LOST Vegas: The Fan Club -- Valentine's Day Fun

DINNER SHOW INCIDENT at Tommy Rocker’s!

Bring Your Sweetheart and Get LOST in a Rockin’ Romantic Candlelit Evening!

Monday,  Feb. 14th,  2011,  7-10pm

Dine, Drink, and Dance to Music Performed Live by Tommy Rocker, with Special Guests Amanda White on Piano, Vocalist Karen Marie. LOST Music Videos by Jessy Coisnon, plus a few laughs for good measure!

Sweetheart Special

12-oz Grilled Rib Eye Dinner for Two and Bottle of Champagne… for only $30 +tax. (Menu and prices subject to change without notice)

Our regular Award-Winning Menu is also available, with Food and Drink Specials galore!

Also… be a part of the live taping of brand-new Music Videos especially created for this first-time-ever Tommy Rocker Event!

And remember…“You don’t have to get LOST, to be Lost in Love at Tommy Rocker’s!”

No Cover or Minimum. No Reservations Req. but R.S.V.P. appreciated to accommodate staffing. LOST-themed Menu. Free Candy Valentines & Flowers for the Ladies while supplies last

Sponsored by LOST Vegas: The Fan Club at Tommy Rocker’s, 4275 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89103 -- 702-261-6688 -- 21 and Over Establishment. RSVP to Lost Vegas: The Fan Club (on Face Book), or Jason Doucette at argo4@cox.net, or 702-439-2672

LOST Vegas: The Fan Club is a not-for-profit group dedicated to preserving the memory and promoting the future of the t.v. series., and produces open-to-the-public events, or “Incidents” through its production team, Eventertainment.  Our goal is to unite old fans and new recruits alike, for camaraderie and entertainment; featuring live music and special guests, broadcasts & videos, contests & prizes… hosted by an award-winning bar & grill with a LOST- themed menu & atmosphere.  Charter Membership is free .

Visit our site at http://www.lostvegasthefanclub.com ~  We can also be found on Face Book  ~  Further correspondence thru email to Jason Doucette at argo4@cox.net.

Have a LOST Fan meet up coming up? Let us know!

drMikey, the man behind the waveform

Combining his gaming design skills and artistic talent, drMikey gives LOST fans a unique and fun way to find and purchase his creations. I first encountered one of his puzzles at Damon, Carlton and Me, a fan-based site which reveals LOST art through cyphers and puzzles.  A flash game led us to the poster version of  Ab Aeterno and, for a few lucky players, the top half of the Tawaret statue. His current LOST art is being revealed each evening at midnight by solving complex waveforms.  The complete collection includes fifteen Season 1 characters (acrylic on canvas) and can be seen here! Our good friends at The LOST ARGs blog have a post dedicated to drMikey’s midnight fun.  If you solve tonight’s reveal let them know!

Sawyer" by drMikey

Let’s get to know the man behind the waveform:

1. drMikey in ten words or less.

Ok ok ok ok ok!

Let’s see, crap just wasted two words, son of a-

I can’t decide between two old quotes of mine!
I have stories to tell, all I need is someone who will listen.
Big dreams are for little kids, and I will never grow old.

[Error! Word count over flow flood. Rebooting . . .]

2.  Except for the last ABC viral marketing campaign (Damon,  Carlton and a Polar Bear) most LOST hiatus ARGs involved code breaking, riddles and sleuthing skills.  On two occasions you have designed LOST themed puzzles to reveal a painting or print.  Can you tell us a little about your background in gaming design?

Ok, so, I don’t really have a “real job” because I am self-employed, but the closest thing I have to a real job is in game design. I both do contract work and work on my own small flash games. I also have a love or puzzles and brain teasers, so this seemed like an awesome way to appeal to the community and market my work! Unfortunately, not everyone agreed

3. The “Harmonic Resonant Project” (theislandisntdonewithyouyet.com) which is currently LIVE as of this post is revealing original LOST art, 15 characters in 15 days.  The style is a bit of a departure from your previous work.  Can you tell our readers about the game and your inspiration for this body of work?

The Harmonic Resonance Project certainly is a different style compared to what I have shown for my LOST work, but is similar to some of my older styles. I’ve always favored very solid black and white imagery, and have lately been very interested in graffiti as a style. On top of this, I sometimes get requests and inquiries about the originals of my paintings. Often the amount of time that goes into them and the uniqueness makes them unaffordable for sale, so I wanted to find a way to make a large batch of original paintings that I could price reasonably. While these still all took a long time to complete, I was able to get a system down for getting them painted, and still ended up with a final result I was happy with. I have a full set of them hanging in my living room!

