My Xmas cards are up on my online shop, including a nifty Xmas pack option which is lovely and cost effective. I'll follow shortly with some packs for my regular cards but in the mean time:
Friday, 7 November 2014
Friday, 3 October 2014
Jolly good update!
Aloha!
So, my blog posts have more or less developed into a summary of recent projects rather than posts about individual ones it seems. I'm not sure if I prefer this method but it this is how it's developed organically in recent times with my workload so it is probably quite appropriate in that sense.
Huzzah!
Down to business, let me give you the skinny, kind reader:
Data Tech Services
I designed a logo for a good friends new IT company called Data Tech Services. This is probably quite formal for me in terms of project branding, as it's almost quite corporate. However, you only learn new skills and experiences when you push out of your comfort zone so thought I'd embrace it.
The company is about security and data, so looked into common icons, symbols and themes that relate to this. I doodled away a few thoughts and settled for the final look below, which myself and my clientate (a term I've coined for someone who is a client and a mate) are both very happy with.
Kids with Puns
I was approached a couple of months ago to submit work to a magazine called Kids with Puns, a magazine specializing in puns and word play. Anyone who knows me well or even just a little bit, knows how much of a sucker I am for bad jokes and puns in general, so I jumped at this chance and had a lot of fun with it. This was for the 4th issue of the zine, go and check out the glorious madness of puns and maybe buy a copy for £3. G'wan, that's like half a pint in most London pubs!
Gum control
This is my second gum artwork of my planned 'Gums and Puns' trilogy (click here to view the first one I did a couple of months ago). Touching on a similar subject issue as the last one, this time using the gum as more of a basis of imagery, using the iconic semiotic of the recycling silhouette. It was really fun to get a bit more creative and hands on with the gum, I have a feeling the third and final installment will push this element even further. Stay tuned.
That's all for now folks, until next time!
TTFN
So, my blog posts have more or less developed into a summary of recent projects rather than posts about individual ones it seems. I'm not sure if I prefer this method but it this is how it's developed organically in recent times with my workload so it is probably quite appropriate in that sense.
Huzzah!
Down to business, let me give you the skinny, kind reader:
Data Tech Services
I designed a logo for a good friends new IT company called Data Tech Services. This is probably quite formal for me in terms of project branding, as it's almost quite corporate. However, you only learn new skills and experiences when you push out of your comfort zone so thought I'd embrace it.
The company is about security and data, so looked into common icons, symbols and themes that relate to this. I doodled away a few thoughts and settled for the final look below, which myself and my clientate (a term I've coined for someone who is a client and a mate) are both very happy with.
Kids with Puns
I was approached a couple of months ago to submit work to a magazine called Kids with Puns, a magazine specializing in puns and word play. Anyone who knows me well or even just a little bit, knows how much of a sucker I am for bad jokes and puns in general, so I jumped at this chance and had a lot of fun with it. This was for the 4th issue of the zine, go and check out the glorious madness of puns and maybe buy a copy for £3. G'wan, that's like half a pint in most London pubs!
Gum control
This is my second gum artwork of my planned 'Gums and Puns' trilogy (click here to view the first one I did a couple of months ago). Touching on a similar subject issue as the last one, this time using the gum as more of a basis of imagery, using the iconic semiotic of the recycling silhouette. It was really fun to get a bit more creative and hands on with the gum, I have a feeling the third and final installment will push this element even further. Stay tuned.
That's all for now folks, until next time!
TTFN
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Um update!
Aloha!
I'll have to apologize again for such a beefy 'lots of updates' blog post, I simply haven't had the time to do regular posting due to a hectic schedule/life creeping up on me. But fear not! I have an excuse or two, and they're pretty valid ones at that. Please, indulge me...
New ends
The main reason for my time being very limited and busy is that I've been moving flat. A couple of friends (Dave and Steve for future reference) and I have moved to the lovely leafy affulent area of Chiswick. Home to nice pubs, parks and expensive shops (We snagged a great deal on our flat). I moved in a few days after the other two and was welcomed by 'Pippa' outside my bedroom. NOPE-NOPE-NOPE!
So we've been quite giddy explorers discovering new bits and bobs in our area. I've come across a lot of shops selling greeting cards that I'm going to pop into with a few samples with a view of selling at some point. I popped into a local pub the other day, they had an advertisement on one of their chalkboards asking for artists to get in touch, which is what I did! I gave them my details and they said they'll zap me an email, so all very exciting.
Generally though, Chiswick seems like a very promising area in terms of being a bit more artsy swayed.
At the end of our main road there's a squat that has loads of great graffiti outside it. Dave was explaining how he and Steve knocked on the door of the squat a couple of nights ago and how it was met with no answer despite clear presence inside - which is understandable. He went on to continue to talk about this mosaic graffiti outside their back wall:
It's about an inmate on death row who was wrongly convicted, that's his real I.D card in the top photo, with his final statement in the next photo. The inmate goes onto say that he insists that he did not murder the victim and that he hopes justice will prevail finding the real killer. The statement actually twirls and twines along the rest of the wall, so it's quite hard to take a photo of all of it. Nonetheless it seemed like a very powerful piece of street art, and it's only down the road from us.
Fathers Day cards
My Father's day cards went down a treat to my surprise. I liked them but didn't think Father's Day would be as popular as Mother's Day sales. Overall, Mother's Day did better but Father's Day eclipsed Mother's Day with online sales. Maybe because we find it harder to find Father's Day bits and bobs or maybe there just isn't enough of a selection out there? Anywho, I was quite chuffed. You can find the designs on my Instagram if you fancy a gander.
