Artist Reiko Hikawa has decided to take the step from traditional prints and canvas art to printing her art on men’s and women’s tees. You can see in the images above and below just how her art has been transformed to work on tees. Honestly I think I am a bigger fan of these as prints and not tees and wish that you could purchase prints on her site.

You can check out all of Reiko’s art and tees at: r15shop.com

Check out all his videos on his Vimeo Channel HERE and make sure to visit his store to pick up some new threads HERE.

(also thanks to Andy from Hide Your Arms for the tip)

13 Spade is a brand new artist community and web store developed by Simon Hartmann and Jonathan Savage of Studio Ace of Spade. The vision of the site is to provide relatively unknown artists a place to showcase and sell their artwork.

The site just launched last month and currently has 6 poster prints up for sale with aims of adding several other products in the near future. As of now prints range for $20 to $49 depending on size and type of print.

13 Spade is also looking for new artists to add to their store and website, so if your an artist looking for an emerging community and place to sell your artwork make sure to visit their CONTACT page and drop them a line!

I’m really digging the prints they have put up so far and am looking forward to seeing the site, store and community grow!

www.13spade.com

Derek Deal just put up two new killer prints in his store, “Masque of Death” and “Habana Balîstico”.

Masque of Death is on sale for $25 and measures 18″ x 24″, printed on heavy weight off-white paper and limited to only 50 each signed and numbered by Derek.

Habana Balistico is on sale for $20 and measures 9″ x 12″ on 65lb matte cover and is an unlimited run but the first 20 sold will be signed.

Check out all of Derek’s prints HERE

Photographer Irina Werning has single handedly created a time machine allowing people to go back to the future using only her camera. Irina’s time travel methods are actually a lot simpler than building a flux-capacitor. She has turned her love of old pictures into a very creative and cool way to show how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact those old photos exactly the same way today.

A picture is worth a thousand words so I’ll shut up now. Check out all her pictures at: irinawerning.com

During my freshman year in college I was introduced to Steven Leibensperger, our common interest in music and art lead us to an idea to try and start a clothing company. With my resources of getting cheap blank shirts and his creative ideas it was a no brainer to dive head first into this idea. Fast forward to the present, Steven is now the only owner of Muero Apparo Clothing, and one of the graphic designers for the Crayola factory.

Let’s get the boring stuff outta the way first. (age, location, currently listening to)

Steven Guy Leibensperger, Age: 27
Location: Bethlehem, PA currently….home town of Cressona, PA!
Currently Listening to…: Deftones, Glassjaw, The Republic of Wolves, Minus the Bear

When did you start Designing?

I started designing pretty early as a child. In elementary school my best friends & I would make logos and ads for our own companies like skateboards, baseball cards, comic books, and automobiles. Then we started to make logos and designs for ourselves to promote us as skateboarders or artists…this never really went away. From there on, anything I would do, I would really try to figure out how can I design something to promote what I’m doing…or to design a logo or shirt graphic for any band I was in, especially in High school.

Do you have any formal training in the field?

Well I had a great mentor and teacher in High School, Bill Whalen, who really saw my talent and drive for doing more design style art. I always loved to paint and draw but was confused on how to make that a career with my particular style being more design oriented. So he suggested Kutztown University and to try and get into their Communication Design Program. I applied, took the art test and sent in what I needed. About 3 weeks later I got a rejection letter and was really bummed…however the next day I got an acceptance packet….haha so I called the school and they said there was some mix up…and I was in. Through the next 4 years I really learned the programs and techniques used to be a professional. I graduated in 2005 and then started working in Allentown, Doylestown, Philadelphia and now Easton.

You seem to have a lot on your plate, how do you find time for everything?

Well to be honest I have no idea…haha! I mean I guess it’s just a balancing act, that I’m still learning to manage all the time. I have a full-time job with Crayola, I’m a board member of The Lehigh Valley Arts Council, I play in 3 bands, volunteer with the Southside DBA event committee, run my own clothing company Muero Apparo, have a bunch of freelance clients and squeeze in some time for taking photos, traveling and going out with friends.

