Thursday, October 31, 2013

OpEd: Slender Man Internet Folklore?


"Slender Man very well may have been "invented" by the internet, but he's been a part of our subconscious forever! Like cultures across the globe, the internet has developed its own stories and characters. Generated by the collective web, Slender Man is our nightmares manifested in digital form. Why do we create these scary tales, indulging in worlds are beyond reality? What is the role of this folklore, and is Slender Man a part of it?"

Video: Monster Machine


"Monster Machine" by Andrew Bowser of Nerdist
"From Director Andrew Bowser (The Mother of Invention, Jimmy Tupper VS The Goatman of Bowie) comes a comedy short that both pays homage to and satirizes the Zombie genre. In the adventurous tone of 80's favorites like "Monster Squad" and "Weird Science" - "Monster Machine" follows inventor Vincent Dooly and his best friend Terry Futterman as Vincent unveils his latest creation. Will this machine be Vincent's masterpiece? Or will it unleash a dark power that no man can possibly control."

Tutorial: Rainbow-Fire Pumpkin


"Is a regular carved Halloween jack-o-lantern too tame for you? Or are you looking for the perfect flame test chemistry demonstration? Use colored fire to light your pumpkin and then coat it with rainbow fire. It's an easy dramatic effect. Alcohol serves as the base flame. It burns blue and won't interfere with other colors. Boric acid produces a green flame. Other colors come from natural chemicals in the pumpkin and incandescence."

Video: Look Behind You!




Video: NASA Pumpkin Carving Contest



"Annual section 352 Pumpkin Carving contest at NASA/JPL. So fun and so ridiculous. Each team gets an hour to create their masterpiece. All of the materials including the pumpkins were purchased with personal funds and not tax payer dollars :)"

Short Film: Haselwurm



Lovecraft eZine has discovered this cool short Italian film called Haselwurm. It’s about a mythical creature that lives on Alpi mountain in Italy and it’s inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft.  The main characters are a woman and a man in search of solving a mystery as old as the mountains of the
story; the recklessness of a rifle shot, and make the mistake of killing a creature unlike any
other. The consequences of this reckless act will soon be known and the price will be high ...

Carving: Wood Predator


Walsall, England-based artist Simon Patel spent 90 hours hand-carving a large section of tree trunk to create this awesome Predator head. We agree with Conner Flynn over at Technabob who said that, since Predators take trophies from each of their kills, they would probably really appreciate this piece.


Crafts: Oogie Boogie Cross-Stitch

I am the Shadow - Oogie Boogie Cross Stitch

"I know what my initial idea was for this cross stitch project, but I’m not sure how I progressed to this.  This started as a very simple spider cross stitch. It was just going to be a spider that looked like it was hanging from the top of the frame and had created a web in the corner.  Somehow this happened and I’m very happy it did since I love Nightmare Before Christmas."

Download: Poison Bottle Labels


"Make any Halloween gathering all the more creepy by turning store-bought drinks into faux poison with a simple re-labeling! I have designed three antique-style apothecary labels just for the occasion. Use the labels to embellish bottles such as wine, soda, bottled tea or water that you’ll be serving. You can also label lunchbox drinks on Halloween day for a fun lunchtime startle!"

Posters: Horror Business


Horror Business Poster Series by Brian Ewing
Part of the Horror Business solo art exhibition at Rivet Gallery.
 Limited edition prints available for purchase from the Rivet Gallery.  US$50


Posters: Nosferatu

Nosferatu by Dan Mumford

Prints available for purchase from Big Cartel. £40
"Nosferatu-A Symphony of Horror, is a Screenprint produced in conjunction with the BFI for the re-release of the film Nosferatu, and documented in the short film by the BFI which can be viewed here.

Nosferatu is a classic horror film from 1922, one of the original portrayals of a vampire on the big screen. Nosferatu is a 4 colour screenprint on 270gsm archival paper, A2 in size (420 × 594mm) , limited to an edition of 100, all signed stamped and numbered."

Posters: Nosferatu

Nosferatu by Gilles Vranckx

"Nosferatu" by Gilles Vranckx

Artist: Bartosz Kosowski


Illustrations by Bartosz Kosowski

Link Round-Up: October 31, 2013

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8L02Lamo9eA/UdVa_JtXcWI/AAAAAAAAAio/tSqSKwzGDpM/s1200/Image1.jpg

"I was working in it for abit over a week, how many hours I don't know exact, But probably 25+ hours or more (so hard to keep track on time when painting)."

