David Lynch's Hair as (Actual) Art

First of all, David Lynch's hair is ALREADY a work of art, so these comparisons are just gilding the hair lily.

That said, Starry Night and the Japanese woodcut wave are pretty uncanny.

Jimmy Chen via Kottke

Field Trips for Exploring LA Design

The schedule for Exploring LA Design has been set, check out the designers and studios the class will be visiting!

(image from Andrew Byrom's website)

Saturday, April 2nd, 10am
Introductory meeting with instructor Michael Dooley
1010 Westwood, Room 415

Saturday, April 2nd, 11:30/noon
Michael Doret, Proprietor
Michael Doret Graphic Design + Alphabet Soup
http://www.michaeldoret.com/

Saturday, April 9th, 10am
Greg Berman, Co-Founder and Director
Sargent & Berman Inc.
http://sargentberman.com/

Saturday, April 9th, 11:30/noon
Dominick Ricci, Associate and Senior Brand Designer Gensler
http://www.gensler.com/

Saturday, April 16th, 10am
John Clark, Founder and Director
Looking
http://www.lookingla.com/

Saturday, April 16th, 11:30/noon
Paul Rogers, Illustrator
Drawger
http://drawger.com/paulrogers/

Saturday, April 30th, 10am
Andrew Byrom, Principal
Andrew Byrom Graphic/Typeface Design
http://www.andrewbyrom.com/

Saturday, April 30th, 11:30/noon
David Lai, CEO and Creative Director
Hello Design
http://www.hellodesign.com/

Saturday, May 7th, 10am
Reid Thompson, Creative Director
Troika Design Group
http://www.troika.tv/

Saturday, May 7th, 11:30/noon
Rob and Christian Clayton, Artists
http://www.claytonbrothers.com/

Saturday, May 14th, 10am
Carol Kono-Noble, Senior Designer
Wong, Doody, Crandall, Wiener
http://wdcw.com

Saturday, May 14th, 11:30/noon
Rachel Elnar, Partner and Interactive Director
Ramp Creative+Design
http://rampcreative.com

Forcible, Random Comments

The Random Comment Book would improve any social situation, really, but I think it would be best at big, slightly-awkward family gatherings, like Thanksgiving. "What, Aunt Rita? You're mad about the price of gas? And asiago cheese is currently glued to your thighs? Fascinating!"

Also, first dates! There usually comes a time when random comments are preferable to actual, verbal comments.





Design by James Obriant, via Laughingsquid

Exhibit Redesign Tour of "Age of Mammals"

The design program's AIGA student group is leading what looks like a fun tour of the Natural History Museum's newly redesigned Age of Mammals exhibition. AIGA members and Extension students are welcomed to attend.

The tour is tomorrow - you can RSVP through our Extension Facebook page.

For more details, visit The White Boards.

Instructor Interview: Kelly Williams

Since joining us in the art history program last year, Kelly Williams has been leading hands-on workshops on illuminated manuscripts. If that subject conjures up vague memories from high school but not much else, read on to learn more about the art form and how yesterday's illuminated manuscripts may have inspired today's comic books.

If you're interested in viewing these artworks in person and then trying your hand at making your own, Kelly's winter class would be a great opportunity.

What exactly are illuminated manuscripts, and what interests you about them?

Illuminated Manuscripts are books that include text, illustrated initials, borders and illustrations, all hand written and painted. Pages in these books often feature additional decorations using real gold and silver, and they are just gorgeous! I'm interested in illuminated manuscripts because each book is like it's own treasure chest, filled with dozens of individual works of art. Through illuminated manuscripts, we can not only trace the rise of portraiture and landscape painting, but also find humor in hidden illustrations in the borders.

How are these manuscripts like modern day comics? How are they different?

Modern day comics borrow many narrative techniques from medieval manuscripts-- artists can tell a story with out without words that the reader can follow using sequencing or other clues. Both use repeated characters in a sequence of events or singular action-shots to raise drama. Comics today are bigger, brighter, and exist on many platforms, leaping off the page into movies and live-action characters. Because of the abundance of media and advertising in today's society, a contemporary comic book fan might look at an 16th century illuminated story and find it very tame! In fact, many manuscripts in their time were considered quite racy (come to the class and I'll show you an example or two!)


What is something people might not realize about this art form?

Unlike bookmaking processes used today, it took several days, several craftsmen and several animals to make every single page. Preparators, gilders, scribes, illuminators, and binders worked together in a factory-like process. Animal skin had to be conditioned and cut, gilders pounded gold coins to make decorative leaf, assistants hand ground paint pigments using plants, animals, even bugs, and illuminators used brushes with a single bristle to capture tiny details in a story... the whole ordeal was a time consuming, and fascinating process.

What can students expect to take away from this class?

Students in this class will have an opportunity to explore manuscripts within three contexts: the classroom, the museum, and the studio. First, we'll investigate how these books were made and compare them to today's comic manufacture. Participants will also get a private tour and drawing session in the Getty's newest manuscript exhibition. Finally, each student will be able to create his or her own illuminated page using the same techniques the masters used hundreds of years ago-- even egg tempera!

(images are of instructor Kelly Williams).