Pieper

Carolina Chocolate Drops - WHAT!?

2010-11-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

How does this happen? I pretty much troll music blogs obsessively, and have been focused on bluegrass music for the past year or so. So how, then, has it taken me this long to discover the Carolina Chocolate Drops?? Watch and listen to this song below...I guarantee you've never heard anything like this before.

AND they have multiple albums out!? I hang my head in shame as I ponder ways to better search the music world for truly refreshing sounds...

Wheels are good....

2010-11-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

We've got two videos below that both showcase the benefit of having a wheeled activity in one's life. It is so inspiring to see the smiles, see the faces, and hear the stories that have emerged from these 'underground' organizations. People might say..."Oh, it's just biking...it's just skating" - but no, it's much more than that. Confidence and creativity can go a long way in life, and it's so exciting to see a new generation of social awareness based around these sports.

SKATEISTAN: TO LIVE AND SKATE KABUL from Diesel New Voices on Vimeo.

Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.

This is Hip-Hop!

2010-11-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

Well, what can you say about this? If this is hip-hop, I've been very mis-informed...

THIS IS HIP-HOP! from Airwave Ranger on Vimeo.

Gavin Drumm Edit

2010-10-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

There is so much good stuff going on in rollerblading right now, so expect to see a barrage of skate-related posts in the weeks to come. For today, we have Gavin Drumm, a UK skater who just oozes style and brings tons of creative hits to his skate game. This is exactly the type of skating that I enjoy watching!

INRI AU FLOWFAM • GAV THE SAV from INRICLOTH on Vimeo.

Home Sweet Home...

2010-10-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled across these photographs of the rural south, taken by an Athens, GA native, Evan Leavitt. They are equal parts charming and haunting. This is kind of what everyone pictures when they think of Georgia - if they have not been there themselves. But in al reality, the average visitor would never make it far enough out into the sticks to see these kind of settings. I, on the other hand, can remember driving past building like this all the time growing up...driving up into the mountains to hike. Anyway, they are beautiful, and I wanted to share...

Safety First

2010-09-14T23:34:00.000-07:00

For real...safety in the workplace should be on the top of everyone's mind. I know it's cool to climb ladders with no supervision, and oil up machines without unplugging them...but if you thought it was all fun and games, this should serve as a humbling reminder.

iPhone Photo Dump

2010-09-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

This is just what is says it is, a large dump of random photos that have been taking up space on my phone. Just imagine you are a wee tiny little traveller who stays in my pocket and goes everywhere I go, and sees everything I see. How exciting! And I guess it is worth noting that I have no shame in utilizing the now-cliché Hipstamatic app on my phone. It's just too dang fun...

Some Skate Stuff

2010-08-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

As always, some fresh skate goodness to share... First you got Adam representing the dirty south on his blades, followed by some fun 'create and skate' experiments.

PANO-RAMA-VISION 3000

2010-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I've been snapping quite a few panoramic series from my iPhone lately. Here are a few, all stitched together for our collective enjoyment. Daily commute on the Santa Monica beach path, Venice Beach skatepark, & top of the world at June Mountain. Click image for larger view:

BLAIR CRIMMINS & THE HOOKERS

2010-02-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I have the honor of currently designing the cd and vinyl artwork for Blair's new band! I have really enjoyed working with him through the years, and this new venture of his is simply amazing. I'll post pics of the packaging when it is more finalized. Until then, enjoy this live recording from one of his shows:

LOOK AT YOUR MAN

2010-02-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

I saw this commercial the other day while in a packed movie theater. I swear every single person in there was laughing. Such a quick, witty and creative commercial. I must have watched it 20 times now, and I till can't get enough. I think it's a combination of his voice and the overall pace and absurdity of it all. Anyway - take a look - and I dare you not to laugh!

CHICHA POWER

2010-02-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

Creative Review, a London-based creative magazine and website, put together this little piece about music/event promoters in Peru. What a great little glimpse into another world - and inspiring at the same time.

ART & COPY TRAILER

2010-02-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

Director Doug Pray has created an insightful documentary into the world of advertising. He stressed that despite the bad reputation advertising holds, his film had to be made without judgement. “I’ve done a lot of documentaries about artists and mavericks and I tried to approach this in the same way,” he said. “Advertising is hard to do films about, as it’s so hated. So I tried to approach it in a non-judgmental way.” I have not seen the film yet, but the trailer definitely peaks my interest.

OVERGROUND BROADCAST SKATE VIDEO

2010-02-23T23:49:00.000-08:00

Gotta love this. Crazy Asian skateboard edit with amazingly creating skating and weird editing. This is what skating is really all about. Skating the un-skateable and having fun...