4. Trained professional or self-taught genius?

I’ll leave the genius decision up to you But mostly I am self taught. I took one painting class in college, and one game design course. In Flash, for the games and puzzles, I am entirely self taught. Mostly I just like to push myself to create things that are challenging and new to me. I’ve also made a little clothing, a few bags, some sculptures, etc..

And now for LOST!

5. Best episode?

Oh man, I thought Season 1 was just a phenomenal season of television, but my favorite has got to be The Constant. I’m a sucker for a good love story, and Desmond and Penny’s story totally fits the bill. As things get more and more desperate for Desmond, jumping through time, we don’t know where things are going. And then we’re just sitting on the phone, waiting, listening to the ringing for what seems forever. When Penny finally answers (Penny, you answered Penny, you answered…) and the music builds up. Oh man, gets me every time.

6. Favorite character?

I’m not sure! Locke has always been great because he kinda comes down the the center of the mythology. Charlie was always a rockstar of course, and Juliet was an excellent addition later on!

7. Mythology or character development?

I’m constructing my own epic storyline currently, and have always loved good mythology. I think at this point, and specifically or LOST, you really can’t have one without the other! I say both!

8. Man or science, man or faith?

I’m a crazy artist at heart, raised by my extremely practical father, so I walk somewhere in between here. Lately, more a man of faith, seeing as I quit my job in the middle of a huge recession and decided to make video games and paint about tv shows!

9. If you could find the island and turn the frozen donkey wheel when would you like to arrive in Tunisia?

I don’t know anyone in Tunisia! I don’t know anything about Tunisia! As much as I would love to say some time in the future so that I could see how it all turned out (whatever happened, happened) I have to say some time near the present. I’d have go find my own Penny. I’m pretty sure she’d keep the number, I just hope I have a handy red phone.

What? There was no question 10! I wanted to thank the LOST Blog for doing this interview, and Lottery Ticket and all my supporters for allowing me to do this whole artist thing! “It’s never been easy!” but it would have been impossible without you guys. I hope you at least continue to follow my work as LOST mania fades out. My own storyline that I have been piecing together for the last 6 years may actually be ready to start seeing daylight soon, and I would love you all to come along for the ride. Thank you for everything.

You can find drMikey’s LOST and non-Lost related works at http://art.drmikey.com/

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: JJ Harrison “Lost In Comics”

When I scrolled past this message from @Lost_4815162342 on the Twitter feed “found my new favourite #Lost site http://www.lostincomics.com May 23 ‘So Long and Thanks for All the Mystery‘ is beautiful, thx @hellobampop 1:54 PM Jun 23rd,” I had to stop and click the link.  Twitter has been one of the best sources for finding LOST related news, theories, events and certainly, art.  The work of JJ Harrison captures LOST characters in quirky, humorous moments, but they touch the heart as well.  I inquired to Mr. Harrison about his work and he kindly replied below.  Enjoy!

What inspired you to become an artist?

When I was little I was super shy and I drew a lot. Mostly my own Star Wars comics with crayons and construction paper. The ladies in my life–grandmas, aunties, and my mom–would shower me with praise while tossing my drawings up on the refrigerator. I learned an important lesson then. If you draw good you can get girls to like you.

What types of media do you use to create your LOSTinComics?  Or they hand-drawn or are all digital?  Any insight into the day and life of JJ would be interesting.

Most of my art is 100% digital now. I use a tablet instead of a mouse so the work has the benefit of being all hand-drawn, too. Of course I prefer the look and feel of physical art made with gouache and acrylics, but over the years software has gotten WAY better and so has my understanding of how to use it. I’m able to get a more tangible look out of my illustrations thanks to a nifty set of custom digital brushes that I made from scans of my real art. That was a real break-through in my process because I always loved the digital work flow but I was never thrilled with the results. Now I get the best of both worlds!

Tell us a little about BamPop! and your relationship with The Nature Conservancy.

BAM POP! is our family business that I started with my wife right out of college. My imagination is always popping with ideas for stuff, so I wanted an outlet where I could take ideas from concept to reality without somebody in the middle meddling with them. Mostly we make kid-friendly craft and art supplies like patterned paper and inking stamps. We’ve done pretty well. We’re carried in cool little boutiques and art shops in something like 15 or 16 countries and that’s with hardly any marketing effort at all.

Last year I worked on a project that involved the Nature Conservancy and their Plant a Billion Trees initiative (www.plantabillion.org) and I was just so taken by their message. I’m not the most environmentally minded person, I grew up in America afterall, but I do what I can. When it came time to offer art prints on LOSTinComics I remembered these guys and thought it would be awesome to adopt that message of “buy a print, plant a tree.” I also chose to print on 100% cotton paper, so no trees are harmed in the making of the prints!

