Little Artist

Today at the Kindergarten I saw a drawing hanging on the wall. My son drew his governess in a hammock between two trees at the beach. I like it.

Appreciating a gift more than 25 years later

Currently I´m drawing/painting some ideas for a cover illustration of the new book by Markus Hediger. Actually my talent is sketching or ink drawings but for this cover, I somehow had the urge to try out Watercolors.

So yesterday off I went to an art store to buy a small set of these colors. I had planned on buying a little black Schminke* watercolor set. My dad had given me one of these when I was 6 years old. I never knew how to use them and painted with them the same way like I did with children´s Watercolors. And I still don´t know how to use colors with a brush properly and using the colors delicately.
But when I had a look at all these lovely Watercolor sets at the art store I just couldn´t buy one of the Schminke sets. They are very expensive (I never knew and now I appreciate it, that my father gave me the set when I was a little girl).

Just for trying out watercolors and maybe not using them again, I went for the Winsor & Newton´s Cotman Sketcher's Pocket Box Set. It was the cheapest and the lightest. Maybe one day (hopefully) I will have understood how these colors work and you will see me running around outside with the sketchbook and the colors.
The Sketcher's Pocket Box Set is conveniently small, consisting of a sturdy, plastic box containing 12 half-pans of Cotman Watercolors and a pocket Scepter brush. It includes the colors Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, Ultramarine, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Cobalt Blue Hue, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red Pale Hue, Sap Green, Burnt Umber, Alizarin Crimson, Viridian Hue, and Chinese White.

*Schmincke has a reputation for using only the highest-quality natural gums, water-soluble resins, and pigments. For example, the company uses only Kordofan Gum Arabic from the southern Sahara region, and distinguishes between good and bad harvests or "vintages" of this natural resin as it selects its raw materials.

Paint or Die but Love Me

I just love this table.
Table design project by John Nouanesing… (via who killed bambi?)

Tales Of Mere Existence "Procrastination"

Seems too familiar to me - unfortunately! But I´m getting better...

"I figured if I was stupid enough to try to become an artist, I'd at least be smart enough to work inexpensively, because to be an artist is usually to sigh up for a life of poverty." (by Levni Yilmaz)

You can subscribe to more films and comics at Levni´s website Ingredient X Entertainment.

First Day at School

Yesterday (Thursday) was our daughter´s first day at school. Benjamin and I went with her to school for 3 hours and then we enjoyed a wonderful lunch and a visit to the Kinder- und Jugendmuseum München (childrens´museum).



Wonderful small classes with 16 kids:

Benjamin and Aaliyah in front of the synagogue (which is right next to the school in the center of Munich):


Cooking at the museum:

She (and we too!) really enjoyed her first day at school. I wish her the best and that she can still keep her purple-colored glasses on for a while.

Schultüte (School Cone) - Part 2

The past nights have been sleepless again, making the Schultüte (School Cone), baking and cooking for a friend´s wedding, completing molys, etc. but I´m glad my daughter appreciated the hours of work I put into her school cone.

"Mom, its´the most beautiful cone of the world." :)

The contents:

My addition to Emma´s Moly_x_6

I´m done with Emma´s Moly and will send it off on Friday to her. (Tomorrow is my daughter´s first day of school and I won´t find the time to go to the post office.)
I have always loved Babushkas but never really saw them in Emma´s pictures. I always considered them to be "cute little monsters". But when David mentioned it in his post, I wondered why I hadn´t seen the obvious. Anyway, I´m not quite satisfied with my addition to this wonderful moly. I´ll try better next round.
Another 3 of the 5 moleskines to do for the Moly Exchange groups, and I´ll be back on track.

Update:
Wohoo! I just realized this is the first one which has completed its round once. That is great. It will be off to the owner and then will start another round.

Schultüte (School Cone)

"When children in Germany set off for their first day in school upon entering first grade, their parents and/or grandparents present them with a big cardboard cone, prettily decorated and filled with toys, chocolate, candies, school supplies, and various other goodies. It is given to children to make this anxiously awaited first day of school a little bit sweeter." (wikipedia.com)

This is my daughters Schultüte and I need to get this decorated tonight! Any creative ideas? I´d rather fill my moleskines. ;)

Update: Here are the results.

