New Dunlap Studios.

For those of you wondering where I've been, I've switched to Wordpress and now my blog is located at www.DunlapStudios.com. Check out my new site and subscribe to my RSS!

Featured at Freelance Pulse.

Yesterday I was featured on Freelance Pulse, which was a really great surprise. I sent them a little bio on Sunday night and found myself on the site the next day. I appreciate all the promotion I get so thanks Freelance Pulse, especially Steve!

If you're a freelancer and not familiar with the site, you should be. The site has only been up a couple of weeks, but is already a huge hit. It organizes freelance work by job every day, which makes job hunting so much easier. Whenever I have some down time I like to surf through the projects and see if I can find anything interesting. Not only does it hand you freelance jobs, but it also has great advice, like the "How Much Do You Charge?" article that was posted today.

If you're a freelancer or even just a designer, illustrator, programmer or writer... just check out the site, you will surely find some value in it.

Design By Humans.

A couple new, er.... kind of new designs over at DBH. Go check them out and vote.

Power to the poster.

I found Power to the poster last week and decided to submit my health-care project. To my surprise they accepted it! Not only that, but my artwork will be displayed in an exhibit this coming week in Lincoln, Nebraska.

I think that the idea of free graphic design for a good cause is great, especially because you get to choose your cause and people all over the nation can print out and post up your artwork. I don't really agree with all of the views on the site, but that's also why I like it. It shows the differences in opinions and beliefs, though we are still united by graphic design. I'm extremely happy to be a part of this project. So head over and download some great art and post them up!

So..... GROSS!

EDIT: The design is now up, so please everyone go vote for it. I want to wear this gross shirt!

So, I've been working on a pretty gross illustration today. It was all drawn in Illustrator and then colored in Photoshop. If I had more time I'd throw up a tutorial on how I colored it. I'm hoping that it will be used for a possible magazine cover for a certain art/design magazine... but we'll see how it goes, I'll keep you guys updated. As of right now I have a couple of big ideas and so far I've only finished this gross evil pumpkin.

I was going to call it a night and then I remembered that Design By Humans was having a Halloween contest. I threw it on a shirt template and submitted it to the site. I'll post up the link once it's accepted and then hound you guys to vote for it. Here is the illustration, and below it is how I want it on the shirt.

All over! (kind of...)

I just wanted to thank everyone that took the time to vote for me. I placed 11th out of 112 with 100 finished votes, so I am pretty happy. I am now a finalist along with 19 other artists. I do not think I have any chances of winning considering my competition, but I am extremely happy with where I'm at. I'm slowly building up my achievements on my resume, and I'm really happy to add "Don't Panic Finalist" on to it. It's a big deal for me, because several of my favorite artists and biggest inspirations have competed in Don't Panic competitions. My favorite artist of all time, Banksy, released a poster through Don't Panic two years ago. The fact that I'm even being considered by them is a huge deal for me.

I wanted to post up a couple of pieces that I think should win the contest. I'm not sure if that's weird considering I'm still in it. I just honestly think that they did a better job and I want to show that. Here are some great pieces, if you'd like to see more visit this link.

So, I'm still freaking awake!

For the past two weeks I haven't been able to sleep. I'm super tired all day long and by the time I get to bed it seems like my tiredness has faded. Anyone that knows me knows that I can't stay still for too long... so after I try counting myself to sleep and it fails, I go back to the Mac.

Here is what I worked on tonight (part of the night). I've been considering sending in a couple pieces to Semi-Permanent, which is a very prestigious art magazine that is released once a year. Getting it on your resume is just about as cool as it gets for painters, designers and illustrators. So, I've been trying to think of what to do that would make me stand out. I decided to do a little comic about all of the things I've been complaining about.


Now, I'm going to try and go to bed. If I can't sleep expect another post with another comic, I'm sure they'll only get stupider as the night goes on.

New OPEX proof.

I finally got around to doing another proof for OPEX. I want to thank them for being so patient. I went back and deleted a lot of the old layers and tried a different attack on the shading of their faces. I'm very happy with the way it turned out, it seems like an old comic book style, yet very unique.

On Design By Humans.

I'm still in crazy contest mode for some reason. I've just set up a couple t-shirts for a design by humans. Please go there and vote for me. Click on the images of the shirts to go to their site.

Changes on the horizon.

So my good friend Stephen at Sonata Creative set up a new site and got me stoked on setting up my own. I'm designing it in Photoshop with a focus on my illustration and design capabilities. I really want to get more work as an illustrator, so I want my site to show that.

