3X3 competition

This American competition run by 3x3 illustration magazine is worth looking at to raise your 'profile'


3x3 competition

Grain Edit

Chris Howker in Year 1 told me about this fab site. (Sorry Chris - I couldn't wait to share!) 'Grain edit' is focused on classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period. Site content includes interviews, articles, designers’ libraries as well as examples of rare design annuals, type specimens, Ephemera, posters and vintage kids books. http://grainedit.com/

Year 3 - get this book!

How to be an illustrator -- At last! Here is true practical help for budding freelance illustrators. This book helps you avoid the pitfalls that can ruin a career, with advice on crucial first impressions, how to create a portfolio and approach clients, how to negotiate contracts, and how to handle, deliver, and bill the first job. It discusses how to set up a studio, maintain a steady flow of work, and manage time and money. In addition, it provides information on successful self-promotion, self-publishing, and the pros and cons of agents.

Packed with useful tips gleaned from the author's own career and his work as an agent handling major artists in the US and UK, the book includes interviews with nine big-name illustrators. The reader benefits from their experience of starting out; what they learned during the metamorphosis from student to professional; what their expectations and experiences have been. In addition, art directors and commissioners describe the ways they like to be approached—and the ways they really dislike.

It is written by Darrel Rees who runs the Heart Agency - this guys knows is onions. This book would be great for any aspect of Professional Practice. Add it to your Christmas lists!

Latest Issue of VAROOM out now!

It gets delievered to both the LAC and Library +. Highlights include the drawing of Thomas Hicks, Alan Aldridge, Henning Wagenbreth and Contemporary Polish Posters. Should keep you out of trouble for an hour or so! See http://www.varoom-mag.com/

hahah :D LOVE THIS!

Ok, after painfully finishing my Mick Marston stolen image and looking into a little bit reference material.. i came across this blog

http://www.facesinplaces.blogspot.com/

made me chuckle ;)

Barcelona highlights.

Thought I'd kick off with my Barcelona highlights. Firstly apart from the thieving I thought the trip was another success. Thanks to you all for contributing to that success. I hope you got as much out of it as the staff did. In no particular order in terms of art and impact my favourires were. Picasso (ignore at your peril) particularly the ceramics. Rodchenko, just the breadth of the work. Ian and I were taken with his theatrical collaborations and finally I was taken with a quite obscure American photographer I saw at MACBA called Ralph Steiner. Beautiful black and white images with a great sense of design and composition.

Wynne Wynne situation

Martin Wynne and Dan Hagan two of last years graduates who had a week long internship at the Big Orange studio in London (with Paul Davis and Andrew Pavitt) produced this months AOI promotional poster.

BBC 4 Picture Book

Don't miss this!
Wednesday 5th Nov 9pm

Series which reveals the enchanting story of our childhood reading.

This opening part looks at our very first books and the picture book heaven they create for under fives, exploring the magical interplay of words and pictures and how they begin to shape our childhood imagination.

Featuring favourites from The Tale of Peter Rabbit to Charlie and Lola, from Noddy to Thomas the Tank Engine, plus modern classics such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Each Peach Pear Plum.

There are also interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators including Michael Rosen, Shirley Hughes, Alan Ahlberg and Lauren Child

Visit to Patrick Thomas at Studio La Vista in Barcelona

Patrick Thomas was born in Liverpool, England in 1965. He studied at Saint Martins School of Art and The Royal College of Art, London, before relocating to Barcelona in 1991. In 1997, after several years working freelance, he co-founded the multi-diciplinary Studio laVista. He divides his time between running the studio, working for the International Press and making silkscreen prints. In recent years his work has been exhibited extensively. In 2006 he participated in shows at The Victoria & Albert Museum, London; The International Center of Photography and School of Visual Arts, New York; Centro de la Imagen, Mexico DF; The Centre of Contemporary Culture, Barcelona and The Ginza Graphic Gallery, Tokyo. 2007-08 will see his work in exhibitons in LA, Pennsylvania, London, Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Milan, Istambul and Melbourne. In Spring 2005 he published “Black & White”, a compilation of his recent graphic work; it was selected by Angus Hyland (Pentagram, London), reviewing for Grafik Magazine, as one of his favorite books of the year (2005). He is a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale

Print & Pattern

Digging around for some Gillian Blease stuff I came across this site, I can't remeber if she mentioned this one directly in her talk but I figured I'd post it either way because it's got some funky characters on there ;) but could also benefit surface design (although this is jus for illustration this blog aint it? :S ) ah well .. some one will pass it on I'm sure

http://printpattern.blogspot.com/

Heads Up Level 2!

