CreativeFluff » Katherine

A New Year, An Awesome Book, and the Candy-O-Matic…

Katherine — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:26:19 +0000

For whatever reason, there comes a point when our logic and experiences take over. To put it frankly: our internal grown-up wins the war against our imagination. Which brings me to just a few words about an amazing book, rather, an awesome book, as in: An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton. The book, in the style of all the books many loved as a kid, was a huge hit when the first edition was published and because of its success of course, it’s being printed again, to be made available to ship some time in January (if you want a copy you should probably grab one now). The illustrations are detailed and magical, reminiscent of drawings that a child would make or one’s own early mock-ups of inventions that were never developed as planned… like the mansion made entirely of bubble gum… or the ray gun that turned enemies into a goldfish. And much like the beloved Dr. Suess books, it’s needless to say that not only is it inspiring but it rhymes too… and rhyming is always fun whether you like to admit it or not.
Here are a few images from the book:

[Images from http://www.veryawesomeworld.com/awesomebook/inside.html ]

More can be found about the book from http://radder.bigcartel.com/product/an-awesome-book and http://dallasclayton.com/products/

From The Shooting Range

Katherine — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:52:07 +0000

These little personalities are part of Rachel Pfeffer’s Bullet Buddies collection. Each Bullet Buddy is unique labored over until it obtains its own form and expression. They have all been transformed from empty bullet shells, abandoned at shooting ranges, into quite the collection of characters. They are all made by hand, and are an interesting way of recycling the bullet shells into collectable items, pendants, or key chains, and can be personalized by the artist. I suppose one could consider this a sustainable solution to all those discarded bullet shells, a step in the direction of the modifying and repurposing concepts found in the English Retreads tire handbags or Droog Rag Chair. In any case, creator Rachel Pfeffer has taken on the task of recycling and giving new life to these empty bullet shells in the creative spirit.

More bullet buddies can be found on the artist’s own website at http://www.rachelpfeffer.com/bullets.html and on Etsy.

[ Images from http://www.rachelpfeffer.com/bullets.html ]

OCDD…Andrea Joseph’s illustrating super power

Katherine — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:44:17 +0000

Coming across this work, I just had to share. UK based artist Andrea Joseph shows her talents in her remarkable illustrations mostly of everyday objects and a few creative interpretations. How much work goes into something as detailed as the washing machine or desk-top illustration is nearly unimaginable to me. Never before have I seen such extraordinary applications of crosshatching. Her illustrations are incredibly detailed and she claims to have “Obsessive Compulsive Drawing Disorder,” [ http://www.bestoff.info/2008/11/03/andrea-joseph-sketches/ ] obviously not a bad thing to have if these are the products.

[Images from: http://www.bestoff.info/2008/11/03/andrea-joseph-sketches/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreajoseph/ ]

More of Andrea Joseph’s work is available on her blog: http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/
And on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreajoseph/

19 Amazing Playing Cards from Around the World

Katherine — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:18:25 +0000

Cards of Life and Death

Images from http://thecontaminated.com/cards-of-life-and-death/

Czech Nationalistic cards by Emanuel Neumann, c.1895

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/czech/index.html

Hand painted Dasavatara Ganjifa cards, c. 1950

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/india/dasavatara.html

Unsun Karuta

Image from http://www.wopc.co.uk/japan/unsun.html

15th century Italian playing cards

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/italy/italia.html

The Book of Trades by Jost Amman, 1588

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/germany/ammon.html

Ukraine Human Feature cards

Images from http://photography-arena.blogspot.com/2008/10/ukraine-human-feature-playing-cards.html

