Active Fine Art Posts
News: Gadgets Exploded in Mid-Air
Ever wonder what's inside those old vintage typewriters and analog phones? Canadian photographer Todd McLellan dissects old electronics and then captures their innards— some assembled in a painstakingly orderly array, others caught in a mid-air explosion. More images and process video here (under "New Work").
News: The King is Back! More From the Anal-Retentive Pencil Tip Sculptor
Yes, that's Elvis Presley. Yes, that's a pencil tip. Yes, that's simply...insane. The Telegraph shares more work from the incredible Dalton Ghetti. Miss the last post? Check it out.
UPDATE: Wafaa Bilal’s Head Rejects Camera Implant
If you missed our previous posts on Iraqi artist Wafaa Bilal's attempt to go cyborg, here's the short and skinny: First, Bilal announced a plan to implant a camera in his head, a project entitled 3rdi, which would record his daily life while simultaneously feeding the images to monitors at the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. Then, he actually did it (and, yes, it was gnarly).
How To: Draw NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks
There's a lot of folks out there that are sad to see Carmelo Anthony no longer with the Denver Nuggets, but he's sure to make a home with the New York Knicks. But no matter which team he's playing with, it's the same process to draw a picture of him, and Merrill is going to show you just how to do it.
How To: Set up your Canon 580EX II at the Master Mode setting
So you want to control the flashes on your camera using a remote, and you know that you need to get to Master mode on your Canon 580EX II to be able to do that. But Canon made Master mode for this particular model of camera very difficult to locate and enable. However, this video shows you every single step you need to take with your camera in order to be able to set up this particular functionality for your next shoot!
News: Amazing Tape Sculptures
In the DIY community, much is said about the versatility of duct tape. But it's hardly the only game in town. For proof, one needn't look any further than the impressive, diverse tape sculptures submitted to Scotch's second-annual Off the Role tape sculpture competition.
Gossip Illustrated: Anna "Devil" Wintour Smeared With Ink and Wit
Illustrator Lisa Hanawalt innovates the typical gossip rag by rendering wicked rumors of Devil Wears Prada villain Anna Wintour as clever cartoon drawings. Though akin to political cartoons, the result is more US Magazine (if US was prettier to look at). As usual, Wintour is depicted as soulless (and to think, she supposedly bedded Bob Marley!).
News: Saliva Inducing Scanwiches
Scanner photography + sandwiches = Scanwiches (simply put: "scans of sandwiches for education and delight"). The web-famous Tumblr is the invention of Jon Chonko, a NYC-based designer at thehappycorp global.
News: AT-AT Made with Spare Computer Parts
Blacksmith Sage Werbock —also known as the Great Nippulini, "pierced weight lifting extraordinaire"—welded together this Star Wars Imperial Walker sculpture with a bunch of old computer parts and scrap metal. Currently listed on Etsy for $450, the AT-AT is artfully assembled as follows:
News: Edible (and Itchy) Icelandic Landscapes
Inspired by the vast and exotic geography of Iceland, Canadian-Hungarian artist Eszter Burghardt uses food and wool to reconstruct her memory of the landscape. The series, "Edible Vistas and Wooly Sagas", is molded from "poppy seeds, coco powder, coffee, milk, and chocolate cake crumbs" and Icelandic wool—there are endless herds of native sheep wandering the countryside. She then captured the dioramas with a macro lens.
News: Snowdecahedron
Best snow art I've ever seen. And Wonderment has seen some good stuff: penis, AT-AT, more penis. (Ok, we like the little boy stuff.) But we also like math, and this snowdecahedron is one stylish geometric form plopped right in the middle of the sidewalk in Porter Square, Cambridge, Mass. Nice work, sushiesque.
