Category Archives: inspiration

The Pikaland Gift Guide for All Seasons: part 6

giftguide Howdy folks! For part 6 of the gift guide, I’m taking a bit of break from books (although you can see it’s not a 100%) to show you what other fun stuff that’s perfect as gifts for all seasons. This list is a little off-beat, quirky and it’s made up of things I know a creative would love. While I know that Christmas may be the biggest gift season ever, but a surprise gift anytime of the year makes the heart grow fonder (this is definitely from my own experience!) Enjoy! [separator][/separator]

Dita Series Pocket Notebooks by Mossery

mossery From their description:

These special edition Pocket Notebooks was illustrated by Avinindita Nura from Bandung Indonesia, sold in a set of 3: School Kids, Daily Life and Dance Floor.

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The Best People Love Cats & Dogs print by Dick Vincent

dick Need I say more? Printed on 300gsm evolution stock, available here. [separator][/separator]

The Fantastic Fox backpack by littleoddforest

lof This backpack is fabulous for guys and girls, and was inspired by the Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. It’s made to order though, but perfect for the foxy someone in your life. Available here. [separator][/separator]

Make your own stag/reindeer full mask by Wintercroft

wintercroft The instant PDF download for this mask is great for last minute gifts – although assembly on your own will take approximately 3-4 hours. Time to get out your rulers, cardboard and scissors for a gift that’s truly handmade. More animal masks available too from Wintercroft, and this set is available here. [separator][/separator]

To-do notepad by boygirlparty

boygirlparty Writing things down never gets old – and my books are usually filled with to-do lists. If you like yours neat and organised, get this fun notepad by Susie Ghahremani to keep your list in check. Available here. [separator][/separator]

Living Things Series by Little Otsu combo pack

littleotsu I’ve been crushing on these art zines made by Little Otsu, and they have a combo pack available! Great for satisfying your illustration munchies and to get your juices flowing as each book has different artists each explore one idea based around the theme of living things. Get yours here. [separator][/separator]

Paints short shirt by Masha Reva x SNDCT

sndct I love clothes that are fun and bright. These collections – as a result of Ukranian brand’s SNDCT ongoing collaborations with artists and designers – will surely make you stand out in style. Available here. [separator][/separator]

3D Girls vase by Leah Goren

leah Hand built white stoneware vase with allover 3D girl heads by Leah Goren. Conversation starters? You bet. Available here. [separator][/separator]

Paper Mobile Kit by Faye Moorhouse

faye These funny looking people (and animals) are prints are from original gouache illustrations – seven in all – printed on heavy stock paper, punched and ready to hang. Some assembly is required, but that’s all part of the fun! Available here. [separator][/separator]

Pocket manfriends by Nicola Rowlands

manfriends My husband always mentions to me that he’d like to carry me in his pocket. Not because I’m little or anything, but because I’m entertaining (I think). I bet he’s never heard of Nicola’s pocket manfriends though – they’re really much more pocketable, and I bet they won’t keep asking him for food. Available here. [separator][/separator] We’re almost coming to the end of the 2014 gift guide – so stay tuned for our final instalments! For the entire gift guide, check out this link!

The Pikaland Gift Guide for All Seasons part 2

giftguide

Welcome to part 2 of our all season gift guide! Today we’re going to look at more zines published by artists and illustrators and I hope you’re in the mood for more (a lot, lot more!) as we look at unique, self-published or small press publications that you wouldn’t normally find in bookstores. Here we go!

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The Crowd in my Head by Gaelle Lalonde

Gaelle Lalonde

Gaelle Lalonde

 

From Gaelle’s description:

This book started as an experiment about books as art objects, conducted over a year ago, in which I wanted to make a book into a toy. The result is an accordion book that no matter how you fold it always creates a new image, or new creature. 

Available in a limited edition of 50, which you can get right here.

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Everything You Didn’t Ask for by Tom Pappalardo

Tom Pappalardo

Tom Pappalardo

 

From Tom’s description:

Everything You Didn’t Ask For: Comics and Stories By Tom Pappalardo is my best-of comic collection, spanning twenty years of writing and comic publishing. Poster designs, illustrations, and other artwork fill the spaces in between. This is the real cream of the crop, boy howdy, you’d better believe it. Tons of good stuff from this site, plus more stuff previously published elsewhere.

The book is 164 pages long and is available right here.

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Good Witch/Bad Witch by Elena Kalorkoti

Elena Kalorkoti

 

Elena Kalorkoti

From Elena’s description:

Good Witch/Bad Witch is an illustrated zine full of witches going about their day-to-day lives; conjuring, teleporting, exploring outer space, watering the garden. If you like mystical powers and angular haircuts this is the zine for you.

