Armchair Shopping

Wow, can you believe it’s December already and Christmas is around the corner? Not to mention a new year! 2013 has flown past so quickly. November just zipped past with me glued to the drawing board, feverishly working on new mixed media art works. I couldn’t even tear myself away to keep SNAP updated – whoops!

I’ve turned the last page of my Frankie calendar to this illustration by Argentinean artist Irana Douer. Her work has appeared in many international publications, as well as on housewares, accessories and shoes. (If you can read Spanish, you’ll get more out of her website than I was able to.)

It’s also time to start looking for a new calendar. I’ve been scouring shops on-and-offline, but it is surprisingly difficult to find one that meets my requirements. I’m not asking for much, just some attractive pictures printed on nice paper. Most calendars seem to be printed on horrible, cheap and flimsy white stock that offends my designer sensibilities.

I found a calendar of vintage travel posters by Anthropologie is appealing, but I might just look around my hometown a little more before venturing abroad (teehee!).

Happy December!

Modern Cave Painting

No. 3 :: Tinto 1858 // C-Type Plate // No flashI must say I don’t very much care about the Melbourne Cup (apart from the fact for a short season it means hats are back in fashion), but I did think these paintings on the underside of the Richmond railway station overpass were rather sweet. I love the simple stylisation, especially how the horses look like they’ve been lifted from a cave painting – particularly apt for the long, dark tunnel this overpass is.

No. 7 :: Tinto 1858 // C-Type Plate // No flashThis wall is usually plastered with bill and rock posters, so these paintings make a nice change. They are so large I presume they have been officially sanctioned, although I can find no information about them online. Stylistically, they are also a refreshing variation on the typical style of urban muralists (as opposed to graffiti vandals), and it’s surely past time to move on from stencils too, please. Bravo Yarra City Council! 

No. 5 :: Tinto 1858 // C-Type Plate // No flash

Inside Voices

Inside Voices, by Kate Pugsley, 2011Hello November! I can’t believe this year is almost over. I have turned the Frankie calendar page for the penultimate time to reveal the work of Kate Pugsley, an American illustrator and painter. Her style is deceptively simple and elegant, and possesses a quiet melancholy that rests the eye. It seems rather suited to this subdued spring Melbourne is experiencing.

See more of her work on her website, and you can purchase prints in her Etsy shop. 

Swimmer, by Kate Pugsley

Fleet Like Deer

Here’s a little wishful thinking for this overcast day in Melbourne … Looking forward to sunshiney days.

The horizon is clear
and halcyon blue
spring lightly
hand in hand
and fleet like deer, dear
we may race fast enough
to catch the glorious sun
and burn in its fire, and burn.

Lagerfeld Makes Up

I really enjoy fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s illustrations. Some of the shapes in these remind me of Toulouse-Lautrec or Degas’ pastels. What is interesting here, however, is that Lagerfeld uses cosmetics in place of traditional drawing materials. In the 2007 documentary Lagerfeld Confidential, there is a fascinating scene where we see him creating a drawing from his imagination. He draws rapidly, speaking quickly as he goes.

I have always found it fascinating to watch artists at work, seeing which colours they choose, the split decisions of a stroke here, a line there, the concentration on their face.

These illustrations of an imaginary masked ball were featured in a 2008 issue of British Vogue. Click on the images for larger versions.