Interview: Neil Gaiman discusses the return of Morpheus in the Sandman Prequel

If diving into the epic 10 volume Sandman series is a bit daunting to you, The Mary Sue came up with a list of 11 Sandman stories you can read and understand without spoiling the entire story.

Mitch Dyer wrote on the all too depressing and all too real question of ‘how long can video games matter?” This is given their iterative qualities instead of artistic and how each new game forces obsolescence on their predecessors.

Want a Starship? Think Big. Think Really Big

Wolverine is the best Disney Princess

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

OpEd: "Being" Your Video Game Avatar



PBS Ideas is wonderful. This time, Mike is here to explain the difference between games that allow you to manipulate the player-character and those that force you to become it.

Lecture: The Power of Comics



How do comics capture your mind's eye? Ph.Detours host Alex Lockwood and Ph.D. candidate Keegan Lannon (Aberystwyth University) give us an inside look at the theory behind your favorite comics.

Tech: 360 Degree iPad Animations



Movies are great.  They're stories where someone else has already made all the decisions.  All you need to do is sit back and watch.  But video games represent a growing segment of our entertainment dollar for a reason.  Our generation is sick of its passive role.  

Tech: GPS Shoes



Designer Dominic Wilcox has created a fully functional prototype of a pair of shoes that will guide the wearer to any destination. All the wearer needs to do is click their heels together. Poetic.

Video: Trick-or-Treating as an Adult


"Just because you're old, doesn't mean you don't deserve free candy from strangers! Watch and learn how to trick-or-treat as an adult."

Short Film: Lunar


"LUNAR" Directed by Tyson Wade Johnston

"Set in Los Angeles City, 2057, an outlaw is captured and sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment on the LUNAR penitentiaries. To reunite with his family, he must become the first convict to escape the corrupt system and return to Earth."

Sweets: Severed Head Cake



Maybe not the most traditional, but Natalie made one of the most unique wedding cakes ever for her own ceremony. The Halloween season and groom's love for horror movies were the inspiration, along with the ceremony being held at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in downtown Austin, Texas.

  

Crafts: Spell Book


Holly Conrad of Crabcat Industries (as well as from Syfy’s Heroes of Cosplay) created a replica of Winifred Sanderson’s book from Hocus Pocus for a friend’s wedding. And I want it so bad. She sculpted, cast, and painted it while Hilary Grimes bound it into an actual book.


Papercraft: Atlantis Window Display


Atlantis Window Display by Zim & Zou from Nancy, France
Photographed by Frank Oudeman / OTTO

"Hermès hired us to design the windows for the re-opening
of their store located in Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills."


Papercraft: Monster Themed Paper-Cuts


Monster Themed Paper-Cuts by Eelus
Created for the "Horrorshow" art show at Ink_d Gallery.

Posters: Tales From The Crypt


Tales From The Crypt IIlustrations by Jason Edmiston
 Part of the EC Comics/Tales From the Crypt art show, "It Didn’t Rot Our Brains".
Opening Friday, October 25th 2013 at the Mondo Gallery.

    

Posters: The Vault of Horror

The Vault of Horror by Florian Bertmer

"The Vault of Horror" by Florian Bertmer
Part of the EC Comics / Tales From the Crypt art show, "It Didn’t Rot Our Brains.
Opening Friday, October 25th 2013 at the Mondo Gallery.

Posters: Tales From The Crypt

Tales From The Crypt by Ken Taylor

"Tales From The Crypt" by Ken Taylor
Part of the EC Comics / Tales From the Crypt art show, "It Didn’t Rot Our Brains".
Opening Friday, October 25th 2013 at the Mondo Gallery.

Posters: Alien

Alien by Randy Ortiz

"Alien" by Randy Ortiz


Posters: Universal Classic Monsters



18” X 24” 10 print folio set, 8 individual and one 2 print diptych. Regular editions of 230 and metallic ink variant editions of 70. Available via email lottery ending Tuesday, October 29th 2013 from Dark Hall Mansion.


Mash-Up: Wars on Kinkade


Mash-ups of Star Wars and Thomas Kincade landscapes.

   

Illustration: Drawlloween

art of brian luong  | artofbrianluong.tumblr.com/

"Drawlloween" 31 days of Halloween illustrations by Brian Luong

art of brian luong  | artofbrianluong.tumblr.com/    art of brian luong  | artofbrianluong.tumblr.com/

Illustration: Gandalf the Black

Gandalf the Black by Benjamin Collison


"If Gandalf took the ring..."

Link Round-Up: October 30, 2013




Interview: Chip Kidd talks to the New York Times about his new book, Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design.

