The latest Jordan Buckley vs. Hero Collab ETID Tour Poster

Every Time I Die 2010 Australian Tour Poster

This is the latest Jordan Buckley vs Hero Design Studio collaborative ETID tour poster. This print is the fourth in a series where the illustration line work is done by Jordan and handed over to us where we handle all the color, typography, the layout and any additional illustration, and of course the screen printing.

This poster sold out while they are on tour in Australia and we have a very limited supply for sale now.

We also still have a few (only about 5) of the last poster for their European Tour available for sale, once both of these posters are sold out they will never be made again.

Dunny Fatale Series Release & Trading Party at Hero.

Dunny Fatale Series
Release + Trading Party at Hero
Thursday January 28 - 6-9pm

Dunny gets a makeover in our latest series, featuring designs from 18 prominent and talented female artists. Come to Hero and get your hands on these lovelies before everyone else, meet fellow collectors, get your trade on and win awesome prizes.

Some are cute and sweet, while others are bold and in your face.

Each blind boxed 3-inch figure comes with a trading card and some include accessories.

Artists in this innovative series include Alex Anderson, Catalina Estrada, KLOR, CW, Aiko, Kathie Olivas, Wendi Koontz, Koralie, Baroness, Anna Chambers, Amanda Visell, Amy Ruppel, Julie West, Toofly, Junko Mizuno, Aya Kakeda, Tara McPherson, and Sara Varon.

Join Hero for an exciting release and trading party. Be the first to get your hands on this highly anticipated series and swap with the other dunny collectors. We will have food, drinks, super rad giveaways and more!

When:
Thursday January 28
6-9pm

Where:
Hero Design Studio + Boutique
93 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY

*** RSVP to the Facebook Event here
*** Download & Print the checklist here
*** More info about trading parties here

Pulled to the Limit - Hero Design Studio Retrospective Exhibition

Hero Design Studio Retrospective Exhibition at WNY Book Arts Center
Wednesday, January 13- Saturday, February 20, 2010

Artist Reception Friday January 29 6-9 PM
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In a relatively short time, Hero Design Studio has become a fixture in the Buffalo music and design scene. Their limited edition silk screened poster and design work for bands and special events has appeared internationally and has been featured in Spin, Print and How magazines and in such books as Gig Posters: Rock Show Art of the 21st Century alongside the most renowned practitioners of this art form, which has enjoyed a national renaissance in the last few years. Hero is husband and wife team, Beth Manos and Mark Brickey. The screen printing, illustration and design duo have created hundreds of hand printed posters and art prints since starting as Hero in 2003 and expanded their presence via their Allentown studio/shop. Silkscreen printing (also known as serigraphy) is a method of print making in which the negative of an image is blocked out of a screen of fine mesh, and ink is pulled through the open areas of the mesh onto the printing surface.

Pulled to the Limit at the Western New York Book Arts Center's gallery will feature the most comprehensive exhibit of Hero's silkscreened works to date. Along with limited edition prints and posters, the exhibit will feature one-of-a-kind prints, experimental work and works-in-progress that will help explain the creative and production process.

An artists' reception will be held mid-Exhibit on Friday, January 29, 2010 for a meet and greet, a special live printing demonstration with a commemorative poster for the exhibit being made on the spot, refreshments and more.

An additional Demo day, free and open to the public will be presented February 17th 6-8pm that guides participants through the specifics of how screen printing is done . This event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is required.


Western NY Book Arts Center
468 Washington St. at Mohawk
Buffalo NY 14203

716 348-1430

Vintage Reborn Necklaces. At Hero Now.

Made from vintage molds, these designs are anywhere from 40 - 150 years old. These beauties are available at Hero now and are the perfect gift for the vintage loving lady in your life, or they make for a wonderful guilt free reward to yourself for all your hard work this year. Oh and the best part? They start at just $20

Last Minute Panic Holiday Marketplace.

Still have some last minute gift buying to do? Looking for something unique and handmade? Don't panic....

Today and tomorrow you can do some shopping at the Last Minute Panic Holiday Marketplace.

At the main gallery, 1st floor of the Western New York Book Arts Center 468 Washington St at Mohawk in Downtown Buffalo

Friday Dec 11, 4-8pm & Saturday Dec 12 12-6pm

Free admission and open to the public

Artists, craftspeople, printers, & other handmade/self published/locally produced items. Perfect gifts for giving or hoarding.

