The Mang Blorg

I designed this skateboard for the Hasbeen Deck the Halls 2010 Holiday Show. Mang is troubled like us all, he has something but desires something else.

Beasty you S.O.B.! You’ll get what’s coming to you…

“Beasty” short animation by Susi Wilkinson. I discovered this many years ago while doing research for LinkTV. It’s one of my all-time favorite short-animations. A classic tale of revenge and karmic retribution. The characters are great, especially Beasty, and the artwork is just the perfect amount of jenkiness!

Kidmang shows how to ollie on a skateboard. Here are a few of his tips for developing a good ollie:

• Do super fast small ollies for balance and control.
• Don’t practice stand still tricks. You can develop bad habits and balance.
• Don’t crouch down too much. You need only bend down slightly.
• Don’t try to do huge ollies all the time.
• Stay relaxed and keep it easy.

Mang was spotted here in Fort Greene Brooklyn. I wonder if their security system caught Mang in the act of vandalizing, I mean beautifying, their sign?

Check out the custom MANG skateboard courtesy of Hasbeen Design, official sponsor of Mang. Brofessional status now! And of course, photo credits: Ulina Small

Mr. Dave Hotchkiss brought Mango Airlines to my attention. Check out their typeface, it is identical to Mang’s handwriting! Can you spot the difference between the two photos?

This photo was taken and submitted by a Kidmang fan, who participated in the Sticker give away.

I submitted this drawing into the NYU Art Show. It will be on display at the NYU Kimmel Center 8th floor through early June 2010. Medium is pencil on 20″ x 40″ canvas board. Will post a high res version once I get it back from the art show.

Hedgehog in the Fog is a classic Russian animation by Yuri Norstein (1975). A coworker of mine, a Georgian designer, introduced me to Yuri Norstein’s works a couple years back. He is definitely one of my favorite animators and a source of inspiration. I love the feeling of this animation, the characters and artwork. As an animator, I really appreciate how incredibly difficult it is to create something this nuanced, sophisticated and beautiful. A true masterpiece and one of my all time favorite animations!

Kidmang begins his life on the footsteps of an orphanage. He is taken in, but even as an infant, knows something is not right.