MTV promo graphics for Guns & Roses in Paris contest ('92-93) made by Beau Tardy on Quantel Harriet.

Sometimes the Art Director of on-air graphics at MTV, Chris Harvey, would put out an open call for a job that needed some extra attention and a fresh look. I really wanted to do this graphic open for a contest MTV was running. It was for tickets to a Guns & Roses Paris concert. I spent some time on this but it was shot down. I actually had a little argument with the Art Director over it, the one and only time we had a disagreement. It did not make it to air and I'm not sure what they ended up using. I guess I took it a little personal being that I am French...😏

MTV Show Logos by Beau Tardy in 1992

MTV Show Logos designed by Beau Tardy
in the on-air graphics department at MTV in 1992.

During the regular course of daily duties at MTV as a designer in the on-air graphics and animation department, I was often tasked with coming up with logos for show opens. Often these would be animated, but sometimes the producer just needed a digital logo to take into an edit session and composite it with other footage. These were designed on Quantel V-Series Paintbox and Harriett. The better producers would come in and sit during the session while I designed the logos, others just phoned it in. Some producers became friends and we would spend countless hours in session coming up with great ideas for graphics. These logos are for the more typical MTV fare at the time and were used by the News or Promotions department for their shows. I don't know which ones of these actually made it to air simply because I couldn't afford cable at the time in my little shared tenement apartment on Ave. B in the Lower East Side. They payed us very little and worked us like crazy. But I was happy to get my work on MTV in front of millions of people. 

MTV News graphics on Quantel Paintbox by Beau Tardy in 1992.

This one is for @DextersTechLab This is a screen grab from my work at MTV making news graphics on the Quantel Paintbox in 1992. Recued from thermal prints I kept all these years 🤯📺💫I will be making a video about this soon. 😀#MTV #paintbox before #Photoshop #90s #TV pic.twitter.com/E47uNmilvF

— Dizzy💫📺 (@DizzyTV) March 19, 2021

MTV on-air graphics created in 1992 by Beau Tardy.

On-air graphics made for MTV in 1992 by Beau Tardy.

Here's a good example of some of the behind the scenes design work that would go into on-air graphics. On the right the logo I liked for MTV's Most Wanted and on the left the one that was chosen for broadcast. I was already channeling vaporwave vibes back in 1992! This work was done on Quantel Hal as part of our everyday duties of providing producers with on-air graphics and original designs.

First minted digital art NFT - Beau Tardy Artist Poster.

 I have finally minted my first digital art NFT. This token is available for a short while as an auction on Mintable.app 

The first minted digital art NFT by Beau Tardy ©2021

I will be minting all of my digital art including brand new art and vintage digital art from my MTV days and before. I have been making digital art since taking the very first computer graphics class at Parsons School of Design, which then led to my career making TV art for the likes of MTV and VH1. This is a great way for me to share digital art with you without the risk of it being stolen and copied. The new NFT technology is going to change the world of digital art for the benefit of artists who like me have been hesitant to post digital art on social media because it is so easy to copy. Thanks for buying my art and feel free to ask me any questions about this new technology.

ATOMIKCOMIX Book by Beau Tardy Artist

Early digital art "Short Circuit" & "Cyberpunk" featured in ATOMIKCOMIX Vol.1

Just a quick reminder that there are a few copies left of ATOMIKCOMIX Vol.1 which features early undergound comix & digital art dating back to my art school years at Parsons School of Design in New York prior to getting hired at MTV. The book was published in time for a show in 2016 at Barrister's Gallery in New Orleans. All copies are signed for this first print run.

ATOMIKCOMIX Vol.1 featuring early work from 1985-1992 prior to getting hired at MTV. Underground comix & early digital art.

Get your signed copy here: >> Chateau Books <<

ATOMIKCOMIX new book!

The new book 'AtomikComix' by Beau Tardy. Coming out Feb. 2016

AtomikComix presents never before seen early work by Beau Tardy. With roots in the East Village mid-80s post punk sub-culture this book spans the evolution from underground comix to computer graphix for TV. 

After dropping out of art school in 1985 Beau focused on digital art and broadcast design ultimately ending up in the famed MTV animation department where he did graphix for MTV News with Kurt Loder, Yo! MTV Raps and The Real World.

Beau will be signing copies of his new book at Barrister's Gallery in New Orleans on Feb. 13, 2016.