Seven Shades of Black

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Editor’s Letter Where to start ..... Well, it was three something in the morning when i came up with a crazy concept to start my own magazine. I didn’t think it would be easy but I never knew how hard it would be either. Although it was my vision to create this magazine, I am certainly not a one man army though. I give full credit to a team of online souls for writing the articles you will now read. Its thanks to them that I’ve managed to put this together. Without them this would only have been a crazy man’s dream. So what to expect from issue one ? A couple of reviews of film, art and music . Along side articles about various topics, interviews and more. There will be a second issue coming out in about just over a months time. Interviews with such names as Little Dragon, Onra, Busy P and Letherette have all been confirmed. Enjoy. Soraan Latif

Writers Arielle Mcgrail Front cover Maria Sardari

Editor Soraan Latif Sub Editors Alexander O’connor Daniel L Harvey Logo Design Juan Pablo http://loosefit.tumblr.com/portfolio Layouts Soraan Latif Alexander O’Connor Illustrations Alexander O’Connor

You can’t buy talent, Only a Canon

Peter Davis Paul - Review

Blaise Ruston Heinali & Matt Finney - Review Peter and Kerry - Review

Gabe Cohen Ines Estrada - Review

Daniel L Harvey Guide to Funk

Contact latif_soraan@yahoo.co.uk

Clare L T Dunn Advertise latif_soraan@yahoo.co.uk

Website

Facebook

Book vs Movie

Adrian Martinez Castellanos What is Art ?

Soraan Latif Rose Wong - Interview Maria Sardari - Interview

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CONTENTS

Art? Seven Shades of Black

Maria Sardari

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aria I stumbled across your work online, you clearly have a great eye for photography but what really got my attention was the fact your only sixteen. When did you start getting involved in photography ? I became slightly interested at the end of 2009 and decided to start a 365 just to see if I’ll like it. I have tried many things like piano and guitar but after a few weeks I would always loose interest so I wasn’t sure that photography would be something that I would keep around. But as of today, I cannot see myself doing anything else, it has become all I think about.

Sometimes, if I am pressed for time I do have to come up with things the day before or right there during the shoot.

would not be able to create the photos I have. I usually spend about an hour on every image in post processing.

How much do your rely on Photoshop for your images ?

I have noticed a rather interesting variety of photographs in your work. You have some great images that are, hate to use the word, “pretty” but you also have

Quite a lot actually. Without Photoshop I probably

Who has influenced you in terms of getting started ? Have you always admired photographers and been interested in the genre or have you been influenced by someone closer to home, perhaps? I have always loved art and my friend encouraged me to join Deviantart and I started noticing some photographers, I eventually created a Flickr account as well. I saw everyone doing 365 projects and decided to give it a go. But the real credit goes to my mom because she was the one who decided to get me a point-and-shoot camera for Christmas. Who influences your photographic style, if anyone? I’m influenced greatly by the

wonderful Brooke Shaden and also Lissy Elle. I’m a huge fan of Tim Walker and Tim Burton because of the whimsical worlds they create. Do you have a sketchbook that you constantly doodle ideas over a period of weeks or can you just think of something a

day or two before the shoot ? I do have a sketchbook that I randomly place my ideas into, which, usually come right before I fall asleep causing me to jump out of bed and quickly scribble them down before they disappear. I think it’s something every

artist needs because it helps me keep my original ideas and maybe elaborate on them later. I have a few major ideas that I am planning on one day recreating but I don’t have a specific time because they depend on the availability of models, wardrobe, and locations.

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Do you want to go to university ? Yes of course. I’ve been thinking about art school for a long time now but I don’t know if it will be the road I’ll follow. I want to choose another career because I believe that I do not need to go to art school to be able to do photography

the ability to think of something deeper and darker with images such as sunlight in your eyes or the image below. Which the two do you prefer ? I prefer the deeper and darker photographs because those are the ones I have put the most work and thought into, therefore

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they have greater value to me. I do like pretty images too and they often have a meaning as well but they rarely require as much preparation or work as the conceptual works. Do the darker photographs have a hidden meaning to you ? Do they represent something

about yourself or your personality ? They are more of a reflection of my thoughts. I wouldn’t say so much my feelings because I am generally a positive person. I’m just fascinated by darkness and it has a sort of mystery to it, which I love.

