HANDSELECTA | Flip the Script

Migrated

2009-04-01T21:17:00.003-04:00

Our blog has officially moved over to 12oz.com. There will be no further posts here.

Lesque "One Year"

2009-03-09T12:22:00.001-04:00

Lesque, Japan's top indie skateboard company, just dropped their latest video, "One Year". The DVD features a number of really beautifully-filmed vignettes introducing each of the four pros on the team.

Highly recommended.

House Girard Collection

2009-02-04T04:08:00.002-05:00

House Industries just released a new collection of typefaces and designed objects inspired by the work of mid-century designer Alexander Girard.

As a textile designer for Herman Miller from 1952 to 1973, Alexander Girard collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson to form what is widely known as the "Camelot" of design. In the mid-century era of Modernist sterility, Girard's folk art sensibilities softened the hard edges of the prevailing style. His love for typography and use of illustrative lettering was evident in his personal work as well as high-profile pieces such as the renowned International Love Heart.

In creating its own interpretation of the Girard aesthetic, House Industries undertook an extensive research project, exploring four decades of the designer's work archived at Vitra in Germany and Herman Miller in Zeeland, Michigan. A pilgrimage to New Mexico unearthed more reference materials, including Girard's famous Unitarian Church mural in Albuquerque, his collections at the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, and more treasures at the home of the Girard family.

For the Alexander Girard fonts, House Industries designers took inspiration from a variety of source materials.

Girard Script was loosely based on Girard's signature as it was always printed on the selvedge of fabrics he designed, as well as an assortment of obscure personal illustrations.

Girard Slab is a practical slab-serif family of four weights and three widths, inspired by the cover of Herman Miller's 1972 fabric designs catalog and the Girard Miller logo. A special features allows the user to toggle the letter connections on and off.

Girard Sky was based on alphabets drawn by John Neuhart and Karl Tani for Girard's famous rebranding of the Braniff International airline in the 1960s.

Girard Sansusie combines a folksy flair with a lettering style evident throughout the Girard oeuvre, most notably on his 1955 Herman Miller fabric catalog.

In the spirit of the Herman Miller Textile and Objects store that served as a showplace for Girard's thoughtfully-curated fabric designs, toys and folk art in the 1960s, the House Industries' Alexander Girard Collection features its own set of Girard-inspired objects. Each of these objects tells its own story while gracefully taking its place in any contemporary living space.

A 72-piece wood memory game festooned with illustrations.

Sunny faces beam from a set of children's alphabet blocks, originally designed for the San Francisco MoMA show in 2006.

Hand-made dolls, designed exclusively for House Industries by Marilyn Neuhart, are made from Mexican cotton with the same loving care as the originals she sewed for the opening of the T&O store in 1961.

A nativity set of 11 solid maple pieces is based on an original Girard illustration that hangs in his son's house.

Snakes, rabbits, fish and foxes form a menagerie of mystery in a childrens’ puzzle based on a Girard carpet design.

Really beautiful stuff!

Godfather of Graff Cornbread!

2009-01-23T20:04:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

Stay High 149. The Legend. Thankfully the last time he stopped by I had my copy of "The Faith of Graffiti"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv9kSPlSTdA

BREAK OUT!

2008-12-29T10:07:00.005-05:00

The other night I caught the Cro-Mags Jam at The Knitting Factory. AJ Leeway on Guitar. Craig Ahead from SOIA on Bass. The place was packed and rocking hard. Mad kids flying. Following in Ratbones lead with leaps off the balcony. The unexpected pleasure was an opening band from Stroudsburg, PA called Wisdom in Chains. I was apparently the only one in the crowd who didnt know these guys because the floor was MOVING.

My video of WIC sucked so heres one from youtube:

CRO-MAGS JAM

2008-12-21T22:51:00.005-05:00

Over the last few years I have met John Joseph in passing a couple times. Cool guy. A couple weeks back I was honored to be asked to do an art for some of the new shows they have coming up. If you make it to the one in New York on the 28th, look for tees too.

If you aren't familiar with the guys story, check out his memoir, published earlier this year.

ABC3D

2008-12-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

AMAZING. the thought patterns involved in thinking something like this through astound me.

BEASTIN

2008-12-10T20:47:00.004-05:00

I got an email this morning from my man Dusan in Münich. His new label Beastin is making waves.

If your into the 90s revival hey-day of hip hop and sneakerhead culture, you'll probably like what their rocking. Check it out.

Life got in the way

2008-12-07T08:22:00.002-05:00

But I'm back at it again. Here are some videos I don't think ever got migrated to the blog. I've got some other stuff brewing soon. So keep close. I promise to not let it go so long without an update.

