Saturday Night Fish Fry

Hey, all you kids, you graphic-design kids! Hey! Don't steal graphics off the internet to use on your website or brochure designs. You are gonna get caught!!

No, go back to the past... in fact, go so far back, that the art is no longer under copyright protection. Let's use some clip art from the 1930s and 1940s. Oh yeah, express common ideas and popular subjects like: holidays, sports, the weather, retail sales & specials, religion, and (still big these days) the depression. Oh, if it was good enough for your great Grandpa's commercial artist, it is good enough for you.

Design like the olden days: print out these nifty illustrations, trace them onto your art boards with one of those newfangled carbon tracing paper easel thingies... and by-cracky, you'll make 'em laugh with your play on words! Ha!

I have had this pack of Heyer Cartoon and Idea Book miniature illustrations for ages and I haven't used them yet... though I still plan on it. The box announces '85 pages, printed on one side and easy to trace with 575 cartoons'... these are the Microsoft Word Clipart of the early twentieth century. These are great-- they are crisp, black and white line art with hand lettering headlines and taglines. There could be a new font design in here someplace. You can't go wrong with these little bits of history. There are a few that are racey and a few that are a racially insensitive-- like the Warner Bros Cartoons from the same era that need disclaimers and apologies today-- but I'll save those for another day.

Now who is going to scan all these and vectorize them so we can share them in the future?


Big time- $1,000 all in coins!


I am not even sure what this means....


Crazy baby-faced man robs bank (while holding giant sugar cube)!



If he's gonna be there, I think I'll leave early....



For Those About To Rock: savings so amazing, it is like a giant ice cream cone for a weird old man kid!!


Old timey fun: catch the skinless cat and then let him go in a crowded theater!
Oh, 'It's Out,' baby.

Summertime

It is easier to design in the Winter. In the Buffalo Winter, it's cold outside, you are in the house more, and you tend to spend more time in front of your computer... In the Summer it is tough to commit to sitting still.

We have such a small window of truly wonderful weather that you want to be out, out, out. In the Winter, I can even sneak a few weekend working hours in. But in the Summer? No way.

When I first got into this business, it used to be typically slow in the Summer. The theory being (and the old timers will attest to this) was the decision makers in large companies (CEOs, Big Bad Bosses, etc.) were all on vacation in the Summer so decisions were not made, and nothing could get signed off on, in regards to developing marketing materials. The advertising and marketing field had a 'season' where things got designed and developed in the Fall and were produced in the Winter for the Spring marketing season. Ask any printer you know, who has been around for more than 12-15 years, and they will tell you all about this.

But this is not so anymore. Bosses take vacations all year round, people are work-a-holics and never stop and there isn't a 'season' in this field anymore and hasn't been for ages. It has been a busy Summer, and the fact that I haven't blogged about anything since the Prince piece- which was more that 2 weeks a ago- just goes to prove that fact. It is not that I haven't had anything to say (read: complain about) it has been quite a pile of work piled upon us. Not complaining, mind you, just explaining.

All this makes it hard for a small, family shop like ours to get away. We have a camping trip planned, but as anyone who was reading this blog over the last few years knows, the computer comes on the trip. I can usually work via email just a bit to keep thinks rolling. So with Summer in full swing, we try and squeeze a lot into our free time (which never involves the computer or TV)... If I am not working, I am going to try to get in a walk, bike ride, a trip to the park with the kids, campfires, bar-b-cues, parties, a few outdoor rock shows, but no beach or pool-- it has been a bit chilly this Summer. So the Summer has been a "work-work-work-work-all week", and a "relax-play-relax all weekend" and then back to the "work-work-work-thing".

As the company continues to grow, maybe someday I can do less of the 'work' and more of the sitting back and watching.... maybe I can be of of those bosses that leaves for a month in Europe with his family, while the self-sustaining business runs itself with some capable employees?.. I will surly blog about that.

Take Me With U

"Nobody would have the balls to do this. You just wait -- they'll be freaking."
-- alleged Prince quote as he erased the bass track to 'When Dove's Cry' while in the recording studio.


