The fine folks at Hendrick’s Gin kindly asked me to participate in their “Artist’s Box” program, whereby they sent me a blank, unfinished wooden box and asked me to adorn it however I liked (and fill it with Wondermark goods).
The above is the result — and they will be giving the box away to a random lucky person! You can enter the giveaway here. (US residents only, I’m afraid — they’re an alcohol company and have to abide by certain regulations.)
Making the box was a fun challenge. I wanted to try and do a collage in my usual style, but without the aid of computers — this meant hours looking through books for things that already matched each other without the aid of digital manipulation, and then additional hours spent with old magazines (mainly 1880’s Scientific American) and an X-Acto.
The inside of the box is lined with 1850’s advertisements and book pages as well, all varnished to a high sheen, and the opening is rimmed with leather strips reclaimed from the binding of some 1902 Dickens editions that were a gift from a reader.
I’m tremendously pleased with how it turned out. For more pictures of the box, an interview and more details about its design and assembly, or to enter the giveaway, see the Hendrick’s site:
Post 1 – Introduction and giveaway entry form
Post 2 – Interview with me about my work and philosophy generally
Post 3 – More detailed info about how I made this box specifically
I’m curious about the world, of course, but I’m also curious about myself: the reason I gave myself the challenge of doing this piece physically rather than digitally was that I was curious to see what I would make of it. I trust my artistic vision more than I have a clear sense of what the final product will be — so I’m always curious to see what I can do, what I’ll come up with, what the next piece will suggest to me in a way I haven’t anticipated. I wouldn’t have any fun with my art if I didn’t leave myself open to surprises, and that’s why I like working with external elements so much (rather than simply drawing everything from scratch).
Thanks to Hendrick’s for thinking of me, and good luck to the contest entrants! Also feel free to check out some of the other entries in the Artist’s Box series — they’re gorgeous.
Nobody tell Hendrick’s that I am not a trained fine artist like these people please
UPDATE: The box was won by Peter S. of Chicago. Congratulations, Peter! Hope you enjoy!
It’s… beautiful….
-US residents only-
*Cries with British stoicism into tea and biscuits*
DM: I know! I’m gonna head this off at the pass — I know it sucks that this contest is US-only. It’s something to do with alcohol laws! But it does not mean I love you dirty foreigners any less.
Yeah, I’d enter too, but I’m Australian. nice box nonetheless.
Don’t worry furriners, we share your pain. David and I here can’t enter either, because of California law. And you know this box is beautiful enough that he was planning to try to win it back secretly.
A gin company giveaway?! BE STILL MY WASPY HEART.
OH GOD OH GOD HENDRICKS IS MY FAVORITE SPIRIT AND WONDERMARK IS MY FAVORITE COMIC I MUST ENTER RIGHT NOW.
Sorry. Lost it there for a sec. I have to go check out the entry form.
But… but they’re not shipping any alcohol across any borders, just boxes filled with things. Are governments worried that they might use gin residues as glue to build the box, to be reconstituted into beverage form later? Is there actually just mistrust of anyone that produces alcohol, leftover from US prohibition, so that there’s just a general ban on letting a brewer ship things cross-border?
From the point of view of a Canadian, I could see the Canadian government putting restrictions on American liquor companies advertising in Canada without authorization. But I’d also think there are free-trade agreements against it.
you shameless sellout. any old company can send you anything and you’ll hawk it up right good. I should withdraw my readership right n–
oh, it’s for gin? carry on.
I wonder why it’s void in California, the state that brought you chocolate milk with vodka in it.