Wednesday : Tip Jar

Posted on July 13, 2011 by The Pick

A lion’s share. You want yours. And rightfully so.

Because we know you’re ahead of the curve. You were the first one to the Facebook and Twitter starting gates. You were first in line when The Social Network was released. You’ve worn the badge of mayor in multiple FourSquares across the city. You’ve got Klout. You beta-tested Google+.

New media marketing strategy? Solid. You know they play an important part.  You’ve integrated social media into your overall savvy marketing mix. You’ve added the “Share” functionality throughout your website, blogs and eblasts.

Why? Because you’re well aware that valuable industry information, links and photos have a good chance of being shared, Leo.

Is that a roar we hear?

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Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Posted on July 11, 2011 by The Pick

Aaron Meshon does not wear a cardigan. He does not smoke a pipe. He does, however, create a witty little peek-a-boo app at the Apple store for young children (and the not so young) that features wacky noises and sounds populated by over 80 lovable characters. Yes, we said 80+.

This is the first release from POP and PALS . The enchanting game works on all iOS devices. Available now.

An award-winning illustrator with a kinetic color-rich style, we don’t know who are more excited: fans of Meshon’s art or their 3-year-olds.

From one super tall skyscraper, eavesdrop on what my neighbors are saying:

“We always had to swim so far to make copies, but now that Mr. Copier lives upstairs we don’t have to travel far at all! ” – The Harbor Seals

“The waterfall that lives next to me has done wonders for my complexion.” – Mrs. Bug Zapper

“It is so hard to do homework when you have a harmonica living next door.” – Penquin Jr.

“I would like to bring attention to the management company that my upstairs neighbor, Mr Soft Serve has been melting all over my burrow.” – Mrs. Groundhog

“We love our morning view from the penthouse!” – Toast and Toaster

“The subway is crowded but it makes it easy to get to school.” – School of Fish

Join the neighborhood here.

$0.99
* Category: Games
* Released: Jun 24, 2011
* Version: 1.0
* 1.0
* Size: 14.0 MB
* Language: English
* Seller: aaron meshon
* © 2011 Aaron Meshon

Rated 4+

And that squeal you hear? It’s from the seals. That’s right.

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Fishing in the Big Pond: From Regional to [Inter]National

Posted on July 6, 2011 by The Pick

Louisa Curtis has chops. Her credentials come from years in the commercial photography industry. She now helps photographers refine their vision, target appropriate audiences and create/implement Internet-driven business plans.

A question she has been asked and is imminently qualified to answer so generously is: What do I need to know before I make the jump from a regional market to a national or even international market? Interested?

Here’s a teaser: Daunting? Remember this: everyone started somewhere.

Are you ready to take that next step up on the ladder to building your career?

Is the work good enough?

Are you up for the task?

What do art buyers want or more importantly, need?

Ask yourself three questions before moving into a larger market.

Growing your art business is like growing any business. Honing your craft and building your capabilities. One step at a time. Why create two sets of mailing lists for your clients? How to approach a conversation with an art buyer. What kinds of questions to ask? There is no such thing as a stupid question. Truly.

Explore the blog post [link below] for qualified tips from Louisa on how to get that job. The one you want. You’re welcome. Oh and she’s partial to champagne and Godiva.

For the blog post in its entirety: click here [courtesy of the fine folks at Agency Access: the only one stop promotional service that takes care of direct marketing for photographers, illustrators, artist reps and stock agencies]

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The Usual Suspects

Posted on July 5, 2011 by The Pick

http://vimeo.com/22033559

I call myself a “Closet Latino”. For Altpick member and photographer, Bob Stevens, the Latin culture has played a pivotal part in his life. Growing up in LA, he remembers visiting Plaza de Los Angeles, the original square around which the city was built.

That immersive beginning led him to recognize a project potential in an article he read in the LA Times about a former gang member who left behind his previous life on the street and was fulfilling his dream of working in the entertainment/movie industry. A bold move into Hollywood that only a truly focused person can attempt with any hope of success. An inevitable move to contact an ex-gang member to pitch a project that may bring out more than the skeptic in someone not inclined to trust a stranger, let alone at times, a friend.

Image courtesy of Bob Stevens

His name is Manny Jimenez. His talent agency is “Suspect Entertainment”. His why is to represent people who like him, had the look and the experience of “the gang life”. His clients are TV production and feature film projects with authentic looking types.

Can the anti-hero be the hero?

Bob contacted Manny and asked. Several meetings and conversations later, Manny accepted his proposal to document various friends and acquaintances of his. The concept involved an interview of the subjects during which they were asked to choose a place/location of personal significance to them, as well as an object that had great meaning. 

Bob shot studio portraits, still  life images of their belongings and environmental portraits at their chosen locations. The video “Los Ojos” shows behind the scenes footage of the shoot as well as interviews of the subjects on location and in the studio.

Image courtesy of Bob Stevens

Intrigued by the compelling concept, we sat down with him for a series of questions burning to be asked.

