mr. davis

#Occupy 2

2012-02-03T15:13:00.000-08:00

I present my second poster without comment as I feel it does a fine job explaining itself. I welcome your comments.

As with the previous poster, I present this for you use as you see fit. Do with it what you will. My only conditions are that it not be reproduced for profit and that it is presented unaltered, and if possible and where applicable include include a link to this post. If there is a demand, I will sell a limited number of large format, archival quality digital prints, with the proceeds going to my local Occupy movement in the form of material objects. So if you'd like to purchase one, let me know and if I receive enough requests as to make it worth the time I will do so. Otherwise, use the links below to download a copy for yourself.

> High resolution jpg (10"x14.8" 200dpi)
> Low resolution jpg (7"x10.375" 72dpi)

#Occupy

2011-11-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

As you might have heard, there's a conversation taking place in this country. Although not all partaking are acting in a mature and reasonable, constructive fashion, there are those that are. It is a conversation long overdue in this country - about 30 years overdue by my humble estimation. And because this conversation and its outcome are so vital to the survival of our republic, as a republic, I intend to exercise the freedoms afforded me by our Constitution, and be one of those voices.

It's easy to point fingers at the villains and the damage they have done, and there have been some amazingly clever, touching, and spot-on critiques to that end, but ultimately they are, more often than not, preaching to the converted. My goal is, and will be, to provide a constructive, reaffirming, and actionable message. Long after the tents are gone, the tear gas has dissipated, and the grass has grown back, we must not forget what started this, and we must continue to strive for open and democratic financial regulatory systems which place the health of the nation above the wealth of a select few. As we have seen so far, the current system, which is based on speculation and fraud, is absolutely unsustainable, and without a shred of accountability. This isn't by any means an attack on wealth, it is simply an attempt to level the playing field to guarantee a future with the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - for everyone.

So all that said, I have designed what I intend to be the first of several posters to help move the message forward. It is presented here, for you use as you see fit. Do with it what you will. Print it, plaster it around town, hang it on your wall, email it to everyone you know, put it on a t-shirt…I don't care, just get it out there. My only conditions are that it not be reproduced for profit and that it is presented unaltered. If there is a demand, I will sell a limited number of large format, archival quality digital prints, with the proceeds going to my local Occupy movement in the form of material objects such as food, toothbrushes, tents, etc., whatever the need may be. So if you'd like to purchase one, let me know and if I receive enough requests as to make it worth the time I will do so. Otherwise, use the links below to download a copy for yourself

> High resolution jpg (10"x14.8" 200dpi)
> Low resolution jpg (7"x10.375" 72dpi)

My Life as a Dog

2011-09-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

Lasse Hallström's charmingly heartbreaking yet optimistic film My Life as a Dog has been released on Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection, and once again I was given the opportunity of being involved with another fine Criterion project. The initial request from the art director and producer were to update and perhaps expand on the sentiments expressed in the existing cover that was designed for the first release on DVD. We started with the same basic elements from that earlier cover: Ingemar, the window, and the night sky.

Throughout the movie, Ingemar finds a certain solace in the night sky, at times pondering the well-being of Lieka, the Russian dog put into orbit. Ingemar realizes that Lieka is essentially leading a parallel existence to his own. One with no realistic chance of ever returning home and whose immediate fate is the hands of others. Ingemar, in his optimism, recants several stories about others that have met much worse fates than his.

In developing the first comps I began exploring constellations as a metaphor for Ingemar's experiences through the course of the film. Traveling to and from disparate points, which in turn reveal themselves as individual experiences, ultimately aligning to tell a larger story, or create a larger picture if you will. Though it's not referenced in the film, I settled on the constellation Canis Major with Sirius, or the dog star, as its brightest star. Obvious? Yes. But perfect. Stars, dog, points on a map, and a host of graphic possibilities. And much like Ingemar, I've always been fascinated by night sky and it's habit of facilitating epiphanies, giving solace, and generally providing a sense of scale to an often uncaring and selfish world.

