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In an effort to help other artists protect their work, here's how I did it:
]]>Although those platforms theoretically "even the playing field" for independent small business by allowing savvy independent creators to create brand personas, ultimately it's ad spending and collecting sales fees that determines who gets the better treatment - no matter how unethical a scammer's business practices are.
It happened to me and I was somewhat successful in stopping an international scam. In an effort to help other artists protect their work, here's how I did it:
Recently, a huge Chinese website stole a dozen of my designs, removed my name and watermarks from my work and printed them on cheap button up shirts. They began a series of facebook/Instagram ads targeting car enthusiasts and friends who saw the ads alerted me that something didn't look right.
I went to their website to find they stole about a dozen of my designs to print cheap shirts. Their website www.summereverest.com looked very American. Lots of active lifestyle images and copywriting that appeared to know the culture but just sounded "off." I went to their customer reviews and they were overwhelmingly negative. Ill-fitting, bad quality shirt material, money sent but didn't receive product, sizes not matching order, no refunds, no communication with company, etc.
My immediate reaction was anger and I commented on their Facebook and Instagram ads using words like "Scammers", "art thieves," etc. I asked friends to do the same when they saw the ads and they did - using far more colorful language. Soon summereverest.com facebook page and Instagram ads were covered with nasty comments.
Within hours I received an Instagram message from summereverest that they valued the rights of content creators and that I should look for an email. Both their text and email suggested: "Shall we have business cooperation? Many buyers love ur designs so we really want to cooperate with u."
I emailed them and said that I wasn't interested in a "cooperation" and asked that they take my designs down and pay me for what they had already sold.
I also contacted Instagram which is owned by Facebook. It's not easy to find but they offer a form claiming digital copyright infringement. You can report it to Instagram by filling out this form.
I sent them the above screen shots of the Instagram and Facebook ads, individual live links of my designs plus matching live links from their website showing my designs being sold on their shirts without my permission. I also included this graphic as a PDF:
What I got back was this response from Instagram:
"Based on the information you provided, it’s unclear where the content you wish to report appears on Instagram. In almost all instances, the best way to help us locate content is to provide us with active links (URLs) leading directly to that specific content."
I emailed them to ask how is it possible to obtain a URL on an ad that disappears after you scroll? Shouldn't they able to identify the advertiser by the name? This was their response:
"Thanks for contacting us. It looks like you're attempting to report content that you believe infringes your copyright. To review your report further, we'll need you to provide the following:
- An example of your copyrighted work, such as a link (URL) to a publicly available version of your copyrighted work
- An explanation of how you believe the reported content is infringing your copyright."
It was obviously a non-human form response asking me for what I had already sent. It appears instagram had no intention of helping me - a "valued customer."
The next step was to send a compliant to Shopify - the web host shown at the bottom of the summereverest.com website. Since my own website is also hosted on Shopify I was hoping that I would see some results and I did. Shopify includes this promise on their website:
"When we receive proper notification of claimed copyright infringement, our response to such notices will include removing or disabling access to material claimed to be the subject of infringing activity and/or terminating the user’s account."
Liking the words "removing," disabling," and "terminating" I got excited and found the form to fill out. Shopify requested the same information as Instagram and provides a form here.
Success! I sent in the form and the next day I received an email stating the content had taken down from the offending website.
"This email is to inform you that the content listed as infringing in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown Notice has been taken offline."
Whoo-hoo! "Taken offline?"I thought I beat the big guys and it was over and then I got an email from summereverest.com proposing a deal.
"If you agree to allow us to continue using your artwork on our clothing items, we propose a commission rate of $1 per item sold directly through our website. Additionally, if you are open to promoting our collaboration on your Instagram page and including the provided link, we would be happy to increase the commission rate to $3 per item sold through that channel."
"We highly value your talent and creativity, and we believe this collaboration could be mutually beneficial. Your artwork would reach a wider audience through our brand, and you would receive financial compensation for each sale generated."
What would you do? Getting paid is the goal of every artist. But they did steal from me, and they have horrible reviews, they didn't reveal sales projections, they are half a world away and so many of my Instagram and Facebook friends really gave them a piece of their minds on my behalf. I passed and declined the offer stating their bad reviews would be a bad reflection of my hard earned good reputation. Then summereverest.com took down my designs.
