Bookmark pack

Hey, if you'd like a pqck of all the bookmarks i've made so far please cop. You can get a set of 15, 25, 75, or 100. 

LINK

Panilla's Journey- Middle grade book cover

Hey I came up with the cover artwork for this project about 2-3 years ago. This collaborative middle grade story was a joy to illustrate. Naru is one of the Bay Area's hip hop pioneers who I saw perform as a kid. He and his daughter wrote this story together and he is making it into a physical book. You want one? Want to hear about the story? Click this LINK.

Check out some of the artwork process below as I take it from doodle to finished painting and design.

Here is the last middle grade book I worked on as the author! Hana On Stage!

Flashback: Boombox

This is a really old piece I made of a boombox using watercolor when I was just learning it over 20 years ago. As I have been working on some recent music inspired pieces I wanted to share something I made in that same vein many years ago.

Here are some recent/old music inspired art you might of missed:
Roy Ayers Portrait
Andrew Ashong portrait
Drum print

#SafetyIs Ella Baker Center

Yo, I was invited to contribute poster artwork to Night Out for Safety and Liberation (NOSL), a national event held on the first week in August where people across the country come together to redefine what #SafetyIs: dignity, opportunity, and power in our communities.

NOSL is an annual event created by the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and their goal is to change the conversation about public safety to be less focused on fear, punishment, and criminalization.

You can see the posters from past years’ events here.

Here's some process artwork!

1200 - Music Inspired

The first time I bought a Technics 1200 turntable it was with money I'd earned working and from birthdays, etc. I had saved up enough and got help from my parents to get a used one from my local pawn shop and I was so excited I just started at it. It would take me a good while to save up for the second one and a mixer but eventually I got them. And I gave up drawing and painting for awhile in lieu of teaching myself mixing, scratching, beat juggling, and how to find records and sounds. I had to sell my turntables as a young dad in my late 20s but I've never forgotten the feel of these. They were sturdy, heavy, and solid machines that could take hours and hours of practice and keep on going. Did you ever own a Technics 1200 table? Still have some? This is another music inspired joint!

Want a print of this? Go HERE

Here is some more music inspired art you might have missed:
Trumpet Illustration
Sha Rock Portrait
Play That Beat Typography

Shekere - Music Inspired

This is a Shekere which is a West African musical instrument used in both African and Latin American music. It is traditionally a gourd that is dried out then scooped of its insides until it is hollow. Then cowry shells or beads are woven around the gourd and when it is shaken the beads or cowries hitting against the gourd make a percussive noise. Here's an demo where you hear the shekere.

You can get a print of this here: LINK

If you're just tuning in, i'm doing a series of music inspired artwork. Here are some recent and old ones you might have missed:
Drum Illustration
Patrice Rushen Portrait
Memphis Minnie Character

Purple Trumpet: Music Inspired

Music is the weapon I kept thinking of as I finished this. I almost wrote a word across the trumpet but I'm glad I didn't. Anyways, the trumpet is a dope instrument in so many different genres; afro beat, salsa, jazz, ska, etc. What is a song you like that has trumpets in it? 

If you'd like a print of this, it's HERE.

Here's some other music inspired art:

Guru Portrait

We Are Improvisation Typography

Dad's who dig Character Design

Stuff I've been listening to - 13

Feeling this vibe from IAMDDB. Loved this rap from KOTA, so much more interesting that what most of these rappers are saying over and over aqain. Watch out for this dude.

Oldie, I borrowed this one from an old friend and loved this particular song so much.

Muhsinah is an incredible producer/vocalist who had major popularity around the late 2000's. She now tours with Common I believe. Check out her old stuff-still hits.Like this one. I wrote about this song a long time ago for Muphorcic Sounds. And I still love it. It just defies genre so well, so many styles mixed in. Soul, hip hop, Salsa, Cuban, etc. Wild International! This is old too but i'm still playing it, remixed by Oddisee. Shout out to the people of Sudan fighting for their freedom from an oppressive regime!

So, every few months, sometimes once a year I post some music or podcasts I listen to because I love it so why not share? I hope you dig some of what you hear. Pass it on. It leans toward hip hop mostly, but there's some house, soul, jazz, funk, cumbia, afrobeat, and more in there....Here is:
Stuff I've been listening to 12
Stuff I've been listening to 11

Purple Headphones: Music Inspired

Hey, continuing with this series of music. When I think of the inspiration for this I think of those that remember riding or walking around with some headphones and a walkman, CD, or MP3 player just playing some dope music. The feeling of curating your ride to school or work, or just really getting all your songs ready for a road trip. It's that feeling of being still and playing music that makes you come alive. That kind of love.

You want a print of this? Cop it HERE.

Here are some others you missed:
Drum Print
Pharoah Sanders Portrait
Zach De La Rocha Quote

Video: Conversation w/ Aaliyah Bilal

A Conversation: Aaliyah Bilal and Robert Liu-Trujillo from Aaliyah Bilal on Vimeo.

So if you didn't the previous post I made about Cloud Country please go back and check that out. I have been working on a graphic novel with writer Aaliyah Bilal for over two years. This is a brief conversation we had in LA filmed by Halline Overby. Stay tuned for more information about this project and please go to the website for the book HERE.

Drum: Music Inspired

Check it out, here's a new joint inspired by music, the drum specifically. The world of music comes from this right here. This is part of a new series for fun. If you didn't catch the last one check out the Orange keys.

You want a print? LINK


And if you'd like to see some more music inspired art check out:
Dorothy Ashby portrait
Melody Type
Jneiro Jarel portrait

Orange Keys - Music Inspired

This is not the first time I've made some artwork inspired by music. But I thought I'd do some new music inspired artwork. This one is inspired by the piano, keys, etc. I painted it with gouache. You want a print? Here it is:

LINK

Here are some old music inspired artwork:
Boombox character Design
Esperanza Spalding Type
Donald Byrd Portrait