the earth issue | n째3
EDITORS NOTE: With this issue, we progress another step into our Elements series and examine artwork orientated around the theme of Earth. By including artists working with a wide variety of mediums and techniques we bring to you a unique selection of exciting and stimulating imagery, artwork sourced from around the world, that we have found both interesting and inspiring. Issue 3 also contains an interview with the intricate and incredibly detailed illustrator, DZO. Alongside this we give you an insight into the world of Plastica, a graphic artist specialising in the surreal and otherworldly. I’d also like to say a special thanks to all of our contributing artists for showing us your work. We hope you enjoy Élémentaire Zine Issue 03, the Earth Issue. Thanks, Mark Kiszely ‘All copyrights remain with the artists, unless discussed prior to publication’
Art Director Theodora Pangos www.behance.net/pangos
Editor Mark Kiszely www.facebook.com/markkiszelyphotography
Contributing Writer Andrew Skinner thisistheraccoon.com/author/andrewjskinner
Contributing Writer Matthew Dunne-Miles mdunnemiles.contently.com
Cover Artwork Laurence Jephcote www.facebook.com/venusflytrapdesignlj
EMAIL elementaire@live.com LINKS: www.facebook.com/elementairezine twitter.com/ElementaireZine www.behance.net/elementaire
CONTENTS: 4
36
8
38
10
42
12
44
16
46
18
50
Johnny Dombrowski
Ian David Soar
Laurence Jephcote
Eni Turkeshi
Öykü Öge
Valeria Vacca
Benjamin Bartling
Amie Hauck
Frodi Brinks
Jack Foster
Plastica
GeorgiaTh
20
52
22
54
24
56
28
58
30
60
Daniel Warrilow
Bevin Richarsdon
DZO
Carolina Batista
Helexa
32
Narajalidad
Jordan Mayhew
Orlando Arocena
Lyndsey Hale
Julian Celaj
Buwaneka Saranga
Daniella Birtley is a coffee-obsessed illustration student at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. When she isn’t refueling on caffeine, she hordes random objects and papers; anyany thing she feels may later be of use in her illustrations. Her work ranges from intricate linear drawings to mixed media, to the long and painstaking process of paper cutting. The mixture of materials and styles of her images reflect the different, whimsical thoughts that pop into her head. Daniella also has a soft spot for odd words that she explores through typography. Her goal is to ultimately combine all the little things she loves in single images. Links: www.behance.net/daniellabirtley http://cestlavie30.tumblr.com/
JOHNNY DOMBROWSKI
An illustrator hiding in the alleyways of New York. Born in Connecticut, Johnny now lives in the city where he received his Bachelors degree in illustration at the School of Visual Arts. He's pursuing a freelance career while also working as the Art Handler at the Society of Illustrators. Johnny's clients include Wired, Maxim, Penthouse, DC Comics, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and many more. Also, his work has been recognized by Juxtapoz, CarneMag, and CreativeBoom and others. Links: johnnydombrowski.com johnny@johnnydombrowski.com johnnydombrowski.tumblr.com @jdombrowski
Johnny Dombrowski
IAN DAVID SOAR
Ian David Soar lives in Derbyshire in the heart of England. He enjoys a humble approach to photography and always aspires to keeping things simple. He’s currently working on a new photographic landscape project called Shadows Of Earth. Links: www.iandavidsoar.com
LAURENCE JEPHCOTE Laurence’s artwork is an exploration of altered realism, often around the themes of nature and elements. A lack of creativity in one’s hometown could, and probably should, stifle imaginative thought, though it seems to have had the opposite effect on Laurence, who finds himself daydreaming and zoning out. It’s whilst in these states that his mind really gets to work, separating reality from his body and splitting anything that’s out of focus into two, drifting them apart until he (presumably reluctantly) comes back around. When creating his art he imagines a world where this is the norm, a constant cycle of daydreaming and reality twisting visuals.
Eni Turkeshi is an Albanian visual artist. Mainly a digital and analogue photographer, lately she has been enjoying expanding her way of experiencing different ways of showing her visuals using alternative printing processes and a range of other avant-garde mixed media techniques. She likes to show the expressive and emotional side of humans and dreams using both old and contemporary mediums in order to mould their auras, capturing a hint of soul inside. Links: www.facebook.com/EniTurkeshiImagery eniturkeshi.carbonmade.com www.behance.net/EniTurkeshi
ÖYKÜ ÖGE Öykü Öge was born in 1994 in Samsun, Turkey. She currently lives in Istanbul and is studying Economics at the Marmara University. She wants her imagery to live in people's minds as a snapshot. Links: cargocollective.com/oykuoge www.flickr.com/photos/oykuoge/ www.behance.net/oykuoge
VALERIA
VACCA
Valeria Vacca was born in the early 80s in Isernia, Italy. She takes interest into the artistic world since her childhood, thanks to painting but she discovers photography only in her 20s by mistake, after a long and unsatisfying academic career in the Humanities. She studied photography at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome. Her major interests are experimental and portrait photography.
