Psychedelic Animal Specimens

Image from: io9.com

Like my last blog post, I've found work that combines science and art in a creative and beautiful way. The Japanese artist Iori Tomita "combines classical specimen preservation techniques with meticulous staining methods [to] transform fish, squid, turtles and even chameleons into a menagerie of multi-colored hell beasts." http://io9.com/5929143/these-psychedelic-animal-specimens-are-unlike-anything-youve-ever-seen

These multi-coloured, transparent animals are beautiful and disturbing at the same time. What I'd like to know is how anyone comes up with the idea to do this. I guess if you know about biology and preservation techniques, you'd get inspired, but it's still a strange thing to decide to do. I'd also like to know where these animals are coming from. Have they been killed for the sole purpose of being art, or did they die naturally?

This is a great example of how art carries across disciplines. I find it encouraging as well because it gives me hope that I might be able to incorporate some of my other interests into what I'm doing.

Anamorphic Sculptures

Image from: http://www.ignant.de/2013/01/30/anamorphic-sculptures/

Besides loving sculptures from the Classical period, sculpture is a topic that I know very little about. So, I was intrigued when I learned about anamorphic sculptures. I've never heard of that before tonight. Here's the site I stumbled upon: http://www.ignant.de/2013/01/30/anamorphic-sculptures/ The sculpture is revealed in a reflective cylinder, rather than being distorted by it. It's a very interesting mix of art and science.

JOCO Cups

Images from jococups.com

It's amazing how many cool things I find while doing research for projects...even though 98% of the time they have no connection to what I was looking for in the first place. I found a company located in Australia, called JOCO, which sells reusable (and stylish) glass coffee cups. Their tagline is Cups that Care! Clear Cups with a Clear Conscience. I just love that. I don't buy hot drinks often, I'm a brew-your-own kind of person, but I would definitely buy one of these all the same. I also love their packaging. The stylish cups come in a stylish cylindrical box that is reusable. I'll have to see if there are any Canadian retailers selling these.

Print vs. E-Waste

E-Waste is a relatively new term to me, not because I'm not familiar with electronic waste, but because it's a topic that is rarely talked about, and because I've never heard it be referred to in its short-form. You often hear the discussion about how wasteful printed materials are, and how outmoded they are becoming, but you never hear about how wasteful the world of electronics is, which is very surprising because of how many electronic devices are available now. Print and electronics both have their uses and benefits, as well as their drawbacks, but is one really any better than the other?

I did some research and came across a website treehugger.com which has a really neat infographic about e-waste that summarizes what I've read on other websites, but with pictures. Check it out here. They also have multiple articles about the ongoing debate between books and e-readers. See one of them here, which discusses whether e-books are really more "green" than their printed counterparts.

Here are summaries of what I've found and some of my thoughts on the issue:

• Electronics and printed materials both have negative impacts on the environment. 
• There should be a balance between the two. We need to cutback on unnecessary paper uses, either by getting rid of them altogether, or by moving things into the electronic age. I'm thinking specifically of mail flyers, bank statements and manuals for electronics.
• Paper use is not going anywhere, so we should start exploring the mass production of more sustainable types of paper, like bamboo paper, sugarcane paper and rock paper, and make a greater effort to only purchase paper that is FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council)
• We shouldn't be condemning the use of paper because it has many benefits that electronics will never be able to match or replace:
• A lot of paper can be made with the use of 100% recycled materials.
• Paper is a lot easier to recycle, both in terms of the consumer getting rid of it, and the actual recycling process.
• Paper can be composted and breaks down naturally - depending on the amount of ink and what kind of inks were used on it.
• Paper is more easily reused.
• Paper lasts far longer than any electronic ever will. Human's have been writing things down since the beginning of time, and we will always need to have hard copies of records and important documents.
• Electronics are very useful and should be used more often to help streamline businesses, but there is, again, the need for hard copies.
• Electronics have VERY short life spans and are replaced on a regular basis. Think of the number of cell phones, music players, tablets, and TV's, just to name a few, the average person is likely to go through in a lifetime.
• Many electronics contain toxic materials and valuable resources that wind up in landfills.

Print and electronics are both important parts of our lives, and both have a right to be there, but since they both have different uses and benefits, we need to learn how to use both to their best abilities and figure out what would be best for any given circumstance. But regardless of whether you lean toward one of the other, both can be incredibly wasteful, and we need to start taking more responsibility for the resources that we consume.

The Art of Cleanup

Created by Ursus Wehrli.
Photos from http://www.jeanniejeannie.com/2011/08/29/the-art-of-clean-up-sorting-and-stacking-everyday-objects/

StumbleUpon has once again helped me find something neat to blog about. The Art of Cleanup is a series of photographs by Swiss artist and comedian Ursus Wehrli for an upcoming book. There is a whole series of these organizational photos on the website I listed under the images. They are amazing, and I can imagine would be appreciated by anyone with an obsessive compulsive need to keep things neat and organized. He "organizes" different food dishes, cars in a parking lot, people at a pool, and even famous paintings!

School Work Overload

Today was not a good day, not only for me but for quite a few of my classmates as well. Weeks of non-stop work coupled with the short, cold winter days has rendered many of us tired, creatively drained and in desperate need of a break. It's true that we've only been back in school for a month now, but it has been an intense month. I really don't understand why we're given quite so much work. I know that in the professional world, if we end up at a design firm or go free-lance, that we'll be expected to juggle 8-9 projects at any given time, and will have to work odd hours, but that isn't the established norm, and even if it is for some companies, this whole workaholic lifestyle - never having free time or the ability to have hobbies or a social life isn't healthy for anyone, and really shouldn't be getting promoted, especially not by teachers.

I feel so drained right now, and can't afford to be. I have 8 major projects on the go. I do my best to time manage, but there just aren't enough hours in the day. I set deadlines for myself and work long hours - especially on weekends, and I still can't keep up. So many of the projects we're working on require a constant flow of creativity and detailed work that can't be rushed. I just don't get it. I like the projects we're working on, but there is just too much of them all at once in a never-ending stream.

It's at times like this that I begin to question my suitability, not only for the design industry, but for this program as well. Yet, if someone who works as hard as I do can't keep up with the coursework,  then surely there is something wrong with the way things are being handled. I understand that they're trying to prepare us for the work-world, but pushing people into creative blackouts and stress-induced fits of hysteria is not going to accomplish anything. The saying "quantity versus quality" exists for a reason. Yes, you need to find the delicate balance between the two, but that is going to be different for every individual, and I can tell you right now, I am not doing my best design work

Typographic Art

I recently discovered the letterer/illustrator Jessica Hische. Visit her site: jessicahische.is/awesome. I discovered her as I was looking for the designer of the cover of Pride and Prejudice, found a few posts below. A lot of her work is retro and whimsical, so it's the kind of stuff that I love. Here are some examples of her work:

Typography and poster/page design are not things I'm very good at, so I have a real respect for people who are able to produce such amazing designs with only letters.