alex eben meyer /// sketchblog

thursday monster

eben — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:04:06 +0000

really not a monster at all, more a misunderstood bird . . . in jeans . . . with hairy feet.

migratory bikes

eben — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:48:11 +0000

let me start off by saying i have a simple commute, which makes me all the more impressed that i manage to encounter a full range of bike shenanigans over the course of it, hell, within the first five blocks. of particular entertainment is the crossing of mcguinness and driggs (google map).

today had me arriving 3rd or 4th to the intersection, sitting behind a bike rider or two, trackstanded in front of, etc. when the light turned green, it was like birds scattering. a thing of beauty, idiotic beauty.

further study: bike snob nyc (the indignity of commuting by bicycle posts are genius)

bloomberg businessweek: kfc

eben — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:35:36 +0000

spot for bloomberg business week about the internal war being waged at kfc between the home office (yum!) and its franchisees over grilled vs. fried chicken. to sum up, do not mess with a chicken holding a fry basket, they will eff you up! okay, that doesn’t exactly sum up the article, but the advice still holds.

#browntwitterbird

eben — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:26:29 +0000

holy crap, my lil’ slate illustration became a meme (for a day or so. by the time some of you read this, you will have missed it). thanks to the genius work of @innyvinny to take the bird and hilarious-it-up (see the entire collection). i just thought i’d post a quick rundown of a few of my favorites:

black goth: @Ravan_A / old spice: @revizion / grace jones: @iamthenublack

wait, huh? i’m confused. here’s an explanation (more or less and the original illustration). in summation, you are all racist! thanks to everyone who joined in, i ♥ the internet.

twitter: #browntwitterbird

update: just to set the record straight, the original #browntwitterbird is sporting an iphone4.

update2: npr. for realliously? still waiting for the daily show or colbert report. anytime now, gentlemen.

slate: how black people use twitter

eben — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:31:13 +0000

yesterday i did a quick slate illustration for an article titled how black people use twitter, which could have been called hashtags started by black teens, or some less flameworthy title. i woke up to this wonderful email:

subject: A brown bird?
Dude, you are RACIST. I’m calling Jesse Jackson now.

i was pretty entertained, and not sure whether the person who sent the email (anonymously for the most part) was actually offended, sarcastic, or just being an ass. starting out, i figured this article and illustration would probably drum up some conversation, both positive and negative, and while this illustration isn’t going to win any awards for concept, is it offensive? do you, dear reader, find it racist?

slate: how black people use twitter, by farhad manjoo.

while mulling this over and chatting with slate, they sent over this hilarious illustration remix by www.innyvinny.com (check out the rims on that twitterbird!):

sincerely,
your racist illustrator.

p.s. jesse, let’s do lunch!

p.p.s. since you didn’t ask, this is how i look as a twitterbird (full disclosure, i need a haircut):

comments: laptop shark week

eben — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:30:30 +0000

monday, i mentioned the laptop sharks that circle brooklyn coffee shops with free wifi (my co-doodler victor lost a leg in the table feeding frenzy). friend and reader dbtron’s commented: “I need to see a drawing of a laptop shark attacking Victor. Like, RIGHT NOW.”

well dbtron, let the bloodletting begin:

spikey print now available

eben — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:00:03 +0000

my spike drawing from last week is now available as a print, laptop sticker, iphone sticker or t-shirt. below is a highly detailed rendering of what it all looks like. (okay, okay, here’s the real one)

> get it now!!! < (or don't, it's up to you.)

second stop cafe

eben — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:30:07 +0000

i have a love/hate relationship with second stop cafe. the place is a laptop zoo and the music selection often leaves much to be desired (sucks), but the coffee is easy to refill, there are plenty of interesting things to draw, and the muffins are solid. this morning i sat in the back-room where the guy running the kitchen played different music (better) and arrived early enough to get a table prior to arrival of the macbook masses. if you plan on going to second stop i recommend these courses of action, unless you have a laptop.

exit note: upon leaving, it took all of 30 seconds before the empty table had been attacked by two laptops. in the words of drawing companion victor who lost a leg, “it’s shark week at second stop.”

frankie

eben — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:48:08 +0000

crap, frankie the cat got into my vectors! i think i have embarrassed and/or emasculated myself with this doodle, however, to quote the renowned cat whisperer dr. tobias a. carroll, “who’s a pretty kitty?”

cafe royal

eben — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:45:03 +0000

chairs and desks* at cafe royal.

*attentive readers may have noticed that these chairs and desks have been drawn before, and very well might get drawn again. kudos to you, attentive reader.