KAD, Philly

KAD, Philly

KAD, Philly

Whirl, Seattle

Mover, Portland Oregon

Kaves, Brooklyn

Cinik, Brooklyn

Cinik, Brooklyn

Cooper Black Swash Italic

2008-09-29T06:46:00.001-04:00

Cooper Black Swash Italic, now available on MyFonts.

House ampersand shirt

2008-09-29T06:13:00.001-04:00

Nice new typographische tee shirt action from House.

Wordshape fonts on MyFonts!

2008-05-20T08:51:00.002-04:00

MyFonts is now an official distributor of Wordshape typefaces. Stroll on by to pick up the now heavily discounted Cooper Black Swash Italic and/or Rubber Vloeren.

Cooper Black Swash Italic is a true digitization of Cooper Black's swash characters which never made the jump from phototype to digital form. Most designers have settled for using the (IMHO) far inferior Goudy Heavyface swash characters in lieu of the more friendly Cooper O.G. action.

Rubber Vloeren is a digital adaption of Piet Zwart's lettering for old pre-linoleum rubber flooring advertisements. The same Rubber Vloeren alphabet was used by Zwart on several other occasions. There’s a showing in Dutch Type by Jan Middendorp of the most spectacular version: a gold-on-blue version on ceramic tiles made for the First Church of Christ Scientist in The Hague when working for the architect Berlage.

Lost | Graffiti in the City of Angels

2008-05-08T02:19:00.011-04:00

Shameless plug alert!

I just put out a new issue of my 'zine Lost. This time it is a fully formed book (224 pages/silkscreened artboard covers/the whole nine) that compiles material from 10 years of documenting L.A. graffiti and more. It also features previously unpublished material, offering a glimpse into writing culture on the left coast. (You might even catch a few cholo tags here and there...)

Included in the book are early L.A. style masters like Tempt STN, Besk UCA and the MAK crew. It also features contemporary innovators whose work has re-defined L.A. styles such as Ayer (Rest in Peace), Haeler OTR/7th Letter, and Atlas CBS. Designed by yours truly. Rad dude all around (and fellow Handselecta'er) Ian Lynam wrote the foreword.

Above are some spreads from the book. You can find out more (and nab one while you can) at the book's website lost.seekingheaven.com.

Art Space Tokyo

2008-05-03T03:52:00.002-04:00

Just got a lengthy essay on Tokyo graffiti, writing's deconstruction of traditional syntactical structures, and handstyles published in this great new book.
Art Space Tokyo is the definitive guide to Contemporary Art in Tokyo. If you are an art lover and plan on visiting Tokyo, it is a must have. If you dig great book design, it is just as worth it. A beautiful collection of considered graphic design, a ton of different printing processes, great papers, quality binding, and beautifully screened/stamped cover cloth.

Lost Ten Years exhibit in Los Angeles

2008-05-02T16:22:00.003-04:00

If you are in the L.A. area this weekend, specifically May 3, check out the exhibition and book release I put together to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of my 'zine Lost | Graffiti in the City of Angels.

Here's the 411:

Eyeone | SH + Meltdown present
Lost Ten Years | Book release + exhibition
Opening: Saturday, May 3, 2008 | 7 -10 pm

Meltdown
7522 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
meltcomics.com

Featuring work by Adikt, Asylm, Atlas, Cab, Codak, Eyeone, Friend, Geoff Oki, Iker, Jorger, Kara Marks, Kozem, Luna, Modem, Neo, Panic, Patrick Martinez, Precise, Rick Rodriguez, Sherm, Swank, Tommy Ruets, Unit, Vyal, Worth, and Yem.

Audio by Kool DJ Sheak One, House Guru, Adikt, and Gloze 54.

More on the exhibit here.

Cowboy hats of the railroad

2008-04-30T15:33:00.001-04:00

Cowboy hats of the railroad, originally uploaded by thunderdome.

For the Freight heads in the audience.

Graffiti Research Lab film-MoMA 05/04/08

2008-04-24T13:23:00.006-04:00

Graffiti Research Lab: The Complete First Season will be premiering in NYC on Sunday, May 4 at 8 PM at MoMa. Too bad for me since I'm on the other coast, but if you're in NY or anywhere near, this is definitely worth checking out. GRL make graffiti robots, LED throwies, laser tagging equipment, mobile letter-spray-painting vans, and a slew of other dope hi-tech public-space appropriating gizmos.

PopRally presents:
Graffiti Research Lab: The Complete First Season
Sunday, May 4, 2008
8:00–11:00 P.m.
MoMA • 11 West 53 Street • New York, NY 10019-5497
Titus 1 theater

Peep the trailer (via BoingBoing TV)

Link to MoMa page.
Link to GRL page (where they have posted a torrent of the unofficial DVD just in case.)

Its been a long time....

2008-04-17T09:49:00.003-04:00

I shouldnt have left you, without a strong style step to.

