BYN: Teaser!

Just a little something-something for BRING YOUR NEMESIS. Lots and lots of sexy BYN news and updates coming very soon...

we are BACK!

Damn it's been absolutely ages since we last posted anything! Summer was completely hectic and it doesn't look like things are going to calm down anytime soon!

Today was the Muslim celebration Eid so here is a little design we did to send out to all our friends in the Middle East.

New Work: The Artist, The Dreamer

Thursday Afternoon Post...

As another week almost comes to an end, I thought I'd share some sketches I have been working on for BRING YOUR NEMESIS.

Also wanted to let you know that ROBOT VC3 has been delayed again, due to another shitty manufacturer taking a down payment then going bust. Idiots. But one good thing that has come of this is that now the robots are being produced by Erick Scarecrow Toys who are totally insanely talented and definitely arent going to do a runner with the money like the other guys.

sculpt v2

Howdy all,

We are very, very close to making an official announcement regarding BRING YOUR NEMESIS, but for now, enjoy these follow up shots to last months work-in-progress sculpts. The lines are cleaner, the proportions are closer to the original sketches and the face has some early detailing. Plenty of refining to do yet, but we are happy at the way things are going.

For those still puzzled by the ceramic maiden with the big lips and even bigger bazookas, come back this week to find out more about BYN, super-tens and Irezumi Girls....

TOP SECRET SNEAKY PEAK

Whoa? What's this? Some super exclusive work-in-progress shots of female form sculpting in the robotandspark lair, that's what!

But what are they for, I hear you ask? Fear not, young jedi, all will be revealed in time. They are for the BRING YOUR NEMESIS project, but apart from that I can't tell you anymore. Secret squirrels hard at work!

We are currently working on the BRING YOUR NEMESIS website -  when that is online, everything will be a lot clearer....

Coming 2010....

BRING YOUR NEMESIS, the follow-up to MY NAME IS ROBOT.

Coming February 2010.

More info soon!

Strange things happen when you smell THIS good...

Don’t you just hate it when your computer fucks up? I was going through some files the other day when the computer just froze. Maybe it was because I had too many applications open, or maybe it was because I was listening to Shabba Ranks “Mr Loverman”…. But whatever it was, macbook pro certainly wasn’t impressed. Turns out the hard drive was frazzled and files were corrupted. I lost all my shit from this year because I hadn’t backed it up yet. Not impressed.

But that’s it for the bad news though and I’m pleased to say we have been very busy last few weeks working on some cool projects. Here are a few things we did for a pitch with Media City based agency Expression. We had to revamp the packaging for Imperial Leathers range of body sprays and come up with an accompanying campaign. We decided to go with the line “STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU SMELL THIS GOOD” and give some funny examples using hand drawn characters.

More DUCTCHILD stuff

Another cover option for the new SOLO vs DUCTCHILD mixtape. The client wanted something a little darker and more urban than the first concept so we went back to the drawing board and experimented with some spray paints, wall graphics and some stickers... presented a few options and the client was very pleased. This option was our favourite although SOLO felt it was still a little "cute"..... personally, I think the little samurai sword wielding russian bear kicks ass!

ROBOT VC3 3D Turnarounds

Okay so I promised I'd get these online a few days ago but I have been soooo busy (eye infections, breaking big toes and getting into fights with the cat are all very time consuming, dont-you-know?!)

But finally here we go.... at last, the final colourways of robotandspark's very first vinyl toy -  ROBOT VC3... and all in glorious 3D thanks to those sexy swines at Rolling Thunder.

Introducing BUBBLEGUMM (blue / pink) VESPULA (yellow / black) and VIPER (black / neon), the toy is currently being manufactured in China by a factory full of chain-smoking, robot-loving chimpanzees. Dropping later this Summer, the final toys (limited edition of 1000) will be about 7 inches high and come with moving arms so that you can line up all three and get them to simulate a robotic mexican wave or a mechanical macarena.

Haven't got a price sorted yet but have been speaking to a few of the big distributors in the US and Europe so will let you know as soon as something is finalized.