How did you become a fan of LOST?

Oh my wife gets all the credit there. I was still at the university full-time and working full-time when LOST premiered, so I had like no time for new TV shows. She showed me some ad for it before it aired and my first reaction was like, “ugh, this looks like dramatized survivor.” I had no idea it was sci-fi. Then some of our friends really got into it and kept recommending it. Luckily my wife kept pushing, too. So we turned down the lights and got cozy like we were at the movies (the only way to watch LOST!) and put on the first episode. Five minutes later Jack is running around the beach saving lives and my life is changed forever.

Who is your favorite LOST character and why?

I struggle with this. They are all so good. Even the ones you think you’re going to hate when you’re first introduced to them. Early on I really took a shine to Sawyer. He was just so despicable, but he had some of the best lines. His character had the most room for growth. It’s amazing to watch him change over the course of the story.

Of course I always felt like LOST is Jack’s story, but I think in the middle there he became even more lost, proverbially, and it was hard to watch him hit rock bottom.

And then there’s Locke. Oh Locke. I loved him even when he was all creepy whispering secrets to Walt. When he met his end, I denied it and didn’t mourn him. I kept going, “no he’ll be back! He’s freakin’ John Locke!” I can’t describe the excitement I had when we saw him sitting on the beach after the Ajira flight landed on Hydra. When I finally realized it really was his true end, I just felt cheated. He was so important to me.

Oh my gosh, I’m not even going to talk about Hurley or Desmond. I would ramble on forever! Overall, though, it’s gotta be Sawyer. He’s the one I’d want to have over for a barbecue and a movie.

Kate or Juliet?

Juliet.

How did you like the ending?

That’s a tuffy. In the moment, I was overcome with emotion. I think a lot of us were. The ‘awakenings’ were so powerful. It was like a reunion special celebrating the characters and that was really nice. I can’t deny that. It helped me to forgive its shortcomings. I didn’t mind not getting answers. The mystery is all the fun! Who wants answers? Answers are boring. More fun to wonder about the Loch Ness Monster than to drain it and find nothing.

Throughout the series I always said that these characters are so good that I would watch them in any setting or genre and still love it. Everything else–the mystery, the sci-fi, action–is just icing on the cake. I think the final season really put that statement to the test for me.

I would have preferred a final season with no flash-anythings, just straight plot and action with scenes just as emotional as all those wonderful finale moments scattered throughout the entire season.  The finale itself is beautiful. I do have issues with message you take away from the last season that is like, “oh don’t worry if this life is horrible and bad things happen to you because it’ll all be awesome in the next life!” I feel like we have to make this life we have now the most meaningful radical experience it can be!

Oh well. It is LOST and my love for it is unconditional. I’m just happy to make LOSTinComics and play in their sandbox a little while.

JJ

LOSTinComics.com – cartoon adventures of our favorite island misfits

______________-

Thank you, JJ.  You can purchase Lost In Comics full-color giclées on 100% velvet cotton paper. Tree-less! For every print sold a tree will be planted in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and the Plant a Billion Trees initiative.  Lotto

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Tara McPherson

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Guy Burwell

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Jeff Soto

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Jim Macleod

Jim Macleod has been a graphic designer for over 9 years. He graduated from Keene State College with a bachelors of science degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Art. Since then he has worked in many different aspects of Design. He is currently the Art director at  a major advertising/marketing firm. His personal [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Rob Jones

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series’ most memorable, and unforgettable, “water cooler” moments. This ultimate “fan art” was then turned into labor intensive, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Mark McDevitt of Methane Studios

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series’ most memorable, and unforgettable, “water cooler” moments. This ultimate “fan art” was then turned into labor intensive, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Dan McCarthy

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series’ most memorable, and unforgettable, “water cooler” moments. This ultimate “fan art” was then turned into labor intensive, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Nate Duval

Thanks to The LOST ARGs for posting this great interview with Nate Duval, artist of The Barracks, number 13 in the series of posters from the Lost Underground Art Project. RobPerrin:  Nate Duval, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview with lostargs.com.  The Lost Underground Art Project delivered weekly shots of adrenaline into [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Todd Slater

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com : In celebration of LOST’s final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series’ most memorable, and unforgettable, “water cooler” moments. This ultimate “fan art” was then turned into labor intensive, [...]

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Timothy Doyle

Now that all 16 of the prints have been released, Lost Blog has set out to interview each of the respective artists. All these talented artists have different influences, different backgrounds, and accordingly...different takes on our favorite show. Over the next few weeks we will post our interviews with these incredible talents. Enjoy.

Our third interview is with Timothy Doyle. His piece is entitled "The Numbers."

