PHRASE OF THE DAY

INSPIRATION

For me it can come from many different ways. I take in alot of thing from my surroundings and use them with my designs.
My every day life are tools and influences in all my works. Any thing and every thing is used from, colorways,patterns and the subject it self. Here are a few studies from my street series.

PHRASE OF THE DAY

DILLATASTIC

Well here it is folks. The long over due J Dilla time piece, designed by Upendo for LeRoy jenkins. Toy Watch Company got down with the manufacturing, and Rick from Burn Rubber Detroit made the whole connection happen. So its technically a 3 way co lab.
Proceeds from the watch go to MaDukes LLC. And LJ and Burn Rubber is making sure of this!
We got TONE to get us these dope shots. Because of tuff market times we are only gona be able to have a small number produced. So please let us know if yall are felling it. info@leroyjenkinlimited.com

"ICON O RAMA"

During the process of promo tee design with Raphael Saadiq. He mentioned the need for a logo, thu out his 20 years in the game and never having one. Again working with a great client like this , he gives me creative freedom. Souly based on the vibe we created when we were chilling at his studio in LA. The basic direction was to create something classic with some type of abstract aesthetic. Just after a few roughcomps, this is the icon that stood out to Raphael. So i brought it all together with a logo font to tie it all in.
Creating an icon is not an easy task. So there is a serious process to get to the best possible final.Here a few sketch designs plucked from the thumbnail sketch stage.

PHRASE OF THE DAY

INSPIRATION PT. DUEX

Here is the latest series of collages I'm working on. The vibe stemmed from the "Hood Bazaar" series i did. This project started as a graphic tee study for Triple 5 Soul, then i started to expound on the language i was bringing in to the collages. But you can call it what you want.

PATTERNS AND TEXTURES

These are all way fun things to do. recently I've been experimenting with alot of new texture and pattens.
Making use of them as background textures in some of my pieces ,so i decided to give them some of there own shine.

HOW TO WEAR LeROY JENKINS

These are a few illustrations i banged out for the Leroy Jenkins fall 08 look book.
The are illustrations are for those cats that cant seem to get how to wear the dope gear LJ produces.
We hope it works for the style impaired.

MONKEY JACKSON HITS BOWERY

STREET GALLERY

To follow up to my last gallery show,"Super Ugly". Im taking it to the street! Using the Willy B area as my launch space.
No dis to Barf and Faile but space was limited and i wanted the spot. Keep your eyes peeled for the iconic Monkey Jackson.
And please no snitching!

PHRASE OF THE DAY

NEW PROJECT!

For the past few weeks, I've been tied up with the design and layout of a 68-page beast, a Board Candidate Book for the NAA . In the midst of it, I managed to slide in a few brand logos for some peeps. As I was wrapping up the book layout, my connect at Sony/Columbia commissioned me to design a few "out of the box" tee designs for one of my favorite artists - Raphael Saadiq . The tees are to promo Raphael's latest LP, "The Way I See It".

I'm incorporating lots of illustrations and hand drawn font treatments to insure a very original vibe to the pieces. The following are a few ruff comps developed to get the juices going. So far, Mr.Saadiq loves them! I'll be making revisions, so some of what you see will change. Because he liked my work on the tee project, he asked me to design a brand logo as well. I'll put y'all up on that later. In the meantime, enjoy these.




THANKS L BOOGIE

WE LOVE LOGOS

i really have a good time creating corporate identities. The sketching and brain storming is what makes a logo work for a client.
Getting my clients the best product is what keeps me motivated. Here are a few of my most recent branding projects.


Branding character logo for New York city writer/promoter Nicole Nelch.


Logo type for New York city fashion show room.


Branding logo for Dallas, TX NAA academy.

PHRASE OF THE DAY

PUT IT DOWN

This is an invite i designed commissioned by a great client of mine. The theme was 70's funk with an up to date touch. and this is wut i came up with. There is probably going to be some changes and added info on this after i post it.

PHRASE OF THE DAY

I LOVE THEM TOGETHER

SUPER UGLY

For those who missed it the first go round. Super Ugly was my first solo show @ Frank White. The vibe of the show was centered around my transition back to NYC from LA. The art was inspired by new slang and stereotypes that I was hearing around me over the year i had come back to NY. I used a mixed medium format to make up the 36"x48" wood panels. I kinda wanted it to look like street wheat postings. This was a 13 piece series , i showed 7 at the gallery and sold a few there too. So here are a few pieces for your enjoyment.




ART THUG


BKLYN BEAT


LA GOONS


ORIGINAL FLAVORS

PHRASE OF THE DAY

AS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

INSPIRATION

A few weeks back i was commissioned by Fab 5 Freddy to bang out an event flyer. I had already been building on some fresh new ways to collage, so i use this style i was working on to do the flyer, but it didnt stop there. It sparked the the inspiration for the concept of Hood Bizaar. This collage study is centered around the elements of my Brooklyn residence, mixed in with funk and soul. There is more to come Enjoy!

BIZ CAN BE FUN

One of my favorite clients is Omari Toomer AKA DJ O Spindles.
I've designed alot of his event flyer's and he always gives me total creative control.
Recently O Spindles ask me to create a biz card and mix tape cd cover , based around his love of
oodles of noodles. This is what i came up with, im still waiting on his final ok on the cd cover title.

KEEP IT MOVING

As you may or may not know. For the past 2 and half years(fulltime and freelance) ive been art directing and designing for Akademiks and Stash House,if you haven't all ready seen it in the the streets.
Well ive just ended my term with those cats a few months back. and just wanted to show some of the most recent things i was cooking up for them.

YOUR SNEAKERS MUST DIE

I thought of this piece when i got off the train and this kid had this fixed gaze at my shoes like he wanted to hump them or something. Well this is for you homie!