During the World War I era, modern young women in America were seeking new roles of equality and opportunity in education and work. American illustrator and writer Nell Brinkley was iconic for her representations during the period. She redefined femininity, fashion and trends in many ways in era before mass media - when print was…
Continue reading ➞ Exotic Ads of the Past: Golden Eyes and Her Hero Bill Over There
Aotearoa has a rich and varied history of folk legends and urban myths in addition to the rich history of Maori myth and legend. The Heading Dog Who Split in Half collects these half-realised dreams together with stunningly beautiful graphics. This book makes for engaging and captivating reading experience for readers of all ages. The…
Continue reading ➞ Book Review: The Heading Dog That Split in Half by Brown and Tait
* Contains no plot spoilers This is a fun, glamorous, art-heist caper in anime. If that makes sense. Directed by Slovenian Milorad Krstić, it features tiny love letters to his home country in the finer details of the film. And this is a film of beautifully rendered and amusing details. The animation is just awe-inspiring…
Hong Kong artist Cheryl Young's illustrated world of cosy, anime streetscapes feature an endless cascade of hamsters - because there can never be too many. Her art is so chilled out it deserves its own special genre of music. Content Catnip recently caught up with Cheryl for a chat about her charming and endearing art, anime and illustrations and the inspiration behind them.
Content Catnip recently interviewed established Portuguese artist Eleonor Piteira. She once wanted to be an astronaut as a child, but instead has allowed her imagination to wander all over the galaxy through her striking an beautiful art, impressing people like director Guillermo del Toro along the way...
I came across this lovely graffiti on a wall outside of a shop in Harajuku. Although you should also see this exquisite collection of quilts that was captured by Jonelle Patrick. The Japanese have an aesthetic sense that is far superior to most other places, I think. Lovely graffiti in Harajuku © Content Catnip 2018…
Continue reading ➞ Every picture tells a story: Harajuku girls go all freaky
On a recent trip to Japan I took mountains of footage. Advertising is totally out of this world and so I created this homage to Japanese ads, on trains, JR stations, the streets and so on. I created these gifs with colour distortion to properly convey the feelings you have in situ. Initially, after a…
This surfy, ultra chill and slightly magical island was more amazing than we imagined.
Hieroglyphics, circa 1800 This delightful print entitled Hieroglyphics dates from circa 1800 and was created by the London-based publisher Samuel William Fores in the aquatint style. We can see the composite portraits of four professions: a florist, writer, musician, and barber — their features made up entirely from the tools of their trades. Such composite…
Continue reading ➞ History: You are what you do – olden times tradespeople and their tools
This collection of funny and witty animal fables was originally published in 1842 in French as Scènes de la vie privée et publique des animaux. The authors of these fables are a who's who of literature in the mid 19th-century including Honoré de Balzac, George Sand. Also The Private Lives of Animals boasts some fine,…
Pania is the legendary Kaitiaki (guardian/protector) of the reef in local Maori legend and her wairua (spirit) is connected strongly to the moana (ocean) close by to the town of Napier. Legend has it that Pania was a shimmering and iridescently beautiful maiden who lives in the sea and following a human encounter and a broken…
Continue reading ➞ The Maori legend of Pania: Kaitiaki and taniwha of the reef, retold as street art
Imagine if you will, a delightful and timeless book of wisdom that fits into the palm of the hand or your handbag. A hardback that looks at first inconspicuous and unimportant. And yet on opening this book you will unlock a treasury of wisdom that's beautifully illustrated on high quality paper. One Year Wiser by…
Continue reading ➞ Book Review: One Year Wiser by Mike Medaglia
This etching by a Reddit artist called JDrift01 reminds me of the Google Deep Dream generator which ran amok on the internet about 2 years ago. Suddenly the online world was jammed with ten eyed dogs and sushi that had faces on it. Infact this art reminds me of a post from a few years…
Continue reading ➞ Every Picture Tells a Story: A Surreal Midnight Dream
The world's mother tongues have blended and intermingled since humans first stood upright and emerged out of the primeval forests. Here's a really awesome family tree beautifully illustrated by Minna Sundberg. Minna is an immensely talented illustrator who has been creating a wonderful tales set in northern Europe for her online web comic Stand Still,…
Continue reading ➞ A history of the world’s languages as a gnarly willow tree
Gemma Correll is the high priestess of wry, cute and amusing cartoons that are compassionate to women's bodily woes and emotional complexities. Her cartoons are sweet, sassy and charming and I'm totally in love with them. Also she's an aquarius, an INFJ and pretty much loves all the same things I do, so I have a…
The design and aesthetic of Eastern Europe was really beautiful. Product labels and film posters of the mid-20th Century, like these fruit box labels of Australia are optimistic, bright and speak volumes about the artistry of the people who made them. The modernist and colourful aesthetic is incredibly timeless. Subject matter for posters and product labels…
Continue reading ➞ Matchbloc: Czechoslovakian matchbox art from the mid 20th century
You may not be aware, but there's a plethora of sub-reddit pages that await your discovery. They feature the collective output of the wild imaginations of creative Reddit users. These people are both professional and amateur artists who contribute the most stunning and mind-bending illustrations and bring into this world the wild imaginings of fantasy,…
You may not be aware, but there's a plethora of sub-reddit pages that await your discovery. They feature the collective output of the wild imaginations of creative Reddit users. These people are both professional and amateur artists who contribute the most stunning and mind-bending illustrations and bring into this world the wild imaginings of fantasy,…
You may not be aware, but there's a plethora of sub-reddit pages that await your discovery. They feature the collective output of the wild imaginations of creative Reddit users. These people are both professional and amateur artists who contribute the most stunning and mind-bending illustrations and bring into this world the wild imaginings of fantasy,…
You may not be aware, but there's a plethora of sub-reddit pages that await your discovery. They feature the collective output of the wild imaginations of creative Reddit users. These people are both professional and amateur artists who contribute the most stunning and mind-bending illustrations and bring into this world the wild imaginings of fantasy,…
