The pitch to me was to help them become more of a name – a brand.  In branding, you need identity.  The first idea, was to recreate the figure of the trophy, but without the base it is mounted on.  This creative piece, would be the first of many, to be produced on Tewaaraton-themed products from The Art of Lax™ and The Tewaaraton Foundation.

Below, are a series of progression pics:

The finished piece was exhibited at the “Dream Big, Win Big” event at The University Club in Washington D.C., hosted by both The Tewaaraton and U.S. Lacrosse Foundations.  The event also announced the nominees for the 2013 Tewaaraton Award.  Final product, below:

“The Tewaaraton”

Pen & ink on bristol board.

11×13 inches.

Now available for purchase at The Art of Lax™, click on ‘Tewaaraton’ page.

LIKE on Facebook.

Follow @TheArtofLax

*****************************

Etc:/Misc:

I was thinking of an accessory item and I wanted to make something besides print and/or apparel.  Ever since moving to the suburbs back in September of 2012, I constantly see bumper stickers or window decals of organized teams, schools, among other things of that sort.  Inspired from those oval-shaped, “Euro-bumper stickers” seen during my time spent backpacking all over Europe during the summer of 2000, my mind started to develop some ideas.  But, I didn’t want it to be oval-shaped.  I didn’t want it to be just block letters, or abbreviations.  I wanted it to be different – to stand out.

So I took the image that I’m known for – “Crank”.  The classic image of the figure about to “unleash the heat”, only this time in a rectangular surface with a surrounding border and The Art of Lax™ URL, at the bottom.  After some variations, edits, etc., I came up with a product that’s not just an advertisement, but manifestly, a piece of art.

Printed on a 4×6 inch scale, vinyl surface that is scratch-free and water resistant.  Get one for $4.99 or TWO for $7.99 – because some people have two cars, or they need to have one go on the refrigerator, as well!

I shopped around for manufacturers all over.  I asked for sample jobs, or products, in the mail and with those samples I made my own prototype that was very makeshift, but acceptable.  I stuck that makeshift prototype on my car to “test” it out.  It was stolen just after two days.  I was actually very excited about the result!

Once I got the final product from the manufacturer, I unofficially leaked it on my Twitter account.  Soon enough, the first batch of magnets were being shipped to a customer in Europe – in Germany.  Funny how things come full circle in life!

Somebody’s riding in style in Europe!

Misc./Etc:

We still got a few more of these popular “The Perfect Form” t-shirts.

“The Perfect Form” (Series)

“The Perfect Form” (Series) was sketched on a restaurant napkin in early 2012.  It became a very popular seller during the Holiday Season.  It completely SOLD OUT at the 2013 U.S. National Lacrosse Convention.

A combination of; athletics, aesthetics and education, we knew we had something PERFECT.  So perfect, we decided to make it into the PERFECT SHIRT!

That would be some “firing-squad”!!

Screened onto a grey, “Retro Athletic-Tee” by the Power-Tek Performance Gear.  Super soft 100% poly jersey that looks and feels like cotton with the same technical advantages as all Power-Tek products.  Great under equipment or in the weight room.  Loose oversized cut.  Available in adult sizes: S, M, L and XL for $19.95.

Go to: www.TheArtofLax.com and click 0n “Apparel” to buy.

Follow @TheArtofLax

Like on Facebook.

“The Shooter”

I noticed that the this piece, among other “Shooter-style” pieces, show a player “shooting” and I needed to change it, somehow.  So why not a player having just shot?… or the “follow-through” of a shot?… and title it… “The Shooter 2″.

The following are the progression pics:

Graphite stage.

Inking.

Rendering/Filling in.

Final inking.

Signed to finish.

While making this piece, a client/organization called up and was interested in a piece.  With my pen down on the table and my phone against my ear, I was looking at the newly done piece in front of me.

But that is another story to come!

“The Shooter 2″

8.5×12 inches. Pen & ink on heavy drawing paper.

Now available for purchase at The Art of Lax™.

Follow @TheArtofLax

Like on Facebook

******

Etc./Misc.

“Ow!… and Wow!”

Done by Sunny Tattoo, a shop located in Budapest, Hungary.

“Ow… and Wow!” were the words that came out at the dinner table.

The mass-email-marketing advertisement.

This is the year of collaborations and co-branding!…

And one of my favorite groups to work with is the one I also blog for – LaxAllStars.  The idea behind this collaboration came while I was on vacation via email from, Krieg Shaw, of LaxAllStars.  Prior to that, I just launched my art on iPhone Cases the day after Christmas and the response has been great!  This is just the beginning as newer products, styles and designs will constantly come from this working relationship.

