Another great month...

I finished up my photo book, Candy Coated Vol. 1. Here is a slide show of it on FLICKR, check it out and leave comments. Also working on a Vol. 2 series for Candy Coated so keep checking back here for more details.



I've also been working on some great new designs for DVC. Here are a few pics of them and and hope you like what we are working on. They will be available in the near future at our webstore, www.dirtyvatoclothing.com. STAY DIRTY

Printing again...

Recently feeling the itch to print again so I started printing Gangsta Lean today. Used a new method to keep the ink from drying up so easy. It's a added base to the ink and keeps the ink smooth and silky when applying.

There is more air drying time if I had a dryer it would be easier. Right now I'm using a clothes dryer at home. My method is to pre heat the dryer then let the shirts sit for about 1 - 2 mins then tumble dry at high heat. This helps to cure the ink to the fabric allot better. So far not bad.

April is here, what are you up too?

April is here and I've been really busy. Finally perfected my screen coating and am currently working on printing our DVC x MOURN ONE collab design. Just finalizing the position and then we are off to the printer. It's been a long time coming for this design to be printed but the wait has been worth it.

Been working with Robert G. on a self-published coffee table book of my photographs. Don't want to give too much away but it's going to be unique in style. Feel like a magazine in style but not in appearance. Robert has been working on the lay out with me it's looking great. Keep you posted on availability and maybe a sneak peak in the coming weeks.

I've been posting my goals for DVC here and it's helped quite a bit with keeping schedules and learning to pace myself. This month will be no different so lets get started.

• I've printed tote bags and moved to t-shirts. Want to print two designs this month and have them available at the end of the month on our website.
• Photoshoot on hold til next month.
• Pushing the RDL vs. DVC to next month. Still working on the designs.
• Holding off on canvas & painting supplies til beginning of May.
• Working on new project, a coffee table book. 30% of this project is done, keep it up.
• Created new logo for rapper LOCSTA and now moving on to his Myspace page. Logo is featured below.

Thanks for reading the rant and please give me some input on the logo or just post a comment. Anything is much appreciated. STAY DIRTY!

Silkscreen Testing...Experiment #2

If you read last weeks entry you know I had allot of problems. With a fix of those problems and a few adjustments I had some success. Here are my results.

Following the instructions given for the emulsion I have, Ulano 925WR, I went ahead and coated the screen inside and outside the well. Let it dry and exposed for 7.5 minutes. Like magic my image appeared in the screen. Success with some notes.

• Exposure time should go a little longer, 10 mins.
• Used both a 300 mesh and 200 mesh screens. 300's are cherry.
• Also, always remember to mix your chemicals. Emulsion tends to seperate when not used. You can see that by how the screen looks streaked in color when dry.

Here is a pic of my first attempt at printing:

I was worried about the durability of the screen for multiple prints and runs. But so far it seems to be holding up. Printing on fabric is a lil different then paper. More ink is needed to seep into the fabric and equal amount of pressure will give you a solid print everytime. So here is my final result.

More to come!

February goals...

Looking at last months entry of goals for January I have to say I'm pretty surprised at all that I have accomplished. Lets break down last month:

as for January...
• Finished building the box I needed to prep my screens to dry and get ready for exposure. Will start testing the box and hopefully print during this month of February.
• Sent files to Kwasi B. for RDL vs. DVC shirt collaboration and now just waiting to get my files to start on my end. Can't wait, Kwasi loved what I sent him.

Finished and added a couple of new goals from last month so here a peek at what I'm looking to do this month.

February 2010
• Buy some canvas and start working on new paintings. Total of 9 new paintings by me using acrylic and watercolors. Size of the paintings will be large format 26 x 30 possibly.
• Start taking notes for next photo project. The theme of this photo project will be from a book and adapting it to photo. Using digital and film to take the photos. I have a book picked and a model.
• Looking for locations to have another exhibit. The cities I have been looking at so far are Long Beach, Pomona, Whittier and Downtown L.A.. More details coming soon.
  

There are few more kinks that need to be worked but they will get done and I'm not worried. It's a process and sometimes you have to know when to roll with the punches and you might just come out unscathed.

Grey Matter Collection Fall '09 - Winter '10

End of October...

Well it's almost the end of October and my Print Making class is moving right along. D.V. Clothing's stint at The Foothill Art Gallery is up this month but we hope to be back in the Summer of 2010 in that same location with more shows and opportunities to meet more great people.

At our webstore we are featuring a new item, iPhone skins. We are calling them Dirty Skins and they feature work from Leo Quijano II and or course me! This round of skins will feature photography work from both Leo and I. Here is a glimpse of our newest version, Gina.

In the coming months I will be collaborating with Kwasi B. from Rebel Sciences on some new shirt designs. So be on the look out for that next venture, it's going to be killer! Thanks again for listening to me rant. STAY DIRTY!

