Kitty Cat Clocks are Pretty Much the Best Invention Ever

Holy crap guys! I did a thing! For reals! I finally finished the cover for Hey Stranger's new album. I really liked doing this illustration. I've always have a lot of fun working in that whole punk rock pseudo 50's sort of style, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Also, it gave me an excuse to draw a kitty cat clock, which I was totally into. (Actually, screw the illustration, I just want a cat clock. I keep telling myself I'll buy one, maybe for some kind of special occasion or if I won something or something but then I realized that I'm not good at winning things or doing things that are worthwhile....so I'm just left with this drawing. Anyway, if someone has an extra cat clock lying around, I'll gladly take it. Is that a thing people do?) I digress.

When I first looked at the finished product I thought, "Wow, this looks exactly like it should be an album cover for a ska band." Which is good because that's exactly what it is. My job, she is complete.

Also! You'll notice that I changed the design of the site. Kinda. Then I got distracted and didn't quite finish it. I need to update my design a bit because I guess this is not quite just a sketch blog anymore. It seems to be more of a design/illustration/comedy/journalish blog thing. All and all it's just a venue to give people new and interesting reasons not to like me. So yeah! New design! I'll finish it. Eventually!

What's next? I'm just starting to design my friend and awesome comedian, Josh Gondelman's new album. All I can say is that it's going to involve a shark wearing sunglasses. Basically it's going to be so awesome it's virtually indescribable. Also, I was going to post another stupid rant thing, but I realized it makes me sound like too much of an unbearable asshole, and generally I try to only do that type of thing in small doses. I'll rewrite it when I'm feeling like less of a jerk. Ummm yeah and I've got some shows and stuff...That's pretty much it. Peace kiddies!


christa

There's Nothing Sadder than a Toast-less Toaster

Hello friends, foes and uhhh...fishes? Yeah, that'll work. What I've got here today is a fantastic immortalization of the mundane that I did as part of the Self-Proclaimed Rockstars new album, Postcards From Purgatory. The final artwork just got sent out to print, so I figured I'd give you a sneak preview of some of the illustrations I did for them. This project has been in the works for a long time and I'm totally stoked to see it finally see it in real life, (plus I got to draw things like toasters and people in a purgatory-like misery, both which I happen to be a big fan of,).

ALSO! The Women in Comedy Festival was amazing! I had an awesome time, met a lot of cool lady comedians from all over the country and my show went great! The highlight for me was seeing a the panel discussion with Rachel Dratch and Kristen Schaal, (from SNL and Flight of the Concords/the Daily Show, respectively) and Morgan Murphy and Jen Kirkman, two amazing stand-ups. They were not only hilarious, but super informative and it was awesome to be able to see them in real life. It felt like a dream, or like I had eaten a two-week old bologna sandwich that had been rotting in the sun, and the resulting fever dream had included a panel discussion about women in comedy. Hells yeah!

In other news, I have finally submitted to Twitter. Yeah, I know. I swore I'd never join, but in the name of shameless self promotion, I have become a total media whore. You can follow me at @christaweiss or just click the button on the sidebar. You know you love it. Admit it.



Self-Proclaimed Rockstars Album Release Extravaganza!
April 23rd
Middle East Downstairs


See my attempts at hilarity!
The Burren 3/30
10pm

Awkward Compliment
The Somerville Theater
8pm


Cheers!
christa

....and then the Evil Snowman Army Saved Christmas

By now you've probably noticed my penchant for drawing anthropomorphic inanimate objects, particularly the evil sort. Today, my friends, is no exception. I present to you, in the Christmas spirit, an evil snowman army for the Self-Proclaimed Rockstars. They've got a kickass shindig this Saturday and all benefits from the show go to the House of Blues Foundation. To be honest with you, I have no idea what this charity actually funds, but it should be umm nice?* Yeah.** Anyway, the last time I thought about making any donations was when I had the note $ 4 Charity written on my hand. It looks innocent enough, until you find out that Charity is the name of my drug dealer. I'm reveling in the irony I tell you, reveling.

