Killer Goriller

Quick sketch from a few nights ago. I think this looks like it should be on an 80's skateboard.

Ink'd

Weekend squid sketch. (click for a closer look)

Hog Heaven

Logo created for the Tacoma, WA "Blues, Brews, & BBQs" festival. It was tough to figure out a fun way to work in the barbecue element, until I remembered something my dad told once. He said, "Always eat at the barbecue place with a pig on the sign." And in my experience that has been sound advice, the best food is always at the place with the pig.

Aside from that, I think it also has a fun "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" quality, in that this pig is happy to be here, filling your belly.

Minc TONIGHT!

(Click on flyer for more detail)

Once again , DJ eXb and I are spinning at Minc Lounge tonight! It's another of our weekly Big Beat & Breaks Wednesdays.

Last week was great, and this week we have a special guest, DJ Michael J. who will be dropping some sick tunes for your listening pleasure.

Come enjoy the amazing weather on Minc's killer Patio!

Location: Minc Lounge (Map)
Date: Wednesday, May 14
Time: 9:00PM - 2:00AM
NO COVER
$3 Wells & $3 Domestics

Tattooed Lady

Sketched this from an image of designer Allison Burns. She certainly is quite a striking figure with her lovely dark hair and almost full sleeve tattoos.

Minc: Wednesdays

(Click on flyer for more detail)

Starting this Wednesday, May 14th, DJ eXb and I will be spinning a weekly night of Breaks and Big Beat (think Fatboy Slim meets Adam Freeland) at Minc Lounge!

Minc is by far the best club and lounge in Dallas. If you enjoy stiff drinks, friendly staff, tight sound systems, great atmosphere, and killer patios, Minc is the club for you!

Come on out on Wednesday and I'll buy you a Sake Bomb!

Location: Minc Lounge (Map)
Date: Wednesday, May 14
Time: 9:30PM - 2:00AM
NO COVER

When Pigs Fly: Coachella 2008

I have just returned from the the 2008 Coachella Music Festival and I could not be happier. It was one of the single most amazing weekends of my life, and I am thankful that I was there to experience it. I was able to see some truly amazing acts including Prince, Fatboy Slim, Kraftwerk, Gogol Bordello, and dozens of others. But the show that is burned into my consciousness is Rogers Waters. Mr. Waters and his crew created an experience unlike anything I have ever witnessed, and it affected me immensely. If you have the opportunity to see the Dark Side of the Moon Live Tour, do so by whatever means necessary. You will not be disappointed.

The image above is a quick digital painting of the song "Sheep", in the middle of the show. A truly awe inspiring moment.

Lunch Angel

Sketched this little angel at lunch yesterday. The girl was in a magazine and I liked the charisma she seemed to exude. I added the halo and wings since you don't often see such spunk in heavenly creatures. And you should, don't you think?

Crouching Tiger

Watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (buy it here) over the last couple of days, and I had forgotten how beautifully shot this film is. Though this film inspired America's lust for wire-fu, those that sought to duplicate the action failed to notice Ang Lee's subtle yet powerful direction. The camera work and shot selections are superb, and are a lesson in composition and form.

This was a quick and loose piece to get some practice with the ol' digital paint.

(click on the image for a larger version)

LIVE GIG: Sunday, March 23 - Minc Lounge

Okay kids, it's time to dust off your dancing shoes. It's been far too long since you had a great night out and had a chance to shake your ass to some great tunes at the best club in Dallas.

Come out to see yours truly and my DJ partner DJ eXb, on Sunday, March 23 at Minc Lounge, at 813 Exposition Avenue. There is no cover and your soon to be favorite bartender Swanson, will be pouring the stiffest cocktails in town, with $3 Wells and $3 Domestics all night long. Doors open at 9:00 PM and we roll until 2:00AM. Park in the dirt lot behind the club so you don't have to pay for parking.

If you have never been to Minc, it truly is one of the best clubs around. It has a great vibe, pristine sound system, and an amazing patio. And I know I mentioned the bartenders before, but let me put it this way for all you Uptowners... The Loon ain't got nothin' on my boy Swanson, and that's a fact.

Bring yourself, and and bring your friends. We will thank you, and hopefully you will thank us for a great night out!

