Pocatiki out now

It was a good working day, so again I've got

brand new designs out now on Society6

*so excited* ^^ ^^

NEW Colors available!!

Visit my Society6 Shop

for even more Items, like Shirts, Pillows, Bags, Mugs, Rugs and naturally: Prints and Canvases! ^^ Let me know what's your Favourite! ^^

WeekenTIKI ~signs, signs, everywhere signs!

Here's some long overdue Tiki Culture updating! Okay,... updating might not be quite the right word, regarding the vintage origin of Tiki Pop culture. But I'm happy to see so many people still being totally into that cult and style and keeping it alive! This is a collection of some of my favorite signage design of Tiki bars and hotels found mainly via Pinterest.

sources include:
Critiki.com ; Roger Wilkerson' tumblr ; the tikiroom.com forum ; flickriver ; Alicia Hanson's flickr ;
Tikilicious' tumblr ; Tammy Rybaczyk-Barron's pinterest

Announcing: ARCHIthursday ^-^ ~ Dragspelhuset by "24h"

the DRAGSPELHUSET by 24h architects via Architizer

Being a student of Architecture I'm constantly surrounded by sources of spacial inspiration. Maybe everybody is, but not everyone is trained to recognize architectural design in detail, because buildings around us are taken for granted.
From now on I'll try to bring you some of the most inspiring and amazing architectures to a point here every week... to share with you the fascination I feel for the art of building(s). ;)

As a starter here's a video about the "Accordion House" or "Dragspelhuset" by Dutch bureau 24h architects
VIDEO:

http://www.veeds.org/2013/08/21/Ziehharmonika-Haus-in-Suedschweden/

(I'm sorry for non German speakers, but it's definitely worth watching even if you don't understand a word!=)

This house first caught my attention a few years ago, when I saw photos of the interior, which showed the complex shape and cavern-like curves and irregularities. The walls give the impression of a wood-shingle covered bear cave. Especially because a layer of animal pelts is attached for maximum coziness. ^-^

The house is actually an extention to an existing cabin. It was supposed to fit in it's environment without the attitude of presenting itself as of great importance. The beautiful cedar shingles were mounted by hand. Time, sun and weather give them a patina which fits in perfectly to the surrounding forest landscape.

The most innovative part though, is that this house is extendable, like an accordion. It has a built in mechanism, that allows to draw one part of the building further out, so the interior space increases!

via Architizer

For more pictures and details, please read more after the break ;)

mondayMAKINGS #5 ~3D Chair design & rendering~

Maybe you didn't notice it, but last week the mondayMAKINGS had to be skipped. =/
Having some exams in college next week, I'm kinda busy I have to admit...

But today I'll give out a quick post nonetheless. The following picture is a simple rendering exercise I did for a Cinema4D course about 2 years ago. It was all 3d-built, formed, textured, lighted and rendered with Cinema4D R11.
Hardest part was forming the cushions, so they look as if someone sat on the chair before... but it was fun!
I love working with C4D. Visualizations are my favourite part of working on an architecture design. ^^

midweekMINDFUEL ~ Young-Ha KIM: "Be an artist, right now." ~

Today I want to share someone's words with you, that I believe should be heard by anyone who ever felt the slightest hint of creativity-craving inside their souls. . . but hesitated to live it out loud.

Kim Young-Ha (Kim is the surname, which in Korean - as well as Japanese - usually precedes the first name)  is a Korean novelist, who has an outstanding talent in vivid storytelling and engages in encouraging children and everyone else, too, to believe in their artistic vocation and let their fantasy and imagination strive. . .

His talk on the TED conference gives an insight in the possibilities of cultivating arts and boosting (hidden?) talents in everyone of us. And he does it in a really humorous way! ;)

Only a few quotes of his site at TED's

“We are all born artists. . . . Almost everything kids do is art.”

“The magic question is, ‘What for?’ But art is not for anything. Art is the ultimate goal.”

 

But you should better listen by yourself. . .

 

 

Wood needs to be naked...

     Some days ago I cracked my teapot, having the freshly boiled water spilled all over our kitchen counter. Worse things happen of course, since it was just water, BUT our counter is of barely treated (we oiled it roughly just once) beechwood. It soaks water quite fast and already has lots of coves, rifts and stains. That reminded me on how urgently we wanted to fix that kitchen problem - but somehow I don't really want to. I like that used look it has gotten.
    Flaws here and there, patina and purity... don't you think, too, that this gives the material a certain honesty and more corporeal, palpable feeling of reality?
I know there're options to conserve woods, without influencing their natural look too much.
But still, I wanna see my wood counter live and wither. ;)

Impermanence is so much more exciting than pretended immortality!

