Heeeh heeeeee (grabs crotch)
Friday June 26, 2009
R.I.P. you eccentric pedophile, there will always be a special place in my childhood memories for you.
VVERK
Thursday June 25, 2009
In case you noticed there hasn't been too many additions to my portfolio lately. I've actually been pretty full with work over the last few months - which is a good thing, but hasn't left me with any time for real updates. Hopefully in July/August I can sit down and revise some of the design of this website with a launch including a lot of new work. I did post a few new images on the crustcake interview.
http://www.crustcake.com/2009/06/crustcake-features-justin-bartlett-aka.html
Shitty 7" Covers of 2009 - Katharsis
Wednesday June 24, 2009
(more German related nonsense - see previous Conrad Schnitzler post)
There's nothing I hate more than a really lazy graphic designer...one that blatantly rips off imagery from the internet, artists, or other bands. Being an illustrator and graphic designer, I will fully admit to using found imagery from books and from the web. I am sure that any designer will tell you the same. Years ago when I was doing more found/collage types of illustrations, I used bits and pieces of imagery that I found from the net. I still use clip art books occasionally if the aesthetics and project call for it, but in such a way that it doesn't completely resemble the original source. Most designers alter the imagery and incorporate into a design so that it becomes something new - perhaps comparable to "sampling" in the music industry...
When I first saw the Katharsis / Antaeus 7" - I thought that although the cover looked a bit "different" or at least unorthodox for an orthodox black metal band.. kind of silly, but least it was striking looking. Upon receiving it in the mail I was somewhat dismayed after noticing that the image of the canine on front either appeared to be downloaded from the internet or just a very poor quality scan.
Considering that Norma Evangelium Diaboli put out some of the best black metal releases over the last few years - and in my opinion, typically have outstanding artwork, it's really strange that they'd put out such an apparently low-quality album cover for such a great band - and as I said previously, the choice of subject matter (the dog) is very subjective, the execution is horrible. The Katharsis cover above is my copy, with a closeup (at normal resolution) of the artwork showing pixellation that results from enlarging a low quality image.
Earlier today I found a forum post on Nuclear War Now! that brought the "weird" Katharsis doggy full circle. It seems that a very lazy individual just downloaded the German NS band Hassgesang's demo cover and changed the image to greyscale and replaced swastikas with pentagrams. (Link to the demo and large cover image below).
Perhaps that since both bands are German, there is some sort of relation between them... which wouldn't make the offense as bad. Obviously Hassgesang "borrowed" the artwork from a found source (probably some Deutsch werewolf shiza porn VHS cover), thus making the designer of this 7" even more incredibly lazy. It's still doubtful that the designer just borrowed the image from the person who made the Hassgesang demo, since you can see the very noticeable pixellation on the closeup of the Katharsis cover. Usually if I was going to use an image from a friend, I would at least acquire the original.
The point of this post was hopefully not to offend but call attention to some poor design choices and designer(s)...just as bad music needs bad reviews, lazy and mediocre designers should be called out as well. The question remains - does the band or label know this?
On a bright note - at least the rest of the artwork is good....
http://www.wewantwar.blogspot.com/2009/02/hassgesang-demo-1.html
Conrad Schnitzler on Euronymous
Wednesday June 24, 2009
I was listening to my Klaus Schultze live LP earlier - and then found this.... (it's from the Ajna Offensive)
Hello Warren Schofield,
MAYHEM ahahah, OYSTEIN AARSETH phuu bad thing.
OK, here's my story about it all.
It was a hot summerday in Berlin in my attic flat, my wife and I had decided not to open for any visitors. Let's take our own time, don't let anybody disturb us. So stoned we lay in the shadow of the attic,when the doorbell rang. Of course we didn't open the door we played 'we're not at home'. After an hour more ringing,nobody in.Each following hour more ringing. We got upset. I went to the door and faced a longhaired person, I didn't know, through the doorspy. Night came,the person still in front of the door, now and then a ringing. In the morning no more ringing, the person slept deeply at the door. I stormed out shouting, he remained totally cool and friendly, looking like a punker same outfit metalchains and bracelets with rivets.
