#djg2011

Archive Round Up: Twenty-Eight Leaves (x2)

Thank you for visiting and supporting the official poster site for DJG (Formerly, DJG DESIGN).

Archives are currently being raked for hi-res images, notes, sketches, process art, photos, etc. 

The timeline flow of the poster work goes from top (recent) to bottom (past). 

Some entries may be a tad out of order, but for the most part the flow is quite accurate.

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For all other creative output and information, please visit the artist’s main site at ARTDJG.

Poster Image: DJG DESIGN WAS HERE (2011)

ENTRY00013 / SEP 01, 2022 / PRODS & PROJECTILES VOL. 1

While prepping a forthcoming monograph of music packages (roughly 80% finished) I came across some old art friends. No, not humans and/or former clients I thawed out of storage, rather projects that were put in a corner.

No matter the amount of success, award, positive feedback or great review, it’s the gut punch of a failure that yells the loudest. They are the hammer to the thumb. The sugar lump to the mug. At best I tend to tip a sip towards half-full, but in my defense it’s a Big Gulp. The yell-slap of failure is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s generally the crunch of process, put out and perspective that adds a pinch of wisdom so often accompanied in the wince of reflection.

Perhaps I’ve shared some of these projects over the years. To be clear I won’t go deep into the caverns of details, folks involved, etc. There is not much dirt to be had, and besides that route is a silly one to take, especially at my next-level of nothingness. I’m still happy with my end of the creative results and had fun getting there. With many extra miles logged, it simply felt an apt and fun time to share in the month of September. That, mixed with past anxiety, failure, etc. pecking in perpetuity at the bird seed husk of my inner lining. Enough introduction. 

In 2011 I was contacted to create the initial layout and environment designs for a promising video game. Its premise: a steampunk style involving a strong female character traversing a universe of airships. I’m really unclear on the name and plot, but it was sold to me rather well and professionally. Overall, the vision appeared very legit to happen, and with the capital and knowledge to get off the ground (in other words, much more than the average project I was accustomed to). There were even work contracts and drafts for the potentiality of royalties. On the team there was a composer; a group of digital designers; script and code writers; project managers and directors, etc. It was a little daunting to consider the task of designing the environment of the game (as well as compute my ideas with the guys “building” the game as I know nothing about video games), but a very fun challenge to wed the way in which I make things to the screen world. (The project would turnout to serve as an early blueprint in the way I’d eventually construct music videos.)

A nervous meeting with the project leader over coffee and sketches quickly turned into excitement (not to mention a lost parking ticket for him - the garage was paid far more for this project than I would ever be). After bulking up on research, I soon set up a corner of the basement cranking out large handmade airship collages, structures and game level environment examples (above). Shared email files were well-received. Then ... then ... (as often the case with ambitious collaborative endeavors) ... crickets entered the frame. After a long stretch it had turned out that I (and the composer, I think) were the only ones who’d actually created anything. Life got in the way. Life faded from the project. Similar to the experience raked with a former romantic lean-to, weeks later I finally anxiously asked if this was actually ever going to happen. NO. Down with the ship I went.

Hours: Incalculable. Let’s just ballpark it at A LOT. Payment: 1 cup of coffee.

-djg 

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Poster Date: 03-12-2011

Purpose:

Band / Musician(s):

Venue / Setting:

Promoter: / Payment:

Original Art Size:  / Creative Method:

Poster Print Size:  / Print Method:

Above Image(s):

For Sale: N/A

Additional Credits:

Note(s):

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Poster Date: 01-02-2011

Purpose: Performance by a punk rock group of girls in grade school.

Band / Musician(s): Cat Pop

Venue / Setting: J. Murphy’s / Shawnee, KS

Promoter: Slummy

Original Art Size: 17″ x 22″ (?) / Creative Method: Cut paper, collage, hand-lettering and layout. Actual bits of wrapping and tissue paper were utilized.

Poster Print Size: Various, 8.5″x11″ & 11″x17″ (never saw a printed version) / Print Method: Poster(s) sent as digital files to promoter to print in-house, as well as for online promotion and distribution.

Above Image(s): Final vertical and horizontal posters. / Multiple views of “reversible” art only print. / Sketches / Band’s mock-up. / Letter from promoter.

For Sale: NA = Original Art / Art Print: 

Additional Credits: Original digital idea and mock-up art by the band.

Note(s): As requested, the taking of “ANY liberties” with this fun project was had, but within reason, and in best tune to the girls’ original vision. As shown above, two event posters were ultimately made, vertical and horizontal, and with different design results and degrees of legibility. The initial poster was built entirely by hand, and potentially lead to being a little more punk rock and playful. However, one can argue the alternate poster (for online or limited space intention), comprising similar elements, plus the addition of cute cats made out of actual cat hair, is nothing short of the definition. In addition, the original vertical poster was designed with intent to be reversible, at least in its imagery sans typography. Unfortunately, schedules conflicted and I couldn’t attend the concert. I did hear that the poster was a big hit. It was one of my final DJG Design posters, and I consider it a fine scratch post. Odd to me now these young girls are grown women, but I sure hope the spirit of Cat Pop is strong.

RESERVED

Fox Food No. 1 hanging in the Kansas City, MO kitch(d)en of Frank & Lauren.

2011 (original)

Wild Bird No. 05 (Invert)