The CG Society

Have a browse of the work of the CG enthusiasts at the CG Society. The technical aspect tends to be more breathtaking than the subject matter, but there is a definite sense that the medium is slowly maturing.

Links:
CG Choice 3D Gallery

The Kitsche Appeal of GODZILLA

I've always had a soft spot for the innocent fun and snappy tempo of a good Japanese monster (Kaiju) film. I grew up with Godzilla films in technicolor on television and its appeal never vanished and to a great extent, it's retro-hyper-aesthetic has merged with my own.

It was somewhat surprising to find this guilty pleasure is shared by an unexpected other. And having browsed for further information on Godzilla, I found that the source of the Japanese name Gojira is supposedly an amalgam of the Japanese words for ‘gorilla’ (gorira) and whale (kujira). It's things like that which make me smile; gorilla-whale.

Links:
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (Conscientious)
Cultreviews essay
Godzilla - original BFI release

MATTHIEU ROUSSEL + NATHALIE TOUSNAKHOFF's "L’amie de Zoé"

It's been some time since I've posted anything for children, but this simple and effective story and animation based on the Un monde en couleurs series of books illustrated by Mathieu Roussel and written by Nathalie Tousnakhoff is a charming diversion. See it HERE.

Links:
Lamiedezoe.com
Kilowatt Editions (the book)
MAKE Visual
Matt Roussel

Ritxi Ostáriz's VIVA CALACA

This is a refreshing animation from Bilbao-based animator Ritxi Ostáriz with original music from Voltaire. See it HERE or below in low-quality flash video.

Links:
Viva Calaca!!
Viva Calaca!! (YouTube)

Viva Calaca!! (MySpace)
Ritxi
Voltaire.net

DEVOID OF YESTERDAY

Motion Director Rob Chiu of The Ronin, Motion Director Chris James Hewitt of Distrukt, and audio designer Ben Lukas Boysen of Hecq make up the creative collective Devoid of Yesterday. Their work on the titles for OFFF Lisbon 2008 recently caught my attention.

On their site, Devoid of Yesterday is described as follows:

"Devoid is an arts based collective specializing in the creation of personal short film projects and not for profit commissions. Although consisting of motion directors Chiu and Hewitt, Devoid's work is about as far removed from the world of commercial motion design as you can possibly get. Together with Boysen the trio are plotting out new territory that is constantly changing with the emotions and experiences gained from the friendship that binds the three together. Devoid of Yesterday creates dark twisted narratives with flickers of hope that reflect the human nature of the artists."

Links:
Devoid of Yesterday
The Ronin
Christopher Hewitt
Hecq
Motionographer (source)

Remember LAST TIME?

As we approach another American presidential election, think back to this memorable cover from the Seattle-based Stranger newspaper by Corianton Hale and Dan Savage. See it large HERE.

Links:
The Stranger
Corianton Hale
Design of Desent (Seattle Pi)

I'M SMITTEN

Looking for an anthropomorphic gift for someone special? I'm Smitten might be just what you need. (Photography by Todd Baxter)

"In children’s stories, animals always mean magic. They are wonderful and ordinary. They talk and wear clothes and sometimes they go to school, and so, growing up, surrounded by these sorts of friends, you have the sense that almost anything can happen to you. The older you get, though, the more it seems that all of that magic has gone off, somewhere else maybe. I decided to take my artwork off the wall and out of the frame, and to put these images of everyday mysteries onto cards, and handbags, and t-shirts, so that everyone could have something a little bit pretty and a little bit strange to add to their day."

-Ashley Alexander
I'm Smitten

Links:
BuyOlympia
I'm Smitten
Baxter Photo

Featurette: LIGHTMARK

Lightmark's extended exposure images are quite nice. I've always enjoyed the light painting process since being introduced to it back in university. Lightmark are German-based photographers Cenci Goepel and Jens Warnecke.



Links:
Lightmark
Neatorama (source)

KOSAI SEKINE's video for JEMAPUR's "Maledict Car"

Director Kosai Sekine created this hypnotic, kaleidoscopic video stroll through Tokyo for Jemapur's "Maledict Car". He goes into some detail on its creation HERE.

Links:
WK Tokyo Lab
Jemapur (MySpace)
Maledict Car (YouTube)

Featurette: CHEN JIANG

The composition of these images from Chinese photographer Chen Jiang feel to me like one of Rembrandt's crowd scenes where details are everywhere yet the subject always stands out. The palette is even similar and while it is heavy with dull and sombre tones, the splashes of more vivacious colours somehow wins out to give the image a more optimistic feel.


From ArtZineChina.com:

"Chen Jiagang (Sichuan 1963) is an architect, businessman, curator and collector turned artist. His large photographic works, digitally blended, capture the destruction of China's big cities but also a yearning for the past. Many of his works are in black-and-white, often with colored figures, such as a woman dressed in a qipao, or a family in old Shanghai. The artist seems to take as his subject the struggle between man and nature."

Follow the links at the end of this post for more of his work.


