Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2015
Sunday, June 28, 2015
The stone chariot of Hampi India, depicting a elephant drawn carriage (all speculation, but that's what it looks like) from 700 years ago. At the Vittala Temple
In front of the chariot two elephants are positioned as if they are pulling the chariot. In fact these stone elephants were brought from elsewhere and positioned here at a later stage. Originally two horses were carved in that position.
The tails and the rear legs of the horses can be still seen just behind these elephant sculptures. A broken stone ladder once gave access to the sanctum is kept between the elephants.
There was even a dome like superstructure over the chariot. That too is missing now. However you can see them on the first ever photographs of Hampi taken in 1856 by Alexander Greenlaw.
The great Vijayanagara Empire was established in the year 1336 by the two brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama Dynasty. The empire came to be regarded as a culmination of all the struggles of the southern powers for averting the Islamic invasions in late 13th century. Its power started declining after the great defeat in 1356 at the hands of the Deccan sultanates
It is clear that India at the time when Muslim invaders turned towards it (10th to 12th century) was the earth's richest region for its wealth in precious and semi-precious stones, gold and silver, religion and culture, and its fine arts and letters.
Tenth century Hindustan was also far more advanced than its contemporaries in the East and the West for its achievements in the realms of speculative philosophy and scientific theorizing, mathematics and knowledge of nature's workings. ( Europe was suffering through the "dark ages" and Islamic cultural advancement was permanently reversed by some idiot that decided math was against muhammad's plan)
Hindus of the early medieval period were equal to or superior in more things than the Chinese, the Persians (including the Sassanians), the Romans and the Byzantines of the immediate proceeding centuries. Vijayanagar city was bigger than Rome city and one of the richest kingdoms.
The followers of Siva and Vishnu on this subcontinent had created for themselves a society more mentally evolved-joyous and prosperous too-than had been realized by the Jews, Christians, and Muslim monotheists of the time.
Medieval India, until the Islamic invaders destroyed it, was history's most richly imaginative culture and one of the five most advanced civilizations of all times. Hindu culture was at its imaginative best and vigorously creative when the severely-allergic-to-images Muslims entered Hindustan.
Giving proof of the resentment that men belonging to an inferior civilization feel upon encountering a superior civilization of individuals with a more refined culture, Islamic invaders from Arabia and western Asia broke and burned everything beautiful they came across in Hindustan.
After the Muslims destroyed the Hindustan civilization, the Christians created massive poverty in it.
http://www.thehistoryhub.com/hampi-facts-pictures.htm and https://www.facebook.com/ancientoriginsweb/photos/a.595116573862624.1073741825.530869733620642/979775105396767/?type=1&fref=nf
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Joyride/Flatout... Hot Rods and Dream Machines by Dan Quarnstrom. Book review
If you can imagine the Beach Boys "Little Deuce Coupe" playing in you mind, while at a So Cal dragstrip in the mid 60's, with Ed "Big Daddy" Roth in the vendor row selling monster shirts... this book is for you (or just in time for your dad or grand dad who were there!)
It's a rare person who lives the dream, is at the right place at the right time, and meets his heroes. They did not disappoint him.
Dan grew up in California, somewhere near San Francisco, and got to see the Oakland Roadster Show (63-67) when Cushenberry, Barris, Jeffries, and Winfield were unveiling for the first time their great works of show car masterpieces.
He wrote a fan letter to Ed Roth, and got a response, and even talked to him on the phone... that, well damn, that is pretty frickin awesome...
and once while at a mall, saw Brian Wilson, and was fortunate to introduce his son, a Beach Boys music fan, to Brian. Wow.
Dan went from being a young kid inspired by the icons of hot rodding and show car masterpieces, to a bonafide participant in the Revell 2nd Annual National Custom Car Contest, the one judged by Ivo, Shelby, Nancy, Roth and Moon! Not a sideline fan at all! Dan was living the car nut life, high octane, full bore!
And when he grew up... he became an artist! Yeah, that is cool, that's the evolution we all hope for, and Dan made it happen. Grade school text books with flames and pinstripes to the Art Center College of Design graduate!
See how all of this is so similar to what I've been posting?
