I need. Don’t even care which.

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Another one of my tees is now being carried at  Oak — a great boutique with locations in Williamsburg and in Manhattan on Bond Street. They’ll be getting in my Charlotte Rampling tee, “The Night Porter,” shortly. I think they’re mostly for dudes right now, but the Blood is the New Black website has ladies sizes.

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I found a ton of amazing models by calling around different agencies with our pitch and ultimately chose three girls (Annaleise, Fabienne, and Mariana) from Trump, Supreme and Next.

The backgrounds are 12′x12′ acrylic paintings on set paper, created by sourcing African mudcloth, moroccan textiles, some prints from John Robshaw,and various woven fabrics. I tiled, cropped, rotated, enlarged, changed the colors and projected them the last few nights that lead up to our shoot.

Some of my reference

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Fashion reference: Suno, Noir, DVF, Louise Grey, Rosa Cha among others

What resulted were 10 really strong bold images that I’m super happy with.

Here are some iphone pix i took while working and during our shoot!

Annaliese wearing a Marc Jacobs bikini and Cheek-ie jewelry

Work in progress

Marianna in a handbeaded Herchovitch jacket, vintage mesh bodysuit, and Roarke necklace

I hope I get to do something like this for Dazed and Confused or i-D down the line!

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Our first collaboration was the Tribeca billboard highlighting Peggy and Shirley’s 10 favorite NYC spots.

The ladies wanted their map to be inspired by 1990’s Lisa Frank stickers, and obviously it had to incorporate each of the locations, including bubble tea spot Quickly, record shop-venue Cake Shop, kosher deli Russ & Daughters, as well as some high class establishments like Dallas BBQ.

Here’s the result!

Our most recent “challenge” was to design an image inspired by a Roxy athlete (in our case famed surfer Lisa Andersen) for a t-shirt, tote bag, and hat.

The resulting illustration had to embody not only the Roxy brand but also resonate with the vibe of the Ford Fiesta campaign.

I created a logo featuring a collage of cute vintage surfing images, athletic girls from the Roxy team, fun graphics that feel summery and embrace the California culture of sun worshipers.

Hearts!

Various applications:

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More pictures from the shoot

These backgrounds were so easy to make,  I want to do this more often!

Ian Bradley

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First: blue & green

Then added red & pink acrylic (taking a break before I hit up yellow)

Obligatory detail shot

On to the last one. I like the toile look when it’s all blue.

Added red. Now it feels more John Robshaw

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Acrylic drippy paint on white set paper. 9′ x 9′

First look.
On set with Nicholas Suttle, Ian Bradley, Jillian Halouska, and Anne from Q models

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more work from last night!

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A very pale blonde haired model wearing summer florals and white will soon be standing in front of my backdrops. Hoping it turns out!

First one.

Outlines done. I’ll color it in on the floor.

It’ll be as if I’m entering the biggest coloring contest of all time!

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Tomorrow morning we’ll be having another go of it. We’re traveling an hour upstate to a secret cave and doing our first fashion editorial together. Our 15-passenger van will include Billy Keith doing hair, Jenna Rainey styling, two beautiful models from IMG, Nadja Nebas our make up artist,  Elizabeth and Me. The shoot is themed around light; exploring shadow and reflections and inspired by Jen Kao, Cushnie et Ochs and Jeremy Scott’s recent collections. And Lady Gaga (obviously).

I made several headdresses in gold and silver backed mirrors. Lots of faceted shapes. I really hope they photograph ok in the caves!

The whole process has been a learning experience; finding people to collaborate with, calling modeling agencies, creating pdf pitches to send around and shop our idea. But now that I’ve worked it out I know it’ll just be that much easier when I do another shoot next week.

The first version of these were originally created for Lindsey Thornburg.

There are more where these came from. I’ll post more after the shoot.

Some of the collections i’ve really been feeling.

Headdress research

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Currently, I’m prop styling a fashion editorial with Turner and Erica Blumenthal and the photographer Nicholas Routzen. Turner actually styled the very first Blood is the New Black lookbook in 2004, when I was art directing. That’s how we met oddly enough.  In preparation I’ve visited numerous home-goods stores and local prop shops like Prophaus, Elephant Props, and Props for Today. Once inside a prop house it’s as if you’ve arrived at the best vintage store on the planet! Everything is perfectly organized with and rows upon rows of dishwares and decorative collectables organized by color and shape. Really magical even if you’re only looking.