News: Meticulous Recreations of Old Family Photographs
It's axiomatic: if you want to know what's different, look to what's the same. And, if you want to know what's the same, look to what's different. What makes Irina Werning's Back to the Future project so amazing then is that, in matching everything that can be matched, she helps us instantly hone in on what can't. In most cases, viewers notice just one thing—the effects of the passage of time on the subjects of the photographs. It's very strange and sometimes even unsettling. But also really,...
News: Stunning Aerial Photos Captured Via Kite and Fishing Rod
When photographer Gerco De Ruijter set out to reveal "the Dutch culturally defined landscape"—a hard regiment of efficiency, gridded out by urban and rural planners—he came up with a beautiful aerial representation of abstract patterns. The series, entitled Baumschule, was captured using kite photography and curiously enough, a fishing rod.
News: A Complicated Solution for a Simple Act of Vandalism
Swedish graffiti artist Akay's latest “Instrument of Mass Destruction” is Robo-Rainbow, self-described as a "complicated technical solutions to aide in a simple act of vandalism.”
News: Would You Surgically Implant a Camera in Your Skull?
UPDATE: New York University photography professor Wafaa Bilal talked the talk, and now he's walked the walk with his recent camera implant. And guess what? It hurt. What a surprise.
News: Blind Photographer "Sees" With Sound
A couple weeks ago, I attended Photo LA with my mother, a photographer. On our way out, we came across a blind man with a seeing eye dog. It begged the obvious question-- "blind photographer" is about as oxymoronic as it gets-- but, then coincidentally, this morning I came across a video of the same man. Pete Eckert is indeed a blind visual artist, a sculptor and industrial designer in his former life, before being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that results in p...
How To: Draw a realistic female portrait
The artist begins by sketching house the outline of the face and body using a pencil. Then he begins to form the eyes, nose, hair and ears, and applies a gray mask to the face which is then covered by the tan coloring of the woman. The lower body is applied with a lighter mask which is converted to the white furry coating of the coat. The drawing is then smoothened out showing us the main features of the realistic woman. Using the software and computer graphics that he uses, the hair, eyes, a...
How To: Draw a photorealistic eye with Mark Criley
This excellent, extensive video truly takes you step by step on how to achieve the most realistic possible eye when drawing. With instructions on proper shading, pencil placement artist Mark Criley shows you everything you need to know.
How To: Draw a muscular male superhero body step by step
With all these superhero movies coming out - "Thor," "Superman," "Green Hornet," "Captain America," and the third installment of "Batman" - it's no wonder we have been fascinated with the buff and the brawny as of late. After all, if we're to be honest here, guys want to be them and girls want to date them.
How To: Draw a muscular manga style male body
Let's face it people: Guys want this body and girls want to date it (no objectification here at all). Achieve the body of superheroes, supervillains, and super toned celebrities on paper by checking out this tutorial on how to sketch a very muscular dude.
News: There Are Some Things a Dress Should Hide
Um, genital anatomy is probably one of them. The image below first turned up on Buzzfeed, leading to shock, awe, and lots of head scratching over who could have possibly come up with such an interesting contribution to the world of fashion...
Bark: An Intimate Look at the World’s Trees
Stunning selection of photographs from French photographer Cedric Pollet's new book, Bark: An Intimate Look at the World’s Trees. The photographer traveled across five continents to capture the the exquisite patterns and textures of the world's many varieties of tree bark.
How To: Paint with oils
Looking to appease your creative side? Paint with oils! You Will Need:
News: "Seeing" Beethoven with Milk
Photographer Sara Naim creates an oddly beautiful visual documentation of sound: Beethoven's classic Moonlight Sonata, envisioned with milk.
How To: Construct an armature out heavy gauge wire
This video tutorial shows you how to make an eighteen inch armature, just out of some basic hardware. You will need some 3/4 inch pipe and a length of heavy gauge wire, as well as some wire cutters and pliers. Construct an armature out heavy gauge wire.
