Jules' Blog - Illustrations by Julian Callos

Bits in Multiples of 8

2012-02-17T14:51:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Here's my final submission to Jimmy Giegerich's video game fan art zine, Bits in Multiples of 8. It's a mash-up of two of my favorite video game worlds, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario. Check out my previous post for the sketch and other info.

"Mushroom Kingdom Syndrome"
Pen and ink on paper
8.5" x 13"

The interior of the zine is going to be in black & white, so I thought I'd do a black & white drawing/painting, which I hadn't done in a while. It was a fun experiment to see if I could get the effect of the shadows of the unseen trees above blanketing the entire scene. Hopefully it reads that way!
I also scanned my pen drawing before I started the ink washes in case I ever had the time and wanted to go back and do a digitally-colored version:

I have such a fondness for these games, so this was a really fun piece to work on. It was actually done for a call-for-entries for the zine, so hopefully it makes it in. Either way, I'll make another post when the zine comes out!

A Link to the Past

2012-02-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Here's a sketch I did for a piece I'm planning to submit to a video game zine being put together by Jimmy Giegerich. The zine will feature work by a bunch of artists putting their own spin on their favorite old school 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, or 64-bit video games/characters.

I was torn between doing something based on Mario or The Legend of Zelda, so I thought I'd just combine them into something weird. My idea was that Link caught something during a visit to the Mushroom Kingdom, and he returned to Hyrule with a full-blown infection. Ummm...It sounds really gross when I describe it, but hopefully you like the image:

I'm really excited to work on the final. I'm having a lot of fun with this so far!

Lullz

2012-01-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! So, there are some shows in the coming months that I'm really excited to be a part of, but there miiight be a short lull on this blog as far as new paintings go (mostly because they're all in the very early idea/sketching stages). I'll try to make a post with a sketch or progress shot every once in a while, though!

In the meantime, be sure to check out my facebook page because I've been uploading a lot of old, un-blogged work that I'm rediscovering as I look through files on my computer, as well as the occasional quickie drawing (I don't remember if I've ever mentioned it in a post, but my friends Alessandro and Mylan and I run this blog called Sugarboner, where we post quick doodles, mini collaborations, and whatever random fun/dumb/silly stuff we want.) I post my updates from Sugarboner on my facebook page, but you can follow the blog directly too to get updates whenever any of the three of us post.
Here's a little taste:

My secret passion is drawing sandwiches and other sandwich-like foods. Now you know.

Also, you can follow me on twitter to get updates from both this blog and sometimes Sugarboner, as well as the occasional attempt at humor. What a bargain!

I hope you enjoy all that stuff while I work on some paintings. Keep on the lookout for some sketches!

Gallery 1988 x [adult swim]

2012-01-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, guys!
To start the year off with some weird fun, Gallery 1988 is having an Adult Swim show, which opens this Friday the 13th (from 7-10pm) at their Melrose location. All the work is inspired by original programs featured on Adult Swim. My piece is a "Childrens Hospital"-inspired pin-up of Megan Mullally's character, Chief.

"The Sexiest Chief in All of Brazil"
Acrylic, gouache, and ink on paper mounted on cradled wood panel
8" x 10" x 1.5"

Here's the original sketch:

If you're in LA, come check out the show. It's sure to be fantastic. I mean, look at the line-up!
Aaand just for fun, here are all the characters from "Childrens Hospital" dancing:

***PS: The Taetrum et Dulce show at MondoPOP Gallery in Rome has been extended till January 28th, so if you happen to be in the area, please check it out!

Collab, Round 3

2011-12-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, I FINALLY found some time to add to my ongoing collaborations with Pat Perry. Really sorry for taking so long, but I've been a busy bee. Anyway, check out my additions:

You can view the previous rounds on our joint Society6 page. If you're a Society6 member, please promote the drawings and/or leave a comment! We appreciate them!
Hope you enjoy. Next round is Pat's, so get excited!

Taetrum et Dulce

2011-12-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Here are my pieces for the "Taetrum et Dulce" show at MondoPOP Gallery in Rome, which opens tonight:

"Fata Morgana"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on cradled wood panel
8" x 8" x 2"

"Halcyon"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on cradled wood panel
8" x 8" x 2"

[The lockets and chains are painted with iridescent gold ink.]

A little bit about the inspiration behind the title choices/narrative: A fata morgana is a type of mirage that was common for sailors to see, and also explains the "ghost ship" phenomenon; under certain atmospheric conditions, ships in the distance looked like they were floating or inverted, stacked on top of one another, and alternately stretched and compressed. The second piece was inspired by the kind of myths associated with the kingfisher, such as the idea of the "halcyon days" and the ancient belief that a dried kingfisher could be used as a talisman to protect against storms, and that it would always point in the direction of the wind. The two figures are separated lovers desperately hoping to be reunited; the man a sailor lost at sea searching for his way home, and the woman his wife waiting for his return (or she might just be a mirage...).

And here are the sketches, because I happened to have scanned them:

Thanks to Dan Barry and MondoPOP for inviting me to participate!

If you are interested in purchasing works from the show or have any questions about the show, please send an email to: info (at) mondopop (dot) it

viva la Viva La Art!

2011-11-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! This Saturday, Dec. 3rd, the non-profit organization Viva La Art! is hosting a silent art auction to benefit the student-run clinic at USC. Last year I participated in their auction to support the non-profit organization Homeboy Industries, and I'll be participating in this year's event as well. Here's the blurb they sent me about the event and the clinic:

On December 3rd, 2011 we are hosting our annual silent auction, “Art, Drinks, and Music”, that will feature work by 25-30 renowned and emerging artists, a live painting exhibition, and a few live musical performances. The event will benefit USC’s first comprehensive Student-Run Clinic, a charitable program independent of university funding that provides comprehensive health services to marginalized populations of Los Angeles. The Clinic is the first of its kind to bring different health professions together with teams of student volunteers from USC’s pharmacy, medicine, physician assistant, and occupational therapy programs. Through partnerships with local hospitals and clinics, the USC Student-Run Clinic provides preventative screenings, comprehensive health assessments, and wellness education to populations who might not otherwise be able to access health services.

100% of the proceeds from the door and the auction go toward the clinic. I've donated my "Le Ballon Rouge" painting as part of the auction.

If you can, please help support a good cause and enjoy some art, drinks, and music!

**Speaking of charitable causes, between now and Dec. 31st, WWA Gallery will be donating 15% of order totals for artwork from past shows to these children's charities: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and The National Association to Protect Children.

**In other news, I'm in a group show opening December 10th at MondoPOP International Gallery in Rome called "Taetrum et Dulce."

It's a "creepy and cute" show curated by the always-wonderful Dan Barry featuring some fantastic artists, including my good friend, the lovely and talented JAW Cooper. If you are in Rome, you can RSVP to the event on facebook by clicking here. Also, the kind people at MondoPOP have put together a page on their site featuring some of my past work, which you can look at here. I'll make a post with my work from the show when it gets closer to the opening.

**Finally, here's an LA Weekly illustration I did over the summer that I forgot to post about. Oops! I was told it was published, but I didn't see it in any of the issues over the summer. Did anybody else happen to catch it?
Anyway, this illustration was for the "Stage" section for an article about what it's like to see theater on public transport. I didn't really know what that meant and I wasn't given very many specifics, but the A.D., Darrick Rainey, gave me some suggestions and I came up with this:

As I rider of public transportation, I haven't seen people as wacky as this, but some get very close. Just kidding, I love you, fellow commuters.

What time is it???

2011-11-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Adventure Time!

Hey guys! As part of The Autumn Society's tribute to Adventure Time , I made a little sculpture of the main characters, Finn and Jake. A lot of the show involves candy in some way, shape, or form, so I decided to turn Finn and Jake into gummy candy:

"Gummy Time!"
Mixed media sculpture (Sculpey, acrylics, and glitter)
Approx. 6.5"

Here are more photos:

Here's the sour gummy version:

Here's a detail shot of the glitter/"sugar":

ALGEBRAIC!
I had a lot of fun with this piece. If you haven't seen Adventure Time, you're missing out. If you're a fan of the show, be sure to check out the other AT tributes on the Autumn Society blog!

