Since I find "new" and unforseeable marketing ideas important, here's something I got in the mail. This summer I made a video clip about Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg. Today I got mail from them, saying that it's nice I talked about them in my blog and if I would be so kind to report their newest video to my readers, too. Since I find it awesome, that some company understands and uses the power of the internet marketing so well that they actually have the trouble to directly mail people that have visited and talked about them (my video in Youtube has already almost 500 views), here's their video. And now I want to go to visit them again, since I can't remember to have seen half of the things they show here... :)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Bauhaus-Uni
Bauhaus-Uni won the title of "Die internationale Hochschule 2011" in Germany. Here's a link to a small clip if you want to see a couple of famous sceneries from Weimar (and maybe a familiar face). (And here is some information about it in German.)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Black humour
This is really stupid, but it just came to my mind from somewhere and makes me laugh...
Friday, October 21, 2011
Nebra Sky Disk
I'm still feeling quite high after the excursion I made to the countryside today. To be more precise, I visited Nebra and the place, where they found the Nebra Sky Disk in 1999. I only realised how close the place is from here when I moved to Weimar, and knew right away that I _must_ visit the place. (There is nowadays a big visitor centrum.)
Rock paintings excluded, the Nebra Sky Disk is one of the oldest depiction of the heavenly phenomena we know of. It was buried in the ground some 3600 years ago, but at the time it had already been in use for an unknown time period. The disk itself is nowadays in a museum in Halle (I have to visit that, too), but its history is very well explained in Arche Nebra, where I was today.
There are not too many things that make me feel sentimental or cry. Nebra Sky Disk is one of them. Maybe it has to do with my astronomy interest, an ongoing saga for the last 25 years or so. Still, when I think of the disk, I feel connection with those people thousands of years ago. They also looked up to the sky in awe, trying to fathom what that all meant. I think of all those years the disk spent under the soil before it was found - straight to our time. Its shape and symbols are so unique for that time period, that one can only wonder if the smith was a genius or a lunatic. But talking about design, Nebra Sky Disk really is one of a kind. Whoever the smith was, I bet he didn't count his design being fresh almost 4000 years later...
Arche Nebra visitor centrum
Rock paintings excluded, the Nebra Sky Disk is one of the oldest depiction of the heavenly phenomena we know of. It was buried in the ground some 3600 years ago, but at the time it had already been in use for an unknown time period. The disk itself is nowadays in a museum in Halle (I have to visit that, too), but its history is very well explained in Arche Nebra, where I was today.
There are not too many things that make me feel sentimental or cry. Nebra Sky Disk is one of them. Maybe it has to do with my astronomy interest, an ongoing saga for the last 25 years or so. Still, when I think of the disk, I feel connection with those people thousands of years ago. They also looked up to the sky in awe, trying to fathom what that all meant. I think of all those years the disk spent under the soil before it was found - straight to our time. Its shape and symbols are so unique for that time period, that one can only wonder if the smith was a genius or a lunatic. But talking about design, Nebra Sky Disk really is one of a kind. Whoever the smith was, I bet he didn't count his design being fresh almost 4000 years later...
Arche Nebra visitor centrum
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Confinement
Confinement from West468 on Vimeo.
Here is a still photo video I made for a competition in the summer. It didn't prevail, but I find it beautiful in its "under the skin" soreness. Now that the school has truly started, I hope I'll get inspiration to do more short films/animations. :)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Kraftwerking
A couple of days ago I was in Kraftwerk concert in Munich. It was quite of an experience, interesting personally as well as professionally. My first encounter with Kraftwerk's music is from when I was 7 years old. I was in the first class of primary school and I still remember how our teacher asked us to draw an image that comes to our minds from the music she played to us. The piece was Kraftwerk's "The Robots" and even if I wasn't supposed to understand English, I drew three robots with triangle heads (thank the Tripods for that) walking in a long grass. I didn't know what the song was or who Kraftwerk was, but the song played in my head long time after and sometime later I recognised it somewhere else and found out whose song it was. :) I've always liked Kraftwerk, even if I'm not as hardcore fan as some others. I just find the music lovingly industrial and sometimes hum the songs in my head or listen to them.
So, all in all, it was great to see them live. I was very happy also because I was there with a guest status and got a small peek behind the scenes, too. The show itself was quite fabulous. It was 3D, so you needed to have special glasses to get the best of it. That made me think about the future and how the shows will evolve. It will definitely be quite different in about 10-15 years! Some of the animations were rather... animated, I guess I would have made them differently. But specially the most famous songs had pretty decent effects and the show was very enjoyable. It lasted exactly 2 hours, so people definitely got a good ride.
