SXSW for Variety Magazine

Illustration for Variety Magazine about Austin's SXSW festival and corporate sponsorship, like #SXSUBWAY and the "Doritos Bold Stage", a massive Doritos machine that doubled as a stage and lights up or something when people tweet about Cool Ranch chips. 

Also jammed in there: "The Mule" and "Buzzard" which look like pretty good movies. Also Lady Gaga (who was covered in green vomit on the Doritos stage as part of her show - which happened after I drew this) and a bunch of other stuff. Anyway Thanks Variety for the awesome gig. 

Clare & Carl's

Custom wood painting of Clair & Carl's in Plattsburgh, NY. Awesome spot near the Canadian Border, serving "Michigans".

Sartre Cookbook for Reed College Magazine

" In an attempt to reach the bourgeoisie, I taped two fried eggs over my eyes and walked the streets of Paris for an hour. I ran into Camus at the Select. He sneered and told me to “go home and wash my face,” so I poured a bowl of bouillabaisse into his lap. Enraged, he seized a straw wrapped in paper, tore off one end of the wrapper and blew through the straw, propelling the wrapper into my eye. “Ow! You douche!” I cried. (This insult probably would have stung more if we were not both French. Now he thinks I called him a “shower.”)"

Great assignment for Reed College Magazine. For the "Jean Paul Sartre Cookbook", a spoof written by Marty Smith back in the day. Done in a similar watercolor-ish style as the Chinatown piece below. Read the whole thing here. it's pretty hilarious.

"I have realized that the traditional omelet form is bourgeois. Today I tried making one out of a cigarette, some coffee, and four tiny stones. I fed it to Malraux, who puked. I am encouraged, but my journey is still long."

Chinatown

Messing with a looser, less-obsessive style for drawing neighborhoods.. that I can do in a few hours instead of 4 days. It's still gouache (which is what I use if I'm not coloring in photoshop) but used more like watercolor. Might be some Caran D'ache crayon in there too. 

Anyway I'd love to do some future assignments like this. I've gotten a lot better at coloring in Photoshop but I still sort of hate it. It also just looks so damn flat. Oh yeah and this is Philadelphia's Chinatown if you didn't know. Semi-inspired by Craig Laban's recent guide. 

Early Baltimore Citypaper Illos / Wrongfest

Recently longtime Baltimore Citypaper Art Director Joe MacLeod got the axe when the paper was bought by the Baltimore Sun, in that all too familiar tale of whatever's left of the once-thriving world of Alt Weeklies being swallowed by bigger, blander media. Joe was escorted from his office with no severance pay (!!) I assume in retaliation for angry tweets? I don't really know the full story...  I would check one of many articles for details.

A group of employees and freelancers are organizing a benefit / concert / art auction for Joe this month. I've donated the original of this rejected Citypaper cover from a couple years ago. The first event is tomorrow night, and the final bidding / second event is March 28th, both at Ottobar I believe. More details here: http://wrongfest.tumblr.com

Joe MacLeod was one of the first people to hire me, and seemed to have a knack for assigning exactly the sort of work I wanted - completely over the top and/or humorous takes on serious subjects. Lenny Bruce, Nigerian con artists, Fat tourists with fanny packs and Old Bay tattoos. 

One of the highlights is this illo about Evan Wright's book Generation Kill (later an HBO miniseries). I'm pretty sure this political stuff led to my later gig illustrating Steven Wells' column every week for a few years. 

Another classic with some foreshadowing of the hot dog thing. The "Bavarian Music" guy in the corner still cracks me up. 

Some vegetarian propaganda relating to Jonathan Safran Foer.

"Portrait" of Corey Harris from Mother 13. 

One of the earliest, from 2002. 

More recent work. 

Anyway THANKS JOE for all the great work over the years. Follow him on twitter @JoeMacleod666 or read his Mr Wrong column which is maybe still going to run in the Citypaper? And keep your eye on the Wrongfest site for how to bid on the auction.

Detroit Stadiums for Next City

Series of illustrations for Next City Forefront article about Detroit pouring all their money into stadiums instead of the crumbling city.

Preview the article here - Forefront Excerpt: Red Wings Stadium Upset!

Or grab the Forefront App.

Did you know the Red Wings mascot is a maniacal giant purple octopus? Also threw in a nod to Detroit's lesser-known corned beef scene. 

Taco Madness 2014

For LaTaco.com's annual bracket-style "best taco in LA" competition, culminating in a wild event where you can eat all the tacos. 

Been doing these for a few years now, lots of fun and I'm always reminded how nothing in Philadelphia comes close to LA tacos, especially these beauties from Mariscos Jalisco that this year's poster was semi- inspired by. Anyway if you are anywhere near LA, definitely check this thing out. 

LaTaco.com: Taco Madness 2014