Google “Black Dynamite” around the Internets. Lots of people are stoked on this upcoming blaxploitation flick. This is the story of 1970’s action legend Black Dynamite. When “The Man” murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.

The movie is headed to Sundance, which is where David Choe, who did the art is going. The movie poster is an inspired addition to the annals of fine blaxploitation posters everywhere. David said they may release some of the posters for sale. Hipsters clear some wall space!

Related posts

• Urban Art for Obama
• Urban and Street Art at Phillips de Pury Auction
• Upper Playground Releases Volume II: 10 Years of Artistic Endeavors
• Upper Playground Launches Obama Print Contest Today at 10AM PST
• Upper Playground and Pals Get the Last Laugh

Yet another item to add to your Vinyl Toy Network shopping list. Debuting at the VTN in Pasadena, Silent Stage will be offering up a very colorful and whimsical limited edition print of artist Peekaboo Monster’ s “Vision Quest” from Vivisect 5 artwork.

This Giclee print will be limited to a edition of just twenty-five prints. It measures 17″ by 9 ½” and may be offered at the VTN for $65 (this is the info that was posted on the VTN site ) or perhaps it will be 12″ x 24″ and will be sold for $85 (this is the info from the Silent Stage Toys site). Your guess is as good as mine. Looks like you’ll have to go to the show to find out. If any prints don’t sell at the show, you can pick up unsold copies of it at the Silent Stage site. Price? Who knows.

Related posts

• Angry Woebots Munny

I may not be homeless, but I am a bag lady. I love a clutch, a hand bag, a flirty purse. So needless to say when I saw the Capsule Bag - a collaboration between Uamou and El Coco Loco - I noticed just a wee bit of drool trickling from the corner of my mouth.

This nylon and leather bag is approx. 17cm. (6.5 inches) It comes with a leather strap that can be used to convert the bag from shoulder sack to handbag (and really, who doesn’t love some versatility). The white 4cm (1 1/2 inch) Uamou figure is trapped inside the clear capsule of the bag and he can’t be removed, so don’t even think about taking him out to play with him.

The bag comes in two versions, black and the silver, and they cost about 8900 yen ($95 (USD) and is available from the Uamou webstore here.

asda

Related posts

• New Uamou from Ayako Takagi
• Heart of Uamou Release
• GID and Clear Resin Uamou Figures
• A Roomful of Uamou Chases The Blues

You know when you look back at pictures of yourself as a child and you think, man that banana-yellow Datsun my Dad drove me around in sure made me popular? You now have the power to break the cycle of embarrassment–for both you and your spawn. Since writing about Kid Kustoms’ designer strollers, my eyes have been opened to the secret of how hip and fashionable being a parent must really be. Before I saw these, I couldn’t get past the pee and puke, and now something has changed and I think that thing is Peskimo. Undoubtedly, Peskimo eased me into an increased comfortability with bodily functions via their Monster Burp figure. And now, ToyCyte’s new bud Jamie of Kid Kustoms sent an update on their latest customized stroller fenders, including the above one by Peskimo (proceeds from its sale will go to UNICEF).

Peskimo have been creating characters together since 2002. Their illustrations and animations have adorned vinyl toys, clothing, magazines and TV sets worldwide. They have a small band of monsters working for them in a grotto. Each participant (invite-only) in the Kid Kustoms stroller project is provided a set of fenders. While interchangeable on any of the Kid Kustoms Roddler strollers, the finished products will be displayed in prominent galleries worldwide, and auctioned off on a custom mounted frame, signed by the artist and with a letter of authenticity. The winners will be selected by D.A.W.S subscribers and “the readership from the esteemed magazines providing event coverage.” Each category’s winner will be auctioned off on a Roddler, with proceeds from all sales being donated to the artists’ choice of participating charitable foundations (One is Greater than None, UNICEF, Sacred Circle, Action Against Hunger and Conservation International).

