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Spotlight On: Sindiso Nyoni (R!OT) shoutOut 3 weeks, 4 days ago by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Thursdays mean the week is on a slippery downhill, and you’re in for another in our Spotlight On series of interviews. Today we’re proud to welcome a designer and illustrator whose work is as arresting as it is famous – we’re talking about a self developed artist whose work is up there with the best. It’s iconic stuff. Instantly recognisable. We’re talking high-end! Highly visible! World Cup stuff! Ad campaigns! Film posters! Mobile! Dior! Absolut! Telkom! Hewlett Packard! We’re also talking socially conscious. Unafraid to look issues in the eye. Ground level stuff that connects with everyone. Gritty. Arresting. Insightful. In a phrase, his work is subversive world-class African street art. He's worked with Am I Collective, and is now with Black River FC. He mashes pencil, ink, pastels, gauche, acrylic and digital media into a fusion that’s all his own. Sound good? Wanna know more about Sindiso Nyoni a.k.a R!OT? Of course you do. Read on, dear reader, read on…
SL: Did you study to become an artist/illustrator/designer? SN: I'm a self-taught artist, (been drawing since aged 4) but I studied Graphic Design for 4 years at the University of Johannesburg. SL: What’s your preferred medium, and why? SN: Pen & ink SL: What other designers or illustrators are influences on your work? SN: The arts and the various branches of creative activity have always been a love of mine, with early memories of comic book art, vintage animation and particularly film as influences. As a visual artist I have quite a few influences that cover many disciplines. I'm a big fan of Argentine illustrator Dr Alderete's pop/poster art and also draw a lot of inspiration from legendary Black Panther artist Emory Douglas, and the late South African artists Thami Mnyele, and Dumile Feni.
SL: Name two of your favourite artworks of all time. SN: Kehinde Wiley's portraits are some of the best I’ve seen in a long time, particularly his 'Puma World Cup 2010' series. I'm also a big fan of fellow Zimbabwean artist Kudzanai Chiurai's work, particularly his 'State of the Nation' collection. SL: What music are you listening to at the moment? SN: BIG FKN GUN - SA's next big hip-hop act.
And there you have it – what the words can’t convey, the images say loudly: R!OT’s work is in a class of its own, yet stands proudly amongst the best in class. You want more? Head on over to his Behance for an engrossing show of skill and range. Enjoy the interview? Check out Springleap's other interviews in the Spotlight On series here. |
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Hemp: Just the facts, man... shoutOut 3 weeks, 5 days ago by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Sure, you’re familiar with that leaf. It’s been blasted into mainstream consciousness for many years as the harbinger of doom, the gateway drug, a warning sign that every parent has learned to recognise. Or is it? That’s the issue with the reputation of hemp - it’s almost always mistaken for smokable Cannabis, and the use of drugs. It’s understandable; the plant and its leaf are virtually indistinguishable to those who aren’t familiar with the differences between Cannabis species. But it’s time that was put to rights, and hemp given the credit it's due. Let’s take a closer look.
OK, the basics first: what is hemp? It’s a long-stemmed, low-resin variety of the Cannabis family. It’s great for fibre, paper, building materials, oil, medicine and biomass. You can’t smoke it, because hemp contains less than 0.3% THC (the psychoactive compound found in other cannabis species). You might as well try smoking your jeans. So, what is hemp good for? To answer that question, we should look at its use in antiquity. If we go back to Mesopotamian times, the long fibres in the stalk of the hemp plant were used to create some of the world’s first woven textiles, around 8,000 BC. Moving on in time, hemp keeps making appearances in different forms: in 2737 BC it is listed as a ‘noble herb’ in the pharmacopeia of the 'Divine Farmer', Emperor Shen Nung of China.
More recently, hemp was the fibre that most of the world relied on for paper, sail and canvas from around 1000 AD till relatively recently - it was hard-wearing hemp sail and rope that made the Voyages Of Discovery possible. The fact that the words ‘cannabis’ and ‘canvas’ sound so similar is no coincidence – they come from the same root word.
These days, there’s a real push to put hemp back where it belongs – as an important source of raw materials for industry, food and medicine. The best way to do that? Getting the world to understand the difference between hemp, and its cousin cannabis. Little-known facts: Various car makers are beginning to use hemp in their cars, including Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Honda, Iveco, Lotus, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Saturn, Volkswagen and Volvo. The Lotus Eco Elise has hemp in it.
The Mercedes C-Class has up to 20 kg of hemp in each car. Interested in hemp and how it can make the world a better place? Why not enter our Hemporium ‘A New Leaf’ contest, here on Springleap!
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Tutorial Tuesday: Graphic Tee Tut shoutOut 3 weeks, 6 days ago by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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So, you've got a great idea for your next submission into one of our T-shirt design contests, you think it's a sure shot at taking top prize, but you're finding it hard to get your image to look the way you want it to? Sound familiar? Don't worry, be happy - the gods of illustration and design have heard your cry for help and are here to help you see the light! Well, actually, it's more like the design gods over at PsdTuts+ but hey, when you're up the creek looking for a paddle, any help will do!
