*notcot - , 00:36 -

Blanca Apodaca’s Butterflycore

blanca.jpgLate night inspirations ~ just fell into another one of those random research distractions that the internet so easily sucks me into… this time the starting point was a discussion with Rose (the R of A+R) during the Lucky shoot, and it came up that her sister was a musician and artist, so being curious, did some poking around and came across Blanca Apodaca’s uber page, which then led me to the images of her painting her newest album cover on her dining table - which i happily perused while listening to songs from her new album Butterfly Core (Sugar Painted Valentine is stuck in my head at the moment)… Anyhow, loved the mix of styles in her album cover, it seems to be a fascinating mix of…. hippie - gangsta - colorful trippiness? See more images on the next page —

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*notcot - 08.15.08 , 11:13 -

I Am 8 Bit 2008 - Madness

8bit1.jpg I Am 8-Bit #4 had its opening last night at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery in Hollywood… and although larger venue, the crowd was even MORE insane than last time, the press tables even more chaotic, and the crowd control and speed of getting people in and out was a bit lacking, however the bouncers were incredibly nice… that said, once you got in, the music was thumping, few were dancing, but many were guzzling, as the floor was pretty much coated in spilt beer… and there was much crowding around the incredible array of gamer inspired art work! But my favorite moment of the whole night… the guy who was taking pictures with his PSP! And the window displays, they made great use of the large storefront windows - from random installations with old controllers, to that couple playing arcade games in their underwear, and the street fighter bricks and more… anyhow, i tried to streamline the pics i took to give you an overview of the experience on the next page, and you can view the full unphotoshopped selection in the gallery.

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*notcot - 08.12.08 , 19:31 -

AB5TRAX “Hello George” Toyota Prius Ad

maintoy.jpgWhen an email comes that says “Think Issac Asimov meets the Jetsons” ~ you can’t not click on it. And good thing i did, because the crew at AB5TRAX just sent over their brand new ad spot Hello George, an incredibly moving, beautiful, futuristic animation where George Jetson’s car in a briefcase is… a Toyota Prius!

Here’s what Hunter Woo mentioned in the email, “It was designed, conceived and created all inhouse, we built the 3D in Maya , and modeled the world from real pictures of the earth
from space… I thought it might be a fitting tribute / theme for the other posts dealing with views from space up now.”

See still from the ad on the next page, and watch Hello George here in full sized mode!

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*Sub-Studio - , 06:45 -

WASARA

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I was just floored when I saw WASARA over on Swissmiss’ blog. WASARA is a line of the prettiest disposable paper tableware that you’ve ever seen - I would throw a party just so I could use these. It’s not just paper plates either, it’s bowls, mugs, sushi plates, serving platters…With the desire to be as sustainable as possible, WASARA is made from reed pulp and bagasse (sugarcane waste).

From WASARA’s website: “Underlying the concept of WASARA is the legacy of Japanese aesthetic and value sense. Japan has a tradition of good manufacturing backed by excellent skills and techniques, one of the most refined food cultures in the world, and a spirit of hospitality and courtesy. These are essential for days of spiritual fulfillment. While a WASARA is a paper dish good for one-time use, we would like it to represent those quintessences of our tradition.”

WASARA will be available for purchase at the end of August 2008.

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*notcot - , 02:22 -

Inside Shepard Fairey’s Studio

shepf.jpgOk, so i am still kind of giddy from how awesome it was to meet Shepard Fairey and his studio pretty much blew my mind. To see what type of space other creatives work in is one thing… but to feel like you walked into a gallery filled with history and inspiration and visual food for thought in every detail, well that just floored me. I really need a larger space to spread out and fill the walls ~ how can you NOT be creative surrounded with all of that? For now, i share my wall of inspiration with you as NOTCOT.org, my portable digital version… you will enjoy exploring Shepard Fairey’s studio through the pics on the next page, and since there is so much in the details, i left the high res version for you to click through to.

And for the record, he was one of the kindest, humblest, down to earth folks i’ve met in a while. It was great to see that he still has so much passion for what he does, and gets down right giddy when talking about his new projects (and politics). Also above is a new print that he is releasing on Thursday at noon, Duality of Humanity 3 - if you want one, these things disappear within minutes.

