Robots take over Buenos Aries

Coolest thing about this is that I actually own some of the robots. I always wondered what they got up to...

My minions rock...

I have to admit that I really do love my minions. I get sent all kinds of stuff, mostly photos or emails letting me know that the Army is in good hands and our cause is spreading.

Recently additions to the minion regiment are BofstaOne and HoflerOne, yes they are code names to protect their diabolical innocence. We've been having a bit of a time together as I infiltrated their suburb, house and even their school... I kid you not. I think that teachers reading the HiiRagi manifesto as part of their curriculum should be enforced. It sounds kind of creepy because it is, however all's well, that ends well and two of our Occupational Forces have been enlisted in a rad household where our cause reign supreme. Here is the photographic evidence:

Battling the fearsome beast a.k.a Wasabi the miniature dachshund.

The beast (a.k.a Wasabi) subdued.

Ah, it makes me happy...

Why we think our work is never good enough....and starting out.

I always think I can do better. I can work harder, draw more, make more, be more. This is generally a good thing. I like challenges, I like to strive to be better, I think it keeps me honest. Usually I am right. I can do better, but it only comes well after the moment when I have developed and learnt new stuff (ah, the power of hind sight).

I'm always asked how did I get started. To be honest I was in a place where I had no choice but to start otherwise I was going to be trapped in a dead end job, with a life I really didn't want, and that is all you have to do - START. Below is one of the first images of the HiiRagi Army I put together. There is even a character that I haven't been able to do anything with, I found it impossible to make him look good as a 3D toy. The robots look different too, I had no idea really what I was doing. It's pretty funny to look back at them and what they have developed into today.

Being creative comes with challenges. It requires you to put yourself out there. Expose yourself a little bit. The key is to not care about others opinions. We are all entitled to them, but we don't have to take notice of them. I'm lucky that I have a megalomaniac personality type which thinks that the whole world is wrong and stupid, and it is up to the world to prove me wrong (I'm still waiting...). Where am I going with this? I had an email from a friend who has just landed a dream job and her fight to get there reminded me of a great quote from Ira Glass about creative people and our struggle to create something worthwhile. I can tell you that sometimes it's a real shit fight but if you're starting out this quote is a good reference:

“What nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish someone had told this to me . . . is that all of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, and it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not.

But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story.

It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

HiiRagi invades Happy Valley (fear not, no elves were harmed, well, not many...)

Did you know that there is a town called Happy Valley in every state? Useless but true information. Well, now it's Melbourne's turn to have a Happy Valley...

Happy Valley is a new store in Smith Street, Collingwood that specialises in art, design and books. 'Chris', who actually made up a board game and released it upon the world called World Domination ( I kid you not), is the genius mastermind behind it all and a favoured minion of HiiRagi. He also has some of the rampant army in the store keeping the peace and making sure everything is hunky dorey. You should totally check it out if you are in Melbourne. Or like elves...actually there are no elves there, I just made that up. BUt don't you think if elves did live anywhere (beside the North Pole) it would be in Happy Valley?

Land of the Stupid, Home of the Brave

I've always really liked Diesel's advertising campaigns (and clothing to be honest). The humour and pisstaking is pretty hilarious, however I was reading an old magazine yesterday waiting for something and saw this advert:

This concept is awesome, even for someone so hell bent on ridding the world of stupidity. It actually makes stupidity kind of appealing (did I just say that?!).
There are a couple of small adverts that go with it as well:





I love it. I want to do it.

A HiiRagi customers warning....

Here's an amusing story from a HiiRagi customer. Before Christmas she came to the stall to buy a present (in the form of a hoodie) for her son who was in Peru. Present bought, she put together a couple of other items including a book, some sweets, the usual present fillers and happily posted it all off to South America where her grateful son would receive this bounty. The appropriate time passed for the arrival of present and the son dutifully called to say thank you, the book and bits and bobs were great but he couldn't understand why she had put a crumpled woman's shirt in the parcel for him. Crumpled woman's shirt? WTF?! It turned out that somewhere between Australia and Peru (we guessed it was probably Peru) the parcel was opened for whatever purposed postal services open parcels and when confronted by the sheer beauty and usefulness of a HiiRagi 'Resistance is Futile' hoodie, the postal worker just had to have it. And so now, somewhere in Peru is a postal worker wearing our hoodie... it's kind of cool, in a weird way....

I wonder where he got the shirt from....

Some weekend inspiration...

Here is a bit of inspiration for the weekend.  Supakitch and Koralie in Mexico doing a mural and playing tourist.  I love seeing these two work together.

SUPAKITCH et KORALIE from Filmaciones de la Ciudad on Vimeo.

Have a good weekend. Be creative! That's an order!

And you thought you knew paper cut art...

I have to admit I was a bit blown away by the Paper Cuts of Nahoko Kojima.  No not the paper cuts that sting like hell (I always thought that death by a thousand paper cuts was an awesome threat and one that I have used). No, using a single sheet of paper Nahoko intricately cuts sculptures of animals, skull, objects and textures.

I don't think I would have the patience to cut it all out, or I'd make a mistake and lose it big time.  Plus my exacto blades are always blunt because I've used them to cut something inappropriate.

Nahoko is currently exhibiting in London and there is a small film (see below) about her work.  Take a peek, she seems pretty zen, and she owns a pug dog too which should appeal to the crafter girls....

Found via Juztapoz

Five favourite: Movies from my childhood

As a child of the '80's I grew up with a great range of movies that scarred...sorry... shaped the way I look at the world. My Auntie actually took me to see Blade Runner at the cinema when I was about 6 (I still wonder how she managed to get me in to be honest), which probably explains a lot. To be honest all I can remember is Daryl Hannah's legs coming through the wall and strangling that guy and a lot of rain but still.... I still love these following films, I may not be able to watch them with the same amazement and enthusiasm (sometimes it's best not to go back and watch it all again, in particular MacGuyver. Bad move.) but they're all still rad in their own way.

The Dark Crystal
I just love the skeksis! And the long legged rabbits! And the crazy lady with the world in a dome! AND the puppets all have people in them! This is really a genius production. If you have the DVD with the "Making of" documentary watch it. These days I like it better than the film.



The Goonies
Ah, the old adventure films. Young boys setting out to save their town/home/lives from whatever is threatening them. It has pirates too. And that guy who does the "Hey, you guys!" line. I watched this with someone who was a bit younger than I am and following me getting all excitied about how great a film it was, he just didn't get it. I was incredibly disappointed in him and have not spoken to him since.



Episode V: Empire Strikes Back
No words are needed here.



Labyrinth
Being a bit of a David Bowie fan I can't go past this, or his tight pants. It's a really sweet film apart from those fire swamp creatures. I hate them, I hate them a lot. I like the fox on the Dulux dog.



The Neverending Story
Complete with a rockin' '80's theme tune, I have always loved the idea of books holding secret worlds, let alone one that held Atreyu. Sing it like you mean it.



There are heaps of other films that I have missed out, in fact I know I have. I suspect I should have called this 'Part 1'.

Five favourite: Steampunk Sculptors

Greg Brotherton
Greg Brotherton creates meticulously detailed sculpture, using steel, wood, glass, concrete and unusual found objects. Greatly inspired by the dystopian and political fiction of the early 20th century, his pieces emerge from Kafkaesque imagery around themes of escape and discovery. Brotherton’s vision is one of lonely isolation in a post-industrial world where one being, tinkering away with silent genius, could become the hope of the future.

Pierre Matter
Pierre Matter works mostly with scrap metal and recycled objects, using welders, plasma cutters, laser cutters and grinders to shape and sculpt. He draws inspiration from the way nature 'is being changed by science, from the hybridisation of humans and animals and machines.'

Tom Banwell
Tom Banwell has no formal art training, and is largely self taught having dabbled in a variety of media over the years, including batik, woodcarving, mixed media art dolls and leatherworking. Creating art in a steampunk genre combines several of his interests—history, costuming, mechanics and fantasy.

Doctor A
Doctor A is one of my all time favourites. His creative process involves defining the biography of each of his characters with sketches or using found objects , with the character evolving as he builds. A few of his influences include Edward Gorey, H.P. Lovecraft, Terry Gilliam and Vivian Stanshall.

Doctor Grordbort
Dr Grordbort is completely genius. Created by Greg Broadmore and the whizz heads at WETA workshop, he is the bastion of society, armourer of the free Earth and inventor of the Infallible Aether Oscillators. They're Rayguns - Wave weapons of various capability and application. I love it so much it hurts.

A New Years Message from HiiRagi and the Dalai Lama

image

I like the Dalai Lama. He’s such a wise old chap (with a wicked laugh and sense of humour) despite the fact the Tibetans have no weaponry. Still he manages to come up with all kinds of bits of wisdom such as "if you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito". But today, for the coming New Year, I like this little speel:

Times of contradiction

We have larger houses, but smaller families, more comfort, but less time. We have more education, but less understanding, more knowledge but less insight, more experts but more problems, more medicine but less good health.

We have reached the moon, but we have problems crossing the street to meet our new neighbours.

We invent more and more powerful computers and produce more and more information, for which more paper is consumed than ever before, but there is less communication in our lives.

We get more and more in terms of quantity, but less and less in terms of quality.
These are the times of fast food and bad digestion, of inflated egos, but little personality, of high profits but superficial friendship.

These are the times of showing off with no substantial background.

The 14th Dalai Lama

Happy New Year. Do something this year to be proud of, I don't care what it is. As written in the HiiRagi Maifesto, TAKE ACTION. You know you can do it.

Remember, remember the 5th of November....

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I see no reason why the fifth of November
Should ever be forgot.

I love this little quote. It's about Guy Fawkes who plotted with other catholic monarchists to blow up the Houses of Parliament back in 1605. The other reason I love it is because it forms the basis of one of my favourite movies and comics V for Vendetta.

Do yourself a favour and watch it.

Contact from Recon Unit Rabbit

Just to let you know I received contact from one of the many Recon Unit Rabbits out infiltrating the world at large. This craft bunny has found allies and taken over an island in NSW...

"Dear Commander.

I have successfully infiltrated Scotland Island, NSW. I have found like minded beings and joined them in their militant struggle. Our allies appear to be well armed and have stockaded numerous supplies. One of the creatures has already started a tunnel and I am helping develop a most sophisticated warren. It is only a matter of time for us to secure total domination of Scotland Island.

Recon Unit Rabbit."
End Transmission.

Thanks Besti! You're an awesome minion!!!!

Art Journals collection

One thing I like to look at are Art Journals. I have quite a collection of 'How to take over the World' Plan Books disguise as harmless Art Journals. I really like to draw and stick stuff in a book, now, this does not mean I like to Scrap Book. No. Keeping a journal is completely different, there's should be A LOT more scrawling for a start and they should look like this:

or this...

or this...

These images are taken from Rowena Murillo's pinterest board, which is just chockers with images like these. I haven't really taken to pinterest yet but this looks like the start of a beautiful friendship...

Awesome.

Germ warfare strikes HiiRagi HQ

Alas, I have returned my faithful minions! For those of you wondering where your almighty leader had gone I regret that I must inform you of a heinous germ warfare attack on HiiRagi HQ. There were no warning signs, except perhaps a slight cough and a sore throat, then breathing began to become difficult. This is a bad sign. It could only be a biological warfare attack on HQ - Dammit! How could we have been taken unawares?! There was only one thing to do: go into lockdown and pop on the gas masks.

Yep, gotta keep an eye out for them germies...they could come from ANY direction!!!

I won't say that I am disappointed in the security around HQ (even though I am) but it serves as a timely reminder to always be on your guard (remember the US and the whole Anthrax thing?). Actually it got me thinking about how maybe biological warfare may be the thing to get into, I mean tanks and helicopters and amphibious vehicles are all well and good, but germs are potent. I'm thinking Secret Death Lab rather than a Secret Death Ray... Mmmmmmm.... And gas masks are pretty cool...

And speaking of germs and gas masks, here is a cool gas mask suitcase thing that I found while rummaging for supplies through someone else's workshop. I did try to prise it off the wall but the person whose workshop it is threatened to call the police. Their time will come. They will rue the day they said no to me. But as usual I digress...

So HiiRagi HQ is back with more security than ever, so stay tuned!

Make Good Art....

This is a cool speech by a cool man....



Be prepared little minions, soon I shall bombard you with exciting new HiiRagi Army imagery....I promise.....

where will the wild things go now?

I was a little bit sad to hear Maurice Sendak had died. I grew up on the book Where the Wild Things Are and made sure that my nephews all had copies too. AH well, he helped make me the creature I am today. I think we should all go forth and embrace our wild thing, or at least put on a wolf suit.

HiiRagi's Technicolour Dream Tee

TTTAAAAAAAAA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HiiRagi in full colour!!!!!! Can it be possibly true?! Damn right it is!

Yep, Resistance is Futile in full colour! This is going onto the web shop next week but will be available at Salamanca and Designed;Made this weekend.
And here it is in the flesh!

And now something for the ladies... HiiRagi is now doing V-neck tees for girls which look and feel awesome. This is a new design, taking inspiration from the original Helicopter tee, I thought why have one when you could have THREE!!!!

Oh yeah...look at them choppers....

HiiRagi does The Market Hobart Look book

It's coming up to that time of year with the next 'The Market Hobart' on April 22nd. And the lovely ladies of 'The Market' have put together the look book so if you want a bit of a peak at who's going to be there, apart from myself, though why you need another reason I will never know, take a look here.

Banksy on Advertising...I love it!!

Ah Bansky... you can always count on him.

For those who can't make it out in the image, it reads:

"People are taking the piss out of you everyday. They butt into your life, take a cheap shot at you and then disappear. They leer at you from tall buildings and make you feel small. They make flippant comments from buses that imply you’re not sexy enough and that all the fun is happening somewhere else. They are on TV making your girlfriend feel inadequate. They have access to the most sophisticated technology the world has ever seen and they bully you with it. They are The Advertisers and they are laughing at you.

You, however, are forbidden to touch them. Trademarks, intellectual property rights and copyright law mean advertisers can say what they like wherever they like with total impunity.

Fuck that. Any advert in a public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours. It’s yours to take, re-arrange and re-use. You can do whatever you like with it. Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.

You owe the companies nothing. Less than nothing, you especially don’t owe them any courtesy. They owe you. They have re-arranged the world to put themselves in front of you. They never asked for your permission, don’t even start asking for theirs."

Amen.