OKPANTS Design Blog

The almighty Hodge Podge truck running the streets of Clevo....

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:33:59 -0400

The almighty Hodge Podge truck running the streets of Clevo. Very proud of the branding I put together for this beast a few years ago. (at Walnut Wednesdays)

But wait, there’s more! Buy an @ilthy x okpants...

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:34:15 -0400

But wait, there’s more! Buy an @ilthy x okpants “Luchador Smalls” tee and revive a limited edition 8x10 print. On sale at midnight tonight. #wheelin #dealin #biggie #badboy #thisiscleveland

Incredible Images Of Teenage Freight Train Hitchhikers

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:17:03 -0400

Incredible Images Of Teenage Freight Train Hitchhikers:

This unorthodox (& partly illegal) journey began 9 years ago, back in 2004. It was during that year that photographer Mike Brodie would throw caution to the wind and hitchhike numerous US freig…

Wild.

Tri-clops lid hold drink for you now too hot burn your mouth...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:23:31 -0400

Tri-clops lid hold drink for you now too hot burn your mouth hole. #coffee (at Okpants Design Workshop)

Nakatomi Plaza, Cleveland Flats. 2013. It rises again.

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:56:13 -0400

Nakatomi Plaza, Cleveland Flats. 2013. It rises again.

In the burning heart / just about to burst… #champion (at...

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:51:20 -0400

In the burning heart / just about to burst… #champion (at Ultimate Sacrifice)

Spotted in the wild: a banner I put together for Cleveland Lofts...

Fri, 10 May 2013 20:18:15 -0400

Spotted in the wild: a banner I put together for Cleveland Lofts a few years ago. (at Light Bistro)

fuckyeahlost: Aaron Sechrist - “Hugo” ($30, 4 color...

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:47:45 -0400

fuckyeahlost:

Aaron Sechrist - “Hugo” ($30, 4 color screenprint, 18x24”, numbered edition of 50, available here)

Photo

Mon, 06 May 2013 19:26:30 -0400

Not a real baby. Pretty sure that’s not a real baby. (at...

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:36:33 -0400

Not a real baby. Pretty sure that’s not a real baby. (at Loop Coffee)

Coming soon, the first ILTHY x okpants collab! Our tribute to...

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:35:00 -0400

Coming soon, the first ILTHY x okpants collab! Our tribute to Biggie. Super excited to finally get together with Glen and the gang and make some cool stuff!

“Hugo”, my print for Gallery1988’s “The...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:12:00 -0400

“Hugo”, my print for Gallery1988’s “The Official
Bad Robot Art Experience” is now available online in limited edition.

While there’s too much awesome television in the modern age to keep up with, “LOST” captured my heart & imagination like no other show has since Masters of the Universe. In a DVR era it established itself as appointment television nonetheless.

Hurley is my constant. Thanks as always to Jensen and the gang for having me take part and pay tribute to a living legend.

jensenkarp: Tomorrow night, Friday April 26th, we’re opening a...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:51:47 -0400

jensenkarp:

Tomorrow night, Friday April 26th, we’re opening a new exhibit called “The Bad Robot Art Experience” at the art gallery I own, G1988. It’s in conjunction with JJ Abrams & Bryan Burk, the two dudes who run that insanely powerful production company that’s about to make fucking Star Wars. For those who don’t know, they’ve made TV shows like LOST, Fringe & Alias and movies like Star Trek, Cloverfield & Super 8. JJ also wrote Joyride, which is the thing I love him for the most. Our history with Bad Robot is very important to me, and honestly the reason why I’ve been able to call myself successful.

10 years ago when we opened the gallery and knew NOTHING of what we were doing with the world’s first pop culture art gallery, a man named Luis from Disney walked in and asked me about a mural down the street that Disney had commissioned for Tinkerbell. I told him I thought it was awful and every reason why, since he didn’t identify himself as a Disney big wig until about 30 minutes later when he handed me his business card and asked if we ever thought about “consulting.” I had NO idea what consulting meant, but I knew his mural was shit and that seemed like enough to say yes. Over the next two years we worked with Disney, helping with ideas and creating art shows to both strengthen the Disney name in the art world and promote certain projects they were focusing on. They never made us do anything and it was an all-around great experience that basically changed our lives.

