolling you're probably doing as you mull over this self-indulgent life story. I'll finish this post by repeating my earlier words and urging anyone interested to "try it". We have prairies, cacti, mountains, rivers, oceans, plains, canyons, rainforests, islands, and beaches... Go see them!

Photographs taken by yours truly in (from top to bottom: Regina, Saskatchewan; Banff, Alberta; Tofino, British Columbia - June 2010). For the full album of 128 photos narrowed down from 1698 photos taken, you can check out my Facebook album HERE (I'm working on getting a Flickr account, but waiting for activation is a bummer).

Teaser: 3-Piece Custom Drum Kit

2010-06-22T23:05:00.013-04:00

So The drum kit that I've been working on (in between projects) for the better part of... several months, is FINALLY done! This project was unlike anything I'd ever attempted before, and with that, came a million new dilemmas. However, despite undertaking this perilous new quest, I managed to be quite pleased with the outcome. These drums were commissioned by NRG Custom Drums and will be unveiled at NRG's exhibition space at the Elton John concert in Toronto (mid July). I will be away from the office for the next couple of weeks driving across Canada, so legitimate photos of the drums will be posted upon my return! Until then, keep watching the skiiiiies...

P.S. Big thanks to Nick for seeking me out for this project and trusting me enough to give me complete freedom. The art direction could NOT have been any better, "Just make them look awesome"... I hope I succeeded.

Spotlight: "The Genius of Design"

2010-06-13T14:49:00.034-04:00

This is a new series on BBC2, and is definitely worth a watch! It doesn't demonize or glorify any particular design, but rather, illustrates the aspects of what makes "functional" design work. Living in the age of the consumer, as we do, it's easy to forget that everything/anything we use is designed by someone to maximize functionality. I find this to be an intimidating concept to grasp as a wannabe designer, yet at the same time, it is an extremely exciting opportunity to prove one's worth.

P.S. I used to have a video posted, but "Vimeo" took it off their site. I'm sure it will surface somewhere, so keep an eye out!

Christmas In May!

2010-05-31T03:01:00.003-04:00

This is the second in a series of small paintings I have given/am giving to my mom every Christmas/Birthday of hers. This was actually given to her on Christmas, but I forgot to scan it before fled back to Toronto, so... Behold! This our second oldest cat, Max. He was a stray we picked up in the woods... no joke. We named him after the dog from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".

P.S.. Unplanned Christmas connection, woah.

Cardinal Arrest

2010-05-05T23:46:00.006-04:00

"Cardinal Arrest" - oil on wood (20" x 20")

How's it going, everyone? It feels like a while since I last posted some artwork, and for that, I apologize. I have been a busy little bee with all sorts of projects and goings-on around the studio these days, (including the process of moving to a different studio) but this summer looks like it is going to be the "Summer of Bennett". I have my thumb in all SORTS of pies, it seems, and there is bound to be a large scale blog-post assault coming your way in the fairly near future (pending).

Until then, I have here a piece I created for the "Birds and Beasts" show at Jacana Contemporary in Vancouver, running from May 19th - June 13th. The concept should be fairly cut and dry on this piece (attempt at social commentary). I had quite a bit of fun working on this piece, despite the constant confusion while painting the ribs... I got dizzy spells more than a few times. More to come in the posts to come!

Super Punched!

2010-04-23T18:57:00.006-04:00

So I noticed I was getting quite a few website hits from "Super Punch"... The reason for this was because I was featured on it... NEAT!

I'm flattered and grateful to be featured amongst great artists doing great things! Check it out at Super Punch.

Wallpapered!

2010-04-04T14:32:00.006-04:00

Who here likes wallpapers?... because I made one of 'em! I'm a little late in posting this, as my wallpaper went up March 22nd, but I contributed a wallpaper to a graphic design/illustration conglomerate featuring many great works by many great artists. The site is run by the striking and lovely Erika Brouwer, and a huge thanks goes out to her for including me in all the bafoonery.

Shamelessly promote me or someone that you like better than me by grabbing one of these cherry wallpapers from: Canvas

The Palpable Obscura

2010-03-24T22:37:00.007-04:00

"Colonel Percival Von Cuddelstein" (19" x 22" - oil on wood)

Come one come all this weekend to the ARTS Project in London, Ontario. Seven amazing artists and I will be showcasing our work at the Gallery from march 23rd - April 3rd (Reception is Friday, March 26th). I hope to see everyone from the London/Sarnia area make it out this Friday. On a personal note, I'd like to add how super jazzed I am to be a part of this diverse show chock FULL of stellar artists!

A shout-out to Peter Yuill for organizing this showcase, and a special thanks to the ARTS Project in London for having us exhibit.

The Artists Include:

Thierry Chow
Ryan Christiani
Bryce Huffman
Irma Kniivila
Dave Murray
Miles Pasick
Bennett Slater
Peter Yuill

Oh, Canada

2010-02-28T23:47:00.005-05:00

As the Olympic Torch is reluctantly extinguished in Vancouver, a flurry of emotions seem to have taken hold of me. I consider myself a pretty BIG hockey fan, and I can safely say that the Men's Hockey final between Canada and The USA was one of the most intense games I have ever seen. I won't get into how perfect of an ending to a game it was, as our Messiah (Sidney Crosby) scores an overtime goal against our biggest rivals in front of tens-of-thousands of screaming Canadians... Or how the young Canadian man to finally win our first gold medal on Canadian soil was possibly the most genuine, humble and polite person alive... Or how only days after the death of her mother, a young girl can go out and obtain Canada's first medal in women's figure skating in decades... I'll let every other Canadian media outlet take care of that.

