HTML & CSS

Hello! I thought I'd take a little time to plug this book I bought recently called: 'HTML & CSS' by Jon Duckett.

I bought it to help me design a new website (either on my own or through something like WordPress). Its an immaculately designed instruction manual to teach others how to implement HTML and CSS. Check out some of the clear but engaging spreads here:

I have been working through it over this weekend and have found it really easy and fun to read! A lot of these instruction books can be pure text and can turn into a bit of a nightmare to read and understand. But this books explains the code in little nuggets, with accompanying on screen examples. I've found it very enjoyable to go through!

So far I am learning about HTML, which I knew a couple of the basics about already - although I haven't used HTML in many years now! And I've already learnt a whole new bunch of stuff over a few hours! (Like how to make tables, how to optimise images for the web, how to makes forms etc etc!) I'm looking forward to learning about CSS, as I've never tinkered with that language before and it'll be really useful to know!

The book also has an accompanying website that lets you have a look at the book before you purchase, or even check out all the code that is used throughout it!
You can check out the website here: HTML & CSS: Design and Build Websites

Anyways, thats enough of my waffling, I recommend this book a lot! Its been pretty darn cool so far!

Robots and Avatars

Thats right, I've been to ANOTHER exhibition recently as well!
This time at the FACT up on Wood Street to see 'Robots and Avatars'. An interactive exhibition, all the pieces encourage the viewer to get involved and explore our own presence in the digital world - how we represent ourselves and how this could evolve in the future (this is how I took it to be anyhows...)

Alastair Eilbeck and James Bailey - MeYouAndUs

Probably my favourite pieces were by Alastair Eilbeck and James Bailey, situated on the first floor of the gallery/cinema place. Entitled 'MeYouAndUs', these were a series of three artworks which enticed the viewer to act/pose in front of an unseen camera, and their actions would then be displayed on large screens but partially distorted. Such as, your recorded image being sped up and repeated several times creating a strange sort of drug-like fantasy (and making me jump up and down like a loon - I have decided I want one in my millionaire's mansion when I eventually get round to buying it).

Karina Smigla-Bobinski - ADA

There was an interesting piece called 'ADA', created by artist Karina Smigla-Bobinski, in which there was a large inflated ball with a number of pieces of charcoal (I think) attached all over it. Viewers were then asked to throw the ball around the white, bare room in which it was placed, consequently producing a large array of marks all over the room. I'm not sure what this has to do with a digital presence, but it sure looked like fun! (Unfortunately I was not allowed to play with it when I was at FACT due to the ball having a puncture :( Oh well - I could still appreciate the idea of it!)

Michael Takeo Magruder - Visions of Our Communal Dreams

This installation was pretty snazzy, as it involved multiple interactive spaces set up throughout the gallery. I think the main premise of the piece was to guide an avatar through a rather tranquil/eerie island (reminded me of the game Myst - which I played ever so briefly a long while back)), and other viewers within the gallery could watch the progress of the avatar through the various interactive portals set up about the place. I'm afraid I didn't fully understand the whole piece - I think it could have worked better if the whole gallery had been set up for this one piece of work, and then I could have felt more immersed in the experience and may have come away with a deeper understanding of it. But STILL, I liked the piece anyhows!

Lawrence Malstaf - Compass

Unfortunately this piece was Out of Order when we arrived at the gallery (I think we came on a bad day for FACT :s), but there was a large video demonstrating this large gizmo; which a person wore around their waist. The machine would then control which direction the person walked in. What was interesting was you could either let the machine guide you through an invisble map (programmed into it) or you could fight against it! It looked super cool - although if it had been working I think I may have been a bit too scared to wear the gadget myself - you don't know where itcould take you!

Matthieu Cherubini - Rep.licants.org.

And finally, here was a strange program which you could install into either your Facebook or Twitter account, and let it do the socialising for you! By inputting your likes and dislikes (and various other bits of data) the program will try to be you - by posting up anything it finds on the internet that matches up with the data you entered earlier! Scary stuff, but even more frightening was that it could even have a conversation with your friends (or attempt to, I think your friends may be weirded out by the new way you talk - as obviously it can't replicate how you communicate with other; although soon, who knows?) I'm afraid I just couldn't trust my accounts to the little robots, but if you're intrigued and would like a little robot to take over your Twitter or Facebook account, you can download the little critter here: Rep.licants.org

If you would like to see the website for this exhibition you can take a gander at these places:
FACT website
Robots and Avatars website

The Robots and Avatars exhibition will be residing in FACT until 27th May, and its definitely worth a look!

Liverpool Giants

Hey ho blog-erinos!
As I live in the fair city of Liverpool, I've been able to witness the spectacular Giants that came to visit us. Don't worry, I won't waffle on too much, all I want to say is that the Giants were absolutely breath taking and brought a wee tear to my eye (cause I'm a bit weird like that)
But yes, on with the pictures!

The event was so well organised, and I feel privileged that Royal De luxe chose to host this story in our city! I love the Giants! (I hope they release a book of photos or what not - I have seen so many great photos over the internet over the last few days, I may even be tempted to make my own book of photos if one doesn't appear!)

And finally, heres a little video I took yesterday of the Girl and the Uncle Giants getting re-united! (Apologies for my camera being a bit jerky!)

The Bluecoat

Hey party peeps!
Here are a few photos of an exhibition I went to recently at The Bluecoat Gallery.

I particularly enjoyed the first part of the exhibition. I really liked the animal masks made out of such an array of materials - I think I just respond to lots of colours and textures happening at the same time (hence why I've taken a lot of photos!)
This small exhibition was organised by Wendell McShine - the Artist in Residence at the Bluecoat (unfortunately his residency has now ended). McShine worked with learning disabled adults (from the Bluecoat's Blue Room Project) and young people from Norris Green (from a project called The Pad, which encourages young people to get creative) to create animal masks and scenes from Liverpool and produce a stop-motion animation out of all their hard work.

“I’ve created the Art Connect project rooted in the philosophy that investment in education, art and humanities is vital for the upliftment and development of any society...My mission is to equip young people with new found skills and information that they can apply to enrich their lives and impact their communities.” - Wendell McShine (quote taken from Liverpool Daily Post Website)

The other exhibition currently hosted at the Bluecoat is 'Topophobia' (on until the 22nd April), now I'm afraid I can't remember everything I saw there, but artists of note were -

Polly Gould - who created these beautiful glass sculptures that sit alongside her subtle watercolours to create ethereal landscapes that reference Antarctica:

and Anne Eggebert - who created large scale sketches of an aerial view of where her father used to live before he passed away; which coincide with sketches of flowers that are found in that area - I felt it was subtly poignant. Large scale photos of Eggebert's also feature - showing the artist in a number of modern situations but dressed in what her ancestors would have worn. I think this was to illustrate how old cultures/traditions are beginning to vanish in this quickly developing modern age, asking the question - Will we forget our past, and therefore what makes us individuals?

Anyhoos, there we go! There were many other artists exhibiting at the Bluecoat, and I would say its definitely worth a gander if you're passing by some time!
Heres some websites for you to visit:

The Bluecoat
Wendell McShine
Polly Gould
Anne Eggebert