He was cool enough to sit down with Prodigal Concepts over digital coffee and it’s a treat I’m sharing with all of you a short Q&A with Jirka Väätäinen.

Q: Can you give us a brief bio of how you got into design?

Ever since I was a little kid, I have always done a lot of arts related stuff. Being creative and designing is what I am most passionate about, so it was a natural choice for me to get a higher education degree in design and turn my interests into a career.

Q: And who were your inspirations if you have any? People you look up to for inspiration?

There are so many talented people, and so much inspiring stuff out there that I don’t think I can just name a few people! Different people have inspired me at different times.

Snow White – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Q: Aside from your creative imagination where do you go to or what do use to stimulate creativity?

I draw inspiration from all areas of design and visual culture, whether it is movies, fashion, photography, graphic design or so on. So give me anything visual really, and I am good to go!

Princess Aurora – The Sleeping Beauty

Cinderella

Ariel – The Little Mermaid

Q: What was your creative design process while working on the Disney characters?

The design process has been very casual, since the project was self-initiated and it was just something I explored for fun. Being familiar with all the characters and having a clear idea on what I was looking to portray, the process has simply involved finding appropriate inspiration from real life people and photos, and then just working towards achieving my vision in photoshop!

Ursula the Sea Witch – The Little Mermaid

Belle – Beauty and the Beast

Meg – Hercules

Q: Can you share with us (*aspiring creatives) some words of wisdom on how we could harness our creativity and standout from the multitudes of creatives out there?

I would just suggest everyone to have fun and find out what the things are that you genuinely enjoy doing – since after all, standing out will require you to do your own thing!

Jasmine – Aladdin

Esmeralda – The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Pocahontas

Mulan

Rapunzel – Tangled

Tiana – Princess and the Frog

I hope you guys enjoyed this post as I have enjoyed working on it, be sure to share it with your friends. And I would like to thank Mr. Jirka Väätäinen who has been generous enough to share his time and his work with us today.

Where to find Jirka Väätäinen on the web

Portfolio: @Behance.net

Blog: Jirka’s Blog

Social Networks: Twitter, LinkedIn

The Ideal Beauty of the Human Body in Art

The idea of the perfect human body is a result of culture: religious functions, economy, advertisement and other factors.

The definition of beauty is not an immanent and objective quality of things, since every age, place and social class formed its own ideal of it, ideal beauty is corresponding with the aesthetic feeling of people of a respecting period.

“History of art” as a relatively young science earlier was called subjectively “aesthetics”. Art was supposed to evoke religious contemplation and/or sensuos and mental delight., as the ancient poet Heliodor postulated.

However according to the great historian Ranke the task of an historian is plainly “to tell as it really was..”, and not his own opinions or feelings.

Actually nowadays we are not any more allowed to call something objectively beautiful, only “to me it is beautiful” or “I like it”, especially since art expresse the disorder and confusion of mankind.

It seem, that there is no more ideals and “anything goes”…

- A Short Introduction to European History of Culture

I have always been fascinated by the “Death’s-head Hawkmoth” used in the “Silence of the Lambs” poster ever since the movie came out way back when. For those who are not familiar with it, these moths are easily distinguishable by the vaguely human skull-shaped pattern of markings on the thorax. But if you look closer, the image used in the movie poster incorporated an original sketch by Salvador Dali which he later collaborated with Philippe Halsman called In Voluptas Mors (1951) where he used actual women to form a large skull.

It is by some creative chance that I’ve stumbled upon a similar imaginative individual who celebrates the human body in all it’s glory, manipulating stock images to create a totally new concept. Let me introduce you to the dreamlike but artistically talented works of…

Cecelia Webber

Our featured artist for today once questioned why we are made to feel so ashamed of the human body especially in the Western culture and so much of the rest of the world? “Isn’t the body a beautiful, wonderful thing, deserving nothing less than to be celebrated?” Cecelia alighted upon a petal in her mind, a new-found platform from which she could quietly challenge the status quo: she created a digital image of a flower constructed entirely from photographs of the naked human body.

Caterpillars and Butterflies

Traveler

Reach

Chrysalis

Cerulean

Monarch

Fuchsia

Vivid

Flowers

White Dandelion

Sunflower

Sunflower (blown)

Blue Bell

Blue Lilac

Cherry Blossom

Jungle Pink

Dragon Flower

Note: Cecelia also dabbles in paintings as a medium, you can get a taste of her works of surreal cityscapes in black and white by heading over and viewing them all from her updated website.

Where to find Cecelia Webber on the web

Website: ceceliawebber.com

Blog: Cecelia Webber’s thoughts (NA)

Social Networks: Twitter, Facebook

Visit other prodigalconcepts.com features…

With baby photography one name stands out for me among the crowd and that would be no other than Anne Geddes, she’s well renowned for her baby portraits usually dressed up in fantasy styled outfits and garden settings. I was introduced to her work a while back (some time in the late 90′s) when I received copies of them printed as postcards and greeting cards, I fell in love with her concepts. Anne has an eye that can see babies from a very surreal perspective and presents them mostly during their earliest days of innocence, when one couldn’t help but be awed as the babies look serene and magical.

