Archive for the 'Drawing' Category

Team Girl Comic

Masters student Kat Sicard brought this project to our attention, which is looking for future collaborators, and also supporters/funders through a new kickstarter initiative they’ve set up:

“Team Girl Comic is an indie all-women comics anthology. We support and encourage women at all levels of experience to create and publish comics. A lot of our creators are new to comics in general. We love bringing new people to the medium and letting them discover their voice. It’s been great to see the number of contributes grow with every issue. So far, we’ve published 4 issues under our own steam, but want to be able to grow and become more sustainable. Right now, we’re running a kickstarter to fund our 5th issue. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/teamgirlcomic/team-girl-comic “

via Team Girl Comic Kickstarter | GSA Postgrad Comic Books Elective.

Savage Messiah

Rick Poyner’s latest critique for Eye magazine is on the Savage Messiah zine by Laura Oldfield Ford, which may be of interest to those doing the micro-publishing project, and everyone else. Charting the neo-liberal changes in Londons East-end as a result of a partially olympics-related crusade of ‘regeneration’, the zines have been gathered together and republished by Verso. I have ordered a copy if anyone wants a lend.

Eye 82 also contains an interesting historical take on the info-graphic and should be available from all good 3/4th year vis-com-des studio magazine racks shortly.

Image: Laura Oldfield Ford

Death Bed

Upcoming exhibition at Good Press; Opening 16th February 2012, 6pm.

A solo exhibition of works by Benjamin Rawson.

via DEATH BED (UPCOMING) : GOOD PRESS GALLERY.

Yr1 ComDes Study Trip to London

Tuesday 24th January

11.00am
APFEL (A Practice for Everyday Life)
Contact / Emma Thomas  t 020 7739 9975

Former RCA students producing intelligent graphic design from a small but perfectly formed studio in Bethnal Green. Best quote of the week “We would never want to get too big that we wouldn’t be able to sit around one table”. Check out an article about them in Elephant Magazine Issue 9 (available from Analogue Books ).
APFEL can be found HERE
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1.00pm
GAIL ARMSTRONG Illustrator
Contact / Gail Armstrong  t 020 8291 9153

Busy former GSA student producing intricate paper illustrations for a varied London and American client base. A great example of how to maintain a thriving creative life, be a mother and a Photoshop guru.
Check out Gail’s work HERE
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4.30pm
BIG ORANGE ILLUSTRATION STUDIO
Contact / Ulla  t 020 7739 7765

Great to catch up with Dan Williams and a few old friends at this vibrant illustration studio. Great advice and insight from Paul Davis who let us see a sample of his published work. Former GSA student Emma Houlston was also generous with her advice for shaping a career after graduating.
See Emma’s work HERE
Check out Paul Davis HERE
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Wednesday 25th January

10.00am
OPX
Contact / David Bennett  t 020 7729 6295

Multi award winning design agency welcomed GSA for an hour of shared thoughts and ideas. Pleased to see that they fill a wall in their board room with inspiration (Post-it notes, ephemera, colour printouts, drawings and scribbles) to assist idea generation for each project. Their philosophy is to involve the client as early as possible in the design process – a blend of inspiring and interrogating them – asking who, what, why and when.
Check out some of their studio work HERE
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1.00pm
THE PARTNERS
Contact / Alex Woolley or Jess Harvey  t 020 7689 4625

Alex and Jess are younger designers at The Partners and took us on a creative journey through their favourite projects. Each team works with an ideas book or sketchbook before any refinement of a concept on the Mac. This approach means that the designers are less precious about the work and allows them to reflect on the qualities of communication and meaning.
Check out the award winning work HERE
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4.30pm
THE CHURCH OF LONDON
Little White Lies Magazine
Contact / Matt Bochenski  t 020 7729 3675

Thanks to Matt, Willo and Adam who gave us a unique insight into the ‘architecture’ of LWLies covering every aspect of its production. For students in the first year of a four year progression, this was invaluable. It was useful to see how they constructed their typefaces, the programmes used and where the inspiration comes from. Read some more HERE
GSA students might be interested in a LWLies creative brief HERE – great opportunity to work on a ‘real’ project.
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Graphic Scotland

