GOOD DESIGN

I'm a sucka for good design. From print to the kitchen sink, I love surrounding myself with good design.

Now, Bek-Deezy and I have a pretty eclectic collection of dishwares but YO...these below are SO fresh!


The Buddha Bowl is designed to rest in the palm of your hand and can be used for rice, lattés, ice cream, and even cereal. The handmade bowl is designed by Flavour Design. This interdisciplinary design company from Canada strive to design products that make people say “why didn’t i think of that!” The company owners Élan and Mark Falvai: “Our pieces aim to be clever yet elegant with a strong emphasis on ergonomics and functionality. We believe that the items you choose to surround yourself with should be interesting. They should enable you to strike up a conversation or at least make you smile”.


Their Udon Noodle Bowl is fun, elegant, and ergonomic. This bowl, which is also handmade, is available in eight colors and comes complete with chopsticks. More information about these bowls, and all their other products, can be found on Flavour Design’s website.

NOTHING LIKE THIS

Daniel Garcia's video for J Dilla's "Nothing Like This" is beautiful. It's kind of like, Finding Nemo with a Tim Burton twist. Can't go wrong with that. Check it below...



Stones Throw posted a series of Ruff Draft related interviews on their YouTube page. They feature Dilla's mom, Illa J, Dave New York, J ROCC, Rhettmatic, Karriem Riggins, and Peanut Butter Wolf. There's nothing better than people sharing great stories about their friends.

CURRENT MOOD




"Irregular Flow" on Vimeo

via Wooster Collective

GUADALUPE, CA BOUND



I'm off to visit the familia tomorrow. I'll be gone for a few days. I'll be on the Amtrak working on class projects and sleeping for most of the morning and afternoon. It's also a good time for me to reflect. The scenery is ever-changing and beautiful. I'll try to take a few pictures.

This is just a taste of what the beauty of the central coast looks like:



Here's a track for you to enjoy while I'm gone.
This track may be a little throwback for some but I think it's the joint!
Dedicated to my brothers (who are also my friends) Luis and Johnny...oh, and Nick cause he likes the cowbell, haha ;)

MidAir_EaseOut.mp3 (12.89 MB)

This is off of Full Scope Records out of Chicago...and if anyone knows where I can get a copy of it on wax, PLEASE hit me!
Oh, and If you're going to listen to the track at all...listen to it all the way through, damnit.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

PEACE/PAZ!

ERIK'S MUSIC



What inspires me? People.

I've been fortunate enough to meet people at the Academy of Art that are as passionate about design as I am. They make going to class exciting. I look forward to sharing my ideas with these people knowing that they are as excited to grow creatively as I am.

Last semester I grew to know a designer you should all watch out for. His name is Erik and he was born and raised in Texas. We had a couple of classes together before last semester and I gotta say this guy's stuff has grown to intimidate me, haha. He might not think so but he pays a lot of attention to detail and has pulled out a lot of strong projects.

Anyway, aside from being a great designer Erik's also a musician and yo this cat can make some dope tracks! He put up a few tracks that him and a friend worked on using a Les Paul and GarageBand. He did the beats and mixed everything down. I have to say I was very impressed! This was their first run and these track are good.

Check them out for yourselves on Erik's Blog (My favorite's the second one...but they're all dope!): I Usually Dont Impose

These tracks below are dedicated to Erik cause he's the biggest Beck fan I know but you're all welcome to download them. :)

Dark Star (Dave Sitek from TVOTR Remix).mp3 (5.7 MB)

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (JoolsMF Remix).mp3 (6.66 MB)

Enjoy!

LADY LEXX x MAMA CLOTHING

Below are better pictures of some shirts I worked on for MAMA's Autumn/Winter 2007 Collection. They were all done in Illustrator CS. We give the silkscreener vector images and they put them in a computer that does the damn thing and BAM we get these babies.

Check em!

Imagine, August 2007


Mucha & Wave, August 2007


Lichtenstein & Rene Gruau May 2007 (Just the Lichtenstein. Gabriella worked on the Rene Gruau.)


What do you guys think? :)

Peep the rest of the collection HERE.

ISO50

I've been diggin' on ISO50 for hot minute now. I love their art direction and color palettes. Cheeeeeeck it:



Two new ISO50 Prints Released

The "Vuela" and the "Past is Prologue" prints are both now available at the ISO50 Shop. The latter features artwork from the "Past is Prologue" album. If you missed out on the limited edition folded posters that came with the first run of the CD, here's your chance to get the full size artwork.
Check them out here >


ISO50 - iso50.com
Tycho - tychomusic.com
Tycho on Myspace - Myspace.com/tycho
ISO50 on MySpace - Myspace.com/iso50

LE RANDOM

Sometimes I cruise on ETSY looking for inspiration. Today I came across DKim's ETSY store and man, this girl is certified cool!

