Martin Hsu

Dragon Boy New Moon

2012-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

Dragon Boy for New Moon at Myplasticheart Gallery, NY
11" X 14"
cel vinyl on wood

Now available HERE.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! Here's to an abundance of happiness from me, Dragon Boy, and Blackie in the year of the dragon!
xoxo
martin

2012-01-16T19:50:00.000-08:00

DRAGON BOY

A series of paintings depicting the adventures of a boy in dragon suit on his way to find his roots in a foreign land. With his kirin dog, Blackie by his side, they travel between reality and fantasy. They fly over the tallest of mountains and dive into the deepest of rivers while making new friends with magical creatures of all kinds. Dragon Boy aims to remind everyone to never forget the joy of being a kid, flying high, and smiling big!

Artist Bio:

Martin Hsu is not a dragon, but a horse. Though he has many great dragons in his family who have inspired him tremendously. Dragon Boy is special and dear to Martin as he often imagines flying over the Yellow River with his childhood dog, Blackie. He hopes Dragon Boy brings joy and happiness to kids of all ages including the one that lives in you.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL AVAILABLE DRAGON BOY ARTWORK

Happy 71st Miyazaki-sensei!

2012-01-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

A very happy 71st birthday to Miyazaki-sensei! A simple man who strives to return nature back to where it belongs and bring laughter to kids all over the world. A stubborn man who sticks to his visions and refuses to make any compromise. A fabulous man who wears tailored suits and black frame glasses.

A mentor in life and art for me. I have nothing but respect and admiration for this guy. Thank you for everything Miyazaki-sensei. Happy Birthday.
2012

2011

2012-01-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

Dragon Boy's first show in 2012 landing at Dragatomi Gallery in Sacramento! Show opens Saturday, 1/14/12 from 7-10p! Tell a friend and hope to see you there!
Like Dragon Boy on Facebook here!

Show Description-

Dragon Boy, a series of paintings depicting the adventures of a boy in dragon suit on his way to find his roots in a foreign land. With his kirin dog, Blackie by his side, they travel between reality and fantasy. They fly over the tallest of mountains and dive into the deepest of rivers while making new friends with magical creatures of all kinds. Dragon Boy aims to remind everyone to never forget the joy of being a kid, flying high, and smiling big!

Putting the final touches on Dragon Boy and Blackie for the show this Saturday!

Dragon Boy 95% there!

2012-01-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

A look at the Dragon Boy designer toy prototype at 95%! Vin has been doing an amazing job and I'm super stoked about it!

Final prototype will be unveiled at my upcoming solo show titled, Dragon Boy at Dragatomy Gallery in Sacramento opening Sat. 1/14/12! Please stay tuned!
Click here to join the world of Dragon Boy on Facebook!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Dragon Boy and Blackie!
Here's to BIG SMILES in 2012 :)
Join Dragon Boy and his adventures in the new year HERE!
xoxo
Martin

Love note to Ruby Gloom

2011-12-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

A love note for Ruby Gloom and everyone who loves her :)
See Ruby Gloom Illustrations here!

DRAGON BOY 7" Munny Custom

2011-12-26T11:16:00.001-08:00

DRAGON BOY!!!

I was super stoked to be asked by my pal Conor to work on a custom Dragon Boy Munny for his lovely wife Windi as a surprise Christmas present. Conor and Windi have both been tremendously supportive of my little art career so I was more than happy to do so. From what I heard, Dragon Boy was a big hit!

Click here to become a fan of Dragon Boy on Facebook!

With the upcoming Year of the Dragon, I have big plans for Dragon Boy and his kirin dog, Blackie. A limited edition production vinyl will be launched at Comic Con 2012. The master sculpt is looking amazing and will be unveiled at my upcoming show at Dragatomi Gallery with a theme entirely based on Dragon Boy and his world! Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

2011-12-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

xoxo
Martin

Aether

2011-12-20T18:38:00.000-08:00

Aether, the elemental god of the bright, glowing, and upper air in Greek mythology. Now available HERE.

Dragon Boy

2011-12-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

New sketches of Dragon Boy for upcoming show in January 2012 :)

"like" Dragon Boy on Facebook! :D

Sakura Kanpai

2011-12-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

Bowsers getting drunk under the cherry blossom tree!

NEW PRINT, Sakura Kanpai now available HERE!

2011-12-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

Burger and Boba time for Dragon Boy and Blackie!!!! :)

New Print- Hermione's First Love

2011-12-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

Hermione's First Love / 12" X 18" / Limited Ed. of 60 / signed & numbered
Now available HERE.

Undercurrents

2011-12-11T19:42:00.001-08:00

Below are original pieces for my recent show at GR2 called Undercurrents, a series of paintings based on the concept of life arising from death.

For all inquiries please email me at info@martinhsu.com

Artist Statement-

Currents are the source of life and death. What lies beneath the surface is unseen and often forgotten, but it’s also where much light and magic can be found. This series of paintings explores the color, vibrancy, and luminosity of the deep. Angelic creatures serve as messengers of life. They examine undiscovered feelings hidden away from the obvious by bringing light to the darkest places. There’s much beauty in the dark and life is brighter than we think.

Rebirth / 11″ X 14″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Passage / 14″ X 11″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Remembrance / 12″ X 12″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Flux / 8″ X 6″ / cel vinyl on wood / •sold

March / 8″ X 6″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Reminiscence / 12″ X 12″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Transcendence / 12″ X 12″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Drift / 6″ X 8″ / cel vinyl on wood / •sold

Ascendance / 11″ X 14″ / cel vinyl on wood / available

Flight / 6″ X 8″ / cel vinyl on wood / •sold

Rebirth / archival giclee print / limited ed. of 50 / signed & numbered / available

In Remembrance. New paintings

2011-12-09T19:24:00.001-08:00

New paintings in remembrance of extinct and highly endangered animals in our world for holiday group show at Fabric8.