Flip the cassette, I told my brother and he did. We were back at the beginning of side one. The strains of a church organ came pouring out of our boom box and it wasn't gospel music we were listening to. My brother and I were helping my Dad and his work buddies set up the 1984 Buffalo Car Show at the Buffalo Convention Center.

”Dearly beloved we are gathered here today 2 get through this thing called life ...”

It was one of the first times the Car Show was at the Convention Center, upgrading from it's run at the Eastern Hills Mall. The place was vast and I had never been in an a building of this size- it was like an empty concert stadium. At that very moment, my brother and I were not doing much helping, but waiting for the giant boxes of ramps, stands, banners and catalogs to get delivered up on the floor-- and listening to rock music. Funky rock music.

"...Electric word life It means forever and that's a mighty long time But I'm here 2 tell u There's something else The afterworld...."

And we were listening to not just any funky rock music, but the soundtrack to a movie my little brother and I saw the previous week. The Kmart-bought cassette tape had little in the way of liner notes, but the cover featured our hero on his motorcycle- a long haired, purple clad soon-to-be-rock star straddling a purple motorcycle parked in a foggy alleyway. A mysterious, dark haired, buxom woman stood behind him on the fire escape. My brother turned it louder.

"A world of never ending happiness
U can always see the sun, day or night

So when u call up that shrink in Beverly Hills
U know the one - Dr Everything'll Be Alright
Instead of asking him how much of your time is left
Ask him how much of your mind, baby

'Cuz in this life
Things are much harder than in the afterworld
In this life
You're on your own

And if de-elevator tries 2 bring u down
Go crazy!"

The music was large and it filled our corner of the mostly empty Convention Center. Since no one was watching my brother or I, we went 'oh no, let's go crazy' and started to jump around like mad, throwing up our arms, air shredding..... My dad came over and asked if we were planning on helping today.

This Summer, 2009, marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie & soundtrack to Purple Rain. I have a certain affinity for this record and the movie that changed my life as an 18 year old fresh out of high school in the Summer of 1984. I was really always into music and I had a Dad that had a good record collection of 70s rock to help me out. But Prince and Purple Rain was the first thing that was new, weird and different for me. It was mine. My parents didn't like it, I did. Turns out a good portion of the world liked it too.

I thought Purple Rain was the greatest rock movie I had even seen and I loved the LP. Up until that point I may have seen Help, Yellow Submarine, some Monkee's episodes. But nothing like this. This was a rock movie. It had live rock scenes with scorching gueetar work, people dressing strange and slightly punkish, sex, motorcycles and a misunderstood artist with a frilly shirt and a pencil-thin mustache.


Here are the Top Ten Things I Learned From Purple Rain (Looking Back at The 25th Anniversary):

10) Rock can be funky and funk could rock.

09) And said 'funk songs' could exist (quite funk-ily) without the bass guitar. Sacrilege? No, genius.

08) Sometimes when your good, you are really good.
In the summer of 1984, for a moment in time, Prince had the #1 single, #1 album and #1 film in the U.S. Dang.

07) Great movies often have bad sequels.
Although Graffiti Bridge was not officially a sequel (you are not fooling me), it has a lot of the same characters, the same city, same theme- and it was really bad. Really bad.

06) Purple is the best color.
Ask any king or prince.(or any guy with an unpronounceable symbol 4 a name).

05) Think quick under pressure and you may be able to pull it off.
Protégé starlet Vanity very famously left the project just prior to filming, leaving Prince to cast the unknown Apollonia Kotero as his own love interest. She became an overnight star-- for 1 movie.

04) Backward lyrics are misleading and mysterious.
At the end of Darling Nikki: "Hello, how are you? I'm fine, 'cause I know that the Lord is coming soon. Coming, coming soon." If only Tipper knew....

03) It is cool & useful 2 use numbers 4 words.
Hello, all U twitter-ers and text-ters. Ha, gotcha. Thanks Prince, you visionary.

02) Song lyrics can change the world.
“Darling Nikki” was the track that made steam come out of Tipper Gore's ears and sent her on a personal vendetta to clean up pop music-- ultimately resulting in the Parental Advisory stickers that pepper albums to this very day.