Related posts

• Kid Kustoms Pimp Your Pram for Charity
• Sneak Peeks at Plushforms from kaNO and Sketchbot
• Peskimo’s Monster Burp Official Release and Crazy Label Discount Deal
• Peskimo’s Monster Burp (Soon To Be) Released!
• KidRobot: May releases

I get some pretty good email, but beginning my week with this imagery is a stellar kick-off. Who knew that right here in San Francisco, Jamie Coblentz’ Kid Kustoms and Dads Against Wack Strollers were making these cutting edge tot transporters? And now, they’re collaborating with PPG industries, Wheaty Wheat Studios and the world’s best hot rod stripers, street artists, illustrators, air brushers, graphic designers and cartoonists to put the art back in (kid) cart.

Each participant (invite-only) is provided a set of fenders. While interchangeable on any of the Kid Kustoms Roddler strollers, the finished products will be displayed in prominent galleries worldwide, and auctioned off on a custom mounted frame, signed by the artist and with a letter of authenticity. The winners will be selected by D.A.W.S subscribers and “the readership from the esteemed magazines providing event coverage.” Each category’s winner will be auctioned off on a Roddler, with proceeds from all sales being donated to the artists’ choice of participating charitable foundations (One is Greater than None, UNICEF, Sacred Circle, Action Against Hunger and Conservation International).

“What we are doing is the first undertaking of its kind. It blurs the bounds between art mediums, the automotive world, fashion, technology and juvenile product realm. We are practicing the art of science through aesthetic appeal, functional design and thought provoking reason,” says Jamie Coblentz, president of Kid Kustoms and Pinstripe Prep.

I wonder if there is a big breeding boom around the holiday season because childless couples see cool stuff like this? You can truly customize anything these days. Bye bye boring baby Bjorn! ToyCyte readers (particularly the parents among us) will take note that the Kid Kustom artist list includes fenders by Peskimo, Squinky, Nathan Spoor, Richard Van Over (of Wheaty Wheat), Skaffs, Jim Koch, Brent Nolasco, Julie West, Pixelfillu, Triclops Studio, kaNO and a host of others. The one artist who is notably absent from this roster is Dead Presidents. Keep up with the latest news here.

Kryot: www.cancontrollers.net (charity Picked: UNICEF)

Roger Andrews: www.rand247.com (charity Picked: Sacred Circle)

Mega & Romeo: www.sons.nl (charity Picked: UNICEF)

Danny Casroc: www.casroc.com (charity Picked: UNICEF)

Related posts

• Sneak Peeks at Plushforms from kaNO and Sketchbot
• Phu! Sends in Rogue Trooper Mad*L
• Dreams Come True at the Japanese American National Museum
• Sharky Customs Gallery
• LIFT Custom MAD*Ls on Sale Now

Remember Blend Creations’ Metal For Monsters project? I was all set to get myself a Jon Burgerman pendant when my girlfriend put the kibosh on the concept of me in a necklace. For those of you more fashion-forward than I, M4M is going DIY.

Unleash your inner-artist, show off your child’s artwork, a thumb print, or whatever you like on your own custom laser-etched stainless steel pendant.

You can join the ranks of Jon, Brian Taylor, Anna Chambers and many more artists (see below) with your original designs. Each 1″ x 3/4″ x 3/16″ DIY pendant costs $81 with sixteen of those dollars going to UNICEF. Get one for you (or someone on your holiday gift list) here.

Related posts

• Metal For Monsters Launch Date
• Metal For Monsters

Everybody’s doing something for Black Friday, but here’s one sale I can endorse from personal experience: this is a freakin’ good deal. After posting about ARTCOTIC in July, I ordered one of their olive green Dalek Space Monkey tees. Paid upwards of $30 for it. Now, you can get the same shirt for $14.95. And it’s a rad shirt too. Soft feel, nice details, quality printing. The cut is slimmer and longer than your traditional Hanes Beefy. T-shirt sizing kind of spans the gamut these days, and fearing a tight Space Monkey, I sized up. I’d recommend sticking with your actual size though. “Slimfit” luckily doesn’t mean skintight fit in this case, but by ordering a large (instead of a medium), my shirt is a bit loose and long. At this price, maybe I should just order another…Shirts on sale while they last here.