End of story? I thought so too until the next day when Shopify sent me this notice:
"In accordance with Shopify’s (DMCA) policy, the removed material may be replaced ... within ten (10)... business days unless Shopify first receives notice from you that you have filed an action seeking a court order to restrain the Merchant from engaging in infringing activity..."
That's right - summereverest.com has the right to repost my unauthorized designs again in 10 days unless I provide a costly and impossibly time consuming restraining court order. All those Shopify promises of copyright infringement justice on behalf of their customers apparently only applies for 10 days.
Meanwhile summereverest.com replaced my designs with a half dozen generic cars that looked they were scratched by BOMONSTER. Perhaps they will be successful with their new designs and leave me off their website for good.
What did I learn along they way? Who really saved the day? Fans, friends and customers put real pressure on the company through social media comments. Instagram/Facebook/Shopify are in the business of collecting ad revenue and sales fees and use a strategy of putting up digital walls of forms that can never be filled out to their satisfaction to protect their best interests. Fees collected from me don't compare to the fees collected from the scammers. Oddly enough it was my own correspondence with the company - after friends flooded the social media posts with negative comments - that created the dialog that removed the stolen designs. It was a long and painful process to realize big tech is on the side of the scammers but it was gratifying to get a win over them...for now.
]]>If anyone tells you selling art is fun and easy, they are lying. If they say selling art is a lot of fun and a lot of work, it's true. I started selling my art after posting to online art forums. Fans gave me a lot of thumbs-up emojis and it got me wondering how I could go about selling my hot rod scratchboard art
The easiest way to work hard at selling your art is through a website. And every artist needs one. But no one beats a path to your online store without knowing it's out there in the first place. So you promote it on social media and try to find clever ways to get links to your site (like this link) or decide to invest in buying likes or views on everyone's two or three favorite social media sites. The challenge is, those sites make sure they make more money than you do - that's why they exist.
A website is important but there's another way too. Aside from enjoying creating my hot rod art I used to attend car shows with my dad who has since passed. He was in his 80's and we both liked hot rods, custom cars and going to the drag races. I noticed some artist vendors and asked about their experience selling at shows. They all said it was fun and invited me to jump in.
They were lying. It is fun, but it's also hard work setting up a booth to display your work, figuring out how to take the money and every vendors favorite part - tearing down your booth and getting off the premises before dark - or in the dark.
But here's the kicker - enthusiast shows are exactly where any artist should sell their work. The hard work is worth it because your customers are fans of your subject matter and since all art is an emotional purchase, your art is a great way for any fan to take home a piece of whatever it is they love about the show they're enjoying.
My advice to any artist wanting to break out and get sales is to spend the money and become a vendor at the best shows that reflects your art style and subject matter. Your chances of a sale increase and the people you meet along the way are supportive, inspirational and are always the first customers to say "hi, what's new?" at the next show.
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In 2022, we moved. After 28 years in one house, and a lifetime in one state, we realized we needed a change of scenery. So we packed our bags in California and unpacked them in northern Arizona. We decluttered, downsized and simplified just one state over but gained a whole new outlook on the world. Skies are clear, the scenery is fantastic and the people are nice. In fact, they're too busy hiking, mtn biking and driving cool old cars to complain about politics. Everyone knows how messed up everything is but no one has the time to gripe about it. And I'm not going to be the first to bring it up.
Moving is always a challenge - especially with a business - but I left the trickiest challenge for last. How to move a low car that scrapes going up any ramped trailer? My Kellison is built on a 1965 C2 Corvette chassis and the independent suspension has been turned down as far as possible. The high-velocity oil pan and headers on the 455 Olds motor are only about 3" off the ground. Try loading on any U-Haul car trailer and the car gets stuck in the middle transitioning from ramp to trailer bed.
A car guy friend offered his Futura ramp-less trailer. The bed is on cables which lower with the press of a button. A motor lowers the bed between the wheels, you drive on it, get out, hit the button and the bed lifts back up to ride height.
My friend asked how I liked it. I did my best to convince him to leave Malibu for Arizona so I could borrow his trailer any time. His house is now for sale if you're interested.
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What's the best thing about being the artist? Since trying my hand at creating and selling my BOMONSTER scratchboard art, I've pondered this question a lot. Is it the making of the art? Yes. Is it the people you meet while selling the art? Yes. Is it the travels you take to sell the art? Yes. Is it the fact that you do it together with your better half and see each other at their best? Yes. If anyone else wants to try their hand at a new thing, but needs someone to tell them to go for it, I say yes. You'll thank me later.
]]>Have you ever seen Ed "Big Daddy Roth's" Rat Fink on a dirt bike? Neither have I until I scratched it. Ed Roth is famous for creating monster-driving hot rod apparel and still influences generations of lowbrow kustom kulture artists to create their own hot rod monster art. People often see my hand-scratched BOMONSTER designs and say it reminds them of "that artist when we were kids...." and I'll finish their sentence "Ed Roth?" "Yes!" they always say excitedly. To be sure, the Roth style has influenced my own unique look, but when I got hired to create Rat Fink on a dirt bike it gave me the chance to draw Rat Fink the way Ed would have liked.
Roth art was always centered around monsters, hot rods, drag racing and later in his career, chopper motorcycles. Talented artists were hired to create all those classic designs with Ed playing the role of Creative Director. When they thought of dirt bikes, they decided to make me a Roth artist and add a BOMONSTER original into the mix.
My hand-scratched style centers around motorsports and hot rods. Hot rod monster art, lowbrow kustom kulture and drag racing is always influenced my work, and in my world, dirt bikes rock. If Ed were alive today, I think he would agree.
Want to hire BOMONSTER to create your own dirt bike inspired design? Check it out here.
Dig dirt bikes? check out this cool limited edition, signed litho print from BOMONSTER
]]>If you've been to Southern California and are part of the car scene there, you've probably been to Bob's Big Boy in Toluca Lake/Burbank, CA. Every Friday night since 1949, it becomes a free classic car show in the parking lot. Hot rods, trucks, motorcycles, classics, muscle cars, all show up, hang out and welcome viewers. There's a great history being the first and oldest Bob's Big Boy in America. The Beatles ate here, U2's Bono visited, movies have been made in the restaurant and when the 1968 Elvis Presley Comeback Special was filmed at nearby Warner Bros studios, producers needed to fill the empty audience seats with kids. They came over to Bob's with free tickets and a screaming teenage TV audience filled the stage.
Since my BOMONSTER scratchboard art is all about hot rods and classic motorsports culture, I jumped at the chance to create a t-shirt design when they contacted me with an assignment to create a design featuring hot rods, classic cars and trucks for their Friday Classic Car Show. Seeing my scratched design on a Bob's Big Boy tee in their gift shop felt like history in the making.
You can only find my shirt on sale in their gift shop or on Bob's website here.
If you're looking for Bob's Big Boy art to frame and add to your collection, check out my limited edition signed and numbered litho print on my website here.
If you're looking for a unique shirt design for your company, why not hire the artist who scratched Bob? Check it out here.
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Before I developed my own BOMONSTER motorsports/hot rod scratchboard art style, my background was in advertising. I am now considered “experienced,” “seasoned,” even “an old dog” but “antique?” If the year 1981 qualifies, then perhaps it should be considered a badge of honor?
One of the first multiple print campaigns I art directed with a decent budget behind it was in ’81 for the re-launched sportswear client Hang Ten. I designed the campaign as illustrated action sports scenes with the two Hang Ten logo feet somewhere within the image. The images included, water skiing behind a jet boat, high surf waves, a surfer's reflection in a '57 Chevy, snow skiing, a Corvette beach town, a surf woody at night, a Porsche 911 and dirt bikes flying off a cliff - all the two little Hang Ten feet somewhere in the picture.
I didn't illustrate them but hired some great airbrush artists at the time out of Dave Willardson and Charlie White's studio. The ads ran in all the surf, snow and action sport magazines. We gave away posters of the ads and a couple of the designs were made into greeting cards. It was one of my all-time favorite campaigns because it was well-illustrated and most clients usually want photography executions. Fast forward to earlier this year.
My wife and I were on a road trip browsing inside an antique store and there next to familiar pop culture icons of the past - Coca-Cola, Texaco and Disney were two of my Hang Ten designs on metal signs for sale. On one hand, I was excited to see these old friends and I wanted to tell the girl behind the counter "I did these!" But then it hit me - I'm old enough to have something I created for sale in an ANTIQUE shop. I imagined the shop girl's comment would have been "Wow, you're old!" so I kept it to myself.
I still think of ideas for clients but these days I illustrate my ideas using my own unique hand-scratched technique which is old and new at the same time. Maybe the right term should be "timeless."
Need new ideas for your brand, shop or products? Start here.
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The article is featured in two versions of the same magazine. The regularly printed version on the left and the special limited edition run of 100 signed copies on the right: See you at the newsstands wherever fine lowbrow kustom kulture, hot rod, car guy art is sold. Or their website: Speed&Kulture magazine
]]>Here I am at home in lockdown signing 100 issues of Speed & Kulture magazine. I agreed because I had nothing to do and they did put my scratchboard art on the front and back covers. It is a scene that wraps the magazine depicting a car show on the moon. The main car on front is the 1950's radical custom "Moon Rocket" and all the cars in the cover art are featured in the magazine so there's a nice tie-in. Plus there's an article on the art of BOMONSTER inside so that's a lot of BOMONSTER in one magazine.
I love custom cars, hot rods, choppers and car shows so you could say this was my dream job. The theme of the magazine is "Immortalizing America" and they honor veterans, hot rods, drag racing and the kustom kulture scene. There are only 100 of these special editions so if you can get your hands on a copy, you'll be in rare company. Check it out here: Speed&Kulture Magazine
]]>"When they saw my emails they asked if they could reveal all my secrets on their blog."
]]>The fun part of being an artist is being an artist making art. The second most fun thing about being the artist is promoting your art. Having a website is mandatory but so is getting people to look at your website. One of the most effective ways to reach customers is through email.
When I first started selling my art at live events, people would ask they could be put on an email list. I wasn't sure what that meant at the time but said "yes" and put out a clipboard. Later I would see the same fans at other shows and they would ask why they haven't received an email from me? That was because I hadn't sent anything out.
2,000 email addresses later, I got the message and sent out an email. I immediately got sales. The email service provider (ESP) I use is aweber.com. When they saw my emails they asked if they could reveal all my secrets on their blog.
If you want to receive your very own emails from BOMONSTER, click the signup box that pops up randomly on this website. Or send your email address to my website contact page.
Here is what they wrote:
https://blog.aweber.com/case-studies/artist-uses-shopify-and-email-marketing.htm
]]>This is my "happy to sell an original but sorry to see it go" look. I'm holding one of my original scratchboard renderings which features the Mooneyes "Moonliner" Bonneville racer on the moon. An astronaut runs back to his landing module after an encounter with a freaky driver. Chico and Shige - the owners of the car and company gave me permission to sell prints and I enjoyed seeing it on my wall. I offered the framed original on my website and it sold! I immediately felt a tinge of regret knowing I would never be able to look at it again. Such is the paradox of the artist. We fall in love with what we create. We sell what we create to survive. It's an emotionally vicious cycle. Tempered only by the elation of a happy customer.
The matte finish limited run litho print looks great. I signed each one and they are ready to drop into a frame with an 11x14" mat opening. Looking at it hanging on the wall helps me get over the regret of sending away the original. If you'd like one, check it out (click here)
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Since my photos were for my own reference, not publication, I didn't have the heart to tell him to step even further back, so I just took the picture. And in looking at these pictures, I am so happy I didn't. We had some good times walking and talking cars in his later years and I have the pictures to prove it.
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When shooting cars, I usually have to wait for people to clear to get a good shot. The result is a car show that looks empty. Which is now what we have - a virtual car show - all cars, no people.
And what's a good car show without vendors? We miss meeting the people and hearing their stories. On one hand it ties us to the booth all weekend but on the other, we meet the owners before we meet the cars. We may not be out in the world yet, but you can always visit us online at bomonster.com
Photos by BOMONSTER
]]>This is a '50 custom Merc built by the owner in 1978. He still has it and has great memories of showing it at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium. He sent these photos with a good description of what he wanted - the driver holding an eyeball while driving in front of the auditorium. Eyeballs as art came around to custom cars in the late 50s and early sixties. Painter Larry Watson had a popular design of fork stabbing one and Von Dutch famously painted them with wings on everything he could reach with his pinstripe brush. Rick Griffin, Von Franco, Big Toe and countless other creators added their versions and now I've got one. Need your own eyeball or car scratched? Send me your photos and vision and let's talk. (Check me out here.)
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I love scratching owner's cars. They appreciate it and I appreciate their stories. The owner of this beautiful '49 Chevy was a rock 'n' roll promoter back in the day and now cruises the streets of Astoria, OR. Have a cool car you need scratched? Dig up some photos, check out my website and let's talk. (Click here for finished sizes and prices)
]]>That's a lot of scratching. I start with a piece of 1/8" thick scratchboard and transfer an outline shape of the cars to the black-inked board. Then I scratch with a #16 Xacto knife blade. The result is a high contrast, bold original image that looks awesome. If you would like one, follow this link to see prices and available sizes
https://bomonster.com/collections/artist-for-hire/products/personal-art
]]>Want to stop global wildfires? Declare war. "Intelligence reports" are TV and internet coverage. The President can declare war and ask for senate approval later. While the congress and senate argue over partisan politics and the effects of climate change, the U.N. could define wildfires as a threat to the world's natural resources and unanimously vote to attack and destroy this new enemy with a vengeance. Fly all available U.S. led coalition jumbo jet supertankers to point of conflict. Allied forces include Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain, Poland, Russia, China - basically any country with advanced technology and wildfires. Use country's airstrips and military bases as water refueling stations. Aircraft carriers could deliver attack helicopters armed with water buckets and H2o bullets. Jet fighter planes carpet bomb with environmentally safe Agent Orange Fire Retardant. Contract new and current government vendors to develop and build additional fire fighting firepower so existing world power, greed and special interest lobbyist structure isn't threatened. NATO ground forces become world's firefighters with shovels and backhoes to clear firebreaks. Bill the fire damaged countries for services rendered and split it among participating allies when fire is out. Lives, property, and natural resources are saved. Atmosphere is less polluted. Animals rejoice, Money is made. War is possible if you want it.
"That's a damn good idea Mr. BOMONSTER!!!" - Jon Hansen
"Solid idea" - Richard Hand
"Makes too much sense." - Ian Griffith
"That’s the Real War I’d love to see our Country go to." - Bob Garrett
"YES!" - @gunbaby75
"That is a big idea! Would love to see that happen." - @kmac1206
"Makes too much sense to happen." - @capital_letter_a
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The event is huge. 140,000 people walking the Las Vegas Convention Center over the course of four days looking at new products and custom builds from thousands of manufacturers. All the car show TV guys are there and luminaries from all facets of automotive development attend. I feel like I have no time to take pictures but do get a some photo opportunities walking to and from the event every day. Here are a few I managed to shoot.
One of the big themes throughout the event was EV. Electric technology was everywhere. An electric monster truck and an ancient restored Jonathan Ward Derelict EV Hudson barn find impressed. Mercedes, Volvo, Audi, BMW have all announced they are no longer developing internal combustion motors so the writing is in the wall. We've all read about what's coming but to see the results of creative minds all in one place makes the future real.
If you make art or any creative content, my advice is to do it. It's easy to imagine the limits and not step forward but it is also impossible to know the blessings and opportunities that come about as a result of leaping into the unknown.
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I scratched this original 16x20" night time alley scene and call it "Whisky Row." It started with this alley picture which I took in Prescott, AZ at the urging of Mrs BOMONSTER on one of our trips to vend my art&apparel. She said "That's a cool alley, you should take a picture." I did and forgot about it until we got home and downloaded my pictures from the trip and liked it all over again. I added Greg Lazzerini's '37 Packard and a hot rod truck plus a girl and her dog on the stairs to complete the scene and took it to the SEMA Artwalk gallery exhibition where the original sold. Here's a look at how I scratch my art...
My art is created on scratchboard - a 1/8th thick board with a black ink surface over a white layer of clay coating. I use an Xacto knife to scratch the black surface to see the white underneath. The image is first composed on paper and the basic shapes are transferred to the scratchboard. Once outlined with the knife, I scratch where the light hits the hardest and leave the shadows alone. It sounds simple but that's my approach. This piece took a week of evenings scratching late into the night - mostly on the bricks. I gave the finished scratched background an ink wash which let the cars sit in a separate light from the background. If this process looks fun to you, I suggest getting some small 5x7 size scratchboards and practice until you feel comfortable drawing with a knife. If you create a design you like, scan and resize to transfer onto a larger piece of scratchboard and scratch it again. You can always email me and ask me how. (bo@bomonster.com).
And if you like this image and want it on a 16x20" signed litho print, here's where you can purchase...
