Going the Distance!

So a few months ago, I got a call from Soupy who plays in the Philadelphia based pop punk band calledThe Wonder Years! and he asked me to do a 7 in cover for their new split album with a UK based pop punk band called All Or Nothing. I was really stoked to take on the job, and put a lot of love into the art work.

I sent them Sketches and they chose the one that fit the idea of traveling. So I drew a air port scene, but I didn't want to clutter it so I based the image around 3 different types of interaction. People leaving one another, people coming together and just leaving.



Full Spread of the 7 in sleeve

Because this record dealt with a band in the US and the UK, they wanted me to illustrate and design the labels on the records that represent something from Philly and something from Birmingham. So the liberty bell was an easy solution, but I was in the dark when it came to Birmingham. The band then said something about a bull that is famous that is in their town. They wanted the image to be graphic and have the flags in the labels. So I did just that.....



When designing the layout for the insert I was given full artistic freedom to do what I wanted. What I choose to do was make the layout of the lyric insert have a gritty taped photo copied letter feel to it. I wanted to set the type for clarity sake, but I needed a solution to how I could made the images feel alittle aged. The way I did it was with a printing process called Acetone transfer, which involves taking a acetone solvent from a blender pen to the back of a reversed photocopy and then using a bone folder to rub the type out and TADA! screwed up printed type that looks weathered and photocopied.

To see these images click here for the wonder years linear notes and click here for All or Nothing's linear notes.

My Job doesn't stop just yet. After finishing up the record cover, I get an email from Chris at No Sleep Records saying that he also wants me to draw up a shirt design that would be printed one color to go along with the pre-orders. I say alright, lets do this! Again I got complete artistic freedom, so what I did was draw a bird carrying the same suitcase on the front cover popping open. The funny thing is, its a guy on the cover and there is a bra coming out. I know I broke a rule in art by weighing the bird down from not flying by putting it in the corner but sometimes you have to break some rules to gain a better image to what you want to focus.



enlarged image

Once I finished this image I emailed Chris and was like dude this would make a awesome poster! So I finished up the poster and sent it to him in both a print and online version.



Above is the online version, here is the print version.

Last but not least, Chris created a animating banner to promote the album, but I created my own and he liked it a lot better so he is using it now.

For Some reason, this isn't fitting right

This project was really really really long, but it taught me a lot when it comes to working with a record label, an art director and a band all at once. It also taught me to work hard when I am under the gun of school and projects like these that come about.

I made this post with all the parts of the project to show and share the experience of the process and how one thing led to another.

Enjoy!

Winter Break - 4 week push

My best friend Dani, is letting me stay at her place over the winter break in philly to work. She's the best and so is her cat!

School is out for winter, and there is a lot on my plate. The usual work coming in for designs, the rest of my portfolio pieces for my graduate school application, Senior thesis work, and a series of visual essay zines I am making about philadelphia.

I am in the mode of working on stuff but I will post it next week, but till then here is some sketch book stuff...

Have a good holiday everyone!

Winter Tour Hoodie

Enlarged Image: HERE!

F.U.E.L. Gallery

I had a fun time at the F.U.E.L. gallery, seeing all of the art, seeing a few people I havent seen in a while, and meeting a few new people.

I posted on the Autumn Society blog more photographs of the show.

Thanks for everyone that came out!

Preview the works in the show: HERE

SVA Grad Show + Sketching + Kate Egan

NJ Transit to NYC 11/25/2008

Enlarged Image: HERE!

I went to New York City on Tuesday and saw the Graduate studies show for the Illustration as a visual essay program at SVA. I was really impressed with the work that I saw, but not only that, it got me to challenge myself to ask the question yet again. "WHAT IS ILLUSTRATION?"

