For Fun. On the Streets of Helsinki.

For a change, let’s have a look around Helsinki, the place where all the characters of this Helsinki Street style Blog hang around. This image is my response to the latest drawing challenge in Doodlers Addicts. The drawing task was Urban Explorer. As determined: For the Urban Explorer Drawing Challenge, we'll focus on illustrating cityscapes, houses, architecture, or other urban settings that are too perfect to pass up.

That suits to me, I live in Helsinki that has many faces and lovely places. I wanted to show different aspects of Helsinki in same image.

Probably everyone who visits Helsinki passes the Helsinki Cathedral at some point. If you look around there is lovely selection of colours and details in buildings in Center. And of course, in a developing city there is always some construction work going on. But I am glad that there is also some old parts of the town, where wooden houses have been in the place for decades.

Helsinki is just big enough to give surprises and small enough that it is easy to explore it by foot or bicycle. Helsinki green tram is an option and it offers a great way to look the street life and different parts near City Center. Helsinki is surrounded by sea and it gives a special character to the town. In summertime there is lovely happenings around the city in parks.

 If you are interested, go and check other submissions in Doodlers Addicts https://www.doodleaddicts.com/drawing-challenges/urban-explorer-drawing-challenge/

On the Pier. Summer Fun, Angling.

Greetings from the Summer Holiday. It’s been a while when I last posted anything here. Spring was so hectic in work I didn’t have any time for this poor blog. Too bad.

Then came the blessed summer holiday and the cottage life in Finland countryside. The countryside life is surrounded by nature. That includes angling and fishing, eating the fish caught from the lake and blueberries from the woods. This year we had a lot of sunshine and it was a pleasure to jump into the lake swimming several times in a day. Rare delicacy in these levels as Finland.

I haven’t seen much interesting street style lately. Therefor I’m sharing some images from summer sketchbooks. In the image above is my daughter angling. Dressed in all time classic Nokia Kontio -rubber boots (first pair made in year 1973), jeans, striped shirt and to the top yellow fisherman’s hat. The color of the hat fits perfectly with the yellow waterlily.

Simple life barefoot, sleeping in a tent to avoid mosquitos. In the evening it was a great pleasure to fall asleep listening the sounds on nature, wind, insects, birds, bees. This is the best way to reduce stress levels in life.

On the Street. Summer Boy, Teurastamo, Helsinki.

Teurastamo is a nice area in Helsinki Kalasatama (also metro station name) filled with urban city culture, street food, bars and many happenings. Teurastamo means butcher and the area has formerly – from year 1933 – served as department of slaughterhouses.

From year 2012 the area has offered a hang around place for the citizens. In summertime there is free happenings with live music. It is a real summer living room and backyard. There is a possibility to grill your own food, repair a bike and sauna for rent. Just to mention few things.

This little fellow was seen in a starter happening of summer season. Hanging with his parents around the barrels. A true summer boy with his wild curly hair and bright colored clothes. It starts to feel like summer, right!

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Teurastamo website is in Finnish only, but anyway worth a visit, to get a feeling of the area.

On the Street. Summery Red Dress, Lauttasaarentie, Helsinki.

How joyful sight it is to see a senior lady walking down the street in a bright red classic dress skirts swaying. A dress like strawberry. Blooming like red geranium. It feels so summery!

I imagine that she is going to meet her friend and they drink some coffee together and tell stories and laugh like friends do. Oh, let’s all meet some friends and have some refreshing time at weekend!

Draw A Dot. Chanel Spring 2016 Haute Couture.

Hello there! This illustration is the one I made for Draw A Dot March 2016 fashion illustration challenge. It’s the first time I take part in this playful contest. This illustration is made with pastel chalks. The topic was to draw something from Chanel Spring 2016 Haute Couture collection. On Instagram the hashtag to watch is #drawadotchanel

This challenge is all right for me. You know, I am a fan of Chanel’s ability to paint different scenery in front of us in the fashion Show. At Chanel they know how to tell stories through set piece. Those visual stories stay in mind and sure build the customer relationship with the brand in memorable way.

