#metacrypt

[brianewing]

@vanswarpedtour 2007 13TH ANNIVERSARY . With @chiodos @thealmostofficial @paramore, @killswitchengage @redjumpsuit Official poster designed for the 13th Anniversary of the #WarpedTour . Did anyone go to this?! . In late 2006, I was hired by an agency to design 6 posters for this tour but the agency kept getting in their own way (and mine) and blew all the deadlines. Ugh… Buy me a beer and I'll tell you the whole story. I learned so many valuable lessons from this project. Everyone at the Warped Tour was great!!! It was the agency that dropped the ball, big time. . At least the main poster got used! . I was looking at the sketches for the 6 posters. Some of them weren’t bad and some made me cringe haha. I made sure that EVERY year I would bust my ass to improve as an artist. I look back at the previous #vanswarpedtour artwork and I can see I sucked less. . Swipe to see what could have been for @PARAMORE & @thealmostofficial . The #PARAMORE poster was based on the music video for their song #miserybusiness I think it was about being bullied in high school. I hope it was or I sound really stupid right now! Cut me some slack, it was 13 years ago! Buy me another beer and I’ll tell you the story about how I ended up at a dinner with the band in San Francisco. . #THEALMOST poster was a lot of fun to do. Again the theme was #tattoos and I was looking at a lot of #traditionaltattoo designs for inspiration. I was supposed to illustrate their song #saythissooner I think it was about time travel. It was 13 years ago!!! Rachel -the wife of my friend (and #metacrypt biz partner) Justin - posed for this one. I was living in San Francisco at the time and took the train to Sacramento where they lived and she was cool enough to let me take some photo reference for the project. . Also attached is a 2007 write up from @altpress Thanks again @mike_shea96 for the shout out! . Sadly, these and the other 4 never got printed. . . . . . #chiodos #thealmost #paramore #killswitchengage #redjumpsuitapparatus . #illustration #detail #brianewing #darkart #inking #design #rockposter #gigposter #brianewingfiendclub #skulls @capsulesbook #gigposter #darkartists #lineart #KevinLyman #WarpedTour (at Warped Tour) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCCDCrCpiza/?igshid=x03nyqoj7wh5

[hateball]

You know you want this sexy beast to come into your home and terrify your cats. Act now and you get the added bonus of having him/it/them on your shirt with some freaky writing on the sleeve, too. Only at meta-crypt.com. 👁⚫️👁 #crypt #shubzeroth #metacrypt #sofubi (at Sacramento, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqX-RQQnHm5/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5s0i1vcb7zms

[houseofvans]

VAN HOUSE PARTIES | TAKING FIVE WITH BRIAN EWING 

We’re taking five with Vans House Parties artist Brian Ewing who will be creating a one-of-kind art installation while folks enjoy the music of Taking Back Sunday! We find out about how Brian chills when not making art, his latest book recommendation, and what folks should expect tonight. Take the leap below! 

Don’t forget to RSVP for all the upcoming Vans House Parties events!

Photographs courtesy of the artist. 

What’s your favorite thing about summer?  That's a tough one! As an artist I'm spending most of my timed bent over a drawing table and wishing I was outside. Luckily my table faces a window that overlooks a tiny dog park. So I get to watch dogs poop, people scoop that stuff into plastic bags and then disappear. It's inspiring.

Other than that I get to travel. My girlfriend (Andria) and I just got back from New York, where we visited friends and family. We were there to exhibit at a convention (Five Points Fest) but we try to massage these trips into mini vacations. In July we'll be doing the same thing for a project I did with Kirk Hammet (guitarist from Metallica) at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada! You betcha there hey! After that I'll be exhibiting in California at DesignerCon and in New York at NYCC. We'll turn those trips into more mini vacations with tiki bars, photo booths and hangouts with good friends.

How do you TAKE FIVE and chill out when you’re not arting? Panic! Fear! SELF-LOATHING! But seriously, while I'm freelancing for bands I also tattoo four days a week at Cauldron Tattoo here in Columbus, OH. 

Art is what defines me. So if I'm not "arting" I'm hustling to do more art. I get the most joy out of seeing an idea of mine go from a sketch to a finished piece. Whether it's a poster or a tattoo. 

