Interactive Starry Night

I found this article on http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/starry-night-app/ and it looks like so much fun!

 

PSA: Interactive Starry Night now available for the iPad (video)

By Daniel Cooper posted Mar 30th 2012 9:02AM

Greek Artist Petros Vrellis is a big admirer of Vincent Van Gogh, which prompted him to produce an interactive version of Starry Night. It took him a patience-sapping six months to produce the original PC version, where finger swipes redirect the painter’s famous daubs into a light and sound show. Of course, there was such a clamor from users all desperate to have a go, that he managed to produce an iPad app in a little under a month. Now you can pick it up from the App Store at the source link, or head on past the break to see this new version in action (you really do have to see it).

 

The Hunger Games

Yes, I’ve become a victim of the new series, The Hunger Games. I’ve tried reading other series but I never like them. I’ve attempted reading The Chronicles of Narnia, Twilight, Harry Potter, etc. I never like them. Once again, a new series that everyone is raving about comes to my attention and I want to give it a shot. It sounds good but I do not have a good history with series. Then, a friend told me I absolutely have to read it because I won’t be able to put it down. I think I can handle that. It has been a while since I read a book like that. So, I started reading it this past Monday night around 9pm. I got about 4 hours of sleep that night because I couldn’t put the book down. I finished it the next day. I am now half way through the second book of the series. It is a good one, you should read it.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This one of the most entertaining books I’ve read it a LOOONGG time. I’m not much of a fan of reading series but this first book hooked me and I’m half way through the second one already.

The Hunger Games is about a society, Panem, born after the fall of North America. Panem is broken into districts. Katniss, the main character, lives in district 12. Her father died when she was young and it has become her responsibility to provide for her mother and sister, Prim. Katniss and her sister are eligible to be to tributes (players) in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a game played in an Arena. The arena is set up in advance to look like the wilderness. There are trees, animals, water, etc. 2 children from each district (ages 12-18) get chosen every year to be tributes. They are put into the arena and are forced to fight each other to stay alive. Those who cannot find food, water, or weapons usually die.

I don’t want to give anything away because it is too good for that. BUT I would definitely recommend you, whomever you are, read this book. I highly doubt you’ll dislike it.

 

This book is #7 of my  A to Z Reading Challenge.

The Sunshine Award :-)

I have been nominated by http://wannabephotographer87.wordpress.com/ for the Sunshine Award. Awww! Thank you!  This is a blog you should definitely check out, especially if you are into photography. It is great watching the photos improv as she continues to write. Not something you would want to miss out on. Thank you!

The award has some guidelines to be followed.

1.  Include the logo in a post on your blog.

2.  Answer 10 questions about yourself.

3. Nominate 10-12 marvelous bloggers.

4. Let your nominees knows about their award by linking them to the Sunshine Award in their comments sections.

5. Share the love and link the person who nominated you!

10 questions for the Sunshine Award

1. Favorite Color: Black. I know it sounds depressing but it really is the perfect color
2. Favorite Animal: I have no idea… something tropical maybe.
3. Favorite Number: 25
4. Favorite Drink: coffee or tea
5. Facebook or Twitter: Neither
6. Your Passion: Art of any kind
7. Favorite Pattern: Anything that is black and white
8. Giving or Receiving Gifts: Giving for sure!! I’m always excited when I find a gift I know that someone will love.
9. Favorite Day: Saturdays
10. Favorite Flower: I really dislike flowers. I know I sound all pessimistic here, but I never understood the whole giving flowers as a gift tradition. You give someone flowers and a week later they are all dead. Not my way of passing along joy. I’ll make paper flowers and enjoy them for as long as I want

The following talented bloggers have given me non-stop encouragement and sunshine to my dull days:

http://notjustamummy.wordpress.com/

http://spilledcookies.com/

http://bcommanderinchic.com/

http://brainsnorts.wordpress.com/

http://belopotosky.com/

http://artprofilesworld.wordpress.com/

http://whatifoundwhilewalkingaround.com/

http://elenacaravela.wordpress.com/

http://cravesadventure.wordpress.com/

http://gregoryeuclide.wordpress.com/

Atomic: Full of Love, Full of Wonder

I just found pictures of the installation and have never seen it before. It was created in 2005 so I apologize if you have already seen this. Some of you may have.

 

This installation, Atomic: Full of Love, Full of Wonder, was an installation by Nike Savvas at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne. It is comprised of bouncy balls in many colors and shapes that are suspended to create a dense field of color. Amazing!

 

You know you want to share it:

Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter H. Diamandis

I was not particularly amused by this book. The information is interesting, yes, but if the author plans to give the reader that much information at once then it needs to be more entertaining.

Basically, the book talks about technology growing at such a fast pace that we will never be able to keep up with it. In the details it talks about education and where we are lacking, computers, advertising, etc. It would be a good book for a report, sourcing, or a book club but I didn’t enjoy reading it for my own pleasure.

This book is #6 of my  A to Z Reading Challenge.

DIY Destination Frame

I saw these really cool frames on Etsy a few weeks ago. They had been decorated with scrapbook paper and were really pretty.  I considered doing the same with some of my own but, I chose to use a map instead.  You would be surprised how hard it is to find a map anymore. I went to three or four different stores before I found one that even carried maps. I guess GPS is really taking over the world…

 

 

 

 

 

Things You Will Need:

Scissors
A Map
Frame(s)
Paint Brush
Mod Podge

 

 

Step 1:

First, you are going to want to take the glass and store provided picture out of the frame so that you can clean any dust off that it may have accumulated in the store. Make so it is dry when you start the next step.

