?uestlove

A new watercolor painting to celebrate Ahmir Thompson's birthday.

Beverly Hills

By deconstructing images in old magazines, I love to reconstruct new layouts like this.

Design for Obama Re-Launched

Creative Action Network has re-lanched the Design for Obama campaign to say #thanksobama. My published, Barack 'n' Roll poster is now available, for the second and final time.


And here's the Taschen book it was published in, Design for Obama - Posters for Change: A Grassroots Anthology.  

Design for Obama by Steven Heller (author), Aaron Perry-Zucker (editor), Spike Lee (editor)

Design for Obama by Steven Heller (author), Aaron Perry-Zucker (editor), Spike Lee (editor)

Graphic Making Process

Beginning with a layout I've designed in photoshop, I use my lightbox to get a pencil outline.

tiger_1_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey

I then use the lightbox again to draw my outline in marker.

tiger2_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey

Once I have a solid outline to work with, I fill in the necessary shapes.

tiger3_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey

After the drawing is complete I take it into the computer and make the shapes vector. This is the step I pull out all of the corners to make them rounded to produce a worn/stamp look.

tiger_detail_studiojeffrey

Here's a look at the graphic on a T.

tiger_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey

T-shirt Designs

Here are some more trial t-shirt designs with the Son of Scorpio graphics. I like to try out a lot of designs, to get reactions, before I go to print with any of them. I want to give this project space to become something of it's own.

tomboy_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey
gypsy_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey
cowboy_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey
lucky_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey
pinup_sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey

Process to Design Black & White Graphics

I begin by making an outline of the image with a light box and a sharpie marker. I move slow to make sure the lines are clean and consistent. Also it's important to connect the intersecting lines at this stage so when I transfer it to vector I'm able to pull my corners easier.

Next, I block in parts of the image in solid black to compose a balanced image.

sherides_process_2

Then, I add the remaining detail before it is made into vector shapes.

sherides_process

This is the final, vector image ready for print.

sherides_studiojeffrey_sonofscorpio

Son of Scorpio

I've been working to define an illustration style based on a process. I have settled, for now, after a lot of experimenting. I've tried just pencil and paper, paint, ink and collage to define a style. I found a combination of paper and ink plus the computer is a fun place to work because it's limitless. I can start out with a blank page and draw the image. Then, take it to the computer and manipulate it further as vector shapes. I like the vintage look of something having aged and been printed a long time ago when inks bled to make curved edges, nothing is exact. I am inspired and learned a lot from the work of Simon Walker, LAND and Mike Giant. Son of Scorpio is the name of my new set of drawings.

sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_shirt
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_bike
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_boot
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_gypsy
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_hat
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_vest
sonofscorpio_studiojeffrey_lifedeath

Orlando is Love

The other morning I woke to find a direct message on my Instagram account from a designer I really respect in New York City. It was Rafael from Alfalfa Studio. He asked me to contribute a design to his activism effort #orlandoislove. I chose to illustrate a portrait of Darryl "DJ" Roman Burt II, who lost his life June 12, 2016. It's sickening to think about the night that unfolded in Orlando. Spread love, not fear and hate. Here's my small contribution.

drawing_process