For all inquiries email me at info@martinhsu.com

Keeper of Transcendence (Black Rhinos- Extinct)
24″ X 18″
cel vinyl on wood
(click image to enlarge)

Whisper of Hope (Narwhals- highly endangered)

14″ X 11″
cel vinyl on wood
(click image to enlarge)

Guardian of Remembrance (Poison Dart Frog- highly endangered)
7.5″ X 9″
cel vinyl on wood
(click image to enlarge)

Crabby Bear is my Totoro :)

2010-10-15T15:56:00.001-07:00

Finished! Crabby Bear doesn't mind the rain, he just doesn't like being wet :)

12" X 12"

cel-vinyl on wood

color comp

2010-08-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

I got a little signing at GR2 for my new book Multigrain on Sunday, 8/29/10 from 3-5p. Will update with more details later!

Crabby Bear is Loved

2010-08-03T17:22:00.001-07:00

New 2010 Martin Hsu Website!

2010-08-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

I HAVE A NEW WEBSITE! :D

Check it out!

New 2010 Martin Hsu website!

Feel free to let me know what you think.

Thanks!
Martin

Comic Con 2010! I'm at table# G2!

2010-07-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

Comic Con 2010 is here!

Come say hi! I'll be at table# G2!

Check out the debut of Comic Con FIRST items such as new t-shirt designs and new book!

New Book of 2010-

Multigrain- a collection of paintings by Martin Hsu
58 page.
Full-Color Hardcover
Limited Edition of 500.
Signed and Numbered.

New Tees of 2010-

Think Alternative

Baboon Tweet

Pangolin Rider

Hope to see you there!
Martin

Multigrain -- Sneak peek

2010-07-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

As we approach Comic Con next week, here are some sneak peeks of my new book "Multigrain"- a collection of my paintings.

Stay tuned ^_^

Tiger Shark

2010-07-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

"Tiger Shark"
Custom Vinyl

My little contribution to the Celsius custom vinyl show at the Toy Art Gallery opening this Saturday, 7/10/10.

Celcius Custom show at Toy Art Gallery

Tiger Shark is inspired by the Flying Tigers - the first American volunteer group of the Chinese Air Force in defending China against the Japanese forces in WWII.

The Flying Tigers

Hope you digs! Roar!

New photos of prints and books!

2010-06-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

Very excited about the new photos of my prints and books for the new 2010 website. Here's just a sneak peek of some of them. New site launch soon ^_^ Stay tuned.

All photos by Winnie Chou.

Artist trading cards!

2010-06-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of being part of a great project called Art Hustle! It's a series of artist trading cards which includes signature and original artwork cards. Amazing talents include Ron English, Tara McPherson, and Kozyndan.

Available for collecting July 1, 2010 ^_^

Watch Art Hustle preview- Artist trading cards

The Smurfs Teaser Trailer

2010-06-17T13:54:00.001-07:00

This saddens me.

The Smurfs was one of the cartoons I used to watch as a kid growing up in Taiwan. It was dubbed in Chinese and was called The Little Blue Gremlins. I spent many precious hours at my grandparents' place getting annoyed at Brainy Smurf for ruining things for everyone.

After watching this trailer, I can't say I'm eager to be Smurf'd. But I'm willing to give it a chance by waiting for more scenes from the movie.

Watch- The Smurfs teaser trailer

OK Go- End Love

2010-06-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hehe, OK Go makes me laugh.

Watch- OK Go- End Love

The Illusionist!

2010-06-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

From the director of The Triplets of Belleville comes, The Illusionist!

I can't express how much this excites me. It is absolutely gorgeous.

Watch trailer- The Illusionist

How can you help?

2010-06-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, you can help the animals drowning in oil. Click here to DONATE now.

Studio Ghibli's new film- The Borrower Arrietty

2010-06-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Based on Mary Norton's 1952 book, The Borrowers, Hayao Miyazaki produced, directed by his key animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Due out July 17th in Japan.Sneak peak of The Borrower Arrietty by Studio Ghibli

So excited ^_^

Socialism Studies on Daily Show

2010-06-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post videos, but this is just TOO good! Especially when I grew up in Hacienda Heights and graduated with Jay Chen. Nice to see the chinese language being introduced to American schools and that bigots will always be around for us to make fun at ;)

Watch video here- Hacienda Heights on Daily Show

Double Punch!

2010-06-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself in North Beach in the bay area and need to satisfy a craving for fantastic art and toys, check out Double Punch!

And now, you can also find some of my silly prints there, too ^_^ Martin Hsu prints at Double Punch

London in 1.5 days

2010-06-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

First off, 1.5 days in London was not enough. But considering the limited amount of time, we sure covered a lot of ground. It was mostly on foot via slip-on Converse Chuck Taylor's for me, which as I discovered were not meant to be worn for a long time for the sake of my pinky toes.

We arrived in Heathrow on a chilly and rainy day around noon. It took us no time to get to our hotel Novotel in Islington which was right next to the St. Pancras station and the British Library. Excellent. After transforming into European hipster wannabes, we felt it was our first and foremost duty to find the nearest pub to get a couple of pints and fish and chips. No surprise, pubs were everywhere and filled with soccer fans pumped up for the the World Cup taking place in South Africa.

We decided to head towards the water and explore anything and everything on our way there. We stopped by local organic grocery stores for occasional refreshments and snacks. Cafes were also an excellent rest stop for some on-site sketching and caramel/chocolate pastries.

There were plenty of nice parks surrounded by curvy brick apartment buildings equipped with matching big brother cameras. As we walked through Russel Square Garden, I noticed something familiar from the Discovery channel. It was a scene of a fresh kill after a long and drawn out chase between predator and prey. Upon closer examination, we realized it was a massive crow clawing and picking away at the carcass of a pigeon. We'd liked to think the prey was hunted.

