Central Station: Where I Make Feature
Featured on: Building a Wolf
Virtual chest bumps to the sterling gentleman Frederic Giroux for featuring a selection of my work on his excellent site Building a Wolf . A positive start to the 2012. Hope you're all in the swing. x
Cagoule No.1 - This & That
I contributed a paragraph of waffle, and an illustration to accompany it, for an article on Doubt: which sits uncomfortably within the delightful pages of a sterling new publication from the visionary minds that brought you Anorak 'The Happy Mag For Kids'. Cagoule is about ‘this & that’ and has more in common with the underground magazines of the 60s than those of today. It contains no ads, doesn’t try and sell you anything and has no celebrities in it. It does have, stories, poems, opinions on doubt, comic strips, the history of the bra, the love of secondhand books and lots more. It's currently Magazine of the week on Magculture, and available to purchase online from Present Joys now.
Origin Coffee Festive Release
This pair of worried looking Yeti's are taking a well earned breather from guarding Mother Natures lungs. They will adorn the packaging of two new Brazilian blends from independent Origin Coffee roasters based in the UK. Both are available online now. I also designed an additional poster for Origin HQ. Thanks to Rossco at sterling design Studio A-side for making things happen!
Yule Bringer
Dear pal Adam Higtons' first 6 track album, released on multi- disciplined Artist Jake Blanchards' independent record label Tor Press is now available to add to your collection. To accompany the release of 'Sledding in the Cosmic Neighbourhood' Adam selected six artists; Marcus Oakley, Sophie Kern, Eleni Kalorkoti, Jake, Adam and myself to produce a lino print responding to a specific track on the album - I received Black Cat and up there is my response. You can listen to two tracks from the album, and proceed to purchase the little treatlet from Tor Press if you dig it. A wise investment indeed.
PICNIC: Update
It's only ruddy well been realised. Total Stokeage. There are tons of talented Ladies and Gentlemen in this publication; from both cul-de-sacs close by, to lands further a far. When my copy arrives i'll post some images - in the meantime here's the tumblr the curators have set up to keep all contributors visually nourished. Go have a nibble too if your peckish. The book is currently available to purchase from ACC Distribution in the UK, Promo Press in Barcelona, and Amazon.com on pre-order.The Pennsylvania Gazette
I'm not sure if I preferred my draft (above) to my final version (top)? Anywaysers - New one for The Penn. The article titled 'Negotiating for Nice Guys' was essentially about how to make genuine connections & sincere trade offs with others, by negotiating and not f**king anybody over in the process with selfish agendas.
The Washington Post - Weekend Cover
Cover for The Washington Post Weekend supplement. The feature highlighted 25 volunteering activities set up to bring local communities together. Thanks to AD Lisa Schrieber for making things happen.
W&K 100 Euro Show
I'll be taking part in the 100 Euro show, happening in Amsterdam next month, at the Wieden + Kennedy Gallery; alongside my agency compadre Mark Allen Miller, Outcrowd affiliate and fine chum Ben Javens, Joyful Bewilderment co-curator Holly Wales, UK Design Studio NFG's Marcus Walters, Norfolk's most prolific doodler and pug championer Gemma Correll, Sweden's favourite Graphic Designer Andreas Samuelsson, and the excellent Sarajo Frieden - in addition to 94 other sterling art makers. It's all about drawing! And 50% of proceeds go to the American Red Cross. Thanks to Antonio De Luca for the invitation.
New Beginning
I have begun a new F/T position as Graphic Designer for Flatspot. The first month zipped by. Really enjoying every aspect thus far, stretching myself conceptually, and working alongside the sterling fellows who operate the company. The Flatspot tumblr has a really rad stream of inspiration to soak up during any given down time. I intend to regularly post my own inspiration, development and design work on a separate tumblr here once things start building momentum.
FRANK STURGES REPS - New Website is LIVE!
I have since 2004 remained proud & humbled to be a part of a savvy and sincere Artist Agency based in the dear ol' USA. Alongside a refined bunchlet of visual magic makers who continue to strive and push the envelope of the rightness, and connect with their fellow human beings. So, as Spring starts to unbutton its winter coat...so to do all the Artists affiliated within the FSR family. The new site was designed by the excellent Parliament of Owls, with programming duties nicely handled by Morgan Croney.Health & Efficiency
Health & Efficiency are an Outcrowd related musical meeting of minds, consisting of: Monsieurs Roper, Javens, Grindley, Murphy and Gurd. The video is directed, edited and produced by Master Leeroy Basford. As is the sterling 3d / 2d ep artwork.
