If Looks Could Kill - Graphic Art & Design

Kat Von D is a hellaciously talented tattoo artist currently on the TLC show Miami Ink. She’s opening her own tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo soon! Creator of absolutely stunning portraits carved into flesh, which you can see here.

You can see my piece above featured prominently on the Official Kat Von D fan club on MySpace, which got me an illustrious spot in their Top 24 friends. Probably would have done a portrait of her eventually, as I totally dig feisty chickies who have their own thing going and she is fierce! This just gave me a reason.

It’s beyond my comprehension, how she creates these masterpieces on human flesh with blood gushing over her work all the while. I find Miami Ink to be a fascinating study. I love hearing the customers’ ideas, how the artists work with those concepts and placement with consideration for body contours. I love seeing them trace it out and ink it. Of course the end results are most gratifying, when the customers love it, but I am fascinated by the whole process.

Also, peep the gallery for this and other work in the Design section. Don’t forget to nab some icons too, devil chickies, mermaids and creepy dolls abound!

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana pulled this ad under pressure from protests in Spain, and it even hit them where they live, in Italy.

The main issues seem to arise in the female model’s hands being pinned and her lowered lids, eyes hidden beneath either lashes or closed lids. The implications of powerlessness and unconsciousness seem to be the main source of contention, but if you look at her raised hips and arched back, it would suggest that she is digging the scene.

Some people do fantasize about this, as the designers say - it was intended to depict an “erotic dream,” a “sexual game.” The men do look particularly creepy and lecherous, but I think it was intended to be a fantasy of willing and wanting submission.

In Italy, the image first came out Feb. 5, in the most famous and bestselling [Italian] newspaper … at that time, there was no reaction. The effects did not arrive in Italy until after the poor Spanish reaction [to] the ad. We understand that in Spain there is a truly important social emergency as far as violence against women [is concerned], which is why we did not want to offend anyone, so we immediately withdrew the image from all Spanish press.
- STEFANO GABBANA

Here is a website containing this and other ads that are supposed to be offensive to women. Me? I don’t buy any of this stuff, so I don’t give a shit. I’m not their target audience. Even if I were, I could care less. Got your attention, didn’t it? Advertising mission accomplished, massive publicity for them ensues.

Additionally, I am an avid supporter of FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION and If you don’t like it, put your money where your mouth is and don’t buy their product! That’s the best way to send a message, with your hard-earned dollars. Shouldn’t be too difficult to refrain, considering their prices, over-inflated by the imagined prestige of a brand label in the pretentious court of public opinion.

Otherwise, I believe that there are far more pressing issues in life other than an advertising campaign. Go find something PRODUCTIVE to do!

SOURCE

An interesting aside, is that Dolce & Gabbana work directly with their art directors and photographers to execute their campaigns, rather than an agency. This makes their advertising more personally aligned with their own unique vision and differentiates them from many, who outsource their creative work to established agencies who crank out a concept. I’ll bet this is a major factor in their success, not having committees or executive boards to syphon out creativity.

I’m a sucker for anything with Samuel L. Jackson in it, and this afternoon I paid dearly for it. Not to mention, Christina Ricci with a 40lb chain slung ’round her hips. As you can see from the movie poster, it looks quite pulpy and tantalizing.

It is a lurid and voyeuristic journey into the scuzzy underbelly of po’dunk living, the abuse that goes on, the cycles that perpetuate.

Somehow, after a lifetime of trauma, Rae has has a breakthrough after being chained up by Lazarus for a coupla days. A cheesy little number ensues, “I’m gonna let it shine,” performed by Ricci.

I’ve read reviews, implying that the marketing was disastrous, and that anyone looking for the steamy pic the poster suggests will be sorely disappointed. However, they went on to imply that the meaning would be “too heavy” for anyone seeing it based on it’s pulpy representation. To that I say, “fuck you,” because really, I think the fare was too fucking light - cavalier in its portrayal of abuse/trauma victims and their recovery.

But on the lighter side, it really was NOT sexual enough, the ads, trailers and movie posters are grossly mispresentative. It is quite the showcase for Christina Ricci’s beautiful physique as she fights, flails and writhes, all while scantily clad.

Overall, an awkwardly-paced movie that drags out for two hours and trivializes serious issues without even the redemption of being glorious violent pulp. I blame the director, editor and the advertising for misleading.

Great acting, just poor execution overall. Also, God-Shmooking abound in this movie but I was too irritated by other points to be annoyed by it. That says something.

Click here for a 1998 Playboy article on legendary pin-up queen, Bettie Page. It’s a fascinating read and offers her point of view in contrast to the recent accounts in print and film.

Also, this contains an image of Bettie Page circa 1998. I had always been curious, since she was so careful about keeping her face hidden in shadows during interviews and not allowing pictures. I purposely didn’t post it for those who would rather not be disillusioned.

Bettie Page Quotes from the Interview, for the attention-span impaired:

• “I tried to imagine the camera was my boyfriend and I was entertaining him, with poses to please him.”
• “This new book by Foster says Bettie Page threatened people with a .22 at Bible Town. That is a lie. I did have a .22 for protection, but whatever Foster has heard from the police, it never left my dresser drawer.”
• “God approves of nudity. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were naked as jaybirds.”