Author: Joel Stern

Publisher: Little Simon (an imprint of Simon and Schuster)

Art Direction: Hannah Carroll

ISBN-10: 1534460365
ISBN-13: 978-1534460362

Available now.

Transformer’s “build-a-figure” style premiums for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meal. The original pitch for this program included designs that were based on the style of the G1 Transformers. As the project evolved, the characters took on a more modern look, but were still infused with the spirit of G1.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Print details:
3x4" / Mini screen prints on 100c French Construction Whipped Cream
Only 150 copies of each design made

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

Bullseye mascot illustrations for Target’s loyalty program, Circle.

Client: Target

Part of the Build Your Creativity line for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meal program. Each kit lets you build one of six different dinosaurs: giganotsaurus, pteranodon, triceratops, spinosaurus, brachiosaurus, and a stegosaurus. Each one also comes with a small sticker sheet with additional eyes and mouths that can be used to customize each animal.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Apparel designs for pop culture and collectible company, Super7. For this project, I reinterpreted some of their original mascot characters including Mummy Boy, Rose Vampire, and Wing Kong.

Client: Super7

Inspired by my last trip to Japan. I wanted to create a print that tries to encapsulate how marble soda tastes.

5.5” x 17” / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag / Edition of 100

Print available in the shop.

Part of the Build Your Creativity line for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meal program. Each kit lets you build one of six different animals: alligator, bald eagle, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, and a tiger. Each one also comes with a small sticker sheet with additional eyes and mouths that can be used to customize each animal.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Officially licensed pins celebrating the legendary Disney Afternoon.

Client: Mondo

Fun mix and match style character premiums for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meal program. The figures come in sets of two and are blind bagged so you don’t know what you get until you open them. The head accessories, heads, and bodies can all be interchanged.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Author: Anne Marie Pace

Publisher: Abrams Appleseed

Art Direction: Hana Anouk Nakamura, Alyssa Nassner

Available now.

Fisher-Price asked me to re-interpret some of their iconic toys in a mid-century modern style for use in future products.

Client: Fisher-Price

Direction: Jenn Widmann

Fan art for Kazuo Umezu’s Cat-Eyed Boy manga series.

13x19” / Archival print on 300gsm Moab Entrada Bright White paper / Edition of 75

Print available in the shop.

Peko-Chan with a twist…

6x8” / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag.

Also available as a pin here.

The Jewel Guardian / 3” Dunny

Backstory: Those in the magic arts have sought the aide of the Jewel Guardian all throughout history. It protects and catalogs the universe’s most powerful, beautiful, and dangerous precious stones. It also has the ability to create completely new ones when the need arises… at a price of course. The Jewel Guardian loves to play games and has been known to send seekers of the rarest stones on scavenger hunts that cross time and space.⠀

Client: Kidrobot

16x20" / Edition of 150 / 6 color screen print on 100c French Construction Whipped Cream

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

In addition to the main campaign that was installed in stores nationwide, I also had the privilege of creating a special hanging installation in an atrium space at their downtown Minneapolis location. It consisted of five back-lit structures and an animated scene that wrapped around the space.

Client: Target

Agency: Knock Inc

Direction: Kelly Bauernfeind, Laura Qvale

I continually want to explore how my work translates in three dimensions and after the wood whale, I was itching to start something new. I initially created this rhino beetle illustration to be used as an embroidered sticker patch for Night Cake. It ended up being the perfect candidate for this side project.

I did an extensive write-up on the process of making this figure on my blog. You can find the post here.

Sculpt and and resin casting by Paul Tanompong

The Art Creations program for the Wendy’s Kid’s Meal centered around DIY art projects. There were six total, each with its own unique theme. Matt Kaufenberg and were tasked with illustrating four of the six kits.

1) Creature Creator lets you mix and match different heads, torso, and legs to make your own unique character. The designs are transferred to the paper with a crayon.

2) Funny Faces turns you into an abstract artist. Flatter your friends with the three supplied face templates and sticker sheets.

3) Sun Catcher is based on the concept of stained glass. Designs are printed on vellum and you use the supplied crayons to work your magic. Stick them on a window when you’re done and the sun does the rest!

4) City Building is a modular construction set. Build your city the way you want to. A sticker sheet is provided to help populate your newly built environment.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Target since 2007. Below are all the GiftCards I’ve worked on with them since.

