Inspiring Beautiful Design....

Design by Anat Erez Fellner

'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' Limited Edition by Bow Wow

So I stumbled accross this awesome blog today.... Above are 2 of their featured package designs. I wanted to share the beauty, so here they are.
Id love to see this DVD package in person... ooh it looks lush. Plus the movie is one of my favs too.
Short n sweet post, catchya soon...

Photographer Pick of the Week.....

'Backbone' by Vidi

'Where?' by Vidi

I know it's been a while since I posted- I got distracted. lol. Anyways- I was re inspired today to share one of my favourite photographers- Vidi. His website is in Polich I think, but still easy to navigate- check it out: Vidi Studio. I love the extreme angles of the poses, almost warped figures, contorted limbs, exagerated features... and amazing bodies!!!! The lighting is punchy and precise.... yummy stuff.

Spring is in the Air....

Yummy Salad.... Yummy Springtime!!!!

Photo by Kat Greager

I went to the first BBQ of the season last week!! Finally spring feels like it finally arriving YAY!!! I took a pic of the salad I took, it had so many beautiful colours. Amazing that nature makes such an intense purple!! Anyways, pretty simple really, if you want the recipe, add a comment below requesting so and Ill pop it up.
I paid $4.50 for a head of broccoli and $4.25 for a few bunches of silverbeet at the supermarket the other day- Ironically, you could buy a 4 pack of 2litre coke for a fraction of that. What is going on!! I cant wait for our vegies to start growing... we are starting a patch this season.
Bring on the summer!!!!!!!!

Very big cables at Ophir

Photo by Kat Greager

These are the cables holding up the Ophir Bridge. A historic bridge in Central Otago. Ophir recorded the coldest temperature in NZ!!! I will discover more and update. Update: I probably wont update :) Not much happens in Ophir, except that it gets really hot, and really cold.

Swimming Pool

Photo by Kat Greager

One I took in Australia, at Bondi Beach just below the Iceberg (I think thats the name of the bar). Very flash place where famous people go for Splishy Splashy.... not of the swimming kind.

Running Me Montage

A friend took some pics of me being an ass on the road... a mystery montage was created :)

Word Clouds

This is the wordcloud for my blog:


It has just taken thae content of the last post... but pretty cool. Another gimick of the web :)
Give it a go!

Wordle

Porridge- Love it or Hate it....

A bit of a random post but hey- it happens. I discovered over the weekend that 'Trim Milk' makes a better porriage... of course you want to use whole milk on top.... but Trim makes it taste nuttier, and yummier.... WHY!!!!!!??????? I ussually preach NO TRIM MILK EVER!!!! But I have been amazed. You may ask- "WHy not just use water?" I say- "Cos trim milk tastes better!"
I have been experimenting with porridge for many years now... and I do like to vary. I have even converted haters of porriage to lovers of porriage. Yes I take credit for that :)
Some ways to vary your porriage:

Water base, add sunflowers, coconut, mixed spice, chopped apple on top.
Whole milk based- straight up thats it- slather in brown sugar.
milk, water 50/50
add ground millet, amaranth, left over rice (brown is good too)- super nutty.
Add big chunks of Chocolate- great when tramping or heading up the mountain.

I can't believe I just wrote about porridge

Of all the things to find!!

I was surfing U Tube tonight, and clicked on a vid that caught my eye.... as I was watching I realised it was filmed in the city I came from!!! Wellington!!! of all the videos on U Tube and I randomly clicked that one. Even better- its an awesome vid. these guys have gotta be climbers... its like human trials (see vid below this one, warning, the music is pretty loud)

I am in Love!!!!!!! ......with my camera

Here is snap from this avo- between waiting for the battery to charge.... (bad Kat). I couldn't resist... this little guy was going in the pot for stock, and had one last wish- to be immortalised on Little Green Fruit -his dream came true. What more can I say.. Yes I had a play in PS- but only because I can't help myself when Im excited. Delicious in many ways :)

My new Hat!!!!!

My friend Rochana knitted me a hat for my birthday- Originally it was closed ended, but when we realised my dreads wouldnt fit, she opened it up! I can't even cope with a dropped stitch, let alone undoing and redoing, picking up some 100 stitches!!! She is a very good knitter. Look at the cool pattern!

Frozen by the sea!!!!

Photo by Kat Greager

This morning was freezing. The wharf was so frosty the iceicles were 1cm tall! thats after one night. To some -5c is tropical in comparison to their fridge climate.... but for me- thats cold. Luckily I like it, well for part of the year, and preferably in minority. Good photo opps though. This pic doesnt encapsulate the freeze, but I liked it so there you go.
Im going to buy a new camera this week. I am very excited, but also nervous- watch this space!!! :)

Lorene Taurerewa

Degrees of Separation exhibition- Charcoal works by Lorene Taurerewa

Another inspiring find. I get an extra buzz when I discover the scale of drawings like these- They are BIG! Like Deidre Copeland's drawings- they have a big presence. A weight. It brings the feeling that they are there in the room with you. She says in her artists' statement: "Scale is very important and locates us in particular, shifting places as we approach and move away from the drawing."