The equipment you need to do a full set 3D animated show was quite powerful. The work for only three shows must have been pretty extensive, I'm interested to see if they are going to make a full tour next year... On the trip I also visited the Kling Klang Studio near Düsseldorf. Neat place, I must say, but rather undecorated. I would have expected to see at least few bicycles laying around... ;)
Friday, September 30, 2011
Back to business
My holiday came and went, and now I'm back at school - this time doing my study exchange in Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany. The courses haven't started yet, so I don't have much to tell about the ways of the school. Still, it's quite neat to be hear, since Weimar is a very lovely little town with lots of history and great location. I've only been here less than two weeks and I already went to visit Prague. (It's not that far away from here.)
One of the best parts is its Bauhausiness. Compared to e.g. TAMK, this university always seems to have some sort of a core (The Bauhaus) where you can always be led back to. You can see and feel it around(, when you are not busy with Goethe, Schiller and Liszt).
I feel like gaining back my inspiration that has been slightly down during the summer. It seems to me that I don't need to do that many courses to get my 30 study credits I need this half a year. That's great, then I have more time to concentrate in things to do them properly. :)
A wall at Bauhaus-Universität. Btw, if anyone remembers the old TTVO logo from FInlayson, you might see some correspondence in Bauhaus... ;)
One of the best parts is its Bauhausiness. Compared to e.g. TAMK, this university always seems to have some sort of a core (The Bauhaus) where you can always be led back to. You can see and feel it around(, when you are not busy with Goethe, Schiller and Liszt).
I feel like gaining back my inspiration that has been slightly down during the summer. It seems to me that I don't need to do that many courses to get my 30 study credits I need this half a year. That's great, then I have more time to concentrate in things to do them properly. :)
A wall at Bauhaus-Universität. Btw, if anyone remembers the old TTVO logo from FInlayson, you might see some correspondence in Bauhaus... ;)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Thunder and lightning
I'm on holiday! :) Next week I'll go back to Finland for some time before I'll come back to Germany to do my study exchange. My summerwork is finished and I've been just doing all sorts of lame things in between.
Last night there was a cool thunderstorm. It lasted for hours (actually there were several clouds that took care of that.) I tried some photography with my pocket camera and animated the pics this morning. It'd be cool to have a system camera, but then I'd need to drag it with me where ever I'd go...
One of the best shots I did last night. :)
The thunderclouds were cool to watch. The poor cranes by the Elbphilharmonie seem like being lost and scared...
Last night there was a cool thunderstorm. It lasted for hours (actually there were several clouds that took care of that.) I tried some photography with my pocket camera and animated the pics this morning. It'd be cool to have a system camera, but then I'd need to drag it with me where ever I'd go...
One of the best shots I did last night. :)
The thunderclouds were cool to watch. The poor cranes by the Elbphilharmonie seem like being lost and scared...
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Full moon
Full moon is the time of transformations - at least as far as werewolfs are concerned. Yesterday, the full moon of July rose nicely above the rooftops and I took few pics of it. Unfortunately, I only have a small digi pocket camera and the moon shots didn't turn out that well. But while listening to the Symphonies of the Planets by Voyager and the full moon rising behind the Elbphilharmonie, the atmosphere was perfect for some reflection photography.
I haven't been feeling very good lately, so I think this photo captures my feelings pretty much perfectly. Something from Munch's The Scream in it... Or the Borg.
I haven't been feeling very good lately, so I think this photo captures my feelings pretty much perfectly. Something from Munch's The Scream in it... Or the Borg.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
MK et G
Yesterday, I spent most of the day in Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg. I had noticed that there was special exhibition about Graphic Design in the Art Nouveau and I absolutely wanted to go to see it. (I normally leave that kind of things too late and miss the whole thing.)
The exhibition wasn't extremely large, but it took me lots of time to go through it. The exhibits were lovely, especially the ones from the end of 19th century. Mucha, Toulouse-Lautrec, Behrens... I was almost clapping my hands from joy while watching some of the pictures, they were so captivating and beautifully drawn. I wanted to buy the catalog, but it was binded in a huge brick of a book and costed 68 euros. :( If I wouldn't need to move now every half a year I would probably have bought it anyway...
Eugene Grasset's November
Pic from davidsongalleries.com
This Art Nouveau exhibition wasn't the only interesting piece in the place. The building is huge and at the end of the day my legs were killing me. Still, I was also blown away with the Japanese Katagami stencils that people have been using to dye kimonos in the 19th century. It was unbelievable to see so beautiful works that were designed so cleverly that they could be used for an unbroked pattern. I got an urge to practice my Japanese again, I've forgotten almost everything I ever learned. But maybe when I have time again..... ;)
The exhibition wasn't extremely large, but it took me lots of time to go through it. The exhibits were lovely, especially the ones from the end of 19th century. Mucha, Toulouse-Lautrec, Behrens... I was almost clapping my hands from joy while watching some of the pictures, they were so captivating and beautifully drawn. I wanted to buy the catalog, but it was binded in a huge brick of a book and costed 68 euros. :( If I wouldn't need to move now every half a year I would probably have bought it anyway...