Finally where do you see yourself in five - ten years time? I think I will have a regular job like anyone else but I will still do photography no matter what. It all depends on how well I improve and maybe I will even do it full time.

By - Soraan Latif Maria’s Flickr link : ww.flickr.com/photos/ gomophotography/

Ines Estrada

nes Estrada is a self taught up and coming artist living in the heart of Mexico City. Along with producing an incredible quantity of beautiful illustrations and paintings on her own, Ines has also formed the art consortium “Café con Leche” with her boyfriend Roi. Out of Cafe con Leche, the pair has produced a variety of pieces including stickers, zines, and bizarre stuffed animals appropriately named “Bastardines”. Besides working with Roi, Ines has done collaborations with various artists from around the world such as Justin Wallis, better known as MILKBBI, and Garrett Young.

Out of the three pieces highlighted in this article, this is my personal favorite. In the piece Estrada masterfully combines line art and water colors, using the bleeding of the watercolors to exaggerate portions of the image. These large splotches of bleeding and faded color create a cloud

around the figure, expanding its shape from the foreground into the background. In the process Estrada creates a beautiful dream-like image, in which one is unsure where the figure begins and ends.

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Estradaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique style and attention to detail is evident in all aspects of her work, from the detailing on the cat creatureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head in the first piece to the mimicry of graphical errors in digital images on the final painting. Her artwork is a joy to look at and unlike any artwork I have seen. She is constantly churning out new work, having self published comics and zines for the last few years. Ines Estrada is an artist to keep an eye on in coming years as she refines her style and continues to distinguish herself in the artistic community. By - Gabe Cohen

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You can’t buy your talent, Only your Cannon O

n a stiflingly hot June morning last year I had the privilege to attend the 2010 Cine Gear Expo at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA. I am not a cinematographer or director, but I can never pass up an opportunity to attend an event on a studio back lot. My friend and I were walking around, feeling slightly overwhelmed and awe inspired by all the complex lighting displays and camera mounts being eagerly peddled by the different exhibitors, when I overhead something that made me smile. Standing in front of an impressive looking car mount for a Canon Mark ii 5D were two older men (probably cinematographers or camera operators), grumbling about how small the camera was and reminiscing about the golden age of film in cinema. Their other chief complaint was that this camera was so simple, and so accessible; it was making their jobs obsolete. Is it strange that I should sympathize with them? I have never seen 35mm film in my entire life, and it’s been years since I used a film camera, but I too harbor resentment towards these fancy Canons, and it has Car Mount for Canon 5D Mark ii at Cine Gear Expo 2010

nothing to do with my personal bias towards Nikon. I feel like there is a new misconception about what being a photographer means, and it has no correlation to a person’s ability or artistic vision: it all comes down to how expensive and critically acclaimed your camera is. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of talented and capable photographers who own 5D’s, and their work is breathtaking and extraordinary. I take my issue with the privileged teenagers and young people who own these fine pieces of machinery and automatically

assume that they are “good photographers”. One of my classmates brought his 5D in when he first acquired it and was showing it off. Yes, it looked fancy, and the formidable looking wide-angle lens appeared expensive, but he had no idea how use it! I asked him how small the f-stop on the lens was, and he looked at me with a blank stare. This is the sort of thing that irritates me beyond belief, this sense that you can purchase talent. Photography is not about owning the latest, greatest, and most expensive gear; it’s about how you choose to transduce the world around you onto a two dimensional

plane. I know this subject has been touched upon countless times by many other writers and photographers, but I felt I needed to add my own thoughts and insight on the matter. New cameras aren’t even the problem here; I’m not suggesting that anyone who is just getting their toes wet in the proverbial pool of photography should buy something used and obsolete. What I’m saying is strutting around with that recognizable navy blue and red bordered strap that reads “EOS 5D Mark II” does not make you a great, or even mediocre photographer. It means you, or whoever gave you the camera, has money to throw away, money that could have gone to a less flashy camera and some lessons. Even formal classes are no substitute for experience, so the bottom line comes down to this: when you feel you have earned the right and are talented enough, go ahead and buy that professional standard DSLR, and until then, just enjoy photography for the sake of what it is as an art, not a competition to see who has more money.

