Lisa Hanawalt recently released her book, I Want You through Buenaventura Press. It's chock full of Lisa's super rad drawings. If you hurry you may be able to snatch up one of the signed and doodled in copies by Lisa. Also available on her website is her award winning 'zine Stay Away From Other People. To see more of Lisa's detailed drawerings check out her flickr page.
The very first thing that drew me to the band The Decemberists were the illustrations on their first album Castaways and Cutouts by Carson Ellis. The scratchy, old-timey drawings seemed so epic and full of stories. I was taken immediately, then of course the band blew me away. I'm not sure I would have picked up that album if it hadn't been for Carson's drawings. Her work, the bands style and the lyrics go hand in hand (no surprise as Carson is married to front man Collin Meloy), the whole package in and of itself is pretty amazing. (I saw the band on tour in 2004 at Bottom of the Hill in SF and scored a cute t-shirt with a bicycle drawn by Carson.) Nationale has original work of Carson's right now for sale. Oh what I wouldn't do to have an original. Just look at how beautiful these are. See more here.
Sergio Membrillas sent me a short but sweet little email, so I decided to check out his blog and sadly I can not read Spanish...but I liked what I saw. He's a super talented illustrator for sure. The below drawing was in last month's BUST.
Gareth Roberts hit me up while I was in SF...I like his work, especially his take on magician's hands. Who doesn't want to click on a website that's called OH GEE? Gareth has done a bunch of illustrative work for Dazed and Confused, some of which I have posted here. Check him out. Neat-o.
Gavin Potenza has updated his portfolio site! It's filled with eye poppin' work. He just recently jumped into the deep end of the freelance pool (without floaties) and he his having the life of his time!
Mister Potenza is a communicative designer living in the fine city of Portland, OR (So many good people there, Hi Kate & Clifton). Gavin works in print, web, and contributes to the blog The Strange Attracter.
Nate Duval speaks my language. We have similar taste in music, shapes, and even some colors!
Check out his mighty fine posters and prints.
My former professor / amazing friend / mentor Kate Bingaman-Burt has been working like a well oiled machine since Devendra Banhart starting making music and growing a beard. She's been around the blog block a few times so the internet knows how she consumes, documents, and makes makes makes.
For the past year or so she has been drawing night and day for the J Crew company Madewell 1937.
I just love her line work and use of color. But duh, we all do! And shall I even talk about her hand lettering? Nah, I'd rather just look at images. So check out all her maps on ze TOTE BAGS! So much fun, ya'll.
Besides inspiring young designers and drawing until her hand hurts, Kate is speaking at this year's How Design Conference. Booyah! :)
Oh, hello! Will Bryant here to tell you a secret....you're on the internet! While you're here check these dudes, Andy J. Miller and Jeffrey "Mr Bowlegs" Bowman.
They are the collaborative magicians that conjure up illustration spells known as the The Wizard's Hat. Under this platform the two gents collaborate with dreamy illustrators on self initiated projects. By projects I mean really rad, wonderous, treats for your eyes. The Wizard's Hat has done projects for Nike, YCN, Action Aid, Converse, The Mooncats, and Cambridge University.
Issue 3 of their self-titled zine is heading to print soon and will include a bonus disc with various contributing musicians. It includes an exclusive track by John Ringhofer of Half-Handed Cloud and this FREE DOWNLOAD / "The Power of Seven" by Andy's very own musical project Postinople Clones.
MOAR ILLUSTRATIONS PLZ!
Just in case you missed it...FREEE mp3! here it is just winking at you.
Alex Lukas is a solid dude who means business. I met Alex through a mutual friend two or three years ago. Ever since then, time and again, I've been awed by his artist's energy and quality of work. Looking closely at his portfolio, whether it's his drawings, prints or zines, one can sense the command over his media, as well as an attention to detail. Alex works out of Space 1026 in Philadelphia, and was nice enough to chat with me on the Google box. He touched on his most recent series.
DS: So I see that you've got some newish work up on the website.
AL: Yes.
DS: I guess I'm just curious how you feel about it. It seems like an upgraded version of the stuff done previously.
AL: Yeah, I think that I am just trying to explore some of the same ideas and thoughts but in a more, I don’t know, visually complex way?
DS: Yeah I see that. Is that mostly aesthetic for you or are there narrative things going on too?
AL: Well, I have been thinking a lot about that lately. I think the newer work, because maybe it is a little more complex, it might lend itself to clearer narrative ideas. I have some mixed feelings about that. I think before, when I first started on this series of work, it was very much about conveying more of an emotion, and less of a clear story. The goal was to inspire some vague sense of anxiety or un-ease, the drawings were intended to be "moody" in a way. Whereas now, as they get more complex and more involved, I think they look more narrative, and that makes sense, but it is a struggle to not have the work be overly illustrative. It is something I am trying to be conscious of.
DS: And that sort of parallels the apocalyptic subject matter.
AL: Yeah, I mean, I think especially with the newer work—the flooded cityscapes. People immediately jump to some global warming theme. I mean I fully understand that interpretation but these pieces are not strictly intended as "warnings". I hope the interpretation can be more open then that, but I guess that is also something I am working on. I like the work to be open ended.
Bwana Spoons is one half of the team that founded Grass Hut in Portland. I'm a big fan of his gnarly, Mary Blair-esque illustrations. He also makes some of the coolest looking art toys I've ever seen. He's got some work going up at Double Punch in San Francisco next month.
You can also check out his regularly updated Flickr stream here.
