NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Back in the Windy City!! After a few years off, we're proud to partner with AIGA Chicago to bring Cut&Paste back to Chicago, where some of us once called it home (our moms are speaking to us again). CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 promises a dynamic mashup of character designers with C&P's experimental team format.
Lightly competitive yet with no shortage of creative pride, each CHARACTERIZED Tour 2013 event blends a unique perspective on characters, with a visceral exposure to designers' techniques and instincts. In partnership with HP, CHARACTERIZED incorporates Cut&Paste's experimental team format to bring character designers together for an onstage throwdown. Teams of 2 artists each will create throughout multiple rounds of design, using computers and analog tools to make original characters. A jury decides the winning team by consensus, who receives a HP® ZR2440w 24-inch Display. Each event promises to be a dynamic mashup of designers as an audience witnesses work broadcast on projection screens while teams make designs in real-time.
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 Team 1
JC Rivera
Artist, Freelance
jcrivera.com
Facebook
I am an Artist based out of Chicago, IL. I’ve been illustrating, painting, and doing anything and everything art for the past 9 years.
My work has been featured in many places including magazines, galleries throughout the world and multiple online websites.
Alecks Cruz
aleckscruz.wix.com/aleckscruz
I am a self taught artist based out of Chicago, IL. I discovered at an early age that I was born to be an artist and since then art has been an important part of my life. In high school, like many youth in Chicago, I was exposed to graffiti and hip-hop. My art is heavily influenced by the urban landscape that decorates the city. My work consists of street art combined with contemporary graphic design. I push my self to learn everything from graphic design to sculpting and painting to even teaching. When I'm not doing something creative, I'm spending time with family or on a skateboard. I thank God for my family, they mean the world to me.
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 Team 2
Alex Solis
Designer, Threadless
oddworx.com
Most of my artwork is from imagination and self expression, even though most personal work is done with traditional mediums, I use and incorporate new technology for web development and graphic design. I'm always seeking challenging projects to expand my artistic repertoire.
Nick Volkert
Artist, Freelance
nickvolkert.com
I'm an artist. I paint, I draw, I illustrate, I draw comics, I even play drums. I'm an NIU Huskie: Class of 2002 (BFA) and 2006 (MFA).
I work as a freelance artist in greater Chicago consulting various businesses within my specializations: web, print, powerpoint, and my specialty: cartooning and illustration.
I have two web comics: 'The Thursday Treat' (nickvolkert.com/thursdaytreat) and 'Gone Clean Wholesome Fun' (nickvolkert.com/gcwf) and I'm currently writing new iterations of those cartoons, as well as working on expanding my paintings, portfolio work, and hopefully a graphic novel. I also sub a lot on Threadless.
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 Team 3
Joe Call
Creative Director, VOKAL Interactive
ohnodoom.com
Flickr
An illustrator and artist at heart, Joe Call made his mark in coloring books and Red Lobster kids menus back in the early 80's. As a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, Joe applies his skills and talent through various medias ranging from digital to print. With a love for graffiti, illustration, chocolate pudding, and fresh socks; Joe explores the vast relm of art and design from a perspective different to none.
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 Team 4
Czr Prz
czrprz.com
Czr Prz, (born in 1980 Cesar Augusto Perez De Arguezo) is an artist/designer from Stone Park Il, a western suburb of Chicago. He comes from a line of artists through his mothers’ side that were writers, poets, painters, doctors and professors. He paints what could be considered contemporary illustrative street art and his technique, developed from a combination of comic book /representation/graffiti style can come off as both spontaneous and clean, as he tries to highlight marking gestures in his renderings as well as depth and balance through color and shape. He works primarily in spray paint, acrylic, and digital programs, but also fabricates props and background sets for installations and events. He’s been involved in projects with Art Basel 2011, Kreayshawn (MTV Breakout Artist Of The Year) Museum Of Contemporary Art, Museum of Science and Industry, Field Museum, Nike, Camel, Toms Shoes, head ran an installation for the Chicago Reader during North Coast Fest (’10 and ’11), COCA I Cancer Society, Pop Cultour. Czr currently resides in Chicago IL where he does freelance art.
Alejandro Rosado
aleroart.com
Alejandro Rosado 'ALEROART' is a Chicago Graphic illustrator with a diverse style in diffrent art mediums. Working on storyboard for the web and television. Creating character design for that unique logo.
Clients include. Hasbro, Seseame Street, Apple, Leo Burnett, Cooking Channel and Time Out Magazine.
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 JURY
Designer, 37Signals
37signals.com
migreyes.com
Mig Reyes is a designer focused on making simple, useful things at 37signals. Before making his way there, he cut his teeth designing for Threadless, and worked his way through client meetings and endless design revisions found within the ad agency jungle. When day turns to night, you can find Mig teaching the principles of graphic design at The Starter League.
Creative Director / CEO, Shawnimals
shawnimals.com
Shawn Smith is the creative force behind Shawnimals, and started the company before he even knew it by watching cartoons, drawing pictures and playing video games as a kid.
Fast forward to a job at EGM magazine as a game reviewer, Shawn decided to leave and focus on his first love: Art. While Back to School like Rodney Dangerfield, he wondered what to do with the countless sketchbooks on his shelf, filled with hundreds of unused characters. Shawnimals were born shortly after from Shawn's pop culturally-inspired aesthetic: Simple, compelling character designs, strong narratives, and a healthy dose of humor.
With partner Jen Brody and its staff, Chicago-based Shawnimals has grown quickly from its humble beginnings, now with a Nintendo DS game based on its Ninjatown brand, a number of plush and vinyl toys, and much more.
MUSIC
∆ Rex The Triangle
2013 was quite the year for Rex the Triangle. His first track released under the mysterious moniker won him 1st place in Beatport’s remix contest for Beck and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s “Paradisco” and netted him a release on Gainsbourg’s label Because Music UK. Rex’s Success with the remix, along with his cryptic yet intriguing web presence caught the eyes and ears of several Nu-Disco tastemakers, and landed him some additional high profile remixes for the likes of Housse De Rackett, Electric Guest, and Edwin Van-Cleef. His work has been featured in mixtapes and sets by artists like Goldroom and Theatre of Delays, and showcased on promo compilations released by Kitsune as well as Because Music UK. Rex is currently working on an EP and playing shows around his hometown of Chicago.
CHECK OUT PHOTOS OF Cut&Paste 2011-2012!
CHARACTERIZED Chicago 2013 PARTNERS
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