Inking Octo / Issue 2

issue no.
two
january 2015
Featuring HKcovers Dionne Yarbrough Pathetic Pixels
THE TWO FOR THE MONEY ISSUE
the inking octo issue no. 2
page 1
WAIT, WHATS THE INKING OCTO?

The name of the zine is based off of the first t-shirt I have
ever printed, which was a handdrawn octopus. The final name,
Inking Octo, comes from the love of printmaking, specifically
screenprinting, and other accessible art media and the
process that goes into its production.
A WORD
FROM THE INKING OCTO

Thanks for picking up this issue of the Inking Octo zine. If you
were one of the few souls that were able to see the previous issue,
you have probably noticed a difference in the presentation. I plan
on bringing forth a more unified vision for IO (Inking Octo) this time
around and in the future.
However, some aspects of the previous iteration of the zine will
appear in this version also. The Autofill Interviews are back in a
more serious tone and the Crate Music Reviews will return under
the name .WAVs. The multiple artist profiles have been condensed
into one longer profile now named This Is..., that focuses on just
one artists work.
Thanks,
ABV
page 2
the queue
MEET THE
INKING OCTO CREW
Ashton Briar Vaughn
Shaun Aaron Kyser
Creator of the Inking Octo.
Dedicated gamer and Beastie Boys
Lover of hip-hop influenced-
historian. A graffiti connoisseur.
with-whatever genre music.
V8 juice drinker.
THIS ISSUES
QUEUE
A Word from the Inking Octo
page 1
Autofill Interview
page 4
with HK, a rising graphic designer
to
page 12
concerts in houston!
Upcoming Attractions
page 13
to
page 14
the queue
page 3
With contributions from:

Omari Cato
Patrick Masterson
Julian Cearley
Hendrick Rosemond
The guiding hand. Hes been there,
Photographer, musical artist and a
done that. Also known as the
graphic designer trifecta.
magazine sage.
.WAVs Music Reviews
page 15
to
page 21
feature article!
The Art of Getting

with Dionne Yarbough, the creator of MOTIV USA brand
page 22
to
page 29
This is...Pathetic Pixels, digital artist and graphic designer
page 30
to
page 37
In Concert with the Local Natives
page 38
to
page 43
autofill interview with hk
page 5
How graphic designer HK works within a

collective, honed his skills, and made his
connections.
Check all that apply:
Artist
Inking Octo...
HK...
Musician
Celebrity
Other
Give a brief description of yourself.

Hk. 20 years old. I like to create! I dont want to latch
on to the title of an artist or whatever - its weird.
Just young with ideas.
Inking Octo...
HK...
Where (in the hell) did your name come from?

My name is Henock but Hk was a nickname thats
been stuck with me since the 5th grade.
Inking Octo...
HK...
How long did it take to find your current style?

I dont know if I have a certain style or aesthetic
that I latch onto. I know that my freshmen year in
college, I was taking a 2D art class and my teacher
Mr. Faircloth really opened my eyes to art. Studying
color theory, researching artists and different forms
of art, ways of execution and overall appreciation
for art really enlightened me and made me want to
revitalize my craft and take what I do very seriously.
page 6
Inking Octo...
Where do you get the inspiration for your work?
HK...
I scroll through the internet a lot, watch various

movies for inspiration and ideas, tumblr, music,
my friends, even things that are around me.
Inking Octo...
When did you decide to enter the cover art game?
HK...
Sophomore year of high school, my friend Daniel

was putting out a little mixtape and asked if I knew
how to make cover art. I didnt - but I said yes
anyway and went to an online photo editor (Pixy.com
or something; its gone now) and played with the
settings in there until something cool came out.
Sure enough, I kept doing that and enjoyed it enough
to research how to actually make cover art - and the
first step was to download Photoshop. Ever since
then, its been wild.
Inking Octo...
Arent you apart of some sort of art collective?

