Cox and his wife Alena (aka Mrs. Doodle) started by recruiting friends and family to help them paint everything stark white, inside and out. When the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns started in spring 2020, Cox took advantage of his sudden downtime, devoting himself entirely to this project. He did all the doodling himself, working on one room at a time, starting with the upstairs bedrooms. Each one has a loose theme, like birds, sea creatures, food, clouds, robots, or “heaven and hell.” Cox doesn’t sketch anything out or even come up with a particular idea before he starts working, preferring to just draw whatever comes to mind in the moment.

Everything is monochromatic, and anytime Cox made a mistake, he left it in place. “The nature of a doodle is to let it be,” he told The Washington Post. By the time he was done, Cox had used 900 liters (238 gallons) of white paint, 401 cans of black spray paint, 286 bottles of black drawing paint, and 2,296 pen nibs. He also took 1,857 photographs of the process, later stitching them together to create a roughly two-minute-long stop-motion animation that reveals what the project looked like as it came to life.

Though Cox greatly enjoyed getting into the improvisational flow of constant doodling, it did have an effect on his psyche. In February 2020, he got the flu and started having doodle-related hallucinations, spending six weeks in a psychiatric ward. “It’s a scary feeling to think you are losing your mind and not know what’s real,” he told the Sunday Times. “I’m glad I have a grasp on reality again and now I want to make sure to go on walks and step outside of doodle world now and then.”

While he was working on it, Cox did his best to keep his doodled home under wraps. He limited visitors and was always afraid a delivery driver would snap a photo and put it on the internet. Luckily for him, that never happened. His neighbors have been supportive (and the fact that his house is hidden behind a dense layer of trees probably helps with that). However, the couple who sold him the house probably don’t love the results now that Cox has shared them with the world. “They told me whatever you do, please don’t doodle,” he told the Evening Standard. “I didn’t listen.”

Cox was able to buy the house in the first place after his career took off, the result not of agents or gallery representation, but social media and word-of-mouth. By 2021, the 28-year-old was selling nearly $4.7 million worth of doodles around the world over a period of just nine months. He now has over 2.7 million followers on Instagram and more than 95,000 YouTube subscribers, not to mention collaborations with major brands like MTV Europe and Puma.

The post Sam Cox Covered His Entire 13-Room Mansion in Black and White Doodles first appeared on Dornob.

Warhol’s famous painting recently sold for a record-breaking $195 million, but Barnes’ painting set a record of its own—selling at a staggering $15.2 million, approximately 76 times its high estimate, according to USA Today. This is the first time that Barnes’ 1976 work has ever been on display at an evening sale, but not the first time one of his works has sold at Christie’s for a price well above estimate—last November, Ballroom Soul, a similar piece, sold at Christie’s for $550,000, at the time a record-breaker of its own.

Many experts speculate that the high price tag garnered for The Sugar Shack could be due to a variety of factors, as Emily Kaplan, co-head of the 20th century evening sale at Christie’s, said in a statement, “[The Sugar Shack] was really part of the cultural consciousness in a way that no other Ernie Barnes painting was.” She notes that this is perhaps due to a new recognition and appreciation for the paintings, recently featured in an exhibition at the California African American Museum.

Additionally, the painting does have its own pop culture oeuvre, as it famously featured in the opening screenshots of the 1970s sitcom Good Times. Barnes himself also appeared in the show, and also has the distinction of painting all of the artwork that was used in the series. But that’s not all: the painting was also used as the cover of music legend Marvin Gaye’s 14th studio album I Want You, released in 1976. For their part, Christie’s acknowledged the upward trajectory and value of Barnes’ work, and the potential for widespread recognition due (in part) to its connection with the popular sitcom and iconic Motown superstar, “It’s definitely safe to say that [the album cover and show] added to the cultural recognition and resonance of the image,” Kaplan said.

However, there is, perhaps, an even more culturally significant reason for the painting’s record-breaking sale at Christie’s—an increasingly strong market for artists of color, which could signal, as Kaplan suggests, “a real validation” for these often woefully underrepresented creators, a way to “[shine] light on incredible and undervalued artists.”

The Sugar Shack was purchased by hedge fund manager and poker player Bill Perkins, who was delighted with the special painting, saying on Instagram that it was “a childhood dream come true.” The day after Perkins’ purchase, the run on Barnes’ work continued at Christie’s with yet another sale; this time, the piece, entitled “Storm Dance”, was purchased for $2.34 million, again rocketing past previous estimates of $100,000 to $150,000, a spokesperson for the auction house said.

The record-breaking sale of the Ernie Barnes painting The Sugar Shack placed the iconic painting in the spotlight, capitalizing on both its pop culture roots but also a desire by many to make the art world more inclusive and diverse; placing underrepresented groups like women and artists of color firmly into the collective cultural consciousness and promoting widespread (and much-deserved) recognition. And if The Sugar Shack and its fellow Barnes’ pieces are any indication, the market will only continue to grow—a sign of more good times ahead, and a welcome, long overdue shift in the art world.

