Visual Diary: Temporary Tattoos #3

Hello and Happy Monday friends! Long time no post, I know, but today I have some new temporary tattoo fun for your eyes to feast on. It's been quite a long time since I've posted anything but my own drawings, so I was excited when yesterday, while I was cleaning up my apartment, I came across a small stack of these temporary tattoos. I collected these quite a while ago and just sort of forgot about them, but I'm happy to share them with you today.

The four Tattoos at the top are from a new line called DEC Deco Tattoos designed by Jeanie Newby and the other two (above) are from the more traditional line called Liquid Skin. Out of this bunch, I would have to say my favorites are the cupcake, the cherries and lastly, the rose with two guns. Do you have a favorite? I always get such enjoyment collecting these, they kinda make me feel like a kid again. Unfortunately I haven't come across any machines in a while, but hopefully my luck will change soon. So stay tuned and stay inspired…have fun, fall is here!

Visual Diary: New American Paintings No.90

 

Erin Cone 

So, it looks as though I’m down to a post a month, imagine that. I remember way back in September 2009 when posting once a week wasn’t enough. Those were the good’ole days. Ha! Now it’s February 2011 and the frigin’ cold and snow have me thinking it’s still December.

But none too different, it is February with Valentine’s Day fast approaching. And here I am, eagerly anticipating, not the arrival of a love seeped Valentine, but instead, the latest editions of New American Paintings and Art New England. Woohoo! These publications are two long lost loves, whose company I have not had the pleasure of, in well over a year. But thanks to my brother’s generous Christmas gift, said magazines and myself, will once again be reunited! Thus, I’d like to share with you, my “favorites” from my recently acquired, New American Paintings, Issue #90; Erin Cone, Rebecca Layton, Matt Root and Melissa Wilkinson…Enjoy!

 Rebecca Layton

 Matt Root

Melissa Wilkinson

Visual Diary: Ultra Tattoo Classics #2

Woohoo, I’m on a roll peeps, watch out! This is my second post of the week, can you believe it? I can ;} I have lots of good stuff coming down the pipeline over the next couple of weeks and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Today I’ve got some lovely new kitsch for you from my temporary tattoo collection! I’ve got four new tattoos to showcase, just a few less than the nine I featured back in October 09. I blame this on my recent schedule…haven’t really ventured outside of my daily grind of work, sleep, work, eat, sleep, studio, sleep, etc. So as a result, I’ve been frequenting the same vending machine for the past few months or so. This has led to getting a lot of bad designs...ones that I didn't think were worth showing as well as duplicates of those same bad designs. Good thing is though, I did manage to score these four lovelies, in addition to a couple of duplicates that I actually do like.

I got three sacred hearts and I’m starting to think they may be good luck…I especially think so, when I see them all lined up in a row! Looks similar to a slot machine, don’t you think? Perhaps I should look into a trip to Vegas! Yea, baby! Either way, hope you enjoy the kitsch. I’ll be sure to post again soon, so stay tuned and stay happy, it's Friday!

Providence Living: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Hello and happy Thursday friends, I thought I would share some photos that I took while walking around town this past Saturday. I took all of these pics over where the highway is being reconstructed at the end of Wickendon St. and near the Point Street Bridge. The sun was setting at that time and I thought it was quite beautiful. Now, looking at them, I think that they'll make great studies for some new work. Over the next month, or two, I'll be cranking on some drawings and paintings that will hang at White Electric this August. If there is an opening for the show, I will be sure to let you all know about it...and of course you're all invited ;} So, more on that to come, but until then, enjoy the pics!

Visual Diary: New American Paintings No.83

 Hello peeps! Hope this finds you well. I was hoping to get a Cosmic Icon post up tonight, however it’s getting late (on Monday night) and I’m getting tired, so I thought I would share with you a Visual Diary post instead. This Visual Diary is a collection of artists whose work was featured in the # 83 issue of New American Paintings: The Midwestern Competition.

Amy Casey, Drifting 2008 

New American Paintings is an amazing periodical that features artists from across the US. If you haven’t already done so, you should definitely check it out. I’ve had a subscription to New American Paintings off and on for the past few years or so, but before that, I would pick it up at the local art store, or book store whenever I could afford it. It’s not cheap at $20 a pop, but in my opinion, well worth it if you’re a practicing artist looking for some inspiration.

