Virtual Landscapes & 3D Projection by Turkish Artist Refik Anadol

These are wonderful!  Displayed in Istanbul, Turkey. The combination of artistic vision and 3D technology is amazing. "[a] 12-minute installation by artist Refik Anadol utilizing 3-dimensional projection mapping to form a continually transitioning virtual landscape. The Infinity Room – part of Artnivo’s ‘40 Meters 4 Walls 8 Cubes‘ exhibition in collaboration with Istanbul Biennial at Zorlu Performing Art Center – the installation attempts to merge across the threshold “between the simulacrum space created by the projection technology, and the physical space where the viewer stands. The results are a near boundless experimentation of perception of place and self, an artistic parallel to more consumer-aimed technologies like Oculus and Microsoft’s RoomAlive system looming on the VR horizon." You can browse through more pictures and videos here.

Dutch Illustration Duo LouLou & Tummie Make the Cutest Things

I just love them. "LouLou & Tummie is a Dutch illustration duo that spend their days building an ever expanding empire of colourful graphics and characters on paper, walls, interiours, on tv or in the form of toys and plush." They just finished a bubblegum stickers project, suits their skills so perfectly. Also love their papertoys project. They have a very cute website. Their location: Tilburg. Couldn't find any more written details about the duo but their pages have plenty of visuals. Curious? Browse here.

Muxxi : A Wonderful Character Designer from Guatemala

You'll LOVE these designs. They are made by Muxxi : "Muxxi is an illustrator and artist from Guatemala city, she loves to create fantastic and colorful places filled with quirky creatures. Spontaneity, freedom and joy are always at the heart of her work." And on her website she writes : "Born and based in Guatamala City, Muxxi's unusual characters and creatures have given her a cult following around the world and global brands haven't bee immune to the charmes of her work either. Her quirky images speak of freedom and expressivenss and when she's creating an illo- or even imaginary world - her aim is to spread the joy to whoever sees it." I just adore her work. View her projects here.

Geninne's Art : Drawing Inspiration From the Natural World

Geninne's Art is one of those pages that I can always rely on when it comes to beautiful images inspired by nature. "Geninne is an artist living in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband Manolo, their two very creative boys & a cute border collie named Turbo. She was born in New York, but shortly after her parents began traveling around South America, where she lived in seven different countries and went to several English speaking schools. Her love for arts and crafts began at a very early age, her mom says she started drawing when she was two years old and it continued to be her favorite activity through her childhood and teenage years. By the time she decided what to study in college she was 100% sure it had to be in the visual arts. She studied architecture in Chile for a couple of years before graduating as a graphic artist in Mexico." She's multi-talented makes ceramics, cute stamps and creates fabric, makes beautiful paintings on stones, works with leather...all natural as you can say...and you can visit her blog at http://www.geninnesart.com/, I totally love her website, so Geninne.

The Most Amazing Designs by Portland's Fontana Studios

Logo

Oh my...when I saw these visuals I was instantly crazy about the designs! Also absolutely love their logo. Unfortunately they have not included a lot of info about their studio and the driving forces behind it. So external searches taught me that Blain Fontana is one of the artists that creates these amazing pieces. Are you looking for a little creative inspiration, then have a look at this guy's work, mesmerized by the style. This is why I love social media. Artists, companies and organisations are kind of encouraged to write more about themselves and their vision in social media pages, so when a website does not give you a lot of info, there are other sources. The Facebook page of Blaine Fontana says: "Blaine Fontana currently lives and works in Portland, Oregon. Imbuing his vision with the divine symbolism of religious myths, worldly folklore and current social dynamics, his works contain a kind of shamanic exploration of meaning that recognizes the totemic quality and power of the image. With extensive experience within the design world, including working as a designer for Felt Bicycles and acting art director for Zero+ Publishing, Fontana’s work displays a virtuosic understanding of sign & simulacra and their role within our contemporary visual culture. Straddling the physical and metaphysical, organic and architectural, painterly and graphic sensibilities, Fontana fuses multiple visual strategies to forge an aesthetic language entirely of his own making." The FB page also included that he works: "with his wife and creative partner"...and that "he currently runs Fontana Studios, a multi-media art and design studio in Portland, Oregon." Have a look at their website.