01) When the world seems against you- just be you and persevere and you will come out on top.
Example: one minute Billy says to The Kid, "Nobody digs your music, but yourself...."
The next minute: the crowd is swaying, girls are crying, and lighters are in the air!

Bonus Beats-
Download SPIN magazines free collection of the LP being covered by other bands.
Six of the nine songs are good, Purplish Rain (secret word: "guy")
Highlights: “Take Me With U” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and “I Would Die 4 U” Mariachi El Bronx

Other Links-
• Pop Matters Magazine- 10 stories celebrating PR
• Minneapolis Historic Society- Prince archives
• NPR story on PR

Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun

I haven't written much as I have gotten buried under a pile of work and home things. Summer is here! You can tell because Target is bringing out the school supplies... yikes!

This is the transition week. The kids are fully off from school and hanging around a lot. J. and I must do the balancing act of trying to work, keep the kids busy and not go crazy. She will work in her summer office more- aka the kitchen or living room (thank you, wireless technology)-- and I will be in and out a lot.

The kids are pretty self-sufficient, but they don't want to hang around in the office all day. They are both artists, so they can paint, draw, build, create, construct for a while- but that isn't going to last all day. Either J. or I will take them out for a portion of the day: park, cheap movie, walk, waterfront, running errands, etc. Last year we had a friend-teacher-nanny situation and that worked great. This year we are 'winging it' with mixed results, but not so bad so far (3 days in...).

I remember when my Mom worked on Saturdays as the bookkeeper at the Colonial Court Motel on Niagara Falls Blvd. and she would begrudgingly drag me and my brother along with her many times. We would play in the hotel lobby with our GI Joe or Matchbox cars, or explore in back where there was a bit of woods, have lunch and generally hang around. I think we managed pretty well..

Owning a family business puts the kids around more that not during the Summer. We try and keep them away from the TV and the convenient babysitter computer as much as possible. But even the educational programs (PBS kids, StarFall, etc.) still render them starting at the TV or monitor and I don't think that is really doing them that much good.

I am trying to teach my kids to be self-entertaining and, so far, I think they are really good at it. And if I have to take them out more-- good! An occasional trip to the park, to push someone on a swing is very therapeutic for me as well. It is calming, it is good to get away from this here computer and I think in the long run, the time spend with my kids is building a strong bond that will last forever... or until they become parent-loathing teenagers. I guess we'll see.

Caught, Can We Get a Witness?

I had an appointment the other day that was a no-show. I take it as a bit of a slight, a sign of lack of respect... They called to apologize (kinda) much later after we were suppose to meet, but after I called to see where they might be. I was not happy about this. Even worse though, the meeting was at 4:00 and I often knock off at 4 to hang with the kids/cut the grass/maybe help with dinner.... I take an average of a 4-5 hour break and come back to work for 3-4 hours in the evening. So blowing me off on my down time, it was bad enough the meeting was scheduled during my downtown, sheesh.

I run along the lines of some old school business philosophies. I have learned from the best. I always write people letters, thank you notes, follow ups. I am professional, I try and explain things as clearly as I can, get it all in writing and I do my best to show up on time for meetings. Occasionally, I may be a few minutes late and I feel pretty embarrassed when I can't make it at the set time. My time is valuable so I try not to waste others.

I wonder, as technology advances and as business gets less and less formal, where do the old time practices, respects and standards of operations end up? Do they disappear completely? Do people have formal business meetings over their cell phone or tweat, twitterize or twext each other? As meetings have moved from the conference room to the coffee shop, has this trend weakened the connections and partnerships people make...?

I would much rather meet someone face-to-face if I am going to do business with them. But I have, a few times over the last year or so, successfully completed some design projects where I have never met the client face-to-face. I know this is common with freelance illustrators and writers, but I have a bit of a hard time with it. Talking to someone in person gives you a better feel for them and this is especially valuable when meeting first time clients.

I may be at the end of a dying breed of business folk trying to hold on to some old school practices, but I have found them to work. I think people can appreciate the professionalism (especially from a creative type- some people think we are wacko), and I am going to keep meeting you in person. We'll talk about the next project, we'll chat about our kids, common interests (hockey, rock, RZA, etc.)... and we'll shake hands. Go ahead and twit, tweet or tweather me, I'll call you back and we can set up a time to meet. In person.