Eugene Grasset's November
Pic from davidsongalleries.com
This Art Nouveau exhibition wasn't the only interesting piece in the place. The building is huge and at the end of the day my legs were killing me. Still, I was also blown away with the Japanese Katagami stencils that people have been using to dye kimonos in the 19th century. It was unbelievable to see so beautiful works that were designed so cleverly that they could be used for an unbroked pattern. I got an urge to practice my Japanese again, I've forgotten almost everything I ever learned. But maybe when I have time again..... ;)
Friday, July 1, 2011
Hamburg Planetarium
Wow, I managed to go the whole June without a blogpost. Well, it's been rather hectic in work, mind and body. I only have around a month and a half before my summer holiday, can't wait!
But anyway, back to business. The jewel of Hamburg for me is the Hamburg Planetarium. I was rather dubious at first, since I normally pretty much loath commercial planetariums. They never use them in their original purpose (showing the stars), but offer mostly scientific films about astronomy. I guess it's ok for the visitors, but I normally just end up counting as many mistakes as I can spot from the show. (I don't mean that I would know everything about astronomy. There's a lot I don't know, but I'm not that interested to know much more right now.)
Hamburg planetarium is different. They do have films about this and that (astronomy and related subjects), but their real beauty lies in the way they are using the thing for audiovisual feasts. Some time ago I went to watch Deep Space Night 3.1 and I was completely blown away. It's basically just animation about space flights and stars to music, but the animations were extremely exact and made with good humour. Also the music was carefully selected. (I didn't really care that much of Madonna, but Depeche Mode woke my hidden passion to their music again!) The crazy part is that they use lots of lasers, too, and with the smoke effects the whole place transforms into something otherworldly.
Yesterday I went to watch Mike Batt's Voices in the Dark. The music was completely by him and there were great 3D animations made to it. (You can check the video clip in www.voicesinthedark.de.)
Every time I go to the planetarium I get so much inspiration... I strongly recommend a visit if you ever happen to be in Hamburg. Unfortunately, many shows are running only rarely, so it's worth to check the calendar and plan your visit accordingly. ;)
But anyway, back to business. The jewel of Hamburg for me is the Hamburg Planetarium. I was rather dubious at first, since I normally pretty much loath commercial planetariums. They never use them in their original purpose (showing the stars), but offer mostly scientific films about astronomy. I guess it's ok for the visitors, but I normally just end up counting as many mistakes as I can spot from the show. (I don't mean that I would know everything about astronomy. There's a lot I don't know, but I'm not that interested to know much more right now.)
Hamburg planetarium is different. They do have films about this and that (astronomy and related subjects), but their real beauty lies in the way they are using the thing for audiovisual feasts. Some time ago I went to watch Deep Space Night 3.1 and I was completely blown away. It's basically just animation about space flights and stars to music, but the animations were extremely exact and made with good humour. Also the music was carefully selected. (I didn't really care that much of Madonna, but Depeche Mode woke my hidden passion to their music again!) The crazy part is that they use lots of lasers, too, and with the smoke effects the whole place transforms into something otherworldly.
Yesterday I went to watch Mike Batt's Voices in the Dark. The music was completely by him and there were great 3D animations made to it. (You can check the video clip in www.voicesinthedark.de.)
Every time I go to the planetarium I get so much inspiration... I strongly recommend a visit if you ever happen to be in Hamburg. Unfortunately, many shows are running only rarely, so it's worth to check the calendar and plan your visit accordingly. ;)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
World Press Photo
Some time ago, I was having a walk in the harbour and noticed big advertisements about the World Press Photo exhibition. Since the place was quite in the neighbourhood, I paid it a visit couple of days ago. It was really worth it, since the stories behind those shots are often quite touching. You can see all the winning photos in the World Press Photo website, but if the exhibition is coming to a city near you, I recommend to pay it a visit!
It is amazing how much power a single picture can hold. E.g. this one made by Péter Lakatos, where a man commits suicide by jumping from a bridge turret after setting himself to fire. Stupefying.
Pic by Péter Lakatos, source the Atlantic
It is amazing how much power a single picture can hold. E.g. this one made by Péter Lakatos, where a man commits suicide by jumping from a bridge turret after setting himself to fire. Stupefying.