Links:
Chen Jiang (China Square)
Chen Jiang (Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery)
"Sanxian" (dpnet.com.cn)
Travelling with the Ghost (source)

Introducing THOMAS MISIK

The manner in which Thomas Misik presents spaces devoid of life gives them a perfect, virginal quality that seems almost too good (or perhaps too cold) for human habitation.




Links:
Galerie Poller (Frankfurt/New York)

TOTORO FOREST PROJECT

Fans of Hiyao Miyazake, his film My Neighbour Totoro, or anyone with a soft spot for forests might be interested in the Totoro Forest Project.

From the official site:

"A fund raising exhibition/auction to support the national trust Totoro Forest Foundation that Oscar winning film maker Hayao Miyazaki has been helping over the years, featuring original art created by internationally acclaimed artists in the fields of animation, comic books, and illustration."

Links:
Totoro Forest Project
TFP Blog
Totoro vs. Totoro (SiouxWIRE)

NELE AZEVEDO's "Ice Men"

Nele Azevedo's "Ice Men" has the lyrical charm of simplicity with a touch of melancholy; brilliant.



Links:
Nele's Fotopage
Photo set (Lemoox - Flickr)
Nele Avezado profile

ODIN: White Tiger Rothco

I found this image at the Seattle Pi and was stunned. It was posted originally on Flickr by krazie_girl77. There's nothing else quite like it in her collection of photos, but that doesn't diminish this image of Odin the white Bengal tiger.

Links:
krazie_girl77
Seattle Pi (source)

HENRY HADLOW: Sweding Photoshop

First year student at St. Martins College, Henry Hadlow's real world duplication of the digital world reminds me of the playful sweding antics of Michel Gondry or the wit of Keetra. Read more about the project HERE.


Links:
Henry Hadlow: Tell a Lie
Guide to Sweding

NICK HOOKER's video for GRACE JONES' "Corporate Cannible"

Director Nick Hooker(Rabbit NY) has created this mercurial video for Grace Jones' "Corporate Cannibal" off her upcoming album Hurricane. It can be seen HERE in Quicktime or below in low resolution Flash video. Good to see Grace back.

Links:
Nick Hooker
Corporate Cannibal (YouTube)
The World of Grace Jones
Grace Jones Wiki

Rabbit
Feed post (source)

IBON LANDA's video for BURBUJA's "Who knows?"

Ibon Landa(Garage Films) has created a charming short for Spanish musicians Burbuja for their track "Who knows?" Here is the low quality flash version. Higher quality is available through the links below.

Links:
Quicktime version (Garage Films)
Quicktime (with download option)
Garage Films
Burbuja
Burbuja (MySpace)
Motionographer post (source)

MICHEL GONDRY: The Science of Sleep

It took some time for me to finally get around to watching Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep and it has taken somewhat longer for me to gather my thoughts to piece this post together. It has been difficult because though I enjoyed the majority of the film, there were times when Stéphane(Gael García Bernal) was so close to my own experience that it felt uncomfortable like hearing your own voice.

It was like the film hit the secret tone, the resonation that exactly matches the rhythm of my own thoughts and in turn shattered pieces of my own armour. It's a disconcerting experience like one of those eerie scenes that sometimes appear in films where the character turns toward and sees the audience. Indeed, that very thing does occur in this film and over its course, I had so many memories and thoughts swirling around my head compounded by those additional ingredients thrown at me from the screen that I felt fused with the storyline by its end.


In regard to recommending this film;that's difficult. It was so personal, I wonder how many out there will understand the language and mechanisations that Gondry uses in this film. Indeed, the accusation that it has "no plot" has been hurled toward it but it has (I found) a definite and surprisingly defined plot.

If I were to boil it down, I'd say it's a realistic love story about a naive, romantic, philosphical creator and dreamer. If that appeals, chances are you'll enjoy this quirky offering. If this post made any sense to you, you'll probably enjoy it. If not then still give it a go and let me know what you think.

Links:
The Science of Sleep
The Science of Sleep Wiki

CABARET Mechanical Theatre

Automata are fantastic, ephemeral creations and the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre site has everything one needs to know about them. Paul Spooner is a particular favourite.

Anubis in Montmartre by Paul Spooner

Links:
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (YouTube Channel)
Fourteenballstoys.co.uk

Introducing Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz

Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz's latest creations are photographs taken in worlds of their own creation. What really fires my imagination with these images are the hanging narratives that beg so many questions. Browse through their current and past work HERE.




Links:
Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz
Interview (Ping Mag)
Aesthetic Heft, Sized for a Snow Globe (NY Times)

BRIAN CHAN's Advanced Origami

Brian Chan's origami work is fascinating and even includes crease patterns for many of the the designs. Follow the links below for more work as well as instructional sites & videos to create your own.




Links:
Brian Chan
Influks "Badass origami stuff"
Origami Diagrams (How to)
OrigamiTube (How to)
Origami Wiki

NAGI NODA's "Hair Hats"

Rapunzel as Doolittle with Nagi Noda's hair sculptures. In addition to these curiosities, Nagi Noda has a wide variety of other creations both personal and commercial on her site; well worth a browse.



Links:
Nagi Noda
Uchu Country (Nagi Noda homepage)
Hair Hats Gallery