Photos: kid shot photograph of lawn about to get schooled, old schooled... and Bobby Digital, he'll always meet you on time, and kick your azz!!

One of My Submarines

Write/Paint

Back in 1984 when Apple revolutionized the world of personal computing with the Macintosh computer I was graduating from Tonawanda High School. I took several art and design classes from my favorite teacher William DeGlopper including photography, graphic design, illustration, plus a printing course (in shop class, no lie) but no computers. I continued my path as a designer enrolling into Buffalo State College the same year and ran through their design program-- with some journalism tossed in. The closest I came to a computer was word processing at the The Record, the school paper. When I first came into touch with a computer that could be used as a design tool, the decade was coming to a close as the 90s began.

The first Mac I actually used to design was a bit more advanced version that the one here (SE-30)... barely... It was this same size. And though I didn't carry it around in a little sack riding in my bike's basket, I did carry it around from my job to my house. It seems funny to lug this big box around, but this little machine was actually pretty compact for it's day and age. It is interesting how computers went from this, to bigger desktops and back to a small size in its life cycle of 25 years so far.

I have a couple of these little Mac SE-30s boxes and I love the information, instructions and photos in the manual. Last year I posted a piece about the the fonts that came pre-loaded (er, I mean you had to load them yourself from a small floppy disk) on this machine and another one about using the state-of-the-art MacPaint.... this time I chose to show you the 'lifestyle' photography from the original Mac manual.

The images are pretty humorous in their authentic '80s office style and preppy, white guy-ness. The shot with the guy in his office late at night with his sweater around his neck is priceless. It's marketing like this-- with its uber-80s geek-ness-- that kept the rock poster designers from using computers... and probably it's list price of $4,400 ($4,900 with hard drive). Think about what sort of computer you can get today for four grand!

Quick note on the carrying case: "... Your Macintosh will fit under the seat in most commercial airplanes. and in the overhead compartment of others.." Try carrying this thing onto a plane today, let alone getting in UNDER the seat!


A little tickle to get it started, adjust the brightness and you are computing!


Why is this man's collar down? You can tell by the look on this guys face he is crunching numbers. Internet porn had yet to be invented but the calculator watch had.


The ease-of-use. Big desk, littel computer: a couple dudes working in their law office or someplace businessy like that.


The sexy. After hours '80s dude chillin', catching some UV rays California-stylee.


The traveling computer: Packing it up to go... city awaits in the distance.


Bicycle Race. ... and then going, with the little mac riding up front in the basket. Jealous guys looks on from shadows.


Hello, aren't I beige. Love me.

Cryin'

T-Shirt Of The Week #13: PRINT Magazine
Yellow and red art on black tee

This is my weekly feature on a favorite t-shirt that I own, number thirteen. This one tells the story about being a graphic artist. Four of the little artist dude in the circles are stressing out: scratching his head, sitting and worrying, crying his eyes out and placing a gun to his head surrounded by crumpled paper- bad ideas, perhaps? The fifth dude is jumping for joy and tossing money... Is this not the true tale of the artist?... 80% struggle, pain, suffering, 10% satisfaction.

This was a free shirt I got when I renewing a subscription to PRINT magazine ages ago. The artist is none other than Mr. Chris Ware, creator of the amazing ACME Novelty Library comic book series**. I always loved the tale it tells without words- it is open to interpretation don't cha know.... I have felt like this guy for most of last week and I am waiting for the 'jumping in the air with money' day... will it be tomorrow..? I am hoping.

** Thanks to Paulk in hotlanta for filling in the artist for me... I knew the work, but didn't know his name... so stoopeed of me.

I Go To Work (but not on a Saturday!?!??!)

I often take Saturday & Sundays off from the biz-ness and it seems to work well. I mentioned several posts ago how I dislike working on the weekends and avoid it whenever possible. Since most of my work-time is spend working on proposals and finding the work, I sometimes will sneak some creative in here and there to satisfy that need. But it has to be fun stuff- rock posters, CD art, etc.

