One of India's fastest-growing industries is surrogate pregnancy. Hundreds of Indian women are implanted with embryos from foreigners every year, because their services are cheap, and up until now there was little red tape to the procedure. However, lack of legal oversight causes its own problems, such as the case of the German twins who couldn't get visas to enter their parents' country for a year. New legislation will put some restrictions and regulations into place. Dr. Nayna Patel is the medical director of a fertility clinic in Anand, Gujarat.

Patel chooses among the women who appear at the clinic, at least three a day, hoping to hire out their wombs. She pairs the surrogates with infertile couples, catering to an increasingly international clientele base — from 13 foreign couples in 2006 to 85 in 2009. And she oversees the negotiations between them. The entire process costs customers around $23,000 — less than one-fifth of the going rate in the U.S. — of which the surrogate mother usually receives about $7,500 in installments. Patel implants the women with embryos, using specimens from sperm or egg donors if necessary. Once pregnant, the surrogates are housed onsite until delivery, in a dormitory that was once a local tax office, so that they can be supervised. But under the new legislation, Patel will be permitted to supervise nothing but surgery.

Under the new rules, surrogates will be able to negotiate their own rates and will receive health insurance. And children must be guaranteed citizenship from the patents' country before the procedure can be done. Of course, once the exploitation factor is gone, prices may rise and bargain hunters may have to look elsewhere. Read more in this TIME article by Hillary Brenhouse. Link -via Digg

(Image credit: Ajit Solanki/AP)

Neatorama author Stacy Conradt gave birth to her first child yesterday. Mother, father, and baby are said to be doing fine. Lydia Louise is lookin' good!

As you can see, it took grandma to get her to open her eyes for a picture. See another picture at Neatorama.

(YouTube link)

Read all the innuendo into it you want, I think this announcement using Star Wars video is awesome! I won't spoil the ending for you. -via Geeks Are Sexy

You can easily go from holding and rocking your baby to rocking while you read, knit, or use your laptop with this lovely furniture piece from the design company Ontwerpduo. http://www.ontwerpduo.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170&Itemid=125 -via Swiss Miss

(image credit: Marly Gommans)

My name is Josean Rivera, I'm a Philadelphia based artist/educator.  My work is of a peculiar nature in various mediums, mainly drawings and paintings.  Influenced by an interesting childhood in Italy, an obsession with dinosaurs, girls, and skulls, my work combines and explores these themes.  Although I work in different mediums and subjects, these themes are evident and revisited, creating new and strange imagery each time.*

Hello there!

My name is Randy Bishop. I'm currently still in school studying illustration. I would REALLY like to work in the entertainment industry as a character designer for animated films. I would also really like creating book covers. That would be fantastic!

I usually start an illustration with a drawing which I scan in and then paint digitally. I've tried several different methods for creating art, but this is my favorite. I'm still in school, but I'm definitely on the lookout for ANY potential jobs or clients.

You can visit my blog at randybishopart.blogspot.com or email me at rdalebishop@gmail.com for any information.

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy my stuff!


Vincent

Hi there

My name is Sam Branton. I graduated from the Norwich School of Art in 2007 and have since been a working artist based in Oxford. I’m really interested in the relation between traditional drawing styles throughout art history and contemporary childish cartoons such as Ren and Stimpy and Anime. My work often combines these two leaving quite striking images. I think there’s a nice contrast between the sophisticated smartly attired figures standing proudly amongst these creatures which look sweet and innocent at first but on closer inspection can appear rather menacing and perverted.

Since leaving Art School I have been lucky enough to be included in some exciting shows, showing work in London, LA and Stockholm.

Here’s a collection of different pieces, I hope you enjoy them.

So, what would you little maniacs like to do first?

Hello Neatorama readers!  I'm thrilled to get to share my work with such a clever and cool group of internet-folk.  I am a mixed-media artist specializing in vintage book carvings.  I am a scientist by trade and have always enjoyed the visual elements of science (graphical representations of data, figures of theoretical models, diagrams of complex systems, etc).  People often focus on the information these elements contain, rather than appreciating their aesthetics.  I started carving books to draw attention to their beauty rather than their content.  I have made carvings that display the illustrations the books contain as well as some that depict topographical landscapes and "specimen boxes" that hold paper butterflies

Some people give me grief about destroying old books, so I think it is important to make clear that I love books, too!  Because of this, I only use books that are no longer appreciated  for their content, and I never carve rare or new books.  I've deliberately put down books (that would have made lovely carvings) if I think someone is likely to appreciate them intact.  My favorite subjects are reference books that are several editions out of date, rescued from garage sales, free giveaways, and second-hand shops.  Although most people aren't interested in these old books for the information they contain, carving them gives them a second chance to be of value.  My weapons of choice are exacto knives, rotary cutters, tweezers, rulers, pliers, files, custom cut panes of glass, and lots of glue.

All About House Plants

My name is Megan Coyle and I'm a collage artist and designer working in the Washington, DC area. I started making collages back in high school when I experimented with mixed media. Since then, I've moved towards making artwork entirely from magazine strips.

I studied painting and creative writing in college and both areas have influenced the direction of my work. My studies in writing have made me become a storyteller with images where I illustrate narrative scenes from everyday life. As a painter, I liked using distinct brushstrokes and bold colors. With my collages, I try to recreate the look and feel of a painting through the manipulation of paper and magazine strips. The way I cut and layer paper often looks like the distinct brushstrokes I once used in painting.

