Artistic talent comes in many different forms, to Paul Smith, his artistic talent came in the form of a typewriter. Paul was born in 1921 with severe spastic cerebral palsy, but one day he learned to use a standard typewriter to create beautiful pictures that from a distance resemble fine pencil or pastel drawings. You won’t believe the incredible works this extraordinary man was able to create by using only a few keys on the typewriter. I say was because sadly Paul passed away in 2007, but his beautiful art lives on. (Source: John Stofflet) What an incredible artist Paul was, I’m constantly amazed and humbled by the talents of so many people who have such overwhelming obstacles to tackle. Here are a few of his artworks: Read more: http://viralnova.com/typewriter-art/
Hong Yi started out as a simple artist with a YouTube channel. Hong Yi, known as Red to most, likes to paint. However, she doesn’t like to paint with a paintbrush. Instead, Red finds different ways to create her beautiful artwork. In one of her first paintings, she used a basketball to create the image. Now, she is using something else to create an incredible portrait (for someone you’ll recognize). This is Hong Yi, known as “Red.” Hong Yi – Red Red is both an artist and an architect. Hong Yi – Red Jackie Chan’s art director contacted her, hoping to commission her to make something for Jackie’s 60th birthday. Hong Yi – Red She decided to make a portrait… Hong Yi – Red But it was unlike any you have ever seen before. Hong Yi – Red It was made entirely out of chopsticks. Hong Yi – Red Jackie had always been supportive of her work. Hong Yi – Red He saw her other portraits using unique mediums, like socks or coffee rings, and was entranced. Hong Yi – Red So, Red was hired to create his 60th birthday portrait. Hong Yi – Red She spent a month collecting 64,000 chopsticks, in Zhejiang and in Beijing Hong Yi – Red She tied the chopsticks into different bundle sizes with strings. Then, she hung them all from a steel frame. Hong Yi – Red Red presented the finished portrait at his birthday concert, in front of 10,000. And to think, she just started out with a YouTube channel, posting her work. Hong Yi – Red “It wasn’t easy to choose the material for Jackie’s piece. He is a world famous actor, an exceptional martial arts fighter, an environmentalist, and one of the most well-known faces internationally! I finally decided on chopsticks because Jackie had used them in some of the fighting scenes in his movies the Fearless Hyena and Karate Kid, and because chopsticks are Chinese. As he is also an environmentalist, I used disposable bamboo chopsticks to show that discarded materials can be reused and made into something meaningful and beautiful. This art installation is a tribute to the life, art and cultural significance of Jackie Chan.” -Red Source: Oh I See Red! The final result of her labors is art, but the Red’s true artwork is how she creates her pieces. She is truly a creative genius, share her unique methods by clicking the button below. Read more: http://viralnova.com/chopsticks-jackie-chan/
Important people need a kick of caffeine to tackle the morning, just like the rest of us less superior peons. Illustrator Steven Weinberg offers a look at the java habits of powerful people (and Muppets and dinosaurs) with a quirky series titled “Important People Drinking Coffee.” Pack the cream and sugar, then head to Weinberg’s website to take a sip of the full series. Image courtesy of Steven Weinberg Image courtesy of Steven Weinberg Image courtesy of Steven Weinberg Image courtesy of Steven Weinberg Image courtesy of Steven Weinberg BONUS: 20 Entertaining YouTube Videos Under 20 Seconds 20 Videos Under 20 Seconds 1. Can You Say Banana? Apples and banahoahahshas. 2. Cuban Spider Cuban Pete is king of the rumba beat. 3. Running Toy Poodle Just needed a little exercise. 4. Hokey Pokey Dog Hokey Pokey on repeat. 5. Yay! Kermit Arm Flail Typical Muppet reaction. 6. Gangnam Han Solo Style Gangnam Style + Star Wars = 11 Seconds of Awesome 7. Crawling Cat Pugs are pretty scary. 8. The Screaming Sheep AHHHHHHH! 9. Sneezing Baby Panda Gesundheit. 10. Soccer Ball + Face = Ouch No description needed. 11. Cat Fight Fur will fly. 12. Four Legs at a Time Hoppity hop pug. 13. We’re Trucking! Trucking, trucking…whaaa? 14. 5 Little Welsh Corgi Pembroke Puppies Sometimes all you need is a few seconds of puppies. 15. Cheerleader Fail. High kicks. 16. Afraid of Technology This is why people are afraid of technology. 17. How To Pronounce Hamburger Now you know how to say hamburger. 18. “I So Pale” Failed to watch for the red light. 19. Shortest Attention Span Ever Well, that was fun. 20. PSYwalker Luke tries to resist the Dark PSYde. Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/01/22/important-people-drinking-coffee-2/
One painter’s watercolor works brings out the wonders of space in the safety of her studio. Connecticut-based artist Stella Maria Baer’s dreamy planet paintings have earned her more than 100,000 followers on Instagram. Her neat, but detailed watercolors capture the moon’s rough texture, Mars’ soft oranges and maroons and Saturn’s wide rings. Baer told Mashable that her planet watercolors draw inspiration from April’s Blood Moon eclipse. More of her planetary art is available on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Stella Maria Baer Art Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Image: @stellamariabaer on Instagram Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/07/16/stella-maria-baer-space-art/
