Let the wild rumpus start!

This is the new theatrical trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, opening in the States on October 16. Could I be any more excited about this movie? Let's see: one of my favorite children's books becomes a movie involving Maurice Sendak, Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers, Arcade Fire, James Gandolfini, Karen O, Catherine Keener and Forest Whitaker, complete with beautiful tile graphics and a very sweet poster... really, can one ask for anything more?

Milton Glaser update

I just found out that limited edition prints of recently posted pets Mookie and Annie are on sale in Milton Glaser's new online shop. So, if you are a Glaser fan like me, and unlike me you've got $600 to spare...

Svjetlan Junakovic's Old Masters revisited

Svjetlan Junaković is a Croatian painter, sculptor and designer born in Zagreb in 1961. After graduating in sculpture at Brera Academy in Milan, he went on to work as a children's books illustrator, receiving many awards for his books which have been published in over 20 languages. The Great book of animal portraits contains 26 paintings, all remakes of famous masterpieces from the Renaissance to French Neoclassicism, featuring animals instead of the original human subjects. The pictures are beautifully executed with flawless technique, and the book is a great way to introduce children to the history of Western art. Winner of Spain’s National Publishing Award in 2007, Andersen Prize and Bologna Children Book Fair Award in 2008. You can click on the titles to see the originals...

Vermeer – Study of a Young Frog

Jan van Eyck – Baboon in a Turban

Georges de La Tour – The Cheating Duck

Jacques-Louis David – Madame Recanier

Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox

Here is the trailer for the new Wes Anderson animated movie based on the Roald Dahl book. Anderson's trademark style, which I personally love, seems to translate very well into stop motion (notice the charming retro feeling and centered frontal shots). Plus, the characters have great voices by George Clooney, Anjelica Huston, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. I can't wait to see it, but will have to wait till its release in November...

Milton Glaser's Pets and Things with Wings

Having just joined the recently formed Designed by Glaser flickr group, founded by Art Director and collector Barry Smith, I feel inspired to share some of this graphic design genius' work. Animal art is not exactly what Glaser is famous for, but many beautiful images showcase his illustrative talent lovingly applied to this subject. Most of the pictures in this post come from the book Art is Work.

Glaser was inspired by his friend and publisher Peter Mayer's love of elephants 
to create the flying elephant logo for Overlook Press.

The 1965 children's book Cats and Bats and Things with Wings, with poems by Conrad Aichen, was chosen by the New York Times as one of the best juvenile books of the year. I am definitely planning to get my hands on a copy.

This watercolor portrait of Glaser's beloved cat Annie became a poster for the Animal Rescue Fund.

Another pet portrait, this time the not-so-loved dwarf rabbit Mookie.

A rainbowed snow tiger watercolor for Buffalo Zoological Gardens.

In this 1971 poster for Olivetti Valentine, Glaser transformed the mourning dog 
detail from Piero di Cosimo's Renaissance painting Morte di Procri
into one of my favorite advertising icons ever.