2010, new year, new beginnings.
I’d like to start by saying welcome to my new website! This site is the new 1 stop shop for everything I do. Ransom, Blue Collar Prophet, Graphic design, Dj’ing and of course updates on Authority Zero. Make sure you bookmark the site, and subscribe using the mailing list to your right! Thanks for stopping by!
I’m honestly happy to say that 09 is over…. I’m really looking forward to a new year and a fresh start! I think I’m gonna use this post as just an overall update…
Authority Zero is officially in the studio starting next week. we spent last week with Ryan Greene doing pre-production, i have 2 more days of that this week then its off to do drums! I was talking to a friend last night saying how much i love working with Ryan in the studio cause he pushes my abilities above and beyond and i always end up being a better drummer and learning so many new things even though during the process I’m likely to get really frustrated hahah!! Well either way I’m stoked to get started, I think this record is going to be really great and I’m stoked to show the rest of the world what we’ve put together in the past months.
p.s. If anyone reading this doesn’t know who Ryan is here is a link ..::Ryan Greene::..
On an AZ side note we are playing a Rhythm and Booze show at Dirty Pretty in Scottsdale on the 14th of this month so don’t forget to come check it out!!
Blue Collar Prophet stuff is still coming along good but my focus hasn’t been so much on that as much as it’s been on a project I have with my boy Keith called Translator. Some of you may know this project or heard me talk a bit about it but I’m sure most haven’t. This I can honestly say is the only thing that is I’m super proud of coming from 2009…. I won’t go into detail about it right now but keep your eyes peeled for Translator. I promise you’re gonna love it!
Designing has been slow through the holiday’s but I’m hoping it will pick up now that the new year has started. I’m working on a few logos and such for a some bands right now but other than that i don’t have much on my plate so I’ve just been painting a bit more. If anyone needs any graphic work done feel free to contact me and get a quote!
I’m working on a new painting right now that I’m super stoked on. I’ve posted a couple photos on twitter and facebook of the progress of it if you would like to see.
Ransom is getting some new designs right now that will be posted up for vote when they are done. My idea is to go exclusive with it. I want to start letting everyone vote for there favorite design and then only make 36 or so shirts to be sold. Keep watch right here for more updates on that or follow me on twitter for more minute to minute updates.
Well I think that’s it for the first post of 2010. Again I’m happy to say that 09 is over and I’m really looking forward to all the opportunities of 2010! Cheers, JIM
Graphics
One thing I must say is that my favorite thing about doing graphic design is working with bands. Most of the bands i’ve had the pleasure of working with have been super cool and really had an awesome vision for me to base a design from. Recently I designed a logo for a local band called Rain-a-Fire and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Those guys are super cool and were really stoked on the concepts I came up with for there logo. Next I’ll be doing a few T-shirts for them so I’m excite about that.
Another band i worked with in the last month was Westcott Avenue. They had me do their album artwork for their new CD “Life 101″ and it was awesome! I came up with the concept to have the album look like a binder that you would buy for school, you know the ones with all the rings in em…. It took a bit of extra work but i managed to accomplish exactly what i was set out to do!
This week I’m starting a logo/brand for a reggae band out of Florida and I’m stoked to work with these guys! I’ll keep you all updated on the progress!
Cheers!
Paint, paint, paintings
so i’ve been working on a paint in my spare time for the last month or so and i finally finished it last night. I’m happy with it although I still feel i have a LOONG way to come with my Acrylic skills 
Practice makes perfect though right!
here’s a preview for now, i’ll post a full image of it later.
enjoy!
A Life Filled With Art….
So over the last few weeks i’ve really been working on ALLOT of art in all different forms!!!