Pic by Péter Lakatos, source the Atlantic
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Fireworks
This weekend, Hamburg is celebrating Hafengeburtstag. Last night there was a big firework show over the harbour. I tried to shoot it with my video cam and made this film. (I did cut about half of it off!) It was a great show and in the end of the video you can hear all the ships in the neighbourhood blowing their horns... Sounded quite rough! :D
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Miniatur Wunderland
Yesterday, I visited Miniatur Wunderland - the place for all model railway enthusiasts. I was busy using my video camera and finally managed to put together and edit this video. (I got a proper desk yesterday for my comp, so what would be nicer than to enjoy sitting by it for hours...?) Hmm... I hope my creative side is getting active again. :)
The airport is opening tomorrow, so I guess I need to visit the place again to add a bit to my shots. :D
The airport is opening tomorrow, so I guess I need to visit the place again to add a bit to my shots. :D
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Orientation tactics
After the first few weeks the life in Hamburg is starting to make sense to me. :) There are still many things I need to fix, but I try not to stress too much about them. (Even if I'm constantly feeling being late with the deadlines for some things at school.) But life is for living, so I don't care that much. I guess some people start to call me reckless soon. But they don't know. :D
During the Easter I went to Berlin with my friend. We visited Potsdam, too, and found an art automat. (Unfortunately I didn't take a pic of the automat itself.) It was hilarious, since with a couple of Euros you could obtain your small piece of art. The vending machine itself was made of an old cigarette machine. Great idea, all in all!
"Warning: This art can confuse, light up, upset and be addictive! About risks and side effects ask yourself and write the answer to us. No further liability is acknowledged. The art inside is packed by the artist. All packages are unique. This one belongs to you now."
More info in www.sek-kunst.de.
During the Easter I went to Berlin with my friend. We visited Potsdam, too, and found an art automat. (Unfortunately I didn't take a pic of the automat itself.) It was hilarious, since with a couple of Euros you could obtain your small piece of art. The vending machine itself was made of an old cigarette machine. Great idea, all in all!
"Warning: This art can confuse, light up, upset and be addictive! About risks and side effects ask yourself and write the answer to us. No further liability is acknowledged. The art inside is packed by the artist. All packages are unique. This one belongs to you now."
More info in www.sek-kunst.de.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Das Leben
I've been so busy I haven't really had much time to update (or think) any design stuff... I guess it'll get better when I get used to my new surroundings and work, etc. And get used to the 8 hour work days again. (It's been a long time.:) Hamburg seems a nice town considering media. (It's actually supposed to be the media city of Germany.) I love going for a walk down to the harbour area, at least the city side. The weather has also been really nice for me and everyone around - this week it should be around 20°C every day. I hope I'll have time in the near future to get some inspiration from the industrial feeling around here!!! :)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Moving on
Tähtipäivät came and went and people seemed to have pretty good time! My last few weeks have been extremely hectic, so I've been trying to relax by reading and watching dvds. I haven't had much any material to post into this blog, so it's been a bit quiet.
Tomorrow I should leave Tampere behind and move on with my life again. It's almost exactly two years since I came back from New Zealand. I seem to be living in 2 year cycles, so now it's time to start again something completely new. I guess I'm one those eternally restless people... This time me and George are heading to Germany. We can't wait.
George is eager to see if the cakes in Germany are as big as they were in New Zealand.
Tomorrow I should leave Tampere behind and move on with my life again. It's almost exactly two years since I came back from New Zealand. I seem to be living in 2 year cycles, so now it's time to start again something completely new. I guess I'm one those eternally restless people... This time me and George are heading to Germany. We can't wait.
George is eager to see if the cakes in Germany are as big as they were in New Zealand.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
When the moment approaches
Tomorrow I should pack my prepared gear and head to Turku. It's the Tähtipäivät weekend! I'm very happy that soon the whole hassle will be over, I'm not ashamed to admit that. I've been doing the stuff for it since last September, so it's nice to get it over and done with. Still, I think (and hope) it'll be fun and everything will work out fine!
I'm especially interested how the content I've been doing will work... (And Neil's, too, he's been doing some pretty awesome art!) One of the things I've luckily managed to finish (on top of that floor puzzle and Väisälä exhibition), is a task track for people to solve. There will be few hints spread around the venue and people can try to find them and "break the code". Here's an example of the hints (the astrolabe will be there, too;):
I'm especially interested how the content I've been doing will work... (And Neil's, too, he's been doing some pretty awesome art!) One of the things I've luckily managed to finish (on top of that floor puzzle and Väisälä exhibition), is a task track for people to solve. There will be few hints spread around the venue and people can try to find them and "break the code". Here's an example of the hints (the astrolabe will be there, too;):
Thursday, March 10, 2011
More prints
I've got a new love: the big Epson printer downstairs in our school. For Tähtipäivät, I've also put together some stuff about Yrjö Väisälä, one of the most famous Finnish astronomers (and telescope builders and geodetics) of all time. This year is his birth's 120th anniversary and his life is one of the themes in Tähtipäivät. Originally I got the idea already years ago, when I visited Tuorla, the observatory he built. I was unhappy to see that everything one could read about Väisälä's achievements there were a couple of articles clipped from magazines on the wall of one of the domes. That's why I wanted to make something more tributary about his life for Tähtipäivät.
