June: Gay Pride Day -- The Captains of Industry Calendar

THE CLIENTS

Eyerus + Visual Communications Studio
The Captains of Industry

THE ASSIGNMENT

A calendar, illustrated in the style of '70s Blaxploitation movie posters. Each month will focus on an extremely esoteric holiday (or a popular holiday handled in an extremely esoteric way), all staring The Captains of Industry.

The Captains of Industry are: Graham Funke and StoneRokk, two innovative and eclectic DJs known for their creativity, sense of humor, and opinionated worldviews. You may find them working high-profile corporate and celebrity events around the country, or at their Las Vegas residencies at the Palms Casino Resort. They are "Your favorite DJ's favorite DJs."™

THE CHALLENGE: JUNE

June's featured holiday is Gay Pride Day. There is actually no set day to celebrate this holiday. June is reserved as the month of recognition, and cities can decide when to host their own festivities. The guys wanted to represent this holiday via a mash-up between a stereotypical gay pride parade and the iconic Spirit of '76 painting, by Archibald MacNeal Willard. StoneRokk and Graham would be the leaders, playing the fife and drum, respectively.



GETTING STARTED

The Capts took part in a photo shoot, staying pretty faithful to the poses from Willard's famous painting. The intent was to be very much over-the-top, so, one alteration I would need to make to the guys, in order to have them properly fit in with the crowd and tell their story, is to increase their buffness levels, in the final art. More on that, later.



Like May, before this, the potential for storytelling is huge, here. The rainbow colors and free-for-all personal expression of the crowd invites a very animated approach to telling this particular story. I had permission to essentially go nuts.

My reference gathering included the basics, such as 1776 period clothing, the fife and drum, rainbow flag, and fireworks. But, the real interest comes from the details. I scoured the web for reference of gay pride parades, looking for the most ridiculous scenes I could find. I scoured the web for ridiculous scenes that were not part of a gay pride parade, but could inspire the folks in our parade.

Using the composition from Spirit of '76 as a basis, I created this winding, pyramidal scene



Upon review, I received specifics on what Stone and Graham wished to be wearing. Stone (the fife player) wanted the revolutionary coat, speedos, and combat boots, untied and folded down (to show he was a lover, not a fighter, to quote Matt, my art director).

Graham (the drummer) wished to be wearing a leather vest, cutoff jean shorts, and cowboy boots.

Okay, you got all that? Good, because it's time to take the next step.

THE FINAL ART

I needed to book a buffed-up model, as body doubles for the guys. That's not such an easy task, as it turns out. My Craig's List ad got flagged and deleted, multiple times. And, for some reason, those who responded to the ad fell silent upon hearing further details of the project. Who knew seeking a buff male model to pose for a gay pride parade photo shoot would cause such a controversy? Bummer.

But, thankfully, I secured Rashaud, via Model Mayhem.com. He was absolutely perfect, and knocked it out of the park for us, not only as our main characters, but also as some of the other expressive folks mingling about. I extend many thanks to Rashaud for his excellent work.

In another happy twist of fate, the theater company from which I rented many outfits for this calendar project happened to have a leopard-lined leather vest used for productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Perfect!

How about some leopard-print cowboy boots to match? And, a bedazzled drum strap? Perfect!



THE SECRET 'STACHE

Mustache research was an integral part of this project, since Graham was to be rockin' a unique mustache to punctuate each story. I've amassed quite a compilation of crumb-catchers. What's the secret to deciding on the right mustache for the scene? We had two alternatives, as I saw it.

1. Go for the silliest looking 'stache.

2. Go for a 'stache that relates their story to a similar popular culture story.

I opted for the latter, because there is an extra element of thought behind this option. It further adds another layer of interest for the viewer to decipher, and echoes the peppering of popular culture reference to just about every illustration in this calendar.

Graham is rockin' the "Freddy Mercury" 'stache, in this scene.

For fun, here are some of the inspired 'staches I deliberated about, throughout this project.





WHAT CONTROVERSY?

There is no controversy, that I'm aware of. But, my sources tell me this image has been one of the more talked-about, among the calendar illustrations. When I showed early concepts to someone, not directly involved with the project, their reaction was immediately laughter, followed by a cautionary warning that some might find the scene offensive. I don't know if anyone has found it offensive, but I do know that person's reaction was a positive reflection on the strength of the concept, devised by the guys. A thoughtful concept that provokes discussion can only be a good thing, in my opinion.