We had a full day the next day and were happily greeted by the sun! We started the day off by getting a couple of coffee at the Starbucks across the street. I know, lame. We then walked over to check out the beautiful St. Pancras Station which was the perfect fusion of old and new architecture. I also had my first Harry Potter flashback here.

The one and only location on the itinerary was to check out the Tate Modern, and it was fantastic. Aside from the multi-floor well categorized genres from surrealism to impression, the building itself was more than impressive. It sat right on the river bank facing the the south side of St. Paul's with the Millennium Bridge shooting across the Thames. After spending a couple of hours cruising through the halls among other European art enthusiasts, we walked over to Soho to meet up with my amazingly talented friend- C86- Matt Lyon

I've known Matt via the internet for quite a few years, but never had the opportunity to meet him in person until this trip. With technical difficulties and no maps on our side, we still managed to meet up in front of the fabulous Patisserie Valerie with big hugs. Accompanied with giant waffle with gelato and whip cream, pecan tarts, cafe frappe, and a pot of tea for Matt. He is English, after all ;).

We had a fantastic time talking about art, life, and our love for the ultra nerds- Kozyndan. I've always been inspired and impressed by Matt's graphic illustrations so It was interesting to find out he actually has a background in fine art. I was blown away by Matt's sketchbook. It was filled with fantasy driven abstract shapes that make up the most charming illustrations. It's the kind of stuff I have a hard time grasping- to let go, let your creativity take its course, and just doodle? Still doesn't make much sense to someone who grew up with rigorous rules and regulations. I had brought a copy of my Doodles&Noodles for him as a silly present. In exchange and much to my surprise, he took out his marker and did a sketch for me! Thanks, Matt!

From there we walked past a bunch of cool little boutiques and bookstores on West street, past the Palace Theater and Potrait Gallery to Trafalgar Square, then down Parliament street past Big Ben, then across Westminster bridge for a view of the Eye, then down along the south bank of the Thames past the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theater. The perfect day ended up on the south bank during sunset with 3 pints in hand cheering to new friends. Ah, so good.

London was amazing and I would go back in a heart beat. The idea of traveling to a completely different country by train is fascinating to me. I'm curious about living among such diverse cultures and how it would influence my art and as a person. Perhaps with luck, I'll get to experience it someday.

Special thanks go out to the fantastic Mr. Alexander for documenting the trip and being the perfect travel companion. Visit his blog for tasty speakers, wine listening, and coffee lessons- superradiatingfieldmagnet

GRSF- "Tree Show"

2010-05-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

My pieces for the upcoming "Tree Show VI" at Giant Robot SF

Show opens Saturday, May 15th from 6:30-10pm. Hope you dig ^_^

"Boozers"
10" X 15"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood
Buy
"Gamers"
10" X 15"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood
Buy
Curious Minds at the opening ^_^

Squirrels and lemurs

2010-04-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of fun sketches of tree buddies hanging out for the upcoming "Tree Show" at Giant Robot, SF. Hope you dig ^_^

Monzuki- Lucky Hsu ^_^

2010-04-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Wilfred and the fine folks at Monzuki for this nice write-up ^_^

Check out their fantastic blog for all that is creative- MONZUKI

-M

GRNY-"Small Favors"

2010-03-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

Some urban commuters and their animal helmet friends ^_^

"Text" available at GRNY

"Slurp" available at GRNY

"Fixed" available at GRNY

"Cruise" available at GRNY

Giant Robot NY
"Small Favors"
Opens Saturday, 3/27/10
GRNY "Small Favors"

Urban Commuters

2010-03-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Some fun painting sketches of urban commuters and their animal helmet friends ^_^

"Game Over" at GRSF

2010-03-02T17:31:00.001-08:00

"Pit Stop"
11" X 11"
acrylic and cel vinyl on wood
•sold

"Outage"
11" X 11"
acrylic and cel vinyl on wood
•sold

My small contributions to the "Game Over"show at Giant Robot SF- all paintings inspired by video games.

Wanted to do something with classic video game characters taking a much deserved break ^_^

Opening- Friday, 3/12/10 from 6:30-10pm

Show runs from 3/12/10 - 4/14/10

www.gr-sf.com

Chris Ryniak- Martin Hsu Tee!

2010-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

Chris Ryniak likes my t-shirt ^_^

Chris was recently on Spanky Stokes and had on my "Primate Exploitation" tee! Big thanks to Chris for the publicity ;)

Chris Ryniak on Spanky Stokes

Chris Ryniak does amazing art

Martin Hsu t-shirts

Cozy

2010-02-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

The view of my little studio from sitting on my bed. I often look at this view right before I fall back and pass out for the rest of the night after painting.

It's quite calming and comforting.

Martin Hsu on LA WEEKLY ^_^

2010-02-15T12:18:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to Ivan Fernandez from LA Weekly for dropping by the show on opening night and this awesome write-up ^_^

LA Weekly- "For the Love of Tiger" by Martin Hsu and Andrew Brandou

"For the Love of Tiger" online preview

Thanks, Ivan!
Martin

Happy Chinese New Year!

2010-02-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!

And BIG thanks to those of you who came out to the opening of "For the Love of Tiger". It was insanely fun!

To view all the pieces from the show check out- Martin Hsu Andrew Brandou "For the Love of Tiger" online preview

Much love!
Martin

"For the Love of Tiger" Martin Hsu + Andrew Brandou

2010-02-07T09:44:00.001-08:00

"For the Love of Tiger"
New works by Martin Hsu & Andrew Brandou

Opens Thursday, 2/11/10 from 7-10pm at Munky King Gallery

Show runs from 2/11/10- 3/11/10

"For the Love of Tiger" on 8Asians

"For the Love of Tiger" on Vinyl Pulse

Hope to see you there ^_^
Martin
www.martinhsu.com

Tiger Bao Bear

2010-02-01T11:31:00.001-08:00

First time painting on a Qee Bear ^_^ So far I'm having a good time.