ARTCOTIC shirts are made out of 180 gram 30/1 thread count and are silk washed. The garments feature contrast stitching on all seams, reversed side seam stitching, outer shirt tag, and side vents (see pic below). The current roster of artists features many names that will be familiar to toy fans, including: Dalek, Frank Kozik, Liz McGrath, Drew Millward, Koralie and Supakitch.

Related posts

• ARTCOTIC Shirts by Dalek, Kozik and More
• French Dunny: Golden Ticket
• Deck the Walls With Posters and Toys on Sale Now
• Custom B.U.D. Show
• Win the Toys Are Us: Director’s Cut DVD!

Here’s a chance to get some of those Frank Kozik exclusives (Black Stalin, Purple Ludwig and Silver Ho Chi Minh) and unique art prints from the likes of Tara McPherson and Drew Millward at 15% off. PostersAndToys.net is having a sale through midnight on Monday. Until December 1st, you can get 15% off every item in the store, no minimums, no exceptions.  Simply enter promo code “TURKEY” during checkout. According to Mitch, “I rarely ever do sales, so be sure to grab something if you’ve been meaning to.”

Related posts

• Win the Toys Are Us: Director’s Cut DVD!
• Poster Pop Clearance
• Dark Horse @ SDCC
• Baby Tattooville 2007 Art Jam Print on eBay
• ARTCOTIC Shirts by Dalek, Kozik and More

Related posts

• Vaginas Vs. War at Phillips de Pury Auction
• TTF o8 Afterparty With Tim Biskup
• Tim Biskup x T9G’s Clear Pink Rangeas VTN Exclusive
• Tim Biskup x T9G Project
• Tim Biskup - The Artist in You

The Miami art team of Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III, that otherwise goes by the name FriendsWithYou, have mashed it up yet again with STRANGEco.

You may be familiar with the FriendsWithYou toys that STRANGEco has produced in the past, such as the TTTs, Wish Come True series and Malfi. This time the results of their cold chillin’ won’t be in the form of an object but rather a “commissioned lounge space for the SCOPE Art Fair at Art Basel Miami Wednesday, December 3rd - Sunday, December 7th.”

The piece is entitled “Fun House” and is a interactive exhibit that is suitable for young and old alike. The centerpiece will be a “giant anthropomorphic bounce house”. If I was anywhere in the Miami area, you know I’d soooo be there. Also there will be oodles of “interactive seating structures and custom furniture – a “village of mystical counterparts.” The theme of the installation? Why the characters from the Wish Come True series of course? Yeah, these FriendsWithYou items will totally be your buddies.

Related posts

• Vivisect Playset SDCC Edition at G1988 for Half eBay Price
• tokidoki’s Captain Coco - Available for Preorder
• tokidoki Goes Platinum for SDCC 08
• The Treasure of Cap’N Rotclaw!
• The Insider’s Guide to San Diego Comic-Con

I’ve been expounding the virtues of Letter Pressed for a while. Their Artist Series reads like a Who’s Who of the vinyl toy community: Joe Ledbetter, Jon Burgerman, Nathan Jurevicius, Bwana Spoons… In theory, every one of us should own something letterpressed. In practice, as with paint colors and Venetian blinds, you need to see a sample. I’m holding some such items. While I want my words to convey the elegance of the paper and the clean, vibrant impression of the art, you need to touch these for yourself. To that end, Letter Pressed’s Mark Begley will provide one lucky reader with a pack of hand-numbered Cool It letterpressed cards by Le Merde. To win it, leave a comment here with the name of who you think should be considered for the Artist Series next. I can’t promise it’ll actually happen, but the winner will get some of the coolest cards around–right in time for the holiday season. Check out this interview with Mark to get your ideas flowing.

ToyCyte: Pretend I am an alien from Planet Hallmark. Tell me why Letter Pressed cards are unique.

Mark Begley: Because of the artists. There has been a wide variety of featured artists from a just-as-wide range of artistic fields—comic books, gigposters, digital illustration, lowbrow art, toy design, fine art, etc. I contact artists I like (or by providence, sometimes they contact me) and hope that about 25 to 50 people like them enough to buy a card set (or print) they designed. I’m not the only one out there producing artist-designed cards, but I think the mix of artists is unique. Plus the fact that I have them sign a card for each pre-ordered pack, keep the runs limited and don’t do reprints. What many of my regular customers have told me is that I’m offering an inexpensive piece of functional art that you can send to your grandma. I guess that’s unique.