How did it come about?
HK...
I design a lot with my friends to push the idea of

collaboration further while having fun and sometimes
getting paid off of it. Im in 3 at the moment. The first
page 7
is with Travis Brothers, Bryan Rivera, and Kadeem

Fletcher. Were U.L.T.R.A.S. which stands for
Unifying Leaders To Redefine
& Accumulate Success.
Its more of a design agency
start-up at the moment thats
soon to grow. Reed Bennett,
Clayborne Bujorian, and I
design under the monicker
L*W*H and have done artwork
for a lot of stars in todays
rap climate. The last is
BROCKHAMPTON, more of a
music collective that I creative
direct which houses Kevin
Abstract, Matt Champion,
Dom McLennon, Mic Kurb,
Romil, and many others.
Its tough checking in and
handling these different
design houses at the same
time but, when youre working
with outstanding creatives,
it makes for a genuine and
exciting experience.
Personal Works
HK...
How does this affect your

outside commission works?
It helps a lot honestly, it gets my name and work out

to different audiences and markets that I couldnt
have done so by myself.
page 8
Inking Octo...
HK...
How did you link up with ASAP Ferg?

In 2013 A$AP Yams hit me up through Twitter DM
to see if I could edit some Instagram flyer for Fergs
Works for ASAP Ferg
Persian Wine music video.

He said if it came out well,
wed be working more
often. Later in the year they
commissioned me to do
Fergs TURNTXBURNT
tour posters, as well as
promotional pieces. After all
that happened, I was sitting
in class and got a random
text. Yo. Not knowing
who it was I asked if it was
someone I knew, and the
next message I got was Its
Ferg nigga. and I flipped
out for a sec (had to tame
myself quickly cause I was
in class and some girl was
staring at me this entire
time.) Ferg was dropping
some tracks at the top of the
year and needed cover art,
so we worked back and
forth on those.
Gotten any perks out of
the connect?
HK...
I got invited to a show at his TurntXBurnt tour but

couldnt make it out because the city he was
page 9
performing at wasnt really close to me at all.

Inking Octo...
HK...
Have you made any other connections since then?

Yes! Its cool how people connect over mutual friends
and the internet. Ive met really cool people and some
great friends through all this, and hope to continue.
Inking Octo...
HK...
How serious are you taking your video production?

Not too serious. I want to use video as a platform
to create and experiment. Theres only so much
you can express through static images you create
in Photoshop and Illustrator, but using different
software and tampering with video is another
world in itself which makes for beautiful art.
Inking Octo...
What would you say is key to making strides in

this business?
HK...
Being genuine, focused, and honest. Keeping your

head high and alert can keep you running for a
long time.
page 10

ASAP Ferg Tour Poster
page 11
Kevin Abstract Hell Teaser Poster
Jeremih & Shlomo - No More EP
Magna Carta Tour Collage
page 12
hkcovers.com
twitter.com/hkcovers
instagram.com/hkcovers
FEB
Tear me out!
2
4
5
6
7
11
14
page 13
Deradoorian (at) Fitzgeralds in Houston, TX

JMSN (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
Wale (at) House of Blues in Houston, TX
Rick Springfield (at) Hobby Center in Houston, TX
Chris Brown (at) Toyota Center in Houston, TX
Silverstein (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
Steve Aoki (at) Studio Live in Houston, TX
PartyNextDoor (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
MAR
20
22
Logic (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
3
4
5
15
Andy Grammer (at) House of Blues in Houston, TX
Lights (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
Raheem Devaughn (at) Bayou Music Center in Houston, TX

Cold War Kids (at) House of Blues in Houston, TX
Charlie Wilson, Kem & Joe (at) Toyota Center in Houston, TX
Homeboy Sandman (at) Fitzgeralds in Houston, TX
18
27
PRhyme (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX

The OJays (at) Houston Arena Theater in Houston, TX
*Subject to change
Photograph by Hendrick Rosemond
APR
1
3
Dr. Dog (at) House of Blues in Houston, TX

