Drawn

No – I don’t like his illustration style and I don’t like his politics.
Using the statue of liberty as some sort of gun obsessed figure is crude and crass and being such an iconic image it is too easy a target to expoilt so cheaply. You’ve got to really hate this country to put that up as your signature image, front and center on your home page.
I’d like to see you people display some balance here. Perhaps once in awhile you might post something that is – shudder at the thought – not ironic, or post-modern, or oh so jaded about America as this sad illustrator’s portfolio is.

No – I don’t like his illustration style and I don’t like his politics.
Using the statue of liberty as some sort of gun obsessed figure is crude and crass and being such an iconic image it is too easy a target to expoilt so cheaply. You’ve got to really hate this country to put that up as your signature image, front and center on your home page.
I’d like to see you people display some balance here. Perhaps once in awhile you might post something that is – shudder at the thought – not ironic, or post-modern, or oh so jaded about America as this sad illustrator’s portfolio is.

Yikes – Holy anger batman… do we have some unresolved issues? Personally I like the line quality of his images and the overt almost awkward style of his renderings – there is a sadness there. As for imagery and metaphor, the statue of liberty is as easy a target for illustration as any other.. The simplicity in itself is a message. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that the metaphor be simple as well? Perhaps this illustrator’s goal is to arouse the passion that the previous reader expressed. In that case this ‘sad’ illustrator’s work has had an effect.

Yikes – Holy anger batman… do we have some unresolved issues? Personally I like the line quality of his images and the overt almost awkward style of his renderings – there is a sadness there. As for imagery and metaphor, the statue of liberty is as easy a target for illustration as any other.. The simplicity in itself is a message. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that the metaphor be simple as well? Perhaps this illustrator’s goal is to arouse the passion that the previous reader expressed. In that case this ‘sad’ illustrator’s work has had an effect.

I have to agree with mart. Of course this illustrator is welcome to any sigularly simplistic views and all that precipitates from those notions.
And you all are free to promote his views (well, in the bad ol’ USA he is illustrating; you are free to do this anyway). And the Choice to put that
illustration as his home-image (complete with gunfire noises) is definately
meant to provoke people…(where are the pro-USA illustrations that he
is supposedly the challenger against in contemporary media landscapes)
Funny, though;
This guy works for Slate; and Slate is owned by the Washington Post/Newsweek Magazine and Slate collabortates extensively
with America’s ‘National Public Radio’ which is in no-small part owned by the US tax payers and donations of the citizenry.
Score one for Rob. U.S., zero.
(of course I don’t know how they do the books, someone does, but I just
think it’s interesting the ’6 degrees’ aspect of contemporary illustrations)

I have to agree with mart. Of course this illustrator is welcome to any sigularly simplistic views and all that precipitates from those notions.
And you all are free to promote his views (well, in the bad ol’ USA he is illustrating; you are free to do this anyway). And the Choice to put that
illustration as his home-image (complete with gunfire noises) is definately
meant to provoke people…(where are the pro-USA illustrations that he
is supposedly the challenger against in contemporary media landscapes)
Funny, though;
This guy works for Slate; and Slate is owned by the Washington Post/Newsweek Magazine and Slate collabortates extensively
with America’s ‘National Public Radio’ which is in no-small part owned by the US tax payers and donations of the citizenry.
Score one for Rob. U.S., zero.
(of course I don’t know how they do the books, someone does, but I just
think it’s interesting the ’6 degrees’ aspect of contemporary illustrations)

Mart is right. Not enough galleries of airbrushed eagles on this site. I want to see more tedious renderings of banal things that probably should have just been photographed. Damn you Canadian website for not standing up and showing that you’re proud to be an American.

Mart is right. Not enough galleries of airbrushed eagles on this site. I want to see more tedious renderings of banal things that probably should have just been photographed. Damn you Canadian website for not standing up and showing that you’re proud to be an American.

RE: “Mart is right”
TO: Pitt
I defiantly refuse to enter flamewars on otherwise
(mostly) apolitical blogs about illustration, so this is
not the intended purpose of my 2nd post. Maybe I am
to blame for not making myself more specific in my
support of mart’s 1st post (or maybe not). Point is:
I probably tried to emblamize this illustrator’s work
in the context of alot of other contemporaries who seem
to get a substanitve portion of their kicks from kicking
the shins of the country that allows them to kick it’s shins.
(poetic justice in a way, I suppose)
I’d just like to see more examples of appreciation in
illustration (if any exist). The fact that you bring up “airbrushed
eagles” kinda proves my point about this vaccum.
And the “tedius renderings” statement further illustrates how few
examples are present for you to call upon when referencing
the availible aspects of sublime subjects in the USA.
(That are quite possibly not all negative, or easy maligned
into cookie-cutter shapes for purposes of political persuasion)

PS: great blog, guys. Be proud to be Canadians.

