Curt Merlo

New Site (Again)

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:49:20 -0700

It wouldn’t be a new month if I wasn’t redoing my website. It hit me after the move into a new house and office that my current site had some usability issues. Mainly people found it harder to work than ikea furniture. So I took a page out of Steve Jobs book (metaphorically speaking, even though I am currently reading his book, I would never tear a page out of it, blasphemy) And started over even though I just published it. Oh well it was a good idea, but like good ideas sometimes they need to be put on a shelf. Unless its an crappy ikea shelf, but we’ll just assume any furniture mentioned in future metaphors is not ikea furniture ( for the record I quite like ikea furniture but they get a bad rep sometimes do to shoddy materials ). What was I talking about? oh yeah my website check it out.

New piece about American Consumerism. been real busy moving...

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:08:05 -0700

New piece about American Consumerism. been real busy moving homes and offices to new locations so things might be kinda quiet for the next few weeks, but I will be back posting again soon.

Bloomberg Businessweek

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 23:00:00 -0800

Last weekend I did a piece for the new issue of Bloomberg Businessweek. Its a book review for the book Power Inc. About the increasing size of private power over government. Check it out on the news stands or on Businessweeks site here

"Learn to draw. If you don’t, you’re gonna live your life getting around that and trying to..."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:18:00 -0800

“Learn to draw. If you don’t, you’re gonna live your life getting around that and trying to compensate for that.”

- Saul Bass

Last week I received this new illustration annual book in the...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:47:45 -0800

Last week I received this new illustration annual book in the mail from 3X3. Inside is one of my images, probably you have all seen it, the cyberwar grenade. That piece is nothing new but being selected into this illustration annual is new. It is an honer to have a page among the best illustrators in the world, I have a long way to go and a lot to learn, but its things like this that make it exciting. you can buy the book here.

Here is a new piece that I created before the holidays. I got...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:47:11 -0800

Here is a new piece that I created before the holidays. I got inspired when I saw an “apples for sale” sign at a small produce market in fresno so I made this. I would put in the vain of my vintage ad posters even though its a little different format. Its up in my store if you want one for your kitchen or house.

And We're Back

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:55:50 -0800

My website has been down for a few weeks now, but we are back online. After a switch in CMS to Cargo Collective and a major redesign we finally launched. You will notice that the interface is totally different, portfolio images are now represented by symbols. Without Further ado Here is CurtMerlo.com 3.0. I would love to hear your feedback to help me improve your interactions with this site.

Under Construction

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:25:10 -0800

Please excuse the mess.

Happenings

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:56:36 -0800

Since my recent website hackings I have realized my website is very old and very vulnerable to cyber break-ins, So I have decided to move my portfolio to a new CMS one preferably with a community, so I settled on CARGO COLLECTIVE. The good news is it is very alive and i think it is secure the bad news is I have to completely redo my website…Again. I have to work around a few limitations set up by Cargo but I think it will in the long term be a good move. so now let the coding <begin/>

Trying to make one post every week and this weeks post is a new...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:33:00 -0800

Trying to make one post every week and this weeks post is a new illustration. I am really trying to following this collage experimentation kick I have been interested in. Collaging is fun an interesting. I think it was Truman Capote who said “I believe more in scissors than I do in the pencil.” If I had to guess what he meant by this its that by cutting and combining seemingly unconnected things you create more an unexpected and creative result rather than precisely placing every element of a composition. The art of accidents is a true art form, because it takes creativity to know which accidents to keep. You can’t fake it. Humans are good judges of sincerity. Oh yeah this piece is about fixing yourself, especially after a broken heart.

Hacked

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:29:10 -0800

My website got hacked yesterday. Trying to figure out all the details, Please be patient with me and the site. I may need to move my site to a new CMS and basically start over. Things might be weird for a while. Sorry Friends.

Working on some collage experiments lately. This was an Idea I...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:34:22 -0800

Working on some collage experiments lately. This was an Idea I had a while ago about how as a society we are becoming increasingly distracted. How about “Procrasti-nation” as a title? Pretty happy with how this turned out ill probably do more. Enjoy the distraction

New cover illustration out this week. This time it was with...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:31:31 -0800

New cover illustration out this week. This time it was with first time collaborator Miami New Times. Always a pleasure to work with new people, especially when they are nice. you can read the very interesting story HERE at MNT, and also see the cover featured HERE at Nas Capas the Magazine cover lover who loved my magazine cover without taking it out on a date first.

I got this book in the mail yesterday. I forgot why it was sent...

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:31:29 -0700

I got this book in the mail yesterday. I forgot why it was sent to me but as I was flipping through it I quickly remembered agreeing to be featured in this illustration book a while ago. I am so glad I did, What an honor it is to see my work laying next to some of my favorite illustrators of this time. You can see my two page spread on pages 98 and 99 if you happen to pick it up somewhere. Otherwise if you are interested in seeing some amazing illustration you can purchase the book here.

Last week Denver Westword published an issue with an a cover I...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:11 -0700

Last week Denver Westword published an issue with an a cover I illustrated for them. Denver Westword as you may know is a fine magazine with good folks working for them. This issue was about the people who speak on behalf of victims and there motivation for doing so. Its called “The Victim Lobby,” you can check the full issue out here.

Here is a piece about unemployment, yeah its kinda like that.

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:48:07 -0700

Here is a piece about unemployment, yeah its kinda like that.

"Telling yourself you have all the time in the world, all the money in the world, all the colors in..."

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:34:54 -0700

“Telling yourself you have all the time in the world, all the money in the world, all the colors in the palette, anything you want — that just kills creativity.”

- Jack White on creative constraints, quoted in “The Jack White school of business” (via austinkleon)

I haven’t posted in a while, sorry about that friends. I...

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:30:16 -0700

I haven’t posted in a while, sorry about that friends. I have been taking a little break from the usual, to ask myself some hard questions and figure out where I am headed. But I am back and ready to work, just in time for the weekend. Here is a new image, my Farewell to BORDERS bookstore which should be going out of business within the month. So farewell BORDERS we’ll miss you, thanks for letting me use your bathroom.

The Parts Department, now doing business as The Arts department....

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:00:05 -0700

The Parts Department, now doing business as The Arts department. It didn’t take to long to create the new sign, just a lot of scratching. The hard part is going to be teaching these mechanics how to paint.

Another experiment using vintage auto parts as my muse.

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:41:05 -0700

Another experiment using vintage auto parts as my muse.