Australian artist, Erin Smith, is pretty much your average young woman. The 27 year old artist moved to melbourne from Queensland to study graphic design and only just moved back to her home state this year. Graphic design didn’t turn out to be the career for her – “I find it difficult to sit in a chair inside for any period of time…and I’m hopeless at deadlines so I wasn’t very good.”

It was during her studies, however, that the fascination with typography really began.

“A few years ago at uni we were learning about typography, how different weights of a font can help create emphasis etc. About a year later, I was looking at the intricacy of the engracing of a smith and wesson pistol (on the computer, not my own) [and] I thought about this image in relation to typography then started using the computer to creat the image. I did a series of these for a project”

This penchant for letters and words, however, stems from a deeper interest in linguistics. In her pieces she used academic journals to “create the ‘palette’. The images themselves now stemmed from the underlying texts in which they are created,” she says.

“A few years ago at uni we were learning about typography, how different weights of a font can help create emphasis etc. at the time we created simple images with letraset. about a year later i was looking at the intricacy of the engraving of a smith and wesson pistol (on the computer not my own) i thought about this image in relation to typography then started using the computer to create the image. I did a series of these for a project.

as uni progressed and we began looking at linguistics, chomsky and the like. I thought about the technique again, this time using journals to create the “palette,” the images themselves now stem from the underlying texts in which they are created from. i have a strong interest in the human body and like learning about it. the work to me isn’t straight forward and literal. its interesting to observe others and how they see the images. the images are symbolic of the texts. i could go on and on but i still find it difficult to put into words.

“language is really interesting, sometimes what we dont say can play an imperative part in communicating, where there a no letters forms a negative space within the image which too plays a critical part in the formation of the image.”

Erin suggests that her inspiration comes from, well, everything!

“sounds corny but i have this thing where i want to learn everything, it gets a little crazy sometimes as there isn’t enough time. There’s heaps of amazing artists and designers. my partner jo pole is an artist who’s work i think is amazing, ex de medici, michael zavros, rosalie gascoigne, buro destruct anyone and everything.

Erin Smith’s work is always floating around Australia and readers elsewhere can view her amazing collection of works at her website http://www.erinsmith.com.au

A collection of the vintage advertisements from L’oreal has been gracing the pages of girly magazines across Australia and, I’m sure, the rest of the L’oreal saturated world.

What can I say, it’s a lovely tribute to both the make up company and its female disciples bringing out the sentimental side of the make up industry which is a welcome change than the usual air-brushing/false advertising diatribes. Enjoy! For more pics, check out Harpers Bazaar or the official L’Oreal Website for more celebatory glamour!

Luke Feldman, the creator of SKAFFS, is an Australian artist who creates for a multitude of platforms. Inspired by childhood experiences and a vivid imagination, his illustrations and animations are distinctive with defined lines, elaborate detail, and intensely vibrant colours. SKAFFS is a collection of work made up of art, animation, games, books, giant vinyl adhesives, skate decks and collector toys.

Luke’s vast technical experience and skills developed working in numerous mediums. He studied Visual Arts and Multimedia in Australia and has worked in the gaming, education and animation industry. While the scope of his work is extensive, it is bound together through his unique and dynamic style; a style that has led to a number of awards, exhibitions and collaborations with high profile artists including Theodore Geisel and Maurice Sendak and companies such as Disney, Coca-Cola, Facebook.

What exactly is ‘SKAFFS’? I noticed you use it as a handle but also for your entire collection --

SKAFFS is a word that came to me early one morning. It is a play on the word “scaffolding” as it represents the foundation for this fantastical world. SKAFFS is a world made up of wonderfully weird creatures and environments. A collection of vibrantly coloured artwork, giant vinyl adhesives, collector toys, skate decks and other fun paraphernalia.

After a quick browse through your work you seem to have dabbled in many forms of art and design — Is there a specific reason for this? Do you have a favourite style or medium?
My work is based on symmetry, flow and vibrancy. I enjoy the challenge of adapting my style to different mediums. And having had the chance to work in such a variety has definitely opened up opportunities to me. I am constantly sketching down ideas from my head at all hours of the day. Ink and graphite are probably the most common media that I work in as everything I do starts off as a sketch whether the final piece is original art, digital art or animation.

