We partnered with Flexfit and WNW Members Marta Cerda, Jon Contino, Faust, and Alex Trochut to bring you 4 beautifully-designed caps.
Read MoreBook Lovers Day: Regular Worms Are Weird. Bookworms Are Cool.
No pressure for all these authors, memoirists, and poets, but the bar is set pretty high before even getting past the dust jacket.
Read MoreWNW Member Elias Stein
34X34: DESIGNERS BID FAREWELL TO DAVID ORTIZ
34X34: DESIGNERS BID FAREWELL TO DAVID ORTIZ
The Graphic Designer for the Boston Red Sox, Marissa Mcclain, pulled out all the stops to honor David Ortiz, one of the most celebrated heroes of both the franchise and the city. Mcclain's 34x34 Project features 34 #ThanksPapi billboards in the Boston area, each designed by a different artist. Four WNW Members paid their respects to the future Hall of Famer through their work. Even WNW Member Jon Contino, a self-proclaimed "obnoxious New Yorker" and diehard Yankees fan offered a tribute, adding, "Rivalries are built on respect...and there's no number as scary to a Yankees fan as the number 34. Thanks to the @redsox for inviting me to be a part of a living legend's farewell. Even I can't deny the awesome legacy of David Ortiz."
Scroll down to see the other contributions from WNW Members. You can see all 34 billboards here.
WNW Member Jon Contino
WNW Member Brian Lindstrom
WNW Member Sean O'Connor
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Overshare Podcast: Jon Contino
OVERSHARE PODCAST:Overshare Podcast: Jon Contino
Overshare is a new WNW event series and podcast that features honest conversations with our favorite creatives about the realities of being an independent creative. For the second installment, renowned designer Jon Contino helps Overshare earn its Parental Advisory sticker on iTunes in an honest and hilarious discussion about building his brand over twenty years and dealing with copycats. Jon comes clean to the audience about his competitive nature and inclination to always have something to prove: "I always, always, always feel like I have something to prove, mostly because what I do is ridiculous. The fact that I just draw stupid shit for big companies and they say 'Okay'. How long could that possibly last?"
When hearing his imitators receive praise for being "visionaries," Jon tries to take it in stride: "Not that I am, but the fact that I know you’re stealing from me, if anyone should be getting those compliments it should be me. And I know I shouldn’t be getting those compliments 'cause I got it from somewhere else too." Jon finds assistance on big projects from one unlikely source in particular: "I’m not even joking. [My daughter] is three and I’m always just like, 'Which one do you like?' And she’s like, 'Umm, this one.' And I’m like 'Done. Here you go AT&T.'”
It's clear that Jon Contino operates at his best when he has a certain edge. On whether moving to the suburbs and having a kid has made him lose his edge, Jon had this to say: "It’s probably made it worse because I have a daughter. I’m just waiting to knife a 14-year old kid. The first boy she brings home, I can’t wait because I’m locking him in the basement and I’m just gonna call his parents to come pick him up because he’s not allowed upstairs."
Lastly, Jon offers some priceless advice of his own to remember when you inevitably hit a creative wall: "If [your creativity] didn’t come back, I think you would be some kind of science experiment. I feel like you are wired to be a creative person. If you hit a wall, that’s natural. If you hit a wall, and it never comes back, you should probably be studied. You don’t stop breathing unless you die. You’re always breathing, you’re always doing these things that it’s just like a bodily function that’s unique to you."
For those of you who couldn't join us, we have good news: you can listen to the entire conversation below on our new podcast. Subscribe to Overshare on iTunes, Soundcloud, or with any other podcasting app via our RSS feed.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us.
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5 MEMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW ACCORDING TO JON CONTINO
5 Members You Need to Know
According to Jon Contino
No one creates in a bubble. Your work is an amalgamation of everything around you: what you've seen, read, heard. Your work is you just as much as it is an homage to those that have inspired you. At Working Not Working, we're all about paying it forward and so for this new series, we're asking members to pay their respects to their creative heroes. We're starting with #1412 Jon Contino who has the distinction of being as generous with his time as he is with his talent. We asked Jon which Working Not Working members inspire him to add an extra hour to the 24 hour work day. Check out the lucky 5 below.
Also, Jon will be in the hot seat for our next Overshare, coming up at The Crocodile Lounge on March 25th at 1pm. Tickets released soon.
Growing up, who were your heroes (creative or otherwise)?
Anyone that I could rattle off as a stylistic influence is pretty hollow in my eyes to be perfectly honest. I grew up with my younger brother being born with Down syndrome, so I spent a lot of my developing years with my parents and grandparents. I watched them deal with surgeries, daily hospital visits, mortality scares, and whatever else came along with being born with a disability in the early 80s, so when my brother came out the other end in good shape, I looked to the four of them as true heroes. Stuff I saw on television was clearly fake and I got smacked with reality pretty quickly. The bonus to all of this is that the four of them were all very intelligent, creative people, so they introduced me to art, illustration, carpentry, engineering, and science at an early age. My obsessions with the topics obviously carried on throughout my life, but no one has ever eclipsed what they've done to shape me as an artist and a person.
Professionally and personally, who would you say has had the biggest impact on you?
My parents and grandparents were definitely the ones who helped shape me as a person, but god damn...growing up in a hospital and not living at home sure does have a big impact on a kid. My brother is an awesome, creative, intelligent person and I think it would be hard for anyone in my family to say that someone could possibly have a bigger impact than he did. He came in with a bang and is larger than life. It's tough for most people to say they've ever even met someone that can do that.