This piece will be presented among other paintings at the "For the Love of Tiger" show coming up on Feb. 11/10 at Munky King store and gallery in LA.

"For the Love of Tiger" Martin Hsu Andrew Brandou

Vinyl Pulse

2010-01-28T10:27:00.001-08:00

My buddy Jack from Vinyl Pulse did a nice brief on our upcoming show at Munky King.

Check out the post- Martin Hsu Andrew Brandou "For the Love of Tiger" at Munky King

Thanks, Jack! ^O^

For the Love of Tiger

2010-01-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Hope the new year has been treating you well so far. I've been working on paintings for an upcoming 2-man artshow with my buddy Andrew Brandou. As the Chinese New Year approaches, we decided to base the show on the upcoming lunar year- the year of the tiger! I'm trying a little different this time around. Wanted to put more emphasis on decorative elements that are based on Chinese folk art.

Another crucial inspiration came about during my research on Chinese tigers. I discovered the South China tiger which most scientists believe to be the "stem tiger" are sadly, considered by most biologists as "functionally extinct" due to no sighting of the animal in the wild in the past 25 years. I hope to bring a sense of awareness of this animal in the pieces as well.

The show opens on Thursday, Feb. 4th. at Munky King a week before Chinese New Year. I'll update with images of new paintings as I finish them. Here's one of the preliminary sketches and some work in progress shots. Enjoy!

"A New Queen of the Skeletons" by Martin Hsu

2010-01-04T10:19:00.001-08:00

"A New Queen of the Skeletons"
20" X 30"/26" X 36" framed
acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood panel
$1500

To purchase- gallery1988@aol.com

"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" online preview

Here's my small contribution to the annual artshow put on by Gallery 1988LA- "Under the Influence: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" called "A New Queen of the Skeletons". It features the Sorceress putting on the purple hood after she's defeated Skeletor.

The show opens Friday, 1/8/10 from 7-10pm and will run until 1/29/10.

www.nineteeneightyeight.com/entry/home.html

www.g1988.blogspot.com/

Martin

Yes, everyone can make art to get your message out ^_^

2010-01-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

Found one of my very small outreach attempts on a forest policy research blog. Feels pretty good :)

Martin Hsu- Elephantation on Forest Policy Research blog

New Prints! ^_^

2010-01-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Yes! I've just added these 3 new prints to my shop page- www.martinhsu.com/shop.php

From left to right-

-Primate Exploitation

-Harakaiju Chan

-Elephantation

Prints are printed digitally on Fujicolor paper with a glossy finish at $25 each.

Shipped in USPS tube container.

Start off the new year right with less blank walls! ^O^

Cheers!
Martin

"A New Queen of the Skeletons" by Martin Hsu

2010-01-01T16:35:00.001-08:00

"A New Queen of the Skeletons"
20" X 30"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood panel

Gallery 1988 LA presents He-Man and the Masters of the Universe opening Friday, 1/8/10!

www.nineteeneightyeight.com/entry/home.html

www.vinylpulse.com/2009/12/under-the-influence-he-man-and...

KAZ-WELL at Amoeba Records!

2009-12-30T17:04:00.001-08:00

Saw the CD cover I designed for KAZ-WELL's first LP at Amoeba!

Support good hip-hop- www.ilike.com/artist/Kazwell/album/Fish+Outta+Water

Happy Holidays from Martin Hsu!

2009-12-23T09:47:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

As the new year approaches, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of your support in 2009! I really appreciate it and can't wait to create more wackiness in 2010!

Happy Holidays!
XOXO
Martin

New Print Release- "The Audacious Rooster"

2009-12-14T13:49:00.001-08:00

I'm very excited to introduce my new print by Gallery 1988 SF-

"The Audacious Rooster"
Limited Edition of 30
12" X 24"
giclee on fine art paper
signed & numbered

"The Audacious Rooster" print release by gallery 1988 SF

Vinyl Pulse Martin Hsu Audacious Rooster

Also among new releases- Lawrence Yang and Pat Kinsell.

To order, please call or email the SF gallery- 415) 409-1376 / gallery1988sf@gmail.com

Check it out!
Martin

"Paper Pushers" gallery 1988 SF

2009-12-11T11:58:00.001-08:00

Wow! "Paper Pushers" preview now available- so many amazing pieces! Check it out!

Paper Pushers- Gallery 1988 SF Preview

May Ann Licudine

Martin Hsu

Veronica Hebard

JAW Cooper

Cheers!
Martin

Paper Pushers- Gallery 1988 SF

2009-12-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!
Please join me at the opening of "Paper Pushers" this Friday, Dec. 11th 2009 from 7-10pm at Gallery 1988 SF. It's a special show that features everything on paper. I will be showing 10 pieces among other amazing talents such as May Ann Licudine, Chet Zar, and JAW Cooper. If you're a fan of ink on paper like myself then this is the show for you!

Martin Hsu- Paper Pushers at Gallery 1988 SF

PREVIEW- "Paper Pushers" at gallery 1988 SF

Please contact Gallery 1988 SF at gallery1988sf@gmail.com if you were interested in any of them.