Can you tell everyone a little more about Muero Apparo?

Muero Apparo was an idea I had for a clothing company using my illustrations and graphics as well as other artists. The concept was to make art wearable and to promote artists and bands alike. I came across a friend at college who really pushed me to pursue the concept and we formed the company at the end of 2006 with 3 designs. Since then we’ve created roughly 40 designs with different artists, as well as me. We’ve also had people purchase shirts all over America as well as Europe which is just mind blowing to me since it’s still such a small concept that is based out of the Lehigh Valley. We are always looking for new artists, bands, and fans to get involved. Check it out at www.mueroapparo.bigcartel.com

What are your Inspiration/Influences?

I find inspiration from almost everything. I could be walking down the street and see a piece of graffiti or a vintage sign or be listening to a song that makes me feel a certain way…and that all goes into my creative process. I’m constantly taking photos and notes with my phone of different inspirational things that are around me each day. I feel if I don’t take a memo I may never remember them and then it’s like I wasted an idea. I would say my biggest influences would be my home town of Cressona, my friends, my favorite artists like Basquiat and Dalí, music, any professor, teacher or professional that helped guide me along this path.

Do you have a favorite piece you have worked on?

Wow…that’s a really tough one. I mean I have a lot of favorites….but I would say one that will probably forever stick out in my mind is the packaging and poster design behind Nick Meyer & The Meyer Straights debut album. At the time I played drums for the band and was particularly driven by this project because it combined a lot of my passions, such as music, illustration, photography, design, packaging, and the written word. I used the concept of each song having its own branding…take for instance the song “Away from Here” I illustrated a vintage suitcase and used photography of trains for the front of that song’s card which was all color coded. The back of each one contained the lyrics and close up obscure photos of each instrument used in that particular song.

Once the design was finished we had to construct the packaging by ourselves since the design idea I came up with would have been thousands of dollars in printing costs. So a few nights before the show the band was at Nick’s house like a little assembly line putting them all together…I’ll probably never forget that design or the whole process leading up to the show!

Are you available for freelance work? If so what is the best way to contact you?

I am always available for freelance work and depending on my schedule will never really turn down an opportunity. The best way to reach me would be by email: stu_431@hotmail.com or search for me on facebook.com/StevenGuyLeibensperger

Let’s start with the bare bones, Name, Age and Origin.

Zeb Love, 22, Irish/American

When did you first realize you had a talent for art and what drew you to it?

When I was in high school a friend of mine built me a computer, and installed Photoshop 7 on it. When I wasn’t working at McDonalds or playing in a band I would tinker around with Photoshop. Some of the first things I created were hideous, but it was a lot of fun messing around. I sold my first t-shirt design to a band called Once Nothing. After that happened, I made it more of a full time hobby.

Did you get formal training or education in art and if so how do you think it changed or formed you as an artist?

I took a graphic design course in high school. The class was taught by a hack teacher who never had any real experience in the industry. I was going to go to college for graphic design, but I never wanted to end up like the teacher I had in high school. So, no I did not have any formal training.

From MTV to Hooligan Skateboards your portfolio is a who’s who of the top companies, people and bands in the industry. What have been some of your favorite projects to work on and how is it working for worldwide known companies?

Some of my favorite projects that I got to be a part of are: Guy And Madeline On A Park Bench – movie poster, Scorpions – show poster, Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy – show poster, and In The Wake Of Giants – cd layout. I always feel blessed to be able to work with more well known companies/bands. It’s cool to think that quite a few people are going to see your artwork, and that you can be part of their life in a small way.

You are an absolute master at photographic manipulation and of course using Photoshop. Could you talk a bit about your process for converting photos and some before and after shots?