It took me quite a while to investigate his life and put these things together. It also took me some time to figure out how the interference comparator works and draw the explanatory image. And it took me some time to get the pictures from Tuorla to use with the exhibition. When I did the test prints, the small printer printed some stupid boxes around some of the transparent images. I did the best I could, but was a bit doubtful how it would turn out with the big printer.
But Epson did it and the boards came out just great! I am hugely relieved. :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Finished puzzle
...continuing from the last post. :) I managed to get the thing printed and cut at school, so the puzzle does actually look quite nice now! It was tricky to do, though, since I had to print it in two pieces and then place it on several different boards. Some of the pieces ended up having funny looking edges, but you can only see them from close distance anyway. All in all it turned out great! (Anyone who knows me well enough knows also how seldom I say that. Too seldom, actually.)
The puzzle will be in Tähtipäivät for trying it out. ;)
The puzzle will be in Tähtipäivät for trying it out. ;)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Midway
I haven't been able to finish too many things since there are quite a lot of fuzz going on with Tähtipäivät. I also had a short holiday, which did help me relax a bit. (Organising big events are dangerous for my perfectionism inclined attitude.:P) Still, I guess and hope that I'll be able to finish the things in time and have fun in the event, as well. :)
I've been having fun with the editing programmes in that CS5 package I mentioned in my previous post. I guess next big buy will be bigger computer for the proper video editing... XD We'll have some lessons about After Effects at school soon, I hope I'll have time to attend to few lessons, since I'll be pretty busy with other stuff, too.
Next Tuesday I should try to print a bigger version of this constellation puzzle I've been working on. It's funny how challenging it seems to be, even if all the constellations are so familiar! Great stuff, though! :D
I've been having fun with the editing programmes in that CS5 package I mentioned in my previous post. I guess next big buy will be bigger computer for the proper video editing... XD We'll have some lessons about After Effects at school soon, I hope I'll have time to attend to few lessons, since I'll be pretty busy with other stuff, too.
Next Tuesday I should try to print a bigger version of this constellation puzzle I've been working on. It's funny how challenging it seems to be, even if all the constellations are so familiar! Great stuff, though! :D
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Product in production
I often find it fascinating how I can be really stingy with my money when it comes to things like clothes or food. I can rant for hours how I don't have too much money for good food, but I can go and buy really expensive stuff without blinking an eye when I feel like it. I guess it has to do with what I consider useful. And I like to buy things for future purpose, too.
I think this latest buy is one of those "investments for the future". The thing which really is useful in being a student is the 80% discount of Adobe products... ;) Especially now that they've changed the policy and one can use the student editions also for commercial use after one has graduated. But I don't think that far ahead, I just want to see what I can do with these things - and with my videocam. :D
I think this latest buy is one of those "investments for the future". The thing which really is useful in being a student is the 80% discount of Adobe products... ;) Especially now that they've changed the policy and one can use the student editions also for commercial use after one has graduated. But I don't think that far ahead, I just want to see what I can do with these things - and with my videocam. :D
Monday, January 31, 2011
Paint for your life!
I realised that I probably will be moving soon again. I also realised how many blank canvases I have in my closet. I always end up buying stuff like pretty fabrics and blank canvases to wait for the inspiration. Sometimes it comes, sometimes I get really angry when I more when I notice how much stuff I have again gathered around me. :P
So, now I'm trying to do something for the matter - I paint. :) Here are the blocks currently residing on my shelf. The one from the Moon I finished yesterday.
So, now I'm trying to do something for the matter - I paint. :) Here are the blocks currently residing on my shelf. The one from the Moon I finished yesterday.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Chaos
I've been ranting on before how much I love the chaos theory. I saw a documentary about it in the 80s and been completely captivated ever since. :) In this documentary, they showed how they connected a videocam to a tv and shot what was visible in the screen. Because it takes a fraction of the second for the image the reach the tv through the cable, the image stood never still and created some weird unpredictable patterns on the screen. It was awesome, but we never go it working ourselves.
Last week, I bought a video camera for myself to see what I can come up with it. Today I decided to give that old fling a try. I had some great great time playing with the thing, here's a short example how did it look like... Chaos theory still proves itself, since I have no idea how those patterns are forming! :D Awesome!