The work looked more like fine art and not so much like illustration. I am so used to seeing work that is put into context with symbols, metaphors, ect that looking at the show I felt alittle uneasy. I was both curious and shocked by the work. That night I had the pleasure of sitting down and having dinner with Matt Cavanaugh to talk about the business of illustration as well as other topics. After we finished our burgers and copious amounts of tatter tots at the Trailer Park Bar/dinner, it was time for me to head back to Philadelphia to get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday and what was left to do work wise.

Kate Egan "The Vegan Eater" - Soph. Illustration Major at U Arts

For her random thoughts and drawings/paintings

Enlarged Image: Here

We will see how the week turns out, so I might do two portraits this weekend. I don't know yet, I have a few things I have to take care of before then.

Plus I have a job I did that I want to post but due to copyright I can't so in the next week or two I will be able too!

HAPPY MONDAY!

Rachel Has "HEART"

9x12 Shaped Wooden Panel - 5 color Acrylic Silk Screen, and Hand painted Acrylic

Image Enlarged: HERE

Printed two months early for the Autumn Society "Heart" Show in February.

The colors are a little off in the scan and Metallic inks don't scan well but I think we can all manage.

Buy it before(will be held on loan till after the show), or During the show for $150.

FISHELD@aol.com

ELY Senior Thesis in progress part 2 of 8

ELY # 1 Close up Detail shot of part of the whole

ELY # 2 In Progress

On another note... My good friend Jon Bartlet is exhibiting his work with his other MFA illustration peers, at SVA's gallery in NYC. I am going to try and make it up there and see the show for an hour or two. The exhibit opens today but the reception is this tuesday.

More info on the whole thing....The Call of Cthulhu

Andrew and Rachel

Bigger image: Andrew Stiles

Bigger Image: Rachel Kantor

Doing a series of portraits of my friends to work on likiness'.

FUEL GALLERY: Small Works Show

I will be showing and selling 2 silkscreen paintings on wood at the F.U.E.L. Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), where a part of the proceeds of the works will be going to a foundation called Fuel the Cure.

The show is from December 1st through the end of December/Beginning of January.
The opening is on December 5th (First Friday!)

See you there!

http://www. fuelcollection. com/

The love of Drawing!

I love to draw the figure. I tend to draw alot of women, so I wanted to post some drawings I have done of some dudes from life in my figure drawing class.

Plus since I stylize alot of my figures with huge heads, little bodies and such, it gives a better insight that I am making choices when I am drawing abstractly and not using it as a crutch.

Enjoy!

Illustration Friday: Vacant

What can I say.... it went over her head.


ps. I am going to try and draw all my illo friends, teachers, and close aq. Expect me armed to shot a photo of you.

Pss. This is Rachel Lessar in the print. She is a awesome soph. at U of A.

psss. Blogger has been getting me alittle flustered with there weird sizing that used to go so well up until 2 or 3 weeks ago.

Happy Halloween

Ely #1 in progress (Ely = Senior Thesis)

TEETH + Amtrak + Brooklyn

I got teeth pulled today, which isn't always the most exciting thing to do. What is exciting is drawing on the train.










I took a day trip to New York recently, to see the Society of Illustrators Political Show, and I got the pleasure of meeting some well known illustrators in Brooklyn. The only amount of time that I spent up there to draw was when I was at a Cafe in Williamsburg Brooklyn. I saw this dude with this awesome long neck and was like I have to draw him.



Thats It for now!

Winter

You could have all the love in the world in your arms, but it won't beat that depressed feeling winter gives you.

Charity T-shirt Press Release

Like I said before, I am really glad to do some kind of good with my art and vision for some kind of cause. In high school your always told "well what are you going to do with your life?" and when you say your going to be a artist they think you are going to make pictures for galleries or making commercial art while other people have real jobs that effect things around them and around the world.

Well with this project, I kinda do effect the world. Atleast alittle bit. I want to thank the Wonder Years for contacting me to design this for them, and the Heart of Gold printers, for putting their efforts for such a awsome cause that we can all believe in and look into.

