the Cursive L

Guest Speaker

2012-02-05T15:31:00.000-08:00

Really fun and engaging talk with new friends at the DSVC: The Dallas Society of Visual Communicators.I had a great time talking about creative strategy.

Thoughts on Creativity

2011-11-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Interesting way to consider the internal fight we have with creativity.TED

Canvas 4 A Cause 2011

2011-07-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a look at my piece for this year's Canvas For A Cause at Reel FX.
below is my fancy at home painting station, aka Avec free zone...

Making Moves.

2011-07-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Finally feeling settled in after moving the family back to Dallas.
Temporarily. We packed up our stuff into storage and drove out to TX as I accepted a lead position on an entertainment project for Reel FX, The intention is to return to California upon completing the picture. I am still working on freelance when ever possible but the priority is that I get to direct a team of really super talented artist!

The timing was meant to be.
The offer came as my wife and I discovered that we are expecting our second child, so we thought it was important to be around family for the support. It has been great, Avec is nuts about being with his grandma more often and loves playing with his cousins. There is a Rail station near our new apt that he loves to hang out at and wait for the train for...The heat is a little unbearable at times but its nice to be home, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

I will post more on new art projects and other goodies as I get to them.

MOEBIUS: transe-forme at the fondation cartier, Paris

2011-07-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

WOW.

Jean Gerard AKA "Moebius" was a explosive influence on me as a young artist, When I found a copy of The Airtight Garage in garage sale/swap meet thing in NY when I was a kid.

I was instantly blown away. Here was work that blended my love for sci-fi, comics and Art all into one. It was the first time I realized eroticism not in the image but in the line. His work has a fluidity, an accuracy and history that I could not let go of.

The more work I found of his the more it informed me about color and mood and technique. I was hooked. Just when I figured out how to emulate his sci-fi stuff I discover his western's! just to much to take in. My love for the line and the one offs in my sketch book are a bit of a secret tribute to him.

I wish this show would travel, since I wont be in Paris anytime this year, but if you may lucky to be in that city GO SEE this. Looks amazing, and one of the most elegant collection of his work.

Link via Design Boom.

Patience.

2011-06-25T23:00:00.001-07:00

LA Pulp evidence

2011-06-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Chris Vela stumbled upon this little goodie.

DOODLED

2011-05-27T15:43:00.001-07:00

I was given a pad of Italian art paper and my brush pen was near by.

URBAN OUTFITTERS FAIL

2011-05-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Wow.

sketch

2011-05-24T11:31:00.001-07:00

7 Things Designers can Learn...

2011-05-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

From Comedians.

PROCESS: Sarasota Magazine Retiring

2011-05-07T16:58:00.001-07:00

I did this piece for my friends at Sarasota Magazine and it was the contender for the cover.

The story was based on the bright opportunities available to retiring baby boomers in Sarasota FL. Below are some of my process images I created to get to what I finally delivered.

I love working with Gigi and Pam at the magazine, they usually let me riff on the ideas and let me cut loose.

CONCEPT
The idea landed on looking ahead and being optimistic and so my image was dialed into this layout. The image was to be graphic and build on the use of the sail in the boat to telegraph the story themes... giving me some room to try some type illustrations in the marked areas.

I wanted to omit the facial features on the couple so that it felt more graphic and open.

Below are the various iterations on developing the image
Gigi and I decided that the image did not need to have the supporting TEXT and that the sun rays could do all the work for us there:

Arm Chair Creative: Good Common Sense

2011-02-25T14:29:00.001-08:00

GREAT advice by Mark McGuiness
ARM CHAIR CREATIVE.

...is actually the mantra that my creative colleague and I are living by at the studio.

Bones

2011-02-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

A little sketchy in between meetings.

PORTFOLIO UPDATE

2011-01-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

In an effort to keep updating when I can...
I added a couple of sketches and goodies
check the Works/Sketches tab and the Styleframes links at the portfolio.

Look Ma I made a list. 2010 top 10 Albums

2010-12-29T12:44:00.001-08:00

Well if anyone cares here are Top 10 albums on my year end list.

1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. - Kanye
This is the best he's put out yet...considering all the nonsense he's wrapped up in...cant deny how official this is.

2. How I got Over - The Roots
Great from the first snare hit to the last.
I mean come on... Joanna Newsome and the Roots...wow.

3. The Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Wow... an amazing collaborative effort from two amazing talents Dangermouse and Mercer are sick together. Mongrel Heart is a favorite. What an unexpected surprise.

4. The Suburbs - Arcade FIre
These guys created a classic. A very unassuming record that continues to grow on you.

5. Sit Down Man - Das Racist
Some of the more sincere hip hop for hip hop's sake I've heard in a long time.
Its evidence of the power of hip hop and its effect on any ethnic group.

6. Heligoland - Massive Attack
Damn Damn Damn...what you get when you continue to reinvent trip-hop if that label even exists or applies.

7. The Fool - Warpaint
My favorite new band.
I friend of mine while working on a video for a single turned me on to these gals. The Fool confirmed what I heard, tight deep beats and intricate melodies.

8. The Forgiveness Rock Record - Broken Social Scene
Canadians doing their thing.

9. XX - The XX
A total surprise for me...Reminds me of Everything but the Girl at times. I expect and hope big sounds from this team.

10. Picking up the Pieces - The Fitz and Tantrums
Yes, I'm still stricken with that neo-soul sound sickness.... The melodies on here are fantastic and feel original given how much homage they are paying to a sound pop music owes a lot to.

Honorable mentions
Wake Up - The Roots and John Legend.
This is an amazing album but felt it was maybe one track to deep in the decade it was tipping its hat to.

Diamond Eyes - The Deftones
Felt like these guys made a decent comeback...

The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monae
Still getting through this genre bending album...
really really original work, I look forward to loving.

Maya - MIA
Shit this should be on the list but wanted to make room for some new comers...

Transference - Spoon
solid all the way but a little expected.

Brothers - The Black Keys
I really liked this album actually the first album I loved by them...
but not sure why not on the main list...oh well

Terrence Malick

2010-12-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

doing his thing:
THE TREE OF LIFE
Amazing

PORTFOLIO UPDATE

2010-11-21T01:54:00.000-08:00

Finally uploaded a new grip of work.
Lots of projects that I have not shared before.
A little look at my work at Radium/Reel FX.
Lots more to post as I get around to it.

Enjoy.

Portfolio updating

2010-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

Actually finding some time to update it.
Stay tuned.

RED. wolf hunter

2010-11-09T12:48:00.001-08:00

ASHES

2010-10-27T17:05:00.001-07:00

A little inspiration to set the mood.

Wurd.

2010-09-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the reminder Eddie.

More Wax'n and Milk'n

2010-08-16T01:36:00.001-07:00

Dropped a new mix over at Brian's place...take a listen. Enjoy

Wax'n and Milk'n

2010-07-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

My buddy Brian Gossett has a fantastic blog going with invited guests doing some great audio mixes., check out the latest by yours truly.

Brian is one of the smartest and brightest creative individuals I've had the pleasure to meet in the last few years, make sure to browse his portfolio.

The American

2010-06-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

I hope this movie is as good as the poster.
via [aint it cool]

the Art of Being wrong.

2010-06-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ira Glass

I had this experience a couple of years ago where I got to sit in on the editorial meeting at the Onion. Every Monday they have to come up with like 17 or 18 headlines, and to do that, they generate 600 headlines per week. I feel like that’s why it’s good: because they are willing to be wrong 583 times to be right 17.

It kind of gives you hope. If you do creative work, there’s a sense that inspiration is this fairy dust that gets dropped on you, when in fact you can just manufacture inspiration through sheer brute force. You can simply produce enough material that the thing will arrive that seems inspired.

A great interview with the master of the art. | via jingc
via ymfys

What have we done?

2010-06-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

WTF!
via Roger Ebert Twitter

art crash

2010-06-16T16:14:00.001-07:00

repost from ymfys

DUMB DUMB

2010-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

new creative agency
dumb dumb
agency's shutter

REALLY?!!

2010-04-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

This is the sort of @#%t! that goes on the net.
wow just wow.

New CANVAS FOR CAUSE paintings up at the portfolio

2010-04-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Painting again.
I was able to knock out two pieces for the REEL FX/Radium Canvas for a Cause event.
We had a show at both our Dallas Studio and Santa Monica locations.
A full posting of the events will eventually go up here.
you can see my contributions: STELLAR and SNAGGED on my portfolio site.
Feels good to paint again.

REELFX CANVAS FOR A CAUSE 2010

2010-03-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

WIP of this year's girl.

BROWNSTONES TO RED DIRT: FINAL

2010-02-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

SHINE
Acrylic on bamboo postcard

BROWNSTONES to RED DIRT: postcard project Process

2010-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

I was asked to participate on a really great Project by Vicki Saulls at BlueSky Animation studios. The piece I created will be part of an online auction, along side of some really fantastic artist. We all received these really cool bamboo cards to do work on. The theme was to illustrate something around the theme Pen Pals...but for me the core of the idea was about the kids themselves. Over coming adversities...It was simple and subtle and the nice tie to the diamond trade in Sierra Leone. Below are some scans of my process.