When I was in college and had a restaurant job I spend all weekends working. It wasn't too bad except the dreaded late nite Sat & the early Sunday morning combo. To make matters worse, the time between those 2 shifts was not spent sleeping- as you may imagine. But getting up Sunday morning to work? I guess I could get up early these days and put some hours in before the girls awake...? I guess I am more of a nite owl and would rather put the hours in late if needed.

As we are well into our 9th year as our own thing- OtherWisz Creative- working the odd hours seem less and less a necessity. Though I feel like I still have to work like crazy to keep the ship afloat, I guess I don't really have to as much these days. We have the staff to do the work and as long as I keep it coming in, manage it, and come up with the concepts (w/ J. of course) I guess I can keep it to standard biz hours- 9-5pm. I think creative folks usually would frown on that and would rather work the crazy hours.

I am interested in what you folks out there are doing, especially the creative types...? What sort of work schedule do you keep you writers, musicains (see Willie above), artists, graphic folks, photogs, etc? Let me know- comment.

I Wanna Be Your Dog

Corporate Challenge T-shirt Design Vote!

Every year we design t-shirts for some of our clients that are in the Chase Corporate Challenge which is a Delaware Park road race taking place this Thursday (June 4th) which raises money for not-for-profits. It is a fun event where corporate Buffalo lets down their hair, runs/walks a race around the park and then parties. And, no, the OtherWisz team of highly athletic workers is not involved as participants this year.... but once again we have designed special race tees for some of our clients. This year we did designs for two: Fisher's Friends Dog Day Care and Kenmore Development.

The KD tee wasn't designed in-time to get entered in the yearly t-shirt design contest, but the Fisher's Friends tee was. You as the voters can catapult our t-shirt design to victory by voting online. So do it, please. Go to here and vote by choosing the 'It's all fun and games until someone gets a cone' t-shirt.

The concept was brought to us by the client and our crack team of dog-loving designers came up with this illustration and a design that worked out just super. If you like this witty t-shirt enough, they are for sale at Fisher's Friends in Eggertsville, view website here for directions.

VOTE HERE: click me.

Lips Like Sugar.. Sugar Kisses...

Ten Things to Consider & Be Thankful For On My 43rd Birthday:

10) I still like loud music.
Well, at least my music loud, not the kids "Hanna Bandana" loud music (though it is cute to see the little one sing in her room with her fake microphone... just like I used to do as a kid).

09) I feel very healthy.
I glad I quit smoking, probably... 12 years ago. You know I never expected to live past 30, or 40... and now look at me. 50, 60, 70... anybody?

08) I am glad my girls love me.
Even when I have had a bad day, they are all (3 of them) happy to see me and ready to tell me that they love me- often.

07) I am glad I am charge of my own haircuts these days and not my mom (see photo).
I used to get some bad haircuts, wear some bad clothing but I think I have finally got it together aesthetically... pretty much.

06) I love all the birthday attention: facebook posts, emails, phone calls, etc.
Us artists crave the attention, the accolades, the hand shakes, the pats on the back. Keep it coming!

05) It is great being an artist.
I truly like having my own business and not being under the thumb of 'the man.'
Through the prosperous times and the lean times, I do really love what I do.
Though not always at 12:30 AM on a Tuesday night, but it beats working for a living.. right?

04) B-Day Dinner at Casa Di Pizza with the family will be great!
I love going out to eat and the pizza is really good at the 'house o' pizza'! My favorite bar manager, Chris is probably working as well.

03) There is still hockey this time of year (Go Pens!).
My favorite sport & playoff time is the best time of the season, as I have a new favorite team every round. It is exciting and relaxing and there will always be Playoff Hockey during the end of May.

02) My walk-friendly neighborhood.
Not having to drive often is good- I hate driving. I love this neighborhood-- and for all the crap Buffalo gets-- this is the best time of year to live here. Plus after #04, I will need some exercise.

01) I think I might be getting better looking as I get older... anyone?
Where is all that attention, I mentioned earlier....
Facebookers click "Like (thumbs up)."

photos: me in 1974 , age 8. Me at 42-7/8 photo by Abby.

