Short Film: Black Angel

"Black Angel" directed by Roger Christian

"Black Angel" is a short fantasy film with an interesting history.  The thirty-four year-old short film was directed by Roger Christian, the Oscar-winning art director of Star Wars and Alien.  George Lucas commissioned the film to debut in as a matinee with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in theaters across Europe. 

Since it's release, the film has had an enormous influence on sword and sorcery movies, including John Boorman's Excalibur, which adopted Christian's cinematography techniques wholesale.  In fact, Lucas even even employed Christian's "step-printing" technique to in The Empire Strikes Back's lightsaber duels.

The reason you've never seen this influential short is that it was lost for decades until just recently.

"Accompanied by an exclusive introduction from the director Roger Christian, the incredible fantasy short returns. It was first released in certain cinemas ahead of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. Lost for 35 years, it has been found and restored to its former glory."

Posters: Dungeon Crawlers

"Dungeon Crawlers" by Anna-Maria Jung

Prints and merchandise available for purchase from Society6. US$17.68

Posters: Labyrinth

"Labyrinth" by Dan Norris

Prints available for purchase from Hero Complex. US$40

Posters: The NeverEnding Story

"The NeverEnding Story" by Robrey

Possibly the best eighties movie ever, spoiled only by the fact that the book was so much superior.

Crafts: Falkor the Luckdragon

"Falkor the Luckdragon" by Indianapolis-based Laura Hosler

Prints available for purchase from Etsy.

Laura Hosler of Game Guardians made this beautiful plush version of Falkor the Luckdragon from the movie The Neverending Story.  It’s made of three types of faux fur and features hand-sculpted and painted polymer clay eyes as well as metallic glitter paint for the scales along his back. From snout to tail he measures almost four feet in length and his body is wired so he can be worn as a wrap.

Short Film: The Big Wild North

"The Big Wild North" Directed by Tom Antos

For behind the scenes featurettes and film-making tutorials, visit the director's website.

"A young boy goes on a weekend camping excursion. His cheerful uncle and aunt try to lift up his spirits, as the boy grieves and recuperates after a horrific accident.

The wilderness of the north, though, has its own secrets and dangers. What is meant to be a weekend diversion turns into an adventure worthy of a child’s imagination."

Short Film: How To Make a Nightmare

"How to Make a Nightmare" Directed by Noah Aust

"How To Make a Nightmare" is a short fantasy the envisions a world in which nightmares originate not in the subconscious, but rather in underground laboratories operated by hideous monsters. When on of the monsters falls in love with one of his would be victims, though, the situation rapidly spirals out of control.

Mixing live action absurdity and stop-motion animation, Aust has created a dark and intriguing short with feel of a dream as a vehicle for his story of obsession.

"A short film about monsters who make nightmares."

Posters: Valyrian Steel of Westeros

"The Valyrian Steel Swords of Westeros" by London-based Lorenzo Fruzza

Prints available for purchase from Etsy.

"Inspired by the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ books by G. R. R. Martin and the subsequent homage poster by Darrin Crescenzi, I was keen to create a visual catalogue of the Valyrian steel swords of Westeros.

Forged from a magical metal in the days of old Valyria, Valyrian steel swords are of the highest quality and extremely rare, which makes them some of the most sought after prizes in A Song of Ice and Fire. I wanted to illustrate the main* swords, referencing their last known wielders and each wielder’s house. Similar to Crescenzi’s poster, I intended the illustrations to feel modern and clean, juxtaposing the book’s grittiness. 

Contrary to the description given in the books, I chose to make the blades almost luminous and glowing but retained the subtle waves in the steel and the red tinge within Oathkeeper and Widow’s Wail. The screen layer adds a varnish to the blades to give them a gloss shine.

I used a varsity-esque font for the sword names because I like the idea of them feeling like a sports team you might support. Everyone has a favourite character or house from the series, so that was something I wanted to bring through using a visual language that people would be familiar with but not necessarily expect. This is echoed in the use of only 2 ‘house colours’ to create each sword handle and name scroll."

Link Round-Up: April 8, 2015

"The carrier of carriers" by PowerSimon

I guess it's not turtles all the way down after all.