The new site will be through wordpress.... (please don't delete this blogspot!)... I love the layout and customization of it. I've steered clear of wordpress so far, because every design site is in wordpress. But I realize it's the easiest way to go and I think I'll like it much more. The new site will have three sections: the blog (my home page), my portfolio and then a contact form all following the same theme. Above is an idea of how I want it to look, I'm going to work on it a little bit more and then send it off to a company to slice it up for the web. I don't know much about web design, so I definitely don't know the do's and dont's. There is a big possibility that the company will say... "you want that on a website" and laugh at me... but, I guess that's how you learn.

It's On!

Voting is on for the 3 competition. Please everyone go vote for my submission here... and sorry, you'll have to create a log on to do it. You can vote once a day, so feel free to help me out!!!! Thanks to everyone that will vote!

Missing Skin.

I thought I'd better put these up before I forget. Here is the second vehicle wrap that I was talking about last week. I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out, not only the design but the install. I was apart of the installation and I learned a lot, not only about installing but also designing for vehicles (not to trust bad wrap).

The wrap isn't actually finished in these photos, it's missing the back window perf... and you can also see it says "naval rings" instead of "navel rings"...... that was just one of the headaches that day. But it paid off.

Project #4

Poster: Government Public Health Policy. Depicting problems of the health system: many un-insured, fees too high, quality of life vs. longevity, red tape, mal-practice suits. Title: "Is Quality Healthcare an American Right?"

I rushed this project and I'm too happy with the outcome. I wanted really simple sketches over a vibrant background, but now I feel they're too simple and I should have maybe chosen different perspectives. I'm too burnt out and busy to start over.

Contest #2

Here is my submission for the InkFruit Rock and Roll contest. I'm really excited about this contest because of the topic and the design freedom. I'm thinking about doing a couple more, but here is this one for now. I'm pretty sure you can vote for it here, if not I'll post the correct link up later. Please everyone go vote for it!

Project #3

Project Guidelines : Poster to help Americans adapt to the metric system. Could show the importance and benefits of adapting, could depict it as easy to adjust to. Title : "American Goes Metric".

I wanted this drawing to show how easy the metric system is and I also wanted to do a funny piece. At first I was going to do an upset Uncle Sam with 12 fingers and the Queen saying "... Oh, that's why". Instead I decided to do one of the president having the metric system explained to him. I was going to have the Queen explain it to him, but this style took so long that I just gave up on her.

Here are just the sketches, only a partial one of the Queen. The flowers on her hat were going to require so much coloring that I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. I think the piece is still a strong piece without her... hopefully my teacher will as well.
Also, I wanted to post my original sketch. When I first started the project I was at school so I was having to sketch with the mouse. I was really happy with the way it turned out because I did it only using a mouse. But, because I'm so anal and I knew it would look better with the tablet I started from scratch when I got home using my first sketch as a template. I'm happy I did because there is a pretty big difference in quality..... I love that sweet Wacom quality.

Vehicle Wrap Update.

The customer dropped by today to show off the install, and it's incredible! If I knew the detail shop that installed it I'd give them a plug because they definitely deserve it. There isn't a wrinkle or air bubble in any of the graphics, and I only printed and weeded one of each so there wasn't any room for mistakes. The customer loves it and wants some more "paint" thrown on there, he's getting me a couple more logos to set up in the splatter style. I'm really happy with the way this turned out, between the pre-press, printing, cutting, weeding and installation there were a lot of areas that this project could of screwed up.... I'm so happy it didn't.

Done with contest #1

Here is my submission to the Don't Panic / 3 Dongle competition. I took a look at the gallery and the competition is really good for the most part. I like my finished design and that's all that matters I suppose. Voting isn't allowed until the 22nd, I'll create a post to notify everyone, I'm hoping I can get voted into the semi-finals.

Right Away Great Update!

I emailed my first set of proofs to RAGC, and I'm waiting to hear back. I've had a terrible time coming up with ideas, or following through with them. I've been way nervous because I'm designing for one of my favorite bands, so I've just been drawing and designing crap. I'm nervous because if this project does bring in other "larger" bands, I'm worried that I'll constantly be stressing about impressing them. After relaxing and thinking some things over I came up with three proofs that are pretty different from each other. One is a dirty sketch done by me, one is an old illustration that I found and the other is a typical logo design, which I do think is good, but I'm not sure it fits the band. As of right now I like the first one the best, I'm excited to hear what he thinks.

On another note, the van wrap is complete and looks great. I'll get the photos up as soon as I can, but for right now I really need to study.