Fantasy Filmfest is over

Last Tuesday and Wednesday I watched the last 4 movies at the Fantasy Filmfest. Somehow I´ve got enough of blood and corpses for at least a few weeks (until the Asia Filmfest starts in October). ;)
If I had to favor one of these movies, I would recommend watching "Just another Love Story". The Danish movie was one of the highlights at the Fantasy Filmfest in Germany and I was pleasantly surprised. Different to many of the other movies, this one actually had a good story, surprising twists and good actors. And best of all: The ending is great!
So Casey, in case you want to watch a good suspenseful movie, then watch this one. (There isn´t too much blood involved either! ;) )


Just Another Love Story

Jonas´ life takes an unexpected twist when he inadvertently causes a woman to crash her car and go into a coma. When she comes out of her coma her memory has vanished. Due to a mix-up she and her family believe that Jonas is in fact Sebastian, her boyfriend. Jonas pretends to be Sebastian. But one day the truth comes knocking at the door.
“Developing into an obscene, twisted romance, the story remains powerful (...) turning into a shocking, nerve-racking riddle played out with a brutal relish for the grotesque in the final part.” (Electric Sheep)
Watch the trailer on YouTube.


The Midnight Meat Train

A New York photographer hunts down a serial killer. The movie is based on Clive Barker's short story "Midnight Meat Train".
“Director Ryuhei (VERSUS) Kitamura tackles Barker with blood-soaked bravado, making MEAT TRAIN the most visually-stunning horror film in years (...) Through a perfect marriage of prosthetics and CGI, Kitamura unleashes some of the most outrageous and inventive kills to ever hit the screen: Victims are sliced, diced, bludgeoned, hacked, and smashed in several shocking jump-out-of-your-seat moments (how this got away with an R-rating is mind-boggling).” (Dread Central)
Watch the trailer on YouTube.


Acolytes

Three teens blackmail a serial killer.
"In this dead serious chiller set in the suburbs and forest of Australian Queensland, three high school students are excited to stumble across a corpse and pinpoint the murderer: the perfect chance to get rid of that creep Gary Parker, who has bullied two of them over and over?! Blackmailing a killer into offing a bully? Unfortunately, serial killers’ minds usually operate differently from those of somewhat sane teenagers." (Fantasy Filmfest)
Watch the trailer YouTube.


The Chaser

Joong-ho is a former detective (now pimp) in financial trouble as several of his girls have disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by the same client.
“What THE CHASER brings to the table is a potent combination of a “you gotta grab-your-armchair” like intense script and performances from the entire cast that is worthy of “encore!” chants. The movie is directed by newcomer Hong-jin Na, a name that will likely become much better known in the coming months.” (Lunapark 6)
Watch the trailer YouTube.

Featured in the City Link Magazine (USA)

Some time ago the portrait I drew of Rama (the founder of the Portrait Party) was featured in the web tech section of the City Link magazine*. Yesterday I finally received 3 copies from the States. Michael Hall, the Art Director of City Link Magazine sent them to a friend and Mim was so kind to forward them to me. Thanks Mim and Michael! Makes me happy.




* "City Link is South Florida's premier youth culture magazine, with a weekly readership of more than 140,000 readers spread from West Palm Beach to North Dade County."

Now I need someone to explain me what "Pump whores" are! Any ideas?

Shuttle & Mirrors (Fantasy Filmfest)

Yesterday Benjamin and I watched another two movies at the Fantasy Filmfest: "Shuttle" and "Mirrors". "Mirrors" was the better movie, but actually there is no need to see either of them.
So 4 more movies tonight and tomorrow and then the Fantasy Filmfest is over. I guess I´ve seen enough horror movies for this year. It must be me getting older. Somehow I do not enjoy this kind of movies as much as I used to. (But I´m still impressed about the movie "Downloading Nancy".)

Shuttle
A late night airport shuttle ride home descends into darkness.