New cards will be added as they’re released.

Secret Identity was program for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meals. It was all about fun disguises. Each kit was double sided so there were multiple options for play. Kid’s were encouraged to even mix and match kits for some really wacky results.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Create Your Cartoon was an activity book program for the Wendy’s Kids’ Meal. There were six total, each with its own unique theme.

Client: Wendy’s

Agency: Strottman International

Direction: Matt Ragland

In collaboration with: Matt Kaufenberg

Client: Ceaco / Gamewright

Pinocchio was one of my favorite Disney films growing up and I wanted this piece to focus on the whimsical wooden clocks in Geppetto's workshop. 

I picked my favorite designs from the bunch and created a new one based off Monstro the Whale for Jiminy Cricket to sit on. There are also some fun Easter Eggs peppered around the the piece.

16x20”

Client: Wonderground Gallery / Disney Parks

Print details:
3x4" / Mini screen prints on 100c French Construction Cement Green
Only 150 copies of each design made

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

The Hunt Is On

Client: Target

Direction: Ted Halbur

I was invited to participate in City Cryptids Dunny series which was curated by Scott Tolleson. The two cryptids I chose were the Ahool and Jersey Devil.

Name: Axel, the Ahool
Story: Axel was once a high flying beast who owned the skies on the Island of Java. These days, providing world class hospitality in New York’s five-star hotel scene is his number one priority. Axel’s charming fanged smiled is the first thing that guests are treated to when they arrive. If you tip well, he may even fly you (and your luggage) to your room.

Name: Jasper, the Jersey Devil
Story: Jasper was getting tired of terrorizing local farms and turned his insatiable hunger for livestock into a thriving business. Ask anyone in New Jersey where they can find the highest quality meats and they’ll all point you to the Jersey Meat Co. If you’re feeling adventurous, spring for the “Butcher’s Choice”. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Client: Kidrobot

These screen prints were inspired by a hike I took to Portland. We don’t have moss in LA and the forests in the Pacific Northwest were just covered in these magical plants.

Road Trip
Looks Like Rain
The Fuzzy Isles
Her Song

Print details:
6x6" / Five color screen prints on 100c French Construction Cement Green
Signed and numbered edition of 150.

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

Print details:
8x10" / Printed on a digital press on #130 uncoated cover stock.

Available in the shop.

I always like exploring new mediums for my work and for this particular project, I wanted to make a sculptural piece out wood. I sketched my concept and created a rough paper prototype so I could get a sense of volume and size. I then created all the main shapes I needed in Illustrator and sent the file off to get CNC cut out of plywood.

When I got the raw wood cuts back, the real work began. I hand cut the fins with a bandsaw, joined the two pieces that created the whale body, puttied the gaps, and sanded for dozens of hours to get everything nice and even.

The whale was then primed, masked and painted in multiple stages.

The sailors were created from of 1” birch balls which I drilled and pegged to fit in the boats. The boats were cut on a bandsaw out of poplar. The masts were cut from stiff wool felt which were glued into a dowel that I had slotted on a mini table saw.

I had the custom box printed through Packlane.

Each set comes with an enamel pin, 5x7” print, a whale, and one of three secret sailors. I painted three versions of the sailors just to make opening the box a little more fun.

Limited to 50 boxed sets / SOLD OUT.

Print details:
7x18" / Four color screen print on 100c French Construction Grout Gray
Signed and numbered edition of 100

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

Illustration concept for Gain Flings campaign.

Client: Gain
Agency: Chase Design Group
Direction: Evangeline Joo

Savage vs. sweet. Who will come out victorious?

Print details:
8.5x14" / Archival prints on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 100

Available in the shop.

Fun kid's stuff on the bottom shelves. Boring adult stuff on the top.

Print details:
8x18" / Printed on a digital press on #130 uncoated cover stock
Signed and numbered edition of 250.

Includes 3 spot applications of gold foil.

Available in the shop.

The Creeps are coming to town! Lock your doors, or not. Actually, these guys are pretty friendly. You should invite them over for dinner.

Print details:
8x10" / 2 color Riso print on Classic Crest Natural White stock with an eggshell finish
Signed and numbered edition of 100

SOLD OUT

Target wanted to do something fun for guests at the opening of a new store in North Miami Beach. so they brought me on to illustrate some stickers featuring Bullseye living that sun soaked good life.