"Paper Pushers"
Gallery 1988 SF
Opening- Friday, Dec 11th 2009 from 7pm-10pm

Featuring- Ahren Hertel, Allison Reimold, Amanda Spicer, Anne-Julie Aubry, Chet Zar, Dan Goodsell, Daniel Elson, Dave Crosland, David Habben, Donna Thasdao Pungprechawat, Ewelina Ferruso, Gideon Boomer, Irma Rivera, Isaac Pierro, JAW Cooper, Julian, Callos, Juri Ueda, Keith Noordzy, Lawrence Yang, Leecifer, Lora Zombie, Martin Hsu, May Ann Licudine, Megan Kimber, Misha, Rik Lee, and Veronica Hebard.

"Hot Spring Cannonball Dive"
Ink and watercolor on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"Jeong's Juice Stand"
Ink on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"The Great Jump of Salamander Springs"
Ink and watercolor on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"Frida's Sea Monkeys"
Ink and watercolor on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"Cornelia's Bat Swing"
Ink on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"Checkmate on Yellow Mountain"
Graphite on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250
•Sold

"Galapagos Express"
Ink on paper
7" X 10"
9.5" X 12" framed
$250

"Amazon Gator Rider"
Ink and watercolor on paper
10" X 7"
12" X 9.5" framed
$250

"The Bunny Charmer"
Ink on paper
10" X 7"
12" X 9.5" framed
$250

"The Gentle Giant"
Ink and watercolor on paper
10" X 7"
12" X 9.5" framed
$250

Gallery Fabric8 SF- opening Friday, 12/4/09

2009-11-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

"Lily's Kitty"
24" X 36"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood panel

"The Gallant Lotus Blossom"
36" X 36"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood panel

Fabric8 Gallery SF
The opening- Friday, 12/4/09

Martin Hsu at Fabric8 Galleries

Hope you digs!
Martin

Kastro- Yoka custom toy

2009-11-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is Kastro, the honey bear. He's sweet and loves being caged. ^_^

I had the opportunity to put my spin on Yoka for the Yoka custom show. There are over 200 artists participated in this show and will set off the tour at Designer Con in Pasadena this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 21st so check it out if you're going!

Designer Con

Yoka Custom Show

www.martinhsu.com

Martin Hsu on Twitter! ^_^

2009-11-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

Yes, I've finally gotten my act together and started tweeting!

Let's tweet! -Martin Hsu on Twitter

\(^>^)/
Martin

"Urban Origins" at Split Obsession

2009-11-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Aloha!
For those of you who will be in Hawaii this weekend- come check out my first artshow in Hawaii! ^O^

I will be displaying large prints of some of my favorite illustrations. I will also be signing and sketching anything you got for me! Hope to see you there!

Opening- Saturday, November 7th from 7-9am at the Split Obsession store/gallery in the Ala Moana shopping center.

Artshow goes from 11/7/09-m 1/07/10!

www.vinylpulse.com/2009/10/martin-hsu-urban-origins-117.html

www.splitobsession.com/

www.martinhsu.com

Three Apples- Hello Kitty 35 Anniversary Exhibition

2009-10-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

"Once Upon A Kitty Wedding"
Cel-Vinyl on wood
24" X 48"

Three Apples is an exciting art exhibition celebrating the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty! The show opens on Friday, 10/23/09 from 10am to 10pm at the Royal T gallery in Culver City and will run until 11/15/09.

I had the pleasure of attending the opening party last night and was absolutely overwhelmed with this exhibition! So much hard work and heart went into it and it showed in every wow and giggle. Aside from seeing my pals and their fabulous paintings, it also was amazing meeting the execs from Sanrio and Sue, the owner of Royal T.

The most exciting moment of the night was when I found out my painting was purchased by Sanrio and it's going to be on display at their headquarter office! I feel so honored!

Big thanks to Jamie from JapanLA who kindly asked me to participate. And also Sanrio and Royal T for putting such an amazing event.

Hope you'll get the chance to check it out as well!

www.sanrio.com/threeapples/

Check out all the pictures here!

A Good Home

2009-10-19T07:57:00.001-07:00

Just got these great pictures from Allison who gave my paintings and silly artwork a good home!

Thanks Allison!

APE!

2009-10-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

APE aka Alternative Press Expo is once again here! Come out to say hi this weekend at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco if you have time. Hope to see you there!

www.comic-con.org/ape/

^_^

Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary Show

2009-09-17T15:09:00.001-07:00

For the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty, Sanrio is putting on a massive artshow with installation. I was fortunate enough to be asked to be part of this cute overload exhibition :) Here's a little teaser of my painting. I'll update and post more pictures as we get closer to the opening of the show. Hope you digs!

Thought Process @ Munky King

2009-09-05T12:56:00.001-07:00

Thought Processor LA was a blast! It was amazing to see what all the artists came up with both in paper form and as original artwork! It was also fun making Dragon Boy doodles in sketchbooks of supporters ^_^

For those of you who couldn't make it to the opening, check out these awesome pictures from my buddies Jim and Claire- www.flickr.com/photos/jim_n_claire/sets/72157622124544001/

Also check out www.phoneticontrol.com and www.munkyking.com/index.php for more details on the free downloads of all the paper toys!

Cheers!
Martin

Thought Processor- Primate Exploitation

2009-08-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here's my contribution for the "Thought Processor" paper toy show opening on Thursday, 9/3/09 at Munky King store and gallery in LA curated by my buddy Phoneticontrol!

I thought it'd be fitting to revamp an old t-shirt design "Primate Exploitation" since the show is at Munky King ^_^

In case you were wondering, the Chinese characters 猴 means monkey and 吼 means to scream.

Along with this custom paper toy, I will also be showing the original painting- www.flickr.com/photos/martinhsu/2672998228/in/set-7215760...

All of the Thought Processor designs will be available for FREE download on my website www.martinhsu.com and www.phoneticontrol.com later so feel free to explore your inner Xacto knife and Krazy glue skills!

