STOP Motion Videos

I'm such a sucker for stop motion videos. I mean what's not to love? The patience and creative sense it takes to successfully pull of these off is pretty amazing. I always wished I had the patience of a stop motion animator. I've always been keen to stop motion claymation shows like Wallace and Gromit and Gumby. I still love to watch these shows. (Thank you Netflix!) I just love the feel they have to them. I could spend hours just being blown away by videos like these.



I just love this video. Getting the little guy to swim and float though the air like that must have been a challenge. You almost forget for a minute that it's a stop motion, its THAT good. I found this thanks to one of my favorite art blogs boooom!



Now my favorite part about this one is the crinkly-ness of the hair on the horse. I've never heard of this band before stumbling upon the video on THIS music blog. But if they were smart enough to go with stop motion music video then I'm sure they are worth looking up.

Doesn't it look like fun to make one of these!
-Remi

Nifty Findings: Art

I find when I'm roaming the inter-web I'm always coming across amazing artists. I just wanted to share a couple of these nifty findings. First is Sophie Lecuyer. An amazing french artist who has a unique illustration style and tons of layer inky goodness through out her work. I found her HERE. My favorite project of hers is Metamorphoses. She has done screen prints on light boxes and when you turn it on the image changes. Such a brilliant idea and done so wonderfully. Check out her work. She does tons of etchings, sketches, illustrations, screen prints, mono prints and textiles. The lady is just awesome when it comes to utilizing techniques.

Sophie Lecuyer

Second is Nathaniel Russell. This guy has an awesome style that is witty and simple. I love artists that are distinct and you can instantly recognize it anywhere. I can't wait to get my hands on some of his prints or records. I'm also smitten over THIS post from his blog. Check out his work. You'll for sure find something that'll make you smile.

Nathaniel Russell

Third, are awesome sketches by Megan. I found on her blog Megan-Ta da! Also THIS lovely interview with  Marina Muun. Who has such a sweet and unique style that I just adore.

Marina Munn

Finally we've got a new lil' video from Rone, an amazing street artist from Australia. My heart just melts for some good street art. His style is awesome. Hes got layery drippy goodness all over the place. He works on a massive scale that just blows me away. The video is put together really well so you can see a little insight to his process. I mean, the guy is just cool.

Phew! Hope I haven't been too rambly. I just love art so much. I can't help but want to ramble and share it with everyone! Hope you got some inspiration from these guys, I know I did!

-Mint~Tea

Sketches

Lately I've been getting quite behind on my correspondence. I love snail mail and I always put extra love into every letter I send, but in the long run it takes me forever just to send a simple note. As my letters get piled up other projects are getting done. So, not a complete loss. I'm still being productive just not productively sending letters.  Other projects I've been working on are new tee shirt designs and new sticker designs! I'm also excited to make some nifty lil' note cards. Which should help me get caught up on my snail mail because I love sending handmade cards! Finally worked out some sketches and scanned them in. Now all I need to do is clean them up and get them ready for printing!

Alright, I know the sketches are rough. I mean really, really rough. But these silly little doodles help out a ton when I'm putting it into illustrator. 

Flower sticker designs. Hopefully we'll be able to finally use our new sticker maker! 

Forest on the water. Inspired from one of my favorite films The Science of Sleep. This one still has a lot of details to work out.  So we'll see how that turns out, it might not work out. It wouldn't be the first time.

Note card design I'm working on. Secret notes! 

-Mint~Tea

Flower Lino Cut

I'm always rambling one about how much I love print making. But seriously, I do love it oh so much. This is one of my favorite lino cuts that I've done. Flowers are always my go-to thing to draw, i'm not sure why but it's always just been something I'm good at drawing. Anyways I just wanted to share some of these prints that I've made. These are handy for writing little notes on the back and sending to my snail mail buddies. Or these are good for using them as thank-you/congratulations/(insert occasion here) cards. 

The nifty thing about making a lino cut is you can print it as many times are you want. The block doesn't go bad. Well, unless you do some wacky stuff to it or don't care for it properly. BUT in general, should last a life time. I was running out of black ink so the black ones didn't turn out too well and I was rolling the ink a bit funky so my brayer kept sticking. So I'm definitely going to have to do this print again in the black ink. 

Lino cuts are fun and pretty simple to do. The supplies don't cost too much and it's a great art medium! the possibilities are endless when it comes to printmaking. You can use these in so many different projects in so many different ways.  So go hack at some blocks and make some prints! 

-Mint~Tea

Border Stamps and Stationery

There is something about print making that I just love! I love lino cuts and stamps. So, I made theses lovely little border stamps to make my own stationery. I'm always trying to find new unique stationery and found that my favorites are always the ones I make myself. These stamps are so easy to make too and you can use them for tons of different projects. You can get stamp making kits or even mini lino blocks to make stamps on. But a trick I learned from my dad is to use pink peal erasers. If you get them around when school starts you can get 2 for a dollar! They are easy to carve and clean up really nicely. Also if you mess up its not a total waste of money cause you can still you the crap eraser to erase junk. These are especially nice to use to make border stamps cause you can use the side. It gives you a straight edge to line it up with and it also makes it so you can use both side. Two for one! 

