Gross Anatomy: Impaled poster

2012/02/172014/06/24 Doktor Ross Sewage3 Comments

What kismet… As Sean and I display our art all month at Eli’s Mile High Club, we were booked to play a show with Impaled at the same venue. Well, if I’m displaying a mess of gig posters I’ve printed, I’d be quite the fool to not make one for this show.

Like a letter from Iwo Jima… well, a really crass letter. I’ve been thinking about hacking away at the iconic photo of the flag raising at Iwo Jima for some time. This seemed a good opportunity to do it. I’m not 100% happy with this poster, because, as usual, I was rushed. Still, I think I managed to use a few interesting techniques during the process of drawing and printing it that it’s worth sharing.

Continue reading “Gross Anatomy: Impaled poster” →

Booking the Dead 2: I’ve Been Framed

2012/02/102015/02/08 Doktor Ross SewageLeave a comment

To get ready for the group art show we’re having all February at Eli’s Mile High Club, I had to frame a grip of posters I’d done. There’s three ways to do this:
1. Take it into a place and have them framed by a wage slave. That has the benefit of making one feel like part of the elite that drives around in a Prius.
2. Look around salvage stores and just throw that shit into any frame that it kind of fits into. Now one is sticking it to those fucking elitists who drive around in a Prius.
3. Do it yourself.

I like art under glass. I like it with a nice, cut mat. I like it uniform. I like to have my cake and eat it as cheaply as fucking possible… aka a doughnut. Look how nice that poster looks framed properly. It doesn’t look anything like the poster that didn’t sell at all at the show, or that I was told I should be killed for having designed. Now, it’s not a mockery, it’s corpse-fucking ART. And it ain’t that hard to do it yourself.

Continue reading “Booking the Dead 2: I’ve Been Framed” →

Booking the Dead art show: Hang ’em high

2012/02/032015/02/08 Doktor Ross Sewage2 Comments

Chris Oxford, an old friend and guitarist for Depressor, contacted me and Sean McGrath about doing an art show at a local bar. I’d wanted to do an art show with Sean for some time. What gallery would have our gorenography? Chris got the date together for a February art show at Eli’s Mile High Club and that was the kick in the pants we needed.

Eli’s Mile High Club has become a beacon for crusties, punks, and metal heads looking to get their drink on in North Oakland. They have a show space and a wall for displaying art. Last night we took all our framed pieces (and some unframed) to Eli’s. Amidst the din of barking dogs on ropes and metal from the DJ booth, we got to work.

Continue reading “Booking the Dead art show: Hang ’em high” →

Gross Anatomy: Ghoul Poster

2012/01/062014/06/24 Doktor Ross Sewage4 Comments

I’d been planning to do a gig poster for the upcoming Ghoul show / Tankcrimes showcase at world famous punk club 924 Gilman. I was beginning to think it wouldn’t happen what with too much work, the holidays, etc. Well, work slowed down. Instead of sitting around playing with my new Christmas socket wrench set, angle grinder, or digital soldering station, I got to work. I’ve had enough time dicking around with pedals. It was time for some more art!

Strictly speaking, me being able to screen print my own 18×24″ poster is hardly DIY. It’s been my occupation to print posters since my utter failure to make it in the design industry. Nice work if you can get it and my boss is a peach (he hates when I call him boss). It’s still a fair amount of work to carry the project forth from beginning to finish.

Continue reading “Gross Anatomy: Ghoul Poster” →

Killing Kids in America 5: Killbot

2011/10/212019/02/12 Doktor Ross Sewage1 Comment

Creepsylvania ISP
Incoming RSS archive
Src_Transmission: z3r0
user: Grand_Basilisk

Hear your leader, cult minions! The salvaged homunculus dubbed “Killbot” by it’s brilliant, handsome, and departed inventor the Ghoul Hunter, is in need of an upgrade to continue it’s mission… kill Ghoul!