I should explain in between,that more than once freaks had slept there. It was warm and clean. But for us it was unpleasant to trip over sleeping persons and I must confess I chased them away quite rude. That exactly I intended to do. But his remarkable friendliness and reasonable arguments, that he wanted to visit me, me the great artist C S, let me calm down. I invited him in, breakfast, shower, dinner and drinks.
Afterwards, we talked about my work. He told me about his band. But I couldn't really get an imagination about the kind of music. I just was working on videos for a room installation. 4 Videos with music playing put at different places in the room, endless repetition.He liked the idea, and I wondered that a punk could like that. We said 'goodbye' as friends.
Now and then I recieved postcards with kind regards of him.
Once on a winterday I got a card with the request of him to contribute a short piece for an LP his band wanted to publish. I took the first piece that just lay on my desk in the studio. It was SILVESTER day. I wrapped it,brought it to the post office, therefore 'SILVESTER ANFANG'. Later I got the Maxi LP from him.
Unfortunately I didn't know before about the music style of the band. Otherwise I had chosen a much more ruder piece from my works. In this way a too soft piece of music is on that LP. I'll regret for ever.
Years later I enjoyed the money, I've got, we had never spoken of it.
Later on I had no more personal contact with OYSTEIN AARSETH.
Then further on I heard about his pass away and the circumstances. I'm still depressed when I think about it.
MAYHEM never again asked for another piece of work,pity.
That's the story of CON , OYSTEIN AARSETH , MAYHEM, Noway and maybe over forever.
I hope I could help to answer your questions. So long CON
Thanks to Warren Schofield for permission to reprint this.
http://www.theajnaoffensive.com
Masks!
Saturday June 20, 2009
If you grew up in the 80's and early 90's and were a reader of Fangoria and Starlog, you'll probably recognize many of these. Flickr link from monsterbrains.
http://tiny.cc/A8P7w | http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com
VBERKVLT vs Crustcake
Thursday June 18, 2009
To kick off their artist section - Crustcake posted an interview with me. You can read about my metal "ah-hah" moments, see some new work that I haven't posted, and find out why I am the new Pushead =) .
http://www.crustcake.com/2009/06/crustcake-features-justin-bartlett-aka.html
The World's Most Abandoned Places
Thursday June 18, 2009
From American Ghost Towns, to WWII Japanese city fortresses... a collection of the world's most abandoned places. Very haunting, the nihilist's dream.
http://www.dirjournal.com/info/abandoned-places-in-the-world | http://www.abandoned-places.com
Out of Step Magazine Party
Tuesday June 16, 2009
Opening party at Bleed Design Studio - I have a feature in the new issue.
http://outofstepmagazine.wordpress.comP
Barnaby Black
Thursday June 11, 2009
Here's part of a t-shirt illustration for a series of three shirts which I am creating for the Barnaby Black clothing label.
http://barnabyblack.blogspot.com
VNDER THE SIGN OF THE BLACK MARK II
Thursday June 11, 2009
For those that missed out on the first edition, the shirt I recently did with Shirts and destroy has been reprinted. All of the Large sizes and above sold out in a few days.
From the Shirts and Destroy website:
The first edition sold out in a lot of the larger sizes so fast that it resulted in many a bum out emails... sad. So we brought this one back. Second version is printed with White Water based discharge and the logo is much smaller on the back. No bag with this one. (we need to give those first timers SOMETHING extra for beating everyone else to the punch)
http://shirtsanddestroy.com/JUSTINBARTLETT
Svartkonst Magazine and Opening Party
Wednesday June 10, 2009
I have some new work for the Svartkonst magazine opening exhibition (June 15th in Stockholm). I am also in their debut issue which is themed "Occult". If you are in the neighborhood, please email the curators. I will have the prints for sale below, as well as some older ones - more info below:
Contributors for issue 1, Occult
Hemliga Skolan
Anti Sweden
Caitlin Gallupe
Maureen Gubia
Marlena Lampinen
Chris-Roy Magnusson
Justin Bartlett
Mirukitusko
Caisa Ederyd
Katja Reimers
Audrey Littman
Uland Krzyz
Andreas Banderas
Umani
Kim Karlsson
Sofie Winding
This first issue will be released on June 15th and the release party will be held at F12 as a part of Klubb KAOS. The release will also involve an exhibition with new work by Justin Bartlett (California, USA) and UMANI will play pitch black house for us in the lounge.
