Kidd's Toy Museum

Behind the bland blue door of a warehouse in SE Portland, is perhaps one of the largest private toy collections out there. I took the kids recently (in February) to check out hundreds of toys dating mostly from the 1860's to the 1930's. Although, I saw some stuff from later years, as well. The lady behind the messy desk there told me that there's even more to the collection, but is currently in various warehouses. They simply don't have the money or space to have the entire Kidd's toy collection available to the public. But what is available to view is quite impressive.

A fascinating place. And better yet, it's free!

Oh, and I have to say this: visiting the museum offered the opportunity for me to talk to Ava about racism. Hadn't planned on it, but hey, no time like the present.


No frills: the museum's hours taped up on the door. Love the "by appointment or chance" line.


Everything's behind glass cases, so it's safe for the little ones to check out the toys. Just don't bump into them, of course.


A half-awake Ezra sits next to a case filled with various Disney-related toys.


A Mickey pull-toy from the 30's.


We Three Mickeys: Interesting to see the different ways Mickey was depicted back then.


Felix is a great character that pre-dates Mickey. While taking this shot, I noticed the rabbit in the background: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Disney's first cartoon character.


Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: Disney's first cartoon character, co-created by Walt and Ub Iwerks. I couldn't get any closer without blurry shots, but underneath Oswald's name, "Universal" is mentioned. That's Ferdinand The Bull from the Disney short film of the same name (1938).


Umm....not sure what to make of this. Kinda creeps me out. It's chalkware, that's for sure.


The place had tons of coin banks. TONS of 'em. Here's a few of the smaller ones.


Toy motorcycles. Check out Popeye in the middle there.


My Dad owned one of those orange metal cab cars on the lower shelf there. I think he still has it at home. Came from his dad when he was a kid.


Odd assortment of porcelain (I think) heads. Anyone know what these are for?


Various oddities. Your guess is as good as mine.


Old pulp comics. I remember my grandparents having one or two of these around for the kids.


Ezra trying out a coin bank at the entry. Never could get the thing to work right. Ezra, of course, got mad.

A WORD TO THE WISE:
Since this is a historical collection of toys throughout the decades, mostly pre-1940's, there are several cases that have very un-PC depictions of African-Americans, mostly coin banks in blackface. These depictions are ugly to see, yet important not to forget. I've chosen not to show any photos of these items mainly because I don't feel that it's up to me to do so. I wasn't aware of the items when we visited the museum, but upon seeing the cases, I figured that I couldn't just hide them from Ava. (Ezra was asleep in my arms at the time.) I decided to sit down with her before we entered the room and talk to her about what she was about to see: about the past and how certain races of people were depicted back then. It was wrong then, as it is wrong now, but I told her that it's important to see these items and talk openly about who we are as a human race. I wanted her to see it for what it was: something ugly from our past and hopefully we've learned from it. To see blacks shown as lesser human beings on children's toys to having an African-American in charge of one of the most powerful countries on earth shows that we've definitely made some progress. But, I told her, it doesn't mean that others still won't make fun of and have hatred toward other races. And that is wrong.

Ava listened intently. "Why did they make them look like that? It looks ugly."

"I know," I sighed. "I guess that was their point back then."

So, if you want some racial education to go along with your children's entertainment one fine day in Portland, then Kidd's Toy Museum is for you.

Some more photos can be found in my Kidd's Toy Museum Flickr set.

Ward Jenkins dot com

The site has been updated and now you can check out my illustration work, animated commercials, paintings, graffiti, and short films all under one roof FINALLY.

It's weird to see it all together in one place now, especially my two short films, figure drawing and noir. figure drawing has never been seen outside of a few screenings 10 years ago, so yeah, this is like airing out my dirty laundry.

I'll be sure to talk more about those two films here on the blog soon. I promise.

In the meantime, enjoy the site and tell me what you think.

Relic

Ava trying out an old Smith-Corona typewriter. A couple of days before this, Ava asked me "what's a typewriter?" when the word was brought up in conversation. I actually had to describe the contraption, which sounds so alien if you think about it. She's played with one before, so I had to jog her memory a bit. "Oh, you know, Ava -- that thing where you put the paper in it, and it has all the letters like the computer, but different?" "Oh, yeah...."