Links: valeriavacca.info@gmail.com www.behance.net/valeriavacca www.flickr.com/photos/bucketofbunnies/
DANIEL WARRILOW The idea behind this image is Daniel’s vision of an ‘evil earth’. He was influenced after reading an article about the human race being compared to a cancer, and the terrible things that we've done to our planet. He then took this idea to the extreme, and imagined how humans would appear to other species on perhaps different planets. Whilst we have tales and sci-fi stories about Aliens on Mars etc., what would another planet's beings think of us? Links: www.danielwarrilow.co.uk
BEVIN RICHARDSON Currently studying Illustration at Plymouth University, Bevin likes to explore philosophical and social themes in his work which he tries to combine and infuse with a sense of poetry in his imagery. Practically, he likes to create patterns and decorative work and has only recently started working with wood burning as an interesting new medium to create his art. This particular piece is about mans relation to the earth, how we come from it and need to go back to it in terms of our thinking and way of life. Links: www.behance.net/richardson www.flickr.com/photos/bevin_richardson
DZO Links:
www.behance.net/dzo www.facebook.com/dzoartwork
What can you tell us about yourself and how would you describe your artistic style? I've always drawn! I was born with chromosomes programmed for this! My family is composed of architects, designers, painters, art teachers ... That said, we must work especially hard to create an artistic identity. Today, I am a graphic designer, 'artist' status comes as naturally as a breath of fresh air. A path free from daily stress. But I prefer the term ‘artiphiste’, it is a neologism which involves a middle path between art and design. My artistic style ?... hmm… I’m just a drawer! I really don’t know how to define my style. Once, a 'follower' told me that I was a kind of 'mega doodler/scribbler' ! That’s fun, I like this idea. It seems that your illustration skills are key to your artwork, what first got you interested in illustration? I am interested in illustration to maintain the manual skills. It’s essential. I work all day on a computer, it becomes boring and oppressive. I needed to breathe by letting my creativity be expressed without constraints.
How does your art develop from seperate sketches to these incredibly detailed pieces? I think it is an art of filling! When I draw, I'm just laying the groundwork in pencil. After that I fill it! With filling, new ideas appear. The hardest part is to maintain a balance. I have the compulsion to draw in a chaotic manner but in the end, I get a cosmos. My drawings are heterarchical. Each element is interdependent. This is why I consider working on systems. Systematical drawing is an ecological process. I add meaning and I create analogies. Details appear in this way. Out of control and yet controlled at the same time. (I hope you understand what I mean. It’s not easy to express my feelings in the English language!) In both 'Inkstinctive II' and 'Gaia Calling' you use foliage and plant life to wrap around the other figures and images, as if the whole thing has had the chance to become overgrown, is the power of nature an important theme for you? Absolutely. Humans are forever trying to control nature but we only are a small part of it. I am a believer in the theory of planet ‘Gaia’; a living planetary organism. By chance we have been endowed with consciousness and our arrogance makes us believe that we are the only conscious beings! Humans are a puzzle piece, surely not the structure. We are a nerve of the earth. Without knowing it, we are all connected. So nature is important to me because I am a part of HER. Her power is real and I feel it with an immeasurable respect.
Gaia Calling
Humans are a puzzle piece, surely not the structure. We are a nerve of the earth. Without knowing it, we are all connected. So nature is important to me because I am a part of HER. Her power is real and I feel it with an i mmeasurable respect. You've described yourself as coming from a 'family environment conductive to graphic arts', is your family background a big influence on your creative pursuits? It has not really had any influence on me, only in a genetic way! Instead, my family tried to prevent me from moving in this direction. This is not an easy path but when we believe in what we do, we must have trust. Having said that, subconsciously, I was surrounded by people working in a more or less artistic sector. In your series, you document your creative process showing how your pieces are put together, from the basic outlines to the final product. Do you think people appreciate their art more if they know it is made? I'm not sure. This only reveals part of the secret. This is what is appreciated. I think the mystery has largely been preserved. This creates an aura. It helps to enhance the work details. Showing a part of the process, this gives the ability to evaluate the amount of work. This impresses. That’s all. For 'Inkstinctive II' you set yourself the challenge of 'no eraser, no pencil', does this mean the final piece is different to what you thought it would be? I can’t think about the final piece! I am unable to conceive a complete picture before I start. It’s impossible to plan the layout of all these details before starting. And this does not interest me. I like having a little glimmer to guide me but Hasard (chance) is my lord. And it’s an incredible way to discover many unconscious functions. This is the fundamental principle of INKSTINCTIVE series. So, the final piece is not different, it’s an unexpected piece.
