Wow, I knew that some of this guy's work was getting a little "pornish", but this latest pen to come out, "Robot Love", is just sick. What's going on in this guys mind? Two robots going at it on a pen is really pushing the realms of art.....or am I just being a prude?

Link: http://www.airlineintl.com/grayson_tighe/g..._robot_love.htm

Bryan

This is a bit on the ..... uh ...... unusual side, isn't it?

I wouldn't buy one myself, but I think it's legitimate. I'm a believer that if even a few people consider something to be art, then it is.

Ray

Porn.
Trying to pass under the label of "art".
Bottom line, if someone will buy it someone will make it.

I don't think those images are Grayson originals - I remember seeing those paintings at the local library's sci-fi section as a kid.

Just because they are not his original art (and most of the pens are not.. he has an artist do the engraving) does not make them all that appropriate. There is one shown on his home page Grayson Tighe that makes this one look like a Disney picture...
There are limits.... and I think the one I reference above has passed them...
I am far from a prude, BUT!!!!

I'm not too keen on this Robot Love design, but I think for the most part Grayson Tighe's work is brilliant, especially when you consider he is only 18 years of age. His father Brain Tighe is one of the premier custom knifemakers in Canada and his son has already made a name for himself with his unique designs. Again, I don't care much for his Robot Love design, and I don't plan on owning any of his pens anytime soon, but I do appreciate his talent for unique designs and his skill at craftsmanship.

I think he's a great craftsman and artist. Perhaps his talent will be put to good use when he grows up.

Erm... I quite like the caps! Actually, Robot Love puts me in mind of the robots in a pool of green glowy liquid in Duran Duran's Arena "movie" (the song was "Union of the Snake").

I'm thinking these pens are sort of Tighe's high end fp answer to those turn-upside-down-and-watch-her-clothes-disappear ballpoints. (lol, ok maybe not!)

His are pens for men who watch Spike TV and wear "Lynx" body spray because they believe the commercials. Bless 'em.

t!

Edit: RESULT!! I had the darnedest time posting this. Apparently, using the word "Lynx" without the quotation marks throws a monkey wrench into the mix.

ROFLMAO! Sorry, but the music and the image were just too much for me. Is it supposed to be that funny? From that perspective, it certainly is whimsical. I don't have any opinions on sexuality between robots...

I've heard him being 18 for a while now He must be in his mid-twenties now.

Yup... we noticed that in an internet browser thread... a very odd bug of IPB.

To be on topic, I think it's a complete waste of talent... *sigh*

It seems that he is making pens for a particular section of the buying public. Low number losts of sculpting overlay. I'm not in that group so I'll withold my comment since I remember the last time I didn't getting flamed.


Kurt H

I don't think he actually does the scupted overlays. I seem to remember a spanish gentleman did them.


Kurt H

I wish someone would have warned me about the obnoxious music that started playing when I went to the site. Egads

Kurt H

Hi,

I don't like it!

Dillon

Thank God his work is so expensive; I don't have to worry about not liking it because I'd never buy his pens anyway...'cause I can't afford them.

I've also noticed that age-wise, his press releases need some updating.

well, the younger folks here will think i'm being ageist but i have to say that I think this answers the questions entirely. There's no debating that most young men are fascinated (okay, obsessed) with sexuality. It's just biology. How you channel it can show your maturity or lack thereof. IMO, young "artists" use this to their advantage a great deal. And of course, the more outlandish designs by Mr. Tighe get, the more attention he gets and probably, more customers.

I think it's ugly stuff. I think it's immature and I do tend to equate it with the pen T described. I recognize he has great skill and like Elaine feel that with maturity may come better design. even without the sexual images, i find the designs overdone.

I'm not offended though - just not impressed.

heh heh.. that's why i keep my speakers off all the time. never know what you're going to be "treated" to.

Hi,

Exactly--What I meant to say!!!

Perfect, Kcat!

Dillon

I had my speakers on mute, so I "missed" the good stuff, let me re-load...just kidding.

On porn and pen :
It would be like holding a Playboy centerfold and walking around the office, street, home for me. Would anyone do that ???

As for sexual content, I agree that it can be done tastefully. Just a waste of talent since he seems to have really good skills.

