Daily Art Fixx

visual arts blog, painting, drawing, sculpture, illustration and more!

Exquisite Corpse: Surreal Art Collaboration

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Sub Photic Region © Joe Macgown and Janelle Mckain

Sub Photic Region © Joe Macgown and Janelle Mckain

This week’s Deviant is not a single artist but the Exquisite Corpse surreal art collaboration group on Deviant Art.  “Exquisite corpse (also known as “exquisite cadaver” or “rotating corpse”) is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled, the result being known as the exquisite corpse or cadavre exquis in French. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule (e.g. “The adjective noun adverb verb the adjective noun“) or by being allowed to see the end of what the previous person contributed.”

“The technique was created by Surrealists and is similar to an old parlour game called Consequences in which players write in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the writing, and then pass it to the next player for a further contribution. Surrealism principal founder André Breton reported that it started in fun, but became playful and eventually enriching. Breton said the diversion started about 1925, but Pierre Reverdy wrote that it started much earlier, at least before 1918.” (Wikipedia)

To see more collaborations, visit the Exquisite Corpse Group page on Deviant Art.

Picture Consequences © Bernardumaine and-Knotty Inks

Picture Consequences © Bernardumaine and Knotty Inks

Erik Natzke: Flash Paintings

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© Erik NatzkeToday’s images are by Adobe Flash artist Erik Natzke. Natzke is an interactive designer who is constantly trying to blur the lines between design and technology. With a keen awareness for how and where to push the limits of the medium without isolating the audience, Erik is a consistent risk-taker. Imagination, adventure, and a desire to amaze as much as entertain are all part of the driving forces behind his work. Named one of the Top 10 Young Designers by HOW magazine, Natzke’s commercial, as well as personal, works have received numerous awards within the fields of both design and advertising. (From Function 13 Gallery)

Natzke is exhibiting at Function 13 Gallery in Toronto, Canada until November 15, 2009. To see more of his work, visit ErikNatzke.com or his photostream on Flickr. For  a great interview  visit Shift Magazine.

Ray Caesar: Digital Pop Surrealism

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French Kiss © Ray Caesar

Today’s image is by Toronto Artist Ray Caesar.  Born in London, England, Caesar’s family moved to Canada after “some trouble with intolerant neighbours”.  Ray graduated from the Ontario College of Art & Design and then worked in the Art and Photography department of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. For 17 years, he documented various child inflictions, surgical reconstruction, psychology and animal research in sketches.

Caesar explains, “I often awake in the middle of the night and realize I have been wandering the hallways and corridors of the giant hospital. It is clear to me that this is the birthplace of all my imagery.”  His experiences present themselves in his images, which also draw inspiration from the works of Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, and Paul Cadmus.

The most incredible thing about Caesar’s work is that they are digital.  At first glance, they look like paintings but Caesar creates his dream-like images with a 3D modeling software called Maya. To read more about Ray’s unique process, click on the image below.

To see more of Ray Caesar’s work, visit RayCaesar.com.  Be sure to click on the photos on the about page for more of Caesar’s bio and thoughts.

 

Ray Caesar - working-method

Ray Caesar - working-method


Dominique Fung: Painting/Illustration

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Luck © Dominique Fung

Born and raised in  Ottawa, Ontario, Dominique Fung has a BAA in Illustration from the highly esteemed Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario.

Fung’s dreamlike images are inspired by “popular culture and the secrets hidden within the world”.  Using various mediums including pencil, pen, watercolours, acrylics, oils, and computer tablet, her works are a mixture of fine art  and design, often exploring environmental concerns and humanity’s place in the world.

Fung currently works for a social network as a graphic designer, creating web designs, and motion graphics, as well as pursuing a freelance career. She has exhibited in group shows in Canada and the United States including a recent group show of emerging artists at the Show & Tell Gallery in Toronto called “The Kids are Alright”.

For more information about Dominique Fung, visit her profile on Deviant Art or her website DominiqueFung.com.

Requiem © Dominique Fung Goldfish Boba © Dominique Fung Nurture © Dominique Fung

Oliver Lehmann: Digital Art

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zyklus eins © Oliver

This week’s Deviant is German digital artist Oliver Lehmann.  Born in 1972 in Euskirchen, Lehmann currently lives near Cologne (Köln), Germany. Initally working with chalk, charcoal and pastels, he switched to digital art in 1999.

Lehmann’s influences include Hellnwein, Giger, Dali, Kubicki, and Bargeld. Using Photoshop, stock photos and textures, and imagination, Lehmann creates a striking digital fusion of Surrealism and symbolism.

Lehmann has had numerous exhibitions in Germany and his work has appeared on the the CD covers of German Rock band Sanction X (The Last Day), and Australian band Empires of Eden (Songs of War and Vengeance).

For more information about Oliver Lehmann, visit his profile on Deviant Art.