Last week, I bought a video camera for myself to see what I can come up with it. Today I decided to give that old fling a try. I had some great great time playing with the thing, here's a short example how did it look like... Chaos theory still proves itself, since I have no idea how those patterns are forming! :D Awesome!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Flashy
It's been ages since I did anything with Flash. I still haven't really decided if I like the programme or not - it's slightly irritating - but naturally it has to do with my very limited skills with it... :P Well, I ended up playing a bit with it, after I had made myself a new wallpaper. Here's the result. Not bad for a newbie.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Life drawing
Our school has quite many courses to choose from. During my first year I went to the classes of life drawing in the art section. I used to do that when I was living in Turku, I was in an evening class and I had a fabulous teacher. She taught me to really observe the models and pay attention to certain things. That's why I was happy to continue that hobby here in Tampere, even more so thinking that I can get study credits from it! :)
I got a bit tired of drawing every week (it can be really demanding, since you need to concentrate so thoroughly) and skipped a bit too many times last spring. That's why I'm in there again to do few more sessions and gain my study points. The teachers in the school are nice and fair, so it's soothing to go there.
I'm doing so many things right now that it was a good idea to go to that class today, the first time in almost a year! The concentration helps me to disengage from my thoughts, which can be a bit overwhelming at times. And I like to notice that I'm still able to keep my level. I'm not a fan of croquis drawings, but longer poses I like to draw. This one I made today with 3 x 20min.
I got a bit tired of drawing every week (it can be really demanding, since you need to concentrate so thoroughly) and skipped a bit too many times last spring. That's why I'm in there again to do few more sessions and gain my study points. The teachers in the school are nice and fair, so it's soothing to go there.
I'm doing so many things right now that it was a good idea to go to that class today, the first time in almost a year! The concentration helps me to disengage from my thoughts, which can be a bit overwhelming at times. And I like to notice that I'm still able to keep my level. I'm not a fan of croquis drawings, but longer poses I like to draw. This one I made today with 3 x 20min.
Friday, January 14, 2011
New Zealand blues
I lived and worked in New Zealand from Oct 2006 until Mar 2009. Every now and then I still get huge bangs of homesickness for the place. One of those is currently on. It's scary how used you can get to your everyday life. For me, it seams somehow unreal that I ever was there. I guess this starts to be the time when the time goldens the memories, since I don't remember anymore how cold it was during the winter inside the house or what difficulties I had with some of the things over there. I only remember the sceneries and how it felt to drive back from Timaru or Christchurch and reach the Mackenzie Basin. I felt like I could breathe again.
Me preparing for the night work while working in Earth and Sky.
I will always think that Lake Tekapo is one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth. It's really easy to prove: just go to check Fraser Gunn's photography. Fraser used to be my work mate and one of my best friends in Tekapo. He's amazingly talented photographer! I could watch those animations forever, the ones about the fog over Tekapo are some of my favourites.
And by the way, if you want to buy that Mackenzie splendour dvd, I still have few of them for sale for 12e each (incl. postage). I wrote the texts to the pictures. ;)
Me preparing for the night work while working in Earth and Sky.
I will always think that Lake Tekapo is one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth. It's really easy to prove: just go to check Fraser Gunn's photography. Fraser used to be my work mate and one of my best friends in Tekapo. He's amazingly talented photographer! I could watch those animations forever, the ones about the fog over Tekapo are some of my favourites.
And by the way, if you want to buy that Mackenzie splendour dvd, I still have few of them for sale for 12e each (incl. postage). I wrote the texts to the pictures. ;)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Saturnian reality
Ok, I don't normally post unfinished works here, but I did some painting earlier today and now this thing doesn't give me any peace.
When I start painting, I don't usually plan the composition in advance - I see the way how I want it to look. When I started painting this, I was mildly worried about placing the edge of the ring almost exactly in the corner, but was too lazy to think about it any further. After painting happily away for some time, I remembered that I probably would need to add at least one moon in to the pic, even if the only place for one would be in the tightest corner.
Still, after all and everything, I find the final composition extremely intriguing! When I take a look at this painting I need to give it another glance after some time and then I end up staring at it for minutes. Maybe the slightly weird (but still somehow balanced) composition makes it more real-looking, I don't know. But I really like the graphical feeling in it. Woah! :D
When I start painting, I don't usually plan the composition in advance - I see the way how I want it to look. When I started painting this, I was mildly worried about placing the edge of the ring almost exactly in the corner, but was too lazy to think about it any further. After painting happily away for some time, I remembered that I probably would need to add at least one moon in to the pic, even if the only place for one would be in the tightest corner.