I just want to keep rolling along on this patriotic wave that seems to have taken the hearts of every person in this country (and all the Canadians abroad). As I finish watching the Gold Medal Hockey game and wipe away the single tear rolling down my face; It dawns on me that I made dinner plans with someone over a week ago. I throw back the rest of my beer and put on another layer of Team Canada apparel (so as not to under-dress for dinner) and I hop on the subway. What I saw happening in the city of Toronto, I can tell you now, is something that only exists in bad nineties sport motivation movies... and it was awe-inspiring!

Every street and sidewalk was overflowing with roaring cheers, car horns, and screaming fans; and it wasn't just the usual crowd that you would find sitting in a bar on a Sunday night... It was EVERYBODY! There were old Asian men in front of their stands waving little paper flags as if their lives depended on it. There were cab drivers of all nations and creeds honking and waving Canadian garments out of their flag-covered windows. There were strangers and friends high-fiving and bro-grabbing until their palms and fists were as red as their painted faces and chests. I even passed a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk under a donated Canadian flag.

This country is far larger than most of us conceive, and each province is SO different than the one next to it, but the Olympics bring something out in all of us... We stop trying to One-Up one another with who has better talent, music, food, scenery, etc; and find ourselves simply proud. Proud to be Canadian, and proud of everyone who IS Canadian. I know it seems rather cliched to talk about how we should all hold hands and form a love train. I'm not a hippie, and I'm not one of those "let's all love everything" type of people, but I bore witness to something really spectacular tonight, and I know that the people of our country witnessed it too. The feelings I have for our country and the people who live in it have always been strong, and the events of tonight and the last two weeks have sewn that Canadian flag to my heart forever.

High Tea With Her Majesty

2010-02-18T00:43:00.005-05:00

Two Days Slow
an Alice in Wonderland Showcase

4 - 28 March 2010
Opening Party: Thursday, March 4th, 7pm

A gallery of pure nonsense, Canteen hosts Two Days Slow, an Alice in Wonderland themed show. Featuring a multitude of talented international and local artists indulging in the whimsical world of Wonderland, the show promises the irrepressible silliness of white rabbits, tea parties, wise caterpillars, Cheshire cats and wide-eyed wonder.

Artists will include:

Ali Aschman (Brooklyn)
Laura Berger (Chicago)
Matthew Billington (Vancouver)
Julianne Bright (Portland)
Lindsay Campbell (Ottawa)
Ross Christie (Edinburgh, Scotland)
David DeGrand (Weatherford, Texas)
Guen Douglas (Rotterdam)
Shawn Eisenach (Santa Rosa, California)
Bob Flynn (Boston)
Ken Garduno (Los Angeles)
Stefan Grambart (Toronto)
Matt Hawkins (Kansas City)
Bryce Huffman (Hamilton)
Meg Hunt (Phoenix)
Jacob Livengood (San Diego)
Renata Liwska (Calgary)
Julie MacKinnon (Ottawa)
Jen Mann (Mississauga)
Nimit Malavia (Ottawa)
Sebastian Millar (Ottawa)
Ruth Ishbel Munro (United Kingdom)
Louise Robinson (United Kingdom)
Bennett Slater (Toronto)
Jessie Rose Vala (Portland)
Casey Weldon (New York)
Jeni Yang (Los Angeles)

Take Off, Eh!

2010-01-29T00:32:00.006-05:00

Left: Operation Overlord - Right: Operation Neptune

Good'ay eh! So this is my contribution to the ADANAC: Great Western Postcard Project exhibition going on from February 10th - March 21st at Jacana Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. The project examines a connection between the artist and their concept of Canadian iconography. I really tried not to over think the concept behind these 2 pieces, because I feel ideas start to get lost in a lot of convoluted symbolism, so I basically just tried to pinpoint the knee-jerk symbols that appear in my head when I think about our country and what it means to be Canadian. To this day, I feel that the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) emblem is one of the greatest logo designs ever, and I have always wanted to include it in a piece, but I always told myself that I'd use it later. I finally put my boot down, and voila! I decided to use the WWII version of the leaf, to pay homage to our country's massive contribution and sacrifice fighting with the Allies in Europe. I chose the 2 most iconic birds in our culture (The Canada Goose and The Common Loon) and adorned them with the Queen's crown, which ties in our British connection. I had a great time painting these pieces and getting in touch with my fiercely patriotic side. Thanks again to Pennylane for getting me to be a part of this show!

Point of Interest: The pieces are named after the two code names for the invasion of Europe during WWII by the Allied forces. The operations began with the Normandy landings (D-Day) with an airborne assault (Operation Overlord) followed by an amphibious assault (Operation Neptune). That's the logic behind using the Canada Goose (known for it's group flying maneuvers) and the Common Loon (known for it's impressive underwater diving abilities). For more on this topic, consult your local library.

The Protector

2010-01-25T01:33:00.004-05:00

This is a piece I made for the Desjardins family, as a gift for their new baby on the way. The little baby boy's middle name was originally going to be "Sparrow", which changed... However, he is now named "Jack" so it works just as appropriately. Jack's father, James, is BIG into medieval fantasy and general nerdiness (which immediately won me over), so I chose to perch the Sparrow on the hilt of a sword. I inscribed a Man-to-Man message for Jack to remember forever, on the back of the piece as well. I presented the painting to his mom, Jessica, at her baby shower, and I couldn't have been more pleased with her reaction... A big slobbery cry.

