animals

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Craft

Derpy Animals by Ceramicist Nastia Calaca Channel Peculiar Storybook Characters

All images © Nastia Calaca, shared with permission

As a child, Nastia Calaca dreamed of illustrating the magical stories she devoured. Five years ago, she tried her hand at ceramics and soon was sculpting physical iterations of the anthropomorphized characters she loved. Her current collection of handmade creatures includes dopey pups and startled anteaters that are crafted with distinct personas in mind. Calaca paints the whimsical pieces in a tight color palette and opts for textured surfaces by adding bumpy patches to match a chameleon’s scales or tiny curves for a moose’s fur. To give one of the quirky creatures a new home, check out the ceramicist’s Etsy shop and see how the playful pieces are made on Instagram.

Art

These Absurdly Contorted Animals by Bruno Pontiroli Will Leave You With a Backache

“Le Tigre Reversible” (2020), oil on wood panel,18”x 21 inches. All images © Bruno Pontiroli, shared with permission

The troupe of wild animals in Bruno Pontiroli’s paintings contort their bodies into backbends and handstands that would rival even the most accomplished gymnast. A wrinkly hippo balances on its tongue, a tiger arches its torso into a 90-degree angle, and a hyena rotates its hind legs in the air. The French artist (previously) notes that he begins the bizarre artworks with easily-recognized animals that he then shapes “like the way a child plays with modeling clay or a building set for instance,” morphing a simple depiction of a nimble lion or hare into a peculiar new reality. He explains by saying:

My aim is to turn the narrow vision that we have of the world upside down and disturb our imagination while shaking an accepted reality with images that are as incomprehensible as they are familiar. Distorting a symbol or mixing opposing universes allows me to question the identity of things so that I can reinvent them in a world with no logic. Everything is possible.

Pontiroli’s series A Rebrousse-Poil, or against the grain, will be virtually on view at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles starting August 22. See what the artist has been up to in the meantime on Instagram.

“Le rire jaune” (2020), oil on wood panel, 40 x 50 centimeters

Left: (2020), oil on wood panel, 40 x 30 centimeters. Right: “Le coup du lapin” (2020), oil on wood panel, 40 x 30 centimeters

“A rebrousse-poil”

Craft

Ravenous Frogs and Surprised Bears Form an Adorably Expressive Ensemble of Ceramic Creatures

All images © Helen Burgess, shared with permission

Helen Burgess, who works under the moniker nosey mungo, crafts a playful troupe of characters with endlessly diverse expressions: there’s a flock of startled chickens, a bulging rain frog sporting a dramatic frown, and a whale duo grinning with contentment. Imbued with a bit of whimsy, Burgess’s clay creatures are derived from their real-life counterparts. The ceramicist skims encyclopedias to find lesser-known animals to sculpt, sometimes focusing on endangered species in order to raise awareness. Living and working near Brighton, Burgess creates the adorable critters in small batches, which she shares on Instagram.

Illustration

A Furry Utopia is Overrun with Delicately Rendered Cats in Kamwei Fong's New Illustration

“Wonderfurryland” (2020), 25 x 37 inches. All images © Kamwei Fong, shared with permission

According to long-held superstitions, a horde of black cats certainly indicates impending misfortune, but for Kamwei Fong, a mass of the furry creatures is actually a fluffy utopia. Containing felines in various emotional and physical states—drowsy, peeved, and deep in slumber— “Wonderfurryland” features a diverse kitty population defined by their rotund bodies, splayed limbs, and puffed tails. Fong even inked cat-shaped environmental fixtures, like a moon, sun, and mountain, into the black-and-white landscape.

Having an idea for the delicately rendered illustration for years, the Malaysian artist (previously) tells Colossal that it took him more than a month to detail the proper density for each animal. “Despite the long hours of effort and exhaust(ing) tons of micro-pigment ink pens, Kamwei finds the working process therapeutic and enjoyable, to see every bit of his creations being added day by day to complete the whole painting,” a statement about the project says.

To follow Fong’s upcoming kitty-centered illustrations, follow him on Instagram. 

 

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A post shared by Colossal (@colossal) on Aug 5, 2020 at 2:42pm PDT

Illustration

Exquisite Digital Illustrations by Maxim Shkret Render Tousled Manes and Ruffled Feathers of Fantastical Creatures

All images © Maxim Shkret, shared with permission

Based in Moscow, artist Maxim Shkret (previously) renders animals’ coats with refined details, presenting a horse’s mane or crow’s feathers through distinct, sinuous pieces. Appearing three-dimensional, Shkret’s elegant renderings capture the flowing qualities of fur and feathers. Each digital illustration has a strict color palette, and although some creatures maintain realistic shades of browns and black, others take on a whimsical quality with blush and magenta features. To explore more of the illustrator’s digital projects, head to Behance and Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Maxim Shkret (@shkret) on Jul 8, 2020 at 8:54am PDT

Design

Mix and Match Magnetic, Wooden Animal Parts to Invent Bizarre New Creatures

All images © ESNAF Toys, shared with permission

As interest in analog entertainment for children grows, a new collection from ESNAF Toys prompts kids to piece together giraffes, foxes, and T-rexes from simple, wooden blocks. Each geometric shape is handcrafted and color-coded. To create an anatomically accurate animal or dinosaur, simply match and connect the magnetic joints.

Helmed by architects Bistra and Anastas, ESNAF Toys was born out of the duo’s desire to provide their son with higher-quality entertainment. “Our home became cluttered with baby toys, and we didn’t like it. Looking at all those toys, we realized that very few of them were made with natural materials that would last for decades. Few were what we would call ‘smart’ toys, objects whose use could evolve together with our child,” Bistra says. This dissatisfaction inspired Anastas to utilize old floorboards to create the prototype for the minimal toys that the company offers today.

Check out the video below to dive into ESNAF Toys’ history and see more of its new dinosaur collection, which recently surpassed its fundraising goal on Kickstarter. Until that prehistoric line is released, you can pick up some of the mammalian designs from Etsy or its shop.