To see the product close-up and article on LaxAllStars.

To see the full product line of The Art of Lax™ and LaxAllStars accessories, click here.

Follow @TheArtofLax

Like on Facebook.

One of my most recent pieces of custom work came from a customer “across the pond”.  In the past, I’ve done numerous pieces for international clients and I’m always curious on how the game is growing abroad.  In this piece, the client told me that it was going to be a birthday present for her husband, Chris Bland – one of the best face-off players in the UK, and a member of Team England.  This piece was going to be different.  It was to be a non-action piece – a sentimental one.

The following pics document the progression of the custom piece:

The finished product:

“Archie & Chris”

8×10 inches.  Pen & ink on heavy drawing paper.

Interested in a custom order, go to The Art of Lax™

*************

Misc./Etc.

I like looking back at the process of things.  I promised that I would follow-up with a complete write-up on how the iPhone cases came to mind.  Well, here it goes.

Goals are created.  Goals are also “creative”.

Summer was slow.  It’s always slow.  Vacation trips, among other things took me aside.  Creatively, I was able to execute the highly popular, “The Perfect Form” (Series), as that was a goal in mind… or created, as said in the quote, above.

“The Perfect Form” (Series).  Get it, here.

Making the Goal.

Once the Fall Season came, I was poised with a number of new images, but I just wasn’t satisfied with new art, alone. I mean, the material was the same – paper/pen & ink, etc., and regardless of a new piece, it was the same product, manifestly.  Was it a new apparel product, maybe?  I decided to make the goal of finding a new product, something, whatever it may be, which would ramp things up.  But what was it going to be?  That was on October 1, 2012.

The “Eureka” moment.

Nov. 6, 2012.  Election Day.  New York City.

I was riding the subway on my way to vote.  The train was pretty empty and I did something that I rarely do while riding the subway – I sat down.  Across from me were 7 riders, all seated on the bench.  1 was reading a newspaper. 1 was reading a traditional bound book.  The other 5 riders had their heads down, focused on their “smart phones” in hand.  1 was texting or emailing.  1 was reading. 1 was watching a movie with headphones.  1 had to be playing a video game, due to constant hand movement.  1 was listening to music, due to “head-bopping”.  All had iPhones with covers, or cases in a solid color.  But one of them had a case with an abstract, printed design, making it stand out from the rest.

And there it was!  Right there across from me.  I kept on observing.  I even wrote down notes and made a simple sketch on a post office receipt that I had in my pocket.  As the train pulled up to a station to pick up new passengers, I observed the habit of them pulling out their smart phones to do “their thing”.  I realized that in todays world there are three (3) things you need to have with you the moment to step out of your door; your wallet, your keys and your mobile phone.  And think of it, most of the time, my phone is always within an arms reach, wherever I may go.  I think that is VERY COMMON.

The “notes” taken on the subway on the back of a receipt.

The Launch.

I did my research online.  I found a place that I can outsource to; hosting, fulfilling/shipping, tracking the earnings, etc.  I was very excited.  I leaked the jpeg image of the new product in mind on Instagram.  Soon enough, it was being requested, and bought!  That was on Dec. 26th 2012.  To this day, it has been the most popular product the art has been on.

Lesson Learned.

Every business, or every person, wants to avoid a set-back.  It’s just human nature.  But I don’t think I experienced a set-back at all, rather a personal challenge set for myself.  But whatever it may be classified as, my point is, if we didn’t have any set-backs in life, we wouldn’t be given the opportunity to re-invent ourselves.  As for goals, they are hard to list down, because I couldn’t think up of this 3, maybe 4 years ago.  Goals are a constant search.  They are hidden amongst challenges.  They are tweaked, re-vamped and re-visited.  They are frustrating.  Goals, just like ideas, come as random and quickly like lightening and thunder.

They also take time.

***********

Misc/Etc:

The iPhone cases are now available for both, The Art of Lax™ and The Art of Athletes™.  Find your sport!

FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE THRU FEB 10, 2013.  Click here to directed!

It’s HERE… and it’s been HOT!

One of the biggest product developments since the inception of The Art of Lax™ has been very successful for 2013!

The inspiration and idea behind came at the most unexpected time and I will write about that, in full detail, in a future post.  But for now, here’s a vid for the product description and review for the “Crank” iPhone case by Case Mate, Society6 & The Art of Lax™/The Art of Athletes™.  Available for iPhone 3, 4 and 5 models.  FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE THRU SUNDAY!  Get it at:

www.Society6.com/VincentRicasio

******

ALSO Available:

“The Creators”