I'm couldn't be more proud of that family and all that they've already done for Jack (expected in March). Congratulations once again to James and Jesse, and I can't wait for him to finally meet us all!

The Milk's Gone Bad!

2010-01-17T23:49:00.009-05:00

Oh hey. So I'm here to update you all on this big project started by Kessels Kramer involving 52 illustrators from around the world. The project consists of creating a Tapestry which will tell the the story of each of the 52 weeks of 2009, done in black and white. This is based off the Bayeux Tapestry which tells the story of the major news events of 1066. I was given week 42 which fell in the middle of October. I chose to illustrate the dairy farmer strike in Europe. I had a bit of fun on this project, and it was a great privilege to be asked to take part in this whole thing. Thanks to Christian Bunyan and Kessels Kramer for putting on this whole thing and wrangling all these artists for one cool project! The whole tapestry can be seen at The New Tapestry website.

WHO'S Scruffy Lookin?

2010-01-04T22:04:00.003-05:00

Welp, here's a sneak peek of the Han Solo themed shoes I designed for Customs Month at Canteen Gallery in Ottawa. The show opens Friday, January 8th - 7pm to 10pm and features the works of local and international artists on sneakers, high heels, skateboards, spray cans, zines, tshirts, and much more.

I was excited to be a part of this show with some amazing artists, and was flattered to be asked personally by the gallery to seek out some Toronto talent to partake! Among the artists involved, you can see the work of fellow Sheridan Grads: Bryce Huffman, Carlie Russelle, Ryan Christiani, Dave Murray, Chris Brett, Darryl Graham and Andrew Patterson.

A Simpler Time.

2009-12-17T00:45:00.006-05:00

Redd B. Alan Jr. (6" x 9"oil on wood)

Mr. Baz K. N. Robin (3" x 4.5" oil on wood)

So here are two of the smaller pieces I created for my show at Canteen Gallery in Ottawa. I had a lot of fun doing these two quick pieces and I'm definitely going to do more. I'm also starting to see myself combining elements of my own physical likeness or emotional demeanor, more and more, into my work these days... which is interesting. A few people have even told me that the "Redd B. Alan Jr." piece looks like me... if that makes sense? Either way, I had a great time doing these, and keep on the lookout for more Bennett-esque likenesses... yes/no/maybe?

Backstage Backdrop

2009-11-18T00:30:00.024-05:00

So on November 7th, the second installment of Bands Undone at Canteen Gallery happened and they had the Montreal band Silver Starling play a session and do some Q&A with media people and bloggers. It's pretty cool to see a really rad band play a set and talk to the media with my artwork behind them! I believe there is going to be another installment of "Bands Undone" before November ends, so keep your ears to the ground.

Young & Baroque Solo Exhibition

2009-11-08T12:22:00.002-05:00

I had the great opportunity to be given a solo showcase of my work at the Canteen Gallery in Downtown Ottawa, which runs the month of november. I created new works specifically for the show which follow the the juxtaposition of popular culture and early baroque period costume/style. I had such a great time creating work for this show, and I plan to continue in this vein of work. The opening night was also a great success, and I'd like to throw out a huge thanks to all the people that came out and showed their support! A special double-thanks goes out to Inaas for allowing me to show my work in her gallery!

The No Theme Group Show!

2009-10-16T01:40:00.009-04:00

I had the recent pleasure of being a part of the "No Theme Group Show" at the Canteen Gallery in Ottawa, this October, alongside some great artists from Canada and abroad. The show was a huge success, and I would love to personally thank Inaas for putting on such a sweet shindig and including three of my pieces in the extravaganza! The show runs the month of October, so stop by and peruse some art.

Commissioning a Symphony!

2009-09-24T05:46:00.002-04:00

The Birth of Music (14" x 18", Oil on Wood)

The Life of Music (12" x 22", Oil on Wood)

The Death of Music (14" x 18", Oil on Wood)

New Artists Exhibit - Jacana Contemporary Art

2009-09-19T16:50:00.007-04:00

A few shots of my work in Jacana Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. Special shout-out to Pennylane for taking the photos.

Going Contemporary!

2009-09-18T14:33:00.006-04:00

A few shots from the Jacana site of the inside of the gallery (not the current exhibition).

Welp, I'm super-jazzed about my work being on display at The Jacana Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. I was contacted, after appearing in applied arts magazine, about contributing a series for their new gallery artists show running Sept 15 - Oct 11. I decided to revisit my Songbird series and create two new works to be featured with the "Death of Music" piece. I am really anxious to see how the west coast sees my work, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to show my work in such an established gallery. I will post shots of the new pieces within the next couple of days.

Thanks again to Pennylane and everyone over at Jacana Contemporary Art, and if you're in the Vancouver area, head over to the gallery and check out the new artists!

In Spectacular Fan-o-vision!

2009-09-05T23:41:00.004-04:00

I had a great time at the three day expo and I cannot wait to do it again next year! I sold quite a few prints, met an abundance of interesting people, and I even got Lando Calrissian's (Billy Dee Williams') Autograph! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported me at the expo, and a huge thank you to Ryan Christiani, for helping me set up and run my exhibition space (and wait in line so I could meet Lando).

