Suns Swag: Let’s do some Phoenix Suns art

This week we are departing from the used wares of eBay and classing this piece up a bit. Lots of people make art. Fewer people make NBA art. And a handful of blessed souls even make Phoenix Suns art.

Here’s a smattering of the work done by those gifted artists. Your formal dining room looks like garbage, and you know it. Act like a culturally advanced human and jump in to the art game.

Steve Rude

Steve was born in Wisconsin but now calls Litchfield, Arizona home. He’s been creating art since 1981 and in those nearly four decades of work “has drawn hundreds of comic’s greatest iconic heroes, and has galvanized the art world as a comic magazine artist and illustrator.”

Picking up an 11x17 print of the above works of Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton will run you a twenty-dollar bill. Steve hooked up with the Suns last year to create these and the original rough sketch can be had for $1500.

Arturo Torres

Perhaps the most well-known talent creating NBA art is Arturo Torres. He illustrated the New York Times bestseller The Rap Year Book, before lending his hand to Basketball (and Other Things) in 2017. Nike took notice and he was hired to design their “Hyper Court” in the Philippines.

He’s created many, many other spectacular works. The above Charles Barkley work runs $35 for a 17x22 print. Check out his site, icons across sport and entertainment are well represented.

Jack Perkins

The work of Jack Perkins certainly gravitates towards the sillier side of the NBA, and it’s fantastic. He worked on the first season of Hoops, an animated sitcom on Netflix that follows a dirt-bag coach and a terrible high school basketball team.

Perkins’ work spans teams and decades. Whether it’s Magic Johnson juggling knives at a Benihana to the delight of Jack Nicholson or Tim Duncan using his sound fundamentals to secure a pineapple at the market, something will give you a chuckle.

Ryan Simpson

Ryan’s an artist who has a variety of creations available for sale on his site. The NBA stuff is impressive, I know that because I’m an art critic now.

The above prints runs forty bucks apiece and are 11x17. Aside from the Suns offerings, Ryan has created a number of works that highlight “big three” lineups from years past. His work on legends like Dr. J and Pete Maravich are especially eye-catching.

Pete

Pete’s work is better showcased on his Instagram page than on his actual website.

Of the artists mentioned on this page I probably like his stuff the best. But hey, that’s art. Right? Do I sound like a critic now?

This Devin Booker poster is listed at $35. I don’t want to get the details wrong, so let me steal them straight from his page.

Museum-quality posters made on thick and durable matte paper. Each poster is giclée-printed on archival, acid-free paper that yields brilliant prints to brighten up any room.

Paper thickness: 10.3 mil

Paper weight: 5.57 oz/y² (189 g/m²)

Giclée printing quality

Opacity: 94%

ISO brightness: 104%

Blank product sourced from Japan

Few things are more important to me than ISO brightness. In any event, I’m a buyer.

I’m sure you guys know of other talented people. Any links provided in the comments are appreciated.