Bad Dads

2011-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the opening of Spoke Art gallery's "Bad Dads," a tribute to the films of Wes Anderson. The show has two openings, both Saturday and Sunday night, so you can go to that Halloween party one night and see some fantastic artwork the other night! Click here to visit the facebook event page and RSVP.

My contribution is a tribute to "The Royal Tenenbaums":

"The Royal Tenenbaums"
Acrylic, gouache, and iridescent paint on paper mounted on wood panels with a 1.5" cradle.

They're actually five separate pieces. The background of each portrait is a wall from each of the characters' rooms:

"Royal"
8" x 10"

"Etheline"
8" x 8"

"Richie"
6" x 6"

"Margot"
6" x 6"

"Chas"
6" x 6"

Here are a few photos to give you a better sense of the dimensionality:

The "frames" are painted with iridescent paint and the sides of each of the panels are painted in that iconic pink color of the walls of the Tenenbaum house. I really hope you can view the pieces in person so you can see the shiny frames and all the textures.

This was one of my favorite things to work on this year. It was really fun to try to get the characters' personalities through in my drawings, and I liked working with all the great colors from the movie.
I've seen some of the other work in the show and it's incredible. Definitely check it out in person if you're in San Francisco!

Let the Right One inPRNT

2011-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! In the spirit of Halloween, I've made my "Blood Bond" illustration available as a print in my inPRNT store!

The piece is based on the Swedish vampire movie, "Let the Right One In," which you should watch if you haven't yet. There's also an American remake called "Let Me In" which I thought was also really good! Watch them both! Then buy prints for you and all your friends and family because of how you're obsessed with the movies now. Happy Halloween!

Covered

2011-10-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Heyyy, I did the cover illustration for this week's LA Weekly! Grab yourself a copy, LA people!
The article it's based on is about preferential treatment and the rigging of the admissions process of some charter schools in LA. Here's the illustration:

And here it is in print (sorry for the poor quality of these photos):

You might notice that on the actual cover, the wall was changed to a different color at the last minute to pump up the contrast between the foreground characters and the crowd in the back. It kind of affected the line quality in some areas, but I hope it's not too noticeable.

Aaand the following are the sketches I did. Darrick Rainey, the art director, gave me a brief synopsis of the article and already knew what he wanted for the illustration: A couple VIP children being led into the school by a bouncer while some parents and other potential students wait in line. Because I was given all of the elements to work with, I mostly just had to play around with composition (in a couple of the sketches I added a school bus, though. I thought it would be a funny substitute for a limo or something a real VIP would arrive in). So after coming up with various sketches, the first sketch I did was chosen.

This was a pretty fun illustration to do. I hadn't drawn kids in a while, and it was fun making the two in the front look really pretentious and haughty, but in a kids way. Especially that little girl with the attitude and the candy jewelry and the stuffed animal puppy in her purse.
As always, thanks to Darrick Rainey for the art direction and the opportunity for the cover. Yay!

OH, by the way, some of my pieces from "The End" were on the Juxtapoz website today! Double yay!

The End of "The End" + "I Want My Music Video"

2011-10-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

"The End" is near its end at WWA Gallery. Tomorrow is the last day to see the show in person, so if you haven't yet, please check it out! If you're interested, you can see the remaining available pieces here. Thanks again to WWA Gallery for having me at the gallery, and to everybody who has supported the show!

Also, "I Want My Music Video" opens tonight at 8pm at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. I've seen the work by a lot of the other artists and it looks like it's going to be an incredible show, so check it out if you can! I'll be showing a signed and framed print of my Sufjan Stevens illustration, which was inspired by this music video:

Here are a couple articles about the show (including previews of some of the work):
http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/10/05/chris-marrs-piliero-music-video-art-show/
http://arrestedmotion.com/2011/10/preview-i-want-my-music-video-art-show-meltdown/
http://www.ldwt.net/2011/10/i-want-my-music-video-art-show-celebrating-over-25-years-of-musical-inspiration/

Oh, and I'll be participating in Spoke Art's Wes Anderson movie-themed show "Bad Dads" at the end of the month, so keep your eyes peeled for an update on that later this month.

Post-Apocalypse

2011-09-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by WWA Gallery for "The End." There are still pieces available from the show, so if you're interested in purchasing anything, click here. The show will be up through Oct. 8th, so check it out in person if you can!

I'm a little late in posting some pictures, but better late than never:
Here are all the pieces set up in the gallery (photos courtesy of WWA Gallery)...

And here are a few photos from opening night (courtesy of WWA Gallery, my mom, and my cousin Chrissy)...

**In other news, I've got an interview in the art/design magazine Domestic Etch, which you can preview and purchase by clicking here. Thanks to Domestic Etch and Elizabeth Goodspeed for the interview!

**In other-other news, I'm participating in the "I Want My Music Video" art show taking place at Meltdown Gallery (in the awesome Meltdown Comics shop in Hollywood) and opening Oct. 7th. It's curated by music video director Chris Marrs Piliero and artist Dave MacDowell and showcases artwork inspired by various music videos. I'll be showing a signed and framed print of my Sufjan Stevens illustration, which is no longer available in my print store.

**Also, I forgot to post this a long time ago, but Pat put up pictures of his contributions for the next round of our on-going collaborations. Check them out here (along with the previous round) on our shared Society6 page: http://society6.com/studio/julianandpat
Or just look here:

I have the next round of the collaboration, so it's my fault for the lack of updates. I was crazy busy working on my show, but I'm hoping to finish the next round in the next couple of weeks. Cross your fingers!

**I've got other projects in the works too, so keep an eye out in the coming weeks for some new stuff!

This Is "The End"

2011-09-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

A tremendous thank you to everyone who made it to the opening of "The End" on Friday! I had a fantastic time showing with Jeni Yang and I was incredibly grateful to be surrounded by old friends, family, and some new friends! I couldn't have asked for more.

Once again, here is my artist statement for the show:

"The End" is about love and heartbreak, destruction and regrowth. It showcases the melodrama of a crumbling relationship over the backdrop of the apocalypse. The focus is on desolation at a smaller, more intimate scale rather than at the world-wide level, but the dissolution of a personal connection and the end of the world play out as parallel events, accompanied by the heightened emotions and uncertainty that they both elicit.

So...heartbreak and the apocalypse. Here are the pieces!

The first few pieces in the show are the "Harbingers," various flying animals falling from the sky (except for the locust). They each have their own symbolic significance, but generally I wanted to imply impending doom and the idea that "the sky is falling."

The two swallows are mixed media sculptures (they are meant to hang from the ceiling...I'll post pictures of them from the gallery soon), while the four other harbingers (from top to bottom: locust, bat, kingfisher, bee) are on 5" x 5" scratchboards.

The following are done in pen, ink, and acrylic on paper mounted on 10" x 10" wood panels. They serve as a sort of accompaniment to the main narrative since they deal with the same pattern of destruction, recovery, and the eventual flourishing of life:

"Inferno"

"Deluge"

"Ouroboros"

"Feral"

The next five paintings are all done in acrylic and gouache on paper mounted on 18" x 24" wood panel. This set serves as the main narrative, and is really where the heartbreak comes in:

"Rapture"

"Sunder"

"Carrion"

"Fallout"

"The End"

THE END!
If you are interested in buying something from the show, please visit this link to see all the available pieces: WWA Gallery
I will make another post later on with some pictures from opening night. By the way, the show is up until October 8th, so check it out in person if you can!
Thanks to the always awesome crew at WWA Gallery for having me and Jeni in the gallery. And a very special thank you to all my friends and family who provided me with so much support throughout the entire process of making the show, and who showed me incredible generosity during and after the opening!

Apocalypse...NOW!

2011-09-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, later tonight. Yes, "The End" is here, and I'm so excited!

If you're interested in buying work before the show opens, please click HERE to view all the pieces. Otherwise, you can come see all the work in person at the opening tonight from 8pm-11pm at WWA Gallery!
Here's the link for the facebook event page again: Julian and Jeni Gallery Reception

I'll make a post with all the pieces and some pictures from the opening after tonight, so keep an eye out for it.
See you later!!

It's coming...

2011-08-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

"The End," that is. Join me Sept. 9th for the opening of my show at WWA Gallery. I'll be showing with Jeni Yang and her new series of work, "Infusion."

Here's the info:
Friday, Sept. 9th (8pm-11pm)
WWA Gallery
9517 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA

And here's the facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=256261807727597&notif_t=event_invite

Hope to see you there!