   These are some adorable examples of patina-permitted wood used in Interiors.

via The Yellow Door Paperie

via The Persuit Aesthetic

by Rikki Tikki via Schoener-Wohnen.de

via Schöner Wohnen.de

Leaf Umbrellas

Leaf from below...as seen on Indiana Public Media

Orang-Utan in the rain - found on Mongabay.com

In this ever more futuristic, technical-based and digitally controlled world we live in, isn't it revitalizing
to discover some more nature inspired design, that speaks to our archaic instincts and comforts some
of our deeply rooted needs...?
Like taking shelter.
In fact this might be one of THE most natural and basic instincts, that applies to all sentient beings!
Be it for rain or sun or to hide from predators, even animals use tools for taking shelter.

And humans surely did that since their earliest states of appearance on this earth.

Found on dftvpress.org

taken from dailypicksandflicks.com

 

 

 

 

So how about some Leaf-like designed Umbrellas today?! =)

The first one you might already know.
Droog Design presented the Shadylace Parasol, designed by Dutch Designer Chris Kabel a few years ago. On the big Interior Fair "immCologne" 2010 I had the pleasure to stand under it and enjoy the wonderful shadow plays it produces around you.
It's among the Top Sellers on Droog's site, still costs 235€.
One day I'll purchase one of these...hopefully. ;)
Oh, don't overlook the sweet birdie figure attached on top! =D

SHADYLACE PARASOL

This next one here - shared by my favourite painter artist JOSH KEYES on his Facebook page - is responsible for this post in the first place.
Oh, that reminds me on how urgently I need to write apost about Josh's work!!!
Stay tuned for that, or go find out yourself - that man's got a wicked talent!

from Third Drawer Down

I bid on this here on ebay.de, but unfortunately didn't win the auction =,( *snif*

from The Sign Maker

designed by Shinmura DesignOffice

I think this one's my favourite! Not just printed, but sewed on leaves!

Galleria Palm Tree Folding Umbrella by Outblush

found on Polyvore

sold out they say...what a pity! =/ - from Shade USA

by Ella Doran - Kensington Umbrella

these are only shaped as one leaf, but still nice! ^^ - found on Rakutan Global Market

this here goes even more natural:

the Banana Leaf Umbrella

Tiki Mugs galore!

    It might be more obvious than I like it to be, that I got my name from something, not from birth. I'm just totally into Tiki-style and Polynesian Pop Lifestyle and used to run around with a self-printed shirt with some Tikis on it in college. So they started calling me that way, which admittedly I grew very fond and proud of.

   If you wonder what that "Tiki" actually means, here's a Wiki quote:

Tiki refers to large wood and stone carvings of humanoid forms in Central Eastern Polynesian cultures of the Pacific Ocean. The term is also used in Māori mythology where Tiki is the first man, created by either Tūmatauenga or Tāne. He found the first woman, Marikoriko, in a pond – she seduced him and he became the father of Hine-kau-ataata. In the Māori language, the word "tiki" was the name given to large wooden carvings in roughly human shape, although this is a somewhat archaic usage. The carvings often serve to mark the boundaries of sacred or significant sites.....

   For quite a while I'm trying to sketch my own Tiki for a logo or some other personalized use.  But I still can't decide which style to pick. - I LOVE THEM ALL! ;)

   Nevertheless I just found another site, where they show a huge collection of tiki mugs. They come in all shapes and sizes! I wish I had money to purchase some... But maybe it would even be cooler to sculpture my own version... hm,... that's a thought worth working out further...

But for now, here are some favourites from Surfcitytiki (presented on Ooga-Mooga)

Beachcomber Cafe Tiki Mug

Ku Ku Kachoo Retirement Edition

Forbidden Island Tiki Mug II Brown

Kaoha

Kon Tiki Tucson Milan Guanko Face Mug

Mondo Maori Tiki Mug Green

Sam's Seafood Maori Mug

Gecko Shot

Harvey's Lake Tahoe Bucket Mug

Das erste DaWanda-Buch ist da!

   YAY!! Here it is! Finally, a book from DaWanda!

Kreativ mit DaWanda

   DaWanda?! - What's Dawand?!--- if this question pops into your mind, let me tell you it's SO worth learning the answer! ;)
I cite their FAQ Website here:

"DaWanda is a marketplace where you can buy unique, customised and handmade products made by talented people, and sell your own creations. It also functions as a meeting place for artists, designers and creative individuals, buyers and sellers alike. On DaWanda, you can find out about the creative minds behind the items for sale, compare notes with other members, comment on products, be inspired by great design and share ideas and experiences in the blogs and forum.
Plus on DaWanda you can find a huge selection of handcrafting supplies (fabric, beads, accessories etc.)
And since Summer 2009 we have also included a category for vintage products us. For us, vintage means: unique ‘Products with Love’, which are at least 20 years old."

   Those of you knowing ETSY, will have a déja-vu on DaWanda, but that's sure a great thing! Never enough Handmade goods out there! =)
I have my little virtual booth at that platform, too. THough at the very moment there's only one item online... I promise to work on that!

   Well, to the point:
DaWanda published a book! And I SOOOO need to get it!
For the time being it's only in german I think, but I must spread the word and promote it, because it surely is worth even just for the pictures of items! ;)