RE: “Mart is right”
TO: Pitt
I defiantly refuse to enter flamewars on otherwise
(mostly) apolitical blogs about illustration, so this is
not the intended purpose of my 2nd post. Maybe I am
to blame for not making myself more specific in my
support of mart’s 1st post (or maybe not). Point is:
I probably tried to emblamize this illustrator’s work
in the context of alot of other contemporaries who seem
to get a substanitve portion of their kicks from kicking
the shins of the country that allows them to kick it’s shins.
(poetic justice in a way, I suppose)
I’d just like to see more examples of appreciation in
illustration (if any exist). The fact that you bring up “airbrushed
eagles” kinda proves my point about this vaccum.
And the “tedius renderings” statement further illustrates how few
examples are present for you to call upon when referencing
the availible aspects of sublime subjects in the USA.
(That are quite possibly not all negative, or easy maligned
into cookie-cutter shapes for purposes of political persuasion)

PS: great blog, guys. Be proud to be Canadians.

Thanks Sawdell for continuing my argument for me. The post authors’ gormless enthusiasm for a second rate illustrator and the illustrator’s hideous self-loathing (A New Yorker now living in chi-chi Park City, Utah; home to the Sundance film festival) portrait of Liberty draped in gun belts just touched a nerve with me.
This blog does superb work in drawing attention to tons of fine work, but this isn’t it, and I’m sick to death of seeing people make a living by biting the ankles of the great country they’re lucky enough to call home.
By being against this sort of crap I’m not suggesting for one minute that it should be replaced by rah rah patriotic fluff. I just find it amazing that this casual inclusion of this offensive demonizing imagery is placed in amongst the other work here, some of which is illustration for kindergartners, as if this was just another example of normal, acceptable and laudable work like most of the other stuff posted.

Thanks Sawdell for continuing my argument for me. The post authors’ gormless enthusiasm for a second rate illustrator and the illustrator’s hideous self-loathing (A New Yorker now living in chi-chi Park City, Utah; home to the Sundance film festival) portrait of Liberty draped in gun belts just touched a nerve with me.
This blog does superb work in drawing attention to tons of fine work, but this isn’t it, and I’m sick to death of seeing people make a living by biting the ankles of the great country they’re lucky enough to call home.
By being against this sort of crap I’m not suggesting for one minute that it should be replaced by rah rah patriotic fluff. I just find it amazing that this casual inclusion of this offensive demonizing imagery is placed in amongst the other work here, some of which is illustration for kindergartners, as if this was just another example of normal, acceptable and laudable work like most of the other stuff posted.

WOW! Great!

His work is wonderful. Fresh and to-the-point. If you visit his site and view his lovely, lovely illustrations for his children’s books, “Wow! City!” and “Wow! America!” you might well note the many paintings that reflect a broad appreciation of America’s landscapes and people.

The Statue of Liberty illustration you are “up in arms” over was an LA Times Book Review Cover. “How the United States became bitter, vicious and cruel as a result of 9/11″ Jan. 2004.
Looks as if this is an editorial illustration. So?!

I’m with S. Pitt on this one!

WOW! Great!

His work is wonderful. Fresh and to-the-point. If you visit his site and view his lovely, lovely illustrations for his children’s books, “Wow! City!” and “Wow! America!” you might well note the many paintings that reflect a broad appreciation of America’s landscapes and people.

The Statue of Liberty illustration you are “up in arms” over was an LA Times Book Review Cover. “How the United States became bitter, vicious and cruel as a result of 9/11″ Jan. 2004.
Looks as if this is an editorial illustration. So?!

I’m with S. Pitt on this one!

Mart and Sawdell, Have you ever thought that perhaps illustrators who work in images like this are trying to incite change they would like to see in a country they love? Perhaps they are not in fact trying to “kick it in the shins” but instead do what they can to mold a country they love into a vision they want. It may not be the vision you or someone else might want, but that is part of the beauty of it all.
But like Paige said it was also an editorial illustration that was commissioned…but alas I doubt this would change your minds.

Mart and Sawdell, Have you ever thought that perhaps illustrators who work in images like this are trying to incite change they would like to see in a country they love? Perhaps they are not in fact trying to “kick it in the shins” but instead do what they can to mold a country they love into a vision they want. It may not be the vision you or someone else might want, but that is part of the beauty of it all.
But like Paige said it was also an editorial illustration that was commissioned…but alas I doubt this would change your minds.

Oh also, being against the current policies of your country does not in fact make you someone who hates your country.

Oh also, being against the current policies of your country does not in fact make you someone who hates your country.

