Studio Ronin

Christopher Shy is another Illustrator whose work I enjoy. His work features a very organic and luminous style which is quite beautiful to look at and yet a little disturbing at the same time. He cut his teeth as an illustrator working for many of the leading gaming and fantasy book companies producing illustration of vampires, cyber warriors, seductresses and winged beings. In 1994 he approached a group of artists to form a new Studio ... "A Studio that would take no money, or be of any specific art style or movement. Rather it would adhere to the Philosophy of The Ronin, in the sense that it would move free from constraints, and be masterless in its form and function. Each artist would be free to do what he or she chose, but together the Studio would lay down its first group ideals."

"Studio Ronin was created to Promote the work of the artists
Studio Ronin was created to Protect the work of the artists
Studio Ronin was created to Produce Payment for the artists"

The artists at Studio Ronin include: Christopher Shy, Leanne Buckley, Thom Miecznikowski, Mike Cosner, Steven Perkins, Josh Sutton, Niko Rantalainen, Erich Randall Buttstadt, Kirk Shy, Nick Stakal, Cam De Leon and Anthony Lepiouffle.

Visit Studio Ronin for some excellent artwork.

Imaginary Friends Studios

I actually only came across this studio today and I was so impressed with the work which I found there that I felt I had to post a review. Imaginary Friends Studios (IFS) was formed in 2005 by Stanley Lau, Edmund T. Shern, Kendrick Lim and Ri Kai. IFS has as it goals the task of bringing together Asian and international audiences by creating entertainment properties and art which appeal to both.

In their own words; "Despite a modest 1,600 square foot artist studio in Singapore , IFS has gathered a team of rising talents all over Asia and beyond to bring its creations to life. By bringing together artists and writers who have grown up on both Asian and western influences, IFS hopes to deliver entertainment that will transcend international boundaries yet remain genuine to its influences. IFS won't conquer the world, but we hope you'll at least enjoy the ride with us."
I spent several hours perusing the gallery which features the work of 9 of the 20 artists that they currently work with. They provide serices like the creation of comics and graphic novels, 2D and 3D CG Art, Book and Game illustration, and creating conceptual art for games, animation and films. Take the time to visit their site, you wont regret it.

Best Ads Ever

Whilst surfing the internet I came across this blog which posts Adverts on a frequent basis ... Advertising in general is pretty banal but occasionally ads come along which raise an eyebrow or make you stop ... many of the Ads featured in this site are worth a look at ... I got quite a few chuckles out of this one. Whilst it would not be an Art site in most peoples minds, creating advertising like this is an art in itself. Visit Best Ads Ever and enjoy...