Hiroaki Samura is an artist that I’ve been following since the late 90’s when I stumbled upon a copy of Blood of a Thousand at a friend of a friend’s house. The book belonged to the brother of said person and when I asked if I could read it he promptly gave an angry “No”. I got the better of him, I read it while he was gone.

The first thing that struck me was just how different it looked. Everybody knows what manga and anime are supposed to look like. Just the mention brings a preloaded image into your brain. I didn’t get that with Blade of The Immortal. The style was a mix of japanese stylization with a solid grounding in the natural world. Hiroaki’s compositions tell of a clear understanding of the fundamentals of life drawing. The tone was also very modern for a story in historic Japan. Samurai punk would be a good way to describe it. This is a mature title in every way, violent samurai battles, swearing, sexual themes, and political discussion on the idea of the Bushido system that governed the land. (more…)

Rupert Sanders directs this grim music video for Trent Reznor & Co’s new music project How To Destroy Angels. Not for the squeamish, as it focuses on the aftermath of a violent attack on a well-dressed couple in a hotel room, and the visual effects in this video are actually quite good. If you like what you hear, you can also download the band’s new ep for free here.

To add critical commentary, I should say that the visual of people unaffected by a burning room has been a re-occurring image since I first saw it in Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, NY, a film that I cannot recommend highly enough. I have seen it in at least one other piece since and it’s possible that it has been done several times before in a similar fashion that I am unaware of, but I’m attributing it to Kaufman. In my opinion, this doesn’t take anything away from the music video because it is done so well, but the next time I see it, it will start to feel derivative.

Before this video, I had never heard of Rupert Sanders, but I definitely remember his work. Sanders has directed several mainstream commercials that all tell gritty, gripping narratives that you don’t forget. You may remember seeing his epic commercial for Halo ODST. Videos after the break. (more…)

Mark Weaver is an illustrator and designer who has done some pretty impressive work. His latest cover for How To Destory Angels new (free – download here) ep caught my eye and prompted a google search to discover his portfolio. Especially cool is browsing through his Make Something Cool Every Day project, where Mark challenged himself to do exactly that.

Weaver has several screenprints available in his webstore, although some of my favorite offerings of his are currently sold out. You can also pick up some screenprinted postcards that just might be too cool to actually send.More images after break. (more…)

If you live in Chicagoland you should get in on this. Saturday, July 10th, from 12-2PM, Travis Lampe will be at a live signing at Rotofugi, located at 1953-55 W. Chicago Ave. There you can meet the artist, get his autograph on some Lampe merch, give him a fist bump, or even a bear hug (please wear deodorant for the latter).

If you are one of the first 14 people to pick up Lampe’s awesome Vannen art watch, you get yourself a free artprint of the painting which the watch design is based off. See the full print image after the break. Rotofugi has an interesting interview with Lampe on their website as well. (more…)

It must be Shepard Fairey day on the internet! Shepard Fairey’s latest vinyl toy release is produced by STRANGEco and is available for preorder now in the black and red colorways. Silver and gold will be available in the future. The cost of each piece is $85.00 and the figure stands 11 inches tall and features 4 points of articulation (arms and legs I’d assume). The black and red editions are limited to 350 pieces, while the upcoming gold edition is limited to 200 pieces and the silver edition is only 100 pieces.

This vinyl toy is based on Fairey’s 2004 art print “Mr. Spray” seen here. Tons of images of this cool release after the break. (more…)

Shepard Fairey‘s lastest print, entitled “America’s Favorite” is a great new addition to his catalog of releases. We’re particularly fond of his canvas-based textured prints. “America’s Favorite” comes in two editions, in red and silver. These prints are 18″ x 24″, editions of 400 for $50. The prints will be released today, Thursday July 8th at a random time at Obey Giant. This simple and nicely-rendered image is an homage to Ed Ruscha and his “Standard Station” series of paintings and prints (see below). Shepard’s words about this release are included after the break, along with full versions of the red and silver editions of this piece. (more…)

Even if you’re a deranged criminal alien who’s been banished to live on a deserted planet called Earth, you still deserve the love and companionship of a pet… right? Let’s hope so. On Monday, July 12, 12:00 noon (CST), Project Squadt will be releasing the newest members of the community, Spike and Spot. Sold in a set, each is a midnight black and includes removable accessories and clothing. When they are released you can purchase them here for $75. Be quick, though–there are only 200 sets!

Update: Retailer versions of the Spike and Spot Squadt’s are now avaliable. You can contact wholesale@three-zero.com to order. Images of them are below.
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Chicago has long since been the home of great musicians and artists of all sorts and talents. On July 22, Uncommon Ground is releasing a new show called, Noise. Noise is a collection of many screen prints from different artists, and their interpretations of the music in their lives. The show features many artists, such as Steve Walters, Dan Grzeca, Kathleen Judge, Dan Crosshair, Johnny Sampson, and many more!
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Vannen Art Watches has just released Season 2 of its artist watch line, featuring four new designs from Bigfoot, Blaine Fontana, Travis Lampe, and Thomas Han. Vannen was kind enough to send us the watch designed by Han, which is a candy-colored gem that we really like! Continue reading for unboxing photos and full review…. (more…)

Willy Verginer is a sculptor from northern Italy who creates some very mystifying works. Born in 1957, Verginer has been working for decades and is still very active, creating some of his best work in the past year, which has focused on simulated fabrics and ornamental patterns. In the past he has done work with cut-off sculptures that appear to be rising out of the ground (see below). His website is full of fantastic images of his sculptures and his body of work is very inspirational to any visual artist. Many more images after the break (more…)