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The Visual and Written Chronicles of Phillip.

Who Be He?
They call him Phillip Retuta. He calls himself a visual & interactive designer, motion graphics artist, and illustrator -- an all-around artist. He's 29 years old, from Chicago, living in NYC, and has a lovely husky-lab mix named Nico. Currently employed as Senior Designer at a digital and social media firm.

What's All This Then?
Well, it's a fairly random tumblog of current and upcoming art endevours, photographs, comic sketches, creative philosophies, inspirations, and generally incomplete art projects.

So yeah, it's like a sketchbook.

Demo Reel 2012-2013

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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor

 

Jack Donaghy’s “Good God, Lemon!” Tart.

In honor of 30 Rock and its finale, I made a Liz Lemon-inspired dessert: Jack Donaghy’s “Good God, Lemon!” Tart (the recipe is based off Mrs. Field’s Triple Layer Lemon Bars).

Crust:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour

Lemon-Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese (an entire brick/tub, softened)
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1  large egg
  • 1 tsp lemon extract

Lemon Custard

  • 4  large egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tsps lemon zest (grated)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsps salted butter (softened)
  • 2 tbsps confectioners sugar
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Prepare the shortbread crust: Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer set on high speed. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and mix at low speed until fully incorporated.
  3. Press dough evenly into bottom of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 30 minutes.
  4. Prick shortbread crust with fork and bake for 30 minutes or until crust turns golden brown. Cool on rack to room temperature.
  5. Prepare the cream cheese filling while the crust is baking: Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth in medium bowl with electric mixer set on high speed. Add egg and lemon extract and beat on medium speed until light and smooth. Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate.
  6. Prepare the lemon curd: Blend the egg yolks with cornstarch and sugar in medium non-aluminum saucepan (I used a double boiler). Place over low heat and slowly whisk in water and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add lemon peel and butter and cool for 10 minutes.
  7. Assemble the bars: Spread chilled cream cheese filling evenly over cooled shortbread crust with spatula. Spread lemon curd evenly over cream cheese filling. Place pan in center of oven. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges begin to turn light golden brown. Cool to room temperature on rack. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour before cutting into bars. Dust top with confectioners’ sugar.
Good God, Lemon, are those sour gummy bears in your food too? Best served with a side of Doritoes while watching Toddlers and Tiaras in a Slanket.
In honor of 30 Rock, a Liz Lemon-inspired dessert: Jack Donaghy’s “Dear God, Lemon” Tarts… All homemade: lemon curd, cream cheese filling, shortbread crust. And are those gummy bears stuck to that? Best served with Doritoes and an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras.

In honor of 30 Rock, a Liz Lemon-inspired dessert: Jack Donaghy’s “Dear God, Lemon” Tarts…

All homemade: lemon curd, cream cheese filling, shortbread crust.

And are those gummy bears stuck to that? Best served with Doritoes and an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.12.04: S’More Basak! on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.12.04: S’More Basak! on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.10.14: The Walking Dead Premiere. on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.10.14: The Walking Dead Premiere. on Flickr.

Mark and Matt’s Birthday cake, based off David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest.” Yes, I made this all from scratch using fondant, food coloring, and marzipan. The cake inside is red velvet and cream cheese frosting. If I can’t get a job as a designer, I can try and get a job as a cake decorator. marksteffen: This is a cake that was made for Matt and myself for our birthdays. @retuta is a genius at both baking and figuring out new ways to give me conniption fits.

Mark and Matt’s Birthday cake, based off David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest.” Yes, I made this all from scratch using fondant, food coloring, and marzipan. The cake inside is red velvet and cream cheese frosting. If I can’t get a job as a designer, I can try and get a job as a cake decorator.

marksteffen:

This is a cake that was made for Matt and myself for our birthdays. @retuta is a genius at both baking and figuring out new ways to give me conniption fits.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.25: Baked Art. on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.25: Baked Art. on Flickr.

My birthday was yesterday, and my friends took me out for dinner. I figured, what kind of party would it be if there weren’t party favors?

I baked cookies and attached thank you notes to them — each note is also a voucher for one favor or act done without question. Call it me being grateful that I have good friends.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.20: Cakes in Jars. on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.20: Cakes in Jars. on Flickr.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.14: K’s Birthday. on Flickr.Via Flickr: My old roommate K threw a barbecue in Williamsburg. I decided to bake cupcakes that sort of looked like him.

Highlight of the Day: 2012.04.14: K’s Birthday. on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
My old roommate K threw a barbecue in Williamsburg. I decided to bake cupcakes that sort of looked like him.

Futurama-Inspired, Brainslug Cupcakes.