Sign painting for local speakeasy Tooker Alley (Brooklyn, NY)

Outside seating for NYC restaurants became permanent in September 2020, offering a mix of sidewalk seating and seats along streets closed off to vehicular traffic. Tooker Alley, located at 793 Washington Ave in Brooklyn, NY, recently extended its seating into its neighbors sidewalk area. So I was hired to expand the sign painting I did over the summer.

The idea and design was based off of Tooker Alley’s store signage… which I painted back in 2014. But admittedly the barrier does have a Beetlejuice sort of vibe to it. What can I say? For a stylish bar, black and white seems to be the way to go in my opinion. (coincidently, it strangely mirrors the sidewalk crossing and street signage) Across the street from the Brooklyn Museum, stop by and check it out… support small business!!

“The spot achieves a rare quality in an era of paint-by-numbers cocktail lounges: The intensely personal Tooker Alley generates a genuine human pulse.” Timeout NY

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

IMG_6774.jpg

New hand painted sign at the studio

New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood. Inspired by the pre-code horror comic book “The Hand of Fate.” Not sure why this particular comic title got my attention but it did. Maybe it was the bright colors? Regardless, the text seems somehow appropriate for this particular time in my/our life.

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

IMG_6747.jpg
external-content.duckduckgo.jpg

New hand painted sign at the studio

New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood. “(Half) Truth” is inspired by our recent outgoing president. Soon to be posted on my Saatchi Art gallery site. Stay tuned!!

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

Truth final.jpg

New hand painted sign at the studio

Sign painting on a scrap piece of wood. 8 x 12” Inspired by the ‘Strange Tales’ comic book title page by Marvel Comics.

“Strange Tales is a Marvel Comics anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their debut in Strange Tales. It was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the groundbreaking work of writer-artist Jim Steranko.”

I will be posting this sign on my Saatchi account in the coming days so please stay tuned!

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

Strange 1.jpg
external-content.duckduckgo.jpg

Flash back Fridays - Sign painting for Stussy store in Manhattan

When I moved to Brooklyn (2006) one of my first jobs was at Lite Brite Neon. I might have worked there for a month or two… mainly assisting with holiday installs, but they hired me specifically because they needed a sign painter for a job at the Stussy store in SOHO, Manhattan. I believe it was a pop up shop, and for one area I had to paint a list of famous street artists names on a wall. The only one I had ever heard of at that time was Mark Gonzalez, to whom I was a big fan of growing up. I remember wanting his skateboard sooooo much. (Vision skateboards were really popular back then)

But anyway… I’m happy to say that I recognize more of the names now. Including
Wes Humpston
Neckface
123 Klan
Kaws
Gary Panter

The work was up for about a month or two, really quick turn around. And what happened to the signage?
No idea, lost in time..

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

Stussy 1.png

New hand painted sign at the studio

New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood. Inspired by “Space Adventures” comic book logo.

Space Adventures (sometimes cover-titled Science Fiction Space AdventuresSpace Adventures Presents Rocky Jones and other variations for particular issues) was an American science-fiction anthology comic book series published sporadically by Charlton Comics from 1952 to 1979.“

This work is actually a remake of a sign I posted on March 15th (the original was purchased on my Saatchi Art homepage) So I decided to make a new one.

Space-II done.jpg
Space Adventures comic.JPG

Decorate your home with a hand painted sign! (bathroom edition)

I needed to redecorate my bathroom. My wife suggested installing some of my recent signs on the wall and you know what? It works! Mix and match to suit your aesthetics.

Interior decorators… have your people call my people!

bathroom.jpg

New sign painting at the studio

Hand painted sign on a scrap piece of wood. 12 x 16”
Inspired by “The Strange World of Your Dreams” by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

Use-your dreams.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-10-15 at 10.38.13 PM.png

New sign painting for Brooklyn, NY speakeasy Tooker Alley.

New #signpainting up at Tooker Alley "Craft cocktails & elevated bar bites are the focus at this hip, intimate hangout; elevate your mind to a lower level of thinking.”

