Something Clever

From the brain of Ethan Harper

[ethancharper]

I used to work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain (pizza culture museum and restaurant) in my old stomping grounds of Philadelphia.  While working the register I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s.  More friend-ployees eventually joined me (and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s) but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. Hope you enjoy!

*My initial aim was to post pics of the 100 total boxes I'd done by Pizza Brain's one-year anniversary (Sept. 7th, 2013), but I only ended up sharing the first 38 before I fell behind :/ 

Surprise art boxes 13-16 Oct. 21-24, 2012

RIP, Bowie :(

[ethancharper]

As I’m sharing this just now, I realize that the first piece (box # 9) is semi-appropriate to the holiday; like many of us, pizza is Spidey’s Valentine ;)

Anyway; the usual details:

I used to work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain (pizza culture museum and restaurant) in my old stomping grounds of Philadelphia.  While working the register I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s.  More friend-ployees eventually joined me (and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s) but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. Hope you enjoy!

*My initial aim was to post pics of the 100 total boxes I'd done by Pizza Brain's one-year anniversary (Sept. 7th, 2013), but I only ended up sharing the first 38 before I fell behind :/ 

Surprise art boxes 9-12 Oct. 14-21, 2012

When I first posted this - back in August 2013(!) - I noticed that the last box in this set is kinda like a (literally) pizza-faced version of Peter Parker (the alter-ego of the character featured in the first box of the set, DUH ;) Edit: Wait a minute - it just came to me while I was Instagramming it: PIZZA PARKER! (I can't copyright that...can I?) :)

(All other surprise art box posts here.)

[ethancharper]

I used to work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain (pizza culture museum and restaurant) in my old stomping grounds of Philadelphia.  While working the register I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s.  More friend-ployees eventually joined me (and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s) but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. Hope you enjoy! *My initial aim was to post pics of the 100 total boxes I'd done by Pizza Brain's one-year anniversary (Sept. 7th, 2013), but I only ended up sharing the first 38 before I fell behind :/ 

Surprise art boxes 5-8 Oct. 10, 2012 (With a close-up shot of #5 - just ‘cause I love how that crazy-lookin’ muscley-armed pizza man turned out - and one of my good pal Buddy expertly displaying #8 in all its (and Buddy’s?) hypnotic glory 'cause, well, Buddy's awesome :)

Trivia!:

- Box number 5 was the first* time I ever wrote anything on the BOTTOM of a box!

*and LAST, because - after the fact - I figured it probably wasn’t a very good idea to use Sharpie® on a surface that would without question be directly TOUCHING the pizza :/

(I did realize this before actually putting the box in the stack (of our pre-folded empty boxes) for someone to receive, and cut out a piece of cardboard to lay in the bottom (over the lettering) to avoid expected ink staining/transference - who knows if the recipient ever discovered the hidden coupon beneath!)

- Box number 6 was the first time I did any preliminary pencils before going over them in marker (as opposed to my usual just straight-to-ink style); I thought the 8-bit thing would be a bit difficult to just wing and not screw up too badly. (I erased the unsightly pencil lines that can be seen in the photo of this one before putting it in the stack, as well :)

(All other surprise art box posts here.)

[ethancharper]

Been meaning to start sharing these again*, so it being #NationalPizzaDay and all I figure now's a good time: I used to work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain (pizza culture museum and restaurant) in my old stomping grounds of Philadelphia.  While working the register I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s.  More friend-ployees eventually joined me (and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s) but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. Hope you enjoy! *My initial aim was to post pics of the 100 total boxes I'd done by Pizza Brain's one-year anniversary (Sept. 7th, 2013), but I only ended up sharing the first 38 before I fell behind :/ 

Surprise art boxes 1-4 Sept. 28 - Oct. 7, 2012

(All other surprise art box posts here.)

[ethancharper]

Happy New Year, y'all.

I finally finished a thing (and people can buy it ;⁠) https://www.etsy.com/listing/502374589/stranger-falls-poster

[ethancharper]

And on the more quick 'n sketchy end of the "trying to make more art every day" spectrum, this goofy one - a response to a text from a friend, presented without context - that I knocked out yesterday.