“Parts of the audience may find themselves somewhere bloodier and more disturbing than they expected to end up. But first-time director Edward Anderson balances what could have been a lowbrow slasher with a glacial tone that never relents and leads hardened horror fans to a stomach-churning conclusion.” Austin Chronicle

Mirrors
An ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

"Ex-cop turned night security guard Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland) discovers a horrific secret hiding behind the mirrors of an old department store. Checking your hairdo in a looking-glass will feel different after Alexandre Aja’s (HIGH TENSION, THE HILLS HAVE EYES) latest oeuvre, a forceful U.S.-remake of the Korean movie INTO THE MIRROR." (www.fantasyfilmfest.com)

Lee´s Moly

I´m finally done with Lee´s Moly and sent it off to Joyce today morning. Of all the 4 Moly Exchange groups, this one has been the biggest challenge for me. I have great difficulties adding art to delicate and wonderful drawings like Lisa´s and Martha´s scenery. But now that I´m finally done with it, I´m okay with the results.
I continued Lisa´s landscape in light colors in the background and drew a colorful tree in the foreground.

Another Journal released into the Wild

After sending off a journal for the 1001 journals project, I unexpectedly sent off another one today. Paulina is leaving Munich tomorrow to visit Paris, Bordeaux, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Zurich und Salzburg. As she liked the idea of sending out journals into the world, I started a new one today and met with her at the Marienplatz to pass on the journal. I´m curious to hear whom and where she´ll pass the little book on to. It´s theme is "My Secrets". I revealed two of them in the pages, but I won´t post them here. ;)

The journal:

The first page with the rules:
The journal is leaving with the blonde lady in red:

The Brøken & Downloading Nancy (Highlight!!)

Yesterday Benjamin and I watched two movies at the Fantasy Filmfest. First "The Brøken", a suspenseful movie, which reminded me a bit of "The Invasion" and later "Downloading Nancy".
"Downloading Nancy" is a great (though controversial) movie. The film stars Maria Bello as an unhappy wife whose online search for someone to put her out of her misery results in a torturous love affair. I think I have rarely seen someone play as good as Maria Bello. She played an emotionally and physically hurt woman and did that so well, that my heart was aching when I left the movie. (Benjamin´s too btw.) IMO the movie shows one of the best kissing scenes I have seen. The scene is wonderful and after the kiss Nancy says, "I wish I could have felt that" (which breaks your heart even more).

"Synopsis

When Albert Stockwell comes home from work one day he finds a note from his wife of 15 years, Nancy, saying she has gone to see friends. It is a lie.

After waiting several days, Albert realizes that his wife is missing. Nancy has met her salvation on the Internet in the form of Louis Farley. Louis's life, like Nancy's, has become a twisted quest for redemption via smutty chat rooms and alternative websites. Both wounded and alone, Nancy and Louis take comfort in one another through email, pictures and promises.

With Louis, Nancy goes to a different place, one of liberation and fulfillment. Its a location where pain is pleasure and where the end is the beginning. While she pursues the freedom that she feels will only come with ultimate liberation, Albert is left to put the pieces together and try to salvage what is left." (from http://www.downloadingnancythemovie.com)

Watch the trailer here. Co-starring Jason Patric, Rufus Sewell, and Amy Brenneman.

Eden Lake

I missed the opening movie of the Fantasy Filmfest (September 3 - 10, 2008) yesterday as it was sold out. At least they screened the movie late at night too.
In "Eden Lake" a couple gets harassed by local youths and the situation turns into a living nightmare. The movie keeps getting worse and I could have used someone sitting next to me, so I wouldn´t have had to jump at the unknown neighbor all the time. At one scene he even got up and said that he would get another beer and return after the horrible. He couldn´t take it anymore.

“EDEN LAKE lulls you in the beginning, then sends you through a complete nightmare before a totally unexpected ending. It’s horrifying and credible in a way few genre movies are.” James Watkins, director EDEN LAKE

I´m off to the next two movies tonight!

Moleskinerie

One of the moleskines (of which I´m a member too) of the Moleskine Exchange groups got mentioned again by another blog. This time by moleskinerie, my favorite blog about Moleskines. Actually I´m not surprised though, as this moleskine exchange is one of the best so far.

The Final Days of George W. Bush

R. Kikuo Johnson illustrated an article by Peter Barker in the New York Times on the last days of George W. Bush’s presidency. The Ephemerist calls it pretty "accurate stuff".

R. Kikuo Johnson

Looking Forward With the end of President Bush’s time in office approaching, the news media — and most of the public — seem to have already moved on. (nytimes.com)

(via The Ephemerist)