Mountainman- A 'Brief' Blurb

Mountainman logo. The name comes from a song by The Kinks on their album 'Muswell Hillbillies'

For the last four years I had the idea of starting my own business. Don't really like or want to call it a business, as the profits for Mountainman are not the objective.  I wanted to create and share what I was making, rather than being pushed along by the possibilities of $$$. I see Mountianman as a way to develop as a designer, illustrator or advertiser. It's a place where I have the ability to find my true calling and experiment with the things I want to do and like. It's a platform to push me creatively.

As stated above it was in the pipe works for the last four or so years, but it wasn't always called Mountainman or had the same objectives. It was called Yukiotees and it was created out of the want of accumulating currency. It wasn't based on the joy of making or developing- it was created on the bases of greed more than anything. The concept was pushed along for this want and died quickly within a year. Looking back on it I can't see the reasons behind it or how it even survived that long. Thankfully, it was never ever published, but it still somehow managed to take up a considerably amount of my time. It wasn't going to be anything special- simply dropping way below average, half-thought out designs on to tees.

When Yukiotees died I quickly moved towards a new venture- Manatees. One of many favourite animals and also a good novelty pun to base a t-shirt business off. Not sure what it was really or how it differed from Yukiotees. One can see Manatees as Yukiotees in sheep's clothing. Just as the name rang novelty so did the proposed tees. Rather not talk about them..... they were horrid. What Manatees and Yukiotees had in common though was how one dimensional they were- in both thinking and execution. To me they lacked craftsmanship, passion and creativity.

Craftsmanship, Passion and Creativity

The reason why Manatees and Yukiotees were never published was because I was never proud of it. They lacked everything that I would soon see as important in a project- but they did lead the way for Mountainman though. These three topics are just some insights in to Mountainman.

One of the early character showcasing the new style. Drew a lot of
inspiration from Genndy Tartakovsky's Sym-Bionic Titian.

Craftsmanship

My family comes from along line of carpenters, but I have never had the urge to pick up a hammer myself. The craft I wanted to get into was in the world of animation and advertising. This was something I really wanted to pursue; dropping anything to spend as much time drawing and doodling as possible. My reward for the hard work was seeing my skills develop and developing a style that I felt comfortable with. What I did get from my father however, was the need to make things and one of the main reasons why I got into screenprinting. Just simply designing dosen't feel right- I wanted to be apart of every stage of a Mountainman product.

Branson looking introspective. Really enjoyable read,
especially the early years of Student and Virgin Records.

Passion

Everything seems easier if you enjoy it- and that was certainly the case for Mountainman. Patience was tested, but I always knew that success would follow if I stuck with it. The only problem was trying not to force it out, rather letting it flow naturally in the form of 'Floating Vibes'. The importance of passion and persistance was reinforced when I read Richard Branson's autobiography Losing My Virginity. The book was actually a really surprisingly enjoyable and insightful read- where I use too think of Branson simple as just a billionaire playboy. Branson's journey and story is a true testament of following ones passion and persisting when all odds are against you. Not sure what Mountinman will be or become, but hopefully I'll always remain passionate in everything I do. 

A concept scene from a pipe-dream animation. Made last year. 

Creativity
When it comes to design and art, I have always pushed myself to do that little bit extra. Not for the extra grades or praise, but for the satisfaction I get from making and crafting something I can be proud of- even if its for a couple of minutes. Knowing I made something beyond my abilities and setting a new bench mark too surpass is my goal when I create something new. This satisfaction doesn't always come after a finished piece (and there has been times when I have become completely self destructive and overly critical), but this is where persistance comes into play.

Anyway, hopefully you see the craftsmanship, passion and creativity that went in to Mountainman.

Thank you for reading.

The next article will either be about the development of the Launched! Poster (2012) or the development of the design Headphones, one of the four shirts available in the store.