The post Good Times At Christie’s as Ernie Barnes’ “The Sugar Shack” Sells for Record-Breaking $15.2 Million first appeared on Dornob.

“We were excited to see such an exciting and imaginative use of color in this year’s entries,” says Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux Color and Communications Manager. “Architects and designers have really pushed the boundaries with color application to create inspiring, engaging — and often surprising — interior and exterior spaces.”

According to the Dulux website, the annual competition “is Australia and New Zealand’s premier showcase of inspirational color application in interior and exterior residential, public, and commercial spaces.”

Each year, the Australian paint company selects a panel of design professionals to judge entries from architects, designers, and students to “[recognize] their creative and innovative use of color” with Dulux shades. The contest spans six categories: interior residential, exterior residential, commercial and multi-residential exterior, public and hospitality commercial interiors, workplace and retail commercial interiors, and students.

Company executives noted an inclination toward moodier home colors this year. “Deeper tones of blue and green were popular amongst residential interiors, showcasing diverse moods in areas and differentiating functional use in a space — from deep and dark, to bright and lively — applied to cabinetry, trims, and walls to create a peaceful, relaxing interior setting,” Lucena-Orr says.

That was especially evident in “The Pad” by architect Suzanne Hunt, an entry in which all the walls were shrouded in slate gray as a backdrop to a set of indoor-outdoor Zen gardens. Natural light filters through the palm leaves and ferns, further balancing the seriousness of the dark grays.

Other darkly pensive residential entrants included the “Malvern House,” with its wall-to-wall sage kitchen cabinetry and green marble countertops and backsplash. “The Grid House” highlights its stairwell with a navy blue that perfectly matches the carpet-lined steps.

Lucena-Orr also found that “impactful tones and washed walls are also making a presence, bringing a sense of moody sophistication to interiors.”

For example, the “Nelson Road House,” named one of the year’s most stylishly colorful Australian homes, uses a tranquil pastel pink in the primary bedroom but switches it up to a night-sky blue in the formal living room, allowing for a full array of ambience throughout. The designers from Bloom Interior Design in Melbourne said they “treated each room as its own space,” which gave them the freedom to “play with a range of different colors giving each space its own persona.”

Neutral-themed residential dwellings also made the 2022 list. The “Bondi Terrace,” designed by Studio Quarters, is a flow of understated whites and beiges with only touches of contrast in each room. The mildness of the paint lets the original period details like the marble fireplace and crown molding take center stage. The designers explain that they used full, half, and quarter strengths of the same color in different rooms to create an “overall calmness that permeates the whole house.” The “Sorrento House,” submitted by the Fiona Lynch Interior Design firm, also drew on a cream color palette for a soothing, restful effect.

On the other hand, some finalists went bold and bright to earn their spot. For instance, the designers at Pac Studio used sunny yellow to liven up the kitchen of “Heron House,” giving it extra punch by painting the surrounding walls an azure blue.

The Dulux website says that all colors in the Dulux range were considered, even black and white. The final selections will be based on both the use of color and the designers’ reason behind the choice. The winners will be announced in announced in just a few months, so be sure to check back with us for updates!

The post 2022 Color Award Finalists Reveal Trend Toward Moody, Pensive Shades first appeared on Dornob.

Street scene in Montmartre (Impasse des Deux Frères and the Pepper Mill) dates back to 1887 and has been in the possession of a single undisclosed French family since that time.

“What is exciting is that it is a Van Gogh painting which has been hidden away ever since it came off the artist’s easel,” Van Gogh expert Martin Bailey told CNN in an interview.

While a black and white photograph of the painting taken in 1972 has been circulated in seven different catalogues over the past 40 years, Bailey said that it has “always been in private collections, so only the owners and their friends knew it.”

The scene depicts a couple walking past the Pepper Mill, also known as the Moulin Debray, which had morphed into a social and entertainment center for Parisians after it ceased operations. The bright but windy wintry landscape, shown from the Impasse des Deux Frères view, also includes a pair of conversing children outside the gates. Decorative lanterns hang from the entrance to the mill area, and a carousel is observable behind the enclosure.

Part of a series brought to life in this hilly area of Paris now known for the Sacre Coeur church, Van Gogh was captivated by the juxtaposition of the pastoral and the urban in Montmartre. It was a district that attracted artists, musicians, and writers, creating an atmosphere full of vitality and excitement – elements captured in Van Gogh’s portrayal of this scene.

“It’s an important painting in the oeuvre of Vincent van Gogh because it dates from the period in which he’s living in Paris with his brother, Theo,” says Etienne Hellman, Senior Director of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby’s. “Before this, his paintings are much darker…In Paris he discovers color. Color blows up into the painting.”

It was also during this time that Van Gogh encountered the Impressionists, a discovery that would shape the rest of this iconic style. He lived in Paris and the Montmartre area for two years before moving to southern France, where he composed many of his most famous masterpieces.

“Very few paintings from Van Gogh’s Montmartre period remain in private hands, with most of the series now held in prestigious museum collections around the world,” Hellman said in the Sotheby’s press release. “The appearance on the market of a work of this caliber and from such an iconic series is undoubtedly a major event, and indeed an opportunity, for both collectors of the artist and the art market more widely.”

Sotheby’s estimates that this latest offering from the master painter could sell for between €5 and €8 million (between $6.1 and $9.8 million).

“But until the hammer goes down, one obviously never knows what will happen at an auction,” cautions Bailey, who writes a van Gogh blog for the Art Newspaper. “There is now a great deal of interest in Van Gogh in the Far East, so the Van Gogh market is truly global.”

The painting first went on display at Sotheby’s Amsterdam from March 1st to 3rd, then on to Hong Kong from March 9th to 12th and auction house Drouot in Paris from March 16th to 18th. The final exhibition will be at Sotheby’s Paris from March 19th to the 23rd, after which it will be up for sale as part of the Impressionist and Modern Art Auction on the 25th.

The post Rarely Seen Van Gogh Painting Debuts for Public Viewing first appeared on Dornob.

According to Fixr’s Paint and Color Trends survey of 68 of the country’s top interior designers and influencers, 81 percent believe that quarantining and staying at home has strongly affected homeowners’ color choices, and that those choices are skewing warmer in general. More than half of the design experts said that earthy and warm neutral tones are replacing gray as the most popular customer requests. And 54 percent of the group also see clients requesting pops of bold tints to go along with those neutrals, showing our collective wish for both calming and fresh spaces.

For example, Sherwin Williams’ 2021 color of the year is Urbane Bronze, a “grounding shade” of gray-brown. “The home is now the ultimate retreat from the world, and color is an easy and effective way to create a personal haven,″ says Sue Wadden, the company’s Director of Color Marketing, adding that ″Urbane Bronze encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal.”

Benjamin Moore chose a hue designed to soothe as well: Aegean Teal. It’s “an intriguing blue-green that creates natural harmony and invites us to take a moment to reflect and reset,” according to Hannah Yeo, the company’s Marketing and Development Manager. Benjamin Moore also chose 11 other colors to make up their 2021 color trends palettes, mostly comprising a mix of creamy whites and earthy browns, along with a sunset array of oranges and yellows.

PPG chose an entire color palette rather than a single chroma for 2021, ultimately deciding on its oatmeal-shaded “Transcend,” persimmon-tinged “Big Cypress,” and fresh-faced “Misty Aqua.” The PPG design experts chose these complementary hues specifically “to bring warm lightness and a sense of calm to a space.”

Spray-paint corporation Rustoleum selected a spicy tint of red called “Satin Paprika” as its shade of the year and used it as the base of three new warm palette suggestions. “We’ve been listening to DIYers and home decor enthusiasts who want color combinations that bring out feelings of well-being,” says Grace Khoury, Brand Manager at Rust-Oleum. “We’re living in uncertain times and we all need a little peace. These collections are designed to evoke a sense of settled contentment.”

Minwax, a wood-stain brand, also got in on the action by naming its first-ever color of the year: “Vintage Blue”. “Vintage Blue connects us to the healing power of nature and a comforting nostalgic mood,” says Sue Kim, the company’s Color Marketing Manager. “Like a moment of fresh air, Vintage Blue gets us started in the day with a renewed mindset.”

And of course, Pantone chose two colors of the year for 2021: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. “The selection of two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea that it’s not about one color or one person, it’s about more than one,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute Executive Director. “The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude.”

The combination of bright yellow and gray creates a pulsating energy, a vision for brighter days ahead. And okay, maybe gray isn’t dead just yet.

The predictions are decisive: 2021 colors will push away the isolation and dreariness brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic with warm neutrals and refreshing, invigorating hues.

The post 2021’s Color Palette Reflects Our Need for Comfort and Serenity first appeared on Dornob.

Lowe’s recently commissioned a study to explore how the connection between people and their homes changed last year, and to find out what Americans were most excited to tackle in the year ahead. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said their home meant more to them than it did a year ago, and 84 percent said that they’d continue to spend more money on home improvement than they did before the pandemic.

Here are the top home improvement projects Lowe’s customers said they’re looking forward to in 2021. How do they match up with your plans?

Reorganize the Closet

Remember the KonMari craze of 2019? It kind of feels like a lifetime ago. Between the reshuffling of our homes to fit new functions and the closure of many Goodwill donation facilities in the midst of the pandemic, many of us have accumulated too many items that don’t “spark joy.” It’s time to throw open the doors of our darkened closets and face the mess inside. 64 percent of Lowe’s survey respondents plan to reorganize their closets this year, and indeed, it would do us all good to take a page from Marie Kondo’s book and minimize our stuff while storing it in a much more aesthetically pleasing manner.