Inspiring artists....

'Low Key' by Luke Hollis

I was in a cafe the other day and discovered they had a really good selection of magazines... this in my experience, is rare. Most cafes have the dogeared Womens Weekly's, or high fashion mags like Vogue. I'm only talking for myself here but these don't really inspire me. I don't know if anyone else has noticed- but the add content is so large, that the 'articles' (if you can call them that) don't even start until page 10!!!
ANYWAY- This place had a range of art mags!!! And wierd quirky subculture mags. And the coffee was great too.

What better way to spend a crap wet winter's day than emersing myself in beautiful inspiring imagery, whilst enjoying the tingly feeling of caffiene slowly working it's magic.

Thought there were many I'd like to share..... The most amazing discovery for me was Luke Hollis. As a photographer, I find his paintings intriguing. They scream beauty. There is a great interview in the ODT I can't wait to check out his latest exhibition 'First Impressions' on at The Artists Room' in Dunedin. He is self taught, and lives in Auckland NZ. I will add more once I have been to see these in person.

Its been a while....

I just thought I'd pop something new up..... I havent been very proactive lately have I.... eek
I snapped these photos this morning out at 'The Mole', which is out at the harbour entrance- at the heads. It doesnt look like much to some, but it was pumping! Actually- I'm lucky the camera still works- I got swamped by a wave, we all did, all cameras were drying by the fire this avo!!!
This was what was in the other direction, this is 'The Mole', looking towards Aramoana (sux living here- not!):

Wanaka!!! Bring on the Snow!!!!!

Photo by Kat Greager

I took this photo from a helicopter.... The first time Id ever been in one, and Im hovering over water, fiddling with a polarising filter trying to avoid reflection from the dome windscreen, and trying not to feel ill. This was a shoot I will never forget- it was the most beautiful day in Wanaka, there was snow on the mountains, sun on my face, Wanaka can really put on a show! I just thought Id share it with you. :)

Photo by Kat Greager

Fun with photos....

There are so many cool things you can do with your photos! I discovered this site 'Craft Chi'. Have a look. This link explains how to make creative stamps/brushes in Photoshop from your photographs. Above is experimenting with bleach pens and printing from an epsom printer.

see how.

Also- printing onto Mylar/transparent plastic, and transfering that onto... whatever you like!!

This is a favourite of mine. Encorporate this into works of art- paintings, sculptures etc or just as is.

Another way to transfer a photographic image is to photocopy (colour/black n white) then paint on a layer of Impasto medium, turn onto desired surface, apply weight and let dry. then using a wet/damp cloth, rub the paper backing away, leaving the ink embedded in the medium. I will try to find pics of the process watch this space!!

Cake in a Mug!!! ......I couldnt resist!

Chocolate cupcake in a mug. (5 minutes )

Thanks to an email from a friend

4 Tablespoons Self Raising flour

4 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons milk

3 Tablespoons oil

1 Mug
Add Flour, Sugar, Cocoa

Mix, add egg, Mix.....

Add oil, milk..... Mix.....

Now pop in Microwave (nuke it baby!) on high for 3min. Once it rises no more.... let it set, then tip out and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.... YUM!!!!

Kat's untried tips:

1-Make this in a bigger mug, and before you pop it in the micro, sprinkle a mix of brown sugar, and cocoa on top, and half a cup of coffee.... voila- SELF SAUCING!!!!

Just make sure its a big mug!!

2-Add chunks of chocolate (if you're at work, nip down to the vending machine and see whats there!)

Funky cufflinks- Man these are cool!!

Gr0glmann's Retro Classy Cufflinks were created by Gr0glmann. I came across these whilst browsing Etsy.com..... a really cool little website where anyone can sell their crafty or arty wares. It's an inspiring ride. He also uses scrabble pieces, Star Wars figurines, and keyboard pieces.... again- Simple yet effective. Who wants tacky silver and gold squares when you can have these! And people think that women get all the cool accessories.

Resene Paints Website- Great Resourse...

This is not an intentional advertorial for Resene- I was on the search for environmental paint choices, and also looking at testpots as an economical option for artists. Happily stumbled accross a great resource in the process.

I think the days of limited colours of testpots are gone. I have memories of pastels, and varying shades of beige being the only options left over... or was that just me? Not an overly inspiring palette.

Resene have incorporated an 'Artists' section in their website. They have a cool 'Is this the same colour Game', an interesting and interactive way to demonstrate the values of colour and the effect of their interaction. There is a whole section on 'Understanding Colour'

Also available are colour charts, and pickers... good tools for colour theory, and also some good techniques to try out.