Anna Joelsdottir, Pulling Through 2008-2009

Whenever I get my new issue, I thumb through it almost immediately and pick out my favorites (a.k.a. those artists whose work most strikes my visual fancy). I’ve been meaning to document these favorites for quite a while, but am just now getting around to it. Sadly enough, I’m behind a few issues, but you can be sure to expect future postings showcasing more of my favorite New American Painters soon…so stay tuned and stay inspired! Until then, I hope you enjoy these wonderful works by Amy Casey, Anna Joelsdottier, Randall Tiedman and Hans Habeger, cheers!

 Randall Tiedman

 Hans Habeger, Best Buy 2009

Visual Diary: Walter Bosse Cat Egg Cup

Image via Modcats

Just the other day, I came across this post on Maquette that featured miniature brass animals. And of course I found them to be adorable, but more significantly, they reminded me of a little brass kitty that I keep on my dressing table at home. So, out of curiosity, I clicked on the link provided, which led me to Design Within Reach, where apparently these little animals are available to purchase. It turns out the tiny sculptures are modern reproductions of those that were originally made around 1950 by the artist Walter Bosse.

Top image via Modcats

Not being at all familiar with Walter Bosse, I naturally did a Google search and to my delight, photos of my brass kitty showed up in the image results! I clicked on one of the images and found out that Walter Bosse was an Austrian designer who specialized in designing and making pottery figures and ceramics. Later in his career, sometime around the 1950’s, he began working with metal and started making animal miniatures of the so-called Black-Golden Line; an innovative technique where most of the brass is patinated black, with only a few small areas that are polished. Also in my search, I discovered that my brass kitty is not a ring holder, as I use it, but rather, an egg cup! And apparently it’s an egg cup that could very well be worth anywhere between $45.00 and $69.00! That’s quite a difference from the two dollars I spent for it at Brimfield…woohoo!

Top image via Modcats

So, I’ve included some photos above of an “original” Walter Bosse Cat Egg Cup and photos of my Cat Egg Cup. I do believe my Cat Egg Cup is an original, but I should probably consult a professional to confirm…Antique Road Show, anyone?

Visual Diary: "Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work"

Back in October of 2009, I came across the captivating blog, “Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work,” started by the Chicago based photographer John Maloof. If you haven’t already seen it, you should definitely check it out. Not only is this blog filled with beautiful old photographs of the streets of Chicago, it has an intriguing back-story as well.

Apparently Mr. Maloof acquired a collection of negatives while at a furniture and antique auction in Chicago. The auction house had previously acquired the negatives, along with other belongings, from a storage locker that was sold off due to delinquent payments. The locker belonged to a Ms. Vivian Maier, whom according to acquaintances was a nanny, a Socialist, a Feminist, a movie critic, and a tell-it-like-it-is type of person. Fascinating!

Even more intriguing, is that at the time of the auction, out of the 30-40,000 negatives that Mr. Maloof acquired, 10-15,000 negatives were still in rolls, undeveloped from the 1960's-1970's. Thankfully, John has since been successfully developing these rolls and documenting them on his blog for all of our lovely eyes to see! Overall, there are still about 600 rolls yet to be developed…yey for us!

Above, I’ve included just a few of the images that caught my eye, however there are many more to peruse and admire. So, be sure to check out additional images and learn more about the back-story here! It’ll be sure to inspire and intrigue. Enjoy!

{All images via the John Maloof Collection}

Visual Diary: Geordie Wood

Hello Folks! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Today I have some lovely eye candy from freelance photographer Geordie Wood. I came across these gorgeous pics on Oh Joy! and was immediately drawn to them. 

During fashion week in NYC this September Susan Woo debuted her second collection, Spring 2010. The following week Geordie Wood took to Space 523 in Brooklyn to shoot the new collection. Following the shoot, Geordie made 8×10 inch prints and hand painted the photographs. These lovely photographs are the end result! I just think they’re wonderful. 

I’ve always been a huge fan of mixed media in fashion/editorial photo shoots. It seems to add a whole other dimension to the photos and the subject. I especially love the choice of black dots, as they add texture and movement to the model’s rather stagnant stance without distracting too much from the clothing. Be sure to check out Geordie’s blog to read more and see some behind-the-scene pics. Enjoy!

{All images via Geordie Wood Blog}

Visual Diary: I Heart Book Design Con't

Hello all! Hope you had a nice weekend. Sorry for the delay in posts this week, I've been struck by a horrible cold and have been out of commission until now. Today I thought I would continue with last Thursday’s theme of book design, and post some of the covers I designed while working at Houghton Mifflin Company.

I thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast the covers I'm inspired by with the covers that I create. Here I've shown just a few of my most favorite designs. A very small collection, considering in my four years, I designed a total of over 420 covers. But even among these few, you can identify my love of silhouettes, strong graphics and bold typographical treatments.

In general, I had complete creative license when designing these covers. Occasionally there would be an image request, or a color change, but overall by the time the project hit my desk, the creative elements were left to me. For a designer, it was a pretty ideal situation.

I think the most challenging aspect of the job was to create a textbook cover that was both visually appealing and stimulating enough to get a student to WANT to open the book. I approached each cover with the question, "If I were a college student and I was totally procrastinating, what combination of type and image would get me to open the thing." And that is how I went about designing these covers. I can only hope it was successful in the end. What do you think? Do you find these covers interesting? Do you want to open at least one? And if so, which one? I would love to hear your thoughts!

{All published covers © Houghton Mifflin Company}

Visual Diary: I Heart Book Design

Hello and happy Thursday everyone, the weekend is almost here and I’ve got some lovely eye-candy here to get you through to Friday. For those of you who don’t already know, when I first went into graphic design, I was very specialized; I only wanted to design books and most of all, book covers. Fortunately for me, I landed a job doing just that, fresh out of school.

For four years, I worked for Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston, designing textbook covers for the College Division. On average, I created about three covers a day, for books covering everything from mathematics to science, to humanities, etc. And although rewarding, the job was creatively draining. On the days that I couldn’t get the artistic mojo flowing, I would flip through two of my favorite books about book design; Front Cover: Great Book Jacket and Cover Design by Alan Powers and, By Its Cover: Modern American Book Cover Design by Ned Drew and Paul Sternberger. These books have saved me many a time during periods of creative frustration. Even since leaving my job at Houghton, I still refrence these books for the graphic genius they contain.

Here I’ve showcased just a sample of some of my favorite covers from each book. I tend to gravitate towards books designed between 1940 and 1960; I especially love the late-modern use of sans serif type and strong silhouetted graphics that were popular throughout this time. If you have any interest in design, particularly the design of books, be sure to check out either of these titles the next time you hit the book store, it’ll be worth it. Happy reading!

{All images via “Front Cover: Great Book Jacket and Cover Design” by Alan Powers and, “By Its Cover: Modern American Book Cover Design” by Ned Drew and Paul Sternberger}

Visual Diary: The Music Library

About three years ago, I traveled to the UK for my cousin’s wedding in London. It was an amazing trip, on which I managed to visit many museums, galleries, shops and sights. In case you missed my previous post, it was the same trip upon which I scored my “Devonshire Clotted Cream” tin. It was also on this trip that, on foot, guided by many maps etc., I managed to stumble across the ICA, located just down the street from my hotel, near Trafalgar Square. 

The ICA is an amazingly innovative and influential cultural institution that showcases a daily program of contemporary arts, ideas, film and culture in London. In addition, they have an amazing book store/gift shop. In fact, I think I actually spent more time in the shop than I did in the gallery. But anywho, it was in said shop, that I came across this amazing book, The Music Library. 

If you are at all interested in music and/or design, this is definitely a book you may want to invest in. And I say this because, like most art books, it ain’t cheap…but it definitely is worth the price. Featuring over 325 sleeves, plus an exclusive CD, this book is a “graphic joyride through some of the greatest unseen and unheard music ever made."

Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s “Library Music,” also known as source, or mood music, was made for use in animations, commercials, films and TV programs. The Music Library is a fascinating compilation of cover art, showcasing beautiful Library LP's that were never commercially available and were manufactured in limited numbers. Collected by some of the top UK collectors, compiled by Jonny Trunk and published by FUEL, this book, is an amazing source of inspiration and endless visual stimulation. To prove it, I initially bought it as a gift, but later bought myself my own copy. Yes, this book was worth buying twice! 

Here I've showcased just a few of my favorite sleeve designs, but if you want to see more, be sure to check out the details on the FUEL website and perhaps buy your own copy. Enjoy!

Visual Diary: Mr. Brainwash

Today, I’d like to do a quick follow-up about the artist behind the “awesome” graffiti images I posted on Thursday’s entry. Because I came across the images on the NYLON blog, where there was no mention of who created the Madonna posters, I had no idea that they were the work of "well-known" street artist, Mr. Brainwash. Apparently, I live under a rock.

