Alex McGinn

Amelia’s Magazine | The Kickstarter campaign for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion launches today!

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Kickstarter campaign image Ameliasccc
I am super excited to announce that the Kickstarter campaign for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion launches today! Make sure you grab an EARLY BIRD BARGAIN…

Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion is a unique collaborative colouring book for adults, featuring the work of 40 artists from all over the world. If you are hunting for an unusual, beautiful, high quality colouring book that stands out in the crowd then this is the one for you! It would make an ideal Christmas present. 

Alex Mcginn
Double page spread by Alex McGinn.

Eleanor Percival
Double page spread by Eleanor Percival.

Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion was put together through an open brief and each artist has contributed a double page – with a full colour left page on the left, and a complementary black line image on the right to colour in. This limited edition book will be printed on gorgeous thick paper and bound using the lay flat binding process ensuring that it is a delight to colour in. 

Nanna Prierler
I am already colouring in the pages! Here’s one by Nanna Prierler.

Steph Moulden
And another by Steph Moulden.

I have released some early back issues (1,2,3 and 4) as rewards to help raise funds and there are some fabulous Early Bird bargains that are sure to be snapped up fast, so please do visit the campaign page to view a short video featuring a mock up of the book… I hope you enjoy the little surprise at the end!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday November 2nd, 2015 1:27 pm

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Alex McGinn, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Back issues, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Early Bird, ,Eleanor Percival, ,Kickstarter, ,Launch, ,Nanna Prierler, ,Steph Moulden

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Amelia’s Magazine | New Designers 2015: The Best Illustration Graduates

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ND Jen Leem Bruggen
My final New Designers review features work displayed as part of the Visual Communications section in part two of the show: with the focus on illustration, of course.

New Designers Jen Leem Brugen
New Designers Jen Leem Bruggen 2
I absolutely adored the fantastic illustrations of Jen Leem Bruggen at the Uni of Hertfordshire, seen here in a concertina foldout booklet, showing a magical use of colour.

ND Gemma Taylor
This piece is titled Monogamy by Gemma Taylor – showing a great use of pattern combined with bird imagery. Also at Hertfordshire. Sometimes it is the lesser known art colleges which throw up the most unexpected finds!

New Designers Ana Jaks
New Designers Ana Jaks 2
One of my favourite discoveries was work by Ana Jaks at Falmouth Uni – I love her use of colour and shape to create eye catching images.

ND Alex McGinn
Also at Falmouth I was taken by fine editorial work from Alex McGinn.

New Designers Hazel Partridge
Other pieces that caught my eye: a lovely bird by Hazel Partridge.

New Designers Charlotte Perry
This cool alphabet design by Charlotte Perry.

New Designers Thomas Pullin
And a fun character by Thomas Pullin.

ND Jess Rose
New Designers Jess Rose
The Nottingham Trent Uni stand was ridiculously difficult to navigate but I eventually established that these exciting silk scarf designs, inspired by viruses, aches and pains, are by Jess Rose. Beautiful and engaging.

ND Josh Patterson
New Designers Josh Patterson
Cooking up a storm! This lovely editorial work is by Josh Patterson at Birmingham City Uni, who has unsurprisingly already worked for an impressive roster of clients, as well as winning several awards.

New Designers Michelle Bowden
And I also liked this painterly pattern by Michelle Bowden.

ND Sorcha Faulkner
New Designers Sorcha Faulkner
At Cambridge School of Art I liked a more traditional take on cookery illustration by Sorcha Faulkner.

NEW DESIGNERS micah shaW 2
New Designers Micah Shaw
This house on a hill and ghosts are by Micah Shaw at Plymouth College of Art.

New Designers Sander B
ND Sander B
At Coventry Uni I loved this gorgeous book of Nordic folklore by Sander B Draws.

ND Jack Bailey
New Designers Jack Bailey
Jack Bailey was showing work with Cygnet Ink as part of a show put together by the Uni of Lincoln. I really enjoyed his mixed media approach, featuring beautiful delicate watercolour animals, buildings and matching models.

ND Yada Subhadira
At Portsmouth Uni I liked this 3D papercut of skulls by Yada Subhadira.

New Designers Bethany woollvin
And these planets with eyes by award winner Bethan Woollvin.

New Designers Dale Sylvester
Finally, this piece featuring the nerve endings in the brain is by Dale Sylvester.