Let's share some links:
Link to Spring-Summer 2016 CHANEL Haute Couture Show.
If you want to know more about the Draw A Dot concept.
Next illustration challenge is already on the air. It’s Instagram Open Call Prada SS 2016 collection.
My Instagram @sanna_pyykko

Finnhits. Sauna, Marimekko And Hai Rubber Boots.

Healing Holiday
For many Finns after Midsummer begins finally summer holiday time.  A typical Finnish spend their holidays at the cottage by the lake in the middle of nowhere. A cottage is a place where you can breathe a sigh and leave stress and hassle. The daily dose of healing green woods energy starts to affect right away when you step outside the cottage. Sauna belongs to Finnish cottage life all right. It’s best if you can take a dip into the lake from the heat of sauna.

What to do at the cottage
What else besides going to sauna people do in summer cottages? Simple things that are rare to do in city, like angling from the pier, rowing a boat, picking blueberries and mushroom, chopping wood, carrying water from the well, wash dishes by hand, making food with grill and eat outdoors (literally), throw darts, reading books under the tree, stare the life of ants, walk on wooden legs, read old magazines on the attic, carve wooden boats, laze on the dock watching the clouds passing by.

Favorite things
Marimekko is the clothing brand that has a strong pond to Finnish emotion. Like sauna is Finnish so is Marimekko. Therefor I decided to take something from Marimekko SS 2015 -collection to this illustration. This simple shirt dress made of linen would be my favorite summer dress. The beginning of this summer has been filled with rain showers so yellow HAI rubber boots completes the outfit. The umbrella I borrowed from Totoro, the anime charcter of my favorite animated movie.

Visit the Sauna in Helsinki
Frankly it’s not everybody running exited countryside when holidays dawn. Alone the idea of stinging bugs is too much for some. In that case in Helsinki it is possible to enjoy the pleasure of urban sauna in the city. Some with the possibility to swim on the sea. Website Visit Helsinki offers a good list of all the possibilities.

Personally I would like to try Kulttuurisauna. (Culturesauna) The website is a bit rough but I’m sure Kulttuurisauna is worth a visit.

Seasons. Helsinki Samba Carnaval 2015.

The day was a bit rainy and temperature +13 or so, but still there was a blast of Helsinki Samba Carnaval 2015. People stood tightly packed along the streets witnessing the wonders that samba schools had prepared to show. For my part I absolutely love this happening. Samba is such a great antidote to everyday life.

In Finland there is not too many occasions to fool around with dress code. In samba carnaval the participants show shamelessly their bellies proudly presenting what they are and dancing their way through Helsinki Esplanade. What a joyful sight!

Lately at Finland media has aroused a discussion about the right to be what you want to be, without anybody to need to rise the eyebrows saying bitter insulting comments. It all started from a concerned mother FaceBook status. She opened up herself of being tired of hearing her four-year boy nominated girl just because he sometimes like to wear pink dress and his hobby is figure skating instead of playing ice hockey. And the commentators are adults. Sad.

It all ended up to #mekkohaaste in Finland. Guys posting pics in dress for support.

Therefore I was happy to spot at least two men dancing in skirts. One in reed skirt and another in kilt. How good they looked! And what is skirt anyway? It’s a shorts with only one leg. In samba parade even a cow skull can have a feather wig.

Samba carnival is proud happy performance. The dancers enjoy showing itself and we the audience get a thrilling experience. So wonderful that it is nice to capture it in photos. Nowadays many times  there is this paradox that something wonderful is on the tray in front of us but we stare the wonders preshrunk through the camera lens.

Fact is that Helsinki Samba Carnaval Parade had only a few male dancing. Quickly estimated only 10% of the dancers are men. In Finland, there is a saying that the Finnish man doesn’t speak nor kiss. Sad to say but this reflects also to attitudes towards men and dance. I suppose that in Rio Samba Carnaval this matter doesn’t exist.

The themes of the carnival schools other reflect some topical issue at the moment. A punk band PKN (Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät) was Finnish representative of the Eurovision Song Contest this spring. Punk is on the air so Helsinki Samba School Imperio do Papagaio had punk as a theme this year. Innovative costumes like iroquois made of colorful plastic straws. We saw biker jacket theme in drum batteria collars and single dancers too.

One of the themes was birds. These shy young birds had just hatched in the nest.