Yes, the mechanized cyborg was rebuilt from the remains found at the ruins of the Ghoul Hunter’s castle following it’s first battle with Ghoul. Our cult scientists added chain guns, pneumatic claw, titanium-steel armor, and the brain of the most power-hungry bastard and anti-Semitic jerk in history… Walt Disney! With this power, Killbot defeated Ghoul and their pig-faced pathetic piece of shit lackey. But Ghoul escaped back to their accursed catacombs.

Continue reading “Killing Kids in America 5: Killbot” →

Gross Anatomy: Torche / Big Business poster

2011/08/092015/01/20 Doktor Ross Sewage2 Comments

A couple months back shortly after returning from tour with Ludicra, I was watching the Melvins sound check after I’d delivered the posters I’d done for their show that night hastily over the past week. I mentioned to Justin from Secret Serpents standing next to me, “When I hear Jared sing and play bass, I really crave me some Big Business.” Justin replied, “They’re touring in August, you want in on the poster series?” Right… after… the Impaled tour. So, from one job that followed a Euro tour for me uncomfortably close, to another one that would follow the next Euro tour uncomfortably close. I couldn’t refuse the challenge!

18 x24", five colors, edition of 100 — For sale in the Sewage Shop

Couple that challenge with the plane booking… Raul asked if I wanted to stay a few extra days in Europe, I said yes. That translated to him as nine extra days. That’s three times a few, by my reckoning. So, after the Impaled tour, being broke and strapped for time, I opted to stay with my friend Conny at her flat and get in some days drawing my poster. She set me up with some paper and an old German doctor’s desk (very fitting, I might say) and I got to work.

Continue reading “Gross Anatomy: Torche / Big Business poster” →

Gross Anatomy: Melvins poster

2011/05/212015/01/14 Doktor Ross Sewage1 Comment

Secret Serpents is a collective of a few people running an indie label, and more importantly for this journal entry, they make gig poster series for bands. They are regular clients at my day job, Monolith Press. They organize the artists (never an easy task) and pair them to a musical live performance to create beautiful screen-prints that make a unique piece of memorabilia for a fan of any musical group. It’s oh so vogue these days, and thank God for that or I wouldn’t have a paycheck.

Well… I’ve done posters for my own bands in the off hours at work, but not much for anyone else. I was stoked last February when Justin from Secret Serpents not only gave that schlub printing his posters a break, but asked me to do a poster for one of my all time faves, the Swans! That went well enough. The band’s copies of the poster sold out, though I still have my copies for sale. Now I might occasionaly get asked to do more, and when Justin sent out an email asking who was interested in doing a poster for an upcoming Melvins series, I jumped at it. Are you kidding? A poster for ANOTHER one of my favorite bands ever? So what if I was about to go on tour and would come back with only 2 weeks to draw and print this!

Okay, that was probably dumb, but after some long, cursed nights, I did finish it in the nick o’ time.

Continue reading “Gross Anatomy: Melvins poster” →

Gross Anatomy: Die Struwwelpetra Tour Poster

2011/04/192015/01/12 Doktor Ross Sewage3 Comments

Who wants to buy CDs anymore? Playing live doesn’t really pay the bills of touring like it used to. You fucking nitwits who download everything are too blame. Of course, I’m a fucking nitwit, too, and Aesop has a blog that’s nothing BUT musical downloads. We are the problem and the victims.

A3 size, edition of 150, 4 color — For sale in the Doktor Sewage Shop

Now that I’m working at Monolith Press, the fucking BEST rock poster shop (fuck, if I’m printing, it must be) and there’s more and more business as musical acts look to other avenues to generate the all essential dough to pay the bills. Of course, in 2012, when the world ends and there’s no more oil, forget about touring and learn how to fight zombies. For now, though, novel items like a concert poster are in vogue. Try and download a screen print, turkey.

Continue reading “Gross Anatomy: Die Struwwelpetra Tour Poster” →