Yours truly taking a rare sit at my exhibition space...

Darryl Graham sat to my left as we exchanged witty remarks...

Andrew (Drizzly Bear) Patterson sat down to the right and laughed from afar...

The Night Crusader (Oil on Wood, 22"x28")

2009-08-19T01:55:00.010-04:00

Well comrades.. Fanexpo is a week or so away and I am getting prints ready for my exhibition space in Artist Alley. I plan on having a few originals there also, but they are mainly just for display (as I need them for my November show).

This piece is the second in my homage to Baroque Art and Pop Culture. Points of interest: The cave behind him (which I hope is obvious), as well as the link I made to the Robin piece by having the sun rising further in the distance with the subtle suggestion of hills (as if to assume that Robin is posing further back, simultaneously). I'm trying to set the characters in the time period, while at the same time, making them read as who they are supposed to be... Evidently, costume design is challenging in itself.

P.S.. The colours may seem different than the last time you checked this post. I wasn't satisfied with the photographed version, you see, so I scanned it in 10 pieces and merged it. Enjoy!

The Early Bird-Boy (Oil on Wood, 8"x10")

2009-08-11T01:03:00.012-04:00

Well sir, I have been a busy little bee this summer. I've already told yarns of my harrowing journey into the dark heart of the Toronto employment scene. I've shared with you a few tales of whimsy and adventure as a post-graduate... But now, at the turning of the tide, I divulge my juiciest enterprise...

As the school year ended- my confidante, Andrew Patterson (aka Drizzly Bear), my life co-pilot, Darryl Graham (aka D-Rail), and I decided to get exhibition spaces at this summer's Fanexpo convention in downtown Toronto. This opportunity finally gave me license to pour my nerd lusts and loser humor into each new work (and have slightly fewer people mock me). On top of that, I have been working on a couple design projects with some creative people I've met since moving here, and have even been contacted by a couple of people who are interested in showing my work in galleries.

This new piece is just a "Teaser" of what I've been working on for a solo showcase of my work in the fall. I am creating entirely NEW pieces for the show which combines old baroque styles with nerd-culture icons. Many more details coming as the days go by, but I am extremely excited about the things I've got in the hopper. Also, I promise the next post won't be so self-serving.. I'm just excited is all!

P.S. My mother, called me to ask if life co-pilot meant life-partner... It was a Chewbacca to his Han Solo situation... I like girls.. a lot.

It's Not Fer Me... It's Fer Me Ma!

2009-06-20T22:19:00.008-04:00

I'm going to apologize in advance for not posting anything in about a month. I finished up school'n, I moved to a studio space in downtown Toronto with two other graduates, I graduated school, I got a part time job at a clothing store, and I've been painting the nights away, all the while trying to build up some sort of rag-tag band of fun people to laugh with in this hustling and/or bustling city.

Now that THAT'S out of the way... This is a painting I created for my mom's birthday. Back when the world and I were young (1998), I had done cartoon portraits of each of our four pets at the time (for mother's day). Since then we have lost a dog and a cat, and gained a kitten, so my dad thought a good idea would be to do a portrait in the style of the others for the new cat. My art has changed a lot since grade 7 (at least I hope so), So I decided to do a new series of portraits.

I will do one portrait for each occasion (christmas/birthday) until all are accounted for. This portrait is the eldest living cat in the Slater household (Ashley). She is sophistcated, regal, and a little bitchy (did I mention she's mine). Her color was described from the humaine society as "Blue Tortie"... But she looks grey if you ask me. She is twelve...? if my math is right, and I tried to capture her calm/sassy attitude with the furrowed brow. I promise to post more frequently... starting NOW!

Poppa's Got A Brand New Bag!

2009-04-29T16:12:00.001-04:00

Gradshowing Off!

2009-04-26T21:34:00.002-04:00

The 2009 Illustration Graduate Show & Icon Release was an astounding success! Thank you again to everyone that showed up and to the third and fourth years that broke their backs setting up and tearing down the show!

I am an emotional mess from the stress of these last few days and the realization that I may not (for a while at least) see some of the people that made the last 4 years a spectacular experience. I was lucky enough to be a part of the legendary 2009 class, and I wish everyone the best of luck in the future!

P.S. Congratulations to all those who won awards at the show, you guys could not have been more deserving!

Phenomenal Cat

2009-04-26T20:56:00.003-04:00

A quick video I created for the 2009 Gradshow. I used the narrator from my Guide Book as the subject, and basically added a little bit of depth and emotion to his past... Sort of?

Strawberry Fields Forinfo

2009-04-26T20:39:00.004-04:00

This is a project for Information Illustration class, that I really enjoyed making. The entire time I spent creating my James Bond map for the last project, I was watching the Beatles Anthology documentary series (over 13 hours of film). So for the next project, I had little else on my mind than the Beatles. This is a timeline chart of their releases, tours, and significant moments from the time they were created until the time they officially disbanded.

The "Fine Art" of Mockery

2009-04-26T20:07:00.006-04:00

This is a book that I took the entire second semester to accomplish. My idea was to make a "Guide to Being an Artist", which would basically be a spoof on the Art World. I tried to make the book look as professional and legitimate as possible, even adding a small re-appearing character to guide the reader and narrate. I wanted the book to look serious, but as soon as you begin reading it, it is filled to the brim with dry sarcastic humor. I created all the illustrations myself (plus 3 guest artist spots - not featured the in images shown) and could NOT stop giggling while drawing that overweight cat doing things. Here Are just a few pages from the inside, to get a taste.