When you walk into a Robert Lazzarini exhibit, you might get a little dizzy. That’s understandable, considering everything you’re looking at was distorted to the extreme. You know what you think something should look like, but here, that’s not going to happen. Photos sadly don’t do these sculptures justice, because it’s easy to mistake them for digitally altered images. What you’re seeing is an actual, three-dimensional sculpture. Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini Lazzarini morphs everyday items with dimensions we’re familiar with, like telephones, chairs, tools, and musical instruments. These items are built for human use, and we expect them to conform to human dimensions. Lazzarini’s work takes that expectation and throws it out the window. He creates warped versions of these otherwise totally recognizable objects. Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini Robert Lazzarini The result is that, instead of passing by an everyday item, we’re forced to look at it more carefully. We might even find a new way of looking at something we thought we knew. The details in each item are faithfully reproduced, from the buttons on the phone to the features on the skulls. To create the distorted effect, Lazzarini uses a mathematical process to get all of the proportions just right. As you can see in this video, there is no one “correct” way to look at these sculptures; each angle creates a new distortion. Also, Lazzarini’s pieces are all made from the materials the objects would be made from in real life. The violin is made from wood, the skull is made from bone, and the revolver is made from metal and wood. Keeping the materials true to life means that the pieces become even more boggling, as it becomes clear that no manipulation was applied to a completed object. Each sculpture was designed and built to look like this. Lazzarini’s exhibit in the Aldrich Museum of Art also featured slanted walls, further disorienting visitors and taking distortion to the next level. Museo Magazine The walls, which slant at different angles, throw off the visitor’s expectations before they even explore the sculptures. Lazzarini says these sculptures are less about making the object different, but about seeing how far the object’s dimensions can be pushed while still keeping it recognizable. Despite their altered dimensions, the items can still instantly be read. “I start out with a notion of something, and go through a process of peeling away until it’s completely reduced,” he explained in an interview, “whatever that particular object is.” That’s certainly one new way to look at a telephone. Now if only I had a window like that in my home growing up. I would have certainly been much different than I am today. (Via My Modern Met|Museo Magazine) Read more: http://viralnova.com/lazzarinis-distortions/
Millions of people from around the world flock to the finest art museums every year to experience the most incredible pieces that have ever been created. It’s hard to stand unmoved in front of the works of Michelangelo, Dürer, Da Vinci, and Cassatt. It’s hard to deny how seeing a piece like the Mona Lisa in person makes you feel. But people with visual impairments rarely get to partake in these experiences. They never get to analyze Monet’s signature brush strokes, stare into the vast beauty of the Sistine Chapel’s renowned ceiling, or count the swirling stars in Van Gogh’s most famous nighttime scene. It’s a reality that’s as heartbreaking as it is ignored. But one team of artists and digital designers aims to solve that problem with a project called Unseen Art. YouTube / Unseen Art What they’re doing is about to change everything for blind people who want to see the art that’s become part of our cultural consciousness. By using 3-D printing technology, they’re bringing these pieces to life for visually-impaired people to experience in their own unique way. As one spokesperson explains, “Unseen Art is taking two-dimensional master works of visual art into the realm of touch.” YouTube / Unseen Art The team behind this incredible project wants to remedy the fact that so many blind people have never witnessed the art that we often take for granted. Imagine stepping into the Louvre and not being able to experience the Mona Lisa‘s famous smile, even when it’s right in front of you. That’s what they want to change. Designers aim to print some of these works into 3-D figures that can be touched, turning any concept we once had of art viewership on its head. YouTube / Unseen Art One lucky participant got to touch the project’s first prototype of Da Vinci’s most famous lady. “Her nose is quite long,” she laughs, “but the expression is what’s most mysterious. She definitely wasn’t a classic beauty. My fingers are excited!” With the help of volunteers from all over the world, these works can actually be viewed and touched for free. Once the designs are drafted, they can be shared and printed across the globe. YouTube / Unseen Art “We want to bring together the talents of 3-D makers, artists, and visually-impaired people worldwide,” the spokesperson says. “But most importantly of all, we want to share something amazing.” YouTube / Unseen Art For more information, check out their promotional video below: In order to bring Unseen Art to people around the world, these visionaries need our help. To learn more about what you can do to support their mission, head over to their website, and be sure to donate a few dollars if you can on their Indiegogo page. What they’re doing could change the way blind people experience art forever. Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/art-for-the-blind/