I'm super stoked on how it turned out and hope you dig, too! See you on opening night! ^_^v

www.munkyking.com/gallery_home.php

Sweet Streets- Art inspired by Japanese street fashion

2009-08-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of Harajuku or just Japanese street fashion then you've got to go check out "Sweet Streets" opening this Saturday, 8/29/09 at Gallery Nucleus!

"Gallery Nucleus is excited to be hosting “SWEET STREETS,” a fanciful exhibition that will take inspiration from the Japanese fashion subculture.

Rather than follow trends, the youth of Japan have blazed a fashion movement. By mixing old with the new while customizing and combining the homemade with designer labels, their looks result in the unexpected and avant-garde. Art-inspired fashions and fashion-inspired art is one of the most creative symbiotic relationships of our generation. Co-curated by CARO and sponsored by Hi-Fructose magazine, over 40 artists will contribute to this event in celebrating imagination and originality."

The lineup of artists includes Tim Biskup, Tokidoki, Kozyndan and many other amazing talents! Be sure to go check it out if you're in town ^_^

www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/exhibition/190

Here's my contribution to the show-
"Harakaiju Chan"
11" X 14"
Acrylic on wood

Comic Con 2009! UPDATE

2009-07-21T10:27:00.001-07:00

Hello friends,

The annual Comic Con is upon us again! Please visit me at table# G02 if you'd like to say hello :)

On top of books, t-shirts and original paintings, I will also have limited edition of 30 prints of "The Vigilant Tiger". They are giclee prints on fine art paper numbered and signed! Please take a look at the attached flyer for all the new stuff I'll have at the table!

I'm looking forward to see old friends and make some new ones. Hope to see you there! :)

Cheers,
Martin

My little table at Comic Con this year. It was nice to have the entire table for myself since I have so much crap to sell! I also registered myself under a more appropriate name...hehe (^_^)v

People actually like my t-shirts! Yippee!

Alex and Karla from Mukpuddy came out and partied with us at Comic Con! Two of the most down to earth and awesome people I know. I can't wait to visit them in New Zealand!

The ever so whimsical and talented Mike Daley!

I just couldn't resist capturing this sweet moment between the infamous Pascal Campion and his new found fan!

A reunion! Richard Pose, Kozy from Kozyndan and myself used to work together on campus back int he CSUF days. I can't believe they haven't aged a bit since then!

My buddy Matt Spangler is about to take over the baby apparel market by storm! Watch out!

All the awesome stuff I got from Con! Can't wait to go through all the books, hang all the prints, and sport all the cool shirts I got!

Cyclops kitties bring lots of luck!

My new favorite poster artist Jermaine Rogers. This guy's been around for some time. Glad I discovered him and his awesome vinyls including Veil: Specimen 129. His eyes glow in the dark!

Another vinyl by Jermaine that's going in my permanent collection.

I wish I could afford this original because it's amazing!

Amazing steampunk inspired art!

All in all, it was another amazing Con. It was so good to hang out with old friends and meet new ones. The next one is just another year away! Woohoo!

"The Messenger"

2009-07-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here's my little contribution to "Crazy 4 Cult" opening at Gallery 1988 LA this Thursday, 7/16.

It's inspired by the cult classic Donnie Darko because I've always liked the character, Frank.

This is the biggest show for Gallery 1988 LA of the year so it's no surprise it's packed with incredible talents. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

crazy4cult.com/

"The Messenger"
10" X 12"
Acrylic on wood

The Legend of Naii- Gallery 1988 SF

2009-06-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

"The Legend of Naii is a tribute to my grandmother. Nai nai means grandma on the father's side in Chinese. She was the center of our family and will always be my inspiration.

For as long as I can remember she's always had silky white hair. She was also one of the last women in China who had their feet bound and survived the wars. She had eight kids even though one didn't live pass the age of 4. She carries them on her back in the eight paintings in order to look after them.

In these images she's depicted as a goddess warrior who defends the white lily forest from demon pests. If the white lily forest were her family, then the pests are the hardship and any other odds against it. She rides on auspicious animals such as the bat or rooster that protect her from harm and the paper cranes are a reminder of our love for her which is always by her side.

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to dedicate this series to her. There's no doubt in my mind she will continue to inspire me on all levels for the rest of my life."

This series of 8 paintings will be part of a group show called "Battle Royal" opening at Gallery 1988 San Francisco on Friday, 6/26/09 from 7-10pm. The show will run from 6/26/09- 7/18/09.

To see all the paintings and the rest of the show- 1988br.blogspot.com/

To see pictures from the opening- www.flickr.com/photos/martinhsu/3676113686/in/set-7215761...

For more of my paintings and illustrations- www.martinhsu.com/

The Audacious Rooster
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Vigilant Tiger
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Insightful Monkey
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Auspicious Bat
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Virtuous Stag
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Righteous Crane
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Prosperous Toad
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

The Persistent Turtle
Acrylic on wood
12" X 24"

Ni Hao, Martin Hsu! Nichi Bei Times- Japanese American News

2009-06-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I had the privilege to be interviewed by April Elkjer from the Nichi Bei Times- Japanese American News about my experience as the character designer on Ni Hao, Kai-lan. I was supered stoked to have the opportunity to share my influences and inspiration behind the designs. It was quite the honor! Big thanks to April Elkjer and the Nichi Bei Time!

www.nichibeitimes.com/?p=4040

Tiger Lilies detail

2009-05-18T13:08:00.001-07:00

A snapshot of the painting that I'm currently working on! There's still lots of work to be done, but I like where it's going!

Ruby Gloom and Doom Kitty!

2009-05-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

Wow, this has got to be one of the cutest tattoos I've ever seen! And it's always unbelievably flattering to see something I designed on someone!

This little illustration of Ruby and Doom kitty comes from the title page to the first Ruby Gloom book called- Keys to Happiness. Many thanks and much love to Cássia Novais-
www.flickr.com/photos/theodoras/
who decided to give Ruby and Doom Kitty such a special place in her life. It's so incredible!

