Ten Lives

Artist: Gil Martinez, RGD
This is a piece I did recently using original want ads looking to buy and sell slaves, and capture fugitives. I am an avid collector of old engravings, and I found several that illustrated each of the clips, including the center image of the piece, from Godey's lady's book, ca. 1845. On the whole, the images seem idyllic, and the piece itself is similar to some 1890's crafts I've seen at auction, but each little image contains an insurmountable amount of violence, in the form of ten lives that were never free to run themselves.

Ten Lives—2010
43 cm x 58 cm
Antique engravings, gold leaf, newspaper clippings (ca. 1780-1840), glass and wood.

The Centre for Social Innovation opens a new building!

Art Director, Designer, Illustrator: Gil Martinez, RGDDesigner:
The Centre for Social Innovation has opened a new location, and I designed this poster to welcome new tenants into the space. I like to use calligraphy in my work, and although a quick job, I am very pleased with this particular project.

Farmer's Market at CSI!

Art Director, Designer, Illustration: Gil Martinez, RGDDesigner:
I've been helping out at, and working out of, The Centre for social Innovation. This incredible community hosts several progressive organizations and businesses. We are all committed to social change, and try to support local businesses that grow food responsibly. There is a mini-market there each Tuesday, and I have produced this poster to promote the event. I am exploring the graphic language of the 40s, 50s and 60s. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Banners for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment

Art Director: Tom Browne, RGDDesigner: Gil Martinez, RGD
This is a recent display panel I made for Tom Browne at the Ministry of the Environment. The panels were produced over a weekend—I am quite happy with the results, and I hear they were very well received at M.O.E.

The Gold Tooth

Art Director, designer, illustrator: Gil Martinez, RGD
This is part of a personal project—a series of CD-sized images each dealing with a specific genre of Mexican music. This one deals with "NarcoCorridos", a type of folk song that is based on people and events surrounding the drug trade in the US-Mexico border.

Travel Labels, redux

Designer: Gil Martinez, RGD
A few years ago I made some labels for Yankee Magazine. I have recently retaken the project, and have been busy giving the labels a more weathered look. I am doing some new ones, too. Updates to follow...

Construction #1 (personal work)

Artist: Gil Martinez, RGD
I've been hard at work developing a new illustration style which will combine my drawings (Like the Tighty Whitey poster I made recently for PWA) with my collage work. This is my latest—using original 1840's fashion plates, a vintage niche I bought at an outdoors antique market, and old porn.


Whores3 (Babylon)—2010
18.5 cm x 31 cm
Antique engravings, vintage porn, paper, silk, painted plaster statue, rolled paper, wood veneer, antique niche.

Sexy pro-bono for a good cause

Art Director/Designer/Illustrator: Gil Martinez, RGD

This poster for PWA advertised their annual car-wash extravaganza. Hunks galore raised more than $7,000 for a very worthy cause. And they wore my poster! yay!

We're not getting any younger, but are we really old?

Art Director/Designer: Gil Martinez, RGD

For those of us that don't like the partyin' anymore, Pride has formed the 40+ committee, which is the new 80 in the gaytto. It was to be promoted with this flyer, but we ended up distributing it electronically.

Pride Gala—A theme and some variations

Art Director/Designer: Gil Martinez, RGD
These are the poster, tickets and program for Pride Toronto's Gala and Awards for this year. Apparently people richer than I contributed significantly to the success of this year's festival. Yay!

Why not?

Art Director: Tom Browne, RGD
Designer: Gil Martinez, RGD
These headers for a possible green newsletter have gone from the predictable to the wacky. Aside from the dew-sprinkled grass and the requisite clouds, why not the off-the-grid recycling superhero?

Emerald Awards at the Ministry of the Environment

Art Director: Tom Browne, RGD
Designer: Gil Martinez, RGD
These logo tries for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment were a lot of fun to work on. The final choice made for some fun diplomas!