You talk about the 'unconscious' mind in your work, is channelling the unconscious important for an artist? The unconscious can’t be channeled. The unconscious is unaccessible to the conscious. But consciousness captures information from the self, the collective unconscious, archetypes. We must better try to build bridges between our both sides of ourselves. Open consciousness is what is most important. So we can receive information from inside, from buried structural information. It’s really hard to explain and I’m not sure to be completely ready to speak about that. Consider me like an adventurer trying to explore the interconnected system of life. This requires an inner adventure. My work is a way to get there. As meditation. In 'Gaia Calling' you talk about the piece having a narrative, do you like to build stories with your illustrations? No. I enjoy discovering a story in the final piece ... This is another way to develop awareness. FInally, what are future goals in art? Where do you hope to take your work next? I leave it to chance. I must be fundamentally imbued with the TAO ! I let things come as they want. I only concentrate on the quality of my work and I take what I want when it’s the right time. To choose is a luxury! In contrast, when I grab something it becomes a new booster. I am currently working on an interpretation of Bardo Thodol (The Tibetan Book of the Dead) with my friend Christopher Bono, a musician and composer from New York. This is my only goal now. The project is exciting. Among other things, it has allowed me to meet a talented person of extraordinary consciousness. Everything happens for a reason. Forcing destiny is a waste of time.
Thanks a lot :) May the creativity be with you.
Carolina Batista is a Portuguese student who only recently discovered that photography was her real passion, rather than her first choice of fashion design. She’s currently studying at IADE-Creative University after enrolling on a Photography course and will soon be going into her second year. Carolina claims she initially didn’t know what to expect from the course, but after she started to take some fashion photographs she realised that with pictures she could show her perspective to people, and maybe change their minds about what photographers do. For Caroline it's now so much more then just taking pictures; photography is her life and the fact she can do it for a living fills her with so much pleasure. An ambitious Caroline states she really hopes everyone enjoys her work, and that “one day she can make a difference in the world of photography.” Lnks: Email: carolina_batiste@hotmail.com www.behance.net/carolinabatista
CAROLINA BATISTA
HELEXA
Ivana Bugarinovic graduated from the Faculty of Applied Art, University of Art in Belgrade’s department for textile design. Currently she works in the day as a graphic designer at the Student’s City Cultural Center in Belgrade, whilst also freelancing as an illustrator. Aside from that, as a musician herself, she enjoys combining passions and working on concert posters and album covers. On the other side, as a textile designer she finds inspiration for her illustrations in fashion, but she is also inspired by fairy tales, comic books, sci-fi and real life situations. Links: cargocollective.com/ivanabugarinovic Ivana.bugarinovic@gmail.com
NARANJALIDAD
Naranjalidad (“Orangeness�) is the name that enfolds everything that makes her passionate. Her real name is Beatriz Ramo, an architecture student that has always loved art and design. She started drawing at the early age of five, imitating her older brother, and developed great skills for a girl of her age. Beatriz kept drawing until university, where she started her degree in Architecture and had to put drawing on hold. Now, at the age of 23, Beatriz has decided to devote herself to this world.
Apart from traditional drawing and illustration, she has some experience in the field of web design and branding. Right now Beatriz is working with several tools: acrylics, watercolours, charcoal and her favourite, graphite. Links: www.naranjalidad.com naranjalidad.tumblr.com www.behance.net/naranjalidad
Naranjalidad
BENJAMIN BARTLING Benjamin Bartling is an aspiring graphicdesigner/photographer from Pittsburgh, PA. He spends all of his time ‘learning about art, creating art, looking at typefaces, taking photos and listening to music.’ His love of design is portrayed in his work, which is mostly abstract and created around the idea of symmetry and balance. He captures the world around and injects his visual ideas into it creating a surreal world. Benjamin’s ultimate goal is to unite his passion for art with his love for design.