Parallel Strokes

2008-03-03T01:02:00.012-05:00

My new book, Parallel Strokes, is available now via the book website. It isn't officially being released for a week, but I figured Handselecta readers should have a chance before other folks.

About Parallel Strokes:

Parallel Strokes is a collection of interviews with twenty-plus contemporary typeface designers, graffiti writers, and lettering artists around the world. The book is introduced with a comprehensive essay charting the history of graffiti, its relation to type design, and how the two practices relate in the wider context of lettering.
Interviews within include conversations with pan-European type design collecitve Underware, Japanese type designer Akira Kobayashi, American graffiti writer and fine artist Barry McGee/Twist, German graffiti writers Daim and Seak, American lettering artist, graphic designer and design eductor Ed Fella, among others. Parallel Strokes is an enquiry into the history, context, and development of lettering today, both culturally approved and illicit.

Full list of interviewees:

Akira Kobayashi
Underware
Ed Fella
Delta
Jerry Inscoe/Joker
Jens Gehlhaar
Daim
Seak
Jonas Williamsson
Handselecta
Tauba Auerbach
Lady Pink
She One
Eklips AWR/MSK
Eskae
Renos
Mike Giant
Chaz Bojorquez
Barry McGee/Twist

The result of a six years of research in the combined arts of lettering, graffiti, and typeface design, Parallel Strokes is a collection of interviews some of the best letterform creators in the world today.

Chaz Bojorquez talks about the origins of barrio graffiti in Los Angeles and the evolution of the craft. Fellow Angeleno, vernacular graphic designer Ed Fella, speaks about his history in lettering and how he earned the title “The King of Zing” in Detroit design and illustration circles. Famed Japanese type designer Akira Kobayashi discusses Roman and Japanese letterforms while showcasing a lifetime of type design work. European graffiti writers Daim, Seak, and Delta share their thoughts on dimensional graffiti lettering while American graffiti writer Mike Giant talks about vernacular lettering, typeface design, and the evolution of graffiti handstyles.

Parallel Strokes is richly illustrated throughout, featuring copious previously unpublished work by the interviewed artists, as well as supplementary illustrations and photographs detailing contemporary and historical trends in graffiti and type design.

The first 100 orders come with a two color 17" x 20" Parallel Strokes poster printed using recycled paper and soy inks at Portland, Oregon's Pinball Publishing.

Parallel Strokes is 244 pages thick and available for $25 with free shipping worldwide.

B-I-N-G-O!

2008-02-25T05:52:00.004-05:00

While I was in the U.S. vacationing over the holidays, I partook in a lively night of bingo at Sunset Bingo in lovely Beaverton, Oregon with my lovely girlfriend and her family. While sitting out the more costly rounds of the game, the cheap bastard that I am, I crafted up a lively modular vernacular typeface for Néojaponisme readers out of the materials available.

Pecha Kucha Night: A Celebration

2008-02-07T03:43:00.001-05:00

The Pecha Kucha Night: A Celebration book is finally available online. Pecha Kucha Night is a series of global events where 20 presenters take the stage to present 20 slides, about which they will speak for 20 seconds each.

This book is a "best of", with presentations by Japanese super-architect Toyo Ito, Marcus Fairs, PKN founders Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of the insanely awesome and talented Klein Dytham architecture, Tokyo dance group Strange Kinoko, graphic designers Namaiki, type designer Odod Ezer, and British designer Sebastian Conran.

The book was edited by Uleshka, founder of PingMag, and designed by, um, Ian Lynam Design. It weighs in at 176 pages, softcover, and has a nice UV gloss screenprinted cover. The text is a mixture of English and Japanese.

At ¥2000 ($18.75) each, including global priority shipping from Japan, it's a steal.

Juxtapoz

2008-01-16T13:58:00.000-05:00

Check out the new February issue of Juxtapoz for an article on the 'Selecta. Thanks to Espo for lending his voice and insight to the article.

White New York

2008-01-15T17:02:00.001-05:00

The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal

2007-12-11T20:23:00.000-05:00

I found an interesting article over at WebUrbanist (via Digg.) It reviews a video by Matt McCormick that explores buffing-as-art titled "The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal." The article has an excerpt from the documentary and a few other videos, as well as images that capture this "subconscious" artform.

Excerpt from article: "Most would argue that graffiti removal is at best the elimination of vandalism or at worst the destruction of art, right? One award-winning film argues something quite different: that graffiti removal is the ultimate next step in the progression of modern art."

Buff mark alphabet by Hopemeng.

link to article.
link to Flickr group.
link to another article over on Ward-o-matic.

NYC- Made in India

2007-11-27T19:53:00.000-05:00

In case you ever wondered.....

KADSTER, Philly King

2007-11-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

Tall Print

Wicked

Gangster Style

KRINK NYC

2007-11-06T15:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T10:42:00.000-04:00

Can Control

2007-10-27T23:12:00.000-04:00

These dudes know how to use their fat caps.