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Jeff Boyes

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com :

In celebration of LOST's final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, created labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 550, with 500 available to the public through our website. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate finality with this unique, signed and numbered piece of history.

Our interview today is with Jeff Boyes. His piece is entitled "Desmond."

[caption id="attachment_132" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jeff Boyes' "Desmond""][/caption]

LOSTblog: How did you become a fan of LOST?

Jeff Boyes: A friend let me borrow season 1 on DVD around the time Season 2 was airing, so I had a little late of  a start.  It's funny, before I got into the show I thought the premise was just about some people  stuck on a normal island.  I remembering thinking, "well that's gotta be a boring show".  Once I  watched that first episode I was hooked.  They do such an amazing job of keeping you hooked.    Maybe it's all the questions each episode brings up.  Personally, the characters are what kept  me going. The good mix of personalities and interesting back stories kept my interest going until  the craziness started. I think I watched the whole first season in a few days.

LOSTblog: Describe the details of how you were contacted to do the poster?

Jeff Boyes: I was contacted sometime in March. Jensen phoned me and asked me if I was a fan of Lost.   When he asked me that, I knew there was something awesome goin' on.  He asked if I had followed the first run of prints, and if I knew the general idea of the project.  I had been following the project  since Tim's Hurley print so I knew what I was getting myself into.  We then talked about last weeks episode (it was a few days after "Ab Aeterno" so we were both really hyped about what had just happened) and he mentioned that he was going to use moments from Season 6 only. He had not picked the moments for each artist yet, so he said he'd phone me the next day to tell me my "moment".

LOSTblog.com: What instructions or parameters were you given for the post?

Jeff Boyes: Jensen said it would be rad if I could do a portrait.  He then tried to explain the scene or moment he wanted me to do.  The Desmond episode hadn't aired yet ( I believe it was still two weeks away) so he had to set the scene of what was happening over the phone.  The sizing was supposed to be 18" by 24" but then we agreed it would be cool to do something different.  I know 30" by 14" is not a generic poster size, but I think the stadium and penny running in the distance worked out better as a panoramic shot.

LOSTblog: What was your process for developing the poster?

Jeff Boyes: I wanted the scene to blur the lines between when Desmond met Jack and when he met Penny (in the sideways timeline). At first glance you might think it's the Desmond/Jack scene but with a closer look, you notice the differences.  The first difference is in the look he was giving.  I really wanted to give him a look of happiness, right at the point where he saw the woman he loved and he just knew it.  For a reference photo I actually just took a photo of my T.V.  Not the best source image to work from, but I was able to pick the exact look I wanted in his eyes and mouth, which was more important to me then a high quality image. The next difference, of course, was Penny running the stairs instead of Jack.  I find it funny how many artists used blues and greens (including Tongs 3 set) considering I had no clue what each artist was doing and I'm sure it was the same throughout.  I picked those colors, A. because they looked good and B. because it went with the colors of the island.

LOSTblog: How did this project compare to your other creations?

Jeff Boyes: In some ways it was easier because I had a scene to create and I had a basic layout already decided within the first two conversations. I was harder because I put a lot of pressure on myself (it's LOST!).  Sometimes you gotta step back and consider whether or not your over thinking something.   Also I only had a little over two weeks to complete it, so there was no time for second guessing.

LOSTblog: Besides your own, what is your favorite print from the series?

Jeff Boyes: Great question.  I was really hyped to see what artists were gonna come out with this time around.  I think Ken Taylor is amazing, so to see his art in this series (and the last) was awesome.  Guy Burwell's print is pretty epic.  I have no clue how he separated those colors and set up those half- tones.  Impressive stuff.  Also, Little Friends of Print Making made a really cool print.  If I had to pick one?  I'm going with Little Friends of Print Making.

LOSTblog: Who is your favorite LOST character and why?

Jeff Boyes: Desmond of course!  That dude rules in so many ways.  From the very beginning of Season two, to the end I really enjoyed all of his storylines and transformations.  How can you not like a guy with the tagline "See ya in another life brotha"

LOSTblog: Kate or Juliet?

Jeff Boyes: Kate or Juliet? Neither, I'm going with Eloise.

LOSTblog: How did you like "The End"?

Jeff Boyes: It was good!  I can't imagine how hard it must have been to try and write an ending to that show, and I think they did a great job.  Like most of Lost, it left a lot of stuff open for discussion and that's what's awesome about Lost!

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Tara McPherson

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com :

In celebration of LOST's final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, created labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 550, with 500 available to the public through our website. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate finality with this unique, signed and numbered piece of history.

Our interview today is with Tara McPherson. Her piece is entitled "Jin and Sun."

