Kuroda Pins!

Introducing the "A laser pointer doesn't make you Chris Kuroda" pin. Out of all the ideas I have come up with, this is arguably the most popular. It makes me wonder why I didn't do this pin first. Help spread the word from your hat or lapel.

2 colors against silver metal, the first in the series is Green and Black similar to the original T shirt. Each color will be a LE run of 50 pins. They are sequentially numbered from 1 to 50, and feature 2 posts and the Jiggs logo stamp on the back.

A simple, straightforward way to say how you feel. $15, with shipping included, and each one comes with the sticker. Get yours here. 

UPDATE:
These will be a series of 5 pins total.
The 5th pin will be an open edition.

Green is SOLD OUT! 

Red now available!

Glow in the Dark now available! 

Purple now available!

Jiggs Digs: Pin Me Down

Unless you have been living under a rock lately, you have noticed the increasing popularity of lapel pins. More commonly worn on a hat or stashed safely in a pin case, lapel pins have embedded themselves into phan art culture. It seems that there are new pin makers every day and there’s no shortage of band related pins being traded and sold.

Most will agree that the loose association of artists known as Central Part Of Town (CPOT), and the early creation of MYFE were the pioneers of pins in the Phish scene. There were pins created as far back as 2003, but the explosion occurred when the band returned in 2009.

Long collected in the Disney and Olympic circles, pins have become some kind of sub-currency in the Phish scene, with some going for upwards of 3 figures.  It’s definitely not the materials, as most are well constructed of inexpensive simple metals. And it’s not the lack of manufacturers either. With a few minutes and a search engine you can find more than a few vendors. It seems to be that perfect combination of clever design, Limited Edition releases, and originality that sees certain pins skyrocket in value.

This month, Jiggs Digs takes a closer look at pins and what goes into them through a conversation with Josh and Christy from Pin Me Down.


1. How long did it take between collecting your first pin and making your first pin?
Josh: The first pin that we collected  was the 2003 Trey bobblehead.  We are absolute junkies when it comes to Phish merchandise, both official and lot goods.  At the time (2003) we were only friends, but after are collections merged, we always really enjoyed that little pin.  We both still have our originals, one of them still in the stapled cellophane baggy. 

Our first pin was released May 31st, 2009 at the Fenway Phish show.  For years many of you may have enjoyed our veggie quesadillas at a parking lot near you.  We were trying to create something more tour friendly, easier to transport and different.  Seeing another pin released in Hampton (Better than a UFO) gave us the confidence to move forward with our plans.

2. Can you talk about your creative process and what goes into creating a pin?
Josh: Most of our pins are a collaboration between the two of us.  Most of our pin ideas are truly inspired by the respective music of the band for which we make them.   We try to not only push the boundaries of the interpretation, but also try to push the boundaries of the median.  We try very hard to use all dimensions of our concept in the design and execution. Songs, lyrics, and the life we lead all feed into it. 

Progression of the NYE 2011 pin

Christy: Most of our designs begin on paper, and are scanned in and traced, others are created on the computer.  We occasionally use CAD/CAM software for some of the metal casting design when it gets difficult to explain our thoughts.

3. Do you have a favorite pin?
Christy: I can't choose... I really like the antelope bobble pin and the Fenway park CPOT pin.

Josh: My favorite pin right now is the handmade PH wings from unique pin designer Justin Willis, they are off the hook!!!

Number 9

4. Pin Me Down is the company behind the Hurricane Relief Spinner pin. How did you come to work with Waterwheel on that pin?

Josh: Perseverance.  We wanted to make a pin for Phish since we got into this game and were always searching for a way.  We spent a lot of time contacting some friends of friends so forth and so on, but it basically came down to shear (11 months worth) perseverance and emailing back and forth.  Grind Grind Grind.

5. What do you think makes certain pins so valuable?
Josh: We both believe that pins are there own artistic median and that inherently adds value to pins that are well designed.  As far as certain pins being more valuable, there are so many factors. How cool is the design, how large is the edition size, who made it and when it was made probably weigh the most into "value".

Christy: Also, there is a speculative end of the valuation as well.  Even with this being said, some of the pin prices surprise us on a regular basis!

6. Is this something that you are able to do full time?
Josh: Right now we are. I used to be a corporate trainer at a large bank, but in late 2010 left to work on pin design full time.

7. Does being on tour affect whether or not a certain design does well?
Josh: Absolutely, tour pins are at the heart of what we all do.  Being out on the road is our favorite place to be and it shows, so for us, we sell more pins on the road.



8. If you could change anything about the community what would it be?
Josh: This is a tough question, it really take all kinds to build a community and our pin community is full of all different types of individuals.  I wish there was less drama.

Christy: I  just want more people to come join in the pinsanity!


9. Can you hint at any upcoming releases?
Josh: We are always working on some new crazy designs, but hopefully some of our summer tour pins take this to a new dimension. 

Christy: You may see some Dank Sinatra pretty soon as well.

10. What keeps you going?
Josh: It may sound cliche, but being able to see the band we love, the band that put us together, is really the most important thing that keeps us going.  It drives our life and inspires our work.