Blackbook sesh with Paula Scherr

2007-10-23T12:51:00.000-04:00

Mene + Purple Montana

2007-10-18T11:49:00.001-04:00

Hand Held Heart

2007-10-17T13:38:00.000-04:00

Awesome link to the work of über-talented Brian Roetting a.k.a. Hand Held Heart/H3. Brian is a super-talented deisgner/typographer based in LA.

78 ways to say "NO"

2007-10-14T02:32:00.000-04:00

I came across this site that posts photographs of the word "no" applied in different ways to diverse surfaces. Here are 5. To see the other 73, give www.noanonymous.com a look.

SHOE

2007-10-02T12:24:00.000-04:00

CALLIGRAFFITI
http://www.calligraffiti.nl/

I'm a little late on this one, but Shoe and Haze have a show in Amsterdam right now. Really inspiring work.

href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_as0yZ4f3tNg/RwJxXwQ0ODI/AAAAAAAAAN8/NWJmYGUhFuE/s1600-h/calligraffiti_eflyer_def.jpg">

Futura and José Parlá

2007-09-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Dope Interview over at Being Hunted with José Parlá and Futura, when they had their recent exhibit in London.

Clip Art of the year award

2007-09-25T12:04:00.000-04:00

My nomination for clip art of the year award, easily goes to the Pirate Skull. Homey is putting in mad work lately. The Pirate Skull cuts across all boundaries. Hitting the Cool-Guy sect, Punk-rockers, the main-stream, jocks and kiddies alike. He has mad mass appeal. Period. Thats why my nomination for Clip-Art-Of-The-Year award is clearly for PIRATE SKULL.

Teutonic Thunder!

2007-09-21T00:24:00.000-04:00

I just posted an extensive interview with L.A.-based German type designer/designer/creative director Jens Gehlhaar over on Neojaponisme. It features a huge retrospective gallery of Jens' type designs.

Mesk dropping the drippy styles

2007-09-19T09:32:00.001-04:00

Upcoming Events

2007-09-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

I've been sleeping on my blog updates lately, but thankfully my compatriots have been keeping you up to date with some of their ongoing events and shows. Here are few others to put in your calendar.

Lee Quiñones

PS1, Queens

Missed the opening, but its up for another week. Don't miss it.

Greg LaMarche

If you're in SF this is a great opportunity too see work by this NYC-based artist. Gregs work MUST be seen in person to be fully appreciated. The textures and level of craft are truly incredible and I have not seen a reproduction yet that has been able to capture the level detail necessary to communicate the way this artist works and thinks.

Saved Tattoo

Brooklyn

Contemporary artists group show of their own interpretation of tattoo flash. Scott Campbell is making waves. Big waves. Did you see the article about him in the "NYTimes Style magazine" yesterday?

Also showing soon

2007-09-13T13:10:00.000-04:00

Not to be grandstanded by suckers like that fool ;), I have work in a group show in NYC that opens next month, as well.
The Alphabet show will be opening soon at Cooper Union in New York.
Info:

The Herb Lubalin Center for Typography presents:
Alphabet: An Exhibition of Hand-Drawn Lettering and Experimental Typography
Cooper Union
Houghton Gallery, 2nd Floor
7 East 7th Street at 3rd Avenue
New York NY
October 11 through 27, 2007
Gallery Hours: Weekdays 11am-7pm, Saturday 12pm-5pm
Opening: Thursday, October 11, 6-8pm

Curated by the fine folks at Posttypography

Installation New York

2007-09-12T02:40:00.000-04:00

I am part of the Installation Art Tour 4 currently showing in New York City.

Opening: September 6, 2007 | 7-11 PM
Reed Space | 151 Orchard Street | New York, NY 10002
212-253-0588 | www.thereedspace.com
Also featuring: Mike Giant, Cody Hudson, Rammellzee, Kofie, Angela Boatwright, Ron English + more!
Show runs September 6-27, 2007

W.T.C. - R.I.P.

2007-09-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

6 years ago.... still feels like yesterday.

Our prayers go out to the survivors, victims families, NYPD, FDNY, and ALL of the servicemen and women of every nation who must be abroad at this time. Special prayers go out to Iraq's civilians who have been deeply affected by the tragedies of 6 years ago, and ever since.

Skuf One YKK, XTC

2007-09-04T23:47:00.000-04:00

NEOJAPONISME

2007-09-02T02:02:00.000-04:00

Long overdue, Neojaponisme launches with an initial manifesto, outlining the magazine's strategy for broadcasting cutural criticism, design writing, historical essays, music, and original artwork from Japan to the world.