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*notcot - , 01:45 -

Inside Obey Giant + Studio Number One

stud1.jpgInspiring spaces ~ call it studio envy, fascination with creative spaces, growing up seeing the work of Shepard Fairey and his crew on streets not walls… as promised, here’s part 1 of 2 on the little tour of Obey Giant HQ, Studio Number One, and the Subliminal Projects Gallery while i was at Simple Pleasures 01 (Thank you, Yosi and Joycie!) So instead of flooding you with words, just browse through the pics on the next page for my visual tour of their inspiring spaces and things that caught my eye! (and check out the Studio Number One portfolio too!)

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*notcot - 08.10.08 , 03:54 -

Studio Number One’s Simple Pleasures

simplepleasures.jpgPerfect way to spend a saturday? With good friends, old and new, surrounded by inspiration of all forms (zines, art, artists, designers, photographers, musicians)… in the world of OBEY Giant… as magically facilitated by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One, who graciously opened up their parking lot to set the scene for the first Simple Pleasures event, “an on-going series of cultural investigations” - This one was focused on zine culture, and in addition to many booths ~ there was an Obey raffle (5$ got you a tote bag of goodies and a chance to win some limited ed posters) ~ the delicious Green Truck lunch truck (amazing burgers, all organic and local, and runs on biodiesel) ~ bake sale of 1$ tempting sweets ~ and we got to kick back to tunes of the DJ Diabetic (Shepard Fairey) and Daedelus… oh and on mind blowing experiences, i got a tour/sneak peek of the studio space of Studio Number One, a chance to take in all the art and inspiration filling their walls… and even chat with Shepard Fairey in his incredible office (wall to wall art and books and toys)… peek at some upcoming works… and wander the Subliminal Projects Gallery downstairs as well… all in all, a phenomenally inspiring day all around. I can’t wait for Simple Pleasures 02!

Ok, so it’s 4am on a Saturday night, i just got home… and as much as i claim i’ll head right to bed… after i take a peek at my pics… you know me… i can’t help but share them with you before i crash. SO, here’s the compromise… first things first, see the next page to see the experience of Simple Pleasures, and coming soon will be a peek into the Studio Number One and Shepard Fairey’s studios!

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*Sub-Studio - 08.06.08 , 13:51 -

Isay Weinfeld

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Isay Weinfeld is a Brazilian architect who runs a very diverse practice with projects ranging from built work to set design to art and furniture pieces. Clean lines and functionality dominate his work. He seems to be interested in working with a kit of parts to create a new, more interesting product. I love this mobile bar - a series of boxes sized for specific functions with a set of hidden drawers.

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*notcot - 08.01.08 , 10:58 -

Leatherman Argentum 25th Collection

leatherman1.jpg Leatherman is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Argentum Collection ~ an incredible (and pricey) line of limited edition hand-crafted leathermans by world-renowned artist and silversmith Adrian Pallarols. There are 7 pieces in the collection, and The Charge Dorado is $40,000, the Charge Acanto $12,000… and they work their way down to a mere $240 for a little Squirt Lagrima de Luna. See more close ups on the next page, as well as pics of sketches, more info on the artist, and you’ve got to see the video at the Argentum Collection page.

p.s.
chats with a few friends and fellow leatherman loyals… and we all agree so far, we’re not completely sure what the appeal is, but i’m rather fascinated by the juxtaposition of the perfectly engineered with the artisan, 7th generation, craftsman combination… and i do kind of want the Acanto, if only it was a Wave?

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*notcot - 07.22.08 , 16:46 -

NOTCOT Roundup!

notcotorg #12047 notcotorg #12094 notcotorg #12101 notcotorg #12079 notcotorg #12024 notcotorg #12082 notcotorg #12087 notcotorg #12036 notcotorg #12097 notcotorg #12052 notcotorg #12102 notcotorg #12064 notcotorg #12119 notcotorg #12112 notcotorg #12022 notcotorg #12007 notcotorg #12069 notcotorg #12028 notcotorg #12000 notcotorg #12080 notcotorg #11993 notcotorg #11996 notcotorg #12068 notcotorg #12095 notcotorg #11978Click the images to find out more! Here’s a fun mid week roundup of some of the most popular posts on NOTCOT.org in the last week…

*Sub-Studio - 07.17.08 , 05:21 -

Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis

0717ltl1.jpgNOTCOT Note: Here’s another fun one from our resident architect, Anna (Sub-Studio)!

