Elena Kalis

Elena Kalis' series of underwater photographs, Alice in Waterland.

I've looked through Elena Kalis' photographs and I found this series extremely beautiful and dreamy. Taking photographs underwater makes her subject matter look softer, and it has a little floating effect. I think it is not easy to take photographs underwater because there are many things you cannot control underwater, like hair, clothes, and you would have to direct the model in what action to do and capture the right moment quickly before the model floats up. But I think that something beautiful that can be achieved through underwater photography are reflections and air bubbles in the water. These reflections and air bubbles adds effect to her photographs.

I have never really seen underwater photography like what Elena Kalis does, and I find it inspiring because it's a very unique style. Also, I like how Elena Kalis works with the environment, which is water in this case, and make her photographs beautiful by capturing the reflections and air bubbles underwater.

It made me interested in doing underwater photography but...... I do not have underwater photography equipments, waterproof cameras, so I guess I could try underwater photography out by using waterproof disposable film camera!

Photo credits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sugarock/

Antoinette-Fleur

I am completely blown away by her works! It feels like Antoinette-Fleur is drawing a controlled piece of mess isn't it? I like how she makes use of so many colours and yet keep her subject matter recognisable! Her use of lines is simply impressive! It's like 乱中有 序 . I also like the fact that she uses one of the most basic marker pens from stabilo that we can find at any stationery store. In her mess of lines, it defines her subject matter clearly and I love how unique her style is. I have never seen anyone who can do something like that! She is also able to create different tones by overlapping different colours.

Not only does she do colourful illustrations, she does it in black and white too!

Even in black and white drawings, she is able to use lines to define the shapes and forms of a human being. I find it especially hard for me to do works like that because I like to be in much control of what I draw - defined and controlled lines. But Antoinette-Fleur's works seem like they are not fully controlled but yet she defines the forms, which I find amazing and challenging. It sort of inspires and challenges me to try drawing in this style next time because I have an interest in pen/marker drawings!

Image credits:

http://www.antoinettefleur.fr/

Horsey / Write a Bike

Horsey by Eungi Kim

Designer's own words:
'horsey' is an attachable bicycle ornament/accessory which makes one's bicycle look horsey!
the 'horsey' package includes wooden ornaments (horsey shape body), metal parts, and screws.
the manual is very simple so that anyone can easily arrange it according to one’s needs.
through this 'horsey' project. I wanted to give a special look to bicycles so that people would care
about cycling not only as transportation but also as a lovely pet.

I think the designer has a really interesting concept of combining a pet and one's bike together, so that we can treat our bikes like our pet! It also looks very cute. When you ride on it, it will seem like you're riding your pet horse instead of a usual boring looking bike.

I also saw other bike designs from part of a project called "Write a Bike", created by an art director, Juri Zaech who lives in Paris.

You can see the other designs here.

All these are just prototypes only. But I hope to see it made into real bikes, and see people riding it around the world. I think it's interesting how both the designers design interesting bike designs to fit the person more, making it more personal. Usually when we see bikes, people would spray paint it into other colours or stick stickers to make it more personal, but I think that their bikes don't really stand out to show their personalities. I think the bikes that these designers came up with are really unique and interesting ideas to suit people who want something special and different from others. I think design is all about being unique because who would want to come up with a design similar to others'? I like to think that whenever I'm doing a design, it has to be brand new and a fresh idea for everyone to see!

Photo credits:

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/11472/horsey-by-eungi-kim-seoul-cycle-design-competition-shortlist-revealed.html

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Write-a-Bike/716663

An Awesome Book

Dallas Clayton writes children books and I think he has amazing illustrations and drawings in his books!

What I really like about his works is that his works for children are so colourful, fun and inspiring! I think it's great to use art to influence and inspire others, especially children. He initially wrote this book for his son to tell him to never give up, but he didn't know that there were so many people around the world reading that book of his online. Many people wrote to him telling him that he had inspired them and many of them were reading that book to their children. I think it is very rewarding as an artist to know that many people appreciate your works! In return, he wrote another book "An Awesome Book of Thanks!"

You can read his book here!

He uses water colour and pen, which are my favourite mediums and that's one of the reasons why I picked water colour and pen for my coursework! I think it's simple and less messy as compared to oil painting. And I feel that the colours are so beautiful and the pen outlines can enhance the subject matter.

He created his art for his son, but ended up influencing and inspiring many others around the whole wide world, isn't it amazing? :-) I hope that maybe one day I'll be able to do something like that as well, because that is what I feel art is about, influencing and inspiring others to do even better in their life, or just to make them simply smile and cheer up their day!

Photo credits:

http://dallasclayton.com/

Dawn Tan

One of my favourite artists I found online a year ago, Dawn Tan! If I'm not wrong, she's a Singaporean who lives in Melbourne. She loves food and most of her works revolve around food and food packaging. On her portfolio, she mentioned that "I create drawings and soft sculptures out of fabrics, choosing packaging I'm drawn to. But ultimately, the reason for creating food related art, comes from my intrigue with how packaged food is taking over natural, organic food. The idea of consumption becoming obsessive, how traditional made-from-scratch meals are now replaced often by instant colourful packaged food, serves as a basis for much of the work I create."

She did an 8-week food diary of what she ate everyday, as a personal response to what eating and consumption is all about. She used water colour as her medium. I like all her water colour paintings because her paintings are always kept simple, and she can make use of the same colour in different tones, creating different texture of the subject matter.

I guess the purpose of her work was to reflect on what she was eating in her everyday life and see if packaged food is taking over natural, organic food. I thought her works are very meaningful and it reflects much about her life and the world. I think it is important to make artworks that are meaningful to ourselves and the world. Everytime I go to her blog and see her new works, it makes me more motivated to do art more meaningfully instead of doing it just because I have to get it done.

Also, she works as an art teacher and opened up art classes for kids and adults. I thought it was something meaningful and at the same time, allows her to earn a living. She made me realise how wonderful it is to be an art educator, spreading the "goodness" of art to little children!

She teaches children and adults art that is related to food, which is in-line with what she does as an artist. It is inspiring to see an artist not only do art but teaching others art and food. I think it brings much more meaning to what she does and I am glad that there are such artists around the world!

Photo credits:

http://www.dawn-tan.com/

http://hand-made-love.blogspot.com/