"The End" is near

2011-07-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

That's right, folks. Mark your calendars for my upcoming show "The End," opening September 9th at WWA Gallery in Culver City. You can see one of my pieces, "Fallout," in the banner above. Here's my artist's statement, in which I throw around a bunch of fancy words to sound artsy or whatever:

"'The End' is about love and heartbreak, destruction and regrowth. It showcases the melodrama of a crumbling relationship over the backdrop of the apocalypse. The focus is on desolation at a smaller, more intimate scale rather than at the world-wide level, but the dissolution of a personal connection and the end of the world play out as parallel events, accompanied by the heightened emotions and uncertainty that they both elicit."

In short, it's about heartbreak and the apocalypse (that's what you can tell your mom and all your friends when you invite them to the show. You're bringing all of them, right? Cool).

I will be sharing the gallery with the lovely and talented Jeni Yang and her show, "Infusion."
Hope to see all you wonderful people at the opening! GET EXCITED!

LUCX Interview

2011-07-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview I did for The Blank Company's LUCX Project, a "Conversation with Everyone":

Click me!

Thanks to Otis at The Blank Company!

Crazy4Cult 5

2011-07-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

Friday was the opening of Crazy4Cult 5 at Gallery1988 Melrose and man was it fantastic! So much awesome work this year...I was really blown away by all the talent on display.
Here's my contribution, inspired by "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World":

"Ace of Bass"
mixed media sculpture
about 9" x 12"

[Update: I was asked what mixed media I used, so I thought I'd elaborate!
Scott is made of Sculpey, with an inner structure of armature wire and aluminum foil.
The bass' inner structure is a metal button and a couple of wood skewers (just for the basic shape), and it is made of Sculpey as well (there was A LOT of sanding, re-baking, and more sanding involved. Did I mention sanding?). The metal bits are just pieces of armature wire, metal brads, and metal wire. Everything is painted with a mix of acrylic, acrylic inks, and acryla-gouache. I sprayed Scott with a matte finish spray, and the bass with crystal clear glossy varnish. Whew!]

Here are some pictures of the piece in various stages of development and at different angles:

Many thanks to Edgar Wright, the phenomenal director of Scott Pilgrim (and other personal favorites "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz") for purchasing my sculpture! I could not be happier!

Crazy4Cult 5 will be up through July, so definitely check it out in person if you're in LA!
Also, The Crazy4Cult Cult Movie Art book was just released, featuring artwork from the first four Crazy4Cult shows. It's an incredible collection. There will be a book-signing event July 10th (today!) at noon at Gallery1988, so grab a book and meet many of the contributing artists!

Woohoo!

Update: Here are some lovely pictures of the sculpture at the gallery space, courtesy of my friend Alessandro Echevarria.

Terra Obscura

2011-06-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everybody who made it to the Terra Obscura show last weekend, and thanks to The Upper 600s for inviting me to take part!
Here's what I contributed:

"Host"
Mixed media sculpture and wood puzzle

For this piece I was inspired by bowerbirds and cordyceps (look them up...they're both really interesting. If you've seen the BBC/Discovery Channel series "Planet Earth," you might be familiar with them). I liked the idea of a bird building and decorating a structure to be an attractive host for a potential mate, while at the same time that bird is a host to a parasitic fungus.
By the way, the bird's "nest" is a cool wood puzzle that I thought would be the perfect thing for the bird to perch on.

Here are more photos:

WIP shot, for scale

Here are a couple pictures (courtesy of the lovely Giselle Limtao) of my piece installed in the actual gallery space. I added some dried up flowers and whatnot to the bird's nest. You can also get a glimpse of my shiny new business cards:

This piece is still for sale, so if you're interested, send me an email (juliancallos @ gmail)!

Oh, hey

2011-06-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sooo sorry for the lack of updates for the past few weeks! I've been super busy, which is weird because I don't have too much to show for it (yet!). But the next few months should be full of exciting things. One exciting thing that you should come to this Saturday is organized by the awesome art collective The Upper Six Hundreds called "Terra Obscura":

I'm in the show along with a bunch of fantastic artist and designer friends. $5 gets you into an art party with live music and general awesomeness. I'll be showing a small sculpture/mixed media piece (I'll post pictures up after).
You can RSVP on facebook by clicking HERE. Come say hi!

Ongoing collaboration with Pat Perry

2011-04-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! A while back, the awesomely talented Pat Perry asked me to start a collaboration with him on a couple illustrations (one black & white, one color) as a fun side project. The plan was to mail two 22" x 30" sheets of paper back and forth and add a little bit to them each time.

You can track the progress on Society6: http://www.society6.com/studio/julianandpat

I'll also be posting images here on my blog as the pieces progress. Here are the first round of drawings!

Pat's start of the b&w piece:

My additions:

My start of the color piece:

(Apparently I have a thing for tangles.)

Can't wait to see what Pat adds next!
Stay tuned for more updates in the future. Get excited!

Oh, and don't forget to follow us on Society6:
http://www.society6.com/PatPerry
http://www.society6.com/juliancallos

Spacejam Stevens

2011-03-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that my Sufjan Stevens illustration (posted about here) is now available as a print in my Society6 store!

Clicky

Farewell, LA-LA Land

2011-03-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

Why, hello friends! Just a little update on things:
Due to changes at LA Weekly, the section in which my "LA-LA Land" column appeared is (indefinitely) no longer. I'm sad to see it go, but I'm really glad I got to share the spot with some of the coolest and most talented illustrators I know, including my good friend Cooper and other amazingly talented artists like Ken Garduno and Mike Bertino.
I had a fantastic time coming up with illustrations for the column; I ended up with a pretty big series of work about the strange and amazing characters and landmarks that make up Los Angeles, and I hope I did my city proud. This week also marks Assistant Art Director Jason Jones' last at the Weekly. It was wonderful working under his direction, and I'm really grateful for all his support. Thanks and good luck, Jason!
Before the column was canceled, I finished one last illustration for it. It looks like it won't be published any time soon (if at all), so I wanted to share it here. It's about the various characters you can find at any given time if you take public transportation. As a frequent commuter, I can tell you that you are guaranteed to spot at least four of these people on a single bus/train ride.

And there are a lot more types. Maybe I should do an on-going series of my public transportation adventures? I've already delved into this territory before (on my alterna-blog, sugarboner, here).

In other news, I've been sketching out ideas for my solo show at WWA Gallery later this year, and I'm really anxious and excited to start fleshing things out. I'll be sharing the gallery space with the incredibly talented Jeni Yang, who's working on her own show. The shows aren't until September, but I'll keep you updated on any new developments. Get excited!

Experimentin'

2011-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been playing around a lot in Photoshop, experimenting and trying out different coloring techniques that I've always meant to try but for one reason or another never got around to doing. If you've been following my work you know that I primarily work with inks, acrylics, and gouache. I did a few digital illustrations while I was at Otis, but I stuck with traditional media because it was more comfortable to me, and because I didn't think my digital illustrations had the same character and "life" that my paintings did. Also, I love having something tactile, a real-life piece you can hold in your hands.

Aaanyyywayyyy, I finally have the tools, time, and focus to experiment a bit more with digital illustrations, so I did this portrait of Sufjan Stevens:

I took the aesthetic from Sufjan's latest video and his recent live show get-ups. What do you think?

I also scanned a bunch of scrap paper on which I tested out colors for various paintings (there are probably at least a dozen different paintings represented here) and made this kaleidoscopic image:

Then I messed around with colors, filters, and adjustment layers to make it look pixelated. Originally, this was gonna be a more prominent part of the Sufjan illustration, but there was a lot going on already, so I confined the pixels to Sufjan's lenses:

Experimentation! Yay!

New Year Super Post

2011-01-17T20:49:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, folks! Hope you had a lovely holiday season!
Sorry for the lack of posts recently...To make up for it, here's a giant post of updates.

***First off, here's a piece I did for "Is This Thing On?," Gallery 1988's tribute to comedians. My comedian is Ellen DeGeneres:

"Do the Ellen Boogie"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on panel
6" x 12"

The show opened earlier this month, so my apologies for not posting about it beforehand. You can still purchase the piece through Gallery 1988 HERE. And be sure to check out the wonderful work by the other artists in the show!

