Hey there guys and girls!

For the past few days I have been looking at different kinds of street art for inspiration and was really amazed by the new discoveries I came across.

Moss Art, better know as Moss Graffiti, is such a great way to let creative people express themselves in an urban setting. Even better, moss art is eco-friendly as it lacks the toxins and chemicals of regular art materials.

Normally the designer will use a mix of yoghurt and sugar to stick the moss onto bricks. However, another method is to blend moss with yoghurt and sugar and then paint it onto the wall. After a few weeks of being watered, the moss begins to grow. There are also some moss graffiti artists who prefer to attach their creations in a ready-made form. Whatever the process is, using moss as art invariably means that the nature of the art will change over time.

During the last few years artists such as Edina Tokodi and Jozsef Valyi-Toth have created many different kinds of Moss Graffiti throughout New York City. Their work is better known as ‘Mosstika’, which also describes their pseudonym.

Their work even has the power to captivate people who are in a rush (New Yorkers are always in a rush!), who can’t help but stop by and take some time to have a look at their incredible artwork. It basically assaults passers-by on multiple sensory levels. It’s soft, it’s alive and it’s shaped in such a way as to remind us of life without big city lights, stress and noisiness. For a short moment you can relax, breathe and even rest your body just by looking at the Moss Graffiti.

I must admit, I’m really surprised that a little bit of green art can truly change the vibe of city life in such a very positive way. I’m desperately trying to find more examples of this art form in other cities around the world.

Have you discovered green art or even moss graffiti in your neighborhood?

It would be great if you could share some images or links to graffiti art with me! I can’t wait to see even more inspirational street art like this.

Miriam

Robot design has changed so much over the years!

These days you seem to have three prevailing groups of robots that continue to make their presence felt: mecha, retro-robo, contemporary

Mecha is the term given to robots (more precisely gigantic robot-like battle armour) that come from a Japanese animation origin, otherwise known as anime.

Mecha have become seriously popular, especially since the ‘robotic uprising’ of the late 90’s (Flight of the Conchordes would be proud) when anime/manga really struck Western audiences with its epic might. This kind of robot art was vastly different from what most people were used to in the West and this ‘fresh’ take on robots was welcomed with open arms by robot lovers everywhere. These days it seems that every 3^rd robot design I see has its roots in anime.

Take a look at this perfect example of an anime style robot design. Ahbiasaaja’s illustration ‘And outcome the Wolf’ shows the scale that some of these mecha can reach (which can in actual fact get much, much larger). Most diehard fans will usually list mecha such as those from Macross and Gundam fame, as your stereotypical mecha designs.

The other aspect of Ahbiasaaja’s design is the fact that it shows a human soldier, standing quietly, almost seemingly appreciating the scene of the giant mech. Mecha are tools used by humans! They are for the most part, not sentient machines with advanced ‘artificial intelligence’. The future is often seen as a time where gigantic robotic creations are used by humanity as weapons or simply as a part of industry for practical use. This symbiosis of man-and-machine working together, on a daily basis, more prevalent than in Japanese mecha illustration!

Retro-robo is the kind of robot design that our parents and grandparents remember from their youth. Stretching as far back as the weird and wonderful rounded robots during Asimov’s time, to the shapes of the 80’s, I would consider all of these to be retro. The humanoid style of the time, such as the C-3PO automaton of Star Wars, was a very popular trend in robot design that continues today.

The concept of realistic humanoid robots has been a passion of sci-fi lovers the world over. In more contemporary times the humanoid automaton has been likened to robots that have a structure identical to their human creators (also a very popular trend in anime/manga).
The retro robot is still a huge source of inspiration for designers. The classical, almost humorous style (in our current opinions) of yesteryears robots, is mega unique and can often be seen employed in illustrations where the designer wants you to pick-up on a specific feeling.