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I always start by scratching a light outline based on a sketch I transfer to the scratchboard. The sketch was done separately making sure everything would fit on the scratchboard once transferred. Then I scratch thinking about how light lands on the subjects to define the shapes.
For t-shirt designs I keep my lines bold and simplify where I can so the art looks the same once screen printed onto the shirt. My style has an old school pen and ink look to it. My favorite areas to scratch are usually the chrome parts. I like how a few parallel lines with some thick and thin blobs look reflective. Once finished, I scan to create a vector file which gets emailed to the client and printer.
So if you're wondering if I am available for commissions the answer is yes. I just need a good story to start. Email me: bo@bomonster.com
Photo of BOMONSTER by Bryan Harley
Shirts available here: https://www.jpcycles.com/artist-series?cs=1
More about BOMONSTER here: https://www.jpcycles.com/countersteer/lifestyle/j-p-cycles-artist-series-spotlight-bomonster
]]>When Johnny VonGnarly asked permission to use my "Self Reflection" piece on the cover of his new magazine I didn't say no but I didn't say yes. Artists are always asked for free use of their work using the rationale that the promotional value will somehow favor the artist. The perceived value is always overestimated and the intended usage doesn't always reflect well. But Johnny's reason was simple enough: "I just like it." The he sent me a sample mockup of what he had in mind and I thought "I'd buy that magazine."
I said yes and his first issue of Gnarly Magazine turned out rad. And then sold out. He's gone on to create 9 more and is gaining the respect and a reputation for showcasing the best of the lowbrow kustom kulture. Just because he likes it.
My BOMONSTER art was showcased inside along with an in-depth interview. So I have the distinction of having my art featured on the premiere cover which I now rationalize as a great promotional value.
Here are excerpts from that interview...
The Gnarly Magazine Interview:
BOMONSTER is a Southern California scratchboard artist inspired by the hot rod/motorcycle/off-road/beach culture of independence, freedom and good times. His unique designs are scratched with a knife on a black-inked board to reveal the slightly twisted image just beneath the surface.
“I grew up in the So-Cal suburbs watching my dad build race cars at night and drag race on weekends. My friends and I all were into skateboards, BMX bikes, and dirt bikes. I met Ed “Big Daddy” Roth as a kid through my dad’s business and remember how his hot rod monster art captured the emotional spirit of those days like nothing else. We still live in a creative and fun time, and I try and tap into that same spirit of originality with my own art” says BOMONSTER.
If you make a mistake on a scratchboard can you paint over the mistake with black ink in order to do a re-scratch? Yes, I can fix small errors that way but If I don’t like the direction a piece is going, I start over. That’s why I treat every piece like a tattoo. I transfer just the outline shape to the board for scratching and fill in the details as I go. If I nail it on the first one, it’s a bonus.
Not counting the reference research and sketching time, how long does it take -on average- to finalize a scratch project? One very long night for a 12x16 size board. And then I give it the overnight test to see it with fresh eyes and add another hour or so. Larger 18x24 pieces can take two very long nights.
Can you talk about your art background? Formally trained or self-taught? I was the guy in high school who drew cartoons for the school paper. I got into advertising and used my drawing skills to illustrate rough ad ideas and TV concepts. Once the designs were approved, we hired real artists to illustrate them — which didn’t really allow me to develop my drawing skills. A few years ago I went back to a medium I remember loving in high school art class: scratchboard. I scratched some hot rods and bikes and showed them on hot rod forums. Other artists got excited for me and pushed me into making some prints and shirts to sell. Their enthusiasm psyched me up to be a better artist, so I poured myself into making more.
How did your early years watching your dad build race cars and seeing all of those racers influence you as an artist? My dad’s race car and dirt bike buddies were all super nice guys and great to kids who showed an interest. I recognized early on that they all had one thing in common: they loved the fun of it. All the things I enjoyed — the sights, sounds, smells and feel of speed — they loved too. So my art isn’t about a “thing” like a specific car or bike, but more about a “feeling” being around cars and bikes.