David Lewis of Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis was one of my studio professors back when I was studying architecture at Cornell and he was very influential in the way that I learned how to draw and present information. LTL has perfected the art of multi-media drawing, using computer models to generate the building forms and to create severe, impossible perspectives and sections, and then hand-drawing hyper-detailed drawings which are layered on top of the model. The meticulousness of the drawings is amazing and I love the texture that the pencil provides - the more intense and detailed a section of a drawing, the dirtier it is.

Besides great drawings, LTL also creates really beautiful built spaces that are focused on materials and construction methods. The same attention to detail in their drawings shows up in their built work. I’ve only chosen to include their restaurant work in this post (after the jump), but LTL also has a bunch of great large scale projects and competitions on their website. If you want to see more of their drawn work, you should definitely check out a recently published a book of their work, Opportunistic Architecture, or an older publication, Situation Normal, by P.A. Press.

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*notcot - 07.12.08 , 03:49 -

GIVEAWAY! The Lost Ones

lostones.jpgZune has been a great supporter of the arts with their Zune Arts initiative, and its been incredible to see all of the artists - illustration, 3d, animation, and now graphic artists they have been supporting! The latest project is The Lost Ones: “a graphic novel written by celebrated writer Steve Niles. For the Zune-commissioned novel, Niles was paired up with visual artists Dr. Revolt, Gary Panter, Kime Buzzelli and Morning Breath to take the reader on an epic journey through time and space. Each artist illustrated a different chapter of the novel.” On the next page you can check out a trailer video… i’ve also pulled some of my favorite pages from the novel, as well as the covers of the various chapters.

GIVEAWAY! There are two sets of a special collectors edition of the novel with a silk screened cover and poster waiting for two lucky readers ~ so leave a comment with your favorite on/offline comic and why you love it (by monday night PST) for a chance to win it!

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*notcot - 07.09.08 , 19:05 -

Diesel Sweeties Robot Sneak Peek!

laserbots.jpg Not that you needed another reason to go to Comic-con, but i was just chatting with rstevens of Diesel Sweeties, and he gave me a sneak peek i just HAD to share with you… laser cutter + acrylic + Diesel Sweeties = an adorable robot take over? These are a peek at the first prototypes (don’t worry they will have eyes soon!)… and he also just published the best comic on dating + tetris… see the next page to find out just what the two have in common, as well as more robot pics, and screenshots of a noteworthy ad Zune ad for the new Lost Graphic Novel that i’m envious of! (It has the cutest, subtlest corner flash animation that when rolled over, flips back the page to show the comic!)

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*Sub-Studio - , 12:54 -

Adam Haynes

0709haynes1.jpgNOTCOT Note: I was up till 6am working on the sites, squashing bugs and adding new secret features with dan, and working with linhchi getting new navigation bars (see up top!) across all the sites, and giving in to the “notEmpire” as people have been jokingly calling us for some time now! Also, added NotLabs, for all those miscellaneous side projects! SO, i’m super thrilled that Anna of the fabulous Sub-Studio had my back and prepared this great post for you!

I saw Adam Haynes’ work over at Evasèe recently and love it - love the color palette, the graphic/comic book style illustration, the fantastic industrial subject matter…everything! Adam is based in Bend, OR and has freelanced for a number of impressive clients - Nike, Adidas, Transworld…His website is still somewhat under construction, but you can find a fair bit of his work online. See more of his work on the next page!

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*notcot - 07.03.08 , 18:58 -

Insurgents Wilderness Gruppo Zipper Pulls

zipperrocket.jpgOn the #1 thing i’m looking forward to at Comi-con (is it silly if i day trip to SD just for these?) ~ Rocket World’s Insurgents Wilderness Gruppo ~ super armed yet oh so adorable creatures in the tiniest form yet! As blindbox zipper pulls and parachuters! The Zipper Pull Series will be about 1” tall, and including the original three I.W.G. members, there will also be human skulls, for a total of 17 colorways, two of which will be mystery chase figures! The Airborne Series of parachuters will be about 1.5” tall with high quality parachutes, and a total 15 colorways between the three characters, including TWO mystery chase figures! Anyhow, these are just a peek at what is to come at sdcc this year! More pictures on the next page, as well as pics of the making of…

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