I’ve decided for this post to celebrate the birth of Iñigo and make a compilation of creatively portrayed babies in photography. Babies in different poses and scenes shot by Anne herself as well as some images by other photographers I stumbled upon along the way. I hope you all enjoy and get enough dose of inspiration to grab that camera and immortalize the little tykes at their age of innocence.

Anne Geddes and her Surreal Babies

Anne Geddes style of children’s portraiture broke some fresh ground in the early 90′s. She has a few published work and some awards in photography excellence to back her years of experience in the industry she has grown to love. And if being interviewed by Oprah doesn’t count as an achievement, then let her work speak for her talent.

Carrie Sandoval and her Babies in B&W

Carrie Sandoval was always into anything that has to do with arts even as a young girl. She worked as an Art Director for an advertising agency before she had her first baby, a boy who gave her a new career direction. “Becoming a mother was the catalyst that caused her love of photography to blossom.

Adele Enersen and Mila’s Daydreams

Adele Enersen is from Finland, I believe Helsinki to be exact. She’s not a professional photographer but makes this list because of her creativity. A copywriter and a concept designer by profession who took time off from work to have her baby “Mila”. To avoid disturbing Mila’s sleep Adele just takes a few minutes to create a concept and take a snapshot using a point and shoot Canon IXUS 750, then it’s back to the crib for the little angel. Adele Enersen will have a daydream-book out soon, inspired by her blog Mila’s Daydreams where she portray’s her daughter in a wide array of dream like poses and settings, using anything readily available at home she can get her hands on as props which is planned to be published sometime in 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Related Articles

6 Baby Photography Tips for Beginners

Baby Photography 101

Baby Photography:21 Cute and Meaningful Black&White Baby Photos

30 Adorable Examples of Baby Photography

On a personal note Iñigo finally arrived around 11:50 am on October 25, 2010. He’s a handful but manageable and it’s really something else to hold him, it’s like magic.

Now what if you are like our featured artist of the week, he doesn’t visit toy shops simply to purchase someone else’s work, although I’m sure he has quite the collection. He also goes inside the magical emporiums to be inspired and probably to get some raw materials because Jim Faustino makes his own toys, yup he’s a toy maker of sorts he’s a regular Geppetto. He’s also an Illustrator, Painter, Comic book and Action figure enthusiast and the skill that brought him to our attention, a Sculptor. Another talented Filipino doing what he loves and being good at what he does Jim is a world class act and an inspiration to all of us.

Aside from his day job Jim Faustino is also a part of an eclectic team of artists at www.glasshousegraphics.com which is a professional service firm who collaborates and brings together individuals from different areas of expertise.

Now it’s time to hold on to your seats because we’re taking a ride to the candy store of sculpted goodies… and other stuff by Jim Faustino.

Toy Sculptures

Mark / Dirk Daring (G-Force)

Lobo (D.C.)

The Terminator

Betty Boop

Mico Jacko

Monster

Another Monster

Elf or Fairy or Dwarf

Compilation of early works

Darna

Wolf

Viktor

Druid

Other works

Wristbeads feat. Slipknot (accesories)

A Christmas (wall mural)

Archies (fan art)

Inhuman Royal Family (fan art)

Pinhead from Hellraiser (fan art)

Find Jim Faustino on the web

To know the back story of each creation visit Jim Faustino’s gallery at deviant art. As “the Joker” from Tim Burton’s Batman said “Where does he get those wonderful toys?”

Portfolio: deviantart.com | glasshousegraphics.com

Trivia: Jim together with his brother Jeremiah won the Philippine Graphic Fiction Peoples Choice Awards 2010 early this year for the comics category with their official entry “Hunger”. You may view the results at the Neil Gaiman interview. View the results here

As full-time visual artists they frequent alternative galleries of Manila to showcase most of their pop-inspired artworks. Whenever things slow down they will keep themselves out of trouble with painting and participating in design conferences. But no matter how crazy things sometimes get you can still count on them to find the time to collaborate with local and foreign artists to come up with a brand new material.

Gaining international acclaim ElectroLychee has been featured in a number of publications, from magazines and even design books in countries like Belgium, Taiwan, U.S. and U.K. to name a few. Their work is eclectic and their list of clients shows just how dynamic our featured guests are, from apparel to hardware, record studios and Unilever, yup that’s the company that manufactures those minty Close-up toothpastes.

Be amazed and gaze in awe in the handy work of ElectroLychee.

Paintings and Illustrations

puddle detail

electro lychee sound system

triad

sundo

clarityII

blue sausages

sci-fi lullabies (set)

Character Design

Just-tiis League

lychee ninjas

Visuals

tv5 rebrand

tv ad “Papa ketchup” (characters & environment)

Find ElectroLychee on the web

Website: www.electrolychee.com

flickr: @berniebru

Blog: livejournal

ElectroLychee studio also produces Electrolychee-branded Strange Creations merchandise which is currently gaining momentum don’t be the only one without it.

