Editor’s Letter This issue is like the Knights of the Round Table. If the knights were women. Who were all really creative. And came from around the globe. Okay, this issue is nothing like the Knights of the Round Table, except that we profile a bunch of women who wield some serious strength in their fields and are all fiercely independent, bright and just plain interesting. Start preparing your altars, first up is our head-liner Jessica Hische, who has taught us all a valuable lesson in sticking it out and fighting for what you want. Starting at the bottom and working her way up to having her own hand lettering covering Contact Energy to Starbucks to the title sequence in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. If you don’t already, she’s a one to follow. Next is Stephanie Zettl, who narrates her own top ten list of things she wishes she knew ten years ago about her career as a professional photographer. She covers everything from the initial awkwardness of pricing up her work to personal and outside definitions of ‘success’. Also within our ranks for our leading issue is fashion and lifestyle blogger, Emily Schuman, from the gorgeous Cupcakes and Cashmere. She’s giving us a quick snippet of tips on how to fake it ‘til you make it. With your handwriting that is! We’ve also got a bunch of lovely things to keep you entertained this Winter. So grab a blanket, make a tea and get into it!
ON THE COVER Floral silhouette design and hand-lettering created by Shona Meehan
Enjoy, Shona & the Ruby team
READING
LISTENING TO
WATCHING
CRAVING
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, $27.99, whitcoulls.co.nz | Pure Heroine by Lorde, $9.99, itunes.com | Orange is the New Black, watch online with membership, lightbox.co.nz | Lewis Road Creamery Fresh Chocolate Milk, from $3.99, Farro Fresh
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Grab a big shopping bag. Bigger. You’ll want to take all these goodies home for when you barricade out the cold.
1 NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray, $17.99, makeup.co.nz | 2 The Bees by Laline Paull, $34, whitcoulls.co.nz | 3 Lola by Marc Jacobs, $99, marcjacobs.com | 4 Redcurrent Topaz Moss Throw, $115, redcurrent.co.nz | 5 FujiFilm Instax Mini 8, $128, instaxshop.co.nz | 6 Evil Child Hot Chocolate, $6.99, countdown.co.nz | 7 Fancy Style Chuck Taylors, $99, converse.com
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A GUIDE TO CRYSTALS We drag out the microscope and some history books to take a closer look at these pretty, shiny things. WORDS Sinead Stubbins PHOTOS Kelly Henries
Where they come from. The balance of elements involved in creating crystals is more delicate and exact than a soufflé recipe. Crystals formed millions of years ago in the Earth’s crust are products of specific minerals, gas clouds, liquids and melted rock, all baked together at any point between room temperature to boiling molten lava. Crystallisation happens when liquids cool slowly and harden, or when water evaporates from a solution. Then their molecules and atoms huddle up together as they try to become stable. This process can happen in anywhere between a day and a thousand years, kind of like watching all three Lord of the Rings extended editions.
Crystal balls. Crystal balls or ‘shrew stones’ aren’t just something they use on Sailor Moon, the mysterious technique of scrying has existed for centuries. Crystal balls were used by special seers to help people make important decisions, whether by seeing images in the sphere or by being lulled into a trance and cleared of mental distractions. The crystal ball can be traced back to medieval Europe, where druids would use them to help powerful leaders decide foreign policy (you think that’s ridiculous, but former First Lady Nancy Reagan used to visit psychics for the exact same reason). Possibly the biggest advocate for crystal balls was Dr. John Dee, a British astronomer, astrologer, mathematician and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I in the 1500s. John Dee was equally obsessed with science and divination, believing he had occult powers.
Types of crystals. When you think of crystals you probably imagine piles of diamonds, chests full of rubies and Elizabeth Taylor’s 150 million dollar jewellery collection. But you encounter crystals every day. In the 1970’s, watchmakers began using quartz because when an electric current runs through a compressed piece of quartz, it generates a voltage at a very precise frequency. Melting crystals into a mouldable substance creates the silicon used in computers, and the LCD screens used in TVs and mobile phones are made of liquid crystals that can carry light very precisely. Of course the most famous types of crystals are the shiny, pretty ones like Swarovski crystals, which originally hail from a village in Austria where a technique was invented in 1892 to forge fancy glass gems. Mystical powers. It’s easy to see why humans have studied the supernatural properties of crystals for centuries; their ability to just spring out of the Earth with perfect geometry and far-out colour palettes seems almost suss. They must be magic, right? Apparently an emerald possesses the energy to enhance your chance of finding love and garnets will prompt new beginnings. All you have to do is incorporate these gems into meditation, carry them in your pocket or use them in spells. Crystals are also said to have the power to heal your mind and body. Old medicine employed by Native Americans in Arizona taught that placing crystals on or around different parts of the body created an ‘energy nest’ that surrounded the patient with healing forces.