Down The Hatch!

2009-04-15T13:58:00.003-04:00

Hey boys and girls, here is a tasty T-shirt concept design I've done for the illustration '09 year. Logan managed to get his final design chosen, but I still enjoyed making this. I know that's what people say when they're really upset and are trying to act politely to hide how dead they are inside, but I really mean it! I could do designs like this aaaaall day... in the hopes that someone somewhere will commission me.

Sketcher in the Rye!

2009-04-15T13:53:00.004-04:00

Website... Cleaner, Faster, Better!

2009-03-31T20:39:00.001-04:00

Hot Off the Press!

2009-03-28T16:41:00.003-04:00

Here is a poster for the KLS Jeans identity I'm creating. I love soviet propaganda posters ever so much, so I had a great time finding reference materials for this. I didn't want to slap people across the face with "JEANS!" and have pictures of people wearing jeans... I assume people know what jeans look like. I went for a kind of "teaser" approach, and tried to make the viewer want more... MORE!

Bennett Slater's Superficial/Super Official Website

2009-03-23T22:08:00.001-04:00

Baby-Face

2009-03-23T21:52:00.002-04:00

This illustration was an experience for the books. I went through so many roughs and ideas for this thing before Rick Sealock and I just agreed to go the funny/ridiculous route with it.
This is based on an article from the BBC about a woman who received a "Face Transplant", which had only been preformed 3 other times in the world. The sole reason for getting this procedure done was that this woman had a lot of money, and felt that she was "socially handicapped". I went with the idea of a disgustingly fat woman getting a ridiculously young face (a baby's face) slapped onto her face, but it clearly doesn't cover the ugly person underneath. I also went another step further by giving her pug dog a kitten face. I haven't painted a human being all year, and I was ruuusty, But I really enjoyed painting the dog.

Peace, Land and Bread!

2009-03-21T22:13:00.000-04:00

Graphic Design you say? Don't mind if I do. This is an ongoing project for graphic design class to brand an existing jean company with a totally new face. I chose the KLS (Kimmora Lee Simmons) brand of jeans... mostly because I immediately thought of the Soviet KGB. I've always had a love for Russian Avant Garde posters, so I took it upon myself to capitalize on this. So far I've pumped off a logotype and a Hangtag (those designed tags that are included on designer jeans). I created a mockup of my hangtag, including a pin/stopper on the back to attach to your jeans, (because, if you're buying designer jeans, you want people to know it). A poster and a bag design yet to come. Stay tuned sports Fans!

Dr. iNfO... Clever?

2009-03-21T21:50:00.007-04:00

A map I created to chart all of the places James Bond has been throughout all 22 films and the villains that he's thwarted. I had a good time researching this... because I'm a bit of an aficionado. I was going for the 1960's Ian Flemming novel covers with this design, so I hope the enthusiasts out there can appreciate it. I also spent soooo long creating logos for each Bond villain, I hope you enjoy. Ta, Darling!

Dung Life

2009-03-05T20:33:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone, long time no post... I have been unnecessarily sick for the past two weeks, so I apologize for neglecting society a little bit lately. As a result, I managed to get a bunch of other people sick too... sooo... that's something!

In other news, this illustration is one of many editorial pieces that I'm creating for Rick Sealock's Interpretive class. I chose this article from BBC News about how dung beetles are becoming bullies in the insect world, for no real reason. Scientists can't explain it, but dung beetles have recently started to push around other non-predator insects like the millipede, and in many cases, end up killing them just for the hell of it. For this piece I tried to get across the idea of a token "Badass" who, if you were to pull up to a 7//11 and see him standing in front, you would wait in your car and try not to make eye contact. I'm not trying to stereotype or be rude in any way here, I'm just playing up the white middle-class interpretation of a "street thug" angle, for some quick understanding. While doing this piece, I really noticed how easy it is to label and judge people. I had fun here, and you can see that by all the little treats I placed in and around this piece.

Points of interest: His tattoos say "Roll'n Dirty", "Dung Life", and "Dook" in a heart. I also have a tattoo of a coil of feces with a crown, A little mouth and tongue with a number nine (for anyone who likes my ink work) and the number thirteen and a half (twelve jurers, one judge, half a chance... It's a prison thing). I also have him missing a finger on the hand carrying the head. While painting, I realized that it looked like someone sliced his finger off, so I rolled with it.

The Millennium Falcon

2009-02-17T16:07:00.004-05:00

This is a painting that started in June and sat in the corner untouched for several months on end. I felt so bad that it took this long to finally go back and finish this thing, but I'm glad I finally did. You can see the difference between this piece and ones I did this month, which I find to be a promising sign of progression. For the piece itself, I had been watching quite a bit of old space operas like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers and found myself inspired. I want to go back and do a few more to this tune... It's fun for me, so I hope it's fun for you.

The Bad Strikes Back

2009-02-17T15:08:00.006-05:00

Well sir, This guy is rearing his head again. No, you aren't shrooming, I felt I wasn't "sold" with the way this piece originally turned out. It turned out very monochromatic, and I never meant for that... I have rectified the situation by adding a sharp little vest and ascot. I upped the contrast and changed the eye color to match the ascot. It's not within my nature to go back into a painting after I've deemed it "finished" but this one was getting to me. I hope you all approve! (To those whom it concerns, The colors are really washed out for some reason on the web... heavy sigh).