Thank you! I kind of follow the same process for each photographic piece. It always starts out with some sort of photo shoot,. Then I go through the hundreds of pictures to find the right one to use. After that I cut out the main subject from the photograph so that it is isolated and easy to work with. Then I put all the elements together, so that it all works without any fancy textures/colors. After I get everything the way I want it, I add the textures and colors to give the image life.

What tips, tricks or advice would you offer aspiring graphic designers looking to improve their skills and make a name for themselves?

Do not take any shortcuts with your work. Try to think outside of what everyone else in the industry is doing. Work until you think you’ve finished something, and then come back to it a day later and see if the quality is where you want it to be. And the biggest thing is to never give up. I believe if you do something long enough, and you’re good at what you’re doing, you will make a name for yourself.

If someone wanted to hire you for a project are you available and where can they contact you?

I am available! They can contact me through my e-mail: zeb@thorganmedia.com , or on AIM: brokencrwn

Thanks a ton for your time! The forum is open for any last minute announcements or shout outs!

I hope I could be of some help to whoever reads this. I’d like to thank the awesome dudes at I Am The Trend. You guys have something great here.

Esao Andrews the artist best known for his artwork with Circa Survive has just released a brand new Circa Survive concert poster. The print is 18 x 24 screen print that is a numbered edition of only 140. The print just went on sale today (January 24th at 2pm CST) and will be going fast!

The print is selling for $30 plus $8 shipping and can be purchased at: PosterAndToys.net (LIMIT ONE PER PERSON)

If you haven’t seen any of Blu’s works you really owe it to yourself to give it a watch. I really think that this is his best video to date. What I loved about this video is that he not only combined his use of paint but played around with actual objects. To me this really blurred the lines of what is real and what is not, and truly made his art come to life.

www.blublu.org

An illustration for shirts always starts with an idea and some sketches. When I get an idea, I just grab a random pen, some paper and start drawing. At this point it’s not important how everything looks. It’s all about capturing an idea.

So this time I’ll draw a vampire-kangaroo carrying some siamese-twin-skeletons. After the first sketches I do some research on the things that I want to draw. Research is very important because the better you understand something, the better you are at drawing it. Animals always have certain characteristics and they should show up in your drawing. I compare my sketches to photos on flickr or google and spot the differences. By doing so I found out that kangaroos have claws on their hands and their ears are bigger than I thought. Now it’s time for another round of sketches. More accurate ones. I tend to do a lot of sketches but it always depends on your deadline and how much time you are given.

When I’m happy with the characters and the composition it’s time for the final sketch. I collect all previous sketches and put them on my desk next to a fresh sheet of my special drawing paper. I prefer thick paper with a smooth surface. As for pens, I’m using a neon-yellow marker to sketch the basic outlines. Using a pen like this makes cleaning up the scanned linework a lot easier. The scanner barely even notices the yellow. I tried to make it more visible for this tutorial, here’s how the final sketch looks like:

Alright, now let’s ink this. I pfefer inking traditionally and I’m using Faber Castell artist pens for doing so. The first satge of inking is drawing the basic outlines. After I’m done with that the drawing looks like this:

Some parts are a little bit odd but they can be corrected during the next step, which is adding lineweight. This gives the illustration more depth and dynamic. There are some things you have to know. Basicaly thick outlines indicate that the object is closer to you. Thin outlines are used on objects that are further away from the viewer. Try thinking about seperating your drawing into different layers to find out how thick or thin the lines should be. This is how the drawing looks like inside of my head during that process. You might as well draw something like this on your sketches if it helps you.

This should give you a basic idea about the next lines. The balloon needs some thinner lines though because it’s made of a thin material. So with all that in mind I’m ready for varying the lineweight.