How To: Draw a pair of hands clasped in prayer
Not only does this tutorial show you how to draw a pair of hands clasped in prayer, it shoes you how to copy the famous Albrecht Durer drawing from the Renaissance. Reduce everything to basic shapes to make everything easier to draw.
How To: Draw a freehand portrait of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Celebrate Black History Month with this drawing of one of the civil rights movement's greatest leaders! This video shows you a step by step method to drawing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All you need is some clean white paper and a few pencils!
How To: Make the scales of justice out of glass
Learn how to make scales on a heavy spun glass base with separate trays with this lampworking tutorial.
How To: Draw an animated spray can toting a boom box
When it comes to drawing graffiti-inspired artwork, almost anything can be animated, from a piece of paper to, in this case, a graffiti spray can.
News: Cigarette Ash City
In "Cigarette Ash Landscape", Chinese artist and photographer Yang Yongliang suspends a huge cigarette sculpture above a pile of black and white photos, fake grass and artificial flowers. Upon closer examination, the tip of the cigarette reveals a tiny city made of fastidiously layered, paper-cut urban skylines.
News: Liar, Liar, House On Fire
See a burning building? Hold all calls to the fire department. Canadian artist Isabelle Hayeur fools passerbyers with her installation, "Fire with Fire", an artwork that creates the illusion of a fire-swept four-story heritage building in the downtown eastside of Vancouver. "The Downtown Eastside is the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver; it is also the most run-down. This historic area is infamous for being plagued by social problems due to poverty. Before falling prey to serious urban decay,...
News: Vincent Van Gogh Rises From the Dead (Well, Sorta)
The formula goes something like this: crazy amazing "life painting" artist Alexa Meade x the genius idea behind Van Gogh Photoshop magic x some mad make-up skills = voilà, a living, breathing, hyperrealistic facsimile of our one-eared icon, Vincent.
News: Peeing German Cop Sculpture Makes the Police Awfully... Pissed
The German police have their panties in a bunch over a highly inflammatory sculpture of a urinating policewoman by artist Marcel Walldorf. Entitled "Petra", the hyperrealistic figure depicts a female officer crouched, peeing with buttocks exposed. The most chilling detail is her riot baton casually propped on the wall next to her.
News: Corporate Design Gets Freddy Krueger Makeover
Jacques Pense is the designer behind this amazing award-winning stationery for 13th Street, a German horror network. Total and utter carnage. The punch hole impalings are truly awesome.
How To: Scan a pencil drawing for inking
So you have a pencil drawing? What do you do with it? This how-to video shows you how to scan in the art to get it ready to be printed out and inked! Follow along with the steps n this video drawing tutorial and start inking.
HowTo: Make a 50¢ Macro Lens
Forget splurging on a fancy digital camera. All you need to do is attach a lens from a pair of dollar store reading glasses, and you'll get your macro shot. From Sean Lee, how to make a fifty cent macro lens.
News: Artist With Death Wish (No Photoshop Used)
It is conceivable that Chinese artist Lei Wei has always dreamt of being a superhero. Or that he simply has the desire to fly. Or maybe he is constantly confronting a fear of heights. Whatever the impetus of his work may be, Wei creates illusions of a dangerous "reality".
How To: Build a six inch cube out of cardboard
Learn the basic steps to build a 6 inch cube for the Form and Space Foundation class at Otis College of Art and Design. This video is great for any beginning design and art students.
How To: Load 120 film into a Paterson plastic reel
Many people have trouble loading 120 film into developing reels when they are first starting. In the darkroom, it's tricky business to wind film and load it into a developing tank. Find out what works for you and repeat the process until it becomes second nature. If you are interested in developing your own photographs, you will need to know this process backwards and forwards, using all types of film, reels and developing tanks.
How To: Human Hair Bugs (It's Not How It Sounds)
Hold the repulsion- we're talking art, not lice. Seattle artist Adrienne Antonson makes tiny insect sculptures with recycled human hair and glue, and they're pretty spectacular.