Take for example this wicked robot design by Mathieu Leyssenne, simply entitled, ‘Robot’.
This is undoubtedly a retro-robo. The rounded shapes of the robot itself and the single red beam of light (War of the Worlds), not to mention the unfriendly disposition are all very retro in nature. Of course it helps that there is an old school ‘bubble headed ray gun wielding’ space adventurer in the image too, hehehe.

Finally, contemporary robot design. Wow, this is a rather difficult category to define. The reason for this is the fact that the robotic design trends of the past all seem to have been integrated into what we term modern robot design. Retro, and more recently anime, have totally entrenched themselves in the minds of designers and undoubtedly the influence has become inescapable….nothing wrong with this at all, this is the evolution of robot design!

I found this awesome illustration of the Star Wars B-2 Super Battle Droid. This is the exact kind of hybrid robot that incorporates a retro aesthetic with that of the anime influence. While this droid didn’t exactly look super hot in the movie, this illustration does look pretty awesome. I’m afraid I could not find the designers name, apologies there…anybody out there know his name?

Where do you think robot design will go in the future? Have you got any awesome examples of robots that you feel don’t fit any of these 3 categories…I would really love to see them.

R0b0t5-4-3v3r!

Geeks and techno-fiends alike erupted with cheers as the CES (Consumer Electronics Show 2012) let rip with a barrage of amazing devices that will undoubtedly trickle into our lives throughout the year and give the commercial market a boost into this-is-the-future tech.

There were big strides by all the usual giants, but the device that got me the most excited was the preview of the new Samsung Smart Window.

In essence this is a transparent LCD display, without back light units (BLU), but which incorporates a sort of ambient light display. This now means that the screen, or ‘window’, is completely transparent – you could now place this as a window overlooking your garden, or perhaps the window in your office.

The Samsung Smart Window may use ambient light, but the device will still work in low-light settings by harnessing the power of an “invisible BLU”. This creates luminosity when night falls or when you switch off the lights!

The Samsung Smart Window has already been likened to the interactive screens of Minority Report and bear a striking resemblance to rudimentary ‘vid-screens’ found throughout popular science fiction *happy dance*.

Somebody I spoke to about the Samsung Smart Window was worried how much power this baby would suck! However, I read that most of the power drawn from your typical LCD display actually goes to the BLU’s, which this device goes without. This means that the Smart Window actually uses a tenth of the power a traditional LCD would….how about them apples, hehe.
Obviously when you go into low-light situations it will start to suck more juice…but hey it’s better than nothing.

For you secretive types don’t worry that people on the opposite side can’t see what you are seeing, because the screen itself is one-way, with a mirrored effect on the opposite side.

When these tasty gadgets will go into mass production is anybody’s guess. Samsung is keeping ‘mum’ on the release date, but when you watch the video you will see just how close they are to developing a commercially viable product (honestly they probably already are).

Who knows, we may be pulling Tom Cruise Minority Report impersonations by the end of the year!
That would make me a very happy sci-fi freak, indeed.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the Samsung Smart Window.
Do you think this will change the world? Is it a single step…or a giant leap?

WOOOHOOOO the annual Up the Creek music festival is almost here!

The Western Cape’s Breede River is about to erupt with the sights and sounds of one of the most talked about music festivals on the South African summer party scene.

There is no doubt about it – this is one of the best music festivals in South Africa and it seems to be growing in popularity with every passing year. Once you attend you are a follower for life!

Up the Creek showcases the hottest local bands, bringing together a diverse range of sounds which will keep you rocking all day long.

Every year the Up the Creek music festival attracts a seriously passionate crowd of music lovers from all over the country. Often referred to as a “pilgrimage”, it is actually interesting to hear just how faithful the fans of this festival truly are…I have never heard anything negative about Up The Creek.

One of the best things about this festival is the fact that it is slightly less busy than the mainstream festivals. Sure everybody likes a sprawling mass of revelry, but the very fact that it is on the mellow side means it is easier to kick back, relax, and enjoy the tunes. Don’t get me wrong, there will be loads of chilled tunes…but also a truckload of rock ooomf!!!