Well, here are things in common, so if you already like:
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth
Rod and Custom magazines of the early 60's
slingshot dragsters,
A/FXers
Mouse sweaters and t-shirts
Model car kits
Art Center College of Design
and hot rod art...
- you're going to love this book.
Dan made this book become a tribute to family, by incorporating his dads art and influence, as he taught Dan some drawing techniques for getting the tires and wheels to look right, took him to the car shows, and he was both a Boeing machinst on B17 parts and a WW2 soldier.
And I don't just mean the kind you're born with... he illumintates the Roth Industries family of artists and monster designers - Ed Newton, Tom Daniel, and Robert Williams.
Dan even, without realizing I suppose, makes the many connections between the Art Center College of Design and hot rodding, by pointing out the alumni of the ACC that went on to work in the Ed Roth world... as Jack Leynnwood, a WW2 P-38 pilot, and then illustration instructor at the ACC was working at Revell in the peak of the Roth - Revell collaborations and painted the model car box covers for Outlaw and Mysterion!
Plus, Ed Newton was creating the water transfer sticker and t-shirt designs while Ed was making the show cars, and Newton was also a ACC alumni. Look at the connections!
Also, the astute observations Dan has of art (Rod and Custom Sept 1963 cover with Roth's Mysterion is a Mondrian modernism color backdrop to frame the cars)
and that the sponsorship of Don Prudhomme's creation (Revell Snake anad Mongoose) led to him being priced out of drag racing (WHOA! Damn, I hadn't ever realized how true that is!)
Stats
143 pages
all color illustrations, photos, and art
it takes about 2 to 2 and a 1/2 hours to read/look at/enjoy
17 pieces of Ed Roth art
3 photos from the drag races
34 photos from Oakland Roadster Show
13 magazine covers from the golden age of Rod and Custom and Car Craft
6 kit car boxes from Revell or Monogram
How many hot rod book authors also have an IMDB page? Just this one is my guess!
You've enjoyed his work on Escape From Planet Earth and Arthur Christmas for example.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1673477/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
He also was an illustrator for Rolling Stone Magazine and Dan designed the polar bears for Coca Cola!
You can get a look at some pages via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/JOYRIDE-FLATOUT-Rods-Dream-Machines/dp/1933492716
Or different ones at Design Studio Press (who were great as sent me this book to review!) http://designstudiopress.com/product/joyride/
Design Studio Press, where concept art and education meet (I like that motto)
It's a rare person who lives the dream, is at the right place at the right time, and meets his heroes. They did not disappoint him.
Dan grew up in California, somewhere near San Francisco, and got to see the Oakland Roadster Show (63-67) when Cushenberry, Barris, Jeffries, and Winfield were unveiling for the first time their great works of show car masterpieces.
He wrote a fan letter to Ed Roth, and got a response, and even talked to him on the phone... that, well damn, that is pretty frickin awesome...
and once while at a mall, saw Brian Wilson, and was fortunate to introduce his son, a Beach Boys music fan, to Brian. Wow.
Dan went from being a young kid inspired by the icons of hot rodding and show car masterpieces, to a bonafide participant in the Revell 2nd Annual National Custom Car Contest, the one judged by Ivo, Shelby, Nancy, Roth and Moon! Not a sideline fan at all! Dan was living the car nut life, high octane, full bore!
And when he grew up... he became an artist! Yeah, that is cool, that's the evolution we all hope for, and Dan made it happen. Grade school text books with flames and pinstripes to the Art Center College of Design graduate!
See how all of this is so similar to what I've been posting?
Well, here are things in common, so if you already like:
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth
Rod and Custom magazines of the early 60's
slingshot dragsters,
A/FXers
Mouse sweaters and t-shirts
Model car kits
Art Center College of Design
and hot rod art...
- you're going to love this book.
Dan made this book become a tribute to family, by incorporating his dads art and influence, as he taught Dan some drawing techniques for getting the tires and wheels to look right, took him to the car shows, and he was both a Boeing machinst on B17 parts and a WW2 soldier.
And I don't just mean the kind you're born with... he illumintates the Roth Industries family of artists and monster designers - Ed Newton, Tom Daniel, and Robert Williams.
