Little Boat from Nelson Boles on Vimeo.
A gentle treat for this cold and snowy Monday morning. There are bits of funny, bits of sweet and also a bit of heartbreak. The perfect recipe for a story combined with the most lovely of execution. The colours, the delicacy of the drawing, the pared down soundtrack all works together to create a powerful 4 minute short. Perfect for easing one into the working week.
The Modern Dance from Rogier Wieland on Vimeo.
I’m feeling bright and perky this morning, so a similarly energetic video to match. This is great and rather amusing. It must have taken a good long time so it’s only a short, but it’s a wicked idea and nicely executed. ‘The Modern Dance’, by motion graphics designer Rogier Wieland, is a cardboard cut out stop animation of a wee fella dancing. He dances around different parts of an urban landscape, both interior and exterior, as though he was the lord of the dance himself. The choice of background is cleverly incorporated into the dance using the lines and shapes which not only supports the shapes being made but also makes the dancer look like he’s actually dancing there in real. This will not fail to bring a smile to your face. And there ain’t nothing more important than that on a Monday morning, innit.
Oooeeee, look at these pretties! I love paper craft, and as much as I try, I just don’t seem to have the knack (or patience) for intricate and detailed pieces. But paper artist, Jennifer Collier does as these images of her fantastic creations testify to. Just thinking about how she’s done them makes my brain hurt so I shall just go back to looking and cooing. Very clever and very inspiring. Do have a look at the rest of her website and treat yourself to an early Christmas pressie. Or me, if you feel so inclined.
Sunday saw the Summer’s final fling of glorious sunshine, which surely signals a change in the weather and the start of the move towards Autumn. And how better to spend it than out in the fresh air. I bade farewell to London with all its activities (Paralympics closing ceremony and The Thames Festival) hopped on a train and chugged my way down to the south coast. Slathering on the sun cream and looking the part of the ultimate walking geek, I headed to the beach at Seaford and hooked a left, heading east along the coast. This little walk was by no means a breeze. 21km of pure unadulterated hill and no joke, various parts of my body are still stiff rendering it tricky to do even the most basic of daily movements. However, the views were such that I would do it again in a blink of an eye. We are rapidly losing our south coast due to the aggressive erosion of the sea, which has been documented in the dramatic photographs on display at Birling Gap, charting the demise of Birling Gap in particular. On the day went, and slowly climbed all seven of the sisters and made it to the top of Beachy Head. The weather momentarily turned for the worse and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the clouds blow on in, we were spared and remained safe on top the cliffs, despite moments of uncertainty. With my end goal of Eastbourne now in sight, I ignored my throbbing feet and onwards was spurred. I skipped through Eastbourne (not literally) without stopping even for chips and settled smugly onto the train, an hour earlier than the book predicted. Go me. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. No walking book required as you just follow the coast!
the Song for Rain from Yawen on Vimeo.
Weather-wise, this may not be what one wants on a grey September day having had a weekend of glorious sunshine and blue skies, but it’s such a charming little animation that you’ll be pleased to have seen it. A bitter-sweet story by illustration graduate, Zheng Yawen, about a boy who helps a fox collect rainwater in order to water his flowers, the characters and set are beautifully illustrated in what looks like watercolour or chalk pastels. Lots of muted greys for the urban scenes and lovely bright yellows in contrast for when the suns comes out. I hope you don’t shed too many tears!
Owl Know How from Isobel Knowles on Vimeo.
Now that the summer is over and the August Break 2012 has come to a close, the new school year begins but I needed to break myself (and you guys) in gently. So what better than a gorgeous and charming video from Vimeo. Owl Know How is a short animation by Isobel Knowles featuring cute-as-a-button characters created by Cat Rabbit, this is quite possibly the cutest thing you’ll see all week (and I know how you all like your cute animal pictures). A bold statement you may say, but just watch the video and then see if you can argue my case.
Felt, sewing and imagination at its best, a lovely indulgence of cute and adorable without an element of twee to be found anywhere. A sort of fairytale that we’d all like to imagine exists up there in the world. It’s not saccharine and pink, it’s real and it’s got integrity, intelligence and humour. And nicely made to boot. I like that you can see how they’ve made the ‘machinery’. It doesn’t pretend to be anything than what it is: charming and beautifully handmade. I love the ‘pouring’ in of the internal organs. It’s funny. Now available in book form too. Happy Monday the 3rd of September everybody.