MOTHWASP
Matt Watkins: friend and fellow Brummy; assistant animator to the band Gorillaz, and the hidden mastermind behind Beat13 has begun on a new musical endeavor. With some like minded members from Birmingham's finest underground math rock ensemble (pre term coining) Calvados Beam Trio. It's sounding bloody good, and could possibly re-arrange your grey matter for the better?! Have a wee listen for yourselves.
The Pennsylvania Gazette
First spot of the New Year for The Penn to run alongside an article discussing 'A Scents of the Past - The History of Human Cleanliness'.
Boneshaker Magazine
Boneshaker is an interesting pedal biased publication coming out of Bristol. Founded by Creative Director John Coe, it is currently a not-for-profit magazine and relies on contributions from Writers, Illustrators, Photographers and ideas people. If you're interested in contributing you can view the submissions guidelines here. Subscription is a mere £20, and this gets you 4 issues. To get a taster of what this entails John has made Issue 1 available to download in its entirety. Issue 4 is available now.
Nike SB Planet Caravan Travelog virals
Here are the finished virals Dan Magee put together in four parts and released throughout December. Utilising my typography (which is almost illegible in such a small window, sorry) and characters. I think he did a sterling job with such a tight deadline, and I really like the fact the tour was named after a track on Black Sabbaths timeless epic second album Paranoid. A very fitting tribute to one of Birmingham's finest exports! Huge thanks to Dan, Colin and the squad.
Jovial Woods
Jovial Woods is a collection of artists books founded by illustrator and practicing wizard Adam Higton. Books containing original works from a variety of artists, illustrators and musicians to be exhibited in churchyards, gigs, libraries, bookshops, galleries, cafes and mysterious woodland locations. Adam asked if I'd draw the banner for the JW blog and I was honoured. For me the finished result is a touch too grainy for my tight linear sensibilities - maybe that's a good thing? Anywayzers, Adam felt it fitted the feel of his baby, and I ain't in town to argue with that logic. x
PICNIC - Pop Folk Contemporary Illustration
Around this time last year, I was graciously contacted by Júlia and Juan of Retina y Retinette inviting me to visually take care of 8 pages in their edible book; alongside talent selected from around the sphere including UK & US Illustrators Jack Teagle and Max Estes (Max also featured alongside me and many others in Concrete To Canvas - Skateboarders Art back in 2004). Anyway, it is published by Promo Press in Barcelona, and due for release in April 2011.
Pro-Action - Visual Artists in Business
I recently signed up to a very worthwhile petition on the Pro-Action site and recommend that, if you are in the business of making your living in the Arts then you sign up too. Pro-Action.org.uk is affiliated with both the AOI and SAA among others, and founded with this in mind.
Anorak Activity Book 2
I drew the cover and an activity page for the 2nd issue of Anoraks sister publication. Thanks to Art Director Lewis Smith for the commission.
Nike SB Planet Caravan teaser
The Pennsylvania Gazette
Sketch.
Final.Last spot of the year for The Penn. I decided to include my original idea - my sketches tend to be final ideas rather than sketches, which is not an advisable method of working. I winged it over to Catherine - AD, and she responded with the following "Cool, don’t kill me but I just want the lower right hand bit with the hand, cup and water spigot. Thanks!" feedback noted and realised. I've also included the copy below for this one.
'Give that Leftist a Latte'
“We live in very interesting ideological times today… You know, when I was young it was still the standard leftist ideology that we in relatively prosperous Western countries live in our ivory tower of false welfare, but outside there are starving others, and so on and so on.
Today, this is the ruling ideology. Bill Gates is saying this all the time: ‘Who cares about computers when people are still starving of diarrhea in Africa,’ and so on. And this has a precise ideological function, I claim. It is an emergency-state logic, to prevent politicization. Then when you listen to Bill Gates and all those guys, the story always goes on: ‘So let us stop with our stupid ideological issues, critique of capitalism, whatever—people are suffering there, forget about politics and ideology! Let’s all get together—private business, state, charity—let’s do something and help them.’
It is precisely a call to do something—and don’t think.