Anyway, I've got a kickass show coming up in a couple of hours and a bunch of others in the coming weeks. Check em (out)! Then go to SPR's show and donate cash to a charity that you know virtually nothing about. You can feel good about yourself with out actually doing anything except getting drunk and watching a great show. My kind of goodwill!


My Shows!(comedy)

Nicks Comedy Stop 12/16, 8pm! (tonite!)
Awkward Compliment 12/30
Grandma's Basement 12/31
Improv Boston 1/1
The Comedy Studio 1/9


Friends Shows (music)

The Self-Proclaimed Rockstars
12/18, 8pm
House of Blues Foundation Room

Continental (opening for the Street Dogs!)
12/18
The Paradise, 7PM

12/19
TT the Bears


Cheers!
christa





*Be sure to read my public apology when I later find out the HOB Foundation actually funds the New Hitler Youth of Afghanistan. Word on the street is that it's full of communists and pedophiles.

**Okay I just looked it up. According to their website, this is what the HOB Foundation actually does:

IHOBF reaches thousands of students, teachers and others annually nationwide with arts and cultural educational programming that promotes cultural understanding and encourages creative expression. http://www.ihobf.org

...definitely something I can get behind. I still prefer drugs though...

Just in case you needed someone to twist your arm into drinking on a Thursday...

Hey kids! I sort of spaced on this last week, but looky here! I did a poster for Boston's one and only, Self Proclaimed Rockstars (We've got lots of other rockstars, but these guys are the only ones that are self referential,). Anyway, they've got a residency at Precinct this month and the kickoff show brought the house down. In addition to music, Mick has started a late night comedy showcase after each SPR show, starring some of Boston's most awesome comedians...and by that I mean of course, that I am on one of these shows.

Tonite will be SPR's new album preview extravaganza along with a few other kickass bands and comedians. Check it tonite and every Thursday this month!


Interested in seeing me waste my time on stage, in a vain and misguided attempt for attention? Next week you can find me here:
10/19 The Varsity Club 7pm
10/21 The Precinct with SPR, music at 8pm, comedy at Midnight

Cheers!
Christa

Self Proclaimed AWESOME!

He's a little logo rework I did for the Self Proclaimed Rockstars. I met Mick the guitarist/vocalist/self referentialist at an open mike I frequent. In addition to being an awesome musician, he's also an equally awesome comedian.

Oddly enough, the worlds of comedy and music have many parallels and often intersect (sometimes disastrously so) in the world of open mikes. It's funny how intrigued most of the musicians I know are about comedy, since our worlds are essentially the same. We both stay up all night, hang out in shitty bars several nights a week, drink too much and have family/friends/lovers (ha!) that are deeply deeply disappointed in us.

Most comedians and musicians stories are the same...I tried school/work/relationships/attempting to act like a normal human being and well, that shit didn't work out so now I tour all the time/have a drinking problem/hate myself. What better way to spread your personal sadness through the world of performance art? I dare say, there is no better outlet.

Anyway, I've got more work for SPR coming up, in addition to a myriad of other things. Stay tuned!


Some plugs!
SPR every Thursday in October at the Precinct, Somerville
Tix $5


PIZZA MONSTER Open Mike Hosted by Mick Greenwood
6B Lounge, Boston
comedy/music/whatever
8pm


Keep spreading the sadness!


<3
Christa

SATURDAY! SATURDAY! SATURDAY!

Hey there kids! I've got a nice little flyer I whipped up for the boys from Far From Finished. Their album release party is this weekend, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be the greatest thing to happen to anyone, probably ever. They will be playing with the Have Nots (one of my personal favorites), the Burning Streets (I haven't seem them but I've heard great things), and Lenny Lashley (of Boston punk legends, Darkbuster).

I encourage you all to be in attendance, or ya know, face a lifetime of regret. The choice is yours comrades!