Well done to all level 2ers today for producing some great work in very hot and uncomfortable conditions. The image above is especially for Miss McKavney. On a more educational note, you would do yourselves no harm checking out some of Malcolm Garretts work. This particular piece was produced in the mid 80's period working for sleeve design company Assorted Images. If any of you have checked out the Dan Fern Works With Paper book, there's a definite connection and sense of the period, the sleeve Garrett designed for Simple Minds New Gold Dream shows a very similar aesthetic and approach. For you cooler guys you may want to look at Garretts work for The Buzzcocks!

AOI Master classes

A series of courses to guide you through the various steps of starting up your own freelance business.  Tickets £18  for AOI members (the college is a member of the AOI) See this link below for further details:

AOI master classes

Cheryl Taylor interview

Cheryl graduated from the course 3 years ago and has carved a free-lance illustartion career for herself based in London. In this interview she talks about her experience of starting out and her time at Stockport College. http://substanceorstyle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18
See more of her work at:
www.synergyart.co.uk
www.cheryl-taylor.com

Filmmaker TAL ROSNER confirms lecture on November 7th

Tal Rosner is a filmmaker, director and graphic designer. His debut film, Doppelganger (2004), has been screened in various moving image festivals, including the ICA, London in May 2005, the Brighton Festival Fringe 2005, the Global Student Animation Awards Los Angeles 2005, and the 2005 L'alternativa festival of independent cinema, Barcelona. In the summer of 2006, Doppelganger was featured on the BBC's Big Screen, Birmingham, where it was screened in Chamberlain Square, and in September 2006 it was screened as part of ArtsFest at the Library Theatre, Birmingham.

In 2008 Tal won a BAFTA for his title sequence for Channel 4's 'Skins'

Ex Student exhibits work

Guy Mckinley an illustration graduate from Stockport College has been exhibiting work, see it for your self at: http://www.carhartt-streetwear.com/news/art/2008/05/guy-mckinley-exhibition for more info on Guy see his webpage:http://www.guymckinley.com/

More Kate

See more of Kate Gibb's work at www.bigactive.com

Queen of the screen!

Hey there, level 2ers, check out what Kate Gibb has to say about the screenprinting process and much more. Kate produces all the artwork for The Chemical Brothers, she is well good.
Take a look at an interview with SK8wear company Stussy.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLSkE4DbxbE

Also take a peek at her blog www.kategibb.blogspot.com, she's up to allsorts.

'If you could'

Some great examples of two colour screen prints on this site.


http://www.ifyoucould.co.uk/prints

Not another bloody blog!

"It's nice that" seems to have some really interesting illustration posts, its worth a look:

http://www.itsnicethat.com/index.php?c=Illustration

one sheet of A4

Found these a while ago and figured with some of the stuff we've been doing recently that it just goes to show the possibilities ......



http://www.vanillajoy.com/art-contest.html

and a bit more on paper installations :)
http://www.petercallesen.com/index/index2.html

GILL BLEASE CONFIRMS FOR OCTOBER 17th

Gill will be speaking in Lecture Thetare 'B' at 2.00pm. Watch out for posters.

Gillian Blease confirms lecture

Gill will be the first of our professional practice speakers, look out for posters to confirm date. Her work focuses on magazine and newspaper editorial illustration and extends into surface design. She keeps it simple but concentrates on colour, shape and inherent motion. Check out her site. http://www.gillianblease.co.uk/

A bit of Gary P

The work I produce has a strong leaning towards design. It is often experimental and process driven. I simply love putting things together. I could play for hours and hours with a letterform, a mark, a found image or whatever using the photocopier, just waiting for that moment when 'the stars are aligned'. I wouldn't describe myself as an illustrator as such, I feel I'm more of an image maker and I'm finding that liberating at present. My work at the moment is focused on exploring the balance between analogue and digital methods, let's see what happens.

Check my progress at www.garyprendergast.blogspot.com

A drawing by Gary Spicer

"A lot of my work looks very tortured, which isn't like me at all. I don't know where it comes from".

Matthew Richardson Exhibition

Matthew taught the 2nd years last year and I know it is too far for us to go to but we wish him all the best with his new exhibition.....

Conduits, Schemes + Spheres

Emily Mitchell

Matthew Richardson

8 September - 10 October 2008

Private View: Tuesday 16 September 5pm - 7pm

Conduits, Schemes + Spheres explores the interplay between overt and covert narratives and the im/balances of power and meaning. At the core of the exhibition are two series of new collaborative works by Emily Mitchell and Matthew Richardson (Conduits, Schemes + Spheres and Before Armies March to Battle) - stages on which different dialogues, scuffles, and games of wit are played out. This work has been made over the past six months, and produced especially for this exhibition. Alongside these pieces are recent works by Emily and Matthew which have developed as a result of this collaboration.