Here are the Coolest Custom Lego Minifigs You Can Buy on Etsy Right Now

The Reith Lectures is a series of annual radio lectures given by leading figures of the day, commissioned by the BBC and broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and The World Service. This year the lecturer is Grayson Perry, potter, and winner of the 2003 Turner Prize for Art in and his four lectures aim to demystify art. With two lectures already delivered he has addressed how the quality of art is assessed, and what makes something a work of art.  People in Britain can listen on the BBC site here. Around the world (I think) they are available as podcasts on iTunes, and you can also read transcripts here: Lecture 1: Democracy Has Bad Taste and Lecture 2: Beating The Bounds.

Star Wars Boxo Papercraft Playset

This Fake “Lord Of The Rings” Subway Service Advisory Poster Isn’t All That Far From The Truth

Documentary: 2001: The Making of a Myth



A documentary on the making and meaning of one of my favorite films, 2001: A Space Oddyssey.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Video: Darth Side of Light



This one's like Star Wars meets Monty Python. The story centers around a Jedi and a Sith who run into each other while trying to relieve their bladders in some ruins.

Short Film: Bet She'an



Bet She'an is a dark, heavily metaphorical film about the last moments of humanity in the aftermath of an apocalypse. It's lovely, but very abstract.
"In the city of Bet She'an, where mankind is progressively morphing into crows, a sculptor decides to leave a trace of this dwindling humanity"

Short Film: Carpark



Carpark is the tale of a simple shopping trip going terribly wrong after a shopper decides to taunt a dog locked in a car. The entire short unfolds in one scene, employing a simple, yet effective monochromatic style. Bird Box always nails it one the head with their shorts, using everyday situations as the basis of their bite-sized films.

Short Film: The Suit of Light



A humble janitor becomes a matador for a day and finds himself face to face with his ferocious opponent in the bullring.

Short Film: Runaway




Link Round-Up: October 29, 2013

pascalcampion:

Trick AND Treat.Another Halloween one from the archives( don’t worry, this will stop soon!)


News: Lost ‘Return of the Jedi’ footage discovered on $699 LaserDisc

Futureboy 5000 brews new songs out of old sci-fi movie quotes, vintage video games and heavy dance beats. People say it sounds like Daft Punk mixed up with Super Mario and Star Trek.

George Orwell’s 1984 Inspired Illustration by Lesley Barnes

Making Robots More Like Us

The Sandman Cometh: Neil Gaiman’s Epic Masterpiece Returns

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle Reveals How Comic Books Won Everything

Monday, October 28, 2013

Video: TED Talk For Zombies


"In the wake of the zombie apocalypse innovative ideas have become more important than ever. Watch and take note on how to survive the "human apocalypse" in a special DED Talk presented by a zombie who has seen it all."

Video: Clueless Gamer: Horror Edition



Conan gets into the spooky Halloween spirit by playing Slender, Amnesia, & Outlast in total darkness.

Short Film: T is for Thread



Here's a disturbing film entry for the ABC's of Death for you. It's a chilling little ramp up for the Halloween season. The short is called "T Is For Thread." It was directed by Chris Nash, and it's absolutely disgusting - in a good way. The story follows a woman who gets a facelift. Things get a really messy when she accidentally tears out some of the stitches. Don't watch it before lunch.

Short Film: Perished


"Perished" directed by Stefan A. Radanovich and Aaron McCann of SAR Films

Fans of The Walking Dead will enjoy this short film. In it, a lone survivor must cope with his terror if he wants to avoid starvation in a world populated by zombies. Stefan A. Radanovich and Aaron McCann wrote, directed, and produced Perished, which premiered last year at SXSW. It's a pretty gruesome short that touches on the madness and frustration of being alone in the face of danger.

Short Film: The Decelerators



This ephemeral short film only runs five minutes, but it's a hauntingly beautiful piece reminiscent of big screen gems like Looper or Primer. In it, a group of friends invent a device capable of locking a person in the moment of their choice for eternity.

Sweets: Nightmare Before Christmas Cake


"This is a cake we did a long time ago but I wanted to put it out there to draw attention to great project and web site just launched Sunday in honor of Tim Burton's birthday. Go to cakenweenie.com to see 100 different and terrific Burton inspired creations. And a BIG shout out to Tracey Rothwell from Little Cherry Cake Company for all her hard work in making this project happen!!!!"

Sculpture: Ways Of Seeing


"Ways Of Seeing (Test)" by Joe Black, 2013.