Crystal skulls. The mystery of the ancient crystal skulls has baffled generations — and we’re not talking about the Indiana Jones movie, which was baffling for very different reasons. The famous Mesoamerican crystal skulls are detailed sculptures of clear or smoky crystal which are believed to originate from Mayan or Aztec civilisations. The theory goes that they were either carved tens of thousands of years ago by ancient civilisations, are actual alien skulls from an extraterrestrial invasion of the Aztecs before the Spanish conquest or that they are relics from the lost city of Atlantis. Or maybe they were planted back in time by Dan Ackroyd in a time machine to promote his vodka… hang on. While the found skulls have varied in size and details their perceived power for the finder is still the same: the ability to heal and expanded psychic abilities. In 1906 a crystal skull was found in the excavation of a Mayan temple in Guatemala and allegedly helped heal the brain tumour of the finder. Don’t get too spooked though, examinations of the skulls at the Smithsonian and British Museum have found that they were probably made in the 1800s, a time of great interest in ancient civilisations. But if they are fakes, then that probably means there was at least one original… and that makes a better story anyway! ♦
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FAUX CALLIGRAPHY Cheat’s guide to gorgeous penmanship. WORDS Emily Schuman PHOTOS Shona Meehan
In last month’s online blog, I shared how I had taken a calligraphy class in third grade and while I remember virtually nothing from the course, I’ve always had an affinity for hand writing. Since the article was published, I have received a lot of questions about how I write calligraphy. There are dozens of handwriting tutorials out there, but I figured I’d share some of my simple tips on how to make yours look less like scribblescrabble and slightly more professional. Before I create a final version of anything, I warm up for a few minutes, practicing what I’m going to write and how it’s going to look. I write in a sort of playful, modern cursive that intentionally doesn’t look too perfect — if there are some letters that are slightly lower than others or larger, that’s okay. In fact, I’d lean towards that. Once I finish the initial lettering, I trace back over the downward strokes of each letter, and thicken it ever so slightly. Be careful not to overdo it! The parts of the letters where your pen is moving upward, leave untouched. I use this type of writing when I’m penning a birthday card, addressing a letter or for place cards at dinner parties. If you’re planning your wedding (or any party, really), this is a great way to save money by doing it yourself. ♦ Follow her blog at cupcakesandcashmere.com
10 things I wish I knew 10 years ago About being a professional wedding photographer. WORDS Stephanie Zettl PHOTOS Shona Meehan
1. When you start a Photography Business, you are starting a business. Make sure you understand what is involved in starting a business. It’s important to have a business plan, an understanding of sales and marketing, and a financial budget. Being a starving artist gets very old very quickly. My biggest piece of advice to anyone new in the business is to take a small business class and get some sales training of some kind. It doesn’t matter how awesome your photographs are or how good your equipment is if you can’t sell your work.
They will tell you that you should be selling wall portraits or albums or purses with your images printed on them. While there might be some financial gain in doing these things, if you have no joy in shooting them or selling them, you will find yourself in a funk and burnt out. Life is too short to not do what you enjoy.
2. Selling is not a dirty word. The sooner you get over this idea, the better. Selling is what keeps a roof over your head and food on your table. Your photography needs to support you and you need to charge prices that will support you. In the beginning, I hated selling because I really didn’t know what I was doing and therefore I had no confidence in it. To become successful, I had to change both my attitude and technique. In my sales training classes I learned not only how to properly sell my product, but I gained the right attitude about sales.
5. My happiness does not depend on someone else’s definition of success. This statement became my personal mantra in 2011. It was the statement that had the most impact on my attitude about how I run my business. I don’t drive a fancy car, live in a big house, or have kids. But I have a wonderful husband, we get to travel, I have a job I love and good friends. This is what makes me happy. Having your own plans and goals and sticking to them is better than chasing someone else’s dreams. It takes time to think about what is important to you, but figuring out your goals and writing them down is well worth it. Writing down your goals gives you direction and makes you much more likely to accomplish them. I wish I had done it much sooner.
