A Futuristic Snow White by Meghan Boehman

"The 3rd in my Snow White series. This shows the Huntsman, under orders from the evil queen, leading Snow White into the woods to cut out her heart."

I'm always very happy to discover talented new artists and Ms. Boehman has me doubly so since she's focused so much of her portfolio's attention on the fairy tale of the year, Snow White (though she first posted them in mid 2011). Her interpretation, however, is a very different from what we usually see and provides a somewhat unusual lens for the story. 

From her profile HERE:

I am a college student studying Film and Animation at Rochester Institute of Technology. I love to paint on Photoshop and I especially enjoy fantastical or futuristic designs. While I hope to pursue a career in animation, painting and design work will always be my passion.

As a student, Ms. Boehman is already proving someone we should keep an eye on. (I particularly like her The Huntsman piece.) I do hope that, as she continues along the path to professional artist that she considers painting different versions of other fairy tales too.

"The second in a series of 3 futuristic Snow White paintings. This depicts the evil queen in front of the enchanted mirror." 

It's no secret Snow White is a favorite tale of mine and has been since I was little. It's also no secret that for all its faults I also still very much love Disney's version as well, though that also has to do with it's milestones in art in film. But yes, even so I've quite had it with all the Disneyfied versions of the tale (which are diluted in the extreme even from Disney's version if you stop and compare) and the sweet, sweet Snow Whites churned out since that are completely passive, guileless and guiltless (something which I never saw, not even in the Disney version - but that's a whole other post..).

If for no other reason, this is the reason I've been so interested in the film Snow White and the Huntsman, because it's (finally!) breaking this social mindset people seem to have of SW and of the fairy tale. It's during these times, when people are for once taking a real look at this character and seeing her potential and how much she relates to them as a real person, that works of art that have been doing just that for so long, finally get noticed. As such, this is a perfect time for Ms. Boehman to have her art seen - because it will "be seen" in the real sense. I wish her every success.

"This is the first of a series of 3 that I did of the fairy tale "Snow White". It depicts Snow White in her glass case as the prince first discovers her. I used this opportunity to reinvent the fairy tale by challenging myself with a futuristic design, something I had never attempted before."

You can see more of Meghan Boehman's work at the CG Society HERE and she also has work for sale in her Etsy store, "The Seven Dwarves", HERE.

The Mythic, Magical and Endearing Art of Andy Kehoe

All Turns to Brilliance - Andy Kehoe

Artwork made before the world ends. Paintings also double as radiation protection for the nuclear winter and some can be eaten like beef jerky.

Onward Again My Friend by Andy Kehoe

Roamer of Reverie by Andy Kehoe

This is the introduction to Andy Kehoe's work for 2012 on his website.

For 2011 it was this:

Paintings best enjoyed with smile on face and bourbon in non-mouse hand. When possible, fill room with the smell of burnt gun powder and bacon. At least four gas lanterns recommended for lighting. Legs can either be crossed or uncrossed. Remove Shoes.Thank you.Management 

Affinity to Unfamiliar Worlds by Andy Kehoe

With such introductions to his art, along with a blog titled: Tall Tales of Depravity - The place to be for Kehoe matters and whisky fist fights, it's clear this Pittsburgh artist doesn't take himself too seriously (we approve!), despite that his work is beautiful, mythic, simply stunning and yes endearing (or should that be en-deer-ing?). I think the title of the work at the head of the post says it well: "All Turns To Brilliance".

Together at the Threshold by Andy Kehoe (created 2012 for his fiancé)

It does seem that there is something very special about Mr. Kehoe's work. Even in his earlier pieces you can see a particular style and sensibility that suggests we live with fantasy, if only we had the eyes to see it (as he apparently does).  In 2011 that sensibility blossomed even further with a richness in colors and what seemed to be additional dimensional depth in his paintings.

A Fading Farewell by Andy Kehoe

I've noticed certain trends on Pinterest among fans of fairy tales and one of those are men, women, children, creatures and other beings with antlers. Fairy tale images of woodland beings with horns and antlers of various sizes populate fairy tale themed boards consistently, as do forest with sentient looking deer. I don't think this is coincidence.

On the Banks of Broken Worlds by Andy Kehoe

There is something royal yet wild, gentle yet dangerous, commanding yet connected, natural yet "other" about deer. Fawns, doe, stags, hinds with antlers, golden-antlers, white harts, brother deer and horned gods as well as those of the Wild Hunt and all their half-breed fae brethren easily capture our attention in fairy tales and often appear in fairy tale illustrations, even when there is no specific reference to one in the corresponding text. A stag doesn't need to transform into a man to have a sense of magic, he carries it with him.

In Marie-Luise von Franz's book, The Interpretation of Fairy Tales she discusses the primal reaction we have to the image of deer in tales and the importance of the majestic stags being able to shed their antler crowns, so as to grow new horns. She says: "The shedding of the antlers is probably the natural basis for all the mythological transformation attributes of the deer. In medieval medicine, the bone in the heart of the deer was thought to be beneficial for heart trouble."