Client: Target
Agency: Colle+McVoy
Direction: Vicki Homuth

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s perfectly weird, scary, and uplifting all at the same time.

Print details:
11x14" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 50

SOLD OUT

Mug designs for my side project, Night Cake Press.

Available here.

My tribute to Street Fighter.

Print details:
8x8" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 50 (ea)

SOLD OUT

Fright Done Right

Client: Target
Direction: Ted Halbur / Lucy Winter

It's 2016 which means affordable time travel is here! Why not make your first trip to the mysterious and dazzling Prehistoric World? Tours leave hourly!

Print details:
10x22" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 50

SOLD OUT

Print details:
8x12" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 100

Available in the shop.

Target teamed up with Nintendo for the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch. Select stores got the Mario Kart treatment complete with ‘kart’ wraps, Mario and Luigi bollard covers out front, and even the starting sound effects as you entered the store.

I worked with Target to design all the assets for this campaign.

Client: Target
Direction: Brian Holt / Ted Halbur

My love letter to the Godzilla films I grew up with. There is a heavy emphasis on Godzilla vs. Gigan… one of my favorite movies in the franchise. Godzilla Tower!

Print details:
11x17" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 60

SOLD OUT

The oceans were once a savage place brimming with monsters as large as your imagination. Our practically impervious Time Bubbles are the perfect way to see these magnificent super predators.
 

Print details:
10x22" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 50

SOLD OUT

Print details:
13x19" / Archival print on 340gsm Epson Cold Press watercolor paper
Signed and numbered edition of 125

Available in the shop.

Print details:
8x8" / Three color screen print on 100c French Construction Grout Gray
Signed and numbered edition of 100

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

This is my tribute to Disneyland's iconic Splash Mountain ride.

16x20”

Client: Wonderground Gallery / Disney Parks

The Tulgey Wood scene in Alice in Wonderland is full of both fantastic imagery
and solemn reflection.

16x20”

Client: Wonderground Gallery / Disney Parks

Kid's premiums for the Holiday 2015 season. The campaign focused on empowering creativity and nurturing the do-it-yourself spirit.

Client: Wendy's
Agency: Strottman International

Package illustrations for Quaker's Wonder Worlds line of instant oatmeal.

Client: Quaker
Agency: Hornall Anderson

Iconic homes in pop culture get center stage (and miniaturized!) in this print series.

Print details:
5x5" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 75 (ea.)

Available in the shop.

Print details:
5x5" / Three color screen prints 100c French Construction Whitewash.
Signed and numbered edition of 100

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

The aquarium has always been one of my favorite places to visit. I tried to capture the scale and wonder of looking at these massive exhibits through the eyes of child.

Print details:
Various sizes / Archival prints on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 100 (ea)

SOLD OUT

It's Saturday morning! Grab your favorite bowl from the cupboard and pour yourself some of that sugar coated goodness. Time for cartoons!

Print details:
7x22" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 75

SOLD OUT

I was given the opportunity to design a second mural for one of EA's marketing teams. The goal was to liven up their space with a piece of art that reflected game culture, some of their iconic properties, and a few personal favorites from the lives of various members on the team.

Client: Electronic Arts

Print details:
5x5" / Five color screen print on 100c French Construction Cement Green
Limited to 150 copies.

Available in the shop.

Due to the challenge of photographing bright inks, prints will be more vibrant in person than in the images shown.

I originally created this poster to pay tribute to the classic 92 card back of vintage Star Wars figures. It was later picked up by Disney/Lucasfilm and used as official merchandise for Celebration Anaheim in 2015. 

Select characters were also translated into exclusive enamel pins that were traded and sold throughout the event.

24x36”

© Disney/Lucasfilm

Sticker pack developed for the LINE app.

Ned, Fred, Bread, and Steve
Ned is a narwal, Fred is a swamp creature, Bread is bread, and Steve is the boy that brings everyone together. They're just four best friends looking to party!

I also included sketches of the designs that ended up being cut in the final pack.

Client: Line Corp

Printable Halloween labels to dress up your Campbell's Soup cans for some spooky fun.

Client: Campbell's Soup
Agency: BBDO
Direction: Danny Adrain, Roberto Danino

Additional credit: Some photos are courtesy of the Campbell's Kitchen official Pinterest account

Everyone is invited to the season's best party! You never know who you're going to run into at this frightfully fun Halloween bonanza.