[ethancharper]

Typically delinquent (surprise!) on posting some art 'each and every day' like I planned, but - to be kind to myself - I HAVE been trying to start practicing/implementing color, so... Anyway, here's a little somewhat bobble-headed Spider-Man (background stolen from an episode of the excellent The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series).

[ethancharper]

Arright, trying to FINALLY get back into the actually posting art on (/generally USING) my Tumblr groove again. To start, this peek at a much larger image I'm working on (which I will hopefully have prints of for sale in the very near future); the I-fell-in-love-with-her-too new Star Wars heroine, herself :)

[ethancharper]

Well, I've been just a bit delinquent with posting here again...but this time it's for a better reason: I've been super busy with actual work (in the art field, that is to say) - the specifics of which I'll announce soon - and though none of it is connected to Pizza Brain, I still find myself sharing a piece with that as the subject yet again ;) ANYway, more legit work/announcements to come soon, but for today: Finally got around to buying a new sketchbook (& batch o' new markers) yesterday so that I'm encouraged to play with color more when away from my computer. My first piece (inspired by the art/style of the talented Ms. Erin Hunting, whose art I discovered and have been checking out for the last month or so) is my birthday 'card' for my pals at Pizza Brain :) So much of my last couple years' work has been inspired by/for the shop (which I'll *finally* continue sharing the remainder of again very soon) - I'm forever grateful and proud to have been a part of the epic adventure that it is :⁠) Happy birthday, guys; here's to many more years of pizza greatness!

[ethancharper]

Work-in-progress: Pizza Face's 'Cafeteria Terrorists' album cover illustration. Come check 'em out and help make a vinyl pressing happen (as well as get my artwork printed on a real-ass RECORD SLEEVE for the first time!):  https://www.facebook.com/events/554999664598831/  (Temp color with - appreciated - credit stamp on the image in that link by my man Ben :)

[ethancharper]

Hey, all!  Haven't shared anything in a bit, but this one's worth the wait, I think (/hope you'll agree ;) I'd been working on this piece for WAY too long, and dying to share it for the same amount of time.  I finally finished it (mostly to my liking - I do wish it matched the original in style a bit more, but my digital painting skills aren't quite up to snuff, so it'll have to do for now) and am very excited to reveal it to the world/blogosphere! For those who might not get the reference/homage, check out the actual classic film poster it was based upon here, and if you’re unfamiliar with ‘Adventure Time’ (or if not and yet are ignorant of the reason why I would choose to depict Jake, there, as a thief) check out this episode - specifically the bits at 3:09 and 6:04 - of the best animated series currently in production :) I have also entered it in a t-shirt design contest which you can read more about (and see the other two* I also submitted) - and hopefully vote on - here. Thanks for looking, and I hope you’re having a great day! *One of which is a cleaned-up/transposed image from one of my (yet-to-be-revealed here) Pizza Brain surprise art boxes that I’m always posting about (it’s been a while, I know, but the next set is a particular doozy, and will be up soon :)

[ethancharper]