This is not 'Nam, This is bowling. There are rules.

2009-01-26T15:24:00.004-05:00

The final piece of the first semester, and quite a bit of fun to do. I chose to continue my tribute to cinema by illustrating one of the greatest film characters of this generation, Walter Sobchak. He is John Goodman's character from the Coen Brother's "The Big Lebowski", and he was a blast to illustrate. A warthog was the animal of choice here, not only for it's physical connections to John Goodman (with all do respect Mr. Goodman), but a "Warthog" is also the name of a military jeep in the US Army, which is right up Walter Sobchak's alley. In the composition itself, I went for the bowling alley theme to which the film is centered. I really want to keep illustrating character portraits... it's the tops.

Ta Death, Bro.

2009-01-26T15:19:00.002-05:00

The project was to illustrate a narration of an everyday phrase... so pretty much for the sake of it... Here's cat having something terrible happen to it.

Oo-Rah!

2009-01-26T15:07:00.006-05:00

An identity redesign for The Army/Navy Store in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I implemented the idea of chevrons indicating army rank on logo and went a step further by putting light stripes on the Army side and dark stripes on the Navy side for the reason that the on actual uniforms, army uniforms are typically dark coloured with light stripes and visa versa for the Navy. For the business card, I used an actual license plate from an army jeep and echoed the chevron theme throughout both the cards and the brochure.

I Fight Because I Can't Sing Or Dance.

2008-11-26T14:32:00.004-05:00

This is the third piece in my tribute to Cinema. Represented here is the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa. One might think it to be a cop-out to use a stallion to represent the stallion, but I promise that there is more to it than that. I felt the horse carries a lot of Stallone's features with his hanging lip and explosively muscular face, as well as the idea of Rocky being a slow-minded work-horse (to use a tired analogy). I had a lot of fun on this piece, and can see myself progressing into an area of portraiture that I find particularly cozy. I'm going to keep trucking on this series, and I'm going to try and keep you interested (unlike Rocky V), and make it so I'm not just beating a dead horse... hilarious.

O' Christmas Card!

2008-11-25T23:35:00.001-05:00

Eat Aaaall Our Shirts!

2008-11-25T23:08:00.003-05:00

The task was put on me to design some T-shirts... Be careful what you wish for.

A Picture With A Smile- And Perhaps, A Tear.

2008-11-19T13:52:00.001-05:00

Part two of my Film Tribute Series. This piece is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin as the "Tramp" Character from the silent film "The Kid". I chose two dirty street vermin, (a pigeon and a mouse) to depict the tramp and the kid. It's the idea that the world doesn't want them, so they have to rely on one another. I also threw in the idea of the tramp taking the kid "under his wing" for you people out there looking for something deeper... clever, I know.

(Final)

2008-11-18T21:09:00.006-05:00

(Progress, Concept Sketch)

Life Altering...

2008-11-18T20:42:00.000-05:00

Beauty Through Film

2008-11-18T20:25:00.000-05:00

The God of Thunder Goes Fishing

2008-11-18T20:06:00.007-05:00

You Left Your Dog, You Idiots.

2008-11-18T19:58:00.004-05:00

Part one of my tribute to the greatest movies (as decided by me). Our instructor, Rick Sealock, gave us complete freedom over what we chose to do this semester... So I took the opportunity to get some oil painting done... And hey, who doesn't like animals and movies?
I chose to tell the story with animals rather than people because people bore the hell outta me. Deciding which animals to use was challenge number one. For this piece I chose to depict Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) from "The Life Aquatic" as a tired old dog. I tried to think of which animal relates the best to the character himself, then had the challenge of trying to fit some sort of a likeness in there.
P.S. I painted that frame too... For all those cock-eyed optimists out there; Don't paint frames.

Above (From Top to Bottom: Final, Concept Sketch)

The Good

2008-10-11T17:33:00.004-04:00

At the same time as I was painting "The Bad" I was painting "The Good", with the same idea of recreating the nostalgic character of the innocent dandy boy. I could not stop giggling for this entire painting experience, which I figure means that it is either a strong piece or that I'm right out of my tree.

...Maybe both.

The Bad

2008-10-11T17:28:00.002-04:00

This piece was a delight to paint. The frame itself took as long as the bird but I figure it's worth it. The idea to illustrate "Bad" triggered the idea to paint the most stereotypical "Bad" guy you've ever seen. I figure by keeping it SO far in the box, that it's actually outside the box... or am I just fooling myself?

Con'Volute'd

2008-10-11T17:18:00.003-04:00

A piece that I tremendously enjoyed painting during the summer. I couldn't post this piece until school started because the school wouldn't allow me access to its sweet sweet scanner. As for the painting, I tried to bring more of a human aspect to the eyes while keeping it natural looking. I have always been in love with classical stringed instruments, namely the violin. I knew that I wanted to incorporate one in a piece for a while and there is no time like the present. The twisted head of the violin is called the "volute", which is where the name for this piece came from.