WHOAH NICE VIDEO YO

2010-02-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Basia Bulat

2010-02-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

I have recently stumbled across this musician - and have become an immediate fan. I've really had a thing for folky female singer/songwriters lately, and Basia fits the bill perfectly. She is playing a show in LA on March 12 at The Hotel Cafe. Go check it out!

A LITTLE MOVING PICTURE SHOW

2010-02-04T21:34:00.000-08:00

The film team at TOMS recently released this new video, promoting their great intern program. This video is great - and I even get a little cameo! The entire edit was shot on a Canon 7D, which really surprised me at first, given some of the great depth of field and color. I think they did a great job, and i wanted to share. Enjoy!

STAR WARS vs ADIDAS

2010-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

So I am not a huge Star Wars fan. I mean, I love the movies, but I choose to go nuts over other things in life. Be that as it may, my inner fan-boy got the best of me when I saw these footwear mash-ups. I've included only a few of the large collection launching this summer. As for me, I've got my eyes on the 80's style orange Skywalkers!

INTO TIME

2010-02-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this hypnotic little time waster. Just click around on the screen to break sections into multiple halves. Check it out at intotime.com

KEVIN DOWLING IS STILL GETTING DIRTY

2010-01-31T20:38:00.001-08:00

I posted about this a while back, but my buddy Kevin Dowling is still going for his 365 days of skate clips. Here is one of his recent posts:

PUMA PRESENTS...

2010-01-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

I have stumbled across a few different Puma videos lately, and they have all been pretty striking. The first video is a brief glimpse in the mind and process of artist, Kehinde Wiley, as he works on an African soccer painting. I love the message of this video and the fact that something as trivial as a sport can bring people together. The second video is an amazing piece for Puma Golf. The wizards at National Forest really knocked this out of the park. So fun and creative! Click here for some more info on this project.

BMX POSTERS FOR LONDON OLYMPICS

2010-01-03T22:31:00.001-08:00

Grafik magazine organized a project to create posters for each Olympic even during London Design Festival a few weeks ago.

Music, a design studio in Manchester got BMX as their nominated sport and created posters by getting BMX riders to ride around in paint in a warehouse. Each bike used started off completely white.

"Music were one of the 30 agencies invited by Grafik to design a poster celebrating an Olympic sport for their exhibition that was part of London Design Festival," explains Music's Ali Johnson.

"We were asked to design a poster for BMX, which was a stroke of genius/fate because Manchester is the home of British Cycling and Team GB. We enlisted the help of 3 young members of Manchester BMX Club and their coach Sam Foakes (former World No.1 Flatland BMX Champion) who helped us 'make the posters'. It's them on the bikes in the film...not us...we'd have fallen off!

We then persuaded Olympic 2010 BMX hopeful (and Manchester based) Shanaze Reade to sign 100 of them. All proceeds going to the British Paralympic Fund and the charity Right To Play."

WE ARE THE GOLDEN STATUES

2010-01-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

Finally getting around to posting this. During one of our skate/letterpress days, Mike made a funny comment that we instantly decided to use for our project that day. From the moment the silly words exiting his lips to the final print was probably about 4 hours. We snapped each of our headshots on my iPhone, then I mixed out two faces together and ran a bunch of digital prints of that while he mixed our metallic ink and set the wood type for the overlay. So fun to brainstorm and create on the fly!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

2009-12-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

Here's to everyone summoning the same excitement for 2010!

ERIK STOKLEY

2009-12-17T22:49:00.000-08:00

Here's some good raw skating for your Friday morning:

BEACH DOG

2009-12-15T21:58:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I feel guilty that my dog has to live out his life in tree-less Los Angeles. But his days at the beach help to make up for it.

BLADING THE EDGE

2009-12-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

I will always be the first in line to laugh at things that make fun of rollerblading. As a life-long participant of a sport that is the focus of so much hatred, I find intense pleasure in the fact that people try to bring it down. Rollerbladers have a lot of negative history to overcome, not to mention that the most visible side of the sport is the latex beach crowd. But try as it might, the action sport world as a whole has not been able to make us give up. The current level of rollerblading has been thriving, and the relatively small number of skaters are more committed than ever. Wasn't there another sport back in the day that was a small band of outcasts? Oh yeah, that used to be skateboarding... But when soccer moms and frat guys are decked out in skateboarding brands, it makes you wonder who the real skaters are. Enjoy the video - courtesy of some cool, popular skateboarders:

MR. WIZARD

2009-12-13T00:37:00.000-08:00

Came across this this the other day and it blew my mind. I have not seen the intro to this show in over 15 years! So strangely comforting and familiar. I used to bust out his experiments at home all the time. So for good measure, I've included one of his segments below as well. I think any child of the 80's will weep a wee bit as they watch the wonderful Mr. Wizard in action.

DUSTIN LATIMER...