Eats Tapes

2007-09-01T23:19:00.001-04:00

Nice article and mini-doc in Japanese on the work of a station guard at Shinjuku Station who has been handcrafting tape signage for the people of Tokyo to help them around the station during construction. He makes soem really nice modular lettering. Büro Destruct will release 5 typefaces inspired by this guy next year- guaranteed.

grape and chocolate

2007-09-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

Grotesk hooks up that laptop with the Krink customization

Dalek Rocks the Brown Krink

jena six

2007-08-30T18:46:00.000-04:00

This one knocked me out of my chair when I saw it, please pass this around, people need to hear about this

Ramon and the Graffiti Monster

2007-08-28T22:02:00.000-04:00

30 years ago, the Social and Public Art Resource Center distributed this booklet aimed at kids living in parts of the city overtaken by the "Graffiti Monster". It seems graffiti in Los Angeles was deemed enough of a problem in 1977 to warrant this type of outreach effort.

The main character is named Ramon and he definitely does not live in the suburbs.

The first graffiti writer we encounter is EL JOHNNY JOEY, catching a spot above LISA.

VIVA JOSE is up on the monster. Someone hit up the L.A. punk band THE WEIRDOS. The monster is composed of garbage and emits pollution from its dome.

Ramon's sister Rosita, does not believe the monster exists. (Incidentally, she has Rod Stewart and Santana posters on her wall.)

"Only those with artistic eyes can see The Beast," Ramon is told by a multi-cultural ensemble of muralists.

After being invited to join the crew in painting a mural, the Graffiti Monster gets offended and takes off, proclaiming that murals make the town too classy for his vandalistic ways.

The true artists cheer that graffiti has left and go back to work on their mural.

Twist Flix

2007-08-27T22:49:00.000-04:00

Peep the link for a pretty good collection of Twist flix on Flickr.

The Road To Clarity

2007-08-15T14:53:00.000-04:00

Clearview, by Type Designer James Montalbano of Termainal Design (Brooklyn represent!) and environmental designer, Don Meeker. Meeker says of the project, “I’ve always thought that design can be a form of social activism.”

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/08/12/magazine/20070812_CLEARVIEW_index.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/magazine/12fonts-t.html?ex=1344744000&amp;amp;en=98f91dfee8879900&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Tooting Your Own Damn Horn Department 2.0

2007-08-09T21:37:00.000-04:00

Just finished this video for Japanese hiphop duo Hifana with the WKTokyoLab team- some nice animated typografia y kanji/kana inside.

Tooting Your Own Damn Horn Department 1.0

2007-08-09T21:28:00.000-04:00

Keep your eyes peeled for Nothing But the Truth, Nike SB Films' premiere release coming soon. Pretty much the most anticipated skate film since Yeah, Right. SB identity courtesty of yours truly and the good folks over at Brand New School.

KRINKED

2007-08-04T17:28:00.000-04:00

Those new krink squeeze markers are so buttery. Thanks to KR for the krink and the footie.

Still time to come up

2007-08-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Good turnout the other night at The Walls Belong To Us opening.
http://www.supportket.org/

Most of the items are still up for auction (A few hours to go) So find something in your price range, to deck your walls and support a good cause.

This Martha Cooper photo isn't up on the site, but there were a bunch in the gallery, so stop by if you're in the area.

Espo's piece would look nice above my couch. But alas...

This piece by Jon One was by far one of my favorites (but you know I'm a sucker for a solid handstyle). But alas too rich for my blood.

Some other pieces I was feeling:

Hence

Ghost

Metal Man Ed

Haze

West

Greg LaMarche

Jose Parla

Grotesk

Espo

Typographica's Top Fonts of the Year

2007-07-14T10:46:00.000-04:00

More hotness- I really dig Estilo (and cheap!!), Freight, and Herr Schwartz-kopf's triple sweep.

The Walls Belong To Us

2007-07-10T16:32:00.000-04:00

In October 2006, a Special Investigations Unit of the New York Police Department performed a search of writer, artist and publisher Alain KET Maridueña's From Here to Fame (FHTF) home office. They seized documents, computers, art supplies and equipment used in publishing three of FHTF's titles. The seized materials included historical photos being used for an upcoming book on the history of New York City's graffiti movement, images for a book being published with Michael O'Mara books from London and slide shows for university lectures. As an artist, historian and journalist, all of the materials seized are used for work purposes and pose no risk to anyone. The seized property was to be analyzed and, if deemed criminal by the District Attorney's office, indictments would be handed down.

In March 2007, police returned to Alain's home to arrest him on criminal mischief charges, violating an agreement that Alain's lawyer, Daniel Perez, and the District Attorney worked out for Alain to voluntarily surrender. At the time, Alain was out of town and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office was forced to work with Perez to arrange for Alain to surrender to face formal indictment charges in three separate counties.