Graphic Scotland is an independent Community Interest Company aiming to bring together Scottish-based writers, artists and publishers in international collaborations to create diverse and innovative new graphic fiction.

http://www.graphicscotland.co.uk/

Further Dispatches from the Frontline of Joy

From the age of austerity to a Compendium of Joy, documentation of a recent exhibition by vis-com people Jess Copsey and Oona Brown, and below, a sublime passage from the introduction by fellow vis-com person Sam Bellacosa;

With Our not-so-distant forebears, raving ’til dawn in the expansive fields of the English countryside, borrowed a synonymous term to describe the chemical effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a synthetic stimulant producing heightened states of euphoria and a general feeling of well-being and camaraderie. They called it Ecstasy, from the Greek ekstasis, or, “standing outside oneself.”

The French have a characterization for the universe of petit vices to which Ecstasy belongs—the condensé de joie, or ‘condensed joy.’ In tablet form Ecstasy is the Eucharist of late-20th century clubbing subculture, your communion for a few quid. In Christian theology, this tenet—that the bread wafer constitutes the symbolic body of Christ—is known as Transubstantiation; we are brought closer to the Holy Spirit through consumption. When we consume Ecstasy, or cheap lager or copious triple-vodkas for that matter, we are both spiritually and physically altered. This is called being “off one’s face,” and in some major way we lose the material sense of self–our face in the mirror—and join a collective identity of the truly fucked, a frenzied body of pure, condensed joy.

Whilst on the subject of Argyle Street area goings on, I believe the Relocated Gallery / One Hundred Pound Shop is due to open (or rather have an opening) on the 1st December.

Good Press

Good Press is a new outlet, based in Mono (temporarily, while they find a permanent space), from this Friday the 7th October, starting with the first exhibition, The Family Show.

The Family Show will be exhibiting 30 UK and International artists (two of which; Oliver Pitt and Jess Copsey, are recent GSA graduates) who mostly work with illustration and painting. It’s also a fundraiser for their permanent space, with all the original works being available for £30 for those who may wish to buy them!

In the bookshop there will be a large variation of different independent & self-published books, zines and other printed and handmade things. All Com Des people are invited to attend, more background info here. If you’re interested in selling zines etc, they’ve asked interested parties to get in touch directly, just via that web link, that one, back there.

Dennistoun Drawing Lab

A drawing resource space bringing together a number of natural history artefacts from some of Glasgow’s finest public resources into a single location. Designed and facilitated by Anna Tanner and Simon Harlow, the Lab offers a meditative space to study, develop and improve your drawing skills. There will be a series of free drawing classes and lectures available for children, young adults and adults.

For more information visit: www.marketgallery.org.uk

1 October — 30 October 2011
Preview: Friday 30 September 6–9pm

Special Gallery Opening Hours:
Wednesday 11–8pm
Thursday 11–8pm
Friday 11–5pm
Saturday 11–5pm
Sunday 11–5pm

334 Duke Street | Glasgow | G31 1QZ
Tel: 0141 556 7276 | Email: market@marketgallery.org.uk

A drawing resource space bringing together a number of natural history artefacts from some of Glasgow’s finest public resources into a single location. Designed and facilitated by Anna Tanner and Simon Harlow, the Lab offers a meditative space to study, develop and improve your drawing skills. There will be a series of free drawing classes and lectures available for children, young adults and adults.

For more information visit:
www.marketgallery.org.uk
1 October — 30 October 2011
Preview: Friday 30 September 6–9pm
Special Gallery Opening Hours:
Wednesday 11–8pm
Thursday 11–8pm
Friday 11–5pm
Saturday 11–5pm
Sunday 11–5pm
334 Duke Street | Glasgow | G31 1QZ
Tel: 0141 556 7276 | Email: market@marketgallery.org.uk

Vault

Oliver Pitt (Vis Com Person) is one of a group of alumni representing Glasgow School of Art at this weekends Vault Art event. I might be missing something but the main vault website seems a bit thin on information, but there are various talks and events and things happening too.

