Rosy-cheeked, nostalgic, kitschy, clichéd: our feelings on Norman Rockwell are manifold. Though Rockwell’s depictions of America evoke a certain warm feeling for yesteryear, they are more akin to propagandistic advertisements than high art. It’s worth noting, however, that Rockwell referred to himself as an illustrator, not an artist — a fact that dovetails with his use of photography in creating his iconic images. NPR has a fascinating look at the process behind the lens; peep side-by-side comparisons plus other photorealist picks after the jump.

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Today at Flavorpill, we wanted to write our blog posts using 22 of the world’s most creative alphabets. We wandered into the studio of Flavorpill favorite Marilyn Minter. We were excited to hear that Jonathan Demme plans to make an animated adaption of Dave Eggers’ Katrina book, Zeitoun. We were intrigued by these roadkill-inspired hair accessories. We liked No Age’s new video for “Losing Feeling” — well, except for all of the crazy mice. We vowed never to eat a tasty meat hand. We placed our vote for the Ultimate Media Game Changer. And finally, we really wanted a Lil Wayne birthday cake from Alec Baldwin. Can you imagine anything cooler?

1. Madonna is plotting a collaboration with visual artist Marilyn Minter. [via NYDN]
2. Bigger, better images from Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox [via Slashfilm]
3. Casting news for Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet: Nic Cage in talks to play the villain; Cameron Diaz, Seth Rogen’s love interest. [via Variety]
4. Jay-Z’s new song from his upcoming album The Blueprint 3 will drop this Friday and feature Rihanna and Kanye West. [via Ace Showbiz]
5. Will Sacha Baron Cohen follow up Bruno with a serious role in a Scorsese film? [via Daily Mail]