Ariana Grande (at) Toyota Center in Houston, TX
Datsik (at) Stereo Live in Houston, TX
4
15
17
23
Shlohmo (at) Fitzsgeralds in Houston, TX

Nosaj Thing (at) Fitzgeralds in Houston, TX
OK GO (at) Warehouse Live in Houston, TX
Wilco (at) Bayou Music Center in Houston, TX
Father John Misty (at) Fitzgeralds in Houston, TX
MAY
JUN
25
30
Twin Shadow (at) Fitzgeralds in Houston, TX
22
23
26
28
Kenny Chesney (at) BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX
26
Vans Warped Tour in Houston, TX
Walk The Moon (at) House of Blues in Houston, TX
Iggy Azalea & Nick Jonas (at) Toyota Center in Houston, TX

Neil Diamond (at) Toyota Center in Houston, TX
Volbeat and Anthrax (at) Bayou Music Center in Houston, TX
Tear me out!
page 14
.WAVs Music Reviews
pronounced as waves
page 15
W
. Avs
MUSIC ReVIeWS
We have compiled a variety of audio
experiences for your listening pleasure.
Most, if not all, are free-to-stream and
some even for free download.
Support the artist if you can.
page 16
.WAVS Music Reviews
High off of the soaring reviews

of The Guardian UK and Pitchfork
Media, indie pop trio TV Girl
readied and released their first full
length music project. To ballpark
the sound that they bring to the
table, you could place it in the
middleground between Black Moth
Super Rainbow and The Go! Team,
TV Girl
French Exit
that is if you can imagine such a

place. With its drum programming
Genre(s): Pop
firmly planted in hip hop, the
Indie
soft vocals of Trung Ngo add a
Hip Hop
Released on June 2014
marshmellowy layer to the whole

experience. Plus, their low-fi
approach to the musics creation
Free via Bandcamp

Streaming also on Bandcamp
adds more welcome texture.

There is just something oddly
satisfying about the sound of
random song samples, energetic
breakbeat drums, and understated
pop vocal stylings.
Artist Biography
TV Girl is a San Diego pop trio. Originally a duo consisting of Trung Ngo
and his old high school classmate, Brad Petering, the group initially
started to make music randomly in college. With addition of Joel
Williams and a boost from Pitchfork, they have gained a nice buzz.
.WAVS Music Reviews
page 17
Hiatus Kaiyote finally follows up

their 2012 debut album Tawk
Tomahawk with this three-song
extended play entitled By Fire. The
quartet introduces a noticeably
more electronic sound on the title
track but still keeps a foot in the
realm of R&B and Soul. Short and
quick presses of the synthesizer
Hiatus Kaiyote
By Fire EP
Genre(s): R&B/Soul
led by the drummers energetic

percussion provide a perfect
backdrop for Nai Palms vocals.
Electronic
Released on December 2014
However, the band truly shines on

the last track, Molassess. Here,
$4.49 via iTunes

Streaming on Souncloud
they return to an instrumentation

reminiscent of their first album.
Its a soulful treat consisting of
multiple compositional changes
and a showcase of Palms signature
vocal phrasing. Well worth the
purcahse.
Artist Biography
Hiatus Kaiyote formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2011. Self labeled as
a four-piece future soul outfit, they have released a debut album named
Tawk Tomahawk and were nominated for a Grammy, a feat that even
surprised themselves.
page 18
.WAVS Music Reviews
Picture You Staring is the Canadian

band TOPS second album release
though they possess a sound
that would be customary for an
established staple within the genre.
Their easygoing and comfortable
approach to music making
translates effortlessly into the
final product. Just listen to the first
TOPS
Picture You Staring
Genre: Indie Pop
Released on September 2014
track. Just do it. Sunny and smooth,

Way To Be Loved reintroduces the
bright pop outfit through its upbeat
guitar riffs and mellow vocals
perfectly. Throughout the album,
$10 via iTunes
the blending of surfer-esque guitar
Streaming on Spotify
chords and soothing (and, at times,

