Illustration / Kristian Olson
Kristian Olson’s illustrations look like Magic Eye posters that have come to life as marauding, fractal-shooting creatures from Technicolor hell.

Tagged: portraits
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Marton Schoeller’s Portraits of Female Bodybuilders
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Trapped in a time warp between then and now, the work of Brandt Peters combines an old school aesthetic with a modernity bordering on futuristic fantasy, with a touch of morbid fascination thrown in for good measure. In other words, he creates wonderful imagery combining cartoon-like pin-ups with sometimes freakish attributes (large skulled beings, for instance), and every now and then seems to throw in a nod to sci-fi — such as a mechanical glass jar — for good measure. Muted tones replace the bawdy colours often associated with such mediums, giving his pieces a whimsical, dream like quality. He must live in a delightfully wispy world.
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Back in the ’90s, just as the gangsta rap phenomenon was winding down and hip-hop was fragmenting into its own subgenres, Prince Paul and RZA kicked off the short-lived horrorcore fad with their group Gravediggaz. At the time, the melding of dark, gothic themes with hardboiled rap seemed gimmicky and awkward, a strange extension of the early and awful attempts to bridge hip-hop and metal, but on closer listen, the now defunct supergroup was way more innovative than they were given credit for. Using horror imagery, crazed and off-kilter rapping styles, and genuinely creepy beats to describe life on the streets, Gravediggaz created innovative, complex, expressive music that was macabre yet socially conscious.
As Internet-savvy as President-Elect Obama is, I wonder if he’s played the hilarious flash game, Super Obama World, a Super Mario-esque spoof in which Obama must defeat lipstick-sporting pigs and money-hungry lobbyists roaming around the icy tundras of Alaska while collecting flag pins.
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Australian jewellery label Peas, Corn and Tomato Sauce produces a range of one-of-a-kind jewellery made from items including busted vinyl, burnt and dismembered plastic dolls, chess pieces, and toys including army men, monsters and cowboys and Indians. Each piece is unique, hand-made and comes with a guarantee to start conversations wherever you go. Come over to the Lost At E Minor store and grab one now for $33. Read more
Though most know Max Bode as an art director over at the ubiquitous New Yorker, he is in fact quite an illustrator. Creating bright, clean illustrations, in a style at times reminiscent of old video games and cartoons, Bode work is a real treat, especially when stumbling across one of his illustrations in the New Yorker.
I’ve had bloodsuckers on the mind lately, which is better than having them on the neck. But that’s a different story altogether, and not one I want to contemplate on this windswept Brooklyn evening with the moon hanging low and the faintest quiver of mid-Fall chill sending all little creatures scrurrying for the shelter of their urban brick palaces. Read more
DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.
Sometimes we need an ad to remind us of what’s important. Normal is beautiful. Keep our oceans alive. Vote. Be more fearless. The Whitehouse Post is an international post-production company whose projects are damn fine. In fact, they are the scary mix of wit and aesthetics that makes any message convincing. Long live Coca-Cola.
Tyr are a great Viking metal band from the Faroe Islands, a tiny nation between Greenland and the British Islands. They sing in Faroese, Danish, and English, crafting amazingly catchy songs inspired by Dream Theater, mid-era Metallica, and Black Sabbath.
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Scott said | 20 December, 2007
Kristians work is amazing. He works digitally but it has never felt computery… its very organic looking … being an artist/designer myself i have no idea how he manages so many layers and such complex arrangements (and manages to keep his sanity - hey, maybe he doesnt and thats part of why he is so good!). His often muted and limited color pallets and attention to insane detail have always impressed me. Ive had the pleasure of meeting him and he’s as down as they come… very cool dude.