3. Keep It Simple. There are no short-cuts on the road to success. You have to do the work and put in the time. That being said, there are ways to make it easier. If you keep things simple and get it right in camera, it will save you more time and money than any action set will. Focus on learning to see the light, shape the light, create the light and capture the light.
6. Be fearless. For me, being fearless meant getting over my unhealthy need for approval. We all need to have some need for approval; it’s what keeps us from being jerks. But when we require too much approval from other people we become paralyzed. We become too worried about what other people think of us, and we lose our own strength and brilliance.
4. Know what you like and what you want to do. Life is too short to not do what you love. People will tell you that you should be shooting kids or high school seniors or weddings.
Many artists have this problem. We put so much into our work — our heart, our soul, our vital energy — and then we put it out into the world to be judged. We want people to like it. RUBY | 12
We want people to appreciate it. We want people to approve it, and in effect approve us. Besides having an emotionally paralysing effect, it also has a bad business effect. What’s the best way to get people to like your work? Give it away at a discount or even for free. There were times that I would make a financial decision that would put me at a disadvantage or even hurt my business, because I had a desire for praise and approval. By gaining strength and confidence in my self, my work and business, that misplaced need for approval has been controlled. I know I have talent, expertise and a specialized knowledge, and know that I deserve to be appropriately compensated for that. 7. Photograph something every day. Shooting every day doesn’t mean having a paying client every day; we just need to be making images. Whether it’s the spoon in your cereal dish, your kids playing, or a personal project, find something to shoot and find a way to make it visually interesting. Never be content with what you shot the day before, try to make it better. 8. Take every opportunity to learn something new each week. The more you know, the faster you will grow. We have gotten to the point where the cameras are so good and so easy to operate that most people have the ability to create a properly exposed photo. To really stand out as a good photographer and make a good living (which I believe you can still do) you have to have a deep understanding of lighting, posing, composition, and exposure — this is the art and science of photography. To continue to excel in this, you have to invest in your education. You can never stop learning.
9. Give yourself a personal project. Personal projects are the projects that you do for no other reason than because you want to. Having one gives you permission to play and explore things without pressure. You will find that your personal projects will be some of your best work because they are the projects you are most excited about. The excitement, energy and technique that you discover in your personal projects will pour over into your commercial work. 10. To be a great artist, stop worrying about success. I sat in on a college photography class a few years ago. The professor, Jim Norton, spent the class reviewing the student’s work from that week. As he looked at one print, he turned to the student and said, “Quit being worried about being successful.” Those few words have stuck with me. So many times we think we need to photograph things a certain way or do certain things to be successful. We chase after that hero print. But in the process we forget about what we are creating, why we are creating it and the actual journey we are on as a photographer. All of this reminds me of a quote from Conan O’Brien that has become my approach to my career: “Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get, but if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” Truer words have not been spoken. ♦ Stephanie’s work can be found at zettlphotos.com
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Jessica Hische Jessica Hische is a letterer, illustrator, and self-described ‘avid internetter’ — she recently told RUBY more about her work and influences. WORDS Andy Butler PHOTOS Shona Meehan ILLUSTRATIONS Jessica Hische
Please could you tell us about your background? I have always loved to draw and did a lot of lettering on classmates’ trapper keepers in grade school (bubble letters and graffiti-ish versions of their names). I applied to the Tyler School of Art while in high school not knowing I would end up a designer or letterer but simply because I loved to draw, and I especially loved drawings that were detailed and technical (rather than loose and expressive).
the end of my junior year in college, not knowing that lettering was in and of itself a separate industry (one that was not at that time at the level of popularity it is now). I graduated with a BFA in graphic and interactive design in 2006 and began working for Louise Fili, where I discovered that there was a way to make a career out of manipulated and custom type.
When I took my first graphic design course, it all started to come together. I loved that design was about problem solving rather than being self-expressive, and that every project had a solid starting point. I started doing lettering for projects toward
Over time I have also built up a second career as a freelance illustrator; this lead me to becoming a full-time freelance illustrator and letterer. Most of my recent work has been focused on lettering but I still love to work on illustrations when I get the chance.
