La Linea: so little says so much

Brilliant work of Osvaldo Cavandoli

Berry girl amigurumi

Welcome the newest addition to my amigurumi family. Berry was born just yesterday as a gift for a baby, born in the distant lands of America. She will be traveling there soon to meet her baby friend.

Berry's name comes from Strawberry, which was the original idea. Look at her hat, it looks just like a top of the strawberry! And like a true lady, Berry already likes shopping and high teas.


She is brave too, climbing trees and hanging on branches. She loves nature and flowers, and she insists that all her clothing items have flowers on them. Even the bib.

Crow & Fox: re-discover wisdom through poetry

The Brief
Pick a children's story and illustrate it with 4 spreads, and design the book cover for it. The goal is to make the illustrations interesting for children, colourful and fun. The medium for the work is line and wash.

Illustration Outcome
I selected to illustrate a Russian fable that I memorized when I was a kid. It's called "Crow & Fox," and it explores the cunning power of flattery. Of course, I needed to translate it as well, which I did during my morning runs by trying out different lines in my head over and over again. I've also brought the fable to Aussie context, cause I am in Sydney after all, and I've used Snowgum trees as the setting.

Well, here it is, my creation.

How many times the world was told,
That flattery is cunning art,
But all in vein, and to the person's heart,
The flattery is solid gold.

One day, God sent the Crow a slice of cheese.

The Crow flew up a snowgum and picked a comfy stick.
Preparing to eat the cheese with pleasure.
But clever Fox too smelled delicious treasure.
She tracked the snowgum, and then thought up a trick.

The Fox spoke sweetly to the Crow,
"What beauty! If only you could also sing,
We would select you forest King!
Please sing for us, give us a show.

The Crow lost his head with such intoxication.
To be a King, now that's a worthy goal!
With all his might he made a loud "Caaaww..."
And cheese fell right into the Fox's teeth.

And here is the original Russian version, just for a good measure :)

ВОРОНА И ЛИСИЦА
Уж сколько раз твердили миру,
Что лесть гнусна, вредна; но только все не впрок,
И в сердце льстец всегда отыщет уголок.
Вороне где-то бог послал кусочек сыру;
На ель Ворона взгромоздясь,
Позавтракать было совсем уж собралась,
Да позадумалась, а сыр во рту держала.
На ту беду, Лиса близехонько бежала;
Вдруг сырный дух Лису остановил:
Лисица видит сыр, -
Лисицу сыр пленил,
Плутовка к дереву на цыпочках подходит;
Вертит хвостом, с Вороны глаз не сводит
И говорит так сладко, чуть дыша:
"Голубушка, как хороша!
Ну что за шейка, что за глазки!
Рассказывать, так, право, сказки!
Какие перышки! какой носок!
И, верно, ангельский быть должен голосок!
Спой, светик, не стыдись!
Что ежели, сестрица,
При красоте такой и петь ты мастерица,
Ведь ты б у нас была царь-птица!"
Вещуньина с похвал вскружилась голова,
От радости в зобу дыханье сперло, -
И на приветливы Лисицыны слова
Ворона каркнула во все воронье горло:
Сыр выпал - с ним была плутовка такова.

Semester 2: Form and Object Studio with Gail Rogers Perazzo

7 inspiring DDR videos to learn the moves

Exercise can be hard to fit in the daily schedule, or worse it can become a drab routine. What if it could be fun and nourishing to the whole body? I mean literally, entire body. That's what I've found in Dance Dance Revolution. It exercises my body with the jumps and my brain with the requirement to be alert.

I love starting my day with dance and music, and it helps me get over performance anxiety too. No one is watching, and I can do any silly beautiful moves I choose. Unless there is a hidden camera somewhere...then I'd become famous, haha.

To get ideas for the moves and tricks I hunted YouTube for some inspirational videos. Here is a selection of the best 7:





Slow to start, but it's worth it








Just the feet there, useful to learn the moves