High hopes.

So, I worked on the install of the vehicle wrap yesterday and we not only did not finish, but we didn't even finish the back end. It seems that the Bad Wrap templates aren't as accurate as they say and I should not have trusted them as much as I did. Either way the part of the van we did complete looks great, my wrapping skills have improved dirasticly. As for the Corvette, I'm not sure the install even happened on that. I drove down to the church today to see if it was out and I didn't have any luck. I'll get photos of the completed wraps up as soon I have them, until then here are some photos of the artwork.

Big Weekend!

So, I have a huge amount of things to share about this weekend. I'm actually going to do it in a couple posts.

I have two vehicle wraps that are getting installed this weekend, one on a Corvette which will be done by someone else and one on a Dodge Caravan which I will be helping with. The Corvette is for Central Christian Church and the Dodge Caravan is for a body piercing shop... and no I didn't get those switched around. I will post up the completed images as soon as I have them.

My illustrator teacher asked me yesterday if he could exhibit my illustrations from last semester in the art building windows. The prints were framed and put on easels today along with a small framed sheet that included my information. I will post up images of the little exhibit and the original photos as soon as I get the chance.

Last but definitely not least I contacted RAGC through myspace about doing design for him and to my surprise Andy from RAGC and Manchester Orchestra wrote me back. He complimented my artwork and told me to run with it. I'm starting with some RAGC artwork for his myspace, I'm hoping that it will lead to some Manchester Orchestra Myspace work or possibly t-shirt designs for either band. I'm really hoping to corner the market for indie artists, and I think a band like MO or RAGC will really help me do that. Either way I'm honored to be doing work for one or both of my favorite bands. Above is a preview of something I'm working on, I'll probably throw together a couple others before sending him any proofs. I worked two hours tonight on a detailed illustration that I ended up trashing.... I think I'm being a little more critical with my designs for this project.

Another Try.

So, I'm taking another try at design competitions. I'm not looking to win, I just want to at least get acknowledged for my resume. I'm also sending in a couple personal art pieces to some art compilation magazines. I think it would be awesome to be featured in something that is seen all over.

I'll post up the whole piece when it's finished.

Project 2.

Here is my project for this week. The assignment was a magazine article on dog disobedience. The illustration should illustrate the "disobedient dog". The title of the article must be "Rover Make-Over".

I'm happy how it turned out, I'm glad too because it took several hours of drawing. There are a lot of art competitions coming up, so I'm thinking about using the drawings to create something more abstract and creative.

Back in school.

I'm back in school finishing out my last semester. I'm in an advanced illustrator course that requires a bunch of drawing! My teacher gave me a list of assignments on the first day and I'm just expected to turn one in once a week with a page of thumbnail ideas.

This week's assignment: Advertisement for "Planters" salted nuts. Setting must be in a nice restaurant, the image must contain a squirrel posing as a waiter offering the nuts as a nice bottle of wine. Quote must be "May we suggest our extra fancy nuts?".

I searched Planters old print material all the way back to the early 1900's and finally came up with a style. I decided to do it in a cartoon style, but I really wanted it to look like their old print material. So after the illustration was finished I brought it into Photoshop and then made it look really old with stains and paper texture. I wanted it to look like you just found it in a 1960's magazine. I think it worked out.

Music.

So my entire taste in music changed this past year. I've always been a fan of indie/folk music but as of right now it's all I listen to. Here are my 10 favorite albums for the time being.

10. Desaparecidos - Read Music. Speak Spanish.

9. Ian Love - Ian Love

8. Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - The Dust Of Retreat

7. The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine (always on my lists)

6. Neutral Milk Hotel - The Aeroplane Over The Sea

5. Iron And Wine - The Shepard's Dog (always on my lists)

4. Okkervil River - The Stage Names

3. Right Away, Great Captain! - The Bitter End

2. Arrah And The Ferns - Evan Is A Vegan

1. Anything by Pedro The Lion, though I'm rekindling an old flame for Achilles Heel

Thanks Matt!

I recently started doing some marketing material for The Path CC located in Rosemount Minnesota. The cool thing about this church is that it is completely out of a movie theater, so the artwork has been pretty fun. So far I've set up postcards, invite cards, an HTML email and a cool movie poster that actually hangs in the theater with the other movie posters.

Matt recently posted on his personal/church blog about Dunlap Studios and the recent marketing campaign they've been doing. I really appreciate the acknowledgment, especially because I've recently been doing a terrible job managing my time and he has been very patient with me. The best compliment you can give a designer is a referral, so it is much appreciated!