Sunshine Superman

T-Shirt Of The Week #12: Comic City tee (3rd of a series)

This is my weekly feature on a favorite t-shirt that I own, number twelve. Comic City was a comic book store on Allen Street across from the old Pink. We designed the logo, advertisements and 3 different t-shirts (same design, different colors). This was the heather gray with ringed collar, Summer version. The other two were the white on dark blue and the dark blue on red which was supposed to be the Spiderman colors but the shirt color didn't quite match. There was also a rare reject tee-- that Comic City sold on the side-- which was a misprint of the red shirt where the art was printed backwards creating a reverse version.

The logo was a fun job as it was for a friend's shop. It consisted of the 3 dimensional masthead with the Buffalo cityscape floating behind it. I had originally designed the cityscape for another project (the cover of an infoTech Niagara membership guide) and recycled it for the CC logo. The store also had a mascot which is the hero featured on the shirt designs. Lovingly referred to as The Captain (or The Cap'n), this dude was based on Jack King Kirby's square-jawed Marvel characters with a extruded font dingbat for his emblem. Add a full moon shape rising over the city and a few sparkle stars... and you got yourself a cool t-shirt.

The comic book store was only open for a few years but it was a really cool location in Allentown. We sold our Where to Roam tees out in front during one of the Allentown West Art Festival one Summer. That was a blast! Unfortunately, as all good things must pass, the store eventually closed but I still have the tees- one of each- but this is my favorite.

Love You To

Event Alert:
Thursday, May 21, 2009, from 6-9pm
The Western NY Book Arts Center Grand Opening
468 Washington St (at Mohawk)
Buffalo NY 14203

When I first set foot in The Western NY Book Arts Center last year I was enlisted to help carry trays of metal type from one side of the room to another. Located in the former Slotkin Department Store in downtown Buffalo, the place was dusty, crumbly and had seen better day. I was helping font-maker Rich Kegler move cabinets, tables, and ancient printing equipment so he could paint the floor. He had a vision of a future that would include the past. He thought people could still appreciated old school letterpress printing and he was correct. This Thursday, the space is officially reborn as the Grand Opening of the The Western NY Book Arts Center is finally arrived with a member's show. Rockin'

This Thursday, May 21, 2009, from 6-9pm the Center is open to all, as font-meister Rich Kegler's vision becomes a reality. Come on down to the opening and see the space transformed with a gallery, bookshop, event space, working print studio, reading library, printing museum & more. The opening will feature music, drink, food, art and artists- everything you need for a good time.

Located at 468 Washington Street, on the corner of Washington and Mohawk- the next block over from the Mohawk Place- this opening is a sneak peak of the future of the WNYBAC. The following day, Friday May 22nd, the center be officially open with regular hours from 12-6 pm, on Wed-Sat. In addition, the bookshop will be open and will offer book making supplies, art papers, books, stationary, and fine art.

The Grand Opening of WNYBAC kicks off with this first members' exhibition. There has been quite a few other events going on there over the last year including several during last year's Typecon- but this is the official 'opening.' This event will feature established and emerging artists, craftspeople and self-published authors, such as Jozef Bajus, Gerald Mead and Diane Bond. I am lucky to be included, as I have a piece in the show that has been hanging in my living room for the last 9 years. It is a mix of acrylic, press type, graphite and glaze. The painting titled "Four Letter Words," was from a period where I was experiment with powdered graphite, paint and hand-kerning presstype. They used to teach typesetting theory by using press type to set headlines back in pre-computer design school. I thought by reviving this painting, maybe I can get some inspiration to paint again- which has been lost from my life for several years now. I think it is time to get it back into action.

I am excited to go down and see the show and I am extra excited to have some art in this show. Come on down & check it out. It is good to have a another art gallery in town and you'll get a chance to see old school print equipment from back in the day when printers were craftsmen and much time was spent setting character after character, setting the letters, words and spaces in a book by hand.

Hope to see you there. Don't let your kids touch the lead.

For more information on the event:
www.wnybookarts.org
info@wnybookarts.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147304730227