I hope to do more charity work in the future for causes that I can believe in.

Thank you,

-FISH

----------------------------------------------------------------



Do something worthwhile!

I've been sitting here for a while trying to think of exactly what I wanted this to say without offending anyone or any organizations. I think I'll just put it this way: it's amazing that kids into punk rock and hardcore are into being charitable, but, in my opinion, the money isn't going to where it's most needed. Realistically, most of us here in the good old first world have it pretty sweet, comparatively speaking. There are families all over this world who can't manage to eat much less sit and mull over the inanities that make people in this country depressed. I am guilty of getting down on myself and my life from time to time. We all are, but there are people that have it much harder and in my opinion, those people are who need your help. I think it's about time I put my money where my mouth is on this issue and so I've organized this whole thing to help. We have this VERY limited T-shirt design for sale. We're only going to sell 50 of these bad boys and ALL of the profits will go to buying a cow for a family in a third world nation through The Heifer Foundation. The cow will not only provide enough milk for a family and neighbors, but will give birth once a year to a calf that will be given to another family in order to continue the cycle. This is possible through the charity of Daniel Fishel for donating his artwork and Heart of Gold Clothing for donating their time and talent to print and ship all of these shirts. They are truly some of the best people I know and I thank them for their help in this endeavor. Below you will see EXACTLY where your money goes when you buy one of these shirts. There is literally nothing skimmed off the top. Costs are covered and the rest goes directly to purchasing the cow. Also below, I have included some quotes from the Heifer Foundation's website so you know exactly what it is you're helping. This is a good cause and a dope shirt to boot. On top of all this, all shirts will be transported to shipping via bicycle so we're even being eco-friendly.
Get into it!

Total cost to you (including shipping)*- $17.
00
Cost of each shirt- $2.
00
Cost of oversized screens (total)- $50.00 ($1.
00 per shirt)
Cost of shipping per shirt*- $4.
00
Money donated per shirt- $10.
00

"A good dairy cow can produce four gallons of milk a day - enough for a family to drink and share with neighbors. Milk protein transforms sick, malnourished children into healthy boys and girls. The sale of surplus milk earns money for school fees, medicine, clothing and home improvements.


And because a healthy cow can produce a calf every year, every gift will be passed on and eventually help an entire community move from poverty to self reliance.
Now that's a gift worth giving!" –Heifer Foundation

* Overseas shipping adds $2.



If the link doesnt work: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=20466985

Seasons: The Cold Melancholy Winter

For some reason, so many people are just kinda sad in the winter time. They could have everything, even love, but they are just so sad.

I think its because everything is so cold and dead outside.

In this sketch I wanted to grasp the main composition/emotion, so I drew this without reference in my new earth tone sketchbook that I fucking love so much! Its so awesome!

This is done for the Autumn Society Blog that has stuff posted by me and my fellow U Arts Grads and Current students.

Cheers!

Helping out JB

My friend Jon Bartlet, who graduated 2 years ago asked me to print a mailer out for him.

So he sent me his design and I screen printed it.

:)

Check him out: http://www.seejbdraw.com/

Wilting away

Amy Winehouse; wilting away and lifeless as doctors tell her that if she continues to smoke crack, not only will her mild emphysema (she got from smoking crack) get worse, but she could end up dying. This was in the news this summer about the British super star.

I did this as one of my summer spots for Joe at U of A, and I am posting this because it's one of my fav.

Enjoy.

Promotional + U ARTS Senior Year

My new business cards came in the mail today. The color is slightly off, but still I am quite satisfied with Over Night Prints quality.

I made these specifically to hand out to bands, show promoters, and possibly a few folk who do gallery curating that are pretty diy, though they arent in my view yet.



The Autumn Society just had a call for entries for their hand made zine to promote all the dudes and dudets, that are part of the blog. This is my entry. I used the same image as the business card to unify my short runned, short lived promotion, and to also unify it with the hand made organic quality that looks like all of my art.