***I was asked by Joshua Rhodes to participate in his HOWHY Project, where he asks artists the question, "Why do you make art?" You can read my response HERE. I think it's interesting to find out what motivates people to do what they do, so take a look at what the other artists are saying and stay tuned for more responses.

***I wanted to give something special to some friends of mine this past Christmas, so I decided on some hand-made gifts. We have our own "tribe" and each person has a spirit animal, so I made everyone a sculpture of his or her spirit animal. It was a total labor of love and I'm super excited to share with everybody:

***Finally, allow me to get all up in your social network: You can "like" me on facebook by clicking HERE and follow me on twitter HERE for blog updates, show reminders, and the like.

Okay

2010-12-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

NOW the illustration I posted last week is in LA Weekly. Grab a copy!

And while I'm at it, don't forget about my NEW PRINTS available now!

28 Drinks Later...

2010-11-24T22:09:00.000-08:00

Why hello there. I've got another illustration for my "LA-LA Land" column in the next issue of LA Weekly (out this Thursday).
[EDIT: Whoops! Apparently I'm not in this week's issue after all. I'll let you know when it IS out.]
You know the drill:

1. A lady hawking counterfeit wares...fake designer bags, watches, jewelry, etc.
2. A bunch of drunk club-goers out on the streets after a night of partying, ravenous for some street food. I wanted their "attack" on the taco truck to look like a scene out of a zombie movie.
3. In honor of Thanksgiving, this idea was supposed to feature a cornucopia of sorts of an eclectic assortment of food. But in this case, cornucopia = garbage can and feast = discarded fast food.

Anyway, the second idea was chosen, duh. The other ideas were admittedly kinda lame? I really wanted to do the zombie/drunks thing. AND I DID:

Final:

"Night of the Living Drunks"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12.75" x 7.75"
[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey... Thanks guys!]

Hope you like it! I had a lot of fun making it. It should be in the next issue, so pick one up when you get the chance. OH, and have a very happy Thanksgiving while you're at it!

NEW PRINTS available!

2010-11-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I've made a few more pieces available as prints in my INPRNT store.
Here are all the pieces that currently comprise my print shop (5 new pieces + 2 pieces which had already been available before today):

Grab some for yourself or get one as a gift for that special someone this holiday season! Yay!

Spread some cheer!

2010-11-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

The very talented Paul Octavious recently invited me to take part in his Just a Few Cards project, where 9 different artists designed 9 different Christmas cards. The site just launched today, so you can get a pack of 9 cards (either of a single design, or a set of each of the designs) plus a pen! What better way to send some holiday cheer AND some art to the special people in your life?
You can buy my design HERE. And check out the other cards by the extremely talented designers and illustrators! I'm honored to be in such company.

Here's a closer look at the card:
[image courtesy of the justafewcards website]

And here's the illustration on its own:

Thanks to Paul for inviting me to take part in such a cool project!

Soul Pancake

2010-11-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! As you may have noticed from the video above, my painting "Space" is part of the SoulPancake book, which is out now. What is SoulPancake, you ask? Well, why don't I let this little blurb from the website tell you:

SoulPancake is more of a mission than a Web site. It's a MOVEMENT to wrestle with and chew on LIFE'S BIG QUESTIONS. It's a way to EXPLORE why we believe the things that we believe. It's a place for you to TALK about your soul and the existence of God. It's a space to ENGAGE in art, philosophy, creativity, truth, and beauty. And ultimately, SoulPancake is a community of people who are digging DEEPER to figure out what it means to be human and to experience this rich, strange, difficult, and awesome journey called life.
Actor Rainn Wilson co-created this site with two of his friends, Joshua Homnick and Devon Gundry. SoulPancake sprang out of their desire to create a space where people from all walks of life could discuss and question what it means to be human—a place to wrestle with the spiritual, philosophical, and creative journey that is life.

The book is co-authored by Rainn Wilson, Devon Gundry, Golriz Lucina, and Shabnam Mogharabi. Every page is thought-provoking, and the book features a whole lot of art! Check it out for yourself!
Thanks to Golriz for asking me to contribute a piece to such a fun book.

Old School

2010-10-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! So I was looking through some old sketchbooks and found a couple that I had gone through while taking classes with the always-amazing JT Steiny.
Some of these were done for our daily exercise of drawing from pictures with pen, without any prior sketching (I would later add random text or text from the accompanying article). Others were just for fun.
Anyway, just thought I'd share!

Also, I was recently invited to design a Christmas card, which will be up for sale early in November. More on that soon!

RE:FORM SCHOOL images

2010-10-13T00:16:00.000-07:00

NotCot.com features some photos from RE:FORM SCHOOL, which happened this past weekend. I'm sad I couldn't be in New York for the show, because from what I can see it was a pretty amazing event.
Here's the link for you curious folks (the pictures shown are just a tiny fraction of the pieces in the show): http://www.notcot.com/archives/2010/10/reform-school-nyc.php

Here are some more photos from thelmagazine.com: CLICK

If I run into any more photos from the show, I'll update this post.

Also, even though the show is over, you can still help the cause and learn more about the efforts being made for education reform by visiting letsredu.com

Happy National Coming Out Day

2010-10-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Happy National Coming Out Day, LGBT community and supporters!

As you may know by now, news of the heartbreaking suicides of several gay youths due to bullying has hit over the past few weeks. In response to these tragedies, the It Gets Better Project was set up. The videos hope to reach out to struggling gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth to urge them not to give up and to let them know that, even if times seem overwhelmingly tough right now, it gets much better.

Stay strong, LGBT youth! I can tell you from experience that it gets better. You've got a friend in me and an entire community of people just like you who can help, so don't give up.

<3

The Horror! The Horror!

2010-10-08T00:50:00.000-07:00

Enough with the teasing. Here's my piece for WWA Gallery's Horrorwood show, which opens October 15th from 7pm-10pm.
The show pays homage to the horror movie genre; my piece is inspired by the beautiful Swedish vampire film "Let the Right One In."

"Blood Bond"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

Here's the sketch and a close-up shot, so you can see all the lines and textures:

Because the piece is relatively simple and has a lot of empty space above the figures, I wanted to play around with different textures, so it's a little more rewarding to get up close to it.
As for the scene, from far away I wanted it to look like the typical vampire neck-biting scene you'd see in any vampire movie, but if you get up close (and especially if you've seen the movie), you realize it's just a tender embrace between main characters Oskar and Eli.
Eli ended up looking much more sinister than I originally intended, probably because the creepy eyes, which were inspired by the really quick shot in the movie where she's standing in the dark and her eyes are reflective like a cat's eyes.

ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy the piece, because I had fun making it. Also, if you haven't seen the movie, what are you sitting around reading this blog for???

Hope you can make it to the show. For your convenience, HERE is the facebook event page. See you there!

LA Weekly's Best of LA 2010

2010-10-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hi, all! I've got four spot illustrations in this week's LA Weekly, which happens to be a super-sized "Best of LA" edition.
The issue gives tips on the best things to do and best places to see in LA, while shedding light on the history behind those places. Each section is inspired by one or two decades; the sections I worked on were "Places" (1930s and 40s) and "Shopping & Services" (50s).

First up...sketches:
Shopping (50s):

Services (50s):

Places (30s & 40s):

And here are the finished spots, in the order they appear in the issue:

Art direction by Darrick Rainey.
The issue is out, so grab a copy and check out the amazing art by the other illustrators who worked on it as well!

A Little Tease... + Giveaway

2010-10-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

WWA Gallery is gonna get you into the Halloween spirit on October 15th with Horrorwood, a group show that pays homage to the horror movie genre. I'm excited to be part of the show along with so many of my friends!

Here's a little tease of my piece. Can you guess what movie it is?

Be the first one to guess the correct answer by commenting on this post and I'll send you a zombie print! Only two guesses per person. If no one guesses it by 1pm pacific time tomorrow, I'll give a hint and people can keep guessing (and you can try again with two more guesses if you already used up your two guesses prior to the hint).

I'll post the final piece some time after somebody guesses the movie. Good luck!

EDIT: Contest over! That was fast. Congrats to Jason Edward Davis for correctly guessing "Let the Right One In"!

RE:FORM SCHOOL

2010-10-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to be a part of Manifest Equality, a show that aimed to bring more attention to the issue of LGBT rights. Now the TaskForce crew responsible for that show is at it again, this time tackling the issue of public education and the need for reform with RE:FORM SCHOOL.