More 'First 100 Surprise Art Boxes'! Here's the deal (potential new readers): I work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain - pizza culture museum and restaurant - here in Philadelphia (very infrequently, lately, but I still consider myself part of the crew and do art for us...) Not too long after we opened, I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s. More friend-ployees eventually joined me - and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s - but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. I planned to post pics of the first 100 boxes I’d done by Pizza Brain’s one-year anniversary - Sept. 7th, 2013 - but only got to the first 25 (I did make all 100, though) by then. I will continue to (semi-frequently) make new boxes and (eventually) share every last one of them, so I hope you'll keep an eye on this space and do enjoy! Surprise art boxes 35-38 Nov. 14-30, 2012 I do wish I'd planned my releases of these better (to coincide with the same dates last year), but I'm a good couple months ahead :/ The randomness/infrequency of when I originally did them would make for an even weirder posting schedule now, though, and the timing on some is working out pretty good, anyway, as you'll see/read* ('cause I'm sure SO many - of my innumerable readers - are thinking about/sweating it ;) I thought it was funny that I drew the second box in this group a full 2 weeks after the first and that - though the layout/spacing of both of them was somewhat similar - the expressions of the characters were so contrary. It even looks like the latter could be an older, crankier version of the former. This was completely unintentional - as was the almost identical framing & location of the photograph, itself (though that has been a fairly regular spot  that I've used - clearly, since I used it for all 4 of this batch) - and the similarities I noticed led me to make the fun little gif of them I did above :) I was also amused when I noticed that the next two featured those very iconic individuals, and both holding pizza (that element not being surprising - it is a pizza box/shop, after all ;) - but the former being a bit unusual because I would normally break up appearances of established/famous characters). *Both subconscious decisions worked well for my posting purposes here, though, and Michael's inclusion is particularly appropriate due to the upcoming holiday :) 'Thriller', y'all; still so f**king tight. (RIP, MJ) Speaking of which/also awesomely coincidental timing: Check out this Facebook post of mine :) Have a great day!  Thanks for looking at/sharing my stuff (and I hope you enjoyed it)!  Are you ready for/excited about Halloween?!  I know I am! ;) (As always: All other surprise art box posts here.)

[ethancharper]

More 'First 100 Surprise Art Boxes'!

The usual preface:

I work with/for my friends at the wonderful Pizza Brain - pizza culture museum and restaurant - here in Philadelphia (very infrequently, lately, but I still consider myself part of the crew and do art for us...)

Not too long after we opened, I decided to start drawing stuff in the occasional pizza box so that a random customer might receive an extra treat with their pie or slice/s. More friend-ployees eventually joined me - and share images of our contributions on the just-linked-to (and other) social networking site/s - but these posts are a Tumblr catalogue of mine in particular. I planned to post pics of the first 100 boxes I’d done by Pizza Brain’s one-year anniversary - Sept. 7th, 2013 - but only got to the first 25 (I did make all 100, though) by then. I will continue to (semi-frequently) make new boxes and (eventually) share every last one of them, so I hope you'll keep an eye on this space and do enjoy!

Surprise art boxes 31-34 Nov. 9-11, 2012

The first one here was (perhaps obviously to some) I think influenced by 'Calvin & Hobbes', a bit (see these if you don't know what I'm referencing*), and it was another of the very few boxes I did where I sketched it out a bit first instead of just going straight marker-to-cardboard (I think I used a ball-point pen, there, though, so I wasn't able to actually erase it when I was done). I included a shot of the 'pencils' 'cause I like 'em and a close-up shot for the same reason...and because most of this batch's full box pictures are a touch out of focus :/

The last two of this group I also did some pencil work on first, but I'm fairly certain I erased it before releasing them out into the hungry world ;)

I've always loved drawing Wolverine, and doing so with him using one of his signature catch phrases (well, just a catch word, I suppose) while skewering a slice - and in his classic brown & yellow (and MUCH preferred by me to his tiger-striped, yellow & blue) uniform - was great :)

Box number 34 was a variation of my 'Peppy' mascot that I'd toyed with when I originally designed him (with some added faux Latin for fun) and - again - some extra pics for greater detail/clarity (not sure why I couldn't take a non-blurry photo of each whole piece those days...)

Anyway, thanks for checking out my stuff (heh?), and I hope you have yourself a GREAT day.

*And if you somehow don't know what I'm referencing: STOP WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND GO READ THE ENTIRETY OF BILL WATTERSON'S AMAZING COMIC STRIP SERIES!!! GO-O!!!!!

(Only 66 more boxes left to reveal! ;) All other surprise art box posts here.)

[ethancharper]

Little Brainby's Pizza Babe!

