The characters developed by veteran concept artist and character designer Mike May are anything but ordinary – each inhabits a unique world, suggested not so much by the environment they’re rendered in but by the dress, demeanor, and look of the characters themselves. Mike is a also a superb caricaturist. There’re a ton of drawings and illustrations on his portfolio site and additional, more recent, work on his blog, so if you need some inspiration, go check it out.
Although Illustrator Mathis Rekowski has some wonderfully trippy drawings like the one featured here, he’s got even more illustrations seem to me at once retro and cutting edge. Certainly someone to watch out for. You can purchase the image above at Mathis’ new store, or follow him on his blog
Self Portrait (No. 12 / B5 Series) by Matt W Moore
Although it would seem that Matt W. Moore is currently better known for his color work – he just had a feature article about him in Computer Arts Magazine in which he discusses his Vectorfunk style – I love this guy’s black and white art. He explores different shapes and uses clear and crisp lines. I am particularly impressed with his mandalas (drawing these myself) and how well they are executed for the fact that they are hand-drawn (as opposed to using Illustrator as his the case for many of his color works).
Matt just released B5 (from which these images are taken), a collection of black and white prints available for purchase, to complement Alphafont 3.0, a font type exploration done in color. This guy kicks ass so check out his website MWM Graphics, his blog, or follow him on Twitter.
3 more below the jump.
Organic Abstract No 1 by Michael Herring
Michael Herring is an artist both from Des Moines, Iowa, and Joliet, Illinois—home of the Blues Brothers if I’m not mistaken. Looking through Mike’s work I had a hard time picking anything out, there are just so many good drawings. Besides the fluid, organic abstractings that are thus aptly named, I quite enjoy the meeting, as it were, of the modern day cubicle desk jockey and the grim skulls that seem to be eating the poor lads alive. Unfortunately, I can relate. Many of the many drawings are done in black, blue, and red, making me wish I had a pair of 3D glasses.
Although Mr. Herring has a “Drawing & Painting” section on his website, you want to check out his blog. You can either just browse the “Drawing” category for his many drawings, but you must also check out his sweet paintings. If you happen to live in Boulder, Colorado, check out his show.
4 more images below the jump.
Decomposition of Memory by Colin Harbut
Colin Harbut is definitely one talented artist. In his many portraitures, I feel that the essence of the subject is really conveyed and comes across in his works. The above “Decomposition of Memory” is fascinating and tackles a topic unfortunately taboo in our society: old age. He’s also made a statement with his work “24,000″ in which he literally drew 24,000 circles to visualize the number of people who die each day of hunger-related issues.
You can find much more his work on his website, ColinHarbut.com.
3 more images below the jump.
Most Wretched Mess by Skinner
Skinner’s art is wonderfully trippy and dark, with a good dose of social critique. Apparently viewing some of his color work through 3D glasses makes things actually look 3D! Definitely check out more of his sick work at The Art of Skinner.
2 more below the jump.
“Brutality” by Jeremy Fish
Known for his skulls and silly pink bunnies, Jeremy Fish is a skateboarder and enterprising illustrator living in San Francisco. His work is funny and odd: a surreal blend of tattoo and graffiti imagery. Beside skateboards, t-shirts, hoodies, and ashtrays, Fish has also designed a Nike sneaker, painted a room of the Hotel Des Artes in San Francisco, and designed an album cover for Aesop Rock. His clothing line is superFishal.
For t-shirts by Fish check out Umbrella Market and let me know if you can find an XL “Brutality” tee anywhere – it seems to be all sold out, argh.
More pics below the jump.
Self-proclaimed “Figurative Painter, Draughtsman, and Sculptor” Randolphlee McIver has some truly stunning and utterly unique drawings the likes of which I don’t come across often. Above is just one example of a multitude of different styles; this one being what I see as 2-d figures on 3-dimension objects. Great stuff
Justine Ashbee creates these wonderfully organic, oversized drawings with Sharpie pens. As she puts it:
Through this intuitive visual language, a negotiation of the visceral and everyday human experiences of beauty and pleasure, and feeling are given voice.