Cheers!
christa




Saturday, September 4th
Middle East Downstairs
Far From Finished
The Have Nots
The Burning Streets
Lenny Lashley

$10 adv
$12 doors
$15 all day pass

Like vampire bats deprived of blood (into the New York city night we crawl)

Hey kids! Here's a logo I just finished up for Hey Stranger, a great ska band that I met while I was in New York city. I'm actually from New York state. Oddly enough, now that I live in Boston, I actually live closer to NYC then I did when I lived in New York state. I'm pretty sure most New Yorkers don't think there is anything above White Plains and well, they're pretty much right. The rest of the state is basically no mans land aside from Rochester,(my hometown, sort of boring), Buffalo,(horrible, but the wings are good), Syracuse(even more horrible) and Albany, (so fucking horrible you'll want to stab your eyes out with a dull pencil...I mean Jesus, have you seen the bus station? It's like the place where hookers,heroin addicts and rats go to die, also every time I go there someone either asks me for money or drugs). Fun Fact: Albany is also the New York State capitol!

Anyway,...umm where was I? Ah yes, Hey Stranger! They're a great group of guys and I really enjoyed working with them. Check their stuff out here:

heystrangernyc.com

cheers!
christa

I'm not sad, I just live in Boston

Hey guess what? Mark Lind's album is now being sold at Newbury comics. Awesome! This is the first album I've done that's made it into an actual store. Go me! Even though I already have a copy, I sort of feel like I want to go visit it there, just for the hell of it. Does that make me insane or narcissistic or both? My guess is both.

In other news, I'm still doing a bunch of back-end work here, getting my Esty site all shiny and pretty for the holidays. In addition to doing some hair pieces (which I'm sure all the dudes who read this are are incredibly excited about) I'm also doing a new round of prints and I must say, they kick some serious ass!

Also, I updated my portfolio website. Woo! Initially, I was going to change the entire format, but in lieu of my job/other job/social life/need for sleep, I decided against it. It's finally up to date though and I don't have to keep telling people to go to my Myspace page like an teenage girl with an absentee father and a webcam. I'm a professional!

What I've got up today is a random doodle from my sketchbook. I like it a lot, so I think I'm going to sell it as a print. It's kind of a pseudo self portrait.*

Disclaimer: I know this looks really gothy but, I am not, nor ever have been a goth. This specifically references back a few months ago WHEN IT RAINED THE WHOLE GODDAMN SUMMER. If you live on the east coast I'm pretty sure you can feel my pain. I had to wear that raincoat every damn day...

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses

Uuugghooooooohhhmannnsweetbabyjesusgod!* Yup, that's how my weekend was. Per usual everyone played an amazing set on Friday and good times were had by all.

What I've got posted today is something I've had sitting around for awhile but kind of forgot about. In addition to the Unloved's new album, I also created a quick logo for the name Mark's using to put it out under, State Line Records.

Anything else else coming up on the horizon? Hell yes! It just so happens that I'll be gearing up for the holidays, just like all those other miserable corporate bastards, to sell some shit. (Eloquence is my forte, folks.) Anyway, I'm expanding my Etsy site! I'll be putting up a few new prints soon and (drum roll please) accessories! Woo! (Look, I'm pretty sure mostly dudes read this thing, but seriously, Christmas/Hanukkah/whatever is coming up and I'm sure you've got some fine ladies at home. You can bet your ass they'll want some high quality handmade items by a local artist, such as myself. Also, I saved a puppy from a burning building once...you should mention that as well.)

Okay, enough asides. I'm starting to feel a little schizophrenic. More to come soon!

<3
xta




*Translation: I had an awesome/insane/unforgettable weekend. Also, who's clothes am I wearing? I'm pretty sure they aren't mine...

El dia de los muertos! (celebrating dead people in style)

If any of my friends are wondering where the hell I've been lately, the answer is cranking out fliers like nobody's business. I really wanted to do this in color but I ran out of time. I might start selling a print of the skulls at some point.

I've always loved Mexican art, especially sugar skulls, those awesome shrines/ religious paraphernalia and basically anything to do with el dia de los muertos. Seriously, it sounds like Halloween times 5. I've love to make it down there at some point for the holiday, but at this point the best place I can afford to vacation is South Jersey...so yeah...I'm stayin at home. A girl can dream...


xta

Remember that Garfield Halloween special with the ghost pirates that we used to watch when we were kids? Yeah man, that shit was awsome!