Indeed! In these days of e-cards, what made you decide to go “old-school”?

That’s the point, isn’t it? If you want to send a quick joke, you send an e-card. But when you want something special you send a card. When you really want to make an impression (pun intended) you send a letterpress card.

I guess the draw of letterpress boils down to the tactile nature of it. You can’t get that from any other form of printing, or from your printer at home. Funny thing is, if you talk to any “old-school” printer they’ll tell you that the impression every one is after now was very frowned upon back in the day. Remember, this is how most books were printed up until the 1960s or so, and you couldn’t print that way with text or it would mess up the other side of the paper.

There have been some technological advances in letterpress printing, mainly the materials used to make the plates, but it still has to be done on big ol’ clunky presses. There’s nostalgia behind it all. And again, it really boils down to holding and seeing a letterpress piece in person. You’ll find yourself running your fingers over it and looking at it from every angle. It involves the viewer.

Your artist series reads like a who’s who of ToyCyte alumni. Can you give me the whole list?

ARTIST SERIES CARDS:

#1 Ron Regé #2 Tado #3 MCA/Evil Design #4 Joe Ledbetter #5 Nathan Jurevicius #6 Bwana Spoons #7 Brian Taylor/Candykiller #8 Jermaine Rogers #9 Kathie Olivas #10 Brandt Peters #11 Brendan Monroe #12 Jon Burgerman #13 Jeremiah Ketner #14 Abe Lincoln, Jr. #15 Michael Sieben #16 Travis Lampe #17 Jeremyville #18 Sauerkids #19 Jeremy Tinder #20 Dan Goodsell—Mr. Toast #21 Le Merde

ARTIST SERIES PRINTS:

#1 Kathie Olivas #2 Jeremy Fish #3 Paul Chatem #4 Jeremy Fish #5 Jesse LeDoux #6 Dalek #7 Nathan Stapley #8 Justin Helton/Status Serigraph #9 Mark Bodnar #10 Drew Millward #11 Johnny Bergeron #12 Chris Ryniak #13 Julie West

Uh, geez, I can’t believe it’s been that many. A lot of those were produced within the last 12 months! That does not include six or seven Candykiller prints so far, two 64 Colors prints and one card, and some other miscellaneous pieces and custom jobs. And there’s a whole slew of folks who have either already sent me artwork (DGPH has sent a card, print and trading card design), or have signed on to do a card, print or trading card (Hello, Brute, Anna Chambers, Michael Slack, Jeff Lamm, Bob Dob, etc.). [Ed note: Hello, Brute print with Jeffrey figure--reviewed here and a few still available here.]

Was there a particular artist whose work was especially hard to translate to letterpress form? How about one that just blew you away?

The only one that had to be reprinted was the Tado card. It was a combination of the paper and foil that I had picked for it, and the artwork. It had some knocked-out text and reversed images, which are hard to foil stamp. It ended up turning out fine though. I have had to ask a few artists to make adjustments because letterpress does have some limitations, and foil stamping has even more. But there should be a little more freedom, as the cards will be letterpress printed from now on, unless an artist specifically asks to use a metallic foil. The prints have always been printed this way, which is why there’s been halftone and other things that wouldn’t have worked on the cards.

Pretty much all the designs have blown me away; the talent of these people is pretty amazing. Having said that, I love the pieces from Jeremy Fish, the Drew Millward print is pretty nuts, but I also really love the simplicity and nostalgic look of Mark Bodnar’s print. Don’t make me pick one, they’re all wonderful!!

Do you collect any toys? Any plans to make more toys (like Presston)?

I do collect toys. Or did. I buy maybe one toy a year now. Last one was Taxali’s Oh No! figure. Before that was Bob Dob’s Luey. I do have a lot of vinyl boxed up right now, but will hopefully get it all back out on shelves soon. I have a wide mix of early mini figures (Be@rbricks/Kubricks) designer vinyl (quite a few Critterbox pieces, Biskup and Baseman stuff) some Secret Base figures, retro stuff (Pillsbury Doughboy and Lil Sprout) and other odds and ends. I do not have a ton of disposable income, so I’m very, very picky and selective. It is how I have found out about a number of the artists I’ve worked with, even if they haven’t designed a toy, I may have heard about them on one of the message boards or something. But then it moved out from there to things like Juxtapoz, Giant Robot, Gigposters.com and the World Wide Web.