Her Profile reads:
"A designer/illustrator working and playing in New York. I am an artist because I couldn't make it as a ninja."

Hahaha, Fuckin' great! I'm jackin' that...

Lexx's Profile:
I'm a designer/illustrator working and playing in San Francisco. I'm an artist because I couldn't make it as the female version of Chuck Norris.

Then she has these prints of original illustrations...and yo, I always say these things!



I've been saying this since I was little. Pepe Le Pew's pervy ass would chase this cat everywhere. When the cat was tired and trying to catch her breath or when she was sitting at her window thinking about him she'd "Le Sigh."



The above is something I say in my head to my teachers after a crit or out loud to my friends and fam when I get stressed...I usually follow it with: "You don't know what it's like when you try, and you try, and you try and you never get there!" (from the movie I Am Sam).

Haha...ok, I've said too much.

The End.

TYPOGRAPHY SCHOOL FILM



Typography School - A film by Omair Barkatulla.


Via Swiss Miss

FRENCH PUNK



....dedicated to Bekka, my roommate and the biggest francophile I know.

Pavillon 36 by Bérurier Noir

Amputé by Bérurier Noir

Bérurier Noir is a French punk band formed in Paris in 1983 by Loran (guitar), François (vocals) and Dédé (drum machine). They called themselves "noir" (black) for the color of mourning (because their first concert was planned to be also their last) and for anarchy and "Bérurier" after the character from the novels of Frédéric Dard. Instead of being an end, the success of their first show inspired them to continue. A cult band, Bérurier Noir were loved by a generation of youth and feared by concert organizers for the riots that followed their shows.

MUSIC TO SHARE

My greatest joy is to give to people. Yes it's a tad corny but true. I like giving ideas, art, smiles, laughs, love...and music. So here you go:

Download & Enjoy!

HYPOCRITE LOVE by AIR vs ANTIBALAS

PS. I take requests! Funk, Psych, Punk, Jazz...I got it all.

KERRI SMITH

I bought this book via Amazon:


Living Out Loud
written & illustrated by Keri Smith

Who also runs the coolest blog:
WISH JAR: Explorations of the Familiar

Who also created the coolest survival kit:

The Artist's Survival Kit

Enjoy!

LOVE IS...

...the book I just finished reading: Love is a Mix Tape: Life & Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield. It took me a week...and what a wonderful week it was! It was filled with emotions and laughs and it ruled my life (I took this book EVERYWHERE!)...I even slowed down toward the end because I didn't want it to end. At the same time, I was excited to pass it on to my roommate, Bekka. I need someone to talk to about this book, damnit! So, yea...it's in her hands now...and she's a fast reader. I can't wait!

I do have to say, I don't really recommend this book to those who don't have a strong connection with the '90s (people under the age of 20). Most of the book takes place during that era. It took me back! I even, subconsciously, bought a sweater similar to the one that Kurt Cobain wears on the MTV Unplugged video (Yep, I named that sweater "Cobain.")

I could say so much about this book but I'm not a great writer...Rob Sheffield is.
So don't take my word for it. If you dig music, read this book.

CURRENTLY READING:



Love is a Mix Tape: Life & Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob Sheffield.

I'm only three chapters in and I'm in love...This book was written for me. More about it later.

WASSUP ROCKERS



I was excited to see Larry Clark's Wassup Rockers ...but was very disappointed when I finally did.
Although it had some really good moments, they were very few. I don't really recommend it.
Rent In The Realms of the Unreal: The Myster of Henry Darger instead. :)

IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL...

In The Realms of the Unreal: The Myster of Henry Darger is my new favorite documentary. This movie was amazing! I don't buy a lot of movies but I'll be buying this one sometime soon.



Henry Darger worked all his life in menial jobs in Chicago. Living alone and in poverty, he had no friends or close family. Spending all his off hours alone, he whiled away the hours working on a 15,000 page illustrated novel called The Realms of the Unreal. A stunning amalgam of religious imagery, fantasy, and heroic drama, the work was only discovered after Darger was moved to a hospital during the last days of his life. Darger also wrote journals and an autobiography. The documentary uses interviews with Darger's neighbors and narration of passages from his works, along with his illustrations, to explore the mind and work of Henry Darger.

If you've seen it or end up seeing it let me know what you think!