In looking at your artwork, I see two other artists: MC Escher and VCJ (Vernon Courtland Johnson, of Powell Peralta skateboard graphics fame). Have they influenced your work at all, or do you guys drink from the same super awesome water fountain? Obviously, my “Self Reflection” piece (on the magazine cover) is a direct lift from M.C. Escher, but I like his ability to bend minds and use surrealism to create a feeling. Court’s work for Powell Peralta defined 80s skate culture, and his iconic imagery still influences lowbrow art culture nearly 30 years later. I also like Jim Phillip’s skate deck and rock poster art from those years and artists like Rick Griffin, Ed Newton, Robert Crumb, Mad magazine’s Don Martin and Basil Wolverton before them. Everyone we’ve mentioned could simplify the image and create such a cool vibe that suggests a bigger story. Rather than copy what those guys did I’m trying to be inspired by their style and put it in today’s context.
What do you find more rewarding: Commissioned art pieces for happy clients or the random scratchings from your own imagination that you sell on your site? Both are rewarding but people’s reaction is always the real reward. When a client has high standards and confidence in their own field of expertise they tend to respect the abilities of others and will treat a project as if it’s a given that what you create for them will be great. Creating great work for great clients is its own reward.
Likewise when I create a personal piece and then offer prints for sale I’m always interested to see who likes it. I’ve really come to really like my customers – not because they gave me money but because they can articulate better than I can why they like something I did.
What would you tell the younger BOMONSTER about making a career out of Kustom Kulture art? In some ways I wish that I had started earlier so I would be farther along in my own development as an artist so I could give my younger self some advice. But waiting as long as I have to get started has allowed me to tap into my own life experiences and has given me the experience to know what’s already been done to death and to recognize originality when I stumble upon it. What I will tell other younger selves though is to not be afraid to put yourself out there with your work. Create, scan, print, make a website, post on facebook but don’t stop there. By going public you will connect to others who get what you do and connect. From there opportunities will present themselves. You will also feel slight guilt over the compliments to your work knowing you see all the flaws. That alone will make you work harder to deserve the compliments and make you a better artist.
What I also like about starting later in my career is that it is all new to me - I’m a long, long ways from being the crusty old jaded artist who seen it all, done it all.
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JG Design & Fab asked me to design and scratch a shirt for their metal fabrication shop in Ventura. Owner Justin has built some unique customs and trucks and we knew they would make a great brand statement. I added the Ventura pier and some waves to give it a local feel and the end result is a winner. When I design my art I usually only see the designs flat on a board or the final shirt on a mannequin. Seeing them on actual people out in the world is always a thrill. Seeing them at a car show of builders, weldors, painters, owners and fans is even better.
]]>We just got back from another great Ventura Nationals show weekend. It's Labor Day and the thought struck me that the entire show is the result of so many hours of genuine labor. The featured cars on display represent millions of hours of creative energy getting everything just right. Then there's the promoters who pour their lives and finances into a show for a year hoping for a turn out, good weather, lots of cars and quality vendors who help finance the whole production. And who can forget the vendors who pour their hearts into their creativity hoping to attract like-minded buyers. It's all labor but one could say a labor of love. We were there selling my BOMONSTER art & apparel and I had just enough free time over the weekend to grab some pictures and appreciate the love. There were lots of brands represented and every photographer knows you have to take 200 pictures to get 20 good ones. When I downloaded my pictures and chose the best ones, all the good pictures were Chevys. So here is my labor day of Chevy love...
]]>My is art created on scratchboard. I start with a solid black inked board and scratch the surface lightly with an Xacto knife. I start with a basic outline and scratch the details thinking about a light source. Wherever the light hits I scratch and I leave the shadows alone. It's the opposite of creating a tattoo by using the shadows to create the depth but similar in that mistakes are hard to cover up. Part of what gives my work its own style is that I don't using straight edges or template tools when scratching. It's all freehand once the outline shape is planned out and transferred to the board surface. This modern day cowboy scene was scanned when finished and looks great silkscreened on shirts and printed on a lithograph press.
]]>Born Free is one of the best chopper shows I've seen. We started vending my BOMONSTER art & apparel there eight years ago and it seems the last one is always the best one. Rarely do I see shows get better over time. Some are always good. Some start to show signs of fatigue. Rarely do they surprise and become more creative each time out. Born Free is the exception. There's live music, fun people, a huge VANS skateboard ramp, unique vendors, custom motorcycle giveaways and a thousand spectator bikes parked on the lawn. But the heart of the show are the featured bikes - all of which are built specifically for the show. Every year, the builders bring their best efforts and always shock each other with higher levels of craftsmanship and originality that inspires. I don't always know what I'm looking at but whatever it it is I like it. I would make a terrible judge because I like it all. Here's why...
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