A Moment of Respite by Andy Kehoe

Here's a larger quote from the same chapter, Shadow, Anima and Animus:

Whether or not it was his intention, these aspects - both the fascination and the dread - are definitely communicated in Mr. Kehoe's work.

When I see so many people across the web and in Pinterest - especially those who have an interest in myth and fairy tale - gathering images of deer and antlered beings it's clear this sense of wonder with such is just as strong today as it ever was. In fact there are so many comments, from very different people and many different backgrounds, that say the same thing: "I wish I had a pair of antlers!"*

Grief and Glory by Andy Kehoe

The antlered and horned creatures in Mr. Kehoe's work bring a sense of connecting us personally to something of Wonder. I don't know how he captures it but the blend of wild and familiar, of both the playful and the melancholy, of a personal magic and at the same time a vast world of wonder; all these qualities pervade his paintings.

Under the Gaze of the Glorious by Andy Kehoe

I'm glad he's sharing the pictures in his mind. Some of them look familiar, but only because I'm sure I've seen some of these beings in my dreams.

Lord of Ghouls - Arise Feral Night, Roq La Rue by Andy Kehoe

Go, enjoy, support and tell him "More, more! The end of the world gets closer every day!" ;)

Andy Kehoe's website and portfolio are HERE, his blog is HERE, he's on Twitter HERE and he also has an Etsy store HERE, where you can purchase a little magic to keep for yourself (and perhaps help fund one of his numerous wedding ideas such as having "a small rowboat full of explosives and fireworks floating in the middle of the pond to be ignited with a fiery arrow the moment we both say, "I do." I have zero clues as to why that idea was shot down... ;)

*One very interesting image collection doing the rounds on Pinterest shows a wedding party taking fun photos as they're holding antlers to their heads. Despite the fun, there is something that elicits an "Ooh!" or "Awesome!" response from so many people, including, I must admit, myself. Perhaps it's just that, for all it's simplicity it's still rather Wonder-ful.

Release Day: "Snow White and the Huntsman"

Snow White and the Huntsman is officially in theaters!

Today is the day and this is the big weekend that will have movie executives everywhere poised in making their fairy tale movie/series decisions for the immediate future. Let's hope, for the sake of fairy tales everywhere, that this film is the fairest of them all - in the business sense at the very least (although I'd dearly love to just see a truly fantastic mainstream fairy tale film).

Rather than repost all the shots you've seen before I thought it might be nice to concentrate on something we haven't seen a whole lot of in the movies promotion; that is, The Enchanted Forest. (And yes, it does appear that there is quite a Willow influence but I also agree that's not a bad thing - not at all.)

For those who want the links to all things SWATH here are a few to get you going:

• The main website
• The interactive trailer (click on the screen during play & you'll be guided to galleries, more clips & other tidbits - this is worth looking at)
• The interactive storybook App
• Costume designer, Colleen Atwood's inspiration Pinterest boards for: The Queen and The Dwarves 
• Great article on the costumes HERE and a beautiful slideshow detailing the costumes HERE
• The official Facebook page
• The official Twitter account
• Details on the soundtrack
• On-the-set videos
• MTV's sneak peek and exclusive Q&A videos from May 29th
• A SWATH "Pop-Up Gallery" event on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles through to June 3rd, featuring a mural painted on a 12ft mirror by internationally renowned artist MEAR (see larger version of image at right & making of video at the link) and Colleen Atwood's costumes designs (I dearly wish I could see this)
• iO9 has seven sneak-peek video clips of teeny green pixies and broken glass people, among other things for an extra injection of fantasy film fun (I mentioned the Willow influence, right? For fantasy fans it's most definitely a good thing.)

And here's a smattering of early reviews (beware of spoiler possibilities in these!):

• Roger Ebert's review (3.5 stars out of 4)
• Huffington Post's review
• The Hollywood Reporter's review

One thing all of these (and other less notorious review sources) seem to agree on is that it's beautiful to the point of, at times, visually stunning (and that includes the non-favorable reviews). I'm very curious to see what the public overall think.

Interview Magazine, on newstands June 5th, features Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron on the cover as well as a goth glam photoshoot and lengthy interview of them both. You can see the photos from the shoot HERE, though they're not at all fairy tale related. This excerpt from Ms. Stewart's part of the interview sheds a little light on why she was drawn to the character of Snow White:

"There's so much that Snow White has been deprived of in terms of having the proper time to really develop and hone who she is. She's put in jail at the beginning of her life, so she's a stunted person. She has a really idealized concept of what the world is, and how people should live, and how wonderful things all can be, and there is this debilitating isolation that she feels because she has been locked away in a little cell for seven years. And I can kind of relate to that. There is something . . . It's not the reason that I wanted to do the movie, but the fans and people who loved Twilight, they do put you on this sort of different plane where you're not real," explains Stewart on getting to live the role of Snow White.