Location: Minc Lounge (Map)
Date: Sunday, March 23
Time: 9:00PM - 2:00AM
NO COVER
$3 Wells and $3 Domestics

New New York

New logos and uniforms for the Staten Island Yankees were one of the last projects I worked on at my former job, and it's quite exciting to see them finally announced. The SI Yankees are the Single-A Affiliate of the New York Yankees.

This project I created from start to finish, with the exception of the "SI" and hat with bat I combined for Alternate Cap 1. Those elements were were from the main team logo, which was retained with the uniform update. The badge shaped "SINY" logo will appear on the sleeve of each uniform along with Alternate Cap 2, and contains five stars, one for each of New York's five boroughs, with the gold star for Staten Island.

I can't wait to see this stuff on the field and around NYC. More to come as they are released!

Lord Moai Says, "Bring More Mai Tais!"

I've always liked Tikis but the prospect of buying a home in which I can create my very own Tiki bar is quite exciting. If only the process of finding the home to go around my Tiki bar were easier. Until then I will drown my frustrations with Sarah, my favorite waitress at the local Trader Vic's. Another round of Mai Tais, if you please!

Tiki Drink Review: Trader Vic's Mai Tai
If you have never been to a Trader Vic's, this should be the first thing you order. It is truly the benchmark against which all the other drinks are measured. It is also a good assessment of the barman making it.

To test an artist's skill you can have a painter draw a nude figure, a singer sing the national anthem, or hear a guitarist on an acoustic guitar. A bartender should be tested with a Mai Tai. This can be the most amazing drink you have ever tasted, or the absolute worst glass of sugary slop.

A great Mai Tai is deceptively mild, and subtly sweet, it easily will win over even those who don't like "fruity drinks". When "Trader" Vic Bergeron created it in 1944, his Tahitian friend exclaimed, "Mai Tai Roa Ae!" which means "Out of this world!" Giving one of the world's greatest libations it's name. It was either that, or call it "There's a Party in My Mouth, and Everyone's Invited". Personally, I think it could have gone either way. Here's how to make your own:

The Trader Vic's Mai Tai

• 1 oz Fine Jamaican rum (try 15 or 8 year old Appleton)
• 1 oz Martinique rum (try St. James)
• 1/2 ounce Orange Curacao
• 1/2 ounce Orgeat syrup
• Juice from one fresh lime (about 3/4 ounce)
• Shake vigorously with crushed ice
  
• Add a sprig of fresh mint with the lime rind
  

It All Comes Out in the Washateria

Happy New Year to all! Maybe I should have started the year with an image that is a tad less bleak, but it's one of the few things I've been able to catch in the last few weeks. Here's to a New Year full of hope, promise, and perhaps a bit more free time!

Live from Dallas, TX

Last weekend I took a few photos of The Enemies List at their show in Dallas. It was a solid performance as always, and I was able to walk away with some great shots.
(Click on the images for a closer look)

Despair

Heading to the DMA for a Thursday night sketch session is fast becoming a pleasant weekly tradition. What isn't so pleasant is the way my scanner is currently acting. It seems the old college work horse is finally ready to be put out to pasture. I had a couple pages of sketches I was excited to share, but they will have to wait until I can figure out another scanning solution. As always, click the image for a larger view.

We're an American Band

Last Sunday I had the fun opportunity to shoot some photos of a friend's band, The Enemies List. One member was missing, but it was a good practice shooting human subjects nonetheless. TEL is certainly one of the best bands in Dallas, and you can see them for yourself December 1st at the Curtain Club.

Mental Massage

Deep breaths...Hear the ocean and feel the warm breeze wash over you. Thank you for allowing me to take away a little stress from your day.

A Catch

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat.

Heart of Palm

Pencils and Pubs

Last night after work I swung by the Dallas Museum of Art and did some sketching. On Thursday, the museum is open until 9PM and admission is free! My only issue is that the crowd tends to be more than a little obnoxious, with people speaking loudly on cell phones and to one another. Apparently manners and etiquette are confined to paid nights only.


This giant Polynesian chap elicited quite a few precious comments from the aforementioned classy patrons.


Following the museum I adjourned to a local pub to meet a friend for cocktails and a bite to eat. I brought in my trusty moleskine and cranked out a few more sketches of people at other tables before my friend arrived.

In one of the more interesting moments in the evening, a young lady on the patio, who had with her a fairly large dog, pulled this beast onto her lap and proceeded to give it a massive bear hug. I rushed to sketch them as the dog (a boxer/pit bull looking fellow), hung docilely from her arms during the entire display of affection.