Dan even, without realizing I suppose, makes the many connections between the Art Center College of Design and hot rodding, by pointing out the alumni of the ACC that went on to work in the Ed Roth world... as Jack Leynnwood, a WW2 P-38 pilot, and then illustration instructor at the ACC was working at Revell in the peak of the Roth - Revell collaborations and painted the model car box covers for Outlaw and Mysterion!
Plus, Ed Newton was creating the water transfer sticker and t-shirt designs while Ed was making the show cars, and Newton was also a ACC alumni. Look at the connections!
Also, the astute observations Dan has of art (Rod and Custom Sept 1963 cover with Roth's Mysterion is a Mondrian modernism color backdrop to frame the cars)
and that the sponsorship of Don Prudhomme's creation (Revell Snake anad Mongoose) led to him being priced out of drag racing (WHOA! Damn, I hadn't ever realized how true that is!)
Stats
143 pages
all color illustrations, photos, and art
it takes about 2 to 2 and a 1/2 hours to read/look at/enjoy
17 pieces of Ed Roth art
3 photos from the drag races
34 photos from Oakland Roadster Show
13 magazine covers from the golden age of Rod and Custom and Car Craft
6 kit car boxes from Revell or Monogram
How many hot rod book authors also have an IMDB page? Just this one is my guess!
You've enjoyed his work on Escape From Planet Earth and Arthur Christmas for example.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1673477/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
He also was an illustrator for Rolling Stone Magazine and Dan designed the polar bears for Coca Cola!
You can get a look at some pages via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/JOYRIDE-FLATOUT-Rods-Dream-Machines/dp/1933492716
Or different ones at Design Studio Press (who were great as sent me this book to review!) http://designstudiopress.com/product/joyride/
Design Studio Press, where concept art and education meet (I like that motto)
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
For fans of Miyazaki, Sherlock Holmes, and the brass era vehicles... The Sherlock Hound cartoons of the mid 1980s, a lot of Miyazaki's that I've just learned of, having thought I'd seen all the works of the master. Tremendous thrill to discover previously unknown animation!
before he co-founded Studio Ghibli, and went on to making award-winning films, Miyazaki worked on various kinds of animation for different media and pitched at different levels of seriousness. One of the most notable projects of that chapter of his career transposed the adventures of Sherlock Holmes into a world of anthropomorphic dogs.
The Italian-Japanese co-production Sherlock Hound aired as a television series between 1984 and 1985. Of its 26 episodes, which sent the corgi Sherlock Hound and terrier Doctor Watson after a variety of thieves and on all sorts of adventures across a steampunk London, Miyazaki directed six.
In the Miyazaki-directed episode “Treasure Under the Sea” for instance, the detecting duo go after a submarine purloined by recurring antagonist of both Holmes and Hound, Professor Moriarty, who here takes the form of a wolf. “The Sovereign Gold Coins” finds Hound and Watson in pursuit of that seemingly more traditional stripe of criminal known as a safecracker, and in “Mrs. Hudson is Taken Hostage,” their landlady (who seems considerably more youthful in Miyazaki’s vision than the matron in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s) goes missing, though her kidnapper badly underestimates the difficulty of pulling off his plan under Hound’s watch.
Miyazaki would direct three more episodes (“The Stormy Getaway,” “The Crown of Mazalin,” and “The Four Signatures”) before a rights dispute with Conan Doyle’s estate threw a wrench into production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKsFURf7C18&list=ELJ7W8YJE1z_8 for the 1st season
Learned of it from http://www.openculture.com/2015/05/hayao-miyazakis-sherlock-hound.html
the coolest thing I've seen all week, VW Heritage has this display in their showroom, thanks to Andy! Marketing Manager at VW Heritage
Kudos to Andy! In just moments after I found the Facebook page, and send out a blind request for photos of this display, he had taken all these photos and sent them back! Ain't that the coolest!
https://www.vwheritage.com/
47 Dolphin Road,
Shoreham-By-Sea,
West Sussex,
England BN43 6PB
Monday, June 22, 2015
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Von Dutch signpainting... I wonder if any of it still exists. He did the signs at Bud Ekins place
I think this was in Car Craft magazine
Coolest album art I've seen in a long time, More Grip, by Sidestepper
And using the Champion spark plug logo look? Clever
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