On to the next step: details. I really like this part. First I take another look at my reference pictures in order to get the details right. Sometimes I add a lot of details but sometimes I like to keep it simple. This time I decided to stop adding details at this point:

This is the point were the drawing gets scanned and the rest of my work is done digitally. A lot of people ask me how to achieve those solid black lines. Here’s how I do it. I scan the image, clean it up a little bit by adjusting the curves and going over it with the burn and the dodge tools. I redraw some parts if necessary. Then the image gets vectorized to clean it up a little bit more and to import it from Photoshop to Illustrator. For vectorizing I’m using a program called CR8Tracer. Google it up, it might be helpful for you. I think it’s a little bit better than Illustrator’s own tracing filters. But I don’t trust this program either, I still take a look at the paths and correct some odd parts with the pen tool.

Most of the differences are rather subtle. But now the linework all cleaned up and ready to be colored. Sometimes I do everything in Illutsrator and sometimes I take the linework and paste it into Photoshop. Both programs have their benefits. Chosing the program is based on experience and knowing what you are about to do. The more effects I want the more I’m leaning towards Photoshop. Simple stuff gets done in Illustrator.

A few sentences about using a tablet. I used to do all my stuff without it so I know it can be done. I recently bought a bamboo pen & touch knowing that it’s not the best tablet out there. But in my case it gets the job done. I’m still trying to get better at using it but I just don’t see myself going all digital anytime soon. I’ll stick to pen and paper for now. Another thing is that a tablet does NOT enhance your skills, it just enhances your possibilities.

I start coloring by chosing a shirt color and base colors for all the characters. I might change them afterwards but at this point, the illustration looks like this:

A little flat, huh? Yeah, that’s why I’m adding shading and highlights now. It adds more depth and realism. Chose a single light source and go from there. The light source I’m using here is in the upper left corner. That’s a good place for a light source. If you look at old paintings, you’ll notice that most of them use a light source like that. It has something to do with the way the majority of people see things. I’m not making that up, this is science, look it up if you’re interested. Anyways, the result looks like this:

You’ll notice I also added some extra details along the way. And I found better colors. Everything is pretty much done now. But I think in this case I really need a background. I like having spirals in the background and that’s the first thing I tried out this time but I did some more experiments and came up with something different.

I know it kinda looks like bacon. But I guess that’s okay. After all these steps the design is finished and I’m happy with the result. now I can mock it on a shirt and post it on a website or send it to the client.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned something. If there are any quesions left unanswered, just ask.

To get a hold of Nils check out his website at: http://flavors.me/nvasion

www.alvarejo.com

When did you first realize you had a talent and passion for art and what drew you to it?

Well, I’ve been drawing since i can remember, but i guess it was since i became a teenager when i realized i could really draw and illustrate. The interest in art was developed during high school, when i started to read about art history, artists life, etc. The good thing is that I’ve always had a keen interest in art and graphic stuff, so it’s been easy to get involved and be passionate about projects that can take the “artsy” part of my brain.

Did you get a formal art education, and if so where did you go and how do you feel it shaped you as an artist?

I studied graphic design here in Vina del mar, Chile in the UVM School of Art & Design. I think that the things I learned there helped me becoming really focused on what i do, instead of becoming a “free spirit” that only does things whenever he feels to. Learning about deadlines, workflows and knowning how to interact with other designers/artits at work makes you a better and disciplined artist. The fact that i studied art history for 5 years in the university, developed a very good sense of what works and what doesn’t, from an artistic/visual point of view. If you don’t know anything about art, then i personally think it’s gonna be very hard for you to create something completely new. Your brain has to be filled with images, and a strong knowledge of the arts.

Are you an artist that needs to be in a particular mood when creating, or can you just design at any time?

Absolutley. I always try to create a good mood when i’m working, and that applies to my 9 to 5 job too. First of all, I like having a clean workspace. Having too much stuff around helps me getting distracted, so i try to have the least thing possible around. And second, I need to have some good music in order to work propperly. I’m a music fan, and simply can’t imagine a workspace without some great songs playing in the background. Keeps you uplifted, focused and lightens the mood in a very possitive way, And third, I gotta have food around, good food btw.

