the wooden toy quarterly issue

On a recent trip to Mag Nation in Newtown, I discovered the magazine, Wooden Toy Quarterly and their sixth issue, entirely hand-made. I've since done some research into the other back issues of the magazine and loved the aesthetic of their other editions also. The magazine is an Australian street/youth culture and art publication and has a very fresh, edgy and authentic approach to the aesthetic design, as well as the content.

Below are some images from the sixth issue of the quarterly.

all images sourced from http://www.woodentoypublishingco.com/magazine

the richard kern issue

Browsing the Dazed Digital website I found the some work by photographer Richard Kern that he took whilst travelling through Europe. Whilst the photographic style is a little traditionally perfect for me, I admire the photographer's aesthetic ideology of using realistic models with little to no make-up. I think the appreciation for realism there adds a lovely element to his work, even if it is a little "happy" and lacks the graininess that embodies my personal style.

all images sourced from http://www.dazeddigital.com

the zine fair issue

On Sunday I got the chance to go to the MCA Zine Fair at the Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a great experience to go around, meeting some of the zinesters and checking out all the different styles and forms of zines on offer.

The creator of one of my favourite zines of the ones I bought, Spoonful had the sweetest ideology behind her zine when she told me it was "small enough to take on the bus with you and to get off at the end of the trip in a good mood". This nicely thought out concept for the magazine was supported through a very well produced and captivating little zine.

The zine fair was a great way of getting inspired and geared up to get cracking on my own zine inspired magazine.

a little overview of the smorgasbord of zines I bought

(I went just a little crazy)

the virgin suicides issue

Sophia Coppola may not be a brilliant actor (aka her disastrous attempts at acting in The Godfather) but I absolutely adore her aesthetic endeavours in the films she directs. One of my favourites is The Virgin Suicides in which a brilliant hazy photographic style compliments a both lovely and tragic story.

I personally love the way in which the misguided youth is depicted in this film. Innocence and passion, humour and poetry is so well captured through this play of murky, distorted colour and hazy eerie photography.

all images sourced from http://howtoloadacamera.blogspot.com/2009/12/virgin-suicides.html

the american apparel issue

American Apparel is one brand that has attracted a lot of negative press regarding its advertising choices and its use of workers and friends of the company in irreverent, compromising positions, specifically for those who are underage. Love it or hate it, its undeniable that the brand has effectively positioned itself in the market and created a brand identity through advertising that is immediately recognisable and aesthetically different from any of its competitors.

Aside from its commercial success, I personally love the photography style, so amateur and very raw, the use of non-models is a concept I really connect with and am tempted by. The visual style you achieve through this is so unmistakably real and I have to admit, I kind of love the cheekiness.

all images sourced from http://www.americanapparel.net/index.html

the garance doré issue

Throughout my research for my dissertation earlier on in the year I discovered French style blogger Garance Doré and her lovely illustrations. Though they are a tad more sophisticated and chic then my target aesthetic, I love the simplicity behind them. The minimal use of colour and materials to create these illustrated snapshots really emphasises that they've been touched by real hands, none of this over-use of photoshop that is often opted for in the contemporary digital driven world.

all images sourced from http://www.garancedore.fr/

the mini zine issue

So, as promised earlier on here are the images from the mini zine I created for a media project to illustrate lyrics to a song through hand generated image. The song was The Cure's Lullaby, i used ink, markers, a typewriter, chalk, collage, photocopying (my hair amongst others), stitching, photography and my own flawed drawing to illustrate these eerie and captivating lyrics.

My intent was to keep it looking rough and very hand generated, really to celebrate imperfection as this is the kind of illustration that I subscribe to.

Again, it's my own work and whilst a fairly basic task, please don't poach any of it.