Collaborations with Josh Journey-Heinz

Josh is a good friend of mine in Minneapolis. He's a class act. As a screenprinter, illustrator, and drummer of the band Knife World featured in these posters, Josh took it upon himself to print fine-art-quality posters for these shows. All the bands were our friends, and Josh invited me to collaborate with him on the designs. I also assisted with the printing.

Through working with Josh, I came to realize what a magical process collaboration can be. We have pretty similar drawing styles — we even use the same brand of tech pens. Once we got into the same vibe with a concept, drew our parts of the design, and pieced it together, it became really hard to tell who did what.

I talk about each one below, but you should also read Josh's descriptions at joshjourneyheinz.blogspot.com. There, too, you can see his other brilliant work.

Post-Apocalyptic Urban Mutant Teens Do Battle in a Freestyle Pool-Skating Joust, 2006

In our first collaboration, Josh and I discovered that we both collect security-envelope patterns, which we used to great textural effect here. This one is not a screenprint, but a mere photocopied flyer. I drew three of the mutants and helped with the composition, and Josh did the rest.

Clipd Beaks, Skoal Kodiak, Knife World, & Mute Era at the Turf Club
Four-color screenprint on tan paper, 2007

Using the whole page as an interface through which funny characters popped was an idea I'd been toying with in my sketchbook. We settled on a flattened hexagon because it is a shape that nests together, and the whole interface takes on an illusory Asian perspective. We each drew our share of random characters, two band names, and one date/place. I am proud to say one of these hangs framed in the Turf Club in St. Paul, MN.

Clipd Beaks, Knife World, & Hondo at Memory Lanes
Four-color fluorescent screenprint on triangular white paper, 2008

A triangular poster, echoing the Masonic pyramid eye, each point representing one branch of the US government, overlayed on a psychedelic spiral, printed with flourescent ink that glows under blacklight. Our respective contributions to this collaboration are really hard to isolate, although I will reveal mine is the Legislative branch, pictured right-side-up here. We utilized some more envelope patterns on this one, and I really respect how diligently we alternated yellow-green-pink throughout the whole thing.

Skoal Kodiak & Knife World — Tour Poster
Four-color screenprint on white paper, 2008

Prehistoric mammals, tarpit, ridiculous fossil-fueled vehicles (plus a Segway)... The concept was Josh's. We both agree that the best art, no matter how fun it is on the surface, contains a level of socio-political commentary. One of us drew the vehicles and ripples, and the other drew the animals, lettering, and grass. Josh did all the printing on this one.

Heliotrope Music Festival 6
Five-color screenprint on metallic blue paper, 2009

We each drew two of the monsters with their respective lettering, and Josh did the printing. The paper was generously donated by comic artist, publisher, musician, and educator Zak Sally.