80s like) synths with the soft voice
of the lead female singer, TOPS
creates a pop experience that
would only be more complete if it
were to score some low budget indie
mumblecore rom-com.
Artist Biography
TOPS is a pop quartet from Montreal. Credited for spawning the pop
scene in Montreal, two of the founding members had started making
music in 2009. They are known for their homemade approach as they
write, produce, master and shoot their own videos with local artists.
.WAVS Music Reviews
page 19
Some may know the jazz trio

from their relation to the rapper/
producer Tyler, the Creator but
these guys have been working
hard at creating a name for
themselves on their own. The
album, III, marks the groups first
full length without any features,
putting on the focus on their own
BADBADNOTGOOD
III (Three)
Genre(s): Jazz
Hip Hop
Released on May 2014
compositional abilities. Though the

trio roots in hip hop still remain
present, the music takes on more
elements of modern jazz than
previous outings, and this is by
no means a bad thing. BBNG is
$10 via Bandcamp
showing their audience and also
Streaming also on Bandcamp
those that have not yet accepted

these as real musicians that they
have matured their sound and
have found a way to meld their
two major genre influences.
Need an example? Listen to CS60.
Moody hip-hop jazz at its finest.
Artist Biography
BADBADNOTGOOD or BBNG are a jazz trio from Toronto, Canada.
The members met in college, bonded over their love for hip hop and
began to make covers. With the help of Tyler, the Creator, they
continued to make music and found a dedicated audience.
page 20
.WAVS Music Reviews
Here enters Daniel Caesar, a 19 year

old singer/songwriter currently
bouncing around Torontos
budding music scene. It would be
wise not to lump the young man
in with other forgettable radio
singers that have been spawning
recently. With his second project,
Praise Break, Caesar blends his two
Daniel Caesar
loves, church choir and R&B, into
Praise Break
a cohesive seven tracks exploring
Genre: R&B/Soul
the feelings of having, losing, and
being rejected love. On the projects

single, Violet, Daniel describes the
Free vis Soundcloud

Streaming also on Soundcloud
unrequited love of a girl he refers

to as his violet in the sun. There is
a vulnerability in his music that
he is consciously recognizes and
attributes to the Toronto music
scene as a whole. You will be
hearing more from this guy.
The bandwagon starts now.
Artist Biography
Daniel Caesar is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter. Molded by a life
grounded in religion and choir, he uses the techniques learned to create
what has been described as new soul. He is currently crashing on the
couches on friends while recording more music.
.WAVS Music Reviews
page 21
Nick Hakim is another singer/

songwriter that I would keep an
eye on. This part two follow-up to
his release earlier this year of the
same name picks up right where
the last tape ended and builds up
it. This is exposed brick walls and
wine music. Hakims voice just
has a particular grain to it that
Nick Hakim
Where Will We Go Pt. 2
ages it to perfection over the

strums of his guitar and the twinkle
Genre: R&B/Soul
of the piano keys. However, its
still full of youth. The standout

