New line of board graphics for Tokyo-based skateboard powerhouseLesque. See the Instrument and Letterscape boards here. See Shinichi Ito’s and Junichi Arahata’s pro models here. Itoshin is the sickest pro in Japan today- check it!

New essay in the latest issue of Idea about the movie Beautiful Losers. 
New video for the song “Day Ditty” by Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think) and E#Vax (Ratatat). 
New tee shirt for Graniph.
Opening next month in Los Angeles for Meeting Modernity, Néojaponisme’s first travelling exhibition.
Moji Salvage, a new series of mini-essays and historical samples of lettering for Néojaponisme.
A new podcast of Japanese punk, hardcore, thrash, and d-beat for Néojaponisme.
A new sketchbook, greeting card set, mini notebooks, and another greeting card set for Tenth and Grant.
Music video and design/illustration work in the much heralded new book, Tokyo.Ten, from Wieden + Kennedy’s WKTokyoLab.
Also, a new poster in the WKTokyoLab show at Claska in Tokyo.
New logo for Yacht.
Upcoming: 
An essay for the first Brand New School monograph.
Video installation for Scion’s latest Installation tour. It opens in Detroit at C Pop Gallery on October 4th. The tour will also be exhibiting at Art Basel Miami.
New website for photographer Patrick Tsai.

FontShop Internationalの雑誌『Font』の第5号のカバーストーリー、“Ill Legible:Traveling the Paths of Urban Pioneers”。

この7ページのエッセイは、モダニズムの実践に基礎を置きつつ、レタリングとカリグラフィーのコンテキストから、グラフィティの開発について描写する。

『Font』の本号は売り切れた。こちらで、本号で私が執筆したグラフィティに関する特集記事のpdf版をダウンロードできる。帯域の節約のため、ブラウザで開くのではなくダウンロードして欲しい。このpdfは印刷解像度で作られており、ウェブ・ブラウザで閲覧するには重すぎる。

The first news update in 5 months. Ouch. Lots has been happening, but have been much too busy to update this site properly. With luck, a site redesign will happen at some point sooner than later, along with a major content update/turnover. What’s been up:
– Rap-Up magazine got a major facelift and Rap-Up TV launched with anew intro animation
– PDX Film Fest 2008 identity, ads, bumper, and apparel
– Strategy music video
– animated short film for Qoob/Alfa Romeo
– Open Hands Acupucture (Portland, OR) identity
– Norman Lazerine Architecture identity
– poster for the Arroyo Arts Collective (Los Angeles, CA)
– identity refresh for Klein Dytham Architecture (Tokyo, Japan)
– identity for DreamForce One (Johannesburg/Tokyo)
– assorted stationery for Tenth and Grant (Portland, OR)
– identity for Field Office Films (Portland, OR)
– a new, not quite ready website for Black Wagon (Portland, OR)
– posters for a group show in St. Louis, MO
– identity for Atelier Christely (Paris)
– identity for Igloo Projects (NYC)
– brand books and product books for Nike Asia South Pacific
– book design and logo refresh for Yacht
– essays for Art Space Tokyo, Idea, and others
– new pattern series, photo series, and essays for Neojaponisme
and a ton of other stuff. It’s been a busy 5 months!

My new book, Parallel Strokes, is available now via the book website. It isn’t officially being released for a week, but…

About Parallel Strokes:
Parallel Strokes is a collection of interviews with twenty-plus contemporary typeface designers, graffiti writers, and lettering artists around the world. The book is introduced with a comprehensive essay charting the history of graffiti, its relation to type design, and how the two practices relate in the wider context of lettering. Interviews within include conversations with pan-European type design collecitve Underware, Japanese type designer Akira Kobayashi, American graffiti writer and fine artist Barry McGee/Twist, German graffiti writers Daim and Seak, American lettering artist, graphic designer and design eductor Ed Fella, among others. Parallel Strokes is an enquiry into the history, context, and development of lettering today, both culturally approved and illicit.

