The Kirby Machine / Story Motel zine exhibit

I am showing in a gallery exhibition at the Owl & Lion gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 14 - June 12.

The show is titled Story Motel, and 50 artist from around the world were asked to create a "zine" in an edition of 25 copies of their zine to sell, produced just for the exhibition.

My piece is titled The Kirby Machine, and is a 2-sided fold-out poster, screen printed in an intentionally streaky punk style. And as a "fanzine" should be, its a throwback to my high school obsessions; Jack Kirby, comic books, cosmic technology and Zipatone shading film.

The artwork is screen printed on both sides with a random split-fountain technique. I had 2 editions printed; the folded text weight booklet version for sale at the show and a flat, heavyweight paper poster version (available for sale on my web site eriktjohnson.us)

All Bonds

This illustration is running in Newsweek's business section this week with a story about the elevated value of bonds in the current stock market crisis. I went down several expected routes in depicting such a dry business subject (I got stuck on the idea of battling eagles) -- when at some point the editor, maxed out on months of endless financial stories, came up with this concept. I think it's a great one, and it sure was fun to draw! (Psychedelic vers was the first, but the yellow looked better on the page.)

Say “Uncle” - sketches

A few weeks ago, Newsweek asked me to do an illustration for their business page. The topic was American business leaders who, during the Great Depression, did the right thing by accepted only $1 a year in pay. It is almost impossible to imaging the same thing happening now, but who knows.

Anyway, the final illustration has not run yet (shuffled by other stories), but I really like these other sketches based on an Uncle Sam theme that we moved away from. (They certainly allowed allowed me a therapeutic opportunity to vent on the topic- I also like that the first one kinda looks like Eisner's Spirit)

Rearranged Perception

I usually avoid open-call design competitions but I saw on Facebook that my friend Erik Brandt was following an autism poster competition, a great cause, with some great judges. I became intrigued, and while I was reading my 3-1/2 year old was rearranging a wooden rainbow toy into the shape of a little person. I thought this was an apt metaphor for the way all children - but especially autistic children - perceive the world differently (plus, rainbows are made of perception, sunlight and rain.)

FaceBook Poster Design Contest _ Autism

http://www.diversamenteonlus.org/

Tinkering with Flying

A new one for the New York Times Book Review’s piece on Flying by Eric Kraft.

Extreme Survival

5280 is Denver's city magazine that, due to it's remarkable location, runs a lot of stories on outdoor sports. They have given me several great assignments including this one titled “Survival Stories,” which is a series of first-hand accounts of near-death experiences. I proposed we handle it with drawings in the 2-color style of the old Boy’s Life magazine testimonial comics.

UPDATE -- Oh BAMM Ah!

A few weeks before the election, and just for fun, I quickly drew Obama in the style of the great comic book artist Jack Kirby (another hero of mine). My friends at the New York Times used the drawing in a small art show, which came to the attention of the editors of OBAMA The Historic Journey (a coffee table book published to commemorates the election/inauguration).

The drawing found a home next to an opinion piece by Bob Herbert, and it also humbly resides along side the work of great illustrators like Barry Blitt, Phillip Burke and Stephen Savage who were also included.

http://www.amazon.com/Obama-Historic-New-York-Times/dp/1594488932

(My previous post on this art): Guess I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about this whole election thing - at least enough to draw Mr. Obama in action... Kirby-style! (Bear with me: it just puts a few of my heroes together in one place).

“What Was I Thinking” Book Out - Cover on Today Show

Today Show link

Big congrats to Barbara Davilman and Liz Dubelman for their Today Show appearance this AM in support of their book “What Was I Thinking?”!!!

(Who knew Billy Bush was such an enthusiast on dating stories!? He kind of man-handled my cover art, but it was nice to see it spin - TV news style - across the screen!)

Inauguration anticipation

I had the privelege of illustrating the New York Times (Week on Review)“Viewers Guide to the Inauguration.” Link here (and click the illustrations towards the bottom of the page).

new web site

check out my new site eriktjohnson.us, where I've been able to get my work indexed and somewhat organized.

Autophobia

Who's afraid..?
NY Times Book Review; Autophobia

Yes, Nozone

Nicholas Blechman began publishing Nozone as an underground 'zine that uses comics and design to speak up about the nation and world's most pressing issues. Now he publishes it with the prestigious Princeton Architectural Press, but it still retains a flavor that many would consider radical.

I would argue that it is not radical, but one of the truest voices you can find in this political climate - (actually more of a chorus of talented individuals finding their voice in print).

I've been lucky enough to contribute to the last several issues of Nozone, and here are a few pages of Weatherman from the latest issue.

It can be purchased now on Amazon and a book store near you.

Check out more work for this issue by Fuchswell and an interview with Nicholas with more art here.

A Poster Idea

I posted this concept sketch to the official Barack Obama web site.

Hopeful Sketches

a few Barack Obama drawings from the sketchbook.

Summer Fun

Philladelphia magazine gave it's readers an instructional guide to having fun this summer. A few topics included go-carting, running through sprinklers and crashing weddings.
Thanks, Michael McCormick.

Chillin on a Hot Summer Day

A fun one for Nick Mag (and another excuse to draw a penguin). Thanks Caitlin Keegan.

Gross Net

A NY Times Op-Ed letters illustration about mosquito net donations to malaria ridden countries. (Link). Thanks to Kim Bost and Brian Rea.

Loose Teeth

Congratulations to Toby Barlow and the release of his fantastic poem/novel Sharp Teeth. It is an ambitiously unusual book about werewolf packs at war in urban LA, and how they intersect with human civilization.

I had the chance to hear Toby read and speak about his book tonight - he was hilarious and enlightening, having put much thought and research into it. Coincidentally, his partner, graphic designer Keira Alexandra, is an old friend of mine from college.

Even more coincidentally, I was asked to sketch cover ideas for Sharp Teeth by the awesome Paul Sahre, who was designing the book a year or so ago (My drawing above). The book switched publishers in the process, and (unfortunately for me) they used great existing art from it's UK edition. The final book can be seen, and bought with high recommendation, here.

Sharp Teeth Updated and Animated

This animation evolved out of the aborted book cover illustration for Sharp Teeth. Toby Barlow, the author, and I discussed an idea I had for the novel - to put a flip book of a beautiful woman transforming into a wolf in the corner of the book.

Toby thought it would be a great concept for an promo which may appear soon. This is an animation test of the idea, tying in the title illustration. Check out the Sharp Teeth web site which contains several amazing finished animations.

Papa-Zow

Written by Brian Frazer, The Krazy Korner Fun Page is a very funny idea brought to me by LA Magazine (for their back page Hollywoodland feature). It includes all sorts of puzzles, mazes and activities that satirize headline-grabbing celebrities. A.D. Joe Kimberling let me throw in the portrait of K-Fed and a Range Rover full of kids, for kicks.