They've been putting up interviews of the artists (with school/childhood photos!) on their website over the past couple of weeks. You can read mine HERE.

Here's the sketch and the final piece for the show:

"Tabula Rasa"
Mixed media on paper mounted on wood
16" x 20"

The show is open to the public on October 9th to the 11th, so if you're in New York, check out my little chalkboard boy in person, as well as the work from the amazing line-up of artists. Proceeds from the show will be donated to the URBAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP, which brings art to underserved public school students across NYC. So buy some art and support a good cause!

Why, hello there...

2010-10-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Long time no post! Sorry for the long silence without any updates, but I've been keeping busy. I promise I've got a bunch of new things to show you, and I'll be gradually updating the blog over the next few days.

First, My piece "Death, or a Murder of Crows" is featured in the very first issue of Pique, a magazine created by friends James, Travis, and Sinden (who wrote her own interpretation of the piece). You can see it (pages 16 & 17) and the rest of the issue here: http://www.piquequarterly.com/

Stay tuned for more news very soon!

Crowd Control

2010-08-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

I've got a new illustration in this week's LA Weekly (page 70) for an article about the crowded and chaotic Coachella 2010. Here were some of my ideas:

1. A tsunami of people, a la Hokusai, about to pummel a band member (or, alternatively, a crowd-surfer).
2. A can of "Coachella"-brand sardines, with people packed tight and scrambling to get out.
3. A crowd so packed that the fences surrounding it can barely contain it.
4. A busy image with ticket scalpers, tail-gaters, and a sea of people.
5. An audience so big and crowded that they could practically touch the performer.
6. A scene at a neighboring copy store, where scalpers are photo-copying tickets while a line of people eagerly await to buy them.

Number 3 was chosen for the final. On a side note, I noticed that when I have to draw several people for a single piece, a lot of them end up looking like or are inspired by my friends. Do you see any kinda-familiar faces?

"Packed Fresh in Indio"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[ADs: Darrick Rainey and Jason Jones]

They ended up printing it in black and white, so unfortunately it doesn't feature all the crazy colors that the concert-goers are wearing, but I guess if you're reading this then that really isn't a problem!
The issue is out now, check it out!

Worst hair day ever.

2010-08-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Friend and fellow illustrator Thomas Lynch and his buddies at Cartoon Network are independently publishing a book about fabled creatures from around the world, and I was lucky enough to be invited to participate. Thanks Thomas!

After researching a lot of really cool-looking and interesting creatures, I for some reason was really drawn to the kami-kiri of Japan. It was said to sneak up on a woman at night and cut off her hair, supposedly to delay her (doomed) marriage to a spirit disguised as a human. Creepy!

"Kami-kiri"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12" x 8.75"

The project is still in the works, but I'll make a new post about it when the books are ready. I'll be selling some copies of the book myself, so stayed tuned!

Along the shores of LA-LA Land

2010-08-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

I've got a new illustration for my "LA-LA Land" column in this week's LA Weekly (out Thursday). Here are sketches, followed by the final piece:

The first idea was simply a young lady sun-tanning, with her towel serving to frame the piece. The second idea featured a monster made of garbage emerging from the shores of Santa Monica (anyone who's been there knows how dirty it can get).
Finally, this last sketch is supposed to be like a B-movie poster poking fun at hipsters.

The second sketch was chosen, so I came up with this:

"It Came from Santa Monica"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[ADs: Darrick Rainey and Jason Jones]

Thanks Darrick and Jason!
Be sure to pick up the issue when it's out this Thursday!

Issues

2010-07-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

[Updated with new links. Click links for more info and previews of the issue.]

Walk, skip, or jump on over to your local bookstore to check out the beautifully produced IdN Extra 03: The New Twenties, a collaboration between IdN Magazine and Society6.
Here's my profile on IdN: http://idnworld.com/creators/?id=JulianCallos
And if you're on Society6, let's be friends! http://www.society6.com/studio/juliancallos

[Cover art by Matt Taylor]

[My page is on the right. Illustration on the left is by the amazing Julia Sonmi Heglund.]

Thanks IdN and Society6! It's an honor to be featured in the issue along with so many immensely talented artists.

Also, I'm in Issue #4 of CarneMag, a digital magazine with a focus on illustration and photography. You can download the issue here: http://www.carnemag.com/. Thanks to Ignacio at CarneMag for the feature!

Ink & Ink

2010-07-17T01:14:00.000-07:00

I just got back from watching some friends get tattoos. So much ink! I thought it would be very appropriate to post this painting I just finished the other day:

"Ink II"
Ink (ha!) and acrylic on paper
8" x 8"

This piece was commissioned by the wonderful photographer Chloe Aftel. We've actually been planning a photo-shoot together, but first I gotta make a really cool mask to wear... Maybe something weird and alien-like, in the same vein as some of my more recent nautical or spacey paintings? We'll see. Hopefully the shoot happens some time in August, so I'll post more about it then.
Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Crazy 4 Cult 4

2010-07-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

Here's my "Harold and Maude"-inspired piece for this year's Crazy 4 Cult at Gallery 1988. But first, some work-in-progress shots (sorry for the poor quality photos...I may or may not have been sleep-deprived during the entire process of making this sculpture):

I realize I should've taken more progress shots, as the sculpture went through MANY stages. Oh well...next time!
Anyway, here's the final piece:

"Hung Up On You"
Mixed media sculpture
About 12" tall
Inspired by "Harold and Maude"

Here it is with some dramatic lighting:

I'm planning on taking some better photos of the finished piece at the gallery at some point during the run of the show. By the way, the show is up until July 30th, so check it out if you haven't already. I was blown away by all the amazing pieces...don't miss it!

It's coming...

2010-07-08T01:38:00.000-07:00

Crazy 4 Cult 4 is this Friday, from 7pm-10pm at Gallery 1988 LA!

Several friends from Otis will also be in the show, so I'm extra excited to be a part of this!
Here's a little tease of what I'll be contributing:

That's right, I made a sculpture. But who exactly will be playing this banjo, you ask? Well, can you guess what cult movie my piece is based on?

I'll post the final piece soon. But I really really hope you can check out the show in person! I got a sneak peek of a bunch of the pieces in the show and it looks like it's gonna be nothing short of AMAZING.

Check back soon for the final piece!

Summer's coming to LA-LA Land

2010-06-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

Summer's not even officially here yet but we're already starting to feel the heat in LA. Here's a piece I did about the summer heat for my "LA-LA Land" column in this week's LA Weekly. You can grab it when it comes out on Thursday.

"Melt"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey]

Another Dimension

2010-05-19T00:05:00.001-07:00

This Thursday from 7-10pm is the opening of Gallery 1988's Twilight Zone show called "Another Dimension." My piece is based on the famous "Eye of the Beholder" episode.

"Eye Candy"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
11.75" x 11.75"

I wanted the piece to carry the same theme of that episode, and since this is Gallery 1988 I also wanted it to be humorous with a bit of a twist. Plus, it's always fun to do a pin-up every now and then.
I hope you can make it to the show!

For inquiries about purchasing work, please visit http://nineteeneightyeight.com/

Thank you!

2010-05-18T23:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry if it's a little late, but I just wanted to say thank you to the people who made it to the opening of "Into the Unknown"! I had a wonderful night meeting everyone and hanging out with friends. Even if you couldn't make it, thank you for continuing to show your support by following me and my work on this blog. It means a lot!
And a big thanks to the Rob, Steph, and Dave AKA the Industrial Squid and WWA Gallery crew for having me in the gallery and for the many opportunities that went along with the show!

Into the Unknown

2010-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the opening of my show "Into the Unknown," in the Project Room of WWA Gallery. If you're interested in the concept behind the show, you can read this interview I did with Industrial Squid.
Here are the pieces!

"Into the Unknown"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

"Self / Reflection"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
Both 8" x 8"

"Inner Space"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

"More Questions Than Ever"
Mixed media on paper mounted on wood (outer space parts are glossy)
12" x 12"

[Photo courtesy of Industrial Squid]
"Our Intrepid Explorer"
Mixed Media Sculpture
About 6" tall

I hope you can make it to the opening! It's tonight from 7pm-10pm at WWA Gallery in Culver City. Be sure to check out Rey Ortega and Rob Corless in the main gallery. All work will be up until June 5th.