For those of you who may not know, i have a solo project called Blue Collar Prophet (click the link to listen). I’ve been writing electronic music for a number of years now, mainly just screwing around really. I’ve remixed some songs here and there, or added some beats to songs without, but all in all i just loved creating new beats and new sounds as often as i could. Now day’s I’ve focused my attention to writing original songs designed for any application i can put them into. My main focus is trying to get them out to video games, movies, commercials etc. I just signed a Publishing deal with The Royalty Network so I’m super stoked on that, and that should get me headed down the road i want to travel! Other than that I’m looking into all the different distro options out there so that way i can make all my stuff available to the public! Just in case any of you REALLY wanna buy a song i did I’ll be keeping everyone updated on the progress of this as it moves forward using all the different outlets i have, myspace, facebook, twitter etc and of course here!
Aside from my music ive also been painting allot lately and i have to admit i’m kindof proud of myself haha! Looking at a few paintings hanging on my wall that I did a while back and then looking at what i’m currently working on it nice to see some progression ya know! Now i’m not saying I’m good hahah cause i’m surrounded by a few friends and a beautiful woman on the daily who are absolutely AMAZING painters, but I like my stuff and that is all that matters to me… I’ve actually decided to post up my paintings in our store for sale!! I won’t be selling prints but rather the original painting! So keep your eyes open i should have them up sometime next week.
On top of all of that i’ve also been doing some misc graphic design here and there for a few people. I just did a logo for my buddy Garrick Michael (DJ), a business card for a friend Gina, a poster design for Landon Shill, and i’m about to start working on a beer label titled “Siempre Loco” (named after the authority song). I’m really trying to keep up on doing graphic design as much as possible cause honestly I LOVE doing it. SOOOO if you know ANYONE out there who is in need of a designer for ANYTHING send em my way!
As you can see Its been a pretty crazy couple of weeks but i’m honestly Stoked to have so much going on in my life and so many outlets of expression.
Catch you all on the flip side!
Art art and more art
What a creative week this has been. Early in the week Authority has been working on tracking some demo’s for the new record in the studio at my house. These demo’s are sounding great! (thanks peeps). So far we have about half of the record written and the writing is coming along great. I’m super stoked on the stuff so far and can’t wait to see what we come up with next. Friday i started out by going to the AZ tattoo convention and ended up getting tattooed by John Garber who did a dead schoolgirl on my thigh. I’m super stoked on the tattoo it turned out absolutely amazing! John is a great artist so if your looking for someone, check him out, he’s at club tattoo on Rural and University Friday through Monday.
Saturday came along and I met my boy ralphie for breakfast at Denny’s and then we headed back to my house to work on some music that we had been writing with another friend of ours Keith. As we began to get one of the songs put together i got inspired and actually wrote lyrics for the song (different for me). Keith came over and we proceeded to get this song finished using the lyrics I wrote and then keith and I started tracking it. Now, Ralphie and I started at 11 and then keith and I started recording around 2. Keith and I ended up working on this song all the way till 9 at night and it so far sounds really good! I even sang on the song which again is very not normal for me. The song is a ballad style with some strings and keys, I’m sure I’ll be posting it up when we get it finished It really amazes me how when your focused on something (painting, song writing, whatever) how the time will just fly by without you even noticing it. Guess that’s a perfect example of “time flys when your having fun”.
Once keith and I were done i had to head down to the Red Owl where i was dj’ing from 11 till 2 for the Tattoo Convention after party. Probably about 150 people showed up from the convention so it was a fun night down there. Few drinks, Few “Hey how are ya’s” and just mixing away.
All in all this week has been filled with creativity, as an artist I don’t think i could ask for much more. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has participated in my awesome week filled with creativity and I love you all!
CHEERS!
A New Life
I started painting about a year ago now and I must say i’ve found that its a very focusing and relaxing thing to do. Now I’m not going to sit here and say that I’m any good at it but I also love the fact that i can just paint for me and whatever I’m feeling at the time and not worry about what anyone else thinks about it. I’ve been painting allot more over the last few months and It’s been great. I’m learning new techniques and although I haven’t mastered them AT ALL its fun learning new things and trying them out! I suggest that if you’ve never tried painting you should. Grab your self some simple paints (watercolor, acrylic, etc) and a canvas (whatever is close) and just go at it. Don’t worry about what its going to be or what its supposed to be just paint…. You’d be amazed at how much fun it can be!