Paint a Room

Over half (52 percent) of survey respondents plan to paint at least one room in their homes in the coming months. Popular choices include jewel tones, seafoam green, chalk white, and Pantone’s dual Colors of the Year, “Illuminating” yellow and “Ultimate Gray.”

Organize the Garage or Storage Area

51 percent of respondents say they’ll focus on organizing their garages or storage areas this year, making these spaces more streamlined and functional. Lowe’s has lots of suggestions for getting this done, including sorting and cleaning the contents, creating a storage plan, deciding on a shelving or bin system and finding a place for every last item.

Update Your Decor

53 percent of those surveyed are ready to tear out tired trends and freshen things up. If you’re on board and could use some ideas, check out our assessment of up-and-coming interior design trends and styles, including “Scandi Style,” “cottagecore,” statement walls, and “mermaid tiles.” And if you long to overhaul your decor on a shoestring budget, here are six ways to redecorate without spending a penny.

Plant Something

Spring will be here before we know it, and now is the time to make plans for new gardens and landscaping. 65 percent of Lowe’s consumers surveyed say they’re planning to “plant something” this year, whether it be in the form of fruit, vegetables and herbs, or ornamental greenery for a boost in curb appeal.

The post 5 Ways We’ll Be Transforming Our Homes in 2021, According to Lowe’s first appeared on Dornob.

Brooklyn-based artist and designer Sho Shibuya took a literal approach to the self care log-off in a serene new series. Feeling battered by the rising cases of coronavirus in New York City at the time, Shibuya found solace in the city’s sunrises. He decided to photograph each one and recreate it on the front page of The New York Times in acrylic paint.

“I realized that from the small windows of my studio, I could not hear the sounds of honking cars or people shouting,” he told Spoon & Tamago. “I could hear the birds chirping energetically and the sound of wind in the trees, and I looked up and saw the bright sky, beautiful as ever despite the changed world beneath it.”

Each one of these paintings appears on Shibuya’s Instagram, beginning on April 27th, 2020. At first, they’re like windows of escape in the middle of all the stress-inducing text, taking up only a fraction of the page, one captured “from a small airplane window.” Over time, they grow to encompass the entire page. On May 24th, he leaves a headline intact: “U.S. DEATHS NEAR 100,000, AN INCALCULABLE LOSS.” After that, they typically obscure every last bit of news.

One painting is entirely black, captioned simply “Black Lives Matter.” Others range from the inky indigo depths of a sky only just beginning to awaken to pastel hues of orange and lavender. In some cases, Shibuya’s even layered multiple sunrises over each other in perfectly aligned rectangles. The comments on each post are flooded with requests to purchase the works, which seem to have hit a nerve with New Yorkers in particular.

“The spirit of the project is that maybe, even after the pandemic subsides, people can continue some of the generosity and peace we discovered in ourselves, and that the sky reminds us of every day with a sunrise through a small window,” says Shibuya. “If there’s one thing the news has made clear, it’s that we need generosity and peace for all people now more than ever.”

Shibuya is the founder of Placeholder, a brand design studio focusing mostly on graphic design, advertisements, and creative projects designed to “go viral” in the old internet sense that we’ll never hear the same way again. Previous projects have included unique biodegradable ‘Thank You’ bags that pop up out of flat sheets of paper, hand-lettered Japanese katakana, and a strikingly unique “Millennial pink” retail space for menstrual garment brand Thinx.

Check out more of Shibuya’s work and keep up with new pieces on Instagram, where his stories, fittingly enough, are often just beautiful shots of the sky.

The post Sunsets Painted Onto the New York Times Take the Edge Off the News first appeared on Dornob.

Growing up, Mahaffey always wanted to tell and illustrate her own stories. Now 26, the artist has honed an incredibly distinctive style that’s colorful, joyous, playful, and thought-provoking. Combining realism and cartoons, she uses acrylic and spray paints to craft scenes of young subjects surrounded by representations of their inner worlds.

“Living in our society can be tough, and most of the time we have to make the best of it,” says Mahaffey in her artist statement. “A wild imagination can take you so far, but at the end of the day, we need to realize and observe the world around us. This is where I find my inspiration to paint. Colorful paintings that contain hints of whimsy and realism tell a story of inner thoughts and personal issues that sometimes go unheard. Seeing the struggle and the support from the community made my work evolve into a concept that is personal to me. I continue to improve my technique and push creativity in my field in order to paint a beautiful picture of a new world for those around me.”