2009-12-13T00:32:00.000-08:00

I think this little edit is from 2003. Crazy to think about how long ago that was. But Dustin has always been ahead of his time, and this holds it's own today just as it did 7 years ago. Enjoy:

THIS HOLIDAY, CHOOSE SHOES

2009-12-09T10:33:00.001-08:00

This is a new holiday video from TOMS Shoes, and I got to witness first-hand, how the power of social networking really works. I have a Facebook account, but don't really use it. I have never tweeted...in fact, I hate even saying that word. But, with that said, there is no doubt that these tools are a necessity for small businesses. Case in point: this new holiday video gets released last week. Everyone at TOMS was told to take 30 minutes out of their day to spread this video to their contacts (via email, blogs, facebook pages, etc...) I simply emailed it to a bunch of my family and friends - and then I watched as many of them passed it on, or posted it on their own sites, and so on, and so on.... Pretty amazing.

Long story short - watch the video, share it with someone, and buy some TOMS this holiday season.

HULK-A-MANIA

2009-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

I posted another 'tilt-shift' video of a monster truck rally by Keith Loutit a while back. He has recently released a new video of a Hulk Wrestlemania event. Amazing as always...

MAMMOTH OF A THANKSGIVING

2009-11-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

Went with the wife and dog up to Mammoth Lakes, CA for our Thanksgiving vacation. Did a bunch of hiking, ate good food, got my season pass to the slopes taken away for a few days due to a runaway board (whoops!), woke up to 1.5 feet of fresh snow on our last day there, and had an overall wonderful time. Inspiration struck twice: once in the form of a weathered sign on one of our hikes - with a great engraved wood script. And the second time it was finding the best business card for a gas station EVER! Hope everyone else out there had a good break, too. Back to reality!

TWO BANDS I JUST DISCOVERED

2009-11-24T22:24:00.000-08:00

My music tastes run far and wide, as exemplified by the contrast of these two bands.To me, if it's good music - it's good music. So for today, I give you a little political hip-hop music with horns and violin - and some dark rock music that sounds like a mix of Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull. Enjoy...

SCREENPRINTING IS FUN...EXCEPT WHEN IT ISN'T

2009-11-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

I guess that's how life goes though, huh? It's easy to love things that work the way you want, and do what you want them to do. I have always enjoyed screenpritining as an artistic break from the computer. My home studio has been a work in progress for a few years, and is far from perfect, but it has worked pretty well. So I am very frustrated at the moment, because I have not been able to get a good print in a few weeks and I don't know what is going on! See those light blotches below? Yeah, ink won't go through there for some reason. Wish me luck...

CREATIVE SKATING FROM SF - KEVIN YEE

2009-11-22T16:22:00.000-08:00

This kind of skating may not be everyone's cup of tea...but I always find it very refreshing to see someone pushing the boundaries and having fun. The unique possibilities that are available to rollerbladers, simply because the wheels are attached to our feet, allows for an entirely different way of looking at 'skateable terrain'. Kevin Yee is a shining example of that, and San Francisco plays a wonderful host.

THE ROOTS: HOW I GOT OVER

2009-11-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

I was delighted when I heard that The Roots, hip hop's greatest and hardest working collective, were tenured on Jimmy Fallon's Late Night show as the house band, as I thought they deserved the financial security such a position would surely provide. What I should have been excited for was the creative and artistic passion that playing together every weeknight seems to have brought about, as evidenced first by the incredible debut live performance of the lead single/title track of their upcoming album How I Got Over, and second by the recently leaked studio version of said song, which is possibly their best song since signing to Def Jam. It features Dice Raw on the extremely soulful hook, someone longtime fans should immediately recognize, passionate drumming courtesy (of course) from Questlove, and the rest of the band provides a beautiful taste of jazzy funk that proves the perfect backdrop for the real star of this song to shine; the untouchable Black Thought. Showing unexpected pipes, he sings the first and third verses, his croon adding a new texture to an already amazing band, and when he raps in the second verse it's the same perfect flurry of conscious syllables we've come to know and love. Mark the release date on your calender, all signs point to the album being a modern classic.

TOMS SHOES

2009-11-04T17:36:00.001-08:00

Well I am very excited to say that on Monday I begin my employment with TOMS Shoes! For those who don't know, the entire foundation is built on the concept of of charity. For every pair sold, they give a pair to children in need, who are at risk of debilitating soil-borne diseases. Their headquarters is a very young and energetic place! I had fun working freelance for a while, but I am thrilled to be getting back into a group setting - especially one as cool as this. Wish me luck!

DO WANT

2009-11-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

New, special-edition skates by Valo. These might be the very best looking skates I have ever seen. I've been wanting to try out their skates for a while now - and with this release - I have no choice...I simply must get a pair.