This post is truly Bubblicious Delicious (with a nod to Camden Underworld’s Monday club night of many-a-moon ago) and all in the interest of the up-and-coming test shoot. I can’t wait. Obviously, I’m not going to tell you the plan now as it won’t be a surprise when I do. But do I shall when I complete it. However, in the mean time, what I will give you is a suggestion of potential colour palette. And this is it: Bubblegum pop. I’m thinking 50s bubblegum pop in candy floss pinks, apple greens, disco orange and azure blues. I want jars of gobstoppers, morello cherries, stripy straws and sweetie bags, shopkeeper’s awnings, and cherry doilies. Bright and zingy, fun and silly with a scattering of class and a healthy dollop of sophistication. I’m thinking cheeky like Kelis’ ‘Milkshake‘ video, a little bit less brazen and with a smattering of old school Americana. I’m biting at the bit to tell you but I know it won’t be as good than if I wait. It’ll be worth it though (I hope). This little test shoot is my first collaboration with the talented photographer Simon Bevan and I am very much looking forward to it. May the propping commence. Watch this space.
images with thanks to We Heart It
We’re all guilty of this one. If only we’d thought up this jolly good reason for playing with our food. We never get less curious about ‘what might happen if I just…’, we just get better at controlling the urges. The adult conditioning that has been drummed into us from a young age frowns on child’s play especially when it comes to food. As part of that conditioning we also have the ability to imagine the results of such messy play and that it is only us that is responsible for clearing up (more’s the pity). But if you’re making a video or making pretty pictures, as I do, you occasionally get the opportunity to indulge the inner monkey. I think everyone ought to at least once in their lives. Lovely photography involved in this little Dutch video and a funny soundtrack which is totally appropriate for the stills animation smashing of puddings and eggs. I would have loved to have seen a bigger range of food stuffs but trifles are a very good place to start. Cleverly done and nicely executed. Play away, kids, play away (I recommend using panel of glass to squish- that way you see it without it getting in your eyes).
Visuals : Hugo de Kok & Kay van Vree
Music : Ivo van Dijk & Sophie Ansems
So, Wednesday morning dawns and how confused do we all feel? Very. I spent all the weekend feeling most baffled as to which day it was. But it was of little matter as I was up in the land of the Lancastrians visiting family and enjoying some of their rural gems, a wide variety of which are on offer. We took a little from ‘there’ and a little from ‘here’, and mixed it all up to make for a fantastically good weekend. The weather did not deter us, we wrapped up warm and stoically carried on. We had our ‘Jubilee’ picnic in the grey chill of 8 degrees (at least it wasn’t raining) in the grounds of the National Trust’s Sizergh Castle, we had a Bank Holiday ice-cream whilst promenading along the seafront of Morecambe in the glorious sunshine, we took in flowers and architecture, cake and fellow holiday-makers. An absolute delight was seeing the ‘newly’ (four years ago) renovated Art-deco Midland Hotel by Urban Splash. Sympathetically done yet brought bang up to date by the use of contemporary bright colours and materials. We ate cake, drank tea, visited a DIY retailer, watched jousting, got lost in gardens and counted tadpoles, discussed sheep, laughed at the telly box, deconstructed the past as well the present. All-in-all making a jolly British bank holiday without a single flag being waved between us.
Images from top to bottom, left to right: Lancaster train station, flower stairs at Sizergh Castle, Iris in the Winter Gardens at Sizergh Castle, the front of the Midland Hotel at Morecambe, seating inside the cafe of the Midland Hotel at Morecambe, Jubilee picnic cake and cupcake, Eric Morecambe statue at Morecambe, monarchs in training taking a rest after jousting at Sizergh castle.
All images © Emily Blunden/ Atticus and Finch
photography by Iwan Essery and styling by Emily Blunden
During a shoot for a high street retailer (coming to a computer screen near you soon), I styled these two shots as a little extra for my blog. I wanted to do something for the Jubilee but I wanted to approach it from a different angle in terms of colour. I also was keen to indulge my girly side which, to be honest, doesn’t come out as often as it ought. I spent a little time experimenting with food dye (and eating cake) to achieve the desired colours and a good deal of time colouring in Union Jack flags and crowns to create my own version of patriotic bunting. It’s all just a good excuse for a bit of playing, really. I’m off to Lancaster for the Jubilee so I’m feeling a little sad at missing all the London-based fun but I’m sure them up there will have something super lined up. I hope you all have a smashing weekend with plenty of cake, horse guards and flag waving. Happy Jubblies to you all.
Product details (image top): Glass frill edge cake plate, 3532284, £35; Gingham tablecloth, in green, £26; Lidded clear optic glass cake stand, 3438483, £45; Bacall (plain viscose/line)n fabric in ‘Duck Egg’, 3486319, £24 per metre; Abbeville print cotton curtain fabric in pink, 5298179, £18 per metre; glass jar painted in Pale Ivory emulsion, from £3.00 (for a tester pot), Product details (image below): glass jars painted in, from left to right, Eau De Nil , Pale Ivory, Sage, all from £3.00 (for a tester pot of emulsion),all available on-line and in-store, at Laura Ashley. Bunting handmade and coloured in with Sharpie Fine Point pens.
