Screen Printed Show Posters, will the fame go to their little heads?

Since the late 1990's (remember when?) we've watched the return and rise of the screen printed show poster in a big way. By the mid-2000's (or mid-oughts) design outfits were popping up left and right who were able to make it by doing almost exclusively screen printed show posters. Show posters tend to be wildly unlimiting for the artist and designers creating them, so of course this produced tons of amazing examples of art from the last decade or so that also happen to be show posters. Its become a movement of sorts, spawning things like websites dedicated to only show posters, see Gigposters as well as their very own convention called Flatstock.

All this and outfits like Aesthetic Apparatus and the Bird Machine definitely played a role in exciting and inspiring us enough to kick off Team Eight in the first place.

Well these posters have come a long way and its not unlike witnessing one of your favorite bands finally make it big. I don't know who watches music videos anymore, compared to a live show or listening to an album, they can't help but seem a little cheesy, forced and awkward. Maybe we're all too busy enjoying the screen printed art instead. Either way the Thermals have a new video up, you can see it here: Thermals on Pitchfork. Its one of those bands-in-a-box videos, but plastering the walls are tons of amazing screen printed show posters! Talk about hitting the big time, they practically steal the show (the posters I mean). I can spot examples by tons of my favorite artists from the previously mentioned Aesthetic Apparatus to our good friend El Jefe (thanks for pointing this video out by way).

I guess we can expect to see posters going into rehab, shaving their heads, or trying to adopt babies soon. Or whatever it is you do when you're famous now a days.

Here's a probably illegal screen capture from the video. (don't kill us pitchfork):

Show Posters - An update from Loose Limbs

Whew! Its been a busy first quarter of the year for Loose Limbs Press - Richmond's silk screened show poster factory.

Here's a few that Brandon and myself have cranked out in the last few months. Watch out cuz soon you'll wake up to see your favorite Team Eight artists being smuggled over to do some posters with Loose Limbs.

- Spencer Hansen

Noah Scalin - Camino Real Show Poster

Noah designed this poster a little while back for a theatre up in NY. I love the classic color scheme, reminiscent of the WPA. He let me screen this one. 12.5 x 19, five colors, including the gold heart. Thanks Noah! Keep em coming! See more of his poster work at Another Limited Rebellion.

A little poster work on the side for El Jefe

I've been doing quite a bit of screen printing for clients lately. One of the more interesting designers I've been printing for is Jeffery Everett, aka El Jefe. He makes rock posters mostly for bands playing in DC, but occasionally he'll do a Richmond show. He also has a thing for Luchadores. He keeps popping up on this blog.

Here's two of his designs that recently I had the pleasure of swiping onto posters for him:



Yes, this one does feature a different Mexican Wrestler for every letter of the alphabet. I have to admit, the semi-transparent yellow layer that I laid down over the green layer had me worried that it was too opaque, but I guess Jeff was happy with it.
And here's an alternate version:



This next one Jeff designed for a Blitzen Trapper show at the Black Cat. That is gold ink and it really, really wanted to stop up my screen. Near the end of the run I was swiping three times over to get good coverage. But I was very proud of my precise trapping on this one.



I believe these, as well as many other of El Jefe's great posters, are available on his site eljefedesign.com. And with any luck, I'll be printing a lot more of his upcoming work.

-Spencer