Both she & Ezra love to play with these things. Ezra likes to smash all the keys down to watch the typebars get all entangled. Ava is very meticulous with each letter, pressing each key very firmly.

Oh, I have to say, this picture was taken over at our good friends Christina & Daniel's house.

Illustration for Heal Emru

I did this illustration for HealEmru.com last year. It was the first bit of artwork I did after my letting go from Laika. Emru's sister Tamu asked me if I'd like to contribute a poster design for an upcoming hip-hop show. They were going to have a table set up there and needed some items (posters, buttons, etc.) with some nice designs. I, of course, said yes.

The illustration is based off of this publicity photo:



Tamu wanted something along the same lines, but if I wanted to do something completely different, that's fine with her. I thought that adding a different twist to something that they already have would keep it grounded. Here's how the illustration was used:



Originally, I drew only Emru and the area at the bottom for the type. Kept the artwork simple so Tamu could do whatever she wanted with it. I then went back later on and did my own version by creating the sunburst background and "Heal Emru" lettering.

I miss Emru. He passed away on 11 November, 2008. Tamu and Emru's family continue the tireless effort to garner attention for bone marrow donors. To learn more, go here. And then go tell everyone else.

Objectified/Subjectified

I guess you could say that this is my entry for You Thought We Wouldn't Notice.



When I first saw this incredibly cool poster for the new documentary Objectified recently, I couldn't help but think that I'd seen this concept before: objects in black, with minimal detail silhouetted up against a basic solid background. And the type, too. So, where had I seen it before? I thought to myself. Maybe it was done by the same people? Maybe Build, the company who designed the poster, is known for this sort of thing? Maybe it's a common enough concept that it's not worth finding out? Nevertheless, I began the search in my extensive archives.

Ah, yes. here it is:



The cover to Swiss Graphic Design, edited by Robert Klanten, Hendrik Hellige, and Michael Mischler, published in 2000. I don't own this book. I scanned the cover back in 2004 when I was working at Primal Screen. One of the designers there had the book on his desk and I was immediately intrigued by it.

I'm not crying foul here. I'm just presenting something that looks very similar to something else. I find it interesting that the objects themselves are rendered almost the exact same way: black with thin line details.

Here's a post on the film's blog about the logo that's shown in the middle of the poster:
Objectified logo explained.

It's there where you can get a closer look at the objects:


Click on image to view larger.

Coincidence? Or not?

I found this while writing this post: Chinese publication The Outlook Magazine rips Objectified logo. What goes around comes around, I guess.

Step-by-step: Online Chatter

Delayed! I was planning on a great big announcement about the children's book I illustrated, but now I'm having to go back and do revisions. Oh well. No problem. How about this: here's a step-by-step process of an illustration I did the other day. It's not for any publication, but rather a project I came up with, to keep me on my toes. Normally, I draw with pencil on paper and then scan and paint in Photoshop. Here, I thought I'd start drawing right in Photoshop and then paint as I normally would. That way, I'm not too reliant on one particular way of doing things.

The concept is this: is there too much internet chatter? With all these portals into everyday living and feedback, there seem to be so many conversations going on that it can get a bit overwhelming. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, messageboards & forums, it doesn't let up. How would I convey an illustration that showcases this idea?

Well, a guy sitting down, looking at a computer, of course. But how can I make this interesting to the viewer, while supporting the article? My initial thought was word balloons. The quick & easy symbol of someone (in this case, lots of someones) saying something about something.

Click on each image to view larger:


Rough sketch done straight in Photoshop with stylus & Wacom tablet.


Color layer added as well as more refined line layer. (Rough layer is made slightly transparent so I can use as a guide.)


More color added, along with word balloons. (Rough layer still slightly transparent.) Some tweaks made to character.


After some brushy/chalky details added to the character, I add letters & characters in the word balloons. These were simply roughed out -- my intent would be to go in and do more refined letters later on, but I wasn't digging the concept with words included at this point.


So I took all the words out of the balloons altogether. It makes more of a statement if you leave it up to the viewer to add their own version of what this guy is checking out on the computer. Here, I then added more details to the color layer and touch-up to the main line layer, as well as colored in the guy's computer.