By - Arielle M

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Paul I

can safely admit it that I am a geek. Not geek like going to conventions with fellow overweight and hideously bad smelling geekazoids. Not geek that I wear a Star Trek t shirt and try to fit obscure sci -fi quotes into normal everyday conversation. I’m the kinda geek that appreciates a good comic, collects obscure and rare DVDs and likes to sit down with a good computer game. Don’t get me wrong, I am not hatin’ on those people because give me a brethren of Warcraft players over a gang of snooty pretentious hipster fraks (see what I did there?) any day of the week Today I will be reviewing a film that will please all kinds of geek and people who aren’t geek at all. That film is Paul, the new Simon Pegg and Nick Frost flick..... *cough* Star Wars music please..... Obviously when Paul came out... I thought I may as well check it out. All I can say is to fully enjoy this film, you need to have at least watched the Star Wars trilogy. NO! Not the crappy prequels, the original ones from back in the day... you know, when George Lucas wasn’t a greedy merchandising sellout.

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I say that because one of my favourite parts in the film is the bar scene. I won’t tell you what it is but if you have watched Star Wars you will definitely know what I mean. There are lots of little and often stupidly obscure (see I’m not that too far down the geek chain) references that will keep the little extra laughs rolling in. Being honest, if you are fans of anything Pegg and Frost have done (check out Shaun Of The Dead and Spaced) you already knew that so that was as useful as a dead battery cell in a MK II Communicator. Don’t get me wrong you don’t have to be a geek at all to like this film (but it helps) because if you have watched anything that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have done you know that there is great humour. I will say that isn’t as funny as Shaun or Hot Fuzz but it’s still got some of the laughs. The story is great but without giving too much away Pegg and Frost star as a couple of nerds who go to Comic-Con while they are doing a road trip of America’s famous UFO places of interest (you know, Area 51 and stuff). They witness

a crash and come across a Seth Rogan voiced alien who is trying to get back home (Paul is actually done really well considering I hate CGI). They are getting tailed by the guy from Arrested Development playing an FBI agent and a couple of recognizable characters if you have watched films like Pineapple Express and Role Models (you know those seemingly monthly teen American comedies). For the rest of the film they are basically trying to keep out of reach of the FBI whilst coming across a bible bashing hottie who after a hilarious Atheist pant erecting scene and un-divine intervention from Paul realizes there is more to life than worshipping a fairytale character... but try telling that to her Dad who also joins the chase. I am really trying not to give away anything that would spoil the story or film for you guys so I will conclude that after some more chasing we come to a scene that anyone who likes the classics will enjoy and there are some pretty interesting reveals... I fear I have said to much,... I must be derezzed. No actually, no Tron references unfortunately!

Overall, this is a funny film. It has a great cast, a fun story, Lot’s of throwbacks, cliche’s and references that will appeal to anyone who just wants to have a good time and those that like to post on the forums. Not the best or funniest film ever but still worth a watch with a few friends or your Dungeons and Dragons clan. Wow I have just noticed how stereotypical I have been in this review. I come in peace, I mean no harm, you can put the fazor down... please! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Written by - Peter Davis Illustrated by - Alexander O’connor

4/5

GUIDE TO FUNK F

unk is a sensation that can manipulate the best of us into a dreamy state of mind. Writers of the past and future have tried to craft the feeling into words but have failed to do so as it covers such a range within the music spectrum. Let me begin our journey on a spacecraft, but not any piece of glittery scrap, it was the Mothership, a home to a master under the name George Clinton. He had created two new funk bands, one called Parliament and the other called Funkadelic. Clinton’s funk was a cocktail of genres, from jazz, rhythm and blues and early rock and roll. If

you called it, George would have it twisted away somewhere, this method of music blending was known to him as P-Funk. The term was also used to describe his repertoire of performers.

The P-funk mob moved off in all different directions, one of the P-Funk siblings William Bootsy Collins who was originally the bass player for the J.B’s (James Brown), started up a solo career in 1976. Bootsy had something unique to other performers and musicians; he same as he did. In all of his performances, audiences were transfixed by the story-telling of his bass-playing. They were staring upon someone

who had the ability to teleport people to the deepest corners of space in order to unearth the true integrity of meaningful music. Bootsy’s technique involved using lots of effect tones in order to invent a sound that would echo his persona. The bass was specifically crafted as a star as a piece of integral symbolism to his work.