This year we will be treated to 3 stages: The MK River stage, The BOS Ice Tea Stage and the Bacardi Main Stage.

There are so many talented bands playing - here are my top picks per day:

Thursday - December Streets
Friday - Jeremy Loops, Taxi Violence
Saturday - Karen Zoid, Shadowclub
Sunday – Wrestlerish

You can scope out the full line-up HERE

For those of you who feel like a good laugh you can also check out comedian Siv Ngesi doing his thang on the MK River Stage on Sunday (10 am).

More great news – after the success of last year float building competition the organizers have decided to run it once again….joy!
This was such a blast last time around! Honestly we had fun just sitting and watching the entrants wacky antics! Prepare for the silliest most absolutely hair-brained floats ever devised ;)

Float categories include:

1. Best design.
2. Most floatable contraption.
3. Most luxurious device.

It’s really cool to see just how stuck-in competitors get with their crazy floats. This year it is sponsored by Bos Iced Tea, who will be giving away a lekker package prize. If I remember correctly Bos was also at Rocking the Daisies with their Wrestling Ring….maybe Corne and Twakkie will make an appearance…fingers crossed!

Even if you are not the competitive type, you can watch the craziness from the floating bar or perhaps on the back of your very own floating lobster lilo, hahaha.

Up the Creek – OFFICIAL DATES: 3-5 February 2012

The festival may officially kick off on the 03 February, but there will be an extra special “preview gig” on Thursday 02 February (4pm), for all of you who are able to take an extra day off work. All it will cost you is an extra R100.
Tickets are limited to 400 humans….so be like Jack – nimble & quick.

If you would like to find out more about Up the Creek 2012 cruise across to their homepage.
Alternatively you can catch them on Facebook or their Twitter pages.

Now THIS is what I call the ultimate summer music festival. Don’t miss out guys and girls!

Can this be true? Could the legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers be making their way to sunny South Africa in 2013???

I’m on my knees as we speak, pleading to the Concert Gods for this to become a reality!

The Peppers have been a force to be reckoned with in the rock world for as long as I can remember. They were a HUGE part of my life, especially growing up as a beach boy in Durban. They have a sound that instantly makes you think of summer, surfing and raucous parties.

Whether you were bopping to American Ghost Dance back in 85, or are perhaps a more recent fan who received their first dose of awesome with their iconic rock album Californication, it is impossible to doubt the devotion of their followers, who continue to grow and evolve with their music.

If the rumours are true and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are indeed coming to our shores, then I have to say that I am truly excited. It has been a long time since a stadium band has come along that made me stand up and take notice…the last being Rammstein (which was amazing).

The rumour itself started snowballing when Attie van Wyk, who is the founder of Big Concerts, broke the news that Red Hot Chili Peppers would be playing a SA gig in 2013.

It seems that the main proponent of Red Hot Chili Peppers who wants to host a tour in Africa is their bassist Flea. Not only does he want to get down here and rock our worlds in an explosive show or two, but he also wants to hit the famous South African surf. Yup, Flea is a big-time surfer and is looking forward to visiting some of South Africa’s most illustrious ‘Green Rooms’ in-between all the gigging madness…he won’t be disappointed!

Unfortunately there is no real concrete info surrounding their South African tour. There have been plenty of negative views that Africa itself wouldn’t be a financially ‘viable concert destination’ for the mega-band. This doesn’t really paint a negative view of the South African fan base, but rather of Africa as a whole. I’m not exactly sure how this works but perhaps to make it ‘worthwhile’ they would need to hit a few African countries….so sad if that is true.

2013 is a loooong time away...will I be able to hold on to my sanity until then? Lets hope the Mayans are wrong - I want this to happen before the world ends!

If this tour turns out to be a hoax it won’t be simply water ‘Under the bridge’ - fans are going to be seriously miffed.

Please let this tour happen…PLEEEEEASE!