Medium

Renowned illustrator Antar Dayal has just released his limited edition Obama print, the latest in the Artists for Obama series which includes prints from Shepard Fairy and Scot Hansen. Perhaps not as well known by the cool kids as Shepard Fairy, Antar Dayal is a prolific illustrator, best know for his scratchboard engravings. His client list ranges from Bank of America and American Express to Apple Computer and Captain Morgan and now the Barack Obama campaign. Mr. Dayal tells us his reason for creating the print for the campaign.

I am honored to support Barack Obama’s history-making presidential bid through one of his many visionary platforms, including recognizing the importance of art in America. My artwork is inspired by his words, wisdom, accomplishments, and expression of our hopes and dreams for a better America. Our world is facing seemingly insurmountable economic and environmental challenges. It is a rare occurrence to behold a leader like Barack Obama who understands what America must do in order to reclaim itself on the world stage. As a first generation immigrant, I have confidence that America can collectively overcome these challenges under Obama’s presidency. YES WE CAN!

There are some pretty cool images of the engraving and printing process up on his blog, so go check it out and check out the video from the Obama campaign. Purchases of the Artists for Obama prints are 100% contributions to the campaign and count toward your overall contribution limit of $2300.

Links
Artists for Obama/Obama Store

One of the most influential artists of his time and one of my biggest influences, Alton Kelley, passed away a few days ago and will definitely be remembered. NPR ran a great story on his life and his art. Here’s an exceprt from the story:

Some call the art a visual extension of the music. Others call it the visual for a psychedelic experience. Mouse says it was both, and that the joke between the two of them was that you had to be under the influence to understand it. But ideas, Mouse says, came from trips to libraries and art galleries. Kelley and Mouse poured over books of Gustav Klimpt, Japanese poster art, and art nouveau.

Go over to NPR to listen to or read the complete story.

Designer and musician Scott Hansen (Iso50) has just released his limited edition print for the Obama campaign and is available at the campaign’s site with all proceeds going towards the campaign. Taken from the Obama site, Scott tells us:

“I see Barack Obama as a leader who can inspire people to effect change and who himself can effect change. As an artist, it was only natural for me to want to create something that visually echoed these sentiments. I wanted to create an image that evoked the ideals I feel are central to our needs at this critical time in history: change, progress and hope. Because Barack Obama represents all three of these things to me, I felt compelled to express that through my work.”

The piece stands at 23×40 and is a limited edition of 5000. Scott is one of my favorite artists and one of my biggest inspirations so, of you’re not familiar with his work, you need to be. He also has a new song entitled Adrift under his Tycho pseudonym out on iTunes today,  check out the clip on his site.

Links
Iso50
Artists For Obama Series
Tycho

The video from March’s X has been posted online. If you missed that post I made about the event last month, go over to it now and check out my design. Once again, thanks to everyone at X for inviting me out. Also, my design from X will be animated by Flash designers at this month’s new event, appropriately entitled “Flash” on April 18, 2008. Click on the flyer below to see the full size flyer and check the Eighty-Eight DC website for more information.

Video from March’s X

Flash

Flash
April 18, 2008
7pm-3am
Jackies - 8081 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Baltimore based graphic artist and dj, Logo has just finished up the teaser flyers for 2008 Baltimore Music Conference. I liked his illustrations since I first saw his work and this flyer really shows off the detail and intricacy of the characters and scenes he creates. Click the images below to see the larger flyers.

From the Buzzlife message boards, Logo tells us:

“Since this is a teaser flyer, the objective is to pique public interest in the BMC—sponsors, performers, and attendees alike. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to really emphasize the MORE MUSIC in “Baltimore Music Conference,” and since it’s a few months away, I thought it would be fun to add “IS COMING,” so that, at first glance, it reads “MORE MUSIC IS COMING.”

As soon as I thought about how those words would look on a flyer, I immediately envisioned a menacing Tripod War Machine from the War of the Worlds to kind of symbolize the approaching BMC.

Because the BMC showcases all types of music, I wanted the imagery to reflect music in general, and not get hung up on representing all types of instruments or audio equipment. So, morphing my SpeakerBot with a WOTW Tripod seemed like the way to make these two ideas work together.

H.G. Wells’ original story was written in 1898, and in 1938, a Martian Invasion mock news report was broadcast over the radio, creating mass hysteria.

Aesthetically, I wanted my flyer to reflect the stylistic qualities of the 1930s, but with a bit of a modern twist.
Thus the neo-Art Deco typefaces and flourishes.
Be on the lookout for posters which will hopefully be going up soon!”

I’ll be looking out for the posters, I might just have to steal me one.

Links
Logo on Myspace
Logo’s design gallery on Flickr
Baltimore Music Conference on Myspace
Baltimore Music Conference on Sonicbids
www.BMCon.org