track on the EP, I Dont Know,
$3.99 via iTunes

Streaming on Souncloud
places Nicks smooth vocals over

mellow accompanying percussion
and matching piano and guitar
that swells during the chorus as
Hakims harmonies hammer home
the emotion of the tracks message
of loss and longing. The whole tape
is a treat.
Artist Biography
Nick Hakim is D.C. born, Brooklyn based singer/songwriter. First
sighted on an album released by artist Gizmo, it was in 2014 that Nick
began to make a name for himself. He is characterized by his raw and
emotional vocal delivery and a mainly acoustic instrumentation.
An Inking Octo Feature
THE
ART O
GETTIN
with Dionne Yarbrough
OF
NG
Model: Wvescape
Photographer: Cheap & Illegal
the art of getting with dionne
My name is
Dionne Yarbrough
and I make hipster
skater clothing.
Inking Octo: Does the drive run in your family?
Dionne: Not really. My mom is very confident and believes she can
do whatever she has in mind so I dont know-Im a more quiet
version of her. Shes very outspoken whereas Im a polar opposite.
I just stay to myself.
IO: Tell me about your first foray into business?
D: Just selling a couple tees I made to my friends and just random
people at the local skatepark, nothing too big. I was merely getting
my foot in the door last year, I didnt know too much about how to
run a clothing line and even now Im still learning.
IO: What all goes in to starting a company like the one you have
now?
D: A lot, some people think its easy. Its really not, unless you
arent really trying to build a brand name rather than just printing
t-shirts. It takes a lot of sacrifice, time, money-you name it.
page 24
IO: What was the initial drive behind starting Motiv USA/
Yesternaut?
D: Ive always wanted to start a skate brand, my dream never
changed since then. Now matter what, Yesternaut will always
be skateboarding oriented. I just want to get to a point
where I can make anything I want without
worrying about finances.
IO: The brand we see today isnt the
same as when it started.
What changed?
D: It sucked starting out. It was so bad
man. That was around the time I learned
how to use Illustrator, I made of
mistake of trying to be like other
skate brands because thats
what I thought was cool at the
time. After about 5-8 month
of trying something new
and people completely
destroying my art style,
I found something that
I actually like. People just
happen to fuck with it
I guess.
Dionne AKA
solitairism
IO: Is there a difference between Motiv USA

and Yesternaut?
D: Yeah, Motiv was more streetwear
oriented and focused mainly on
screen-printed stuff. I have a lot more
ideas than that and, plus, it has become
redundant-it has gotten boring to me.
Yesternaut will have a few graphic tees
but it will mainly be poised to what I
really want to do, which is cut and sew
and designing skateboards. Its
essentially a grown up Motiv but its
the same brand. I still make those
cool futuristic images and all that.
IO: What goes into developing
a brand image or aesthetic and
maintaining it?
D: I draw inspiration from French House, disco,
anime, space and retro-futurism art styles.
Somehow I throw it all into a pot and spit out
some cool stuff every now and then. Im really
into Cowboy Bebop, FLCL and Daft Punk in
particular. I listen to a lot of music, preferably 80s
funk and house music so it has and effect on me.
As I progress a little bit and learn more about
product design, Yesternaut will be more of a
fusion of 60s-70s spaceage/futuristic
garments and sportswear.
page 26
IO: When it comes to your brand, are your

products dictated more by what you want
or what you feel the audience would want?
How do you juggle that?
D: I design based on my likes and taste but
Im always open to change something
if enough people voice their opinion.
Nothing is really that set in stone.
IO: How important are connections
in this business?
D: Id say its pretty important but
anyone can put themselves on so
to speak. You just have to work at it
and have plan. Someone reading this
is probably like nah shut the fuck up,
you need connections the fashion industry
blah blah blah
Some people just turn out to be

self-absorbed dicks.
IO: Nowadays, many brands start off
by cultivating an online audience.
How instrumental were online interactions
on behalf of your brand?
page 27
D: It was a good start. I got to talk to a lot of

people but I wont be relying on just an
online presence. A lot of times a
face to face relationship is more
beneficial. People are more
likely to do business with
someone they can
attach a face to and
converse with
on a personal
level. I have a
lot of leg work to
do to get my brand
out there.
IO: Have you made any
attempts to expand the brand in a
non-online sense?
D: Not a whole lot. I will be this
spring because I now have a car. Ill
also be going back and forth to New
York, just networking. I like to meet
people in real life.
IO: I know you had your first
collaboration recently and that
it ended kind of sourly. What
caused such a breakdown between
the brands?
page 28
D: Jealousy and
miscommunication.
Visit his brands site:

motivusa.bigcartel.com
motivusa.tumblr.com
Some people just turn out to be self-absorbed dicks.