The exhibition runs from 8 September - 10 October 2008 Monday - Friday 9 - 5

George Rodger Gallery, University for the Creative Arts Maidstone, Oakwood Park, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8AG

Watch out.....there's a Viking about!

Take a deep breath......Here is my latest work too.
I also made a website over the summer www.joannanelson.co.uk

What do they know about it anyway.........part 1

As staff we are constantly looking at your work, so to even the process up I'll encourage the illustration staff to post work so you can see what we do (besides teaching)

My turn first ............. http://www.illustrationweb.com/illustrators/home.asp?artist_id=109

Screen print process shown

Ben Karis-Nix shows his buddy Shaun how he prints posters for his band.


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PuzzVy4ipsw

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f0DiSW2Jo_E

More Screen Print inspiration

Some more screen printed posters for the Year 2 illustrators to look at

http://www.seattlehavana.com/posters.htm

Hey! Level 2 Screenprinters Check This

Get into it, like these guys, see their gear at;

www.studio18hundred.com

New Varoom!

The new edition of Varoom is out now ..........available in the LAK from Tuesday 9th Sept.

In the seventh edition of Varoom Charlotte West profiles female duo Sofie Hannibal and Nan Na Hvass – Hvass&Hannibal - who are already stars in their native Denmark, and are fast gaining an international reputation as creators of enchanted dreamlike domains. This is a remarkable achievement as for much of their current career they have been full-time students. The montage works of Peter Kennard have been described by John Berger as ‘pure and dirty.’ Today they are bought by the Tate and revered by fashionable street artists. But throughout his life Kennard has been pursuing a path of opposition and the rejection of cosy consensus. For Kennard, the image is a way of answering back. John O’Reilly investigates this powerful artist. Varoom 07 also covers the Young Americans. Interviewed by Steve Heller, four young artists reveal how American editorial illustration is developing in the hands of a new generation, as they wrestle with the traditional questions surrounding commercial and personal image making. Featuring Tamara Shopsin, Oliver Munday, Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch, and Jeremy Traum. Editor Adrian Shaugnessy interviews Brian Grimwood, one of the UK’s most successful illustrators. He describes his style as “loose and free – just blobs of colour with a line.” Today he combines his role as founder of illustration agency CIA with that of a freelance illustrator. And Haley Potter asks ‘What makes a Successful Fictional World?’, looking at the psychological, creative and professional challenges surrounding creating believable fantasy world. Also in this issue, four generations of illustrators meet for a round table discussion on the craft of illustration in 2008. In a wide-ranging discussion, John Vernon Lord (69), Paul Burgess (46), Jasper Goodall (35) and Jim the Illustrator (27) reveal their surprisingly congruent views on illustration, education and beards. Varoom is free to AOI members, and is published in early September. To subscribe go to www.varoom-mag.com ‘I love reading Varoom because it really is a most astonishing magazine, making the world seem more interesting, more multi-dimensioned, more full .Once I have absorbed a copy of Varoom I feel ready to take on the universe because I can see new colours, dance new steps, and think thoughts I never thought I was capable of thinking!’ Ian McMillan Poet, writer and broadcaster 'The naysayers say that illustration is a dying art. Nonsense! It’s vital and necessary, and a magazine that analyzes, critiques, and reports on the field is just what the doctor ordered.' Steven Heller, Editor AIGA VOICE and Co-chair School of Visual Arts MFA Designer as Author program.

Retro totalitarian gems

Have a look at this Polish design archive, its full of retro totalitarian gems

www.pantuniestal.com

Check out the medal!

WOW!

New Blood Award

Mithun was awarded 'Best New Blood Award' this is given to the top 30 graduates in all design disciplines exhibiting (over 2000 students) at New Blood by a panel of industry judges.

The judges were particularly struck by Mithuns latest work for a project on Forced Marriages which stemmed from his own cultural background and his dissatisfaction with the current campaigns run by the FMU (Forced Marriage Unit) which he felt were not striking enough to get the point across. Competition is tough with graduates from the top universities in art & design such as St Martins, Kingston, Glasgow School of Art & Edinburgh University all vieing for attention.

Edward Bawden & His Circle

This book came into the library over the summer. I don't want to give it back! It is full of beautiful colour examples of his work. He is the 'king of linocuts'.