SOJA

simple and grungy.

Well that was fast, wasn’t it?  New work, snitches!

So about a week or so ago (my memory is god-awful) me and my ol’ lady went to see SOJA play the electric factory.  She’s a die-hard fan and I’m…well…let’s say that I went and I had a good time.  That’s a lie; I had a GREAT time.  I’m not even remotely into reggae (not angry enough for me) but this band is phenomenal!  They’re from DC so there are some things about their music that are very familar to me, as I proudly hail from the DMV.  But all in all, not really my bag. But like I said, I had a great time. So much so that I was inspired by their performance to whip a lil’ somethin’ up.

With this project my design objectives were a tad loose, as all I really set out to do was to replicate the worst possible screen-printing job you could possibly imagine.  However, as time went on I remembered that for all of its chaos, so to speak, it should be balanced with order. So as I worked it through I focused on keeping the forms very loose and grungy, yet solid and focused.  As inspiration, I thought back to the brief time I was really into wheat-pasting. I really wanted to create something that you could imagine seeing haphazardly glued to the side of an abandoned warehouse.  As always, simplicity was a major focus for this piece as well.  I did the best I could to keep the overall composition simple and parred down, using simple “brush strokes” as the background.  I always try to create a certain degree of depth in a composition, so I set the “brush strokes” off at an angle, to give the feeling of them receding and coming towards you at the same time. Nothing extreme, but just enough to get the effect.  Overall, I set out to create something simple, gritty, and basic.  Something street-level and authentic.  Big shouts to Sam Friedman for the source material.  Hope you don’t mind duder!

Now I’m not one to blame my tools for a failure or anything, but the original image has a subtle, but sweet, red and green gradient over the figure to give it some warmth and to chill that black and white contrast out a bit.  But for some reason when I converted it to  a JPEG (which was necessary for posting it up on the web) the gradient high-tailed it outta there and disappeared.  So what you’re looking at isn’t true to the original.  I’m still thinking about how to get the true-to-form version up on here but it may take me a while ( the original file size is close to 300 mb!)  If you’ve got any bright ideas, do please send them my way.  It’d be greatly appreciated.

As usual, whenever I work on a project I listen to music that’s in the same vein, thematically speaking. This time it was easy, as the subject of the project was a band.  I cranked their album “Dub In A Time of War” super-hard.  I listened to most of their discography throughout the entire process, but that particular album got some extra spins.  Not a whole lot of jabber-jawnin’ just good music.  Even if you’re not into reggae I strongly suggest you give this band a look.  Great stuff.

Alright I’m sick of typing. Hopefully you get the gist of it all.  I’m a pretty well-spoken guy ( growin’ up with a dictionary and comic books as your best friends will do that) but there are times when words fail you, and communicating your intentions doesn’t come easy. This particular post happens to be one of those times.  So, instead of painstakingly crafting this post into a damn thesis I’m gonna stop writing and let you look at the picture. Figure it out for yourself. I’m outta here.

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*WOMP*WOMP*

Man…this sucks.  Its been at least, what, a week since I’ve posted any new work?  And I’m feelin pretty crappy about it.  I’ve been workin’ on a little somethin’ for a couple of days but  I just can’t seem to find time to finish it.  Its more self-initiated work and I’m feelin’ it for the most part.  But with working a 9-5 and personal obligations I just can’t find the time.  24-hours just isn’t enough anymore.

Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know… “you just have to make time”.  Has anyone ever sat down and analyzed that statement? Take a second…go ahead.  Think about it for a minute or two.  Yeah.   See?  Doesn’t make any sense does it?  You can’t make time if you don’t have any, can you?  Can’t make a cake without flour now can you?  Exactly.  I don’t wanna seem like a crybaby or anything, but it’s remarkably frustrating when you just can’t find the time to pursue your passion and career.  It’s even more frustrating when you have lots of people around you that seem to have no trouble pursuing what it is that they want.  But nnnoooo…. Dre’s gotta go to work.  I know there are plenty of people out there who never enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Moreover, I know that there are quite a few people who never even have the opportunity to pursue their passion.   I know that; I get that.  Hell, you’re probably one of the very people  I’m talkin’ about.  But it’s a real bummer when you’re sittin’ at your desk, ploddin’ along with your day, all the while being aware that you’re completely wasting your time. You’re just treading water, not moving any closer to ‘land’, so to speak.

I sure do wish I could pay my bills with IOU’s.  Because if i could I’d hand ’em out like monopoly money  and stay home to work on this wonderfully bare portfolio-blog.  That, and work on my collection of deconstructionist “indie” comic books. Shuddup.  Don’t judge me.

I really do try to anchor  a negative with a positive so I’ll end this whine-fest with a guarantee:  There will be 2 new posts of actual work I’ve done by no later than August 23rd.  You’d think that a deadline wouldn’t be a positive thing for an aspiring designer, but what can I say? They make me happy.