The layered imagery of each piece is worth a close look. On the surface, the cartoonish figures are lighthearted and fun, but within them are reflections of all sorts of thoughts and emotions: wonder, curiosity, happiness, bravery, uncertainty, and fear. The paintings serve as beautiful reminders that we are all the protagonists of our own stories, carrying within us our own unique experiences and lenses through which we see the world.

In the midst of the George Floyd protests happening all over the United States — a reckoning of the racial injustice deeply imbedded into the country’s past and present — the fact that these subjects are young Black children is all the more powerful.

“As a Black female artist, I am not here to represent all Black people, but to bring awareness to what is happening in our world today and what we can do about it,” Mahaffey says. “These issues hit way too close to home and have always been an issue in our community, but now they’re finally getting noticed. This legendary protest is for change in our culture and in our country, and that responsibility lies with ALL people. We can’t end racism and police brutality without allies and without accountability. So moving forward, we need to listen and learn when issues arise, and when there is a crisis affecting our society we all need to do our best to assist others. And I want to thank all who are speaking out and doing their part to fight for justice and equality.”

Mahaffey recently exhibited a sold-out show titled “Deconstructed” at Los Angeles’ Thinkspace Projects, which explored themes of building and repair and raised funds for Black Lives Matter Chicago and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Check out more of her work at her website and give her a follow @kaylamay_art on Instagram.

The post The Imaginative Inner Worlds of Kids Illustrated by Kayla Mahaffey first appeared on Dornob.

Using the hashtag #StayArtHomePejac, the artist is encouraging people to reimagine their surroundings with paint or paper cutouts. After completing his own “window series” of artworks, he put together a simple tutorial showing how to join in on the fun. Even if you’re not artistically inclined, you can get great results by using your computer screen as a light box to trace imagery onto paper, cut your drawings out, and place them on the glass.

The artist explained the movement in an Instagram post, stating: “In these strange lockdown days, I believe that one of the best therapies to fight anxiety or boredom can be creativity. I have always believed as well, that there is an artist inside everyone. I encourage you to create your own ‘window series,’ true urban art at home. Let your imagination fly and post the results on social networks. Every piece of work counts to create an antidote against monotony. The pictures you send to my profile will be shared. Together we will defeat this virus!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_E62GZAXe2/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_P6utaj6bi/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_PRKS4He6K/

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Most participants choose to create simple paper figurines that interact with buildings, trees, and other objects visible from their windows. Some fun examples have included enormous cats stretching on rooftops, monkeys dangling from power lines, dinosaurs walking across hilltops, witches on broomsticks, and scenes that turn the sky into underwater scenes full of sea creatures.

“After only a few days the response of the public has been overwhelming with literally hundreds of submissions being sent in from more than 50 countries worldwide and counting. Reaching places all over Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, USA, Vietnam, Iran, India, Brazil, etc., the initiative is poetically standing up to the spreading of the virus. Having a new, simple way to play and create as well as capture and share this unique historic moment seems to be providing participants the feeling of a common shelter from otherwise tough and complex reality.”

Pejac says he’s heartened to see so many great results shared to Instagram, and they just keep on coming. Best known for his stunning interactive outdoor art, which ranges from small painted scenes to sculptural installations on public walls, he’s inspired street artists around the world to examine their surroundings for opportunities to express their creativity.

“When talking about Pejac, the key terms are ‘message’ and ‘adaptation,'” reads the artist’s bio. “No matter if he works on paper, canvas, or in public, he has tremendous ability to adapt his work in order to pass a clear and powerful message. Whether drawing a map of the world draining into a sewer or painting a chilling take on an iconic photograph of a Buddhist monk burning himself, his art is provocative and critical, capable of stopping the observer in his tracks. In order to achieve such effect, he [uses] different visual languages, reaching for unconventional tools or finding alternative ways to present the finished work.”

The post #StayArtHome: Turn Your Windows Into Interactive Art first appeared on Dornob.

Smith’s latest piece is called “Pure CSS Lace,” and it’s inspired by Flemish Baroque oil portraits. There’s definitely something suggestive of Vermeer to it, though of course, it’s lacking the rich textures of paint and brushstrokes found in the real thing, especially if we’re talking Flemish Baroque a la Rembrandt.

Smith didn’t invent CSS art, but she certainly elevated it. Using CSS is a fun way for coders to get creative, with results that are usually a lot simpler in detail. Smith says she enjoys the process and doesn’t mind that her methods are so time-consuming. She even sets certain rules for herself as she works, like the fact that all elements must be typed out by hand and only Atom text editor and Chrome Developer Tools are allowed.

The unconventional artist did a video interview with VICE providing a little more detail about how and why she works with this unusual medium. In it, she explains: “When I start out trying to create an image with CSS, what I’m ultimately trying to do is create something that does not look like it was created with CSS. The Francine image was originally inspired by a scene from the TV show American Dad. The 18th-century outfit just made me think of 18th-century art, and I just decided that would be an excellent concept to marry together. The cartoon influence and the old school influence.”

