THE FLOOD

art/photography > sandra’s world.

Natalie — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:00:05 +0000

Have you ever felt like there are just too many things you want to do with your life? I know I do. These days, the good news is that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one field or specialty. Talented creatives like Sandra Juto are showing us the endless possibilities of living a multi-dimensional life in the 21st century.

Sandra Juto is a fascinating Swedish woman who seems to do it all. She’s an illustrator, graphic designer, artist, photographer, blogger, crocheter, and, on top of it all, she runs her own little handmade shop from her home in Berlin, Germany. Everything she makes seems to have her own signature touch that is equal parts dreamy yet simple and charming. Her blog is full of pictures from her everyday life, documenting all of her wonderful side projects into one place from her very own perspective.

See more work below…

Portfolio / Blog / Shop / Flickr

Filed under: art, photography Tagged: berlin, germany, illustration, photography, sandra juto, swedish

design > colorblocked kingdom.

Natalie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:07:21 +0000

I think it’s so amazing to see, after decades of graphic design history, how artists and designers are coming up with more and more ways to use basic geometric shapes and primary colors to create exceptional and yet still very contemporary pieces of work. It just goes to show how even the simplest of elements can make incredible artwork when they’re used well.

Patrick Hruby is an illustrative graphic designer in Los Angeles who graduated at the top of his class at the Art Center College of Design in 2010 and now works as a freelancer for clients such as Blik, Urban Outfitters, and Ammo Books. His work is very geometric and often uses only primary and sometimes secondary colors and their shades. He was also chosen as one of HOW Magazine’s “16 Inspiring Young Creatives” in their January/February 2012 issue.

See more work below…

Portfolio / Blog

Filed under: design Tagged: color, geometric, graphic design, how magazine, illustration, patrick hruby

fashion photography > rosebud.

Natalie — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:40 +0000

It’s no wonder why collage and assemblage is such a major thing these days. With access to the internet and a boatload of magazines, books, and copies of historical and vintage images available to buy with a single click, artists and designers are finding it incredibly easy to borrow images from several different sources and piece them together in interesting ways. This phenomenon is not just limited to art, however. As you will see in today’s feature, collage-inspired pieces and editorials are making quite a splash in the fashion scene these days as well.

Mel Bles is a female fashion photographer in London who has an exceptionally hip, contemporary, and captivating portfolio filled with photos for TopShop, Dazed & Confused Magazine, and Missoni among many others. In a recent editorial shoot for Jalouse’s February 2012 issue, Mel shot Edie Campbell donning mix-and-matched patterns which were then paired with giant flowers that look as though they’ve been cut & pasted right into the mix. If you like the look of today’s shoot, check out Karen To’s flowery collages from a previous post on The Flood!

See more work below…

Portfolio / Blog

Filed under: fashion, photography Tagged: collage, fashion, fashion photography, mel bles, photography

art > the science of art.

Natalie — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:00:08 +0000

Lately it seems like I’m finding more and more artists who are involved mostly in the sciences for work and study, but find solace in an artistic escape of their own from time to time. Not only does this give and take between the left and right sides of the brain seem to give them the expressive freedom they need to balance out all of that logical work, but I think it also contributes something special to the look and feel of their artwork as well. Today’s feature is a great example of this:

Arian Behzadi is a Biological Sciences major with an emphasis in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at UC Davis. In between classes, he also happens to be an awesome collage artist! In mixing vintage photographs and blobs of retro paint colors, Arian creates colorfully nostalgic works of art that nod to the past and the future at the same time while combining both his love of art and his knowledge of science.

See more work below…

Portfolio / Flickr

Filed under: art Tagged: arian behzadi, collage, retro, science, vintage

this week’s creative resources.

Natalie — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:30:19 +0000

Creative Resources is a weekly feature that showcases links to inspiring articles & other resources found on the internet for emerging to established artists (or art lovers!).

Here’s this week’s round-up:

How World Culture Influences Fashion – PatternPulp reviews a book that traces the roots of today’s ready-to-wear lines back to cultural styles from around the globe.
5 Tips for Capturing Emotions in Photos – Elsie, Emma, and Kelli of A Beautiful Mess share some helpful advice for taking photographs that genuinely capture the personality of your subject.
Hyper-realist Paintings by Jason de Graaf – Paintings that look so realistic that you may just freak.
Micro trends: Graphic design aesthetics – A visual run-down of seven major visual directions currently manifesting within graphic design by FranklinTill via Computer Arts.
DIY Fridge Organization - A fun and colorful way to spice up your refrigerator while also getting all nice and organized using clothespins thanks to ElephantShoe.
Priorities and Plans: the keys to unlocking your full potential – Amber Rae shares some tips on how to tap into your highest creative potential with a planning process that brought her to feeling like the very best version of herself.

Filed under: features Tagged: creative resources, diy, fashion, graphic design, painting, photography, planning

art > dip into memory.

Natalie — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:35:39 +0000

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be able to jump right in to a cool pool of water under the summer sun right now! It’s still winter in the Western hemisphere for a little longer though, so until then, those of us in the colder parts of the world will just have to live vicariously through the paintings of today’s feature.

Samantha French is a full-time painter who was born and raised in north central Minnesota, a place where many of her paintings take place, although she now lives and works from a studio in New York City. In using memories from her childhood summers as an inspiration for her work, Samantha tries to recreate the peaceful tranquility of simple times spent swimming in the plentiful amount of lakes of her hometown as an escape from the day-to-day craziness of life in the big city. In her artist statement, Samantha says, “This combination of memory, observation and photography (old and new) has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance.“

See more work below…

Portfolio / Shop

Filed under: art Tagged: minnesota, new york city, painting, samantha french

music > studio sessions.

Natalie — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:10:17 +0000

Today I’m excited to present a new music feature where artists, designers, and photographers will share a playlist of music they enjoy listening to while they work. I’m going to start it off with my favorite music to create to, and if you’d like to share your own mix via 8tracks please do let me know and I’ll give you all the details!

When I spend time in my studio, I love listening to my favorite mellow songs from the past couple of years. They’re all songs that I find comforting – they help me to relax, unwind, and get lost in whatever I’m working on whether it’s a blog post, a zine issue, an art project, or a handmade item for a shop I’ll be opening this summer. My playlist starts and ends with The Dø (pronounced like “do”-re-mi), a French/Finnish band that I can’t get enough of lately (seriously – I’ve listened to them in the car on the way to and from work and on repeat at work basically every day since January) and the cover art you see above is by an awesome collage artist, Arian Behzadi, who will be featured just after the weekend.

Track List: 1. Bohemian Dances – The Dø / 2. It’s Not Meant to Be – Tame Impala / 3. Please Don’t – Bears / 4. Half Asleep – School of Seven Bells / 5. Eyelids – The Dodos / 6. Trick Pony – Charlotte Gainsbourg / 7. Solamente – Pretty Lights / 8. So Sorry – Feist / 9. Boat Behind – Kings of Convenience / 10. My Love – The Bird and the Bee / 11. Whiplash – Sunglasses / 12. At Last – The Dø

Filed under: features, music Tagged: music, studio sessions