I would love to get Presston turned into a vinyl or resin piece, and was actively pursuing getting it made myself. But buying a house and having a baby took precedence over that little venture. I’d love it if some toy company picked it up; I think Presston would be very popular. And Brian [Taylor/Candykiller] did such a great job with the logo and the original 3D turnarounds for the proposed vinyl figure I feel bad it hasn’t happened yet.

Beyond giclees and goccos, I come across a lot of paper-types that are numbered. The descriptions are often like “300gm.” Can you elaborate on what these paper types mean?

It denotes the base weight of the paper. Basically what 500 sheets of the base sheet size weighs in grams per square meter. Thing is, not all paper comes in the same base sheet size, so it’s a little arbitrary. And it does not denote paper thickness as most people think. Two papers with weights of 300gm might vary in thickness by a noticeable amount. The other way paper is labeled is in pounds, so a 300gm paper may also be labeled as 110# stock or something.

Check here to see what’s still available from Letter Pressed’s Artist Series and follow Letter Pressed at their blog. Click the pictures below for an enlarged idea of what we’re talking about, and leave a comment below for a chance to win a set of cards by Le Merde!

Related posts

• Crimes on Canvas: Las Vegas’ Biggest Art Show of All Time
• Black Maria Gallery Presents Get The Lead Out
• Sharky Customs Gallery
• Toy2R’s Bart Simpson Customized Qee Auction for Red Cross
• Toy Designers for China Earthquake Charity

Hey ladies, it’s time for you to finally get your bag on. At long last, the much anticipated purses and handbags by artist Camilla d’ Errico have been released. These hot Limited Edition handbags feature art by d’Errico: the Crane Princess and Tanpopo. Each one comes with a 2.5” Bax Bear of d’Errico’s Lollipop Girl and some come with a harim chain with her little chibi characters. The prices range from $12.99 for a coin purse to $155.99 for a Tote. Also available are wallets, strap purses, shoulder bags, small shoulder bag and waist bags.

About the bag themselves: “All the bags are made of lightweight nylon that is washable, and easy to maintain. The quality is top of the line, with YKK zippers, custom made Bax Bear zipper-pull, sturdy branded strap all customized for these bags.” So if you aren’t going to buy one for yourself, you can pick one up for your girlfriend, wife, sister, aunt and hey, maybe grandma would like one too!

Hats off to Kix-Files for a ton of clear, artistic (and watermark-free!) images of Michael Lau’s latest sneaker/figure foray. Sunny posted some puzzle pieces about the figure here, but now, as David Duchovny is probably sick of saying: the truth is out there. I’m not really a sneaker junkie, so pilfered pics are almost exclusively of the fig. I find padded walls and insane asylums…intriguing in a lunatics are taking over kind of way. Except in closeup (which is better), the kicks kind of look like something retirees in Florida wear to go on walks around their assisted living facilities. Not sure what my thoughts are on the figure yet. Visit Kix here for the full editorial. Courtesy of Kix:

Nike and its long-time collaborator, pioneering toy designer Michael Lau, teamed up again to create the Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1 sneaker, the ninth launch in the Nike 1World AF1 Project featuring a total of 18 influential style leaders in sports, music, art and design.

Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1 Exhibition
Dates : November 29 – 30, 2008
Place : Michael Gallery
11/F., Lok’s Industrial Building, 204 Tsat Tsz Mui Road, Quarry Bay
Time : 3:00pm – 8:00pm

Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1 Boxset
Location : Michael Gallery
Available : November 29, 2008 (Saturday)
Location : Nike Sportswear Store, 7 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay
Available : December 3, 2008 (Wednesday)

Lau’s Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1 is a wearable quilted tribute to sneaker-loving craziness. Special design features include:

• an upper-shoe made entirely from white padded leather with white quilt-patterned stitching;
• a back heel detail with a series of five x five-count scrawls in gold, to pay tribute to the 25th anniversary of Air Force 1;
• crafted polished shoelace tags, with “CRAZY” written on the left foot, and “SMILES” on the right, honoring Lau’s infamous “Crazy Smiles” production series;
• a removable white sole insert with abstract pencil scribble art.

True to the legendary collectible style of all Michael Lau creations, the much-hyped highlight of this piece is its special packaging: a boxed set featuring a pair of Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1s and a “Crazy Michael” vinyl toy figurine.

To launch the Nike Air “Crazy” Force 1, Lau converted his MICHAEL GALLERY in Hong Kong into a voyeuristic-gallery experience. Guests can walk through a long white tunnel with quilted walls, where 25x peepholes allow them to look into “animated art pieces” created by him. “We’re all a bit crazy when it comes to sneakers,” says Lau. “This project is very special to me because the 1World AF1 Project has allowed me to honor the legacy of Nike Air Force 1 in my own crazy way.”

The set priced is priced at $2599 HKD or about $335 USD.

About 1 World AF1 Project:
Nike’s 1World AF1 Project is a partnership project between Nike Sportswear and 18 influential style makers from around the world. Each illustrious participant was invited to design his own Air Force 1. Since June 2008, the 18 shoes have been — and still will be — selectively released in limited numbers, available only in the city where the guest designer is from. The 1World AF1s released so far have been designed by Rasheed Wallace (Philadelphia), Pedro Winter (Paris), Gore Texer (Tokyo), Kaws (New York), Questlove (Philadelphia), Daisuke Matsuzaka (Tokyo), Ladainian Tomlinson (San Diego) and Hajime Tachibana (Tokyo). This month sees the launch of design by Michael Lau (Hong Kong).

Related posts

• Nike Magnificent 7 x Jon Burgerman Sneakers
• Michael Lau X Nike BMX China Federation
• Michael Lau Vs. Nike’s Air Force One
• Michael Lau Nike Air Crazy Force Colorways: Insane Prices
• Kaws x Nike Air Force 1

Related posts

• Upper Playground and Pals Get the Last Laugh
• Upper Playground Launches Obama Print Contest Today at 10AM PST
• Urban Art for Obama
• Upper Playground x Digital Gravel Obama Shirts
• Maker Faire Pt 1: Some Characters

Let’s face it, for some folks gift-giving comes naturally. Maybe you strike out, maybe you hit a home run, but you get the job done. For others, purchasing presents is an agonizing process that involves crowds and a certain degree of clairvoyance. GAMA-GO has combined the elements of surprise and savings (financial and time) into their holiday gift packs. With their Mysterious Fortune gift packs, you pick the price, size and gender, and they do the rest. Each pack contains one-of-a-kind items and stuff that didn’t make it to the website, including: apparel, accessories, stickers, gifts and pins from the GAMA-GO past, present and future. Your purchase price is discounted from the value of the gift pack’s contents. For instance, the packs (which are priced only in odd number intervals, hmmm…) go for $30, $50, $70 and $90 but are valued at $50, $80, $110 and $140. Start your holiday shopping now without even leaving the house.

Related posts

• Yeti Sighting in Bay Area Voting Booth
• Win a Big Vinyl Yeti from GAMA-GO
• San Diego Comic-Con Exclusives Part 4
• San Diego Comic Con – Surviving Day One.
• Meet Gama-Go’s Giant Armored Deathbot

Image makers, who are better known in toy circles than at the Foot Locker, are making very cushy bed fellows with big athletic companies. The other day we posted about the Le Merde Nike Wind Breaker, Jeremyville did a special shoe with Converse and now the one, the only, the legendary Michael Lau is getting sporty…again.

Toward the end of December, Michael Lau will host a exhibition entitled “Air Crazy Force 1” that will feature the Michael Lau x Nike 1 World Air Force Ones. The upcoming shoe will be all in a white quilted upper, so white that you won’t wanna wear them, you’ll just want them center stage amongst your Lau figures.

Also at the show there will be the “Crazy Michael” vinyl figure, check out the teaser pic below to see if you can decipher what’s going on with that one (good luck with that…). The show will run at the Michael Gallery from November 29^th to the 30^th in Hong Kong.