And now, the final result:

With more details added here & there, and all the i's dotted and t's crossed. I'm pretty happy with it.

Semi-related:

With all this twittering, I've been able to check out some amazing stuff. Case in point, Bob Staake takes a Roll With the Children's Book Dice. Fascinating to see other illustrators' creative process. Check it out!

O hai thatz me

I don't, really. But wondering how many will comment, asking me if I do.

Done entirely in Photoshop. Realizing that I need to work more off-the-cuff, on-the-spot, so I don't rely too much on the scanner.

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Okay, the big news: I just finished my very first children's book! Worked on it throughout November and December, all the way up to last Monday. It's done. Finally. Well, actually, there might be a revision or two. But basically, it's done! And it'll be published by Simon & Schuster, this June. Sometimes I can't believe all the opportunities that I've been blessed with lately. Sometimes I don't really feel like I'm worth it. Especially after the rude awakening of last year. But honestly, I think it's been the best thing for me, career-wise. Letting go can be either a curse or a blessing, it's all in the matter of how you deal with it. Happy to report that my situation has been a blessing. Been wanting to write more on all this, but need a little bit more time to let it all sink in.

About the book: it's not officially announced yet, but once I get word, I'll post it here. One thing I have to say: it was a LOT of fun. Plus, I was stretched and pulled in ways that was both scary & invigorating for me. I learned a lot about the business, as well as about me, and how I work, my methods. I'm more comfortable with my illustration work now, that's for sure. Anyway, more to come later.

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"b-boy" news: If you missed my "b-boy" show at the Grassy Knoll last fall, you can see some of the paintings hanging up now in the lobby of Mosaic Church in the Hollywood district of Portland. It's not the entire show, but lots of the good stuff. Call and ask to come by to check it out if you'd like--they'll have it up for the month of February.

Gotta love the fact that there's breakdancing in a church. Makes me smile just thinking of it.

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One last thing: I tweet. Okay, that is all.

Well, hello there

Wow, would you look at that: it's 2009 already. In fact, it's almost February! Sheesh. I had no idea I'd be gone for this long. If you knew what I've been working on, then you'd probably understand.



Above: my view throughout the entire holidays, running all the way up until Monday: drawing, scanning, photoshop, rinse. Repeat. It's been a crazy, hard journey, but I'm very excited by the final product. I wish I could say more, but unfortunately, I can't!

Stay tuned, though.

Fat & Happy

My wife, she knows me so well. This was one of my gifts.

Yes, it's the post-Christmas fallout. I ate so much yesterday I felt like I could nap for over a year. The holiday was a good one here, although, it wasn't truly Christmas without some drama thanks to a missed delivery by a certain package delivery service that incorporates brown into their identity logo. It was not a happy evening for Andrea & I on Christmas Eve when we realized that Ava's BIG GIFT - you know, the ONE she talked about for weeks; the one she would look at over and over in the Playmobil catalog, noting all the fine details; the one she made quite certain Santa hear when visiting him at the department store downtown a week ago; the one we had infused into our brains - wasn't going to be delivered that night. So, we did some last-minute thinking and came up with Plan B: I wrote out a letter from Santa saying that sometimes during the course of Christmas Eve, he's bound to lose a package or two, and Ava's Playmobil Hospital playset was one of the unfortunate ones that fell out of his sack. He had his best elves working on locating the present and when they find it, they'll deliver it right away. It seemed to work. Ava seemed happy even though she wasn't going to have the BIG GIFT on the BIG DAY. There were enough gifts to take her mind off of the situation, which was nice. Ezra, he was happy as long as he had his Star Wars Legos and Hot Wheels.

We are missing our family from back east, so it's been nice to have Andrea's brother from New York, Von, here to hang out with us during the holidays. The kids, they love Uncle Von.

Here's wishing you had a great and wonderful Christmas.

A Very Merry Christmas to You

I'm making this a yearly thing:



I've posted this for the past two Christmases, but again, I say it's worth posting again: The First Noel, a small Golden Book illustrated by the brilliant husband-wife team of Alice and Martin Provensen, 1959.

You can view the book in its entirety HERE.













Normally I don't scan an entire book, but I did so for this particular one because 1) it's not really that long, 2) the illustrations are amazing, and 3) the story.