[caption id="attachment_7345" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tara McPherson's "Jin and Sun""][/caption]

LOSTblog: How did you become a fan of LOST?

Tara McPherson: I wish I had the time to be a fan of Lost! I have only seen random episodes over the years. I dont watch television much as my life revolves around my art making. Maybe I'll have time someday to watch all the seasons... in a perfect world.

LOSTblog: Describe the details of how you were contacted to do the poster?

Tara McPherson: I think it was in mid-April when I was asked to make the poster. Jensen contacted my poster publisher Andy at Diesel Fuel Prints, who then told me to give him a call.

LOSTblog.com: What instructions or parameters were you given for the post?

Tara McPherson: Well all I was told was that it was a very important scene where Jin and Sun, having been recently reunited, die together in a sinking submarine. That Jin stays with Sun even though he can escape. The only other thing I was told was the scene ends with their hands going from holding one another's to floating apart. Not much to go on, but hey, I like working with as little art direction as possible. That way I can really create my own interpretation of the moment.

LOSTblog: What was your process for developing the poster?

Tara McPherson: Well since I had no idea what the scene was going to look like I tried to focus on the love and passion they shared and what that would look like at the moment of death. I thought just drawing their holding hands wouldn't be a compelling enough image. So I wanted to draw their full figures in it. Thinking about how that must have felt to be away from someone so long, to be finally reunited, only to watch them die right in front of you. Jin made the ultimate sacrifice with his life, and he stayed with Sun. I wanted to capture the feeling of everything swirling away, so by going with the circular motion I think it helps enhance that and also alludes to the dualities that lie in relationships. The power struggles. The poster can also be turned any orientation, which is important to the swirling concept, and also adds to the weightlessness of the characters being underwater. I tried to keep a melancholy feel because it's such a sad moment, but to have it be an idealized beautiful last moment capturing the last kiss they will ever share...

LOSTblog: How did this project compare to your other creations?

Tara McPherson: It was a nice challenge, I really enjoyed coming up with the image to suit the moment with no visual reference to go on. If I had actually seen the episode maybe it would have changed the image entirely, who's to say? But I'm very happy with how this turned out.

LOSTblog: Besides your own, what is your favorite print from the series?

Tara McPherson: I like Jeff Soto's and The Little Friends prints... I'd hang both those in my house in 2 seconds.

LOSTblog: Who is your favorite LOST character and why?

Tara McPherson: The Smoke Monster is rad. And I heard he's getting his own spin off series ;)

LOSTblog: Jack or Sawyer?

Tara McPherson: Sawyer.

LOSTblog: How will it end?

Tara McPherson: Hopefully there will be explosions, and sparkles.

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Jeff Soto

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com :

In celebration of LOST's final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, created labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 550, with 500 available to the public through our website. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate finality with this unique, signed and numbered piece of history.

Our interview today is with Jeff Soto. His piece is entitled "Jacob and the Man In Black."

[caption id="attachment_7300" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jeff Soto's "Jacob and the Man In Black""][/caption]

LOSTblog: How did you become a fan of LOST?

Jeff Soto:The first season really got me from the first episode, just the idea of surviving a plane crash and being stranded on an island. It was very "Cast Away", but then they had to throw some weird shit in like the smoke monster, the hatch, Hurley's number sequence, and the polar bear. It felt like the computer game Myst mixed with Robinson Crusoe. Nothing was what it seemed. And the story was very rich, I really enjoyed the flashbacks.  During the second season, my wife and I had a fussy newborn so we missed a few, and eventually we were like, what the hell is going on? Someday we'll watch them all again on Blu Ray, and experience it in the right order.

LOSTblog: Describe the details of how you were contacted to do the poster?

Jeff Soto: A couple months ago Jensen emailed me and said he had a big project. I am more of a fine art painter, but I have been exploring screenprinting this year so I said sure!

LOSTblog.com: What instructions or parameters were you given for the post?

Jeff Soto: I had a conference call with Jensen and one of the producers, Noreen O'Toole, and they just wanted me to do my thing. The focus was on Jacob and MIB as twin brothers, that was the big revelation in the episode. I wasn't given the script or anything, just a brief description of the main scene where Claudia gives birth and is killed by a rock to the head. They sent me a picture of the young boys walking with Allison Janney, and I was invited to come out to L.A. and watch the episode. Very tempting and accommodating on their part but I decided to stay home and work with the themes of brothers/Dark vs. Light/life from death. I didn't want to necessarily work from screen capture references, it was more about the idea.

LOSTblog: What was your process for developing the poster?