On March TK, 2007, Alain turned himself into the Brooklyn District Attorney's office and was charged with three counts of criminal mischief in the second degree, a class D felony. After being released on his own recognizance by the judge, Alain was re-arrested and taken to Manhattan to be formally indicted there. On his way out of the courthouse, photographers snapped photographs of Alain which indicate that the case was larger than previously imagined. Alain spent the night in jail in Manhattan before seeing Judge Yates in the morning. The charges in Manhattan amounted to nine separate charges ranging from criminal mischief in the second degree to possession of graffiti tools. Unlike the Brooklyn judge who released Alain on his own recognizance, Yates granted the District Attorney's request for $50,000 bail. For the next week, Alain sat in jail coordinating with friends and family to raise the needed bail money. Queens County's indictment was still pending.

On March TK, 2007, Alain was transported from his cell in the Manhattan correctional facility to a Queens court to face indictment. In this case, the judge did not grant the District Attorney's request for $50,000 bail and instead reduced the bail to $10,000. From Queens, Alain was transported back to his cell in Manhattan until all the bail money could be raised. He was finally released on March TK, a full week after surrendering to the District Attorney. Today, Alain faces a possible 20 years in prison in what has become increasingly clear is a politically motivated attempt to silence a writer, publisher, historian and artist whose work popularizes an art form criminalized by city government policy.

Art Auction To Benefit Ket's Legal Defense begins online July 25th.

"The Walls Belong To Us"art auction

"Supportket.org"

"Support Ket on Myspace"

Big Brother is getting bigger

2007-07-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

3000 Cameras to cover NYC below Canal Street. Terrorists and art vandals beware.

"Those who prefer security to liberty deserve neither."
- Benjamin Franklin

2 shows in NYC this week

2007-07-09T14:32:00.000-04:00

TUES JULY 10, 7-10pm, LE SOUS SOL. 137 Rivington, LES
J Strix, Chris Yormick, Steve Zeitzoff

FRIDAY, JULY, 13, 7-10pm
McCaig Welles and COPE2 are proud to present "New York Legends", an exhibition of works by COPE2, SEEN, BLADE, GHOST, IZ THE WIZ, and JONONE.
Press Release Follows:

The McCaig-Welles Gallery and COPE2 is pleased to present an exhibition of work by COPE2, GHOST, BLADE, SEEN, IZ THE WIZ, and JONONE. The exhibition will open with a reception for the artists on Friday, July 13, 2007 from 7-10pm.

A collection of old school graffiti legends gather at McCaig Welles for a group show, brought together by "The King of Kings" COPE2. Prominent writers of the early seventies and eighties, they are the forefathers of the graffiti art world. Having individually achieved international fame and success, they come together again in New York City where it all began thirty years ago,

The exhibition will be on display until July 29th, 2007.

Phototype

2007-07-08T05:35:00.000-04:00

Just found this specimen in an old phototype book in Korea- the same wonky alphabet used for the bit of signage in an older post. One of the best things about Asia is the sheer volume of really cheap phototype books that you can find everywhere. Some really rad (and really crappy) reworkings of classic fonts with goofball names and no publisher contact info whatsoever.
For example, check out "Melior Flare"- so rad, yet so wrong!

Happy Fourth of July... From Coney Island

2007-07-05T17:43:00.000-04:00

Happy Go Skateboarding Day

2007-06-27T14:30:00.000-04:00

WTF?? IS this cop on roids?

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jasonwaite3 (1 minute ago)
WE need HELP!

CALL, email, myspace. LETS PACK THIER PHONE LINES & EMAILS WITH OUR OPINIONS!!!

COPY & Paste this EXACT msg in this youtube comment box!!!

Joey Williams is suspended with full pay. Obviously its ok to choke little kids and a girl!

Bobby Southard: Chief of Police
Hot Springs, Arkansas Police Department

Phone: 1: (501)-321-6789
Phone 2: (501) 321-6789
Phone 3: (501).321.6740
Email: bsouthard(at)cityhs(dot)net

Amaze - Hate and Ashburry

2007-06-25T22:11:00.001-04:00

Amaze, originally uploaded by funkandjazz.

In c ase you havent seen this by now. Its HUGE. rumor has it is a commisioned piece for a new RVCA store on Haight and Ashburry in SF

fatlace.com/lacedup/2007/05/25/barry-mcgee-x-watari-um/
http://fatlace.com/lacedup/2007/06/09/amaze/

Birth of Graffiti

2007-06-25T16:33:00.000-04:00

Check out John Naar's, of The Faith of Graffiti fame, new book the Birth of Graffiti, plenty of ill photos from the golden age of handstyles, before all your fancy 3D pieces came into vogue and back when writing wasn't about hip hop

Kay Ar

2007-06-08T00:18:00.000-04:00

Apparently two letter tags are more prominent in Queens. You have JA, MQ, SP, and two KR's. One of the street bombing, Krink fame and an earlier one of the Subway Art fame.