Stop by the Hero booth, we'll have some brand new goodies that aren't even available in the Hero Boutique yet, and check out the full list of vendors here

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday December 7 at 12 pm EST until Monday December 14 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last. Each and every poster in the Great Ten Dollar Poster Sale is available online and at the Hero Boutique in Buffalo, NY.

Vannen Watches Series 1 - Get to know the artists...

Buff Monster

Buff Monster lives in Hollywood and cites heavy metal music, ice cream and Japanese culture as major influences. The color pink, as a symbol of confidence, individuality and happiness, is present in everything he creates. Buff is known for putting up thousands of silkscreened posters across Los Angeles and also in faraway places. When his original and one-and-only wheat paste brush was no longer usable, seven years of frequent poster missions came to an end. Having given up a very productive street art career, he now works exclusively on fine art paintings, collectible toys and select design projects. His works have been exhibited in numerous galleries, usually accompanied by large installations to enhance the paintings. Aside from his Happy Creamy Vannen watch, he has many other projects in the works.

Vannen "Happy Creamy" by Buff Monster

Watch packaging for Buff Monster's "Happy Creamy"

"It's a fun and happy design. I keep exploring all these other crazy themes in my paintings, but this is a core Buff Monster design. A watch is a really functional item, so you have to take that into account when you're designing it. And the packaging is really simple, but I really like the cardboard bubble pack that it comes in."

The art of Buff Monster

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Chris Ryniak

Chris Ryniak was born in 1976 in a safely distanced suburb of Detroit. He spent his childhood basking in the warm glow of Saturday morning cartoons, monster movies and flipping over rocks in search of insects and reptiles. In his teenage years, Chris' attention would shift to the world of skateboarding and the artists associated with the skate community, which later led to interests in commercial illustration. A graduate and former instructor at the Ringling School of Art and Design, Chris is now a painter and sculptor of all manner of critters that grace canvases as well as toy and print platforms. Chris' work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the world and his paintings have also been published in numerous books and periodicals. Chris currently resides in a coastal Ohio Dutch Colonial with his wife, two children, cat and frog.

Vannen "The Order of Things" by Chris Ryniak

Chris Ryniak watch packaging for "The Order of Things"

"Chris Ryniak: The design is basically a carefully cropped version of my painting "The Order of Things." It was the first painting that I did that reflected my current visual direction, plus it was centered and had a face...like a watch. I had never given any thought to putting my art on anything that wasn't a large solid area (like a skateboard). I knew I wanted to use as much of one painting as possible, so I went through a lot of my paintings, trying to find the right one, and at the time, this one made the most sense to me to use on the watch."

The art of Chris Ryniak

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Brian Morris

Brian Morris lives on the southern side of Chicago, married, eats a lot of red meat, prefers pinot noir, favorite color is black, draws because he likes to, second favorite color is black, born in '76, works in advertising, '62 Cadillac in the garage, dead kitty's name tattooed on his wrist, doesn't believe in God, believes in people, heavy metal poser, country music, Sharpies, Faber-Castells, doesn't correct his drawings, tattoos, deep in love, early to rise, saver not a spender, knows you can't take it with you, raised in a small town, college degree, practice makes perfect, loves toys, collector of HotWheels, enjoys the darker side, steak, potatoes, breakfast with his wife at the Ramova Grill, not a big fan of TV, would go to bed at 9PM if he could, smokes too many cigarettes, doesn't smoke enough cigarettes, loves black cherry Kool-Aid, boobies, and he won't design you a tattoo.

Vannen "Time Waits For No Man" by Brian Morris

Watch Packaging for Brian Morris' "Time Waits For No Man"

"Brian Morris: Themes of life and death play a big role in the works that I create. This watch was an excellent opportunity to share my belief that "time waits for no man." I hope that each time the wearer checks the time they are reminded to make the most of every moment. Time will pass you by if you let it, but the end will not. [Watch design] has its challenges: The shape, materials and functionality were all things I'd not worked with before. The art was created in the same way I produce all of my drawings; it was the application that was real fun part."