“Normally, when people might think of CSS art, they might think of something that’s kind of cartoonish, and I just wanted to see if it was possible to create something that you would look at and and not guess that it was created with CSS. You might just assume it was created with normal paint methods. I just wanted to see if it was possible to achieve that level of detail.”

In the video, Smith demonstrates how the code turns into these visual elements. As you can see, it literally requires coding every visible strand. Because you can fiddle with it in such fine detail, she says she often finds herself going back and adjusting past works continuously, never quite considering them complete.

One cool thing to note is that depending on what browser you use, CSS art can look drastically different. Details might be rendered in a way that looks warped in one browser, or strangely blocky and abstracted in another. It almost becomes its own sort of digital cubism. Smith jokes that it looks “interestingly awful.” The live preview is only meant to be viewed in Chrome, but you can also check it out at Github to see how different it looks from the image files if you’re using another browser (particularly an older one).

If you’re familiar with CSS and interested in trying out some art of your own, you can find an overview of the process over at Creative Bloq.

The post Baroque Portraits “Painted” Using Hand-Typed CSS Code first appeared on Dornob.

In particular, artist Pow Martinez played a key role in the creation of the exhibit. Martinez spent two weeks in June painting audaciously colorful cartoon-like spirits and fiends on a small portion of the level 1 and 2 stairway walls of the Palais. He was greatly honored by the opportunity to use the space as a giant sketch pad, adding, “It is something I don’t always do because I’m not a street or graffiti artist. It is challenging to make because of the big scale. It is like making 30 large paintings.”

Martinez explains that what visitors will see at the Palais exhibit is largely intuitive work. “I don’t work literally and make work directly based on the curatorial theme,” he says. “I think for me it’s boring and uninteresting to make work like that, to be totally direct. I want the viewer to complete the work by viewing it.”

Called among other things, “the largest center for contemporary artistic creation in all of Europe,” “the anti-museum,” and “a rebellious wasteland,” the Palais de Tokyo is the ideal venue for Martinez’s vision. One of his creations for the show features a church engulfed in flames, soldiers armed with rifles, men dangling upside down from tree limbs, a bombshell atop a white steed, and a coarse portrayal of a revolution in action.

It took Martinez a full two weeks to complete his project, changing images, filling in white spaces, making sure his murals over 50 steps of the staircase and a middle landing best captured his vision and style. He was given a floor plan and video of the area he was assigned prior to his arrival so he could make some preliminary sketches ahead of time. He says: “At first, I wanted to make like a flash tattoo style of images of my works with lots of white spaces. I found it too clean and boring like coffee shop wall art. So I ended up making it like my paintings, messy and rough.”

Pow admits that he was still a bit overwhelmed when he saw the actual space. He says: “It was hard at first because I’m not used to painting on walls in this scale.” But his innate talent prevailed and his unique characters and dark humor shone through in every single inch.

According to the curators, the Palais-wide show’s goal was to nurture artists’ insights from the bedlam of huge cities and the expected development and deceptive change these urban spaces endure. The curator press kit proposes that “the artists who emerge from them are thus the strollers of the 21st century, hackers of our answers to an urban milieu which is often too functional and standardized.”

City Prince/sses will be open at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris through the 8th of September.

The post Pow Martinez Paints Mural on the Staircase Walls of Paris’ Palais de Tokyo first appeared on Dornob.

Once you buy a piece of art to hang on your wall, you’re pretty much stuck with it until you decide to remove or replace it. But this is the future, so why should we have to settle for something as old-fashioned as permanent art? The Electric Object is a computer that hangs on your wall to display dynamic, changeable, and even (literally) moving art.

Think of the Electric Object as a highly evolved digital photo frame. Whereas the digital photo frame can store and display your photos, and even perform a slideshow, the EO1 is designed to bring internet art to your walls. It’s a super-slim computer that looks just like a framed piece of art. It features a single power cord, no buttons, and uses about as much energy as a typical light bulb.

The interface is through a mobile or desktop app; with a reaction time of 5 milliseconds, you can change your wall art to suit your mood at that moment or even switch it up based on who is in your home just then. The computer can mount on your wall or sit on a base.

The company producing the EO1 is working with artists to design art specifically for the dynamic electronic frame. They are also in talks with galleries and museums to gain access to electronic versions of real-world art. Of course, the privilege of hanging masterpieces on your wall won’t come free – there is a dedicated store that lets you purchase the pieces you want to add to your collection.

Electronic Objects launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their endeavor and it was wildly successful, raising more than 30 times its original goal. Although the campaign is now completed, you can still pre-order your own EO1 for $299 – a significant discount from the $499 retail price tag.

The post Moving Digital Art For Your Walls first appeared on Dornob.