Hope you like - if anyone has any wholesale / distribution enquiries hit me up at rob@robotandspark.com

The First Week of Spring

This was a piece I did for Simone at discoballbreaker for her monthly selection of tunage that gets played in the shelter at al quoz... i think it goes on brochures and stuff. Anyway the theme was Spring / new beginnings etc so I wanted to create some funky little icons that I thought represented this. There's a panda that is growing from an acorn, a flower-power-hippy-looking girl, a mechanical twittering sparrow and an Elton John inspired love-heart.

All very cute and colourful, set on an experimental backdrop (it's the first time that I have really had a play round with photoshop layers for a piece) Anyway it was one of the most fun jobs I have had on in a while and definitely gave me some ideas for the new character set I am working on!

Back on track, bitches!

Yes! Finally got the domain hosting sorted, and although we lost all the data from the old site, it's just a relief to know that it's back in our hands!

Another piece of good news is that we got the 3D renderings of the robot back from the Rolling Thunder guys and they look fantastic! As soon as we get the website up and running again we'll be posting the renderings and trying to get the images on as many toy blogs as possible.

I'm now sitting on the couch feeling very Hannibal-from-the-A-team-esque..... "I love it when a plan comes together..."

SOLO vs DUCTCHILD

DJ Solo vs. Ductchild early concept artwork for CD cover.... 

Robotandspark at ART DUBAI

Robotandspark will be joined by Danesh Mohiuddin at the START stand at ART DUBAI this week. We will be producing a wall mural with some of the children from START on blackboard in chalks from Wednesday onwards so be sure to come by and check it out - it should be alot of fun.

For more info go to the ART DUBAI website...

New character

We decided a little while back that it was time for a change in direction - well stylistically anyway. Tired of the cute and cuddly vector characters, we wanted to create a new set of heroes that were edgier, hand-drawn and more story driven.

So here are the first glimpses of some development sketches I worked on yesterday.... it's still very early days - she doesn't even have a name yet but she has been bouncing around in my head for a few months and now that the robot exhibition is done it gives me a little more time to work on her. She is a little Tank Girl-ish, but cuter with huge exaggerated features (big head, hands and feet). There are going to be comparisons to the Tomb Raider franchise but I can assure you Lara Croft is a f*cking pussy compared to this chick.

So much western character art is influenced by Japanese manga and anime (and rightly so, that shit is the benchmark) and our older stuff definitely was based on cool cartoons and comics we had seen growing up. The designers republic early stuff is a perfect example of east influencing the west and doing a wicked job adding a little British spin on top. But after a few years trying to emulate these guys it's time to shake off the shackles and try to push the creative boundaries out further.... and hopefully this new character is the first of many that will do that. There still are the references to classic anime (the girl's proportions are similar to capcom / udon's puzzle fighter characters) but we are trying to put a massive UK element into the new stuff.

From the very beginning we have changed the way we have approached this project, with a lot more time being spent on developing the characters background and story before even the first sketches were laid down. We are hoping that this gives the new stuff more longevity and hopefully opens up the opportunity for animations or licensing the characters.

So for now, enjoy the little sketch... there is sooooo much more to come.

AHLAN TOP 100

Yessssss!!! We made it!!! Check us out all hot and important in this years top 100 trendsetters in the Middle East!!

Ok, so we didn't actually officially make it per se, but that definitely is a shiny robotandspark robot in the picture there with traffic gallery's Rami Farook.

Not really sure why the little fella is getting his photo taken alongside Rami for the AHLAN HOT 100 but we really like the picture and the exposure so it's all good!

So.... what now?

The exhibition is done and dusted and to be honest it has left quite a void. After spending such a long time planning and putting the show together, with it all finished it feels a little strange not having anything to do! We took a few days off to recover but now it's time to put on the thinking caps and get to work on robotandspark 2009!!

First things first though is to get the new website up and running. With all the confusion and technical difficulties surrounding the hosting transfers we hope to have something online within 10 days before unleashing the new and improved robotandspark website by the end of the month.