Besides, who can take anything seriously that involves a ball-gagged, leather-clad pooch?





Thanks, again, to the amazing team at Eyerus for allowing me the opportunity to be involved, for their direction, and for fostering an environment for creativity that any illustrator would cherish. Thanks, too, to The Captains of Industry for conceiving such a wonderfully-inspired collection of ideas for the world to devour, as well as for their very generous write-up about the project and their kind words toward me. See it, here.

You may secure your own calendar at The Capts Online Haberdashery.

Over the coming weeks, I will show and tell the stories behind each month's art. Stay tuned. Tell your friends. You won't be disappointed!

Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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May: Kentucky Derby Day -- The Captains of Industry Calendar

THE CLIENTS

Eyerus + Visual Communications Studio
The Captains of Industry

THE ASSIGNMENT

A calendar, illustrated in the style of '70s Blaxploitation movie posters. Each month will focus on an extremely esoteric holiday (or a popular holiday handled in an extremely esoteric way), all staring The Captains of Industry.

The Captains of Industry are: Graham Funke and StoneRokk, two innovative and eclectic DJs known for their creativity, sense of humor, and opinionated worldviews. You may find them working high-profile corporate and celebrity events around the country, or at their Las Vegas residencies at the Palms Casino Resort. They are "Your favorite DJ's favorite DJs."™

THE CHALLENGE: MAY

May's featured holiday is Derby Day. In an homage to 1985's James Bond entry, A View to a Kill (starring Roger Moore, as Bond, Christopher Walken as villain, Max Zorin, and Grace Jones, as slinky red-caped villainess, May Day), the guys are posed as the team behind the Kentucky Derby winner. With restrained jubilation (as if they've been there, before), the guys bask in adulation in the Winner's Circle at Churchill Downs.

THE PROCESS

The Capts took part in a photo shoot, exploring different expressions and postures as the winning owner and jockey -- from subtle to over-the-top -- with their victorious horse. Their vision was very much with a nod to the Derby scenes in A View to a Kill. Graham (the owner) is Max Zorin. The Zorin Industries blimp flies, overhead, as a further punctuation to the scene.

The potential for storytelling is huge, here, from the extravagant hats and attire of race-goers, to the flamboyancy of the jockey's outfit, to the magnetic draw of the crowd, calling us to hide characters within.

How should I lay the foundation?

My reference gathering began with figuring out what the Winner's Circle really looks like. We want to lend integrity to the scene.

A perspective view, rather than a straight-on view, brings another level of interest and allows me to build space and depth. A low vantage point retains a sense of power which runs constant, throughout the calendar, and echoes the Blaxploitation posters we're using as inspiration.

HOW TO START?

My direction was approved and the favored poses were chosen. Now, it's time to fill in the blanks with reference -- including details such as the exact attire of Max Zorin (Which lapel does the flower go on?), the exact layout of the Winner's Circle at Churchill Downs (including the design of the flag atop the building), and the best jockey outfit to create for StoneRokk.

For the latter, I scoured the web, looking at contemporary outfits, vintage outfits, and all manner of jockey-inspired fashion from around the world. I decided on bold, geometric shapes -- a familiar constant, and favorite amongst the jockey community -- and used complementary colors for maximum attention. As a final flourish, I added a faux shoulder dressing to designate StoneRokk's royal position among jockey-kind.

Then, to my lovely models, Melodie and Ricky, to give me their best exuberant race-goer.

As promised, observant viewers will see dignitaries in the crowd, including Max Zorin, himself, as well as his pal, May Day. If you are very observant, you may even see Mr. Kentucky (Fried Chicken), Colonel Sanders, who is also the model for Graham's May 'stache.

Thanks, again, to the amazing team at Eyerus for allowing me the opportunity to be involved, for their direction, and for fostering an environment for creativity that any illustrator would cherish. Thanks, too, to The Captains of Industry for conceiving such a wonderfully-inspired collection of ideas for the world to devour, as well as for their very generous write-up about the project and their kind words toward me. See it, here.