Re-hashing old work
In relation to moving flat, I had to do the obligatory clean out of stuff I don't want or need anymore. I came across some old works from my days at art school. Some were decent, some were terrible. Considering it's the best part of 4 years ago since I graduated (Wait, what?!?!) I was pleased that some still held up in quality. The others I was very disappointed with. Rather than chuck them away I decided to recycle them, adding to their existing 'quality' with my 4-year mature, refined style. Here are 3 in particular that I've improved upon. Interestingly, I actually added photos of the originals to this blog when I first done them, so click on the hyperlink below each picture to see the original, god damn, awful piece!
I'm doing a few more re-hashes at the moment which I'll post shortly, but otherwise more card venues are on the horizon and I've had a few inquires that I'll divulge about at a better time, kind reader...
TTFN
I'll have to apologize again for such a beefy 'lots of updates' blog post, I simply haven't had the time to do regular posting due to a hectic schedule/life creeping up on me. But fear not! I have an excuse or two, and they're pretty valid ones at that. Please, indulge me...
New ends
The main reason for my time being very limited and busy is that I've been moving flat. A couple of friends (Dave and Steve for future reference) and I have moved to the lovely leafy affulent area of Chiswick. Home to nice pubs, parks and expensive shops (We snagged a great deal on our flat). I moved in a few days after the other two and was welcomed by 'Pippa' outside my bedroom. NOPE-NOPE-NOPE!
So we've been quite giddy explorers discovering new bits and bobs in our area. I've come across a lot of shops selling greeting cards that I'm going to pop into with a few samples with a view of selling at some point. I popped into a local pub the other day, they had an advertisement on one of their chalkboards asking for artists to get in touch, which is what I did! I gave them my details and they said they'll zap me an email, so all very exciting.
Generally though, Chiswick seems like a very promising area in terms of being a bit more artsy swayed.
At the end of our main road there's a squat that has loads of great graffiti outside it. Dave was explaining how he and Steve knocked on the door of the squat a couple of nights ago and how it was met with no answer despite clear presence inside - which is understandable. He went on to continue to talk about this mosaic graffiti outside their back wall:
It's about an inmate on death row who was wrongly convicted, that's his real I.D card in the top photo, with his final statement in the next photo. The inmate goes onto say that he insists that he did not murder the victim and that he hopes justice will prevail finding the real killer. The statement actually twirls and twines along the rest of the wall, so it's quite hard to take a photo of all of it. Nonetheless it seemed like a very powerful piece of street art, and it's only down the road from us.
Fathers Day cards
My Father's day cards went down a treat to my surprise. I liked them but didn't think Father's Day would be as popular as Mother's Day sales. Overall, Mother's Day did better but Father's Day eclipsed Mother's Day with online sales. Maybe because we find it harder to find Father's Day bits and bobs or maybe there just isn't enough of a selection out there? Anywho, I was quite chuffed. You can find the designs on my Instagram if you fancy a gander.
Re-hashing old work
In relation to moving flat, I had to do the obligatory clean out of stuff I don't want or need anymore. I came across some old works from my days at art school. Some were decent, some were terrible. Considering it's the best part of 4 years ago since I graduated (Wait, what?!?!) I was pleased that some still held up in quality. The others I was very disappointed with. Rather than chuck them away I decided to recycle them, adding to their existing 'quality' with my 4-year mature, refined style. Here are 3 in particular that I've improved upon. Interestingly, I actually added photos of the originals to this blog when I first done them, so click on the hyperlink below each picture to see the original, god damn, awful piece!
Such a nice place! Rehashed (2014)
Protective layer (2014)
Original piece done in 2008
Noir meet up (2014)
I'm doing a few more re-hashes at the moment which I'll post shortly, but otherwise more card venues are on the horizon and I've had a few inquires that I'll divulge about at a better time, kind reader...
TTFN
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Summary of updates and schtuff.
Aloha.
As promised a bit more of a visual-y one of recent shenanigans:
- First up, I was hired to do a commission for a wedding present. It was from a group of friends to the bride, who wanted to re-capture special moments they shared with her. Originally, it was going to be in the format of a book but the timescale would've proved to have been very tight to accomplish this. Instead we settled for a collage illustration of the different memories combined. This would be in the style of an old school, vintage-y pencil feel to help evoke the aesthetic of memories past. I was sent over a rough idea to work from and I developed it from there (Forget how much fun pencil is to use!). I also made a cheeky vine of some parts of it below:
.jpg)
- The Turpentine Ltd down Brixton way is a lovely new shop which has opened on Coldharbour lane. Such a great location and lots of nice bits and bobs. If you're ever in the area you'd be silly not to pop in and admire the treats that are on display. This includes a selection of my greeting cards, let's see how South London fares with them!
- Next up was a commission for a clients friends birthday, it's a illustration based on the original 'We can do it!' poster but re-appropriating it for their friend and with a few added accessories. Really enjoyed doing this. I've been doing more airbrushing over the past few months, it's so addictive building up blends of colour and shape.
I'm starting to consider combining this method more into my own work. Below are a few screenshots of the work when it was in progress. I'm really drawn to the first screenshot, the rough unfinished look could be quite a nice aesthetic to play with, especially with the element of rogue negative space.
I've also made a GIF of the process, just wanted to show much can change along the route of making an illustration like this (apologies for the quality of GIF, it really doesn't like computing lots of colours):
- As well as all this I'm in the middle of helping friend, actor and comedian Keir Carroll develop his own showcasing website. Now, I'm not much of web designer in general, I've built two websites from scratch and absolutely loathed it. What we're doing is similar to my own website, we'll build it up using cargo collective templates and then modify bits and bobs with an upgraded account if we wish to do so.
Bish, bosh, bash.
This will be completed in the next month or so, in time for Keir graduating from his MA in Acting at East 15 and taking a twirl in the acting world. Huzzah.
TTFN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)