After several rounds of trying to marry the sky and Ingemar it was decided that we go another direction and try something simpler, utilizing a single, poignant image. There are so many beautiful scenes in this film that it was difficult to choose a favorite moment or feeling. I like the final choice because, though rather melancholy, I find some comfort in the warmth of of the wood, the book, and the metaphorical qualities of the window. Oh, and it's a beautifully lit and photographed image too...

Final cover

Book cover

Spread from book


	Disc

Sensology by Michel Gagné

2011-09-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

Amazing.

2011-07-18T15:58:00.001-07:00

Some June gloom on a sunny day.

Insignificance

2011-06-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Roeg's Insignificance was released by The Criterion Collection earlier this month and I am honored to have been a part of this project. I was initially contacted by the art director with the request to develop portraits of the four main characters: The Actress (Marilyn Monroe), The Professor (Albert Einstein), The Senator (Joseph McCarthy), and The Ballplayer (Joe DiMaggio). These were to be based on a David Hockney portrait of Theresa Russell as The Actress. The piece is featured throughout the film and is generally accompanied by a spurned and longing husband, The Ballplayer. While I am a fan of Hockney and Theresa Russell, this particular piece really doesn't do much for me and I was relieved to learn along the way that the art director had the same feeling. Knowing that I didn't need to create a Hockney piece was relieving –because I can't– and it also presented the opportunity to expand on his photo collage technique to create a piece specific to this film. It was decided that The Actress would be the cover and the art director wanted to incorporate The Professor's notes which are are not only integral to the plot but become surprisingly active towards the end of the movie.

My first comps (below) stayed close to the Hockney aesthetic and once I was satisfied that I had covered the the art director's initial request I moved on to see where else this could take me. The beauty of comps is that some aren't, and that's the point. Failure is an option and often more enlightening because without black there is no white. While I don't think these are complete failures they helped me define the borders of how far I could or couldn't go with this and keep true to and expand the core concept.

Takayuki Hori

2011-04-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

> More

First Photo of Mercury from Orbit

2011-03-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Stunning.

> Link

America Lost and Found: The BBS Story

2011-01-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

I recently had the opportunity to work with my dear friend and great designer F Ron Miller on this boxed set for Criterion Collection. It was a lot of work in a very short period of time - from concept to completion in about two weeks. My chief and most enjoyable responsibility was to design the cover for the Easy Rider DVD. Ron decided that the individual DVD covers were to be designed as movie posters for the respective films which would stylistically represent the era.

I decided that my task was to bring something new to this cover. Peter Fonda's helmet, adorned with the stars and bars, is so thoroughly entrenched in pop culture, that my initial reaction was to ignore it completely and try to find another approach. But in developing roughs, my mind and hand kept coming back to the flag motif. I came to realize it as the perfect metaphor for this film: an America that doesn't exist anywhere other than in its representation. The symbol has replaced, and by extension, become reality. A reality with its own set of values that are completely at odds with the actual living and breathing world of intolerance, dreams denied, cultural and generational divide, and broken promises. A battered and torn flag as landscape with an idealized but uncertain future on the horizon.

Ahh... home.

30k

2010-12-28T12:14:00.001-08:00

Here are a handful of images from ongoing project of mine. Check the link at the bottom for more.

> More

Rolling Buildings

2010-12-23T14:58:00.001-08:00

> Link

2010-12-05T11:37:00.001-08:00

Don Kenn

2010-11-23T14:50:00.001-08:00

> Link

2010-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

2010-10-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

2010-09-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

2010-09-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Near Drummond, Idaho

Jackson Lake, Wyoming

Tomas Quinones

2010-08-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

The underbelly of the I-205 bridge and bike path

> Link

2010-08-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

A unique "magical" service!