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How would you describe your style to someone who has never seen your work? I’d describe it as warm and approachable lettering, with a balanced level of detail, not overwrought with fussy ornamentation. What has been the biggest singular influence on your work? Having parents that encouraged me and allowed me to explore my passions from a very early age. I knew plenty of kids growing up that were artistic but were pushed toward more ‘practical’ careers and not toward what they actually loved to do. Without this encouragement early on, I might have never ended up pursuing my passions. Which project has given you the most satisfaction so far? When I worked on the titles for Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, I was so proud and excited about the end result and so happy to be able to be a part of something so big. That said, I didn’t have as much authorship with that project as I do with other smaller projects (when you work with someone like Wes, he has a vision and it’s your job to carry it out), so all the work I take on helps to create a balance of satisfaction. What’s the thing you enjoy most about working in print? There’s so much I love about seeing my work in print. It’s magical to be able to run your fingers over the printed texture of something you created digitally, especially when special printing techniques are used. There’s something that happens in the translation from digital to print that just adds an extra layer of specialness that is really hard to achieve digitally. I also love the finality of it — when it’s printed, you can’t open up the file and fuss with it, endlessly upgrading the images like you can for a web project. ‘The ink never dries on the web’ is something I heard said once and there’s something really nice about being able to truly conclude a project and move on to something new. What do you know now that you wish you knew upon graduating? That taking care of your body is important for productivity. I spent a lot of my early twenties with bronchitis or other afflictions as a result of overworking myself. Now that I take time to exercise, eat well, and sleep somewhat regular hours, I avoid big bouts of sickness fairly well. What are you hoping to explore with your work in 2014? I’m hoping to finalise a personal project I started years ago in college but never fully finished (it was finished for the purpose of the project, but not something I could put out into the world commercially). It’s a board game, and I’d love to tell you more but I’d prefer to finish it properly before I say too much about it. I also hope to write more in 2014. I love writing, but the process of doing so is difficult for me as I wasn’t formally trained as a writer and don’t have a very smooth process of draft to final. It takes me a long time and I agonize over the tone of voice and my choice of words so that it feels as natural as can be.
Do you draw very much and do you think it’s important to be able to draw as a designer? I draw a lot for client projects but don’t do a lot of drawing for fun. I think being able to draw can be important as a designer because it’s a means of communication, but if you have other ways of sharing ideas in the early stages of a project that also work, then great. Personally I find that pencil sketches are a great way to begin a project and because it’s obviously far from the finished piece, clients give less push-back. The closer to final your roughs are, the more revisions you tend to have to do, I’ve found. What do you do to keep your ideas fresh? I find it relatively easy to keep my ideas fresh because I focus on the book/ article/ source material most when coming up with concepts (rather than falling in love with a visual approach before doing the research). As a designer, you need to figure out a process that lets you work through the good ideas and bad ideas in a rough exploratory way. I love doing verbal ideation before visual ideation — making word association lists and letting my mind wander. The more I do this in the early stages of a project the easier it is for me to come up with something unique. I think if I started with sketches first and skipped this step, I’d probably repeat myself a lot. What compels you to design and what other compulsions do you have? I love solving problems, I love helping others with the skills that I have, and I just love the whole process of making things — coming up with ideas, roughing out sketches, tightening up sketches, drawing in illustrator and making endless tweaks. It’s all very meditative for me and I’m probably the least stressed out when I can just spend days drawing/ designing as far as other compulsions, I’ve recently started exercising regularly (about a year ago I started doing pilates three times a week and have since integrated yoga into my schedule). I definitely find that exercise helps me manage stress and keeps me focused when I’m working. Plus I really like to eat, so if I exercise I feel way better about downing a giant pulled pork sandwich for dinner. Do you have any superstitious beliefs? I’m not a superstitious person, but I do get a little angsty when I find myself saying negative things, thinking that it will somehow come back to haunt me. I’m an outrageously positive person and a nearly pathological optimist but we all have bad days and sometimes I feel like if I’m putting out bad energy I’ll just get more bad energy back, so I try to turn it around quickly so I’m not outputting negativity to the world. What’s the last thing that made you say ‘wow’? Just the other day Ben Barry posted a picture of a laser cut poster he created that said ‘howdy’ with tons of beautiful filigree laser cutting around it — my actual response was ‘holy moly’. ♦ Find out more at jessicahische.is