If you're interested in purchasing work, please visit this link. As I write this, the only piece available for purchase from my set is "Inner Space," so get it while it's hot!

See you tonight!

Back Talk with Juxtapoz

2010-05-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun Q&A I did with Juxtapoz! Enjoy: BACK TALK

Thanks Juxtapoz! And thanks to Stephanie of Industrial Squid for setting up the opportunity!

Interview on Industrial Squid Blog

2010-05-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I was recently interviewed by Stephanie of the Industrial Squid crew about my upcoming show with them at WWA Gallery. The interview features a few pieces that will be in the show, so this is your official spoiler alert. Anyway, here it is: Industrial Squid Blog

Upcoming Show!

2010-04-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

I've been hard at work on a small set of paintings for a show at WWA Gallery on May 7th. I'll be showing in the project room while the very talented Rey Ortega and Rob Corless are showing in the main room.

And just to whet your appetite, here are teases of a couple of my pieces in the show:

I'm really happy with the work I made for the show so I hope you can make it to see them in person! I'll post the full images and the other paintings as the show draws nearer. Woohoo!

Hollywoodland

2010-04-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but I promise that some new stuff is coming!

Speaking of which, I've got another illustration for my "LA-LA Land" column in this week's LA Weekly (I think it's out now).

The first idea is about Star Maps, the maps you can get in Hollywood that tell you where celebrities live, except, you know...he's an astronaut so it's a map of literal stars. Puns!
The second idea was to do a mosaic-type thing of various Los Angeles people and elements.

Jason wanted me to push the Hollywood/LA vibe, so I added a space traffic jam (space jam?) of sorts, some satellites with advertisements on them, and a planet Hollywood (har har). Will the puns never end? Jason also wanted me to make it a little trippy/psychedelic, so I went with some kinda crazy colors:

"Star Maps"
Ink and acrylic on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey]

Viva La Art

2010-03-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

This Saturday is the Viva La Art Benefit Party and art auction, whose proceeds (100% of them!) will go to Homeboy Industries, a non-profit organization that helps support at-risk youth in Los Angeles.

I donated my piece "Quiver II," so it will be up for auction.

If you are in town, please come by and show your support, and maybe buy a piece! There is a $20 donation at the door, but remember, ALL proceeds from the benefit will go to Homeboy Industries. Yay!

juliancallos(dot)com!

2010-03-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

Hey guys!
I'm pleased to announce that my official website is finally up and running!

www.juliancallos.com

There are a couple more little tweaks to be made I think, but it's pretty much good to go right now. A big, big thank you to the talented and very busy Kenny Harris for designing it.

More like "Flaw-Flaw Land," am I right? (Sorry)

2010-03-04T16:18:00.001-08:00

Here's a new illustration for my column LA-LA Land in this week's LA Weekly (out now!). First, sketches:

My first idea was to poke fun at the crazy plastic surgery/botox trend you see all over LA. This woman is trying to look majestic and beautiful when all she really does is look creepy. I also wanted to include marks around the page to make it look like I'd be going to perform a little nip/tuck on the illustration itself.
The second idea was to do an illustration that looked like one of those old "Let's all go to the lobby" ads from the movie theater, but this would feature LA street food like the bacon-wrapped hot dog, elote/corn on the cob, and some alcohol wrapped in a brown paper bag.

So Jason, the assistant art director, chose the first idea and pointed out that she kind of looked like a Disney princess with the bird unraveling her face, so I tried to push the princess/majestic thing. He also suggested adding another bird and a simple background of clouds just to add another layer to the drawing. So I came up with this.

"Nip/Tuck"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey]

I really wanted to contrast her gracious and regal pose and the elegant flow of the bandages and birds with some creepy lighting, to make her look more like the Bride of Frankenstein. And this was totally unintentional on my part, but Jason noted that the clouds looked like visceral matter. How appropriate!

You can pick up the issue today. And be sure to take an admiring glance at the cover because it was done by none other than Ms. Jessica Cooper. Yay!

Manifest Equality Show

2010-03-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

Here's my piece for the Manifest Equality show, which opens this Wednesday, the third, and is up until this Sunday night. You can find more info about the show here: http://manifestequality.com/about

"Afloat"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

It's kind of a companion to my piece "Adrift" (which you can see here), but has the opposite mood. While "Adrift" was about loneliness and heartache, "Afloat" is about companionship and hopefulness.

I'm really glad I get to take part in this show, so I hope you can make it and show your support for the LGBT community and equality for all!

[Edit: Apparently the opening and closing receptions are invite-only. Sorry for the mix-up! You can find out when the gallery is open to the public on the Manifest Equality site (linked above)]

Happiness

2010-03-01T18:12:00.000-08:00

Here is my piece for the Happiness show at Perihelion Gallery in Phoenix, which is part of the 22nd Art Detour art walk (http://www.artlinkphoenix.com/). It's curated by Bob Dob and features friends and fellow Otis illustrators Mylan, Cooper, Dalva, and Danielle.

"High Spirits"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

Thanks to Bob Dob for inviting me to be a part of this show!

Manifest Equality

2010-02-20T12:25:00.000-08:00

Next month I will be in a show called Manifest Equality, which, in support of gay rights and equality for all Americans, "issues an inspiring, visual call-to-action, with hundreds of artists motivating public energy toward true reform on a local, state and national level." You can find out more about the show here: http://manifestequality.com/about

They've been posting little blurbs about all the artists and why they chose to participate. Mine is up today and you can read it here: http://manifestequality.com/posts/meet-the-artist-julian-callos

The piece shown with the interview is an older piece, since I don't have any images of the one I'm doing for the show yet...I'll post my piece up as soon as it's done. I'm excited to be a part of this show, and it looks like it's gonna be a huge event with lots of amazing work, so I hope you can make it!

AMMO Mag

2010-01-31T11:24:00.001-08:00

A couple months ago I was interviewed by AMMO, an independent illustration magazine, for their second issue. It's out now, and you can purchase the issue here: http://www.ammomagazine.co.uk/shop/issue2.html. I haven't gotten my copy yet, but from what I've seen there's a lot of awesome art from a bunch of really cool artists. Here's a sneak peek of the cover (by Nick Deakin) and my interview, which also features a selection of my work:

Thanks to Dave Hughes at AMMO for the feature!

The Devil Made Me Do It

2010-01-28T17:53:00.000-08:00

Here's my piece for "The Devil Made Me Do It," a show at WWA Gallery in Culver City.

Detail:

"Mine"
Ink and acrylic on paper mounted on wood
18" x 24"

Since the theme of the show is pretty dark, I went dark as well, stylistically and thematically. The piece depicts the consequences of one man's greed and envy. (It's kind of hard to notice at first, but in the dead man's hand is a diamond).
I've always wanted to do a piece with coal miners and canaries. For those who don't know, canaries were used by coal miners as a sort of early detection system for harmful gases...it's not just some weird desire of mine to arbitrarily combine the two! Anyway, I like the juxtaposition of something as delicate and beautiful as a canary with something so rugged and worn-down as a miner.

The show opens Friday, February 12th and the reception is from 7-10pm. Hope you can make it!

Candy Land

2010-01-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

The LA Vida section of the latest LA Weekly features another one of my "LA-LA Land" illustrations. First, sketches:

The first idea was two late-night party-goers enjoying some street food while still a little buzzed. The second was a bunch of palm trees decorated with Christmas lights (I thought the illustration would be printed the week of Christmas). Last but not least is the chosen idea.

Final:

"Red Queen"
Ink and acrylic on paper
12.5" x 7.5"

[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey]

I wanted it to look like (and poke fun at) the escort ads you can find in the back of LA Weekly and other free weeklies. I'm glad they let me do it, because I liked the idea and had a feeling it would be really fun to work on (it was!). You can pick up the issue now, if you're so inclined...

New Year, New Stuff

2010-01-11T20:08:00.000-08:00

Happy new year, everybody! This is a painting I did today. It isn't really for anything in particular (I mostly just wanted to make something), but I may be putting it into one of the upcoming group shows that I'll be a part of. Stay tuned.

"Space"
Ink, acrylic, and colored pencil on paper mounted on wood
11.5" x 11.5"

Interview on Createmake

2009-12-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed by Ragnar Freyr of createmake.com. You can check it out here: http://www.createmake.com/?p=964

A print version of Createmake is coming up in the future, so the interview will be in that as well.