James Brown was arguably the first to break off the Motown sound to develop his own style When funk approximately started in the mid 60’s, it was aimed at a black demographic. With the Motown scene slowly rolling away in later years of this decade, funk was something that could potentially draw in audiences again. Many artists such as Jackson 5 and Diana Ross adapted to disco/funk in order to accumulate more popularity again with their record labels. James Brown was arguably the first to break off the Motown sound to develop his own style.

He demonstrated how the use of sax, scratching guitar riffs and groovy bass lines could become successful funk records. This in itself was the instruction booklet to many other funk artists/groups to come. James Brown along with his music made up some iconic dance moves, his wild energy was in parallel with the musicianship of his band. Funk songs of this time often spoke words of peace, love and understanding among people which is now often express within genres like hip-hop. 60’s and 70’s group Sly & the Family Stone will have to be the demonstrators to this way of

song-writing as well one of the first to integrate both women and men, both black and white. This was the key focus in their music, they did not shine away from political and social matters; they wanted to speak up during a time of segregation in America. Most urban black people around in the 60’s were depleted to public house funding as it wasn’t available at the time; they were locked into ghettos Music was one of the only mediums that allowed artists and bands to express how they were feeling about the world they were living in.

When the 70’s came along, black people were slowly gaining acceptance and the idea of merging into genres racially wasn’t such a daft idea after all. Wild Cherry was one of the many all-white bands who emulated funk music. Their most famous hit ‘‘Play That Funky White Boy’’ was ironically the story of the group. Wild Cherry started off as a heavy rock band and as it was the 70’s, people were demanding for disco and funk. The statement was accordingly said to the band by various club managers and punters when they were touring, so this was their answer.

‘‘Hey, Once I was a funky singer playin’ in a Rock and Roll Band I never had no problems, yeah Burnin’ down one night stands And everything around me, yeah Got to stop to feelin’ so low And I decided quickly (Yes I did) To disco down and check out the show Yeah, they was dancin’ and singin’ and movin’ to the groovin’ And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted Play that funky music white boy Play that funky music right ”

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The band was spotted immediately by a music producer and offered to record an album with them in 1976 featuring this track; it was also the only track of Wild Cherry’s that made it into the charts. The 80’s in my belief was the decade when both white and

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black majorities were equally creating quality funk tunes. Rick James was one of the first to introduce funk to the dance masses. With the success of his album Come get it! Rick James decided that the combination of funk with a pinch of disco was the one to use when it came to tailoring funk to a large

commercial market. The funk influence continued all through to the late 80’s in the works of Zapp & Roger, Prince and Michael Jackson. Zapp & Roger’s Computer love fashions the talk box like a pro and to this day, it still remains one of the key instruments to funk and early hip-hop. The synth in Michael Jackson’s P.Y.T is what makes the track so memorable. With Prince, his stylistic moans and groans are heavily used over the track Head while the bass line illustrates the sexual vulnerability of a woman. Well, the earthiness of funk is long gone but that is only because the content of the decade has changed. We as consumers are continuously changing our minds, media has a massive effect on us all and this also affects the way music is being made. More and more technology is being introduced for us to use, for example I’m typing this article on my laptop while listening to music on Spotify, and this just proves that I have automatic access to a whole range of genres and content. If it was the 70’s, it would be pen and paper and if I was lucky perhaps one of my parent’s Carpenters vinyl for gentle enrichment.

Back in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, the asset of getting media hands-free was obsolete; there was no such thing as music downloads or online media interfaces as the internet was unavailable. They had to wait until an artist or band released their material onto vinyl, tape or CD.

Did funk die on July 2nd 1979? Of Course Not

So the next time you hear a funk track playing on the radio, don’t feel ashamed because your friends at the back, who haven’t seen over the commercial wall, hate it, turn it up and jig to it.

Here are 4 tracks to get you started, click the images.

If you’re finishing a day at college and you wish to let off steam with a 30 man killing streak on Call of Duty, change your mind with some Grand Master Flash. If you’re walking in town with your iPod on and your earphones plugged and Michael Jackson plays. Don’t feel ashamed, because people have a corporal view of how society should act, do some Dancing in the Street.