Been meaning to share this with everyone for a WHILE now; very happy to be at this particular moment in time/for the reason I will give in a moment :)

This is the full-color version of a piece my friend (Pizza Brain founder/co-owner) Brian commissioned me to do when Pizza Brain and Little Baby's Ice Cream first announced to the Philly food blog world that they were going to be sharing a space together up here in Fishtown (the original b & w cut - and accompanying article - found here).

Today, I will be selling an 11x17 print of these 2 pages together, doodling a bit, chatting up whoever wants me to, and helping my pals at Little Baby's sling some scoops at the second annual Locust Moon Comics Festival in West Philly; come on out and see me/us?

Regardless, hope you're having a great day and to catch you later; thanks for checking this out!

[ethancharper]

Very old comic of mine (still not entirely unhappy with it, didn't clean it up at all for posting here, though*) voicing my - still with equal loathing - disapproval of the Philadelphia Parking Authority here in our dear city.

The second one is from the next day, done after my mother voiced her disapproval of the content of the former ;)

*I've got a good-sized batch of these 4- (and a few 2-) panel comics that I'm looking forward to sharing soon - some of them do need a bit of clean-up, though.

Thanks for looking!

[ethancharper]

New Followers!

Hey, all.

Since starting up my new page, here, I've avoided 'Follow'ing or 'Like'ing others' pages/posts because - as it would appear many have noticed/been frustrated by - Tumblr doesn't allow one to change a secondary blog to a primary one, so, were I to have done either of those things, the blog you'd be 'Like'd or 'Follow'ed by would have been an old one that I never post on (which has a name I didn't want to use any more).

I was able to find a little work-around for this, though, so - after changing the name of said primary to something similar (though not preferred) to avoid confusion - when anyone clicks on it it will automatically redirect them here, BUT, if someone were to 'Follow' me back *via their Dashboard, they would then be following my old blog (and therefore not getting any updates from me).

All this to say: I'm about to go on a 'Follow'/'Like' frenzy, and if you happened to follow me back as stated* - but hopefully see this (or the header I just attached above) - please click the 'Follow' button on THIS page to actually see my regular, new content on your Dash.

Regardless: Thanks for looking and I hope you're having/had/have a great day!  (New stuff coming very soon!)

[ethancharper]

The Heart of the 'Brain or '40 Winks With A Pizza Sphinx'

:)

One of the greatest things about working at Pizza Brain is that everyone who does really wants to be there and is doing the best in their power to care about their work and how people feel when they experience it (the pizza and the entirety of Pizza Brain as an experience).

Alfonso and his mother Monica came to Philly this past November (right in the middle of the time frame I was doing that last batch of illustrations I posted) with the express purpose - if I'm not mistaken - of going to this awesome sleepover event at Penn Museum featuring Egyptian artifacts, etc. (including an actual Sphinx!)*; I think they had a few other cool things planned to do/hit up while they were visiting the city (I believe Monica told us she made these fantastic excursions for them happen fairly regularly - simply travelling and getting to experience neat stuff all over the country - such a rad mom!) and - again, if I remember correctly - that they had JUST recently heard of our place and decided to stop by.  Well, we were thrilled to meet and treat them (especially after finding out what a great, adventurous spirit Monica had doing such things for/with her son and discovering how delightful, intelligent, and engaging the two of them were, in general) to what we hoped would be a memorable visit to our wonderful city and proud pizza shop.

I can't recall ALL of what we did/talked about in our short time with this fun couple of pizzadventurers, but I remember Joe teaching Alfonso to toss dough like a champ, and, as you can see here, I drew up a box for him (the first 'surprise' art box I ever did for a specific person), and we got some sweet photos to preserve it in digital image form ;)

The top two pictures are from my own phone/camera, the bottom two shared on PB's Facebook by Monica - one the day it happened (and shared again the day after), the other just last month when they (apparently?  I'm bummed I somehow missed them!) swung by again.

Thanks for the memories, guys; I hope you had as good a time as we did meeting & getting to know you a bit! :)

  *'40 Winks with the Sphinx' - Looks super dope, right? I'm gonna have to check it out myself, sometime (and, y'know, bring my niece or step niece & nephew, or something ;)