Jeff Soto: My first sketches had a six armed "Mother" holding two babies, Claudia's skull, and a white and a black pebble. I did one of two kids holding hands. I didn't really want to go so literal with it. I kept coming back to the brutal death of Claudia, and the idea of the twin brothers intertwined yet being of opposite forces. I pretty much knew going into this project that I would be taking a symbolic approach. My paintings are full of symbolism and allegory, so I treated this the same way.

LOSTblog: How did this project compare to your other creations?

Jeff Soto: It was very lightly art directed, so it was pretty easy. I have known Jensen for a while, he's a good guy and easy to work with.

LOSTblog: Besides your own, what is your favorite print from the series?

Jeff Soto: The Drew Millward one for sure, so awesome. Tara McPherson a close second, it just came out as I'm typing. Ken Taylor's Smoke Monster is pretty dope too. And actually, one of my favorites is the Little Friends of Printmaking one. I read a lot of shit talking on that one but c'mon, look at the colors, it's well designed and there's a lot of things going on. One of the few I'd frame and hang in my house.

LOSTblog: Who is your favorite LOST character and why?

Jeff Soto: I've always like Sayid. Such a complicated character. I like his history- torturer, soldier, chef, assassin. This last season kinda bummed me out. At least infected Sayid took one for the team.

LOSTblog: Kate or Juliet?

Jeff Soto: Kate, c'mon now...

LOSTblog: How will it end?

Jeff Soto: I'm thinking there's going to be some questions answered but just as many new questions created. Gonna drive my parents crazy. They're big LOST fans. They want to know "what it's all about" and I said "Mom, it wouldn't be LOST if they gave you all the answers in the end".  But I'm hoping for an awesome ending to a great show!

LOSTblog.com: Your print seems to be one of the more polarizing ones to be released. How do you feel about the fan reaction so far? Is there anything about the print you would change?

Jeff Soto: Yeah, you know I read some of the forums and it's not so much that people don't like my print, it's that they don't want a skull hanging on their wall. I never once thought of that while making this print. I don't find skulls offensive, I think they are beautiful vessels of life. I was given a pretty dark moment, and LOST is full of them, but this is arguably the most significant births and death on the island. So I did what I had to do. I never treated it as "decoration" or thought about how it would look over the couch, I just did what I always do- make art.

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Guy Burwell

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com :

In celebration of LOST's final season and to bring finality to the LOST poster series,8 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating top moments from the 6th and final season. 4 artists you may recognize, and 4 new artists to the campaign, created labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 550, with 500 available to the public through our website. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate finality with this unique, signed and numbered piece of history.

Our interview today is with Guy Burwell. His piece is entitled "The Candidate Cave."

[caption id="attachment_7272" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Guy Burwell's "The Candidate Cave""][/caption]

LOSTblog: How did you become a fan of LOST?

Guy Burwell: For me it was long after the show started, returning to bits and pieces glimpsed on the flickering set. I had watched a few of the early transmissions but was not captivated until I viewed them again, digesting the old information with new eyes. It wasn't until past associations started falling into place that the substance of the adventure began to gel into a murky glue and then who could escape? Nobody, that's who. So here we are. Stuck.

LOSTblog: Describe the details of how you were contacted to do the poster? What instructions or parameters were you given for the post?

Guy Burwell: Several weeks ago a shadowy man I had never heard of sent me a mysterious message about a secret project and I had to know more, of course. The notes began to filter in and the shape of the endeavor began to define itself. The parameters of the mission were easily defined: I was given a specific instance from the adventure and free reign to interpret it as I saw fit. Then the description came. The Candidate Cave was an unusual mission for myself, as I needed to take the varied elements and reconstruct them into a form I would be comfortable with. Cave walls, solitary figures, scrawled coded clues, mysterious symbolism and torchlight. I was given a very short amount of time and the threat of terrible punishment if I were to fail.

LOSTblog: What was your process for developing the poster?

Guy Burwell: The elements themselves were dictated by the reality, the perceived reality, of the adventure as it had developed thus far. My interpretation of the information formed itself quickly though roughly as the solution to two men in a cave with coded walls and eerie overtones has been addressed in pictorial a great many times. I didn't want to retread trod ground but there were several classic interpretations available to me, and after scratching out a few solutions, the setting sun dictated a decision need be made. First I had to decide on a language of my own to disseminate my version of the clues. To draw a man is easy. To draw a rock is basic. To draw a top hat, mustache, crooked nose and monocle  is Snidley Whiplash, that is, evil illustrated plain for all to see. I decided a stately graphic format was more interesting than decrepitude for a sublime momentous occasion. Decrepitude has been seen enough daylight in too many ways. Nothing is more common than decay. Juggle the elements, strain them through respect for the intellect of the viewer, and drop them unconventionally to invite a more studied examination. Create multiple points of view to illustrate a  moment created by many points of view. Darkness and light of the literal nature of nature and of the nature of man and of the nature of intent, repeating themselves over and over across the faces of the adventurers, through the cave, across the totems, through the smoke, from the fore to the aft from plane to plane.