2010-08-17T16:33:00.001-07:00

Tired of your boring old soul portrait? Then you need a Celestial Soul Portrait by Erial Ali! Yes, that Erial Ali. Just look what Erial did for Iasos (above, before and after). Do you think Iasos knew he had a death ray that shot out of his forehead? Well now he does and he's painstakingly blasting his way across Greece. Watch out Macedonia you're next! I can't wait to see what type of force Erial discovers I possess, 'cause I'm pissed off and ready to start blasting.

Also look for Erial's "Magical" versions of family portraits.

> Link

Art of the American Soldier

2010-07-20T13:09:00.001-07:00

> Link

Tea Party Jesus

2010-07-18T19:17:00.001-07:00

The jokes write themselves.

> Link

Jon McNaught

2010-06-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Prints and Comic Strips

> Link

USSR Tolkien

2010-05-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Beautiful illustrations from a Soviet Russian publication of The Lord of the Rings.

> Link

Remi Thornton

2010-05-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

Spiral

Public Works Garage

> Link

2010-04-09T16:00:00.001-07:00

Lancaster, California

Sketchy Bunnies

2010-03-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

> Link

Sambo's!

2010-03-23T17:54:00.001-07:00

Original photographs shot between 1964 & 1970 of Sambo's restaurants.

> Link

Vintage Japanese industrial expo posters

2010-02-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

> Link

Why?! Part IV

2010-01-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

> Link

It's as if they're tapping my phone

2010-01-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

Clients from Hell

Board Games

2009-11-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

> Link

"Snake Canyon"

2009-11-25T17:12:00.000-08:00

> Link

Heeby Jeeby Comix

2009-11-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

> Link

Food Dye

2009-10-17T15:46:00.001-07:00

Corey Holms

> Link

The Berlin Reunion

2009-10-09T17:01:00.001-07:00

One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

> Link

Space Fakes

2009-10-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Great collection of space themes.

> Link (via PCL LinkDump)

BLU

2009-09-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Pencil tests

2009-09-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Milt Kahl - Have a Banana from David Nethery.

Also see Pencil Test Depot

Boxing

2009-09-12T14:20:00.001-07:00

Before and after

> Link

Feral Houses

2009-09-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

> Link

2009-08-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sierra Nevada, California

Palisades, California

Next Blog #5

2009-08-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

> Link

Richard Mosse

2009-07-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Uday's Palace, Jebel Makhoul, Iraq 2009

> Link

2009-07-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

2009-07-20T14:12:00.001-07:00

New Orleans

La Portentosa Vida de la Muerte

2009-07-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

> Link

Peter Morgan

2009-07-09T18:49:00.001-07:00

Karakorum Highway, Xinjiang

> Link

Hank

2009-06-23T17:28:00.001-07:00

> Link

Robert Mars

2009-06-19T09:31:00.001-07:00

> Link

Ross Racine

2009-06-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

> Link

Next Blog #4

2009-05-24T17:19:00.001-07:00

> Link

2009-05-20T15:08:00.001-07:00

El Paso, Texas

2009-05-20T15:07:00.001-07:00

Palm Springs, California

2009-05-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

Flatonia, Texas

2009-04-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

Next Blog #3

2009-04-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

> Link

Next Blog #2

2009-03-27T18:12:00.001-07:00

Said Bin Ibrahim
381231

> Link

Anaglyphs #11: San Simeon

2009-03-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Stupid Comics

2009-03-06T17:46:00.001-08:00

The name says it all.

> Link

Sete Dias

2009-03-01T21:47:00.001-08:00

And he says, “That means something. But what?”’

> Link

Next Blog #1

2009-02-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

RIP
Mr. Winky
1932-2009

> Link

2009-02-16T14:56:00.001-08:00

2009-02-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

2009-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

Ballona Creek

Nicholas Hughes

2009-01-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

> Link

Michael Oliveri

2009-01-09T11:20:00.001-08:00

> Link

2008-12-14T16:01:00.000-08:00

Rhode Island

Cake Secrets

2008-12-06T19:12:00.001-08:00

> Link

2008-12-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

> Link

Michael Cho's sketchbook

2008-11-20T13:06:00.001-08:00

Toronto Back Alleys pt. 15

> Link

Research One

2008-11-16T20:37:00.001-08:00

Ben Goldware

> Link

Chinese posters

2008-11-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

> Link

2008-10-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

'L'Assiette au Beurre' by Gustave Henri Jossot, 1904.