The neon color trend was seen in many cases in decoration and costumes. Perhaps this bird of paradise was the most neon creature in the parade.

Many kids on the audience had earmuffs to endure the loud music that comes with the samba parade. Despite the loud clack, drumming, playing and singing this sweetie couldn’t resist the invite to fall sleep.

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Thank you all Samba Schools for a wonderful show and inspiration! This was 4th time in a row in Flash For Zonzon to make illustrations of happening. If you like to check it all you can click the tag samba.

One Day. Oystercatcher On the Lawn, Lauttasaari, Helsinki.

One day when I was on my way home I walked past a green grass lawn where bright yellow dandelions blossomed. There was one single oystercatcher searching for worms. Such a beautiful graphic sight. I love these birds, handsome and humorous, always busy in finding daily meal. Oystercatcher usually like to hang around seaside but maybe this bird preferred a more colorful environment for a change.

May this be a beginning of a summer season. Kids are out of school for ten weeks holiday. Nature blossoms and the warmth will come for sure (some day). Let’s all enjoy this season with all good that will come. It’s time to move on to the sunny side.

Just one reminder. Next weekend it’s already time to celebrate Helsinki Samba Carnival. I am pretty sure that I will do a report about the happening also this year.

Catwalk. Marni Spring Summer 2015.

This time I turned to a Vogue SS 2015 catalog to find something nice to draw. In Marni SS 2015 collection was these long black belts that made a good effect to the whole outfit. Somehow this lady seems utmost determined and powerful. The effect springs from the belt.

How come? Fashion designers seek for inspiration from many sources. Past decades, films, literature, architecture, an ethnic group, nation, flora and fauna, some have a specific muse that inspires. Ways are many. I find it amusing try to identify the original inspiration of some collection. Looking at Marni SS 2015 collection my mind turns to eastern martial arts like jujutsu and such.

The idea of oversized simple belt made of cloth is easily done as a DIY-project. In that case it would be unnecessary to stick in black colour. For example this long belt made of denim would make different feeling.

The Best Travel Accessories: Black Square Scarf 5 Different Ways.

There has been a little blog silence around here Flash For Zonzon because of summer vacation. This time I took a total break of electronic devices and even the Internet. Quite relaxing experience, by the way. The method was an old school round trip with car in my home country Finland (and a bit in Norway too). Starting from Helsinki to the shores of arctic Ocean and back again along the west coast.

I was curious and ready to see if there was anything to see in the field of street style in the rest of the country than Helsinki. But believe me, the fells of Lapland didn't have much to offer in this respect. The reindeer looks like reindeer. Only on the road you could see some tribal dress codes like motorcyclists in their black leather uniforms.

What do you pack for a trip like this? The answer is as little as possible. Besides toothbrush and sunhat the next most important thing was a black square scarf. And now I will tell you how handy piece of accessory it is.

This scarf of mine is a fair-sized (100 cm x 100 cm) made of lightweight black cotton. When traveling by car in summer there is always air condition on. And in T-shirt there is a good possibility to get cold despite the fact that the outside is 25 degrees hot. The cool wind blowing like that. Ooh la-la, the scarf wrapped around the neck will save from this misery.

In northern Finland there is one minus in summertime. And that is the armies of mosquitoes and other biting little insects that are attacking once you put your head outside. They can be very annoying when trying to set up a tent at the end of the day. But with the square scarf there is no trouble. Just wrap the scarf around your head and you are safe. 

When wardrobe consists of T-shirts only it is possible to alter a look with the help of the scarf. Fold a square scarf looking like belt. Like this you can get a nice waistline for a change.

Then again in a trip like this the shower is not always right next to you. So it is nice to be able to forget the hair totally. The method is to fold the scarf to turban-like thing. Hide your hair in a turban. This way you get a nice bow tie on the top.

The nights are very luminous in summertime in Finland. When sleeping in a tent it can be a bit difficult to get sleep in the evening. In that point you can count on your black lightweight scarf again. Just cover your eyes lightly with the black scarf and you are already sleeping. First I did the trick to kids and then myself. Good nighty-night.

 

Disclaimer. I bought this multi-function black scarf from Varusteleka for 4 euros or so and it is worth every cent.

