Teefury

I seem to be going through a real deity drawing period at present. I like the idea of Indian gods mashed up with modern day materials. This one started out alot more romantic looking, but the more I drew, the more the modern day props seemed to flow into my head, and take over the piece. Now the only thing that really feels like a deity is the fact he has got more than two arms. (Oh, and his de-skinned, de-connected cranium, which I have no cultural references too. I just thought it would look cool.) Everything else is from modern times, even if those modern times were like 20 years ago. Researching this piece I thought I'd find like 4, maybe 6 old control designs. No way, there's alot out there. I still think the older ones are really cool, and as a young boy growing up in small town New Zealand, if you had an Atari, you were a god.

I am originally a born and breed New Zealander. But I have recently moved to west Sydney, in Australia. I went from living next door to hobbits and Na'vi to living with snakes, crocs and kangaroos. Do you know that roo's are one of the stupidest animals known to man? But I am here to tell you they are also one of the tastiest animals known to man. This is a tee shirt site, not a cooking show, so I'll back off that subject. 

So yeah, been living in Straya for almost 10 months now.

Thats a tough question Michelle. If anything I have 2 passions in life: art and food. If I wasn't a struggling freelance artist I'd want to be a chef. This is evident in the fact that I am the worlds fattest starving artist! I would spend alot of my annual income on food and drink I reckon. I love tasting new food. Last year, while at the HOW design conference in Denver, I got to try elk, rattlesnake, buffalo and sheep's balls, all in the one restaurant! I always ask the question at dinner parties 'what's the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?', mostly to see what I haven't tried yet. (for the record, I think ZEBRA is the weirdest thing I have tried so far.)

Now this is a loaded question! I guess it would be the fact that I have not owned a video game console until this year, and it's a Wii! I mean, Wii's are cool, and like Helen Mirren I am losing weight fast thanks to my personal trainer. But they are not as cool as a PS3, Xbox etc. 

Did I already mention food? :)

Travel is by far my most favorite thing. As I get older it's harder to do with grown up issues like saving for a house etc etc, but I just love it. I also love going back to places I've been and staying with friends I have made along the travels. I highly recommend to get off the tourist track, and get a local to show you their favorite spots and sights. It's always so much more personal and unique than the stuff in the brochures. (and travel allows indulging in new food too!)

Another favorite thing is art. Not just the stuff you hang in your home, or in a museum. Now, with the internet's global reach, I usually spend my days first 2 hours looking at cool new stuff. There is so much untapped raw talent, and you usually find the more genius ones are the ones NOT selling out on the web. Hidden gems of genius. You know what I mean?

And last, Zombies. I love Zombies. I hope the genre never dies. No pun intended.

Hot rods! I drew LOTS of hot rods as a kid. I had a decent collection of bubble gum cards that had gnarly hot rod designs, and these inspired me to no end. My dad also had some old hot rod magazines, and I would lament over the Big Daddy Eddie Roth illustrations in there. I still remember yearning to have a Rat FInk tee shirt as a child (and this is the late 70's remember), and I would still love one today!

Umm, you mean animals in general? I appreciate the freedom and lifestyle most animals in the world have. I know this is getting less and less, but the notion of roaming around, finding something to eat, and celebrating with a massive long nap is my idea of heaven really. I do love my modern conveniences, but maybe for 2 years I'd like to join the wild deer in the New Zealand mountains and say to hell with it all. But I'd eventually miss my espresso machine I think. 

Aliens, every time. I like War of the Worlds, because it had a happy ending. But if it wasn't for the germs, we would have been screwed. Seriously, if aliens make it here one day, with the intention of taking over, we won't stand a chance. At the first news broadcast of the invasion, I'd be joining my animal friends in the New Zealand mountains I think.

Geez! Come on. I have so many. This isn't really a fair question, as alot of the stuff I wear is by my peers. Alot of them are on here!! I guess I can put it down to the last shirt I bought 2 of, because I knew I would wear it alot. Thats 'Modern Cartoon' by Justin White aka jublin, over at Design By Humans. I have 2 in the original colour of a navy blue tee. Maybe because it's slightly like an Eddie Roth drawing, is that why I love it? I do get alot of compliments on the design when I wear it also.

Movies for me have always been my favorite medium of entertainment. I love reading alot, and gaming some, but movies are just pure escapism. I'd have to say to date my favorite and most watch dvd title (and one of only 3 or 4 movies I have twice at the cinema in the last 10 years) is WATCHMEN. The story is amazing, but visually, this is what movies should be like. I think thats why I saw it twice, so the second time I could forget following the story as much as soaking up the scenery.

I find myself torn between modern styles and old style comic references. I read lot and source as many reference art books as I can afford. Other artists and illustrators greatly inspire me. I'd have to say, and I think I said this the last time I was here, thats James Jean is just an amazing illustrator. I also still equally love the work of Tomer and Asaf Hanuka (http://tropicaltoxic.blogspot.com/). But as I said earlier, with the advent of the internet I can search and find new inspiring stuff everyday. And Teefury is one of those places!

As always, a huge shout out/plug to the Black Rock Collective. We recently released a new, limited colour palette, card deck (http://www.merchline.com/brc/productdisplay.11237.p.htm) and are about to launch our first postcard book.

One thing I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE is more followers on my blog. Please sign up if you can, as I will have some give aways coming soon: http://sketchyoldblair.blogspot.com/