Print details:
11x17" / Archival prints on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 75 (ea)

SOLD OUT

Ham it up with the world's most adventurous hamburger!

Available as a free download for Facebook Messenger.

Client: Facebook

This five print series highlights the world's most famous plumbers and their timeless adventures across two console generations and one handheld.

Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario World
Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins

I also recreated the box art for each of the games, staying true to both their original size and their spirit.

Print details:
16x20" / Offset printed on 12pt uncoated cover stock / Hand-numbered and signed / Gold foil stamped and embossed.

SOLD OUT

Ten posters commemorating ten of Nickelodeon’s star Creators and their iconic shows. The poster series includes tributes to: Steven Hillenburg (Spongebob Squarepants), John A. Davis (Jimmy Neutron), Arlene Klasky/Gabor Csupo & Paul Germain (Rugrats, Aaah! Real Monsters!), Jhonen Vasquez (Invader Zim), Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!), John Kricfalusi (The Ren & Stimpy Show), Joe Murray (Rocko’s Modern Life), Butch Hartman (The Fairly Odd Parents), Kevin Eastman, and Peter Laird (TMNT).

Client: Nickelodeon
Agency: Struck

This was print I did for fun that I included with all online orders.

Print details:
5x5" / Printed on a digital press on #130 uncoated cover stock

UK based natural food brands, Bear, hired me on to concept a set of trading cards that would come packaged inside their granola/fruit bars. The set was called Super Species and focused on the super abilities in the animal kingdom. Each of the animals went to a school where they were then grouped into categories. Each of these categories represented different traits in the animals.

Client: Bear

I created these three pieces as a personal project in late 2013. In 2015, Disney/Lucas Licensing picked them up to use as official merchandise for Celebration Anaheim. I modified the artwork to differentiate them from their original releases by adding a few new elements to each one. 

The 16x20” prints were translated into lithographs, oversized magnets, and t-shirts.

© Disney/Lucasfilm

Bullseye was the perfect candidate for the Qee figure platform from Toy2R. His design was inspired by the Target race team uniform.

Additional designs were concepted, but unfortunately were never used.

Client: Target

A 20x9' wide mural for Disney Consumer Products' headquarters in Glendale, California. 

Each section represents a different sub-discipline of the department. From left to right: preschool, plush, wood based toys, and consumer electronics.

Client: Disney Consumer Products

I love giant monster movies. They’re campy, but that’s the best part about them. In this print, I wanted to highlight all the key plot points that all of these monster movies inevitably share with each other: The fisherman who discovers a new species in his net, the surprise attack, the inept scientist, the hot shot soldier, the ineffective super weapon, and so on.

Print details:
16x20" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 75

SOLD OUT

I developed a family of characters to rebrand the Kid’s Academy program at Lifetime Fitness, a gym chain based in Minnesota. Each character represents a different activity the program has to offer including: spanish, music, Zumba, sports, karate, yoga, dance, arts & crafts, pre-gymnastics, and swimming.

Client: Life Time Fitness
Agency: 3e - A Life Time Agency
Direction: Adam Reynolds, Krae Lausch

Cover illustration for a small booklet included in the Q4 2012 Target Red publication.

Client: Target
Agency: Little & Company
Direction: Paul Sieka

Target organizes five amazing carnivals for the patients and families of St. Jude’s Children’s hospital each year and I was given the opportunity to design the collateral for a handful of these events.

Client: Target
 

Heartwork is a project designed to raise money for art supplies within the art room at Target House — this wonderful home-away-from-home for the families of children facing long-term treatment at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Client: Target 

Inspired by vintage lobby cards that were handed out at movie screenings in the 60′s.

Print details:
8x10" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 25

SOLD OUT

This ten print series features the best food at the greatest restaurants you’ve never heard about.

Astro Burger
Jasper’s Jurassic BBQ
The Kraken Seafood Shack
The Lumber Lodge
Madam Bunion’s Restaurant and Gifts
Mumbo Gumbo – Cajun Kitchen
Ms. Sato’s Sushi and Gas
Saturday Morning Rocks!
The Hole - Donuts

Print details:
8x10" / Archival print on Moab Entrada 300gsm Bright White rag
Signed and numbered edition of 100 (ea)

SOLD OUT