Infographic: Interstellar timeline in one convenient graph

Apocalypse Kowloon creates a dystopia based on a Hong Kong he's never seen

Because we all need more art in our lives, check out this amazing celebration of women in fantastical art from Tor.com.

Brilliant Service Turns Your Facebook Wall Posts Into A Beautiful Journal

George RR Martin, Game of Thrones and the triumph of fantasy fiction

OK, fine, you’ve hunted and skinned a Cookie Monster. We don’t agree with this choice, but as long as it’s Cookie Monster Season, there’s nothing we can do to stop you. Having said that, what are you thinking letting your child eat cookies atop a Cookie Monster pelt??? We think the next time you look in a mirror, you will find the true monster. You can learn how to make your own rug here, sicko.

A studded case that let’s you add LEGO bricks to your laptop. Yes!

This website helps you understand Game of Thrones better with Infographics

Street Art: Terry Pratchett Murals

London Sir Terry Pratchett Mural by Dr Zadok and Jim Vision

Source: The Telegraph

Painted memorials to the fantasy author, who died earlier this year, have appeared in Bristol and London,

This East End mural was created by street artists (who The Telegraph calls "muralists") Dr Zadok and Jim Vision.  It's located on Code Street, near to where Brick Lane meets Sclater Street, and features author Terry Pratchett, along with some of his best known characters, including Death, Binky, Rincewind, A’Tuin, the Death of Rats, and Albert.  You can check out a progress picture that was tweeted last week.

It's a fantastic tribute, especially considering that Pratchett was notably pro-graffiti, once being quoted as saying, "You ignore graffiti at your peril. It's the heartbeat of a city. It's the voice of the voiceless."

Posters: The Little Mermaid

"The Little Mermaid" by Rhys Cooper

Part of the “Tales from the Deep: Stories, Myths and Monsters” by PangeaSeed

Prints available for purchase from BigCartel. US$50 / $65

Posters: World of Warcraft

"World of Warcraft" by Italy-based Nicola Saviori

Event: Distant Lands Show

"Lake-Town" by Matt Ferguson

Prints available for purchase from Bottleneck Gallery. US$35

A collections of posters created as part of Ferguson's solo art show, "Distant Lands," opening March 27th, 2015, at the Bottleneck Gallery.  This Hobbit piece is also available as a timed release until 11.59pm EST on Sunday March 29th, as part of Matt’s previously released Lord of the Rings Trilogy poster series. 

Paintings: Rob Gonsalves's Magic Realism

"The Sun Sets Sail"

Mind-Twisting Optical Illusion Paintings by Canadia-based Rob Gonsalves

Limited edition prints available for purchase from Huckleberry Fine Art.

Rob Gonsalves is best know for paintings subject matter that prominently features magic realism portrayed with perspective illusions inspired by Escher.  His works has a fun way of twisting your perception that will leave you questioning what in his paintings is real and what is fantasy.

Posters: Warcraft Classes

World of Warcraft Inspired Type Posters by Worcester, England-based Peter Fox

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$7.64

If these had been available a few years back, when I was heavy into World of Warcraft, I would have bought every one of these, wall space be damned.  They would've gone on the ceiling if necessary.  These day's I've cooled on the game, which was just a giant sinkhole for my time, so I'll just wrangle them into a desktop wallpaper instead. 

Quick Pic: Help Wanted in OKC

"Help Wanted in OKC"

Via: Reddit

Damn it.  Another internship.

Humor: Tubbles

"Tubbles" by PeterKlijn

You laugh, but a ten foot tall Corgi would shake you to death in heartbeat.  Beneath those vapid, tongue-lolling grins, they're all killers.

Paintings: The Discworld

"The Discworld" by Kennedy Cooke-Garza

Discworld Fan Art

"It is my duty to inform you... that Terry Pratchett is god. A reproduction of a painting done by Paul Kidby based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. (Original can be found here.) You must read them, for they are the literary equivelant of crack. :nod: Go. Find some."

Paintings: The Great A'Tuin

"The Great A'Tuin" by Pythosblaze

Discworld Fan Art

Paintings: Great A'Tuin

"Great A'Tuin" by UK-based Craig Stenton

Discworld Fan Art