So here's the deal - this is a tutorial for intermediate-grade designers, but whether you're a pro or a beginner this tut still features important basics which ae always worth being reminded of. Amiong these are the use of tols such as Noise, Guassian Blur and Smart Sharpen to maximise the texture effects of your design - something that's particularly important when designing for T-shirts. Remember: when it comes to tees, you're always going to be looking for ways to design that create bolder rather than finer design elements - vectors are great, as are halftones! OK, so onto the tut. Designers, start your engines! Ready Set? GO! James Davies' 'Design Your Own Graphic Tee in Photoshop' Tutorial! |
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Video Friday: 'Les Chiens Isolés' shoutOut on 19/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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In the world of animation, there are many creators who have raced headlong into the world of CGI and taken their tip from the Pixars of the world, producing super-slick work which leaves the 2D origins of illustration behind. It's understandable - the motion, emotion and versatility provided by new techniques opens up a whole new world of possibilities. But in the process, much of the depth of character, dialogue and inflection can get lost along the way. Which is why it's so refreshing to see work of high standard being produced by 2D animators the world over. Work coming out of the Gobelins School Of The Image in Paris is amongst the best in the world, and amongst that output the creators of today's video, the team at CRCR, rank highly. 'Les Chiens Isolés' (which has been nominated for a Vimeo Award this year) is a great example of how traditional animation still stands proud as an artform which requires nuance and insight to master. It's the story of Andrew and Julien, two co-workers on an oil rig - one old, one young - and how their freindship is torn apart by the older man's paranoia that his friend is only interested in leaving. This suspicion takes the form of a phantom dog, who appears to Andre whenever his fears get the better of him. The outcome is a sad end to an otherwise positive freindship. But don't take my word for it - see it for yourself here!
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Spotlight On: Himanshu Sharma shoutOut on 18/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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You put your head down on Monday, bang away at that keyboard, next thing you know, you look up and see a post by Springleap about a designer named Himanshu Sharma and suddenly realise: holy crap, it’s Thursday already! And if it’s Thursday, well hell, it must be time to put the Spotlight On and interview another great illustrator or designer!
So, in a nutshell, here’s what we know about the guy who goes by the name of Hemu: he lives in Boston, Massachusetts, the land of learning, Red Sox and that notorious tea party. Originally from the Motor City (Detroit), his style is nothing less than a breath of fresh air in a world where flash styles of graphic design rule the day. Simple, lively and bold, his are designs that bring to life the type of design you might usually associate with the 1960’s and 70’s. And you’ve probably seen his work online in the form of Johnny Cupcakes packaging or possibly for Hot Wheels. Using flat colour to great effect, cheerful and absolutely inspiring - that, ladies and gents of the design-loving world, is the work of Himanshu Sharma!
SL: Did you study to become an artist/illustrator/designer? HS: I graduated from the College of Creative Studies with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. My major was illustration but I took a lot of graphic design and animations classes. Before that, I had been drawing for as far back as I can remember. SL: What’s your preferred medium, and why? HS: I always start off with pencil and paper. Other than that, I really don't have a preferred medium. I am open to a lot of styles and like to be very open minded about what kind of medium would fit the project. The idea is what really should hero the design.
SL: What other designers or illustrators are influences on your work? HS: My biggest influence on my work has to be 90's American kids television shows. I came to the US from India when I was ten and the only way I learned the culture was by watching shows like Sesame Street, Lamb Chop's Play Along, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and Batman the Animated Series. I soaked them all in and now regurgitate it all out through my work.
SL: Name two of your favourite artworks of all time. HS: It's hard to pick two of all time but I do really love the book Quimby the Mouse by Chris Ware. IT'S AMAZING! The story is kinda sad but the perfect marriage of design and illustration just melts my face. The book has a lot of amazing details that even after reading it for the billionth time, you find something new and it makes your day. I also love any of the sketches that Bruce Timm did for Batman the Animated Series. His line weights and character flows are out of this world. His work really inspired me to loosen up my sketch hand.
SL: What music are you listening to at the moment? HS: I have not been listening to any music lately, its sad... When I work I do listen to a lot of books on tape about aliens and their hand in creating us as humans. My favorite so far has been Chariots of the Gods by Erich Von Daniken. Look it up - BLOW YOUR MIND!!! Well, there you have it folks - a glimpse into the mind of the very talented Himanshu Sharma - thanks to the man for his time and great responses!
Enjoy the interview? Check out Springleap's other interviews in the Spotlight On series here. |
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Die Antwoord: Fatty Boom Boom shoutOut on 17/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Love them? Or hate them? Does it matter? They're making lots of noise, and in the process putting some noses outta joint, sure, but you have to admit their crazy antics are drawing a lot of attention. And while they're at it, they're generating a whole mountain of debate about art versus music versus plagiarism versus cultural appropriation. That's a whole lot of discussion going on, which is drawing attention to South Africa and its art, design and multicultural nature in general. Which is a good thing! So, without further ado - here's Ninja and Yolandi, doing what they do best with their latest single 'Fatty Boom Boom': being bombastic.