Mr. Brainwash, or MBW, is the moniker of an eccentric French filmmaker, Thierry Guetta. MBW spent nine years attempting to make the ultimate documentary about graffiti art. But while shooting many of the world’s most renowned street artists such as Bansky and Shepard Fairey, MBW quickly developed an interest in making his own art. He soon graduated from a few hand drawn stickers to giant billboard sized paste-ups and is now recognized as one of the most prolific street artists in California.

The Madonna Posters, located in New York City’s Meatpacking District, were part of a commission of several murals painted along 9th Avenue. The poster itself is also one of nearly 20 other pieces supporting the cover art for Madonna’s greatest hits compilations called “Celebration.”

If you haven’t already heard of Mr. Brainwash, or you have, but would like to learn more about him and his work, be sure to check out the following links for interviews and images. Enjoy!

ObeyGiant
Artwork Magazine 

Swindle Magazine 

{All images via Artwork Magazine}

Visual Diary: Graffiti Goes Cross Generational!

Hello Folks, another entry for the Visual Diary today. I’m happy to share this pretty amazing graffiti that I came across on the NYLON blog a couple of weeks ago. And although you may have already seen it, I’d like to reiterate how awesome I think it is. Not only does it reference Madonna, the 80’s pop icon (yes, I still think of her as such, because she was the hot-new-thing when I was growing up…and yes, that was in the 1980’s) but it also references, Andy Warhol’s famous portrait of the 1950’s pop icon, Marilyn Monroe. Whom, interestingly enough, Madonna has referenced many times throughout her chameleon-like career.

In a nutshell, this graffiti is the new millennium referencing the 1980’s that referenced the 1950’s, and in total, encapsulates the post-modern obsession with regurgitating what once was, in order to make something that is.

Unlike most creative and commercial attempts, I do believe this graffiti successfully combines the old with the new, in a manner that creates something that is very much cross generational and therefore timeless. I only hope that in the next ten years, tomorrow’s creative environment will do something other than vomit up the past and put a new spin on it. So to all of the creative peeps out there…myself included…let’s break bad habits like we broke the sound barrier! It’s time to move on.

PS: The NYLON blog, just today, featured The Sketchbook Project that I am participating in...so awesome! You can view my sketches here...Enjoy!

Visual Diary: NYC to PVD

Been going through some of my old files lately trying to clean up and unload my laptop a bit and I came across this video I shot back in 2006! It was taken on the train during one of my many trips between NYC and PVD.

Although it lacks everything that is “professional,” visually I just love this video. I believe I used the “Silent Film” setting, which shoots in black and white, speeds up the frames and removes all of the sound. Oddly enough, it’s a great setting for parties, but here it gives modern day NY an old time/vintage feel. If it weren’t for some of the obviously modern structures, graffiti, and cars, one could easily imagine this was shot mid 20th century. Don’t you agree? Either way, I think it’s a great source of visual stimulation, and I wanted to share it. So, enjoy! More lovely eye candy to come soon…

Visual Diary: Ultra Tattoo Classics

Hello all, hope this finds you well, thought I would share a little kitsch with you today: my very own Temporary Tattoo collection! Odd as it may seem, I very much delight in collecting these. And for the record, I don’t collect just any temporary tattoos; they must come from the fifty-cent vending machines that you often find at bowling alleys, arcades, supermarkets and the alike. Whenever I spot one, it’s a necessity that I find fifty cents pronto, even if it means I have to borrow it from a friend, or even cash a dollar! No joke.

My most recent spotting was this past Monday at the DMV…amazing. It made the very long line, I was waiting on, seem that much less hellacious. That day, I scored the Tiger in the bottom right corner…and the others? Well, I can’t really recall. I do have to say though; my absolute favorite in the bunch, is the strawberry and second to that is the Virgin Mary.

Not exactly sure where my passion to collect these came from, I can only assume, it stems from my childhood. As my cousin Karen recently reminded me, I used to collect tiny toys that came from a particular vending machine at a particular arcade that we would frequent as kids at the Jersey shore. I had an entire dresser drawer filled with hundreds of these tiny toys, little plastic guns, playing cards, etc.

Overall, I think it has most to do with the mystery of what you might get, or the excitement that comes with the revelation of what you got. It’s really all about the anticipation and the discovery…besides they’re fun to look at, so enjoy!