GREEN LIGHTNING EXPEDITION

2009-10-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

I just wrapped up the first part of a really fun project. My client is currently forming an expedition to dig out 5 P-38 WWII planes that are buried under 200 feet of glacial ice in Greenland. I knew that I wanted his stationary package to feel authentic and of the the right era. Therefore, I went with natural brown, tie-closure envelopes, rubber stamps, and even had metal dog tag business cards made. I am super pleased with how everything turned out! Now I move on to the website....

365 DAYS OF SKATING BY KEVIN DOWLING

2009-10-28T07:41:00.001-07:00

What do you do when your skating has been in a noticeable slump? Well, whatever first popped into your head, I'm sure it will seem foolish when compared to this personal project - currently in progress by my good friend, Kevin Dowling. Whether it is on a skating roadtrip, alone at 2am in a parking garage, at a wedding, on a cruise ship, you name it - Kevin has been on a mission to capture a personal skating clip EVERY DAY for 365 days! This is inspiring to say the least. Kevin has always impressed me with his chill style, creativity, and technical prowess. See for yourself - here are a few clips. The view the project in its entirety, follow this link to his YouTube page.

MY DOG BAILEY

2009-10-27T16:49:00.001-07:00

Dogs are the best. And my dog is the best of the best. Whenever I get stressed and need a break from my computer - all I need to do it turn around and see this fool laying behind me. Never fails to make me smile.

MONDAY MORNING

2009-10-19T09:36:00.001-07:00

I guess Monday morning really scares me this week - or I'm just in the mood for Halloween...

HOOD RIVER - AGAIN!

2009-10-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

I posted about Hood River, Oregon just a few weeks ago - singing the praises of Full Sail Brewery. Now I have stumbled across some images of the recently renovated Hood River Skatepark. This honestly looks like the funnest skatepark I have ever seen. It's like a treehouse, mixed with a playground, turned into a skatepark. This is definitely going on the 'must skate' list. This is what a skatepark should be! Time to start looking for a job in Hood River. It is a beautiful place - 1 hour away from Portland up the Columbia River Gorge...with huge waterfalls dotting the drive. I could definitely see myself here...

LETTERPRESSIN'

2009-10-12T08:49:00.001-07:00

This class is one of the best things I have spent my time and money on in recent history. Regardless of what type of printmaking, I love the extra thought and consideration that must go into creating your layout: registration, color trapping, transparent inks, etc... it just makes the whole process so much more enjoyable than simply hitting 'print' on a printer. Anyway, I spent last class session cranking out some notecards for myself to include in packages and pitches to clients. I 'printed' it as a blind emboss - aka - no ink was used. I set it up to press really hard into the paper for a nice, deep impression, and then i added a little gloss varnish to the rollers so that it catches just a little bit of light.

Oh - and check out my buddy Mike's latest piece from class last weekend here

WHO IS ARDI?

2009-10-12T08:09:00.001-07:00

Ardipithecus Ramidus, to be exact. Turns out she was a creature who lived and breathed almost 4.4 million years ago. The world's last big hominid fossil discovery was "Lucy" - and this new fossil pre-dates her by a good million + years. Why the history lesson? Well, I was lucky enough to get to work on a website that will be accompanying a prime-time documentary on the topic - featured on the Discovery Channel. Thanks to my buddies at the UpThink Lab and Primary Pictures hooked me up with this opportunity! Here is a screenshot from the site. The official launch will be any day now...

DIGITAL FLASHBACK

2009-10-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Have you seen NEScafe? There are probably over 150 old classic Nintendo games re-created on this website. This is like having your entire old game collection living inside your computer. It's better than that...it's actually more like that one kid who had ALL the games...like being over at his house. Anyway - check it out and re-live some of that old excitement here.

SKOOTER SKILLS

2009-10-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

I don't even know how to begin to describe this. But no matter what the sport, you can rest assured that there are people, somewhere, who are pushing the limits. Real respect real...

NICE SKATING BY TONY RIVITUSO

2009-10-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

A normal part of my daily routine is to read up on some of my favorite blading sites and check out any new edits that have been posted. I am a fan of all kinds of skating, and can usually find enjoyment in at least some parts of everything that I watch. But, every once and a while I see an edit that simply must be shared, because it makes our sport look so good from start to finish. This is one of those...

THIS AGGRESSION WILL NOT STAND MAN...

2009-10-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

I posted about this a while ago, but I just came across a video that was made of the event. "This Aggression WIll Not Stand Man" was an art show put on earlier in the year by Utah's Leia Bell, at her Singed & Numbered gallery. All works of art had to be inspired from the movie, The Big Lebowski. I created my poster with the help of Mike McMullen - and we get some love in this video. Enjoy...

FLAT SPIN 540 TO ALLEY-OOP SOUL

2009-09-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Let's take things up a notch, shall we? This is precision blading 3000 by Stephane Alfano. I cannot believe that people are doing things like this on blades! Not sure what the elongated hug at the end of the clip is all about. Must be a French thing...

ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

2009-09-28T10:26:00.001-07:00

Andy Goldsworthy has long been one of my favorite artists. The basics of his work is this: he goes into the woods with no man-made tools and creates amazing works of natural art. If pieces of ice need to be frozen together - he used his spit. If a quilt of leaves needs to be stitched together, he will use pine needles as the thread. The results are stunning, and I always wonder what it would be like to stumble upon one of his pieces on a random hike. Unfortunately, the pieces themselves do not last long, as they succumb to the elements of nature. But, he takes photographs and has published numerous books. These are just a few samples of his work. If you are in the need of a new awe-inspiring book, you could do a lot worse than to buy one of these.

TWO GREAT BANDS

2009-09-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

There are two bands that I realized I have never mentioned on here before. They are both amazing, and deserve a few moments of your time to check out:

First up is Shark Quest - and all-instrumental band from North Carolina. As far as I can tell, they are no longer a band, but they left us with a few great albums (all of them are equally good). They play a very richly orchestrated and layered style of Appalachian-style music. This is perfect music for driving through a forest in the rain. Some of the songs are almost melancholy in nature, but still hauntingly beautiful. I am still very thankful that I head them on a random college radio station when I will living in Georgia, because had I not, I doubt I would have heard of them any other way. Amazon has their albums for sale here.

The next band I want to rave about for a moment is Electrelane. They, too, appear to now be taking a break from creating music together - but they recorded a handful of albums as well. I tend to like the more recent stuff a bit more then their older work. They play a style of rock music that tends to start off slow and build to a more frenzied pace with a heavy use of organs and female chant-like vocals. Many of their tracks are all-instrumental as well. What always gets me is the progression of these songs from start to finish. Somewhere about halfway through - they just hit hard and will have your head moving. No need to link their albums, they are easily found on iTunes.

SESSIONS LAGER

2009-09-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've been wresting with which beer to call my favorite for the past month or so - but I have declared the winner: Session Lager by Full Sail Brewing Co. This beer narrowly beat out New Belgium's Fat Tire at the annual Pieperhaus Taste Test. Great flavor, stubby 11oz. bottle, and a 'Rock, Paper, Scissors" game built into the bottlecaps - what's not to love? I discovered this beer on a visit to their brewery in Hood River, OR - and I've been a huge fan ever since. Do yourself a favor, and pick up a case before the summer barbeque season has passed us all by! I've been able to find it at my local Whole Foods.

DAN TOBIN SMITH

2009-09-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Some may know his work from the the new Jay-Z album cover. Dan Tobin Smith creates amazing typographical landscapes (among other shapes). This is just one example - click here to view his site and see more of his work.

GETTIN' MY LEARN ON...

2009-09-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of class to learn the fine art of letterpress. I am taking classes at Otis Art College - which just so happens to be mere blocks from my home. The letterpress lab at the school has been around since the 80's - and thus has a great collection of wood and lead type, and 4 great old presses. Even though we have access to all the old type, the focus of this class is on the relatively new process of transferring digital designs to photo-polymer plates. Anyway - this has been on my "must-do" list for quite some time, and I am very excited to have begun the process. I can promise that you will see process pics posted as class continues...

INTERVIEW WITH AN INVADER

2009-09-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've always loved this guys work...and have seen quite a bit of it around LA: on the side of a bridge at LAX; next to my favorite bookstore in Santa Monica; and many other places. This little interview shows how wide his 'invasions' have spread - and gives a little insight into how it all started for him.

BEETHOVEN'S 5TH -

2009-09-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a graphical representation of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. Each color represents a different instrument, and it really helps break down the music and provides a visual glimpse into how complex classical songs really are. I've really been enjoying the recent growth of informational graphics - which I guess this example would fall under. Anyway, lean back and relax your brain for 7 minutes. If you want to read more on the project - just click the video below for a link.

NEW POSTER WORK

2009-09-01T20:36:00.001-07:00

I just finished up a poster series and other collateral for a big parade and festival in downtown Long Beach. There has been a lot of great musical events going on in Long Beach lately, and I've been very lucky to be involved with a lot of it. Now if I could just get signed on to Snopp Dogg's upcoming show here...

JOURNALS BY JONES

2009-08-31T18:46:00.001-07:00

My sister has been making really cool custom journals for a few years now. She finally got around to setting up her Etsy page. Go check her out and pick up a gift for someone this holiday season. All items handmade in North Carolina and guaranteed to please.

MIKE McMULLEN ILLUSTRATIONS

2009-08-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

My buddy Mike McMullen has been working on a series of illustrations for Fuel TV. Really cool stuff. Some has been digitally printed on wood - and will be used at various snow resorts for panels on pool tables, walls, vending machines, etc... Other pieces will be hand-painted as murals. Not sure when this is supposed to release - but I'm sure Mikey wouldn't mind me sharing one little sneak peek. Enjoy...