For more Ruby Gloom illustrations- www.martinhsu.com/ruby_gloom.php

Tiger Lilies

2009-05-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here are the tight sketch and color comp of one of the 8 paintings I'm putting in a show at 1988 SF at the end of June. I really need to start painting now!

Kaz-well CD cover illustration

2009-05-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here's the CD cover illustration I did for Kaz-well's first release! The concept was "lost at sea" so I thought a little penguin in opening water accompanied by Octobunny, Crabby Bear, and Sea Monkey would be perfect! These giant sea creatures are looking out for the little fella to make sure he gets his second record release ;)

To check out some of Kaz-well's music please visit his myspace-

www.myspace.com/kazwellmusic

Hope you dig!
Martin

I HAS NEW TEES!

2009-05-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, indeed I has!

Elephantation- Just doing my part in bringing attention to deforestation!

Crabby Bear- Half crab half panda bear who is easily irritated, but means no harm!

Na Zha the Rider- Based on the Chinese mythological character Na Zha who sacrificed his life to save his village was then turned into one of the gods and given a pair of golden wheels and spear. Nowadays he rides his golden fixed gear bike in Hollywood!

In case you'd like to get one!- www.martinhsu.com/shop.php

Gong!
Martin

Static Hollow finished

2009-04-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here's my finished painting for the Street Fighter tribute show at Gallery Nucleus opening 4/25/09!

I remember being that guy who wasn't very good at the game so I'd use characters that have simple attacks. Needless to say, Blanka and Chun Li were two of my favorites ^_^.

Thanks to I Am 8bit, Gallery Nucleus, and Capcom for giving us the opportunity to find our inner ST memories! Hope you like it!

Static Hollow
12" X 15"
Acrylic on wood

Ni Hao, Kail-Lan press art!

2009-04-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

For the 2 1/2 years I was working on Ni Hao, Kai-Lan I not only got to design cute characters, but got to work on some pretty adorable press art as well. Most of the background elements and color styling were done by the talented NHK crew. I just got to play with the characters and put everything together :)

And here they are! Enjoy!

Fish Outta Water

2009-04-04T21:02:00.001-07:00

CD cover sketch for a very talented up and coming hip hop artist- Kaz-Well! The idea behind the art is "lost at sea". I just couldn't resist adding Octobunny, Crabby Bear, and Sea Monkey into the scene ;)

Can't wait to vectorize it up!

Static Hollow

2009-04-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

A rough sketch and the color comp of the painting I'm putting in the Street Fighter tribute show at Gallery Nucleus.

Now I just have to paint it for realz...

ZAP~!!

Crabby Bear

2009-03-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

All Crabby Bear wants is to be left alone when he's eating!

T-shirt coming soon!

Deforestation

2009-02-24T18:24:00.000-08:00

Here's my very small attempt at raising awareness for deforestation. I was originally inspired by an elephant I met in India. He was probably happier than he seemed, but the knuckle brace and metal chains disturbed me. He had fantastic circular markings at the edge of his ears and along his trunk. I started thinking about where these design elements could be incorporated. Further more, I started thinking about the well beings of these incredible animals.

In this design, the tusks represent the trees that have been either cut down or died. The elephant is being eaten away by caterpillars just like the the forests of natural habits for countless animals are being invaded by the humans.

Despite the seemingly gloomy aspects of this design, the green leaf represents that there's hope and we can still make a difference.

T-shirt coming soon.

Computer Arts Projects

2009-02-15T18:07:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of being featured in the December 2008 issue of Computer Arts Projects. This issue focused on Japanese influences among other Asian design aesthetics. I got to talk about the inspirations for my silly illustrations and design a skate deck!

It was quite the pleasure and extremely exciting so thank you, Computer Arts Projects!!

Na Zha the Rider

2009-02-02T01:36:00.000-08:00

A tribute to the legend of Na Zha- a 7 year old boy who turned god after sacrificing himself in order to save his town. He was granted a magical spear and a pair of golden wheels that allow him to ride across the sky.

Nowadays, Na Zha lives in Hollywood and rides his golden fixed gear bike down Sunset Blvd. at night to protect and serve the hip and unhip.

Na Zha T-shirt coming soon!

Beastie Boys- "Intergalactic Elementary"

2009-01-04T13:58:00.001-08:00

Here's the painting I put in for the Beastie Boys artshow at gallery 1988 LA!

This show consists of 100 artists and pays tribute to this culture icon. As I've described in the sketch, I called upon my childhood memories for inspiration. If only I got to hang with the Beastie Boys in elementary school!

The opening reception is this Thursday, 1/8 from 7-11pm, but will run for the entire month of January. No guarantee the Boys will be there, but I've got my fingers crossed ;)

For more info- www.nineteeneightyeight.com/entry/home.html

Hope to see you there!
Martin

"Intergalactic Elementary"
19" X 24" acrylic on wood panel

Beastie Boys!

2008-12-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays, everyone! Here's a sketch of the painting I'm putting in for the Beastie Boys tribute show at Gallery 1988. I called upon childhood memories of fighting giant sea monsters on the playground. It wasn't a giant pink octopus, but i thought it'd make a great painting based on Beastie Boys's "Intergalactic" music video. I'll post the final painting once I get the scan back!

Stay warm out there!

Martin

Dragon out of a box??

2008-12-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a holiday illustration I did for the management company- Chatrone. I wanted to capture the holiday spirit with creatures of my own, well i can't technically own the Chinese dragon, but let's pretend! :D

Mongrelz and kids!

2008-11-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I finished the 2 paintings for the Super7 holiday show and here they are! The show is called "More the Merries" on Saturday, 12/6 at the Super7 store in San Francisco. All the artwork will be priced from $50 to $300 so it's a great opportunity to pick up some affordable paintings!