A Kind of Mutiny

2008-10-11T17:05:00.004-04:00

The second book cover for graphic design. This cover had to be text-driven, as the last one was image-driven. The story is about a man who gets his thumb cut off by a saw in his workshop. His dog grabs the thumb and won't give it back. His wife eventually gathers the tattered thumb and gets him to the hospital but it is too late to attach the thumb. With the loss of his thumb, the man begins to abuse drugs and neglect his workshop. He begins to hate his dog for his disloyalty and hate his wife's perfect hands. I attempted to recreate his neglected workshop and decomposing sanity with a peeling plaster background, while the slice through the word mutiny and the dislocated text hint towards the saw accident.

Haywire

2008-10-11T16:51:00.003-04:00

Did someone say Graphic Design?! you got it sister! I managed to make it into the exclusive club that is the graphic design class taught by THE Jill Dallas; ruling with an iron fist and a merciless wit.

So anyway, for this project we had to design a book cover for 1 of 3 short stories which we drew from a hat. They were the Top 3 in some short story contest. The one I was assigned was about a man in the depression era going back home to his wife whom he divorced 5 months prior. After an awkward exchange of hellos, he is brought into their child's room where he sees their child laying in a cardboard box. He proceeds to close the box with a piece of string (because it was dead) and without saying a word, "his mind explodes into a pile of hay".

I had a lot of challenges on this piece, but I am happy with the photograph I managed to find of a small girl. I was trying to go for an unsettled feeling from the cover, but when you read the story and look back at the cover knowing that the little girl dies... Heartstrings obliterated.

A Bad Trip

2008-10-11T16:22:00.004-04:00

My second narrative illustration of the year! The only spec for this project was that it had to be at least 4 panels and have a punch line. I chose to tell the story with as few words as possible because, after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. I had a lot of fun doing this and I hope you find it as amusing as I did.

What's That Supposed to Mean?

2008-10-11T12:46:00.003-04:00

Well look who it is... My oooold friend, blog. Sorry I haven't been around lately. Life decided to get insane with COOP, work and school. I know that's no excuse... and I apologize. I'll be around more often, I promise!

Now then, to wet your palettes, this is a quick project thats only specs were that it had to be a double page spread and include the text "What's That Supposed to Mean?" I haven't painted in acrylics in a dog's age and it's safe to say that I was rusty. It was nice to let loose on this project and not take it too seriously. As for the picture itself, in a nut shell, it is natures reaction to human industry.

La Revolution De Pomme

2008-05-21T22:05:00.005-04:00

My Second Animation, and done purely digitally no less. The song is a cut and tailored version of the Overture from Gilbert & Sullivan's opera, H.M.S. Pinafore, which I created in Garage Band. The story came to me after reading up on French history and the conquests of our old friend, Napoleon.

Robo-Mixdown V2.0

2008-05-21T21:34:00.004-04:00

My first attempt at an 'After Effects' animation! I designed the robots in Adobe Illustrator CS3 and then created this original track using 'Garage Band'. I synced all the movements of the robots and the reflections of each robot to the timing of the song... It took ages to accomplish but I had a swell time.

Unfortunately, in order for me to post this movie, I had to compress it. The sounds suffered, and the timing isn't as crisp. It is also nearly impossible to see the reflections on the ground under each robot... But I received demand for this video to be posted, so here is a quick and dirty version, Bon Appetit!

I Think I'm Off My Nut!

2008-05-21T13:38:00.004-04:00

A four part series done in the form of a calender of the seasons. There isn't much method to my madness... I just allowed myself to not get intimidated by the huge scale of this project, and just have fun. The text incorporated into the image is actually the lyrics to an equally insane track by Pink Floyd titled "Bike" which, if you follow the lyrics to the song, makes about as much sense as a robot rhinoceros sea captain.

The Death of Music

2008-04-08T15:22:00.011-04:00

A personal piece I created as a way of shaking the dust off of my painting skills. I made a realization that I hadn't painted in oils since September, and my heart sank. I love painting with oils but it seems that they have been replaced by design and computer work. I love doing graphic design and I feel that my traditional paintings are still influenced by design, almost subconsciously. This painting was done in two back to back sittings. One can interpret this piece in whatever way it connects to the individual, but quite simply, I tapped into the idea that there was a time when music meant something. No TV and no iPods. To listen to a record was a way to escape... as opposed to today, when any talentless sideshow can win a grammy (cough, soulja boy, cough) and we're exposed to music as we shop, eat, wait, and drive. The times where music was a luxury and a privilage are over. It's like ice cream 3 times a day, and it's no fun anymore.

Caught!

2008-03-27T22:02:00.002-04:00

A three-paneled illustration of a "Nigerian Fraud Email" concerning the wife of a man supposedly impeached as president from a small country. She has received millions of dollars worth of slush funds from her crooked husband, but needs a Canadian investor to wire the money to. Instead of going the obvious route of illustrating the story, I took a more metaphorical approach. The wings of the fly and the text were added digitally. Point of interest: The web is made from text which is actually the fraud story written out.

Sit On It!

2008-03-27T21:54:00.001-04:00

Two concept designs to advertise the Furniture Design program to students graduating highschool.

Friday Night

2008-03-27T21:50:00.001-04:00

A Recipe for a Friday Night.

Brother & Sister

2007-12-26T21:44:00.000-05:00

Charlie and the Spacemen

2007-12-26T21:05:00.000-05:00

Tour Poster & CD packaging identity for a european indie-rock band, Charlie and the Spacemen.

