Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Things you can't do with an e-reader...

Artist Brian Dettmer (aka the "Book Surgeon") makes books into works of art. There are some images at the bottom but they are tiny. Click on the link at the bottom of the article to see larger images. They are amazing.

Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, Brian Dettmer carves one page at a time. Nothing inside the out-of-date encyclopedias, medical journals, illustration books, or dictionaries is relocated or implanted, only removed.

Dettmer manipulates the pages and spines to form the shape of his sculptures. He also folds, bends, rolls, and stacks multiple books to create completely original sculptural forms.

"My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception," he says.

"The richness and depth of the book is universally respected yet often undiscovered as the monopoly of the form and relevance of the information fades over time. The book’s intended function has decreased and the form remains linear in a non-linear world. By altering physical forms of information and shifting preconceived functions, new and unexpected roles emerge."

Dettmer is originally from Chicago, where he studied at Columbia College. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA.

There is a more in depth interview here (as well as more images).



Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Music makes the world go 'round

Today, during my daily tour around the internets, I found my new source of music for the week: Norwegian Recycling.

Norwegian Recycling is a chap who has created a BUNCH of mash-ups over the past four years. His newest video "Open Your Eyes" just came out recently.

If you like that video, his website is a treasure-trove of mash-ups.

Mash-ups are awesome. Sometimes they are the only reason I keep watching "Glee." (For weeks on end, they sound like Kidz Bop and then all of a sudden- they pull an amazing mash-up out of nowhere and my love of "Glee" is restored.)

Plus, sometimes the combination of different songs makes awful songs better.

Example: I find Train's "Soul Sister" barely palatable. It triggers some sort of hate gland deep within me. It's the same sort of reaction that occurs whenever Jason Mraz is playing anywhere near my ears.

However, for some reason, when "Soul Sister" is mashed up with Owl City's "Fireflies", I find the result delightful.

Some favorites so far:
(Most of these are videos, but you can get them all in the "audio" section-- also there are a LOT more songs in the "audio" section.)



Monday, February 21, 2011

Productivity?

I've been telling people that being ADD and unemployed is a mixed bag. I start 57 projects a day-- which sounds hella productive unless anyone asks the natural follow-up question, "How many did you finish."

One of the things I have been working on are comics. A lot of dialogue has been written, but I've been kind of slack in the drawing department (which is a pretty crucial component in comics).

Right now it's just a couple of stacks of sketches (most of which are just a testament to my wildly unfocused mind). Now that I have a scanner, however, I think I can get to work completing some comics. I think that I'm going to post the comics to my blog as I finish them.

Until then, here are some detail scans of some of my sketches.

(The first one is my dog being carried away by balloons).

From Something More Fantastical
From Something More Fantastical
From Something More Fantastical
From Something More Fantastical




Monday, February 14, 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

This guy totally stole my idea...

There is sometimes a day where I sleep in and then I just mosey about eating cereal straight out of the box. There is some hardcore TV watching followed by me catching up on my comics.

Maybe after that-- a nap.

It is usually on days like these where I read about articles like this.

Motoi Yamamoto arranges giant labyrinths made entirely out of salt and they are beautiful. Yamamoto created the installation over the course of five days. He patiently worked backwards until the piece was finished.

The finished product is totally badass-- or as they say in the art world: stunning.

Prudes.

These labyrinths that he creates are just really amazing. You can't help but be inspired.

There is a balance to the universe, though. In order for people like Yamamoto to have the dedication and patience to create these mazes-- there have to be people like me in the world.

People who wake up at 11am and then scroll through the Huffington Post for two hours whilst snacking on leftovers and granola bars.

Just know that when Yamamoto is taking a break-- I am being crazy diligent.

Unnervingly dedicated... to... stuff.



Check out Yamamoto's website. There is a blog, pictures of previous projects, and videos of him creating the mazes. It is awesome.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Hipster Ariel is so over the sea

Mandy loves all things Disney.

So, when I found "Hipster Ariel", I was overjoyed.

Combining Ariel's love of humanity with a hipster's disdain for everything just creates such a hilarious panel.

Basically, I like to take things Mandy loves and corrupt them.