Image courtesy of Bob Stevens

Altpick: How challenging was it for you to break through any stereotypes before, during and after this shoot?

Bob: “I probably had the same ‘stereotypes’ in my mind as anyone else, since I grew up on the west side of LA, far away from their ‘hood’. As I began to interview potential candidates for this project and spend some time around them, I realized just how different I was, and that whatever hardships I might have had in my life paled by comparison.”

What is normal to you and me is shaped by our perception of normal in our environment. As Frank said in his interview, “people in East LA is bad but if you don’t know what ‘good’ is, then bad is just normal.”

Image courtesy of Bob Stevens

Altpick: Turning a negative into a positive. Over and over again. Is it sustainable? Do you see it in your subjects?
Bob: “All but one of my subjects has stayed clean, out of jail and free of their past, although it can still be dangerous for them to return to their old neighborhoods.  Many of them work with at-risk and troubled youth, two of them are counselors and one is the director of a rehab center.  They are intense even now but that intensity has been redirected in a positive way.”

Altpick: Manny has changed lives and perceptions with his bold entrance into Hollywood. This must have changed him as well. How did this milestone project change you? As an artist? As Bob Stevens?

Image courtesy of Bob Stevens

Bob: “The ‘Los Ojos’ project made me realize how valuable my skills are when applied to telling ‘real’ stories, not just the ‘created’ ones I have shot while working in advertising. I feel that I matured as an artist in the process. I am eager to shoot more projects like this.”

The personal becomes very personal when you’re separated from your subject by only a camera. The focus is sharper. The stories are just this side of disbelief. The person is changed. In front of the lens and behind the lens.

The creator becomes the creation.

See more of Bob Stevens’ photography work click here.
And, check out Bob’s Altpick page click here.
Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Happy 4th of July USA!

Posted on July 1, 2011 by The Pick

Photo courtesy of Ryan Ketterman

Photo credit: Ryan Ketterman

Check out Ryan’s work on his website and Altpick page.

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Hennie Haworth for Paul McCartney’s Deluxe Edition

Posted on June 30, 2011 by The Pick


Hennie Haworth loves mangos. She has a thing for the color yellow. Inspired by natural patterns which manifest themselves in lyrical hand-drawn mixed media illustrations, she has done projects for … oh, let’s see … Paul McCartney’s recently released McCartney II Deluxe Edition Box Set.


Her illustrations can be seen in an animated documentary by London-based animation studio, Show + Tell, featuring audio commentary from Paul McCartney, as well as rare and never-before-seen footage of the Beatles. Available now.

We wonder if Hennie likes yellow submarines.

Animated documentary

Hennie Haworth’s Altpick Page click here.

Magnet Rep Page click here.

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Wednesday : Tip Jar

Posted on June 29, 2011 by The Pick

Be social. We’re not talking about ice-cream.

Are you typically dragged out of the studio kicking and screaming
to attend a networking event by a well-intentioned friend supposedly looking out for your professional interests? Relax. There is a less painful way to save the friendship and your pro rep.

You cannot miss the all-pervasive social media buzz that surrounds you by people, places and brands. From your children to your grandmother, the demographics may surprise you. The more appropriate question may be “who’s not on social media?”

If you haven’t embraced it, dive in. There is no other way to get in the deep end. Forget dipping a toe in the shallow end and easing your way in shivering. Do the cannonball. Now.

If you’re an Altpick member, simply add your Facebook and Twitter usernames to your page under “Member Information”. Say yes to “Publish tweets?” and your Twitter updates will appear under your main Altpick image.

There. Pain-free. No screaming involved. At least in public.

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A Football Field In Times Square

Posted on June 24, 2011 by The Pick

http://vimeo.com/24287629

“Because when everything falls into place and you get the shot, it’s like catching lightning in a bottle.” So says the man addicted to photography. Tim Mantoani does not consider a day complete if he hasn’t viewed some of it through a lens.

Art, science, work and play all blended together when Mantoani and crew built a football field in the middle of Times Square for his third consecutive EA Sports Madden 12 video game cover.

[Excerpt from Tim Mantoani’s Blog: http://mantoaniblog.com]

“EA Sports trusted us again to create the cover image for Madden 12. This is the third year running we have shot the cover art. There was a big twist to the shoot this year than in the past. In prior years, the subject matter of the cover was top secret and not revealed until months after the shoot, just prior to the game hitting stores. However, this year EA held a voting contest on ESPN allowing, for the first time, the fans to choose the cover athlete. After 12.7 million votes, it came down to Michael Vick and Peyton Hillis as the final two. Since the winner would not be announced until the night prior to the shoot, we had to prep for both athletes, having their complete uniforms in hand. In the end, the Cleveland fans prevailed giving Hillis honors.

To further the fan involvement, unlike our prior shoots that were closed sets, EA chose to shoot the cover in a public venue the day prior to the NFL Draft in New York. Working closely with the NFL, Diversified Production Service and HG Producers, we had a small football field built on Military Island in Times Square where the shoot took place. Beginning at 11:30 PM, the night prior to the shoot, construction began for our 9:00 a.m. shoot, the following day.

