Last year at a show, a friend came around and gave a bunch of vendors a simple little tag with a “No AI” logo on it. So I put it out on my table and have ever since.
Over the months and shows that have passed since then, people have commented on it and thanked me for not using generative AI art. More recently at the past few shows, people have tried to buy the tag or asked if I had stickers of the logo or anything else with it on it because they want to support the artists that put the effort in and make their own art.
So as an artists in a capitalistic world, I decided to put together my own hand-drawn version of the logo on shirts on my website and stickers to follow for my summer shows…and who knows what else.
Art is supposed to be real and messy and frustrating. It takes time, patience and practice as well as second, third and forty-fourth guessing yourself until you’re about ready to throw the whole thing in the trash until a friend gets a sneak peak and says whoa…that’s cool. And you decide that it’s probably ok enough to keep it. For now.
If you want to type in a few sentences so that you can have something that was spun through a piss filter and that looks like a pile of shiny, overly airbrushed Photoshop artwork from 2002 that you would find on a school folder in Walmart right next to a Corvette binder and a pencil case with an astronaut in space on it…sorry (not sorry) to say it but you’re not making real art. You’re stealing from the real artists that generative AI programs trained on without permission.
Don’t worry, we can tell who you are because last month you were using what looked like a Windows XP era wallpaper with Comic Sans for your flyers and now it’s over-rendered hot sludge.
To all of my friends out there making real art, keep doing what you’re doing. More people know it’s real and appreciate it than you think. Get it out into the world by any means necessary. We need more of you and less of them.
For those that have come up and thanked me for doing my own art, for supporting us weird artists, and for inspiring this piece, you fine human beings make it all worthwhile.
#cryptoteeology #noai #illustration #realart #stopfakeart
Our new design for the @hodagheritagefestival next weekend is printed, packed up and ready to go.
I wanted to try something different and was aiming for a woodblock/stamp print style mixed with a National Park vibe much like our Country Roads design.
I’ll have these as well as our usual assortment of weirdness next weekend in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. If you won’t be able to make it up north, they’re also available on our website.
I can’t wait to see all of my friends in the Northwoods once again!
#cryptoteeology #hodag #hodagheritagefestival #wisconsin #cryptids
We will be joined by the fabulous Cosplay Queen @erica.fett of @campcryptid for our first ever Squonkapalooza Cosplay Contest!! There will be trophies and cash prizes, so come dressed to impress! Cosplay can be any genre you want, but know that your judges are partial to Cryptids. 😉
I’m assuming that @cryptoteeology will want to be a judge? 🤔 I know @cryptid_comforts will be. We need one more judge as well, so if you’d like to be a judge please dm us here and tell me why you think you’d make a great judge.
#cosplay #costumes #squonkapalooza #squonkapalooza2026 #ericafett
So pleased to welcome @cryptoteeology to @ufodaywv . Joe specializes in making awesome tshirt art but he also works on comic books and does lots of art work for others in the community too. His creative mash ups are really fun too. Come by and find the cool cryptid cereal mash up shirt of your dreams and more. #ufoday #ufodaybuckhannon #ufodaywv #vendorspotlight
I’ll be chillaxing at @fourstatecomiccon this weekend in Hagerstown, MD.
I’m also trying a new indoor setup since I’m flying solo this weekend. I’ll be lonely so come visit me and maybe buy something while you’re at it.
This show is always a good time with plenty of fun things going on and plenty of amazing artists and vendors so do yourself a favor and come check it out.
#cryptoteeology #fourstatecomiccon #comicon #comicbooks #cryptids
I just finished up the official design for the spring @scifivalleycon show June 12-14.
Obviously, they had me at Starship Troopers reunion so I had to do my part and whip up some propaganda for democracy.
These will be available at the official merch booth during the show and on our website afterwards.
Now get out there and kill some bugs!!!
#cryptoteeology #scifivalleycon #starshiptroopers #democracy #tshirts
This weekend officially kicks off the “itsalljustablur” part of our schedule.
We’ll be bouncing from state to state and back home again from now until at least mid November. We still have a few more shows that will be added to the list once that info comes out to us so keep your eyes peeled for additions.
Catch ya on the road, chumps!!!
#cryptoteeology #illustration #schedule #cryptids #tshirts
14 years ago I started work on the official shirt design for the first ever @scifivalleycon and here’s the original inks for that design.
Dozens of designs later over those 14 years, I’ll be finishing up the design for 2026 Part 1 here soon.
So many people look forward to and collect them every year and it’s been quite an awesome experience to be able to continue doing the show shirts every year.
Thanks to everyone for supporting both the show and my art over all those years.
#cryptoteeology #scifvalleycon #tshirts #art #illustration
Come play with us July 31st @bottle_works for the @squonkapalooza pregame of @dylansdrinkdraw hosted by @thedylanjacobson . It’s a fast paced game of art where fun is more important than skill. Get weird and creative with us. Time tbd, but probably 7ish? After cryptid trivia. #squonkapalooza #squonkapalooza2026 #dylansdrinkanddraw
The theme for @squonkapalooza this year is the 80s, and one of the things that shaped and influenced my life in the 80s were video games and what cover is more recognizable than this one?
A tribute to Super Mario Bros. 3, the Squonk is super sad because he couldn’t find a Frog Suit or a Tanooki Suit or even a damn Super Leaf so he had to put on his overalls, grab a P-Wing and rain tears upon the grass fields and deserts.
What’s everyone’s favorite 80s video games?
#cryptoteeology #squonk #cryptids #videogames #80s
Head on over to @ufodaywv and apply to be a vendor or sponsor or to follow along with news and updates for this new up-and-coming show.
I’ll be there vending as well as @cryptid_comforts and @whitney_yadon_art to name a few.
This is going to be a fun celebration of UFOs, cryptids and all things strange and unknown.
The link is in their bio for vendor and sponsor apps.
#cryptoteeology #ufodaywv #ufos #cryptids #westvirginia
Our next sponsor we want to give a big warm shout out to is Para-unorthodox! They will be sponsoring all of the activities from the Heritage center, the cosplay contest, arts and crafts, and so much more. We are so excited to have them back with us this year. They’re loyal supporters of what we do at the festival and that means so much to us! #squonkapalooza #squonkapalooza2026
