tink makes art

I studied Biology for the first three years of college before switching to English. My favorite class was by far Organic Chemistry II lab. They may not sound like fun activities but setting up a titration system, extracting caffeine from a tea bag, and making banana oil from various chemicals are like really big, awesome art projects. I promise. I love equally the sciences and the arts; they’re both beautiful to me and full of endless learning, which I also love. When I came across these illustrations by Daniel Seex, I fell in love with them instantly for their combination of chemistry and graphic design…plus, there is a caffeine illustration, which equals instant attraction for me.

“Before I was an illustrator, I studied Chemistry. I was never much good at it, for me the best reactions involved always involved something changing colour! (I once did something called the Briggs-Rauscher Oscillating Clock Reaction where a solution changes from colourless to orange to blue then back to colourless then to orange and so on and so on, it’s still one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen.) Anyway, I always loved seeing how things fitted together and playing with molymods and things and this is a wee tribute to those times…” said Daniel.

He also created some pretty cool patterned maps.

I love this illustration by WHOM? It makes me giggle.

via I am a dreamer (me too!)

Headdresses, or warbonnets, were originally worn in times of battle by Native Americans in only the Great Plains region, such as the Sioux, Crow, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, and Plains Cree. It was not until the 1800′s with the rise of American tourism and forced tribe relocation to the West that other tribes adopted the custom. Headdresses became a fashion and symbol of authority for many tribes, “but for the Plains India tribes, feather warbonnets were a sacred display of a man’s honor and courage, and each feather told a story.” Here’s a simple headdress you can make!

Source: Native-Languages.org

“Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

I’ve definitely applied this concept to my own life over the past eight months. I tell myself daily, especially when things feel hopeless, “Remember life is made up of individual steps; just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” I also remind myself of a phrase I learned on the Navajo reservation while doing research in college: Táá hwo ají t’éego. It means, “It’s up to you” or “Just move it.” Whatever it is you’re going through, you will move past it. Just keep moving forward…

Photo: Dutch Bicycle watercolor by Jamie Shelman via {frolic!}

I ran across this artist’s work on one of the blog’s I follow regularly (I can’t remember which one though!) and instantly fell in love. Somber, romantic, detailed, black and white illustrations with splashes of color. Love them!

Amanda Mocci – Graphic Designer and Illustrator in Montreal Quebec

DARK WINGS – A portrait by Amanda Mocci from Amanda Mocci on Vimeo.

Kelli Murray-Larson, my favorite artist, is having a giveaway on her blog! Enter here to win all of this amazing loot! Ends Friday, so hurry on over!