BEAR STUCK IN SKATEPARK

2009-08-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Some local shredders in Colorado showed up to skate last week and were greeted by a REAL local shredder. Turns out this bear wandered into the sunken skatepark during the night, and could not get out due to the steep walls and slick concrete. Animal control had to lower a ladder into the basin, and wait for the bear to figure out his exit. All turned out well, and dodging the bear poop provided an extra thrill for all the skaters for the rest of the day.

CALIFORNIA IS BURNING

2009-08-27T23:44:00.001-07:00

Took a walk with the wife and dog this evening, only to discover that we had a pretty amazing view of the wildfires that are burning in Los Angeles National Forest. Our home is not anywhere near the danger zone, but this path we walk overlooks the entire LA city basin. We ran back to get the camera and tripod to snap some shots. It was pretty eerie seeing flames popping over the tops of the hills. I can't imagine what it feels like when your home is actually in danger of being engulfed. Since we had our equipment with us, we did some 'light paintings' as well. In case you are wondering, the iPhone works well for this too...

Clément Milot

2009-08-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Very creative section from Paris native, Clément Milot. The spots that this guy finds to skate are amazing. They have probably been passed by hundreds of times by other skaters - but in all reality - he's probably the only one who could even skate them. Keep an eye out for the looong steep soul grind- and the full-pipe pocket backflip. He's got some other interesting edits here. Trés bien!

SPELLING LESSONS WITH THE MAC DOCK

2009-08-25T06:32:00.001-07:00

Great type creations by photographer, Mike Giepert. Extra points for the Seinfeld reference! He's got a bunch more on his website, all available as large wallpaper images.

DOMINIK WAGNER

2009-08-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Wow - I had not seen this edit until just a moment ago. He always catches my eye when I see clips of him in other videos, but I'm not sure I've ever seen an edit of just him. This is what rollerblading is all about. Enjoy...

OUTKAST UPDATE

2009-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's been 6 years since Speakerboxxx/The Love Below album was released!? SIX YEARS since a proper Outkast album. i am always on the hunt for new information, and I just found this article from Paste Magazine. It's frustratingly vague - but it gives some hope.

MOTION GRAPHICS VS TYPOGRAPHY

2009-08-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

I recently ran across these 2 great videos combining motion graphics and typography. Enjoy - and start your Monday morning with a nice dose of creativity.

SKILLS...

2009-08-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

This video speaks for itself...

GREAT NEW PRINTS BY DAVE KINSEY

2009-08-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

You gotta be hot on your feet sometimes to grab a copy of prints sold online - especially if created by Kinsey. Unfortunately, I was late, and I guess if you are reading this here, so are you. This series of art prints are called 'Recycle' and they were for sale at BlkMrktGallery.com, but now they are gone. Who knows, maybe they'll throw some more up. I love the more simple shapes...

HIPSTER BIKERS BEWARE

2009-08-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

You can zoom through traffic with your ubiquitous white headphones, but maybe you should change to a white leotard instead. These girls are the real deal, and it seems to be working well for them. I hope they won this talent show, or whatever it is, because they definitely deserve it.

HOAX II - ATLANTA SECTION (1995)

2009-08-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

I remember begging my parents to drive all my skating buddies and I to Asphalt Flight School - a skate shop in Little Five Points to see the famous Hoax bus and meet all the skaters in town. This was a highlight of my skate-life. This would have been right around the time that I met Tom, Andy, and Frankie. Anyway, this section was filmed in what...1995? And it still holds it down. This is pretty much the definition of a classic. Enjoy...

NEW PRINT TABLE!

2009-08-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

So I finally got around to building my new print table. Well...supervised is propably a better word. My neighbor from across the street is a cabinet maker and surfboard shaper. Let's just say that he knows his way around tools better than I do. Either way, this table is beautiful. It has a sheet metal printing surface that will use reverse vacuum suction to keep my paper down while I print. The back of the table is adjustable, too - so that I can change the angle of my printing surface. Now I just need to line up some more poster gigs and use this thing!

CURRENT PROJECTS...

2009-08-10T16:43:00.001-07:00

Whew - pretty busy right now! I'm currently working on a website re-design for Scottsdale Silver, a company that designs and produces silver bullion bars. We just finished directing the new product photography, as that will be the focal point of their new site. Also working on a website for a Sublime tribute band, as well as a logo and packaging design for Hotlanta Hot Sauce. Oh - and don't forget about the Green Lightning Expedition - a great project that I will have to do a proper post on at another time, and type treatments for The Original Cowboy, a clothing company. Rounding out this month's wide assortment of projects is the layout of a mock children's book called, "Famous Killers for the Early Learner".

