By Mark Kaufman
Well that's it for me in 2006. Was it a good year? As always in some ways yes, in some ways no. And as ever there are no resolutions for the coming year, just the same old hopes and dreams, and a sincere wish for a happy and productive 2007 to all. Cheers.

By Mark Kaufman
Here's one of several new spots I just completed. This gives you an idea of the kind of work I get asked to do. Ted Haggard’s Anus Resolutions for 2007. Strange as it seems (and creepy to boot) this was for The Stranger's resolution/regrets issue, where oddities of 2006 (like Ted Haggard’s ass) resolve to be better in 2007. Please read them and you'll get the idea. And yes, my mother is very proud of me.

By Mark Kaufman
Happened upon UbuWeb today. A marvelous repository of Avant Garde film, sound cuts, art, poems, typography, manifestos and more. According to the fine folks there UbuWeb is a completely independent resource dedicated to all strains of the avant-garde, ethnopoetics, and outsider arts. From my perspective this is what the internets was made for. Hundreds of fascinating films from the likes of Bunuel, Kuchar, Jean Genet, Stan Brackage, Man Ray, Fernand Leger . . . The list  boggles. You can have YouTube. I haven't even scratched the surface of the UbuWeb offerings, but I am going to be wasting a great deal of time checking out the art and sound they have on offer. And it's all FREE! MAny of these pieces are out of print,  I may have heard of many of the artists, read about them, I have seen still images and brief clips, so for me this is a treasure trove of things I NEED to explore. The artists, filmmakers, composers and writers listed cover the entire 20th century of the avant garde around the world right up to the here and now. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I am very excited about it.

Happy Holidays from everyone here at Drawmark.com!

By Mark Kaufman
I just did a spot for the Stranger about guns, gangs and kids. Perfect subject matter for me. This one was a fast turnaround without the benefit of having the article to read before deadline. I only had those three words and something about hysteria to work with. With that in mind a see-saw concept felt right. I thought I would post my initial quick sketch ideas (which I did at home during the big power outage, proving once and for all that I can work by the light of a scented candle), my internal selection and the “cleaned up” final illustration. I like to have my thumbs pretty tight to the final piece as you can see. It seems strange that with the crappy line that I use that I can call it cleaned up, but that's my line and I'm sticking to it.

By Mark Kaufman
Sure, I've got stuff to do. A lot of stuff, but man I can't get motivated today. One Jack and coke too many last night? 

By Mark Kaufman
Slow news day alert. Had a great time at the Elvez Christmas extravagonzo last night. Case in point, a thoroughly liquored up photo op with the living legend himself! From right to left: my loverly better half Jacqueline McCarthy, the mighty Elvez, TJ Montague Groves our bestest friend, and kickass floral designer, and yours truly. You'd better be nice and naughty this holiday season.

By Mark Kaufman
Yesterday's posts were all about goodbye’s. Well on a happier note let's say hello to a wonderful illiustrator that I got a chance to catch up with over the weekend, one Ms. Kathryn Rathke. It was nice to talk shop a bit and start a mutual admiration society. You've seen her portraits in Time Out NY and The Stranger, now if you so desire take the family to see Charlotte’s Web during the holiday. Kathryn's illustrations make up the opening and closing credits to a major motion picture! How cool is that? Now you can say you knew her when. Congrats Kathryn.

By Mark Kaufman
Joe Barbera co-founder of the Hanna Barbera animation studios, and the co-creator of Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Dastardly and Mutley and countless other staples of television animation, exits stage left at the ripe old age of 95. Nothing on his passing on the “Official” Hanna Barbera web site. Come on Time Warner, show some respect to a man that has made you millions over the years. Sheesh!

By Mark Kaufman
I went to a bon voyage party the other day for Corianton Hale, the now ex-design director of The Stranger. Great fun. Corianton is sailing off for greener pastures. It was a pleasure to provide work for a swell guy and a fantastic newspaper. Here's one of my favorite covers of the paper designed by CH. Never fear though the design director will be ably filled by Mr. Aaron Edge. I'm looking forward to working with Aaron again, I used to work with him at the late, lamented Rocket and at Willamette Week many, many moons ago. So I say hola amigo!