Have a great Thanksgiving! :D

"Electric Bananas"
5" X 7" acrylic on watercolor paper

"Brush & Ink"
5" X 7" acrylic on watercolor paper

Octo and Monkey

2008-11-19T18:57:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

Here are a couple of silly monster ideas for an upcoming holiday artshow at the Super7 store in SF. I'll post the finished paintings in a bit! Woohoo ^__^ !

"LONG" aka Dragon Boy

2008-10-02T18:28:00.001-07:00

Please enjoy :)

Secret Identities- The Asian American Superhero Anthology

2008-09-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to be asked to be part of "Secret Identities- The Asian American Superhero Anthology" (Secret Identities) by Parry Shen who starred in the Asian American cult classic- Better Luck Tomorrow (Better Luck Tomorrow) to create a 3 page mini comic of MY Asian superhero. I immediately knew this was the perfect opportunity for Dragon Boy to take flight.

Here's a brief description of the book from the creators-

"What if we told you a tale about a quiet, unassuming guy with black hair and thick glasses? He’s an immigrant, who’s done his best to fit in to a world that isn’t his—one very different from the land of his birth. He’s got a hidden side to himself that he can’t quite bring himself to show, not even to the popular girl he’s got a huge crush on. If only she knew who he really was—what he could really do—she’d be amazed, he thinks. If only she knew. If only everyone knew...

For many Asian Americans, this chronicle is a familiar one, because many of us lived it. But this also happens to be the story of a mild-mannered reporter named Clark Kent, better known to the world by his alter ego: Superman. And it’s just one example of the parallels between the cultural narrative of Asian America and the mythic foundation of the comic book superhero.

These parallels, along with the burgeoning array of Asian American creative talent in the mainstream and alternative comics industries, are what have led New York Times best-selling author Jeff Yang; independent comics creator Jerry Ma; comics education specialist Keith Chow, and actor Parry Shen to team up to edit Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, the first-ever graphic novel collection of original stories exploring the universe of masked marvels and caped crusaders from the perspective of the nation's fastest-growing and most dynamic emerging community. The book will be published in trade paperback by The New Press (The New Press), one of the nation's leading independent publishers, hitting bookshelves in SPRING 2009!"

Here are the rough layouts of my short story for this amazing anthology. The rest will be rendered in illustrator. I can't wait to begin!

New Martin Hsu website 2008!

2008-08-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

I'm proud to announce the launch of my new 2008 website! Please check it out-

www.martinhsu.com/

It's packed with my favorite illustrations, original paintings, and Ruby Gloom art. I hope you have a good time browsing through all the different sections!

The new site also comes with a new shop which is filled with my silly t-shirts, prints, original paintings, and my new 2008 self-published sketchbook- Doodles & Noodles.

Thank you for your time and feel free to drop me a line if you'd like!

Cheers!
Martin

Mongrelz Scanned!

2008-08-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

I finally got these paintings scanned! It's probably still a little hard to see, but it sure beats a crappy photo.

These guys did awesome as prints at Comic Con. I think I'll have to make more for the shopping site :)

Comic Con 2008!!!!!

2008-08-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a week already, but I just wanted to say it was awesome meeting everyone at Comic Con! Thank you for your support and inspiration. I hope to see you all soon!

Much love,
Martin

Comic Con 2008!!!!!

2008-07-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you nerds, cough cough, that are going to Comic Con next week. Please drop by to say hi! I'll be sharing a table with 2 of my buddies at table H10! H10! H10!

I'll be releasing my spanking new hardcover sketchbook- Doodles & Noodles! Come get your copy!

See you there!

MONGRELZ! July 5 @ Hive Gallery

2008-06-29T14:27:00.001-07:00

Hello friends and family,

I would like to invite you to the opening of "Mongrelz- A Hybrid Monstrosity" by me at the Hive Gallery in LA this coming Saturday, July 5th.

I will be displaying 5 new paintings as one of the featured artists.

The theme of my paintings is Mongrelz- A Hybrid Monstrosity. Mongrelz are the result of mass pollution. They're highly evolved freaks of nature that are half land animal and half sea animal capable of surviving in any environment.

In the paintings you'll find intimate interactions between these freaky creatures with kids and other critters. Soon everyone will learn that Mongrelz are not here to destroy, but to protect.

Intrigued? Confused? Please join me-

July 5, 2008
8pm-12:30pm

The Hive Gallery
729 S. spring St.
LA, CA. 90014
http://www.thehivegallery.com/

Hope to see you there!
Martin

3 X 3

2008-06-19T13:14:00.001-07:00

Here are 3 paintings I'm putting in for the "Crazian" Show at the World of Wonder gallery in Hollywood opening on July 11th.

This show fulfilled my fantasy of blowing up some of my favorite t-shirt graphics into large one of a kind paintings on wood.

It also gave me the opportunity to explore different painting methods. I'm very pleased with the sharpness of the graphic image on top of a destroyed surface.

This is just a teaser for now. I'll post the whole paintings and more information once I get the flyer for the show. Maybe I'll even see some of you there!

Cel-vinyl/spraypaint on 3' X 3' wood panel

Mongrelz color comps

2008-05-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

Color comps for the "Mongrelz" show at Hive gallery in July.

Really like how they turned out. Now all I have to do is actually paint them :)

Hope you likes!

Mongrelz

2008-04-30T16:59:00.001-07:00

Here are the final sketches of 5 paintings that I'm working on for my tall wall show at the Hive Gallery in July. They're going to be 12"X 24" acrylic on wood panels.

This is the first time I'll get an entire wall to myself to play with so I'm very excited!

I'll post the final paintings when they're done. Not much time left so wish me luck! :D

Hope you digs!