LOSTblog: How did this project compare to your other creations?

Guy Burwell: It was actually a bit harder than usual as being provided the necessary information and then being enlisted to decipher, examine and reconstruct the messages into new messages is a daunting task even for seasoned code makers. The information shouldn't be given away too easily. To be given a picture of a muffin, and then be asked to reinterpret the muffin for a respected and respectful audience of only the most ardent muffin lovers and worshippers, one would never be so shallow, so underestimating of their devout muffinations as to provide a simple view of the outer shell, the commonly perceived, without addressing all of the hidden goodness, mystery, goodness and savory (and unsavory) possibilities that might lurk within. Right? Of course.

LOSTblog: Besides your own, what is your favorite print from the series?

Guy Burwell: The Little Friends of Printmaking print is the most interesting visually. Some folk might see lightheartedness as the antithesis to the grim nature of dark discovery, but there is nothing good natured about a cartoon fish and no reason not to suspect a pleasant graphic of great evils and dastardly intent. Anyone can tell you that. Obviousness is too obvious these days and not an interpretation of anything. Everyone seems to be showing their muffins these days.

LOSTblog: Who is your favorite LOST character and why?

Guy Burwell: I can tell you my least favorite character is the name of the band "Drive Shaft". Creative people who have not the slightest idea of good music always come up with the shittiest names for rock bands in popular culture and literature.

LOSTblog: Kate or Juliet?

Guy Burwell: Neither, thank you. One is so obviously a vampire and the other seems like such a giant hassle.

LOSTblog: How will it end?

Guy Burwell: As I am not a scholar of the finer points, and might have missed a few momentous occasions running to get the popcorn between this denouement or that, my solutions would be lacking in underpinnings but we were discussing this the other afternoon around the furnace and we thought that it just as well would be that the last woman standing (oops!) stands alone on the stretch of beach, faced etched with time or knowing, the edges between the water and the land and the sky shimmering like an undefined boundary between hither and yon, looking up to the sky to see a plane down, just a speck in the big blue sky OR a passenger lounge in a foreign speaking country, non-english passengers ambling about, no interpretations, knowing glances, queuing to board another Oceanic Air flight. But I think I would most like for Bob Newhart to wake up and it all be a dream. Or maybe the last character is suddenly murdered by a maniacal hundred year old Gilligan who slips back into the forest..............dissolve to.........black.

Whatever it is, it better be good, or LA is going to burn.

#LOST Evangeline Lilly leaving Letterman-photo’s

Evi leaving the Letterman show. May 10th 2010

Thanks @sluky @masalapix

 

  

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Rob Jones

From DamonCarltonandAPolarBear.com :

In celebration of LOST's final season and as a project of fan appreciation, 16 top designers and artists, who are also fans of the show, were commissioned to create artwork celebrating one of the series' most memorable, and unforgettable, "water cooler" moments. This ultimate "fan art" was then turned into labor intensive, hand-pulled screen prints, limited to an edition of just 300, with less than 200 available to the public through our websites. Each beautiful poster tells its own different story, allowing the fan to relive memorable and influential moments in an artistic manner, as the show's storied run comes to a close. Once this limited edition print has sold out, they will never be printed again. Celebrate the fandom, community and family created by one of televisions' greatest shows by hanging a little part of it's history, inspiration and influence on your wall.

Now that all 16 of the prints have been released, Lost Blog has set out to interview each of the respective artists. All these talented artists have different influences, different backgrounds, and accordingly...different takes on our favorite show. Over the next few weeks we will post our interviews with these incredible talents. Enjoy.

Our 7th interview is with Rob Jones. His piece is entitled "The Swan Station."

[caption id="attachment_4138" align="aligncenter" width="236" caption="Rob Jones - "The Swan Station""][/caption]

LOSTblog: How did you become a fan of LOST?

Rob Jones: I read somewhere the guy that did Alias had a new show. I liked Alias and anyone who gives employment to Victor Garber, so I checked it out.

LOSTblog: Describe the details of how you were contacted to do the poster?

Rob Jones: By phone.  A while ago.  Jensen at Gallery 1988.

LOSTblog: What instructions or parameters were you given for the poster?

Rob Jones: I was told it had to be 18X24.

LOSTblog: What was your process for developing the poster?

Rob Jones: My inspiration was Lost, alchemy, the I Ching, the multi-layered symbolic opportunities of swans, David Bowie's "Cygnet Committee", Flowers in the Attic, and the cycle of failure inherent in revolutions.

