PARRA

I love getting a peek into artists' homes and studios. Check out this piece about Amsterdam-based illustrator, Parra.

I used to have some of his pieces tacked to my office wall, so watching this makes me reminisce a bit...

See more of his work here.

YES,

this is for real.

Jen Stark creates these BEAUTIES by cutting intricate forms out of construction paper (yes, construction paper) and layering them infinitely. The effect? Waves upon waves of sumptuous color. I am COMPLETELY entranced. 

From top to bottom:

Burst, 2007

Coriolis Effect, 2007

On the Inside, 2008

Afterglow, 2007

Radial Reverie, 2009

Plasmascopic, 2009

Prismatic, 2009

Check this out (!!!):

And of course, see more of her work here.

I WANT TO LIVE 

IN THIS WORLD...

Sony Bravia commercial. 

Director: Frank Budgen. Creative Director: Juan Cabral

Don't you looooove this? I still do, 3 years later.

If you've ever read Julio Cortázar's short story, Letter to a Young Lady in Paris, those cute little bunnies won't appear so cute and little. They'd have a whole separate significance...

Check out the "making of" below:

BROKENKITES + 

HARRIET MACDONALD

Above is a music video for Brokenkites' Touch.

I loooooove the tiny floating heart, the waves, the glowing Buggy, 

the exquisitely detailed city....with laundry lines to boot!

Harriet Macdonald animated and directed this lovely piece. Read more about the Australian artist here.

Also, check out Brokenkites here.

NOUREDDIN ZARRINKELK

Interestingly, Iranian illustrator, Zarrinkelk, received a degree in pharmacology in 1961. 13 years later, he established the first school for animation in Tehran, and hence has been dubbed the "Father of Animation" in Iran.

He's known for his illustration of children's books...but I find that his pieces are probably just as magical, enchanting and endearing to adults as they are to kids. Humorous, quirky and at the same time, undeniably delicate.

Also, I can't help but question if there are some deeper (political? social?) themes in some of his work. Take a look at that second illustration....

Both of the above works were published in The Crows in 1970.

Here's an animated piece called A Playground for Baboush:

Read more about him here.

Also, here's a pretty cool interview that gives insight into his transition from the world of pharmacology to that of art and design.

LIKE CHICKEN AND WAFFLES...

...I'd never think that Q-Tip and Norah Jones would go together, but for some reason, it just works!

I just caught their video for Life is Better on VH1 Soul, and honestly, I fell in love with the fluttering stars before I even realized who the artists were.

It's so visually stimulating! Between the tiny horses, the high-contrast posterized effect, the floating shapes of transparent color, the dandelion (:39)...I can't figure out what my favorite element is.

Might have to watch it again. And again.

 

(CLICK HERE to watch the video on YouTube.

Do it! You won't be disappointed!)

DAVID ELLIS / MOTION PAINTING

This is a MUST-SEE. (I know, I know, I always say that. But this time, it really is!!)

Love, love, love:

Drippy orange paint (0:27)

Peacock (0:35)

Black cloudy mass (1:00) (Oooooohhh. Love.)

OKEYs (1:40)

Squishy sound effects (throughout)

It's crazy how through stop-animation you can actually see how paint transforms as it dries.

Check out more of his work here.

BLU

A friend sent this to me a year ago, and I still can't get it out of my head. I can't say which I love more: the visuals or the sound effects. Could it also be that's it's all in black and white? :)

P.S. Check out more work by Blu here. The illustrations....AMAZING.

Here's one of my favorites.