I also have a small toy company with a friend - MetaCrypt. And I just collaborated with UVD Toys on the "Ghost Boner"! I drew it up as a piece of tattoo flash and it became really popular so I made a resin toy & enamel pin with UVD that we just released. I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to avoid getting a real job. To misquote "Lords Of Dogtown" - I plan to be on Summer Vacation for the rest of my life. So far it's worked. 

What’s something not many people know about you? I was born in San Diego, moved to Oahu, then grew up in Milwaukee, WI. From there I moved to Chicago to successfully drop out of art school after a year. Then I moved to Minneapolis, then Los Angeles, San Francisco, Manhattan and now Columbus, OH. I am probably not done moving. I've never had a drivers license and I hate condiments & cheese. Except for pizza cheese. 

I used to work in porn at Hustler magazine. Luckily they published Big Brother and I got to work on that too. One of my first freelance illustrations was published in Big Brother. I made sure that Hustler would be my last real job type job. It's been 16 years since I quit to go full-time as an artist. The first time I went to Disneyland - the Melvins took me! I'm left-handed. I'm a kutte-wearing member of the Turbojugend. I'm sure there's more boring stuff...

What’s the last book you read and would recommend to folks?  I read mostly books and articles on art and business. Wow...I'm really boring!!! Ugh...

I try to multitask while I'm working so I'll listen to a lot of audiobooks. Youtube has a ton of them for free. I'll mostly listen to classic horror by H.P. Lovecraft to keep me in the mood as I work on a project. Otherwise "Beastie Boys Book" by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz. Oh, and "Girl in a Band" by Kim Gordon! I highly recommend these books!

What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?  Don't go to art school - you'll never get accepted. Don't quit your job in porn - you'll never make it as an artist. Don't go into tattooing - you'll never succeed.

My mom was my biggest critic and eventually my biggest supporter. I grew up a million years ago in the 1980's & 90's. There weren't any examples of successful artists that we knew of. I auditioned and got accepted into the Milwaukee High School of the Arts. In my senior year, my art teacher pulled me aside and said "you'll never make it as an artist, so don't waste your time trying to apply to art school." My mom pretty much said the same thing. So I applied to art school! I went for a year and then dropped out because I was trying to pay for it all myself. Luckily I could with a small loan from my mom and grandma and all the side jobs I took on. The thought of owing that much money with no guarantee of a job terrified me. So I dropped out. Got several odd jobs ( I was a janitor and had to dispose of body parts) and then a job at a Kinko's where they had these things called "computers"! I used my job to teach myself graphic design and printing. That's when I began my poster career - I started designing posters for the local venue First Avenue in Minneapolis.

From there I moved to Los Angeles and found myself working at Hustler magazine on their 1-900 ads and scheduling the magazines. I was hired as an assistant art director and got fired the next day because one of Larry Flynt's relatives wanted a job so they got mine. 

A couple days later I got hired there again to work on the ads for various magazines. After a few years I wanted to quit. I was engaged at the time and my fiance told me to not quit because I'll "never make it as a professional artist." Ironically we split 3 months later. I quit Hustler on a Friday and started freelancing the next Wednesday. I've been working as a full-time artist ever since. 

A year later I got hired to design posters for the Van's Warped Tour (2004). (Where I did a poster for Taking Back Sunday.) I even got to go on tour with everyone. My job was to sign posters for 30 minutes a day and then watch bands. When the tour rolled into Milwaukee (where I grew up) I invited my mom to check it out.  

My mom got to see me do a signing and then we walked around. (I even got to introduce her to the guys in the Bouncing Souls!) I said "Look around. Do you see the posters everyone's holding? I designed those!!!" (Every day there were around 20,000 kids who attended the Warped Tour in whatever city it was in.) After that she understood I was doing ok as an artist and was glad I NEVER listened to the many times she told me to quit. From then on she was my biggest supporter. 

At her funeral many of her friends and coworkers told me how proud she was of me. That meant everything to me. Gah!! I'm starting to tear up.

The next chapter in my life has been tattooing. When I started out I had a girlfriend who was very toxic. She would constantly tell me that I was never going to make it as a tattoo artist and I should quit. Ironically we didn't last long. I'm starting to notice a pattern... I've been tattooing for 3 years now (under Mike Moses) and will be done with my apprenticeship in a month.

