Maccentric Mascot

My good friend and Mac guru Thomas Avallone owns Maccentric, Shreveport’s own Apple-Authorized Service Provider. They do great work, and I’m almost waiting for my iMac to crash so I can let his crew work their magic (well, I’m hoping it doesn’t crash anytime soon, but you get the idea). Here’s a short documentary about Maccentric and what they do:

In preparation for the grand opening of their fancy new location, we decided to work together and create a mascot...and it turned out pretty awesome! The following is a peek into the creative process of how “Max” came to be.

Thomas was open for anything, which gave me plenty of room to experiment – in the end, I decided to go with a sleek, Apple-inspired design (with a TOOMASOOBA flair, of course), pulling from different products and UI designs from years’ past to assemble the main elements of our hero.

Max's head and body were inspired by the iMac G4. His face was inspired by the
classic "Happy Mac" icon. His hands...um...are kinda mouse-like?

After discussing and making a few little tweaks, the final design
was carefully crafted in Adobe Illustrator and is now ready for primetime.

So there you go! It was fun to collaborate on this project and create a character that represents an amazing locally-owned company. Max will be available on shirts and other items from Maccentric in the coming months. Keep an eye out.

Skate or Die (and Make Art)

Thanks to the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, legendary pro skateboarder and artist Steve Olson is in town working on a number of crazy projects — it's been pretty insane (in a good way). Friday night was the opening of the show "GENERATIONLESS: Skateboarders are Artists Too!" featuring art and photography from Steve and other skateboard gods like Lance Mountain, Tim Kerr, Dave Hackett, Dennis McNett, and others. AND they were all in attendance at the opening. AND there is a skate ramp in the gallery. AND local roster artists (myself included) were invited to design (and sell) a skateboard to be displayed alongside these fellas as part of the show. So…that's awesome. It's an honor to have TOOMASOOBA in such good company.

If you follow TOOMA on Instagram, then you many have seen in-progress shots of the board already. I wanted to document the process here as well, since it was the first time I'd done anything of the sort...and it was a really, really cool project. Hope you enjoy the step-by-step.

The blank board. I decided to feature a handful of Boomers on my first stab at deck art.

A quick mockup to ensure the design would fit properly (and look generally cool, too).
Tom Petty looks on and provides guidance.

Once I plotted the vinyl (with help from Luke Lee at Fusiform Design Workshop),
it was time to weed, a.k.a. "remove everything that's not a little vampire robot."

From there,  I met up with my buddy (and my Workshop Yoda) Paul King of Index Drums.
We sanded, spackled, taped, and...

...painted that board yellow. Bright yellow. Paul made an amazing board himself.
Click here to check it out — the dude does great work.

No turning back! Time to apply the vinyl — I was a bit nervous going into this part,
but it went smooth as silk. I purposely made my design slightly askew so I wouldn't drive
myself crazy trying to get every little element straight.

The final board! Pretty pumped about how it turned out. Go see it (along with
amazing decks by local artist friends) at Artspace through March 29th. And try
that ramp for yourself if you're feeling brave.

Re-Imagination

As the lines and colors and attitudes of TOOMASOOBA characters evolve, I sometimes retire a "classic" design that's a bit outdated and replace it with a newer illustration that matches the current aesthetic. But don't worry, friends…like any good horror movie villain, they always come back! Below is a look at two of my earliest creations dating back to 2009 who were recently re-imagined and are available online once again.

Roboy, 2009 and today.

Owlivia, 2009 and today.

Big (and better) difference, huh? Perhaps you'll see more TOOMA veterans let loose on the world again in the coming months. Glad to have RoBoy and Owlivia back in action!

PRINT Workshop

Five Shreveport artists were chosen to join in a two-day screen print workshop with Modern Multiples’ Richard Duardo in mid-August — and I was one of 'em! It was awesome learning from a master (plus he's a really cool dude). The workshop was offered as part of the current PRINT exhibit at Artspace featuring seriographs by Richard and other print makers and designers, including street art rockstars Cryptik, Shepard Fairey, and Banksy! Whhhhaaaattttt?

The exhibit is up through October – so go check it out if you’re in the area! You can also view Richard’s artist talk for all the behind-the-scenes info. Definitely worth checking out (crank up the volume).

Many thanks to Shreveport Regional Arts Council for making this happen, and to my fellow UNSCENE Street Team artists: Ben Moss, Taffie Cragon Garsee, John H. Lomax, and Jeormie Journell. See more photos on my Facebook album. Rock on!

Our playground - a recreation of Richard's early workshop space.

Ben and John making magic as Richard looks on.

Experimenting with spray paint on our demo prints.

Drying racks.

Richard during his artist talk - this is some of his "pop schlock" work, as he calls it.

The gang - it was honor to work with these talented artists. Left to right:
Jeormie, me, Ben, Britt, Taffie, Richard, and John.