Ambras Court Hunting pack

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/germany/ambraser.html

Waddington’s Barribal Series, 1933

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/waddingtons/barribal.html

‘Unique’ playing cards by Ian Roth

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/usa/ianroth.html

Pippoglyph playing cards by Ben Crenshaw, 2004

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/usa/pippoglyph.html

Filigree cards by Emily Arkin

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/otc/aboutea.html

The Deal

Images from http://www.wopc.co.uk/reviews/thedeal.html

Hanafuda cards

Image from http://adnil.com/CARDS/jong.html

Invisible Playing Cards by Peter Woudt, 2002

Image from http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Invisible%20Playing%20Cards_10451_10001_15115

Frank Lloyd Wright playing cards by Frank Lloyd Wright

Image from http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Frank%20Lloyd%20Wright%20Playing%20Cards_10451_10001_15706

Golden Tarot of Klimt

Images from http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/golden-klimt/index.shtml

Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot

Images from http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/aleister-crowley-thoth/index.shtml

And finally a very strange Chinese deck I picked up, with images of Chinese aristocracy. They also have little educational blurbs on each card, and apparently had a little trouble with the English translations.

Space Face and Blubber…Stirring Imagery by David Prosser

Katherine — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:56:18 +0000

Though not much can be found about this artist, David Prosser’s illustrations are certainly stirring, filled with expression and quirky details to intrigue.

[Images from: http://ilikepencils.blogspot.com/]

15 Mysteriously Inspirational Images

Katherine — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:53:19 +0000

: Artist: Yehrin Tong

http://www.debutart.com/artist/yehrin-tong/work/2341

: Artist: Gustaf Tenggren

http://www.animationarchive.org/2008/08/illustration-gustaf-tenggrens-grimms.html

: Artist: David Prosser

http://ilikepencils.blogspot.com/

: Photographer: Chuck Kimmerle

http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/

: Artist: Linn Olofsdotter

http://www.olofsdotter.com/

: Artist: Oliver Vernon

http://www.oliververnon.com/2008/07/24/2008/

: Artist: Naoto Hattori

http://www.naotohattori.com/home.html

: Artist: Koldo Barosso

http://www.koldobarroso.com/

: Artist: Nobumasa Takahashi

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/bamboolove/

: Artist: Eyvind Earle

http://www.gallery21.com/

: Artist: Sterling Hundley

http://www.sterlinghundley.com/

: Artist: Vladimir Kush

http://www.zuzafun.com/surreal-pictures

http://www.vladimirkush.com/home.php

: Artist: Tebe Interesno

http://www.graphic-exchange.com/archives/home_2008_10.html

: Photographer: Carl Chiarenza

http://www.luminous-lint.com/app/vexhibit/_PHOTOGRAPHER_Carl__Chiarenza_01/1/0/0/

: Artist: Kaveh H. Steppenwolf

http://polarulv.1x.com/

David Sims Unites Color and Form

Katherine — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:51:50 +0000

Yet another post on fashion photography (sorry to those who don’t enjoy looking at it as much as I do). I’ve always been a fan of the Benetton ads. There’s just something about the clean images with the bold colors that grabs your attention. After seeing one of their ads in a magazine, I was curious to find out who the photographer was: David Sims.

“David Sims began working as a photographer in 1989 after a number of years assisting. His first editorial stories appeared in The Face and I-D and his defiantly casual ‘grunge’ style soon became recognized. It was at this time that he shot what was to become a very influential campaign in his career for Yohji Yamamoto. This lead to the signing of a one year exclusive contract with Harper’s Bazaar (USA) in 1993 and the commissioning of his first campaign for Calvin Klein.”

~ ArtPartner.com

The above ad was one without a photographer name, so I did my best in comparing the photographic style and composition to the other Benetton campaign photographs by Sims, and I assume that Sims was the photographer (if I’m wrong please let me know).

Looking at his other images, however, Benetton’s new campaign resembles their 2006 winter campaign (observable below) which I thought was kind of interesting. Both ads were photographed by Sims, but the newest ad displays a fresher, edgier color combination with more movement, for an all together less serious campaign than in 2006.