Related posts

• Nike Air Crazy Force 1 Sneaker and Figure By Michael Lau UPDATE
• Michael Lau X Nike BMX China Federation
• Michael Lau Nike Air Crazy Force Colorways: Insane Prices
• Toy Designers for China Earthquake Charity
• This is Sportwear - Nike Gets Arty with Jled, Maloney, Bigfoot, and more.

Keith Poon, the man behind the store ToyQube, the figure, Kanser and the super cool Sharky toy, wrote to us today to let us know that he got his Artist Proofs in! And not just some regular beta-version of an upcoming project, no I’m talking about his clothing company Artist Proof…if you’re feeling randy, you can check out our interview from SDCC with Keith about all thing toyqube-ish and artsy here.

Artist Proof takes Keith’s designs (as well as a guest artist each season lending their design talents) and puts them on shirts, hoodies and even jeans. The first run, which is for sale now here, had Filth as the guest star in this much awaited Artist Proof debut line.

The collection is comprised of sturdy cotton T-shirts like the Walking Kanser and a Sharky T-shirt interpreted by Keith and Filth, plus a variety of sweet pin-striped shirts and hoodies by the Filth. The prices on these high quality pieces is $31.99 for a T-shirt and $64.99 for a sweatshirt. Each piece comes with a randomly picked mini-Sharky keychain. To see the entire line, you can check it out and buy a piece or two, or even three right here.

Related posts

• REDRUM Sharky by Frank Kozik
• Introducting Artist Proof
• Interview: Keith Poon of ToyQube Talks Sharkys, Hammerheads and Artist Proofs
• Celebrate ToyQube’s 4th Birthday with the Sharkys

Looking more like a large scale action figure than a contraption to shell nuts, this piece was made by the world-renowned go-to nutcraker gods, Steinabach of Germany. Steinbach of Germany knows their way around a nutcracker: they’ve been making them for over a hundred and twenty five years.

This wacky contraption is handcrafted from “select European hardwoods”. The figure is 18 ½ inches tall and has a vinyl cape and Darth’s classic black helmet. This piece is a limited edition in one of their Star Wars series. And if you think that a nutcracker would be a nice cheap Christmas present for that Star Wars love in your life, think again. This high end nutcracker, yes nutcracker, will put you back $359.95.

Related posts

• ToyCyte vs. Comic-Con Day 1
• Super 7 x Lucas Films x Kotobukya = Jumbo Stormtrooper
• Suckadelic DJ Stormtrooper at Auction
• Steampunk Star Wars by Sillof
• Steampunk Jedi from Sillof

November 24th brings the anticipation of many things. Big roasted turkeys, mountains of mashed potatoes and many a belly ache. But it also brings the upcoming studio album by Kanye West. His fourth album is entitled 808s & Heartbreak. The album originally was going to drop on December 16th, but the record company has their eyes on that Black Friday money and they’d like it sooner than later.

So why am I writing about Kanye West? Well because Kaws did a very special version of the album cover for iTunes. One thing to notice is that the cover, both real and iTuned, is way reminiscent of New Order’s Power Corruption and Lies with the color strip down the side, and New Order’s instrument of choice - the Roland 808. Coincidence? I think not. Okay, I’m done being all music geeky. In the Kaws version of the cover he adds some classic Kaws hands as well as contributing to a pretty damn cool Kayne portrait. Check it out on itunes where they are currently taking preorders.

Related posts

• Vintage KAWS Bus Stops from NYC’s Golden Age of Graffiti
• Toy Designers for China Earthquake Charity
• The Opposite of Writer’s Block: Mike Leavitt’s Art Army
• Sket One x Kaws Custom Blood-Spattered Companion
• RVCA and Cinelli Cycling Collab with Kaws and Barry McGee

Instead of some American cream, get your dairy fix from France in the form of The Dirty Cream. What’s the Dirty Cream you might ask? Why it is “a young brand & web store with a crazy graphic universe!” all the way from France. Did they just say “crazy graphic universe” , their blog may be in French but right there they are speaking our language.