The latter reached out to me recently with this little gem of a handstyle. Enjoy.

http://www.myspace.com/louiekr

rendition | l.a. graff exhibition | june 9

2007-06-05T04:24:00.000-04:00

Tats has beef with Photogs book

2007-06-04T09:53:00.001-04:00

“A lot of these photographers think they are intrepid explorers discovering these guys in the inner city, making crazy statements like they are going to take them out of the ghetto,” said Stacey Richman, a lawyer representing Tats Cru and the other muralists. “But these guys are acclaimed artists in their own right. Just put their names into any search engine. They are world-renowned. They’ve lectured at M.I.T. and exhibited at the Smithsonian.”

We've come a long way since the early days of graf photography. Vandals site copyright protecion and lawyer up. Loving it. Click the link above for the full stroy at the NYTimes,

Flickr Collections

2007-06-01T10:53:00.000-04:00

Started keeping our flick collection updated on flickr. Check em out....

www.flickr.com

adnauseum's Handselecta-Handstyles photoset

www.flickr.com

adnauseum's Handselecta-Throwies photoset

www.flickr.com

adnauseum's Handselecta-Pieces photoset

Some candy colored competition....

2007-05-24T17:50:00.000-04:00

for the mop tag industry..... check out "Junobo" outta Filthadelpiha.

getting the krinks out

2007-05-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

Cant wait to get my hands on these new little squeeze bottles...
http://www.turntablelab.com/books_design/0/0/19323.html

Thanks for the flick, KR.

Thugs on salary....

2007-05-21T16:23:00.000-04:00

Dollars and sense.....

Overused Graffiti trends V.2

2007-05-21T13:41:00.000-04:00

From Tester again....

coolin in cali

2007-05-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

ROCKWOOD ST locos

LA Handstyles of Yore

2007-05-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

A nice fellow also named Ian just tipped me off to this fabuloso set of old LA hands on Flickr. Really nice stuff dating back to 1955!

Faust - Chisel Tip Master

2007-05-09T09:10:00.000-04:00

Malaysia + Singapore lettering

2007-05-08T22:26:00.000-04:00

I wandered around Malaysia and Singapore all week this week. A collection of vernacular lettering, signpainting, and nice photolettering is in this here Flickr set. The wide variety of cultures in Malaysia and Singapore makes for amazing diversity in stuff you see on the street. There is such a rich lettering culture there, yet all of the graphic design I saw just used the usual suspects typographically. Too bad in that respect, but there is so much great street lettering that it fully made up for it.

Styles for miles

2007-05-03T10:25:00.000-04:00

MESKYLE STYLE, MCA, AFU

BARON - Berliner Stil Meister

tempt | twist | northern cali

2007-05-01T02:02:00.000-04:00

BOMB IT

2007-04-30T12:03:00.000-04:00

Bomb it just premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival. Check it.

Overused Graffiti trends

2007-04-30T11:01:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Tester, who hunted this down somewhere on the www....

tempt one | second to none

2007-04-29T17:33:00.000-04:00

Twister_nyc_mailbox.JPG

2007-04-27T16:14:00.001-04:00

_MG_7960.JPG, originally uploaded by adnauseum.

Say word.

Uncle 2

2007-04-23T14:27:00.000-04:00

Some initial caps by Ryohei Yanagihara to back up that last bit about the esteemed master.

2 new action vids

2007-04-19T14:26:00.000-04:00

for all you video fiends....

Mike Giant

SP One - revisited

Bombing Modernism

2007-04-18T11:01:00.000-04:00

Bring your scuba gear 'cause this article goes deeeep.

Thanks for the link, Joker.

From the article:
"While deconstructivist architects, including Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, and Daniel Libeskind, have avoided this or any other title that might place artificial restrictions upon them, graffiti writers have been going about their work oblivious to the fact that they, more so than architects, are defining both a visual and spatial representation of deconstruction."

Joey Semz RIP

2007-04-10T09:46:00.000-04:00

from the city of angels...

2007-04-03T01:50:00.000-04:00

Revs is my antihero

2007-03-30T11:05:00.000-04:00

Krink-Open City

2007-03-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the link, Grotesk

Space Monkey's and other stories...

2007-03-21T19:16:00.000-04:00

Fecal Face is rocking some rad studio visits. Check out the Dalek interview, then Peep Jim Phillips studio.