Hustle, hustle, hustle...

LEARN HOW TO ROLLERBLADE WITH JARED TOON

2009-08-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

I grew up skating with this cool kid named named Jared Toon. I guess I lost touch with him in the college days and my move to California. Last I heard he was doing well, living the hippie life in North Carolina. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this instructional video series on how to rollerblade. This guy is a dead ringer for Jared! Since discovering this, I checked up on a few things, and it is, in fact, not him... But if you know Jared, make sure to pay close attention to 0:36 in this clip - and you'll see what I mean! And if you don't know Jared, I'm sure you will still enjoy this overly-enthusiastic skate instructor, brah.

SHEPARD FAIREY - PROCESS VIDEO

2009-08-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah....whatever. It's all about Fairey these part few years, I know... But, no matter what your thoughts are on the man and the artwork, you cannot deny the talent. Dude has spent so many years perfecting this style of artwork that it is insane. Sure, anyone can do a mixed-media collage, but watching how methodical he is as he creates is pretty awe-inspiring. Come on, give it a watch. You know you want to....

WALID QUAD EDIT

2009-08-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

I remember old Brian Wainwright footage from old Videogroove's...but I have not seen much quad action other than that. This guy holds it down. Check out the handrail this guy hits. He's even got some Remz all retro-fitted with quad frames!

SLO-MO: THE BEACH BLADER

2009-08-06T17:06:00.001-07:00

Apparently people know who this guy is, although this is the first time I've heard of him. He skates all over Southern California's beaches with incredible style of slo-mo skating. Gives a whole new meaning to the term, "mushroom blading" doesn't it?

INSIGHT SURF ADS

2009-08-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

At times, flipping through a recent issue of Transworld Surf is like a lesson in how to craft cookie-cutter ads. With this dismay in mind, I stumbled across these ads for a surf/fashion line based in Australia. This is such a fresh concept - and so well executed - that it blew my mind today. Beeeeautiful!

RICE MURALS IN JAPAN

2009-08-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

The wave is spectacular! Japanese villagers plant different coloured varieties of rice in the fields. They first study the design via computer, and then set out doing it in the landscape.

FIERY FURNACES - CHARMAINE CHAMPAGNE MUSIC VIDEO

2009-08-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

I do love me some Fiery Furnaces. In fact, it was one of their posters that was my very first screenprinted poster purchase. It was printed by Methane Studios in Georgia. (click here to see the poster). But, back to this video...it's a great song with some tasty illustrations mixed in. This song is off their newest album, "I'm Going Away".

HIPPIE WIERDO YOGA FARMER

2009-08-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

As I slowly lose my mind as I work from home, I come across videos like this and I cannot tell what, exactly, is happening for a short period of time. Surreal, to say the least...

Hippie Weirdo Yoga Farmer - Watch more Funny Videos

GETTING SAUCED IN VENICE

2009-07-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

I've been pitching in over at Sauce Creative Group these past few weeks. Nestled right down on the strand in Venice Beach, this shop cranks out work for a wide array of cool projects, including a lot of work for Red Bull. You can see more of their work here.

FORD FLIP-UP BOOK COMMERCIAL

2009-07-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Pretty nice motion graphics, here. I also like how the camera moves into and out of the scene. Sometimes I think the car commercials try too hard, but this maintains the right level of playfulness as well. And from Ford, no less...

DON BAMBRICK WHEEL PROMO

2009-07-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Don Bambrick is turning out to be one of the skaters I most like to watch. He's got a style that is all his own, and drops hammers just as easily as he finesses the creative stuff. Wow-ee!

NATHAN FLUTEBOX LEE

2009-07-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Wow - how great is this!? Enjoy...

CJ WELLSMORE

2009-07-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Wow - this skating edit really caught my eye! CJ has been a rocking Aussie forever, and just charges in this video. His skating is nice and fast, and hits some pretty cool spots. There are a lot of rollerblading edits that I would not show to outsiders of our sport. While I can appreciate what's being done on a technical level, an outsider needs to see that technicality mixed with speed and style. CJ brings it all together here, and just plain makes rollerblading look amazing! This is one edit that I will most definitely be sharing.

BLOG FACELIFT

2009-06-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here we go...Round 2. Just gave the ol' blog a little design update. I found out how to change some of the ugly default things that were driving me crazy from last time. My goal is to keep this place fresh and interesting...so keep an eye out! And please pardon the dust while I finish up some odd ends around here. Thanks!

SYNESTHESIA

2009-06-30T16:38:00.001-07:00

Experimental video from director, Terri Timely. This was simply too good not to post.