 

 

 

Step 2:

Begin to cut your map into sections that will fit your frame.  Once you have a good match put a layer of Mod Podge on the frame and line up the paper. Use your fingers to push the map into the frame to soak up the glue.

 

 

Step 3:

Now that your map is sticking to the frame begin layering the glue on top of the paper. You will have to get your fingers messy here… Push the glue into the map  with your fingers. Make sure it is sticking to the frame in all areas, especially on the edges. If not, wait a few minutes until the glue begins to dry and apply another layer.

Repeat steps 1-3 for all sides of the frame.

 

 

Step 4:

When the glue is dry and you are happy with the appearance add a memorable picture and enjoy!

 

 

Happy mapping!

 

Lose Yourself

The Tape Artist

A friend shared these with me today. Apparently they are in the YAHOO! Blog.

Mark Jenkins creates these awesome installations out of packaging tape.

“Once I have the finished sculpture, I’ll put it out on the street or in nature or somewhere where it interacts with the environment,” he says in an awesome making-of video (below). “Really it’s the idea of turning the street into a stage , so this urban theater has a life of its own.”

If anyone is interested, Jenkins is judging the Scotch off the Roll Tape Sculpting contest which wraps up March 24^th.

Check out more of Jenkins’ work!

Image courtesty of Mark Jenkins

Image courtesy of Mark Jenkins

Image courtesy of Mark Jenkins

Image courtesy of Mark Jenkins

You can find more of Jenkins’s art installations here.

<img width=1 height=1 alt=”" src=”http://csc.beap.bc.yahoo.com/yi?bv=1.0.0&bs=(128p8d9kv(gid$fYdpXWKLPnDJKM9qT2SSiQElGAJ0TE9rn7QADhEV,st$1332453301005690,v$1.0))&t=J_3-D_3″>

The Child Who Survived

Image taken from Daily Movement. I love this <3

 

Bet You’ve Never Seen Packaging Like This!

I enjoy a website called Packing of The World. It has actual packaging and concept packaging. The people that have their work on this site range from amateurs to professionals. A lot of student work is provided as well. I wanted to share this with everyone because I don’t think that people give packaging enough credit. It takes a a while to come up with a concept and execute it. This is art too people! I LOVE it. Just remember, I think it is interesting, not always rational.

 

As always, click the image to follow the link!

 

 

Sour Cream Packaging

“Student concept for sour creame package. The name “Krinka” is the Ukrainian name of jug for milk or sour cream.”

 

 

 

“Squish is a brand new housewares line that Prime Studio designed from scratch for our long-term client, Robinson Home Products. The unobtrusive packaging is intended to let the products speak for themselves and to allow the consumer to interact with them at retail – by expanding or collapsing them. The graphic elements in the logo give a subtle nod to the collapsible nature of the line, as do the colored waves on the bottom of the hang-tags and information panels. All packaging elements feature a satin coat with a spot gloss varnish on the logo and product photography.

The line was launched at all Target store’s nationwide in the USA this week.”

 

 

“This is the new bottle-glass concept for Coca-Cola.
The main body of bottle is aluminum, the cup and the bottom of the bottle are from plastic. The product can be used as a bottle and as a glass.
With help of this idea can be reduce the cost of packaging materials (paper and plastic) for glass.”

 

“Graphic design and pack for men’s fragrance. Cosméticos RNB. 2010 Ego aims to connect with a modern audience, concerned about their appearance, for a sophisticated elegance. The faceted glass pack has been painted in matte silver, such that the volume of the piece is solid and clearly defined. Ego uses a visual language which is direct and at the same time refined. The logo has been dealt with equal strength, starting with a Didot typeface in which the characteristics of the letter ‘g’ have been enlarged so that in context, three letters together form a single entity with more personality. It is distributed exclusively at the Mercadona chain of supermarkets.”

 

 

“Medina Incense features three aromatherapy incense sampler. The name was chosen to reference the ancient middle-eastern city where incense originated, and allude to the medicinal qualities of each scent.”

 

 

“Pack design and graphic for typical galician cheese (Spain). The packaging has two functions: to protect the product and when it’s open it can be used cutting board and support. The graphic, transports the consumer thought the freshness and nature of Galician meadows and heights the quality of this product.
Piece for the discipline of packaging (Prof. Margarida Azevedo) in ESAD de Matosinhos during my erasmus in Portugal.”

 

 

“Stefan Sagmeister asked his MFA Design class at the School of Visual Arts “Can design touch the hearts of strangers?” Bruno Zalum and Camille McMorrow interpreted the question with a wink, and decided to lighten the hearts of people in the midst of a truly dreadful experience: doing laundry!

The gift that they distributed to New Yorkers in laundromats is a single sock, in a custom package silkscreened with hand-type and illustrations. The packaging tells a story of a washing machine named Gene who has been eating everyone’s socks all these years. He was hopelessly addicted to socks. After hitting rock bottom, the story goes that he made these gifts as amends for all the disappeared socks. Camille and Bruno then hit the streets in a Gene the Washing Machine costume they’d designed, distributing the packages to surprised and delighted city-dwellers.”

 

 

“Hemköp is a grocery chain group. The stores are in central locations throughout Sweden. Hemköp offers its customers a wide and affordable range, providing food and good service to meet and exceed customer expectations. Kostym Design Agency developed packaging design for Hemköp with over 1200 packages.”

 

 

 

 

What is Packaging of the World?

Packaging of the World is one of the most prominent packaging design website showcasing the most interesting and creative packaging work worldwide. It’s audience includes packaging designers, graphic designers, advertising agencies, students and manufacturers, garnering close to half a million impressions every month.