This book was done during what I consider a highpoint of creativity for The Provensens. Around the same time, they illustrated the equally beautiful Homer's The Illiad and the Odyssey from 1956.

Merry Christmas!

(And a very Happy Birthday to bro-in-law Von!)

Hooray for Snow Days

Been laying low lately because of a freak snow storm that's pretty much paralyzed Portland and the Northwest. It's been a lot of fun. See for yourself:



If you can't view it here, you can always check out the YouTube version. Same thing, lesser quality.

Of course, this was about a week ago when it was all fun & games. Now that we've been hammered (pummeled?) with over 10 inches of snow, cabin fever has kicked into high gear. Fun!





After it's all said and done, I'm happy to report a couple of firsts for myself: 1. First time shoveling snow. 2. First time experiencing a white Christmas (assuming that the snow will stick around for Thursday, and so far, all signs point to yes).

I've got some vintage ephemera scans to share with you all, but first I need to stir up a fire in the hearth. It's a good thing.

Another Shameless Etsy Plug

Christmas is upon us, so yes, that means another blogger plugging their Etsy shop, hawking various creative gifts. It's a terrible time to start up a shop, what with the economy in the cellar, but I'm hoping that there's someone out there who'll dig my stuff. Like, for instance, these two adorable girls:



And these cool guys:


See, right before I mail all the prints I like to line them up all pretty like and give 'em a nice long pep talk.


Looks good right there, doesn't it? Of course it does. Imagine this without my hand, of course. And the plastic bag.


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Besides The Ward-O-Matic Shop, there's also my wife's new Etsy shop, finally up & running: Hula 70. Lots of color and beautiful imagery. We print to order each and every image, so we're doing our best in getting each print out to everyone in time for Christmas. Last day for Christmas delivery is December 20th, just so you know. If you need a 2 day or next day shipping, contact us and we'll work with you on your order. We want you to be happy, just as you've made us happy in buying one of our prints.

We're eternally grateful for the nice start of our shops so far. Thank you thank you thank you.

Okay, that's it for the shameless plug. Proceed as usual.

At the Grass Hut

As previously mentioned, I took the kids the following night after Joel Trussell's Culture Jelly show to the Grass Hut Art Market on Burnside. They had an opening for the Grass Hut Gang Show, with lots of color and talent. Both Ava & Ezra really enjoyed the experience. Here's some photos from the night:









Watch the wheel in action!



At least Ava had a chance to take it for a spin. I was told that the Wonder Wheel broke later on in the evening. Silly drunk people ruin it for everyone.

Culture Jellying

It's not often when I get out (freelance turns you into a shut-in, I'm afraid), so it was nice to get out and enjoy some art this past Thursday. In fact, it was extra nice, since it was fellow animation-pal Joel Trussell and his Culture Jam Jelly show at the Grassy Knoll Gallery (same place where I had my b-boy show) here in Portland. The show is a stunner, with plenty of colorful bearded characters. Joel promised beforehand that not all of the show would consist of vikings, but honestly? I wouldn't mind. As long as they had that unmistakable JT touch, I'm there. Oh, and just so you know, there are girls in the mix, too. Sans beards. One interesting feature of the show that can't be missed: a wall covered with faux fur.















To view the show online, as well as to purchase the artwork, click here.

To view the show in person, be sure to contact the gallery by going to Grassy Knoll's site.

I took some shots of the show opening, including the wall of fur: Joel Trussell's Culture Jelly Show Flickr set.

Another thing: you can nab yerself a limited edition show poster signed by Joel himself: Culture Jam Show Poster. Nice 2-color off set printing.

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The following night I was able to get out (again!), this time with kids in tow to check out the Grass Hut Gang show at the incurably hip Grass Hut, on E. Burnside. The show featured some gloriously creative work by Bwana Spoons, Martin Ontiveros (whom I met), and APAK. The kids loved it, but I found it incredibly hard to keep their mitts off the merchandise. If you have cool robots on view, Ezra will want to take them down and play with them.

At least Ava got to experience the Wonder Wheel! That's a must if you visit the place. (Probably not a good idea if you've been drinking, tho. One girl almost bit the dust while spinning in that thing.)