The art of Brian Morris

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Damon Soule

As a child Damon became so engrossed with drawing that it became a distraction; at age 16 he dropped out of school opting for the immediacy of a GED. At 19 he moved to San Francisco and enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Program at the San Francisco Art Institute. In 1996 Soule became the Art Director and Co-founder of FIT Skateboards and Civilian Clothing. After art directing the brands for a number of years, he sold his portion of the business to pursue art full-time. Soule's art has been featured in group exhibitions in San Francisco at 111 Minna Gallery, Punch Gallery, Southern Exposure Gallery, Culture Cache, New Langton Arts and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Recent shows also include "New Works by Oliver Vernon and Damon Soule" at BLVD Gallery and "Green Art Exhibition" at Robert Berman Gallery.

Vannen "Square Takes The Circle" by Damon Soule

Watch packaging for Damon Soule's "Square Takes The Circle"

The art of Damon Soule

Have your Kidrobot and eat it too.

Local bakery owner, Zilly of Zilly Cakes, stopped by Hero today for the first time. She was sent to us by our friends at Sunday Skate Shop, after she went there asking if they carry Kidrobot. She came in and asked for me by name, carrying a HUGE white box that she said 'was something she thought we might like'.

Zilly had a huge Kidrobot logo cake that she made for a customer that didn't pick it up. She brought it by since she heard we carry and love Kidrobot. She gave us the cake and just wanted us to 'enjoy it in good health'.

The cake is beautifully made and it is about 12" long and about 6" high and it is layers of white cake with white frosting in between and the whole thing is covered in a beautiful homemade fondant.

I think this calls for a cake party. Who's bringing the milk?

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 30 at 12 pm EST until Monday December 7 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last. Each and every poster in the Great Ten Dollar Poster Sale is available online and at the Hero Boutique in Buffalo, NY.

Black Friday / Black Saturday. Extending our sale till tomorrow...

Today was great and we are now officially in the Christmas mood! Thank you to everyone that came by today. We're feeling so festive that we have decided to extend the sale into tomorrow, to continue the feeling!

So, if you couldn't make it today because you were stuck with family, too tired from door busting at 5am or just still full of Turkey from yesterday, come by Hero tomorrow 12-5pm and get in on the killer deals.

The 29 Tubes of Christmas - Hero's Online Scratch + Dent Sale

The 29 Tubes of Christmas are available now! This is the first time we have EVER offered our discounted Scratch + Dent posters to our online shoppers. It's a great way to grab some super cheap posters you've been eyeing up and maybe even some holiday gifts! If you have any questions contact us at hero.design {at} mac {dot} com

Black Friday at The Hero Boutique...TONS of great deals!

We have VERY VERY few of these available and they are already sold out on kidrobot.com so if you are looking to get one, you will want to be here RIGHT at 12pm!!

MUNNYWORLD are at Hero Now.

All of MUNNY’s new MUNNYWORLD friends are available now.

You can start making your own new world of toys!

These are a great way to make some unique gifts for people on your list, that appreciate your creative skills!

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We just reprinted our popular owly in a brand new colorway and we are releasing it today! We only have 10 prints available at this very low price of $10 (thats 50% off), then the price will go up to $20. It’s the perfect price for a holiday gift.

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 23 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 30 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last. Each and every poster in the Great Ten Dollar Poster Sale is available online and at the Hero Boutique in Buffalo, NY.

Lots of new stuff at Hero now...

Santa came to Hero a little early and we have something for every one on your holiday list, no matter if they are naughty or nice!

Swamp Folk Mini Figures
The Scary Girl adventure continues with Nathan Jurevicius’ latest mini series. All 9 Swamp Folk, plus the two chases, come blind boxed with accessories and an insert that tells their twisted tales.
Available now at Hero.






Krunk-A-Claus Dunny 3-Inch
Get in the Yuletide spirit with TADO’s Krunk-A-Clause Dunny. With a bottle of ‘nog and ice cream cone, the jolly Krunk is the gift that keeps on giving. But watch out for the crowbar wielding, holiday hating chase! Blind-boxed and at Hero now!






Xmas Wonderland Labbit 5-Pack
Frank Kozik spreads a little holiday sneer with this set of 5 ferociously festive 1.5-inch Labbits. Ranging from flocked to frosted, this pack is available now at Hero.