I absolutely love your Springfield Still Life design which is available on Threadless. Have you always been a big Simpsons fan and why did you decide to do a Simpsons piece?

I’ve been a fan since they first were put on air, and I’ve remained that way until today. The idea struck me at the last minute, one day before the Pop Life competition ended. I thought that if it was about portraying a cultural or Pop icon on a tee, i had to do some sort of an hommage to the world’s most known family.

What has been your favorite piece that you have done and what did you like most about it?

I’d have to say it’s “Murphy’s Law”. I just love that design. They way it started as a simple skecth and was perfected by the suggestions that a lot of bloggers made in Threadless was simply amazing. I love the idea, the details, colors, etc. I’m very very pleased with how it came out finally.

Do you have any prints or artwork for sale?

No i don’t at the moment.

Who are some artists that inspired you or that you looked up to over the years?

The Argentinian artist Quino, Salvador Dalí, Sam keith, the artwork inspired from all the Tolkien books, Maurice Sendak, old books illustrations and things like that.

If someone wanted to hire you for a project are you available and how can they contact you?

Well, i’ve been trying to find a job in the States for almost a year now, but being in Chile complicates the legal stuff a bit. Yeah I’m available for working there or for any other interesting project. They can checkout my site www.alvarejo.com, there you can find my contact info.

Jordan buckley. 27 and 5/6th. founding member of Every Time I Die and proud University of Buffalo drop out.

When did you first realize that you had a love and talent for art?

I drew He Man all my childhood. that’s what made me realize i liked it, and when i won a drawing contest in first grade by drawing our ice cream factory field trip, i think that was the first time i realized that i might be good at it.

What are some of your earliest memories when it comes to drawing and art?

Ha, i think i just gave you my first two!

I see that you attended college for illustration and then dropped out when ETID went full-time. Do you feel that college had an effect on you as an artist and do you have any plans on going back to finish your degree?

I did learn a lot in my 2 1/2 years there. especially in my figure drawing classes. i drew naked old men or naked fat women in 3 hour blocks, twice a week. great for fundamentals. one time a dude even got a boner. it was great. i always told myself i would go back, but now i’m at a point where i think hard work can get me just as far, if not further, than a college degree.

I absolutely love the illustration you did for the cover of “New Junk Aesthetic” what was the inspiration for it?

Well to be completely fucking honest, each drawing inside the album dealt specifically with the song it is assigned to. so the cover is the only one with more of a general theme. basically, its someone just trying to cover their eyes from their surroundings but finding that it is physically impossible to do so. that’s kind of the way we were feeling when we wrote the music. there is so much inauthenticity and a lack of passion and aggression, that even though i would like to separate myself from that aspect, it’s impossible to do when you tour 10 month a year.

The video for “Wanderlust” came out incredible. How did it feel to see your drawing basically come to life?

Such a relief. when i was told that was the idea, i was so nervous. it’s hard to just put your art in someone else’s hands and hope for the best. it’s such an amazing final product though.

Do you find easier or more difficult to do art knowing that it will be used for your band and does the band give you direction at all when designing ETID art?

It’s always nerve wracking when there is a chance that people will not like what you create. music or drawings or cookies for that matter! keith gave me great direction so that part was easy. the rest just boils down to confidence and bravery!

Do you have to be in a certain mindset or mood to draw? (Any certain music, time of day, food you need to have, etc)

I have some OCD’s that need to be taken care of. basically i need a clear mind. so i have to be somewhere clean and organized. and if i have little things to do, i have to do them before i can sit down. when i draw, i need it to get my full attention so i dont usually every start drawing before 3pm, which is why i usually end up drawing until the sun comes up. and i love listening to the howard stern show while i do it as well.

How easy or difficult is it to manage trying to be an artist and a full-time musician?

I like it because i dont know how to sit still anyway. so this works out perfectly. especially with all the free time that can come about on tour.