TOOMATUNES Vol. 1

When the time came to find music for our TOOMASOOBA mini-doc, I knew just where to turn — my long-time friend and talented musician, David Brooks. I've known Dave since 8th grade and we've always had a great creative partnership...and before I knew it he had written an AMAZING original soundtrack for the film.

It was so amazing, in fact, that we thought to offer it as a FREE download on Bandcamp! Listen below (and put "0" in the price field) to grab the ready-for-iTunes collection. It not only features the four songs from the doc, but a handful of demos and experiments that led us to the final recordings. Oh, and as an added bonus — 3-year-old Jack Bailey kicks off the collection with a TOOMASOOBA battlecry. I think you'll like it. Download, listen, enjoy, and share!

AHA Moment!

Back in May, I was invited to participate in the Mutual of Omaha 2013 AHA Moment Tour when they rolled through town — and of course I accepted! I shared my passion for art in an Airstream trailer decked out like a mobile studio. It was pretty rad.

Will my TOOMASOOBA ramblings end up on TV? Probably not, but the video is up at their website nonetheless! Check it out below.

Launch Party Success!

Whew! Between the Shreveport Farmers Market and last week's mini-doc launch party, June has been packed — but I wouldn't have it any other way.

When I decided to create a video for TOOMASOOBA at the beginning of this year, I'd planned to post it on Facebook and that would be it. My girlfriend, however, suggested having a viewing party — and it was a great idea. What I'd initially envisioned as a gathering in my living room for 10 people ballooned into a crazy-awesome time in an amazing venue with well over 100 in attendance.

We had a packed house!

I was even able to raise awareness in town about my work and make an impression that wasn't possible before — I appeared on a local morning news show and was featured in a couple of newspapers as well.

I won't bore you with the details, but a lot of hustle went into the evening and I couldn't have done it without the help of my friends. Many thanks to Chris Lyon for producing the mini-doc, David Brooks for creating the original music, Krystle Beauchamp and LaToya Hemphill for making the event (and food) happen, Neil Johnson for the awesome space, Nathan Pizar for being an audio-visual beast, James "Rex" Gilcrease and Mark Flentge for running my merch table, Renzi Center for spreading their mission at the show, and Brandon Oldenburg for sharing kind words while introducing me before the premiere.

My friend (and creative dynamo) Brandon hangin' with Kid Cupcake.

Can't forget my super-cool sponsors, either: Fairfield Studios, Middlebrook Bakery, and Aw, Snap Photography. I was over the moon with the way things went and I truly, truly appreciate the support — now to keep the momentum going!

Below are more photos (you can view a full gallery on Facebook). Did you miss the premiere? No worries, you can watch TOOMASOOBA: The Birth of a Brand right here on YouTube!

When Seth draws TOOMASOOBA, it's always awesome.

A handful of coloring sheets from the evening...contest winners will be announced soon!

Not sure what's going on here with Dylan and April, but I like it.

Hangin' with Ty — he's a good artist and a cool dude.

The McDades represent TOOMASOOBA!

The Mini-Doc is Here

After months of prep with Perennial Media and a hugely successful launch party last Thursday (more on that later this week), I'm finally able to share the mini-doc online! Check out TOOMASOOBA: The Birth of a Brand below, and spread the word to your friends, enemies, lovers, fighters, second cousins, and favorite pets. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out...I hope y'all enjoy.

Down in Deep Ellum

Last weekend I headed over to Dallas to check out the Deep Ellum Arts Festival — I’d never been before and my buddy David Pound from Tennessee had a booth at the show (Click here to see more awesomeness). I figured if he could drive 12 hours to get there, I could drive two and a half, y’know?

I met David at the Porter Flea last summer and we quickly became “art bros”, so it was good to see him again...I even gave him a TOOMASOOBA version of one of his characters on Saturday (photo below). The crowds were snapping up his sculpture work like crazy and the festival was a great time. Such a great time, in fact, that I might just sign up for next year!

Street-level view (and, in the lower left corner, my thumb).

Customers crammed into David's booth space.

The TOOMASOOBA version of "An Untwained Eye". I tried to pick a
sculpture that I could do justice to - mission accomplished, I think.

The official unveiling of said TOOMASOOBA version.

Stopped to do a little chalk street art later in the day.

Makin' Movie Magic

Yesterday morning we filmed an interview and some other footage with my friend Chris Lyon for an upcoming TOOMASOOBA mini-documentary. Awww yeaahhhh! I was super nervous before we started, but I think it went really well. Below are a few behind the scenes photos...keep your eyes peeled for a grand unveiling in the next couple of months!

Fancy lights, fancy camera, fancy microphone.

The interview outline. Product endorsements not intended.

Looking back over some footage.

Printing Griffin!