I've started this printmaking class at LBCC and man it's been great! I've met allot of great artists and have really learned a great deal of printmaking as an art then just silkscreening some shirts. It's been a great creative process and just can't wait to see how far I can take it. Definitely working on a series of posters all done in this process.

Also...if you have not been there visit our new webstore, dvclothing.bigcartel.com.

What's he building in there?

I have been working on some iPhone and Macbook mockups to pitch at Gelaskins. Here is a glance at what I've been working on and I'll keep you posted on what comes of it. Leave comments and tell me what you think. Any criticism or approvals would be great. STAY DIRTY!

New Digs for D.V. Clothing

Well this month has been pretty great so far. We launched a new site with BigCartel with a fresh new look for D.V. Clothing. With more options for us we will be putting up allot of more merchandise for sale then just shirts. Since we run an art gallery, The Foothill, we have decided to make some artwork available for purchase on our new site. So here is the link to our new site, dvclothing.bigcartel.com. This site is not yet finalized. This is just a tiny taste of what's to come.

This coming Saturday Sept. 12th D.V. Clothing will have a booth available at the Inaugural Long Beach Latino Parade & Festival. Open from 4pm - 10pm we will be at Booth #12. We will have event pricing only for our apparel and artwork. STAY DIRTY!

Dirty Dodge is on the Press

So I get a call from the printer in regards to Dirty Dodge that we are printing. It's just a normal press check to see if I'm satisfied witht he position of the shirts and to make any corrections. So far I have to say, thumbs up! Shirt will hopefully be on sale Sept 1st. STAY DIRTY!

Just finished this 25second short of our the new designs I've been tirelessly working on with the help of Robert Gutierrez and the beat by DJ Theorist. Hope you enjoy, and STAY DIRTY!

Video for new shirts for our line Grey Matter.

Getting UP at The Foothill

Well we are putting on another show at our flag-store The Foothill Art Gallery in Signal Hill. Artists Jesse Garcia, Francisco Lopez and Julio Villagomez will be featured in this new exhbit. The opening reception is this July 10-11 from 7-10pm. For more info on directions to our website, www.dvclothing.com. Hope all can make it and help support theses young artists. We always have great cheese and cheap wine. So come on out and mingle, network and look at some art. STAY DIRTY!

New Red DVC Buttons

So I ordered some new buttons for DVC and well to be honest I like the first ones I did but the lettering was too light. So I made a different design and really like it. The red just pops and the rest is great. Hey I love it, who's going to tell me any different. Hope you like.

Dirty Truck

I need some help with this design. Just finished up this artwork about 2 hrs ago but I'm having a hard to naming it. Currently I'm calling it Dirty Truck but I know that's not the name I want. So if you have any ideas what to name it and I like it, that's what I'll call it. Thanks again and I hope you like what i I have created. STAY DIRTY!!

New sticker designed by Robert Gutierrez.

So my good friend of the fam Robert offered his skills and came up with sick design. Love it! We are going to be making some stickers soon so stayed tuned for that. STAY DIRTY!

DVC Buttons

So as I was getting ready this morning I receive a ring at the doorbell. WHO COULD IT BE? Well there is was in a lil bag with my name and to my surprise it was the buttons I ordered a fews weeks ago. So here they are and hope that you like them as much as I do. Just a side note if you do order any t-shirts from our website, you will receive a free DVC button with your purchase. STAY DIRTY!!!!

Photos from The Foothill.

LWell I must I was surprised with the turn out from this past Art Exhibit. It was my first and I could not be more excited with how it turned out. Lot's of family and friends that are like family. Everyone was just impressed on how little time we had to promote and put together this show. I would like to thank EVERYONE that showed to help support us and to keep Leo and I's passion for art.

Here are a few photos of the exhibit. It's still hanging now and will mostly be up for some time. We are working on a few things and well just keep checking back on this blog our on the D.V. Clothing website for more updates.

Artist Robert Gutierrez colab with D.V.C!

Have had a great time coming up with some new designs and working with local artist Robert Gutierrez. I've put some drawings on paper and passed them off to Robert for the finishing touches. Check them out.


The first is a concept heart that I sketched out and Robert moved with stylizing it. It's not anatomically correct but it looks great. This is just concept, final will be coming soon.




The second concept art is what i would call EYECLOPS. I sketched out the hand and Robert moved on with the other graphics. Overall it's a sweet piece and is pretty much finalized. A few things but nothing major.

I'm also working on Dirty Mariachi's, DVC pills and some new lettering. Don't worry we are hard at work and hope to get theses designs finalized and ready to purchase in the near future. Keep checking for updates and remember to STAY DIRTY!!!!!