The official site will be launching in December and they will carry T-shirts, pillows, stickers, posters, printing clothing and…of course…toys, all in association with artists they deem to have “great creativity”.

To coincide with the Customania “Handmade Custom Tour” that’s being organized by Respir Artistik Events, their first T-shirt will be by SPIA79 and will be sold as well as a series of pillows designed by NIARK1, BUNKA, BISHOP, J*WLS and FAKIR. Each pillow is 40cmx40cm or 60x 60cm plus some giants ones in a 140×180cm.

In the near future, The Dirty Cream will be working with the artists involved in the Respir show and will do some small productions like the above super cool Neoboyz Crew by Java (who’s from Bordeaux).  Keep an eye on them here for news on when The Dirty Cream is ready to be drunk.

Related posts

• New Artoyz Figures From Easy Hey and Bunka
• DIY and Guerilla Chaos Monkeys from Artoyz
• Chaos Monkey Colorways from Artoyz
• Artoyz Elements Blind Boxes with Burgerman, Jurevicius, KOA and MIST

Do you want to live in Jeremyville? You may not be able to actually move there but you can turn your home into your very own Jeremyville and get pert near as close as you can. A Paris company called Domestic (who’s done some great wall pieces with Kaws, Jon Burgerman, Tado, eBoy and the like) has released the Upper West Side wallpaper designed by Jeremyville.

The piece features the patented Jeremyville characters running, kissing, drinking wine, swimming and eating worms. You know basic Upper West Side – New York City activities. The piece is in a grayscale and beige hue, it may not overwhelm but it will really make a statement.

The wallpaper “landscape” is a limited edition environment. The “Upper West Side” wall covering is limited to one hundred signed and numbered pieces her year. The piece is 372 x 300cm and it can be cut down to fit your space. For more info about Domestics go here.

Related posts

• PT.1: Art & Artifice: Examining Copyright: Pirated Works
• Pop Cling Features Urban and Pop Artists in Foolproof Vinyl
• Munny Madness From JeanSpezial
• Letter Pressed Ensures Vinyl Toy Artists Leave a Lasting Impression
• Kidrobot October 8-inch Dunnys

Forget London Fog, this is the windbreaker to buy, have and wear. And to be worn with pride. The Cloudman Windbreaker by Nike features an imprinted image by the one and only Le Merde! You’ll want to wear it even if there is no wind blowing in the atmosphere. Yeah, it’s pretty rad. The image that’s featured on the jacket is Cloudman. The jacket is made of 100% polyester (and what decent windbreaker isn’t all poly, right?) and it has fancy features like a mesh lining, logo pull zip front, double drawstring hood, two zip hand pockets with ribbed hem and cuff detailing. Oh plus one of those little Nike logo’s embroidered on it, yeah, if it’s by Nike, you know you’re going to end up with one of those. You can buy yours from Pacsun, yeah that place you see at your local mall, for the respectable price of $64.50.

Related posts

• Upcoming: Le Merde Drops Some Art at Rotofugi
• Super7 Vinyl Minis Coming Soon - Le Merde Prototype
• Super 7 Destroy All Zines Fanzine
• Summer Camp Grass Hut Style 2008
• Suckadelic DJ Stormtrooper at Auction

You know what your bedroom needs? A portrait of Ron English, Gary Baseman or perhaps Shepard Fairey staring down at you while you get dressed, sleep and well, you know what. If this sounds seductive to you, you are in luck. Tatiana Wills and Roman Cho who are responsible for the wonderful portraits of beloved and influential contemporary artists in their traveling photo show Heroes & Villains, are releasing a series of mini set of selected prints. The set includes: Shepard Fairey, Mark Ryden, Audrey Kawasaki, Ron English, David Choe, Saber, Gary Baseman, Kozyndan, Anders Nilsen and Karen Knighton. Each print is 5” x 7” and the set is available exclusively from A Paper Tiger here. The mini-set is signed and goes for $45. And if you are in Los Angeles, you can check out the real, full size photos at Max&Co on Melrose tonight from 7-9pm.

Related posts

• Upper Playground and Pals Get the Last Laugh
• The Opposite of Writer’s Block: Mike Leavitt