I've wanted to screenprint a design of mine for a lonnnnng while now — and what do you know, it finally happened. Recently, I got the chance to work with my friend Jake Dugard on this 11 x 14, 3-color limited edition print on Speckletone Starch White French Paper...super-fancy. And, as you can see below, I brought along a camera to document the process. Hope you enjoy seeing the magic happen! Video edited by the awesome JR Ramsey.

Takin' It to the Streets

Back in January of this year, my friends (and talented artists) Nadine Charity, Robert Trudeau, and Kathryn Usher posted some artwork at the corner of Kings Highway and Youree Drive in Shreveport — and it intrigued me from the start. Recently, I was able to join in on a "hanging" at En Plein Air (a.k.a. Beauty Supply Gallery a.k.a. Gallery BS) and add my art to the mix.

I've always been a bit inspired by Obey Giant, and this project definitely got me pumped. Don't be surprised if you see more of these popping up around town...and, um, if the cops ask, you don't know who is responsible for these shenanigans, okay?

Tony Reans was there to document the process — below are several great photos from the evening. You can view a complete online gallery here!

Hello, it's a big ol' Ninjacat.

Nadine and Robert showing me the ropes. And the Elmer's glue.

Originally we planned to hang the art up high, but the surface wasn't agreeable.

Making sure it's stuck real good.

Partners in crime.

The finished product.

There Will Be Bots: Part 2

It's time to chronicle part two of Boomabot assembly. Did you miss part one? Well then, click here. And if you want to learn a little more about Boomabot, check out this video!

With the protective covering now removed, it was time to line 'em up and
get started with the glue. This blue and green robot army is coming together nicely.
We'll try some different colors next time.

At Cassidy's suggestion, I picked up some Weld-On Solvent Cement to adhere
all the pieces together properly — though things went smoothly, I may go for the brush-on
version next time (the tube tended to clog and make the glue a bit stringy).

After a bit of dry time, I cleaned off all the fingerprint smudges and attached the bots
to their bases...originally I planned to glue them down, but they seemed to stand great
without it (also allowing the option of a reversal base and easier packaging). All done!

I'm quite proud of how these little fellas turned out, and I hope you like them too — they'll be officially unveiled at the Porter Flea in Nashville this weekend and I will put the rest in my Etsy shop as soon as I return, so keep an eye out.

Many thanks to Cassidy Keim for his expertise and enthusiasm on this project...I look forward to collaborating again in the future. Boom! Boom!

There Will Be Bots: Part 1

I'm always eager to try something new with my TOOMASOOBA creations and I've been fascinated with the idea of cnc fabrication for a long time. As it turns out, my buddy Cassidy Keim of Catalyst Design is quite the expert in such matters (check out the amazing work on his website and prepare to be amazed).

After a few discussions, a few prototypes, and a few short drives to Ruston, Louisiana, the plexiglass Boomabot statue was born! I decided to chronicle the assembly process via a (two-part) step-by-step blog....here we go:

I eagerly picked up the box of bot parts at Cassidy's house...he was gracious enough
to do the laser cutting, but now it was time to get down to business.

First, I laid out the pieces to make sure all of the bots were good to go.
I had enough for ten statues — we figured that was a good starting point and
plan to produce another run in the future.

Though removing protective tape from acrylic was a tedious process,
it was still fun to see the various colors revealed. And I only stabbed myself twice
with the X-Acto knife. Be careful, kids.

Next up: Time to glue! Can you stand the suspense? Click here for part two of "There Will Be Bots."

Boomabot Plush

In late 2010, I collaborated with my good pal Samantha Krause to produce a series of limited-edition handmade (and oh-so-cute) Boomabot plush. They turned out amazing...and sold like gangbusters! I recently ran across some pics and, since the little guys were completed in the pre-blog days, thought I'd show off a few photos below.

Samantha has a new venture these days called POKEY!!! -- check it out and buy some handmade awesomeness from her. We plan to work together again this summer on some TOOMASOOBA creations, so stay tuned for glimpses at what gets cooked up!

The Boomabot Army.

Enjoying a healthy snack.

Totally Tote!

Little known fact: Boomabots love musicals.

Yuletide Preview

I know it's a bit early to bust out the seasons greetings (though I admit I am currently rocking out a Christmas playlist in iTunes), but I couldn't resist! The 4AFTER5 boys and I are already preparing for a holiday-themed show that will go up after Thanksgiving, so below is a little sneak peak of one of my pieces — "Santa's Little (Big) Helper".

Last year, Brad and I showed some work at the American Rose Center and we're happy to have the whole gang involved for 2011. To see all of our art, swing by "Christmas in Roseland" in Greenwood, LA, this November 25 through December 18...it's a fun time with lights and carols and the whole holiday thing! Hope to see you little elves there.

New Toomatoons!

Been busy designing some new critters here at TOOMASOOBA HQ, and I think they're looking pretty cool. Take a look below for a sneak peek at Buckley, Lolly and Jasper...more coming soon!