Your colorful daily links after the jump [Read more...]
Visual Bits #37 > Drawing on Nature
New Themes for Mid-Century Graphics
Scotty Reifsnyder is a powerhouse of a young designer. His mid-century themed creations have a level of well thought out detail not often seen in this time of trending minimalism. His pieces rework old themes and add modern subjects while retaining a welcome familiarity. The world has taken notice and as Scotty has spent 3 years working for Headcase Design he has produced pieces for the likes of GQ, Time Magazine, The Boston Globe, The New Yorker, The New York Times and Wired. See his impressive portfolio at seescotty.com
Super Hip Sun Drenched Retro Photography
Recalling the sunny, fun filled counter culture days of the early 70′s, these inspired photographs by Neil Krug look like they could have been taken in Laurel Canyon while playing dress up with Joni Mitchell. Part of Krug’s recently released Pulp Art Book Volume One, the retro images featuring model Joni Harbeck (recently married to Krug) were made using Polaroid film far past it’s expiration date. The old film lends a washed out, grainy effect reminiscent of those nostalgic vinyl album covers begging for a new listen. The book is split up into 12 vignettes, highlighting subjects from the struggles of a housewife to spaghetti western flashbacks and a Bonny and Clyde revival.
Next up from Krug? He will soon be releasing a music video for artist White Heat’s track Children of the Light, featuring his oh so tasty style. Find the trailer for the video at the bottom of this post.
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Visual Bits #36 > Black & White & Color
Your daily load of links after the jump [Read more...]
Intricately Patterned Animal Illustrations
It would be hard to tell from these strikingly detailed animals but artist Iain Macarthur got his start drawing cartoon characters. Now he carries his sketchbook on the bus, to the cafe and everywhere else as he includes more realism and in this case pattern in his illustrations. See more of his animals (and even some cartoons) at iainmacarthur.carbonmade.com.
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Partisan Puppet Show
In an era of Tea Party extremists and Clintonian Liberalism, the political center in the U.S. has moved farther and farther right. Regardless of how far the political center has moved right, it seems non-existent and stripped of any power. For most Tea Party activists and modern mainstream conservatives, compromise has become a bad word and a seemingly unforgivable sin. A similar sentiment rings true for the far left in this country who had hoped they elected a progressive hero, only to find out their “hero” is more practically Clintonian than progressively Roosevelt.
Artist Robbie Douglas created this piece as a backdrop for our current state of affairs in Washington. He goes on to explain why he created this piece, “I’ve wanted to do something for awhile regarding the infighting our polarized political system creates.” This infighting will seemingly come to a head at the end of this week when a government shutdown appears inevitable.
The New York Times reports Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) saying his side was fighting for “the largest spending cuts possible” and would not “allow the Senate and the White House to put us [House GOP] in a box.” Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-New York), the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said that if a shutdown was in the cards, the blame will lie at the feet of Republicans. Senator Schumer went on to respond, “A deal with $33 billion in spending cuts is right there for the taking … But the House leadership will need to stand up to the Tea Party.”
The latest partisan battle in Washington is over the GOP’s proposed $61 Billion in budget cuts, the Democrats have compromised stating they will settle for $33 Billion in cuts. Though many in the mainstream may agree this is a fair compromise, some Tea Party activists disagree. The Huffington Post reports, “Mark Meckler, a Tea Party Patriot leader, told the Associated Press that Boehner and others would face primaries if they fail [to follow through with all the cuts].” Some say Washington hasn’t been this divided since the Civil War, and others claim this is just business as usual. For many outside the D.C. Beltway, this is one more reason to become disengaged and disenfranchised with the whole political process. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
Visual Bits #35 > No Helvetica For You
Your daily cup o’links after the jump! (and don’t worry, we know a great place to get Helvetica…) [Read more...]
Hyperphotos: Explore Art With Astounding Detail
French photographer and digital artist Jean Francois Rauzier creates fantastically huge images that only reveal their true detail when viewers dive in, explore and linger. Dubbed “Hyperphoto’s“, a term he coined, each image is composed of hundreds, if not thousands of individual photographs. Rauzier collects images using a telephoto lens, sometimes from a single vantage point, then spends countless hours methodically stitching them together until it is impossible to tell one image from another. His patient work sometimes captures reality, but more often he imagines surreal worlds, creating landscapes that seem to repeat into a dreamlike infinity.
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Chinese Artist Detained. Here is His TED Film.
Last months TED conference featured a moving film about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei highlighting his treatment by the government, social change, the power of social media and Weiwei’s hopes for the future of China. Now he has been detained by authorities which has prompted concern from TED HQ and the global community. [Read more...]
Thursday Love: In the Not So Distant Future
In a not so distant future filled with blackbirds, a loving couple does battle with an daily urban jungle of mobile phones and electronic palm readers. The heavily textured animation makes quick, and visually smart transitions based upon shape and pattern, making scenes seamlessly merge one into another. Directed by Matthias Hoegg at the Royal College of Art in London, the film was nominated for a BAFTA in Short Animation.