15,000 Hand-painted test tubes, coated in resin and mounted on a dye-cut aluminum disc.
"Joe Black is known for making massive mosaic-like works based on popular imagery, using large quantities of manufactured miniature objects. Black, who is uncomfortable being called a professional artist, received his training in sculpture before working in illustration and commercial art. To make his works, Black says that he will use anything small and plentiful—ball bearings, Lego bricks, button pins, toy figurines—as long as it relates to the image. For example, his work Made in China (2011) depicts a famous 1938 portrait of a Chinese boy soldier, crafted from over 5,500 toy soldiers manufactured in China."

Sculpture: Halloween Candy Horrors


Killer Candy Sculptures by Brooklyn-based artist Andrew Bell, 2013.

Artist Andrew Bell sculpted these anthropomorphic candy horrors for Bewitching III, the annual Halloween group exhibition at the Stranger Factory gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We love that these pieces of evil personified candy come complete with their own wrappers.

The creepy chocolate kisses, entitled Hurtey’s Kisses of Death®!, come two different flavours. The two larger kisses are called Kiss of Death I: First Kiss (milk chocolate) and Kiss of Death II: The Darkness (dark chocolate), but we seriously advise against trying to eat either of them.  Entitled Kill Kat II : Green Tea Terror!, the sinister green Kit Kat bar was inspired by Andrew’s recent travels to Japan, where they sell the green tea-flavoured variety.

Fresh Take: Zombies Pop Culture Portraits


"Zombies Portraits" by Andre de Freitas

Illustration: Disney Halloween



Artist: Jeremiah Morelli


Halloween Illustrations by Jeremiah Morelli
"I'm a month early again, I know. But what the heck. I wanted to paint another halloween picture and that's just what I did."

Link Round-Up: October 28, 2013




Interview: Neil Gaiman on why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming.  A lecture explaining why using our imaginations, and providing for others to use theirs, is an obligation for all citizens.

Google creates Minecraft mod that lets you play with quantum physics


The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets

Friday, October 25, 2013

Music Video: Run (You Clever) Boy Run



Here's a fan-made music video for Doctor Who! The song is "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid.

Short Film: Windmills




"Watch this beautifully stylish, animated short film about a dead, lightless world, where a little girl, despite her father's renunciation and despair facing the death of his wife, maintains their dream of building a machine powered by magic winds to fly and reach the sun. Made and directed by the talented Guillaume Bergère, Guillaume Coudert, Maria Glinyanova, Bruno Guerra, Charlotte Jammet!

WindMills is a graduation movie, made at Georges Méliès school, and winner of Best Animated Film Festival: Boston SCI-FI (Boston, 2012)"

Short Film: Mac ‘n’ Cheese – Supermarket


"In part 2 of the popular "Mac 'n' Cheese" our two heroes find themselves low on cash, taking a job at the local supermarket seems to be the solution to all of their problems. The first day runs by smoothly, but a final task makes things turn for the worst..."

Quick Pic: Nightmare Before Christmas Pumpkin


Photographed at the Big Thunder Jamboree at Disneyland
Source: TWU21

Sweets: Ramen Bowl Cake



This ramen bowl by the Japanese food blog Create Eat Happy isn't actually ramen... it's also not quite cake. It is a cleverly concealed dessert, though. It's main ingredients are a gelatin that looks like broth and a sweet potato mash shaped to look like tofu. I doubt this is a recipe an American would enjoy eating, but making it could be a lot of fun.

Jewelry: Clockwork Butterfly Barrette


Steampunk Clockwork Butterfly Barrette by Punq'd
Available for purchase from Etsy. £26.88


Jewelry: Steampulse Pendant


Available for purchase from Etsy. £206.10

Crafts: Snailoween Amirgurumi


Halloween-themed Snail Amirgurumi by Laura Partridge
Available for purchase from Etsy.  US$20


Sculpture: Attack on Titan


Japanese publisher Kodansha posted this time-lapsed footage of sand artist Toshihiko Hosaka creating an Attack on Titan sculpture at a beach in Enoshima.  The sculpture took ten days and over eighty tons of sand to create.  It was created to commemorate the release of the manga's eleventh volume, which shipped in Japan on August 9th.

Paintings: Graphic Reflections


"Graphic Reflections" watercolor illustrations by Ukrainian painter Yuri Laptev

Yuri Laptev is an inspirational artist from Simferopol,Crimea,Ukraine. His works are dreamy, imaginative and surreal, he has a range of talents which include: painting, etching, and drawing.


Paintings: Edgar Allan Poe Illustrated


"The Pit and the Pendulum"
The Edgar Allan Poe Portfolio illustrated by Berni Wrightson, 1976.
Source: The Golden Age

Link Round-Up: October 25, 2013

Minecraft by Stan Loiseaux

Minecraft T-Shirt by Belgian graphic designer Stan Loiseaux
T-Shirts available for purchase from J!NX. US$21.99


Event: Just in time for Halloween, an exhibit of tributes to EC Comics, publishers of Tales From the Crypt, is opening at the Mondo Gallery in Austin, Texas.