Well hello there, cats and kittens! A little pre-halloween awesomeness for you all! Just like before, I will be hitchin' a ride with the Stress down to big ol' NYC for what is sure to be an asskicking(ly?) good time...PLUS we all get to be in costume! What's better than dressing up like an insane person, having an excuse to gorge yourself on candy corn (I think I might have a problem...) and listening to some amazing ska bands? Not much friends, not much!

<3
xta

Being Unloved isn't always a bad thing...

Guess what! Your favorite scrappy* little designer and Boston punk legends Mark Lind & the Unloved (members of the Ducky Boys...etc.) have teamed up to make your life more awesome! (Of course by teamed up I mean Mark tells me what to design and I design it...) Anyway, as you have probably already deduced, I'm just finishing up the artwork for thier latest album Homeward Bound. I'm not gonna lie to you guys, I am pretty stoked about this one. Of course, the album is going to be awesome so it's not like I really need to tell you to grab this...but dude...I designed it, so that means if you had any small inclinations about say, not grabbing this album immediately upon its release, they should instantly be quelled by the fact, that if nothing else, the album artwork will be nothing short of amazing. (Did I mention I am a narcissist?)

There you have it, shameless self promotion at it's finest. It's called Shameless Design for a reason kids!

<3
xta

*this is the first and only instance I have described myself as scrappy, although it seems appropriate this time, I hope to never have do this again.

These boots are made for stompin!

All right kids, I admit the posts have been lackluster as of late. Look, I've been busy. And not that kind of "busy" that translates to "I haven't done shit and this is my excuse" kind of busy...like I actually have legitimate reasons, mainly that people keep commissioning me for stuff. This is a good thing...more than a good thing, it's an awesome thing... buuuuut it also means that I can't really post too much until the actual project is finished. Word on the street is I'm workin on some pretty kickass album art, for a pretty kickass album...I'm also working on some new prints and did some buttons for the Stress with the help of the lovely Jenny Stench.

In completely unrelated but equally awesome news, I hitched a ride with the Stress this past weekend to their show in NYC with the Void Union and the Hub City Stompers, where I was a wussy ass roadie and a decent merch girl. I tried my best to bat my eyelashes enough to coerce young impressionable boys into buying shit but seeing as I was not an actual band member, it makes me significantly less cool, then um...everyone. Le sigh. At least I got a decent pair of............
......doc martins.

Anyway, I met a bunch of awesome people and everyone was super nice and played great, so indeed it was a successful venture for everyone involved. Good times, were in fact, were had by all.




cheers!
xta

A message to you rudy

Hello there cats and kittens, dudes and dudettes, sailors and umm...chicks the sailors bang! Okay that sounded bad, lets start over...

I did a t-shirt design for the Stress, an amazing ska/reggae/soul band out of Providence, RI! Interested in some good old fashioned rude boy deliciousness? Lucky for you, you can download some of their stuff for free here:

Muk!Muk! - The new EP from the Stress

And of course the tour dates:
8/29/2009 The Blackstone w/ The Agents, Pawtucket, RI
9/19/2009 All Asia Cafe w/ The Allstonians, Cambridge, MA
10/3/2009 The Knitting Factory, New York City, NY

Note: This design is based off a ridiculously awesome photo that the bass guitarist took while in Malawi visiting friends (who were in the Peace Corps). I just realized I didn't even know how to spell Malawi until he mentioned it. This means 2 things: I do not know enough about global affairs and while they were being all altruistic I was probably drunk or doodling. Cest la vie! At least I spent my time constructively.

A Match Made in Heaven (if heaven was a sweaty rock club where your feet stick to the floor and everything smells faintly of booze and despair...)

So, obviously I've taken a bit of a much needed break. But now I'm back in the saddle and ready to go! I've sold a bunch of my prints so far...plus some awesome news! I will be working with Punk Rock Buttons (and the lovely Jenny Stench)to help design, that's right, buttons!

These babies are $20 for 100 buttons, which is retardedly cheap. If you don't have any artwork of your own to put on said buttons...that's where I come in. Designs are $15 per design, which, by the way, is also retardedly cheap. We here at Shameless Design and Punk Rock Buttons like to help out the little guy (and also, we are just as poor as you!).