Thanks Ragnar!

Current Shows + The Ark Project Book

2009-12-15T23:41:00.000-08:00

The LOST show at Gallery 1988 tonight was amazing...lots of really awesome work! Plus I was really happy to discover that my piece sold! If you didn't get a chance to drop by the gallery tonight, the show will be up until Christmas Eve. Also, congrats to friends and fellow Otis illustrators Danielle Buerli and Luke Berliner for selling their pieces as well!

Here's my piece for the show in its frame (sorry the picture's a bit blurry):

Over at Gallery 1988 San Francisco is the Paper Pushers show, which opened last week. My piece, "Adrift," is still up for sale if you are interested. You can view it and the rest of the show here: http://g1988pp09.blogspot.com/

Finally, The Ark Project Book is out and for sale. You can purchase it here: http://idnworld.com/books/?id=ark
I received my copy not too long ago and was blown away by all the wonderful work inside! I'm really glad to have been a part of this project, so thanks to DGPH for inviting me!

LOST

2009-12-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

I was invited to be part of the LOST Underground Art Project, a show at Gallery 1988 L.A. celebrating LOST. It's probably my favorite tv show, so I was really excited when I was asked to participate.

Here's my piece:

"No Man Is an Island"
Ink and acrylic on paper
10.75" across

This piece is in the same vein as the last painting I did, but it features one of my favorite characters on the show, Ben Linus, as well as some other references to LOST.
When I get a picture of it in its awesome octagonal frame that I found I'll post it here.

The opening is on Tuesday, December 15th from 7 - 10pm. Hope you can make it to the show! If you're a fan of LOST, you'll definitely want to check it out!

Push It Good

2009-12-01T17:02:00.000-08:00

This is the painting I did for this year's "Paper Pushers" show at Gallery 1988 San Francisco. After a terrible case of artist's block, I'm finally happy with the outcome.

"Adrift"
Ink, acrylic, and gouache on paper
11" x 17"

This is probably one of the most personal works I've done, but I managed to keep it open to interpretation as well as in the same vein as my previous work.
It will be for sale at the "Paper Pushers" show, which opens Friday, December 11th (opening reception will run from 7 - 10pm). Hope you can make it if you're in the area!

Power in Numbers

2009-11-28T15:33:00.000-08:00

Here are my pieces for "Power in Numbers 4" at Gallery Nucleus. Each piece in the show is 5"x7" and priced at $100, with a portion of the night's sales going to the American Red Cross.

I've been feeling listless and frustrated lately, not to mention I've had a major case of artist's block, so these pieces are an expression of that. I decided to do something simple so as not to stress myself out. I think they lack some of the subtlety and complexity of a lot of my other work, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless:

"oh"

"okay"

"FINE"

"sigh"

The listless series
Each: Ink on paper mounted on wood
5" x 7"
[Note: The faces on black are drawn with shiny silver ink]

The opening reception is December 12th, from 7 - 10pm. Hope you can make it, show some support, and maybe even purchase a piece.

Black Market at Black Maria

2009-11-17T19:05:00.000-08:00

Here's the piece I did for the show at Black Maria called "Skip the Mall," which opens this Saturday, November 21st at 7:00pm.

"Le Ballon Rouge"
Mixed media on paper, mounted on wood
11" x 14"

It's inspired by the old French short film "Le Ballon Rouge" ("The Red Balloon").

Blah-Blah Land

2009-11-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Below is the latest illustration for my "LA-LA Land" column in the upcoming issue of LA Weekly. But first...sketches:

The first idea was chosen again...it's odd that it always seems to work that way. Anyway, just in case anyone was wondering, the second idea was a commuter tangled up in a map of bus lines, the third is a group of actors in costume waiting for the bus to Hollywood, and the last is a pigeon in a mandala of an international selection of food.

This is the final sketch for the chosen idea: a bunch of Angelenos who are slaves to technology. Everybody's constantly in contact with someone but, you know...not. Simple.

And here's the final piece (cropped):

"Contact"
Ink and acrylic on paper
13" x 9"
[ADs: Jason Jones and Darrick Rainey]

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. It was nice to really limit my color palette this time around. This illustration should be appearing in the issue coming out Thursday, so pick one up if you can!

Interview on Pejhy

2009-11-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

I recently answered some questions for Jonathan Cooper over at pejhy.com. Find out a little more about what inspires me and how I work by going here: http://pejhy.com/2009/11/01/interview-with-julian-callos/

Thanks Jonathan!

Interview on Orange Alert

2009-10-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

I was interviewed by Jason Behrends of orangealert.net and am currently their artist of the week. The interview gives some insight into my work process and the thinking behind some of my more thematic pieces.
Check it out here: http://www.orangealert.net/callos

22 Zine feature

2009-10-13T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm featured on the cover of the 5th issue of 22 Zine, an independently-produced online/print magazine by Adam Beneke. Inside is a short interview and a few pages of my work. Thanks Adam!

You have the choice of purchasing a printed copy, downloading a pdf, or viewing it online:
http://mag.twenty2wo.com/

Double the pleasure, double the fun

2009-10-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

Here are two new pieces, both of which will be in shows this coming Saturday:

"Out-of-Body Experience"
Mixed media on paper, mounted on panel
8" x 10"

The theme of the show this piece is in is "voyage," so I wanted to illustrate a mental journey/mind trip. This piece looks much better in person, since I used silver ink for the standing figure... You can really see the shine in person. Anyway, it will be for sale at the "Voyage" group show at Liliya China Bistro, featuring Otis students, alumni, and teachers – including Cecil Kim, who owns the restaurant. Thanks for having us, Cecil!

"Deep"
Mixed media on paper, mounted on cradled board
12" x 12" x 2"

Deep space meets deep sea! Sexy. This piece will be part of the final The Kids Are Alright show, which takes place at LeBasse Projects. It's been an amazing tour, and I'm so glad I was a part of it. Big thanks to Beau of LeBasse Projects for setting it up and inviting me to be a part of it!

Hope you can make it to one or the other show...or both!

Ark Project piece

2009-09-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here's the piece I did for DGPH's Ark Project, which is going to be released soon:

"Treading Water"
Ink and acrylic on paper
10" x 10"

My animal is the carabao, a type of water buffalo from the Philippines. You can find out more about the project here: http://www.thearkproject.com.ar/index.htm

OOO LA LA!

2009-09-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of LA Weekly is out today and features another illustration for my column "LA-LA Land," in the LA Vida section.
Here's the process and the final:

Thumbnail #1 was chosen, but they suggested I illustrate the photographers instead of having winged cameras...I guess it was too weird, or that it would distract from the main point of the illustration.

Here's the sketch with the photographers.

And here's the final sketch.

Last but not least, the final illustration, cropped and slightly rotated:

"Queen of Hearts"
Ink and acrylic on paper
12.5" x 7.5"
[AD: Darrick Rainey, Asst. AD: Jason Jones]

I wanted to comment on the ubiquity of the paparazzi in the lives of celebrities and how the Hollywood celebrity culture is such that even the most mundane activities attract the attention of hungry voyeurs. Oh my!

Yes! Prints for sale!

2009-09-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I've got prints of "What Develops" and "Death, or a Murder of Crows" for sale through inprnt.com!

http://www.inprnt.com/profile/2058/

"What Develops"

"Death, or a Murder of Crows"

They are both open-ended giclée prints on 100% cotton rag paper using archival inks. Available in 13" x 19", 18" x 24", and 24" x 36".

Show & Tell

2009-07-31T14:28:00.001-07:00

Here are my pieces for Show & Tell Gallery in Toronto, the next stop on The Kids Are Alright tour:

"Deep Thoughts"
Ink and acrylic on paper (mounted on cradled board)
16" x 16"

"Sink or Swim"
Ink, acrylic, and colored pencil on paper (mounted on cradled board)
16" x 16"

The show runs from August 14th - September 6th.

LA Weekly

2009-07-27T17:18:00.001-07:00

Here's my first illustration for LA Weekly, for the week of July 24th-29th, in the LA Vida section. The brief was simple enough: create an image inspired by Los Angeles. I immediately thought of palm trees, traffic, food, Hollywood, and the beach. After the first idea was chosen, it developed into a sort of Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired piece...but instead of Wonderland, Alice is immersed in the equally odd la-la land that is Los Angeles.

