Projects | Ben Toalson

Firefly/Serenity Invert Lettering

by Ben Toalson | Aug 25, 2014 | Projects

Years ago some great friends let me borrow the complete firefly collection on DVD. At the time I was working for a bank, and I would rush home (about a 5 minute trip) during my lunch hour so I could watch an episode. This led to me being late a few times, receiving corrective action, and falling in love with the characters and stories of The ‘Verse. I have enjoyed these shows for years and regularly go back to watch the story from the beginning.

I decided to do an artistic series based on favorite quotes and scenes from the Firefly series and the follow-up movie, Serenity:

No Power in the ‘Verse

Serenity

A Leaf on the Wind

“I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.” A beloved character and a beautiful line. I made this one as a tribute to my favorite sci-fi pilot, Wash.

HD Lettering Photography Wallpaper – Collaboration with Photographer Helen Montoya

by Ben Toalson | Jul 8, 2014 | Projects

For awhile our good friend and family photographer, Helen Montoya, has been collaborating with my wife, sending her photographs which my wife then takes and uses as inspiration for a fictional work she is currently developing. (Click here to check out her stories). I thought it would be fun to do something similar, but to instead write and hand-letter a short quote to overlay on the image and offer them as HD wallpapers. Helen and I will be collaborating for 30 pieces which we will complete over 30 weeks.

You can keep up with our progress here on this page:

Freedom

4/30 in my collaboration with photographer Helen Montoya. “Each person is a reflection of a freedom that belongs to all people.” Honestly, I wanted to play with the imagery of this one to express a thought that is a little abstract. Basically, the idea is that when you get to know someone, the more intimate […]

Sky

5/30 In my collaboration with photographer Helen Montoya. “Give me the peace of a quiet field and the freedom of a wide open sky.”

Stars

“If not for the sunset, we’d never see the stars.” This is my first piece in a collaboration with photographer Helen Montoya. When I looked at this picture, I was reminded of the beauty of the sunset. Metaphorically, when the sun “sets” on certain aspects of our lives, it doesn’t seem very beautiful and can […]