Now then why would we buy into the nakedness and sexuality expressed tastefully (or not tastefully done) in any art form ?

Is it because of our need to be restored to the purity of Adam and Even pre-fall era which is a subliminal yearning to be unashamed and be in communion with God in a sin-less state ??? Deep thoughts going on in my head....

Maybe an analogy is Who would you like to be : Bill Gates, Billy Graham, or the guy who owns Hustler or Playboy (forgot his name) ? All famous and some of them definitely rich in material sense but taking on such different life paths.

That was going to be my next point. For some reason, the fact that his father is some brilliant knife-maker and the fact that he himself is young, don't particularly mean anything to me. Maybe it's the bitterness and jealousy talking but whenever I see PR stuff about Tighe [making special emphasis on the above parentage and age], all I can think is, "Meh."

so this time it actually worked for me to be verbose!

or was it just that last sentence and I could have skipped all the rest.

KC: I'd rather be me but rich. I agree on the analogy you gave. I've seen joke phallus pens (attended one of those "bachelorette" parties when in my 20s) and to me it would be like using that to write with. no thanks. But to each their own.

And if you have a Stylus magazine you don't have to look far. It seems that there's an article about him or his new pen every time. As well Krone seems to get a heaping helping of articles there as well. Wonder if it has to do with the ad money they pay?


Kurt H

Reminds me of something I'd see in a Heavy Metal magazine. Not what I'm looking for in a pen.

Well, after checking out his home page I'd have to say that I'm pretty impressed with his work. There were only a few pens that actually had nudity or other such subjects on them.....mostly just abstract design elements. I suppose if I had a million bucks to just throw away....why not?

As for walking around the office with a playboy magazine.....I can't get one in my pocket.....and I did try!

Like other people said, I think his pens that use the properties of metal are stunning, and the figurals are cheesy. The latest seems to appeal to the manga sensibility, which I find interesting, since he's going for a much younger demographic than is usual for expensive pens.

Michael

who is used to finding his taste out of date, and who, to tell the truth, doesn't much like any figural pens, not excluding the Pelikan Toledo

I didn't know that. So what part is he involved in? Just the design?

Well, the "one of a kind" ones are rather like the cover of a Conan the Barbarian novel, but there are other pens that are really nice. (and I have to admit, I thought the dragon ones were cool).

I really like the Angel Fantasy, but I understand the Art Work on it is not by him either. On his regular line, the Damascus are interesting too.

According to his site, he was 18 in 2000. He should be 23-24 now.

I'm not really sure. If I recall he started doing bindes for M800 and then started turning the whole pen. This was a little after the Europen guy was stopped from making and selling lapis Pelikans as Pelikans. After that he teamed up with the sculptur and I didn't care to follow it any further.


Some of his binde materials were very neat, sort of the stuff that limited edition knives are made of ( imagine that )

I think some pens are nice but he's got a killer publicist.


Kurt H

The naked lady pens remind me of Gil Hibben fantasy knives. The motif and execution is too gaudy for me. Nudes in art do not offend me but I think there is a distinction between art and craft. Some art appeals to the senses and some does not. I would be embarrassed to be seen writing with one of these pens not so much because of the subject matter (although it probably wouldn't go over well in the office) but because of overdone ornamentation. They look like the kind of thing you might find being sold in a smoke shop next to the throwing stars and Zippo's.
Grayson Tighe's simpler designs are very appealing. The pens in African Black wood, tiger coral and apple coral are beautiful. Ah well, there is something for everyone.

OK......what's a binde? I googled it and came up with this:

http://proyectotiti.com/Pages/binde.htm

Interesting but I don't think it has to do with fountains pens.


NEVERMIND......I FIGURED IT OUT......

This particular pen I am not too crazy about but some of his other pens are completely mindblowing. Especially the stuff using Damascus Steel, Platinum, Mokumé-gané, he is many many years ahead of his time. Some of the themes are IMO are not appropriate for ME to use at work or with customers. There are others who would find these pens Total Works Of Art. I am more into the Non-portrait style pens. I am more into designs, grains and infusion of different metals. You cannot deny his talent!! He can only get better but like I said, not everything is acceptable to everyone. I consider his pens useable art that are way oout of my budget but if i won the lottery, I would but a few of his pure design pens.

TNS