"Alice in LA-LA Land"
Ink and acrylic on paper
12.5" x 7.5"

[AD: Darrick Rainey, Asst. AD: Jason Jones]

I'll be a semi-regular contributor to the LA Vida section of LA Weekly. My "visual column" is called LA-LA Land, and with it I'll be exploring the strange and eccentric aspects of Los Angeles that make the city so unique. Look out for it!

Just a sweet transvestite...

2009-07-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is my piece for this year's Crazy 4 Cult show at Gallery 1988. It's inspired by Rocky Horror Picture show.

"Sweets for the Sweet"
Ink and acrylic on paper mounted on cradled board
16" x 20"

Detail:

Crazy 4 Cult 3D opens Thursday, July 16th and closes August 8th. The opening reception is from 7pm-11pm. Hope you can make it! It's gonna be a huge show!

Face-off

2009-07-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here are my pieces for Black Maria Gallery, the next stop on The Kids Are Alright tour:

"Beat Up"
Ink on paper mounted on board
16" x 20"

"Beat Down"
Ink on paper mounted on board
16" x 20"

The opening reception is on Saturday, July 18th from 7:00pm - 10:30pm.

Battle Royal online preview

2009-06-25T00:06:00.001-07:00

The online preview of Friday's "Battle Royal" show over at Gallery 1988 SF is up now:
http://1988br.blogspot.com/

...but I'm gonna wait to see all the work in person. Hope to see you there!

Graphics & Boards

2009-06-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here's my piece that was sold at the Graphics & Boards show at A Bitchin' Space gallery in Sacramento:

"Kick/Flip"
Ink and colored pencil on a skateboard deck

Prints!

2009-06-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've got a couple prints up for sale!

The first is "Fall of the Forest King," an 8" x 8" signed and numbered print in a limited edition of 10. Get 'em while they're hot over at a paper tiger: http://www.apapertiger.com/jucafaoffoki.html

Second is "Class Dismissed," a "Battle Royale"-inspired piece from last year's Crazy 4 Cult show at Gallery 1988. The print will be available at this year's Crazy 4 Cult 3D in July, so keep a look out for it!

The Ark Project

2009-06-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

DGPH studio asked me and over 200 other artists to participate in their Ark Project, the aim of which is to publish a book featuring illustrated animals from each of the participating artists' home countries, as well as to showcase some original works in auctions/exhibits in various countries. Certain funds will be donated to different wildlife and environmental protection organizations.

Format: 17cm x 21cm, hardcover, 240 illustrated pages

The book is currently being printed, with a pre-release in Asia set for July and an official launch in Argentina around October.

For more info, and to request a press kit, contact DGPH: http://www.thearkproject.com.ar/index.htm
(or just ask me to forward it to you).
Also, check out the massive list of artists! An incredible amount of really fantastic illustrators on there...

GET EXCITED!

Coming Up...

2009-06-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

I've got a few shows coming up:

"Cute & Dangerous" at 7 Degrees gallery in Laguna (June 12th)

"Graphics & Boards" at A Bitchin' Space gallery in Sacramento (June 12th)

and "Battle Royal" at Gallery 1988 San Francisco (June 26th)

Hope you can make it!

Cute & Dangerous

2009-06-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

After a bit of R&R, I finally got back to work and did this triptych of sorts for the Cute & Dangerous show at 7 Degrees gallery in Laguna.

"Electricity"
(triptych; from left to right: "The Line,""Electricity," and "The Key")
Ink and acrylic on cradled boards (each 8" x 10")

The opening is on June 12th. There will be giveaways, a bunch of cool art, and more fun stuff. Hope to see you there!

All Natural

2009-05-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

Yay! I've finally graduated from Otis! It's been a challenging and inspiring four years, and the senior show was an excellent finale to it all. Thanks to everyone who made it.

Below are the main pieces featured in my senior show. First, here's my little blurb about them:

"My senior project explores the many different nature symbols that people from cultures all over the world used to represent universal themes such as death, power, and wisdom. I was interested to discover just how important a role nature played in the mythologies, folklores, and traditions of these various cultures. As I researched the symbols I was fascinated by how the seemingly arbitrary plants and animals came to be associated with certain ideas in always interesting and sometimes surprising ways."

Photo by Travis

"Life, or a Husk of Hares"
14" x 22"

"Death, or a Murder of Crows"
14" x 22"

"Harmony, or a Charm of Hummingbirds"
24" x 10"

"Discord, or a Pack of Wolves"
24" x 10"

"Power, or a Pride of Lions"
16" x 16"

"Trickery, or a Skulk of Foxes"
12" x 16"

"Wisdom, or a Parliament of Owls"
20" x 8"

All pieces are framed and were done in ink and acrylic on paper (with deckled edges). They're going to be part of a ten-person show in June at Gallery 1988 SF. Can't wait!

Also, check out the little sculpture I made in Daniel Lim's experiment illustration class. Ain't he cute?
[Photos by Sarah, Chan, and Jensen of Gallery1988, respectively]

Woohoo!

Unfinished Business

2009-05-08T15:42:00.001-07:00

The Otis Senior Show is TONIGHT! Hope to see you there!

TKAA: Subtext Gallery, San Diego

2009-04-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

Next stop on The Kids Are Alright tour is Subtext Gallery in San Diego. Here's my piece for it:

"Quiver II"
Mixed media on board (cradled)
24" x 24" x 2"

Benefit Auction

2009-04-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

I finally finished that giant painting I said I would do over the summer...except I kind of gave up on the giant version and instead opted to make a 24"x18" version. Hey, at least the illustration got done in some form...
Anyway, this piece is for the Otis Scholarship Benefit Auction. It's about dreams! Yay! See previous post for the sketch and more of my blabbering: http://juliancallos.blogspot.com/2008/06/sketch-for-big-summer-painting.html

"What Develops"
Ink and acrylic on board
24"x18"

Illustration West 47 Exhibition

2009-03-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 28th is the Illustration West 47 Exhibition presented by SILA and Gallery Nucleus. I've got prints of my "Telephone" and "Werewolf" pieces in the show. I checked out the other pieces and they are absolutely amazing...Don't miss it!

The Kids Are Alright

2009-03-24T22:39:00.001-07:00

This piece is the first in a series of pieces for the traveling show "The Kids Are Alright," curated by Beau from Beau/LeBasse gallery. This one will be at T&P Fine Arts in Philadelphia in April.

"Play"
Ink and acrylic on board (cradled)
16"x20"

It's about growing up and the difficulty of trying to recapture your childhood.

Idiot!

2009-03-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Here's my piece for Idiot Box over at Gallery 1988 LA, coming in April. It's a show about everyone's favorite guilty-pleasure TV shows from the past. I went with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"!

"Sunnydale High, Class of '99"
Ink on bristol paper
13"x16"

self-portraits

2009-02-17T20:10:00.001-08:00

Ink on bristol paper

This is what I look like on Monday mornings.

Beastie Beastie Beastie Boys

2008-12-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

"Another Dimension, Another Dimension"
Mixed media on board
12" diameter

This is my piece for the Beastie Boys tribute show in January at Gallery 1988. I had a lot of fun with this one. Enjoy!

Um...what?

2008-12-20T20:17:00.001-08:00

"This Crazy Dream I Had"
Ink and Photoshop

I had this dream where Darth Vader was turning people into zombies at the mall; I was part of this team of rookie Batmen sent to stop him. It was the nerdiest dream I've ever had.

Phantom Menagerie pieces

2008-11-08T11:44:00.001-08:00

So Phantom Menagerie is tonight. Be there or be square!
Here are the pieces I made for the show:

"Fall of the Forest King"
Ink and acrylic on 12" x 12" paper

"Floating"
Screenprint and acrylic on 16" x 28" paper

[sorry for the poor-quality pictures]
These are prints that I made, inspired by the band Beirut. I touched each one up with some acrylic color; the hummingbirds in all of the prints are hand-painted, and four of the prints are fully-colored like in the top picture.

Also in the show is my "The Elephant in the Room" piece, which was also shown in The Circus Show (but didn't sell).

Hope to see you tonight!

Phantom Menagerie!

2008-10-31T00:44:00.001-07:00

Don't miss it! It's gonna be a big event!