To celebrate the success of the MY NAME IS ROBOT show, we are planning a limited edition coffee-table book to celebrate the exhibition, the robots, the artists and photographers. Still looking at the logistics of getting that done but hopefully we can get some funding from some of the third parties that were involved in the project.

After being let-down by the manufacturers in the US / CHINA we have had to source an alternative supplier for the robot toy. So unfortunately there has been a delay in production of the toy, but we are hoping that the new guys can turn the project round by the Summer! We certainly are feeling more comfortable dealing with these new chaps as opposed to the cowboys from drastic plastic....

We are also going to be pushing mr logo big time in 2009. As the economic downturn truly bites the Middle East, we feel there is no better time for a cost effective branding and design service to make it's mark. We already have 3 exciting projects lined up for March.

And finally, a lot of  people have been asking about the follow-up to MY NAME IS ROBOT, and whether there will be another custom toy show. All we are going to say for now is yes, probably at the end of 2009, but it will be even bigger, crazier and more international than our first effort.... 

Computer Simulation

James Clar. Genius. That's all that can be said. No other words are needed. Did you see his creation at MY NAME IS ROBOT? Yes, of course you did. But in case you want another look, go here....

mr logo

By now you might have gathered that here at robotandspark we are quite fond of robots, chickens, sneakers, talking penguins, doodles and murals. Art and design is a passion for us and until we can successfully make a living from what we love we still have to do the more corporate stuff to pay the bills.

So now we would like to introduce you to mr logo, the branding arm of robotandspark. In times of economic uncertainty, we'd like to think that we are doing our bit by offering this service which gives our clients access to branding agency expertise but for a fraction of branding agency prices.

So that's good news for you, your budget and the marketing manager, but real bad news for all those idiot agencies who charge for 30,000 AED for a logo...

Some of the coolest photos ever...

A small selection of photography from the MY NAME IS ROBOT exhibition. Absolutely delicious stuff.... thanks to all the guys and gals that took part. If anyone is interested in having one of these 70cm x 50cm masterpieces on their wall, then give Rob a call on +971505535509.

Pics by Ashok Verma, Candy Kennedy, Dave Kennedy, Tariq Dajani, Pat Weedon, Graham Tooby, Martin Beck and Katarina Premfors.

Enjoy.

AAAARRRGGGGGHHH! No website...

OK, so this is probably the worst timing ever after having an exhibition and handing out hundreds of business cards but the web hosting guys have shut down their offices. Not cool. We have transferred the domain to a new host, but it will take a few days to get all the technical stuff sorted. Please be patient, and apologies in advance for any emails that get bounced back.

If anybody needs to get in contact urgently, please hit me up on robertjamesgibbs@gmail.com

Wow. Now I feel tired...

I know it has been 3 months since I have blogged here but that's because I have been busy with the exhibition, ok? In case you missed it, check out the MY NAME IS ROBOT to catch up. All I'm gonna say is the show was incredible. So many people turned up, the response was excellent and the the contributing artwork was amazing. Seriously, I don't think it could have gone any better.

That being said, I am definitely going to need a few days to relax because the last few months have been ridiculously hectic! I had some family and friends over to Dubai for the exhibition so I am going to spend some time chilling by the pool and maybe topping up my tan! But before I do that I need to get some more info up on here! Here are a few shots from the exhibition. Thanks again to everybody who came down to thejamjar to show their support!

Doodlebug

It's always a strange feeling when you run out of room in your sketchbook - especially when said sketchbook had been such a valiant accomplice. This particular one was A3, 110gsm white cartridge paper with 50 sheets, spiral bound and a nice glossy cover to boot. I almost didn't want to chuck this badboy away as we had shared so many great memories. But in the garbage he had to go, and what better way to honour his life than by immortalising him on the internet?! I took a few snaps of some miscellaneous doodles scattered throughout the sketchbook and collaged them together. My favourite is probably the one with batman speaking some foreign language...

