Saturday, August 24, 2013

Stefaan Provijn - STEF Cartoons

Last Friday Belgian cartoonist STEF (Stefaan Provijn) presented his brand new cartoon book  and exhibition in the beautiful village Sint-Martens-Latem (Belgium) where he lives. The guests were welcomed really kindly at the opening.

21 cm x 21 cm and 84 pages, 80 really funny cartoons




Cartoons of Stef can be just very witty, in other cartoons there is a deeper layer  and sometimes Stef is inspired by fairy tales. Enjoy a few examples and you'll notice why Stef is a top cartoonist.

Castle life

Revenge
Burka Fashion

Stefaan signing copy of his cartoon book

Stefaan is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and cartoonist. As you see on the pictures below, Stefaan let the guests savour a new Belgian beer called Paljas, brewed by a nephew of the cartoonist.  Stefaan designed the logo with the happy chappie on it, as you can spot on the bottle and drinking glasses.

And yes, the beer tastes like the cartoons of Stef: excellent!



the logo Stefaan designed for the Paljas beer




I think this beer wil become one of my favourites... it tasted excellent
Learn more:
Stefaan Provijn's website
Paljas Blond - great new Belgian beer
Stefaan Provijn - ECC In-House cartoonist 2008

The book costs 15 euro and you can buy it by contacting STEF at stefaan.provijn@skynet.be

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Sidney Harris : science and humour

Talking about scientific cartoons, Jean-Marie told me we surely should mention Sidney Harris.
He's a specialist of the scientific cartoon, not only in the field of physics and cosmology , but also in many other fields such as medicine, psychology, ecology, anthropology, biology, technology , paleontology, computer ...




 “No scientific topic is safe from Sidney Harris’s pen. Harris’s insightful cartoons, which grace bulletin boards and laboratory doors everywhere, have become every person’s window into the often baffling and weirdly funny side of science and scientists. Harris’s cartoons have appeared in publications as diverse as The New Yorker, Science, Saturday Review, American Scientist,Playboy, U.S. Medicine, Punch, The Chronicle of Higher Education, National Lampoon and Discover.”







Sidney Harris

Here are some cartoon books by the artist, with many thanks to Jean-Marie for the information:

Harris, Sidney

So Far, So Good

Playboy Press
Chicago

1971
Harris, Sidney

Savants en folie

Belin
Paris

1982
Harris, Sidney

What’s so Funny About Business?

Willliam Kaufmann
Los Altos

1986
Harris, Sidney

Een computer is ook maar een mens

{1984}
Mondria
Hazerswoude

1989
Harris, Sidney

Quoi ! C’est ça, le Big Bang ?

Le Seuil
Paris

1992
Harris, Sidney

From Personal Ads to Cloning Labs

W. H. Freeman and Co
New York

1993
Harris, Sidney

Stress Test. Cartoons on Medicine

Rutgers University Press
New Brunswick

1994
Harris, Sidney

The Interactive Toaster

Crisp Publications
Menlo Park

1996
Harris, Sidney

Einstein Atomized

Copernicus
New York

1996
Harris, Sidney

There Goes the Neighbourhood. Cartoons on the Environment

The University of Georgia Press
Athens, Georgia

1996
Harris, Sidney

Freudian Slips

Rutgers University Press
New Brunswick

1997

Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Standard Model - Le Modèle Standard - science cartoons by Masse

Jean-Marie told me I should know of the book "Le Modèle Standard" by the French artist with the scientific name Francis  "Masse", "mass" in English. (born 1948). So if you like to look at gravitation, the theory of cords, dark matter, the quantum universe... in another way, this is the book you'd like. Mass pays a tribute to Glen Baxter. It is true that their absurd humor is affiliated.


Here is the English translation of the introduction to te book by Masse himself (source: Science et Société)

"Why should a series of drawings have such unattractive title and
theme? Nonsense or provocation?
This book on the one hand deals with The Standard Model (capital
initials), i. e. as conceived by theoretic physics, along with the (lower case)
standard model of cosmology.
These two standard models have a capacity to embody and intimately
enrich each other with no noticeable problem. An arrangement is always at
hand between standard models. As should prevail among balanced opinions.
Why on the second hand should not both standard models be encased
into humour drawings? The latter need not aim at balanced opinions. It is
but a question of how to scale things and in this respect, the span extends
from the size of man to that of his home planet. Which is huge for the
individual, but a trifle when replaced into cosmic dimensions.
Let’s see what it grows into, once injected with all the levels beneath, as
described by quantum physics, and all those above, as described by relativity
and cosmology. With a small shot of Indian ink (not quite coaxing!) to fit all
sizes into a small sheet of paper.
Then here you are: mere bi-dimensional rectangles covered by simple
brush and nib drawings where all sizes between infinitesimal and infinite
are overlaying, encasing, containing, rejecting, according, gravitating,
relativity-sing, exploding, electromagnetism—ing, accelerating and antimatter—
ing. Just as happens in the real world.
The gaping cosmic fright is well hid here. It already peels our eyes.
There’s no stopping the (Indian ink) black hole swallowing us.
Firmly grasp the brush, ladders are henceforth withdrawn..."





You can buy the book in the CERN gift shop (what do you think), if that's a bit too far for you, you can buy it on the web.

The book counts 112 pages , has both French and English captions, is printed in black and withe, size  21, 5 X 30,5 cm., 35 eur,  ISBN 978-2-9534771-6-0.

Learn more:
Francis Masse Wikipedia
French introduction to the book (Juin 2012)
Glen Baxter