Friday, January 30, 2009

Pushing Forward


In my search for work, I've been trying to update all the places where I have portfolios posted. Today I worked on Coroflot.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

More Savage Monsters Stickers...


Getting ready to do another run of the classic color Savage Monsters logo sticker. I am however, updating the art on the crack-n-peel back...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Updated Savage Monsters Fan Club Shirt!




Back by popular demand, I'll be doing another run of the Savage Monsters Fan Club t-shirt. This time, the design is a little bit revamped and...it's gonna be done in glow-in-the-dark ink! They'll sell for $16. Available SOON!

Clash Of The Titans

I need a job. And I'd like to have one that people understand. Or is easy to explain. Doctor, lawyer, policeman, fireman. People have a hard time understanding what an illustrator or animator do, until you show them exactly what you do. A picture is worth a thousand words. I thought my days of explaining were over when I left Danya to work for American Greetings. At Danya, I worked on projects that were SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) and mostly had to be 508 compliant. That kind of talk doesn't play too well at parties. I thought I was on easy street when I started working for American Greetings. Everyone knows about American Greetings, right? Over the past 3 years, I've learned how oblivious and ignorant people are about the greeting card business. And on top of it, they just don't care.

I can't count how many times I've had a conversation at a party similar to this...

Someone I've just met: "So, what do you do?"
Me: "I work for American Greetings."
Someone: "Oh? How is it working for Hallmark?"

The thing that really baffles me is that it's been so clear in my mind for as long as I can remember: Hallmark, Kansas City; American Greetings, Cleveland. Meanwhile, other people have no idea if American Greetings is a division of Hallmark. Or is it the other way around? Wait...aren't they based in New York? Why is the distinction so clear to me and so blurred for 99.9% of the population?

I guess I'm an oddball. I grew up in Kansas City, home of Hallmark. I had books put out by Hallmark growing up. And I loved greeting card humor. As I got older, I got into underground comics and learned about Robert Crumb and his stint at American Greetings in Cleveland. Are these the bits that make it all so clear for me?

But what makes the distinction so non-existent for others? Mainly, I think they simply don't care. Even the people I went to school with...illustrators, graphic designers, etc., are still ignorant. The bulk of the population really could care less about the greeting card business. They buy cards out of obligation with no regard to the maker. Ergo, there's no difference between the two. It's sad and funny seeing the 2 titans of greeting cards competing, trying to distinguish themselves from each other, and copying each other at the same time.

I'm out of that rat race. At least for the moment.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Links To Dave Savage's Recent Commercial Work

Some of the things I worked on in the past few years while at American Greetings....

E-cards...
Can't Thank You Enough
Chick Speak
What Do The Numbers Say?
Bunny Tracks
Bad Santa
What It’s Like Inside
Smashed Pumpkins
Karoling Kittens
Medieval Birthday Wish
Weiner Day
Temporary Insanity Day
Cranky Baby Man
ABC’s Of Our Life Together

Postable RSS Feed...
Drink of the Day

Upload A Photo Postables...
One Fine Buck
One Fine Doll

Postable Game...

Candy Cannon


Instant Messaging Winks...
Happy Hanukkah!
Hungry
Headbanger
OMG
Farting Dog
Ouija Board

Postables With Video..
Classic Kiss
Spanking
Sexy Dreams

Postable E-cards...

Shark Birthday

Rotten Apple
Smell Ya Later –Blech & Bleu

Blech & Bleu Winks (Illustration and storyboard by me, animation by Chris Kennett)
Hang In There –Blech & Bleu
Hi –Blech & Bleu
Snot –Blech & Bleu
Vomit –Blech & Bleu
Gas -Blech & Bleu

Postables...
Congratulations
Royally Insulted
Royally Sick
Royally Sweet
Hair Caring
Eat It
Obsolete
BurpDay

Emoticons
Queen Emos
Candy Corn Emos
Baseball Emos
Twerp Emos
Tiki Emos
Savage Skull Emos
Bag Guy Emos
Blech & Bleu Emos
Ninja Emos

Animated Display Pictures With Moods...
Cupid Display Pic
Skater Display Pic
Ninja VS. Pirate Display Pic
Zombie Display Pic
Snowman Display Pic
Bad Santa Display Pic

eTards (I found photos in the American Greetings database, wrote the tag lines, and created the look and feel of these.)
Cake Face
Smothered With Love
Get Well Sorta Soon
Bosom Buddies
Thanks Amigo
Just Desserts
Sugar Daddy
Downhill
Farting Around
Bitchy
Spaz
Death Wishes
Little Witch
Candy Corn Kid
Questionable Costumes
Sweet Aftermath
Ween Treat

Friday, January 09, 2009

All Hands On Decks



I just cranked out this poster for an art show that I'll be in. Check out the blog for the show...

All Hands On Decks

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Boris Worstlow



Statement from Boris Worstlow...

Well, the Russian mail order bride didn't work out quite as I had planned. The doctors think I'll be walking in the next 3 to 6 months. And Svetlana is adjusting to her prosthesis just fine. Really, it's no one's fault. I blame the mescaline.