All of these images first appeared on the New Designers instagram feed (they very kindly asked me to guest post a favourite selection from both part one and part two of the show) or on my own my instagram feed: follow me there to catch my discoveries as I make them!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday July 16th, 2015 3:54 pm

Categories ,2015, ,Alex McGinn, ,Ana Jaks, ,Bethan Woollvin, ,Birmingham City Uni, ,Cambridge School of Art, ,Charlotte Perry, ,Coventry Uni, ,Cygnet Ink, ,Dale Sylvester, ,Falmouth Uni, ,Gemma Taylor, ,Hazel Partridge, ,illustration, ,Jack Bailey, ,Jen Leem Bruggen, ,Jess Rose, ,Josh Patterson, ,Micah Shaw, ,Michelle Bowden, ,Monogamy, ,New Designers, ,Nottingham Trent Uni, ,Plymouth College of Art, ,Portsmouth Uni, ,review, ,Sander B Draws, ,Sorcha Faulkner, ,Thomas Pullin, ,Uni of Hertfordshire, ,Uni of Lincoln, ,Visual Communication, ,Yada Subhadira

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Alex McGinn: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Alex McGinn Artwork example 2
Illustrator Alex McGinn was one of a slew of graduates discovered at this summer’s New Designers show. Her distinctive artwork features a strong palette of autumnal colours, which lend themselves perfectly to a host of subjects.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 2
What was the best bit about studying at Falmouth Uni?
At Falmouth University I think the most helpful part of our course was the amount of tutor time and group critiques we had to discuss the development of our work. The university felt like a community, probably because the campus is situated in such a small town. As a student, I really felt the tutors really knew me and were always aware of what particular problem I was trying to overcome.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 4
How do you start a piece of artwork and what is your favourite part of the art making process?
Generally my favourite part of creating an illustration is the ‘thumbnail’ stage. Which is where I am literally laying out every idea that pops into my head until I have this massive page filled with plenty of different visuals to compare and choose from. At this part of the creative process I feel very liberated as I don’t have a fixed idea about what my final outcome will be.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 7
You favour a very particular colour palette, where do you find inspiration for the colours you use?
I think when I was starting to create more editorial illustrations I looked into the kind of colour palettes other successful editorial illustrators use, such as Neil Webb and David Doran. My main aim was however to make the illustrations really jump out at the viewer which is why my colour palette is vivid and bright.

Alex McGinn Double Page colouring book
How did you create the artwork for the colouring book?
I started off by making a few sketches and thumbnails and decided what subject matter would work best for a wide audience. Once I had decided I wanted to create a nature themed image the rest of the process was fairly simple. All my drawings are rather large so I can place all the necessary detail, and then digitally edit using the Adobe Suite.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 6
What are your favourite Dorset landscapes and why?
I personally enjoy the view from the Purbeck peninsula looking towards Corfe Castle which is an area I visited regularly as a child.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 3
How did you get involved with Write to Freedom and what have you done for them?
One of my Falmouth tutors was in contact with a member of Write to Freedom who were collaborating with the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), and it was through this connection I got one of my first commissions. For this particular commission I was asked to produce a leaflet depicting the History of the Workers’ Educational Association within Dartington, and an illustrated map. The illustrated map was designed to lead the viewer along a trail around Dartington Estate and the surrounding countryside. It was called the ‘Dartington Then and Now‘ Trail. Throughout the trail there were a series of ‘then’ and ‘now’ statements displayed, explaining the past and current projects the WEA undertook in Dartington.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 1
What kind of illustration are you producing for Workers’ Educational Association?
At the moment I am working on another commission now specifically for the Workers’ Educational Association. I am creating large illustrations summarising the development of the WEA over the last 100 years. These illustrations will eventually be displayed in an exhibition towards the end of the year.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 5
Why have you decided to train as a teacher and where do you hope to pass on your skills in the future?
I decided to train to be a teacher whilst keeping up with my freelance work as I really do have a passion for passing on the knowledge I have learnt throughout my education. I enjoy the opportunity to inspire creative thinking at any given opportunity which is why teaching was a logical path for me to undertake. At the moment I am training to teach Secondary Level Art and Design but potentially, in the future, I may qualify to teach at University level as well.

Stay tuned for many more interviews with featured artists from Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 29th, 2015 10:28 am

Categories ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Alex McGinn, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Corfe Castle, ,Dartington Estate, ,Dartington Then and Now, ,David Doran, ,Dorset, ,Falmouth University, ,illustration, ,interview, ,Neil Webb, ,New Designers, ,Purbeck peninsula, ,Workers’ Educational Association, ,Write to Freedom

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