Good news! We have a new T-shirt. It looks like a 90′s surf-meets-rave flyer and it’s great. It was designed by horribly talented, Berlin-based artist, Martin Cole (have a look at this as well, and also this). These T’s are limited edition and considering how quickly the last batch went you better get your skates on. They come in M-XL and we ship more or less everywhere. We had a little chat to Martin about his work. Considering all the work he’d done it seemed like the least we could do.
Hi Martin. Thanks for designing a T-shirt for us. Your work seems to cover quite a lot of mediums and styles, how do you decide what to work with?
I only really use my computer now, I write lots of notes/draw a thumbnail or take a picture on my phone to remember something I’ve seen. I have to keep a pen and paper beside my bed every-night, my sketchbook’s mainly scribbles from writing in the dark. Mediums is more a case of which software or file format I use. I’d like to do something different each time, I’ve no signature characteristics or awe inspiring outcomes. I see all my work as a whole. My work is half conceptual and half play and client work.
How do you go about beginning a piece? Do you have a ‘work method’?
‘File> New> Document size> Open>’ If it’s a new or big project I’ll dedicate a folder, scribbling notes, thumbnails, word association, googling. At the moment I have 32 documents open, I’ll tend to swap between them when I get bored of the last.
Your design features the ‘indalo man’ symbol. Can you tell us the meaning behind this and why you wanted it in the design?
The Indalo man is said to be a ghost that could hold and carry a rainbow in his hands. It has been adopted as the official symbol of Almeria, Spain where it is painted on the front of houses and businesses to protect them from Evil. It’s considered a lucky charm when given as a gift. It’s a symbol I’ve wanted to use for a while, but I only just found out the meaning whilst googling ‘spectrum’ – ‘rainbow’ – ‘rainbow man’. I have a little gold one I got about 18 years ago. I could always see a singular eye with a torso and legs until I stumbled upon its actual meaning.
We’ve been working through the colour spectrum this month. What’s your favourite colour?
I really don’t have a favorite colour..
Any up and coming artists you particularly rate at the moment?
Yes, many… but I’d only regret not mentioning one if I listed them.
Cool beans. Thanks for the T-shirt! Good luck with all the art and stuff.
