Tag: art

Extraordinary Slippers: Nicole McLaughlin

vle Leave a comment

Nicole McLaughlin is a Boston-based artist and designer who produces one-of-a-kind fashion creations. Her zany accessory designs, including a slipper made out of tennis balls, or a vest fashioned out of cereal bags, span all sorts of materials and brands. I came across Nicole McLaughlin’s Instagram page over a year ago, intrigued by the hype surrounding upcycled clothing.

The young designer has also achieved more fame due to her footwear and accessory collaborations with popular brands, such as HighSnobiety, Reebok, and Opening Ceremony. She now boasts an impressive following of 384,000+ on Instagram.

McLaughlin’s compositions are the kind of simple but wonderful creative explorations I wish I could make–some designs are hilarious but impractical, others visually delightful. A graphic designer by day, she fabricates her personal experiments for the fun of it. McLaughlin’s designs are always pleasantly surprising–I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work to come.

All images via Nicole McLaughlin

Dark Souls III

Video Game Photography

jushutch 1 Comment

Video games are undoubtedly a work of art: they combine immersive graphics, impressive design, originally composed music, and complex writing and storytelling to create a cohesive masterpiece. Of course every game is different, and each has its strengths and weaknesses, but overall they’re one of the most unique and interesting ways in which many different art forms can come together. Surprisingly, I had never consciously acknowledged the cinematic qualities of video games, but I always found myself taking screenshots of amazing moments, or lining up the camera in just the right way to show off an impressive view or landscape. It could be argued that I’m a bit overly sentimental, and that’s probably true, but there is something so powerful about a cinematic picture of a great game and the associations that it creates. I’m not the only one that feels this way; many games have even added photo modes, allowing normal players to take stunning pictures in-game and share them with other players, plus the PlayStation 4 has both a snapshot and screen recording feature, testifying to the popularity of saving favorite gaming moments. I find this trend interesting, especially as games get more and more realistic. Is there a potential future where video games become a dominant medium for photography? Is it possible that video game photography could be its own art form? And who gets credit for the artistic value of the photo; the game developers who created it, or the photographer that took it? Regardless, here are some of my own video game photos as inspiration, and perhaps to get you thinking about the artistic value of the medium:

Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus
Journey
Journey
Bloodborne
Bloodborne
Dark Souls III
Dark Souls III

The Wondrous World of Felipe Pantone

vle Leave a comment

Felipe Pantone, an Argentinian-Spanish artist, creates futuristic, colorful art that breaks the boundaries of art technology. I first came across his work on Instagram, and naturally pored over his intriguing sculptures, described as “a collision between an analog past and a digitized future.” Infused with prisms of rainbow gradients, black and white glitches, and mesmerizing patterns, his art is an invitation to immerse oneself in another dimension.

Pantone acknowledges that he is “a byproduct of the technological age,” an identity that is familiar to we Gen Z’s and millennials. Growing up with the television and internet has shaped the ways in which we interpret visual information, something which Pantone plays with within his contemporary work.

Trained as a painter and graffiti artist, Felipe Pantone now holds shows all over the world and creates murals, sculptures, and paintings that tie together the natural and the digital–some can be read as “glitch art” and alludes to traditions of Futurism. His unique, futuristic, and dynamic works of art are also sometimes kinetic, allowing the viewer to experience different parts of the work as it moves. I find them completely alluring and fascinating–one day, I hope to own some pieces of his configurable art, such as works from the Modular Art System.

(All images from Felipe Pantone).

from chromadynamica

 

Mural from chromadynamica

 

SIN + MARCO from optichromie

 

Mural from optichromie

 

Process from planned iridescence

 

subtractive variability (kinetic color wheel)

Artsy Things to Do in Quarantine

Elizabeth S Leave a comment

The abrupt transition from life in the dorms to life at home has been strange. It’s been less than two weeks, and I already miss my friends, in-person classes, and other aspects of college life. Like many other students, the changes⁠⁠—coupled with growing concern⁠ over the virus⁠—have had a negative impact on my motivation to do schoolwork. As I’ve tried to keep in contact with friends, I’ve noticed a trend: we all seem to struggle with finding things to do.

It’s easy to feel helpless during the epidemic, as our active role in solving the problem is simply being inactive by staying at home. As students, we are also caught in a weird situation; there is still some sense of normalcy, as we have full course loads to keep up with. At the same time, the loss of jobs, clubs, and other aspects of college life can be an uncomfortable change. Whether you have unexpected free time or are looking for a stress reliever, here are some ideas for artsy things you can do while in quarantine.

  • Play an instrument or sing. Google “benefits of playing an instrument”, and you’ll find a plethora of reasons to pick up the guitar or keyboard. Don’t have an instrument? Your voice is an instrument that doesn’t require an external object to make music. Belt it out in the shower, I won’t judge.
  • Knit or crochet. If you’ve been wanting to crochet or knit, now’s the time to learn. Plus, you’ll end up with a really neat craft as a product of your work.
  • Paint or draw a picture. The perfect balance between creativity and therapy.
  • Write in a journal or blog. Journals are a great way to self-reflect, relieve stress, or inspire creativity. Do you have an idea you’d like to share with the world? Consider starting a blog!
  • Write a poem or story. Just write. Let those creative juices flow and find inspiration in everyday things.
  • Make a scrapbook. Turn those old pictures into a memorable keepsake by making your own scrapbook. This will not only exercise your creativity but allow you to preserve memories for future generations.
  • Learn calligraphy. Whether Western, Arabic, or Oriental, learning how to do calligraphy could be useful in other projects, or as an art in itself. There are countless books and YouTube videos to get you started.
  • Color a picture. With plenty of adult coloring books, coloring is not just for kids.
  • Create your own comic. Need to see some examples? We have some pretty talented comic creators here at Arts, Ink.
  • Write letters to family and friends. Sometimes, a Facebook message just doesn’t do justice. If you’re fond of sending and receiving mail, why not get the pen pal exchange started by writing a letter?
  • If none of these appeal to you, you can always enjoy the art of film by playing a movie on Netflix or Disney+. Chat with friends online via Netflix Party or Discord to enjoy socializing quarantine-style.
  • If you’re incredibly ambitious, try “pottery and ventriloquy”, “candle making”, or “paper mache” and “a bit of ballet” (“When Will My Life Begin”). You can be just like Rapunzel from Tangled and live out your days doing an array of artsy activities.

And there you have it! To follow my own advice, I’ll work on some of these things in the coming weeks and update you on my progress. Do you have another idea not listed here? What are you doing to ward off the quarantine blues? Comment below!

Ready for the World: The Only Option Pt. 1

Emily Considine Leave a comment

On Monday, I had the joy of talking with Selene Yang, a senior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Creative Writing. It was one of those long conversations where we got carried away and explored some unexpected topics, so I’m splitting this interview up into two parts. This week is about Selene and her personal journey with creative writing. Next week, we discuss “Writing Twitter.” Stay tuned.

Ready for the World: Independence

Emily Considine Leave a comment

This week, I talked (on the bus) with Ophelia Deng, a senior in both International Studies and Art & Design.We talked about the main skill Stamps teaches – whether it intends to or not – which is self-sufficiency.

As a Stamps student myself, it was nice to discuss career prep for aspiring artists with someone going through the same educational experience. It’s oddly comforting to hear that a talented graduating senior feels just as frustrated and unprepared as I do. It makes it seem okay that I don’t really know what I’m doing.