Links: cargocollective.com/benjaminbartling www.behance.net/benjaminbartling society6.com/BenBartling
AMIE HAUCK
Hauck uses photography as a means of self-expression; making pictures as much for herself as for those around her. Photography helps her to identify with hidden qualities of her character, to better understand her reality, and to express her interpretation of the world. Amie's camera gives her the opportunity to explore her environment and the people in it. Her choice of subject matter is fueled by a desire to partake in the occurrences that unfold around her. Amie seeks the unknown, the mysterious and the uncommon in the common. Links: be.net/amiehauck
AMIE HAUCK
FRÓÐI
Frodi Brinks lives and works in Iceland. He started taking pictures in 2010 after purchasing his first camera. His passion lies in monochrome, feeling that he connects better with black and white, because of his eye for drama and perspectives that showcase the intense scenery that surrounds him to its fullest. He doesn’t feel that colour carries the same power in his imagery, except of course, when he hunts out the aurora borealis in wintertime." Links: https://www.facebook.com/FrodiBrinksPhotography http://tbf.me/a/IgGoY
BRINKS
JACK FOSTER Jack Foster, an artist from Coventry, claims his paintings combine inferences of pilgrimage, prayer, superstition and sites that are important to the three major monotheisms, Skinner box pigeons and painterly abstractions. Deterministic philosophy, non-theocratic morality, Darwinism, materialism and anthropology inform his practice, as does religion’s conflict with the above. His work is intended to be exploitative of type 1 and 2 pattern seeking errors that are made by the brain. Anthropological explanations of superstition revolve around these two types of errors; the false recognition of a pattern where there is none and failure to recognise a true pattern. When grouped, the paintings allow for the emergence of intentional and unintentional, real and false patterns and relationships between and within paintings. Links: jackfostercontemporarypainting.wordpress.com/about/
We speak to Spanish graphic designer Plastica about the future of Earth, surrealism and the importance of the Internet for artists. Hello Plastica, please introduce yourself. I create places where the light is a bit more intense than the heavenly space, instead of stars, planets, cosmic dust, sacred geometry and a soundtrack of electronic side. How would you describe your own work in one sentence? "My whole world is yours." Who or what would your say your main influences are? One of my main sources of inspiration is music, especially electro, synth pop and new wave. In particular, my boyfriend plays an important role in this area, and that he (Synth Alien) and his music form the daily soundtrack of my work, and his inspiration ends up being mine. However, it’s not just the music that moves my work, it’s also architecture and people like Richard Buckminster Fuller, or Étienne-Louis Boullée, who have played an important role in the way I see the world. As I said, music is a mainstay and one of my greatest sources of inspiration, as well as space matters, science fiction, sacred geometry, science and anatomy. I usually use photomontage and collage techniques that allow me to assemble different elements into a unified whole, taking small pieces to keep them alive inert together, which gives me the opportunity to express. Technique plays an important role, as does
Dadaism and some of my favourite artists such as Raoul Hausmann, George Grosz and John Heartfiel. Do the landscapes in the three images belong to a future Earth, or are they otherworldly? The landscapes belong to the earth in the future. Actually it has been almost an interpretation of architecture. The architecture is also a basic point in my work, and long ago I discovered a series of sculptures belonging to the Soviet legacy. The buildings are monuments abandoned in the former Yugoslavia that paradoxically seem to come from a cosmic future. Seeing them seem to find a future world, a landscape typical of the best work of science fiction. My idea was to interpret them as dimensional portals, space stations, cosmonaves and intergalactic transmission centres on earth. How would terrestrial landscape in the future advance? Throughout your three featured images there’s a recurring cosmic theme, do you have an interest in science fiction or do you simply find it works as well as art? I have always been curious about space and the unknown, like the future and the evolution of machines and technology. The first time I saw Blade Runner or Tron I was fascinated and I realised that the technological dark world attracted me, these artificial landscapes and lights. The same thing happened with the space and the possibility of other worlds; my art history teacher recommended I read a book called "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon who spoke on the plurality of worlds and diversity. Hence many of my works speak of other parallel universes and other worlds.
PLASTICA Does the surrealism that features in your work exist in your mind, and it’s a case of trying to transfer it into your art?
but as a graphic designer it gives me the opportunity to find work anywhere in the world.
I think that surrealism exists in my head subconsciously. Sometimes I start to do things that I know will end just try to get carried away with my thoughts, and in some cases are the results of experimentation.
Have you got any exhibitions coming up?