Go and live in France or Canada. Nice Mommy socialist states that protect you from unpleasant people like me who believe in the individual and the pursuit of happiness and all that bulls@#t . Did you ever try living in a socialist country in Europe and start a business? Better yet – try Cuba. Did you ever try to make a million bucks in Cuba? Or did you try to start a tax-protected non-profit organization in Colombia? How about trying to illegally immigrate to Mexico via its southern border to find work? This illustrator’s work is at the soft cushy end of the serious issues that responsbile people consider and face every day here in this great country. Perhaps he’d like the south western USA annexed by Mexico to give the “people” back their land. Arizona, for example can then enjoy the venal corruption and terrible economic conditions that Mexico currently enjoys. (Why the hell are people so eager to leave Mexico to come and work here? Duh!) And sooner or later the border will be moved to Utah. And then Utah will be annexed and he’d try to ply his trade by drawing illustrations that bit the ankles of the Mexican government, without recrimination…
Honestly – I’m sorry to rant on about this here but seriously – you lefties have to seriously wake up and consider what world you want to live in. Do you really think you want to live in that world that the rioting students in Paris think they live in?

Go and live in France or Canada. Nice Mommy socialist states that protect you from unpleasant people like me who believe in the individual and the pursuit of happiness and all that bulls@#t . Did you ever try living in a socialist country in Europe and start a business? Better yet – try Cuba. Did you ever try to make a million bucks in Cuba? Or did you try to start a tax-protected non-profit organization in Colombia? How about trying to illegally immigrate to Mexico via its southern border to find work? This illustrator’s work is at the soft cushy end of the serious issues that responsbile people consider and face every day here in this great country. Perhaps he’d like the south western USA annexed by Mexico to give the “people” back their land. Arizona, for example can then enjoy the venal corruption and terrible economic conditions that Mexico currently enjoys. (Why the hell are people so eager to leave Mexico to come and work here? Duh!) And sooner or later the border will be moved to Utah. And then Utah will be annexed and he’d try to ply his trade by drawing illustrations that bit the ankles of the Mexican government, without recrimination…
Honestly – I’m sorry to rant on about this here but seriously – you lefties have to seriously wake up and consider what world you want to live in. Do you really think you want to live in that world that the rioting students in Paris think they live in?

With scant provocation, Mart, you’ve descended from your original, criticism of a pretty trite piece of symbolism (I rather like some of Neubecker’s other work but the Liberty image seems too obvious) into a paranoid, splenetic attack on pretty much anyone whose world view doesn’t conform with yours.

Don’t apologise for ranting, Mart: It’s clearly your idiom.

With scant provocation, Mart, you’ve descended from your original, criticism of a pretty trite piece of symbolism (I rather like some of Neubecker’s other work but the Liberty image seems too obvious) into a paranoid, splenetic attack on pretty much anyone whose world view doesn’t conform with yours.

Don’t apologise for ranting, Mart: It’s clearly your idiom.

TO: Steve RE: Hate

I re-read my posts (maybe you should) and I
never said I thought Neubecker “hated” the USA
(and I don’t even know if he’s from the USA… or really care.)

TO: Steve RE: Hate

I re-read my posts (maybe you should) and I
never said I thought Neubecker “hated” the USA
(and I don’t even know if he’s from the USA… or really care.)

Actually Sawdell the second post wasn’t really meant to address you, my apologies.

Actually Sawdell the second post wasn’t really meant to address you, my apologies.

Free speech, but only if I approve of it first!!

Free speech, but only if I approve of it first!!

Aw,please leave Sawdell alone.
Sawdell don’t know no better. Now let’s all grab us some pitchforks and baseball bats and hop in the back of Sawdell’s truck and chase that Neubecker out of town.

Aw,please leave Sawdell alone.
Sawdell don’t know no better. Now let’s all grab us some pitchforks and baseball bats and hop in the back of Sawdell’s truck and chase that Neubecker out of town.

Wicked Trolls your alluring songs of desperation
beckon to me; whilst I muster the stregth to
deny their charms? Only time will tell…

Wicked Trolls your alluring songs of desperation
beckon to me; whilst I muster the stregth to
deny their charms? Only time will tell…

Sawdell Says:
April 11th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
Wicked Trolls your alluring songs of desperation
beckon to me; whilst I muster the stregth to
deny their charms? Only time will tell…

Oh Sawdell, I been sayin that to myself all mornin’ but them America haters just keep on jawin’. It’s like they sayin’ what we sayin’ is jus’ so absurd that it deserves mocking.

Sawdell Says:
April 11th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
Wicked Trolls your alluring songs of desperation
beckon to me; whilst I muster the stregth to
deny their charms? Only time will tell…

Oh Sawdell, I been sayin that to myself all mornin’ but them America haters just keep on jawin’. It’s like they sayin’ what we sayin’ is jus’ so absurd that it deserves mocking.

Whoa. Well, this illustrator must be doing something right, to generate this conversation.

I love his work. He has a raw, honest energy, and great ideas.

Whoa. Well, this illustrator must be doing something right, to generate this conversation.

I love his work. He has a raw, honest energy, and great ideas.