AIGA Seattle presents The Heads of State
June 14, 2007
Roq LaRue Gallery, 2312 2nd Ave. Seattle, WA 98121
6:00pm-8:00pm
Please join us for a freewheeling conversation about the art of editorial illustration, design and world domination with The Heads of State. In just a few short years, designers and illustrators Dustin Summers and Jason Kernevich have amassed an impressive client list featuring The New York Times, The London Guardian, Nickelodeon, Random House and Capitol Records, and their offices in Seattle and Philadelphia contain a stockpile of awards from Communication Arts, Print, How and Graphis. Learn about the art of fancy picture making, with two of its leading practitioners. Lecture will be followed by a moderated Q+A session.
Members: $15    Non-members: $20     Student members: $10   Student non-members: $15. Register Here! 

By Mark Kaufman

By Mark Kaufman
Thank God it’s over. Now we can get on to more important things. 

By Mark Kaufman
Here’s an example of “Whaddya gonna do?”. This is a super, duper rush illustration I did yesterday for an article on a multi-billion dollar transportation package in the Washington State legislature. I got the call, I cleared my schedule and churned out the image at the top in about 2 hours. No muss, no fuss because the newspaper was about to go to press. I love rush jobs like this, it certainly makes you focus, no screwing around is possible. I sent it off to the publication, and they rang me back instantly saying that they LOVED it. But they were going to ditch the price tag in favor of a road map, the image at the bottom is the result. I don’t know what transpired in the editorial meeting. Like I said, whaddya gonna do? It works, and with presses about to roll, there’s no time for fussin’ and fightin’. You take your money and move on. This publication never gives me guff about my work, pretty much gives me free reign, which is awesome. And very rare. Thanks for that!

By Mark Kaufman
Frickin’ awesome. Here’s my portrait by the London based illustrator Damien Weighill on his Your Face blog. Send a photo and he’ll draw your mug and post it at Your Face! It may take a while, but how cool is that! There’s also a contest to draw Damien. He has some other sites you can link to as well. A very busy and talented fellow. Color me jealous.

By Mark Kaufman
If you look to the right you will see a new feature called Drawmark Gallery. I’ll be loading all of my drawings, cartoons, and sketches in the gallery, that way you’ll have to click but once to see my work in all its 72 dpi glory. So far I’ve loaded 15 images, I’ll be uploading more whenever I get the chance.

By Mark Kaufman
After the first Republican presidential debate one thing is clear. Conservatives have an unhealthy obsession with one Ronald Wilson Reagan. As Bill Maher has said, it’s almost a gay thing. Talking about him longingly, trying to name any and all buildings, airports, strip malls after him, building monuments to the man, and worst of all, the revisionist history of the man, the myth, the legend. Flat out constructing the idea that Reagan was a conservative colossus that strode the earth loved and respected by all, single-handedly bringing down the Soviet empire, herding America into a conservative paradise in nothing more than a cowboy hat, tight jeans and boots. Here’s a detail from the latest installment of American Affairs Desk.

By Mark Kaufman
There’s a new billboard for our newest, favoritist show on our commute to work here in Seattle. No word on any terror scares yet.

By Mark Kaufman
Here are 2 more illustrations I did for Wong Doody and their 20X20 campaign for Real Change. Go here and donate 20 bucks for a good cause. 

By Mark Kaufman
Last week I picked up a copy of the Seattle Weekly, one of the local alt weeklies (disclosure; I have worked for the Weekly in the past), and I immediately recognized the cover illustrator as Mark Todd. I also noticed that the character on the cover was wearing a t-shirt that read “FUCK SCHOOL”.  I smirked my little smirk and thought to myself “that should generate a few letters”. And then I went on my merry way, not giving it a second thought. Then on Friday I was channel surfing and I came across a local TV reporter standing next to a Seattle Weekly newspaper box, and I instantly knew what the story was about. The HORROR. Kids can see it! Parents are upset, citizens are not amused! Hell, I was throwing F bombs back in the schoolyard in 1967, which means I knew about the word and was happy to use it at 7 years old. That was 40 fucking years ago. I am sure that today’s 7 year olds have also heard the word. People are also under the impression, wrongly so, that printing the word is illegal. Letters of complaint have been written to the TV station and to the newspaper in question. Proving only that it doesn’t take much these days to stir up controversy. All that aside, I love Mark Todd’s work and the new Seattle Weekly team are doing a great job. Congratulations you fucking bastards.

By Mark Kaufman
Detail of a 12 ft. banner we have in our conference room. Yes, it has been a loooong week.