Still, after all and everything, I find the final composition extremely intriguing! When I take a look at this painting I need to give it another glance after some time and then I end up staring at it for minutes. Maybe the slightly weird (but still somehow balanced) composition makes it more real-looking, I don't know. But I really like the graphical feeling in it. Woah! :D
Monday, January 10, 2011
Animism
Let's get it straight, I am slightly animistic. (And not even ever so slightly...) Especially everything industrial makes gets me wondering, how human things might feel. I think one of my first post in this blog was about powerlines and their beauty. I'm not into robots, though, traffic lights are enough for me.
Driving in the night through a city makes me always think, how dutiful the traffic lights seem to me. Red light is like a miniature Mordor Eye, which ravenously keeps guard over the hapless cars. When yellow comes in, the red suddenly loses focus and manages to look embarrassed, like it would be blinking and explaining why it was looking so nasty in the first place. Green, on the other hand, looks like a talking mouth, blabbering "hey, guys, you can go now, c'mon, I don't have the whole day, guys! Gee, what's that piece of shit you're driving?". Yellow alone looks like a police which shuts the green's mouth and claims that there's nothing to see here and that people should disperse and go home before the force is needed. And then it starts all over again. (Yes, I really think of these things pretty often when I see traffic lights in the dark!)
And what about the speed limits, then?! (Come on, how many of you have ever thought how personal numbers look like?) Often when I see 50 km/h sign, I think about somebody, who has been doing his nine to five work for 40 years and is a bit of a nagger and is frowning while looking at the passers-by, just in case they are speeding. 60 km/h feels apologetic, looking slightly sad but dutiful.
70 km/h is like an old spinster, who thinks she's posh, since she can let people drive a bit faster than 60, but not yet 80. 80 km/h itself looks quite serious, like someone who takes his duties gravely, but doesn't get much fun out of it. 100 km/h looks surprised, like someone who has just noticed that she's actually very pretty, but doesn't really know how to take it. And my fav 120 km/h, who always looks very enthusiastic and sprightly, like a laughing swan.
I noticed in the beginning of this year that I truly like how 2011 looks like. It's not as steady-looking as 2010, there's more jaunt in it. For me, it looks like number 2 is leading the outing and the 1s in the back are trying the keep up while chasing butterflies. No, don't ask me. I have no idea where these things come to my mind. :P
Driving in the night through a city makes me always think, how dutiful the traffic lights seem to me. Red light is like a miniature Mordor Eye, which ravenously keeps guard over the hapless cars. When yellow comes in, the red suddenly loses focus and manages to look embarrassed, like it would be blinking and explaining why it was looking so nasty in the first place. Green, on the other hand, looks like a talking mouth, blabbering "hey, guys, you can go now, c'mon, I don't have the whole day, guys! Gee, what's that piece of shit you're driving?". Yellow alone looks like a police which shuts the green's mouth and claims that there's nothing to see here and that people should disperse and go home before the force is needed. And then it starts all over again. (Yes, I really think of these things pretty often when I see traffic lights in the dark!)
And what about the speed limits, then?! (Come on, how many of you have ever thought how personal numbers look like?) Often when I see 50 km/h sign, I think about somebody, who has been doing his nine to five work for 40 years and is a bit of a nagger and is frowning while looking at the passers-by, just in case they are speeding. 60 km/h feels apologetic, looking slightly sad but dutiful.
70 km/h is like an old spinster, who thinks she's posh, since she can let people drive a bit faster than 60, but not yet 80. 80 km/h itself looks quite serious, like someone who takes his duties gravely, but doesn't get much fun out of it. 100 km/h looks surprised, like someone who has just noticed that she's actually very pretty, but doesn't really know how to take it. And my fav 120 km/h, who always looks very enthusiastic and sprightly, like a laughing swan.
I noticed in the beginning of this year that I truly like how 2011 looks like. It's not as steady-looking as 2010, there's more jaunt in it. For me, it looks like number 2 is leading the outing and the 1s in the back are trying the keep up while chasing butterflies. No, don't ask me. I have no idea where these things come to my mind. :P
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Christmas presents
People can find it really hard to buy presents for me. I hate things I can't really use and I usually like to buy the things I need by myself. And because I still value the gesture more than the present itself (at least most of the time), I hate presents that are been bought to me on the solid reason that it's my birthday/Christmas/whatever annual/centennial/once in a lifetime celebration. I'm not really materialistic, so I want to keep my stuff as minimum as possible. The only good choices about presents bought to me are books (non-fiction), gift cards, self-made gifts and something that I can use.
Me and my friends got a Christmas parcel from our friends in Germany. It was filled with goodies like biscuits and stuff and we were all really overwhelmed about such a surprise. I always find it amazing how some people can be so like-minded that they guess almost instantly what amuses me/us. :D They even have the same kind of humour as we do...