Working to different formats is important to help keep up with the changing industry. Being self-employed and having opportunities to work on large projects, I think it is extremely important for me to understand all aspects of a project. It helps when I work in art director or creative consultant roles as I can give the best insight and guidance to my clients.

What has been your most interesting/exciting (or perhaps famous) commission/work?
I would consider all my projects as “exciting”. I enjoy the challenges that come with each project and enjoy seeing a piece go from sketch to finished form. Some of the major companies I have been fortunate to work with include Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Coca-Cola and Disney. A few highlights include designing the 2008 MAC World Conference booth in San Francisco. I had the opportunity to design a jungle theme using my characters and environments and to see them in a 1-storey high booth. And I worked with Coca-Cola in Australia to develop their advertising campaign which was designed for billboards, buses and magazines.

My short film ‘Who Saved the Moon’ was featured as a finalist at the International Independent Film Festival at the Comic-Con convention in San Diego. I was asked to be a special guest to speak about my animated film. It was a great opportunity to speak to the audience about the project from concept to finished piece. Check it out here: http://www.skaffs.com/animation05.html

www.youtube.com/watch?v=753D-sdHu3Q

I am also a huge fan of the work of Theodore Geisel’s Dr Seuss. Last year I was asked to exhibit with the work of Dr Seuss in Los Angeles and this was a huge honor for me.

Last year I held a solo exhibition ‘Perpetual Kagemi’ in Melbourne. It was so great to have such a huge turn out and positive response to my work. Collaborating with Coothwork to film the show was also a great experience for me; Coothwork did all the filming and editing, I did the music, and character animation and special effects.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCIxpYWdluk

What does the typical day of ‘Skaffs’ involve ?

There really isn’t a “typical” day in the world of SKAFFS. It tends to be very chaotic. I start early and I finish late; I don’t ever stop thinking even when I go to sleep. I’m always working on something whether it is tight time frames for commissions, working on artwork for exhibitions, finishing up SKAFFS related projects or collaborating with companies to produce product lines. I do a lot of speaking engagements and live paintings so I am very fortunate to travel a lot. I’m also currently working on my own animation series. Having to oversee the production has been both challenging and exciting.

What will be new for SKAFFS in 2009?

2009 is going to be another busy but awesome year! I will be doing a lot of artist signings and live paintings to launch the limited edition book “Chaff n’ Skaffs: Mai and the Lost Moskivvy”. In 2008 I completed a music band CD slick and there is talk of appearing live at one of their music events (unfortunately I cannot disclose any further information at this time). I have numerous exhibitions in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And most importantly, I continue to develop my SKAFFS product line through collaborations with other progressive companies. In the next couple of months I will be launching a new line of giant vinyl adhesive artwork, some iphone apps and hopefully an animation by the end of the year!

What are your other interests beside art and design?

I tend to do a lot of traveling. With the long hours that I generally work (mostly in front of a computer) I try to balance it with some Taekwondo and when I have some spare time I also like to do skateboarding or blading.

Any advice to up and coming artists and designers?

My advice to aspiring designers would be to establish a style, practice, and stick with it. Experimenting with different mediums will help you to define who you are as an artist. And get involved in the local community and start exhibiting to get your work seen.

SKAFFS latest limited edition book “Chaff n Skaffs: Mai and the Lost Mozkivvy”

Mai is a young girl who never ventured too far from her home. When a lost mosquito interrupts Mai’s sleep, her friend Chaff suggests they escort Moskivvy back home to a faraway land. So begins a courageous girl’s voyage into a fantastic world that will kindle readers’ imaginations. Encountering whimsical creatures along the way, this trio must travel over land, sea, and sky.

Desktop Magazine describe Chaff n’ Skaffs: Mai and the lost Moskivvy as “the perfect conduit for Feldman’s imagination combining his waif like lasses and charming characters with the beautiful, yet unpredictable realm that is the unique Australian environment.” Discover a world of visual delight that Flavorpill described as a “childlike wonder and crisp exaggerated colors” and a new brand of heroine!