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‘Svartkonst´ is a framework without boundaries primarily for unestablished creativity which has not yet received the awareness that it deserves.
We would like to give the opportunity to, without any specific framework, bring forward people within all artistic fields. These fields can be everything from film to visual art, music, literature, fashion, theatre and graphics presented -to the furthest extent possible -on the basis of the artist’s needs and requirements.
Different artists will be responsible for each area from issue to issue, hence providing an unbridled inspiration source which provides new angles of how we, as people, view things.
Something that in one issue would be considered new and inspiring may in the next issue be questioned by the subsequent dependable artist.
´Svartkonst´ is based on change through new partnerships at all levels and we will always be working with new artists. The format of ´Svartkonst´ is open, and responsibilities will change with each new dependable artist and hence, making each issue unique.
We will focus on those artists with clear potential and those who feel that it is a good opportunity for them to show everyone (for the first time) who they really are.
We will work both domestic and internationally in order not to make it into a magazine that simply focuses on the local art situation. Furthermore, all texts will be printed in Englishn to make everything as accessible as possible.
Each issue will have a shallow theme with modest procedures which graphics and design managers can refer back to. This also applies to the content of the magazine if someone would like to have guidelines to work from.
When feasibility, needs and interest is there, we will aim to work with local areas that are related to the contents of the magazine and vice versa. These site-specific “Exclusives” will be there to satisfy readers’ and designers’ requirements.
We will primarily work in a printed form as a magazine and ´Svartkonsts` income for each single issue will to the best possible extent go back to ´Svartkonst`again. This will be done in order to organize space outside the magazine to give justice to all artforms, such as installations, art exhibitions, fashion shows and performances.
http://www.svartkonst.net
Iconoclasm Sweeps Norvegia
Tuesday June 9, 2009
Iconoclasm Sweeps Norvegia: Impressions of Norwegian Death Metal with Fenriz (Darkthrone), Anders (Cadaver) and Manheim (Mayhem)
To illuminate the spiritual roots and original perspective of the Norwegian late 80’s metal underground, Deathmetal.org contacted Fenriz of Darkthrone, Anders of Cadaver and Manheim of Mayhem to discuss early Norwegian death metal. We focus on how continental and American influences combined into a unique form of rebellion for young Norwegian musicians, spawning diverse projects and bands such as Vomit, Old Funeral and Thou Shalt Suffer in addition to the interviewees’ bands. We prove that this was not only an unimportant bunch of demos from pre-black metal bands but a necessary training ground and logical development of musical ideas that were in many cases to be transferred to classic Norwegian black metal. The final article with overview, reviews and lots of interesting discussion is now finally published, exclusively at Deathmetal.org.
Read this great article at deathmetal.org
http://www.deathmetal.org/death_metal/music/norwayDM.html
Seldon's New Site is Up!
Tuesday June 9, 2009
My Australian buddy who resides in New York City (some may call him the Crocodile Dundee of the design world), FINALLY put up his new site. Take a gander, mate!
http://www.seldonhunt.com
WORLDS AWAY
Tuesday June 9, 2009
Worlds Away, Voivod and the Art of Michel Langevin
Over 180 pages of full color Voivodian imagery in a 9" by 12" hard cover format. Narrated throughout by famed Rock journalist Martin Popoff. This is the first official release of Michel's full body of work. This is the limited edition first pressing.
Up for pre-order.
http://www.voivodbook.com
TERRORIZER vs VBERKVLT
Thursday June 4, 2009
I have a feature in the new Terrorizer. It's issue 184 with Slipknot on the cover (how unfortunate).... but still it's totally awesome to be in the magazine. I also drew a t-shirt which is pictured in the article, but I can't seem to find it on their website. I posted the link below to their store, I hope it is up soon. Here's an image of the shirt - it's light grey ink on a black shirt.
http://www.terrorizermerch.com/store/terrorizer-t-shirts.html