Comic Alliance names its picks for The 18 Best Batman Panels Ever.

Fox News says The Walking Dead is brainwashing Americans, without irony.


Podcast thing features brief interviews with interesting folks who share their favorite podcasts. A project by Max Temkin and Veronica Corzo-Duchardt to help people find great podcasts to listen to.


Tumblr Search just got way searchier. YOU CAN CROSS REFERENCE TAGS NOW.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Video: Diamond Sword




Video: Assassin’s Creed Musical



Popular musical group AVbyte has teamed up with parkour master Richie Rodriquez to produce this stunning new video fixated on the acclaimed Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag video game. 

While running, climbing, and singing across the city, pirate Edward Kenway encounters the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow who joins in his musical number.

Video: Blackbeard vs Al Capone Rap



The web’s favorite rap battle show, Epic Rap Battles of History, is back with another instantly viral episode!  This time, Nice Peter, as the menacing pirate Blackbeard, clashes verbal swords with the famous Chicago mobster Al Capone, played by EpicLLOYD.

Video: Tumbleweed



The guys behind the web series "Good Cops" have just launched a new series that follows a games as he navigates his way through a western-themed MMORPG called "Tumbleweed."  There are only four episodes, but the series is very promising.  It generally mocks the typical behaviors of gamers.
"A gamer starts playing "Tumbleweed,' the most modern, graphically advanced, video game in history. But his impatient want for violence and sex activates an unexpected feature in this highly advanced game... consequences."

Video: The Hobbit Summarized by a Thug



This video is genius. Thug Notes reviews are both enlightening and absolutely hysterical.

Quick Pic: Minion Pumpkin


Via: Instagram

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
Painting pumpkins is cheating.

Short Film: Call Back



This proof of concept film idea by Side Films explores the concept of a fantasy we've all had at some point or the other - What if we could turn back the clock and prevent those mistakes and regretful moments from ever occurring? Call Back gives the protagonist that chance when a crime of passion unfolds, but there's a very interesting catch that gives the thriller a distinctly scifi flavor. Is it all in his head, or is there someone truly offering a way out in exchange for some questionable favors?
"We all do things we regret, things we want to erase, forget, change. What if you are offer a dose of hope?" Call Back is a thriller with a touch of sci-fi. We created the short in our spare time with almost no budget. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it!

Short Film: SHHH



This nightmarish fantasy horror thriller is a Halloween treat with an anti-bullying message that was inspired by the dreams of director Guillermo del Toro. It's incredibly well made and far more attention-catching than any public service announcement. Watch the original Guillermo Del Toro interview that inspired this film at YouTube.
"“Shhh” is a tale about a young boy, who uses his imagination to overcome his monstrous bully at night. Tired of being scared, Guillermo eventually takes matters into his own hands. Inspired by the lucid dreams of director Guillermo del Toro during childhood.

This is an anti-bullying project created in our spare time with a low budget. A tribute to one the filmmakers we look up to since we were kids, Guillermo del Toro. It couldn't have been completed without many sleepless nights and a lot of help & support from our talented cast, crew, family and colleagues. The film had a great response in the festival circuit and we're very happy to finally share it with all of you here."

Sculpture: Classic Sculptures Dissected


[Previously: Sculpture: If I Were]

Sculpture: Hill of Witches



This forest in Juodkrantė, Lithuania is alive with a vast array of fairy-tale creatures, including demons,  kings, princesses, and witches.  Known as the Hill of Witches ("Raganų kalnas"), this public trail through the woods takes visitors on a trip through the most well-known legends and stories in Lithuanian folk history.

Work began in 1979 on the sculpture park, and it now features over 80 different wooden carvings from local artists. Each beautifully hand-crafted sculpture depicts a popular character from folk and pagan traditions of Lithuania. The public park got its name long before the sculptures were placed along the wooded trails, and is in fact a reference to the pagan celebrations that take place on the hill during the Midsummer’s Eve Festival.

Each year on June 24th, people across Lithuania dance, sing and bring in the midsummer with the older folk traditions of the country. After Christianity came to Lithuania, the celebration was renamed Saint Jonas’ Festival, but many of the practices still have pagan roots, as echoed by the fantastic Hill of Witches sculptures.

Sculpture: Face Off



Silkscreened on ten layers of acrylic in polyurethane paint.


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...