Artist Phil Yamada paints his thoughtful new alphabet on scrap sheets of newsprint. Overlapping letters mean more messages hidden within. It’s nice to see the graphics and content of the newspaper influence the letter style.

While Montreallers are enjoying a fresh round of snowfall, the flip side, Australia is still roasting hot. People have probably heard about the horrific fires that are happening around Melbourne at the moment, Perth and Adelaide have been scorching in the heat also. Temperatures have been up over 40ºC (110ºF) for days on end and this street art was spotted (artist unknown) in the suburbs of Adelaide. Guess no ice-cream means hitting the beach instead.

ice hands by glasco54

Yes it is almost Valentine’s day, the cheesy, romantic, greeting-card holiday that people love or hate. Either way, if you send a message with CitySPK this Valentine’s, you’ll be sure to impress.

Alternately you can graffiti it, or maybe look around your city at what’s already there. I found some beautiful deaf graffiti last week. It’s true, a lot can be said without any words. Happy Valentine’s day.

I’m from a pretty small city in Australia, even if it is the capital. It’s nice to see some evolving wall animation from right outside my sister’s old workplace. Also a good surprise to find out our friend Leon did the music. It’s a novel way to advertise your store- itrip iskip and Unit Concepts are next door to each other. Good to see business’ getting along. Georgina Edwards - a design student, did the week long stop-motion in a part of town that’s getting more and more well known for supporting local talent.

This year 4th Estate is celebrating 25 years of publishing (I think they’re owned by HarperCollins) with a brilliant stop motion animation. It is called This is where we live and is some lovely urban typography (over 1000 books) brought to life. It was shown only once on TV in Australia, on a book review show, not as a commercial and had a massive impact on audiences. Made by Apt Studios in 3 short weeks, it shows how 4th Estate sees further than most ordinary publishing houses. Not only for their ground-breaking international literary agenda, but also for their understanding of online video and its wide marketing potential. There are more movies and stills of the making of this film here . Enjoy!

“Rick Valicenti presents: The Playground. Curated by Robb Irrgang and Satoru Nihei. Our friends accepted the invitation to create an alphabet of 26 characters illuminated not to start a sentence, but to begin a thought.”

Lots more people here in Australia, are using Custom Letters for advertising and brand awareness for their companies. The people making new letters include type designers, letterers, sign painters, graffiti artists, stone carvers, calligraphers, poster artists, and graphic designers. One beautiful site you might like to browse for your new alphabet is The Playground. New typography is celebrated here and promotes looking at the things around us and noticing them anew.

Callum Morton is known for his large scale architecturally inspired installations and sculptures.

Hotel, Callum Morton

Born in Montreal, but living and working in Melbourne, Australia, Morton’s most recent work is a piece of urban art that many locals are calling ‘graffiti’. Hotel by Morton, on the EastLink between Greens and Bangholme Rds, is a large-scale model of a high-rise hotel comprising of a steel structural frame with concrete and glass panels, standing 20 m high, 12 m long and 5 m wide. Some of its windows are lit at night with solar power, but it’s not real…

"Motorists will view it from the car as an actual hotel and perhaps over time as a strangely de-scaled prop that has escaped the theme park or film set," Morton said.

Obviously public art is often controversial, I think that in itself is a great thing- gets the people talking. Have a look at this link to see more works along the highways.

I’ve read about Slinkachu all over the place lately, the New Zealand Review, Asphalt magazine from Germany, he was even in the London Financial Times, strangely. He is a Londoner, whose work is becoming ever popular. Spreading smaller words than most, but in a highly effective manner…

maybe this time

they're not pets susan

Click on any of the images to visit numerous blogs about Slinkachu’s different works.

And Happy New Year…

Last week I mentioned Hosier Lane, one of Chopchop’s new hang-outs. This week I thought I’d show you some more of the ever-changing lanes of Melbourne. Artists such as Meggs, Fafi and Vexta regularly work there, as well as the usual anonymice. Canada Lane, in Carlton and Center Place in the city are also extremely impressive. It is definitely worth wandering the lanes regularly, as this graffiti- like all the good stuff, is constantly evolving.

taken by Trimba, Flickr Creative Commons

taken by Trimba, Flickr Creative Commons

taken by Trimba, Flickr Creative Commons

The notorious Mark "Chopper" Reid has been popping up round the streets of Melbourne lately. Anyone who knows anything about this versatile Aussie gangster knows that it is not necessarily a good thing.

"Chopper" stencil art, Melbourne.

Chopper hits headlines semi-frequently. He was arrested this week after getting in a fight on an inner city Collingwood street with a man wielding a tomahawk. Recently, attempts have been made to ban a children’s book that Reid wrote a couple of years ago, titled Hooky the Cripple: the grim tale of a Hunchback who triumphs.

Hosier Lane is Melbourne’s most famous laneway for street art, but watch out if you see Chopper, you might just lose an ear for Christmas…