Interview with Deanne Cheuk
by Until recently, Australian-born, New York based designer and illustrator Deanne Cheuk was the creative force behind the stunning and progressive visuals in art and culture magazine Tokion. We spoke to her recently about her eclectic work schedule. Many people know you through your art direction of Tokion. You really pushed things on that magazine. It must have been fun to work on? ‘It was great, especially to come from a history of self-publishing. I didn’t have to deal with the stress of funding and content, I just got to have fun with the design and typography. I was really bored of the design of other magazines at the time, and I felt like there was a lot of opportunity to do something different, so I just went with it. As far as pushing things visually — at the time I was developing my illustration style too so that really influenced the design of Tokion’. What projects have you been working on this past year? ‘I’ve been working with the fashion designer Sue Stemp on prints for her collections, and also working in my studio on new paintings and drawings in preparation for an art road trip to China in October with Jose Parla, Ro Starr and Young Kim’. Ever pine for the beaches and fresh air of Perth? ‘Never. I pine for my family and friends there, but I don’t miss Australia. I love New York!’ What state of mind do you need to be in order to really create something special? ‘I usually work on a few jobs at a time but I spend as much time as I can on each before I move to the next. Ideas generally come for one job while working on another. I guess my mind is wandering while I work. Maybe that’s why I can’t work with music on — I like to work in silence’. What was the last piece of work by another illustrator or designer that totally blew your mind? ‘I just saw the cover of Beautiful Decay the other day that Alex Trochut did, I thought that was incredible!’ [read Deanne Cheuk's posts for Lost At E Minor] [ more about Deanne Cheuk]
Tagged: Australian designers, black and white illustrations, Deanne Cheuk, New York designers, portraits
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Deanne Cheuk on her latest projects
We checked in with sometime Lost At E Minor contributor and all the time brilliant designer and illustrator, Deanne Cheuk, and asked her what had been keeping her busy of late: ‘I’m curating an issue of Theme magazine; designing some prints for Sue Stemp and Something; and working on new drawings for a show in January 2010 at the Monster Children Gallery in Sydney. In terms of the next big project I have coming up, I have sunglasses that I designed with Colab coming out later this year. Yay!’
Some beautiful illustration work from Tim Lee — sensual, moody yet unerringly optimistic, they are little story-book tapestries of another time and place. Read more
I love art that scares me a little. Erica Eyres somehow manages to make subtly unnerving drawings of distorted figures using nothing more than a ballpoint pen and a piece of paper. She renders shockingly realistic hair, yet skews the proportions and features of her subjects, exaggerating their expressions and making them look monstrous.
Also by ZOLTON
Filmmaker creates LEGO stop motion to propose to girlfriend
Now, this is one for the ages: back in 2010, Atlanta film-maker Walter Thompson created a jaw-dropping LEGO stop motion to propose to Nealey Dozier, his girlfriend of four years. The video took 22 hours of shooting and some 2,600 pictures to splice together, a small sacrifice to pay for years of happiness together. Right? Right! Oh, and she said yes. Bonus.
Paul Marcinkowski tattoos an infographic on his body
Polish artist Paul Marcinkowski has turned his body into a walking infographic. All in the name of art, of course. The tattoo features a number of trivial, and not so trvial facts: including that 45 million Americans have tattoos. Read more
Iconic artwork recreated using Barbie Dolls
I love the brashness of this ongoing series, Poupée Barbie, by French artist Jocelyn Grivaud, created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the doll that (most) every girl grew up with. Grivaud has pulled stills from iconic movies, paintings and photos, casting Barbie as the star in a statement about her seemingly timeless relevance. Read more
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Sao Paulo based artist Fernanda Guedes is a great admirer of that beautiful party crowd that goes out every night to dance like there’s no tomorrow: ‘These night owls are eager to make a statement through their attitudes, clothes, make up and ultimately, the places they go to. It is a fascinating theme for an artist’, she says. To know what is hot at the clubs around the world, she searched the internet for the best party photo coverage, which provided her with a insidery look into this exuberant realm, inhabited by kings, queens, princess, clowns and a lot of frogs and ogres. They are all are portrayed in this series of forty illustrations, made with cheap materials such as markers and fluorescent and metallic pens. Read more
Typewriter art is nothing new, but Keria Rathbone has a really dynamic style all her own, and the fact that the days of the typewriter are dwindling, it’s impressive she can still find all the parts and ink for her work. Read more
Australian group Pivot have recently signed with the mighty Warp label and — even better (well, for us anyway) — have written a fun Secret Playlist for us. You can see where the many disparate influences have seeped into their latest recording, the beautiful and colourful, O Soundtrack My Heart.
Only in Japan? Well, maybe. Though Oklahoma may be a close second on the radar. Apparently, in this time of recession, Japanese men have taken rather fondly to inanimate objects rather than the real thing as a less expensive way to, err, fulfill their needs. Well, ok, each to their own, so long as their own is made from rubber and latex. Read more
In the wake of America’s historic presidential election, nearly two years of divisive campaigning, and eight years of a controversial administration, the nation is in desperate need of healing. Beloved Internet personality Ze Frank started From 58 to 42 with Love where contributors use their webcams to post messages reaching out to the side of the country that didn’t vote for their guy. It’s saccharine at times, and there are one or two borderline nasty posts from people that don’t seem completely onboard with the project’s objective. But overall, it’s pretty effective and moving. I’ll admit I needed a couple tissues while reading it.
The Duchesses recently sent us a copy of their latest EP, By Morning, released in April at the Excelsior Hotel in Sydney. The atmospheric four-track cuts through the usual noise and delivers a rhythmic mix of guitars, beats and vocals. It has our Newcastle office surging (singing?) through the dark lows and the hopeful highs. Read more
Now I know what you’re thinking. This Australian summer you’re going to see the wayfarer style ripped-off and ruined by flouro festival wearers all over the country. But these babies aren’t just for show. Handmade by one of Italy’s most prestigious factories, using Zeiss lenses, they’re a far cry from the flimsy market numbers you’ll catch the masses wearing. Read more
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Francoise Nielly’s Yellow series
Parisian visual artist Francoise Nielly brings technicolour to the forefront in her latest series, Yellow. Featuring thick impasto palette knife strokes and trippy neon hues, Nielly captures the vulnerable expressions of her muses to a tee. Read more
Christoph Niemann illustrates a nightmare flight
New York Times illustrator Christoph Niemann has created a brilliant visual diary outlining the peril and pitfalls that beset the everyday passenger based on his recent experience flying from New York to his home town of Berlin. Read more
The return of the Brionvega rr226
Italian brand Brionvega has resurrected the classy Radiofonografio piece first created in 1965. The updated version is just like the original turntable/radio unit, but also has a CD/DVD player.
Benjamin Edminston’s psychedelic heads seem to have some fearful wisdom behind their blissed-out eyes. Read more
Baltimore Mural by Josh Van Horne
My friend Josh Van Horne, a local Baltimore artist, did this amazing mural in our neighborhood that depicts the history of this warehouse-laden area.
Each one of these Bracelaces by Itunube is turned into an elegant drawing on the skin using different kinds of lace combined with leather, metal components and glass beads. They are just US$25 in the Lost At E Minor store. Read more
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Grobi White said | 7 November, 2007
Great stuff! Love this illustrations!