Dead Souls © Oliver Lehmann ich warte © Oliver Lehmann stahlversion © Oliver Lehmann

DNA Art: Genetic Self Portrait

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DNA 11

DNA 11 - DNA Portrait

Looking for a truly unique work of art that expresses exactly who you are?  Why not be the centre of your own art piece with a portrait of your genetic make-up.

DNA 11 is an Ottawa, Ontario, Canada based company that combines the science of DNA coding with art to create a customized portrait of the stuff that makes you, uniquely you.

Founders, Nazim Ahmed and Adrian Salamunovic began DNA 11 in 2005 with a love for art and a passion for business. Salamunovic (aka design guy) spent a decade in business technology, specializing in high-tech marketing and design.  Ahmed (aka biotech guy) has a degree in Molecular Genetics from the University of Western Ontario and has worked for various leaders in the biotechnology field.

DNA art, which can be completely personalized, is available in numerous colour combinations, sizes and framing.  If DNA isn’t your thing, you can also turn your fingerprint or lip imprint into a portrait. Commissioning your portrait starts with a DNA collection kit that allows you to swab the inside of your cheek to collect a cell sample which is then sent to a lab where the genome sequence is analyzed.  DNA 11 then adds your colour specifications to the sequence, and transfers it to your chosen canvas or mini portrait frame. If you really want to go for it, you can choose the couple or family DNA portrait option which includes the DNA of your spouse, whole family, and even your pets!

DNA 11 has become popular worldwide and has been featured on CSI: New York, the Today Show, HGTV, BBC, MSNBC, CBC, Fashion TV, GQ, DWELL, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. DNA portraits are endorsed by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) who also sell the products in their museum stores and online.

All hype and prestige aside, I briefly wondered “is this really art? – Yes, I replied to myself”. I’ve seen lips (Andy Warhol) and thumbprints transformed into wall art, and abstracts (Mark Rothko comes to mind) that bears resemblance to the DNA portraits.  I’m not claiming that DNA 11’s art are masterpieces, but like any artist’s creation, they are highly personal and perhaps, one of a few chances many will ever have, to participate in the creation of  something that is meaningful and symbolic to them – an ultimate self–portrait.

photogallery_mini_2 photogallery_fp_01 DNA 11 - Kiss Portrait

For more information visit DNA11.com

iPhone Art: Art & Technology

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There is no question that computer technology has changed the face of art and how traditional art such as painting, drawing, photography and sculpture is created. Many artists are familiar with the newer tools of the trade – Photoshop, Corel Draw and Painter, Illustrator, Wacom tablets, and a slew of others. As well, out of these new technologies, new forms of art have emerged including net art, virtual reality, and digital installation art.

Recently, I came across a news story about artist Jorge Colombo and his June 1st New Yorker cover artwork. Having a major magazine publish your artwork on it’s cover is an amazing accomplishment in itself. Even more amazing is the fact that his painting,  (created while standing outside Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Times Square), was made on his iPhone in less than an hour using a $4.99 digital  painting application called Brushes.

The advantages of using digital technology to create art are abundant: preparation time and clean up time are virtually eliminated, you can create anywhere, error correction is a quick “undo”, and in the long run, the expense may be lower.

I’m a big fan of using digital software to create and manipulate pencil drawings, paintings, and photographs. Having these technological tools certainly makes creating easier, but it doesn’t make one an instant artist. You won’t create a masterpiece if you don’t know how to use the tools and if you don’t have artistic vision. Education (formal or otherwise), committed practice, and perseverance are still the most important ingredients in succeeding as an artist. I’m still learning.

The video below shows all of the brushstrokes in the making of Colombo’s New Yorker image (yes the software can do that too). To view more of his iPhone and traditional art visit JorgeColombo.com.

Sources: Jorge Colombo, BrushApp, New Yorker, Wikipedia

Lisa Falzon: Digital Collage

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The Hive and the Honey Bee © Lisa Falzon

The Hive and the Honey Bee © Lisa Falzon

This week’s Deviant is 26 year old surreal artist Lisa Falzon.  Born and rasied in Malta, the self-taught artist currently lives in Cork, Ireland.

Most of Falzon’s work is digitally assembled in Photoshop though she also works with oils and acrylics. Her creations are a mix of small photo parts that are cut out then combined and airbrushed to create a unique merger of painting and collage.

Falzon’s work has extended to book covers, CD art, children’s book illustrations, and  advertising. She also plans to try her hand at comics in the near future.

If that isn’t enough, Falzon is also a writer and her first novel, ‘Xi Mkien Iehor’ was published in 2008 by Merlin, Ltd. in Malta. She also has a micro-fiction blog where you will find her wonderful stories that are exactly 50 words long.

To see more of Lisa Falzon’s work visit LisaFalzon.com or view her profile on Deviant Art.  Follow this link to see just how she makes her compelling digital collages.

The Constant Gardener © Lisa Falzon

The Constant Gardener © Lisa Falzon