Christy: We are so lucky to have the most amazing, supportive group of friends and family anyone could hope for.

To check out Pin Me Down, visit their site here: http://pinmedowndesigns.com/main.sc
Want to start collecting Phish Pins? Start here: www.phishpins.com

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Do you know someone who should be featured in Jiggs Digs?
Email jiggslikesphish@gmail.com and let me know. 

Check out February's column here. 

Finally!

Alaska Twitter Giveaway!

It's that time again!

For those who haven't played before, the rules are very simple. All you need to do is tweet the message below exactly as it appears without quotes. A random winner will be selected from all the mentions. You will be mentioned on Twitter, or contacted via DM with a request for your mailing address. If you don't respond within an hour, I'll need to move on to another winner. (So come back at 6pm tomorrow!) You must have your tweets out by 6pm EST, Friday March 16, (and respond by 7pm.)

The winner will receive a Limited Edition Jiggs Alaska pin. And that's all there is to it! Good luck to everyone and happy tweeting!

"Check out these Alaska pins from @jiggslikesphish http://tinyurl.com/stayrighthere"

CONGRATULATIONS to @KiefWahoo216 for being selected as the random winner! Thanks to everyone for tweeting!

My Friend Auction

As promised, here is the auction for the final My Friend My Friend shirt in my possession. The shirt is an XL, and I have no more. (Literally this is the only one, so emails asking for other sizes or garment styles will not be returned.) As some of you may have heard, I will not be making any more of these or other product logo style designs. So, this will be your last chance to snag this one for your collection.

The auction will take place right here on the blog. Please either sign in to your account, or provide an email address where you can be reached. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Mockingbird Foundation, and I will ship the winner the shirt for free. The starting bid is $10. Please bid below in the comments section.

This auction will end at 6pm EST on March 14th. The winner will be contacted immediately. Thanks and good luck!

Please note: If the winner does not respond within an hour, the next bid will be chosen as the winner.

Alaska Pin!

Introducing the Alaska Pin, with removable spinner! This 9 color Alaska pin is made with black nickel. Measuring at 1.25" with out the spinner and just under 1.5" with the spinner attached. The spinner features the words popping above the mountains. The "old piano" features a moose (also in black nickle) stamped right above the keys. The spinner stays in place with the top clutch, and can easily be replaced with one of the locking pin backs. (Mine has stayed with a black rubber clutch, but you may want a locking one just to be sure).   They are LE of only 100, and numbered on the back and stamped with the Jiggs logo. 

 $15 shipped while they last.

Get yours here.

Jiggs Digs: Jon Rose

This month Jiggs Digs features an artist you have probably never heard of. That’s not surprising considering he has only completed a handful of prints. Why the need for a feature? Take a look at his work and I think you will agree that this is an artist worth watching.

Jon works in reduction printing. In reduction, the previous print layers are carved away to make a new layer of color. From Wikipedia:

"Reduction printing is a name used to describe the process of using one block to print several layers of color on one print. This usually involves cutting a small amount of the block away, and then printing the block many times over on different sheets before washing the block, cutting more away and printing the next color on top. This allows the previous color to show through. This process can be repeated many times over. The advantages of this process is that only one block is needed, and that different components of an intricate design will line up perfectly. The disadvantage is that once the artist moves on to the next layer, no more prints can be made."

1. Have you been creating art your whole life?
I realized early on that delving into the act of creation was an opportunity to put your feelings into something tangible. It was a way to let go of everything for a little bit, and maybe come away with a token of the moment. This translates well to making concert posters. The buyer is going to walk away with a memento of the nights experience in the form of the poster. I work very hard at making these prints and I feel good and honest about my work when I sell one. At the same time it’s a very humbling moment for me when someone likes it enough to give me money for it.

Everyone Wins!

2. What was your first print?
That would be “Everyone Wins!”, Which was coincidentally the only print I made using multiple blocks. It was a great learning experience; I worked out the mechanics of printing on that one.
The first print I actually sold at a show was the Berkeley Triptych. I did research on ancient greek artwork and the gods I wanted to use. Stuff like that is all a part of the process for me, and part of the enjoyment as well. I had them all packaged up flat, inside cardboard with the numbers on the outside. They sold fairly well and I have maybe three sets left, as well as some artist proofs. I also made about 30 handbill sized prints that I put in manila envelopes and gave them out to random people. That was just pure fun, sneaking up on people and giving them art and scurrying away before they opened it. The prints I gave away were the most fun to make for me. I had extra paper and some water based ink and so on a whim I made them and sent them off. Over a year later I’m selling the Trey print outside of the Music Box theater in L.A. and a guy stops me and thanks me for giving him “a cool print up in Berkeley”.  It brought me back to the moment and I could picture it crystal clear in my mind. That was pretty rad.

2nd in the Berkeley Triptych series

I was a last minute addition to an art show put on by Ryan Kerrigan up there, and that gave me the opportunity to meet many of the fan artists I knew about who are in the scene. I had opportunities to talk shop with some pretty amazing artists and got some tips taboot. It was super nice of Ryan to invite me to participate, it was encouraging to be included like that.

