In August 2019, I launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise cash for a pin based on my black and white TV. I was only asking for $500 and by the end, I raised almost $10,000 from 500+ contributors. The pin features a sheet of clear stick-on screens printed by Factory 2, a maker-space in Flint, Michigan. The pins also glow in the dark, and that led me down the path of all kinds of experimentation with photo-luminescent materials.
I'm back from Flint, Michigan where I painted a new mural. It was part of Flint Public Art Project's goal to bring 50 murals to Flint this year (another fifty are planned for next year). I was born in Flint and grew up mostly in …
Last week, I posted a short video on Twitter showing my black & white TV hooked to a first-generation Roku player. I cycled through Netflix and played the intro to The Twilight Zone. I didn't think much of it but it really took off on Twitter, generating 70,000 likes and over 16,000 retweets.
I’ve recently returned from a trip to the Steiermark region of Austria. Besides being known as the birthplace of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steiermark is home to many regional legends and mythical creatures.
In February 2019, I was commissioned by Planet Labs in San Francisco to create a mural for their new offices. I had participated in an artist residency program with Planet in 2015, so it was nice to hear from them about this opportunity.
Tutorials and Process
Illustrator - Graphic on 3-D Surface (Instagram)
Illustrator - Stroke Profiles (Instagram)
About Joshua Ellingson
Joshua Ellingson is a commercial artist specializing in illustration for books, websites, posters, and merchandise. When he’s not making art for clients, you can find him posting about vintage thrift store finds, highly adoptable rescue dogs, or exploring the history and intricacies of just about anything.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with “Pepper’s Ghost” illusions. It’s a very old effect used by magicians and stage performers for hundreds of years and it’s simple to do. Mainly, you just need a piece of clear plastic or glass and a lighted object or a video of an object on a black background.