You may secure your own calendar at The Capts Online Haberdashery.

Over the coming weeks, I will show and tell the stories behind each month's art. Stay tuned. Tell your friends. You won't be disappointed!

Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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2012 Illustration Conference Rhode Show

Image, above, copyright: Chris Buzelli + Jessica Hische.

Hello, out there!

If you are in the Providence, RI area on Friday, June 15, 2012, be sure to stop by and see me at the Rhode Show, as part of the Illustration Conference. Here are the details:

When: Friday, June 15th, 6:30 - 10:00pm
Where: Renaissance Hotel
Symphony Ballroom
5 Avenue of the Arts
Providence RI, 02903

What is the Rhode Show?

It will be a gathering of over 60 artists from across the country in a portfolio showcase and marketplace event. If you are looking for an illustrator for your next project, this is the place to be. If you are looking for cool illustrated products to buy, directly from the artist, this is the place to be. I'll have some lovely pieces to look at, including the Captains of Industry calendar, featured on this blog, some handsome cards to take with you, and some limited edition 8.5" x 11" prints to purchase. Stop by and say, "Hello!". I'd love to meet you and discuss what I can do for you.

 Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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April: Tax Day -- The Captains of Industry Calendar

 
THE CLIENTS
 
Eyerus + Visual Communications Studio
The Captains of Industry

THE ASSIGNMENT

A calendar, illustrated in the style of '70s Blaxploitation movie posters. Each month will focus on an extremely esoteric holiday (or a popular holiday handled in an extremely esoteric way), all staring The Captains of Industry.

The Captains of Industry are: Graham Funke and StoneRokk, two innovative and eclectic DJs known for their creativity, sense of humor, and opinionated worldviews. You may find them working high-profile corporate and celebrity events around the country, or at their Las Vegas residencies at the Palms Casino Resort. They are "Your favorite DJ's favorite DJs."™

THE CHALLENGE: APRIL

April's featured holiday is Tax Day. The guys wanted to express the less-than-positive feelings many people have about this time of year, as our hard-earned money flies out the window. That would equate to surrounding the IRS building with what appear to be explosives, and preparing to engage them with a classic plunger-style detonator. But, please notice, the plunger has not been depressed. The guys want to maintain plausible deniability about the whole thing.

THE PROCESS

The Capts took part in a photo shoot, yielding some pretty hilarious results, exploring the concept of two cat-burglers, with vintage influence and exaggerated expressions.



My first order of business was to find suitable reference of the official IRS building, in Washington D.C. Otherwise, it's just some building. Along with the guys, the building is a major part of the visual story, not only in concept, but also physical size. I need to have an idea of what it looks like, so I can plan my compositional options.



I thought the strong low perspective would be a good solution. It allows me to cleanly include the building, without cropping, tell the story about the explosives and flying moneybags, give the guys a position of strength as we look up at them, and echo the stylings of the '70s Blaxploitation movie posters we are using as inspiration.

After basic sketch approval, it came time to flesh out the details and explosive choices.

After setting the stage with recognizable missiles and planting the idea in viewers' minds that no good is afoot, my goal is to get a little ridiculous with the kinds of things the guys may or may not have brought to the scene.

Among the additions, you may find a catch-all, unidentified suspicious package, behind the sign; a shoe bomb, comprised of a tennis shoe stuffed with dynamite -- perhaps, Acme brand; old-school bowling ball-shaped bombs, plucked from the hands of Adam West, maybe; and a DIY suicide vest, strapped to a department store mannequin. Someone may have even taken the time to string explosive line through every window of the government building, somehow evading any raised eyebrows from security folk.



HOW TO START?

The final sketch is approved. So, let's get started on the final art. In a departure from our mustache for every occasion, it was decided to eliminate Graham's facial hair. Since he is ski mask-clad, a 'stache would hide his identity too much. For the record, I am depicting him in the comp, above, rockin' a "G. Gordon Liddy."

I had my model, Ricky, help me fill in the blanks of anything I felt needed supplemental reference. In this case, it came in the way of gloved hands in the correct positions. Hands are always super-important in any visual composition, because they are so complex and expressive. I thought it best to take the extra time to get them right. I'll spare you, my gentle reader, the plethora of reference I accumulated of an extended third digit, in gloves.