By Mark Kaufman
They’re breaking up the old gang. Donald Rumsfeld is finally, officially out the door after his farewell tour. One down, two to go. 

By Mark Kaufman
Not to sound like a broken record but the weather outside is frightening. Seattle is a dreary place in the winter. And the fall and most of the spring for that matter. When the rains come I like to think happy thoughts. That usually relates to travel and since I'm not going anywhere at the moment, the next best thing to being there crossed my mind, and for me that's the TWA travel posters by David Klein. These never fail to make me smile. A wonderful series of posters done for TWA in the 1960's, these illustrations are delightful examples of the power of illustration, they are well designed, vibrant, cacophonies of color and detail. The wonderful angles and juxtaposition of landmarks and cultural iconography capture the essence of both place and the wonder of travel. While there is a lot to be said for photographic campaigns of Swissair and others, I don't think they ever struck a chord about travel the way the Klein posters did. The eagle eyed among you may notice that amongst the examples I have shown, one does not belong. When thinking of airline campaigns I remembered that JetBlue, did advertising and posters reminiscent of the illustrative posters of yore. At the lower right is a fine example of that by John Wilkinson, a fantastic artist with style to spare. I of course included the Newark poster because I think it is downright funny. Sure it's Newark, but Mr. Wilkinson still managed to take the time and care to craft a beautiful piece of art.

By Mark Kaufman
The other day someone I know backed into one of Seattle's Nutcracker March figures and that got me to thinking about that project, the granddaddy of them all Cows on Parade and it's many copycats around the world VS. the hipster vinyl figurine craze. Most, and I count myself in this category, have considered the Cows on Parade campaigns to be the lowest common denominator, low art for the masses and tend to ignore them because no self respecting, would be hipster would be caught dead enjoying this public art project. What a moron I have been. I have now decided that these projects are every bit as “cool” as the Kozik/Baseman/Kid Robot vinyl characters. In fact I now think they are cooler because at least Pigs on Parade or Miles of Mules and any of the other projects around the world raise money and awareness for a good cause, bring art to the masses and say something (although I'm not sure what) about culture and community. The designer dolls don't say or do much of anything when you think about it. The concepts are basically the same, blank 3D canvasses are provided, artists decorate them. Why is one project considered the bees knees by the vast majority of the public and put on public display and the other projects considered the epitome of cool by a small minority of fanboys and girls and are only on display in office cubicles? Maybe I'm wrong and maybe some of the vinyl stuff is made and sold for a good cause now and then, please let me know if that is the case. Can't we all just get along?

By Mark Kaufman
Sid Raymond the voice of Baby Huey, Katnip and Heckle & Jeckle, Schlitz Beer bartender and a character actor that has been working for over 70 years has passed away. You've heard him, you've seen him in countless television and film appearances but like me never knew his name. Raise a glass of Schlitz in Sid's honor. Here's a link to the News From Me Blog featuring a Baby Huey cartoon!

By Mark Kaufman
AIGA Seattle hosted the Serbian artist/designer Aleksander Macasev for a lecture on his Joseph Goebbels tm project last night. I am not sure about the rest of the audience, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr. Macasev was an engaging speaker, he actually apologized for the fact that english is not his first language, but he had a better vocabulary than me and was more than up to the task tof articulating a controversial and difficult art/design campaign on contemporary culture. On the face of it the controversy stems from the use of the Nazi propagandist. However the project dealt with the use of the media as propaganda and not with Goebbels or Nazism or anti-semitism. Like I a said a most difficult line to be treading, but an interesting one. The most interesting aspect to me was the  posters that featured the face of Goebbels juxtaposed amongst posters of current political campaigns, Ministry of Sound promotions and David Beckham for Police sunglasses. Definately take the time to research the project and the web site. After many years of sitting through bullshit lectures of designers stroking their own egos, showing off flashy offices, travelogues of their trips to Milan and name dropping it was a refreshing take on design as something other than a vehicle to sell, sell, sell.