My original Sketch:

Odopod sketchy 2010

2010-02-03T16:16:00.001-08:00

Tragically inspired. A sketch

2010-02-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Did this on my iphone. Don't know if its all the visions of the tragedy in Haiti, the color and the image just remind me of all that.

A little sketch...for a future project.

2010-01-23T22:50:00.000-08:00

Random Sketches

2009-12-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

Some stuff I doodled up for a Music Vid.

Brilliant!

2009-12-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

Proposal

MADNESS

2009-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

this is just an example of why hip hop is here to stay...
cypher

Odopod sketchy

2009-08-18T15:21:00.001-07:00

Lots of Fun. Enjoy my lil doodle

Burton's Mad Hatter and Friends

2009-07-24T09:05:00.001-07:00

Its been a long time since I've actually smiled because of Tim Burton.
but this did the trick. Alice in Wonderland

A moment in Time. Peter French

2009-07-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Beautiful
This really begins to click by the 5th photo...
Peter French.
thanks Shawn

Mike

2009-06-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Sketchy in memory of MJ from my iphone sketch pad.
Lots of fun times had listening to the pop gems...
and way more fun emulating the videos!

Summer music break!

2009-06-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

The new MOS DEF: The Ecstatic is the album we've been waiting for.
HOT...bout time!
The new Sparklehorse/Dangermouse colabo!
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
is wonderfully dark.

Ipod City

2009-06-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

Fun series. A great commentary on modern city living.
Ipod City

Beautiful

2009-05-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

Brett Walker

Power of the interwebs

2009-05-22T07:03:00.001-07:00

this guys has his finger on something.
pretty genius.

Back to the Future

2009-04-21T20:56:00.001-07:00

Just got back from visiting my mom's new place in NY. (a full posting on that trip and F5Fest soon)

When she moved she came across her collection of stuff she had saved from my siblings and mine formative years in public school.

Parents rock! I love my mom for keeping this stuff. Note the scratch and sniff pickle sticker...I earned that! Enjoy!

REVERIE comes to Dallas

2009-03-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

I will be doing a panel at Massive Black/Concept art. org's Dallas Workshop REVERIE
specifics coming soon.

Shopping

2009-02-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

Ok so today we went on a little Fabian family shopping day at the mall...

...you know doing my part to help the economy I guess.

we made a pit stop at the gap. I have a love hate relationship with that place...

you know easy to hang out clothes for those lazy afternoons/falls apart in the wash...nothing serious.

I snagged a new pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

I hate gap tshirts they shrink and fade in like two washes...anyhow against my better judgment I grab a shirt from there "red" artist collection, specifically one of the Volume One joints!

the rub is this...I was a bit conflicted cus it's the gap and I may see 20 other kids rocking the same shirt the second I throw mine on...but the art was hot and the piece was crafty and I felt like gap went the extra mile to find some good designers,

and I just finished posting a tweet about how there are legions of clones at the mall and here I am about to join the ranks...

anyhow f-it I like the piece and it fits !

se la vie I guess...

One Up...Undefeated and Converse

2009-02-10T11:32:00.001-08:00

...and then these came along Via Brian Gossett's blog.

....hrmm baby wipes or new kicks....

These are looking Chunky !

2009-02-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Totally feeling these Nike's.

James Jean is on some next level

2009-02-10T07:03:00.001-08:00

Man this guy continues to floor me. All about the drawing's, wow!
Don't know if I will be able to make it to NY to catch the show.
From the looks of what is documented on his site, the Kindling is a wonder. Enjoy

Brilliant

2009-02-10T06:52:00.002-08:00

Simon Hoegsberg is a photographer.
A really good one. The kind that seems to celebrate and make hero its subject all the while being clandestine and unobtrusive.
Photography is such a disarming art.
This is a piece that shows off how fantastic it is.

UPDATING!

2009-01-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

hello Happy new years (like my family used to say)
I am currently in the middle of yes, dare I say it...updating the website/portfolio.
finally got a bit of a handle on CSS and PHP via Indexhibit...
its a little tricky but I'm learning and I love the customization with out too much coding.
anyhow I plan to have it up and running before end of the month.

Also
At the Gallery's this month: A CANVAS FOR A CAUSE
more info on that soon.

Currently devouring

2008-11-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

-Fables: Covers by James Jean

-The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (this needs to be on film!)

-Dear Science by TV on the Radio

-Pro Tools by GZA

-Glossy Inc

President Elect BARACK OBAMA!

2008-11-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

Yes We Did!

New

2008-09-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

My latest creation: Avec Toro

2008-05-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

All manners of creative chatter from Limbert Fabian.