Available From All Good Bookstores

Vignettes of Ystov by vis com person (class of 2009) Bill Goldsmith.

207 East 32nd Street

I was lucky enough to work with Milton Glaser on a project in 1988. He was eloquent and respectful to all staff including a wee person from Glasgow. In the days when hand skills elevated your working process, I was asked to make a model of an exhibition he had designed for Triennale di Milano. A space that comprised of a simple ‘open’ spiral that lifted gently from ground level, I made sure that my trusty scalpel did not let me down. While waiting for the elegant curves to glue in place, I got my caran d’ache pencils out —

Telling Stories

On at the moment at Market Gallery, Telling Stories is an exhibition featuring the work of David Shrigley, Frank Quitely, Gary Erskine, Jamie Grant, Sorcha Edward, Stuart Murray, Anna Tanner, Mitch Miller and many others. Runs to the 6th March.

“Scotland is world renowned for its story telling. This exhibition aims to celebrate this legacy whilst examining the relationship between illustration, film and fine art and encourage discussion about how these seemingly autonomous media share common themes and motivations.”

Throughout the show there will be a program of talks and events.

London Study Trip

1st Year Department of Visual Communication

London Study Trip
24-27 January 2011

25.1.11
DAY 1

VISIT / 10.00am
- Company / Alex Swain
http://www.company-london.com/
- An informal insight into business acumen combined with how to take a client on a creative journey.

VISIT / 11.30am
- The Association of Illustrators / Paul Ryding
http://www.theaoi.com/
- There is very little former graduate Paul Ryding does not know about contemporary illustration.

VISIT / 1.00pm
- Tomato / Michael Horsham
http://www.tomato.co.uk/
- An intimate sharing of large and small projects from one of the most influential agencies. There portfolio goes back to 1991 and are continuing to work with Underworld.

VISIT / 4.00pm
- Pentagram / Jane Pluer
http://pentagram.com/en/portfolio/
- One of the most impressive offices in the creative industries with a workshop to match. Imperious work delivered with style and elegance.

26.1.11
DAY 2

VISIT / 11.00am
- Browns Design / Jonathan Ellery
http://brownsdesign.com/
- Jonathan engaged with the students immediately by asking how they defined art compared to design. Award winning work from a man who applauds the students form outside London including The Glasgow School of Art.

VISIT / 1.30pm
- Field / Vera-Maria Glahn
http://www.field.io/
- A German duo working with all the latest programming software and code to produce really beautiful ‘cross-media’ work. Cool rooftop garden with views over to the City of London.

VISIT / 4.30pm
- Build / Nicky and Michael Place with former graduate Lynne Devine
http://wearebuild.com/
- Michael allowed us to touch, feel and sniff the quality of his best design for print. Designers Republic guru happy to be working in a small agency with one of our best graduates.

Look Out

window

Former (and hopefully future) speaker and Vis Com graduate Paul Ryding, working on www.thehoxtonwindowproject.com. Click through for work-in-progress video.

Andy Warhol visits Perth

Warhol_in_Scotland

ARTIST ROOMS On Tour is a partnership between The Art Fund and the Scottish Government. ARTIST ROOMS includes an impressive selection of 232 works which span Warhol’s entire oeuvre, and reflect his eclectic career and vibrant personality.

ARTIST ROOMS in Perth will feature 67 selected works from this collection including Warhol’s early drawings, stitched photographs, prints and posters. The themes in the exhibition will look at film, fashion and photography. The display will also include a large number of self portraits.

The exhibition will be at Perth Museum and Art Gallery from 17 April to 23 October 2010.

Happy 90th Birthday Ronald Searle

Happy Birthday to Ronald Searle illustrator!

Upcoming Events

92_2Lg

This post highlights a few events coming up. Of particular note are the Polyark II events at Strathclyde, continuing the work of Cedric Price, (work pictured), operating in his preferred conditions of ‘calculated uncertainty’. Which we like.