You'll see how angles and perspective help tell the story, here, leading the eye around the scene and back to the guys. Angles are generally more interesting than static verticals or horizontals. When in doubt, work the angles.

A triad color scheme is a good go-to place to start. It's a natural balance, simple enough to deal with when time is of the essence, and  complex enough to be interesting. Violet, orange, and green are my choices, here.

Here's the final color art, again.



Thanks, again, to the amazing team at Eyerus for allowing me the opportunity to be involved, for their direction, and for fostering an environment for creativity that any illustrator would cherish. Thanks, too, to The Captains of Industry for conceiving such a wonderfully-inspired collection of ideas for the world to devour, as well as for their very generous write-up about the project and their kind words toward me. See it, here.

You may secure your own calendar at The Capts Online Haberdashery.

Over the coming weeks, I will show and tell the stories behind each month's art. Stay tuned. Tell your friends. You won't be disappointed!

Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
•View more of his work»
•Sign-up for his newsletter»
•Purchase prints»

March: Ian Ziering's Birthday -- The Captains of Industry Calendar

THE CLIENTS

Eyerus + Visual Communications Studio
The Captains of Industry

THE ASSIGNMENT

A calendar, illustrated in the style of '70s Blaxploitation movie posters. Each month will focus on an extremely esoteric holiday (or a popular holiday handled in an extremely esoteric way), all staring The Captains of Industry.

The Captains of Industry are: Graham Funke and StoneRokk, two innovative and eclectic DJs known for their creativity, sense of humor, and opinionated worldviews. You may find them working high-profile corporate and celebrity events around the country, or at their Las Vegas residencies at the Palms Casino Resort. They are "Your favorite DJ's favorite DJs."™

THE CHALLENGE: MARCH

March's featured holiday is Ian Ziering's birthday. Mr. Ziering was born on March 30, 1964. You will remember him as Steve Sanders in the original Beverly Hills 90210. So, how do The Capts celebrate this day through illustration? Mash it up with gangsta rap, another cultural benchmark of the '90s.

THE PROCESS

The Capts took part in a photo shoot, exploring their inner-gangsta. The original thought was to live the thug life with Beverly Hills attire, but that was quickly abandoned for full-fledged thug.



Not being an aficionado in Beverly Hills 90210 lore, I gave myself a crash course on its workings -- the characters, The Peach Pit hangout spot, and Steve Sanders' black '89 Corvette, among them. The black 'Vette would be the logical intermediary between the 90210 world and the N.W.A. world (N.W.A. are one of the most influential artists of the gangsta rap genre), so the guys should be posed against it.

Here are a couple of composition secrets: when there is high volume and finite time involved, one must rely on certain successful rules-of-thumb and apply them, throughout. If I don't follow this system, I'm left to re-invent the wheel with each illustration, which is not the most effective use of my time when deadlines loom. In addition, this mode of thought adds another sense of consistency to my brand, which not only reinforces it, but eliminates surprises for the client.

Throughout this calendar, I built my compositions using pyramids and perspective. Can you see them in the following sketches?

Why pyramids? Because, angles are more interesting than static horizontals and verticals.

Why perspective? Because, perspective is like an angle in the third dimension. Perspective adds depth, visual complexity, and interest.







HOW TO START?

The middle rear-view 'Vette sketch was approved, with a few modifications. So, let's get started on the final art.

The Catps had a definite look in mind for their gangsta attire, from the Eazy E Locs, right down to their Nike Cortez shoes. I did extensive research on it all, acquired appropriate clothing props, and put it together with a supplemental photo shoot, with my fantastic models Ricky and Melodie. My goal was make sure I had the best working photo reference I could put together, so there was no guessing going into the final.

I'm pretty proud of my homemade UZI and Glock 9mm, smartly modeled in pseudo-gangsta stylings, by Ricky.





Melodie and Ricky also gave me a few 90210-style reference shots, in period-attire, with extra emphasis on the tussling.







We swapped my original Beverly Hills street sign with the more iconic sign, and we dropped in some of the characters in the background, including Mr. Sanders, himself. To top it off, why not add a final homage in the form of a logo?

In each month, Graham is rockin' a different mustache, integral towards telling the story for that month. Here, Graham is, naturally, rockin' the "Eazy E" 'stache.