Full list of interviewees: 

• Akira Kobayashi 
• Underware 
• Ed Fella 
• Delta
• Jerry Inscoe/Joker
• Jens Gehlhaar 
• Daim
• Seak 
• Jonas Williamsson 
• Handselecta 
• Tauba Auerbach 
• Lady Pink 
• She One
• Eklips AWR/MSK 
• Eskae
• Renos 
• Mike Giant
• Chaz Bojorquez 
• Barry McGee/Twist

The result of six years of research in the combined arts of lettering, graffiti, and typeface design, Parallel Strokes is a collection of interviews some of the best letterform creators in the world today.

Chaz Bojorquez talks about the origins of barrio graffiti in Los Angeles and the evolution of the craft. Fellow Angeleno, vernacular graphic designer Ed Fella, speaks about his history in lettering and how he earned the title “The King of Zing” in Detroit design and illustration circles. Famed Japanese type designer Akira Kobayashidiscusses Roman and Japanese letterforms while showcasing a lifetime of type design work. European graffiti writers Daim, Seak, and Deltashare their thoughts on dimensional graffiti lettering while American graffiti writer Mike Giant talks about vernacular lettering, typeface design, and the evolution of graffiti handstyles.

Parallel Strokes is richly illustrated throughout, featuring copious previously unpublished work by the interviewed artists, as well as supplementary illustrations and photographs detailing contemporary and historical trends in graffiti and type design. The first 100 orders come with a two color 17″ x 20″ Parallel Strokes poster printed using recycled paper and soy inks at Portland, Oregon’s Pinball Publishing.

Parallel Strokes is 244 pages thick and available for $20 with free shipping worldwide.

雑誌『Font』第4号に、FF Atmaのデザイナー、アラン・グリーンのインタビュー記事を寄稿。こちらで閲覧できる。

The holidays are the best time for catching up on unfinished projects and getting around to things like updating websites. A number of new pieces of work have been added to the Print, Publication, Web, Apparel, and Identity sections. Projects include an identity for Tokyo-based writer Jean Snow’s production company M31; the art direction and design of the monograph Pecha Kucha Night: A Celebration for Klein Dytham architecture (along with apparel, event, and print design); tee shirts for AFI; a poster for Cafe Pause in Ikebukuro; and a website for San Francisco photographer John Mullin.
Not included in the update but coming soon: a website for former PingMag editor Uleshka, a number of RFP projects for Nike SE Asia, identity for NY/LA film production company HKM, identity for Portland film production company Field Office, a CD for Marxy, and a lot more.
It was a good quarter for writing and getting work published. I have a few projects featured in the new monograph One Hundred at 360°, was interviewed in Task, had work in Grafik and Territory magazines, and a few other places. The first installment of a new 3-part visual essay I did is up at Néojaonisme about the year 1974. An interview withUnderware was posted there recently, as well. Art direction, illustration, and editing remains a weekly effort. I urge you to spend some time there. We have a number of amazing articles coming up including work by Amos Klausner, E*Rock, David Schafer, and others. The supplementary print version will be released in the upcoming year, as well.
And speaking of print projects….

Feature on LePigeon in the New York Times. It’s a really great feeling to see your work in established places like the Grey Lady. My biggest hope when I started designing was to be able to help shape visual culture for interesting independent clients, and it’s great to see it working.

New article up on Neojaponisme interviewing typographic masermind Jens Gehlhaar.
I made some fiery background movies for YACHT‘s live shows- go see him in your town!
Finished a RFP broadcast redesign for GOOD magazine recently- only certain parts are being used so far, but hopefully more in the future!

I started a little record label a few months ago. It is called Mold. The first release is a 7 inch record by Craig Wedren (of Shudder To Think) and E#Vax (of Ratatat). It is on splattered green vinyl with an etching on the B-side. It is a limited edition of 300, 200 of which are now gone (primarily here in Tokyo- surprise!). Releases by YACHTand E*Rock are forthcoming.