“Feldman’s artwork blends the classic stylings of 1950s Disney with a modern design sensibility to create something both cutting edge and timeless.”

-Andrew Farago, Cartoon Art Museum, Gallery Manager

“Luke Feldman’s instantly recognizable ‘Skaffs’ creations comprise a heady mix of bright colors and razor sharp style mixed with an underlying, almost tangible naivety that make his illustrations easily identifiable in a world where originality is not as easy to find as you might think..”

-Jo Spurling, author and editor of Desktop magazine

“As you follow the adventures of these three intrepid voyageurs, you can’t help but fall in love with the dazzling hues, exotic animals and intriguing storyline that splash the pages of this book.”

- Rossella Frigerio, editor, Chic Today

What was the inspiration, style, highs and lows of working on this project etc.
I have been illustrating for children’s books for a few years now, working for various international publishing houses. It was always a passion of mine to get my very own book published. The Chaff n Skaffs series had been in the workings now for a few years. The characters, designs and storyline had been sketched out prior to meeting with San Francisco based publishers, Immedium . What I have enjoyed about working with Immedium is that they allowed me to have complete creative control. This meant I could use many Australian elements and lingo in the book and create each page as a finished piece of artwork for all to enjoy.

My use and choice of colour is extremely important and therefore there was a lot of communication between the printers and myself. Variations in print can occur between all print companies so I have become accustomed to being on top of the problems that can occur.

Publishing a book is definitely a long term project. You must be passionate about the concept to work on it for long periods of time. Find a good publisher, one that is supportive and in control of the printing and distribution.

When/where can we get a copy of your new book?

The book is available online at www.skaffs.com/chaff and worldwide at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Target, Amazon and many independent stores such as Villain Store and Robio in Melbourne, VIC. It ships in April 2009.

$15.95 USA, Children’s Picture Book ISBN: 1-59702-013-3 (ISBN 13: 978-159702-013-8) 10 x 9 3/4, 36 pages

www.skaffs.com

Skaffs on Facebook

Skaffs Myspace

When I wrote the original Cullen House article I never imagined it would gain the popularity it did. As promised, I have been in contact with Jeff Kovel from Skylab Architecture and have prepared the following interview/bio along with a few more images for all the mad fans!

“I am in architecture, development, and rock and roll.”

- Jeff Kovel

Jeff Kovel grew up just outside of New York City and lived there until he attended Cornell University’s Architecture school. Since then he has made his way to the West Coast and in 1996 he finally settled down in Portland, Oregon. However, it was while growing up in New York that Jeff realised he wished to become an architect. His family had begun work on a new home and a young Jeff thus developed a new fascination for both building and design.

It was three years after arriving in Portland when 26 year old Jeff founded his own architecture firm, Skylab architecture. He admits that he started his practice at a very young age and wishes that he’d worked under other architects beforehand. Nevertheless, Skylab Architecture has grown into a fully fledged successful firm. When asked what the most rewarding aspect of practicing architecture is, Kovel explains “We [architects] have carved out a niche that allows us to explore and innovate. The most rewarding part of this career is the work which we are able to create with this open format.”
Kovel likens his own design philosophies to storytelling. “We bring concepts to life, each of these concepts is a story,” he says. “The paragraphs are like spaces, the words, materials. Each project is a unique deep investigation into this story telling…

Our process is research based, and iterative. We look for authentic meaning and relationships. We do not rush aesthetic conclusions.”
Kovel explains that his inspiration comes from many different architectural sources. “I love many progressive architects from all eras of modernism, I appreciate the periods prior as well. There isn’t a subject I would rather talk about.”
As I’m sure many of you can relate, Jeff Kovel and Skylab architecture became known to me through the film Twilight; what many of us have come to know as the Cullen residence is actually the ‘Hoke Residence’, so I asked Jeff about how the house came to be.

“The Hoke residence was originally built as a ‘spec’ house [This simply means it was built, with the speculation of finding a suitable buyer], or a project built without a client as a development for sale.
After two days on the market, the house was purchased by the director of footwear design at Nike, John Hoke. Following a cover story in a northwest architecture publication, The Hoke’s were approached by a film location scout, a little film called Twilight.”

