I find that Arab designs—specially mosaics—have a very strong connection with pixel and vector art. It’s intricacies, repeated patterns, changes in scale, flat surfaces and colors, etc are all characteristics of a trend of design that focuses on stylized iconic design
The Pattern In Islamic Art site has a great collection of photos and design where these internal geometries are deconstructed.
Today is the anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday. He would be 207 today.
Maira Kalman is both writer and illustrator and a great example of the mixing the word and the image in one single artwork.
[It’s] better if you don’t know about something before trying to do it. This blew my mind, since I’m used to learning it all and being perfect before even getting started, which is (obviously) nonsense. Perfectionists know what Im talking about.
—Maira Kalman
David Hockney’s recent work is really inspiring. Like Bowie he is not ready to let his best years behind him. This 2012 book of him is great: David Hockney: A Bigger Picture
These are two examples from the book of Hockney mixing the word and the picture or making the word be the picture:
This self-portrait is inspired in the strict guidelines of the photographs required for the US immigration visas and green card1. I remember reading the instructions and obsessing over them when I was first applying for the green card lottery years ago.
The design is based on the actual template that the US government has on their website.
I added a few more guides to the original. All my illustrations are heavily based on basic, geometric shapes, so the US guidelines were a perfect fit. At some point I even thought about doing an extreme version of the template with dozens of guides to reproduce the inner geometry of the self-portrait as it can be seen in the wireframe version:
Last night we had a show and this artwork was there, and so was I. Here is this (meta)photo to add to the list of different levels of representation and symbols of symbols.
Your photo is a vital part of your Green Card application.
You must submit two identical color photographs of yourself taken within the last 6 months of the filing of this application. The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group format. The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed. To learn more, review the guidelines on how to provide a suitable photo.
Please be advised that Failure to comply with any of the following requirements may result in disqualification.”