There is funk all around us, embedded as crumbs within different genres of today’s music, all it takes is one simple glance at the charts to see the way djs and music producers incorporate this dynasty into the artist and persona of an act, take Duck Sauce for example, they used a classic Boney M hit and rejuvenated it to today’s market.

This is simply done by taken a memorable part of it and mixing it up with other instrumentals or speech. However nothing will beat the original, the one thing I have always exaggerated to friends and family of mine is... ‘‘in order to fully enjoy the future, you have to show admirations to the past’’ and that applies to anything the world offers us.

Remember, there is a bit of funk in all of us; however it all depends on the person on how that funk is interpreted.

By - Daniel L Harvey

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WHAT IS ART ? W

hat is art? I find it hard to give it a proper definition, because honestly, I don’t know what it is, I just know I’m art, I breathe art, I need art, and I’m living inside art. Some call young people that like that ‘’stuff’’ hipsters, or old fashioned, but let me tell you, those random things you love, are actually art, in one or another way.

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Getting dressed in the morning, you are choosing the clothes you would like to wear, but what is this? You’re communicating to the world who you are on the inside, or at least, who you think you are on the inside. Walking down the street, shuffling the music on your iPod, no matter if it’s Britney Spears or Heavy Metal, that’s art. Getting your hair done,gossiping,

criticizing, everyone has their own personal touch. I just wanted to make a little introduction, and say to you that art is never boring; it depends on the observer’s eyes. Sadly, this world has some really bad stuff, and there’s too much of conformism from the general public. Go ahead, find that little piece of art you may love: books, music,

fashion, theater, dance, painting, photography, etc. It doesn’t matter what it might be, just make sure that you like it because it’s inspiring, not because everyone else does. By - Adrián Martínez Castellanos

Like what you see? Join us on facebook Daily music classics posted up News about future issues Art work updated daily

Heinali & Matt Finney Conjoined ‘Under God’s Heaven’ proves that this album is not for the faint hearted. The lyrics are darkened with talk of a suicide, and reflects the more obscure and cryptic side of an angsty mind. This continues into ‘Conjoined’, another dark, but perfectly honed track. The biggest issue I have here is that Finney’s words become lost amongst the heaviness of the guitar, ridding them of their potential impact. ‘Postcard’ tells a sad story, with more unsettling lyrics. But when the guitar kicks in you can almost lose yourself in the ambience of the track. This is a running theme throughout the album, and it’s no different in

krainian composer Heinali and American spoken word artist Matt Finney released their fourth album, ‘Conjoined’ in November 2010. But the amazing bit? They’ve never actually met. Despite this, the duo have created another album that’s a little bit dark, a little bit industrial, a little bit shoegaze. And let’s not forget, a little bit good too.

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You could be forgiven for mistaking the beginning of ‘A Chant’ for a normal doom-metal track. But give it a minute, and you’ll see it’s so much more than that. The drone of the guitar compliments Finney’s almost poetic vocals perfectly, and although this track has the typical one note undertone, it’s far from being monotonous.

‘Lifetime’. Perhaps an overly long introduction, but when it finally gets to Finney’s beautiful, haunting words it’s worth the wait. With only a single drone in the background, the words are particularly effective, and are enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The sudden burst of life halfway through the track is a refreshing change, but in a way it spoils the atmosphere of the first half of the track.Final song, ‘The Sun Will Rise Yet We Won’t Be Here’ is without lyrics, but is a beautiful piece of music from Heinali. Possibly one of my favourite tracks, it’s calm, atmospheric, and so

memorable , whilst still managing to retain some of the charm from the other songs. It’s nowhere near as dark and disturbing, but that’s what I like about it. It’s so different to everything else, and is a brilliant way to round off the album. I think it’s safe to say that not everyone will like Heinali and Matt Finney. This sort of music is an acquired taste, but for those of you who do like the darker, more obscure side of metal/ industrial, this might be the album for you. And for everyone else? Don’t look at it as music. Consider it more of a piece of living, breathing art. By - Blaise Ruston

