Everyday I'm hustlin'.

It's been busy as hell around here. I'm beginning to fuse with my art table and am wishing that there were more hours in the day. Never a complaint, just in the process of getting projects done before I leave to do merch for High On Fire November 9th.
I have finished a few projects over the past few months, but haven't been able to post them up per request by the bands. The LAMB OF GOD "Harvest" design is 6 months away and the new TORCHE "Xmas" design will be available on the PART CHIMP tour next month. As soon as I get the okay, I'll post them up.

I CAN post up the new design for NICHE. NICHE hail from gorgeous Savannah, GA and are an awesome 70's style rock band complete with keys. The keys are provided by Corey Barhorst (Kylesa) and their new cd "So Be It" is available through the band. You can also hear some their music here: NICHE!! Corey informed me that they'll be touring again soon and said that their just completed mini tour was a success. I also heard about how bad ass they were from fellow artist, Brian Mercer who text me while the show was going on in. Check them out.
Seeing as I'm in the middle of a tight schedule, this post will be a short one. I have to get back to the art room. I'm working on the new HOWL logo, 2 KYLESA re-issue covers, and the new TORCHE cover, NOISEAR cover, as well as many other projects coming up after I get back from tour.


P.S. The HIGH ON FIRE tour starts on November 9th and I am with them until November 20th. Come out to one of the shows, say hi, get me high (seriously), and see HIGH ON FIRE destroy. Dates are here: HIGH ON FIRE.

Count my fingers nine...

 New High On Fire "Bastard Samurai" design. It will be on sale on their upcoming tour starting March 31st. Visit highonfire.net for more details. I'll write a better entry once I get back from the world outside of my art room.

No end in sight.

  I know that the heading title sounds ominous but it's quite the contrary. I'm currently engaged in inking the new High On Fire "Bastard Samurai" shirt design and it's coming out more epic than I thought it would be. I can't say it enough, but I love having the time to give my full attention to my work. I'm hoping to have the design done in time for HOF's tour (starts March 31st), so I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone until it's completion. 

  More good news keeps rolling in. Last night Shrinebuilder tore it up at Nuemos  and I was able to hang out and talk to Scott for a while after the show. I found that my Shrinebuilder shirt design was their only shirt for this tour and for their European tour. He also added thatl he'll be commissioning me for a Neurosis shirt design in the future as well as a shirt design for a band that I can't mention until it's confirmed. Damn! Neurosis has been one of my favorite bands since the late 80's and doing any work for them is a dream. With that in my future, I can concentrate on my schedule at the moment. Next in line is Lamb of God full color shirt, cover design for the next Kylesa album, new Kylesa shirt, I'm Better Than Everyone Records shirt, HIgh On Fire "Snakes" shirt, Kuma's Corner shirt, and my first Blackbird Clothing shirts. Sometimes, seeing no end in sight is a positive statement.

The busy season.

The month of January isn't over and already 2010 is getting off to a great start. I've been busier than I have ever been and big projects are coming my way almost every week. It's been a good month so far.

At the moment, I'm busy inking the Cobalt "Pregnant Insect" design. This design has been in the works for months now with Erik, Phillip, and I communicating back and forth on the final design. It should be done in the next week and Phillip said that they will be printing the shirts soon after its completion. I will post the image and link to purchase the shirts when they are for sale.

The sketch detail above is from the new "Bastard Samurai" design for High On Fire. I've been working on some new designs for them for a few weeks and have two solid sketches that will be used along with a couple more ideas that are still to come. To help the process along, Des has sent me the High On Fire "Snakes For The Divine" album. It is amazing! I love High On Fire and have liked the last couple of albums, but this album is as solid as they come. The music combined with Matt's descriptive lyrics are invaluable when coming up ideas for designs. I have to thank Des for getting that to me me early. It helps so much. So, on February 23rd go out and pick up "Snakes For The Divine." It's damned worth it.