3. Why did you choose the reduction lino style?
I found by working in many different mediums that when you limit yourself to a certain set of tools and techniques, it fosters imagination and innovation that you might not have found when working with something you’re more familiar with. I always felt that sculpture was really satisfying. I also liked to use MSpaint a lot, because I am a terrible drawer.

My creative process for linoleum block printing is sort of a combination of the two. Typically I’ll create the raw image in MSpaint, refine it many times over, and then transfer the reversed image to the block and ‘sculpt’ the printing surface using the carving tools. Working with reduction style offers up a whole new set of limitations. When planning an image, you have to keep in mind that you’ll be printing directly over the previous layer of color. So you can’t get away with printing a bright yellow, say, over a deep red. You have to work from light to dark. So once everything is planned that’s where I can improvise a little bit, because how can you color outside the lines if you don’t know where they are?

I also like the fact that once you begin to carve the next color, you lose the ability to reproduce that previous image. So again, you have to really plan it out ahead of time. Once you’re finished there will never be another one made. Again, the ‘letting go’ aspect of it shows up.

Layers of ink

The real reason why I stuck with reduction style was the quality the ink takes on after it dries. Since I’m printing over successive layers of oil based inks, once you get to the second layer of ink and are printing over a dries layer of ink, the paper can’t soak up the extra oil and the ink cures with a glossy finish. By the time you get to a final color, say black, it outright sparkles in the light. The hand pressing process also results in a highly textured surface, to the point where I have been asked if I made the print with skateboard grip tape. That texture also helps it to be more reflective.

4. How long does it take you from concept to finished print?
I’d say on average about three weeks for 40 prints. One week for coming up with the image (depending on how long I hem and haw). Two weeks to print them. I can press at max 20 prints a night for each color before my hand falls off, and then you have to let them dry for at least 2 days since I use oil based inks. When you have 4 colors to lay down for each print, that works out to 160 impressions for a 40 print run. I use a glass baren to rub the back of the paper onto the inked block, so each print takes a while to do. No presses here!

Carving out the Woosta Wobot

5. Who inspires you (in the art world or otherwise)?
Definitely people who have to “craft” their art. I mean physically do the grunt work of cutting paper, mixing paint, setting type, burning screens, carving blocks, or kneading clay.  Also, I am amazed at people who are prolific in their ideas. Cranking out new and unique products that are truly good really impresses me.

I could rattle off the names of a hundred artists that are incredible at what they do, but the people who inspire me the most are people I know. An old friend of mine that I used to make ‘zines’ with back in high school, Chris Fritton, is the printshop manager of the Western New York Book Arts Center in Buffalo, Ny. I see the stuff he does and it’s just magic to me..Using the metal type and spacers with complete innovation. Some of the “Building Series” Prints are simply astounding, and to know how they were done just makes it that much more impressive. He also works in creative ways with antique wood type which they acquire. They’ve done some pretty killer stuff over there as far as concert posters go as well as art prints. Seeing an entity like the WNYBAC blossom like that flat out makes me want to create. When I last went to visit him he wasn’t there but Richard Kegler (another amazing artist) was. The place was closed and he was about to give a private tour to some friends who were just passing through town. He was quick to invite us along. That level of trust, friendliness and general good will is a common thing among artists, so I guess that’s another thing that inspires me.

In the Phish art world though I’d have to say Masthay and Welker are tied for #1 in my mind as far as inspiration goes. They just have amazing artistic ability. Which is why I am utterly stoked about the collaborative art print they have in the works.

6. Can you talk about some of the challenges you have overcome for those who may want to print?
For me, starting out it was the time commitment. It takes time. You can’t just download and press “print”. Everything else is just a learning process. So if you can’t forgive yourself, you’re in trouble. You’ll find that people are very willing to give some advice and pass on their knowledge, listen to them.

7. If you could change anything about the community, what would it be?
I just wish people in general would be more aware of their actions. To realize how they unconsciously can have a really dramatic impact on those who surround them, in good and bad ways. People should smile more.

In New York City

8. Do you prefer selling in person or online, and why?
I prefer to sell in person by far, no question. You get to see the reaction to the print. You get to meet other artists, chat with people, and generally just have a good time. I have a couple of ‘subscribers’ whom I sell prints to online though for every run. They have their numbers and so I just set them aside. I like that. I also have some “tronz friends” who I see at shows and they just have me ship it to them (eventually) after the shows. I am terrible at mailing things in a timely manner. Which is why I am reluctant to try to sell more over the web.

9. Can you tell us about anything you have coming up?
I only make prints for shows that I attend, so there’s that. I do however want to make a couple more art prints in the next year, and try to get involved in the local arts scene a bit.

10. What keeps you going?
Family, and friends. 

To get in touch with Jon, visit his blog here: http://zeropress.blogspot.com/
or email him here: jon.rose@yahoo.com  

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Do you know someone who should be featured in Jiggs Digs?
Email jiggslikesphish@gmail.com and let me know. 

Check out January's column here.