Camera Tossing!!!!

WOW!! Just when you thought you had seen it all- WHAMO!!!! How simple yet effective is this! Can you tell I'm amazed. There are a few sites out there that explain how to achieve this phsycadelic effect- Give it a go- But please remember.... DO NOT use your mates super flashy expensive camera. Use the old dusty ones, not the new shiny ones.
Remember those spirograph toys that were around in the 80's? They probably still are around. Here is a digital interactive one- Check it out.

Support NZ Made- Buy local...Be Sustainable and feel good...

Where to start with this post?? There is so much to share, so many inovative motivated kiwis taking action! Its so inspiring. I started this blog to share creative tips and ideas ... In a way this is one of the most inspiring kinds of creativity for me. And working on encorporating it into your life... we should all take note of the action others are taking.....

These guys are going Rubbish Free for a Year. I have learnt so much from this site, not just from what Matthew and Waveney have experience in there journey so far, but from the comments other visitors have left. Links to sites I would never have thought to search for... No Knead Bread- Im into that, and it works (great with stew)! Soap Nuts- Fantastic (wierd as they are), I wont spoil the surprises- Go visit yourself.

As we had a Wanaka theme on the previous post, I will add another fantastic company ... Chalky Digits ..... they also have a section on being Rubbish Free. If you are living in, are interested in living in or just visiting Wanaka, or just interested- make sure you visit Sustainable Wanaka and the famous Wanaka Wastebusters.

True True.....

I lived in Wanaka for a few years- Loved it! but man was it COLD!!!!!!
Just the right place to launch these handmade, locally made, puffers into the world. Merle Schubert created this business from so little, and look now!!!! They are truely awesome, and soupah doooopah toasty. I live in mine. They're hand made, and designed in NZ.

Proportion 101- thanks to AsylumArt......

This is a great way to establish realistic facial proportions, if thats what you want of course! Some like to whack out the proportions and excentuate features etc, however, you need to start somewhere right? I reakon you need to know the rules in order to bend them.... if rules really exist that is (thats another blog somewhere)....



Thanks AsylumArts!!!

Loosen up..... Get gestural!

I discovered this today- and thought- WOW this is such a great way to loosen up, get the arms moving:



This one here is much more refined..... amazing to watch, but jeez this man is skilled huh:

Todays favourite thing.....

I love surfing the web, I am a self confessed nerd, whatever that means nowadays. For me- a really satisfying 'surf' is when you go on a mystery journey and end up discovering something really inspiring, or visually enticing, or ultra unique.... I especially like it when its kiwi!! (I am such a patriot haha!)
In my webby travels a wee while back I discovered this site and this site, where people sell their crafty creations, and artistic endeavours. They post internationally too! What I really like about these sites is seeing all the bizaar, kwirky and artistic things people are making.

However- Todays FAVOURITE website is: Cleverbastards.co.nz
Check it out!!!!

Book Art......

'Abyssal Plane'- Kat Greager

Books- Art or Craft, both?? A big question. Above is one in a series of pieces in which I explored the concepts of the book as symbol and culture.

The book is a fantastic format to play with. Symbolically, and physically. The possibilities are endless. Check out this website for a glimpse at some artists who have pushed some boundaries. Anselm Kiefer (see some previous posts), did a series of lead books- push those materials beyond the obvious, and conventional. Mix them up, get stuck in!! This is just a taster.

'This Alters Things...' Darrel Ross

These books that are part of a installation of an altar, illuminaria and three cast paper, handmade paper wall icons. The books represent the codex of the diety that is shown. They are all handmade pulled sheets made of grasses, leaves, recycled paper, other natural fibers, with writing and small hand casted medalions. They each rest in a found branch that holds them in a natural cradle.

DOF.... Depth of Field

Photo by Kat Greager

You know those photos that are only in focus in one little bit, or seem to dissapear into the distance, they have what is called a shallow Depth of Field or DOF. Its useful to consider depth of field when structuring your composition, whether you're painting, drawing or in photography. It can add impact and 'depth' (hense the name!), and zowie up your pic 10 fold. Often used in photographing food, textures in artworks, and in portraiture to really focus in on the subject, and to limit background clutter. The photo below demonstrates how limiting the focus in the background excentuates the focus on the foreground.

Photo by Kat Greager

In a 'Nut Shell' explaination, photog 101 ala Kat:
To achieve shallow DOF, you need to set your exposure with a small F stop number.... this may sound like very basic lingo, but it's the easiest way I find to remember...

smaller F stop number = shallower DOF.

Smaller F stop number means that the iris is opening up wider and letting in more light, so the faster the shutter speed..... which is good when you need to avoid camera shake (something to look out for when the shutter speed is below 1/60 you must use a tripod).