Run us through your usual routine for creating your work, is it a rigid or more fluid process? If we talk about creation process in my work as a graphic designer, there is always a previous study of what I do. I guess part of the process carried out by all graphic designers and creatives is almost a kind of market research. However, when it comes to my personal and artistic part, it’s totally different, more relaxed, more intimate, more mentally with music. I let go, try, experiment and try not to put limits on my head, and above all, have fun. I do not set any goals, it’s nothing but fun. How important is the Internet, and specifically online publications like Élémentaire Zine, for showcasing your work? These publications allow me to reach people with concerns like mine and disclose my inner world. This not only helps me to expand myself as an artist
So far I have participated in several exhibitions, some joint and some individual, especially in the city of Barcelona. But for now I’ve decided not to participate further until I can manage exposure myself. I have not for a while and so far I have not been present in any, so I think Internet is the best gallery. My work is digital, so I do not lose quality when viewed through the computer, so I'll keep exposing them on the network. What’s Lugos like to live in? Is there a creative movement there that you’re part of? Lugo is a very small town in Galicia, northern Spain. The artistic movement is pretty minimal. The increased flow of movement takes place at the arts school with students, and outside there, most are old artists collapsing the few galleries and the creative world. Although lately it seems that young people are beginning to gain a foothold. I do not really care too much because thanks to the Internet I can show my work anywhere in the world via the website and Facebook etc. I’m lucky that other cities gave me the opportunity to show my work, as well as in magazines and online publications.
PLASTICA Links: www.behance.net/akaplastica www.facebook.com/artbyplastica akaplastica.com
GEORGIATH Georgiath is an a illustrator who works with fine arts, painting and design and focuses on the concept of modern art and aesthetics. Psychedelic and melancholic tonnes, fluorescent colors and glitter feature Georgia's work. Links: georgiadeviantart@hotmail.gr www.behance.net/GeorgiaTh
JORDAN MAYHEW An illustrator residing in Birmingham, UK, with an adoration for fine line pens and esoteric subject matter. With his very tactile and elaborate artistic approach he always intends to embody a sense of realism in his work, whilst also delivering it in a playful and imaginative manner. Links: instagram.com/tuda_play tbf.me/a/IgGoY
ORLANDO AROCENA Arocena is a Mexican-Cuban-American who enjoys delivering creative solutions for some of the world's most renowned Brands- while also pursuing his artistic endeavors. He believes that every opportunity is a chance to gain a new experience, a moment to build a relationship and a time to share the rewards of the final result. The artwork included is his interpretation of Earth where corporate big wigs congratulate each other with hypocrisy for destroying the world (Gaia) for profit. Arocena states "Its sad, but if we as a global society allow this to continue each and everyday, then we all will bare witness to such a horrific gathering." Links: www.behance.net/orlandoarocena www.facebook.com/OrlandoArocenaIllustrator
LYNDSEY HALE Yggdrasil is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology. Asgard is in the branches, where all the Gods live, and is surrounded by an incomplete wall. Mitgard, made from the body of first giant, is surrounded by water which is home to a giant serpent. Mitgard is the name for the Earth inhabited by humans. Helheim is nestled within it’s roots, with poisonous water and lakes of fire. Helheim lies deep beneath the surface of the Earth. Medium: Paper Links: lyndsey.hale@mail.bcu.ac.uk http://lyndseyhale.tumblr.com/
JULIAN CELAJ
Julian Celaj graduated at St. Clair Center of the Arts for Graphic Design in 2012. Since then his passion for design and illustration only grows as he strives to improve on a daily basis. Julian claims that one of the best feelings in the world is ‘having a crazy idea in your mind and having the ability to display it with a visual style for many others to see.’ On the first of every month Julian creates a new speed painting. Julian was hugely inspired by Felix Baumgartner’s world record parachute jump back in October 2012. Julian claims it was a ‘pretty historic moment for mankind’ and ‘amazing to watch’. He felt so moved by Felix’s jump, which broke the record for a parachute jump from the highest altitude and the greatest free fall velocity, that he created an illustration, showing Felix falling and the Earth behind him, encompassing the scope and scale of what he had accomplished. Links: www.juliancelaj.com www.youtube.com/user/practiceyourart/videos
Spending his time indulging in his interests, Buwaneka is more than a dab hand at photography, sculpture, digital drawing, 3d modelling and visual effects, to name but a few. All the cool things you can imagine. What keeps him running is the constant inspiration he finds in music, movies, coffee, the chirps of morning birds, or the rumbling sound of a low flying aircraft. With a to-do list containing 'becoming a pilot' & 'making a movie', you can see where his inspirations and his dreams intertwine. For now though, he just wants you to enjoy his imagery.
Links: www.behance.net/Buwaneka www.flickr.com/people/buwaneka/
BUWANEKA SARANGA