The only thing I took too long struggling with was the back of the swan.  I largely based it off a swan from an old box of matches.  I had it as is and with the back wings and tail being more suggestive of fire by varying degrees.  It looked too hot-rod, so I kept it as subtle (probably too subtle) as it looks now.

LOSTblog.com Exclusive Artist Interview: Jim Macleod

Jim Macleod has been a graphic designer for over 9 years. He graduated from Keene State College with a bachelors of science degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Art. Since then he has worked in many different aspects of Design. He is currently the Art director at  a major advertising/marketing firm. His personal site is JimMacleod.com, where he just released his first Lost poster. You can follow Jim on Twitter here.

[caption id="attachment_4161" align="aligncenter" width="212" caption="Jim Macleod's Lost Poster"][/caption]

Q: How long have you been watching Lost?

A: I started watching it before Season 3 started. I received Season 1 for Christmas, and then pounded through Season 2 via Netflix just in time for Season 3. I had heard good things about it and wanted to see what the fuss as about. I really think the ideal way to watch it is on DVD. No commercials and if you want to find out what happens next, you just hit "play".

Q: How did Lost get its polar bear claws into you? What about it got you hooked?

A: I always enjoyed the show, but the moment that hooked me was when Ben showed Jack the footage of the Red Sox winning. It was the first time that demonstrated (to me) that every random line of dialog will mean something at some point.

Q: Favorite character?

A: Probably Miles. He has that twisted humor that helps him point out the absurdity that surrounds these characters.

Q: Least favorite character?

A: It took me a while to think of one, but that weasely guy who gets a flaming arrow through the chest.

Q: Favorite episode or season?

A: "Through the Looking Glass" (S3 finale). When it suddenly dawned on me that this was a flash forward, it meant that all of the old rules no longer applied. And Jack yelling, "We have to go back!" reset the course of the show and characters.

Q: Least favorite episode or season?

A: Season 2 was a little muddied with all of the new characters that were quickly wiped out. Not bad, but the other seasons have set a pretty high bar.

Q: Are you Team Jack or Team Locke?

A: That's hard to answer since Jack moved over to Team Locke.

Q: If you had to be one of the following, which would it be and why: an 815 survivor, an Other or a member of the Dharma Initiative?

A: The Others actually have answers, but they have to live in the woods. The Dharma Initiative are merely worker bees. So I guess I'd have to go with an 815 survivor.

Q: Which character’s demise were you most upset to see happening?

A: Charlie. It was tragic and heroic at the same time. Especially due to the full evolution that he had gone through since arriving on the island.

Q: Tell us a bit about your site.

A: This question may not apply to me, but my website is a portfolio site for my graphic/web design.

Q: What are you favorite online Lost communities, blogs, podcasts, etc.?

A: I became a regular reader of LostArgs during the poster hunt. I listen to The Transmission and Jack & Jay's podcasts. And LostBlog.com of course.

Q: You’re in an elevator with someone who has never seen as much as a second of Lost. You got on in the lobby and you’re both headed to the fifteenth floor. How do you convince them to buy and watch all the DVDs before the elevator gets there?

A: If you like TV that makes you think, than LOST is ideal for you. Every hour of the show incites 2-3 hours of discussion. There are so many layers to it, it's like fine art.

Q: Has watching Lost sparked any creative inspiration in your life, i.e. writing, media, art, etc.?

A: It inspired me to create my LOST poster. Originally it was designed as a "just for fun" project and just as I was finishing, the official LOST poster project appeared. My art was mentioned on the LostArgs site and after some unsolicited encouragement, I printed up a batch. And because of that I've been working to hone that new art style. It even lead to a commissioned poster for a web-series. Basically LOST inspired me to create a new drawing style for myself that people seem to like.

Q: How do you plan on combatting PLDS (Post Lost Distress Syndrome) or do you think we’re all destined to end up continuously re-watching our Lost: The Complete Series Ultimate Box Set for the rest of our lives?

A:  Ican't wait until the Ultimate Box Set comes out. Can you imagine what the director's commentary is going to be like on those episodes? We'd finally get to see everything that they snuck into each frame of the show.

Q: What do you think will be Lost’s legacy?

A: LOST's legacy is going to be based on how good the ending is (no pressure guys). But hopefully it's remembered as the show that changed television for the better. A friend of mine recently said, "I find it humorous that many of the same people who think Lost is stupid have no problem watching copious amounts of "reality tv"." Hopefully LOST has proven to Hollywood that we're not all cattle who want to escape.

www.JimMacleod.com

www.twitter.com/JimMacleod

Thanks Jim from everyone at the LOSTBlog.com!