NYC offered a plan for restaurants and bars to reopen this summer by allowing them to create outdoor seating areas on their sidewalk and street. Tooker Alley asked me to design and paint their barrier space to match their look and design. A unique way to increase visibility and connect with the community.

Situated next to the Brooklyn Museum - stop by and help support small business!

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

IMG_6233.jpg
IMG_6253.JPG
IMG_6263.jpg

Quarantined NYC - New sign painting at the studio

New hand painted sign on a scrap piece of wood. Inspired by Robert Crumb’s - Weirdo Comics title page.

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

Weirdo.jpg
08c092912d1fa847327516c1d333260e.jpg

New(ish) artwork in the studio

I updated a piece that I made in 2014 (painted some new zeros and ones and added to the original). I always dreamt of making this work large, where it goes all over the wall. One day maybe… The colors and font give it a circus type feel, which I am a fan of, but also the work reminds me of bingo. The winning combo will win you a prize!

Read More

Quarantined NYC - New sign painting in the studio

Hand painted sign on a scrap piece of balsa wood. Inspired by the movie poster for Plan 9 from Outer Space.. one of the greatest bad movies of all time!

Trying some new things on this sign so it is bit of an oddball, which is appropriate I guess for this type of film.

plan 9.jpg
planjul11-3.jpg

Quarantined NYC - New sign painting at the studio

Hand painted sign on a scrap piece of balsa wood. Inspired by the House of Wax movie poster…
3 DIMENSION!!

I am a big fan of B-movies of old. Something about their honesty, like.. the enthusiasm was there despite all the setbacks. But I don’t share the same sentiments with modern day B-movies… it’s hard to explain.

But anyway.. the fact is that House of Wax IS a good movie, it just didn’t have the budget to support its vision.

For more information about sign painting in the NYC/Brooklyn area check out my site: http://www.thewonderfulworldof.com/signpainting

3dimension.jpg
external-content.duckduckgo.jpg

Snow man sketchbook has finally been digitized!

I’m happy to announce that I finally sat down and digitized my entire snowman sketchbook. For awhile I only had about 70% of it scanned. It was something I needed to do… obviously, but I always managed to kick the can down the road. There was no immediate deadline or demand so….

Read More

Illusory Street Typography in Bold Murals by Ben Johnston

An interesting way to make ordinary text into something extraordinary. https://bit.ly/2LUE1sN

“Toronto-based designer Ben Johnston plays with color, shadow, and perspective to create typography that appears three-dimensional in his site-specific murals. “

Via https://www.thisiscolossal.com/

'In New York, A Hand-Painted Sign Renaissance Is Underway'

Interesting article about sign painting in Brooklyn, NY. The two restaurants talked about in the article are only a couple of blocks from my home.

”When people reopen, people are going to want things that feel like home. And another Helvetica vinyl sign does not feel like home. Industrial design doesn’t feel like home. So I hope that there’s more and more hand-painted signs … I think that there are a billion different ways that sign painting infiltrates our culture, and people haven’t been paying attention that much. But sign painters are still working. It’s an imperative part of how we communicate, and I think that it’s only increasing in value.”

https://www.insidehook.com/article/new-york/ihand-painted-sign-renaissance?eid=2eb4d90d478490fbc79f02bbdf60d6ff&utm_source=InsideHook&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new-york

Quarantined NYC: New paintings at the studio

alive.jpg
swirl.jpg

I ran out of scrap wood so now I am painting on scrap pieces of foam core. 4 x 3” each. Enamel paint. I am keeping this work loose, spontaneous; not sure what I will do with it.
I was interested in classic circus sideshow imagery, the colors and shapes. These pieces all might ultimately be parts of a whole, like Vultron. But I’m not sure yet. Did I mention I like swirls?

Quarantined NYC: Sign painting at the studio

New hand painted sign on a scrap piece of balsa wood.
Inspired by DC‘s “World’s Finest” comic book logo.

worlds finest.jpg
Screen Shot 2020-05-10 at 1.21.11 AM.png

Quarantined NYC: Sign painting at the studio

New signage painted on a scrap piece of plywood.
Inspired by text found on a classic Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus poster… featuring a tiger!!