“We designed the house in 2006, completed construction in 2007. We have designed an additional residence next door that will begin construction once we locate another vampire”
“This December, we took our staff to see the movie to start our holiday party. We all loved it. We have been receiving fan mail from all over the world, including many inquiries for the house plans – contacts from Croatia, The Philippines, Buenos Aires, and Melbourne Australia among others.”

There is more to Skylab architecture beyond the Hoke House – amoungst Skylab’s impressive folio is also the following..

Montgomery residence

Nau Webfront

‘North’

12 + Alder

More images on these projects and more can be found at Skylab Architecture’s website.

I first saw Bonnie’s work on display at this year’s Design Market in Melbourne -

Bonnie is a creative entrepreneur and has already founded her own design brand and name, ‘this is‘ at only 22 and 1 year out of uni!

Check out some of Bonnie’s amazing products and designs and help support this aspiring young designer (all of Bonnie’s products are available to buy) along with an accompanying interview with the designer herself!

Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from and where are you living now?
Born in Hong Kong in 1986. I moved to Australia for education in 2001. During my Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) in 2006 I spent a year aboard at Hochschule Techknic fur Wirtscharft in Dresden, Germany where I further develop my passion and found my purpose for design. In 2007 I graduated as an industrial designer from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University. On the same year in 2007, I established the brand, ‘This is‘ after designing a homeware product, This is a Trivet. A product that is about re-purposing waste. I first showcased ‘This is a Trivet’ at the Melbourne Design market during the Melbourne Design Festival in 2007. After the success I have also exhibited at the Salone Satellite, Milan International Furniture Fair in 2008. Sine then I’ve continued to further my practices to in design and continued develop ‘This is’ in Melbourne.

What people (designers or otherwise), places or things inspire you, and how?
I am a fan of Japanese animation. Currently I’m watching Naruto Shippuden and Bleach. Both animations have been showing for more then 200 episode. The story
doesn’t actually change much. It’s often repeating or playing around with similar tactics in different. I like watching them because they are basically talking about
different situation in life through these ninja or death god characters. They all seems to have these immense energy that keeps them going. Their characteristic and
attitude inspire to keep doing what I am passion of.

What are you working on at the moment?
After the two launches for This is Accessories Collection at the Melbourne Design Market and Young Blood Designers Market in Sydney. I’ve been invited to participate
in some other design markets and trade fair next year. So now I’m preparing for these events next year before I start working on some new projects I have in mind.

So what exactly is ‘This is’?
This is™, is about staying true to what it is. This is™, is design company that is about conveying a straight forward idea of the product. The brand name forms a part of
each of the product names giving them a unique and honest identity. This is™, hopes to use the brand and concept to provoke people to pay attention to the value and
meaning of what they buy.

Tells us about your ‘This is a trivet’ for example, what is it? What’s the inspiration behind it?
“This is a Trivet” is designed to hold hot plates and pots to protect your table top. It is based on a project that is about re-thinking, re-using and re-purposing excess
materials into something new. “This is a Trivet” has been transformed from the excess solid surface material such as Corian from bench tops and sink rims. The
concept of “This is a Trivet” was naturally inspired by the flexibility of the unique material. It is a simple free flowing form with functionality incorporated in it. It is heat
resistant to 240 ~ 260 degree Celsius. Two trivets can be interlock together increase the size for larger plate.

What are your other interests beside design?
Traveling, cooking, food tasting, music and international movies.

What’s the best and worst parts of being a full time, working designer?
The best part of being a self employ designer is that I am working on my dream everyday. I enjoy the process of developing myself and my works everyday.
The worst and the best part of being a self employ designer is that you need have a clear vision of your goal/ dream. You need a certain level of passion and
commitment to keep motivating yourself everyday and not give up your dream.

Any advice to up and coming designers?
The more you understand yourself, it’s more likely that you will live in your dream.

Very Profound Bonnie! Like it.

www.thisis.com.au

http://www.ponoko.com/showroom/ThisisOnlineShop