R27.CREATIVELAB / Blogspot

CaT is a gathering of brand creativity professionals and tech-side development companies for a discussion of furthering creativity through technology. Both conference and trade show, CaT gives creatives, producers and marketers the chance to see what's coming next, to get the big picture from thought leaders across a range of creative and technology areas — and learn, hands-on, about the latest technologies driving the best work.

Main Site: Creativitycat.com
Follow them on Twitter: @creativitymag

Mekanism are the studio behind the stop motion animation.
In approaching a conference that combines big ideas with cutting edge technology, Mekanism’s lead motion graphics artist, Emmett Feldman, worked alongside web developer Gabriel Dunn on the project. The stop-motion animation shot by Feldman features the use of a unique real-time visual application developed and coded specifically for the CaT project which gave Feldman the ability to play with perspective and generate simple 3D geometry. The final work combined the 3D work with 2D animations in After Effects. (Source)




A high res version of the animation can be found here

Production/VFX Company: Mekanism
Creative Director/Motion Graphics Artist: Emmett Feldman
Graphics/Animation Programmer: Gabriel Dunne
Sound Design: Jeremiah Moore
Graphic Assistant: Matt Carvalho
EP: Jason Harris
Producer: Elizabeth Morse

So you're faced with a blank sheet of paper and you need to create. We've all been there and we all have our ways of approaching a new project. Personally I move the paper out of the way and get into life. The blank sheet of paper isn't going to magically produce anything for you....


A quick note before we begin - you can hear samples of Elli's music at the end of the article and download desktop images.

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How do you approach a new song?
Since I don't write music or lyrics, choosing any song to add to my repertoire is inspired by hearing it. If it really grabs me musically, lyrically or story-wise, or won't let go on some level, eventually I'll give it a shot to see if I can do justice to what I felt initially. Some songs have been so hard there were years of revisiting or even working on them before I was willing to perform or record them. On our new CD, "Songs Spun of Gold," are several which were only recently on the back burner but to perform them live, I still have to bring them to a higher level since there's no editing as in the studio. Even during a given performance, I'll choose the set list or improvise it on-the-spot, according to whether I can handle certain songs in the condition of my voice at at that moment or if I know the lyrics well enough to make it! There's a long list of tunes which haven't made it yet, but since I've begun performing much more again in the past month -- more than in 13 years -- I hope to creep up on more of those songs. On the plus side, several songs which seemed so challenging during recording now are more comfortable. Comfort level is usually about the vocal range since I can usually find a way to sing any song I truly love if I can reach the notes. Saying that, there are melodies that seem impossibly tough with which I'm still on-the-fence!

Where does the idea come from and what inspires you?
I do improv and interpret, which -- along with a great love for swing -- are my fortes. They're completely instinctive and emotional when I don't try too hard, stop thinking and get out of the way of the creative flow. Not always easy in a studio OR on a gig. I can't explain where the inspiration comes from in "human" terms other than it's from "the Universe" or my "Inner being" -- fill in your favorite way to phrase it -- everyone has experienced many "light-bulb" or "A-Ha!" moments. Some inspirations have a feeling of soaring, similar to what happens when you play a sport. My memories of roller skating repeatedly down a hill at 5 or shooting layups at 11 are examples). I've never jogged, but have heard of the "runners high," which is the same territory. Whatever gets endorphins going is similar. For me it's most often in mid-performance but the zone is nearly impossible to hit if I fuss over anything or go for perfection. A great conversation where a strong connection happens is one of my favorite "inspired" experiences and the reason I dislike and avoid "networking" in dark, noisy, crowded places, and crowds in general! One-on-one or -two or -three is ideal for making those connections, and is similar to falling in love with a song or connecting with an audience. Some creatives mention their "muse."

Is this inspiration exclusive to Music or do you see overlaps with other creative areas, i.e., art, animation, design...
My inspiration isn't exclusive to Music or other creative areas; in fact, it's not exclusive to ANYthing! It underlies and overlays every aspect of Life, sometimes during the most mundane moments when I'm really "present." I watch reruns of West Wing as consistently as possible. Everything about this series so inspires, informs, entertains, awes and amazes me and usually brings fits of hysterical laughter and weeping. West Wing represents the best possible use and execution of multiple art forms/media to tell stories, educate, amuse and practically anything which could be done using video. My most far-reaching creative purpose is using media to create worthwhile and profound connections and positive spiritual influence, and this show exemplifies that with its sometimes subtle, sometimes bold characterizations, acting, directing and -- especially -- the writing; all the skill sets used in filmmaking are on a sky-high plane most of the time and the show also thoroughly moves me. Another source of inspiration is awards ceremonies. Even if I don't know an artist or their work, the mere fact that they create using their art form and are receiving recognition touches me at my core. My first CD was unexpectedly nominated for a local award for best jazz-vocal recording and that announcement brought me to tears. Although I did not win, I attended my first Awards Ceremony after years of being a spectator.