Placa Jackpot

2007-03-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

Being from New York, I tend to look at graffiti from a very east coast perspective. As far as handstyles go, New York signature style tags and Philly scripts are the influence I came up seeing the most first hand. However growing up in the Jersey Suburbs, during the Powell Peralta era of skateboarding, there was always a constant influence of "cholo" graffiti that spread across the country, by magazines, and stickers and imitated graffiti in any local skate spot. And in some way this influence was deep in my subconcius and interest before I even wrote graffiti, or learned in any of my own local style

When I designed the Mene Mexicali Font, it was primarily an experiment, based on images I studied from the Mexicali graffiti scene and some proportions and other influence that I took from Skate Scene Cholo styles and Philly tall prints which although I do not write ina philly style, were always in my realm of exposure.

Since starting the Handselecta project. I have been particularly interested in Cholo hand styles, being as it is culture foreign and removed from me. But its stylistic influence is obviously great, through hip hop, tattoos, skateboarding, custom cars, and, video games (peep GTA, I heard rumor those placas were by Mister Cartoon)

The following is a list of links and images pertaining to Cholo graffiti, STYLES. I make no claims about gangs, particular or general. According to Chaz, many of these styles predate todays gangs. And gang culture in general was much smaller and local in scale when these styles started appearing post WWII.

A cholo style borrowed for a 60's album cover art for Jackson Brown.

So here are some of my Cholo articles of interest for lettering enthusiasts.

"Cholo Style Graffiti"article by Chaz Bojorquez.

Chaz

Mister Cartoon - Known more for his tattoo and script styles lately, but occasionally roacks those square cholo style letters.

Mike Giant

Count Trackula's Blog

Sleepy Lagoon Blog

Sleepy Lagoon - Check the "Placa Archive" on the lower right hand side of the page.

Golden Age of Gang Graffiti photo set on Flickr

Street Writers-Out of print, and extremely rare. Someone posted images of the book in a flickr photoset

Clanton 14 - One of LA's oldest gangs
Placasos 1
Placasos 2

Chicano Underground

Teen Angels Zine Ebay Store

Teen Angels Zine Myspace Page

Happy St Patty's Day!!!

2007-03-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

An Update on the Mobile Leprechaun... It was just Bushwick Bill from the Geto Boyz sittin up in a tree.

PHASE II

2007-03-16T10:36:00.000-04:00

SLAMXHYPE is taking it to another level with some new interviews. Not content with writing news posts based on colorways, they are moving their content in a direction that we whole heartedly endorse. Look for another interview next week with CRASH.

The first of which is none other than PHASE II. Phase is one of the godfathers of wildstyle, and the credited inventor of Bubble-Style, Phase has a lot to say. So peep the pages of this interview.

Dope Style (and without a precedent). Sheer invention. Speaking of Invention - Peep that LEE tag in the upper right.

Not enogh for you? Check this interview at RAWVISION.COM

O'CLOCK CRUSHES

2007-03-14T10:31:00.000-04:00

Hands down one of the best Handstlyes on the whole European continent. (in the opinion of a yankee, who's been there only about a dozen times, and mostly to England, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Holland in the 90's, which I know is not ALL of the continent). For the most part I find Europeans have great crisp piecing styles, (Feeling the straight letters) but lack in top notch handstyles and decent throwies. Honorable mentions go to some guys with far greater hands than myself though, including 123Klan, Sunset and O'Clock to name a few.

These videos prove my inital opinion WRONG. O'CLOCK CRUSHES.....

And that amazing fat cap SUSNSET tag (you may have seen somewhere else over the last few months)

Spark

2007-03-13T23:57:00.001-04:00

Tracy Morgan

2007-03-13T11:48:00.000-04:00

is Black Ass....

london white trash

2007-03-13T11:06:00.000-04:00

Say "Uncle".

2007-03-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Lately I'v e been collecting vintage books by this illustrator Ryohei Yanagihara, whose work I assume has had a big influence on Reas' pink people. Born in 1931, Yanagihara was the in-house illustrator for Torys Whisky, later renamed Suntory after a corporate merger. His work is great visual slapstick, much of it centered around a dirty old boozehund named "Uncle". Great stuff. Follow the link above to an overview of his work and definitely check out the link to an animated whiskey commercial he did circa mid-1950s. Danvo Publishers put out a really great compendium of Yanagihara's book cover designs thoughout the years that is definitely worth picking up. His work is in league with (though hornier than) Dick Bruna's book covers of the 50s and 60s in line quality, interesting compositions, nice color combos, and lots of paper-cuts. Don't sleep on it! The last book of his work is all sold out.

Ghost Yard-Video Graf

2007-03-08T12:49:00.000-05:00

VICE TV

2007-03-08T10:37:00.000-05:00

Some of the best international reporting coming out right now isn't on network or cable news. Its from those fucked up guys that brought you Vice Magazine. Who'da thought it. And they're so forwaard thinking they launched a television channel exclusively for the web. This sh*t will be huge.

A couple of the news oriented articles below. But check the site, for other Vice norms, like Do's and Dont's, and the ocassioanl penis joke.