Here's my final black and white comp.



Here's the final color art, again.



Thanks, again, to the amazing team at Eyerus for allowing me the opportunity to be involved, for their direction, and for fostering an environment for creativity that any illustrator would cherish. Thanks, too, to The Captains of Industry for conceiving such a wonderfully-inspired collection of ideas for the world to devour, as well as for their very generous write-up about the project and their kind words toward me. See it, here.

You may secure your own calendar at The Capts Online Haberdashery.

Over the coming weeks, I will show and tell the stories behind each month's art. Stay tuned. Tell your friends. You won't be disappointed!

Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
•View more of his work»
•Sign-up for his newsletter»
•Purchase prints»

President's Day -- The Captains of Industry Calendar

THE CLIENTS

Eyerus + Visual Communications Studio
The Captains of Industry

THE ASSIGNMENT

A calendar, illustrated in the style of '70s Blaxploitation movie posters. Each month will focus on an extremely esoteric holiday (or a popular holiday handled in an extremely esoteric way), all staring The Captains of Industry.

The Captains of Industry are: Graham Funke and StoneRokk, two innovative and eclectic DJs known for their creativity, sense of humor, and opinionated worldviews. You may find them working high-profile corporate and celebrity events around the country, or at their Las Vegas residencies at the Palms Casino Resort. They are "Your favorite DJ's favorite DJs."™

THE CHALLENGE: FEBRUARY

February's featured holiday is President's Day. The idea, here, is The Capts, chiseled atop Mt. Rushmore with our other immortalized presidents. But, the additional twist is that it is to be depicted in the style of a cheesy 1950s postcard one might have found at any gas station -- in this instance, likely any South Dakota fuel stop.

THE PROCESS

The Capts took part in a photo shoot, exploring all sorts of expressions, from the not-so-presidential to the presidential. My first sketches depicted that range, with presidential winning out.





My research included studying all manner of these '50s postcards -- what colors and shapes are prevalent, what typefaces are used, and how do they use touristy imagery to tell their stories?







My other challenge was to create an appealing illustration that captures the essence of an inherently ugly design. It also means adding a few subtle savory extras that makes a viewer want to come back for seconds.

HOW TO START?

The guys on the mountain is obviously the main story, so I needed to make sure to construct them in such a way that looked like they belonged, without question, stoney and all. As per our theme of a different 'stache for every story, Graham is seen rockin' the Chester A. Arthur, here on the mount.

The graphic treatment below the faces is pretty dominant, too. A wavy font motion seems to be a recurring theme on these postcards. It happened to work with this composition, so I embraced it.

The interior text images should be typically touristy and add to the scene, without distracting from the faces. What better choices than a landscape, bison, and the ever-popular fireworks? I matched a couple of fonts for "Greetings from" and "Mount Rushmore," and off I went.



Color is always very important. Here, it's not only important for creating a strong design, but also for cooking up an appropriate retro-chic flavor. I spent time experimenting with a striping color combo that looks last century yet beautifully-ugly, while also complementing the overall palette. Slightly-saturated earth tones seemed to do the trick. I couldn't forget to make decisions about the widths of the stripes to further create interest and elevate the composition.

What about the clouds? Not just any cloud formation will do. It needs to be a cumulus formation.

Why?

The cumulus clouds have more shapes for viewers to sink their teeth into. Plus, they interact with the faces in a more interesting way, echo the bold shapes of the mountain, and create more definitive leading lines which guide the viewer through the composition.

THE DETAILS

To further the idea that this is a retro postcard, why not add a ribbed paper texture that appears as if it's chipping away? And, that's just what I did.

Thanks, again, to the amazing team at Eyerus for allowing me the opportunity to be involved, for their direction, and for fostering an environment for creativity that any illustrator would cherish. Thanks, too, to The Captains of Industry for conceiving such a wonderfully-inspired collection of ideas for the world to devour, as well as for their very generous write-up about the project and their kind words toward me. See it, here.

You may secure your own calendar at The Capts Online Haberdashery.

Over the coming weeks, I will show and tell the stories behind each month's art. Stay tuned. Tell your friends. You won't be disappointed!

Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
•View more of his work»
•Sign-up for his newsletter»
•Purchase prints»