Calef Brown

Stay in Bounds

calef — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:16:59 +0000

This was a really interesting and fun project to work on. Stay in Bounds is a campaign to promote sportsmanship in kid’s athletics

created by the NCAA Hall of Champions. The three posters here were adapted for print advertisements as well.

In developing the characters, They client decided to make them child-like, but stylized and fun, rather than more realistic and specific depictions of kids. They did some focus groups and there was a really good response to the combination of the cartoony characters with the very real depictions of scenarios that kids deal with in sports. I think the writing is very well done– sincere, but also funny. The idea of a little mascot that’s a piece of bubblegum, who himself is chewing gum and blowing a bubble was another character that got a great reaction from kids. A nice bit of absurdity in a campaign that deals with serious issues.

The gallery below features the posters, and some of the characters that did, and didn’t, make it into the project.

Hand Lettering

calef — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:24:06 +0000

A selection of hand lettering incorporated into illustrations, and commissioned separately.

Click for larger views.

Books, Posters, and More

calef — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:54:34 +0000

A selection of work that includes book covers, posters, annual reports, and advertising.

Click for larger views.

Graphic Style

calef — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:09:20 +0000

A selection of work for clients including Levi Strauss, Bloomberg, Newsweek, and Atlantic Records.

For this style I use a more limited palette, and a flatter, less painterly surface.

Click for larger views.

Editorial Work

calef — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:49:38 +0000

Here’s a selection of some of my favorite Editorial Assignments, from small spots, to feature illustrations.

Clients include Time, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Travel & Leisure, Los Angeles, Natural Health, Fit Pregnancy, Out, Plansponsor, and many others.

Click for larger views.

Sketchbook Poem

calef — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:07:39 +0000

Even if I had my druthers

I’d still have qualms.

The two go together

like bowls and alms.

Keep Evolving

calef — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:05:28 +0000

This is a project that was commissioned by the online brokerage firm iShares. I was one of seven artists

commissioned to interpret the phrase “Keep Evolving”, with the final art blown up to

mural size and installed in Grand Central Station. I chose to go with a train, on account of the

location– an evolved locomotive that runs on sun and wind.

My painting of The Green Train (detail)

Installation view

Recent Small Paintings

calef — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 21:45:53 +0000

These are six recent personal works painted on board and birch panels.

The sizes are 8 x 10″ to 9 x 12″

Pollen Comets

Bubbledust

Bearded Gentleman with Yellow Stripes

Green Snail

Horizoner

Lyric

calef — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:04:23 +0000

The great Glenn Barr is curating a show at 323East gallery that opens next week.

More info here
The show has an amazing lineup featuring Gary Taxali, Jeff Soto,
Rick Morris, Chris Riccardi, Travis Louie, Mark Dansey and many others.
The works are inspired by specific songs and their lyrics.

My contribution is a take on the song Don’t Test by Supercat.

Bond Flow

calef — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:01:39 +0000

This is a recent illustration for Plan Sponsor Magazine, art directed by SooJin Buzelli. The article is about the financial complexity of bond flow. The main necessity for the piece was to communicate a complicated system where everything is connected to everything else.