To make a long story longer - the WORST advice I got was the BEST advice. If you have people in your life that don't want to see you succeed and be happy - ignore them! Find people that support you!!! Take all that negative reinforcement and turn it into fuel to keep you motivated and going - even when those voices are the loudest and you want to quit.

FOLLOW BRIAN | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM 

[tenthousandyellowjackets]

Shub Zeroth "Motorcrypt" by Metacrypt

[spankystokes]

Brian Ewing and Justin "Hateball" Jewett's booth at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was a collection of coolness from each artist as well as their joint Metacrypt work. Our own Spanky Stokes was there to take photos for those of us that couldn’t see it in-person! But, if you’re at SDCC, swing by booth #4503 to see it in three-dimensional life. http://ift.tt/2tzQpYk

[theblotsays]

DCon 2018 Exclusive Motorcrypt Shub Zeroth Vinyl Figure by METACRYPT (Brian Ewing x Hateball)

The METACRYPT crew - Brian Ewing and Hateball – have reunited this weekend at Designer Con 2018 and it feels so good! Along with some killer releases, Ewing and Hateball have released this epic Designer Con 2018 Exclusive Motorcrypt Shub Zeroth. The Blot’s a huge fan of the Shub Zeroth and it’s exciting to see this crazy figure finally get a new colorway. The Designer Con 2018 Exclusive Motorcrypt Shub Zeroth stands 9” tall and is cast in black soft Japanese vinyl with silver, red and black sprays. Each figure also includes a matching Motorcrypt long sleeve black t-shirt (available in sizes S-XXL). Collectors can purchase this killer set at the METACRYPT DCon booth #2214 for $145. And if you’re not at Designer Con this weekend then you can purchase the Shub Zeroth figure and t-shirt set now at the METACRYPT online store. http://dlvr.it/QrXcmD

[brianewing]

Howard Phillips Lovecraft died 82 years ago today. March 15th, 1937. It’s impossible for me to deny his influence on my imagination, taste and style. Because of #JohnCarpenter #BerniWrightson #Metallica #MichaelWhelan and #MikeMignola I started to make an effort and read more #Lovecraft. Check out their work - and you’ll see what I mean. . As a human being - he sucked. Can’t deny that. . My favorite story has and will always be “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. The idea of a town of fish people and an inescapable destiny had me “hooked”! . Which story is your favorite? . Included are some of examples of the pieces I’ve done where I was blatantly influenced by #HPLovecraft. I even got to design a toy with Justin Jewett once we started @meta.crypt #ShubZeroth was/is our “love letter” to Lovecraft. . I’m currently working on a #gigposter for one of my favorite bands and they gave me the green light to have it center around Lovecraft! Doing my best to keep it R’lyeh! . “Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!” . Hope you dig! . #illustration #bigbusiness #Melvins #MurderCityDevils #innsmouth #shadowoverinnsmouth #cthulu #MetaCrypt #deadCTHULHUwaitsdreaming #design #detail #inking #lineart #goth #macabre #horror #cosmichorror #Ktulu (at Providence, Rhode Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvCfZigFuMn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pjolz4150pvh

[hateball]

MOTORCRYPT Shub Zeroth available at #booth2214 at #designercon preview night in limited quantities. Web release tomorrow (Saturday). Special preorder shirt included. ⚫️🤘♠️ #crypt #shubzeroth #metacrypt #baphomet #sofubi (at DesignerCon) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQtEfAHxKM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1q02ukcoll2po

[metacrypt]

DRÜDES

[brianewing]