IO: Does that brand collaboration ruin the possibility of other
collabs?
D: Im a lot more reluctant to work with anyone outside the
collective Im in, which composes of artists, designers and
photographers. Some people are just out to get you or get over on
you. Plus, I dont really need to collaborate with anyone, not to
sound cocky or anything like that though-my mom was telling
me this before.
page 29
page 30
This is...Pathetic Pixels
artist profile!
THIS IS...
PATHETIC PIXELS
Freelance graphic designer and illustrator,
Pathetic Pixels makes work that is inspired
by 70s exploitation film nostalgia and
filtered through a neo Saul Bass-esque lens.
For the rest of his work, visit www.patheticpixels.com
WORDS FROM THE ARTIST

Pathetic Pixels is an antiquated digital artist lacking skill
and originality. He specializes in pulp & retro design.
And much like anything hes for sale.
page 31
Run The Jewels 2 - RTJ2
page 32
Danny Brown - Old
page 33
Tyler, the Creator - WOLF
page 34
Madlib - Pinata Beats

* Was bought by Stones Throw Records and sold as
the official album artwork for Pinata Beats.
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.a.a.d City
page 35
page 36
Kanye West - Yeezus
page 37
Game - Jesus Piece
* First prize winner of

The Game-arranged poster competition
page 38
In Concert
a mini spread
shot by hendrick rosemond
In Concert
page 39
page 40
In Concert
In Concert
page 41
page 42
In Concert
In Concert
page 43
issue number two january 2015

art direction and layouts by ashton briar vaughn
cover and concert photographs by hendrick rosemond
a free movement projec
header typeface is kilogram

subtitle typeface is agenda
copy typeface is merriweather
cover is printed on Intl Papers Accent Opaque Cover 80lb. paper
text printed on Intl Papers Williamsburg Text 70lb. paper
thanks for reading & see you next time
to contact ashton briar vaughn:

emails:
theinkingocto@gmail.com
abriarvaughn@gmail.com
tumblrs:
inkingocto.tumblr.com
vaughanvonvaughn.tumblr.com

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issue no.

Featuring HKcovers Dionne Yarbrough Pathetic Pixels

THE TWO FOR THE MONEY ISSUE

the inking octo issue no. 2

WAIT, WHATS THE INKING OCTO?

FROM THE INKING OCTO

the inking octo issue no. 2

Shaun Aaron Kyser

Creator of the Inking Octo.

Dedicated gamer and Beastie Boys

Lover of hip-hop influenced-

historian. A graffiti connoisseur.

with-whatever genre music.

with HK, a rising graphic designer

the inking octo issue no. 2

With contributions from:

The guiding hand. Hes been there,

Photographer, musical artist and a

done that. Also known as the

graphic designer trifecta.

.WAVs Music Reviews

The Art of Getting

This is...Pathetic Pixels, digital artist and graphic designer

In Concert with the Local Natives

the inking octo issue no. 2

autofill interview with hk

How graphic designer HK works within a

Give a brief description of yourself.

Where (in the hell) did your name come from?

How long did it take to find your current style?

autofill interview with hk

the inking octo issue no. 2

Where do you get the inspiration for your work?

I scroll through the internet a lot, watch various

When did you decide to enter the cover art game?

Sophomore year of high school, my friend Daniel

Arent you apart of some sort of art collective?

I design a lot with my friends to push the idea of

the inking octo issue no. 2

autofill interview with hk

is with Travis Brothers, Bryan Rivera, and Kadeem

How does this affect your

It helps a lot honestly, it gets my name and work out

autofill interview with hk

the inking octo issue no. 2

How did you link up with ASAP Ferg?

Works for ASAP Ferg

Persian Wine music video.

I got invited to a show at his TurntXBurnt tour but

the inking octo issue no. 2

autofill interview with hk

performing at wasnt really close to me at all.

Have you made any other connections since then?

How serious are you taking your video production?

What would you say is key to making strides in

Being genuine, focused, and honest. Keeping your

autofill interview with hk

the inking octo issue no. 2

the inking octo issue no. 2

autofill interview with hk

Kevin Abstract Hell Teaser Poster

Jeremih & Shlomo - No More EP

Magna Carta Tour Collage

autofill interview with hk