The Illustrated Urban Dictionary pt. 1

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Hey there Blog. This week went by at the speed of light. I thought it would have been slower, since Conan is now in exile until September. Anyway, I'm starting a new personal series entitled The Illustrated Urban Dictionary. Basically, I'm cherry picking terms that I like from the Urban Dictionary and illustrating them. It's a great mental exercise and I don't think anyone's done it before (correct me if I'm wrong).

I started out with two random ones (the fact that they both begin with an "F" is a coincidence). Also, I'm not doing it alphabetically, because that would be ridiculous.

This Is About 'Racing'

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Hello Blog. Here is another piece for the same Alfa Romeo show in Milan, Italy to celebrate their 100th anniversary. I actually started this first, but sat on it for a while before finishing. It's the same size as the previous piece (50" x 77"), except its horizontal. At that size, all the empty space really takes on different vibe. I cant wait to see it on a wall.

Forward Go

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Good morning Blog. I was recently asked to participate in a gallery show to commemorate Alfa Romeo's 100th anniversary, which for you non-gearheads is an Italian automaker owned by the Fiat Group. This final piece is 77 inches tall and 50 inches wide, and hearkens back to vintage racing as well as vintage poster design. The show takes place this Spring in Milan, Italy. I just got my passport renewed, so maybe I'll be jumping on a plane soon.

*update* Because of some size requirements I adjusted the piece to fit 103"x51". Personally, I'm glad because the crop feels much stronger now. The print is available for purchase here.

MonsterVsMan vs Tattoos

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Hi Blog. Last week my friend and frequent collaborator Tshombe Knight (founder of The OMBE Shop) called me from a tattoo shop in Charlotte, North Carolina. He came out with some ink in honor of a side project we've been working on for a while now. I hadn't posted this logo I did anywhere yet but it's pretty cool seeing it on skin before anything else. Damn, I need one now.

Also, thanks to The Interesting Express, for shouting me out.

P.S. TEAM CONAN.

Extreme Takeover Pt. 2 *updated*

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Happy Friday Blog. Here are pics from last Sunday's episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition with some commentary. I helped work on Mychal's football themed room and it was an honor, as Sandy Morris is a saint. While I was watching the episode I kept thinking "Wow, she's amazing. They need to build her TWO houses". Anyway, Mychal loves the Chicago Bears, hence the blue and orange color scheme.

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Safari

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Good morning Blog. This is a piece I recently finished for The New Yorker. It's based on a short story by Jennifer Egan entitled "Safari", which is about a family in turmoil that goes on vacation in Africa. It's truly a heart-wrenching story, and I loved reading it. Also, I believe it's an excerpt from her upcoming novel A Visit from the Goon Squad. I'm definitely looking forward to that. Below is the full illustration.

Also, later I'll post pics from last night's episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that I worked on (I did the "football" room).

Other than that, its 2010! Hoverboards are five years away!

Extreme Takeover in 2010

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Happy New Year Blog. '09 was great and I got to accomplish a lot of personal and professional goals (but with still so much left to check off). I'm starting off 2010 right with the new episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airing this Sunday, January 3rd at 8/7c on ABC. I had the honor of helping design a room in the Morris' house in St. Paul, Minn. It was a lot of fun and definitely one of the most rewarding projects of the year. I have yet to see the final results myself, but I'll post screen caps sometime soon. Oh, and did I mention that The Muppets are the guest stars? I'm praying they shoot Gonzo out of a cannon. Here's the official press release:

Capturing the momentum of the Obama administration's focus on volunteerism, EMHE will show that community service is cool again with a new GET ON THE BUS campaign. This is the first season EMHE will have famous celebrities and extraordinary volunteers GET ON THE BUS for the weeks of the house-building". This particular Minnesota build, the MUPPETS joined Ty and the designers, local builder TJB Homes and hundreds of volunteers and workers to give this family the home of their dreams!

As a community, we came together and orchestrated life-changing events for this special family. Sandra Morris showed that family can extend beyond a blood line, and emphasizes the importance of cultural education amongst children. She was not willing to give up her daycare no matter what financial challenges she faced. This episode proves that hard work and persistence pays off! Definitely not one to miss!