» thursday round up

thursday round up: videos

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:59:58 +0000

For this edition of Thursday’s Round Up, I wanted to share a few videos that I enjoy. They vary from music video to animation to stop motion, and are all pretty mesmerizing.

Blu’s video, Big Bang Big Boom is the story of of evolution and its consequences. The logistics and planning to make this short film are really mind-boggling, not to mention the invention and innovation of the urban landscape. It’s nearly 10 minutes long, but a very worthwhile 10 minutes.

BIG BANG BIG BOOM — the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Animal Collective is a favorite of mine. Their music (which is often a sampling of other music, such as the Beach Boys) lends itself so well to a myriad of abstract representations and psychedelic experiences. Ori Toor created this video as his final at Shenkar School of Engineering and Design. It’s a stream of consciousness so appropriate for the song, Lion in a Coma.

Animal Collective — “Lion in a Coma” from ori toor on Vimeo.

Have you ever been in a relationship gone awry? Fallen out of love? Julia Pott’s animation, Howard is heart-breaking and poignant, and done completely in Julia’s unique drawing style. The film is laden with some ambiguity but it works so well for what it is — an internal questioning, self doubt, and finally a resolution.

thursday round up: sketchbooks

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:06:12 +0000

For the record, I don’t use sketchbooks effectively as I should. Mine tend to be filled with scribbles, non sequiturs, and aren’t very experimental. The best sketchbooks help artists to refine their style, and make it a safe place to “mess up” and try new things. For this Thursday’s round up, I’ve included some sketchbooks that I really enjoy. I can only image what the rest of these books look like.

The Sketchbook Project is like “a concert tour but with sketchbooks”, and available to everyone. Participants sign up and choose a theme to their book and use it as a basis for imagery. From there, each individual fills the book with drawings, collages, painting, writing, etc. until the project deadline. After it’s been sent it to the good folks at the Art House Co-op, all of the sketchbooks tour the United States until they are put in permanent collection of the Brooklyn Art Library. If you are interested, you have until October 31st of this year to sign up and choose your theme!

From top to bottom, in order: Andrea Posada // Jesse Draxler // Lizzy Stewart // Lili Scratchy // Tyler Parker

thursday round up: artist shoes

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:32:00 +0000

Having a weakness for most things fashionable, I’ve recently developed a strong affinity for shoes. Amongst my time dedicated to online window shopping, I’ve come across both fashionable and no-so-fashionable, but then there are shoes that are just cool.

Artists shoes add a unique flair to an often banal silhouette. Betsy Walton has designed a line of Keds shoes, come in different colors and patterns, and are a nice nod to her work. Other artists create one-of-a kind designs on their shoes, including Ana Benaroya and Luke Best. What I love the most about these shoes are the new life they are given, and how each artist really uses their perspective to work with the limitations of the materials.

Sneaker Pimps uses shoes like nothing I’ve ever seen. A large touring sneaker/street art/concert, it displays innovated and sculptural uses to (mostly) the Nike Dunk shoes. Some are not wearable, but all are customized and take on a life outside of being a normal shoe.

From top to bottom, in order: Betsy Walton // Ana Benaroya // Luke Best // Sneaker Pimps, Manila 2007

thursday round up: nesting dolls

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:24:53 +0000

Each week, I fret a little bit about finding enough things for a Thursday Round Up. This week, however, I had an abundance in choices and had a lot of fun researching!

Nesting dolls, or more commonly known as Matryoshka dolls are traditionally a wooden doll with five different figures. There is a large figure (the matriarch — grandmother — babushka), and each subsequent doll is “nested” inside the other. The outward design on each doll follows a theme, but can vary on what that theme is, exactly. The first makings of a Matryoshka dolls depicted families and peasants, and later leaders of the Soviet Union.

Modern day nesting dolls simply reference the shape of dolls past. For instance, both Friends With You and Piksel — Kopter have added and subtracted from the original shape. Friends with You has turned their doll into an alien-like creature — it’s like a pod.

I love how so many of the dolls of the present destroy the my conventions. I often think of these dolls as being rigidly patterned and very traditional. It’s nice to see them break my expectations and be so illustrative and lively.

Upon researching the culture that’s been built around nesting dolls, I found this interesting post on If It’s Hip, It’s Here. Also, thanks to some of the good folks on Twitter (@npldave, @hellojenuine, @lizzystewart) for helping me the the hunting and gathering of the dolls.

From top to bottom, in order: Mogu Takahashi // Irina Troitskaya // Friends With You // Ben Javens // Piksel — Kopter

thursday round up: finger puppets

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:14:41 +0000

Perhaps I still have my Monday viewing of the Dark Crystal on the brain, but the whole movie I sat in awe of the puppetry and the detailing of all the characters and sets. Forever a fan of toys, I’ve always been fond of finger puppets. For this edition of Thursday Round Up, I present some extra-special phalanges adornments.

Finger puppets can be made out of a variety of materials. Perhaps the most popular is felt and crochet, but as you can see, Sweet Bestiary and Samarrakhaja have used air-drying clay, so these are like tiny sculptures that fit on your fingers! You can make puppets emotional or moody, or just happy-go-lucky, like Moontsy and Floonsty (my heart melts for those tiny felted guys!). I love all of these because of their imagination — they aren’t the conventional animals, and take finger puppets from being a bit juvenile to something that is more serious and earnest.