The zine is 20 pages, with black and white insides and you can get it over here.

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Magpie Magpie by Matt Huynh

Matt Huynh Matt Huynh

 

From Matt’s description:

An Australian Gothic haunted house story of abandoned lovers in a deserted land. Morgan, with little left to lose, kidnaps his own daughter and flees town with his mistress. When they are separated in a storm, he’s forced to take shelter in an abandoned hotel where he is greeted by the suspicious generosity of a lovelorn stranger trapped in a purgatory of re-lived gestures and memories of a long departed lover.

He has more books over here.

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 Waiting Rooms by Teiera

Teiera Teiera

This 80 pages book is made by twelve illustrators who tells their stories in 5 pages. Featuring the works of Akvile Magicdust, Cristina Spano, Giulia Sagramola, Ilaria Falorsi, Inma Lorente, Jim Stoten, Jose JAJAJA, Matteo Berton, Nicolo Pellizzon, Pia Valentinis, Sarah Mazzetti and Zosia Dwierzawska.

Get yours here.

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Paper Pencil Life by Summer Pierre

Summer Pierre

Summer Pierre

I love Summer Pierre’s work and her latest zine (a two-parter) is a comic that’s about parenting, daily work, life, time, happiness, grief, and change.

It’s 48-pages, black and white and available over here.

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OM – The Chorus by Andy Barron

Andy Barron

 

Andy Barron draws comics and cartoons based in the world of OM.

10 pages, in full color and available here.

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Imaginary Fronds by Sarah McNeil and Ashley Ronning

fronds fronds2

From their description:

Imaginary Fronds by Sarah McNeil and Ashley Ronning is the follow up to Plant Feelings. Unlike its brighter, chirpier sibling, Imaginary Fronds is a little more dark and wintery. Mushrooms, hands in the soil, seeking shelter, hidden growth, bushfires, secrets.

It’s a first edition of 500 copies, hand numbered, 30 pages and available here.

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Updated Report of Observations which Somehow Seem toReflect Abstractly on Life by Sarah McNeil

sarah Sarah McNeil

I have the first version of this zine (Statistical Analysis of The Thing that Happen but Don’t Matter and Everything Else) and I enjoy looking at facts and data – perhaps you do too! Here’s what Sarah has to say about this second issue:

After a few years, reading over my first zine, I find that things have changed. Not incredibly, but things are noticeably different if you look at the stats. Also, it’s a way of me saying things I want to say but never find it appropriate to bring them up in conversation.

It’s 28 pages and available here.

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A is for Art by John Fidler

John Fidler

John Fidler

 

From John’s description:

This booklet is designed to help those people who say they can’t draw. In it you will find an incredibly simple yet powerful method that will enable you to create easily recognisable images. Everything in this booklet starts out as a letter ‘A’, or slight variation thereof. So, if you can write a letter A, you can draw!

14 pages in black and white and available here.

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Well there you have it – this wraps up part 2 of the gift guide! Stay tuned for the next one! 🙂

Book review: Draw Paint Print Like the Great Artists

Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists

Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists

Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists

 

Marion Deuchars has done it again. In 2011 I reviewed her book Let’s Make Some Great Art (review here) and it was a unique book which made me squeal with delight when I peeled open its pages back then. In her latest book, Draw Paint Print Like the Great Artists, she reprises the original concept of inviting the reader (or in this case, the artist) to dabble their fingers into some paint and let loose in between the pages of her book.

Of course I still squealed all the same when I got her latest book (because it’s just so PRETTY!) You’d think that books that were meant for kids aged 8 – 12 wouldn’t have garnered the reaction I had, but still, there’s something to be said about books that make you all excited; you don’t see too many of them often enough.

Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists

 

In this book, Marion expanded on one of the themes of her first book – taking on inspirations from artists such as Klimt, Matisse, Warhol and Miró and coming out with creative prompts that allows to learn about the artists through play. While I noticed that there wasn’t a proper table of contents to show which artists were being featured, I was happy to find the list of artists at the back of the book, complete with a mini bio to boot! There’s 18 artists in all, so there’s a good variety of styles for you (or your little one) to try out.

I don’t think that this book is just suitable for kids however; as doing so would be a missed opportunity for other artists out there who are struggling with finding new ways of working. I think that this is a great book for any one at any age – whether you’re artistically inclined or not. Marion has done a wonderful job of making art accessible, using everyday language and humanising the artists featured that it makes one feel hopeful of being one themselves. And even if they don’t, at least they’ll have a great time exploring (or re-exploring) the world of art while they’re at it.

You can get a copy of the book here (via Amazon) and if you’re not sure how it all looks like inside the book, I made a video of its insides:

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