> Link via BibliOdyssey

Why?! Part III

2008-10-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

I swear I don't go looking for this stuff but it always seems to find me. Fate, I guess. We all have our demons but these happen to fit in one's hand, purse, glove box or even a carry-on.

> Link

Typo gaffe

2008-10-06T14:19:00.001-07:00

Al Q has made a set of 404 error pages that he's inviting folks to use on their sites. If he continues to make more, as I hope he does, I will be less vigilant in correcting my typing in hopes of stumbling across the once dreaded and newly respected "missing" page. Furthermore, I must confess, as a graphic designer that does a fair share of websites it has never even occurred to me to design a 404 page. Shameful? Yes. My head hangs low today.

And by the way, what is really going here anyway? The hand, the crutches, Oral Roberts, I shudder to think.

> Link

Headaches be damned

2008-10-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

"Hippopotamus feeding in Central Park, circa 1883"

Here's a growing set of of quasi-3D images from Joshua Heineman. The images are taken from the NYPLDigitalGallery archives of stereo cards and converted to animated gifs.

> Link

2008-09-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Do you have what it takes? Part 2

2008-08-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

Cousins(?), 1990, USA

Because a celebration of the perfect portrait would not be complete without a blog.

> Link

2008-08-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Winsor McCay Editorial Cartoons

2008-07-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

Some years ago I came in to possession of a stack of old newspapers given to me by a friend that was moving. Most ended up being cut up and used in collages and for reference scrap. Others I kept intact and stored away thinking that some day I'd have them framed or likewise made accessible for easier viewing. They're not framed yet but I've gone ahead and pulled out a group of Winsor McCay editorial cartoons that were printed on the front page of the City Life Stage Screen & Music Section in the The San Francisco Examiner. The illustrations presented here range from 1925 to 1934 and I think it's safe to assume that there are many more. I present them in chronological order along with the captions as written by the editor and the date of publication. Since the illustrations have such a clear and succinct voice, the only comment I have to add is that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

> View the Gallery

Why?! Part II

2008-07-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

“Christopher” he yis what he yis

Why do the they keep making them?! I wish I could just leave this alone, as I'm sure you do too. But the line has been crossed. It was just a matter of time before these creepy little kits went from being merely creepy to becoming a bona-fide public nuisance.

(Via Boing Boing) Police in Gympie, Australia were called to rescue an unconscious infant that had been left in a locked vehicle. Once on the scene they broke the window only to find out that it was not a real baby but instead a latex replicant spawned from the depraved mind of the vehicle's owner.

Nice.

2008-07-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

As crabby as he wants to be

2008-07-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

In my mind if you fly to the moon, get out, walk around, and then fly back you would have every right to grouse at autograph seekers.

Ochenta Monstruos Diabolicos

2008-06-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Almost as scary as the baby kits!

The original blog is gone, but a new set has been drawn and posted.

> New link

2008-06-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

Venice, California

The Passage

2008-05-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

For the last 6 months F Ron Miller and I have been working on a graphic novel entitled The Passage. Ron has been doing the writing and drawing and I have been supplying the coloring, acting as sounding board and getting Mr. Miller his coffee. Aside from a few art, dialog and coloring tweaks we're pretty much done with the first chapter and are set to start the second in the next few days/weeks. Twenty two pages done one hundred and something to go.

Though there isn't much there at the moment, we've started a blog for the series and as we get more pages in the bank, a web site will be created for you, humble reader, to follow story as it progresses.

> Link

Why?!

2008-05-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

From the title to the little welcoming genie to the kits this thing stinks from the inside-out. The absolute creepiest web site ever. Consider yourself warned.