Midsummer with Ralph Lauren SS 2014.

 

 Midsummer in Finland is magical time. The magic comes from sun that doesn't set. People gather together to cottage houses and Midsummer bonfire. Accordion music plays and birch trees are the greenest.

Ralph Lauren SS 2014 wonderful green dress would be perfect celebrating the Midsummer. At least somewhere else than Finland in this summer. Temperature in June has been so cold that it actually feels more like autumn than summer. But never mind, we still have some hopes for the summer in July.

Meanwhile we are waiting for the summer warmth there is good time to do some Midsummer Magic tonight. In old times people performed a lot of magic spells during midsummer. Many spells related to the prospective spouse's prediction. And many spells were performed naked. In this case, however, you can keep your clothes upon you.

Midsummer's Eve. Pick seven flowers. Put them under your pillow. When you sleep  you will have dreams of your future husband.

Other Midsummer spells you can read in this Wikipedia Juhannustaika -article (sorry, in Finnish only).

Disclaimer: The news told afterwards that this midsummer in Finland has been the coldest in thirteen years.

Seasons. June, Helsinki Samba Carnaval 2014.

 

Here we go again! I mean a week ago was the time and place for annual happening Helsinki Samba Carnaval. This starts to be a tradition here at Flash For Zonzon to make some illustration notes of the wonderful parade. This is the Part 3 in a row.

The above is the set, which I think was one of the finest this year. I don't know how the caravan goes in Rio Carnaval, but in Helsinki it uses man power.

The baianas with their wide hem are always as beautiful. Love their rotating choreography. These baianas costumes had the two favorite things of my. These are the big bows and stripes. Black and red stripes in this case.

 

Marvelous costumes are the biggest fun in the parade. One can just imagine how many hours are spent in making them. Costumes have been thought to the last detail. This year we saw a lot of football-inspired costumes probably because of The 2014 FIFA Wold Cup, a tournament for the men's football world championship, that is currently taking place in Brasil.

Besides feathers and footballs, we saw this hummingbird costume. Very glam rock and like David Bowie in 70's. Trailers have the support poles, so that the dancers keep the ride over rough cobbled streets of Helsinki.

Dance makes one thirsty. So along the way is the maintenance staff in the presence backpacks full of water bottles. Relief to the thirsty dancer is always close by. And then the dancing continues with a smile.

If you would like to check up the two previous Helsinki Samba Carnaval -posts is in Flash For Zonzon, here are the links:

Halsinki Samba Carnaval 2012
Halsinki Samba Carnaval 2013

Seasons. Summer Dresses In Handkerchief.

Oh yes, after mother's day I've been sneezing with a fever the whole week. Not very uplifting thing to do when finally summer has arrived in Helsinki. So I have been inside for days socializing mainly with handkerchiefs. With this handkerchief lady we are opening 2014 Summer Season in Flash For Zonzon. Let it be filled with warmth and sunshine!

Catwalk. Dreaming of Summer with Suno SS 2014.

 

 Now is the time that it is not totally desperate to start dreaming about summer. The sun has shown itself a few times quite promisingly and temperatures seem to stay above zero permanently. So I took the pastels and dreamed of summer with Suno 2014 spring/summer collection. Especially I find this silhouette with wide sleeves and flying hem so summery.

For Fun. Going for Summer Holiday.

Hi! It's time to take a little break in the form of Summer Holiday. The break in Flash For Zonzon will be only two weeks, I assume. For my vacation I will pack hot-hot-hot weather clothes, take-it-easy-attitude and, of course, my sketchbook. In holiday I will have much more free time to draw. Sic. We'll see what kind of pictures and impressions stick to pages. So stay tuned.

By the way. If you are following this blog with Google Reader, you better switch to some other rss-feed reader asap. Google Reader will shut it's doors by the end of June. The easiest way is to move your following to Bloglovin'.  So here you go, Flash For Zonzon in Bloglovin'.

Seasons. June, Helsinki Samba Carnaval 2013.

 

Last Saturday was again time for Helsinki Samba Carnaval, one of my favorite happenings in Helsinki. For a costume lover like me it's like opening a treasure chest. I wrote a post about this happening a year ago too. We can think this post as a Helsinki Samba Carnaval Part 2 around here. This time I'm presenting some new features of the parade.

