Swallow: watercolour pencil, watercolour, brush and ink

For Erin, best wishes for a happy birthday.

Swallow — work in progress: watercolour pencil, watercolour, brush and ink

Bear —sketch (in progress): ink, brush and nib

Flamingo (Detail): brush and ink

Flamingo: Brush and ink

Rani — commission study sketch: colour pencil

Always (Club Edit) — Back Back Forward Punch video

When Melbourne based Electro-pop outfit Back Back Forward Punch asked for me to produce a sketch for one of their remixes of course I said yes. The result was a fun collaborative time lapse video. Being that Back Back Forward Punch comprises of a highly creative group of people it was a highly enjoyable project to work on.

Thank you Back Back Forward Punch!

For more Back Back Forward Punch please visit their site: backbackforwardpunch.com.au

Independent Photography Book Festival/ Introducing Leora Ben-David and Louis Porter

A few weekends ago I was fortunate to have a friend take me to the Independent Photography Book Festival held at the Workers Club in Fitzroy. The festival comprised of various underground, independent publishing bodies sharing and showcasing photographic based books and self-published zines.

Of the many books explored during the visit there were titles in particular that I found to be too compelling to not take home.  Being that it’s rewarding to stumble across new creativity I thought I’d share the publications.

From the left: BW2, BW and Bad Driving

The first of the titles spotted were the BW and BW2 sequence by Leora Ben-David. The titles comprise of a collection of black and white urban photographs. Through use of exaggerated contrast each of Leora’s photos are transformed into extraordinary graphical pieces with a strengthened emphasis on sharp composition and stunning texture. Though the minimalism of tone deducts visual information from the photographs consequently as a result the subtle details, which may otherwise be overlooked, become an important part of the whole. Lines in the pavement, tears in posters plastered on walls and architectural details are given a raw burst of life. These titles are a dense visual delight.

 

After discovering Leora’s work my eyes were drawn to Bad Driving by photographer Louis Porter. Similarly to Leora, Louis focuses on an urban landscape forged from the everyday.  Bad Driving explores alterations in the landscape that are an aftermath of bad driving. Louis’ photography directly demonstrates that beauty is in the eye of the beholder with the most mundane, and probably overlooked, details framed in such a way that they are transformed into something provocative. Though the photos depict a well-experienced landscape Louis’ photographs challenge the viewer to engage with the subtlest of detail and to find a new and unexpected beauty.

 

I wish to thank Leora Ben-David and Louis Porter for both allowing me to share extracts of their publications on my blog. Please click on the links below to visit the artists’ personal web spaces and discover more of their compelling work.

Leora Ben-David

http://leorabd.blogspot.com.au/

Louis Porter

http://louisporter.com/

Dead flowers—sketch: brush and ink

Fish — sketch: brush and ink

Bear — in progress: linocut print, brush and ink

Not sure about this one... It's feeling a bit awkward. Time will tell if it works out.

Sea slug —sketch: watercolour, water colour crayon, photograph, brush and ink

Flower, hibiscus— sketch: photo, brush and ink

Grey wolf — sketch: photo, ink and brush

Grey wolf abstract — sketch: polaroid, ink with nib and brush

Polaroid photos 03

 

Polaroid composition 02: distorted polaroid prints

Photos: Experimenting with distortion

'Natural' distortion of image generated by glass and water is something I have been fascinated with for some time. While eating lunch I couldn't help but enjoy the way the table covering was bending through the drinking glass placed on top. Good enough reason to take the camera out mid meal...

Bumble-bee — sketch: brush and ink

Flamingo (feathers) work in progress: brush and ink

 

Thought I would try drawing a bit larger than I have been of late, with a flamingo illustration spanning down two A2 pieces of paper stuck together. I've just got to tackle the legs next...

feathers — work in progress: brush and ink

To be continued...

Flamingo — second time is a charmer: watercolour, brush and ink

For Kate,

My sketch buddy and a great friend.
Happy birthday and best wishes for another creative year ahead.

:)