> Link

2008-05-02T12:05:00.001-07:00

Save the taco truck

2008-04-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at the behest of Gloria Molina has passed another round of restrictions on taco trucks. The new laws force the truck to move every hour or be fined $1000 and/or jail. Though I personally don't think that this law will do away with the trucks all together it does codify discrimination against one type of business as well as stifle competition in the market place.

If you would like to do something about this visit Save Our Taco Trucks and sign the petition. They're looking to get 5,000 signatures by May 1 so, sign it and tell your friends to do so as well.

Read about it here and here

Happy Earth Day

2008-04-22T15:57:00.001-07:00

Godzilla about to do a little carbon offsetting.

Sideshow banners

2008-04-15T14:49:00.001-07:00

It only smells like she's dead.

> Link

2008-04-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

Phobos in stereo

2008-04-10T16:40:00.001-07:00

Shot by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

> Link

fdavis.com in pictures

2008-03-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I've been going through my job archives in order to put together a book of my design work over the past 15 or so years. In doing so I've come across a lot of work that I've completely forgotten about and a lot of work I wish had remained forgotten. It has also brought to fore how I've chosen to show my work over the duration of my professional career. From the black, zippered, vinyl page portfolio I left Cal Arts with to the wood and collage box I made to house a 44mb Syquest cartridge that contained my interactive portfolio, and last but not least, the web site.

I don't remember with 100% certainty, but I think I created my first web site in 1994. I don't have any files to back this up just a vague recollection. Either way, I present here the history of fdavis.com home pages as reflected by my archives. Spanning eleven years, gif to swf, hand coded HTML to WSYSG Dreamweaver, 9600 baud dail-up to DSL, Clinton to Bush, and almost everything in between.

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001 - the swf year

In retrospect, I wasn't thrilled with this one hence the design below which followed in the same year.

2001 - the swf year continued

2004

2007 to present

Free Music #2

2008-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post I've been slowly digitizing a collection of 78's that I inherited from an aunt that passed away a few years ago. As it turns out a good number of these records are those of her brother and his band. Because I don't have the proper equipment, there are some that I can not listen to. But this one, though not one of his recordings, is really interesting. As the name implies, it's meant as a backing for one to solo over. Even without the accompanying solos both tracks are pretty fun. Have a listen and if you feel the urge, jam along.

Side A
Side B

Cassini & Klimt

2008-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Image: NASA/JPL/USGS

I suppose I could include this post in my Jobs Better Than Yours series. But in thinking about it a little more I realized that it would actually mean more time in front of a computer, not less. Regardless, compiling, stitching and coloring these images that have been transmitted from far across our solar system does seem to hold certain rewards. The sense of awe from seeing things that have never been seen, at least by humans, is good enough for me.

This is a mosaic of radar images shot by the Cassini space craft of the northern polar region of Titan. The darker areas are lakes or seas thought to be filled with liquid ethane, methane, and dissolved nitrogen. To give an idea of scale, the larger lake area just above and right of center is estimated at approx. 40,000 square miles. For comparison, Lake Superior, one of the largest lakes on Earth is about 32,000 square miles in size.

> Link

Swim

2008-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

An ongoing photo essay by one of my oldest friends Ellen Showalter.

> Link

Jobs better than yours #2

2008-02-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

Bicycle rider

Inspired by a tweed wearing Englishman that walked the Andes in 1917, Vagamundo (not pictured) is currently riding from the Caribbean coast of Columbia to Tierra del Fuego, all the while following the spine of the Andes. His travels will take him through six countries and he is currently anticipating running out of land in Early '09. He promises to document the journey on his blog and so far he's made good on it.

Not really a job, I know, but definitely more fun than what you're doing now.

> Link

Mark Khaisman

2008-01-29T14:42:00.000-08:00

Who Told You That He Is
2005, Packing Tape on Plexiglass in Lightbox

Incredible, have a look.

> Link