VENICE BEACK SKATEPARK

2009-06-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

This is some very exciting news - because this skatepark is a mere bike ride away from my home! Venice Beach has had the plans for this park forever...but it seemed like it would never get built. They build a little sorry excuse for a skatepark as a 'temporary' fix that has been there for at least 5 years now. But now, as you can see, the real deal is actually under construction. They plan on being completed in October of this year. Can you say early morning skate sessions on the beach? I'll see you there. You'll know it's me - I'll be the only rollerblader.

ICONS, ICONS, ICONS...

2009-02-12T13:19:00.001-08:00

I'm currently helping my buddy, Doug Urquhart, by re-designing some user interface screens for an upcoming cell phone. He will then use these, through the magic that is the UpThink Media Lab, to create 3D renderings of the phone that will be used online and in commercials. It's been a pretty fun project, mainly because I've never really done anything like it.

Photoshopped Subway Ads Get Exposed in Berlin

2009-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

In a keystroke of sheer brilliance, some German street artists have adbusted some subway billboards with Photoshop excellence. While only designer-types will know that they are referencing everyone's favorite design software, the layers are named in such a way where I think the average viewer can be in on the joke. These - are - perfect!

Mad Magazine's Al Jaffee: Fold-In Artist

2009-02-03T19:44:00.001-08:00

So this guy has been creating, by hand, the artwork for Mad Magazine's fold-ins for years and years. The New York Times just ran a nice article on him that included a great interactive 'folder' that lets you view and manipulate a bunch of his artwork through the years. Check it out: AL JAFFEE

Audiko

2009-02-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

So, I am not a 16 year old girl, but I do have an affinity for custom ringtones. Getting my iPhone had only intensified this craving. Call me crazy, but there's no way you can have a bad day when 'Fight for Your Right to Party' rings out of your pocket all day. Audiko is a free service that allows up to upload any MP3, chop it down to a 10-40 second sample, and then download a ringtone file to your computer/phone. The best thing is, it has an archive of every ringtone people have made, so it has a search engine that will find you almost anything you want. And of course, if it's not already on there, upload it, and then it's available for the masses. Make sure you check it out here at: AUDIKO

Big Lebowsii Project Update

2009-01-29T23:04:00.000-08:00

Mike and I finished up our print for the art show in Salt Lake City. It's super-top-secret right now before the show opens...but here is a little sneak peek. Printed with the help of Playa Del Rey Beach Pizza, Becks beer, Devendra Barnhart, and a happy chocolate lab named Bailey.

The show is opening on Feb. 20th at the Signed & Numbered gallery (221 E. Broadway Salt Lake City, UT 84111).

The Time Has Come...

2009-01-29T22:54:00.001-08:00

Well, I had a funny feeling that something might be up...although I guess laid off might be a more appropriate term. My day job at DOMA Properties will come to an end at the end of February. The partners are splitting the company and going their separate ways. It has been a good and unique experience, but it's probably for the best. I'm excited to see what comes my way next.

Architecture in Helsinki - "That Beep"

2009-01-29T22:38:00.000-08:00

I really like Architecture in Helsinki...and this new video matches their weirdness perfectly. Their new album will be a must buy! If you have not seen this, you have no clue what you are in for. Dim the lights and let your freak flag fly...

Tilt-Shift Video Madness

2009-01-29T22:22:00.000-08:00

So I really want to learn some more about this method of photography. All I really know right now that when taken from a high vantage point, your subject matter takes on the look of a miniature model. This video does a great job at showing this effect. Obviously, they have cut some frames out of this to give it a stop-animation look, and probably bumped the saturation of the colors to make it more toy-like. I just can't get enough of this at the moment! If you click the links at the bottom of this video clip, you can some more of his edits like this.

Metal Heart from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

This Aggression Will Not Stand, Man...

2009-01-18T21:18:00.001-08:00

So my buddy, Mike McMullen, and I have been selected to take place in an art show located at the Signed and Numbered gallery Salt Lake City, Utah. The entire show is going to be comprised of various screenprinted art prints inspired by the movie, The Big Lebowski. While we are still not exactly sure that we are going to make, we are sure that it is going to be a fun project. Please watch this movie if you have never seen it...

Almost There...

2009-01-18T21:01:00.000-08:00

So - just had the final meeting with my surgeon. I no longer have to go to physical therapy - and can just focus on hitting the gym on my own. Hopefully, I can get back to life as I once new it in March of April. Lock n' load...

Amanda Palmer

2008-12-20T16:05:00.000-08:00

I recently finished up designing and printing a poster for Amanda Palmer (of The Dresden Dolls). For those who don't know, she plays the piano like a mad woman...starting slow and soft and then BAM - she starts slaying it! Her live shows are always entertaining - and this performance at The Henry Fonda Theater did not disappoint. She had a theater group from Australia with her, silently acting while she played. Then there were random appearances from Margaret Cho and Katy Perry. Fun evening! Check out the crappy iPhone pics below...