Have a play with it.... move around the subject, get on angles, this enhances the effect.

Texture in Paint!!!! We love it....

Marion Taylor, Study for idiom series

III 51 × 51 cm Oil and graphite on canvas

Anselm Kiefer, "Voyage au bout de la nuit"

vue de tableaux en préparation pour la maison Atelier d'Anselm Kiefer à Barjac, Monumenta 2007.© Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication. Photo Marc Domage.

Something that really gets me going is texture and materials. Layers and layers of it. Scratching through it, breaking it up, and reapplying it, rubbing away and repairing, pasting together and ripping apart. The materials become the voice... the direction, the next step. Loose and relaxed, freedom to move around, and not being afraid to 'make a mistake' or 'go too far'. Personally.

Above are examples of 2 artists who explore materials in a very tactile way.

Anselm Kiefer is a genius. Well I think so. There are heaps of documentaries and footage here, if you'd like to know more about Anselm Kiefer, I highly reccomend it...(Watch him draw)

Equine Photography.....

Photo by Casi Lark

This is inspired by one of my students. These beautiful animals are so stunning. Above and below are 2 examples of many, that capture their mystique, form and real beauty. All the elements fit together to create a well balanced composition.

It's important to think about how natural light is going to affect your photo. Where the light is coming from, how it will fall accross the form. Also whether you are after a soft look, or a high contrast vivid look. Obviously the type of lighting is vital to achieve the look you are after. Early morning sunrise light has some nice natural tones, and is generally soft. Some of the most amazing light effects occur first thing. Mid day sun is a lot stronger, and the sky is extremely bright, this will have a very different effect. Check out Pixalot aswell. She has some alternative angles and fantastic vivid colours going on.

Photo by Cristy Cumberworth

Transferrable Creativity- NZ Music- A Thriving Creative Community...

You may have heard the term 'Transferable Creativity' being thrown around lately? Its an odd concept in a way as some assume creativity is only associated with 'art', and perhaps 'craft'. Creativity is the base ingredient for nearly everything... In this case, I guess some would put 'music' into the 'arts' genre, however, why do we need to box things? Lets take a moment to look at those musicians who arent in the commercial mainstream, quietly (actually probably quite loudly) working away in their home studios, connecting with like minded people, with similar passions, keeping it all alive. There is an amazing online community out there where these guys share music, and collborate on mixes, give each other feedback etc. This is just one aspect of 'creativity' being explored and shared in different ways.

Artists sometimes have a tendancy to be secretive and overprotective of their work, ironically, musicians share it, and allow it to grow, evolve and change. The results are an ever evolving fast growing 'scene'. dunedin drum n bass , Bassinvader , double_negative , Bassdrop , Niceup Wellington (Reggae, Roots, Dub, Dancehall) ,and many many more. There are heaps of small record companies starting up, and some that have been running for years.... This is creativity on many many levels, not just the production process of the music, but the visual extravaganza that goes with it, the image, the website, the graphics, presenting it to an audience etc etc etc.

HDR Photos- aka High Dynamic Range

This photo is from Ryan McGinnis' blog- worth a look.

HDR- By exposing for the highlights, the lowlights and the shadows, you can then merge the 3 or more photos to create 1 photo. The idea is to allow as much information as possible to be seen in the shadows and the highlights. The effect is visually quite stunning.

You'll need a tripod (the more solid the better, nothing worse than camera shake WITH a tripod), a digital camera with manual exposure function, and some software to assist in the merging process. I recommend Adobe Photoshop CS3. It has built in HDR elements, and you can control just about every aspect of your image throughout the process. Lets face it, its what Adobe does best right, and anyone interested in digital photography should own it. For you kiwi students check out a really cheap deal at 'elive.co.nz'.

John Dahlsen- Environmental Artist and Contemporary Painter

I am a huge fan of our planet, and strongly believe in reusing and recycling. We are all aware of the plastic bag problems of the world, but that is the tip of the iceberg. Art is one way of utilising the masses of rubbish that clutter and damage our environment. Not only is it a potential statement to use by products and 'rubbish', but its cheap - it doesn't cost you anything!

Check out John Dahlsen's awesome work, it's very inspiring.

'12 White Foam Totems'

Size:2.2. m x 50 cm base ea.
Description from artist:
Abstract recycled art created from styrofoam collected from Australian beaches.

A peek at one of my pics....

A storm brewing in Rotorua.

Knitting with a Difference... Patricia Waller

Unicorn

Yarn , cotton wool, wire; crochet; 42 x 12 x 38 in.; 2005

This is just a taste of Patricia's amazing work. She really pushes the conceptual (and technical!) boundaries of knitting and crochet!! Born is Chile, she lives and works in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Check out her website for a visual and intellectual extravaganza!

Autumn is here!

Snow one day, sun the next! Puffer jacket or t-shirt?