In the meantime, first reports are proving mostly favorable and positive, even with regard to Kristen Stewart playing her role, which so many have been (justifiably IMO) concerned about. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the symbolism is laid in through the costumes, sets, props and especially how they handle telling the familiar story. 

I detect a "Legend" moment!

I must admit, though, the one non-fairy tale aspect that has me curious: How are they going to make Kristen Stewart be "fairest" (ie obviously more so than Charlize Theron) without going down the 'Queen reverts to/shrivels to old crone' fallback? 

What aspects are you most curious about with regard to how they handled the fairy tale?

French poster for Snow White and the Huntsman

Note: I don't know why but the poster at the head of this blog post doesn't look professionally done to me. Very odd.

Spineless Classics

Spineless Classics have one of those unique products and services that, once you've seen, you have to wonder: why hasn't anyone done that before? I'd seen a few of these posters but didn't realize they also made puzzles and postcards.

Created by Carl Pappenheim, the aptly named Spineless Classics take the full texts of classic novels and arranges them into "single paper designs". Beautiful at a distance, the designs are also legible close up. 

Here is the postcard set, which I would happily receive as a gift... ;)

The brainchild of Carl Pappenheim, the idea came to him by accident one year when he was too broke to splash out on expensive Christmas gifts. Despite his financial constraints, he wanted to give his mother a present with meaning.  

Detail from Peter Pan poster

Having watched "architectural drawings roll off the presses at a friend's printing company", he figured that he could fit 100,000 words (and his mother's favorite novel) on each poster-size sheet. The reaction to the resultant poster led to the creation of the company, and posters are now available as far a field as New Zealand.  

 He explains some of the process in an interview with ejunkie HERE. Here's an excerpt: 

Would you like to describe the creative work process involved in creating these posters?
I mostly have a large team of magic elves working around the clock with very tiny movable type. However, when they're on holiday I use computer software. Often the worst part is first, cleaning and preparing digital versions of books, before importing them onto a blank page to see roughly how much space we have to play with. Then I'll try a few rough ideas, maybe do some Internet searches to get the creative juices flowing before sketching in detail. I've only recently started hiring people to do the illustrations; in the past it's all been my work. Finally comes the hardest part, making sure that I don't have hyphenated words split across white spaces, and trying to positing chapter headings in places that make sense. The power of the designs, I think, is in the fact that they stand up to close scrutiny. I don't just bang them out after hours with no regard for the details. 

(Sources HERE & HERE)

These posters aren't cheap (they run about $80 to over $300 and I'm not sure about commissions) but you must admit they are beautiful! I love the postcard tales set, though they would be doubly perfect if they came with a special magnifying glass. What book would you have made into wall art?

Ribbonesia's Animal Ribbon Art

Is it fairy tale related - yes!

OK, not directly but it feels very fairy tale-y so I had to share. :) I can see these being used in fairy tale productions, in photo shoots and to give fairy tale gifts.

Here's a little info, courtesy of Anthology Magazine:

In 2008, after working for a long time as a painter and illustrator, artist Baku Maeda decided to experiment with ribbon and other soft materials to try to capture the expression and character of various types of animals. Baku continues to create new animals and design variations, and the Ribbonesia creative team now includes six individuals, including the artist. 

No two pieces are exactly alike, and they are all stunning—certainly an reminder of how any material can be made into something remarkable, in the hands of an artist. To see more pieces and learn more about the studio, visit the Ribbonesia blog.

These lovely bows by Japanese company Ribbonesia are so beautifully crafted.. you don't need a gift inside the box!

Here's a closer look at a few. They look really classy here:

It appears they can tackle any form, no matter how complicated. Check out their 2012 Dragon ribbon sculpture:

They have quite a large variety (which isn't immediately obvious when you see the website). Have a look at the displays below:

Apparently sample boxes are available (for stores?) but they would make lovely little treasures on their own.

They're also advertised as being accessories: from unusual hat adornments to lapel pins.

They look lovely as wall art too:

I only wish I could read Japanese to let you know about the originators and artists involved but rather than copy a bad Babelfish translation I'll let you go to the website and have a look for yourself. I can, however, show you a couple of pictures of the talented team:

I also recommend hunting around the various sections of the website to see tons more pictures of ribbon animals, events and the artists at work. I believe they are all handmade (!) and that Ribbonesia is currently looking for interested people to take on the craft and expand the business.

It certainly seems like the business is quickly becoming successful! Check out the fronts and window display of this department (I think) store.

They even have workshops for people to go and learn how to craft various ribbon animals, especially birds (look at the variety below). From what I can gather, it's not an easy task for the average person to reproduce most of the designs.

They're available for purchase HERE.

You can get company and product updates via Twitter for updates too.

My wish list just keeps getting longer and longer...

Originally found via SuperPunch.