4/5

Peter And Kerry Clothes, Friends, Photos S

uffolk seems to be churning out mediocre pop-punk bands left right and centre these days, and This Sudden Injury just about fall the good side of average. Forming in 2009, their debut EP ‘Ghosts’ follows all the typical conventions; with catchy hooks, big choruses and swirling guitars, but it just isn’t exciting. Yes they have potential, but unfortunately they just don’t seem to be making the most of it Opener ‘Seasons’ starts off promisingly but the strained vocals leaves a lot to be desired. Thankfully by ‘LEC’ vocals are a lot easier on the ear and are far more melodic, except for the brief and misguided attempt at

screams. It’s a good example of how TSI can salvage a track by packing in plenty of hooks and an extremely catchy chorus into a song that could have gone badly wrong. ’1922 ’ features the best vocal performance of the EP, and contains some truly inspired lyrics that will have crowds singing along in no time. It’s the first time on the album that they sound comfortable with their sound and don’t have to try and save the song. Fast-paced ‘Magneto Was Right’ starts off far too franticly and is another average poppunk track that doesn’t do the band any justice. The vocals aren’t as crisp as before and it’s

the first track on the EP that’s lacking the barrage of hooks TSI have done so well before. ‘Alice Ayres’ brings the EP to a close on a good note, bringing back the catchy chorus and upbeat guitar riffs that don’t go over the top. Another good set of lyrics, and finally the vocals to match. Ending with a perfect scream, it makes you wonder why they couldn’t recreate this in the other songs on the album. This Sudden Injury have produced an EP which is ok, but could have been so much better. They have everything they need: five talented musicians, the ability to write fantastic lyrics and melodies, and the passion to get things done. So why doesn’t it translate so well in practice? There are some real signs of brilliance on ‘Ghosts’, but the overall generic sound of the album will see them hiding in the shadows of bands that do it so much better. By - Blaise Ruston

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Rose Wong

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o what have you been up to Rose? Have you got any commercial work lined up or any other projects or are you just focusing on your degree ? Lately I have gotten some recent commissions, but school work is still swallowing me up! I always try to make time for personal work nonetheless ^^ I just have to sacrifice sleep haha~ What got you into illustration, has it always something you have done as a kid or has it grown on you during college? Drawing has always been a big part of my life but I have to say that it became more serious when I had to apply for colleges. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life :) I’ve noticed that all your illustrations contains girl, any particular reason for this ? I just really enjoy drawing the girls! I love the rhythm and smoothness of their faces and body And the hair is definitely my favorite part! And partially of the fact that I am afraid to draw guys haha So are you calling guys ugly and rough ? lol No no! Haha I just get embarrassed drawing guys because I want to make them all manly/cute but they end up girly I guess I just need to practice lol

“My art makes me vulnerable and it also keeps me whole as a person.”

Do you have any names for the girls that you draw? I really do not name them. They just come and go as they please, nameless. Which artists have influenced your designs, especially the pattern aspect of your work ?

As a kid, I read Mangas a lot and I really had no particular artist that inspired me. I just surfed through art sites a lot, such as Deviantart, and soaked in all the inspiration it gave me! The patterns on the other hand just came over time. I really admire complex and cluttered compositions that

incorporated a lot of design and patterns and I just started building my own work around it! All your drawings are hand made aren’t they? Is there any particular reasons you haven’t been seduced into the digital world ?

Yes, all my drawings are traditionally inked but I occasionally color them with digital mediums! I wouldn’t say that I haven’t succumbed to the digital medium but more that I prefer and enjoy the tangible feeling of drawing traditionally. :)

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I don’t have a definite goal or dream for the future really. I just want to do what I love and be able to live off of it :) The illustration “We Keep Each Other Warm” (left) Is there a hidden meaning behind it, something that’s perhaps personal to you? I usually do not begin my pieces with specific meanings. But overtime, they develop and become apparent. I have come to realize that all my pieces are all pretty personal. And that is probably why I get embarrassed showing them to people (that’s not on the internet) because I am exposing myself emotionally to them. My art makes me vulnerable and it also keeps me whole as a person. We Keep Each Other Warm, is a piece that represents mutual love. I yearn for this sort of love, but this love is not external as it is more internal.

What’s your design process ? Are you an artist that needs a sketchbook for developments and creating ideas ? My design process begins with a sketch but it’s more of me just drawing straight on a piece of paper and working from there. I don’t have a sketchbook that

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I develop ideas in. My pieces just stem from a simple stroke of the line and I let my hand do the rest. I surrender to the moment and I have no idea where most of my pieces are going to end up usually. Where do you see yourself in five years time?