I'm in a crafty, rambling mood lately. So expect lots of random post about craftiness I'm currently working on. Why does it seem like when I'm crunched for time is when I always get the best ideas? Just not enough time these days! 

Bonus! Check out THESE lovely wood block prints or maybe THOSE ones too. 

-Mint~Tea

Stamper thing and some cool fellow.

A while ago a was on kickstarter and found THIS really cool guy doing a bunch of letterpress projects and basically just needed some funding for his artistic endeavors. At first I didn't think too much about it and just donated a few bucks mostly cause his video was entertaining. After reading about it a little more I saw that he was using an fill it in your self address stamper thingy. But using it to make his own little sayings and blurbs. I love when people take objects and use them in a way that is creative and unexpected. SO, of course I had to copy him BUT I'm using mine to stamp on envelopes to my pen pals. Also to make little stickers to send to people. Most of the sayings aren't as clever as they could be, but its a working progress. 

Now it kinda takes a LONG time to get all the tiny letters lined up. I felt a bit like a crazy person hunched over my desk with these little tweezers. Just a reminder, like all stamps it needs to be backwards. You will only make this mistake once! 

  

Also read more about that fellow that calls himself  DUSIK+LAINE on his bloggy thing HERE and watch THIS video. ( It's really cool and afterwards you're totally gonna want to make your own letterpress. Watch it! please and thank you!) 

-Mint~Tea

Flapper Talk: Corn Shredder

Hey there. Today's flapper word is corn shredder. Now, this one is a little awkward isn't it. It means a young man that dances on a girl's feet. I think its supposed to be an insult. I"m not sure. But it made me chuckle so I had to dedicate a day to it. I'm not sure what kinda context to use it in. I don't normally have conversations with people about dancing or how people are dancing. So this one is going to be a challenge to try and use in everyday conversation. I think i'm going to just throw it in randomly even if it's out of context just to see if anyone catches it. You'd be surprised how much people don't hear when you talk. I only know because it happens when I'm talking to people I don't really listen to every word they are saying. (Yeah, I know. I'm working on my listening skills) 

Happy Wednesday! Don't forget to use your flapper talk!

CORN SHREDDER= a young man that dances on a girl's feet

Example: That flap has got herself a corn shredder on her hands. 

-Mint~Tea

Let's be friends: Chirs Piascik

One day I was roaming around kick starter and found this really cool project this artist was doing, Chirs Piascik. For the past little while he has been doing a drawing a day (Monday-Friday) and posting in on his BLOG. Then he compiled them and made a book! His kick starter was to help get funding for publishing his book. How could I not back this project, its just a cool idea. I always start those doodle a day journal things, but then get too lazy. I admire him for doing it everyday. That takes a boat load of dedication. I got my book in the mail the other day and I love it! I'm always at the book store looking for typography and art books. This one is unlike any other that I've bought. (Don't get me wrong I love my Mike Perry book.) But this book is a good one. If  you love art books like me, you need to BUY it. Its so inspiring and will get your creative juices flowing. So, Chis we should be friends. I'd love to bust out the sharpies and doodle with you. Let's be friends.

-Mint~Tea

Diana Mini

I love all my cameras but my MINI has to be one of my all time favorites. It was my first ever lomography camera! Lots of trail and error with this one. There are so many cool things about this camera. But the coolest thing, is just the way is looks. It almost looks like it shouldn't work. That maybe its just a toy. But it does work and takes amazing photos! Here is a list of pros and cons, according to Remi.

Good things:
- Its 35mm, easy to get developed
-Super compact and travels easily
-Has two format settings (half or square) which basically means you can cram a whole lotta pictures on a roll of film when you're only shooting half frame.
-Compatible with Diana flash

Not so good things:
-Its so little that the flash makes it top heavy and awkward to handle
-The parts inside are so delicate and small that its easy to break

Here are some pictures I've taken with the mini. Unfortunately I was a little rough and broke my advance wheel. So, my little lady is out of commission. But I still got some good pictures out of it and now I have an excuse to buy THIS one.

-Mint~Tea

(Half format)

(Square format)

Incoming mail

One of my most favorite things in the world is mail. Now, not your average junk mail, but beautiful handwritten letters with doodles all over them. The other day I got a letter from one of my favorite pen pals Edvin. He always sends me the best and most artsy things. I just had to share a picture of my most recent received letter.  He sent me 2 mix cds and  a bunch of these bizarre pictures with funny sayings on them. Now I just need to find something equally as awesome to send back! Check out his BLOG if you have a moment. (Yes, I know its all in Swedish, minor details people!) 

-Mint~Tea

4X6 Exchange

A while ago I did THIS post about the Art House Co-Op. I finally got my piece of lovely artsy mail today! I opened it up and was blown away! I mean, I knew I was going to get something awesome. But man, this guy is a really good illustrator. I'm so happy to have a little 4X6 of his work! Check out his BLOG. Hes got a great style. I feel like one lucky girl to have this funny pear drawing. Just another reason why I love Art-House Co-Op so much! I wouldn't have ever gotten this opportunity with out them. I can't wait to participate in more projects! 

-Mint~Tea

"Peary Tale"