Applying the "Think Different" (a look back at the last three years)

It's pretty safe to say that no single company has ever inspired me more than Apple Computer. I have read (maybe) ten books in my life and Steve Jobs' biography makes that very short list. The first time I walked into an Apple store two things occurred to me; one, if there is a heaven this must be what it looks like, bright white, open and beautiful. The second thing that I immediately realized is, this place isn't just built for selling computers, but it was also built to sell their brand, the lifestyle and most importantly the human experience.

Three and half years ago Hero called a 250 square foot office on Main Street, "home". We were busting at the seams there, using a hallway for our poster inventory and printing our posters in a friend's basement, miles away. People would walk by and bang on my window, and proceed to yell to me that they wanted to come in, to purchase a poster. Although it was cool to sell our posters using the same system as a meth dealer, it was time for a change.

We needed more space, but we also needed more money for said space. It was time to get even more creative than we were already trying to be, but instead of being creative with a "Built To Spill" poster, we needed to be creative with our entire business. In times like those, I have to take a step back and look at everything I love and admire, and everything that inspires me, to see how I can apply it to my personal situation. I immediately thought about the Apple Store and thought, "WHAT IF?". The design industry for the most part is a closed door world, hidden away on the third floor of some office building. What if we took it to the street and opened the door? What if we invited other creatives or fans of creativity, into a space and offered them a chance to experience all things design? What If we applied what we had always loved about Apple and started to "Think Different" about our own little business?

Three years later, we're on the street level and we have had an open door that entire time. People have been able to come in, look over the four-foot counter that separates our store from the design studio, to see what we're designing. They have been able to look in the back and see us screen printing our current project, they've been able to look at the walls to see the posters we've created over the past 4 years and they have been inspired from shelves and shelves of designer toys from artists all over the world. It is 700 square feet of all things design and creative, all happening in real time, right in front of your eyes. Three years later, in our hometown of Buffalo, more people than ever know who we are and we realize we are selling so much more than our posters, toys and design services. Just like our inspiration, Apple, we are selling ourselves, our brand and our own personal human experience.

The second best thing about this entire experience, which came as a surprise to me, has been the people. Many of our customers have become some of our best friends. After all, we help their loved ones pick out their gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and other special events in their lives. We have spent many of our favorite nights in Buffalo with these people in our tiny little store, drinking, eating and listening to good music, all while celebrating our common bond, a love for design. Some come in every other month, some a couple times a month and a few every single week. They don't always buy something, but for us it's not just always about making money, it's about getting out of our chairs, putting the project or client on hold, and just shooting the shit with a good friend. The people, our customers and friends, have made this business enjoyable to us and they make going to work even more exciting than it already is.

What has been the BEST thing about this entire experience for me, you ask? It is doing what I love for a living, with my favorite person, who is both my partner in life and in business, all while our dog is laying at our feet. I may not be a wealthy man and my bank account can prove that, but I am a happy man and my laugh lines are a badge of honor. This little store has supported my dreams while others are still dreaming.

Thank you for three great years! Let's make it thirty more!

Mark Brickey
Husband, Designer, Printer, Store Owner, Businessman, Friend, Dog Owner & Community College Drop Out

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 16 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 23 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

Tomorrow the Hero Boutique Celebrates Three Years!

That's right, time really does fly when you are having fun! The Hero Boutique has been open in Allentown for 3 years already and we have a HUGE stack of $5 posters available to you!

Stop by the Hero Boutique to celebrate with us any time from 12pm - 10pm tomorrow Friday the 13th to take advantage of the great deals listed above and more importantly come by between 7pm and 10pm for cocktails, giveaways and more!!

What? You wanna get us a birthday present?
The best gift you can give us is your continued support so we are able to stick around for many more years to come! Stop by our store, buy something for yourself, for a gift, or get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Even the smallest purchases support our store and allow us to continue to bring you the newest and coolest goodies.

RSVP to this event on Facebook.

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 9 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 16 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.

This week's Great Ten Dollar Poster...

In celebration of Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead (which is celebrated yesterday, November 1 and today, November 2) - this week's Great Ten Dollar Poster is our Sugar Skull art print.

We have a very limited supply available at this special price so get yours fast. Offer valid from Monday November 2 at 12 pm EST until Monday November 9 at 11:59 am EST, or while supplies last.