From the Moveing Picture Library: The Devil's Toy

The Devil's Toy from Kawika T on Vimeo.

Weekend Build: Surf Sign

Now that the 'ol work bench is built and I have a place to start making messes again I decided to have a go with some more wood work. This time making some signage. Now this is a long post because I took heaps of images through out all of the steps of the build. From paper pattern cutting...

...all the way to being hung in the office at the 9-5er.
This is also my first go at shooting everything with my phone camera. Not the best images but good enough to share the building process.

So started out with the idea a while back and finally got around to going after it by finding a good font that I liked.  Printing out nice and big on 11x17 paper and cutting em out for a templet to follow.
I have a bunch of plywood around the new home that has been out in the yard for a few years by the looks of it. This is the base for the letters and the layout. Did the layout to follow the grain of the wood so when I comes time for sanding and paint and whatnot it will work nicely.

After all ruffed on the wood got out the trusty scroll saw and clamps and went to town.

Nothing better that a little summer time BBQ hamburger and Sweet Potato fries. Wash it down with some Henry Weinhard's Root Beer.... Big Smile and Good Times.

Cheers.

Weekend Build: Work Bench

It has been a long while since the dust has been flying with a home project. Our current residence has been missing a work table in the garage so spent a couple bucks at the local hardware mega store and picked up some wood and screws. Ruff sketched some plans on a scrap piece of paper and went to town building an 8'(2.4m) long 2.5'(76.2 cm) wide 43"(109.22 cm) high work table. Shot a few pics throughout the build.

finished table in it's new home up against the back wall.

Of course no project would be complete with out some kind of R/Co. logo stencil action...

Well we are now heading towards the tail end of this here work week. Time to start making plans for the coming weekend....
Need to finish setting up the work space so can really roll up the sleeves and get to building things. Like more of those wallets folks have been asking for...

"Keep 'em Flying"
Cheers,
'MrRay'

On The Road: Hong Kong

With my hire date of June 1st for the new 9-5 down in SoCal, I got a late start on the development of the first season. It is this reason that I am crazily trying to put together all the styles, fabrics, trims, fits, graphics and everything else involved with building a clothing line and I have basically crammed 3 or more months of development time into 5 weeks. Because of this situation  I  recently had the opportunity to go on a long voyage west of here, so far in fact that it became the 'Far East' and did it all alone. No boss. No development team. No one. Plus it was over the 4th of July holiday and who wants to spend time away for work over an extended weekend?....

While waiting for my air voiage to begin from LAX to Taipei, connecting to Hong Kong, I had some time to kill so I messed around with my phone camera. Here is the first of a few posts about my recent development trip to HK.

Class separation. The "haves" and the "have not so much."

Somthing to Think About...

Made it through another full work week! As I was taking a brake from the 9-5 I decided to do a little cruzing around and check in on blogs and sites I have not visited for a while. I found a post done by my good buddy Mr.BDP that is spot on! So like any good blogger, I am re-posting it on my site for all to enjoy....

These are some insightful and thought-provoking lessons from Wieden+Kennedy’s Executive Creative Director, John C Jay:

10 Lessons for young designers.
(or any age for that matter)

1: Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do.
2: Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort.
3: Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral.
4: Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough.
5: Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know.
6: Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world.
7: Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them.
8: Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.
9: The Golden Rule actually works. Do good.
10: If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career.

Now to go do some #3 & #4 during the weekend.
Have a good one!

Cheers,
'MrRay'

Inspiration: 1930's Japanese Wood Block Prints

Before I moved our family back south I really started to get into print making, even was set up to take a few classes at the local community art center. Funny how many things were available to the community up in the Evergreen state, in the Great Pacific Northwest, that I can not find here in SoCal. That is another story...
I am really interested in relief printing (block printing, lino cuts, etc.) Recently I stumbled upon a wonderful site that shares "100 Views of New Tokyo," 1928–1932, a subscription series by 8 Artists. 
It is really quite a wonderful web page. I really like how detailed some of them are and how simplistic others are. Here are a few of my favorites.

I recently picked up a few really good books from Amazon that show techniques for print making / woodcuts / wood etching.
Here is the list of goods picked up.

The Woodcut Artist's Handbook 

Japanese Woodblock Printing. Highly recommend this one if you like Japanese style woodcuts.

Print Workshop: Hand-Printing Techniques and Truly Original Projects

Angie Lewin: Plants and Places  This one is work form an amazing print maker out of England, Angie Lewin. More on her later.

Well time to go finish setting up my new shop space in the garage in SoCal.
So I can actually mess around with doing some prints myself. I am getting antsy to be getting back to building goods.


What are you stoked on right now?


"Keep 'em Flying"
Cheers,
'Mr.Ray'