Michael Myers (not the knife wielding, scary guy wearing a mask from the Halloween Movie franchise) is a designer and illustrator from Iowa, U.S.A. (also referred to as the “American Heartland” which incidentally gave us the spooky looking, mask wearing but hard rocking band Slipknot*) his illustrations are just phenomenal! He creates these imaginative characters that ranges from the obscene to the abstract or a fusion of spooky and funky that only makes it more interesting and fun. Michael Myers interpretation of the LOST cast makes this feature post of the week because he has given a new life to the characters we’ve all grown to appreciate throughout their 6 seasons. The T.V. show’s time to shine has passed on to the realm of re-runs but our special guest illustrator Michael Myers shining moment will continue to brighten our days for a very long time. I hope you guys enjoy!

The Black Smoke

Jacob

Mr. Charles Widmore

Mr. Eko

Daniel Faraday

Miles Straume

Desmond Hume

Walt Lloyd

Richard Alpert

Benjamin Linus

John Locke

Charlie Pace

Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

Sun-Hwa Kwon

Kwon Jin-Soo

Sayid Jarrah

James Ford a.k.a. Sawyer

Kate Austen

Jack Shephard

Find Michael Myers on the web

Website: www.drawsgood.com

Blog: Drawsgood Illustration and Design Blog

Portfolio: Deviantart, Bēhance, Society6

Social Network: Twitter, Facebook

I had an amazing experience getting to know DrFranken a little bit a few weeks back, a digital artist from Madrid and the other half of nastplas.com, I featured some of his mind blowing artwork in my article “The art of DrFranken”. But today I got one even better, he was cool enough to shoot the breeze and spend a short time with prodigal concepts.

I would like to welcome you to prodigal concepts and thank you for spending time with us today.

Your work can be found all over the web, Deviantart, Behance, blogsites that features your art to name a few, you were also published in print. So we have an idea of your style and fantastic creativity.

Q: Can you tell us a bit more about DrFranken. A short bio perhaps? Tell us how it all started for you, how you decided to be in this field?

Artist, Fran Rodrìguez Learte, “drfranken” was born in La Coruna, Spain in 1979. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Salamanca in 1998. drfranken lives and works in Madrid, Spain. For many years he experimented with different techniques and mediums. Now he concentrates on digital art and his work as a computer programmer in engineering.

My artistic side came since childhood especially on the part Paterna. My father was a great artist. He painted using all sorts of techniques such as oil, charcoal, pencil, watercolor. My mother also paints very well and loves the arts. But my interest in digital art arises when I start my studies as a computer programmer and start to discover a world of new possibilities and tools to express my art.

Q: It’s a creatively demanding world we’re in, how does an artist like yourself stay original? What’s your philosophy on originality?

Being original is the ability to produce something new through the application of imaginative and thinking skills. Currently it is very dificult to be original as there are many artists who have done practically everything, but there is always something you can do and try to differentiate themselves from the rest somehow.

Q: Your work is distinguished for taking a life of its own. What are some of the tools you use to achieve such amazing effect?

I always use several tools to work, from software such as photoshop, painter or C4D to photographs scanned or pencil sketches. Almost always mix several techniques and programs to ensure that the image is as I like.
I like to watch every little detail, but always think I can improve more.

Q: How do you deal with creative block?

I don´t almost never soil block my creativity because I always come to mind to new ideas or forms, although I think the best way not to block your creativity is to have an open mind.

Q: What’s a typical day for DrFranken?

Currently I work as a computer programmer for in electric ingeniería since eight years ago. The free time I have left is dedicated to my illustrations and to update my website and my blog. Normally I spend at day three or four hours but sometimes much more.

Q: There is no question that every DrFranken masterpiece is unique and was probably inspired by a powerful personal story. If you could select just 1 particular piece of artwork that’s most special to you, which one would it be? And why?

One of the artworks I’ve done and that more I like is Old Man Typography, it is a work dedicated to my father with great symbolism for me, which is always in my head wherever you are.

Q: What are we going to expect from DrFranken in the days to come?

The newest is the redesign of our web www.nastplas.com, we are also preparing new works and some other surprise …

Q: What advice can you share with aspiring graphic artists?

I think the best advice I can give is that they are perseverant in their work and to strive to improve every day a little more.

Nobody is born knowing everything.

Once again Thank You very much for sharing with us your insights and allowing us to peek inside DrFranken…

As Jim Morrison once said “This is the trip, the best part I really like – Soft Parade”

Look for DrFranken on the web…

Website: nastplas.com

Blogsite: Nastplas Blog

Portfolio: Deviantart, Behance, Museum of Computer Art AutoGallery, Painter Magazine, CG Society, Concept Art

Social Networks: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace