Morning Breath Inc.

Fuck Colgate, Fuck your toothbrush and your mouth wash, Morning Breath is where it’s at!

Firstly, thank you for your time, what’s been happening?

Things here at MB have been pretty busy. We’re working on several new projects, Skateboard, Snowboards, Music Packages, Silkscreen Posters, and getting some paintings together for a couple end of year gallery shows, we’ve also been doing a few pro-bono projects for good causes.

For those who are unfamiliar with you and what you do, can you tell us a bit about yourselves?

Morning Breath is Doug Cunningham and Jason Noto we are an all around art house you might say. We pretty much do everything from commercial illustration and design to fine art. We started working together around 1996 in San Francisco at Think Skateboard’s Art Department ,and we formally started MB in 2002. We’ve been pushing forward as strong as we can ever since.

Do you think where you grew up has had an effect on your creative styles?

I guess you can say that. We both grew up in , and around Major Cities, at a time when so much cool visual shit was going down. I think more than the where it was the when, that had the biggest impact on us creatively. The late 70′s and through the 80′s had an effect on us that is still very apparent to this day.

When did you first become interested in art and creating?How have your styles developed since?

We we’re both interested in art at a very young age. I think things have taken so many stylistic turns since then, but it all added to the development of style. I don’t think we’re done yet, i’m sure what ever we are doing 20 years from now will have also taken on some new stylistic direction.

You both worked at Think Skateboards prior to Morning breath, do you think working an such an enviroment has had an influence on you today?

Working at Think definitely had an influence on us that would prove to last, it’s where we were developing our chops, and getting into a rhythm with our approach that we still continue to this

day.

Where did the idea to start Morning Breath Studios come from?When did you say, “Fuck it, we can do this”?

The idea of starting MB really just grew out of opportunity. After leaving Think we both went our own ways for a while. Jason went back to the East coast, and started working in-house doing mostly Music packaging. Doug Stayed in San Francisco doing freelance work. We would stay in touch on the regular, and Jason would often call Doug on some Freelance projects. After some time Jason went on his own doing freelance himself. Work was abundant and Doug moved to Brooklyn to start taking on The pile of work that was building. That’s when Morning Breath was born.

You have quite an impressive portfolio, you’ve worked with Them Crooked Vultures, Slayer, Amanda Blank, Snowboard companies, Mountain bike companies and i could go on, how do these opportunities come about, and what is it like working with more “high end” clients?

After being in this industry for some time, Art directors start to become familiar with your work. Over the years you start to realize how much of a small world it really is. Every client is different, sometimes the bigger ad agency clients have the easiest work for us.

Do you put any thought in to trying to achieve a particular reaction from people when they view your work?

We really don’t think about the end viewer with much of our work. I think we’ve gotten so use to just us two being around, that a lot of times we do what we do as our own little inside joke. We’re not trying to be so exclusive in any way, i think we just get a kick out of stupid shit, that some may or may not get it.

Why “Morning Breath”?

Either gingivitis, or not brushing your teeth before bed after a night of heavy drinking, smoking, and eating the cheapest slice New York has to offer.

What other artists do you look up to or draw inspiration from?

We are inspired by things that don’t always have an artist/designer name attached to it. For example: The hand painted sign by the business owner at the corner store, or the ad from the 50′s that has a great illustration of a bar of soap. We tend not to try not to draw inspiration from artists that are established. We would not want the association of being heavily influenced.

How do you approach a new work?Take us through your creative process.

It really depends on what we have going on at the time. Sometimes our creative process is in the mind set of what is the most straightforward, from A to B way to get this done. Other times we have more times on our hands and the creative process becomes more methodical. It usually starts with one of us saying, ” You know what i think could look really good for this…..”

What’s in your pockets right now?

Lint, keys and a bottle opener.

What have you been reading, listening to and watching lately?

Jason: I am reading “The Wanders” and have been listening to Mel Gibson’s awesome rants to his girl, and watching random youtube videos.

Doug: I just finished reading ” The Wanderers”  and have been listening to Mel Gibsons awesome rants to his girl, and watching random you tube videos

You’re pieces have some what of a sign writing aesthetic to them, have either of you had any background in sign writing? Where does the typographical aspect stem from?

Neither of us are trained as sign painters. We just have a true love for type and hand painted type. We scour images of type from all over and draw inspiration from it.

What are five things that you always pack with you on your travels?

Jason: Tooth Brush,Egyption Musk,Yankee Hat, Cash

Doug: Underwear, Socks, T-shirts, Tums, and a compass

We live in turbulent times, what are your views on the world and society today?

I guess you have to take the good with the bad, No doubt shit is fucked up, but not all the time. I think we should all strive to do the right things, and make choices that help build a better world. we’re not going to front, we’re part of problems just like anyone else, all we can do is try to steer clear when we know shit’s not right. I guess that would be a starting point.

Advice to up and coming artists?

Stick with what you do, but be realistic. If your not getting any play after some time, and serious effort you might want to rethink things. Also, Let’s say your work is awesome, people are paying attention, your starting to catch fame, ect..- Get your business in check. Sometimes being on point with business is just as important as doing great work. We’re learning this the hard way.

Anything coming up that we should know about?

We have things come up quick and dirty, the best way to see what we’re up to is popping into our website every now and then.

Word association, you know the deal, say whatever comes to your mind when you read the word.

Australia - Mad Max, Bon Scott, and Kangaroos

Prime Minister - Optimus Prime

America - Out of work

Obama - Your Mama

Religion - Fake!

Time - Now!

Greed - Corporations

Humanity - Hope

Peace - Maybe

Freedom - Not Free

Art - Hard Work

Morning Breath - Working Men

Life - Our Kids

Happiness - Our Families, weekends,

Where can people follow what you’re up to and view your work?

Our Blog@ morningbreathinc.com

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