Soooo, if you need some buttons, order them! If you need some kickass artwork, I'll hook you up! Everybody wins! Then puppies and candy rained from the sky! Hooray!

Grab you hat and come drinking with the band!

I present to you, the last piece of my series, Lurk. I was going to wait until my show thing to put it up, but then I realized I have no self control. In light of my new found self awareness, I figured I'd just put it up now, ya know to umm...celebrate.

I'm not gonna lie to you guys, this weekend is shaping up to be a shit storm of awesome. Okay, maybe shit storm isn't the right word for it...but anyway I'm planning on partying my ass off. Slackers booze cruise tonite and of course a full day and night and probably also morning of the Sprained Ankles. So obviously, you should go. All the cool kids are doing it.

Hey man, I don't make this shit up

Jesus christ finally! My shit for Far From Finished got printed! For the most part this stuff is only gonna be available on their European tour, or if you're really motivated to grab something of mine, their distributer online. I've got a couple more that have yet to be printed and I think they're using the tattoo gun thing I did as a sticker.

In case you were wondering, this is just another filler post as my life/money is being sucked away by my showing at the cafe in July. I should have my prints back soon and hopefully they will be awesome. (If they are not awesome, I shall weep the tears of a thousand souls, a thousand damned souls...Seriously, it'll be that bad)

Anyway, here's the link!
http://www.myspace.com/farfromfinished
(my t-shirts are on the 2nd slideshow)

https://shop.trashmark.com/index.php?lang=en
(go to search, type in Far From Finished)

Oh yeah also, a kickass show at Bull McCabe's in Somerville tomorrow with...
New Alibis
Scars
Burning Streets
Sprained Ankles

Shameless Design: now slighly less punk rock

Here at Shameless Design we (me) only cater to the finest of musicians and artists. This means of course that we (I) design for a variety of genres provided that the music is awesome.

I work with the fine man who produces Tunez and when he found out what I do he asked me to help him out. I, of course was happy to oblige him. I took a look at the club that his event is being heald in and man, that place is fancier than me...(and I'm pretty fancy.)

I'm too tired to care and too busy to think (so sit back and laugh and watch the ship sink)

Gaah. I'm busy! Here's something that's been sitting in my sketchbook for awhile.

I originally designed this as a tattoo for myself until I realized that I don't really have the real estate to put it anywhere on my body(except for my lower back, and there ain't no way I'm getting a tramp stamp). I really like the design, but alas! It will go unused. I still might use the hourglass at some point, but I'm not sure where/how and there's the money issue, so yeah, no time soon.

Oh and in case you were wondering, it's a Lawrence Arms tattoo (the hourglass part, that is). They tell me band tattoos are a bad idea, but I've been into them for about 8 years, so I feel like they've earned it.

Question to my Boston people: I'm looking for a printer to do my prints for my cafe gallery showing thing that isn't Kinkos. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah and a shout out to anyone coming over from BSC/the sock drawer. I know you're out there, since my hit count went way up when I started posting there. You guys are awesome, lets do lunch.*

*lunch is euphamism for your sexual innuendo of choice

You know, the fun kind of sprained ankle...

The Sprained Ankles CD release show, flyer designed by yours truly. This show is shaping up to look pretty crazy/awesome/awesomely crazy, so of course, you know the drill. You should go. Seriously...but don't worry about forgetting because I'll be plugging the hell out of it later. heh.

In completely unrelated news, I seem to have a knack for meeting really bizarre pseudo celebrities. On Saturday night we called a cab to drive us out to the city. Who's driving it? That dude from the Biggest Loser*, who lives in Somerville. I suppose meeting him was sort of inevitability's because of the frequency which which I call cabs, but you get the idea...Anyway, he was a really nice dude and told us (surprise surprise) that most of the people he was on the show with gained a lot of the weight back. Also, for a while people would follow him around in the grocery store and constantly comment on what he was buying. Moral of the story? TV will solve none of your problems and achieving minor celebrity status seems to be kind of a pain in the ass.

*Note: I never watch that show, and only saw it a few times, because of those dudes are from my town.**

**Note2: That was my desperate attempt to retain my coolness. Successful? Probably not.