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Tutorial Tuesday: Enviro Design shoutOut on 16/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Last week we gave you a tutorial which showed you how to create a nicely textured 3D green leaf for use in identity design, and this week, in line with our Hemporium contest ('A New Leaf'), we're bringing you more along these lines. But beyond giving you inspiration to create designs for our contest, this kind of design is always useful, in this day and age where businesses of every kind are looking to ensure their environmental footprint is reduced and their greenness is communicated well by their identity. OK, on with the show - here are some great examples of green/eco/sustainability posters:
This is a great use of two important concepts - thinking, and nature, very well combined into a single thought-provoking and eye-catching image. Here's another which makes really good use of icons to tell a simple yet powerfful story:
Liker what you see? Got any ideas that you'd like to put together to create something similar? Take yourself over to a great green tutorial over at AlfoArt by clicking the image below: Good luck creating your green designs - let's see them in our Hemporium contest! |
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Great Design Monday: 'Barcelona' Chair shoutOut on 15/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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The Barcelona Chair: it's a style icon which few other furniture designs can match, in either its economic use of materials or simplicity of design. By taking its inspiration from an ancient design which was informed by function rather than form, and adding a modern and comfortable seating structure to this undercarriage, a modern interpretation has become one of the most sought-after pieces of furniture design of all time. And is it comfortable? Very.
Designed by the legendary pioneer architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, this is a design that has enjoyed massive popularity since it was launched at the German Pavilion of the International Exposition of 1929 in Barcelona, a building whose style the chair was designed to compliment. Now called the 'Barcelona' chair, the chair was originally designed to be bolted together and covered with ivory-coloured pigskin. Once the design patents expired, this changed: the new license-holders and present official makers of the chair (Knoll) now produce the chair with a seamless stainless steel frame, and make use of 24 separate pieces of hand-stamped cow's leather to create the cushion panels, and 8 hand-cut leather straps on each cushion which are attached in a way that shows no fixing points.
Whichever the way it's made, the clean lines of the design continue to attract fans and buyers: so much so, that Knoll has been involved in longstanding legal battles with unauthorised manufacturers. For those wishing to be able to identify an original chair, there are a few pointers: each authentic piece has both a serial number and the name of the person who assembled the chair on the underside of the right front leg. In addition to this, Mies van der Rohe's signature is also stamped on the back into the steel. |
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Biz Bang 2012 - Winners Announced! shoutOut on 15/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Designers, design lovers, friends and fans - lend us your eyes! Yes folks, the winner announcement for our Biz Bang 2012 contest is here! The brief for the contest went out on August 1st and gave our community great food for thought - we asked for designs that illustrated and celebrated 11 years of explosive growth for of one of the most diverse, creative and dynamic online communities in Africa: Bizcommunity! In response to the brief, we received 102 designs over an 8-week period, 72 of which were approved for contest, with these generating 1486 votes! Thank you to all designers who took the time to create artworks from scratch that really communicated the essence of the brief; there were some really great and original submissions. OK - on to the all-important announcement. Ready to rumble? Well alright, let's roll!
In first place, and taking home the top prize of $2 000 with a truly original design which really brought to life the many ways in which Bizcommunity's offering positively affects business both online and on the ground - 'Sky's The Limit' by Jomeo187! This is a first win for Jomeo187 here on Springleap: massive respect!
In second place, with another in a ong line of accomplished, slick designs which always show a keen sense of how to interpreting a brief, is '11 Years of Success' by CHUCKY (a.k.a Grant Shepley), one of our most prolific and awarded designers here on The Leap. Another feather in his cap, this time round a $400 feather, for a design that bears all the trademark CHUCKY skill our community has come to know and love.
Aaaand in third place is ryandizzio, with 'Together We Can', a design that highlights the code that makes up the structure of Bizcommunity behind the scenes, and the hard work that brings it all to life. Another great submission from one of our most skilled submitters - ryandizzio scoops third with a prize of $300! Thanks again to all who entered, those who showed their support by voting and sharing the contest, and last but not least to Bizcommunity for their engagement with our community! DESIGNERS: Interested in entering another Springleap contest? Check out 'A New Leaf' - our Hemporium contest, whuich has just been launched!
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Video Friday: 'Henry' shoutOut on 12/10/12 by travis.lyle1 in peeps |
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Can it be true - is that really a weekend we can see poking its head around the corner? Yes, please! Right, well, without any further ado - other than to announce that the weekend can't officially start until there's a video up in this joint to kick things into touch - here's your Video Friday!
So, what's this? 'Henry' is a short film made for an IBM-sponsored exhibition in Paris last year. Videographers were invited to select one of a range of themes, and create a short flick in line with it. Daniel Levi, an independent film maker from Picturescope, rose to the occasion with 'Henry'. It's the story of a kid who grows up with a strange relationship with electricity: things short when he touches them, lights behave crazily, basically the kid Henry's a real-deal livewire. Until he grows up, that is, which is the sweet spot of the story: he learns to work with it, with beautiful results. With a sweet little soundtrack by none other than one of the masters of the musical universe, Simon Ringrose (a.k.a Sibot), this is a real heartwarmer. So get to it - sit yourself down and wrap your eyeballs around this little gem:
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