Pet Project

2007-12-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

A series of information illustrations which plot each pet that i've taken care of in my lifetime. Segments include: a) Lineup of pets with a legend explaining information on name, gender, etc. b) graph showing the frequency and intensity of interaction with pets that i've never owned, but merely cared for. c) graph showing the number of pets in my household at one time and the lengths of their lives.

People Fuel

2007-12-26T20:47:00.000-05:00

The project was to design a coffee sleeve for a fictional coffee chain in Pearson Airport. The idea was to stay away from cliched graphics such as coffee cups, coffee beans, and aroma lines, and planes.. but to still tie in the idea of coffee and planes, as well as, the brand name Jet Fuel.

Eye Get It!

2007-12-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

The project was to design a subscription card for a magazine. I chose National Geographic Magazine. In doing an illustration for a heavily photography-based magazine, simply painting a photo-realistic picture would be boring. I went the opposite direction, and used vibrant colors and paint splatters and strokes to play with the idea of the organic beauty of the wildlife. I used the eyes as a way of teasing the viewer into wanting to see more of the picture. I'll be fair and name off the animals for those who are unsure: Domestic Cat, Red Octopus, Bald Eagle, Tree Frog, Asian Elephant, Human Female.

The Pursuit of Perfection..

2007-12-01T17:17:00.000-05:00

A simple task- Illustrate "Perfectionist"... not so simple.

See Spot Run!

2007-12-01T17:12:00.000-05:00

Four spot illustrations done for four obscure statistics. The statistics are about : hotdog consumption on the fourth of july in America, children with imaginary friends, extra calories gained from watching TV, and the number of people investigated by the FBI without the need for a warrant.

What's That In The Sky?

2007-12-01T17:09:00.001-05:00

An information graphic poster created around UFO sightings. I then used the information and plucked out one civilian at random and displayed details of his account, followed by a timeline leading up to and following the incident. Created entirely on Adobe Illustrator.

Sour Apple

2007-11-02T15:14:00.000-04:00

Part two of a project coined "Better Dreams" which was introduced last year amongst a bunch of us illustrators. The sequal was brought about by classmate David Murray, to a group of us in which we were asked to illustrate the instrumental song of his choosing. The only requirement was the size of 10"x10". This is my genuine response upon hearing the song. The entire "Better Dreams 2" series will be up for viewing in the student Gallery at Sheridan on November 5.

Birds of a Feather

2007-10-22T20:24:00.000-04:00

2007-10-22T20:19:00.000-04:00

This is the first installment in my set of birds that are given a bad rep. I had a really good time creating the organic flow of feathers on this bird and learned plenty about the raven's anatomy. It's a tough task to not make a raven seem menacing... but i tried to put the subject in better light. I went for the beauty of nature approach, instead of the edgar allan poe-esque gothic raven.

2007-10-22T20:13:00.000-04:00

The second in the set, i had a good time rendering this vulture's head. Their anatomy is insane and the color scheme on their skin seems almost random. They also have a nasal passage in their beak that goes right through to the other side.. that's not me being lazy, that's mother nature.

TA DA!

2007-10-13T01:27:00.000-04:00

An instructional brochure demonstrating the traditional art of pulling a rabbit from a hat. I created this brochure digitally, with the few exceptions of hand drawing the rabbits and one hinge diagram, then scanning them in. Although suprisingly time consuming, I actually enjoyed the process and I loved the idea of trying to keep it whimsical. Not an easy task.. for an Information illustration.

Grrrreat!

2007-10-13T01:18:00.000-04:00

My immediate response when given the task of illustrating an overheard conversation between strangers. (without illustrating what they were actually discussing). Fueled with wealth of knowledge gained from the 'Planet Earth' nature documentary series, I attempted this unexpectedly dark subject matter. this image displays that although seemingly brutal at first, the death of an animal is a necessary part of survival for another animal. I tried to reinforce the idea with the treat of a small tiger cub watching the mother tiger perform the kill.

A Welcome Break from Work.

2007-08-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

A summer project at St. Patrick High School. It ended up being an interesting experience. Getting started on such a permenant structure was a little daunting.. but once the first strokes were made, i never stopped enjoying myself. I tried a few new tricks on this door.. including spray paint and splashing oil paint.. which turned out just as i had hoped. The trees and water were pretty much free-balled, but the main loon had to be researched. Note for the future, never attempt loon spots again.. tiiiime consuming.

...Adorable.

2007-04-24T01:01:00.000-04:00

An illustration of the Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle".

Identity Theft

2007-04-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

Whammy

2007-04-24T00:58:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when you throw stuff at a scrap of wood.. and don't care what happens.

Feminine Libido Recovery

2007-04-24T00:54:00.000-04:00

An illustration for an article about "Feminine Libido Recovery" so naturally that's right up my alley... Anyway, It depicts a bunch flourishing flowers (regular women) contrasted with a wilting flower (woman not feeling beautiful) but a glimmer of hope as the dew drops from the wilting flower falling onto a sprout of a new flower (the recovering libido).

Robots, Octopi and.. Steve Zissou? Oh My

2007-04-24T00:46:00.000-04:00

First: Robot vs Octopus, a relief scupture using sculpy on Wood, then painted. Second: A textured portrait of Steve Zissou from The Life Aquatic using drywall plaster and polyester material. If You haven't seen that movie.. get out.

Gotta Hand It To Me!.. I'm Funny.

2007-04-24T00:42:00.000-04:00

Life Drawing studies of Hands and Feet.