Here is a time-lapse of the production , it’s not everyday your photo shoot is projected live on the Jumbo Tron in Times Square!”

No better way for him to share this world that’s so exciting to him than with a few million fans. Pass the popcorn.

Check out Tim’s work on altpick.com.

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Wednesday : Tip Jar

Posted on June 22, 2011 by The Pick

You travel with an entourage. Fans, agent, espresso maker, yes man. That’s how you roll. We get it.

Add publicist to your A-List. Did you know Altpick will advertise for you? Post your news and calendar events on altpick.com or simply email them to altpick@altpick.com and we’ll make it news-worthy for you.

So. What’s new with you?

. gallery show [opening and ending … yes, both are newsworthy]

. new exhibition [solo, group, virtual]

. new client/project/gig/digs/site

. interview

. cover feature/any feature

. representation

. testimonials, lectures, speaking engagements

. workshops, conferences, tradeshows

. finalist on Dancing With The Stars

You get the picture. Now. What can your publicist do for you?

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A Bear Who Loves Art

Posted on June 21, 2011 by The Pick

Image courtesy of Eduardo Bertone

We get excited when two of our loves connect and make beautiful. Art and wine. What’s not to love?

When Altpick member, Eduardo Bertone met Bear Flag Wine merrymaker, Beth Cutler, more than one hallelujahs were sung. Including an enthusiastic and rather off-key rendition from us. Besides the inevitable dazzling results, we want to know the creative intersections between making art and making wine. With Beth, it’s bottling art which Eduardo so intuitively wraps around the bottle.

Time for a taste test.

On the Why

“I wanted to make wines that my friends and I would want to drink every night.” – Beth

“This interaction with spectators is the AIM of my art; it’s a way I found to connect with the rest of the world.” – Eduardo

Why? Because this is something essential. Deeply personal and share-worthy.

On the Meet

“Bear Flag’s winemaker loves art … the respect and freedom that Bear Flag has given me made me realize this was a perfect project for me.” – Eduardo

“When I saw Eduardo’s work, it spoke to me and felt like a perfect visual match to Bear Flag’s quirky, non-traditional blends.” – Beth

Chemistry. Something that happens when two just-rights meet. It’s palpable. Can’t hide it. Visible for all to see.

Image courtsey of Eduardo Bertone

On the Creative

“I view the winemaking process as a creative one, using grapes like an artist uses paints. When creating either, you are trying to bring different elements together to form something that is cohesive and better than its individual parts.” – Beth

“It’s always transmitting sensations, ideas, concepts… make people think, awaken their concerns and transmit your personal point of view.” – Eduardo

The tools may be different but the core of the creative birth is similar. From the seed of an idea comes the artist’s interpretation of it infused with layers upon layers of their rich experiences and personal stories. As Beth said so wonderfully, “in the end, you want both the wine and the label to tell your story.”

On the Concept

“The great thing about this project was that the idea for the label was closely related to my style of art. Bear Flag is an untraditional concept. This helped my art translate and connect with the wine. The label encompasses these elements: spontaneous, chaotic and dynamic, and gives it an authentic and special touch.” – Eduardo

“He was able to bring to life the ideas and stories that I had for the labels in a way greater than I ever could have imagined. The labels are beautiful and irreverent and convey the fact that we are here to have a good time and wine doesn’t have to be taken too seriously.” – Beth

What happens when something is beautifully reflected … inside and out, Beth? “I hope to make Bear Flag’s art on the bottle reflect the art in the bottle!” Exactly.

Image courtsey by Eduardo Bertone

Of Wine and Art

“…the blending is all about the artistry, how different grapes come together. For me, art is all about evoking an emotion: a summer backyard party with your friends, great food and drink, music in the background; that feeling of home and happiness and realizing this is the greatest time of your life.” – Beth

“The art of creating wine is directly related with painting. Painting and winemaking are both about flavor, colors, style, sense, places, atmospheres, experiences and textures.” – Eduardo

The Test (Altpick did our own taste test)

A taste: “Bear Flag Bright White is beautifully crisp and zesty; summertime refreshing that plays nicely with citrusy fruits while teasing peaches and melons. The delicious taste along with the delightful illustrations gave the taste test a full body experience!” – Maria
 Chelsea Wine Country in NYC (http://chelseawinecountry.com) carries a nice selection of Bear Flag Wine whites and reds.

Bear Flag Wine Label by Eduardo Bertone

A view: Bertone’s illustrations for the wine labels are pure eye candy; a magical world that keeps revealing one surreal surprise after another as colors burst in enigmatic abandon. Look once. Twice. And keep looking. You’re not done.

Art and wine. To fully appreciate, engage all senses. In the bottle or out, the creativity pours forth. It is art you can taste. How delicious.

The Artist Eduardo Bertone click here website.

The Artist Rep: Anna Goodson click here website and altpick page.

The Winemaker: Bear Flag Wine click here.

Posted in Art | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments