Last week in SF, our Ramen crew went to a special Kidrobot event with artist/designer Frank Kozik and his Marvel Labbit series.
Kidrobot x Marvel Labbits and Frank Kozik
September 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Tokidoki x Peggy Guggenheim Collection
September 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
When we hear people mentioning “modern art” or “contemporary art”, one of the words that pops up in our minds is the “Guggenheim”. Now Tokidoki is collaborating with the Guggenheim to bring us “The Peggy Guggenheim Collection.”
Interview with Legendary Character Designer: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
September 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
At Japan Expo 1st Impact 2013, Jonelle from “Ramen & a Half” had the pleasure of interviewing iconic artist and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. His famous works include Nadia, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars. Emanuel, the agent for Yoshiyuki Sadamoto was our translator during the interview.
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RTNDR: What was your background and inspiration in becoming a character designer and artist?
Sadamoto: First, it was the director Yamaga Hiroyuki, the director of The Wings of Honneamise who asked him to do the character design. It started here. Up to that time, it was manga that had led him to draw his own characters for his personal works and this, in turn, led him to work in character design.
Zipper Bags from Japan
September 3, 2013 by 1 Comment
It may look like a piece of zipper strip fabric, but it actually turns into a portable bag. There are 4 different bag shapes and if you can combine 2 zipper strips into a bigger bag. The Zip Bags from Japan 1984.
Elysium: The Art of the Film
August 14, 2013 by 1 Comment
I had the pleasure of watching Elysium on the big IMAX screen this past weekend and it was a blast to watch. Director-writer Neill Blomkamp created his first intellectual sci-fi hit with District 9 on the cheap and now with a Hollywood budget, he’s able to create visual science-fiction tour de force.
“The idea of Elysium was born out of growing up in a country where wealth discrepancy is a huge issue,” says Blomkamp – Elysium: The Art of the Film.
The year is 2159 and the Earth is overpopulated with scarce resources, rampant crime and poverty. The wealthy class escaped to space and built a heavenly space colony called Elysium. Our anti-hero Max played by Matt Damon clinging to life takes on mission to not only save himself but for the people of Earth. But before I get to the down and gritty of this art book I had some minor complaints: 1) Is it just me or Jodie Foster accent really annoying? 2) When the rebel ships try to land into Elysium, bad guy Kruger uses a shoulder-mounted missile launcher with missiles that are able to go all the way up to space and knock-down the rebel ships? 3) And this leads to my next rant, if this space colony has magic healing machines that can cure cancer and is a technical marvel, Elysium doesn’t have self-defensive weapons like in Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine or Babylon 5 – what is up with that? 4) My last rant – I wished we could see more of the people living in the futuristic space colony. But other than that, it was a wonderful summer movie.
Amazon goes Warhol, Chagall & Dali
August 8, 2013 by 1 Comment
Awhile back Amazon created a cool Retro Video Game Shop and Amazon.com has been expanding their reach and now they will also sell collectible fine art and modern contemporary art.
Alodia Panel Interview CUTS 2 : The Mistress of Cosplay
August 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Ramen crew felt a bit like a paparazzi, though we haven’t exactly dodged crowds, leaped over people, or body-checked anyone aside at any convention yet! The only thing we managed to dodge are off topic questions, loud hand-clapping and voices that over powered us from hearing our subject, Alodia Gosiengfiao FHM.
In this segment we get plenty of new surfacing information about our Mistress of Cosplay.
So here’s Panel Interview CUTS 2 – raw and lightly cut – which means I did very little editing. So it’s
STRICKLY FOR THE FANS to hear first hand answers from Alodia herself :
– Her Cosplay beginnings
– What she likes about being a Cosplayer
– Her stumbled upon opportunities
– Video Game influences like Final Fantasy
– Cosplay pointers
– Her first reaction as Guest of Honor at AX 2013
– The Fan that came all the way from Germany to see her
– Costume making
– Her make up – her eyes & contact lens of choice and why?
PREVIOUS MAGAZINE STORIES FROM ANIME EXPO 2013:
Alodia Panel Interview CUTS: Finally we get some answers!
ANIME EXPO 2013: Sleeping Cosplay? Batman & Spiderman duo? Mortal Come back?
AX 2013: Adventure Time & X-Men Cosplayers Collide
AX 2013: Captain Falcon & Crew!