On another note, this weekend I am moving back to the great city of brotherly love, to then finish out my senior year at the University of the Arts.

I am still working on a few things and I am making future plans I am not yet revealing but when I do it will be good and done in good time.

I'll post ya up about it next week!

Cheers

Quick updates

I am going Crazy! I have 10 spots to do which some are part-done, and a cd cover that is 90% done, and I did a bunch of other stuff instead.


Whateve.....




(What's being said about this piece is the same as what I posted on the Autumn Society blog)

So growing up, I always heard "Eat all your food, there are kids in the third world that are starving and don't have the chance to have what we have"

Now at 21 years old, I recently had the chance to do something about that. I got a call from Soupy from the philadelphia based pop punk band The Wonder Years, to "donate" a shirt design that would be printed and all the money from that design would go to the Heifer Foundation. The band said they wanted to do it for these guys because there are organizations like To Write Love on her arms, which has bands backing it up, but don't say where the money is going except that they sell t-shirts. Where is the money going?

So they wanted to do something that is fun like their other shirts but sorta spoke the same about what this foundation is all about. H.F. is a organization that sends a cow a chicken to a family in a third world country to have milk and eggs every morning. So once they make enough money they find a family and give them the animals. I thought it was a great idea, so I shot off ideas, did a final and gave 3 color variations, and this is the final.

It will be in print after they get off tour around September/October. All money from the shirts will go straight to the foundation, and the shirts are, "from what I am told", being printed on Organic T-shirts and Organic hand made inks.

Band: http://www.myspace.com/thewonderyearspa

Foundation: http://www.heifer.org/




I love straight-edge hardcore music. So why not do a show flyer for a sxe hardcore bands show.

This will be printed in black, silver and gold ink. YUM!

Hang Over...... issue two

This is a cover for issue two of a zine called HANG OVER, which is a based out of Hanover, PA. (What an awesome pun!)

The last issue they asked me for a article on Buddhism and Punk and how they connected in the last 15 years, so I wrote something on that, and I got offered to do the second cover which was cool.

I also did a article about traveling to New York City, and cheap places to stay opposed to finding a squat to stay at.

Heres the distro if you want to pick up a copy via mail order

http://punkhaus.wordpress.com/

http://www.myspace.com/punkhausdistro

Stuck in Last Year

You listen to bright eyes long enough, you will get this imagery.

More Figure Drawing

Best of three Poses with a detail.

Enjoy....

The only flier this summer...

So I've been really pushing to just draw this summer, but I got a email from Mike asking if I wanted to do any show fliers, and I said "Let me look" and I saw this show and thought why not.

I've been playing around with simplification, economy of how a image is created as well as not worrying about how straight lines are and getting to the root of how a image looks like in its purest energy of when its drawn, and painted.

I am not sure if this is the best direction, in this image the illustration works, but the design is just ok.

Later I will post a small animation of how the process.

Cheers!

Figure Drawing and Sketch book stuff

* White Conte, Blue/Black Ball point pen, Fibercastell Brush Pen, and Pencil on News print paper. 3 hour pose to be held for 3 weeks for 4 hour sessions.


I am taking a figure drawing class at the Art Center School and Gallery in Mechanicsburg, PA. I figured that if I wanted to work on my life drawing, that other than drawing in my sketch book I need to put some currency in with the milage to get something done.


* Detail

Also here is some of the better drawings I have playing with style, life drawing, type and abstraction in my new moleskin sketch book.

Summer Time

Summer time is here again!

This summer I am taking off from my usual working for bands and flyering to really focus on my drawing. So I am going to do 75% drawing from life, and 25% painting (traditional and digital).

A lot of my drawings will be posted here throughout the summer but pieces that I take to a finish digital painting will be posted on www.personalviewpoint.com which is being updated and provided by my generous teacher Zina Saunders.

Have a great summer friends, look out for updates!

-Daniel Fishel