BLACKT-SHIRT NEWS & BLOG

Josh Ritter has a new EP out today, which will make many many fans happy as a clam. We worked together to arrive at artwork that reflects the wintery feeling of each song, in terms of sound and lyric.

See the amazing music video for “Love Is Making Its Way Back Home” by Prominent Figures, featured on Etsy. It’s one of the best music videos I’ve seen in a long time, constructed of over 12,000 pieces of individually cut paper. I was given video stills to create a 5-color silkscreened poster, and that is also for sale (limited to 150) along with the album in both CD and 10″ vinyl format.

This project is such a great example of collaboration between artists with vastly different skills to make a rich audio and visual experience. But we wouldn’t have any of it without the absolutely beautiful song writing of Mr. Ritter.

Inside panels of the digipack.

Thin lines of varnish were applied on the disc to create faux vinyl record groove.

Also available on 10" vinyl. It sounds very warm.

5-color poster made from video stills I received.

Bhi Bhiman. This man is just crushing it right now. He’s received accolades from the New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Paste Magazine (just to name a few), and has a nice Daytrotter Session up for listening pleasure.

I am so honored to be involved with the design of BHIMAN, collaborating with Bhi and Tough Love Artist Management of San Francisco. Bhi’s album release show is THIS SATURDAY, February 18, at Bottom of the Hill. You won’t be disappointed by this guy’s live performance.

This is one of my favorite Josh Ritter posters I’ve done. Mainly because it all just snapped together so easily, which is a rare occurrence. The sketches for this evolved over a few days, and the simple execution just felt right. I was surprised at how little time it took, but also happy to be reminded that not everything has to take forever to create.

For now, your only chance to grab one of these (limited to 200!) is to find merch table extraordinaire, Brian Stowell, at the show. Josh Ritter on NYE? I really wish I could be there.

Check out more posters at my portfolio, blackt-shirt.com.

The third annual Artcrank poster show happened this past Friday at Minna Gallery. If you were there, you know how much fun it was. If you missed it, Artcrank showcases works from local artists who love bikes. Photos and info here. Additional photos of the event are at Station SF.

My poster (below) along with other participants’ is still available at the Chrome store in San Francisco. If you’re from out of town and would like a poster, send me a note.

On Bicycles is a compilation of essays about urban cycling and using bikes as transportation, curated by Amy Walker (cofounder of Momentum Magazine). I worked with New World Library to create the cover as well as 24 spot illustrations throughout the book.

Get it at Amazon or at New World Library. While you’re rambling around, check out Momentum Magazine. It’s awesome.

Part II of II of the wedding invites I’ve had the honor of designing over the past year.

If the human body is 60% water, the remainder of my friend Ali is made of rock and roll. She came to me with the idea of  making the invite a mixtape, and from there we collaborated to get what you see here.

The great thing about doing smaller quantities is if you have the time, you can hand-craft some pretty sweet  pieces. The invitation itself folds down to a cassette and was mailed in an envelope that looks like an old-school walkman.

This post is long overdue. In fact, it’s overdue by over a year. In lieu of my cousin AJ getting married, as well as a few of my best friends, Joel & Jillian, I’ll take this opportunity to post a few wedding invites I’ve designed over the past year.

In this first post is an invite for my great friends Jori & Steve. They had a small wedding just a few feet from the edge of the Mississippi River in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. Printed by Conor at Forthrite Printing in Oakland.

Invite Front (Closed)

Invite Inside (Open)

Invite Back (Closed) Showing the ceremony location

Inside Detail

Envelope Detail

Some fan art I created just in time for the mountain stages. Good luck! (Click for hi-resolution version)

Busy makin’ albums! Well… the artwork anyway. I’m hoping to do a full post on each very soon.

This is out today! 6/21/11 website: mattnathanson.com

This one just came out yesterday… 6/20/11 website: trentyaconelli.com

Great friends of mine. This album is out 7/1/11, but you can grab some tracks from it, plus get more info on their album release show in SF. website: ghostandthecity.com

Lauren Balthrop, Annie Nero, and Dawn Landes. This stuff is so sweet.
website: myspace
stream the album: ufomusic.com

My dad certainly is rad. After purchasing a new bike, he sent me his “old” one, which is anything but old. It got me into riding more miles than I could have ever imagined and it’s my favorite “thing” I own next to my guitar.

He sent me the bike not because he got a new one, but because he knew I was into riding and wanted to support my enthusiasm… like he has my entire life. I wonder sometimes what it was like raising a kid whose life goal was to “draw stuff.”

So in honor of my father and his brand new bike, a Kestrel Talon, I’ve created an ID system (fictional, of course) that showcases some of  his favorite brands. He’s a Guinness man. That demands respect.

I have to admit I’ve wanted to do a project like this for a while. To pick brands and figure out how to use their existing art in an interesting way, and also how to think about both the bike and clothing can work well together. See a higher resolution bike here.

Thank you again to my amazing dad, and Happy Fathers Day to all fathers and father figures out there. – M