You're a creative: How do you get over a creative block and what advice would you give other musicians/creatives in general?
A creative block is no more or less difficult to eliminate than any other stress or issue, though creatives are often very sensitive and may be more dramatic about their creative blocks than others about their issues. There is no one-size-fits-all for how to get over a creative block; it depends entirely on who you are, where you are, who influences you and what's going on in your life and creativity. There are a number of basics I'd discuss with you and recommendations I can make, once I know your situation. And there are so many resources online: life coaches, coaching groups, books and home-study courses. There's physical bodywork, nutritional support, trainings of all kinds, and many quick and effective techniques. One method I would particularly recommend for anyone with a creative block is Simpleology, the Simple Science of Getting What You Want, at Simpleology.com. It's free and without obligation, and I guarantee for anyone who truly gives it a shot, it can change your life. At least it did mine years ago, and the goals I set during that process are still unfolding. Mainly, don't give up, take YOUR next tiny baby step, find someone to ask whom you admire, get recommendations from friends who are successful with these kinds of things or from health food stores, yoga centers, etc. De-clutter your environment, life and mind as much as you can. (I've never quite finished before a new level of clutter managed to encroach, so this is ongoing for me at higher levels). If you have negative folks around you, eliminate or lessen the amount of time and activity you share as soon and as much as you can. Look at what draws you in and check out their introductory work. (I've hosted the NYLOAWork (New York [and beyond] Law of Attraction [and beyond] Work) Yahoo Group for years, on which are posted thousands of recommendations of many effective options.) Go with your gut! Don't let others decide for you -- you have your own motives, particularly when it comes to creativity. Realize that blocks and negativity are just a "story," remember the times when you felt great about yourself and what you created. Set up systems to recall those times more often to keep reminding yourself of your peak moments. We live in incredible times for these kinds of learning and opportunities. I'm sure you'll find your best next step and know you'll get to that pinpoint of light at the end of your own tunnel, and if you email ellifordyce@msn.com and I feel I can help, I'll share some of my favorite quick fixes.

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You may also want to read the following articles covering Elli's life:

Elli Fordyce – Still very cool
Elli Fordyce – In the light she dances...
Elli Fordyce – What's your type?
Elli Fordyce – No More Blues

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Free Wallpaper Images

On behalf of Elli - download your desktop wallpaper images by [clicking here]

Available in the following screen sizes 1280x960 | 1024x768 | 800x600

If there are any other sizes that would suit you more then leave a message and I'll arrange it for you...

We concept, so you don't have to... Art director Jon Kubik and copywriter Adam Noel recently left the agency world and started this blog, which launched less than two weeks ago.
Copywriter: Adam Noel | Art Director: Jon Kubik

Go to the Web site

The Color Picker pen created by Jinsun Park is a must have. This pen allows you to scan any color you see around you, and with the RGB ink cartridges allows you to scribble away with that very colour. After placing the pen against an object, the user just presses the scan button. The color is being detected by the color sensor and the RGB cartridge of the pen mixes the required inks to create the target color. This superb device will help people to observe the changing colors of nature. With color picker, all range of artists will be able to create a more sensorial and visual insight of their surrounding nature’s colors.

But wait for it... The Color Picker is a concept pen at the moment....

Dvein have come up with another piece of work that keeps making me press the play button time and time again. It encompasses an eeriness that took me back to the title sequence from SE7EN and our friendly Dexter. They have a great body of work which I recommend you to browse through on their website.


Dvein were invited to make the F5 titles. The guys at Dvein wanted it to represent the eclectic spirit of the conference.

The idea was to get the soul of the speakers into the title sequence in some way. What they did was to approach the speakers and asked them for the names of five objects that inspired them or had anything to do with their own work. After receiving, as you can imagine a varied range of answers, these object names were used to get to a starting point and begin to translate into our images: Wind Turbines, Microscopes, Lights, Smoke, Lamb Rib Cage, French Bulldog... The speakers didn’t know what their answers would be used for, but these responses were the seeds from which the sequence grew. This approach led to all the speakers being directly involved through collaboration rather than one unique authorship.

Click on the images to take a closer look and check out the sequence at the end of the article and linked posts...









I recommend going full screen for the optimal experience. QuickTime version here.

The title sequence was created by Barcelona-based Dvein for the F5 festival in NYC on April 16th and 17th, 2009.
f5fest.com

Date: March/April 2009
Concept IdeaTiming / 2 weeks
Production Timing / 10 Days (Double Full-Time)
Direction & Animation / Dvein
Music / Antfood
Production Assistant / Marco Antonio Ballesteros
Actors / Rita (No-Domain Dogs), Antenas (As the ant), Zombee (As the bee), Maki (As the fish), Fernando’s hand (As the hand)

Thanks to:
Justin Cone and Carlos El Asmar for inviting us to do this for the festival and our girlfriends for supporting us.
Contact: web@dvein.com

Related Articles - Click here

Its a little refreshing to see that a creative process in another field has similar thought processes. Have a good read and enjoy, maybe armed with a cup of coffee and a biscuit, maybe a cup cake and some chewy sweets. Chocolates are always good. A mars bar! Battered. What was that you say? A gob-stopper.... Okay so for me it's lunch time for but don't forget to click on the images to take a closer look and not forgetting Kelly's wonderful portfolio which can be found on her site - theartistoflife.com


My name is Kelly O’Neill. I am a portrait artist residing in Brentwood, TN, and I was asked to take you through the journey of a painting from start to finish. I hope you enjoy it!