You're hosting a dinner party. Who are your dream guests, alive or dead?
Wow, that's a tough call. I'd probably only invite comedians. Maybe a president and a few baseball players. I'll pick a few, but the list could go on forever. Now, keep in mind, I'm going totally for the entertainment value here. I want to have a good time, ya know. Let's go with Rodney Dangerfield, Larry David, Ty Cobb, and John Adams. I mean...the fighting between Rodney Dangerfield and Ty Cobb alone would be amazing. Then I would imagine Larry David giving John Adams a hard time about being the second President of the United States and not the first. Actually, just make it a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode and I'm good.
Jon's Picks:
"Ged gets it. He's a younger guy that makes you feel like he's three times his age by the way he works."
"I love Alex's style and I love his attitude. More people should be like him."
"This guy is a beast. I really appreciate a great designer who can also be a great creative director. Juan Carlos is the kind of person that will be an executive before he's 40."
"I've known Dan a long time and his work continually stuns me every time he puts something new out."
"The quirky, fun approach Will has is something most people could never pull off, but he does it and does it really well."
Are you a WNW Member ready to pay it forward? Email us!
WORK: THE BOOK OF LIFE
WORK: THE BOOK OF LIFE
We at WNW HQ are getting into the Halloween spirit thanks to WNW Member #1412 Jon Contino. Jon worked with 20th Century Fox on the branding and promotional effort for new animated film, The Book of Life, starring Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, & Channing Tatum. Jon designed the featured font and took on everything from icon design to theater posters to billboards.
Are you a WNW member with new work to share? Email us.
Work: The Hidden Sea
Work: The Hidden Sea
WNW Member #1412 Jon Contino makes us want to get drunk on fine Australian wine and read Moby Dick with his new work for The Hidden Sea. Contino recently crafted the lettering, illustration, branding, and package design for the wine brand, founded in the ancient landscape of South Australia. Check out his work below.
Are you a WNW member with new work to share? Email us.
MEET #1412 JON CONTINO
MEET #1412 JON CONTINO
Illustrator/Designer/Letterer • New York, NY
New York native Jon Contino is widely know for his unique illustration style which combines old and new world aesthetics into a modern, minimalist style imitated the world over. His work reveals the influences of historical New York, contemporary street art, and the lost art of hand-drawn lettering. Through these images, his story is also told as designer and consultant for many brands including Nike, Jack Daniels, JCPenney, New Balance, Rachael Ray, and Random House, as well as the co-founder and creative director of CXXVI Clothing Co.
1. How long have you been freelancing?
I started freelancing as a part time job in 1997 and worked through high school and college doing stuff for small businesses and independent record labels. I bounced around a couple agencies in 2005 and 2006 until I opened a studio that lasted until 2010. I went back to full time freelancing in early 2010 and haven't looked back.
2. Is there a time or place that you feel most creative/have the best ideas?
I used to think it was late at night because that's when I get the highest volume of work done, but I realized that's just because no one is emailing me or calling at 3am. Once I realized that, I found out that my actual flow of ideas is pretty constant throughout the day, it's just a matter of finding the time to get them on paper.
3. What's your ideal Working:Not Working ratio?
It used to be 100:0, but now that I'm a dad, it should probably be less than that.
4. Do your parents understand what you do?
I'm one of those lucky people that have great parents that are not only supportive, but completely understand what happens in my professional life. Both my mother and father are creative people so they're always interested in what's going on. The best part about it though is that I get to learn a lot from them instead of rolling my eyes and making up stuff to get them off my back.
5. What scene from a movie makes you laugh just thinking about it?
One of the opening scenes from Artie Lange's Beer League when the old pitcher yells to the dugout "Hey, I don't want any of you Italians drinking out of my water bottle!" It's a quick little joke, but it kills me every time I think about it.
6. If you were stranded on a desert island, with your computer, what 3 websites would you take with you?
Lookwork — For looking at stuff to inspire.
Svpply — For looking at stuff to buy.
Tumblr — For looking at whatever else.
7. What do you do when Not Working?
There's one of three things that I like doing when I'm not working: Spend time with my family, play Wiffle Ball, and go to the beach. Sometimes I can do all three at the same time.
8. Do you have a hidden talent?
Funny I should mention Wiffle Ball in the previous answer, because my hidden talent is that I am the greatest Wiffle Ball player OF ALL TIME.
9. Any tips or advice for fellow freelancers?
Freelance means you have no job security. No matter how popular you get, do not forget that. YOU HAVE NO JOB SECURITY. Don't get lazy.
10. What's your favorite thing on the internet this week?
I've been really into the new version of Flipboard on the iPad. It lets you create "magazines" from just about any source so I've jumped ship from my Tumblr inspiration blog to a Flipboard magazine and love every second of it. It feels a lot more tactile in the magazine format with the handheld screen, so curating stuff is a lot more satisfying. If you're reading this on an iOS device, then you can see my Flipboard magazine "BORN FREE" at this link: http://flip.it/3wuot
CXXVI Clothing Co.
Owner and co-founder of New York-based menswear line CXXVI Clothing Co. Creative direction, branding, apparel design, illustration, engraving, and accessory design.
Illustration and Lettering: A Hands-on Approach to Label Design
On May 13, Jon will begin teaching a two-week Skillshare class on hand-drawn label design. There will be a bunch of video lectures detailing research and inspiration, sketching concepts, brand development, and how to approach creating awesome labels with your own two hands.Jon's Studio
Are you a WNW member with new work to share? Email us.