Allo, my name is Michal Karmazon, and I'm a painter and draftsman living in California. I drew a lot when I was a kid, but then stopped and tried my hand at thousands of creative endeavors, to finally end up back where I started in 2009. Now it has become my life's mission.

My artwork is about people. I love the human form, whether it's portraits or figures. I want to show the beauty of it, as well as convey certain messages. Until recently I've worked only with graphite and charcoal, but have recently switched to paints.


An illustration for a band out of Orange County, California.

Hello!  My name is Michele Banks and I’m a painter living and working in Washington, DC.  You might say I took the scenic route to becoming a professional artist.  I studied political science and Russian and worked in London and Moscow as a business consultant.  When my husband was offered a job in Bermuda, I went along but was unable to work, so I had a baby and started painting.  Both have turned out very well!

I mainly work in watercolor. When people think of watercolor, they think of pretty flowers and peaceful landscapes. But watercolor’s clarity, transparency and ability to “bloom” or “bleed” make it a great choice for scientific effects also. When watercolor paint meets a wet surface, it forms gorgeous fractal patterns, like neurons or blood vessels. When I look at photos of cells under a microscope, I’m amazed by their resemblance to some of my paintings. I particularly love making pictures of cells in various stages of division, or mitosis – not only is it beautiful, but it’s really the foundation of life itself.

I’ve been selling my work though festivals and galleries in the DC area for eight years now.  I recently started selling online though Etsy.  My paintings are hanging in some very nice labs and university biology departments now, but if you want to buy some bacteria for the kitchen or bathroom, that makes me happy too.



1. Green Cell Telophase

Hi there! My name is Nethery Engblom and I am a cartoonist/children’s book illustrator. I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon, and making comics since I was in middle school. I grew up in both Texas and Alabama, and since 2005 I have been living in NYC. Thanks to my amazing parents and some hefty student loans from Sallie Mae, I graduated from SVA with my BFA in Cartooning. I am very inspired by my previous teachers David Sandlin, Peter McCarty and David Mazzucchelli. They helped me find my voice; discover my love for children’s books, and my passion for printmaking. As of right now, I am a freelance artist usually working on comic books for children or young adults, and on my free time I work on a picture book I am both writing and illustrating. My goal in life is to have my work published and spark some imagination and happiness into the lives of kids of every age. Check out some of my work below and let me know what you think!

Things people know about me:
. I'm the author and/or illustrator of over 50 books for kids
. I do work for The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The New York Times, MAD, TIME, MTV/Nickelodeon, Little Golden Books, Random House, Cartoon Network and Hallmark Cards
. I rarely pencil out an illustration before going straight to the final, color artwork
. I've designed, written and co-directed numerous episodes of Ren + Stimpy, Dexter's Laboratory, Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack
. I still create all my work using Photoshop 3.0

Things people don't know about me:
. I was busted for climbing the Lincoln Memorial
. ID magazine named my studio one of 'The 40 Most Amazing Design Offices' in the world
. I've written stand-up material for Jay Leno, Rodney Dangerfield and Joan Rivers
. I have one of the most extensive private collections of Heywood-Wakefield Mid-Century Modern furniture from the 40's and 50's
. I bake some pretty incredible double-fudge chocolate chip cookies



Scene from 'The Donut Chef' (2009, Random House and Golden Books)
Book reviewers always point out that my work has both a retro and contemporary feel. If I can have a lot of stuff going on in a scene, it keeps the book fresh the next time a kid (or parent) reads it.

I'm an artist and illustrator. Here are some of the things that inspire me and make me happy:
• watching kids interact with my art
• hearing people laugh when they look at my art
• breaking all the rules of typography
• using my favorite colors in my work, every day
• breaking things down into big, simple shapes and patterns
• seeing people I don't know who have my art tattooed on their bodies
• cashing checks from happy clients and customers

Below are some examples of my work (you can see more on my website and buy prints and originals in my online shop).




I've done rock posters for my friends' bands.

Hi there Neatoramanauts!

We are id-iom, a South London gonzo design duo who are more than willing to take a punt at pretty much any design challenge! Determined never again to suffer under the yoke of an oppressive employer, this is our ongoing tale of two brothers who are going to take the world by storm or die trying! Hugo and the artist formerly known as Sholto, are both noisy and enthusiastic with a flair for creativity. Hugo's hands and feet however are proportionately too big for his body whilst Sholto's head is shaped like a peanut.

After finishing our respective universities and languishing in a number of dead end jobs it was decided it was time for something a bit different. Known for our mischievous take on pop culture, music & politics, our canvases and graffiti have adorned walls and sidewalks throughout London and Europe.

Never ones to follow trends, we try to work outside the conventional art world, engaging with real world issues in a provocative way. Our idiosyncratic approach is infused with rebellious edge and street-smart attitude - or at least we hope it is!

In order to introduce cognitive dissonance in non-believers all our designs have been carefully chosen and arranged to please believers and make them feel harmonious and confident whilst causing non-believers to become disorientated and mentally challenged. You have been warned.

Cheers
Sholto & Hugo
id-iom


Artist: id-iom
Title: Let it Ride
Media: Acrylic paint & paint pen
Size: 1m x 1m canvas set into table
The ‘Let It Ride’ table was perhaps one of my favourite commissions. It is named after an 80′s comedy featuring Richard Dreyfuss ( it only gets a 6.3 on IMDB but is well worth a watch!) Here is a link to our blog post about this piece that explains how it came into being.