Above we see not only a samba dancer but also the set up, which plays an important part of the performance. This dancer had a marvelous golden shoe throne on a rotating platform. Wow.

 

 Live music heighten the atmosphere. Among others Samba School Império do Papagaio has always a truck with a band on stage playing music. Every year a different song continuously shown.

 

Capoeira is part of the show. Performed by Capoeira Capital, Helsinki.

The sweetest little samba dancer was this little girl. In real she definitely didn't look this angry. Sorry for the expression here. She showed fatigue-free while running back and forth in time to the music on the Esplanade. 

Last but not the least is the bateria of each group. There is always some great characters among the players. Or what do you think about this bearded guy? Ten points from me!

On the street. Tomatoes in motion, Lauttasaari, Helsinki.

Last week in Helsinki we have been lucky to enjoy a brilliant sunny weather. One must be happy about this because these are the last days of the real summer in these latitudes. I'm not sure if we can see bare toes until the next June.

On Saturday I went to a local grocery store. In the vegetable department I saw this man buying tomatoes and thought: nice colors, nice straw hat. After a while outside the store a lady walked past me and besides that I loved her red and white outfit with large polka dotted skirt, I felt like the tomatoes had climbed to her skirt to get some sunshine and had grown triple the size they usually are.

By the way. It came to my mind that Moving Tomatoes might be a good name for a band. But what kind of music would that be? Any ideas?

On the beach. Tattooed Fisherman in Kangasala.

In the last days of july came the summer warmth I had waited for. So I headed to the beach right away to catch some solar rays.

Rigth next to the beach I saw this tattooed family man angling with a sticklike fishing rod. His family with four kids were playing in the water. I knew it was a total impossibility to really catch a fish in a hot day and restless place like that.

But I believe this guy understood the romantic side of the angling. To withdraw to shadows in your own peace staring the red and white fishing rod bobber. Oh boy, I love it too. The image took me directly to a different decade. Like to the scenes of a marvelous Italian film Ossessione by Luchino Visconti, 1943.

On the street. Mermaid in Angry Birds Land, Tampere.

It has been a little silent here because of my summer vacation. For the past few weeks I have concentrated in eating strawberries, picking up blueberries and waiting the mushrooms to appear. I'm staying in the woods by the lake with my family in a summer cottage where the community of bats make music on the attic.

The place is situated near Tampere. So we popped in town to visit Särkänniemi Amusement Park. Amusement Parks tend to have something new in every summer season. In Tampere the Big New Thing this year is a Angry Birds Land. The area is designed according to Angry Birds game. You know the phone app people play like mad. The game is made in Finland by Rovio Entertainment, so the world's first Angry Birds Park is situated in the home territory.

In the same visit I saw this mermaid-like lady that caught my eye. She was very convenient with the red birds and green pigs that surrounded her.

Seasons. June, Helsinki Samba Carnaval.

In June my all time favorite happening is Helsinki Samba Carnaval. It was 22nd time this year. It takes place in Helsinki day 12th June or next saturday if the day is in the middle of the week. 

The event is one of Helsinki's largest free public events, the audience is around 20-30 000 people. The parade  included seven samba schools from different cities of Finland, as well as other performing groups like circus and capoeira, a total of over 1,000 dancers and musicians. Helsinki Samba Caranaval corresponds to the Rio Carnival, only the scale is smaller. 

The whole happening is so hilarious. It's just the opposite of what Finnish temperament normally is. By this I mean that we are not exactly dancing in the streets and dressing up colorfully every day. All the imaginative costumes, funny and ingenious themes that the schools have invented make me so glad. Not to mention the hypnotic drumming. If I would take part in the happening I'd like be a part of batterias banging the big drum, yes!

Maybe the best thing is that people of all age groups can participate in the same interest. From the little girls and boys, chicos and chicas  to their mamas and papas and grandparents. Everybody can find their own role in the phenomenon.

I have taken my kids to watch the show too. The first time they saw the color saturation and the wild characters the impact was so big that the next day it erupted in to these lovely drawings.