From top to bottom, in order: d.s.lookkin — Hugging Finger Puppets // Sweet Bestiary // Moontsy and Floonsty // Samarrakhaja — Your New Best Friends // Baby Animals — Arctic Animals

thursday round up: hand-painted plates

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:27:31 +0000

For the Round Up this week, I’ve selected a handful of hand-painted plates. The value of a nice plate or platter is not something that goes overlooked, and I’ve recently become acquainted with quite a few vintage hand-painted plates. I love them for the care and quirkiness they bring. With this Thursday’s selections, a modern twist has been put on the traditional. Some artists choose to paint a narrative on ceramics, while others bring a fresh eye in addition to a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.

I find the plates by James Ward (aka Jim Bob Art) to be really funny. He’s painted ravenous bears on these plates, as if they are waiting for you not finish your meal so they can snag the leftovers. The same bears are also dressed up as Lucha Libres and superheroes, as well as “cookie tamers”. The ceramic work by Michelle Summers is also unconventional, and her imagery is something I’d image as a drawing. It’s a welcome surprise to see her odd, surreal world on plates, bowls, and cups.

from top to bottom, in order: Ninainvorm // Dalhaus // Jim Bob Art // ‘Remembering Roche’ by Whitney Sherman // Michelle Summers

thursday round up : offbeat tattoos

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:08:50 +0000

No stranger to the ink, I’ve always been interested in tattoos and the variations across this broad spectrum of art. I often find it disappointing to see generic tattoos when in reality, tattoos can be so intricate, creative and beautiful. They don’t have to subscribe to Sailor Jerry type of tattoos. For this Thursday’s Round Up, I’ve picked out several tattoos that are a bit offbeat and very interesting to look at. Some are colorful, others are just great imagery and masterfully shaded.

Amanda Wachob tattoos are like nothing I’ve ever seen. They are abstract pieces that remind me of brush strokes and expressionist paintings, and hardly look like tattoos. Liam Sparkes uses line in a way I love — his tattoos are all very outline heavy, which is becoming a bit more prevalent but I love the lack of color. The beauty is in the outline against skin.

From one to five, in order: Amanda Wachob // Liam Sparkes // Artwork of Gemma Correll, done by “Oi” // Mike Giant

thursday round up: wall decals

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:37:20 +0000

For this Thursday’s Round Up, I want to share with you some wall decals. They have always been something I’ve wanted to own, but for one reason or another have never bought. I love how they look on walls, and in my dream apartment I have them plastered across my plum-colored walls.

Through my research, I found some really interesting and unique decals (such as the ones below), and a plethora of lame wall decor.

I love the images on this round up for their originality and keen design. They liven up a space, making it visually interesting without the use of frames and blend in seamlessly to the wall. I think that’s what I enjoy the most about wall decals; they look as thought they were always supposed to be there. It’s a great way to personalize a space without the use of nails, or something that really leaves its mark behind.

Last Fall, Kitsune Noir and Poketo teamed up to launch a series of wallets and wall decals called SPACETIME, which included artists and illustrators such as Mike Perry, and Andy Miller. What’s best is you can arrange the decals however you’d like!

Blik is also another tour de force in decals, and showcases a variety of designs — some are simply patterned while others, including one by Hannah Stouffer entitled Darkest Night.

From one to five, in order: Cody Hudson Wall Decal, Kitsune Noir and Poketo // Damien Correll and Andy J. Miller, Kistune Noir and Poketo // Alberto Cerriteno // Hannah Stouffer // Saelee Oh

thursday round up: coloring books

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:31:24 +0000

Before I could really draw, I used to color a lot. As I grew older and learned to draw, coloring (and subsequently, coloring books) fell to the wayside. Recently, I discovered the Indie Rock Coloring Book , and started to think about coloring books in a whole new way. They don’t have to be just for children anymore!

The Indie Rock Coloring Book was a jumping off point, but Etsy really has quite a few books that are relatively inexpensive and very original. Intricate Dwellings, for example — is just that. Could you imagine coloring inside all of those lines with that amount of detail? If you want variety page by page, you could also turn to the WE ARE HAPPY Collaborative Coloring Book, a monthly publication featuring different artists. Each month, there is a different theme that artists interpret, and are bound in a small book.

From one to five, in order: Indie Rock Coloring Book //
Intricate Dwellings // Charley Harper Coloring Book // WE ARE HAPPY Collaborative Coloring Book // Doodles: A Really Giant Coloring and Doodling Book

thursday round up: pop-up books

brwnpaperbag — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:15:42 +0000

Another feature I’m rolling out on Brown Paper Bag is the Thursday Round Up. There are many things that I think are neat besides works on paper (and beyond!), so each week I’ll be sharing a group of products, objects, etc., that I really enjoy. To start off with a bang, I’ve decided to show a few pop-up books!

I’ve always loved pop-up books and been fascinated with their construction. I knew that it was not particularly easy; I have attempted to make a simple pop-up greeting card once and it did not go well. The always lovely Simon Wild was able to shed some light on a pop-up book (such as his!) is constructed:

A book is first story boarded in 2D, after which a paper engineer turns the drawings into a 3D prototype. After there is an idea of how elements will translate, additional 3D elements are added, then a second prototype created. This version includes “die lines” , which will be a way for the correct layout to be determined and cut out. The second prototype is vital because it ensures that the book will be working well mechanically. After that, the final version is created with full color and artwork, and later proofed and tested for strength. The process ends with the book on the shelf!

There are a lot of different pop-up books available, but most are fairly lackluster in their engineering and creativity. I really enjoy the books that utilize a more creative use of paper engineering, which are what I think these books do. I own 600 Black Spots and it’s a great book; it’s not your typical pop-up; while a lot of books tend to rely on a more structured construction, 600 Black Spots lets the 3D pieces wave back and forth and really have a mind of their own.

1 // Simon Wild 2 // Popville 3 // 600 Black Spots 4 // Mommy?