Young Animators & Their Process of Creation

Vera van Wolferen

Just watched these interviews, so beautiful. Inlcuded Dutch artist Vera van Wolferen. "Monocle recently sat down with three top-notch animators who eschew digital animation in favor of stop-motion and other manual techniques. Go behind-the-scenes with Vera van Wolferen, Lucie Sunkova (Czech Republic) and UK's Daisy Jacobs (previously) as they talk about their process and animation techniques." I've selected Vera's Youtube's clip 'How to Catch a Bird'. Vera writes: "How To Catch a Bird is a stop motion short based on a childhood memory. It's the graduation film I made for my masters in animation at AKV St. Joost Breda.When I was eight; my dad taught me how to fish. He told me to take the worm off the hook after fishing, but I had no idea why. After fishing I forgot about the worm and left it dangling on the hook. If I only knew then what the consequence of this action would be." You can view the other videos here, enjoy!

In the Spotlight : Dutch Visual Design Agency Vruchtvlees (Pulp)

Here an awesome example of one of the Dutch visual design and communication agencies I have been keeping my eye on lately. They've won a Red Dot Award for their designs of Das Magazin, as well as European design awards. Well known names like Anton Corbijn (photographer, director) and Charlotte Mutsaers (writer) work with them. Vruchtvlees was founded seven years ago. Their website is only in Dutch I'm afraid but the visuals will tell you the story. Vruchtvlees (pulp, flesh of the fruit) is located in The Hague and focuses on brand strategy, online strategy, concept, design, interaction and online as well as offline identities. I myself really like their work for the Dutch TV broadcaster VPRO. I'm also crazy about one of the Haruki Murakami bookcovers they've designed (which was nominated for the best bookcover design back in 2014). Other clients are: Heineken, Gispen, NRC Next, Nederlands Dans Theater, De Koninklijke Muntschouwburg, Amnesty International, Museumnacht Amsterdam, Universal Music, Oerol festival and Das Magazin. Have a look --> here for more details.

Klaus Pinter's Imagination of Space & Floating Installations

Wow, saw this a couple of days ago and look how amazing this looks. "Austrian artist Klaus Pinter explores the potential of the space around us with his fantastical floating installations. Usually suspended in mid air, his giant artworks are at once light, fluid, soft, and mechanical. They are also incredibly bizarre, created using a combination of different textures and inflatable materials like plastic and nylon. Many who see his works describe them as curious flying machines and angelic cocoons, speaking to the artist’s ability to alter our perceptions, even the way we see famous landmarks from the Pantheon in Rome to the Seine waterway in Paris. For his installation exhibited at the Pantheon in 2002, titled “Rebounds”, the artist rolled two huge spheres into the extravagant Ancient Roman building, where his work collided art with history and culture. One sphere was placed on the ground and another was mounted so that it appeared to float in the choir, where the reflection of the building appeared as distorted as an M.C. Escher drawing. This placement was a choice made by the artist in reference to philosopher Plato’s ideology, who speculated on the nature of the physical world and human beings. In his biography, Pinter shares that from the beginning of creating his first “pneumatic” structures, the inventor in him was inspired, if not assimilated, by the poet. And throughout his career he has carried on in this vein with consistency and rigor, in forms that are continually renewed." Nice right? More --> here. Oh, and have a great weekend!

Most Gorgeous Trees I've Seen - Hong Kong's Kinetic Installations

So our holidays are coming to an end (awww). Out of all the beautiful 'trees' I have seen during these days, this visual really caught my eye. Isn't it just gorgeous? "[m]otivated by the perception of hong kong being a groundless city lacking activated public space, local-based firm spatial practice has created ‘glowing trees’. the installation seeks to transform the oval atrium of the IFC mall by developing a collection of large trees that wish to catch the attention of potential users. the site’s position is a pivotal transport intersection and its mixed-use program is a point of reference for many who pass through it on a daily basis. the trees’ kinetic motion, as it moves up and down, allows for surprising effects as the pleated fabric comes to life. a spontaneous reaction is further supported by each of the tree’s playful materiality, striated color palette, and interior reflective, that lets users gaze and capture the moment." More --> here.