Robot Angel of Death

Here is a work-in-progress shot of the robot that I am working on for the exhibition. I wanted a darker more sinister personality for this interpretation so I came up with the character "The Robot Angel of Death" complete with Nike Air boots, angel wings and devil horns. There is still a bit more work to do before the sculpt is finished - notably some tidying up around the back of the wings and some tweaking to the trainers. Once this is done I will make a mold of the new design and get the whole thing re-cast to ensure that the piece is nice and strong but also so that as one single piece of resin the paint job will look even across the whole model. In terms of paint job I was thinking matte black all over with maybe some silver detailing on the face.... although as with everything it's always a case of MIUAYGA (make it up as you go along!)

Super Cool Vid: Jean Claude de Castelbajac Spring / Summer 3001

Full List of Artists

Ahhh street turtles, welcome back!

As promised, here is the final list of participating artists for the February exhibition. Lots of diversity, lots of disciplines and way more talent than you can shake a big hairy stick at!

Robotandspark, Chor Boogie, Lisa Guevarra, Rollan Rodriguez (AKA DOGBOY, The Brown Monkeys), Lewis De Mesa, Eduardo Yap, Joseph Domer, Buffi Jashanmal, Renata Giovonnoni, Diya Ajit (AKA CHROMA), Hani Reza (AKA SEVEN O.B.), Vivek Premachandran (AKA UBIK), The Tribe, Leo Burnett, Tonic, Malek Ghorayeb, Kris Richardson (AKA RICH K), Zaid Alwan, Tony French, Khulood Khoory, Nina Jaitha, Cynthia Wong, Roula Ghalayini, Bianca Bernstein, Nawal Khoory, American University Dubai (AUD), Stuart Harris, Darwin Guevarra, Carine Bouery, Leanne Church, Yalda Jafari and Caroline Ghantous! Phew.....

THE NAME OF THE ROBOTANDSPARK EXHIBITION IS... (DRUM ROLL PLEASE!)

It took quite a while to decide on something that we liked; it had to be cool and catchy, something original while staying true to its urban origin but without ever coming across as arty pretentious. The branding had to be very clean and simple, one colour for versatility and block-like so it could be used as a stamp on various collateral later down the line.

Over the next few months, we will be releasing little teasers of information regarding the robotandspark exhibition next Feb. A lot of work is being done behind the scenes to get everything as perfect as can possibly be. The final list of artists is complete and all have taken delivery of their robots! There are some seriously fucking cool dudes involved now....

Full list of artists will be confirmed right here later his week.

Albus Cavas

So there I was, walking through Al Quoz, minding my own business, just checking out the local scenery when what did I come across? Oh, just Albus Cavas, Chroma and UBIK doing a totally cool live mural at The Jam Jar - possibly Dubai's first ever real piece of urban street art?! Pose and Chor Boogie from Albus Cavas are over from the states checking out Dubai and trying to spread the love in the short time they are here. The guys will be doing a workshop at AUD, a 15 second art break on MTV Arabia as well as making an appearance at next years robotandspark exhibition. 

EXHIBITION DATE

Due to some complications at The Jam Jar the exhibition has been put back one month. Opening night is now Thursday 19th February 2009..... I suppose it just gives us more time to make it even sexier!

WOBLEK

Hello y'all!

Back from a massively sweeeeeeet vacation in Greece and we are feeling more focused than ever. So while we have been putting a lot of time and effort into organizing the forthcoming Robotandspark exhibition in January, we have also spent some time looking at some new characters.... and here is a sneak preview of a new addition to the Robotandspark line-up..... his name is Woblek! All we are gonna tell you for now is that the style of Woblek (and all our other new characters) is a lot darker, aggressive and intense. Don't let the cute sherbet orange logo mislead you - this little fella is gonna be one tough motherf*cker.

We kinda felt that the style of illustration of previous Robotandspark stuff needed a revamp so from now on it's back to the drawing board for a more expressive and hand drawn feel (think Jamie Hewlett meets CAPCOM) and that the exhibition in January would be a good time to close the chapter on the old shit and introduce the new Robotandspark. There is going to be so much good stuff coming out over the next 12 months, new work, new website, new characters, a new toy...... we can't wait!