Like any great artist you have a very recognizable style. What or who would you say influenced your art?

Just years and years and years of practice, until i found a medium and style that i was happy with. trust me. i tried it all. pens just do it for me.

Is it possible to buy any of your art or prints online? And if so where?

Yes yes yes. www.jordanbuckleymadethis.com should have a store section launched any moment now!

I see that you did a lot of custom Vans shoe designs, any chance that we can see any of those released to stores?

I fuckin hope so!

And last but not least that movie could you watch on repeat?

Step Brothers

Website:
www.ctrlaltdefeatclothing.com
PORTFOLIO
DESIGNS THAT TOM HAS ON SALE

Background/Education:

Believe it or not, I’ve never actually studied illustration, graphic design, art after secondary school. I’ve always wanted to become a film-maker, and that’s the path I decided to pursue at The Northern Film School, UK. Fashion and merch design is just something that I have always loved to research and get involved in.

Why/How did you get into design?:

I’ve always doodled strange and wonderful things in classes when I should have been concentrating. I guess I’m just one of those people who can’t stop designing things! Whenever I have a spare few hours, I’ll find myself sketching away or brainstorming ideas. I found that my illustration and ideas were improving every day, and found that my drawings worked best using T-shirts as my canvas.

Favorite Project(s) that you have done:

I have yet to work with any seriously huge bands and brands. I found my ‘Pretty Gosh Darn Awesome’ shirt really fun to put together, and it was extremely rewarding to see it achieve my first Tee Of The Day on Emptees.com. It’ll soon be available from those crazy Italian guys at Suck Clothing.

Influences/Inspirations:

It was pretty special to see the rise and rise of Johnny Cupcakes. I have always been a fan of his ability to take a simple idea and make something out of it, and to see his little business venture grow into the huge multi-million dollar industry it is today! I know I’ll probably never become as successful as Mr Earl, but he has definitely inspired me to go for it and put together my own clothing line. In terms of my design style, I’m fascinated by futuristic artwork from War Of The Worlds, and fun character concepts from all the cartoons I watched as a kid.

How Would You Describe Your Style?:

I’m all about huge, colorful, vibrant prints. If my art doesn’t cover the vast majority of the front of a shirt, then it’s not complete! My designs also tend to be pretty simplistic, and I love to create cute little character shirts.

Is this your full-time gig?

I spend pretty much all my spare time working on designs for clients, or for fun, but unfortunately it’s not enough for me to live on. I work behind a bar whilst I’m not studying my course at University. Maybe in the near future I would like to get into full-time freelance work, but for now it’s just to earn a bit of spending money.

One piece of advice:

If I can do it, so can you! No, but seriously, just keep at it. I spend too much time on Photoshop and Illustrator, it’s just a case of pursuing what you’re passionate about, and not letting other things get in your way. Dedicate some ‘me’ time for you to concentrate on your goals.

Favorite Medium:

Almost all of my work is drawn up on the computer. I find it easier to develop a design on the screen, mainly because you have the freedom to completely alter it effortlessly if required. I also don’t have the steadiest of hands, so I find myself using ‘ctrl-z’ an awful lot. It would be difficult to do that on paper/canvas!

Favorite Website:

I think social networking is the future. It’s incredible how easily we can all stay in touch and meet new people with a few mouse clicks. I’d say I use Facebook the most, but Myspace and Twitter follow closely. I’m also obsessed with Emptees.

Favorite Band At The Moment:

It’s been out for a while now, but ‘Homesick’ by ‘A Day To Remember’ is possibly my favorite album at the moment. Pop in a pair of bassy earphones and it’s pure bliss. For those quieter, calmer moments I’m loving ‘The Dangerous Summer’ too.

Favorite Clothing Line:

I’m a fan of a few at the moment. Electric Zombie’s new line is mental, Glamour Kills has always been around the top of the list too.