FINAL #inks for the new #metacrypt long sleeve #shirt! . We are doing a pre-order for the shirts over at @meta.crypt meta-crypt.com ALL infos over there! Link in MC bio . We are only printing as many as ordered. It's a TIMED EDITION. . I kinda went nuts on the textures. I felt that feathering everything with a brush wasn’t going to help me express the different surfaces on the #wargoat. As I mentioned in the last post - I used a black colored pencil on cold press Bristol board for the chrome/metal and dry brush to achieve the dirty lived in look of the chains. Everything else was #inked with a #winsornewton series 7 size 0 #brush. I forgot to mention that I used a #pittpen size 5 and #frenchcurves #oohlala for all the non-organic surfaces. Buy a set - they’ll make your life easier (and sexier). I also used the pen to #stipple. Man…I haven’t stippled anything in years. Not since I was in high school and dreamt of being the next #Pushead! One of my art heroes. That was a blast to do on the tongue and nose. They seemed pretty spongey so that technique fit best. . The end goal was to make the image print like #tshirts used to look back in the 80’s. Technology sucked back then when color seps were done by hand and everything was photographed. Using the #drybrush and colored pencil techniques helped me achieve that. When scanned and converted to bitmap the subtle shading turns harsh - like it was copied on a xerox machine. Nobody is even reading this far are they…? . The toughest part was to not go apeshit on textures. Oh and the horns! I counted every line in the feathering and made sure I did the same amount on the other side. Crap that nobody cares about. Symmetry is not my friend and I obsess over making sure everything is mirrored. Why do you think I draw everything in 3/4 view?! So much easier!!! . Hit me up if you’re interested in the original. . So yeah - go to @meta.crypt META-CRYPT.com to pick up the shirt and a Shub. We aren’t doing any holiday sales so don’t get puritanical on this! . . . . . #Metacrypt #illustration #design #detail #inking #lineart #screenprinting #tshirtgraphics #skulls #killedbydeath #lemmy #molemolemole #ink #baphomet #beelzebub https://www.instagram.com/p/BqpnWvpFEFZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=oy05tp7vzusn

[brianewing]

I’m finally getting back to life after taking a much needed break from email, social media, my phone and work. If I haven’t emailed you - expect something soon. Same goes for text messages and hang outs. THANKS for understanding!!! . You can read the FULL post HERE brianewing.com/blog/2019/shankssh or LINK IN BIO! There are tons of photos and I talk shit on everyone...cuz I can. . Just wanted to take a minute and thank EVERYONE for their love and support throughout the past year. . If 2018 were my favorite record store then… to misquote #Atmosphere - “I've gotten love, I've gotten drunk, I've gotten beat up in that parking lot”. Meaning I learned a TON this past year. I’m thankful for my amazing partner Andria and my amazing friends. People who love me and let me love them back. . I’m just as thankful for all the “beatings” the year has handed out to me. . Stick around cuz 2019 will be rad! . PLEASE EMAIL ME (brian@brianewing.com) to set up TATTOO appointments or to inquire about an order. I don't check my DMs very often. . #Metacrypt #illustration #design #detail #inking #lineart #screenprinting #tshirtgraphics #skulls #inking #ink #baphomet #beelzebub #SocialDistortion #MikeNess #devil #satan #witchcraft #screenprint #screenprinting (at Columbus, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsMdvPEhFLr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o6nm0ka83pkj

[brianewing]

Work in progress on the new #shubzeroth shirt design for my other thang @meta.crypt!!! . We are doing a pre-order for the shirts over at @meta.crypt meta-crypt.com ALL infos over there! Link in MC bio . It had been a while since I sat down to draw my dude #Shub aka #ShubbaRanks @rocketsociety and I had been talking about our next release and we landed on #motorhead from there I thought it would be fun to redesign the #warpig and make it into a #wargoat! I had no idea how hard that was gonna be. After doing the research - drinking lots of coffee and blasting the “Motörhead” and #aceofspades albums - I was able to try and tackle the redesign. I enjoyed trying to figure out how to make the helmet work for a goat. The chains and the tusks were the also fun. I thought it would be a nice Easter egg to draw the two skulls as us. Lastly the textures were what made my jeans tight. I used a black colored pencil on cold press Bristol board for the chrome/metal and dry brush to achieve the dirty lived in look of the chains. Everything else was #inked with a #winsornewton series 7 size 0 #brush If th at stuff makes your jeans tight - look into #andrewloomis that’s where I learned all that stuff. . So yeah - go to META-CRYPT.com to pick up the shirt and a Shub. We aren’t doing any holiday sales so don’t slack on this! . . . . . #Metacrypt #illustration#design #detail #inking #lineart #screenprinting #tshirtgraphics #skulls #killedbydeath #lemmy #ink #baphomet #beelzebub #lovecraft #goatboobs #darkartists #darkart #shubba https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqk7sG7h05a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7q0ook23hmid

[brianewing]