ANIME EXPO 2013 : In line to see Alodia and we meet Kirito & Asuna Cosplayers
ANIME EXPO 2013 Masquerade: Thomas Depetrillo’s EVA-01
Jessica Nigri : Part 1 of 3
Jessica Nigri : Part 2 of 3
Jessica Nigri : Part 3 of 3
ANIME EXPO 2013 Masquerade : Ornament Tree Wings
Hey Hey Alodia from ANIME EXPO!
Each story is not just an interview, but one of the many interesting and entertaining things that happen at Anime Conventions. They’re short, sweet and you might find yourself liking our content!
This Sunday in San Francisco: Crafts, Fashion and Design for the interior home to jewelry
August 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment
There’s been an interior Design, Art and Fashion for the home and crafts going on this weekend. “Think about the moment we live in and all the images from post, modern to impressionism – like the styles and periods of great paintings influencing and changing to what we call modern today.” 
Just as images change for the age of art, so does home interior and craft designs. If you happen to be in SF and if you’re interested in getting to feel how contemporary décor may serve you or if you’d just like to see some interesting styles, designs and crafts – there’s an event taking place this weekend that will showcase these innovative interior home designs first hand at the American Craft Council Show – a showcase of 230 of the best contemporary home décor, furniture, jewelry, and clothing artists from across the country.
It’s one of the largest craft shows in the world!
Sunday, August 4: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more details click here: http://shows.craftcouncil.org/sf
Tile art from Justine Tartarsky & Clive Bridges. Take a look at their website site www.artontile.com . This is just one of the many interesting designs and things you’ll get to see.
Alodia Panel Interview CUTS: Finally we get some answers!
August 1, 2013 by 1 Comment
Alodia Gosiengfiao’s image blew up with her sleek and sexy cosplay of the Cobra Baroness at 2010’s Comic-Con in San Diego and was recently featured as FHM magazine’s Cover Girl for the July 2013 issue, but she has been cosplaying for years in her home country, the Philippines, where she’s literally the Queen of Cosplay!
The Ramen crew was really hoping to get a one-on-one interview with Alodia, especially our host, The Eddie, but under the hierarchy of certain press privileges some things just didn’t work out. So instead The Eddie and Ame Garrucho caught up with a panel interview and made the best of what they could get!
During this interactive panel discussion, find out how Alodia got her start in cosplay and why? She even mentions wanting to work with Jessica Nigri! Which makes sense, because both of these girls are at the top of their Cosplay fame and continue to be creative and entertaining in their world of ubiquitous cosplay.
GETTING THE PANEL INTERVIEW: This interview panel CUT was shot on the fly with a Canon t3i DSLR and a Sony Bloggie respectively by our on the spot camera persons, Ame Garrucho and our Host- now in our credits as camera person, Eddie Ballar. Look forward for a STRICKLY FOR FANS Panel CUT of Alodia with our camera operator Johnny Moreno. I guess the Ramen Crew and The Eddie just couldn’t get enough of Alodia and would like to share whatever we could get for the FANS.
WEIRD TECH NOTE: The Sony Bloggie is far from being sharp compared to the to the Canon t3i DSLR, but The Eddie did give us the effect of being inside his mind like the movie “Being John Malkovich”. Obviously from asking question directly from behind the camera, and it doesn’t help that he’s closer to the bloggie mic than Alodia, who is like 20 feet away… “still entertaining and informational though.”
Pixar Playing Cards
July 30, 2013 by 1 Comment
College student and designer Chris Anderson is a big fan of Pixar films. For his art project, he created a Pixar themed carry box containing two packs of playing cards.
“The Paintings of Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo in Movement”
July 24, 2013 by 1 Comment
Dances of Mexico with the collaborative artistry of Ballet!
Some purist say traditional folkloric dances shouldn’t be changed because it changes the theme of originality. That’s fine, but as time moves on, dances take on new meaning in context to moments in one’s life and this is exactly what Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco has done for their piece, “Las Pinturas de Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo en Movimiento”, that will be showcasing this Saturday! – July 27, 2013 2PM & 8PM at the Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater in San Jose, CA.
For tickets click here www.cityboxoffice.com
I attended last year’s performance and I’m thankful that I did! I was amazed by the elaborate and vibrant colors of costumes, traditional dances and the interjected dramatic collaboration of ballet pieces into the show to tell you the story of Diego y Frida through dance.