I really think that Starbucks is the example of today’s ideology. You remember that when we were young—at least in my case—we still had this split between private consumerism and doing something for the community. The uniqueness of Starbucks is kind of a pseudo-Hegelian dialectical synthesis. [Audience laughter.] The uniqueness of Starbucks, among others, is that you can do both in one and the same gesture.
Just read what they say in their ads. Their coffee is more expensive because the humanitarian moment is included into it. They say, ‘We buy our coffee only organically grown. We give part of the profit to help the children to get school, to get water.’ It’s as if [they’re] telling you: ‘You feel guilty about being a consumerist? No problem! Pay a little but more, and the price for it is included.’
The message is wonderful: Pay half a dollar more for coffee, and we guarantee you that by being a consumerist, you already do your anti-consumerist duty.
Exquisite Prints Available
Ltd Edition prints featuring many of the pages from The Exquisite Book are available to purchase as singles or sets until November 22nd from here. Displayed above the Autumnal chair are (LtoR) Mike Perry, Camilla Engman and Lab Partners. All prints are $60 excl shipping, and come mounted on these lovely Plywerk bamboo boards - More info here .
The Exquisite Book Blog Tour
Chronicle Books have invited a number of design blogs with sterling taste to post about the release of The Exquisite Book in their own unique way; some have copies of the book to give away. Have a peek.
Nike SB UK tour poster
The Nike SB UK team are about to embark on a whistle stop tour of England's green and pleasant land, all crammed into one classy caravan. To mark each stop a local artist was invited to design a one off, 3 colour screen print. I have a long and loyal relationship with IDEAL Skateshop in Birmingham, and was very proud to be asked to create their print for them.
The Exquisite Book
Orchestrated by Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski and Matt Lamothe at ALSO, with a foreward by Dave Eggers, this long awaited book is now available to purchase. I'm really humbled to have a page in such an imaginative publication alongside an international roster of talented folks.
Here's what Brainpickings had to say about the book "The project is an instant piece of creative culture history, from the illustrated introduction by McSweeney’s Dave Eggers of 826 Valencia and Where The Wild Things Are fame, to the meticulous making of its cover, to the all-star roster of contributing artists."
TUTC Exhibition @ Analogue Books
Here's an overview of my two prints on two walls within the 'Turn Up the Colour' Exhibition at Analogue books, which opened on friday and runs until the end of August. Thanks to Jez Burrows and Analogue for the snaps. x
Vaughan Baker
Always a pleasure to clap eyeballs on fresh footage from 'Outcrowd Affiliate' and childhood buddy Vaughan Baker. Currently going through some vigorous physio on his knee, however top notch shredding and shenanigans will resume on the ruddy stunt stick when he returns. Don't sleep.
Turn Up The Colour
Peep a look see at this here stellar line up, Wowsers! This has all the promise of a truly epic visual shindig, and it's happening at the eternally spectacular establishment Analogue Books in the Bonnie Burgh. Go get some.
The Fong
Never fails to stoke, and showing no signs of stagnating, Barry doing what he does best...well, that and being a rad dad.
The Pennsylvania Gazette
Spot to accompany an article titled 'Taking the Morality Out of Abstinence Sex-ed'.
Alternative Olympic Mascots
Bobby Solomon over at LA based Art & Design Blog The Poetry Society
One of two educational posters commissioned by To Haiti With Love update
The THWL websites live, and Artists upon this dear ol' rotating sphere have donated their art to raise money for the earthquake victims in Haiti. Simply send one of their digital postcards for £1 and the money raised will go to fund housing in Haiti through collaboration with the AAPKI Foundation and Unifem.
ESPN
This image was swiftly realised for the production company Velo: Bicycle Culture and Design book
containing a few of my cycling inspired illustrations is now available to 
Get well soon mate!
My chum Vaughan recently went through surgery on his second ACL replacement op. The timing is utterly dia having just returned to tip top form (see visual clarification above) on the ol' stunt stick, after a broken collar bone last year stopped him stoking the shred. Looking forward to seeing him shredding again soon. Heal swiftly, heal well buddy. x
Level Mag
I forgot to post this late last year. Myself and friend/fellow Outcrowder Lee Basford embarked on a one week, two wheeled adventure from Exeter to Cornwall at the end of the Summer. Taking full advantage of it's unusual extension. We had an enjoyable and rewarding time, and met with some honourable and hilarious characters on our journey. Legendary Level Magazine (now online) kindly decided we could do a feature on our trip. If you're remotely interested you can guide your eyeballs here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