In the midst of all this media madness, Athens, Greece-based artist Virginia Axioti started handpainting some of these billboards — that’s right, no digitization required — to hang over the entrance of Athens’ Athinaion cinema, one of the oldest theaters in the capital city.

Marvelous Moment

Her most recent work dazzled moviegoers as they lined up for the premier of Avengers: Endgame: the zenith of a 22-film dynasty introduced by Disney’s Marvel Studios more than a dozen years ago. Painting the film’s main cast of heroes posed in character-defining stances was no easy task for Axioti, whose previous paintings generally featured only one or a few characters. Although she still prefers painting simpler depictions, her portrayal of the Marvel film stopped many movie fans dead in their tracks, allowing them to appreciate a work of classic art, often forgotten in the mix of green screen and other digital wizardry, if only for a moment.

Family Ties

The 970-seat Athinaion theater was founded in 1960 by Axioti’s grandfather and great uncle, who wisely chose to build on a bustling intersection in the city’s Ampelokipoi district. Axioti is now co-owner of the theater, and it’s the only one in Athens that still displays handpainted billboards.

The handpainted billboards have been part of the theater’s appeal since day one, when they were mostly painted by Vasilis Dimitriou, a former boxer who, at 83 years old, still works with Axioti to make signs for the Athinaion. His artistic style is more comparable to contemporary graphic novels but every bit mesmerizing as Axioti’s.

More About Axioti

Virginia Axioti, 41, is a fine arts graduate who paints in a wide range of styles. She’s also a talented singer and musician, though creating billboard art does take up most of her time. She generally spends four to five days painting each unique poster, averaging around 20 or 25 a year.

Beyond the creative challenges behind each piece, the billboards are also a bit of a physical test for Axioti, since she has a diminutive frame and each billboard painting averages a little larger than 20 by seven feet. Her first billboard was painted in 1979 for Mad Max. Her subsequent billboards have paid tribute to all kinds of movies over the years, including Neon Demon, Sully, Batman vs. Superman, Glass, Mary Poppins Returns, Darkest Hour, Dumbo, Alice, T2 Trainspotting, Cold Pursuit, The Wife, Killing On Wheels, Aquaman, Rogue I: A Star Wars Story, First Man, the latest version of A Star Is Born, BlackkKlansman, Johnny English Strikes Again, The Crimes Of Grindelwald, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, SOLO: A Star Wars Story, A Quiet Place, Lady Bird, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Goodtime, Thor: Ragnorak, Bladerunner 2049, Victoria & Abdul, Dead Men, and Dunkirk.

The post Greek Artist Turns Movie Posters Into Breathtaking Paintings first appeared on Dornob.

The company’s website reads: “PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar, and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, PANTONE Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color.”

On the softer end, it’s more of a blush pink, while darker hues take on more of a salmon or orange sherbet kind of shade. Brilliant yet subdued, you’ll find that Living Coral is actually pretty easy to work into your interior decor, particularly in rooms that could use a bit of cheer.

Pairing It with Complementary Colors

Shades of blue-green are the perfect complements for this color of the year, which is fitting enough considering the fact that together they look like crystalline tropical waters reflecting sunlight over a coral reef. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should take this combo too literally with nautical or mermaid-inspired themes (unless that just happens to be what you’re into, of course). Make it your own in a way that feels a little more natural to your decorating style and fits in with the rest of your stuff.

Brightening Up Neutral Color Schemes

Living Coral pairs beautifully with black, white, and all shades of gray. As seen above on the Jonesy Sofa by Loaf, this contrast can produce a particularly subtle balance of warm and cool tones. Take it in a bolder direction, like the bathroom of a West Hollywood condo designed by Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer and photographed by Mary Costa, and it gets punchy and graphic in a way that feels fresh and fun.

Painting a Statement Wall

Living Coral is an exciting choice for an accent wall because its depth and warmth changes throughout the day, producing an amber glow when the sun is at its strongest. Some great shade matches from major paint brands include Benjamin Moore’s vivid Tangerine Dream 2012-30, Coral Reef SW 6606 by Sherwin-Williams, Amber Rose by Valspar, Celebration Orange by Glidden, Coral Serenade by Behr, and Coral Gables 2010-40 by Benjamin Moore. If you prefer an eco-friendly, non-toxic alternative to these colors, one good option is Aegean Coral chalk paint by Renaissance.

Sticking to the Smaller Things

If you’re loving this color but all too aware of how quickly trends pass, try incorporating it on a small scale through accessories that can easily be changed out when you get bored and begin to crave something new. Pictured here are the Ombre Bath Rug from AllModern, the Emanuela Carratoni Coral Agate Round Side Table at Bed Bath & Beyond, the Peach Velvet Pillow at Land of Pillows, a midcentury modern shower curtain from Society6, and the Coral Reef lamp set from Lamps Plus.

The post How to Brighten Up Your Home with Living Coral, Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year first appeared on Dornob.