MOTÖRCRYPT #ShubZeroth @designercon release is UP at META-CRYPT.com !!! @meta.crypt We held 1 or 2 back for the folks who couldn’t make it to @designercon . The #shubs SOLD OUT at my booth. So jump on these! . Included with the release is a long sleeve shirt with a new design! Swipe to see! We are only printing enough to fill pre orders! . This is our 18th release and marks six years of being #MetaCrypt!! Hope you’re as stoked as we are and follow us into our 7th year! . . . . . #dcon #sofubi #kaiju #japanesevinyl #lovecraft #motorhead #lemmy #eattherich #aceofspades #killedbydeath #goat #beelzebub #baphomet #vinyl #ocotopus #tentacles #squid (at DesignerCon) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqX8lBPhKIu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=6aoteu6ysxsy

[brianewing]

DEADLINE is TONIGHT! go to http://meta-crypt.com We are doing a TIMED EDITION pre-order for this long sleeve #shirt over at @meta.crypt ALL infos over there! Link in @meta.crypt bio . We are only printing as many as ordered! . BIG THANKS to EVERYONE that have jumped on this! I’m very happy that WE (Justin & I) are doing more @meta.crypt releases. This was an idea that we had been talking about for a year. I’m stoked to see this to fruition! Plus I never do shirt designs - so it’s nice to finally do one. . The end goal was to make the image print like tshirts used to look back in the 80’s. Technology sucked back then when color seps were done by hand and everything was photographed. Using the #drybrush and colored pencil techniques helped me achieve that. When scanned and converted to bitmap the subtle shading turns harsh - like it was copied on a xerox machine. . So yeah - go to @meta.crypt META-CRYPT.com to pick up the shirt and a our so fresh and so clean #sofubi #ShubZeroth. We aren’t doing any holiday sales so don’t get puritanical on this! . . . . . #Metacrypt #illustration #design #detail #inking #lineart #screenprinting #tshirtgraphics #skulls #killedbydeath #lemmy #molemolemole #ink #baphomet #beelzebub #lovecraft #goatboobs #darkartists #darkart #KidsInSatansService #lucifer #warpig #blackmagic #crowley #halloween #goth #ShubZeroth https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq-SsxqB-SU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=35ns3e3qwk99

[brianewing]

Wolfman Marilyn Killjoys #testprint 24x18 #screenprint edition of 1 http://bodega.brianewing.com/wolfman-test-print/ Found this while hammering away on a new #Wolfman #gigposter thing. This is another piece that I appreciate for its simplicity. It combines the #werewolfoflondon #artprint #MarilynMonroe and the #FabulousKilljoys artprint. Test prints are basically made from taking an existing #print and using it to test the #color and #registration of the next print. It’s always a surprise when my printer sends me one of these. There’s no rhyme or reason to them and they look awesome! Over time I see or at least I learn a bit more on how better I can combine colors or at least try to think differently in my approach to design and posters. ALL remaining ORDERS are shipping this weekend!!! ALL of #theKISS prints have shipped! If you’re one of the good friends of mine that got a #NickCave poster - do not post it online yet! The only way to get one at the show its if you bought into the VIP package. My copies will be available soon. #thoexthited I have a few more test prints that I posted up in my shop! The rest I’m saving for the #mysterytoob sale that’s not happening anytime soon. Too many deadlines to deal with first. Thanks to everyone who snagged the Elliott Smith posters. Oh… #theKISS art prints have sold out. Thanks everyone! I put aside a few copies to take to #SDCC I’ll be at booth 4604! Working on a bunch of stuff. Including some new #posters and #MetaCrypt releases with Justin. Can’t show ya just yet. Too many deadlines to deal with first. My #tattoo books will be closed this week so I can catch up on #freelance but will be back open next week. The SHOP is OPEN #andopenminded. So drop on by #CauldronTattoo @cauldron_tattoo and schedule something with me or hit me up via email Brian(at)brianewing.com Pulling some all nighters this week to catch up on work. #norestfortheretarded #escapefromtheplanetoftheapes Listening to lots of #CLUTCH right now! More on that later… #NOHOMEFORHATE #illustration #detail #nocureuncover #brutsubmission #detail #lineart #rockposter #design #darkart #rockposter #punkrock #lycanthropy #killjoys #wolfman

[brianewing]

Friday. meta-crypt.com #metacrypt #crypt #shubzeroth #freshtendrils #organdonor #sofubi #kaiju #lovecraft #baphomet