  

I was informed this week that Bad Acid Magazine tab 9 will be out April 1st worldwide. Bad Acid Magazine is out of the UK and run by a super-cool guy named Dave. The magazine is incredible. It's filled with interviews, reviews, news, new bands, old bands, obscure bands, you name it. Plus each issue comes with a CD filled with tons of bands and a DVD that contains interviews, videos, short films, and art galleries. Not to mention that tab 9 features a cover, an interview, and an art gallery done by yours truly. I was told to find some music to accompany my art slideshow so I need to find a heavy band that will go with the mood of the art. We'll see who answers the call.

Ryan Kasparian from Blackbird Clothing Company (www.blackbirdclothingco.com) e-mailed a month ago to ask if I would be interested in working with BCC in the coming year. Here it is and yes, I am now working with Ryan and BCC. Ryan seems like a cool guy and he does some great work. I'm pretty amped to join the roster of sick artists that BCC already has. It should be a good time and it looks like it may lead to a collaboration with Ryan in the near future. Ryan will also be the one printing my design for Kuma's Corner when it's ready.

And last but not least, I received a call from Phillip Cope the other day and he asked me if I would like to design the cover for the new Kylesa album due out later this year. Of course, I said YES! From talking to Phillip it looks like the cover art will be a bit different from what I am used to doing, but it'll be a great challenge and will make me think outside of the arena of my normal habits & subject matter. I am looking forward to it and can't tell you how happy that news made me! They are one of my favorite bands and a great group of people. It should be a fun process.

That's all for now.

SketchFest.

   The weather has been cold and I love that I haven't had to go out into it. Having the time to work on art everyday is one of the best things that I could have done. So, having all of this time I've been sketching my ass off. With so many projects on the schedule I decided to take a few weeks to sit down and sketch out several projects. That way, I would have the designs ready to ink when the time comes. 

 

I've finished the Lamb Of God sketch that was influenced off of the lyrics to "Choke Sermon" and am waiting for Mark to get back to me on when to start inking it. 

  

The sketch for Cobalt called "Pregnant Insect" was finished and approved yesterday. Even though it's a go on the design, I'm waiting until I have all of my sketching done before I start inking. Here is a detail from the center of the design.

  I also completed a border for Kylesa's "Only One II" design. The design was used for the front of their new tour hoodie and Phillip asked if I could draw them a cool border to go with the design so that they could use it for a shirt on their tour early in the new year. I ended up adding a ribcage border, as the original picture and idea behind "Only One II" was that of the empty space in ones heart. I wanted the scene to extend itself into the border so the heart is continuing through the ribs, as well as the clouds. I extended the ropes that are binding the heart so that they were anchored on to a few of the ribs. Laura already voiced her approval and I'm happy that the image will have some new life breathed into it. Here is a detail from that sketch.

Des just sent me the track listing and lyrics for the new High On Fire "Snakes For The Divine" album and I've already figured on three ideas for designs. While I'm working on that, I'll also be working on a shirt design for Kuma's Corner Restaurant/Bar ( http://www.kumascorner.com/ )in Chicago . What do these 2 things have in common you may ask? Well, Kuma's menu features delicious burgers that are named after metal bands and they are having artists draw up a design for each band that is represented on their menu. I have the High On Fire burger, so while I'm sketching new shirt designs for HOF themselves, I'll also be creating a piece for Kuma's HOF burger during the same brainstorming sessions. I don't have to draw any food, but it has to be a design that reflects the band

and Kuma's. 

  

Another small design for Kuma's Corner is being worked on and more sketches are on the list. The sketch for Karim is in the placement stage, and a logo for Sanctus Bellum is being sketched over and over. I'll be glad when I can start inking them all.

I hope that everyone has a good holiday and is out there truly doing what makes them happy. Even in these trying times. I have a had a hard year turn into one of the best times in recent memory, and I look forward to what 2010 holds for me, my family, and friends. Thank those of you that have supported me and kept my head up during the low times. Thank you to the friends that I have made throughout the world like Kon from Greece,  Yuzuru from Japan, and all of the other artists and art fans that keep me going. Next year will only get better and I can't wait.