I want to travel and experience the world. I want to take my art to a whole different level. I can not see myself future self as it is blurred with fantasies that may or may not become real. (Like living in a nice apartment in NYC) I want to be happy with what I’ve done and I see myself still working hard for my dreams.

I believe there are many different sides/faces to a person. And whether they be good or bad, we hide a part of out true selves away to either protect ourself or satisfy some external expectation. We Keep Each Other Warm is the balance of loving yourself and all the sides of you. The acceptance of yourself warms

your whole being and it’s almost a suffocating experience. You just become overwhelmed, and that’s what the hair wrapped around them represent. The bond and the feeling that envelopes them completely.

By - Soraan Latif http://rosewong.carbonmade. com/

Book vs Film P

eople love to criticize literature and films. They moan about the style, the characters, the cinematography and I’m afraid to say that I am no different. A prominent annoyance of mine is the adaptation of a fantastic book into a terrible, worthy-of-noawards film. Comprehension of why the screenwriter/director decide to completely steer away from the subject of the novel baffles me. Relocation, changes in character traits and literal rewrites often occur, making the book appear completely separate. Example in point, P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. Feel free to judge me but that’s a great book. Most certainly, it could never be considered classic and it does lacks a certain edginess when displayed on my bookshelf next to Ernest Hemingway but it’s emotive and conveys a kind of raw realism to it which makes it the ultimate page-turner. Set in Ireland, Hollie is a young woman married to her childhood sweetheart, Gerry, who passes away due to a brain tumour;

the premise of the novel being that the two shared such inseparability and love that to help her cope through her first year without him, he leaves romantic letters containing challenges for her to overcome every month. Not a dry eye in the house. On first discovering that there were plans to adapt this book, I was joyous. I preached to everyone who would listen, in my big-mouthed ‘I know everything’ way, and held high expectations for it. The film company’s first error in judgment was casting Hilary Swank, an American and someone who I have an irrational hatred of (I apologies to all Swank fans but I just don’t get her), then along came Gerard Butler, a Scotsman who appealed to me theatrically and aesthetically... until he made the heinous ‘The Ugly Truth’ (a terrible waste of 96 minutes). The cast increased, full of Americans and not one Irishman in sight (Yes non-Supernatural/Grey’s Anatomy watchers, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s irish accent is in fact fake). The cherry on top of the icing though was the American

setting, equally there were major cuts of some of my favourite characters who elevated the novel from chick-lit to comical drama. What exactly did the original plot lack? Was there really any need to change things so extraordinarily? Surely there are plenty of Irish actors, or even British ones, who could have portrayed the characters the way Ahern wrote them. Jonathan Rhys Meyers? Liam Neeson? Colin Farrell? Just a few suggestions. However, before this turns into mindless ranting and I’m cast aside for being a cold-hearted hater, there are some stellar adaptations that give me hope for the film industry. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go was turned into one of the best films of 2010 and Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho, a graphic and disturbing novel was excellently brought to the screen by Mary Harron and further strengthened by the casting of the exceptionally talented, Christian Bale. Another example would be the anime classic, Howl’s Moving Castle, a childrens’ book written by Diana Wynne Jones, which

was beautifully fashioned into motion, still embodying the magic and the charm originally created on paper. The most accurate book to film product I have witnessed though is Ian McEwan’s Atonement, there is barely any reworking done by director Joe Wright and the haunting tone that the novel carried is conveyed effectively over to the film. Keria Knightley and James McAvoy go from strength to strength in their powerful portrayals of Celia and Robbie and there can be no unkind words said about Saoirse Ronan’s (Irish actress!) performance. Undisputably, I hated her character but

thankfully that is exactly what she should have been trying to accomplish. With such acclaimed adaptations such as the ones mentioned, is there really any excuse for inaccurate portraits of other novels in film? Perhaps it is all opinion-based, ‘P.S. I Love You’ grossed a not too shabby $53, 695, 808 overall, so clearly there are many whose feelings differ from my own. Is the mistake here reading the book before seeing the film? Maybe I would have approached it with a more openmind? Probably not.

What I’m getting at here is that it just seems such a terrible waste when an author puts great time and effort into the writing of their novel (let alone going about finding a publisher and gaining positive acclaim) for it to then be revamped so drastically that the initial appeal the novel once held is completely eradicated.

By - Clare L T Dunn

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