Archive for the Art category
Pattern and the Beauty of Tessellations
by evie s. on February 15th, 2008
Pattern is certainly a staple of design, and tessellations are some of the most beautiful and elaborate forms of art patterns that you can find. Tessellations come from the early Greeks, and has a rich history. The famous M.C. Escher is known by many as the “father of tessellations” because of the Mathematical and crystallographic aspects of his work. His 1938 work entitled “Fish” is one of my favorites.
So, my love for these beautiful patterns was recently ignited when I came across these tessellation related photo plates from Owen Jones’ 1853 classic book, “The Grammar of Ornament” on Flickr. [ Via Veerle's blog ]
I hope you enjoy the beauty and vibrancy of them as much as I did!
Graphic Design Is…
by evie s. on February 11th, 2008
…the endless search for beauty in things. -büro für form
I completely agree. This quote inspired me to enter a poster competition run by the talented Belgian artist, Veerle Pieters. Since I gain most of my artistic inspiration from the world around me, I am constantly trying to capture the beauty I see in some form of design, so this was a great opportunity for me to do so.
For this project, I really wanted to create a beautiful image that would complement the theme, so I got out my sketch book, pencils, and my Zig Millennium marker to work on a concept. After sketching an image that I liked, I just traced over the pencil marks with the marker and added in some details. I really wanted to use watercolors, even though they are not my best medium (I prefer acrylics). I absolutely love the organic quality of watercolor, and that was the look I was going for. When it was to my liking, I scanned it into Photoshop and added typography and more color.
I’m pleased with the final outcome, and I really enjoyed the project! You can see some pictures of my process and the final design here.
What is Graphic Design?
by evie s. on February 8th, 2008
That is the question I will be asking myself this weekend as I work on a special art project. It’s really more for fun and practice then for anything else. Hopefully it will be complete by early next week.
Sprawled out on my office floor sketching, I was thinking that I need to make time every week to draw. That was one of my goals for this year, and so far this was the first time. Fortunately, drawing for me is like a good friend that you haven’t seen in awhile. You just pick up right where you left off. That’s good, otherwise I would probably be quite drawing impaired by now for lack of practice!
Here is a sneak peek…a sample of the beauty that is to come. Stay tuned!
Heart Art: Silk-Screened Posters
by evie s. on February 4th, 2008
If you are an independent music fan, you’ll love these silk-screened posters from The Small Stakes. I’ve selected a few from Jason’s collection that had a heart theme, but he has a myriad of great designs to choose from.
From left to right:
The Shins // Mates of State (San Francisco) // José González // The American Analog Set (Hearts) // Camera Obscura
These and many more are available at The Small Stakes poster shop, each for $25.
Botanical Photography by Clinton Friedman
by evie s. on January 21st, 2008
Good photography is easy to come by, but occasionally I’ll come across a set of work that is particularly striking to me. These photographs of South African botanicals from photographer Clinton Friedman are, using his own words, electric and bold. It’s rare to find stunning photos like this that aren’t digitally manipulated, but that is one thing that makes Friedman stand out. He takes the route of traditional methods, preferring the integrity and strength of the process.
[ Via HouseMartin ]
Vending Machine Art from Art-o-mat
by evie s. on January 15th, 2008
Some time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Art-o-mat, an organization that is “Kerplunking Culture” into ordinary places. Think vending machines for miniature works of art.
Artists in Cellophane, the sponsoring organization of Art-o-mat is based on the concept of taking art and “repackaging” it to make it part of our daily lives. Their mission is to encourage art consumption by combining the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. They believe art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable.
These art-dispensing appliances can be found in museums, theaters, and universities. If you want to see one in person, they make it easy to find one close to home.
If you can’t get to one of their machines, they will send the art to you. Introducing Art-O-Carton from Art-o-mat. The folks at Art-o-mat will hand pick 10 works of art based on the answers you give in a questionnaire. What a great idea!
Dutch Design: Cardboard Rugs
by evie s. on January 14th, 2008
These artful cardboard “rugs” from Dutch designer Wendy Plomp are so inspiring. I don’t know how practical they are, but it’s a great example of refashioning something that’s normally thrown away into something beautiful. Who would have thought dull brown cardboard could look so good?
[ Via Ambatalia Fabric Society ]
Lovey Dovey Coasters from Tribe
by evie s. on January 10th, 2008
Coasters are something I could easily collect simply because there are so many out there that I like. These Lovey Dovey coasters from Tribe are so original and beautiful with the simple silhouette of a bird on one side. Here is more about the company:
Established in 2006, TRIBE is a creative studio born in Singapore, created out of the necessity to inject colour and life into everyday products. TRIBE strives not to be confined to a specific genre of design or material, instead placing emphasis on art and passion.
Medallions: Things I Love From Ballard Designs
by evie s. on January 2nd, 2008
One graphic pattern that I love is medallions. Some experts believe that the origin of the beautiful medallion design stems from the very religious nature of Turkish weavers, and that their inspiration probably came from the artwork and patterns of domes on their mosques.
Browsing through Ballard Designs catalog today, a couple graphic items caught my eye.
This item is a fun one for the upcoming spring showers. Rain boots in a black and white medallion pattern with a punch of green would liven up any rainy day.
These patchwork prints by designer Grace Feyock that feature decorative medallions in neutral colors are perfect.
These would be easy to duplicate on your own if you have some scrap fabric you want to make a good use of. Add about nine small square frames, and you would be set. Real Simple has a “simple” tutorial for a similar type of project, Frame Fabric for Quick, Inexpensive Art.
Some great fabric in the medallion style can be found in Amy Butler’s Lotus line, available from Purl Soho.
Remembering the Forgotten Art of Dioramas
by evie s. on December 18th, 2007
Remember making dioramas in elementary school? I do, and I loved created a mini three dimensional world of my own creation. Imagine my happiness when I found these fancy Tatebanko Paper Diorama Kits. Pictured is a depiction of The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Mine were never this beautiful, but I’m tempted to try my hand at it again.
Tatebanko is the forgotten Japanese art of creating amazing dioramas and scenic perspectives from paper. Tatebanko was popular and widely admired from the 17th century (Edo period) to the early 20th century.
Available from Brooklyn 5 and 10 for a mere $10. The kits feature metallic accents and step by step instructions.