Angela McKay of Ohkii Studio

Originating from both Thailand and Australia, surface pattern designer and illustrator Angela McKay has made quite a name for herself in the online art world. You’re almost never more than a few clicks away from her designs on Pinterest, and she’s amassed an impressive following of 98.6 thousand on Instagram. Her vibrant paintings are usually created with watercolors and often depict exotic people and natural landscapes: women lounging around pools in their swimsuits, beaches and lagoons, overseas travel destinations, jungle animals and environments, tropical gardens — the list goes on.
All of McKay’s work is handmade, hand-drawn, and hand-painted before being screen printed for Ohkii Studio’s online store, where all of her prints are available for purchase. Just make sure to check out her fairy tale and mystery novel-inspired silk scarf collections while you’re there!

Roeqiya Fris

Rotterdam-based illustrator Roeqiya Fris is a pattern mixer who creates bustling paintings full of diverse cultural prints and vibrant watercolors. Her work is sure to make you want to pack a suitcase and zip off to an unknown tropical location, most commonly featuring impeccably dressed women surrounded by lots of wildflowers, exotic animals, and iconic architecture.

Sasha Ignatiadou

Born in Russia but working in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Sasha Ignatiadou produces high-quality limited edition digital art. With 14.3 thousand Instagram followers and a successful online store set up on Tictail, it’s no wonder this colorful artist is counting her blessings. Her work is very graphic, using block colors to craft portraits of well-dressed women in front of very busy culturally-inspired backdrops. A lot of her work is inspired by Asia and the fashions, patterns, and shapes favored in Japanese and Korean cultures.

Isabelle Feliu

Isabelle Feliu is a Canadian artist who currently lives in Oslo, Norway. She studied fashion design in school, working as an assistant designer before beginning her own illustration business in Norway. Her works are mainly created mainly using gouache and watercolors, reflecting images from her own imagination and worldly travels.
You can find Feliu’s beautiful prints on Society6, or you can check out her collections on her own awesome website.

Chloe Joyce

Illustrator and graphic designer Chloe Joyce is a Sydney-based freelance artist with an Instagram following of 11.7 thousand, a highly successful Etsy store, and a reputation for working with top-notch brands and magazines on design projects. Her work generally features cartoon-like women posing nude or topless around an abundance of colorful plants and foliage. Her most recent pieces have all been inspired by her Australian lifestyle, though you can pick up a few Asian influences in some of them as well.
You can peruse Joyce’s digital art directly through her website or her adorable Etsy store.

The post 5 Colorful Female Artists That’ll Brighten Up Your Decor first appeared on Dornob.

The Painting’s History

Often regarded as one of Carr’s most significant paintings, the bright, striking green and white image depicts a church bounded by a burial ground and a daunting rainforest. The church in the picture was erected on member nation Mowachaht Muchalaht’s territory by Christian followers in 1889. Carr visited the location in 1928, the year before she created Indian Church.

The Controversy

Uhlyarik told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that Carr’s original title contained “a word that causes pain.” Furthermore, a column in the Toronto Star newspaper reported that the museum subjected a number of other possibly offensive artwork titles to review before being publicly displayed.

While many people today would agree that the word “Indian” is often considered archaic and insulting, it was regularly used during the period when Carr completed and named her painting. Of course, there are those who believe deactivating terms may not be the most helpful decision. Carey Newman, a Kwagiuth/Coast Salish artist, told the Times Colonist: “As an artist, I am always aware of my language. If I said harmful words, I would address and take ownership of them. Changing words merely obscures the truth of how people spoke.”

The deed was commended by some. The Toronto Star art critic thought that the title change “pa[id] respect both to the artist and the people she so admired.” Others assailed the decision as gratuitous political correctness. Uhlyarik admitted, “I got a lot of angry emails. People felt they were losing something.”

A “Compromise”

The art gallery has agreed to post a second plaque beside the painting to offer appropriate history of the church and clarify the title change. Uhlyarik informed CBC Radio that they were “acknowledging that this is its history, that this is why it was called that, because that is in keeping with the language of her time.”

The Aftermath

On a recent tour of the Art Gallery of Ontario, the docent was mindful to discuss Carr’s intimate friendships with “the First Nations,” the common term in Canada for Indigenous people. Nonetheless, the tour guide did not reveal the museum’s choice to rename the painting. She had been previously coached on her presentation speech by Wanda Nanibush, the museum’s curator of Indigenous art who decided with Uhlyarik to rename the painting.

Nanibush took over as full-time curator of the museum two years ago. She has emerged as one of the most dominant voices for Indigenous culture in the North American art scene, a realm where Canada has steadfastly carved itself a unique and powerful profile. To a degree, Nanibush’s endeavors have resulted in almost a third of the Art Gallery of Ontario currently being dedicated to Indigenous artists.

The post A Toronto Museum Renames a Classic Emily Carr Painting first appeared on Dornob.