I’ve also hit up fabric stores like The City Quilter and Mood in hopes of finding 1920’s inspired fabrics. All I have left to do is  get my hands on the amazing (and expensive) textiles by John Robshaw and Madeline Weinrib (from ABC Carpet and Home) without spending my own money and I’ll be all set!

Here are some iphone pixxxx

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See more here: http://www.jamesryang.com/blog/

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The last few shirt graphics I did for Blood is the New Black explored similar themes, while taping into darker motifs and several referencing my relationship to Ancient Egyptian iconography. I just found out that Oak (one of my favorite stores) will be carrying two of my shirts from my  recent “film series.” Here they are:

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One of the digital collages I cooked up. The image features a variety of random x-rated sixties images from ladmags and even a Flying Lizard’s reference. Not too subtle but I like where it’s heading.

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In the midst of my research I realized a lot of the X-girl tees I lusted over by Mike Mills in the 90’s were totally channeling these graphics. I’m sure to most, this is a no brainer, but when you’re 17 and have no idea what the French New Wave or Situationism is, these references are totally lost on you.

Anyway, I’m working on Mai ‘68 inspired graphic tees. Which, I guess, means I’m making images that are retro 60’s-retro-90s. Like 70’s does the flapper 20’s or 90’s does the cardigan clad bowling shoes 50s. Now it’s twentytime does nineties does sixties. NEXT LEVS. My brain might explode.

Trying to do my own take on the imagery while using the classic phrases tagged around Paris.

Love simple French words like "oui" and "non" this season

This is a classic. Simple red & white graphic, love the janky fist

This one is rather timely

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I’m trying to creatively assemble the massive amounts of images I’ve collected from trolling the internet. Usually I use them for inspiration and pitches, but as I’m learning new skills in Photoshop, I’ve been enjoying making various compositions.

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Time to show you what I’ve been up to and what’s in store. I’ve recently been painting with ink a lot, experimenting with digital collages, creating sets, and prop styling. Oh, and there are some fun products and collaborations on the horizon.

This illustration was one of my treatments I submitted to Sephora (obviously it wasn’t selected, another image was). The final illustration the picked will be produced on a signature make up compact coming out Holiday ‘10.

More to come!

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In September I found this 1980’s grey and black Southwestern blanket jacket at Narnia in the LES. Everyone always asks me if it’s Opening Ceremony or Pendleton, but it’s just some no-name generic 80’s brand channeling Chico’s. If I wanted to go there, I’d just need some turquoise jewelry, “casual jeans,” and  channel Thirtysomething

It’s great although skirting the line between awesome and awful. The purchase led me to a few good finds on Ebay full of “concho buttons” and intarsia woven designs. Finding them is easiest when using a variety of vague keywords like “indian blanket” “blanket coat” “Aztec” “western” “southwestern” “native american” and “Woolrich.” The real find will be if I can find a 1940’s or 1950’s Chimayo number.

1980’s high school art teacher look:

Chimayo handwoven purse and jacket from the 1940’s or 50’s:

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Lately, the clothing I’m channeling is either inspired by Kelly Bundy (slutty 90’s bodycon numbers), floral and crushed velvet ala 1993 Contempo Casuals and witchy lace frocks, and lots of monochrome androgyny stuff. Now that I am in possession of a pair of black leather pants, early Siouxsie, Debbie Juvenile, Sue Catwoman and Westwood’s Seditionaries inspired looks seem highly appropriate. PS did you know Adam from Adam in the Ants used to be so PUNK? I will post some photos later. What a babe.

Looking for a vintage amazing band tee but none fit the bill. The likelihood of finding one from the Delta 5 is slim to none. I may end up just making one on Zazzle. HA!

Jordan wearing a sweater by Seditionaries. She stars in the punk film Jubilee (which I don't particularly recommend) but it's an interesting historical document nonetheless

Seditionaries. Some of these are very Rodarte

love her tuxedo and over the knee boots

Is that a mesh bodysuit I spy? Also, asp arm cuff!

Obviously channeling 1974's film "The Night Porter"

Dunno where this is from, but I want this dress! Also, black lipstick?

hi nips

me rocking mesh over longsleeve kindaaa more likely

Kiera Knightly is that you? Maybe Siouxsie is her secret mom

I like

Viv looks adorable here. Both these shirts are fucked up but I want

I need to start silkscreening again

Amazing punk flickr sets here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/romanywg/sets/72157602289036890/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agallix/sets/322013/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seditionaries_punkpistol/

Check out http://www.raystevenson.co.uk/ for some great photos (although, small)

And if you wanna buy the original Seditionaries clothing: http://punkflyer.com/seditionariesclothing.html

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