Erich's (! :D) luxus body wash
"To be used primarily by the working class, comrade farmers and (in special cases) relatives in BRD. ... Is worth of two bottles of tomato ketchup, one banana or one half of a windshield wiper in street market."
Me and my friends got a Christmas parcel from our friends in Germany. It was filled with goodies like biscuits and stuff and we were all really overwhelmed about such a surprise. I always find it amazing how some people can be so like-minded that they guess almost instantly what amuses me/us. :D They even have the same kind of humour as we do...
Erich's (! :D) luxus body wash
"To be used primarily by the working class, comrade farmers and (in special cases) relatives in BRD. ... Is worth of two bottles of tomato ketchup, one banana or one half of a windshield wiper in street market."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Solar eclipse
This morning, a partial solar eclipse was visible in Finland (except in Lapland where there's still "kaamos" - the time the sun won't rise). As typical, they had forcasted thick clouds for the event. (With about 95% probability there's always rain/clouds when there's some heavenly incident.) So I hadn't really even prepared. I've seen quite a few partial eclipses during my years, can't even remember them all anymore. And after Turkey 2005 with the total eclipse, well, parial ones are just not terribly interesting... But when I left home to go to library and then to school, I noticed that surprisingly the sun was shining to the wall of one house. (It was really low in the horizon, since, hey, it's winter!) So, I turned around to pick my eclipse shades, just in case. Then I had the idea to go check if it would be visible from our roof terrace, even though I started to be a bit in a hurry to school already. I went up, stared at the scene in amazement, forgot totally about my hurry and rushed back to get my camera.
I only have a small digital pocket camera I bought last year (when my old one got broken after falling to the deck of the ship we were travelling back with from Rammstein concert in Tallinn last February), so I knew I couldn't really dream of very good photos, a) because the camera doesn't have very good zoom and b) it doesn't have any solar filters plus c) since my flexibility was limited in our roof terrace only I couldn't compose the image much at all. But I happened to be extremely lucky. The stage was set almost perfectly for me:
(Click the image to get it a bit bigger)
:D Awesome! And I managed to get to school in time, too.
---
Btw, the application period to our degree programme has started! If you are interested in any of the stuff I'm talking about in this blog (well, school related anyway), you should check the pretasks and application process in the Media blog. Maybe I'll see you in school next year? ;)
I only have a small digital pocket camera I bought last year (when my old one got broken after falling to the deck of the ship we were travelling back with from Rammstein concert in Tallinn last February), so I knew I couldn't really dream of very good photos, a) because the camera doesn't have very good zoom and b) it doesn't have any solar filters plus c) since my flexibility was limited in our roof terrace only I couldn't compose the image much at all. But I happened to be extremely lucky. The stage was set almost perfectly for me:
(Click the image to get it a bit bigger)
:D Awesome! And I managed to get to school in time, too.
---
Btw, the application period to our degree programme has started! If you are interested in any of the stuff I'm talking about in this blog (well, school related anyway), you should check the pretasks and application process in the Media blog. Maybe I'll see you in school next year? ;)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Same shit, different programmes
I was thinking about my past life (nice way to put it) over the last days of 2010 and browsing through my computer checking some of the old files from my previous comps. I was giggling over some of the old writings, gee I used to write some amusing stuff... (Some of it was actually quite nice, too. Hehe.) I got my first PC around 2000, but I can't quite remember the year. (My first computer was a C64.) Nowadays, I think I was extremely young those days, living in my own world, being afraid of growing up. (I guess I still am, to both, but nowadays I don't see much wrong in that anymore.)
Still, in the beginning of the millennium I was drawing pics like this:
These kind of images were illustrations of my inner world and stories that I invented in my mind. I wanted to be somekind of artist or writer to get all those ideas out of my mind. Not much has changed, nowadays the ways are just more sophisticated?
It was actually pretty amusing to notice that I haven't really evolved anywhere, since I had just started to play with PhotoShop to draw something like this:
:D So, same shit, different programmes. I guess I'll just stay childish in this sense for the rest of my life, seeing things and stories around me and living in some kind of unreal world. It's not so bad, after all.
Still, in the beginning of the millennium I was drawing pics like this:
These kind of images were illustrations of my inner world and stories that I invented in my mind. I wanted to be somekind of artist or writer to get all those ideas out of my mind. Not much has changed, nowadays the ways are just more sophisticated?
It was actually pretty amusing to notice that I haven't really evolved anywhere, since I had just started to play with PhotoShop to draw something like this:
:D So, same shit, different programmes. I guess I'll just stay childish in this sense for the rest of my life, seeing things and stories around me and living in some kind of unreal world. It's not so bad, after all.
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