UNIQUE. ONE-OF-A-KIND.

Gladiator Art & Apparel is an artist-run brand art studio known for its distinct style of unique ‘monoprint’ apparel that is screen printed and tie-dyed by hand in the studio. Our primary focus is to design beautiful art that celebrates life. Many pieces are inspired by Rochester, NY, and have Greco-Roman influences.  Mediums range from wearable ”One-of-a-kind apparel” art to mixed media on canvas, poster board, ect.

GET TO KNOW US.

  • With a strong commitment to craftsmanship, each piece is produced entirely in-house, from the initial concept to the final product, showcasing our dedication to quality and attention to detail.

  • Initially, our primary focus was to create visually captivating art that celebrated and glorify the mysteries of life. However, as our business flourished, we realized the profound impact our art had on our customers. This realization fueled our desire to utilize our art for a greater purpose. Inspired by the possibilities, we began combining monoprint architectural designs with Greco-Roman illustrations, transforming our artwork into a captivating blend of abstract and pop-art aesthetics.

  • While our earlier works lacked a specific message, we recognized the potential to infuse our art with deeper meaning. With a growing passion for effecting positive change, we evolved our artistic approach. Today, our art not only enthralls viewers with its aesthetics but also serves as a medium for thought-provoking messages. We aim to spark conversations, provoke emotions, and raise awareness about critical social issues, using our art as a vehicle for advocacy.

  • By updating our artistic style and incorporating meaningful messages into our creations, we have forged a stronger connection between our artwork and its impact on society. At Gladiator Art & Apparel, we continue to push boundaries and evolve, driven by the belief that art can be a powerful catalyst for social change.

TOOLS & tECHNIQUES.

  • Alex creates all of Gladiator Art & Apparel graphics.(*) All graphics are either drawn by hand, or made from scratch on Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and/or original photo.  Graphics are then rendered on Adobe to make them suitable for screen printing.. (*he did not create the Rochester, NY flower)

  • Kait does all of the tie-dying and she uses multiple techniques including batik, ice dye, rubber band, and “free hand”--> GNG’s favored technique“Free Hand Tie Dying” is done by mixing bleach and water in a pitcher,  scrunching the garments(various colors), and then slowly pouring the bleach mixture over the apparel allowing them to sit in the bleach until “bleachness level” is achieved. The garments are then washed and soaked in soda ash. After the soda ash is wrung out the dye is applied by pouring, splattering, and/or with a squeeze bottle. After the garment soaks in the dye they are rinsed, washed, and dried.  Depending on the look of the piece, we may splash it(w/ a paintbrush) w/ bleach, wash and dry it again.

  • We use a 4 color hand press and electric conveyor dryer used to cure the ink.When printing on the apparel Alex will load 4 screens onto his screenprinting wheel. He will then load the garment onto the bench, hand print the image with a squeegee and ink, then the garment is then cured. Next, Alex will choose a new screen that’s on the wheel, and he screenprints that image on the same garment in a different place, cures, moves on to a new screen and does the same thing. He generally goes through this process five to ten times(or more!), depending on the size of that particular garment and/or images applied.Printing on canvas is particularly hard due to the surface not beings flat and rigid so extra steps are needed to assure a proper print. Alex believes the outcome is so worth the drawback, because “the colors pop and the textures are constantly creating tiny hills and valleys on the surface of the art piece due to the amount of ink piling up from so many hits”.