Graffiti Legally in NYC with Walls Notebook
July 7, 2013 by 1 Comment
It may be a great summer for many us out of school, but for those of you who have to take summer classes it might be insanely maddening. Well, if you’re sitting in a boring lecture class and find yourself not listening to your professor at all and can’t get a Wi-Fi signal on your smartphone, then may I suggest doodling?
Recycled Collage Art by Derek Gores
July 6, 2013 by 2 Comments
I remember sitting in art class in middle school trying to figure out how to put my newspaper cut outs and magazine clippings into an work of art for the usual one-off collage art project. Well, critically-acclaimed artist Derek Gores takes collages to a new level.
Comic Artist Daniel Parada draws up a dynamic duo of Mayan heroes!
July 5, 2013 by 1 Comment
Daniel Parada’s comic, ZOTZ: Serpent and Shield, is about the mystical world of Maya. The comic is cultural influenced from Parada’s research of Mayan ancient history where he has plotted themes without the impacts of the Spanish yet?
The tale of Zotz: Serpent and Shield awaits anyone willing to open the mysteries of the comic and walk into a past before Maya was discovered and unravel an adventure with two heroic characters, Pakal and Kaan, who lead us into a world much more phenomenal than we think.
Other than an adventurous story drawn up from historical elements, the comic is full of fantastic art!
Miniature Hand Soap
July 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
These are not just cute little colorful hands, but miniature soap bars. Now your kids can clean their hands with some fun.
Street Art by OaKoAk
July 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
French street artist OaKoAk turns street signs, walls, bus signs and just anything on a street into works of art.
A Book on Sandwiches
July 1, 2013 by 1 Comment
Graphic Designer Pawel Piotrowski has a cool concept idea for a book on Sandwiches. 3D cut and ingredients made to look real in book form. The papers look tasty.
Kidrobot Dunny 2013 Release with Julie West and Scott Tolleson
June 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Our Ramen team kicked it all day at the Kidrobot SF store in Haight-Ashbury as Kidrobot released their new 2013 Dunny series. The day was long and the lines were super long as Dunny fans eagerly await to buy blind boxes and cases hoping to chase their favorite artist created Dunny and the “black” limited Andrew Bell Dunny.
The Fastest Comic Illustrator in the Country quick-draws the Green Lantern!
June 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Bordin (Mark) Marsinkul, also known as Hyperbooster, astonishingly produces up to 50 commission drawings in a day at a comic or anime convention.
His hybrid technique of calligraphy and Japanese style manga brush strokes creates his uniquely textured drawings with anything he can get his hands on from paint, pencil to marker! He works intensely fast and he’s amazing if you get a chance to watch him. His drawings begin with abstract scribbles, marks and accents, but then it begins to reveal itself before your eyes with every scribble, mark and accent of intention. The image becomes animated, three dimensional and before you know it – it magically appears! Watch the video and you’ll experience what I’m talking about as he quickly draws a fantastic image of the Green Lantern!
For more information about Bordin (Mark) Marsinkul and where to catch him at his next convention visit www.facebook.com/hyperbooster
3D Printed Mini Eames Lounge Chair
June 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
What can you do with a 3D printer? Make and print up some really cool classic miniature Eames Lounge Chairs. The mini Eames Lounge Chairs were designed by Kevin Spencer.
The FLASH – Hardcover bounded comics from Herring and Robinson Bookbinders!
June 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
As the Ramen crew weaved their way through Big Wow’s ComicFest, we found something that FLASH fan, Sheldon Cooper, from the popular television hit series The Big Bang Theory would wonderfully appreciate. And that’s having your collected comic books bounded into a single volume for that utmost presentation. I would also like to mention that the longevity of a professionally bound hardcover will also help preserve and protect your favorite comics for future readings and sharing. However, if you can’t bare the fact of having your comics punctured and sewn together, they also have other wonderful alternatives!
For information about Herring and Robinson Bookbinders, and how to get your comics bound, go to their website:
Kidrobot Dunny 2013 Release Day Party
June 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Kidrobot’s biggest product release of the year is their Dunny series and for 2013 select artist from around the world helped in creating this collectible toy vinyl set.
A City Made of Paper
June 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A metropolis and landscape of paper transform, fold, twist and turn. The animation is amazingly smooth and must have too a lot of time to animate. This “Paper City” animated short is by Maciek Janicki.
Starbucks Coffee Perfection
June 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
How does Starbucks get that nicely brewed coffee in your hands? Rogier Wieland tells this animated story for Starbucks Coffee Asia Pacific Ltd.
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