Just the other day we showed you our first commission wall in 18 months, well, when we were done they then requested we do a second wall in order to, sort of, explain the first. It consisted of a legend so that people could see the actual drug logos and names for the abstracted logos we used on the original wall. Now I haven’t done any precise stencil work for a while, instead preferring the ‘get it in the edit’ philosophy of painting, but for this we only had one shot and it needed to be as neat as possible. I have to admit we did pretty well if I don’t say so myself. After completing this one they then asked about a possible third wall. Watch this space…
It’s been a long time coming but we were recently commissioned to do our first big wall in about 18 months for a company which invests in new drugs. I have to say that it felt good to be out and about and painting again for a client.
We’ve spent too long left with our own ideas so it was nice to have a brief – which only really asked for one thing, which was to include some reference to the drugs they had invested in. Given that some of the logos were quite cool anyway that seemed the obvious way to go. As always the hardest part is coming up with a design but once that is out of the way and signed off though it’s on to the fun part; throwing some paint at a wall.
The news has a lot to answer for. Usually I’ll wake up with a random song playing in my mind. Yesterday however I woke up from a dream where I was tour manager for Covid 19 and was setting up their world tour alongside Corona Virus. Being the imaginary hard metal bands that they are we needed some appropriate imagery so rather than do anything constructive with my day I did a quick internet search to check no such frippery already existed then set to work designing their poster.
Weirdly, it turns out that most world tour posters seem to have a dark background with white text but that was definitely the look Covid 19 would go for. Once I’d put the poster together I thought the Muse would be done with me but, no, it was time to move onto merch design. After slapping the various logos onto a t shirt template I was finally allowed to stop. And this is what we’re left with. Being an artist is weird.
We painted a mural for prestigious London art handling company Paradigm 33 back in September last year and it’s taken this long to get a shot of it as there’s always a vehicle of one sort or another completely blocking it. Given the nature of their work we eventually settled on a design that featured some little installers who are installing the company logo. How very self-referential. But you know the art world.
We were also commissioned to create 50 laser cut decorations as a little Christmas gift to clients. We agreed not to reveal them til after Christmas and so are only just getting round to it now. HAP33 CHRISTMAS. They’re Paradigm 33. Geddit?
In the middle of the Irish Sea is the beautiful Isle of Man. Now, legend has it that the island is protected by an ancient sea god called Mannanan Mac Lir (‘son of the sea’). He’s pretty baddass as he’s got a boat named Scuabtuinne (‘wave sweeper’) which works without sails, a sea-borne chariot drawn by his horse Enbarr (‘water foam’), a sword called Fragarach (‘the answerer’) and it is said that with the sword at their throat no one could move or tell a lie, thus the name Answerer. The sword was also said to place the wind at the user’s command and could cut through any armour or wall and that it inflicted piercing wounds from which no man could recover. He also had a cloak of invisibility (‘feth fiada’) which he could throw over the entire island as an all encompassing mist to hide the island from enemies. Like I said he pretty much had it all going on. Oh, and he had a flaming helmet to top it all off.
If all that isn’t enough in itself to create a design based on Mannanan then the fact that I’m from the Isle of Man myself should probably clinch it. It was originally going to be a wall design but I think it may need adapting somewhat for that to be the case. Perhaps a sticker? The latin text is the manx motto which roughly translated reads ‘however you throw me I shall stand’. So there you go.
When a prestigious London art handling company gives you a call asking for paint to be applied in a creative manner to an otherwise dingy area outside their warehouse then we’re only too happy to oblige. Given the nature of their work we eventually settled on a design that featured some little installers who are installing the company logo. How very self-referential. But you know the art world.
Unfortunately, due to some parked cars, we were entirely unable to get a decent final shot so that will be forthcoming sometime this week hopefully. However, if you’re the kind of person who really digs work in progress shots then have we got a mother lode for you today…
Transformers. Robots in disguise. That’s what it’s all about. They come from a far away place in search of the mythical Energon. Or something like that. What’s noticeable though is how they’ve managed to up their game in the recent years. Rather than transforming into cars and the like their current favourite is taking the guise of pretty young Instagram influencers in the reasonable hopes of acquiring a sugar daddy who will provide them with all the Energon they can handle. Even the Autobots are in on it.
It’s working out pretty well for them so far. Look at all the pretty binary in her hair…
Made using the magic of spraypaint, stencils and imagination. She’s available to be rehomed. Drop us a line if interested. Love
We haven’t had a double sided piece in a while so it’s about time to rectify this. Can you guess whose slogan I’ve shamelessly stolen for one side of this piece? Although saying that I’d argue that the words ‘Just Do It’ aren’t really something you can copyright. Anyways…
Side one features a new demotivational piece – ‘Just Do It’ which is based on something I just made up. You’ll have to prove otherwise. We’ve then given this a classic id-iom twist to be left with another epic demotivational piece.
Side 2 features a new sphere hovering ominously above an endless sea of sand dotted with small concrete huts on a huge planet orbited by two suns at the far reaches of the Rimshot galaxy. As ever, its intentions are not entirely clear. Your guess is as good as mine…
She’s on a 60 x 40cm wooden board and is made using the magic of spraypaint, stencils and imagination. Drop us a line if interested.
What do you get when you cross James Bond with Public Enemy, Pokemon and Facebook? Sounds like the start of a rubbish joke doesn’t it? But, in reality, this is what you get. Well, it is if you ask me.
I’m struggling now to remember what I was actually thinking when I came up with this little logo mash up piece. I’m guessing they weren’t particularly happy thoughts. I wonder now if my ire was directed at anyone in particular. Thankfully I don’t remember so it would seem perhaps the cathartic effects of creating art are real after all.
Being the harbingers of gentrification that we (and everyone else) undoubtedly are we thought it was about time to upgrade our id-iom logo to reflect the qualities that stand at the very heart of id-iom’s raison d’etre. So I’m proud to present our new logo with our brand new tagline ‘putting the gent in gentrification’. If this was a glossy PR presentation we’d then end with a photo of our grinning buffoon faces and something along the lines of ‘honest street artists in a dishonest world’. Cue music. Drop curtains. Job done.
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