I was recently commissioned to paint a lovely woman named Loma. She lived a long, happy life, and recently passed away in her 90’s. The family wanted to memorialize her in a painting, which will be displayed above the mantle in the grandchildren’s playroom.

Loma was a vibrant, amazing woman, and had stunning blue eyes, porcelain skin, and high cheekbones. Sherry, my client, wanted the painting to depict Loma in her youth, and a traditional head and shoulders style portrait simply would not do! The painting would be displayed in Loma’s old bedroom, which was now converted to a playroom for the grandchildren. Sherry wanted the grandchildren to see Loma’s painting for years to come, and think of the vibrant, happy woman that she was.

Sherry provided me with several reference photos from the 1940’s, all black and white and showing signs of their age. I realized quickly that this portrait would be a challenging one, but I knew how important the project was to her. We weighed the pros and cons of using different photos, but were able to make a decision pretty quickly.


The photo we decided to use was of Loma sitting on an uneven bar in someone’s backyard. Sherry mentioned that Loma had always loved sunflowers, so it seemed fitting to have a field of the beautiful flowers in the background of the painting. I went on a search for a photo of the perfect field - one that had a fence that we could have her sitting on.

After selecting the reference photos, I used Photoshop to roughly lay out the composition and get Sherry’s approval before starting to paint.


We agreed on details such as what color to make her skirt stripes, and whether she preferred a natural fence or a painted one, and then the magic began.

I always start my paintings by lightly drawing it out on the canvas. The next step is typically a quick underpainting, which gives it a base and sometimes helps with the development of color choices throughout. In this case, however, I was already confident in the color scheme, and really itching to get started on it, so I jumped in.


I work from left to right, and typically from top to bottom as well. In this case, I wanted to get some of the body of the painting completed before I worked on the sky, since they play off of each other so much. I’m convinced that a painting cannot be thought of in sections while it’s in progress. Every detail affects the others. We’ve all seen paintings that were flat and pieced together, and it never looks “right.”


I started painting in the sky, which took some thought because the position of the sun had to be established. I decided to paint it as if it were slightly overcast with the sun high above the subject.

As I worked, I blended the sky with touching areas. This is to prevent a hard line between colors, which doesn’t happen in “real life.” Our focus tends to soften the edges, so a painting should, too. You can see I started laying down color on Loma’s face, just getting the general placement of her features painted in. I will come back to this after it’s dry for detail work.


Now you can see that her face is starting to look more realistic. I began working on her blouse and dress, and I was more than a little excited to introduce the red. It was stunning against the field of sunflowers and the blue sky.


I completed the top part of the field and began working on the fence. We had decided that a white fence would work well with the setting, and it was prettier than the unfinished wood in the reference photo. During this step, I made judgments on the placement and strength of the shadows that her legs and skirt made on the fence. To leave these out would make for an awkward painting.


The last steps are always some of my favorites. They involve going back and glazing certain areas to improve the tone, color, or level of detail. These steps tend to be the ones that take the painting to a more realistic level.


I spent about 2 weeks working on this painting, and completed it in a little over 30 hours. I was pleased with how it progressed, and enjoyed every moment of it!

The end result: a 24×30 painting of a “moment in time” that never actually happened! The next time someone asks why they should invest in artwork rather than just printing a standard photograph on canvas (which seems to be quite popular these days), I’ll tell them the story of Loma and her sunflower field. :)

Please visit my website - www.theartistoflife.com and my blog to find out more about my work, or about having a custom work of art commissioned.

You can also follow her on Twitter: @kellyoneill

Kelly O’Neill

Clothing framed by its muse and its inspiration for colour. Great vibrant imagery here which proves that ideas can come from almost anywhere..... Click on the images to take a closer look.









Client: Harvey Nichols
Agency: Young & Rubicam, Dubai
Executive Creative Director/Copywriter: Shahir Ahmed
Creative Director/Art Director: Komal Bedi Sohal
Art Director: Sajesh Pudussery, Dash Gaude
Photographer: Tejal Patni
Illustrator: Jomy Varghese

These are modern fossils. They are made from actual archaic technology that was once cutting-edge. Most of these examples were discovered in the United States, although the various species are represented all over the world. It is sad, but most of these units lived very short lives. Most people attribute the shortened lifespan to aggressive predators or accelerated evolution, but this is not necessarily true. It has been shown recently that the true demise of most of these specimens came from runaway consumerism and wastefulness at the high end of the food chain.

In a special process, these items are reproduced in a proprietary blend of concrete and other secret ingredients, giving them the look and feel of real stone fossils. Each fossil is made one at a time, by hand, in an individual mold. Because of the hand-made nature of the item, there will be variations in pigmentation, and small imperfections in the surface. While you can choose a general color range, please keep in mind that each fossil is unique, and color variations are inevitable.






Source: Christopher Locke