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A Cafe we’re Chuffed About Our take on High Street’s newest addition. WORDS Lauren Matthews
It has been said, ‘High Street has had its day’, but I would have to disagree. As well as High Street still buzzing with a hive of activity and brand new Top Shop around the corner, there is now the opening of Chuffed. Chuffed is the city’s newest addition, brimming with delicious fare, expertly brewed coffee and a ton of personality. After a short wander through what looks like an office foyer, you’ll be greeted with a colourful hand-painted mural, welcoming you to the eclectic café within. Bar seating, and a large shared table is all that the indoor area can manage, yet the seating options continue with a large covered courtyard/ deck out the back — made cosy thanks to the roaring fire. The food here is really something else — simplistic and modern, yet full of flavour. Head chef, James Kenny, has taken inspiration from his stint overseas in Europe and Melbourne, which includes working under the fiery Gordon Ramsay. Now, I wouldn’t normally be happy to settle on the cabinet offerings of a café, but in this instance I absolutely would. Jampacked full of imaginative treats, and not-so-boring sandwiches such as terakihi, sweet corn and chicory or a beautiful bowl of coconut risotto topped with vanilla, blueberries, cinnamon and walnuts — this vibrant culinary display really puts other cafés to shame. For research’s sake however, noting that I’ll be back to demolish every option in the cabinet, I couldn’t look past the homemade crumpets. There are a few options to adorn
these classic British breakfast cakes, and after much umming and ahhing, I decided on the smoked fish. This smoked fish wasn’t what I had imagined, nor what I was used to; it came as a perfect whole fillet lightly smoked in-house, moist and flaky. Atop sat two superbly poached eggs, the whole dish doused in melted butter, generously speckled with black flecks due to a healthy dose of fresh vanilla. Liquid offerings include a homemade soda, new creations available regularly; they are also patiently awaiting their liquor license. But, what’s true to owner Scott McLean’s heart is coffee. Within the next month he will be at the helm of his own roastery importing beans from across the globe to create his own blend. And using single origin beans for V60, pour over and cold drip brews. Currently they are only open during the week to cater for the city slickers, I’m sure hoping they rethink opening the weekend too. After all, I think whiling away a Saturday morning after a hefty night out at Chuffed would be an excellent decision. Especially, as I often do, need to regain composure, over fantastic fare and equally good coffee, after some poor decision making the night prior. ♦ Chuffed can be found at 43 High Street, Auckland CBD
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EDITORIAL Editor Shona Meehan Art Director Leilani Tovine Writer Frank Colbran Market Editor Eleanor Smith Fashion Assistant Lauren Roose Contributing Fashion Stylist Jana Matthews Guest Artist Gemma Hagan Guest Photographer Helena Macqueen
CONTRIBUTORS Words Andy Butler, Lauren Matthews, Emily Schuman, Sinead Stubbins, Stephanie Zettl Photography Shona Meehan
ADVERTISING National Advertising Manager Brandon Moring 021 855 2456, bmoring@yoobeemedia.co.nz Advertising Traffic Manager Penelope Ireland 021 245 5842, pireland@yoobeemedia.co.nz Head of Digital Alison Begg 027 248 7546, abegg@yoobeemedia.co.nz Prepress Manager Jonathon Bishop Production Manager Carole Gardiner Circulation Director Bruce Wakely Chief Executive Officer Callum Scott Commercial Director Rachael Barker
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YOOBEE MEDIA ACG Yoobee School of Design Level 1, 3 City Road Grafton, Auckland, 1010 RUBY Magazine is published by Yoobee Media: ACG Yoobee School of Design, Level 1, 3 City Road, Grafton, Auckland 1010 Š 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed by Yoobee Media. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken Yoobee Media does not accept liability for loss or damage. Privacy policy: We value the integrity of your personal information. If you provide personal information through your participation in any competitions, surveys or offers featured in this issue of RUBY Magazine, this will be used to provide the products or services that you have requested and to improve the content of our magazines. Your details may be provided to third parties who assist us in this purpose. In the event of organisations providing prizes or offers to our readers, we may pass your details on to them. From time to time, we may use your information you provide us to inform you of products, services and events our company has to offer. We may also give your information to other organisations which may use it to inform you about their products, services and events, unless you tell us not to do so. You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you by getting in touch with our privacy officer, who can be contacted at Yoobee Media, 3 City Road, Grafton, Auckland 1010. This magazine is for educational purposes only.
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ISSUE 01 / JULY 2014