When I think of chalkboards, I think of screeching noises and sneezing. Just thinking about the screeching noise makes my teeth hurt, but seeing these drawings dulls the feeling. I love the contrast of light and dark in this film and the editing beautifully done.

I like to think of this chalkboard art kind of like camera work. We don’t realize how physical art can be, especially in the creation stage. Here, Peter Han uses his whole body to create his artwork- cameramen do the same. They have to use their whole body to get some of the shots that they get.

When I was in film school last year, we had an instructor who had us move around and do a combination of yoga, breathing exercises and martial arts. On camera, every movement counts including every breath and heartbeat. By having us practice these movements, we became more aware of our bodies and how our movements translated to the big screen. This is exactly what Peter is trying to teach to his students.

Sometimes by using your whole body, you can make something even more impact on your audience.

Originality :: Sand Designs

October 4, 2013July 19, 2013Leave a comment

Light Color Sound

I’ve always admired those who can create something so beautiful even when they know that it will disappear soon after. How someone can spend so much time on something so beautiful only to have it disappear?

I find this film mesmerizing and calming- something I think the artist feels when he’s creating his art, hence why this film and the music work so well to convey the reason for the time and effort that goes into something so brief.

Harvest :: Geometric Cake

September 13, 2013July 19, 2013Leave a comment

What is a geometric cake you may ask? Well let me show you, or rather, let pastry chef Caitlin Freeman show you:

Clay McLachlan

Food isn’t only about nourishing our bodies and concerning ourselves with where our food has come from and how processed it is. Its also about what we do with the ingredients and what it looks like when we’re done with our creations.

I admit that I like to bake, but this cake design completely daunts me. My layer cakes never come out quite like they do in the picture but they usually taste ok. I won’t go into my mom’s birthday cupcakes from a couple years ago- let’s just say that mini cupcakes were good in theory….

I digress from the video. It’s colorful and fun and it makes a very daunting cake design look a little bit easier. Anyone care to try?

Landscape :: Paris

August 16, 2013July 19, 2013Leave a comment

Andrew Julian

When I think of landscapes, I tend to think of wide open plains or mountain views. I tend to forget about city landscapes and that they are just as breathtaking as wide open nature. Although some of man’s creations are less than beautiful, there are some places that leave us awestruck by the creativity and engineering capability of our species.

Culture :: Life Drawings

July 12, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

How do you make a scene in the round interesting to the viewer’s eye when they can only have one point of view at time? I think this film has found the answer.

Wriggles and Robins

Not only does this video take something that can be fairly still and turn it into fluid motion, but it takes nudity (which we usually view as taboo) and turn it into something beautiful and natural.

Culture :: Black Rock City

July 2, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

Do you remember how in college you end up making up ridiculous games that you found absolutely exhilarating and were the perfect excuse not to write papers or study for tests? You know, like sock wrestling, or hallway jousting or indoor slip ‘n slides that ran the whole length of the boys 3rd floor wing. Wouldn’t it be fun to try those out now, to let some of that stress of every day life feel silly again? I think I’ve found the place that lets you do those things again:

Anders Christian Rasmussen

This place looks wild and un-inhibiting. I think the dust would probably bother me, but there’s something about this festival that makes you wonder how do we go from the silliness that we can so easily create at one point and then slip back into the practicality of work and every day life?

Travel :: The John Muir Trail

June 25, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

The Muir Project

This is trailer is something closer to home, figuratively and physically, than the previous videos that I’ve posted this month. This is only a thousand or more miles south of where I live and looks relatively familiar. I like to spend weekend up in the mountains hiking and being away from city life, which is a whole other experience all on its own. Sometimes you only have to go as far as your backyard to experience something new.

I think what I like most about this film is the combination of art and the outdoors. These are two things that I’m passionate about (can you tell?) and I like the blend of the two. It also brings back memories of taking a travel photography class in college while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. The scenery was very different, but the idea of documenting your journey on camera and in journals makes the experience very different from a day hike. You notice more about your surroundings and reflect more about what you are going through emotionally and physically. It also takes your mind off things when you feel like curling up in a ball and giving up for the day. Documenting the the journey through art is a very powerful thing.

Handmade :: Typography

May 31, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

I have a thing for typography- you’ve probably picked that up from some of my other posts. So although we don’t usually associate type with being handmade, instead, we think of them being more of a computer generated art form, the history says otherwise.

Ben Barrett-Forrest

I have yet to try stop motion when making a film, but with the popularity of it now, I think I just might have to try it sometime.

Handmade :: Paper Cuts

May 21, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

http://blip.tv/etsy/handmade-portraits-rob-ryan-5625622

Etsy

Despite the fact that most of my work is digitally created on a computer, I still love paper and paint and pencils etc. When I was growing up, I spent hours in art classes learning how to make all sorts of useless items but I thought were very exciting.

I no longer have as much time with physical tools as I would like, which is probably why I enjoy Handmade Portraits: Rob Ryan. The one time that I made something similar to Mr. Ryan’s work (aka cutting out shapes on a page to create the picture) I ended up tearing most of the page and gave up. Obvioulsy I wasn’t patient enough, but maybe now I could make it through a whole sheet.

On a deeper level, I like that there are stories within stories in each piece that he creates. Behind every piece of art is a great story but we don’t always see that as plainly as you can here.

Handmade :: Sign Painters

May 14, 2013August 28, 2013Leave a comment

Dir. Samual J. Macon

Probably something that most of us take for granted- signs. They are every where. They are on the sides of buildings, on walls, dragging behind airplanes, on street corners, and hanging on door handles. We cannot go more than a few steps without seeing one, but we probably don’t take the time to think about the origin of each sign. At least I don’t. I find that I’ve learned to ignore many of them.

Perhaps I would notice them more if I could tell that time and effort had gone into its creation and that it really was a piece of art. Sadly, most signs that I see are machine made. And perhaps that’s why I like this trailer. It makes me stop and think about what I’m looking at and all the while, pointing out that we have traded in artwork for a cookie cutter print. Once again, handmade seems to have its advantages…

emfirno

documentary production

Tag: art

Originality :: Chalk Drawings

SnowGlobe Studios