Our time with Disney led us to working with Mattel, who we ended up working on Hot Wheels & Masters of the Universe with. During our Hot Wheels exhibit, a producer for the TV show LOST, Noreen, saw what we were doing and assumed we could do something similar for the show, which was entering its final season. We made up a pitch and drove to the ABC offices a few days later with a concept that was so weird and insane, that it barely made sense to me. There would be a scavenger hunt, and free limited edition items at every stop and a screenprint that fans could buy each time as well. Oh, and ABC couldn’t really promote it. And it involved comedian Paul Scheer and velvet paintings. And they had to just let us be - we only wanted notes from Damon & Carlton. Normally we’d be thrown out of the office, but we had a real partner with Bad Robot, a group of producers willing to take a risk on unique marketing strategies and heartfelt/artistic ways to reach out to fans. Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse basically told the network they HAD to hire us and JJ Abrams & Bryan Burk basically asked us to “do our thing.” When the campaign ended up insanely successful, JJ was the first person who asked to meet with me and congratulate us. And that started it all. Agencies in Hollywood wanted to represent our gallery as an entity, I ended up landing marketing gigs at ABC, Sony, Comedy Central, Paramount, etc and even got to work with Bad Robot again with Fringe and Person of Interest. But none of this would’ve been possible without Bad Robot and the team at LOST taking a chance on a wild idea and a group of passionate artists.

And now we have The Bad Robot Art Experience. JJ And Bryan have been involved since the moment we had the idea. They’ve been so supportive, as they always have been, and being able to include a charity they love and work closely with, The Mission Continues, was just icing on the cake. They’ve seen the work now, by email, and they were BLOWN AWAY. I don’t even think they knew where to start. And once they return from their Star Trek publicity tour and are able to come to the gallery, seeing all the pieces in person will probably start the amazement all over.

We open tomorrow night, 7-10 PM at 7308 Melrose Ave. It’s a VERY, VERY good art show. I would love for you to see it. If you can’t make the opening reception, the show is open everyday, Wednesday - Sunday from 11-6 PM through May 18th.

We are so thankful for our friends at Bad Robot, especially JJ Abrams & Bryan Burk, who took a chance on us back in the day - and now we get to repay them by tributing the empire they built. See you tomorrow night.

Proud to be a part of this show and this gallery. If you’re in LA please stop by and check it out.

My screen print preview for Gallery1988’s Bad Robot Tribute Art...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:30:00 -0400

My screen print preview for Gallery1988’s Bad Robot Tribute Art Show. Opens this Friday. Gallery1988. Supports The Mission Continues.

Detail from my print for this Friday’s @galleries1988 Bad Robot...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:37:00 -0400

Detail from my print for this Friday’s @galleries1988 Bad Robot tribute show. The show also supports The Mission Continues. I’ll drop a more expansive post with full shot after the show opens. #gallery1988 #dude #BADWHOABOT #screenprint #illustration

Painting some boxing gloves for an art show. Definitely a...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:53:03 -0400

Painting some boxing gloves for an art show. Definitely a welcome departure from digital, if not a complete departure. Incorporating some wheat pasting and layering. More importantly this dude’s got fangs and meanie eyes. #WIP #wheatpaste #newyorkbrawlers #fightthecity (at Okpants Design Workshop)

#fivenineprom @samoanrob (at Brennan’s Catering &...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:47:31 -0400

#fivenineprom @samoanrob (at Brennan’s Catering & Banquet Center)

5/9 Prom RULED. Forever Prommer than all. @bottomlord @rj59 (at...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:28:21 -0400

5/9 Prom RULED. Forever Prommer than all. @bottomlord @rj59 (at Brennan’s Catering & Banquet Center)

serialthrill: Lawsköf by okpants

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:22:27 -0400

serialthrill:

Lawsköf by okpants

34 pt. triple-thick painted edge Patrick Bateman nice to...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:56:32 -0400

34 pt. triple-thick painted edge Patrick Bateman nice to meet you let’s do lunch type shit. Printed in Cleveland at Jakprints for a certified American Dream. (at Jakprints)