Going beyond the Benetton ads, Sims still demonstrates a photographic interest in movement and texture, with a focus on capturing the clothing, with the silhouettes and the sculptural forms that the garment creates in relation to the body.

Below, more of David Sims’ 2006 photographs, but for Paris Vogue and Vogue Italia of model Alexandra Tomlinson (via http://models.com/oftheminute/?p=1314).

Images from:

http://www.artpartner.com/

http://www.benetton.com/portal/web/guest/ai2008/woman/fashion#gallery_top

http://www.benettongroup.com/40years-press/index.html

http://avantgarde.blogsome.com/2006/09/29/david-sims-hollywood-parade/

Hedi Slimane: High Fashion, Hard Edge

Katherine — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:08:02 +0000

A recent issue of V Magazine featured photographs by designer and photographer Hedi Slimane. He is Paris-born and is accredited with a wide range of accomplishments to date, in addition, he signed with Art + Commerce in October of this year. Though there are rumors, according to New York magazine, that he is secretly planning to return to design soon, the world cannot deny that he has produced some stunning photography, in most cases, high-fashion photos with a hard edge.

..As you can see I went a little image crazy..but many more photographs can be found at: http://www.hedislimane.com/fashiondiary/index.php

Other images from:

http://www.hedislimane.com/diary/

http://www.vmagazine.com/blog.php?a=3

Victoria Vesna Presents at Parsons the New School for Design

Katherine — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:38:25 +0000

Speaking on Friday (tomorrow), at 10:00 AM at the New School at Wollman Hall, 65 W 11th St., will be media artist Victoria Vesna. After doing a little more research I found her projects extremely interesting and I was actually surprised at myself that I had never heard of her prior to this circulating email from the New School. Vesna’s design background holds a huge number of projects and exhibitions involving identity, technology, and systems.

Below, an exerpt from her biography describes the nature of her work:

“Victoria Vesna is a media artist, professor at the department of Design | Media Arts at the UCLA School of the Arts. She is also director of the recently established UCLA Art|Sci center and the UC Digital Arts Research Network. Her work can be defined as experimental creative research that resides between disciplines and technologies. She explores how communication technologies affect collective behavior and how perceptions of identity shift in relation to scientific innovation. Her most recent installations — Blue Morph, Mood Swings and Water Bowls, all aim to raise consciousness around the issues of our relationship to natural systems. Other notable works are Bodies INCorporated, Datamining Bodies, n0time and Cellular Trans_Actions.”

: NANO | Quantum Tunneling

: Blue Morph

: Zero@wavefunction

: Zero@wavefunction

Though I’m not sure if non-New School Students will be able to attend tomorrow, Vesna is definitely a designer worth looking up, as she deals with issues beyond the visual realm of art and design. If any of this sparks interest in you more information and images are available at http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/

Solar Sailing Super-Yachts

Katherine — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:19:24 +0000

Super-yachts owned by super-billionaires aren’t usually thought of as being environmentally friendly. They are, first and foremost, symbols of in-your-face wealth, (and, in some cases, possibly signs of having to compensate for something.) But a new interest in making sea transportation energy efficient has been emerging.

CNN’s article, “Solar sails could turn super-yachts green”, points out how Solar Sailor, an energy company based in Sydney, is working towards creating fin-like solar “sails” for large boats, acting as a sail but also as a large, energy-generating solar panel, minimizing fuel consumption.

Though not the greatest looking things in the world, the environmental benefits of a large solar-powered watercraft, ships, and shipping vessels are enormous.

A recent airing of Man-Made, on the National Geographic Channel, about the engineering that went into building the Queen Mary 2 (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/man-made/3548/Overview#tab-Overview) pointed out the massive amounts of energy needed to not only put the ship into motion, but to keep everything on board functional. Maybe a future Queen Mary 3 could benefit from some solar power?

The CNN article can be found at: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/11/04/solar.sails/index.html

[Images from CNN and Solar Sailor]